Byler Oneshots

Part 2, Family Line: The talk

*+*
All that I did to try to undo it
All of my pain and all your excuses
I was a kid but I wasn't clueless
(Someone who loved you wouldn't do this)
All of my past I tried to erase it
But now I see would I even change it?
Might share a face
Might share a last name but
We are not the same

- Family Line, Conan Gray
*+*

There were smiles all around as everyone enjoyed their presents and laughed at the TV show Christmas special on.

They all smiled as they enjoyed the freshly baked cookies baked prior to their awakening that very morning.

Mike and Will sat cuddled up on the couch, slightly exhausted from their run in with bad memories the night before.

"Will what was that?" Mike whispered softly.

"What was what...?" Will asked trying to stray from the topic as far as possible.

"Last night...what scared you? Was it the Upside Down again?" Mike asked trying to make Will feel as safe as possible.

Will wanted to say yes.

But then he would have to explain it. Then they would think something's wrong.

More importantly

Will can't lie to Mike.

He knew it.

Everyone knew it.

"Well..." Will started, taking a breath, not exactly sure how to start explaining, looking just about on the verge of tears.

Mike quickly realized.

"Hey, hey hey! It's fine, take your time. I'm listening ok?"

Will smiled, he really didn't deserve Mike (a/n: 🙄 puhlease, bffr).

"Ok...well, you know how it's Christmas?"

Mike nodded as Will kept talking.

"Well, I don't think my family's had a proper holiday in years." Will laughed dryly as Mike's face dropped.

"You know it's tight with money, and Lonnie never let any type of holiday joy come into the house. At least not for long."

Mike couldn't even imagine a life without his family at Christmas, but he assumed from Will it absolutely sucked.

"And every time I did... try to make it happy, or any of us... he'd hit."

Will looked up to his mom

"My mother didn't know at first, but when she did she looked all so hurt, she never cried a lot, she took the punches for us, rarely fought..."

"I'm sorry..." Mike trailed off not knowing what to say but remembering he promised just to listen.

"I guess it's hard to put it into words, how the holidays have always hurt, I see dads with their little kids and wonder what we did to deserve this." Will spoke again referring to his whole family.