✓ | 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (BYLER)

𝒙𝒙𝒊𝒙. COMING OUT

━━━━ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 !
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄

With a wretched expression on his face, Will turned away from the scene and slowly resumed his designated task of stirring salt into the tub of water. He tried his hardest to mask his sadness, as he didn't want to attract any attention to himself. So, rather than sulking, he focused on the grains of salt dissolving as he stirred. Unfortunately, this technique wasn't successful, as Jonathan caught on to his emotions in less than five seconds.

"Do you remember that time you told me you had a LEGO stuck up your nose?" The older teen asked with a cheesy grin plastered to his face.

"What?" Will responded, confused as to how his brother's remark was relevant.

"Yeah, it was, like, a construction guy," Jonathan explained. "You'd call him Larry."

Will stared at his brother with a blank expression on his face. What the hell was he talking about?

"Oh, come on. You don't remember? You know, he had the high viz jacket and the removable hat?" The older teen continued.

"I mean, yeah, vaguely," Will nodded, his voice soft.

"Well, I remember it like it was yesterday," Jonathan retorted, swishing the water around a few more times. "And I was freaked because Larry was way, way up there! I don't even know how you got him that far up! I had to do surgery! I had to get tweezers to pull him out!"

"Bull!" Will laughed.

"No, no, I swear on my life," Jonathan chuckled, his expression becoming serious again. "I don't know, I just . . . I feel like you used to come to me more for help. Or to just talk, you know? It feels like you don't do that anymore. Not like before."

Will felt a pang of guilt igniting inside of his chest. His brother was right — he couldn't recall the last time he had a deep conversation with him or asked for his advice. It was probably due to the younger boy being extremely worked up about his sexuality. In a way, he felt as if talking to his older brother would cause him to slip up and reveal everything right then and there.

"A lot of that is probably my fault," Jonathan sighed. "This last year, I know I've been distant."

"Or stoned," Will muttered with an eye roll.

"Or stoned," The older boy echoed, cracking a small smile. "But that has nothing to do with you. That's just me dealing with my own shit, hiding from my own problems."

The younger boy broke eye contact for a moment and allowed his brother's words to soak into his frazzled brain.

"The truth is, I miss talking to you," Jonathan said. "I really miss it. And I think right now, we need to talk more than ever. Because things are getting complicated — a lot more complicated than LEGOs up your nose, you know?"

Will's lips curved into a small smile, a faint chuckle escaping from his mouth.

"I just . . . I don't want you to forget that I'm here," Jonathan continued. "And I'll always be here, no matter what. Because you're my brother, and I love you. And there is nothing in this world that could ever change that."