KleineMatch

one thing thats been kind of consuming my thoughts is a brothers best friend au but with bottom/omega will. as a vers truther i do enjoy my fair share of this au with the bottom mack community but it kind of plays out the same way almost every time and im craving for something new. i feel like the change in dynamics would push everyone involved to react differently so i just wanted to know how u think it would play out!

Pt. 1 (?) of Sister's Best Friend

Or: Will's been in love with his sister's best friend, Mack, since he was young. And after coming out as gay years later, Grace sets her brother up with a Ryan Leonard...

Grace, Aiden, and Mack are tight. In my head, Aiden and Grace are the same age. Mack's a few months younger, while Will's two/three years younger than Mack. While those three were teenagers, hanging around the Smiths' and Celebrinis' residences respectively, Will is desperately trying to get invited to the tree. He only gets to see Aiden and Mack when they come over to his house, and the minute Will catches wind of this, he's getting ready, trying to look as if he's been hanging around Grace all day before they arrive. They try to include Grace's little brother when they feel they can. Will's cried to his mom more than once about not being able to walk up and down the blocks past 6pm with them, or go with the bigger kids to get ice cream, or fuck around at the playground.

It's usually Mack who's leading the charge on letting Will join them. Mack's so endeared to the quirky boy/omega (if you feel so inclined). He likes when Will sits next to him during the trio's late-night movie marathons and ends up falling asleep on his shoulder. He likes to hear about Will's hockey stick collection and who Will plans on adding to it. Sometimes Will would guide Mack down the row hand-in-hand, pointing out and showing him the hockey sticks/other things in his collection. Will quizzes Mack on his hockey knowledge, and they have deep conversations about it until Grace and Aiden pull him away to Will's dismay.

For Will, he likes that Mack entertains him, snarking back when Will's feeling sassy. Playing hallway hockey with him and only him, not Aiden and Grace. They don't like how rough and serious Mack and Will get while competing, sometimes whipping the orange ball at each other. To Will, in his very humble opinion, he and Mack get on better. The issue lies in the fact that Will's younger. He's out of the loop. He's the younger, annoying brother of Mack's best friend. But Mack always makes sure to say hi, ruffling his hair or fist-bumping him.

God forbid will develops a little innocent crush.

Shyly, Will tends to find himself peeking around doorways to watch the three of them, his focus always zeroing in on Mack. Mack and his light brown hair, his green eyes, his gummy smile, and strong arms as he grows older and older. During summer and from a distance, Will watches Mack at the pool, a new sense of shame and guilt he's never felt before blooming deep in his gut as he settles into being a teenager. Grace teases him for being shy and bashful about taking his shirt off to get into the pool. Will only crosses his arms and sticks his feet in the water, a pout on his face. But he's not built like Mack, and Mack isn't looking at him anyway. The little brother Mack probably views as his own, thanks to being so close to Grace.

Mack's rowdy in the pool, picking Grace up and tossing her into the deep end. Grace and her bikini, and pretty face, and girlness. Will hates himself not only for wanting Mack's attention, but for being jealous of his damn sister. Curling his shoulders in near his ears, the sunburn on his cheeks making him feel even worse, he glances at Mack. Wet hair slicked back, trunks with sharks on them, laughter that fills up the Smith property, and he's wading through water towards Will?

"C'mon," Mack encourages him. He blinks water out of his eyes and props his arms up on the concrete beside the pool. He folds them and lays the side of his head there, staring at Will with a fond, friendly smile. "We can play some basketball in the pool, but you gotta get in first."

"Don't you want a nice tan?" Will hears Aiden yell from across the way.

Mack shakes his head and grabs Will's hand, trying to tug him into the pool. Will's heart is pounding so hard he actually might pass out from both that and the heat. Mack's rough hand is in his own, and Will feels like a little pervert for caring about that, for looking at Mack like this. Mack, who's only trying to be generous. Will ducks his head and fumbles through taking off his shirt. It's smooth sailing from there, and he can calm down. They play basketball and roughhouse. Will plays at being friends.

