Kind of inspired by the song Sunset Lover by Petit Biscuit, enjoy!

Will's POV

"Hey, Will, you coming to Angelo's tonight?" Theo asks, coming up behind Will and giving him a slap on the back that shakes him through his core. "Whole team's gonna be there. Angelo's parents are out of town, and we're gonna order ten pizzas and watch the grossest horror movies we can find till one of us pukes." 

"I don't think so, sorry," Will says, scratching the back of his neck. He glances up at the clock hanging above him; two minutes till his class starts, not that Theo would care. He's been drifting through four years of high school as the resident lacrosse star, but for Will, it isn't that easy. He can barely hold his stick up straight for the whole game, but he needs the team, after the rumors that started circulating freshman year and never quite went away. "I'm kinda busy tonight." 

"You know what's weird about you, Will?" Theo asks, following him to his next class. His backpack swings off of one shoulder and his sneakers hit the ground lightly. Every step seems to come effortlessly to him, even when Will feels like he has leads tied to the soles of his shoes. "You've been on the team since freshman year. We all like you, you know, and you never wanna hang out with us. We have, what, nine, ten team events a year? You come to maybe one." 

"Dude, I'm busy," Will says. "I've got, like, homework and stuff." Thinking about the team events, the movie nights or trips to McDonald's sends a shiver up his spine. It isn't like he doesn't like his team; they're nice, and because of them he has friends that don't make rumors spark around his sexuality, friends who treat him like just another one of the guys. But when he gets too close to people he lets things slip, and he can't risk it happening. 

"You always have homework and stuff," Theo says. Will is reaching towards the doorknob to his class; the bell rings in one minute, and Mrs. Johnson will kill him if he's late. "Come on, man, loosen up." 

"Maybe next time," Will says with a strained smile. "Anyway, I gotta get to class. You know how Mrs. Johnson is." 

"Oh, yeah," Theo says. He smiles, but there's no light in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. See you at practice?" 

"Yeah," Will says. "See you then." 

He slips into the classroom the second the bell rings. Mrs. Johnson glares at him but he ignores her, slipping into his back-row seat and setting his head down. It pulses and he zones out as Mrs. Johnson starts talking, slipping off into his own little world. He doesn't have the energy to listen, to pay attention. Hiding underneath a guise of bad jokes and lacrosse sticks always saps the life out of him, leaving him a shell of a person struggling under the weight of a secret that makes him want to snap. 

As usual, lacrosse practice passes in a blur. His teammates talk to him like they always do but after practice, in their little huddles, Will is left to pick up his things alone. Anyone else might be offended, at being left out of all of the inside jokes and the constant banter, but Will is rushing to get off of the field. After all, he's got someone a thousand times better than his teammates waiting for him. 

He swings by his house, dropping off his lacrosse bag and changing into clothes that don't smell like sweat. He promises his mom that he's going to the library, that he's just doing homework, that of course, it's normal for a high school senior to have so much homework and then he's off, earbuds blasting music and a spring in his step that's never present during school. 

------

"You know, every time we make plans I get excited, and every time I'm always worried that you won't show up." 

"Well, unless you want me to show up smelling like sweat and musty lacrosse balls, I have to change after practice," Will says. The air is cool on his back as he steps into the little shack, the floor dirt underneath him. He can hear the waves lapping up on the rocks outside and through a slit in the roof, he can see the colors of the sunset, all reds, and golds, and beautiful. 

"That wouldn't be too bad," Nico says, digging his heels into the ragged blanket they've set out in the corner. His hair is touseled by the wind, his sweatshirt hanging off of one shoulder, and Will finds himself breathless in Nico's presence. "Lacrosse guys are kinda hot." 

"I hope that's not the only reason you're with me," Will says. "I happen to think I have a very charming personality." 

"You do," Nico says. "Kinda. But mostly, you're just really hot. Now get over here and kiss me, I miss you." 

Will leans his back against the rough walls of the fishing shack, the wood digging into his shirt, his hands wrapped around Nico's waist, pulling him close. When he's kissing Nico, the entire world disappears around him. The worries about accidentally outing himself, school, feeling so uncomfortable around his teammates- that all disappears around Nico. Kissing Nico is like disappearing into a pool of water, submerged in a world where the only thing that matters is that Nico's hands are in Will's hair and that they're completely and utterly alone.

