#byler fluff and angst

[bylerisc4non]

please 😭 i just wanna scroll through byler fics in peace without seeing tags i dont wanna see 😭 can someone recommend some good WHOLESOME fics for me please?

[imfinereallyy]

you can pry happy endings from my cold-dead hands. It can be the most heart stopping, gut wrenching fic that has every existed and I will read every drop of it if I get my happy ending. I have had enough painful endings in real life, give me happy in my fantasy world. It can be at the last second, it can be a single sentence, even a single word. Give me all the angst and hurt in the world for 500,000 words, but please give me the comfort I need in the ending. please and thank you.

[imactuallyreallycool]

What a lovely dream

But that what it’ll always be. A dream.

Close ups and stuff lmao

[byleriscanon713by]

Wait a damn minute Mike doesn’t know Wills gay… he’s projecting…

[andy4yippee]

ONE DAY TILL BYLER WEEK 2024!!!

Get those drafts ready people..🙏🙏🙏‼️‼️

[stervrucht]

AO3

“You lied.”

Mike's voice echoes through the empty church, bounces off the walls, and reverberates in Will's head.

Will looks around the room and is swept up in disorientation.

This has been happening a lot lately. He doesn’t have it under control yet, his True Sight, and sometimes he travels abruptly to the Upside Down.

He’s in a church. It's the same one he was in just a second ago, only it was different. Lighter, cleaner, and he could see all the way into the back. The windows were broken and dead leaves were scattered on the hardwood floor. A few opportunistic branches of ivy had made their way in.

The vivid green of them is now replaced by black vines and they crawl across the floor like snakes. The air is filled with pollen, and it’s dark.

So dark in this sunless world.

Will turns around, towards the source of the sound, towards the rows of pews, and sees Mike sitting there. His back is turned to Will as he faces the chapel.

“Mike?” 

This has never happened before. He has never been able to take anyone along. He can hardly get himself out at this stage. And that’s the reason they stuck together, just Mike and him. 

Will is a liability.

He’s a danger to their plan; a two-way mirror between the Upside Down and their world. Only he can’t control it. He doesn’t know how to get Vecna out of his head and he’s never sure when he’s looking back.

But Mike offered. He told him El was their most important asset and her plans should be kept secret at all costs. 

Mike offered to stay by Will’s side, regardless of the dangers.

And Will didn’t expect it. He thought Mike would stay with El, but their relationship has been shaky at best lately. Between Hawkins tearing open and the world ending they hadn't had time to talk about it either. 

He’s not sure if Mike would if he had the chance.

But that doesn’t matter now. What matters is that Will is in the Upside Down, and Mike is here, and if they’re stuck together then there is no one to pull Will out again.

He takes a few tentative steps forward and lays his hand on Mike’s shoulder. Mike doesn’t respond. He doesn’t pull away either.

“You know lying is a sin, Will.” Mike’s voice sounds cold and Will has never heard it like that — so void of warmth and friendship.

For a moment his mind is blank. 

“I…I didn’t,” he stammers, “I never lied to you, Mike, you know I wouldn’t.”

“You’re lying right now.”

Mike still isn’t looking at him, and from his periphery, Will can see a confession booth light up. Will isn’t sure if it was there before; doesn’t even know where the light comes from.

“Confess,” Mike commands. 

Will feels his heartbeat in his throat as fear grips him. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge and he can feel him .

“I’m not lying! I haven’t lied to you!” he pleads; he begs towards the back of Mike’s head. Mike who still won’t look at him.

“Confess.”

His voice is so cold. 

“Confess. Confess.”

It becomes a chant. Mike’s voice increasingly insistent — increasingly loud.

Will backs away. He walks back until he feels his back hit the church wall near the door, and when it does his legs give out. He slides to the ground and covers his ears to drown out Mike’s chanting.

“Confess. Confess.”

And then he hears it. He hears Mike calling for him, calling his name. And it’s not the icy tone of the Mike in front of him. It’s warm and concerned and—

Mike is kneeling in front of him. He’s holding his face with warm fingers as he wipes across Will’s cheeks. 

He didn’t know he was crying. 

“You’re back.” Mike breathes, and his voice sounds so relieved that Will can’t help a tiny apologetic smile.

But then he feels it fall again as he thinks of what he just witnessed.

“I saw him, Mike. I think I saw him.” He feels gripped by fear, so intensely that it makes his throat close up. Mike’s eyes widen and he licks his lips nervously. His hands move from Will’s face to his shoulders and squeeze tightly — the way Mike often does to ground him. It brings him back. Calms him down.

