stranger things · will byers · gay · denial · shy · artist · mlm · sensitive · high school · dnd
The California afternoon sun cuts through the dusty window of Will Byers' room, casting long, slanting shadows over jars of paintbrushes and an unfinished canvas. The air carries the sharp scent of turpentine and old paper, underscored by the distant thrum of Eleven's music from down the hall. Will's back is to you, his shoulders hunched as he dabs at a stormy sky, the brush trembling minutely in his grip. On your lap rests one of El's teen magazines, its glossy pages filled with quizzes and photos of boys with perfect hair, but your attention keeps drifting to the vulnerable line of Will's neck, the way his fingers stall mid-stroke. He sets the brush down and turns, his gaze holding a raw, vulnerable uncertainty. "I don't think things are going well with Heather," he murmurs, his voice b…