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As the truck drove into the upside down, everyone awaited for the signal.
Everyone knows this would be the most dangerous fight they'll ever do, which makes the stakes even higher and riskier.
One wrong move, and it's over.
The plan is to wait out the moment where the Abyss eats into the Upside down, so they can all attack Vecna at once.
But to do this.. They all need to split up and cover as much ground as possible.
“Okay people listen up. We'll split into groups of 2 and spread out all across the upside down.”
Hopper turned to everyone and started to pick out duos, leaving Kali, El, Murray, and himself left by the van to get ready if the Abyss starts to eat into the upside down.
Steve and Dustin, Nancy and Jonathan, Robin and Lucas, and…
Oh.
Will and Mike.
The Paladin and the Cleric.
“Everyone ready? Get out and stay safe.”
Hopper gave everyone a weapon to defend themselves from any demo's.
“Don't die on us now.”
The duos all walked into opposite directions, ready to look for the perfect place to wait out the inevitable moment of death.
As Will and Mike walked around aimlessly, they decided to wait it out by Will's house… The Upside down variant of course.
Mike walked up to the front door when he saw..
“Castle Byers?”
Mike turned to Will who was following quietly behind him.
“Haven't seen that in awhile.”
Will perked up and stared at the castle made of sticks.
“... Yeah.
“You alright if we.. Stay there to wait it out? The whole Vecna killing us I mean.”
Will smiled at Mike.
“Sure, I'd like that.”
They walked together side by side to Castle Byers, their legs and arms brushing against each other from time to time.
They pull the curtain open and enter Castle Byers, everything remained the same.. Before Will broke everything down during a fight with Mike, about something stupid.
The drawings are still up on the walls, the sticks in the same place, even the pillows still there.
They both sat down on the pillows.
… The silence was deafening.
Will fiddled with his fingers and crossed his legs.
He feels the need to say something.. Anything. But nothing seems to be coming out of his mouth.
Will shivered, the upside down felt colder than usual. Sure, he likes it cold but this is different… A more.. Chilling feeling.
His hand crawled up to the back of his neck.. His skin tingling, and his senses heightened more than ever before.
.. Is he here? Has he come to kill us all already?
.. No. It's too early.. There wasn't any signal.. No loud sound outside… His own thoughts drowning himself out even more and falling deeper into this abyss—
“Hey, Will.”
Will jumped.
His hand slipped away from his neck, he turned to Mike.
“Yeah?”
“...”
Mike looked away from Will and stared at the opposite direction, propping his elbow on his knee.
“.. Could I ask, was the painting for.. The said guy you had a crush on?”
Will flinched and sat frozen.
.. To be fair, he brought this upon himself. He didn't wanna let Vecna expose him himself, he wanted to show he was stronger than Vecna and able to face his fears unlike him.
… If he's not scared anymore, why can't he bring himself to say anything?
Mike added to the question.
“.. Is it me?”
Will wanted to die right now. He wanted to take Vecna's hand and put it through his skull and eye sockets.
The silence grew louder.
Will didn't once look at Mike's direction, he stared down at the ground and continued to fiddle with his fingers.
“I.. Uh..--”
Mike continued to stare at Will, he shuffled closer to Will.
“If you don't wanna talk about it just yet then I.. I understand.”
Mike stared at Will's side profile.
“... I haven't exactly been the best friend you've been looking for either.”
Mike continued staring then turned away, facing the ground in front of him.
Will turned to Mike slowly.
“.. No.. I do wanna talk about it I just– I– .. I don't know how or where to begin.”
Will continued to stammer and stutter in his words, He bets he looks so pathetic right now.
“I– .. There's never been a girl in Lenora.. Th–The painting was.. I–”
A sudden warmth spreaded on Will's hand.
Will froze.
“Hey.”
Will looked down to see Mike’s hand on his, gripping it tightly.
“Take your time, there's no need to rush here. We've got all the time in the world, and I'm willing to listen.”
Will looked up to Mike's eyes.
Those signature puppy eyes he's practically mastered over the years.
Damn it.
No matter how hard Will tries to ignore these feelings.. Mike always finds a way to him and his heart.
Mike was never his Tammy. He was just.. Mike.
“.. Yes Mike.. Th– The painting was for–”
“Me.”
Silence filled the castle made of sticks.
…
“.. I'm sorry if you don't see me the same anymore Mike..”
Will's voice began to crack.
“I've been weird enough to you. Weird to the point where you couldn't even look me in the eye!”
Will moved his hand away from Mike’s grip.
