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Mike shot up in bed, hand immediately running though his hair as he tried to catch his breath. The room was dark. Too dark. Mike couldn't breathe. His eyes shut tightly for a moment before that freaked him out too and he had to pry them open again. Mike reached around the bed, looking for something, anything solid to hold on to. His eyes slowly started adjusting to the dark, head whipping around to his side as he saw a figure lying next to him.
Will
Mike shook him awake roughly, alternating between trying to wake Will and cupping his face. When Will finally stirred, he wasn’t the happiest person to be woken up so early.
“Mike—? What the fuck? It's like 3 in the mor—“ Will cut himself off when he saw Mike. Thick tears rolling down his face, face red and splotchy around his eyes, hiccuping softly. Mike lunged at Will, pushing him back on the mattress as Mike curled up tightly against Will.
“Woah. Hey. What's wrong, Mikey?” Will asked softly, hand coming up to run through Mike's hair. Mike tensed slightly at the touch but quickly melted into it as he burrowed into Will's chest. Mike couldn’t answer. Just lied there, shaking, pressed as tightly against his boyfriend as he could. A hand fidgeted with Will's shirt, right where his heart beats. “.. . Bad dream?” Will whispered, squeezing Mike a little tighter against him.
Mike nodded, a shudder running through him as he made a small sob. Will hated seeing Mike like this. While Mike was more comfortable with him than anyone else, Will had still only seen Mike cry twice before this. Once when Will came over after Lonnie had a bad episode and got physical and twice when Will had been normal again after being a spy for the Mind Flayer. Will shushed Mike softly, fingers carding through the dark hair on the nape of his neck. "I've got you, Mike. It’ll be okay,” Will whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Mike's head. “.. . You wanna tell me what the nightmare was about?” Will probed softly, tucking his head down so Mike could look up at him easily.
Mike took a shaky breath before speaking. “.. .‘s horrible. Scared me. I— It was just you. you but.. . dead. Dead in every way you could’ve died back in Hawkins. When you first went missing— if the upside down didnt exist and you were just— gone. In the lake. Then a demo got you. Then it—“ A sob racked Mikes body. “It was awful, Will. And— and when i woke up, I had to make sure you were alive. That.. . That it was just a dream because it felt so real. So so real.” Mike whimpered, pressing his head deeper into Will’s chest.
Will couldn’t move. His hand had frozen in Mikes hair. That— That did sound awful. Sounded like something Vecna would’ve shown Jonathan. But Vecna was gone for good. This was just Mike. “Oh. Uhm. Ok. .. .Ok. That's—.. . That's ok.” Will took a deep breath, pressing a more insistent kiss to Mike's head. “Here.” Will spoke after a beat, moving Mike, much to his dismay, so his head was resting on Will's shoulder, close enough to where he could press his head into Will's pulse. Will grabbed Mikes hand too, kissing it softly before pressing it to his chest. “You can feel my pulse. So you know I’m alive and well.” Will wrapped his arms around Mike's middle, keeping him pressed tightly against him.
Mike took several deep breaths, tears finally drying into streaks on his face. He hid his face in Will's neck, hand fisting in shirt. “.. . i love you,” Mike spoke softly, letting more of his weight press into Will.
“I love you too,” Will rubbed up and down Mike's back quickly. “Now go back to sleep. You’re safe now. ‘ve got you,” Will murmured, eyes drooping heavily.
Mike repeated Will’s words in his head. You’re safe now. He never believed it when anyone else ever told him that. Not when Nancy told him after the first trip to the Upside Down. Not when Hopper said it after they found not-Will in the lake.
But Mike believed Will. Mike always believed Will.
Mike finally shut his eyes, letting himself finally fall asleep again.
You’re safe now. I’ve got you.