Chapter Text
It was all over in an instant — much quicker than it began. Will felt the snapping of demogorgon bones throughout his entire being, yet he didn’t cry out in anguish as he had done in the past.
His vision hazy, flickering between flashes of the upside down and ominous red smog, he lets himself fall to his knees. A mixture of black and red blood pools on the asphalt, threatening to stain the lower half of wills trousers.
A trickle of his own blood from his nose falls as his vision returns. In a state of half-delirium, half-exhaustion, Will gingerly wipes the blood from his face with the back of his hand — and then collapses.
Will! Will!
Among erratic flashing of lights, a figure mere yards away comes sprinting towards him.
Will!
Half-conscious Will can make out he silhouette.
He can also make out the familiar gravelly call of one Mike Wheeler.
It is when he feels Mike’s hand on his back, an albeit panicked touch nonetheless, is Will finally allowed to completely pass out.
When Will eventually stirs awake, his mouth is dry and his entire body aches. Through half-open eyes, he can see the familiar basement level of The Squawk. The same dim, yellow lighting pressed against his eyelids, and he’s awkwardly sprawled across the same lumpy, moth-eaten loveseat. A sense of comfort envelopes him as he hears nothing but comfortable silence (save for the chatter coming from upstairs, Joyce’s voice naturally standing out among the rest).
It’s only then that Will peeks to his left and notices Mike sitting on a metal foldout chair right beside him, seemingly deep in thought. Apparently too deep in thought to have realised Will had woken up.
“Morning.” Will croaks groggily.
Mike’s eyes widen slightly as he appears caught by surprise. First, he smiles wide, like a small child on Christmas morning.
“Will!” Mike laughs and places his hands on Will’s shoulders, shaking him slightly, “What did I tell you man? Sorcerer! You’re a real life sorcerer!”
Before Will can say anything, he grunts from the small movements, a stiff sensation in his torso causing him to ache. Mike promptly throws his hands up, “O-oh. Right, Sorry.” He clears his throat, “How…how do you feel?”
Will manages to pull himself up and sighs as if he’d run out of breath, “Sore I guess?”
A soft chuckle from Mike, “I mean yeah you just killed a demo with your mind!”
“Three.”
Mike furrows his brows in visible confusion, “What?”
“It was three demos,” Will clears his throat, suddenly embarrassed, “Um…all at the same time.”
Mike’s eyes widened again and his jaw went slightly slack.
When Mike didn’t say anything for a good thirty seconds, Will decides to break the silence, “So…how long was I out?”
This seems to snap Mike out of his shell-shocked daze, “Right, Right, uh…Not too long,” He clicks his tongue, “Maybe like a few hours?”
“Were you sitting there the whole time?” Will asks with a lighthearted laugh.
Mike smiles bashfully and looks down, “Perhaps…”
Soon they hear the basement radio start to play and some clattering from upstairs.
“Good Morning Hawkins, it’s your favourite lovely lady, Rockin’ Robin coming to you live from WSQK The Squawk.” Despite everything, it was Robin with her signature fast-paced, chipper voice.
“It’s looking like a cloudy day today, oh yes, and be sure to expect rain — doesn’t look like anyone will be going out to poke their noses into what is now the MAC-Z in ruins! But as always it is my pride and joy to remind you once more to keep away from the area. Now that their shiny toys are broken, security will be tighter than ever.”
Mike and Will glance at eachother.
“But that doesn’t stop this DJ from doing her job now does it? Today I’m gonna start you all off with the melodically charged sounds of The Smiths to wake you up — if you’re still lying in at 8 on a Friday morning that is.” Following that last remark there is a snoring sound effect (presumably courtesy of Steve) as Well I Wonder begins to play.
Mike purses his lips and hums, “We uh…might’ve left the MAC-Z a mess.”
Will grimaces but still laughs, “Yeah definitely.”
Well I wonder, do you hear me when you sleep?
Will glances at the radio, then turns to face Mike, “This is a bit different from Robin’s usual lineup. No Diane today?”
I hoarsely cry.
Mike’s expression is unreadable. If will could place it in anyway, it would be badly masked annoyance, “She must be…celebrating?”
Well I wonder,
“Celebrating?”
Do you see me when we pass?
Mike shrugs looking away, “Well, you like The Smiths right?”
I half-die.
Will nods, surprised Mike even remembered that. He’d only mentioned owning tapes by The Smiths maybe once or twice, and it certainly wasn’t recently either.
Mike visibly chews his lip, “Maybe she’s…playing them for you.”
Please keep me in mind.
Will smiled sheepishly, “Me?”
Mike badly hides an eye roll, “Yeah, you,” he huffs indignantly, “Sorcerer.”
Please keep me in mind.
Will can sense Mike’s annoyance. Why is he suddenly so…frustrated? He frowns at his friends tone, “Why are you making it sound like a bad thing?”
Gasping, but somehow still alive.
Mike sputters, “I’m not!” His voice is high, just as it always was when either lying or being defensive.
This is the fierce last stand of all I am.
“You guys have been…closer in the past couple of days.” He states matter of factly, in a way that suggests this is more than just about The Smiths.
Gasping, dying, but somehow still alive.
Will frowns again, “What?” He questions, “You make that sound like a problem?”
This is the final stand of all I am
“It’s not!” Mike repeats, no more convincing than before, “But y’know she’s…she’s a girl. And you guys have been acting super weird!”
“Weird?”
Mike huffs, “Yeah! Like just last night guys were whispering and laughing and being super secretive!”
Will tenses, subconsciously wondering whether he might’ve heard what Robin had talked to him about, “We’re friends, Mike.”
Please keep me in mind.
Mike throws his hands up, “We’re friends, Will!” He almost shouts, “Best friends! And I’m not some stupid girl either!”
Well I wonder
Will scoffs, offended on Robin’s behalf, “Robin isn’t stupid, Mike,” He bites the inside of his cheek, “It was something personal we were talking about…something only she understands.”
Well I wonder
“So personal you wouldn’t tell me of all people?” There is no malice in Mike’s voice. If anything he sounded crestfallen.
Please keep me in mind.
Will goes quiet and looks down. Was Mike being…Jealous? “…There’s things I don’t tell you, Mike.”
Oh, keep me in mind.
Before Mike could retort, Robin herself comes running clumsily down the stairs, muttering rapidly to herself. When she notices Will sitting up she shoots him a crooked smile, “Oh hey Will, you’re awake,” she says out of breath before immediately grabbing a box of tapes stashed in the corner, “I’ll let your Mom know you’re up, gotta go, can’t exactly leave Steve up there on his own for too long. Men am I right?” She chuckles, ever so subtly glancing at Mike. He catches Will smile back with a short laugh, “We are gonna talk soon, Byers. See ya!” And then she’s running back up the stairs.
Will glances at Mike. He doesn’t say anything. They both sit for a moment before Will pulls himself ip off the seat (wordlessly aided by Mike, who in reality wasn’t doing as much as he must’ve thought he was doing).