WILL

Will knocked loudly on Dune's door. He needed to be violently ill, but he put that feeling aside for now. Dune didn't know yet. Gabriel had offered to stay and make them all coffee, but Will told him it was fine to leave. There was no point in pretending that Dune liked him right now, any pretences would be too much. Gabriel seemed to understand why Will had asked him to go.

"What is it?" Dune sounded sleepy.

Will went in and turned on the lights. Luke and Dune were both shirtless, the sheets pulled halfway up to cover their torsos. Both blinked and blocked their eyes. Luke looked outright irritated. Dune frowned. Their eyes met, and Dune immediately straightened. "What's wrong?"

Will's throat had a tight ball stuck in it. He didn't know how to do this. He didn't want to be the one to do this. But he had to. He approached the bed, sitting on the edge. "Luke," He began, "Can you go check that Stephen's fine?"

Luke's face said he had no inclination whatsoever of doing that.

"I'll look away so you can get your boxers on."

"Will." Dune scowled.

Will squeezed the scarf. "I need to talk to you alone."

Dune rubbed his eyes, and took Will in. "We can talk in the hall."

Dune reached for his phone, and Will caught his wrist. There would be messages there, telling Dune what happened. Will grimaced. Was it any better hearing it in person? This was the kind of thing that nothing could soften the blow of. Shit. Maybe letting him check the messages would be better? He had no idea how to say it.

"Will?" Dune questioned. All trace of annoyance was gone, replaced with concern.

Luke looked unhappily between the two of them.

"Come on," Will didn't let Dune take the phone, and led him out into the hall. Under the blankets, he was wearing boxers. Whether or not Dune and Luke slept together didn't seem like a threat to their friendship anymore. In the hall, Dune held his elbows, shivering. He didn't complain, he must have picked up that something was really wrong.

Will blinked hard.

"Will," Dune touched his shoulder, "Just tell me what happened."

Dune's eyes were open, coaxing. Steady and sure, because Dune was always steady and sure. Fuck. Will covered Dune's hand with his, squeezing his fingers. "Your dad called. Joyce had a heart attack, and she passed away."

Dune's face was blank.

"I'm so sorry."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

The colour drained from Dune's face. "I'm uh, I'm going to..." the hand on Will's shoulder turned into a vice-grip.

"Get dressed," Will took over, "And pack a bag, whatever you need, and come downstairs. I'll drive us home."

"It's only been three hours, that's not enough time for alcohol to clear the system." Dune said, practical. "We can taxi to the bus and, well, there won't be any going until the morning, so we'll have to wait anyway."

"I wasn't drinking. We can go now, if you want too."

Dune didn't need to think it over. "Now."

"Get your things, I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay." Dune went straight for his phone. Will glimpsed Luke's questioning frown before the door swung shut.

Will didn't let himself stop, or think. Downstairs he found Stephen and Cassie still awake. Much closer than when he'd left them, but more clothed than he'd been anticipating. They had a bottle of wine on the table next to them.

"Will," Cassie greeted, "You're still up?"

It was easier telling Cassie. He just said it, gave her the phone back, and made coffee for himself. Dune and Luke were downstairs in under five minutes. Will had the keys found, and at the ready. Stephen's house was on the way out of Dublin, so it was settled that they would drop those two there and keep going. The drive was spent in silence. Will stopped twice to get coffee, then stopped for a bottle of water to combat the headache. As Will was taking painkillers, Dune finally awakened from his daze.

"Are you okay?"

"Caffeine headache." Will explained.

"You've been drinking a lot of coffee recently."

"It helps me focus." He took a long drag of water, "And it's hard on the eyes, driving in the dark."

If Dune hadn't been drinking only a few hours ago, he would have definitely offered to swap places. "We can stop for a little while."

"I can keep going."

"At least until the painkillers start working," Dune insisted.

Will wasn't about to argue with him. "Okay," he relented, "I'm going to stretch my legs."

Dune went with him. It wasn't much of a walk. The petrol station had a large well-lit car park across the road, and that was as far as they went. They were the only ones there. They walked down the length once, and Dune stopped to sit on the stone wall at the edge. Will joined him. He wanted to say something, and he'd been wanting to say something every second of the journey, but he didn't know what he could say. There wasn't anything to make this better. There wasn't anything he could do, aside from getting Dune home to his dad.

