Chapter Text
Mike’s sword gleamed with rat blood. He’d been stuck in a cellar for what seemed like hours, and his ass was starting to get tired of the cold, hard dirt he’d been sitting on. Oh, what optimism he began the quest with, just to end up stabbing a bunch of rats to keep them from biting his boots. They were expensive, and Mike couldn’t fathom coughing up that much money again for some stupid leather.
The quest had started well; it was just supposed to be a clear-out of Blood Hawks that went crazy and started killing the town’s livestock, but of course, the supposed flock of twenty birds turned into thousands, and the party had to adapt quickly. Mike, Lucas, and Max had ducked under the trees for cover while the others ran to various houses, which turned out to be the better decision. The three of them fought off as many as they could, inching closer to the houses that the others were calling encouragement from, and they had almost made it when one particularly large Blood Hawk caught Lucas on the right arm. Mike had yelled at his friends to get inside and slammed the door before it could swoop in for another attack. Instead of following them in, Mike took it upon himself to lead all of the remaining birds away from the party, found a door handle sticking out of the ground just in time to avoid a beak to the eye, and jumped into the cellar. After waiting a few minutes, he couldn’t hear the angry squawking anymore and wanted to get a quick look before he made a break for it, only to realize the cellar door was jammed shut after the Blood Hawks slammed into it so many times. So, stuck Mike was, waiting for his friends to come and rescue their supposed fearless leader.
It had probably only been about an hour, but Mike was restless and a little worried about Lucas. The cut on his arm didn’t look very deep, but the party was notoriously good at hiding their injuries, no matter the severity. And being alone and scared for his friends always made him think of his former Cleric, no matter how much time had passed. Tomorrow would be the eighth anniversary of the last time he and anyone else had seen Will the Wise. Mike felt weird about it. How had it been so long? It still felt like he could turn to his right side and see his friend’s hazel eyes gazing back and a soft smile forming around his name. “Mike!” He would call.
“Mike! Mike!”
A distant shout took Mike out of his memories.
He scrambled to his feet and began pounding on the door of the cellar. “Guys! I’m in here! I’m in here!”
Mike heard his friends’ stomping feet approaching from above and felt a smile spread across his face. He counted four different sets of footfalls. They were all okay. Or they were all at least able to walk, which counted for something.
“Mike, dude, are you stuck in there?” An underlying tone of worry barely masked Dustin’s unmistakable laugh. Of course he was laughing. Mike’s ass was asleep, and Dustin was laughing.
“Yes, I’m in here!” Mike called back. “Now please hurry up and open the door back up, I think the rats are gonna band together to take me out!”
“Okay, hold on, and back up!” El piped up.
Mike knew that meant she would probably Psionic Blast the door out, so he took her advice and picked his shield up off the floor to cover himself just in case some stray wood decided to fly his way.
He shrank back as the door blew off its hinges and moonlight pierced the once dark cellar. Mike looked up, blinking away his blindness, and found the Party, all in one piece, staring down at him.
Max sent him a smirk before opening up her stupid mouth. “How’d you manage to get stuck down there, idiot?”
Mike frowned, his eyebrows drawing a fierce line across his forehead. “Just help me up out of here.”
The Party shared a knowing glance Mike seemed to have been left out of before four pairs of hands reached out to pull him out of his rat prison.
Once he was back on the grass in the fresh nighttime air, he could truly take in the Party’s well-being after the Blood Hawk attack. Dustin and El seemed to be unscathed, just some dirt and bird blood covering their armour, and Max was fine too, more sweaty and blood-covered than the former two, but otherwise okay. Lucas, however, seemed to be covered in tiny scratches, along with the deeper gash on his forearm.
“You okay, Lucas?” Mike asked, shooting worried looks over the Rogue’s injuries.
“Yeah, of course. Nothing El or Eddie can’t fix when we get back to the Squawk.” Lucas shrugged, his lips turning up in a soft smile.
Mike gave him one more once over and nodded, turning to address the rest of the party. “Are they dead? The Hawks?”
El and Max shared a knowing smirk.
“They’re dead,” El stated matter-of-factly.
