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“Will,” Henry says, glaring directly at him, the light smirk on his smug countenance painted a certain victory. “Does the situation change when it’s unknown?—maybe something that’s perceived as infinite until there’s a stop, a forceful way out that uncovers what has been in hiding all these years? Because I know, and I will make you realize how ruined you truly are.”
Will was stunned at those words, lost his focus and blinked hard once.
The battlefield vanished in an instant, light and dark, everything and nothing right in front of him—filling the space in his field of vision but it wasn't at the same time. Will blinks a few more times, trying to adjust his eyes that keep dilating because he isn't sure if the space is light or dark—it’s unknown. He grunts, bringing his hands to cup his face, inching closer to tear at his stinging eyes. His pupils burn and his fingers dig into his skin. Blood begins to escape from the repeated abuse, oozing out as his nails scratch with no mercy, collecting skin—like his eyes were solely reduced as a hindrance.
The void quietly pitied him. “Poor Will,” it thought, hiding its presence and using its authority to quickly metamorphose itself to adjust to Will’s unwanted presence.
His pain immediately stops—his eyes settle, gathering the meager light instead of submitting to the dark. Confused but curious, he removed his hands from his sockets, red and bruised. Will really was going to rip off his eyes to stop the aching. But he wonders why the pain stopped so suddenly, but wonders more about what is happening…
He doesn't know where he is or how he ended up here. Wasn’t he just saving Lucas and everyone from getting crushed and killed by demogorgons? Dying was only a few steps away but now he lives? His ears rang, eyes stung, and nose dripped with blood. He was just using the same strange “magic telekinesis” El and Vecna have, side-effects and all—So how did he end up here the second he tapped into the same power?
“Hello?” He yells but only echoes in his head. Sound doesn’t seem to have authority here. He turns his head around to the swirl of light and dark in curious awe. Carefully, he treads the space around him with his foot, finally finds what could be called solid footing and takes a step. Then another, along with another. Walking around in an endless trail, he begins to wonder why the eerie whereabouts start to feel familiar. His mind sparks and feels like it’s re-wiring, the warmness he felt from the beginning is starting to overwhelm him, like he’s melting.
A familiar comfort, like when he’s being held by Mike—
Shit! He shakes off the rising flush, grounding himself and calming his fast beating heart to focus on more important thoughts. Like how he was just at the most risky battle that decided if everyone gets to live another day! He was supposed to end the demogorgons and save everyone! What happened?—
Henry!
He must’ve done this…Is this a power he’d never known of? Henry was talking to him the moment before he entered this void. What did his words mean? Perhaps a clue or a taunt? Is Henry watching him struggle and laughing that he succeeded in his plan to use his other vessels? Or could this be something entirely different? These questions swirled in his mind, Will had to escape and confront Henry on what the fuck he just did. The problem is how will he escape. Which seems impossible with how suddenly he had to understand his new situation, but surely he can figure this out.
Even though it’d be nice to stay and finally escape hell—No! He cannot stay any longer than he has, everyone is waiting on his return that could take years or seconds.
So, Will—being the smart guy he is—sat down, supposedly “planning” but really is just taking a break to regain understanding. Pulled away from the second he harnessed the power left Will in a state of confusion. His mind was still rattled, raw from the instant switch between this “world” with his own. Will started to feel isolated, he saw everything—but nothing, infinitely. He barely held on to his consciousness before it could slip, this is so unlike my world, he thought. He felt hot all over, a rosy flush around his ears down to his neck. He felt he might break at the slightest command.
Ridiculous!
He was the sole inhabitant of this space—as far as he knows—shouldn’t it listen to him? But he feels like he’s supposed to say something, anything. Will doesn’t know why he has to say something, but maybe it can get him out?
The urge, the need. But for what? He can’t completely wrap his head around whatever the fuck this place is doing to him, but he sees what it’s doing to him and he wants to try and prevent it from doing more damage.