"You're pale." Dune said.

"Hard to look sun-kissed in the middle of the night," Will pointed out.

"Are you okay? Did you get any sleep?"

Will stared at Dune's car parked across the road. He couldn't see Cassie, bunched up on the backseat with a blanket thrown over her, from here. "I got the first assignment done, and started on the second. Literally took me most the night, but it's a start."

"Did Cassie blackmail you?"

Will chuckled. "No, I did it voluntarily. I do work sometimes."

Dune's expression was sceptical. "Not school work."

The faded yellow of the street-lights cast long shadows on Dune's face. The circles under his eyes were darker, his usually lively eyes were turned a dark, muddy colour. Will still didn't know what to say.

"The painkillers working yet?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go then."

*

Will hadn't been home in months, but the place hadn't changed much. It smelled strongly of drink in the living room, and he immediately opened the windows, trying to air it out. Late payment letters were open on the coffee table, weighted open by cans of beer. Whatever money his dad was getting from the odd jobs he took on was clearly being well spent. He took a quick shower, figuring out how long he should wait before going back over to Dune's. Dune had told Will it was fine to borrow his car for a while. He was probably stuck into funeral arrangements with his dad at the moment. From what Will saw, neither of them were slowing down to mourn anytime soon.

Will could smell pizza when he got out of the shower.

In the kitchen, he found Leah munching on pepperoni and mushroom cheesy take-away pizza. She raised an eyebrow when he came in. Silently, he took the seat next to her, and stole a slice for himself.

"How are you doing?" Leah asked.

Will hadn't seen her in a long time, and ever since mom had left their relationship hadn't been smooth sailing. They text, and that was about it. "Fine. You?"

"Fine. I've started my masters. Mom's settled into the city and is working away."

Will chewed slowly. "That's good."

"She's good. I think being away from here was the fresh start she needed." Leah put her pizza down. "Are you ignoring me now?"

"I'm talking to you?"

"I've been texting all week."

"I lost my phone."

Leah stared at him with a face like his own, only softer around the edges. Even her hair was the same now, dyed a light blond. She looked as if she had something to say. Will prayed that she wouldn't. He didn't want to have to argue with her about Gabriel right now. He didn't know how to deny they were back in contact. It was easier over the phone. In person, he didn't know if he could keep a straight face.

"I can pick one up while I'm down." Leah eventually said. Will let out a relieved breath. She was letting it go. "Are you good for money?"

"Scholarship is holding me over." Will confirmed, "And I hardly spent anything on food cause of Dune." And Gabriel, but he left that name out.

Leah snorted. "He's the pits for getting the bill, isn't he? I remember meeting Richard and Joyce on a night out before, she is the exact same. Buying drinks for everyone left and right. Dune gets it from her."

Will smiled to himself, imagining Richards expression as Joyce continued to offer drinks on him. The thought of that never happening again sobered him. His smile faded. "Dune was really close with her."

Leah's lips tightened. She took Will's hand in hers. "I know. She was a lovely woman."

"It's not fair."

"I know."

"No, it's really not fair. He's so good. He didn't deserve for this to happen."

Leah squeezed his hand. "How is he holding up?"

She asked the question that had been burning Will's mind since he answered that phone call. Since he told Dune earth-shattering news. "I don't think he's really acknowledged it yet."

"Make sure you're there for him."

"I will be."

They ate pizza and watched movies. Not in the living room, that was dad's room and it had sour memories for the both of them, but in Leah's room. She got her laptop up and they lay down binging netflix until it was the middle of the night and slept was catching up on Will.

"Will?"

"Still awake."

"Can we be friends again?"

Will stared at the screen, and not Leah. There was a problem with Leah's friendship. An obstacle that kept them from ever being how they were pre-divorce. He wanted to say both yes and no. It was easier to keep his relationship with Gabriel a secret from her when they never talked beyond catching up with one another. But, he missed having a family. Even when it his mom was blowing up in his face and Leah would take her side, he at least had somewhere to come home to. And he wanted that again. He wanted someone with ties to him stronger than just bonds of friendship. He wanted family. Unconditional love, even if they hated each other as well.

