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“Will… do you see Will?” Mike turned to Dustin, worry in his voice.
Dustin looked around then back to Mike, “I think he escaped.”
Mike sighed with a small smile, “Good.”
“There!” someone yelled.
Everyone turned their heads to the gate. There was Will, standing with his hands at his sides innocently.
“Oh God,” Mike whispered as his face dropped.
“Mike…” Dustin whispered to him but he didn’t hear.
Mike charged forward, trying to reach Will. Two soldiers wrapped their arms around his torso, stopping him.
“Get off me! Get off me!” Mike yelled as he struggled against their grasp.
Mike continued to struggle until he fell to the floor. Everything around him was now black. He looked up to see Will walking towards him. Mike scrambled to his feet, running to the boy.
“You… You have to get out of here! You have to get out!”
Will choked as tears began to form, “None of this will ever end, not if I’m still here.”
“No, No,” Mike begged, “We’ll figure something out. We’ll fight back. We always do!”
Will shook his head, “I need you to talk to the others.”
Mike shook his head quickly, “No. No.”
“I need you to thank them for me,” Will held Mikes elbows, ”For being there for me. Through everything.”
“No Will! Please don’t do this!” Mike begged, a tear falling down his face.
“Mike, I need you to help them understand my choice.”
“But I don’t,” Mike put his hand on his heart, “I don’t understand.”
“I know,” Will sobbed, his grip on Mikes elbows getting stronger, “But you will. One day, you will.”
Mike dropped his head as more tears began to fall. Will brought his hand to Mikes cheek, wiping them away. Mike looked back up to his best friend.
“You understand me. Better than anyone. You always have. Since the day we met. You’ve seen me.”
“The real me.”
“Please don’t leave me Will,” Mike whispered as his grip on Wills jacket got tighter, “Please don’t do this.”
“I’ll always be with you,” Will whispered as the two connected their foreheads, “I love you, Mike Wheeler.”
A beat. Silence.
Mike sniffled and sighed, “And I love you, Will Byers.”
The two met in the middle, lips connecting with eagerness yet, with softness. They moved in sync, feelings spilling out all in this one moment. This final moment. Wills hand wrapped gently around the back of Mikes neck, pulling him close as Mikes hands reached the collar of Wills jacket, pulling him closer. Tears were still falling down both boys faces as they departed, breaths mixing with one another’s as their foreheads touched yet again.
“Goodbye Mike,” Will whispered.
Mike woke up back in the arms of the soldiers, instantly struggling against them once again.
“Will! Will! Will! Will!” Mike cried out.
“Mike!” someone yelled.
“Get off me! Get off me!”
Time slowed down as Mike choked on his sobs. He locked eyes with Will as the boy gave him a small smile, a tear falling down his face.
“Will no!” Mike screamed as he sobbed.
His strength faltered as he slumped in the soldiers arms.
Screeching and scratching filled the air as the Upside Down began to tear itself apart.
-
Silence then fell. Mike looked up to see that all was left was the broken library building. A singular tear fell from his eye as he swallowed.
Will was gone.