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Even after a few days, weeks, months, Mike still hasn’t recovered from the damage left by the upside down.
The town being ripped apart, most citizens passing away due to the hellish cracks, and even before that people disappearing left and right.
Mike had already lost Eddie.
But now after the battle against the upside down itself, challenging it, beating it.
He lost his best friend.
Will.
Will the wise.
It was like yesterday for Mike when he held Will in his arms, Will’s eyes slowly bleeding, everything after that was a blur, but he remembers sitting in the hospital, with Hopper’s hand on his shoulder, he could hear Joyce sobbing into Jonathans shoulder.
Will was gone, the nurse informed them, and after that.
Mike felt…
Empty.
Purely empty.
The boy who Mike has been friends with for years, the boy who Mike has been through thick and thin, the boy who Mike has finally been able to save their friendship…
It’s gone.
Mike was in bed, his face in the pillows, as he just
thought
.
As he imagined Will’s hazel eyes, little moles, chesnut brown bowlcut.
He missed him.
Maybe more than he should.
Mike let out a sob into his pillow, feeling his eyes burn as he kept thinking of Will “Why… just- why…” he murmured into his pillow, he wiped his tears, but they kept coming, his cheeks felt hot.
“I miss him- I miss him so much…” He couldn’t help but keep sobbing, he then grabbed his only comfort since the battle.
Will’s plush tiger.
Mike still remembers when Will got it, he had a big smile on his face… he could remember vividly, 6 year old Will saying, “My mum got it for me! Isn’t it cool? Tiger’s are my favorite.” and his big smile, missing one of his front teeth.
Mike smiled faintly at the memory, before looking at the tiger’s plastic eyes.
Mike hugged it tightly, stuffing his face into it’s faux fur.
“I love you,
I love you
, Will-” He whispered, without realizing it.
Mike then felt his heart tighten, did he love Will?
Well, he’s always been protective of Will, always helping him– The way his heart tightened when Will hugged him—
Mike shook his head, not wanting to think about it at all, he just wanted to sleep., though the hot tears fell down his cheeks.
He just wanted to do nothing, not think, not move.
His heart was hurting enough.
He pulled his blanket around him, as he hugged the stuffed tiger close, and tried falling asleep.
Maybe he did love Will.
But now, it’s too late.