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Will is standing beside Mike, facing Jonathan, who’s standing in front of them. Jonathan takes in a deep breath and exhales as he speaks up. “I’m coming with you,” he says while looking at Will. The boy looks relieved; he would have gone to the upside down alone, he sure would have, but having some company down there actually sounds way better to him.
“No, you're not,” Mike responds to Jonathan, leaving the older boy irritated. “What did you just say?” he asks in total disbelief. “You heard me, no you're not, I will,” he almost shouts at him. “Mike, are you out of your mind right now?” “Yes, I am now let me go with him.”
Jonathan shakes his head slightly, trying to find the right words, but all he can come up with is some fragile excuse. “I’m his brother Mike.” “Yeah, and I’m his-” he stops for a second, breathing in as he continues, “best friend.” “Jonathan, I can take care of him; just trust me, please,” he says, his voice shaking and getting lower as he speaks, and it almost seems like he's begging for what he asks.
“Okay… fine, but I swear to god, Wheeler, if he gets hur-” Mike cuts him off right away. “He won't!, "I promise". Jonathan only believes him halfway but decides to let it go and just trust him.
“Also, you know I would die for your brother any day,” he says to reassure Jonathan just one more time. Will, who has been watching this argument from aside, now takes some surprised looks at Mike as his eyes wander to Jonathan's.
Both look at each other in shock but also in impression of what Mike just said. Jonathan looks away from Will, giving Mike one last trusting look as he reaches out his hand to hold onto Mike's shoulder. “I trust you,” he says with a little smile. “Thank you” is the only thing Mike answers back, giving Jonathan a little smile back before he turns around to head to the door.
Now it's just Will and Jonathan locking eyes. Will swallows. “Did he just-?” “Yeah,” Jonathan says back, also still in surprise, just as Will is. “It's probably nothing,” Will tells himself, and Jonathan nods but still continues speaking on it. “Yeah, right. It's not like he begged me to go with you, willing to give up his own life for your safety, stopping before saying the words ‘best friend,’ and you know, being single after all.” He ends his sentence with a grimace and a wink at his brother.
“Stooop Jonathan, you're feeding into my delusions, it's not healthy at all”. Jonathan laughs and wraps him into a big hug. “Take care, okay?” he whispers into Will's hair. Will lets go off him “I will, promise”.
Before they can waste another second, Mike is already back at it again. Now standing beside Will, handing him a gun to wrap around his chest. “Can we go?” he asks, and Will nods as Mike, to his surprise, takes Will's hand and carries him away from Jonathan.
Jonathan simply smiles at the giving scene in front of him. He knows his brother will be okay. As long as Will had Mike, he would always be okay.