“Super dead,” Max added. “You should’ve seen it, Mike! After you went all crazy leading the birds away–which only worked for like thirty seconds by the way–El used her Sunburst spell and blinded all the Hawks, so Lucas, Dustin, and I could take the rest out, it was-”
“Awesome,” Mike finished, patting El’s shoulder with a smile, then turning to Max, “And yeah, I wish I saw it, but I was stuck in case you forgot!”
Max just laughed at him. Mike rolled his eyes, about to keep the fight going when Dustin finally spoke up.
“How did you get stuck down there, Mike?”
Mike felt his face start to heat up. It wasn’t even embarrassing, but it was a little pathetic to lock yourself in a basement for an hour, even as altruistic as he intended to be. Mike dragged his hand down his face. “I don’t know! The Hawks kept pounding against the door trying to get in, and it probably got stuck!”
Max laughed harder. Mike flipped her the finger.
After one last survey of the town, the Party gathered their things and began their tedious journey home. It wasn’t particularly long, but they had to go through miles of forest, which was always a pain after a fight.
Mike was still reeling with annoyance at a certain Rogue when Dustin saddled up next to him, resting a firm hand on his shoulder to get the Paladin’s attention.
“Are you okay?” Dustin asked.
Mike looked over at his friend. Dustin was clearly worried about something, always so concerned for everyone. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Dustin seemed to pause as he came up with an explanation for his anxiety. A slight frown took over his face as he spoke. “It’s just, with the anniversary coming up, and you going all self-sacrificing during the fight, I want to make sure you’re making wise decisions. I know how you get. We all do.”
Mike shrugged Dustin’s hand off his shoulder. “I’m fine.”
Dustin gave him a sad smile and nodded, giving Mike space to brood in silence. “If you say so.”
Mike crossed his arms and kept walking, an invisible weight dropping over his body. Was he really that easy to read? Why did Dustin need to bring it up in the first place? Of course Mike wasn’t making wise decisions! That was his Cleric’s job. His best friend, who should be there with them, with him, and not dead in another world all alone. Who cared if he was being stupid? It didn’t matter.
Will mattered. To Mike, he always would, no matter how many years it had been.
For the rest of the journey, the Party left Mike to dwell in his silence. They knew better than to keep pushing when he got in a mood, especially after a quest. He spent some time trying to wipe the rat blood off his sword, but gave up when he realized it was already mostly dried to the metal.
Mike watched his friends under the setting sun instead as they laughed about the quest, Max smacking Lucas’s shoulder without any real force behind it, yelling something about being more careful, and Dustin and El sharing small smiles, bumping into one another gently as they strode ahead. It was in moments like that that Mike’s heart squeezed and yearned for a pair of his own. It used to be El, but they had split years ago after realizing they were much better off as friends. She and Dustin have been dancing around one another for practically the same amount of time. Max and Lucas had been together for as long as Mike could remember, and he was truly happy for them, but that didn't stop the longing from clogging up his throat.
“Mike, come on!” Lucas called backwards, “We’re almost back!”
That they were. Mike could see the faint glow of the Squawk Tavern from where they emerged at the edge of the woods. It was a large wooden building, covered in sprawling leaves and protected by an aging willow tree. The windows were open, and as the Party got closer, Mike could smell the acorn soup someone was making. It smelled like home, like safety.
Mike couldn’t help but smile as the Party opened the door, warm air greeting them along with the chatter of their older friends. The regular travelers had long been gone; no one tended to come out after dark in this part of the forest. It wasn’t necessarily unsafe, but it wasn’t somewhere you’d let your children play after the sun went down, either.
The first floor was brimming with wooden furniture and plush rugs; their older friends huddled around the fire in the back, talking in hushed voices. Mike was immediately put back on alert.
“Hey, guys?” Dustin called out. No response.
“We’re back!” Max added.
Eddie poked his head out of the kitchen, then jogged to meet them, balancing five bowls in his arms, over to Mike and his friends. There was an unmistakable dread written on his face, and the five of them tensed before Eddie spoke, handing the acorn soup over.
“Glad you guys came back safe,” Eddie paused and nodded his head toward the others on the floor around the fire, “but you’re going to want to sit down.”
