Summer 2012
Will walked up the long drive to the DiMera mansion, waving to various security guards he recognized and the gardener working on the roses. His cheeks flushed when the gardener waved back, wiping his sweaty forehead off with his forearm.
The first clue Will was gay should have been the glances he sneaked at the gardener when Will lived in the mansion. Watching those muscles straining as the man dug a hole or bent over to pull a weed. Or, one particularly enjoyable time, when he had to fix the garden hose after it sprayed all over the man.
Of course, Will had always been stubborn. Even if something was right in front of his face, he'd still find a way to deny it if it wasn't what he expected out of life.
Which made this trip to visit EJ DiMera, former boss and stepfather, all the more unusual.
Sonny Kiriakis, one of Will's best friend's, invited Will on an extended camping trip with him and some other friends. It took a few weeks for Sonny to convince him because, to be honest, Will hated the idea.
Sonny's friends – Dustin, Kareem, Tyler, Mateo, and especially Brian – were just that: Sonny's friends. They were polite to Will, Tyler in particular. But all looked at him the way his siblings, Allie and Johnny, looked at their younger sister, Sydney. Adorable but with an age and life experience difference that was too vast to bridge.
Spending a few minutes with them every now and again was fine. Will didn't know if he could handle seeing them nonstop. Plus, Will hated the very idea of camping. All that open space, bugs, sleeping on the hard ground, fishing, hiking, nope. Not for Will Horton at all.
But, Sonny did ask and Will felt he owed it to him. Sonny dealt with a lot from Will over their friendship. He listened to Will, watched as he went back and forth, struggling with his sexuality. He put up with everything that comprised Will Horton, his denial, his drama, his family.
All Sonny wanted was for Will to join him and his friends for a trip a few hours out of Salem. It shouldn't be a big deal.
("It'll be fun, Will. You could use some more friends, Will. How do you know you don't like any of those things if you've never done them, Will? I want you to, Will. You don't want to spend another summer in Salem, do you, Will?")
Sonny wore Will down. Despite Will's misgivings and knowing Sonny's friends might resent his presence, Will agreed.
Which brought Will to the DiMera mansion and EJ. Will didn't have any camping supplies of his own. Offhandedly he asked EJ when he ran into him in town. And here Will was.
"I thought you were never going to get here," EJ announced in a bored drawl. "I was beginning to think you chickened out."
"No," Will grumbled, walking around to the excessively large garage on the side of the mansion. "Not yet, anyway."
Will ambled over to where EJ stood in front of an open garage door.
"I took the liberty of having the help pack everything you'll need," EJ explained, gesturing to a large truck with its cargo bed stuffed full.
Will looked at the truck for a long time before asking, "is this brand new?"
"It's hard to say," EJ evaded.
Will gestured to the temporary license plate on the back of it.
"Fine," EJ answered with a shrug. "I sprung for a new one."
"Why?" Will asked before peeking inside the cargo bed. "EJ, all these things have price tags on them."
"And?"
"And I asked if you had any I could borrow. Not run out and buy all new things."
"You asked if I had anything, I said perhaps. Well, now, I have it."
"How much crap do you think I'll need?" Will asked only partially surprised.
EJ gave Will a dry look before rambling off a list of what he considered essentials.
Will tuned him out in favor of rifling through everything. He heard EJ mention kerosene lamps and air mattress pumps but pushed it all aside when he glanced in a small, discrete box.
"EJ!" Will gasped, taking several steps back.
"And of course you need – what?"
"Why is this here?" Will tossed the small box at EJ, face red and eyes averted.
EJ pulled out several boxes of condoms and various lube packages.
"What? I told them to buy the essentials."
"What the hell kind of trip do you think this is?"
EJ laughed, slapping Will on the back, large hand sliding up to the back of Will's neck and squeezing tight.
"Oh, William. William, William, William."
Will rocked his neck back, attempting to dislodge EJ.
"So, naïve and innocent."