But Will, the major wimp he is, stays frozen in his spot. Between floating and a fixed sitting position, he starts to nervously sing Should I Stay or Should I Go? Wanting to decide if he should wait it out until he’s back in his world or if he should roam about again. A hard decision for a shy person such as Will, and quite the choice for an already traumatized person who happens to be dragged into other dimensions most of the time. His experience in this case should be outstanding, but this world seems to have a complexity of its own compared to the upside down.
The upside down was something Will and his friends figured out—tweaks and all—but that was with a team, he’s by himself. Well, for one—he’s already tried to find clues, only finding one major change in the always-changing infinity. Specks, blobs, or glitches of what seems to be memories of Will himself flash brightly around the space, but it’s so fast like lighting that he can barely process the rare occasion. And for two—when that doesn’t happen, he starts to really feel the weird symptoms he’s been having and that have progressed at a slow but steady rate.
Ok, I’ll try and wander around again. Will finally decides when he finished his interesting rendition of his song. He reassures himself one last time that this is the only way to escape before standing up, patting his knees as a mental reassurance. He makes sure to especially ignore that itchy warm feeling that’s been amplified slightly but enough for him to be weakened to an extent for a while.
Will stood there for a minute, convincing himself again that this was the only way to have a chance of escaping. But before him, there was one of those glitches, and he managed to catch a glimpse.
The void found purpose in giving a hint…But why now?
This memory was different from the others because he knows this one. The others were random memories that he didn't recognize because they were so fast. But this one…it dragged, slowed like it wanted Will to see it. If that’s what the space authorized, then that’s exactly what happened.
Because he saw it.
He could see that this is the memory that has been held dear in his heart.
Ugh, I feel fuzzy again. The symptoms worsen, his heart starts to beat louder, working faster than it ever has; his chest hurts, it's pumping him hard enough to give an insane amount of adrenaline as if he’s running for one last time.
His earlier declaration to hurry and find escape ebbed away because it felt like someone had their fingers in his brain, touching each part cruelly. Will runs. Away from the pain, away from the void consuming him within. Affecting him with a heat that creeps up his throat. He screams—a blood curdling sound that doesn’t travel anywhere. The noise is sent back to him in a high pinch screech. His head thumps, pain everywhere and now what feels like blood being released begins to trickle from his ears. He falls—or floats—and wriggles around, holding his head between his hands and just screams louder, only to come back as a head-splitting cry.
Agonizing, terrifying, horrible.
That’s all Will can think about. He hates it so much. Why is he here? Henry is just making him suffer more, much more than he already has. What did he do to have such pain? Fresh tears run down his face as he huddles into himself closer, feeling a loose sense of security. He sniffled as he calmed down enough to just breath and blink. The blood surprisingly seeped into his shirt, the same shirt Mike gave him. Oh how I missed him. He silently sobbed, using his shirt as an anchor so he doesn’t go through another episode. The pain’s still there, but now muted. Like it was only charging for an ultimate attack—like when Mike spends a bonus attack in D&D to “charge the attack” and gives the damaged dice the advantage! Smiling to himself, he remembers all the D&D games he’s played, calming himself down in the process. Fond memories of his friends that he cherishes, especially Mike, always grounds him. He rethinks back to when that specific memory showed. It weighed his mind when it appeared, only zeroing his attention to how did such a tender moment that defined his life end up in this hell? What’s scary is how vivid it was, like it belonged to the other person he was with.
The only other one was Mike. He was sure—no, certain that this wasn’t Mike’s memory. How would they have got it? This revelation forced him reevaluate the situation, as if he really is the only person here or could Mike be somewhere…controlling—Not possible, he’s a normal human, he couldn’t do something so advanced out of the blue. The only other two feasible explanations—given the situation and its current findings—was that Mike was here or that Henry was doing the same to Mike as to Will but worse as he had access to his memories. Will cringes at the thought of Henry playing Mike’s head, likely having the same pain as Will but multiplied. Feeling as his brain being torn into individual strands and toyed with like wires, blood pooling in Mike’s ears as his eyes rolled back from the excruciating agony. Will shuts his eyes in an attempt to stop his head from throbbing by the mental image.