At the time, Will could convince himself that he looked up to Mack. Could he have a crush on another boy? He tried to feel the same way when he looked at Aiden, but to no avail. Later that night marked the first time he silently panicked over having a crush on another boy.

As they all get older, Will is sure that Grace is going to date/be courted by one of the brothers. Since they're over much and so tight-knit with his sister, he assumes both men have to secretly be battling it out over who's going to win her over. It's only a matter of time. Grace and Will's mom is constantly making sly comments about it, catholic through and through. She wants boys she can trust with her daughter. Who can then agree to raise their kids in the church. Who would treat Grace with the love and care as they've always shown her. Will sits at the dinner table each year, sick and waiting for Grace to announce that, yes, she's dating Mack. Of course, Will would be over the moon for her. Mack is probably the best thing God has graced this earth with. Even if he felt like taking a knife to both ears if she were to gush over what Mack does for her. The dates, how handsome he is, how touchy and clingy and kindly he treats her.

While the trio goes into their last year of college (Grace at BC, the brothers at BU), and Will's about to go into his first year at BC, he comes out as gay. It goes about as well as any catholic can expect. Money saved up and large, industrial-sized bags that Will's entire room can fit inside of if necessary. It doesn't come to that, thankfully, but it's still awkward. His mom hugs him, vowing her love is unconditional. That he's her baby no matter who he loves. In the back of his head, he wonders if she's going to cry tonight over a boy, too. Only she'd be crying over her boy liking another boy. His father is more silent, but he shakes Will's hand and says the same. Grace is more weepy than Will ever expected her to be, and hugs him while she thanks him for finally trusting them enough to love Will on his own terms. He and Grace sit together long after their parents head up to bed, watching a movie and not talking about it, but the elephant sits large and in charge in the living room. Grace and her gay brother, and he's worried she hates him for it.

They don't talk about coming out to their grandparents. They don't talk about bringing a boyfriend home to the family. They don't talk about marrying in the church. They don't talk about their dad fretting over any time Will might wear pink in the future. They don't talk about how Gabe and Voter knew before she did. They don't talk about the Celebrini brothers.

Honestly, he would've preferred her hating him to what happened the following week. Summer vacation had just begun, but Grace Smith wasted no time. She comes bounding into his room, easing the door shut, and plops down on his mattress. Hoodie and beanie on, Will was just about to take a nap after his run. He groans and covers his face with his blanket.

"What?"

Grace scooches closer. "You have to hear me out on this." She holds up a hand when Will's about to do the exact opposite. "Seriously, William."

With another sigh, he sits up and nods. Maybe she's having an issue, and it's nothing to do with him. "What's up?"

"You're gay."

Will points at his chest. "Me? No way."

Grace glowers at him and twists her phone around, speaking in a rush. "I know what you're gonna say," she says, dropping her voice low to imitate him, "'just because I'm gay doesn't mean I want every guy who also likes guys.' But look at him. He's not a close friend, but we've gone to a few parties together, and we had Adolescent Psych together this past semester. He's a junior and bisexual. From what I can tell, he's sweet, catholic, tall enough, and super hot."

After giving her a look, he begrudgingly leans forward to look at the picture. He waits to roll his eyes and tell her a simple, blunt no. The instinct never comes. Unfortunately, Ryan Leonard is handsome. Looks a bit like the frown-y type on the surface, but Will likes him. He's got a square jaw, soft brown hair swept up nice and neat, light eyes that make him devilishly handsome, and Grace is vouching for him. Rugged-looking, one too many broken noses, maybe. With a nonchalant shrug, he takes the phone out of her hand and starts to scroll, zooming in on pictures and smiling a little. He's never dated anyone before, only kissed a boy in 8th grade on a dare, and then they privately did it again in a crowded equipment room. All the things that come with suppressing your sexuality until there's no point anymore. Now, he's decided it's time to try something new.

"If you shoot me down, I'll understand." Grace gingerly plucks the phone out of his hand, trying to fight a smile. "But... I also texted him, 'My brother thinks you're cute.'"

