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The drive from Nevada to Hawkins is a long but silent one.
Will is sitting next to one of the windows, staring out at the long road before them, not glancing over in Mike’s direction after the words he said to El.
I feel like my life started the day we found you in the woods.
The day Will went missing and his life changed forever.
Will still couldn’t believe Mike said that, knowing Will was directly behind him and could hear exactly what he was saying. Does this mean Mike didn’t feel anything whilst Will was missing? Was he just waiting for someone better to come along to replace him in the Party?
Will unconsciously clenches his left fist, ignoring the stinging feeling of his nails harshly digging into his palm and creating bloody dents. It hurt enough from the fact that he basically had radio silence from Mike for the whole time they were living in Lenora, and then he goes and says the best day of his life was the day Will was taken out of the equation.
Will sniffles, holding back the tears that just haven’t been able to stop flooding out of his eyes the past few days. All thanks to Mike. He’s so caught up in his own thoughts that he doesn’t notice the eyes on him until he feels a tap on his shoulder and finally turns to see Mike staring at him, a concerned look on his face. Without his consent Will’s heart flutters at how attentive Mike is, how he always has been. That’s just what Mike has always been like for him. Or used to be at least.
“Uh, your nose is bleeding.” Mike points out, gesturing to his left nostril where there is a steady flow of blood going down his cupid's bow.
“Ugh, damn it.” Will grumbles and nods in thanks, lifting his sleeve up to stop the red river coming out of his nose. It doesn’t help that he’s had a raging migraine the closer they’ve gotten to Hawkins and now he has a bloody nose on top of it. Just his luck.
Eventually the bleeding stops and Will is able to pull his hand away, his yellow flannel sleeve now covered in blood. He stares at it for a few seconds before dropping his arm back down to rest in his lap.
A somber expression falls over the groups faces as they finally drive past the Hawkins sign which has been vandalised to say:
Welcome to Hell.
At this point Will would say it’s a pretty accurate description.
Will rubs his temples to try and calm the pulsing feeling behind his eyes as Mike talks to Dustin through their Walkies.
“Mike?! Holy shit, you guys need to come right away, meet us at Hoppers cabin ASAP. Over.” Dustin's voice says over the crackling walkie, Will has never been so glad to hear his voice.
“Dustin? What’s going on? Over.” Mike asks, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion and worry.
“No time to explain, just meet us there as soon as you can! Over and out.” Dustin says finally before the line goes silent.
“Hopper's cabin it is.” Jonathan agrees and swerves the Surfer Boy Pizza van in the direction of the woods where Hopper and El’s cabin is situated.
El has a crestfallen face for an understandable reason and Mike rubs her back to comfort her while Will tries to not feel jealous at the normal act of offering support to someone who is sad. ‘God get yourself together,’ Will thinks to himself. ‘This is pathetic of you.’
When the gang pulls up outside the hidden cabin, which has definitely seen better days, they see a few cars already outside which means the others are already there. They all immediately climb out, the members inside of the cabin coming outside to greet them.
Jonathan goes over to give Nancy a kiss and say hello to Steve and Robin while all of the kids reunite with each other, hugging tightly.
“You guys have no idea what’s been happening this past week, holy shit, we have so much to tell you!” Dustin exclaims, somehow excited even through the dark time they are in.
“God, do we have stuff to tell you too.” Mike laughs which causes Will’s stomach to explode with butterflies just at the mere sound of Mike’s joy. While the main four are catching up Will suddenly hears,
Tick tock, tick tock
Will looks around the forest for the mysterious ticking sound before he spots an antique grandfather clock embedded into one of the oak trees near the cabin's porch.
“Do you guys see that?” Will turns to ask the others and is met with looks of confusion.
“See what?” Mike asks, looking increasingly more nervous for Will.
“Um, it’s nothing.” Will shakes his head, huffing a laugh to try and change the subject. “Was just a bird.”
“Alright, just tell us if anything is wrong, yeah?” Mike nods, noticing Will’s uncomfortable body language, and decides to drop it even though he stays looking concerned.
“Yeah, of course.” Will nods back and offers a small smile that doesn’t reach his eyes as he walks into the cabin, wanting to get away from the worrying eyes of Mike and his friends who all look at each other after Will goes inside, sharing concerned looks.
—-------------------------
He walks over to the small kitchen area, grabbing a cup and taking a sip of water to alleviate his pounding skull, just hoping he can get some peace already.