The void seems to control how long Will can travel before being tortured into staying still. This seems to be another unspoken rule Will unfairly figured out by experience and one he doesn’t want to feel again.
Will realizes he’s learning more about this space, urging him to take mental notes about the rules that appear to govern the place and how it interacts.
First rule: Forget everything known and proven to work on Earth.
It’s useless to argue with this rule when it defies the foundation that provided an understanding to Will’s world. He isn’t smart enough to think about the specifics.
Second rule: Nothing has authority until given permission. Sound and sight aren’t rights, they’re privileges.
He seemed aware that the pain that terrorized his eyes was taken away from an unknown entity.
Something controlled the space—the conclusion Will came to.
And that scared him.
“Will,”
A voice echoed across the infinite void.
.
.
.
.
Will staggered.
“Can you hear me?”
…
He was right. His breath quickened in realization.
There was something.
And it felt familiar.
This voice, he knew this voice.
All those flashing memories that danced upon the swirl of light and dark finally made sense, but he was missing the last piece. The voice was grotesque, it didn’t sound human but he knew. Every inch of his body resonated with the unique tone that managed to rumble through the distortion.
“Will, can you hear me? I feel you…”
Will decided to respond. But not because he wanted to, but because he felt that if he didn’t, the consequences would be much more extreme than the pain he had experienced before. The pull he underwent trying to swallow the words he so desperately wanted to say, but didn’t as he was immobile from the fear that ran down his body like magma. In the end, the words came out of his mouth before he could think about what he was saying.
“Is that you, Mike?”
Total silence.
Then, complete chaos.
The void screams in agony, the infinity suddenly stopping—which is no longer an infinity, right? The complex world built on everything and nothing, became something. Everything twisted and coiled, hurling Will along with the rapid change of its shape. His left shoulder collides with the light that feels as if it's burning and bubbling his skin. The pain was immediate—a piercing cry escaped him. His right side was enveloped in the darkness sucking all of his flesh and energy, leaving his arm hollowed to bone, or at least that’s what he feels. Both attacks left him restrained, floating in the void with his head hanging low, feeling helpless. This is so much worse than anything before.
It feels hopeless to defend.
He can’t control anything.
So he screams.
“Mike! Help me!”
His voice was taken away from him as what felt like a spike piercing between his already injured shoulder blades that were desperately holding on by measly pieces of flesh, eyes rolling back from the shock as he could only let out a measly wheeze. His mouth hung open and eyes sealed shut from the impact, along with his willingness not to open them as he would be faced with the neverending swirl of hell. He felt that familiar feeling as when he first came here, that he was falling but rising through what might’ve been described as a black hole, sucking light that tries to escape—the only difference is that Will might’ve actually defying the realm itself. Hope engulfs Will as he claws himself to grip onto something to stop himself from supposedly accelerating, immediately proving useless. The void stopped around him and for him when he yelled Mike’s name. Should he yell again? But each time proved to cause more terror towards Will because it seemed that the void knows who Mike is and wants to hide such a simple fact.
He miscalculated the severity of his impulse.
He should’ve never mentioned Mike if this was the outcome.
But, hope gnaws his raw mind, as he thinks he’s close to escaping the impending destruction of the void.
He just needs to get through the pain.
It’s not real. He tells himself. Not physically anyway.
He had noticed only bits of blood escaped from him, which was surprising considering he was expecting gaping wounds but it seems that he only imagined such injuries. But the pain was real, he felt it so clearly but it clearly isn’t affecting him in a physical sense. This had to have been an effect the void placed upon Will. Now that he thinks about it, he starts searching for wounds, and nothing appears on his body that can prove his torture.