Will is on her in half a second, raining down hits with his pillow. Grace screams with laughter and shoves him back, bullying her little brother down and away until she can escape to the far corner of the room. Will is, for lack of a better, more drastic word, mortified. Burying his head into the pillow he wanted to just kill his sister with, he groans and groans and groans.

He whips his head up, pointing at her. He lowers his voice so their parents don't come asking after the screaming and yelling. "And if I didn't find him cute. You'd just pimp me out to the first gay guy?"

"Absolutely," Grace says and strides back over, holding her hands out in surrender. "Enough of this sulking. I know it hasn't been easy." The air in the room shifts when her tone turns serious. Big sister serious. Loving in a way that's saved for rare moments like these. She plants a hand on his knee, grimacing. "I know you've felt like this since you were little, and you couldn't do anything about it. I want to do nothing more than help you out, and I mean that. I'm sorry I pestered you about girlfriends—

"Grace," he starts, shaking his head.

"No. Just... no. I knew something was up when you were, like, fourteen, maybe," she admits, looking down at her phone. "I should have listened to my gut. But here's me listening to my gut. You're a nice-looking guy, all things considered. It's time to put yourself out there!"

Besides shoving her for the "all things considered" part, he wraps her in a brief hug full of forgiveness and understanding. "Alright, fine... but I've never done this before. He's a junior in college. I'm sure he's been around."

Grace kind of squeals and taps him repeatedly. "Oh, he'll eat you right up."

"You're gross."

"No, look, I didn't just say that. I texted him about his summer, and he was going on about how it's been 'pretty dry.'" She rolls her eyes and talks with her hands, exaggerating as she imitates Ryan. Then she settles down and stabs a finger into his chest. "So I brought you up. Said what I said. Sent him your Insta, and called it a matchmaking day."

Will closes his eyes so slowly, fighting back any urges to suffocate her now and hide the body later. She sent Ryan his Insta? With no warning, so he could make sure he could archive any pics that made him look stupid as hell? Will hasn't checked his phone all day, and now he's more than scared to pick it up. It hits the siblings at the same time. They exchange a look, and then they're both scrambling to find and be the first to see if "ryan.leno_4" had DM'd Will.

Will nearly throws up everywhere when he gets on his phone and sees one message from Ryan. And it's "replied to your story."

"Grace," will says slowly, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Open it! Open it!" she's chanting in a whisper, shaking him violently.

Will had posted a picture of himself in the mirror after a run. A bit scandalous, but he's an adult. And he can't lie... it was meant solely for one person to see today, but he's given up on that. Now, it's time to move on to bigger, fresher potatoes. It's him in a loose white tank top, hand underneath it to bring it up a little, exposing a tantalizing sliver of tan, sweaty skin. His pouting face is mostly obscured by the camera, but his curls are on display, framing his face and catching in the artificial light. The shorts are slung low on his hips, and he'd made sure the inseam was very, very problematic. The most he got was a decent handful of likes and a few 🔥 emojis.

Ryan Lenoard says, hot damn. give me a chance 🙏

The chance he gives Ryan starts off great. They DM for two weeks, learning about each other and seeing if their humor is compatible. Will thinks they get on swimmingly. Ryan invites Will to watch a hockey game for his local high school team after they find out they live close to each other. Before the date, Grace is fanning Will with a paper plate while he paces at the front door. She'd already briefed him on what to say and what not to say. That if Ryan tries anything on the first date, kick him in the balls and call her immediately. Their mom was home and tried to calm him down (Will was happy she was involved, not trying to convince him not to do this), but gave up and went back to making dinner with a, "Please, be safe. You come right back home, not to his place. You hear me, young man?" Ryan meets Grace and his mom, and they're smitten when he kisses their cheek and shakes their hand. Will swoons a little himself when Ryan guides him out to the house with an arm around his waist.

And, just like that, after a heated kiss on the front porch, with Will's hand covering the ring camera, he has a boyfriend.

He wants to jump for joy and thank every saint he prayed to. His boyfriend loves his snapbacks and likes to talk about hockey with him. His boyfriend begs to go on runs with him and insists on running behind Will. His boyfriend likes to kiss his neck when he flusters Will with a vulgar, flirty comment Will's been deprived of all his life. Will's boyfriend gets posted on his story nearly four times a week. His boyfriend calls him baby. Will's boyfriend makes him smile.

