Little League (Byler)

XV

(AKA, Devil Town is colder in the summertime
I'll lose my mind at least another thousand times, -Devil Town, Cavetown.)

Will collapsed on his mattress, body sinking into sheets and flattened pillows. The pillows of which he had sobbed into multiple times that week. His frame felt weak, tired. Both emotionally and physically exhausted, but who could blame him? The boy had just had his heart broken by his crush and within the same day had cuddled with said crush. His pulse was in his throat, tempering away at his confusion.

God, why did Mike have to be like this?!
Byers almost felt bad for El, dating the terrifyingly attractive teenager must be a roller coaster of emotions. Or worse seeing as just by being his friend was like riding a tidal wave into fierce waters.
But Will also knew he could live through this, the man had literally survived spending a week in an alternate dimension where pretty much everything wanted to kill him. So he just let his body sink into his bed, the clock quietly ticking steadily behind him. It was beyond annoying, and Will absolutely despised that old clock. But today he didn't seem to notice it, instead he was busy deciding on whether he should be crying or giggling and beaming. A little metronome wasn't the 'elephant in the room' right then.
A loud pulse at the door.
"Will?! You in there?"
He could spot some twisted curls, a combination of bed head and natural tangles. Dustin, of course it was Dustin! The poor thing had been left in the middle of the night with no idea as to where his traumatized best friend had gone off too.
"Byers?!"
Despite his urge to let his mattress consume him whole, Will jumped to his feet. Floor groaning over contact, a gentle wheeze almost. His shoulder, rudely, collided with the door frame on his way to the front.
"Coming!" He called, covering up the hiss he had made. Hand clasped over twitching arm, the door swung open.
"Holy shit man, I was so worried!" Dustin exclaimed with that stupid lisp Byers had learned to love.
"I am so sorry. It was so stupid of me to leave and stuff, I just was having trouble getting to sleep last night and thought it would be better to make it home." But Dustin just rolled his eyes and smiled
"Yeah, so stupid." He joked through that classic Henderson lisp that easily would grow on you. A tiny splatter of spit flying into the air.
"Now, I'm not entirely stupid, I know you were at Mikes last night, so spill. Did jerk face come begging to take you back? All like 'oh Sir Will the Wise, my dear love thoust is but the morning flower budding in my gentleman eyes. Do forgive me and be mine, please.'" The six month-ish older boy bowed dramatically and forced his eyebrows up in a flair of desperation.

"How did you know I was at Mikes?!"
"Bro, believe it or not I am not that deep of a sleeper, plus you are so loud with doors. When you left I ran out calling your name, sleepily of course, and you just didn't hear, I assume? But it wasn't that hard to tell where you ended up, especially after calling Mr. Michael himself this morning. Man was a stuttering mess, you shoulda heard it!"

(QUICK A/N: I really wanted to publish something today, 02,23,22 because it's my birthday but I couldn't finish this in time so I'm adding a little side note mid-chapter 😔😏)

"He was?"
"Yeah! Bro, he sounded like a car engine. It was hilarious." Will chuckled softly at the words.
"' O-oh y-yeah, Will w-went b-b-b-back to his house I t-think,'" Dustin mocked, "Literal car engine. Sir Mike was having issues."
Blood flooded his face at the memory, he almost hoped the stuttering was because of their awkward position when they woke up earlier.
"Ooh did something happen? You look like a tomato, Byers. 'A fat tomato,' as Mike would say."
A small breath released heartily from his throat, a sort of laugh. But his posture was still tense and awkward. Lopsided and off centered, but very much a Will type stance. Stable yet strange.
"So? Did anything happen? I want all of the details." Dustin gasped excitedly. His hands clapped together a single time, that gleam of thrill in his eyes.
"Not really much, hah.. just typical Will and Mike things. Y'know." He attempted to ease into a conclusion, so he could try and get some rest.
"Will, I don't believe you. However, you're probably exhausted- so this is my cue," Dustin paused and a smirk flicked from his lips, "but, when you aren't so tired. You know who to call." With that, the curly hair bobbed past the door frame.
"Ghostbusters." Will murmured weakly with a tiny smile. He turned back and stumbled to his room, collapsing happily against the mattress. So exhausted, so worn.
At least he had one stable friend.
***
Authors Note- This sucked and I do in fact realize it took WAY too long to finish. Umm, my motivation actually sucked this week. But yay! I finally finished and with around 300 words less than usual. And this is ignoring that I finished this chapter at a play practice. 👍👍
Anyway *lipbite* see you next time.

Words- 924