Chapter Text
Everything was perfectly fine until Mike started vomiting.
Because everything was fine, they were ok. It could be worse; they all could be dead.
It had been three months, three long months since the earth opened up and the demogorgons showed their ugly flowery face. Hawkins officially had become Hell. Fuck their lives.
The first month had been total lockdown. The military had seized the town, closing all ins and outs.
The Byers had moved in almost immediately. It was okay, right? They needed a place to stay and they were like family. No big deal.
Except it was.
Having to explain the wheeler’s what was going on was one of the most uncomfortable experiences in their lives.
Karen had taken it with grace, even sadness.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through this without me” She had said hugging her children “and Will, oh dear…”
She had always had a soft spot for the Byers, specially Will. It broke her heart to find out a quarter of what he had gone through.
Ted hadn’t been as understanding.
Neither of the Wheeler children had an especially close relationship with their father, he was like a ghost in the house that sometimes haunted their thoughts with his sharp words.
His wife considered him like a dead limb she had to live with, unable to get rid of him unless she amputated him out of their lives.
He wanted them gone, he had always thought they were trouble. He never wanted one of their kind in his house.
The Byers stayed.
They were family.
And everything was fine, really.
Mike avoided Will. Will avoided Mike. Both moved in a complicated dance filled with uncomfortable silences and closed doors.
And it was fine. They were in the middle of a lockdown, barely able to communicate with their friends, with the military breathing on their necks and not knowing if Vecna was dead for good, a little bit of awkwardness and strained relationship was not a big deal.
Then Mike started puking.
By that moment it had already been three months. Ash still fell off the sky, covering the town in a gray oppressive blanket. Smoke came out of the craters, swirling around like twisted fingers.
The military had divided the town in sectors, containing the worst of the upside down. There were safe zones and corridors for people to move through but they were heavily guarded.
Thankfully when there was a crisis, an opportunity always arises.
Volunteering.
It had been Lucas and Chrissy’s idea, a surprising duo not many had seen coming. Wanting to be closer to Max and Eddie, they had found out the hospital needed volunteers to help out in such dire moments. The position gave them the chance to not only being close to their comatose beloved but to come and go to the hospital with almost non vigilance and the chance to be close to medical equipment and medication if necessary.
This turned on the little lightbulb of the group.
Billy, with his technical and mechanical knowledge had joined the reparation crew, taking care of the cars and electronics.
Robin and Steve had taken over the radio duties. Since they were in the safe zone, the military hadn’t batted an eye, letting them play radio host.
It had been their worst error.
The WSQK, also known as the squawk, was set over the tunnels, those dammed tunnels they had mapped years ago, the ones Will had seen in his visions. Once they had secured them, they were set.
The military kept an eye on them, after all they were related to the girl, the cause of this mayhem, but after three months of careful surveillance with no results they had decided to take their efforts elsewhere.
They had used the opportunity to regroup and plan.
At this point Mike had already looked pale, paler than normal. When he spoke, telling them his idea to enter the upside down and explore it, sector by sector, his voice sounded rough, tired.
Will had told himself that he was just tired, so many things had happened in such a short amount of time. It was just that, he would be okay soon and everything would go back to what it was.
Will was good at lying at himself.
Hopper was braver.
“You are staying kid” he had said in a gruff yet not uncaring tone
“What!? No! It was my idea!” Mike exclaimed with irritation
“And you can barely stay up” He put a hand on his shoulder “Not gonna sugar coat it, you look like shit. I might don’t like you but I don’t want you to die”
Mike had begrudgingly accepted, eyes downcast, shoulders slumped. He looked… wrong. He tried to hide it, He was Mike after all, he was the leader, the heart of the group. He couldn’t fall.
Nancy had been the first one to find out.
It was late, very late, no one should have been up. She shouldn’t have been up, but the nightmares still haunted her. She wanted to go down, to get to the basement and hug her mate, but didn’t. She got up when she heard someone moving quickly through the hall, heart beating against her ribs. She grabbed the gun she kept next to her pillow and slowly got out of her room.