Until he doesn't.

Will's actively trying to ignore Ryan's behavior, which leaves him biting his nails bloody. Ryan decides to give him the silent treatment that day when Grace invites the Celebrini brothers over for dinner and a movie. Their parents are gone for their anniversary weekend. A trip to a hotel that the kids were absolutely not invited to. He's too busy spamming Ryan with texts to get Ryan to talk to him again, so he's not worried about the brothers coming over, for once in his life. He's on the couch, texting Ryan his sorrys for posting that particular picture. He's inviting Ryan to come over and have dinner with him. He's scared Ryan will catch him alone with the Celebrini brothers and ignore him for even longer.

The brothers bring the personalities Will finds that he's missed right back into their house. They'd spent most of their summer in Vancouver with family. Grace had kept more in touch with them than Will had. And he's the little brother who tags along, not the best friend. He's also got a boyfriend now, so he's been busy. He can't worry about it. He tries not to.

Mack finds Will nose-deep in his phone and plucks it out of his hand, tossing the phone onto the couch and opening his arms wide. Will rolls his eyes and lets Mack wrap him in a bear hug. Will hates how brotherly it feels. How coddling. How Will's expecting Mack to just fucking pat his head like he's 10 again. Will swallows down the hurt (because it's a past hurt now), and catches up with Mack as they walk back to the kitchen. Aiden daps him up and gives him a hug. Mack stays close to him. Closer than Grace (god shut up shut up shut up), and that's when Aiden says it out loud.

"Our little Smitty is all grown up." Aiden grabs him by the shoulders and makes him twirl. "You're even a smidge taller than Mack now! Jesus. When did you get sexy?"

"Aiden," Mack says, shoving Aiden away. "You're being weird. That's weird."

"What? He's a grown man now, Mackie. He can handle it. Don't be jealous."

Mack says nothing, and Will is certain Mack isn't glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Mack's not. Mack's not verifying Aiden's assessment. They'd seen Will less and less this past year, and especially less this summer, but he hasn't changed much, has he? He's well past eighteen now, but that didn't bring about any sudden, huge changes, did it?

Dinner is a loud and grand affair. The Smith siblings insist on busting out a little wine for the occasion, and the brother toasts to Canada. The three of them start to talk about their final year of college and their time in Van. They ask Will about how he's feeling coming into BC, gagging each time they say it. Mack sits next to him, and he keeps bumping his shoulder. Keeps trying to share glances with Will when Aiden and Grace say something stupid. Will tries to fall back into their easy, private way of communicating, but he suddenly feels so old. He's past playing these games and trying to share something the trio has, and he doesn't.

Every time Mack flings food at Grace or scoffs at an ex-boyfriend of hers, Will wants to die a little more. He watches Grace, desperately trying to see if she's hiding a secret relationship from him. He watches Mack, too, and can hardly stand to see him smile at his pretty, amazing sister. He can't stand it when Mack tells her, Your hair looks beautiful tonight. Did you just get it cut?

He pushes his food around his plate, stomach twisting while he waits for Ryan to text him back.

Two messages come halfway through dinner: Gabe's says, Fucking leave him. And Ryan's says, omw. Will smiles at his phone and sighs in relief.

"Not gonna eat?" he hears Mack ask him, nudging him again. "You okay?"

"Yeah... I." Will stops and throws a reassuring smile Mack's way. "Yeah, I'm good, man."

Ryan knocks once, and Will shoots up from his chair. He has to see Ryan's face and make sure they're okay. Will had taken the post down and said sorry a hundred times. Only seeing him will squash the anxiety threatening to send him into a dumb fucking panic attack. Ryan hates when he "threatens" those, so he needs this. He needs his boyfriend to tell him it's all okay and he still loves Will. He opens the door, smiling nervously at Ryan as he invites him in, searching Ryan's face while the man eases off his shoes. Ryan turns to Will and pulls him into his arms, peppering kisses over Will's face and telling him to Stop looking at me like that, and It's okay. I forgive you, and you look so good. Finally, he plants a firm kiss on Will's lips. Will likes to be loved, so he returns it with vigor.