“What did you see?” Mike blinks at him and Will thinks he should tell him. Vecna prays on the anguished and the weak, and this secret is making him both.

“Mike, I…” Will starts. He bites his lip and looks down briefly, trying to find his courage before looking up again, “I need to tell you something. Promise me you won’t be mad.”

Mike furrows his brows. He looks nervous, a little scared. “I promise.”

Will takes a moment to gather his thoughts. He doesn’t like it and he knew it was a bad idea. He knew he made a mistake that day back in the van when he told Mike El requested the painting. But he was scared. He suddenly got so nervous as he handed it to Mike. And Mike needed it, right? He needed reassurance, needed to know that he was special, that he was needed. 

And Will needs him. Always has and always will. But he isn’t enough for Mike, he knows that.

“I lied. Mike, I lied about the painting. About El requesting it. She didn’t.”

It is out. Will feels his heart rabbit in his chest, anticipation gnawing at him as he searches Mike’s eyes for any kind of response. 

“She didn’t?“ he echoes. Mike blinks and looks away briefly, eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What about all the things you told me? About her needing me?”

“She does need you!” Will cuts in, “We all do.”

“But she didn’t say it.”

Will hesitates. “She didn’t — not with words. But she doesn’t have to. You know she does, Mike!”

Mike’s face grows visibly distraught and his breathing is coming a little faster as his eyes shift rapidly.

“So what you’re saying is, El doesn’t need me.”

Will feels powerless, his hands uselessly clenching at his side. That isn’t what he meant at all. 

“No one ever needs me,” Mike’s grip on his shoulders loosens, “El has powers and she's off on her own somewhere saving the world. And you. You’re special, and I’m just….me. I've done nothing for El. Nothing for you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mike!” Mike isn’t looking at him. His eyes are scanning the ground, looking at some of the dried leaves by their side. Will sits up a little straighter against the wall and grabs Mike by his arms. He squeezes, just like Mike does to him, in hopes of driving his words home. “You saved me. So many times. You saved me just now; got me back. I don’t have control over this. I don’t even want these stupid powers. We’re a team, Mike. We’ll always be a team.”

Filtered light creeps through the broken window and it plays with the shadows on Mike’s face. It’s quiet, almost tranquil, a near complete silence except for birdsong and cars passing in the distance.

Mike’s eyes slowly find him again. They’re a little wet, but not quite like crying. Mike looks hurt.

“Why lie Will? Why make stuff up?”

Will feels desperate and it’s like Mike is purposely mishearing him. Like he wants to be told he’s useless as much as he wants to be needed. 

“It wasn’t made up. It was true, all of it. It just wasn’t El who said it. It was me okay. I need you, Mike. I just thought…I thought it wouldn’t be enough, coming from me.”

Mike gives him a wry little smile. “I…I need you too, Will. And you’re right, we’re a team. We shouldn’t be fighting.”

“Right.” Will smiles, relief washing over him.

Mike stands up and dusts the fabric of his jeans before offering Will a hand. Will takes it, allows himself to be pulled up, and quickly wipes his eyes with his sleeve.

Mike doesn’t let go of his hand. Instead, he pulls him closer and wraps his arms around Will. Wil’s hands are trapped between their bodies. He can do nothing but let Mike hold him.

“Just, don’t do it again, okay? You can tell me anything,” Mike mumbles into his hair. 

“You’re the heart, Mike,” Will whispers into his shoulder. It’s soft. He isn’t sure if Mike has heard him.

“You’re my heart too.”

● AO3 ●

[byierficrecs]

❝ thought i knew you for a minute ❞ author: @moonlightmiwi

link: archiveofourown.org/works/43694800

personal blog || submit a story || support me on ko-fi 🍂

[kuumara]

Hey, Lucas

Mike and Lucas are on patrol. They're not far away from the safe house, but that doesn't mean they're safe. Thankfully they've gotten better at defending themselves these past year, and now they can be more useful than just plotting new plans.

They've been walking in silence, too scared to make noise that might attract anything. But Mike's never liked silence, it makes him feel even more anxious.

Mike whispers. "Hey, Lucas-"

"Shh." Lucas shuts him up immediately. Alright, then.

"Damn. When did you turn into such a nag-"

"Shh!" Ugh. Mike rolls his eyes. No one's any fun around here anymore. Except Will. But he's mostly possessed, so Mike doesn't know if he would be like this too if he spent more time with the group. Mike wishes he wouldn't, but he also wishes he wouldn't be possessed anymore. He wishes everything would be back to how it was.