Will glared up at EJ. It was bad enough Sonny's friends saw him that way. Did EJ have to point it out too?
"What do you think a group of young, sexually active gay men are going to do alone in the woods? Sit around the campfire and tell ghost stories?"
"…What?"
It wasn't until EJ said it did it dawn on Will he was most likely correct. What did people do on camping trips once the sun went down? What were they going to do?
"Oh, William," EJ chuckled, condescending yet fond, a tone he always reserved for Will.
"But, why would – I mean, Sonny wouldn't invite me for – unless he would. But why would he? He knows I've never – I mean with a guy – and do you think that's what they expect? Is that what's going to happen? EJ, I don't want to with – I mean maybe – but what if – I can't –,"
"You're going to give yourself a nosebleed if you don't come up for air," EJ interrupted. "Which you should remember if you do find yourself in a situation during this trip."
"EJ!"
"I'm teasing," EJ squeezed the back of Will's neck again. "It's plausible these men are mere friends and this whole trip is a friendly outing. But, it's also possible it could turn into something more. I'm sure there will be drinking and roughhousing. I would hate for you to find yourself in a situation where you want something and aren't prepared for it. I want you prepared for anything.
"But, I also know you, William. Which is why you're taking the truck and everything in it. You'll have your own tent and the truck is there in case you feel uncomfortable and wish to leave."
"Oh," Will answered, letting out a deep breath, shoulders relaxing.
"Did your mind not go there at all?" EJ asked, rocking Will back and forth with his grip on Will's neck.
"No," Will said, finally getting EJ to let him go. "I didn't even think about it."
At EJ's shake of his head, Will rushed to explain.
"Everyone's friends, as far as I know. Why would they all go on a camping trip for sex? And why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you're adorable," EJ said with a smile. "After seeing your parents go through so many partners, after hearing so many stories you are still incredibly innocent."
"Well, excuse me for not thinking Sonny invited me to some sort of orgy," Will huffed, crossing his arms.
"I doubt you'll have to worry about Sonny Kiriakis wanting you involved in an orgy," EJ rolled his eyes. At Will's frown, EJ sighed. "Must I explain everything to you? The boy is smitten with you. If anything he invited you in the hopes the two of you would be the ones having sex."
"Sonny? Smitten with me?"
While Will sometimes got the impression Sonny wanted more than Will could give, smitten seemed too far. Besides, why would Sonny want Will when he had someone like Brian sniffing around him?
"I suppose after this camping trip you'll find out," EJ declared. "But, you must promise me something. As payment for borrowing everything, the camping supplies and the truck?"
"I promise I won't break anything."
"Not that," EJ dismissed, exasperated. "About the condoms."
Will winced, face flushed, looking anywhere but EJ's face.
"William, this is important."
"What?"
"If the need arises, promise you'll use them. William?"
"Okay," Will answered in a rush. "I promise, okay. I promise."
"Good," EJ clapped Will on the back again. "Now, get out of here. You don't want to be late."
"Yeah, that'd be a tragedy," Will mumbled, taking the truck keys from EJ and getting inside.
If he had his doubts about the trip before, EJ gave him a million more.
Will pulled into the parking lot of Sonny's apartment complex. Everyone else was standing around waiting.
Great, what Will wanted, witnesses to his grand arrival.
To delay speaking to anyone, Will took his time backing into an available spot. With the backup camera on the state of the art truck, it was easy. Not that Will would have had a hard time without it. If EJ taught him nothing else in life – and let's face it, he really hadn't – he taught Will to drive.
Will climbed out of the truck and stuffed his hands in his front pockets. If he didn't walk over to everyone now, he never would.
"Hi," Will greeted with wide eyes when everyone turned to stare at him.
Sonny's face lit up with a smile when he saw Will while Brian frowned and crossed his arms. Dustin and Kareem smiled while Mateo and Tyler rushed past Will to admire his truck.
"Is this yours? Damn, bro, you've been holding out on us," Mateo laughed, sliding his hands over the smooth finish of the truck's hood.