As he’s about to take another drink he hears a deep voice that reverberates through the whole cabin.
“Will Byers. It is time.” The voice booms which causes Will to drop his cup, the glass shattering across the floor and spreading tiny shards all around him.
“Hey did you guys hea-” Will is about to ask but as he looks up he suddenly sees that no one is in the cabin with him. Just floating dust and slimy vines climbing up the walls and over the furniture. “-r that?”
Mindful of the glass, Will slowly walks around the cabin, taking in the vines he was hoping he would never have to see again. He walks towards the front door where he can hear the voices of his friends. Maybe this is just another one of his episodes and it’ll pass. “I hope.” He thinks.
He steps forward, opening the creaking door and hurries over to his friends hoping for some comfort but instead he hears,
“And then he gave me this painting and said I was ‘the heart’ of the party!” It’s Mike’s voice, talking in a mocking tone. “God, how queer is that? Is he, like, in love with me or something?” Mike cackles evilly as he talks, making Dustin, El, and the others laugh too. “Yeah what a freak!” El adds, the group laughing even harder.
“Mike…? El…?” Will slows down in his steps, halting entirely when the group all turn to face him, dark expressions on their faces. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know any of this.” Mike steps forward, the others surrounding Will in a circle. “You’re a queer aren’t you, Will? A fag, a fairy, God, I would never have asked you to be my friend if I knew you were going to end up like this.” He spits out at Will, utter disgust evident in his voice.
“Mike, I- I’m sorry!” Will looks around rabidly, tears welling up in his eyes as Mike glares at him sharply, a stark contrast to the usual soft and caring expression Mike holds whenever he looks at Will. “I- I didn’t want to be like this! I- I want to be normal!” The tears start pouring, Will shrinking in on himself under the weight of Mike’s gaze. “Please don’t say this…”
“You’ll never be normal.” Mike hisses.
“Take this,” He shoves the rolled up painting against his chest and into Will’s hands. “I don’t want gay shit like this in my room.” He hisses, stepping back and smirking as the group laugh and laugh at Will’s pain.
Will sobs, and as he blinks, he is suddenly transported somewhere else. He’s not at the cabin anymore, he’s in his childhood bedroom at the old Byers’ residence and he can hear muffled yelling from through his door that is being banged against harshly and he remembers this voice very clearly. It’s his father.
“Yeah yeah! Hide away in your room like you always do!” Lonnie shouts, his words slurred and drunk. “I won’t have a queer for a son, you hear me?! I will not have people like that under my roof!”
Will hides in the corner, curled up in on himself, hands over his ears as he tries to block out the noise.
“Leave me alone… leave me alone!” He says, remembering the advice Bob gave him two years before.
I told him go away! Go away! And then I never saw him again. Just like that. Easy peasy, right?
“Go away…” Will murmurs with his eyes tight shut, but the next time he opens them he’s in a dark hellscape.
Will looks around and observes the strange scenery, pieces of buildings float in the air, dark vines snaking all over the ground as red lightning flashes above him.
“Will Byers,” The deep voice appears yet again and Will turns to finally see who it is. Vecna, tentacles sprouting out from his slimy back. “I have been waiting for you for a very long time.”
“Who… who are you?” Will asks quietly as Vecna moves closer, making Will move back.
“I am what your friends have been calling Vecna, and we are quite alike, Will Byers.”
“No, no we are nothing alike!” Will shakes his head firmly, continuing to move back away from Vecna until his back hits a pillar, making one of the grimy vines slither up to wrap around his throat, holding him in place.
“Yes, we are.” Vecna says menacingly, stepping closer and closer as he lifts his long, clawed hand up to Will’s face. “All your life you have been told you are sensitive, quiet, too weak, yes? I was too, and I can sense a deep sadness within you. I can help fix that. Let me save your suffering. Join me and you shall never have to feel this way again.”
Will closes his eyes tight as Vecna moves his claws directly over Will’s face, preparing for his incoming death, until suddenly he hears,
“I would say I’m sorry if I thought that it would change your mind”
Vecna looks around in confusion until he and Will spot a portal in the distance, showing the real world and all of Will’s loved ones praying for his safety. Vecna growls, knowing what the group are doing.