The light of the bathroom was on, a sharp pale line cutting the darkness.
She moved slowly, listening.
Retching. Violent. Painful.
She opened the door carefully, freezing at the sight in front of her.
Her brother was double over the toilet bowl, shivering, covered in cold sweat.
“Mike!” She whisper-shouted. She shoved her gun in her pocket and ran to his side. She held his sweaty hair back, hands trembling “What happened? It’s okay, let it all out”
Tears ran down his angular face. Suddenly he didn’t look like the strong leader. No, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy.
Nancy helped him to wash his mouth and drink some water before dragging him to her room.
They hadn’t shared a nest since they were little, but they needed it now.
She wrapped him in her comforter and arranged the pillows the best she could. Tears burned in her eyes; Jon would know how to make a better nest.
“Nance…”
“Shhh, it’s okay” She said petting his curls “I’m here, just rest”
She held him the rest of the night.
The next day Mike had tried to rest it importance, it was probably something he ate, nothing serious, Nancy alpha’s instincts were going over drive.
Thankfully no one believed him.
But it was only one time, right?
He would be okay, right?
The vomiting continued, only once in a good day, if he was lucky.
Will watched, filled with worry. He wanted to approach him, to wrap him with his arms and curl in his bed like they used to do when they were small, but he contained himself. He couldn’t do that, he wasn’t ready, they weren’t that type of friends anymore. He skirted around the issue until Mrs. Wheeler approached him.
He Had gone to the kitchen to drink some water and maybe get away from his mom. He loved her, he really did, but sometimes she could be overbearing. Not that he blamed her considering the bullshit they were dealing with.
“Oh, hi dear” Mrs. Wheeler said, she was resting against the kitchen sink, dark circles under her eyes “Sorry, you needed something?”
“No, it’s okay” he said softly “Are you alright? Can I help with something?”
“It’s just…” she sighed “I’m worried about Mike; he can barely keep anything down”
Will felt a knot forming in his chest.
“Do you know what… what it is?” He asked with vacillation
“Well, I think it might be presentation sickness. Sometimes it can mess with your system, especially if you are in a… stressful situation”
He snorted. Stressful? Here? In Hawkins? Nahhh.
The elder Omega smiled, she looked so pretty when she did. Her kids had inherited her smile.
“Can I do something? Anything?”
“Could you maybe make him drink some tea? Eat some crackers?” She asked gesturing to the tray next to her “I don’t want him to be with an empty stomach all day”
“Sure” he said, his stomach twisting. He didn’t want too, he didn’t want to see Mike, he didn’t want to get close, he didn’t want to run, he didn’t want to stay away, he didn’t want the abysm that separated them.
And Karen Wheeler, mother extraordinaire, smiled at him and touched his cheek.
He was doomed.
He took tray and slowly made his way upstairs, each step heavier than the last one. He knew the path, he had traverse it thousands of times, why was it so hard this time? He knocked at the door softly.
“Come in”
He pushed the door with his shoulder.
Mike was laying down in bed, pale, thin, weak.
Will felt his heart twist at the sight.
Holly was curled against him, her blond hair tied in messy twin tails.
“Hey” Rasped the boy with dark hair
“Hey” He answered. He set the tray on the night table “Your mom sent me”
“Ughh, not again” he groaned “I told her I was fine, just… tired”
He vacillated for a minute before sitting on the bed, body tense, wound tight.
“She just worries, we… we worry about you…”
Worry wasn’t the correct word, it was something bigger, harder, awful. It was the feeling of losing him, of seeing him wasting away, day after day and not being able to do anything.
“I… I will try…” said Mike, hands still messing with his little sister’s soft hair
Will couldn’t help but stare, his eyes following the way his long fingers played with the golden strands.