If everything were normal, he could've maybe went to California with Will, or wherever he wanted to go, and they could get an apartment or maybe go to college together. There's colleges that have an art program and a writing program in the same building, right? It's both art, isn't it? He wishes he didn't have to keep his dreams to himself. If he or Will were a girl, he could gush about that all he wants. But neither of them are a girl.

Mike isn't walking with Lucas through cold, heavy air that makes you barely able to breathe. He's on a beach in California, with Will and El, in Lenora. During that spring break.

He and El never started dating again, in this ideal world. They're friends. Like, real friends, not the kind of friends you say you're 'just friends' with. The sun is shining, not too bright and not too dim. There's not a lot of people around them, rare for a beach like this. Will is telling him to come swimming with him. They swim and play in the water for a while. Mike tries to playfully keep Will under the water, but he keeps clutching him and eventually they both give up, exhausted, arms around eachothe-

"Mike!" Lucas waves a hand in front of Mike's face. That, unfortunately, pulls Mike out of his daydreaming. He blinks at Lucas. They're on the porch of the safe house. They still have to stay here for some time, while the others are getting ready to go sleep.

"You wanted to talk before so badly. Now speak,"

Mike contemplates. What if he just- told Lucas about Will? He's probably noticed something's up. He's the 'love expert', after all. Either Lucas accepts him, or doesn't care because they've got more important stuff to handle than Mike's self-discovery. Or, Lucas doesn't accept him and he loses his best friend. Ruins this friendship. He doubts that'll happen, though- Lucas isn't like that. His motto is 'normal is crazy'. He's been called a freak all his life, he's basically Mike's brother, he wouldn't bail on his fellow freak...

"Mik-"

"I'm gay," Mike blurts out. Great, at least now he doesn't have to overthink anymore, it's out there now.

Lucas just stares at him. Mike closes his eyes, he already knows this is going wrong. He closes his eyes, and waits for the punch, or the insult, or the outing to everyone else, or something.

But nothing happens. Well, something happens. Lucas hugs him. Mike still doubts this is positive, and expects him to hiss something awful and humiliating in his ear.

But he doesn't. They just stand there, on the front porch of the barricaded safe house. So, this is a positive reaction after all, isn't it?

"And I- I love Will." Mike's mouth moves faster than his brain yet again. But at least he's saved from the overthinking, I guess-

"I love him so much. Love-love him. Don't tell him," Mike's voice starts to break. Lucas hugs him even tighter, and Mike can't help but cry.

He cries, for what seems like forever, he's surprised no one came to take the other watch shift yet, and he hopes they don't. He doesn't want to be seen like this.

And Lucas is hugging him and holding him close through all of the crying and sniffling and staining his jacket.

Eventually, Mike just stays standing there, Lucas still not letting go, Mike's head on his shoulder. He's tired, yet has never felt more well-rested. He feels understood and he feels safe.

"Thank you, for telling me." Lucas whispers into Mike's hair. His voice is wet, he's been crying as well.

"Look at me, Mike,"

Mike does that. His tired eyes sting in the cold, dry air. Lucas's eyes are red, too.

"Listen. If anyone would hurt you, I would stand up for you, wouldn't I?"

Mike nods.

"And do you think I would hurt you? Despite you knowing I would beat anyone's ass that would even look at you weird?"

Mike laughs. He's happy Lucas is his friend. He's happy he told him.

"I would have to stand up to myself if I'd hurt you." They both laugh. And Lucas hugs Mike some more.

"I'm always here for you." Mike smiles into his shoulder.

"And, about Will. Don't even worry about him, you've got the love master on your side after all-"

"No, Lucas-"

"The wedding bells will ring in no time! Put together your guest list and book your hotels! Pick a theme already! What color will the decorations be? The bridesmaids dresses-"

--

Lucas plans bylers wedding agenda

based (😎) on this post by @merth-or-nothin (finally learned how to embed shit)

[pareiwheeler]

mike wheeler is so character

[i-promise-i-am-not-on-drugs]

Wrathful Wishing Star and Poisoned Apple Tree - Chapter 1 - DaineYui - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

I just finished reading this, and oh god, it's absolutely beautiful. Definitely heartbreaking, but beautiful. I loved every single bits of it.