The Party exchanged confused, worried looks but followed Eddie to the fire and sat down. Mike’s stomach dropped at his sister’s grave expression. Both Jonathan and Robin had a hand on Nancy’s shoulders, and she had her head in her hands, barely concealing her slight shaking. Steve was pacing in front of the flame, making shadows dance over all of them, and casting a dark feeling over the room. Mike needed to know what happened. He needed to know now.
“What’s wrong?” El questioned, breaking the silence.
Steve and Eddie shared a look, pursing their lips before Steve mumbled something under his breath and said, “Someone from Hawkins went missing last night.”
All the air in the room was sucked out. Mike clenched his hands around the hilt of his sword, trying to ground himself.
Someone from Hawkins was missing.
Soft brown hair. Gentle smile. Laughter and memories and Will.
“What?” Mike breathed, looking around the room desperately. “Who?”
Hazel eyes. Warm touches.
Nancy looked up from her hands, her eyes red and splotchy. “Mike, it’s.. It’s..”
“It’s Holly, Mike,” Jonathan finished, and a grim darkness fell across his features.
Mike expected to feel something: anger, hopelessness, fear, but there was nothing inside his empty chest. “What?”
“Last night, Holly was taken from her bedroom in Hawkins,” Jonathan continued. “No one saw it, but your mom sent a message that came while you guys were gone and told us what happened.”
“You don’t think that–” Max started.
“No, it can’t be!” Nancy interrupted, standing and throwing the comforting hands off her shoulders. Both Robin and Jonathan looked like they wanted to say something or continue to comfort the Fighter, but they didn’t, and Nancy started to pace instead of Steve, who had made his way over to Eddie, intertwining their hands.
“Can’t be what, Nance?” Dustin questioned, tension drowning the room.
“The same thing that took Will,” Robin answered instead, locking eyes with Mike.
“Then we have to do something,” Max insisted, looking around the room with determination.
“I agree,” El added, nodding firmly.
“Guys, wait,” Steve cut in, “Let’s think about-”
“What is there to think about Steve?” Max cut him off. “If Holly is missing, then we need to-”
“All I’m saying is that we should slow down and-”
Max scoffed, “Slow down and what? Let another kid get taken? There’s not enough time to-”
“No! It’s just-”
“Stop!” Nancy cut in, and the room went silent. “We do need to go and find Holly, but we have to be careful. We have no idea what took her or if it’s coming back. We all know what tomorrow is, and it can’t be a coincidence.”
“No,” Jonathan conceded, “it can’t be.”
Everyone seemed to notice Mike’s uncharacteristic silence then and turned toward him.
“Mike?” Lucas questioned.
Brown hair, hazel eyes, gentle smile. Mike’s resolve hardened.
“I don’t know what took her either, but we have to find her, and we have to find her now.”
The two Parties remained quiet until Mike stood.
“Wait,” Steve spoke, “Like now, now?”
“Yes, you dingus, now now!” Robin groaned, slapping the paladin upside the head.
“Jeez, sorry!” Steve winced, rubbing the back of his head while Eddie and Robin snickered at him.
“Mike, are you sure?” Lucas chimed in, standing as well. “It’s just, maybe we should form a plan quickly, this isn’t something we should go into blind.”
“We can plan on the way there, it’ll take us all night,” Mike explained, already making his way to his bedroom on the second floor.
“Mike, wait!” Someone called, but before he could answer, the lanterns above his head exploded into a shower of sparks and wax, covering the tavern in darkness.
“Holy shit!” Dustin shrieked.
Mike growled and turned back toward his friends, stepping over broken glass and hot wax. He meant to run outside and face whatever bastard wanted a fight before bed, but before he could get far, a firm hand wrapped around his bicep, keeping him in place.
He tried to pull away, but Steve’s grip wasn’t budging. “Get off me, man,” Mike raged, struggling, before Nancy appeared before him, a finger over her lips.
Her eyes left Mike’s and darted to the windows. “Something’s out there, be quiet.”
Mike’s mouth snapped shut, but before he could feel any kind of embarrassment, a loud bang startled all ten of them.
“The hell is that?” Eddie whisper-shouted, half hiding behind Steve and Mike.
“SHHH!” All of them shushed back.
A large shadow loomed outside the windows, at least ten feet tall, getting closer and closer to the tavern door. Mike watched as its long fingers reached for the door and slowly brought his sword up to protect his friends and sister.
