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Jason tugged at the rope in his hand slightly before throwing it over his shoulder. This plan of theirs to defeat Vecna was absolutely insane. I mean, kidnapped kids and interdimensional demons aside, this fight was extremely personal to him. Chrissy, his girlfriend, and Patrick, one of his absolute best friends, had both died to this maniac just more than a year ago. Not to mention that that freak was also responsible for Sinclair’s girlfriend Max being hospitalized.
He thought back to that year, and cringed at his own actions. He’d been under the assumption that Eddie Munson had killed Chrissy, and started a crazed manhunt to try and track him down. It’d turned out, he hadn’t done it, and the only crime he’d seemingly committed was running away, if running away from monsters-come-to-life was a crime to begin with. In the end, after Patrick’s death, Jason had been practically dragged down into the pits of hell alongside his teammates Andy and Chance. There, he came face to face with Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley and…Eddie Munson. It wasn’t a pretty reunion, he was a little ashamed to admit, but they had eventually sorted it out. That...world was explained to him, and he couldn't have even began to consider that it all ended up connecting back to his little cousin’s disappearance back in 1983.
His little cousin, Will Byers. Jason bit his lip, trying not to think about how tough those days had been for both him and the rest of the family. There wasn’t a lot he could do for Joyce and Jonathan, as half of the family had become estranged with the Byers after they cut off Lonnie. Good riddance, of course, that guy may very well be his uncle by blood but he was by no means a part of his family. He just wishes that it hadn’t cost him all those years he could’ve spent growing up with Jonathan and Will. Maybe if he had reached out more, maybe if he tried, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. Maybe Chrissy and Patrick would still be alive, maybe even Eddie would be alive. Maybe, just maybe, none of this stuff would’ve happened to Will to begin with if he’d been there.
He shook his head, trying to ground himself back to the present. They were merely hours away from the end of the world, and here he was wallowing in what he could have done differently. There’s nothing he can do to change the past, but he can figure out how to support the Byers going forward. He glanced at his watch, the sheriff should be back soon, and then it’d begin. The final fight. After tonight, win or lose, it’s over. It sent shivers down his spine.
“Carver,” a voice called from the doorway of the Squawk, snapping him out of his concentration. He hadn’t even noticed that they were finished loading the truck. He looked towards the voice and saw none other than Michael Wheeler standing before him. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. He and Wheeler hadn’t had the best relationship, honestly he’s pretty sure his relation to Will is what keeps them from kicking the jocks from this mission, but he digresses. Michael has always been the most stubborn of them all, and that’s including the glares he still gets from Dustin to this day. That’s fine, he can spend the rest of his life making up for his mistakes, right after this hell is finally put to rest.
Jason shakes himself back to awareness, god he has to stop zoning out. “What’s up, Wheeler?” He relaxes his posture slightly, making himself directly eye-level to the man in front of him. It was a little unnerving, Wheeler had this worried…but almost annoyed look in his eye. What the hell was that about? What did he do? He tried to rake his mind for anything that could have pissed him off, but came up with nothing. Maybe this is what Sinclair meant when he said he got into “moods”.
“Will wants to talk with you,” He all but spat, and Jason just stared at him.
He blinked once. And then again. A third time. He slowly raised his finger to point towards his own chest. “Me?” He breathed out, uselessly. “Uhm, okay…any- any reason why? Is it Vecna? Is he okay?” He was word vomiting, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to be there for Will now, since he’d failed him and others so many times before.
Mike shook his head just once. “Nope,” he popped the last sound, rolling his eyes. “All he told me was to come get you and Jonathan. Mrs. Byers and Jonathan are already inside.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder to point, his entire body language reading that he was absolutely pissed at this new development. Why? He had no idea, but he wasn’t about to get into a fight trying to ask, he just nodded and slipped inside, opening the second door, turned the corner and took a deep breath before looking at Will, Jonathan and Joyce. They were all already sitting down in chairs, looking up at him, save for Will himself, who was staring down at his hands as he fidgeted with his sleeves.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing a chair and dragging it along with him. The metal scraping made a painful sound that echoed around the silent opening, and he cringed, muttering a sorry to his cousins and aunt, before flipping it towards Will and taking a seat. He leaned in a little, not enough to overcrowd him, but enough to make his presence solid and known. “Wheeler said you needed me to come in here? That you wanted to talk to me?” He offered, hoping that his entrance into the topic took a little bit of the pressure off of his cousin.
Will nodded, taking a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, I know that this has to be the absolute worst time to have a family heart to heart, but I feel like I need to, no, I want to tell you all this. The truth.”
