Chapter Text
SHOCK JOCK
Mike watched as Will, his best friend since childhood knelt on the dirty ground, and wiped his nose. He was like El. He was always like El. God. He was perfect.
Mike recovered from the shock of having a Demogorgon snapped apart before his eyes and sprinted over to Will, who was promptly falling.
He caught him just before he hit the ground and helped him up.
“Will!” Joyce was running towards them, eyes crinkled in concern for her son that had been through too much.
“Oh, baby are you hurt are you okay? That was amazing!” The questions and compliments spewed from her mouth like a talk show announcer.
“Yeah, yeah I’m-I’m good.” Will mumbled from beside Mike, who turned to look him in the eyes.
Will was amazing. He was. He was amazing and he was beautiful and he wasn’t Mikes. Will had talked about a crush on this guy before to Mike. Mike hated it but he cares too much about Will to shut down his rants about how oblivious this guy is.
So Mike did the only thing he saw fit. He turned and he hugged Will, their first real hug since Will had left for Lenora. They had grown back together and into some old habits over the months after the earthquake, but physical touch was not one of them and seemed almost out of the question.
So, obviously being surprised, Will gasped and let out a soft sound, possibly Mikes name.
And in that moment everything was perfect.
And then their perfection was broken by the sound of choppers in the air.
ROBIN POV
Sitting with her knees up to her chest and her face buried somewhere in her shirt was Robin Buckley. ‘Rockin Robin. If only the people who listen to her radio show could see her now, curled up beside a flipped van, a dead interdimensional monster laying before her and no children.
Oh, and one more thing. She was sobbing.
Because she knew that all this time her mother was right. She was useless. She was absolutely and completely useless. She couldn’t even defend herself from the Demo, let alone some kids.
She’s horrible. They’re going to be so mad at her. She was probably the only one who lost the kids. How could she ever explain to them what happened tonight? How could she ever make them trust her again after she screwed up so badly today? How could she-
“Robin!” Murray’s voice startled her from her thoughts. “The truck, it flipped. Are you okay and.. the kids, are they..?”
She shook her head. The tears on her face stinging her eyes. She failed. She failed.