Hand-in-hand, they make their way to the dining room, and that's when all the worry slams back into Will at full force. How had he not factored in the most important part?

All three forks clatter as they're set down. The room is tense the moment the brothers' and Grace's eyes catch on Ryan's hand in Will's. They had no idea that Will was gay. They had no idea he had a boyfriend now. They had no idea about Ryan Leonard, who was picked to fill that title. And Will's not sure when Grace started to treat Ryan with more hostility than usual. Kill him. Just strike him down where he stands.

"Ryan," Grace says, more cheerfully than sounds real. "Will didn't say you were coming over."

"Hey," he says easily, nodding at the other two in bro-like fashion. He glances at Will, smiling in a way that he's not known for. "Will didn't say you guys were gonna be here either."

Will's hand is sweaty in Ryan's tight grasp. "I forgot," he blurts, turning his attention fully to Ryan. "I was... I just forgot. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize," Grace says immediately, and he hates how it sounds pointed at Ryan. "We'll pull up another chair. I'll go get another plate. Make yourself comfortable, Leonard."

No. Will wants to beg her not to leave him, Ryan, and the silent Celebrini brothers alone in this fucking room. But she's already up and gone before he can subtly and telepathically communicate this to her.

Aiden's the first to point his fork at Ryan. "Who is this?" Aiden smiles. Everyone's smiling far too much. "No offense, man."

"None taken." Ryan sounds bored with introductions already.

"This is Ryan," Will says, gesturing to him with their clasped hands. "He's my boyfriend."

Mack chokes on his food a little.

"Ryan, this is Mack and Aiden Celebrini. They're my sister's best friends." Will has to make sure Ryan knows that tidbit.

"Both of their best friends, really," Mack just has to say. "You go to BC?"

"Yup."

The Celebrini brothers and Ryan Leonard are not going to get along. That much is evident.

The odd number of five only makes everything worse. It's either three or four, never five. And Ryan has nonverbally insisted on sitting as close to Will as possible, not at the head of the table, leaving one side of the table with three chairs and the other with two. They all attempt to pick the conversation back up, but it's so uncomfortable that Will is making himself sick trying to shovel all this food into his mouth and get this over with.

"Can you pass me the salt?" Will asks as he wipes his fingers. It's right in front of him, but he doesn't want to get it dirty.

Two hands shoot out to grab it. Mack and Ryan have a standoff of sorts: Ryan with his hand on the top, Mack with his fist wrapped around the entire thing. They glare at each other over Will's head.

"I got it," Ryan says, tugging it.

"Nah, it's okay." Mack tugs it and wins. "I got it." Mack places the salt down next to Will's plate.

"So how did you two meet?" Aiden asks, trying to dissolve the tension while also giving his brother a subtle fist bump under the table.

Ryan slings his arm over Will's chair, and Mack scoots his chair away from the dangling hand. "Grace set us up, actually."

The brothers turn slowly toward the woman, and she grins sheepishly.

Ryan doesn't notice, or he pretends not to, and continues, "I slid up on his story. On a nice picture, y'know." Ryan gives them a wink, and Will places a hand on Ryan's thigh, begging him not to rile them up. "And we started talking. Took him out on a date, and we kissed."

"Rest is history," Will says in a strangled voice, gulping down some wine.

"Hoping to make a lot of it," Ryan mutters, kissing his cheek sweetly, and Will leans into it.

"How old are you?" Mack grunts, not even looking at him.

Ryan keeps his face close, and his territory claimed, sneering, "How old are you?"

"Leno," Will begs, trying to get his head in his line of sight.

"Leno?" Mack laughs, shaking his head. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously," Will snaps, whipping his head to Mack. To that beautiful man he's had a crush on his entire life, who obviously doesn't want him back. Who's not giving him the approval Will had hoped to get so he could move the fuck on. "Macklin."