Joyce’s eyebrows furrowed, and Jonathan brought his hand to cover his mouth, slowly rubbing around the skin around it, as if trying to scrub away the tension. Jason stayed silent, trying his best not to miss anything.
Will continued, albeit a little less confident now. “The truth is…I’ve always felt different.” The mood shifted almost instantly, and Will’s eyes widened as he threw his hands up. “And that’s not just because of what people have said to me. This isn’t about anyone other than…me.” He shook his head, as if urging himself to continue. “I’m not really all too different, honestly. It’s just…ever since I was a kid…people like me…they’re not…” he shakes his hands out, as if the words are escaping him. “They’re not treated kindly.” He finally settles on, closing his eyes to take a deep breath before slowly exhaling. His eyes blinked open again, a small, sad smile pressed to his face. “I have this…fear. It’s been eating me up. I feel like if I were to tell anyone, even you…it would ruin everything.”
Joyce frowned, her eyebrows creasing as she narrowed her eyes as far as they could, Jason would be amazed if she could get it unstuck later. “Will,” she began. “Is this…part of that something Vecna showed you? When you were unconscious?” Jason’s head snapped over to her. This was the first time he was hearing about this. He knew he’d fallen unconscious after saving Max in Vecna’s mindscape, but this is the first he’s heard of a direct confrontation.
“No,” Will stated, easy and simple. “This…he got to me, yes, but I don’t want you to think that I’m telling you this because I have to. I want to…it’s just…I’m just…the words are really hard. I don’t want you to think of me any differently. I don’t want things to change. I don’t want you guys to worry…it’s just…” His leg began to bounce up and down, and he fully pulled his sleeves over his hands, glancing up to look Jonathan in the eye. “I…had a crush on someone.” He tests that first, looking at all of them, as if gauging their reactions. As if conducted by some unknown force, they all nodded, a silent urge for him to continue if he so wished. “I guess, it’s more accurate to say I loved them. I think, deep down, I still love them. But…it’s hard…because I know.” He started to choke on his words, sputtering out the last of it as if he could make it go away by talking faster. “I know they're not like me. I’m…” His gaze lowers. “I’m gay.”
Oh. Oh. Jason feels his jaw fall open slightly, only for a second, before he closes it again. Well that…made sense. He offers Will a smile, and opens his mouth to speak, but Joyce beats him to the punch.
“Oh honey,” she says, her voice strained, as she begins to cry. She reaches out, and takes his hand in hers. “There’s nothing in this world that could make me look at you any differently. You’re the same Will you’ve always been, and I know you. You’re strong. When the world pushes you, you stand up and come back stronger.” She smiles. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. We’ve got you. I could never stop loving you, in fact, I think I love you even more, now that I know the real you.”
“The real me,” Will whispers, and then the dam bursts. “You’re not mad? At all?” He’s sobbing now, furiously scrubbing his eyes with his sleeve.
“Mad?” Jonathan echoes. “No. No way. You’re my brother, Will, my best friend.” He stands up, and Will mirrors him, before Jonathan pulls him in for a hug. “There’s nothing you could do or say that could ever change the fact that you’re my brother. I love you. I meant it in the back of that Surfer Boy Pizza chain, and I mean it now. You’re you, that’s all I could ever ask for.” He holds the back of Will’s head into his shoulder, cradling him as he sobs. Will just grips him back, letting the tears fall. Jonathan pulls back slightly, kissing him on the cheek, before pulling back entirely.
Jason steps forward, smiling at Will. Will offers him a small smile back, clearly trying his best to not let his sniffles turn into hiccups.
“Joyce!” A voice cuts through, and all four of them turn to see El walking into the room. “Hopper’s almost- Will, are you okay?” She frowns, approaching Will and reaching up to brush some of his hair from his eyes.
Will nods, dragging his sleeve along his face one last time. “I’ve made up my mind. I need to be there in the Abyss. I don’t doubt you or your abilities, El, but…Henry can always escape into the real world, and I think I could be useful to everyone on those frontlines. Just in case.” His eyebrows narrow, a determined shimmer in his eye. “I’m ready. I need to show him that I’m not afraid anymore.”
El smiles at him. “I figured you would say something like that.” Her arm falls to his shoulder, and she gives it a small squeeze. “You have always been really brave, Will. I trust you.” She nods, turning back to Joyce. “Hopper has almost arrived. He wants to see you and debrief one last time.” She turns to Jonathan. “Nancy is looking for you.” Finally, her gaze returns to Will, only briefly glancing at Jason. “Do you two need anything? Any last minute preparations before we go?”
Will opens his mouth, but Jason nods, and quickly cuts him off. “Yeah I had some…” he looks around the room sporadically. “Some…excuses laying around. Two man job. I need Will’s help.”