“Weird enough to the point where I thought that.. Maybe.. Just maybe.. I had the chance to– to even be with you!”
Will turned his face away from Mike.
“Stupid. Right? So stupid, stupid to think that.. that– you're like me! You're not! I'm probably the last person on earth you would ever wanna be with!”
Tears started to fall from Will's eyes.
“.. I'm so pathetic.”
Will wiped his tears with his jacket sleeve.
Will wouldn't even dare to move his head. Not even an inch, he couldn't bring himself to look at Mike. Not in this state.
Mike probably looks disgusted. His own best friend having a crush on him ever since they were 12, how disgusting.
Will’s imagining all possible outcomes as of this moment. How Mike would stand up and leave the castle, how the both of them would never be the same anymore..
– Or even worse.. How this friendship would actually crumble to the ground.
No.
Will spent too long on mending this friendship. It can't end here.. Surely.
But then again, he brought this upon himself. He should've just stayed quiet as usual. Now this awkward silence lingers in the air.
Should he just say it was all a joke? How the painting wasn't actually for him? How he just… Maybe showed the painting to Mike to judge it?
Is there even time to salvage whatever this is?
How–
“Will.”
Will froze again.
Silence.
…
“William Byers.”
Will turned his head slowly…
“Yeah..?”
Mike stared straight at Will.. Something lingered in his eye. One could easily mistake it as.. ‘yearning’.
“Will.. I..”
Will stared. His eyes became bloodshot.
Shoot.
Was Mike going to reject him right here? I mean. He knew there was never a chance with Mike, he knew this would be the outcome.. And yet, why does it hurt so bad?
“You don't have to say anything, Mike. I know..”
Will stood up from where he seated and walked out of Castle Byers.
But before he even set foot outside of the door..
A hand gripped his and pulled him back.
Mike held onto Will's hand tightly, as if.. If he were to let go, he would die.
“Will. You didn't even let me finish.”
Will turned to Mike, his face confused.
“What? I already know what you're gonna say, Mike.. You're gonna reject me, and I know it. Because there's actually no way in hell that you would ever like me back! You're not… Like me–”
“I like you too. Will.”
Will froze.
“I like you, Will.”
Mike continued..
“.. I.. I know I've been pretty weird these days.. These past few months, actually. And I..-- I'm sorry.”
Mike continued to hold onto Will's hand tightly.
“It's just.. I've.. Been so confused. And overwhelmed that.. I haven't been thinking straight.”
Mike looked down to the ground.
“With my mom being in the hospital, Holly being missing, the upside down.. Not being an alternate dimension.. These.. Feelings.”
Mike looked up at Will.
“It's all so.. Confusing.”
Will continued to stare at Mike.
“.. I'm sorry if I've been so distant, I'm sorry if I've been a jackass. I'm sorry for.. Mixed signals. I've just.. Never dealt with these emotions before, and I can't really look to anyone else for help.”
Tears started to form in Mike’s eyes.
“I've been so distant.. That I've been making you so.. Confused, so.. Alone.”
Mike's voice began to crack.
“You've been so alone that you've befriended someone older than you even. Robin. And I get that she's probably cooler and.. Maybe she gets you more but..”
Mike stared straight into Will's eyes, he stood up from where he sat and walked to Will.
“I.. I want to be your shoulder to cry on when things get tough. I.. I want to be your ray of hope when you're in despair.. I–I want to be with you..”
Mike stammered and stuttered all over the place.
“... I'm sorry.”
Will continued to stay frozen.
Is Vecna playing with his mind? Surely Mike wouldn't say all of this. Michael Wheeler. His best friend since childhood, someone he knows is.. Not like him.
Impossible.
“... Will? Are you there..?”
Will couldn't seem to believe this.
“Will.. Say something..”
Is this a dream? Is Vecna here? Is.. Is he dead and this is heaven? What the f–
Will was snapped out of his trance when Mike suddenly leaned in and kissed him.
Will blinked in shock.
Mike continued, moving his hands to rest on Will's back and his hair.
Will closed his eyes, his hands resting on Mike's sides.
— This must be a dream. This can't be real.
Will opened his eyes, Mike pulled away.
Both of them breathing heavily and panting.
Silence filled the room once again.
But this time.. It wasn't deafening. This time it was.. Comfortable, like a weight has been lifted off of the both of them.
“.. This can't be real.”
Will mumbled out.
Mike smiled and chuckled.
“.. Im afraid this is real, William.”
Mike laughed and tucked Will's hair behind his ear.
“... You're beautiful.”
Will laughed and swatted Mike's hand away.
“Shut up.”
Mike laughed again.