A wall of light burst through the Tavern, blinding all ten of them. Mike shielded his eyes from the piercing brightness coming from outside and heard a scream. But just as fast as it came, the light was gone, replaced by an eerie calm. A much smaller shadow had replaced the monster outside the door.
The two Parties exchanged a look, and Mike nodded his head toward the door. He, Steve, Eddie, and Nancy led them to whatever was waiting outside.
“A little warning would’ve been nice, El,” Eddie hissed through his teeth.
El appeared at their sides, brows furrowed. “It wasn’t me.”
“What do you mean?” Nancy inquired, her voice quiet.
“I didn’t cast that spell.”
Mike felt his insides turn to a nervous swarm of anticipation. El not casting that spell meant something equally or more powerful than their sorcerer was outside the door, seemingly waiting for them to come out.
“On three,” Mike whispered, taking in a deep breath to calm his nerves. “One, two–”
El wrenched the door open with a powerful Gust of Wind, knocking whatever was out there to the ground with a grunt. She ran out with both hands up, blood pouring from her nose in concentration, and Mike’s heart stopped cold.
The mystery sorcerer picked himself off the ground with his hands up and locked eyes with Mike, a tremor going through his body. The lights in the tavern relit as if they had never gone out.
Brown hair, hazel eyes, gentle smile.
“I found you.”
It had been eight years since he’d seen Mike, yet Will couldn’t help but smile at the Paladin’s dumbstruck expression. That same look of awestruck brilliance was dancing across his eyebrows, drawing them together like there was an invisible string pulling them towards Will. It was good to see Mike hadn’t changed, but that didn’t stop another pang of sadness from shooting through Will’s heart. He had missed Mike so dearly. He had missed all of them.
“Stand back.” Eleven, Will’s almost twin sister, bellowed, her hands spread to keep all of their friends behind her.
“Who... who is it?” A quiet voice sliced through the silence of everyone staring. Robin, Will remembered. Though older and frightened.
Maybe Will should’ve announced his presence sooner instead of hiding and waiting for a monster. Should he have knocked on the door? Would they have answered?
“I said, stand back!” El shouted. Her hands were stretched out in front of her, a spell gathering in her downturned palms.
Will took a step forward. “Wait, El! It’s-”
“Will?” A soft tenor broke the tension. Although wobbly and a bit deeper than he remembered, Will knew it could only belong to one person.
“Jonathan,” Will breathed, a lump forming in his throat. He had heard rumors that his brother’s Party had been traveling with his former one, but he didn’t want to hope only to be heartbroken.
“God, Will!” Jonathan’s voice broke as he hurried in to hug his lost-and-then-found little brother. Will didn’t hesitate to melt into his brother’s arms. It had been so long since he had been held at all, much less by someone he loved.
“I’m sorry,” was all Will could whisper into Jonathan’s tear-soaked shirt. He brought his hands up and around his brother’s back, gripping onto the soft fabric of his clothes. He smelled like acorn soup and pine. Like Jonathan. Like home.
“Sorry for what, Will?” Jonathan laughed weakly, hugging Will even tighter, “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you,” Will sniffled.
Jonathan just shushed him. “Don’t you ever apologize for that. If anything, it’s my fault that-”
Will pulled back to look at his brother. Jonathan was crying too, but his features were exuding joy. Will shook his head to stop that sentence. “It’s not.” It wasn’t.
Will looked over his brother’s shoulder to see his former Party all gaping at him with stunned expressions. Dustin was still shorter than the others, but his hair had grown, and from what he could tell, his teeth had come in, too. Lucas was much taller and broader than he remembered, and Will felt a little jealous that he’d grown so much without him there to see it. Max looked strong, but she always had been.
Will offered them a small wave and a tear-stained smile, and all at once the three of them were crushing him in a hug, wrapping him in their joint embrace. Will felt himself laugh as he began to cry again. God, he had missed them so, so much. They too smelled like acorn soup, and his heart clenched around the memories of all six of his former Party eating together after a silly quest they found as children.
“It’s good to see you, Will,” Max said, her voice tight with emotion.
As they broke apart, Dustin and Lucas hung back to pat his shoulder and squeeze his elbow.
