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Will grabs Mike’s hand pulling him away from tripping on yet another vine. He honestly doesn’t remember Mike following him into the upside down. His head was hurting so much and he had enough of Mindflayer or Vecna or whoever the hell this guy was and had decided to come after him. The constant ringing of welcome back will byers got the best of him and he realized he has been the endgame for this all along.
He decided on just coming to meet him to try to give in after he saw El lose yet another time and Max not waking up for yet another day.
Maybe he can negotiate?
He knew he wasn’t powerful like El or the others. But he had exclusive access to Vecna. He chuckles at his silly thoughts.
“Ouch what an actual mess ! I never thought this place would be so… so scary” he heard Mike exclaim from behind him and red spots appeared in front of his eyes, his vision disoriented. He wanted to scream at the boy but he reeled it in.
He knew El wouldn’t be enough, she wouldn’t be able to fight - not by herself and he exactly knew what to do.
As he stepped out of the forest and towards his house.
“Where are we going ? Will?! Look there are …what the hell are they?! Maybe -“
Will cuts him off with a look turning around to see him looking up at the sky pointing. Following his eye line above towards the sky he saw bats zooming in on them. He grab hold of Mike’s arm ready to run trying to look around and see if there is somewhere they could hide but there was nothing but forest on both sides of the road.
“Shit ! Fuck!” Mike exclaimed clenching his eyes close as he held Will’s hand so tightly that he thought he is going to lose his fingers tonight
To both of their amazement the bats didn’t hurt them even a bit, just flew past them as they bent down ducking away from them.
Mike stood up first, eyes in wonder and then looked at Will with questions. Will stared right back, seemingly confused about the same thing.
I mean Steve was pretty messed up. And...
“They didn’t even scratch us”
Mike completed his thought and Will’s heart flutters how he is the only one who always manages to know what he is thinking. He stares at Mike’s black eyes, his raven haired curls and lanky figure. He was so beautiful, it actually hurt him not to touch him, not to pull him close. He shakes his head not dwelling on his feelings for his best friend, instead he tightens his hold on him dragging him away to the side of the road
He knew what he has to do
It wasn't a thought through decision, it was split-second and the easiest decision he has ever made, especially when he saw just how easily Mike could get hurt here. His eyes trailed on his body as they walked side by side, his left lower half covered in blood. He just didn't expect for the taller boy to rush behind him.
“You shouldn’t have come” he manages to say, speaking for the first time since they stepped into this place. He sees Mike shrug from the corner of his eyes. He wants to be furious, he couldn’t believe the one person he wanted to be safe is in here with him.
“Hey, I don’t see any demogorgon” Mike shrugs uselessly defending himself.
“What?! You want to meet one ?!”He exclaims exasperated, this boy is seriously going to be the death of him.
He shakes his head, he shouldn't be joking about this.
Or maybe he should?
He doesn’t know
He turns to the right knowing the path to his house very well making Mike almost trip over his own feet
“This way and be careful !” he calls to him without looking back, weak branches crunching beneath his shoes. He bends a little to avoid the branches of the trees poking him as he says once again “Faster”
They come to a pause and Will pulls Mike back instinctively ducking behind a tree as he hears a roar from a far.
“Seems like your wish is coming true” he mutters sarcastically almost rolling his eyes at the hurt look on Mike’s face
He continues before Mike can start speaking knowing he will start another argument.
God knows how he fell for this idiot he thinks
“It will take some time for it to find us”
“Who Vecna ?!” Mike's eyes widen at his words and Will shakes his head continuing
“No… the demogorgon. Vecna is resting in his lair” Waiting for me he finishes in his mind
“Let’s go back then. We need El, we need to go get her to fight this thing before it kills us first or Vecna decides to wake up!” A slight murmur shoots his heart hearing Eleven's name but he ignores it as Mike gets frantic
“We need to get out of here”
Mike is a minute behind to a full blown hysteria as they hear yet another roar now feeling closer to them. He could see Mike beginning to lose his shit as he babbled about them not having anything on them.
Will looks around them instead and sees a way out. He clutches Mike’s arm and pulls him behind him.
“Will! Where are you going !? We need to -“
He gets cut off with another loud roar and Will knows he has no time to delay this anymore. To keep Mike to himself.