It was not common in Mike, not that he didn’t love his sister, far from it, but this closeness, this touch, was new.
He felt a knot forming in his throat, he used to touch him like that.
They jumped in their seats when Mrs. Wheeler voice resonated down the stairs.
Holy got up to follow her mother’s command. She rubbed her soft, round cheek against her brother’s before jumping off the bed.
Mike let out a chirp, a sound alien and a little rough but strangely fitting.
They stayed in silence, not sure what they should say, do.
“Maybe I should let you rest” Will said getting up
“Wait!” Mike hand shot out, grabbing his sleeve “Could you… could you stay for a bit? If you are not busy. Sorry, you are probably busy. It’s okay, sorry I—"
“Okay”
It was probably a bad idea but he couldn’t just refuse. It was fine, they were just friends. This was what friends did.
He took off his shoes and sat next to him, letting his long body rest against his. He could feel his bones, he could see the way his skin stretched over his skull. He took the mug from the nigh table and held it towards him.
Mike wrapped his hand around the mug, trapping his. His grip was loose, weak.
Will felt his heart beat wildly against his ribs. He held the mug, tipping it slowly as his friend took small slow sips. After a while he put it back on the table and passed him the bowl of crackers.
He gave halfhearted bites, playing around with his food. Frustrated tears welled in his eyes.
“I hate this…”
“Mike”
“I should be okay; I should be out helping but I’m stuck here puking my guts out for not fucking reason” He clenched his fists
“It’s okay, we will find out what’s going on” He raised his hand towards him but stopped in his tracks
Mike’s face twisted into something ugly, angry but, especially, sad.
“And I fucked up… I fucked everything up” He doubled over, holding his middle. He took big gasp of air, fighting the nausea
Will held him in a firm grip, one hand rubbing his back in small circles.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Mike sobbed, tears rolling down his face
He didn’t know what to say, so he stayed. He stayed until he stopped crying. He stayed until he could breathe normally again. He stayed until his body slumped against his, drained of energy. He stayed for hours, just let him hold him in his sleep.
And everything was not fine.
And the trumpet sang and the walls of Jericho tumbled down.
That night Will stared at the dark basement ceiling not knowing what the fuck he would do.
Mike looked slightly better during breakfast, slowly eating his breakfast or at least trying to. He smiled at him, really looking at him, eyes still foggy but less dead.
“I spoke with Mr. Nesbit” said Mrs. Wheeler as she looked at Mike “He is going to come check you after breakfast”
Ted grumbled something under his breath but she decided to ignore him.
“He was a doctor in the army and until we can get you to the hospital, he is our best bet”
She put her hand over his and gave it a little squeeze.
“I hope he doesn’t make me take cod-liver oil” He joked lightly.
Holly made a disgusted sound that made them chuckle.
Mike barely ate but at least it was more than what he had in a week. He stumbled as he tried to stand, eyes hazy, sucking a big gulp of air.
Will moved before thinking, he raced to his side, hands on his waist almost immediately. He heard Ted said something before stomping out of the kitchen but didn’t pay attention.
“I’m fine…” he gasps, holding him like he felt he was going to disappear. It would be funny if Will wasn’t so worry.
He smiled at him, dark curls framing his gaunt face.
It felt like hell.
It felt like heaven.
It felt like home.
He didn’t have much time to think about it as Mrs. Wheeler made them go to the living room.
Mike sat heavily on the couch, hand still clutching Will’s sleeve.
And he stayed.
Mr. Nesbit arrived carrying an old-fashioned doctor bag, eyebrows almost touching in a deep frown. He had to be at least eighty years old, head still full of thick white hair, full mustache and a thin body that betrayed his years in the army.
“Those idiots asked me where I was going, to fucking Vegas you little shits! Look at me, I’m wearing fucking tweed and a fucking tie, where the fuck I could go? I swear, the army has only gotten worse since I left”
He looked Mike up and down, sharp eyes glinting in the light of the morning.