[your-stranger-halfblood-things]

Will kisses all of Mike's scars

[messrsbyler]

any fluffy / angsty stonathan hcs?

even though there's tension between them that neither can explain (it's attraction and everyone else can tell it is attraction), jonathan and steve get to know each other better since steve continued with his job at family video after they stopped doomsday and since jonathan decided to skip a year to spend at hawkins and really figure out what he wanted to do next in life without having anyone intervene in that decision.

since jonathan is back at hawkins and since movie night becomes a tradition in the byers household once more, jonathan makes a routine to go one day a week at family video searching for new films to watch. at first he asks steve for any recommendations but steve's movie taste sucks in jonathan's humble opinion, so the tables turn and it's now jonathan who is recommending movies to steve

each week steve is more than proud and excited to report to jonathan that he did watch the movies jonathan recommended and they have a nice little chat of the things steve liked, the things he found to be perturbing, and a new list of recommendations they can discuss the upcoming week.

when a really awaited movie makes it to hawkins' theaters, steve buys two tickets. he wants to attend with jonathan, something about the idea makes him feel funny inside, but he also doesn't know how to ask because... well, he and jonathan get along just fine and they've become something close to once-a-week acquaintances now, but going to a movie together is more of a every-day friends thing and maybe they aren't there yet, even though steve, oddly enough, wants them to be there because he enjoys spending time with jonathan and he wouldn't mind if their usual weekly meetings at the family store grows to be more of a daily thing outside steve's job. so, when the time comes, steve plays it cool because he is cool and collected and this isn't a big deal at all, so no reason to be nervous (he is immensely nervous) and blurs out something about buying to tickets for the movie for a date but the girl cancelled last minute so now he is stuck with two tickets, one for him and one for a plus one and maybe jonathan could be that plus one if he has nothing going on or, you know, whatever. it's not a big deal and steve is cool and collected and totally not nervous.

jonathan looks amused but also taken by surprise. "so, you are asking me on a date, then?" he says which is meant to be a joke and everyone and their mother knows it's meant to be joke. steven knows it's a joke by the laugh that follows jonathan's words and the grin on his rather handsome face but for a second steve's brain stops working and goes oh, well. that wouldn't be so bad, now, would it?

from there they go in these not-dates more often and steve even gets invited to one of the byers' movie nights. steve and he get closer and closer until steve can't really deny it. he likes jonathan. in a friend way, sure, but also in a way where he wouldn't mind if jonathan slipped an arm across his shoulders or maybe... even kiss steve, or something...

steve also gets to see what a family looks like. dinner at a table that's not empty, inside jokes, and this cozy feeling that warmth his stomach whenever joyce smiles kindly at him and asks him how work was today. it's nice to not be in a huge and empty house for once.

steve also breaks through jonathan's shell and propels him to do things he wants to do and even be a little selfish at times. steve insists jonathan should live his life however he wants to live it since no one else will do it for him, and this really inspires jonathan to not be so afraid of going after the things he wants for once.

jonathan is quickly adopted by robin and they have a blast making fun of steve, robin in more of an upfront way while jonathan does it in a more sarcastic and quick-jab type of way. both of them keep a layer of fondness in their snarks, though, and steve only pretends to be angry at them but everyone can see through the surface at how much steve loves seeing his best friend and his... uh, friend-who-he-would-totally-kiss-stupid getting along

finally they dare to explore more in depth what their relationship means to each other. jonathan loves to see how well steve fits with his family, how he cares for will and el and has a good time helping joyce at the kitchen when it's her time to cook, how he learns where everything is around in every cabinet and how he now has a spot at the table that no one else can take.

steve is more the kind of reaching out to show his live in little touches; a hand on jonathan's hair, a pinch to his waist, a peck on his cheek. jonathan is a bit shy in that front, but whenever he gathers the courage to start skinship steve is left a little dizzy with a bunch of butterflies flying around his stomach.

whenever they are together, jonathan makes sure to pay extra attention to steve's scars, running a thumb across them and dropping a quick kiss before he gets too shy to continue being so damn soft for no other than steve harringtom himself.

they talk about everything. steve learns about lonney and how hard it was on jonathan when he left, how he had to take on the role of a parental figure for his little brother and become a stable support for his mom. how guilty he still felt some nights for not being there when will was first taken. how he had to adapt to receive a new member to their family while his mom mourned hopper and they all tried to get used to being away from their home. how jonathan finally got his first friend, a real one he could fit with. how he learned to cope with his trauma, maybe not in the best way.