He starts to contradict himself even more now. Is it real or not? Is he in a dream? No, it’s so lucid for even the most lucid of dreams. His mind can’t make up a solution, and he was so close to one too!
But, among all the things he’s experienced here, among all the things given up because it seems too impossible, he finally made up his mind.
“MIKE! COME AND HELP ME YOU FUCKING LOSER!”
Everything stops again, sound finally reaching every corner of the void which is waiting for the only answer it’ll accept.
“DO I HAVE TO FINALLY SAY WHAT I’VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU FROM THE MOMENT YOU SAT NEXT TO ME ON THE SWING?”
The void starts to rumble and crack, the light seeping in creating golden hues that capture Will’s emotion.
“I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT! Ever since I first saw you, I wanted to say this…I…”
Will takes a deep breath, thinking about how long he’s sealed off these emotions. Now is the time to confess. Now or never.
“I LOVE YOU, DAMMIT!”
He yells vigorously, his voice breaks from how harsh it thundered through the void. The cracks widened in size and something brilliant was shining through the light that peered from the cracks before. Emulsified in its glory. Will stumbled back and landed on his bottom, his head tipping over as his gaze was hypnotized by the radiance glaring at him. He reaches to embrace the familiar warmth, trying to reach what seems to be his salvation.
The one and only who’ll ever save him. He knows this sultry affection belongs to him, and Will would do anything to keep it. Especially after he said those three words. The ones that meant everything for him, the ones that he let flutter into reality not as a joke but now as a feeling.
But even if the light was abundant, dazzling and masking most of the dark, some darkness always prevailed and he felt the thunder behind him shake his surroundings.
A voice spoke, one that he recognized and internally shivered.
Congratulations, Will.
It spoke, causing the light to retract a bit of its radiance.
You finally said what you have meant to say all these years.
Ah, Will hates this voice, the one who brought him into a new hell rather than the one he was already at.
Even if I had to force this confession, it was desperate and honest. Exactly what I wanted.
Henry Creel.
The devil himself.
Now you know how disgusting you are. You were ruined so I found no use for trash such as yourself. So I had to procure new vessels.
Will’s face incredulously twists as he looks behind him, facing towards the darkness but also looking beyond to understand Henry’s nonsense. What was Henry referring to? Either way, the warmth residing in his heart keeps him strong, he will not be taken down by ignorance.
Ah, it seems you have forgotten what I said to you before entering the mind of Mike Wheeler. He knows everything that has happened here.
The memories, the familiarity, the comforting warmth—it all makes sense now.
Will is inside Mike’s mind.
And Mike knows—is aware of this. Will was the intruder, and Mike’s mental state either protected or tortured him.
Will’s mouth gapes, the realization hitting him like a train he can’t recover from. His pain and discomfort was all known to Mike. But his confession was the most worrying, since it would possibly be counted as a memory, and Will starts to internally panic. The stunning laughability of the situation stupefied Will. He couldn’t believe anything anymore. This was a part of Henry’s power to torment the minds of others, but this wasn’t a trauma of Will’s, it was psychological.
You have figured out my powers, but do you know why I sent you into the hell known as Mike’s mind?
“Why, Henry?” Will’s eyes began to water, “Mike didn’t even do anything to deserve this from you! Maybe I did it thinking Mike would…ever possibly love me like I do to him?”
Wait…
The darkness wanes against the light, pulling Will closer towards its luster.
Do not say that you fool!
What was happening? Henry’s voice was becoming more distorted than it was originally. Will realizes something, a door opens and possibilities spill through for escape.
Say what caused you to be in here and what broke the dimension.
“MIKE!”
NO! STOP THAT YOU SICK FUCK!
Will looked back and saw the darkness stretch and fight against the light, the swirl emulating how stars explode, the brightness blinding Will momentarily.
YOU WILL REGRET SHOWING ME HOW REVOLTING YOU ARE!