"Uh – well – not exactly," Will answered while the others moved closer as well.
"Where'd this come from?" Sonny asked with furrowed brows.
"EJ," Will said with a helpless shrug. "I asked if he had any camping stuff I could borrow. When he said perhaps I didn't realize he was going to run out and buy all this."
"EJ?" Brian repeated with a raised brow and a slight smirk.
"DiMera," Will gave Brian a strained smile. "Former boss, father to my brother and sister, former stepfather."
"My actual stepfather wouldn't buy me a truck because I wanted to go camping let alone someone who used to be my boss," Brian pointed out, blue eyes sparkling with something Will couldn't identify.
"I have to give it back," Will shrugged.
Brian's implication went right over his head.
"Brian," Sonny scolded although he himself looked unsettled.
"It is pretty nice," Dustin agreed. "And now we only need to take two vehicles instead of three."
"Holy shit," Mateo laughed when he climbed over the tailgate. "How much crap did he buy?"
"He said the essentials," Will shrugged, clinging to his left elbow with his right hand. "I don't know."
This was one reason Will didn't want to go on this stupid trip. He didn't know anything about camping or what he would need. The only thing he brought of his own was his clothes and toothbrush but he got the feeling EJ bought all those things too.
"I guess all we need to do is load up the cars," Kareem said. "Let's get this show on the road."
"And figure out who's going in what car," Tyler added, looking at Sonny with a raised brow.
Everyone started pairing off. Sonny realized he would have to choose between Will and Brian.
Will didn't care much who he picked. Tyler and Mateo were going with Will. They were at least the guys closest to being friends of Will's.
Will helped them put their things in the back of his truck. He found a button to operate a fancy covering so nothing flew out. Although he kept an eye out for Sonny, watching as he grabbed his own bags and walked toward Brian's older SUV.
Standing at the trunk, Sonny's phone started to ring.
"Hello? No, I haven't left yet. Well, no, but I'm not supposed to – no, Chad said he would – what do you mean no one showed up? No, I have the week off. No, I don't – no – ugh. Fine. Okay, yeah, no, I'll be there. Fine. Yeah, goodbye."
"What?" Brian asked, holding the hatch to his Ford Explorer open. "What's wrong?"
Sonny sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Change of plans, I can't go after all."
"What?" Brian repeated while everyone drew closer, especially Will.
If Sonny wasn't going, Will didn't have to either.
This was perfect.
"One of the baristas at Common Grounds had a family emergency and she can't come in until at least Saturday."
"Dude, we're coming back on Saturday," Tyler pointed out.
"I know. I was supposed to get the whole week off for this but I guess not."
"Why not have Chad help out?" Dustin questioned.
"He's out of town already too. Something to do with his father or something," Sonny glanced at Will.
"Oh, yeah, Stefano took Chad to Chicago. He thinks showing him off at DiMera Enterprises events will entice Chad into the family company," Will answered. "I don't think they're coming back until Saturday night either."
"This sucks," Brian declared, slamming his trunk closed. "Now, what are we supposed to do?"
"Go on without me," Sonny shrugged with a sad smile.
"But, you're the one that planned the whole trip," Kareem pointed out.
"And invited everyone," Brian muttered, side-eyeing Will.
"It doesn't matter. I can join you guys later in the week. Maybe I can find some temporary help or one of the other baristas won't mind pulling a double shift. It'll be fine. You guys go on; I don't want you missing out on all the fun."
"Yeah, fun," Will whispered before clearing his throat. "Well, if you're not going, I –,"
"You're still going," Sonny insisted, eyes all warm and earnest, stepping closer to Will's side so no one would hear them. "I wanted you to get to know everyone this trip. Make some other friends; get comfortable with being out and proud. You don't need me around for that."
Will thought back to what EJ said, to the box of condoms and lube, before shaking his head. That wasn't what Sonny meant at all. He saw all the fishing poles and tackle boxes the guys all brought.
They actually intended to do outdoorsy things. The things Will hated.