He cannot be selfish, not today, not after all these years
He heaves a huge breathe pulling behind yet another tree
“Listen to me” he looks at Mike pausing for a second his eyes locking with the raven-haired intently hoping he understands his instructions “Here in the bushes is a gate. Get down, don't make any noise and go out okay ?”
“What? what are you talking about ?! We both are going !” Mike rushes eyes moving back and forth between the orange opening hidden under the bushes and at Will.
“Shhhh” he cuts him off “He can hear us and also smell the blood” he points at Mike’s jeans and shirt
“Okay okay, we are going together and getting El—“
“She isn’t enough!” Will has had enough of Mike depending on Eleven, especially after the entire road trip.
“She is not strong” he continues slowly, trying not to let his irritation get the best of him. This is not like me, he repeated to himself
“I - I know what to do. I know how to end this” he says calmly trying to throw in a smile at the end hoping it will calm Mike down but does the exact opposite as Mike's confusion turns into a realization of what might Will be thinking as his eyes widen almost comically
“wha-bu-no NO NO”
“shhh” he presses his finger to his lips trying to hush him down but Mike continues anyway
“this is a bad idea, very ve-“
“shhh” he shushes him again quickly trying to keep both of them as quiet as possible considering the circumstances.
“Will, no.”
“When I tell you, go through that hole and don’t look back” he starts instructing him completely disregarding his words. This wasn’t a time.
“Will. No”
“Mike, don't”
He sent him a watery smile tilting his head trying to memorize him for the nth time. He could paint every feature of his face, his hands and him in great detail even with his eyes closed. He watches Mike tremble, their eyes locked and he could feel his heart beating fast, right out of his chest.
They were having a moment
He realizes
They have been having a lot of those lately, he thinks lightly.
“Come back? I don't care how, come back to me !”
“Promise me ?” Mike grabs his shoulder digging his fingers grounding him, his voice urgent as he stares at him, staring at him trying to get the message across.
A deep growl rings in their ear closer this time and Will pulls away, his back hitting the tree behind him unable to promise him.
He can't lie to him, not again.
“Mike run!”
“Promise me Will?” Mike asks yet again, eyes wet not moving at all, he can't move and Will knows he wouldn't unless he promises. He was stubborn and Will loved him for it. His vision gets blurry as his fate becomes clearer to him. As it becomes clear that this is the last time he would ever get to look at Mike, be with Mike and love Mike. And he smiles, his lips trembling as he hates his destiny, hates everything that put him in this position.
He blinks away the tears and notices tears streaming down Mike's face finally realizing just what Will plans to do.
"Okay" he smiles, lying to him for the second time, for one last time.
And this time Mike knows, he knows the lie.
Unable to resist he makes yet another split second decision, if he is going to go, if the world doesn't let him have his life he is going to give himself this. He surges forward stepping closer to Mike almost on his feet and presses his lips. He kisses him deeply and with everything he has got, eyes shut tight as tears flood in them begging to be let out. His chest constricts as he moves his lips against Mike's open ones.
Mike is too stunned to move, eyes open in complete disbelief. Just as he closes his eyes and presses his lips over Will's , the smaller boy pulls away.
Breathing heavily he tries to calm his beating heart as he motions towards the opening, a small gate "Okay okay just go! Go to El she will know what to do !"
Mike takes one step back and another, not turning around and away from Will. Will motions him to hurry and then Mike finds himself running and pushing himself out of the gate.
.
.
.
He is in daze when he comes back, his mind reeling with everything that happened in the last couple of minutes. Jonathan meets him along with the others behind him asking him a bunch of questions , everyone following him as he steps through them looking for Eleven. He is frozen when he looks at her meeting her eyes, and tears up for the first time since before the kiss and nods. He watches Eleven's face harden as she walks towards the huge tear on the ground right next to them, everyone turning in confusion. He hears them, hears Joyce, Jonathan repeatedly ask about Will and he lets go, he runs towards Steve standing at the far end of their group with a bat in his hands. He snatches it from him and turns around eyes wild as he looks towards the forest he came from.
He can't lose him again.
He runs towards the woods screaming loudly as Lucas, Dustin and Steve behind him. Jonathan is fighting Nancy screaming as realization dawns upon everyone.
He can see red flashes in the dark sky, can hear Eleven scream like she has never before and he struggles from the tight grip of his friends. He gives away as the red opening to Will closes slowly and then he is dropping on the ground and screams, screams and screams his chest physically hurting but not bad as his heart.