“We missed you, Will,” Dustin said, smile full of teeth. Will couldn’t help but reach out and poke them, much to Dustin’s chagrin.
Lucas laughed as Dustin batted Will’s hand away. “Yeah, man, we definitely missed you.”
El stepped up next, taking Will’s hand and holding it to her chest. Something in her expression was guarded, and Will instantly felt the weight of her guilt flowing through him. El had built walls up, but that was okay; Will knew he could get past them with time. She was taller, and her hair brushed her elbows. Will couldn’t help but smile, remembering how much she hated it when they singed it to the scalp with a wonky spell. They had been so young.
“Will,” El started, her voice cautious, “What happened?”
Will couldn’t help but frown and squeeze El’s hand. “A lot.”
A cry from further away pulled Will’s attention away from El. Mike was still standing in the open doorway, mouth ajar. Will’s breath rattled in his lungs as he made his way to his best friend. Mike looked the same as he did eight years ago, but so different at the same time. A mop of raven curls still covered his head, pieces poking out every which way, his nose still protruded far away from his face, and his lips were still pink and full and cracked from the dry forest air, but his eyes were different. They were still a deep brown, but they carried a burden they hadn’t before. Like the weight of the last eight years had settled within them. Mike was taller too, taller than Will by a few inches and maybe a little broader too, but that didn’t matter. No, what mattered were the tears still flowing from Mike’s heartbreakingly fathomless eyes.
Will brought a hand up to Mike’s cheek and wiped the tears away, holding his face for a moment before letting his hand drop again. “It’s okay, Mike, I’m okay.”
Mike looked at him incredulously, eyes moving a mile a minute across Will’s face. “Are you sure?” Mike’s voice was as unsteady as Will felt. “Am I dreaming?”
A soft smile spread across Will’s face, and he shook his head. “No, Mike, you’re not dreaming. I’m here.”
“Your eye, Will.” Mike’s face warped with confusion, worry, and anger.
Will felt a little self-conscious. He knew he must look horrible, and his messed-up eye was just adding fuel to that fire. “It’s okay, Mike, really.”
Mike still looked like he couldn’t quite believe his eyes as a gentle hand encased Will’s cheek. “You’re real?”
Will wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn’t, and reached up to cover Mike’s hand with his own instead, leaning into the touch. “Yes, Mike.”
Mike’s thumb brushed Will’s nose, and heat rose to his cheeks. “I don’t believe you.”
Will did roll his eyes this time. So Mike’s stubbornness hadn’t changed either. Will grasped Mike’s hand and pulled it off his cheek, letting their joint hands drop by their sides. They had gotten closer as Mike observed him, toes almost touching.
“Well, you should because I’m-”
“Hey guys, I don’t mean to be a downer here, but are there more of whatever stole our lights?” Eddie interrupted, stealing Will’s attention away.
“No, there aren’t any more,” Will answered, turning toward the rest of the group, but not letting go of Mike’s hand. “And the monster didn’t steal your lights, I did.”
“That was you?” Dustin and Max asked at the same time, their voices filled with surprise.
Will felt embarrassed. Sure, he hadn’t been exactly the strongest at magic before he was taken so long ago, but he hadn’t been that weak. Had he? The rest of his friends looked at him in disbelief.
“Of course it was,” Mike scoffed before Will could answer for himself. “Don’t you guys remember Will was always good with Evocation?”
“Apparently not as well as you,” Max snickered under her breath.
Will could practically feel the annoyance wafting off Mike, and he shook his head, trying to dispel some of the buzz that was starting to invade his thoughts. Mike had always been overprotective of Will, and though he loved it when they were kids, he didn’t need that kind of special treatment anymore. Not after everything he’d been through.
Before Mike could snap back a retort, Nancy spoke up. “I think we should head back inside anyway, it’s getting late.”
The two Parties conceded and headed back inside, but not before the older four he hadn’t greeted yet gave him each a hug of their own. Will had to drop Mike’s hand to do it, but as soon as Nancy had stepped away with a ruffle of his hair, he felt fingers threading through his again.
Will let himself be led inside and sat down on a plush red couch in front of a roaring fire. It was nice to be surrounded by so much comfort, but he couldn’t help but squirm at all the attention. He’d spent so much time as a party of one, he’d forgotten what it was like to have so many people around. It was something he had to warm up to.