"Sonny, I don't know."
"Oh, no you don't," Mateo said, throwing his arm around Will's shoulder. "You are not teasing us with your badass truck and supplies only to crap out on us, now. Who needs Sonny? No offense, dude."
Sonny, amused, laughed.
"See, this trip is going to be awesome with or without me."
"If you say so," Will mumbled, letting Mateo pull him toward his truck.
As soon as everyone settled, Tyler beating out Mateo to sit up front, Will turned on the truck and rolled away.
"Well, I know one good thing about Sonny not coming with us," Tyler declared as he turned on the satellite radio to a channel he liked.
"What's that?" Will wondered, merging onto the only road out of Salem.
Tyler turned to look at Mateo and the two said together, "we can stop at Starbucks!"
A little over two hours later, Will pulled behind Brian's Explorer and stopped his truck. They arrived.
In the middle of nowhere.
The campsite was several miles deep in the woods off a bumpy, rocky one-road lane. The actual site was nothing more than a flattened patch of dirt with an old wooden picnic table chained to the ground and a firepit surrounded by stones with an old, rusty grill on top.
While the rest of the guys jabbered on about how excited they were Will looked at the endless green pine trees. The only sound heard was the wind in the trees, birds, and the occasional hiss of an insect flying nearby.
Will hated it. He also had to pee.
When he announced that, Brian snickered and gestured to the expanse of forest around them.
"Take your pick, Horton. The world is now your bathroom."
Will frowned before stomping off, stepping on sticks, pine needles, and the occasional pinecone. He found a tree a bit of a way away from the guys and unzipped.
If he was this uncomfortable peeing in the woods he didn't want to think about when he had to do anything else.
When he came back to the group, red-faced, he helped unload everything. Before anyone could get to the box of condoms and lube, Will shoved it in the truck's cab under the passenger seat.
He did not need anyone assuming he wanted that to happen on the trip.
"Oh, man, this stuff is awesome," Dustin declared when they unloaded everything and began going through the boxes EJ bought.
Seeing how lost Will looked, Tyler took pity on him and explained what everything was or why they needed it.
EJ bought obvious supplies like a sleeping bag, pillow, an air mattress with a repair kit and air pump. A tent with all the poles, stakes, and a tent footprint to lay the tent on top of. Flashlights, batteries, tarps, extra blankets, bug spray, and citronella candles. A whole array of kitchen supplies including a stove, gas for the stove, pans, matches, a portable coffee maker, and food for well over a week. Everything chopped, marinated, and prepared in labeled bags inside several coolers. Plus, all the water bottles, soda, juice, and beer they could ever need. On top of nicer, much more camping-appropriate clothing for Will.
"Oh, thank god," Will muttered when he unboxed bathing supplies: biodegradable soap, towels, washcloths, etc.
Will hadn't given any thought whatsoever to the mechanics of camping.
"Wow," Brian said, reluctantly impressed at the haul Will brought.
"I knew bringing you along was a good idea," Mateo told Will with a smile. "Now, let's set up our campsite."
Will, lost on how to do anything but unroll a sleeping bag or the folding chairs, stayed out of the other's way.
Once everything looked good, and all the nonperishables locked tight in Brian's car, Kareem suggested a hike.
Will slathered himself in sunscreen and bug spray, changing into a better pair of shoes EJ provided. He followed everyone with a frown. He did what everyone else did and grabbed a backpack. This one already prepacked with whatever the DiMera maids and butlers deemed essential. But he couldn't help worrying the entire time they walked off into the woods. Mind going a mile a minute on whether they'd get lost even if they had maps. Wondering what would happen if someone got hurt or lost since their phones didn't have reception. Contemplating the likelihood he would trip over his own two feet and break something.
An hour later, sweaty and irritated, Will bumped into Tyler's back, not realizing the other man stopped in front of him.
"Why did you – oh, wow," Will said when he moved to stand beside Tyler.