Jonathan lets out the loudest, most annoyed groan he could possibly muster, and El just stares at him like he’s grown an extra head. “Right…well…Hopper will be here soon, so be quick.” She turns to Jonathan and Joyce, and the two follow her out of the building and towards the truck, where everyone is waiting for Hopper’s arrival.
“Thank god they didn’t ask any follow ups,” he groans, propping himself against the wall, his back pressing into the glass of the window. “Sorry about that.” Jason looks around.
“You couldn’t have thought of anything to say other than ‘excuse’?” It’s sass, layered still with that small bit of uneasiness.
“Nah, I’m not good with thinking quickly if it’s off the court.” Jason replies lazily, tapping his heel against the wall. “Look I’m- sorry.” He whispers out, before clearing his throat and starting again. “I should have been around after all the Lonnie stuff. He…sucked. I guess I was scared, of what? I have no idea. I’m not great at excuses.” That gets him a snort, and he smiles, deciding to continue. “I’m- I’m not sure what’s going to happen up there, but I’m here for you Will. I wasn’t there for you then, but let me be there for you now. I can...I don't know...I'll…swirlie any loser who makes fun of you…god, is this helping?”
Will laughs, breathlessly. “Not really.” He smiles at him though, and it shines so bright, Jason might start to tear up himself. “Don’t- don’t do anything like that.”
“Why?” Jason pushes his heel against the wall, pushing himself towards Will. His hand rests on his shoulder, and he drags him back, sliding down onto the floor, pulling him along. Jason gives Will a teasing smile. “Is the guy you love a loser? Are you trying to save him from the inevitable swirlie?”
“No!” Will laughs out, loud and unbothered. “He’s- he’s NOT a loser. He’s…well, he’s Mike.” He sighs, looking up to the ceiling.
Jason cannot control the way his face contorts into disbelief, he really, really can’t. “Are you serious?” His head falls back into the wall. “He’s like- textbook definition of loser." He pauses, thinking. "Yeah, I’m sorry Will, I’m just having a hard time understanding. Are we talking about Mike as in Mike Wheeler? Or should I hold out hope that there’s a secret hunk you’re hiding from the class?”
Will punches his shoulder. “Be nice! He’s…I know he’s a lot, but he’s my best friend. He knows me better than anybody and he’s always…made me feel safe. Like the things people think are wrong with me aren’t wrong with me at all. He makes me feel like I’m better for being different.” He tucks his legs further into his chest. Jason continues to stare ahead, keenly aware at the way Will has slowly begun to face him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told you all of that.” He finally says, shyly.
Jason shakes his head. “No, no it’s not that, Will.” His lip twisted up, deep in thought. “I just…can’t fathom the concept of two people with superpowers being in love with Michael Wheeler of all people. I mean…he’s so emotionally constipated, when he thinks too hard he looks seconds away from shitting himself. His veins look like they might burst…and I’m trying to imagine a world where you’re the one with unrequited feelings…and it’s just asinine.”
“Well,” Will sighs. “You don’t really have to imagine. We’re living in it.” He shakes his head, but he lays his head on his knees, looking at him. “Do you even know what that word means?”
“Not at all. Did I use it correctly?”
“I guess so.”
A beat of silence.
“Do you know?” Jason says, turning to meet his eye. “Mike, I mean. Have you asked him how he feels?”
Will shakes his head, dropping his face between his knees, closing his eyes as his head tilts inward. “I’m already sure how he feels…and I wouldn’t want to ruin anything. I just…need to get over him.”
“Right and he makes it so hard cause he’s a total hunk.” Jason scoffs, earning him a quiet giggle and a hand thrown haphazardly to bat him away. “Well…I won’t force you to put your heart out on your sleeve if you’re not ready but…if you’re interested…there’s a certain teammate of mine that I’m sure would be delighted to take you out if Wheeler decides he wants to miss out."
Will’s head shoots up, blushing furiously. “Shut up!” He yells, falling into a laugh. “Chance does not want to go out with me.”
“I never said Chance.” Jason snorts.
Will gapes at him. “You-” he laughs harder. “You got me.”
They continue to bicker like that, laughing and exchanging teasing comments and prods that border on insults until a groan interrupts them. Jason and Will turn to the source. Michael Wheeler.
“What are you two laughing about? Wh- never mind. It doesn’t matter. We’re ready to head out, so hurry up.” He points to Jason. “Or we’re leaving you behind.” He doesn’t offer anything else, turning tail and storming out of the building.
“How dreamy,” Jason snidely remarks, and Will just shakes his head, smiling. “So,” he gestures to the door. “Ready to save the world from total annihilation?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
Jason smiled, ushering them out, the beginning of the longest night of their lives.