Chapter Text
Will Byers was used to suffering, but what Vecna was currently putting him through was on an entirely different level.
He could see his friends and his family with matching disgusted expressions on their faces. Mike, his mom, Jonathan, the rest of the party, his sister, sneering at him and calling him that awful six letter word he'd heard his entire life. He felt like he was on fire. That familiar feeling of shame gripped his body. He tried to run away but his feet were stuck, firmly planted into the ground.
The distorted yelling grew louder, their voices mixing together.
You're fucking disgusting.
We can't be around you anymore.
I can't believe I shared a bed with you.
I can't believe my son is a-
"STOP!" He screamed, the sound ripping from his throat. Sobbing, he tried to force Vecna out of his head. STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOPIT
NO came that terrible voice from inside his head. The yelling continued. WE'RE LEAVING YOU. WE'RE LEAVING YOU. An incessant chant.
"Stop it, please, please, please..." He was begging now, his throat raw and eyes swollen.
Something is seriously wrong with you.
I don't ever want to see you again.
Don't infect me.
You're no brother of mine.
I will never love you back.
He watched, helpless, as every single one of his loved ones left him there, stuck in place, laughing and screaming: WE'RE LEAVING YOU. WE'RE LEAVING YOU.
He yelled in anguish, unable to move, when in the distance, he heard a voice.
"Will?" His mother, frantic. "Will? What's going on?" She grabbed his shoulders, but he could only partially feel it. He could feel Vecna in his head, trying to hold onto his grip over Will. But Will started to fight back.
He screamed, using every ounce of his powers to force Venca out of his mind. He snapped out of it with a gasp, sitting up covered in sweat. He realized he was lying down, his mother's arms squeezing him in a tight embrace.
"Will, Will, what happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She moved her hands to his face.
He took a shaky breath. "Yeah, yeah, I'm...fine. Can I get changed?"
"Oh." Her face conveyed her shock. "Yes, of course." She got up to leave. "But as soon as you're done, come talk to me inside, okay?"
"Alright." He nodded.
"Okay." She got up and closed the door.
He peeled off his sweaty clothes, still shaking. What Vecna showed him would never happen in real life, right? Right? Will couldn't be sure. He felt sick. He pulled on a WSQK sweater and a new pair of pants and made his way into the room his mom was sitting in.
She sighed shakily upon seeing him. "Will, tell me what happened."
"Um...Vecna just...showed me a vision."
"And?" Joyce implored. "What did that bastard make you see?"
He chuckled, but his voice was shaking. "Mom, I...I need to tell you something."
Joyce furrowed her eyebrows. "What is it, honey?"
Will took a deep breath. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he didn't want Vecna to use it against him. It was unfair, but had anything ever been fair for Will Byers? Joyce could clearly sense that whatever her son was about to tell her, it was something that had really been weighing on him. She reached out to rub his arm. "Come on, out with it," she gave Will a smile, trying to make him feel more comfortable.
"Mom, I...I just really don't want you to see me any differently. I'm still me, you know? I'm still Will." Joyce nodded and squeezed his hand. Will took another deep breath. "I...I'm...not interested in girls. Not in the way I should be." He fidgeted with his fingers, not meeting Joyce's eyes, terrified of what he would find there. "I'm...gay, Mom." He couldn't believe he actually said it. Tears were silently streaming down his face. He nervously looked up and saw his mother's eyes glistening. She was smiling warmly.
"Oh baby, I know." She held him tight, and he felt like a little kid again, even though he was significantly taller than his mom now. "And I love you so, so much. Nothing will ever change that." She kissed his cheek, and Will felt a thousand pounds lighter. He made a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob and hugged her back.
"You- you know?"
She gave him a look. "Of course I know! I mean, the amount of drawings of Mike around the house was always a little suspicious to me..."
"Mom!" Will exclaimed, cheeks burning.
She giggled and pinched his cheek. "So cute."
He smiled gratefully at her. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you, Will. Always." She squeezed him again. Their interaction slightly calmed Will's fears of coming out to his other loved ones. Will was still scared shitless, of course, but it felt more...doable, now.
Just as Will started to pull back from the hug, he heard something. He turned to see a figure with dark, wavy hair wearing a camouflage jacket turn and quickly leave the room.
Oh my god. Mike. The realization hit Joyce and Will at the same time. Wordlessly, Will started to follow the direction Mike was headed. "Will! Do you need me to come-" Joyce started, but Will shook his head. He turned back to his mother. "I-I've got to handle this."
"Well, if you need me-" Joyce started again, but Will was already out of the room. He felt nauseous. How much did Mike hear? Does he know-did he hear-oh my god, what if he found out that- His thoughts were cut off when he spotted Mike at the end of the hallway, about to leave the building.
Here goes nothing. "Mike!"