Will spent the entire walk with his head down, staring at his feet, certain the moment he looked away he would trip. He didn't notice any of their surroundings, assuming it was all the same looking tree or bush.
But, in front of them now, was a decent sized waterfall trickling into a wide pond.
"Come on," Dustin suggested, throwing his backpack to the ground, "let's go in."
"What?" Will squeaked when everyone started taking off their packs and undressing. "Get in the water?"
"What? It'll be like swimming in Salem Lake," Tyler said with a warm, supportive smile.
"No, no it will not be," Will argued, averting his eyes when Tyler took his shirt off. "You don't know what's in that water. What if it's filled with bugs or fish? Or there are dangerous rocks at the bottom and someone steps on one? Or – or what if animals pee in it or something? No, no, not happening."
"Oh my god," Brian huffed once he got his shirt over his head. "Why are you even here? You hate bugs."
"Everyone hates bugs," Will insisted, eyes huge once he got a good look at Brian shirtless.
"But does everyone scream like a baby when a mosquito lands on their arm?" Brian asked, crossing his arms and making his biceps do funny things to Will's insides.
"It was the size of my head," Will argued.
"It wasn't even the size of your fingernail," Brian challenged. "So, you hate bugs. You hate peeing in the woods."
"Why would anyone like it?"
"You don't like hiking."
"It's just walking!"
"And now you don't even want to get in the water. Why are you here?"
"I don't know," Will answered with a sharp glare, doing his best to keep his eyes on Brian's stupid, handsome face instead of his stupid, ripped body. "Sonny said I should be around people that wouldn't judge me for once. But I guess he didn't factor you into that equation, did he?"
Before Brian could retort, Mateo said, "Brian, lay off the kid. He's never done something like this before."
"So?" Brian challenged.
"So, I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Will sighed. He already felt like an outsider with all these older, out, and proud men. He didn't need Brian questioning Will's every move and opinion.
It wasn't like Will didn't know the majority of them didn't want Will around. And Will was trying, he was. Maybe not as well as he should have but he'd only been there a few hours.
Couldn't Brian give him a break?
Brian rolled his eyes before smiling when he realized Will was staring at his naked torso.
If his week with Sonny was ruined, the least Brian could do was find some way to entertain himself.
"Fine," Brian said, "what you need to do right now, is take your clothes off."
"What?" Will squeaked, face flushing all the way down the neck of his shirt.
Brian pulled a pair of swim trunks out of his backpack and waved them toward Will.
"Swimming, Horton, unless you're too afraid of a little water."
Will didn't say anything, mouth opening and closing when Brian unzipped his jeans. Will turned to the side before realizing all the other guys were in a state of undress.
When he saw Kareem's, admittedly nice, butt Will turned completely around, rummaging through his own bag. Sure enough, there was a brand new pair of swim trunks in his size.
Hearing Brian's aggravating chuckle behind him, knowing it was at his expense, egged Will on. But, he still wasn't comfortable changing in front of all of them.
Will waited until he heard everyone walk the short trip to the waterfall and pond. Then he changed as fast as he could, pulling the Velcro on his shorts tight.
Thankfully, EJ only employed the best because they even included a pair of water shoes. There was no way in hell Will's bare feet were touching anything in this forest.
Will walked toward the others, still apprehensive about getting in the water. With his feet at the water's edge, everyone else already splashing and playing, Will paused.
A few waves from the roughhousing lapped at his feet and Will sighed.
The water was warmer than he expected.
"Damn, Horton," Mateo said in a sing-song voice. "Where you been hiding that body?"
Tyler wolf-whistled and full on laughed at how embarrassed it made Will.
Dustin and Kareem fanned themselves, before Dustin said, "well, well, well, not just a pretty baby face are you?"
"Guess Brian's not the only one with abs for days in this group anymore," Kareem teased.
Brian huffed but couldn't help acknowledging just how nice of a body Will had. All tanned skin and large pecs and divets along the side of his hips.
Maybe it was a good thing Sonny didn't come after all. If Brian was distracted watching Will walk into the water, he could only imagine Sonny's reaction.
