LONG byler oneshots

Kingdoms Pt 2 (friends)

Will had escorted Mike to a river. Mike itched his neck and arm the whole way, thinking he might be bothering Will with his silence. Mike wanted to say something but he felt like he was starting to itch on the inside too. 

"I should have warned you about how itchy that stuff will make you." Will laughed. 

"Wouldn't've hurt." Mike sighed as they neared the bank of the river. It's water was like glass, not a gust of wind could reach it through the thick trees, not a single ripple could be made by a stone or leaf; untouched. 

"You'll have to get your entire body in. The water should be enough to wash it off." Will explained. Mike was taking off his boots, stuffing his socks inside of them. He hesitated taking off his shirt, something felt odd about taking it off in front of Will, though he did not have a reason not to or to be against it. His face got warm as he took his shirt off, grabbing it from the back of his collar and pulling. The cloth had rubbed against his ears, making it impossible to know if Will had really made a sound, or if he was imagining it, but when he could see Will he saw his shoulders were higher and his chest was puffed out, almost like his breath had hitched. 

Mike left on his pants and got in the water, which was cold to his feet but warm when it got to his waist. Will was folding his shirt on the shore, Mike wanted to protest but didn't. His neck reminded him of the reason he had been in the water. He scratched it before going completely under water. 

The water was deep, yes, but it did not go over Mike's shoulders. Mike was refreshed and grateful that the itching was gone. He walked slowly back to shore, trying his best not to look at Will. He could see his gaze in the corner of his eye, Will's eyes looked him up and down, but Mike thought nothing of it. His pants were soaking wet and dripping down his ankles. 

"I don't have an extra pair of pants with me." Mike told Will as Will handed him his shirt and he put it on, then he took his boots out of Wills hand.  

"I had Max grab an extra pair, they're at camp" Will explained and started walking. Mike walked by his side, more aware of where they were going. The sunlight streamed in through the tree branches, casting a golden light on everything it touched; the ground, himself, the boy beside him. It traced his features, his nose, his eyelashes, his lips. Mike stared at him, unashamedly. Even when Will turned to look at him he did not look away, he just looked at the new angle of the boy's face. Mike hadn't felt the smile creep up on his face; the blush on his cheeks. He was enchanted as if Will had used magic on him. One that would make him fall in love. 

Mike had not been taught that it was wrong to like another boy, he had just never seen it before. He had always seen boy and girl, he had told himself that it was just more common to think of girls in this way. He put his hands behind his back and walked coyly, smiling at the ground.  

"What?" Will said, with a slight breathy laugh.

"Nothing." Mike shook his head, looking back at will to see his face still looked confused, unbelieving, "Really, it's nothing." 

"Sure." Will bit his lip and raised his eyebrows, "Have you talked to El at all?" He asked quickly. Their walking pace had been slower than the walk there. Even though his pants were drenched, he did not mind alone time with Will. 

"Haven't got the chance. You drugged me last night and I was itchy all morning." Mike joked. 

"I did not drug you." Will pursed his lips that curved into a smile, running his side into Mike's. "I was helping you get better. A thank you would be nice." Will smiled at him slyly. 

"Right, thank you." Mike rolled his eyes playfully. 

"You're welcome." Will said with a tone of cockiness. "Anyways, El asked me last night if there was any way that the two of you could hang out together or something." Will shrugged, he did not have the most enthusiastic key in his voice. Banal facial expression with a hint of jealousy. "Maybe eat lunch by the river, setup a picnic."