jonathan learns about steve's parents, how they've never been around, how they thought the most expensive gifts would replace love and care. steve learns that steve is not a stranger to loneliness, and how even though he was the so called king of hawkins school he was so alone and lost thinking popularity would give him what his parents denied him, love and respect. but it was all shallow. he learns about robin and how she became steve's best friend, learns about how much dustin actually means to steve, like a little sibling he would do anything for. and they both understand how similar they actually are.

one night during movie night, it gets too late for steve to drive back to his house and joyce offers him to stay which steve happily does. they throw a sleeping bag next to jonathan's bed that is quickly discarded when jonathan tells steve to just climb up (mind you, this after steve complaining over how he is not used to sleeping in sleeping bags and how he could still feel the floor being so damn hard beneath him. jonathan got tired of hearing him whine about it and told him to join him in bed). ever since, steve learned how much he enjoys sharing a bed with jonathan, who at first looked annoyed at steve for not shutting up and for now taking half of his bed but that later into the night rolled over and hugged steve closer in his sleep.

okay, i have more and more and more but that's it for now! i love all type of stonathan headcanons, but those that explore how they got closer and then started dating are my FAVORITE! hope you enjoy and see my vision!!

[imactuallyreallycool]

SEASON 5 BYLER

(It’s Mike’s turn to be left on read irl 💀)

Colour palette inspo :)

[byleriscanon713by]

I just realized how much of an angst addict I am. I start getting withdrawal symptoms. I spend two days reading domestic byler fluff and suddenly this morning I’m reading about Mike shooting Will.

[ghoulsanderson]

Finally got around to writing a small fic!!

(And actually I’m a complete liar, this is the start to a oneshot I’m working on, a very angsty one despite this fluff)

Inspired to write small fics by: @mrhalloween2ficpage 🫶 the superior.

——————————————————————

“Oof!”

Will groaned, woken by his boyfriend’s scant weight jumping on his bed, “Well, good morning.” He greeted as Mike wrapped his limbs around him and nuzzled his face in his neck like a koala.

The boy clinging to him giggled and parted momentarily to wriggle under the covers with him before attaching himself again, “Morning!” He cheered, unusually chipper for the early hour, “I missed you.”

Will spared a glance at his alarm clock and grinned, hugging his boyfriend tight and poking his pouted lip, “I saw you less than ten hours ago!” He stated, but Mike scoffed, shaking his head.

“It was like a year.” Mike exaggerated, peering up at him like a wounded puppy to really sell it.

Will cooed, planting kisses on Mike’s face until the pouty lips and deep creases faded away, and he was smiling contently, “I nearly forgot what your kisses feel like.” Mike mumbled.

“Oh, my god.” Will rolled his eyes, but he was clearly amused. In his chest, his heart thundered. No matter how many times they kissed, his heart would always race like it was the first, falling more and more in love with Mike every day. And he knew his boyfriend felt the same. Mike stared at him like he hung the moon and stars.

“Are you going to cling to me all day?” He asked.

Mike thought for a moment, rubbing his chin as if in contemplation before nodding, “Yeah.” He dove back into his boyfriend’s chest.

Will sighed but held him closer. He didn’t really mind. Once, when Mike was feeling particularly clingy, Will carried him around all day like a backpack, “I suppose that’s okay then.”

An hour later, Joyce chuckled when Will walked into the living room with Mike tucked into his side, “We might as well sew you two together.” She teased, and Mike nodded rapidly into Will’s neck.

“Good idea. I like it.”

“Ugh!” El glared over her plate of eggos, wailing with a mouthful of them, “Ma’e them s’op!”

“I second that.” Hopper raised his hand, sipping from his mug, “Any more of that, and you’re out.”

Mike huffed as Hopper pointed at him. The man would never kick him out. He’d snuck his way into Hopper’s heart like a worm. The man drives him home whether or not it’s raining and is one of the first people Mike goes to when he’s scared. He helped the man quit smoking.

But god forbid they act like they don’t hate each other.

“Will would never let you.” Mike said smugly, raising his chin at him and sliding further into Will’s side like he was hiding, “Right?” He tugged on his boyfriend’s shirt.

Will chuckled, “Right.”

Jonathan joined Hopper with a mug of coffee, crossing his arms, “How are you two still like this?” He laughed, bewildered, “You’ve been dating for a year!”

Will and Mike frowned, sharing a look before speaking in sync, “Poor Nancy.”

Jonathan gaped, “Alright, that’s it.” He set his mug down and sprinted at them, making them squeal and run away, still joined together like a multi-legged race, “Come back here!”