Jonathan plopped down on his left side and Mike on his right, squeezing Will in between them. The others dispersed themselves on the other red furniture or on the floor, waiting for Will to start talking. About what he wasn’t sure.
“Um..” Will started, not really sure what they all wanted to hear.
“What happened?”
“Where were you?”
“Do you know what’s happening?”
“Do you know how to find Holly?”
All of these were asked at the same time, bouncing off the wooden walls of the Tavern. Will winced but took a deep breath. Mike squeezed the hand he was still holding.
“It’s a long story, and I’ll tell everyone if you want me to, but, as for Holly,” Will paused, trying to gather the right words, “I think I might know where she was taken.”
“Tell us about you when you’re ready, but we really need to know what happened to Holly,” Mike urged, a hint of desperation bleeding through his carefully neutral expression.
“I don’t know exactly,” Will began, looking into Mike’s tired eyes and then out to the group, “But I have a feeling that whatever took Holly is the same thing that took me.”
“But why?” Asked Nancy, leaning forward in her chair.
Will shrugged. “I don’t know, but from what I’ve gathered, everything lines up. The monster from outside, they’re called Demogorgons.”
Dustin’s mouth fell open. “I thought those were a myth?”
“No.” Will frowned, memories of sharp claws and haunting roars filling his mind. “They’re real.”
“Wait, Will,” Robin spoke up. “How do you know about Holly?”
He’d been waiting for that question. “The short answer is I went back to Hawkins while on my quest. The Demogorgons, I hunt them.”
“Holy shit.” Dustin marveled.
“Will’s so much cooler than us,” Lucas added, eyes wide with disbelief.
Will felt a blush rise to his cheeks and looked anywhere but at his friends, finding a nice flicker in the fire to settle on. “I had just arrived when someone from town told me what happened. I had been tracking the Demo up until that point, and I knew it had to be somewhere close, and then when I heard it was…” Will glanced at Mike and Nancy, who both seemed to be holding their breath, “When I heard it was Holly, I started tracking you guys instead.”
Everyone sat in silence, taking in everything Will told them. No one seemed to have any questions, so Will continued, “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you, and I’m sorry I couldn’t get to Holly before-”
“Don’t apologize for that, Will,” Jonathan interrupted, his voice barely concealing the deep sadness his brother was feeling. “It’s not your fault.”
“But I should’ve found you guys sooner, I’m really good at finding things that don’t want to be found, much less my friends and family!” Will argued, getting upset on their behalf. Tracking was his job; it was his life. He just couldn’t handle the thought of facing everyone after what the Monster did to him.
“Will, really, we’re just so glad that you’re okay,” Lucas agreed.
“I’m sorry,” Will said again in a whisper.
“Will,” Jonathan pleaded, hand reaching to hold Will’s leg, grip gentle but reassuring.
Will closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. He focused on the feeling of Mike’s hand in his, and the smell of acorn soup still clinging to his clothes. He could do this. “The truth is,” Will’s voice broke, “the truth is that I was afraid you guys would hate me.”
No one spoke over the crackling of the fire. Will continued. “When I was taken, the thing that took me kept telling me over and over again that if I got out, no one would want me back because I’d be broken. I wouldn’t be the same Will you all loved, and you would be afraid of me. Of the things I did to escape. I was there for so many years that I started to believe it, and so when I did finally find my way back home, I couldn’t face you. And I know that’s selfish and stupid of me, but it was so hard.”
Tears were pouring down Will’s face, and he felt himself start to slip back into his twelve-year-old self, scared, alone, and hopeless.
“You’re here now.” Eleven’s voice was background noise to the static in his mind. “You came back.”
“Years too late,” Will wept. “I was too late.”
Mike let go of Will’s hand, and Will felt the Earth fall away. That was his last tether, and now that it was gone, all Will could see was the darkness of the Upside Down and the claws reaching for him, biting into his flesh and tearing it away. But then Mike picked both hands back up and knelt in front of him.
“Will, look at me.”
Will couldn’t. He felt like his brain was made of bricks.
“Will, please,” Mike pleaded.
Will wanted to look at Mike, he really did, but he couldn’t take the pity and fear that would be plastered across his best friend’s face. That would kill him. Will looked ahead into the fire instead, hoping that would be enough.