Everyone cries around him, mourning Will and Eleven drops down on the ground from where she was floating in the air tired. Others rush to her aid, shooting questioning looks at him as he doesn't get up, Hopper even looking incredulously at him.
Mike doesn't care as he closes his eyes, feeling Will on him, his lips on him, his fingers touching his skin and his eyes- those hazel eyes smiling at him for the last time. And it feels like a pandoras box has unlocked in his head, his brain buzzing as all his memories with Will flashes in front of his eyes, from the last kiss, to the first time they met. His fingers curl into tight fists as Will flashes in front of his eyes
Mike run!
He is not dead.
El needs you. She always will
You're the heart
Cool
What about us?
Not possible
I guess I did. I really did
Crazy together
It was a seven
Will you be my friend?
Yes
And he is dry heaving on the ground, palms on the floor as his heart breaks, as he realizes everything Will was saying to him all along. And he cries, he feels warm hands cradling his head, he tilts his head to look at Joyce with tears in her eyes, trembling lips and she looks so much like Will. He lets go, pushing his face into her chest as he screams
"I can't lose him ! I can't ! I love him!"
He hears her saying it's okay but he shakes his head as he can’t help repeating it again and again, not paying attention to the silence that has fallen around them.
Everyone too shocked to even move and he doesn't care. He doesn't give a fuck because this is not fair.
"He loved me, he loved me so much and - and I" he shudders barely able to breathe in between tears
"I know. I know" he hears Joyce above him and pulls away, begging her as he cries
"I was not able to say it back. I was -"
He is cut off as the ground below them trembles alerting everyone. They all stand up as it trembles again like an earthquake is taking place before there is a spark in the sky, a loud lightning crackling. Everyone looks at each other and then there is bright light blinding everyone. He turns away so do the others, covering his eyes with his arm as the tear in the ground increases leading up to the sky and then there is a loud growl- so loud and they can see the shadow monster in the sky.
He is frozen as this is followed by a loud growl and he knows, he just knows it is Vecna.
He looks towards Eleven, blood running down her eyes as she struggles to stand up moving in front of all ready to fight him but then he sees her head tilt up fear in her eyes as she screams, screams Will's name?
And he is looking back up in the front and then in the sky at the same time a loud scream rings in the air. He can feel his heart beating wildly as he watches Will in the sky, head tilted up, arms spread on his sides and bright yellow light piercing through his body as he screams and screams before the yellow light and red clashes in the sky, the energy shaking everything around them as they try hard to stand in one place and the next second everything goes dark before Will drops down in the grass
He doesn't know how fast he ran but he finds himself dropping beside Will, taking his head on his lap as he tries to wipe blood from his face, his shirt torned up and one of his legs folded in a weird angle. He trembles as he screams trying to feel his breath, to see if he is alive and wails loudly when Will coughs blood out, eyes flickering and chest moving slowly, almost achingly.
"Oh my gosh you’re bleeding." He feels arms around them trying to get to Will and he pulls him closer to his chest, his protective instinct getting the best of him as he shouts
"Get the fuck away from him ! Don’t touch him!" he bends forward "Oh my god Will, Can you hear me?"
"Water... it-it hurts" Will breathes out harshly shaking slightly.
"GET HIM SOME DAMN MEDICINE and WATER" he looks up and shouts before looking back down at the boy in his lap. He hears Dustin reply to him from behind them followed by feet running around them
His heart beats violently as he watches Will's trembling hand coming up and rubbing his chest over his shirt trying to calm him down "Mike"
And in an instant he relaxes
"I love you" he can't help but say, there is really nothing else to say he realizes. The most important words, the words he wasn't able to say before now coming so easily to him and he knows why finally. He knows its not him, he knows his instinct was right all this time.
He smiles softly as Will's goes through multiple emotions in a millisecond before he settles on one whispering out "I-I love you too"
"I need you too, more than you know" he says remembering Will's words from the van and he needs him to know, needs him to understand he can't keep losing him again and again.
He wipes the tears rolling down Will's cheeks mixing with blood, his heart aching at his pain but smiles-shakily "Thanks for coming back home coming back to me"
Their eyes meet and its electric as Will smiles his soft smile and Mike is reminded of that day on the swing set as he replies "Always"
"Yeah" he sniffles pressing a long kiss on his forehead cupping his cheek in his right hand as he breathes out "Always"