Chapter Text
As soon as Will pulled into his driveway his mom was running to his car. He barely got to get out of the car before he attacked him with hugs.
“Mom!” Will says hugging her back with a smile
“Oh Will, you’ve grown so much while you’ve been away.” Joyce says looking at how tall he’s gotten.
He let out a chuckle before grabbing his stuff out of the car. Joyce helped grab his stuff and put it the cabin.
The house is too quiet. “Where is everyone?” Will asks putting his stuff on the couch. Joyce not far behind with more bags.
“Oh, Hop is working and Jonathan is with Nancy.” She says setting the bags down next to him. “They’ll be back soon.” She says heading towards the kitchen.
Will looks around before Joyce hands him a glass of water.
“Honey, are you not burning? You have these long sleeves on?” She asks with concern on her face.
Will holds his breath. No one was supposed to notice. He needs to respond she is getting more worried.
“Oh you know how it is in New York.” He says with a fake laugh. “I forgot how hot it is here in the summer.” he smiles. So does Joyce. She believes him. A wave of relief comes over Will.
“Ok honey, but if you get too hot make sure you change.” She says rubbing his arm. He smiles then goes to his room, brining his backpack.
He closes the door behind him then slumps down on the bed. He lets out a sigh he’s been holding since he walked in. A wave of sadness washes over him when he looks down at his arms.
He slows pulls up the sleeve and reveals what he is hiding. Multiple cuts line his arm. His eyes start to fill with water
A knock startles him. He quickly rolls down his sleeve and wipes his face. Joyce enters.
“Honey? Your walkie talkie is going off.” She says handing it to him. “What’s wrong?” She asks sitting on the bed and looking up at his face.
He quickly looks away. “Nothing.” He says eyes closed hoping to keep them dry.
“I know you Will. What’s wrong.” She asks again.
He thinks of what to say. “I- I just miss El.” He says look at the room across his.
The room is empty only a bed. They cleaned it out while he was gone. Before he left it was filled with El’s stuff, which wasn’t a lot but it was something.
Joyce grabs his hand which snaps him back. “I know. We all do.” She says squeezing his hand.
“Will? Are you there?” The walkie chirps. It’s Dustin.
He wipes his eyes once more and answers. “Yep. Right here.” He says into the speaker. Joyce smiles as she closes the door.
“You’re back!” He says. Will can hear the smile. “The party is coming over for the first movie night of the summer. You coming?” Dustin is so excited. Will looks back down at the arms. “Yeah. I’ll be there.” He says as a tear falls down his face.
“Ok good. Mikes house 9pm.” He says clicking off.
Mike.
Will hasn’t seen Mike since he left. He hasn’t even talked to him.
His heart starts to flutter. No snap out of it. He thinks. From what he’s heard he has a girlfriend.
Will had a boyfriend. Carlton. But he didn’t work out. Will got so depressed that he couldn’t talk or move and he left him after that. Will still doesn’t like to think about that. He gets mad. How could someone leave them in that state.
He takes a deep breath before gets up. He tells Joyce that he’s going over to Mike’s.
He looks at the time 8:37pm.
He gets in his car and starts driving. He turns on the radio and hears the familiar voice of Robin. He didn’t know she was still doing this.
Now that he thinks of it he hasn’t talked to anyone since he left. Only the occasional call to Joyce.
…
By the time he gets to Mike’s it’s after 9, but he doesn’t care. He knocks on the door and Mrs.Wheeler answers.
“Oh! Hi Will!” She gives him a hug. “Come on in they are in the basement.” She says letting him in.
Will hesitates before opening the door to the basement. He’s only thinking about Mike. How will he react? Is his girlfriend there? So many questions run through his head.
Right has Will was going to open the door it swings open and hits him, knocking him over.
“Oh my gosh! I am so sorry I didn’t mean to hit you. I didn’t know you were there.” A voice says. Will is still on the floor. He looks up and sees a random face.