“Whatever that thing told you, it was wrong.” The intensity in Mike’s voice startled Will. He never remembered the Paladin being so confident about something. “We would never leave you behind, Will. We love you.”
That word stirred something in Will’s chest, and he finally chanced a look into Mike’s eyes. All they held was honesty.
Jonathan’s hand was rubbing up and down Will’s back much like he used to do when they were small, and it was the final push that sent Will into a sobbing mess, collapsing into Jonathan’s side.
“Mike’s right,” Jonathan soothed. “We love you, Will. Nothing could ever change that.”
“Yeah, and if you don’t stop apologizing, I’m going to force El to cast Thunderclap on you! Max threatened, though her eyes were filled with tears.
That made Will laugh, and some of the tension bled from the room. He took a deep breath. “I think Holly is in a place called the Upside Down.”
“The what?” Eddie piped up.
“It’s like a mirror of our everyday world, but empty, dark, and filled with monsters like the Demogorgons,” Will explained. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s not, it’s just practically impossible to get there without a monster to bring you.”
“So it’s like another realm?” Lucas questioned, eyebrow shooting into the ceiling.
“Yes, that’s one way to put it,” Will affirmed. There was snot building on top of Will’s upper lip. He wiped it with his sleeve, but cringed when he realized how hard he had been crying.
“I’m so-”
“Will, if you’re actually apologizing again, El will actually Thunderclap you,” Robin said in a deadpan.
Will almost let out a sorry before a sheepish grin took over his face. “Force of habit.”
Nancy stood up suddenly, her eyes wide. “Will, if you think a Demogorgan took Holly, and you know how to hunt them, do you think you’d be able to find one for us to trap or follow into the Upside Down?”
“Yes, but-”
“But what?” Mike jumped off the floor, eyes lit with a newfound determination. “Let’s start packing so you can find one!”
“I think I should go alone!” Will blurted. Waves of protest were about to roll over him, but he kept going. “You guys don’t understand how dangerous these things are, but I’ve killed plenty and know all their weaknesses. I know the Upside Down, end to end, and I don’t want you guys to get hurt. I just wanted to tell you that I’d do it and bring Holly back. I know what it’s like down there, and I know how to help.”
Max blinked incredulously at him. “You can’t be serious.”
“She’s our sister, Will, of course we’re coming,” Nancy added, pointing between herself and Mike.
“And we go where the Party goes,” Lucas said, gesturing to everyone else.
Will was still unsure. He desperately wanted his friends to go with him on this quest, but it would be dangerous, and he couldn’t take losing them again.
“I don’t think you guys understand what we’ll have to do. People could die, you guys might die!”
“It’s a chance we have to take,” Jonathan said, “I’d do it for you.”
Will’s resolve faded with his brother’s words. “If we all go together, you all need to promise me that you’ll let me lead. This isn’t like other quests you’ve done,” Will insisted, tears finally drying up. “The monsters there are unlike ones you’ve ever fought, much less read about.”
The now joint Party nodded, but that wasn’t good enough for Will’s unease.
“You have to promise me,” Will urged.
“I promise,” Mike pledged, looking as courageous and steadfast in front of the raging fire as Will could ever dream of.
Resounding promises drifted into Will’s ears, and he nodded, not happy with the decision but sure he wouldn’t be able to persuade them to stay back. He would keep them all safe even if it meant his own peril. They knew what it was like to live without Will, so maybe if he didn’t make it out, it would all be okay anyway. Holly and his friends would be safe, and that’s all that mattered.
“Okay,” he conceded. “But, we leave tomorrow.” Will could see Mike’s mouth open to protest, but Will was faster, “You’re going to need a long rest for what lies ahead.”
The room filled with agreement, and Nancy put her hand in the middle of the room.
“Tomorrow,” She declared.
Robin jumped up next and put her hand on top of Nancy’s. “Tomorrow,” she agreed.
One by one, all ten of them were standing before Will, hands locked in the middle, waiting for him to join them. He took in all of his friends and let himself smile. No matter what happened, he would make sure they succeeded.
Will added his hand to the middle and, with a resounding cheer, lifted their hands into the air and up with a whirlwind of fire.