Chapter Text
After spending the whole day arguing and barely planning, they managed to complete and leave just in time for curfew, since it wasn't safe after dark. Mike's mother made lasagna for dinner and they all ate in silence, as they were all tired and starving. Not Mike though, he didn't really feel like eating, didn't have an appetite . Yes, he was tired but he was too caught up everything that was happening.
"Mike? You okay, honey?"
Mike looked up and found Nancy and his mom staring at him worryingly.
"Yeah, I'm fine Mom, just really tired, don't feel like eating"
"But honey, you need to eat at least a few spoons"
"Alright I'll try"
He looked at his food, his stomach growled.
Why is it so hard for me to eat this?
He took a spoonful but he felt a pang of guilt.
Max is in a coma, Eddie is dead, Hawkins is dying.
Shut up.
And you couldn't even tell your girlfriend you love her.
He doesn't deserve this. Max almost died because of Mike. He couldn't be there for El. He treated Will horribly for so many years. He doesn't deserve to eat. Everyone was brave enough to fight Vecna and he wasn't even there to help them.
Maybe if I was here I could've died instead of Eddie.
And it wasn't like he was helpful to El. He wasn't even brave enough to say he loved her until Will gave him the courage to.
I don't deserve such amazing people like them.
El shouldn't had saved me at the quarry.
Vecna should've taken-
"Micheal?"
He looked up, "Hm?"
His mother looked really worried. How does he always manage to make people's lives harder? "Honey, are you not well?"
He rubbed his eyes, "I don't know, Mom. Maybe I'll sleep now and see in the morning."
"Oh honey, you sure? I can get the thermometer. Wait here"
"No Mom, it's fine, I think I just need to sleep." He got up. He felt bad for wasting the food his mom made.
"It's okay, we'll all share it. Go sleep."
He smiled weakly, "Sorry Mom, goodnight."
He went into his room and collapsed onto his bed, waiting for the sleep to take him in. But it didn't. He tossed and turned but nothing worked. So many thoughts were running in his head he couldn't even properly understand them, but at some point, he did fall asleep, and drifted into a dream.
Mike found himself in a red place, with vines and...floating stairs? Am I in the upside down? Mike's never been to the upside down, even though he spent almost 4 years battling the monsters from there. He's probably the only one who hasn't been there.
How did I end up here?
He looked around and gasped. He saw 4 people against the pillars, trapped in vines. The four victims. Shit.
But Max is in a coma, is she still alive in here?
Mike found Max and ran towards her, hoping that he could still get her out of here, but he ended up tripping over a vine and falling face first into the ground.
"OW. Ugh that hurts." He tried getting up, but his head was throbbing. That's when he heard sounds. He looked to his side and saw the vines wrapping around his foot. Hivemind. "Nonono, get off me. GET OFF ME." He tried wriggling his foot out of it but the vines were too strong. "MAX! MAX CAN YOU HEAR ME, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE." But he was too far away from Max, and just then he heard a voice.
"Micheal"
Mike got up with a scream, sweating with his hair sticking to his forehead, head throbbing.
Was that..no it can't be.
But it sounded like him. You don't even know what he sounds like, Mike.
But Max was there and so were the other three.
It was probably just a dumb dream. Why would he come for you.
Yeah, that's true.
He checked the clock. It was 6:13 in the morning Why is it still dark? Oh. Right.
He didn't feel like sleeping anymore. Didn't want any more nightmares.
"Okay well I guess I could unpack my bag."
He got up, went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and saw himself in the mirror. He touched his scar which he got from the Starcourt Mall battle. He didn't see any new scars from his nightmare so maybe it didn't really happen. He remembered when he felt super insecure about it, but Will cheered him up.
"It looks pretty cool. Imagine you got it from one of the battles as a paladin. That means you're a real life paladin, right?"
He found himself smiling in the mirror, but it slowly faded away.
I should've played with him that summer. I was a horrible best friend. I am a horrible best friend. friend. brother. son. person.
"It's not my fault you don't like girls!"
What if Will figured out that Mike didn't like girls? Didn't like El. What if he found out Mike is what everyone bullied them about? They got bullied because of him, their classmates would trip them over hit them, because of Mike. They didn't even care when Will was taken because they thought he deserved it.