“You are fucked up kid, aren’t you?”
“Mr. Nesbit!” exclaimed Mrs. Wheeler.
“Bah, they are teens they have hear worse” He waved his hand, resting it importance “Let’s go upstairs, unless you want to flash the whole house”
Will helped him to get up. He would take him to his room and then leave, that was the right thing to do.
Mike held him as if he was the only thing keeping him upright. He was shivering, skin cold, fingers frozen. He sat on his bed with a sigh, stretching his hands with a pained expression.
“I think is better if I go” Will said
“No!” Mike exclaimed with panic. His usual mild scent getting acrid “No, stay… please…”
“Sit down boy” said Mr. Nesbit before he could process what was going on “before curly here spontaneously combust”
The elder omega took out several implements out of his bag with steady hands. He ordered Mike to take off his shirt.
He obeyed with trembling hands.
Will Tried to look elsewhere but his eyes were drawn to the pale figure. He had seen his friend unclothed several times through the course of their friendship, he knew he was thin, he had always been. Long, thin, gangly, not sure of what to do with all his limbs but this was different.
Mike had lost a significant amount of weight in the short time his sickness had afflicted him. His soft skin stretched painfully over his ribs and his stomach had sunken making them pop even more.
Mrs. Wheeler let out a gasp and He could see how tears started to form in his dark eyes.
Mr. Nesbit didn’t comment, getting started. He examined him carefully for what felt like hours. Finally, He set his wrinkly hand on the boy’s neck, right over his gland. He took a deep breath and let out his scent. His pheromones surrounded them like a wool blanket.
The boy let out a whimper, getting visibly dizzy.
“I see…” He said thoughtfully “You can dress, kid”
Will helped him to put his clothes back on.
“Good news, you are not dying” he said putting away his things
“Gosh, what a relief” mumbled Mike
“What it is? Is he going to be okay?” asked Mrs. Wheeler
“Yeah, just the old presentation bullshit. Nothing to worry about”
He closed his bag and got closer to the teen once again. He turned his face softly, exposing his neck a bit more.
“See here? The gland is a bit swollen, stiff” He pressed it with his thumb ripping a whine out of him “Sometimes stress can make it more difficult, especially if the pup doesn’t get enough contact”
He let go of the teen and looked at Will.
“Kid, you haven’t presented, have you?”
“No…”
“Very well, then is settled. Both of you better start nesting”
The teens looked at the elder omega with wide eyes.
“This is the problem with new generations, always messing up the simplest things” he grumbled “Nesting is important. Period. In your case, nesting with someone familiar and not presented yet would help you not puke your guts every five fucking seconds”
He petted his black curls, smiling fondly.
“Calm down curly. I know shit is getting hard but you will be fine” he pointed to himself with his thumb “says the guy that was in the army for forty years and popped two pups. It can’t get worse than that”
He gave Mrs. Wheeler a few more indications before making his exit.
Mike and Will stayed in the room.
And it was fine.
Nesting was no big deal. They were friends, there was nothing wrong for two friends to nest together.
To cuddle.
It was fine.
Mike sighed, shoulder’s sagging.
“I’m sorry Will”
“Hey, it’s okay”
“No” he shook his head “I’m bothering you again. I keep ruining things”
Will grabbed his shoulders. He felt so cold under his finger, he hated it.
“Hey, you are my friend. There is no way you are bothering me with this, especially if you are sick” His hand rose to cradle the swallowed side of his neck “You have been there for me when things got bad, I will be there for you”
A warm smile bloomed on his lips.
“Crazy together, remember?”
Mike let out a watery laugh and leaned against him, his head resting on his beloved friend’s shoulder.
It was fine.
Everything was fine, they were ok.
Will only had to hold out for a while. He will help his friend; he would be there until he presented. Then things would go back to normal. Then they would go back to worry about the vine fucker that had ruined so many lives.
It was fine.