Work Text:
Hawkins
Year 2 (at Hogwarts)
"Gran!" Neville whined his hair getting pulled into place "don't gran me! You need to be presentable." Augusta huffed patting his well fixed hair. Neville looked up at her "your father used to make sure he was presentable. You should too"
"I'm 12. Not 23..." Neville sighed looking at the floor before being shuffled into the wheeler household. Apparently it was some boys birthday and they were invited? Neville didn't even know the boy. What was his name? Mike?
Neville tried to stay close to his gran but he was told to go to the basement and to not do anything weird.
What was he gonna do weird.?
When he walked down and looked around he saw a bunch of kids playing a table top game and when he went to say hi he was told to 'go away we're in the middle of a campaign'
Okay..
He saw a boy sitting alone, watching them so he joined the boy. "Hi..! Did they tell you to go away too?" The boy stared at him with shock as if he was surprised he could see him. One of his eyes was really bloody as if bashed with a rock, and his hair was really messy as if pulled a lot. But he looked cute
Neville reached out and touched his face "are you okay? Your eye.." the boy flinched "I'm.. they didn't tell me to go away.. they just can't see me" he said, his voice almost echos on nothing
Oh. Neville was doing something weird. At least weird to other people. "oh.. well I can see you, hear you, and feel you, that must mean something.!" Neville smiled at the boy. The boy looked at his lap
"What's your name?" He asked and the boy answered "Will" Neville smiled even more "that's a cool name."
"Who are you talking to?" A black haired boy who he assumes is Mike asked making Neville jump and lean against Will who laughs "uh, he said his name was Will, your name is Mike, right?" Neville answered
"Will... No, you can't be talking to him. He's dead." Mike chokes on his words.
Neville realises his mistake "he is?" Shit he's being weird
"Yeah... He died a few months ago.." Mike tells him, narrowing his eyes with a frown.
Neville stared at Mike "well uhm..." He muttered. Looking anywhere but Mike. "Happy birthday?" He said sheepishly. "Thanks..."
Mike walked up the stairs. Neville following.
"Mom!" He said running up to her "he said he was talking to Will!" Mike yelled "who?" The older woman asked. Augusta looked at Neville with narrowed eyed.
Mike pointed at him. Neville looked next to him where will was standing "Neville. Come with me." Augusta sighed. Neville walked with her outside. Will had followed.
"I told you not to do anything weird. How can you even see him? I can't." Augusta spoke. Neville looked at the floor "I'm sorry, Gran.." Augusta huffed. "We were trying to keep up appearances. Now I have to say I have schizo for a grandson."
"Don't say that!" Neville yelled. But Augusta already walked inside. Neville decided to just run away from the house instead of following her. "Nope. I'm not showing my face after my gran decided to tell them a lie. I don't like lying." Neville muttered before looking at will. "You followed me?" He asked
"I can't give up the only person who could be my friend." He muttered. Neville smiled "thanks.. I don't have many friends." He says under his breath. Walking by a house "wait we should go this way, follow me." Will said
Will walked past the house and Neville followed. After a bit of walking they made it to a fort made of sicks 'castle byers. Home of Will the Wise'.
"Wow!" Neville smiles crawling inside castle Byers and sitting next to Will "what do you like to do?" Neville asked him
"I like to draw. I can't anymore though" will answered, which made him sad "why not?"
"I can't pick up anything." Will looked at Neville, who took out a sketchbook and pencil "well maybe you can move my hands and draw"
Will liked the idea and started drawing.
He got impatient and decided to possess Neville instead so he can draw easily. After a bit of drawing he gave Neville his body back.
"Woah that was cool!" Neville laughs looking at the picture he decided to add flowers and plants around Will the Wise which he was really good at drawing.
*★*
It was getting dark but Neville didn't care. He was having fun with his new friend. But Augusta didn't have the same sentiment, she was panicking. Where did her grandson go?
She went to the Byers household.
And Jonathan went to check castle Byers.
Neville was happily talking to Will when the entrance was opened. Neville quickly looked at the other guy who crawled into "hey bud, you're Neville, right?.. your gran is looking for you." Jonathan spoke quietly and softly, trying not to scare him.
"How's your new friend?" He asked. "He's nice" Neville answered with a smile "he drew this" Neville showed Johnathan the drawing Jonathan went silent staring at the drawing "he did, didn't he?" His face grew a small smile. "Let's get you to your gran. You can take will with you if you want.. he won't get any fun here anyway.."
And so he did