"Stupid. So stupid."
His eyes were blurry, but he wiped the tears away and went back to his bed, not wanting to do anything anymore, he played his Walkman and drowned in the music.
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Everyone assembled at Hopper's cabin after breakfast. Weapons and things Mike didn't know were spread out on the floor and table.
Nancy spoke up, "The military stopped by, asking about El. They think she's staying with us."
"They did? Why don't I remember this?"
"It was right after you slept, Mike. You were dead asleep."
"But this means El's not safe. They know she's in Hawkins. They'll be on the lookout and they'll probably monitor all of our movements right?"
"That's why we'll use the tunnels.", Hopper said
"Tunnels?", Nancy and Mike asked at the same time.
"Yeah.", Will said not looking up. "The ones I made when the Mind flayer was controlling me. They're still there and I don't think the military knows it exists."
"But we all have to be really careful right?", Lucas said. "Because they'll probably keep checking our houses looking for her."
"I told them she wasn't here with us, which wasn't a lie. But they did check our house.", Nancy said. "So I guess that's what we all need to tell them."
"Still no sign of Henry. Or Max.", El told sounding sad.
Should he mention his nightmare? What if it was real? What if Vecna was planning on taking Mike? But he already has his 4 victims, his plan worked, why would he need Mike?
"Mike? You look like you want to say something."
"N-Nothing El, just don't beat yourself up, we'll find them soon.", he said smiling weakly.
El nodded, though she didn't look convinced.
"Alright everyone choose your weapons. We can take turns practicing to figure out which one we're most comfortable with."
Mike walked up to Will, "You okay? Did you sleep well?"
Will sighed, "Yeah, had to sleep on the floor though because there's not enough room for so many of us"
"You know, you can just stay at my house."
He looked surprised, face turning red. "Y-yeah I guess but where will I stay?"
"Come on Will. We can share my bed." Will's eyes went wide and Mike realized what he said. Great now I'm also red.
He tried to cover it up, "I-I mean if you want to. You don't have to if you don't want to. We probably won't fit on my bed now that I think of it. Or you can use a sleeping bag. Oh yeah Nancy has one I can just take if from her she doesn't need it."
Will laughed, God, he loves his laugh. "Mike, calm down. I'll ask my mom and tell you."
"Mhm, cool"
"Cool" "Guys, come on we don't have time to waste.", Jonathan said.
"Alright, let's go.", Will said.
That's when he saw Hopper bring out a sword, and Mike goes to him. "Hopper, can I have it?"
"Do you know how to use it?"
"Uhm, no but I'll practice, I promise. It's just like my Dnd character, the pala-"
"Yes okay I don't want to hear about your game. Take it. Do not break or damage it, understood?"
"Understood, thank you Hopper."
"Uhuh"
He went out into the backyard, walking towards Dustin, Lucas and Will.
"DUDE, SICK SWORD", Dustin said and the 3 of them ran towards him.
Mike grinned, "I know right, Hopper gave it to me."
"It's just like Mike the Brave!"
"That's what I said! What did you take?"
"I'm using this shield. I already used it anyways. Oh and this spear", Dustin said showing them.
"I'll probably just stick to sling shooting, but Nancy told I need to do something more slashy-slashy or stabby-stabby", Lucas said sounding tired.
"Hey, did you get any sleep? Were you at the hospital the whole night?"
Lucas nodded, "I wanted to but my parents made me come back. It's just...what if the demogorgans come for her? What if something happens?"
"She'll be okay Lucas, we're gonna do our best to get her back, don't worry." Will said.
"Yeah, hopefully."
Mike noticed what Will was holding, "You took a gun?"
Will looked at the gun, talking low, "Oh, yeah I guess that's what I'm the most skilled at."
Mike remembered when Will would tell him about his father teaching him to use a gun, as it was a "man's job". Will hated it. Mike would hug him whenever he cried after killing an animal.
Will spoke, smiling weakly, like he knew what Mike was thinking. "It's okay, at least something good came out of all of that training, right?"
"Yeah", he said almost in a whisper
"Okay everyone, training time", Hopper announced and they got to training.