Will ducked his head underwater to cool his burning face. He knew he kept himself in good shape but he'd never had anyone besides Gabi or her friends mention it. And having girls compliment him was nothing compared to a group of men, gay men. Attractive, gay men who thought Will was someone worthy of a compliment.
Moving closer to the rest of the group, Will laughed when Tyler and Dustin got into a play argument. The two splashing each other back and forth until the whole group joined in, Will included. Laughing and splashing and Will couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun.
For a few minutes, Will could pretend he had no problems. Pretend he wasn't Will Horton, son of the world's most dramatic parents. Pretend he had no responsibilities or fears. He could be shirtless and play with other men and be comfortable.
It was a good feeling.
Or it was until he felt something slither by his legs.
Screaming, Will jumped straight in the air and clung to the nearest object, Brian. Climbing up his back, legs wrapped tight around Brian's waist, Will nearly choked Brian with his arms around his neck.
"Let go," Brian struggled to get out, grabbing Will's hands and forcing him to ease his hold on Brian's throat. "What is your deal?"
"Something touched me," Will explained, panicked and refusing to let go of Brian.
"Oh, that might have been me," Mateo said with an impish grin.
"No," Will shook his head. "It was by my legs."
"It was probably a fish," Brian rolled his eyes, trying to get Will off him before sighing, holding tight to Will's wrists.
Will shook his head, legs pulling even tighter around Brian's waist.
"Actually," Tyler pointed out, "it was probably a water snake."
"Dude," Brian complained when Will wrapped his arms around his throat again. "Why would you tell him that?"
"Will, come on," Kareem swam over to them. "There aren't any snakes around here that can hurt you. If there are any snakes at all."
"Here, I'll even check the water for you," Dustin offered, going under the water and swimming around. He popped back up with a, "I don't see anything."
"Maybe it was some water grass or something," Mateo said in a soothing voice. "Now, stop choking Brian. As much as we'd all enjoy him shutting up, violence is not the way."
"Save it for the bedroom, you two," Dustin added with a snicker.
Will eased his hold around Brian's neck but didn't let him go.
Brian turned around in Will's loosened grip so they were nose to nose. Will blinked several times to get his eyes to focus on how close Brian suddenly was. As it was, Brian took a few moments of his own, distracted by the way Will's wet hair dripped down his face.
Pushing Will's hair out of his eyes for him, Brian cleared his throat before flashing a sharp grin.
"As nice as it feels to have you wrapped all over me, maybe not in front of our friends next time, unless you're into that kind of thing."
Brian punctuated his remark with a sudden thrust of his hips, rocking his pelvis into Will's and bumping Will higher into the air.
Will, red and sputtering, scrambled away from Brian but couldn't stop his mind from drifting there. Brian was strong and sexy. The idea of Will clinging to him wet and naked while everyone watched shouldn't appeal to Will but it did.
Cursing EJ DiMera for planting the idea of a sex-filled week in Will's head, Will mumbled an apology.
"Come on," Dustin said, amused by the contemplative look on Will and Brian's faces, "who wants to jump from the top of the waterfall?"
Will looked over at the trickling waterfall. It wasn't big, nothing more than a few stacked boulders and a stream pouring over them. Not any taller than a single-story house but still too tall for Will.
Will moved to a flat rock on the edge of the water, pulling himself up to sit. He let his feet dangle off it, mindful of any future snakes or fish, content to watch.
"You aren't gonna go?" Kareem questioned as they all headed toward the waterfall.
Will shook his head.
"I'm good, thanks. I'll watch."
Will gave Kareem a small smile before leaning back on the boulder. Curving his back, legs stretched out before him, swim trunks clinging to him in all the right places.
While standing near the waterfall, the entire group – Dustin, Kareem, Tyler, Mateo, and Brian – all stared down at Will. At the sight of bare chest steadily rising and falling, the droplets of water drying to his skin, the width of his shoulders and his slim, sculpted waist.