Mack immediately softens, and he touches his thigh. "Smitty—"

Ryan shoves Mack's hand off violently, and now everyone's standing. The chairs scrape back deafeningly, and both Grace and Will worry about scratches on the finished floor. Aiden rounds the table to stand next to his brother as the three men size each other up.

"Don't you dare fucking touch me," Mack says, trying to get closer to Ryan and in his face, but Will gets a hand on his chest.

"Guys," Grace tries, and Will looks to her, begging for help. But what is she supposed to do? Does she even want to help? It's clear she doesn't like Ryan either.

"Don't touch my boyfriend's fucking thigh, asshole," Ryan bites back, tugging Will back toward him.

Mack actually laughs in his face, and Aiden joins in. What is happening?

"His boyfriend, he says." Aiden elbows Mack, like they're sharing a private joke.

"I've sat at this dinner table longer than you've been allowed to fucking feel all up on him at, like some creep," Mack says.

Will's beyond humiliated at this point.

"I'm old enough to let that happen." Will shoves Mack again. His eyes are not getting hot. "And to finally have a boyfriend. Can't you two just be happy for me?"

That look comes again from Mack. Like he's some defenseless, easily manipulated child. Like Mack has to coo and rock him back and forth. He fucking hates it. He wants Mack to be angry at him. To treat him like a grown man. He wants to punch and slap and kick that fucking look off his familiar, gorgeous face.

"Why don't you two go to Will's room? Or for a drive?" Grace suggests. "Let's all cool off."

Ryan is nothing but an instigator. Whenever he and Will play a fun game on the ice, just the two of them, he's quick to chirp at him and knock him down.

"Oh, we'll cool off." Ryan presses right up against Will, laying one hand on Will's waist and pushing his head forward and past Will's shoulder so he's got Mack's attention. "I've been cooling him off while you were away."

To no surprise, Aiden shoves Ryan, and Mack snatches Will out of the way before joining in. They're just as in sync as the Smith siblings because Aiden backs off and Mack throws the first punch. Ryan's shocked at first, but he doesn't take the time to nurse his aching jaw before he's taking a swing back. Grace rushes over to Will, but she looks completely lost. She screams at Aiden to do something when Mack, using his strong, hockey-built thighs his dad has trained into him and those broad shoulders, overpowers Ryan and drives him to the floor, landing two good ones for the one Ryan had grazed his mouth with a second ago. Mack's lip is bleeding, and Ryan's nose is probably broken, if the blood seeping out tells them anything.

Will's not some scared damsel in distress, but he's numb from the sight. He can't move. He knows he could break this fight up. He could've ages ago, but he can't move. Grace shoves both Aiden and Will out of the way and hauls Mack up with a grip on his hoodie, screaming at Ryan to get on his fucking feet and get out, and for Mack to calm the fuck down. Both men are panting and murderous.

Aiden grasps Mack's elbow, telling him, "The fuckers had enough."

Ryan points at the brothers. "Watch your fucking backs."

"We're shaking," Aiden deadpans.

"Talk about him like that again, and I'll break your fucking jaw next time," Mack says, voice dangerously low. Mack licks his lip, looking about ready to spit at Ryan's feet.

"Please just leave, Ryan," Grace begs again, but she sounds just as tired as Will feels.

"Oh, I am." Ryan backs up, rubbing his jaw. "I get that you two want to keep playing house with him, but he's sick of that shit. He's not your little brother. He's not yours to protect. He's mine." He holds out his hand to Will. "Let's go, baby."

Will stares at the hand. And stares. He keeps staring long enough that the adrenaline drains out of the room. The center of their universe, the star of this whole fight, is about to explode. Aiden loops an arm around Mack's waist when Mack tries to go to Will.

Slowly, so slowly, he feels like he's moving through a dream. Will grabs a napkin. The silent but heavy thumps of his feet on the wooden floor are the only sound in his ears. He hands Ryan the napkin.

"Here. I'll text you tomorrow." Will steps back. "Now, get out."

"So you're choosing them over me," Ryan spits. Will hates to add to his humiliation, but he's not going anywhere tonight. He's going back to his fucking room and locking the fucking door and staying right the fuck there with a wet washcloth pressed to his forehead.