"Hey, I've been thinking," Nico says, tracing a finger across Will's bicep. Nico's head is on Will's chest and they feel so close, connected by this shared secret that sends shivers through Will's body. 

"Yeah, you do that a lot?" Will teases. Nico slaps him lightly on the arm. 

"I'm serious," Nico says. He turns to face Will, pressing a kiss to his lips. Once again, Will is swept up in the fantasy he lives in when he kisses Nico and his world melts away. "I think we should go to prom together." The fantasy world drops away and Will is laying in a shack, wet dirt at his back and cold air on his neck. 

"Out of all the promposals, I've seen, that was the worst," Will says. "Like, come on. No signs, no flowers, no nothing. We've been seeing each other for, like, a year and a half, Neeks. I'd expect a little glitz."

"Well, based on what I've gathered about your personality in the past year and a half, I know you wouldn't like that," Nico says. He kisses Will again, cupping a smooth hand around Will's cheek. Will feels himself begin to melt. "Although, if you want, I can grab you a couple of dandelions from outside. I've got a hair tie- I'll make a nice bouquet. But my point still stands." 

"I don't know, Neeks," Will says. "I- you know I'm not out at school yet." 

"We could pretend to go as friends," Nico says. 

"No one thinks we're friends. We don't talk at school." 

"We could start," Nico says. "Eat lunch together, walk to classes, make out behind the bleachers. And then we go to prom as friends. We don't have to kiss, we don't have to hug. Maybe one dance. As friends. And then we go back to my place, watch a couple of movies and steal some of my mom's fancy wine and kiss until we fall asleep." 

"Listen, Nico, I don't know." Will stands and he pushes himself up on his arms, frowning. "I mean, no one knows I'm gay. My friends, my family, my team- no one. And I'm so close, to being able to slip through highschool completely undetected. And I can't risk it, not this close to the end." 

"I know, Will, but it could be so great," Nico says. "I mean, once dance at prom, and we never have to see any of these people again. Even if they don't accept you, it won't matter. Because you won't see them, and if they don't accept you, they're not worth you, anyway."

"Nico, I've gotta go," Will says. He can feel the wind at his back, tugging him from Nico's arms into the cruel world outside. He grabs his backpack, the ploy for tricking his mom into actually thinking he's doing homework. Nico's face crumples and as he bites his lip, Will can see the glitter of a tear in his eye. "My, uh, my mom said she wants me home for dinner. I"ll talk to you later, 'kay?" 

"Will-" 

"Bye, Neeks. Love you." He means it- he's meant it for a year and a half. Throughout the time spent in the shack, kissing Nico under the hazy slit of sunset, Will has always loved Nico. But now, he doesn't need Nico, or the feeling of his hands on his face, or his lips on Will's. Now, all Will needs is to leave. 

The wind pushes him away from the shack and he stumbles, toes catching on rocks and making him tumble on his knees, the ground scraping into his pants. He feels a sting, a drop of blood on his skin, but he picks himself up and keeps moving, his heart throbbing in his ears and every limb feeling heavy. 

"Will?" Will spins around when he hears his name. His heart catches in his throat when he spots Theo, brown hair all tousled from the wind, brows knitted together in the wind. "I thought you were busy tonight." 

"I was at the library," Will says, clearing his throat. "Studying." His voice gives out in the middle of the word and he pats his backpack. 

"Yeah, but you look like you just saw a ghost," Theo says. "Dude, are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm, uh, I'm fine," Will says. He clears his throat again, does his best to dab the tear away from the corner of his eye. Theo crosses his arms over his chest. "Besides, I thought you were supposed to be at Angelo's?" 

"My mom wanted me home, some stupid thing about a family game night," Theo says. "Kinda awkward when all the guys can hear her yelling at me through the phone, so I left. But she can wait. You know I'm your friend, right? And I know you probably don't care, but I care about you. You can talk to me." Will is so close to rejecting Theo's offer of help. He could say it's just been a hard day of studying, say a pleasant goodbye, and go cry in the privacy of his own room. But his emotions have other plans for the night because he finds himself breaking down, sobbing into Theo's shoulder.

Theo calls his mom, saying something about having to help a friend, before buying Will ice cream. Theo makes him buy a large, top it with sprinkles before they sit at one of the picnic tables around the ice cream shop, stars twinkling above them. Theo digs at his root beer float as Will slowly licks his cone, sprinkles falling off onto his hand. "You ready to talk about it?" Theo asks. He spins his spoon in his bowl. "I mean, if you don't wanna, that's cool. I just thought, you know- I'm worried about you, man. You can talk to me. I'm on the lacrosse team, I've heard some pretty wacky stuff." 