When Will turned his head to look at them, the entire group averted their eyes, Will none the wiser.
Will watched as they all took turns jumping into the pond. Wondering why they kept trying adventurous spins or flips whenever he cheered them on.
As the sun grew low in the sky, everyone decided to return to their campsite before it grew dark.
Will could have sworn he heard a collective sigh of disappointment when he walked behind a tree to change.
After eating a surprisingly delicious dinner, everyone sat around the campfire. Will offered to help with dinner and build the fire but after staring blankly at Kareem when he told him to bring him the bag with the chicken in it and dropping a lit match on the ground, everyone kindly told Will to sit and relax.
While the others held beer cans, Will drank from a bottle of water and burrowed under a fluffy blanket EJ packed.
Somehow the topic got on Dustin's latest boyfriend; a senior at Salem University Will had never met before.
"Well, you know, things are okay," Dustin admitted after a sip of his beer. "He's hot and everything but he's kind of awful at blowjobs."
Will, taking a large pull of his water, choked.
"Dump him," Brian said flat out.
"Don't say that," Kareem rolled his eyes. "How bad is he? Maybe you need to teach him."
"No, I tried," Dustin revealed. "He's naturally terrible."
"Oh," Kareem said. "Well, in that case, Brian's right, dump him."
Will listened to the others murmur their agreement and nibbled on his lip.
Is this what his life was going to be like? Would someone sit with their friends and reveal his blowjob skills? How would Will even know if he was good at it or not? And what if he was terrible, then what?
"I mean he's nice and everything. I like him a lot. But he's all about the anal and I am much more of an oral kinda guy," Dustin added, taking a swig of his beer. "So, yeah, he's probably gonna get the boot."
"What's with your face?" Brian nodded in Will's direction, lips curling up.
"What – nothing. My face isn't doing anything," Will denied, taking another drink of water so most of his face was covered.
"Aw," Dustin cooed, catching on. "You're still a virgin, aren't you?"
"I've had sex," Will mumbled, refusing to make eye contact.
"With a girl?" Kareem asked with a wide grin. When he saw Will's reaction, he laughed. "No, come on, dude. It's fine. You don't have to be embarrassed about it. I mean, who better to talk about all this stuff than us? We've all been in your shoes before."
"Yeah," Mateo sat up straighter in his seat, focusing on Will. "You can open up to us about this stuff."
"Why is your face doing that?" Tyler wondered.
"It's hot over here," Will defended, shoulders hunched, and adjusting his blanket.
"No, it's not," Brian argued.
"Was it something I said?" Dustin asked, thinking back to his last comments.
"I – I guess," Will admitted.
They were right. He didn't have anyone to talk to about this stuff except Sonny. And when it came to Sonny, talking about sex was weird.
Will sighed before adding, "the thing about anal and oral."
"Please, tell me you know what that is," Brian said causing Will to glare at him.
"Yes, I know what they are, I'm not an idiot," Will huffed, crossing his arms. "I meant about him liking one and Dustin liking another."
"Oh," Dustin nodded. "That's easy. You don't have to be embarrassed about that. Some guys like anal, some guys don't. I think it's okay but I don't get a lot out of it either way. I'd rather give or get a blowjob or a handjob. I mean, just because you're gay doesn't mean you have to like everything there is to do sexually."
"Oh," Will replied, thinking it over. "That makes sense."
"You're so precious," Kareem couldn't resist saying.
Will huffed.
"Yeah, adorable," Brian added with a wicked smirk. "He's probably never even kissed a guy before."
"Leave him alone," Tyler warned.
"I'm just saying," Brian shrugged.
"Yes, I have kissed a guy," Will revealed, annoyed with Brian.
"Yeah, no, sure you have," Brian nodded but clearly didn't believe him.
"Yes, I have," Will insisted.
"Who was it?" Kareem asked eagerly.
"I bet it was Sonny," Dustin replied with a nod.