“But I know that this time I have said too much been too unkind”
Will looks into the portal, tears welling in his eyes as he sees everyone begging for him to come down. Especially Mike, who is grasping onto one of his floating legs and yelling something, the contents in which makes Will raise his eyebrows, his cheeks turning a bright red.
“I try to laugh about it, cover it all up with lies
I try to laugh about it, hiding the tears in my eyes
Cause Boys Don’t Cry”
—-------------------------
Real world
Everyone is panicking, Jonathan and El are crying as they watch their brother begin to float in the air, not knowing what to do, as Mike seems to be hysterical, yelling at Max to find her tapes quicker.
“The song Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure, do you have it?!” He yells, running his hand through his messy black hair, stressing out for the safety of the boy he cares about the most in the whole wide world.
“Yes! Oh my god, calm down!” Max yells back, lifting her hand up as she eventually finds the tape which Mike snatches and runs over, placing it inside the walkman they managed to place on Will. “So what do we do now?”
“Just wait I guess? Hope for the best?” Dustin shrugs his shoulders, not really knowing what else to do.
“That’s not good enough!” Mike begs, tears beginning to spill down his cheeks as he watches Will’s floating body, not able to do a thing.
Nancy steps forward, an apologetic look on her face as she glances at Mike before speaking up.
“How about you read out the letter you never gave Will?” She suggests, and Mike’s eyes widen in panic, not expecting Nancy to have known about it. “Yes, I know about the letter, you need to do a better job at hiding them than just leaving them on your desk. And I know it’s in your pocket.” She raises an eyebrow, which causes Mike to huff and reaches into the breast pocket of his teal windbreaker with shaky hands, pulling out a small piece of white paper which he carefully unfolds, clearing his nervous voice as he begins to read.
“Dear Will,
It’s been three months since you left for California, and I can’t stop thinking about you.
School has been tough, Lucas joined the basketball team so he only really hangs out with the team now, and ever since the beginning of the year Max has barely spoken to us. I think her brother's death is still really affecting her. So it’s kind of just me and Dustin now. I miss the Party.
It’s nearly November, so I can’t imagine how you’re feeling. How’s Lenora? Have you made any friends? I’m probably not gonna send this anyway so I don’t know why I bother.
The thing is Will, our fight in July has never left my mind. I keep constantly thinking about how stupid I was for the things I said, how I hurt you so much that I caused you to destroy your childhood safe spot.
Yeah, I know about Castle Byers. I’m actually writing this letter there right now, I like to come here sometimes when I need to be alone. It makes me think of you and all the fun we had. Do you still think about me?
It’s probably selfish of me, but I honestly hope you haven’t made many friends. El has said you’ve been having a lot of fun at school (which should be good) but I can’t help but feel like that means you’re replacing the Party. Replacing me.
Anyway, I really miss you. Probably more than I should, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately and I know I shouldn't miss you more than El. But I do. I miss you more and more everyday. I love you more and more with every breathing moment.
Can’t wait to see you for spring break in March.
Love,
Mike”
Mike finishes the letter, tears now pouring down his cheeks as he’s basically just revealed his deepest secret in front of everyone who’s eyes are wide and faces shocked.
“Please Will, I love you!” Mike yells desperately, looking up at Will’s floating figure as he grasps his calf tightly. “I love you and I need you to come back to me! I can’t lose you again, I’ve already lost you enough, I need you, Will! I need you here with me!”
—-------------------------
Tears are also falling down Will’s cheeks, but Mike’s words give him the strength to pull on one of Vecna’s tentacles, making him yell out in surprise which causes the vine around Will’s neck to disappear, dropping him to the ground.
Will immediately starts running like his life depends on it, sprinting through the vines and rubble to make it to the portal which he leaps towards and jumps through.
As Will falls through the portal he transports back into the cabin, plummeting to the ground where Mike luckily catches him, holding him tightly in his arms as Will hyperventilates, clutching onto Mike’s forearms, as everyone surrounds him.
“M- Mike?” He murmurs and looks up where Mike is nodding vigorously, placing a small kiss on Will’s hair.
“Yeah it’s me, you’re okay, you’re okay…” He murmurs, his voice full of relief.
“I’m okay…” Will repeats, leaning into Mike’s grasp as he finally calms down.
Will hugs Mike back tightly. Leaning his head onto his shoulder for comfort.
With Mike’s help, Will feels that he can do anything. And now, they have a bastard they have to kill.