“No!” Will laughed and yanked Mike into his room, slamming the door behind them. The two slid to the ground and pushed against it as Jonathan tried to come in, barely able to hold it closed as they laughed.

[hopelessromanfic]

GLADIOLUS

A Willel ficlet

It’s late one night when El comes into Will’s room after a nightmare, it’s routine by now after a few years of living together as siblings. She’s laying in his bed, the warm light from his bedside lamp illuminating the room in a soft glow.

He doesn’t shut it off, he knows it helps her just as it does him.

The room is silent as he waits for her to speak first, if she wants to. He is no stranger to silent nights following nightmares, taking comfort only in the others presence. A sign that they are still here, that they won the war waged against them from the midst of their childhood, despite how it bled into their adolescence.

She runs a trembling finger across her wrist, her breath shakes with each inhale.

“I wish it would wash away.” Her voice shakes too, her words bitter to hear, he’s sure they’re even bitter to the taste.

His eyes land on the two black marks on her wrist, just an inch south of her palm. A cruel reminder of all she’s been through, a sick mark of trauma that has just barely faded with time.

“I hate it.” Her voice is softer now, her eyes drifting from her wrist to meet his. “I hate it, Will.”

He understands. He understands in the same way Jonathan understands, how Max understands, Nancy and Dustin.

Physical marks left on them. His scar on his hip from his possession, Nancy and Jonathan’s scars on their palms from cutting them to lure the Demogorgon, Max’s loss of vision and the slow of her mobility, Dustin’s limp from his leg never healing quite right.

The scars fade over time, sure, but hurt like an open wound at the slightest glance. They serve as a reminder of what was taken from them, stolen from their tiny grips like they ever stood a chance. Cruelty branded, a permanent mark everlasting on their bodies. On their minds.

His eyes drop to her wrist, his hand cupping hers gently as he runs a finger along the dark marks on her pale skin.

“Maybe, when you’re eighteen, you can get it covered up.” He says, looking up to see her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her head is cocked to the side.

“Covered up? I can do that?” She looks down at her wrist, her eyes a little brighter now. “With more tattoos?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want.” He traces along the numbers again. “Would you?”

She smiles, a gentle yet genuine smile pulling at her cheeks. She nods. “But what would it be?”

“Anything you want.” Will adjusts in the bed, his blanket falling completely into his lap and pooling around his legs. “Something you find meaningful or, if you want, just something you think looks nice. Something you like.”

She thinks for a moment, silence stretching on as she stares at the mark on her skin. Her smile only widens as the seconds tick by. He knows that look, the sparkle in her eye shining iridescent in the low lighting of his bedroom.

“A flower?” El glanced up at him. “I like flowers.”

“Hold on.” He smiles, getting up from the bed and making his way over to his bookshelf. He searches for a moment, producing an old cloth-bound hardcover book, the golden accents shimmering in the dim lighting of his lamp, the title ‘The Language and Poetry Of Flowers’ glittering. “Did you know flowers can have meaning? Like, symbolization of different things.”

“Really?” His sister perks up then, craning her neck to see the book as he flips over the cover and carefully leafed through the pages. His eyes skim through the words as he glances up, nodding with a small smile.

“Really.” He stops at the page he was looking for, grinning a bit to himself. “Mom loved picking flowers from the meadow when she was little. Hawkins gets some pretty diverse kinds of wildflowers, so my grandma got her this book so she could learn what they meant. These ones were always her favorite, but they’re native to South Africa, so she only ever saw them through her book.”

He turns the book towards her, the page showing a mix of pink and red and yellow flowers. She stares in awe.

“Gladiolus?” She breathes, a gentle hand caressing the page.

“It’s Latin for sword,” He leans closer, his finger pointing out the text below the picture. “Some people believe Gladiators from Ancient Rome wore them as protection. But it’s also means strength and courage, to overcome. Just like you always do.”

“I love it.” El sniffs a little, her eyes wetter than they had been before. “It’s perfect, Will.”

He smiles, reaching over to his nightstand and ripping out a page from his sketchbook before marking the page and handing the book to her. “Here, so you have a reference when you decide to get it.”

“Could…” El chews on her lip, her fingers fidgeting with the corners of the book. “Could you draw it for me one day? I want it to be from you, if that’s okay.”

Her words twisted into his chest, squeezing around his heart like a warm hug. His face broke into a smile.

“Of course,” He says, taking the book back from her outstretched hands. “I’d love to.”

She smiles at him, laying back in the bed with an expression of serenity. Her hand fell from her wrist for the first time that night and suddenly, it felt like everything would be okay again.