"Oh, please, if it was him Sonny would have been shouting it from the rooftops," Mateo dismissed.
"What does that mean?" Will asked as Brian rolled his eyes.
"Nothing," Brian said. "Now, come on, who's this great big first kiss? Unless you haven't been kissed at all."
"I did kiss someone," Will maintained, getting all worked up. "It was Neil."
"Oooooh," Kareem laughed, looking at Dustin. "No wonder he didn't want to go out with you."
"When was this?" Dustin said, both annoyed and intrigued.
"At that party thing you guys took me to," Will said.
"What party?" Brian asked.
Everyone ignored him.
"Wait, did he kiss you after you guys played beer pong?" Kareem wondered, face gleaming in the firelight.
"No," Will reluctantly smiled. "I kissed him."
"What?!"
"Damn, baby, get it."
"Now, you have to tell us the details," Mateo insisted.
"There aren't really any," Will laughed. "I was really tipsy and he wanted to get me water and I wouldn't let him leave. I kissed him and he shoved me against a wall and –,"
Several more "oooooooh" sounds interrupted him.
"And Sonny found us and –,"
"Damn, this story's good."
"And that's it, really. I sort of freaked out after that but Neil's a really good guy. And a nice kisser."
Everyone snickered after that except Brian who looked at Will with something challenging in his eyes.
"So, that's all you've done with a guy?"
"Yes," Will answered, face warm again.
"Cute," Brian smiled. "Blushing over a kiss, how quaint."
"Dude," Tyler glared at him, "what is your deal?"
"Nothing," Brian replied, smile growing larger. "I said it was cute."
Brian looked right at Will and asked, "you probably can't even bring yourself to watch porn, can you? Too embarrassed to look at all the naked boys, too worried what anyone would think if they saw you, too scared to even get hard?"
Will didn't say anything just stared at Brian, long and hard, wondering, like Tyler asked, what his deal was.
"Why are you so obsessed with this?" Mateo asked. "So, what if he's only kissed one guy? Or that he doesn't watch porn? It doesn't make him any less gay."
"I'm just saying," Brian replied. "A few weeks ago he couldn't even admit he was gay. He can't even hear someone else talk about blowjobs. I'm supposed to believe he'd ever give one? He could barely tell us about kissing a guy when he was drunk."
Listening to Brian, Will realized there was only one way to get him to shut up.
"You don't think I've ever kissed a guy?" Will asked, putting his water bottle on the ground.
"Not really, no," Brian answered. "I doubt you've ever kissed a man. I doubt you could ever have sex with a man. I sincerely doubt you've ever even touched yourself while thinking about one."
"Huh," Will responded, standing up.
Mateo and Tyler, certain Will was going to rush off to his tent, tried to get him to stay. All while Kareem and Dustin yelled at Brian and his insensitive, big mouth.
"I guess you don't know everything," Will said, standing in front of Brian.
Before anyone could react, before Brian could even blink, Will leaned down and kissed him.
With one knee planted between Brian's spread legs, Will pressed his weight into the kiss. He held tight to the side of Brian's neck, thumb brushing behind his ear while his fingers tangled in Brian's hair. Pressing his lips against Brian's, sucking Brian's bottom lip into his mouth, tongue teasing him, nails digging into Brian's scalp. Stunning Brian and everyone else as Will opened Brian's mouth and flickered his tongue inside, getting a brief taste of beer.
Will sighed into Brian's mouth, eyes fluttered open, and body warm in all the right places. Pulling back to see Brian's eyes closed and his mouth open, still searching out Will's lips.
Will patted Brian on the chest, grabbed Brian's beer can out of his hand, and said, "one of us is going to be touching ourselves while thinking about a guy tonight, and I don't think it'll be me."
A/N:
Disclaimer: don't own. Title from song Work From Home by Fifth Harmony.
I couldn't sleep one night and thought, 'but what if Will and Brian had sex in a tent and had to stay quiet' and here you have it.
Extremely AU Will/Brian smut fic. Should be about 5 chapters.
Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.