A girl.
He gets up without saying anything to her. He can feel her eyes staring at him. He feels bad so he whispers “Sorry.” and heads downstairs.
“Will!” Dustin yells as he sees Will. “I heard a bang you ok?” He asks pulling away from a hug.
Will looks over his shoulder and sees Mike. His heat drops.
“Um. Yeah I fell…well more like I got hit by the door. But I’m fine.” He says rubbing his arm.
The door open and shuts behind him. The sound of tiny footsteps echo behind him. She’s back.
“Oh hello!” She says looking at Will. “I’m so sorry about the door.” She apologizes again. “I’m Molly. You are?” She ask putting her hand out for me to shake it.
“Uh I’m Will. Will Byers.” Will says shaking her hand. “I’m friends with Mike.” He says before he can stop himself.
“Oh fun! Me too. Well more like girlfriend but friend all the less.” She says radiating with joy. Will can tell she’s weird and quirky but that’s probably why Mike likes her.
She plops down next to Mike and leans her head on his shoulder. Will shivers at the sight.
Dustin tell him to sit between him and Mike. Will would rather die. But he does.
“Is Lucas coming?” Molly asks Mike.
“No he’s will Max. On a date.” Mike says.
Will watches as they whisper into each other ears through out the movie. He watches as he plays with her hair and her fingers. He can’t help but wish that he was her. That Mike was doing that to him. He knows he shouldn’t think that about his best friend but he can’t help it.
He starts to feel tears fall. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.” He says rushing out.
He slams the bathroom door and the tears fall faster than expected. As the hot tears run down his face he finds his wallet in his pocket.
He pulls out a little sliver of metal. He just looks at it, waiting for it to move first. It’s like it’s not him moving at first. The metal is cold against his skin. He slides it. He lets out a gasp. Not loud but audible to anyone close enough. He watches as the blood runs down and he continues that same motion until he’s satisfied. The blood from the first cut as dried by the time he’s done. He washes off his arm watching the blood go down the drain of the sink. He daps them with some toilet paper and calls it good.
He looks at his face in the mirror and his eyes are all puffy and red. He washes his face with water and heads back down to the basement. Before he can Mike is outside the bathroom. He’s just standing there. They lock eyes.
“Woah. What’s wrong?” Mike asks seeing right through Will.
“Nothing. Um I’m going to head home.” Will says trying to push past him.
Mike grads his arm and Will lets out a soft cry. And flinches. He wants to take his arm out of his grip but his body won’t let him. Mike is touching him. The feeling of mikes palm on him is a comforting feeling and remind him of when they were kids. Mike drops his hand.
“Will? What’s wrong.” Mike says looking at Wills arm. “Is something wrong with your hand?” He asks looking at Wills eyes.
“Nope. Mom needs me home. So i’ve got to go.” Will leaves without saying goodbye.
“Will!” Mike calls out and it takes everything for Will not to turn around. But he runs to his car.
When he gets in his car he breaks down. Tears streaming down his face. He looks at the clock through blurry eyes. 10:58. He was barely there, but he has to go. He can’t sit there and watch Mike cuddle with his new girlfriend. He just can’t.
He drives home slowly since his eyes are still blurry from crying.
When he gets home no lights are on. Good. He thinks, no questions. He sneaks into his room hoping not to wake anybody.
When he gets there he falls on his bed and starts sobbing harder than he ever has. He’s gasping for air between sobs.
He doesn’t know why this bothers him so much. He didn’t even cry this much when Carlton left. Because it’s Mike. He thinks.
He eventually calms down and looks at the time. 11:37. He doesn’t know what to do. He stares at his ceiling for a while before he sits up. He reaches for his backpack and gets out a pencil and a sketch book.
He draws pictures from his childhood room. He draws castle byers, his teddy bear, him and Mike. That when he finally starts to drift to sleep. Mike is his calming point.