"I guess." Will said.

"You can come spend some weekends with me." Leah said.

"I can't."

"Mom is getting her own place." Leah told him, "And I have a room you can sleep in."

Will took in a deep breath. If he went to her, it was safe. "Sounds nice."

*

The funeral wasn't so bad. There was too much catching up with everyone for there to be mourning. In the service both Richard and Dune spoke about Joyce. Neither cried. Dune seemed aloof. Detached. The entire service his lips were set in a grim line. He was like that in the pub as well. Irish funerals were more about celebrating the life that had passed away rather than mourning, and Joyce had a ridiculous turn-out. Will's throat tightened several times. It wasn't grief at his own loss, but at what Dune had lost that pushed him toward overwhelming emotions. But every-time he felt a wave rising in him, he'd seek out Dune and see his lips set, and he'd calm down. Until Dune showed that he was upset, Will didn't feel like he had the right to do it either.

Leah and Will sat at the bar, her drinking club orange and him drinking water. They nibbled at the food Will and Leah had helped prepare; when Will returned the car yesterday, he'd insisted on helping anyway they could. Richard had let them.

"You talk to Jack?"

"Mhm." Will was watching Dune talking to their old football team. "My signing has gotten rusty."

"Isn't that like saying you forget how to speak English?"

Dune straightened suddenly, his eyes sweeping the pub. Will frowned. "No, it's like forgetting French after leaving school. I don't think in sign language."

"Not anymore."

Dune met Will's eyes. He crossed the room, stopping before Will with an even more severe frown than he'd had during the funeral service. "What are you doing here?" Dune asked.

"Eating sandwiches?"

"Your match—you'll miss it."

"I already told Vinny that I can't make it." Will explained. Dune didn't look happy.

"What time is it?"

"Even if I left now, I'd miss it." Will said, "It's okay. There's another game next week, and I'm down to play for that."

Dune's eyes were encircled by dark shadows. Up close, Will could see how pale he was. Dune didn't look as though he'd slept at all. Wearing a pristine suit, wearing a blank face, didn't take away form the wreck under the surface. Instinctively, Will reached for his arm. He touched his shoulder. Dune met his eyes. Once again, Will choked under what to say. Are you okay? Obviously not, his mom was dead. Can I do anything for you? Obviously not, his mom was dead. I'm here for you. Dune knew that already, and saying it out loud felt cheap somehow.

"Will said you're thinking of getting a new car," Leah said into the silence.

Dune held his gaze another second, then turned to her. Will let his hand drop.

"I'm thinking a ford fiesta."

Will propped his elbow on the bar and forced a smile. "A man of taste."

Leah's nose crinkled playfully. "Have you seen Will's car? Fiestas are tiny. Fine for a first car, especially for people who can't park to save their own life—"

"I'm better now." Will cut in.

"—but it would be a downgrade from your BMW."

"The newer models are nice." Dune said.

"They're gorgeous."

Dune's lips twitched up. His eyes darted to Will. "Top of your santa list, is it?"

"If you get the fiesta, I can ask santa for an Audi TT RS—jesus, that car is something to look at."

Leah laughed into her hand. "Keep it in your pants, please."

Dune, to Will's immense relief, actually smiled. "Maybe I'll get both and accidentally lose the keys in your apartment?"

"Don't give me hope." Will joked. "Besides, whatever you get I'll get to try anyway."

An influx of people caught Dune's attention. Richard was among them. From their short stature and black hair, Will guessed the people surrounding Richard were Joyce's family. They were chinese, Will believed. Dune told him before they were very-much into Irish culture and would holiday around the country every single summer, which was how Richard and Joyce originally met, but this was Will's first time seeing them. It was hard to see that Dune was related.

"I see where the short-gene comes from," Will observed.

"Yeah." Leah agreed, despite being much shorter than Dune.

"I'd better go talk to them. Thanks for coming."

"Of course," Leah said. She hugged Dune, and they watched his back as he joined Richard.