But everything in him has shifted this summer. He no longer wants to be pushed around and placed in the back by this trio. Not by Ryan, at least right now. Laughter bubbles up in his chest, and he hears Grace's quiet, "Will."

"Them?" Will glances over his shoulder at the brothers. "They can get the fuck out of here too, for all I care." He turns on his heel and walks toward the direction of the stairs, laughing louder. "Actually, why don't you all carpool? Just stay the hell away from me."

Once he's in the haven of his room, he crumbles. The light gets shut out. The rag is pressed to his forehead. And he cries. It's a common thing these days, but it's never been the Celerbini brothers who have made him cry. Will remembers years ago when he and Mack were practicing some passing and shots outside, and he got his finger caught by a puck where his gloves didn't protect him. Immediately, he turned his back to the older boy, cradling his hand close. He was breathing hard so he wouldn't cry and make a big deal out of it. Though internally, he was scared he had broken his finger. He'd then have to tell his mom. His mom would ban him from playing for at least a month under the guise of protection. He'd have to go to the ER. He wouldn't be able to play while he was recovering anyway. Worst of all, Mack would see him crying like a baby.

When Mack ran over, Will turned away. He kept turning and swiveling out of Mack's reach until, finally, Mack grabbed his shoulder and bent at the waist so they were eye-level.

Let me see, Mack insisted. Will shook his head, but didn't stop Mack when he eased the glove off. Will's entire body was shaking, but the glove revealed a red but intact finger. See, you're okay, Smit. The boy he wanted to kiss on the cheek smiled at him. It's just jammed. You're okay. It's my fault. Lost control of the release. The boy he wanted to kiss on the cheek kissed his finger and said, There. It's all better. It's okay.

Still, Will burst into tears, and Mack didn't laugh, just let Will bury his face into his stomach and cry his heart out over, effectively, nothing but the pain and the lingering kiss on his finger. Crying for the love he wasn't allowed to feel, and he didn't fully understand. Mack eventually picked him up. As heavy as he was, since he wasn't, like, five anymore, Mack was stronger. Sniffling and tucking his face into Mack's warm neck, he happily let Mack carry Will inside to get some ice for his finger and a popsicle. He made Mack promise to never tell Grace and Aiden that he cried.

Will cries like he did then, burying his face into a pillow instead of a soft stomach. He hates all of them right now. Hates how they've treated him like something to be claimed. As if Will can't protect himself. As if he hasn't survived with the trio constantly meddling. They've always kept him at arm's length, so why not now?

Will hates the Celebrini brothers. He hates Mack most of all. Hates him so much that he hopes Ryan broke his face, not just split his lip. Will hopes he never, ever sees him again.

A knock comes softly at his door. He doesn't hate Grace, but he's not in the mood to see her. Plus, he can't ever talk in this state.

"Smitty," Mack's soft voice comes from the other side.

Embarrassingly, Will's face scrunches up, and he cries harder, biting his lip to suppress it. Dammit, Mack. Damn him all the way to hell.

"I'm sorry." He hears a thump on the door. Probably his forehead. Will wants to laugh again. He's never heard Mack utter those words. "I'm so fucking sorry. Please let me in so we can talk. I'm not leaving like this."

Will would say, Go away. He would if he could. But also, he's evil and wants to hear Mack beg for his forgiveness.

"Will, open the door. Please." A beat. "I gotta piss, and your bathroom is my favorite."

Damn him. Damn Macklin Celebrini. Will hates him so, so much.

Will unlocks the door and swings it open. "Fuck you. I know it's not your favorite."

Mack tackles him into a hug.

Anon, i'm so honored that you wanted to hear my thoughts on this im in love with you kinda. hey (pees). I don't rlly read bottom mack, so i don't know how these typically play out, so be gentle with me ❤️

Sorry this is so fucking long, but I genuinely hit flow state. I lowkey think this would make a great fanfic and, like FUCKKK. you guys are always giving me good ideas, and I haven't even finished Chemistry 😭