"Yeah, I'm sure the team gets real crazy," Will says with a watery chuckle. 

"You'd be surprised," Theo says. "But my point is, you can trust me. And you can talk to me. What's up?" Will sighs shakily. His heart pounds; with ache, or nerves, or nausea. He licks his ice cream to avoid talking, but Theo's eyes are wide. For the first time, someone wants to listen to Will. And Will knows, that even through all the fear, this is an opportunity that he can't give up.

"You know Nico?" 

"Di Angelo? Yeah, he's in my math. Nice dude." 

"We've been together," Will says. He stares down at the picnic table, watches an ant indulge itself in a drop of Will's ice cream. "Romantically. Kind of. For, like, a year and a half. It didn't really start out romantic. We were two closeted guys who just wanted to feel normal. But then he came out and I didn't, and now I think I love him and I have for a year and a half. And he wants to go to prom together, like, one last hurrah. He even said just once dance would work, but the problem is, I don't know if I'm brave enough for that." 

"Oh," Theo says. "Thanks for telling me. Have you told anyone else?" 

"No one but Nico," Will says. "He could kinda figure it out, I think. But you're the only person I've, like, told told." 

"Thanks," Theo says. "I'm, like, kinda honored. And you know I'll support you no matter who you love, right?" 

"Thank you," Will says. He wipes away a tear. "I don't know what to do. Because I love him, I really do, and as much as I'd love to go to prom with him, and dance that last dance, I don't know if I can." 

"You know, I know it probably doesn't seem like it, but the school has less assholes in it than you'd think," Theo says. "And even if people don't accept you, fuck them, right? I mean, you're going off to your fancy-ass college in a couple of months, and you'll never have to see them again. But if you don't go with Nico, it sounds like something you're gonna regret forever."

Will sighs, nudging the ant a sprinkle from the top of his cone. He might be confused to the point where his brain feels as if it's scrambled, but at least the ant can eat. "Will?" 

"I'm just scared, Theo," Will says. "Like, it's complicated, but the idea of walking in there with him, and spending all that time with him and being that vulnerable for the whole night- it's terrifying." 

"You don't have to go with him the whole night," Theo says. "Nico said all he wants is once dance. Come with my group- my girlfriend's gonna be there, but a lot of the guys on the team are just going as friends. It's a really small group, maybe five or six? Or seven, if you come. But you can get ready with us, and you can come with us, and then you're ready, you go dance with Nico. I'll tell them about your plan but if you don't want me to, I won't."

"I-" Will's voice gets stuck in his throat, and any sound comes out a pitiful squeak. His head throbs and Theo looks at him expectantly, as if he thinks it will be this easy for Will to make a decision that could impact his entire life. His shaking hands crush his cone, and the ice cream leaks out, all soupy and sticky, onto his hands. "Can I think about it?" Theo's face crumples, and Will has to give him credit for trying. No one has ever tried this hard for him before, and Will promises himself he won't cry again. 

"Yeah, of course," Theo says. He bites his lips. He won't meet Will's eyes and Will almost goes back on his words, agree to something no matter how scary it feels. But his throat closes up again and he can't get a single word out. "You want me to walk you home?"

"I'm good," Will says. "Thanks for the ice cream- I'll pay you back tomorrow. But I've gotta think on this." He stands up, leaving the rest of his mangled cone on the picnic table for the ant. "Thank you, though. For everything." 

"Night, Will," Theo says quietly.

"Night, Theo." Theo watches him leave, and soon the tiny ice cream shop is swallowed up in the darkness. The beautiful sunset is long gone, replaced by blackness all around him. Will walks, hands shoved in pockets, feet heavy on the ground, weighed down by the burden of his emotions, of the secret that's ripping him apart from the inside. When it gets too heavy he collapses against a tree on the side of the road, tears rolling down his face, backpack cast to the side. His mom is probably expecting him home for dinner but Will can't find the energy to move as he tucks his head in between his knees, sobbing uncontrollably with only the stars and the moon to hear him.

Hi guys, I really hope you liked this because I honestly loved writing it! I think I'm gonna do a part two next week and also since school is out for the rest of the year and I have nothing else to do, I think I'm going to start updating weekly again, so look out for those!

Nina