The darkness inched towards his dainty ankle and clasped it with crushing strength. The fight was not over yet, as Will was rapidly dragged to the source of Henry’s voice, he clawed at the light as he fought back. His ankle was twisted and the bone poked through his skin. But he fastened his grip on the light, his knuckles stretching and bones popping. He screamed at the sensation, barely grasping his conscience to keep strong at the pain, it was mental not physical so all he had to do was bear it. He yelped at the sudden pull from the light, being stretched by both sides trying to pull him apart almost. He wrangled his feet to try and loosen but it was useless, his strength impossible to resist compared to something otherworldly.
“WILL!”
The warped voice rumbled the battlefield, causing the chaos to momentarily pause.
“USE YOUR POWERS! DEFEAT HIM ONCE AND FOR ALL!”
Will’s eyes widened and his heart pounded. He didn't think about that possibility, but could he actually do it? Won’t it injure Mike’s internal headspace, the only he was so obliviously residing in? Will was deep in thought then felt his body become lighter, coincidentally loosening him from his restraints. He floated away from the two forces at an alarming rate towards what seems to be the top, which is confusing in a space where nothing is currently defined except for Mike and Henry’s presence being powers that were opposites.
Will realized he was exhilarating faster, panicking, he reached his arm out to the light. His eyes watered clinging to what he convinces himself is the embodiment of Mike’s warmth. Until his fingers slipped and he was pulled away, his arm reaching for one last touch was the last part showing before he blipped from sight.
—
The force from being vacuumed with sudden power caused Will to be nauseous from the accumulated force. The pain bangs his thoughts and sight, keeping him from evaluating the new space. Once he felt he could open his eyes without the feeling of gouging them out to stop the pain, he slowly adjusted his eyes. The familiar feeling caused him to quickly close his eyes. He rethinks what happened when he first came here. The same thing might happen again, and that would start with his eyes. He keeps his eyes shut with no thoughts of opening them and his mind replays the traumatic sensations. He cowers into a ball, his hands not letting any type of crevice show on his face as he cups with strength.
But that itching curiosity gets stronger, that adventurous part of him that’s overpowering his cowardliness. As the saying goes, curiosity kills the cat—well maybe not a cat more like a rabbit—and he unravels his protective shield. He springs to action but still is nervous to open his eyes. He pranced around with hands clasped behind his back thinking if traveling with his eyes closed is the best idea. His mind rambled on and on until he felt a chill down his spine, opening his eyes on instinct.
The surroundings were nothing he expected. It was a space that seemed to be a solitary confinement room. He caressed the walls, covered in pristine white soft padding that was soft and silky. He noticed his clothes were changed for a pure white set, and that he was laying on what could be described as the most comfortable bed he has ever laid upon. The puffy white sheets and pillows as soft as what clouds must feel like cushioned him. He didn’t realize what he was on because of his panic attack from earlier experiences but he completely melted on the soothing bed and the tranquil aura the room exuded. His peace and comfort was interrupted by the sudden change of lighting. From a soft, warm color emulating sunset that contributed towards his serenity shifted into a quick contrast of a violet uncovering the secrets hidden in the room. The violet revealed spatters of orange, yellow, and green staining the fluffy white. His head spinned and he felt nauseous, massaging his temples as he stumbled off the bed to ground himself. Colors swirled all around the room, and the lights flickered rapidly. He stumbled and bumped into all the furnishing that made the room feel smaller. A bed, desk, chair, and a bedside cabinet enclosed him while he frantically tried to regain composure. He leaned against the padded wall and his breathing became easier.
Ok, he slumped down onto the floor, anymore surprises left Henry? His inner thought became fed up with the constant twists and all Will wants is to end it once and for all. He tipped his head backwards and fell right through the wall.
Fucking great, what else?!
He freefalled through what looks like a starry night, his white clothing causing him to look like a falling star, slowly losing its luster. Frankly, Will was up to doing anything that freed him for this everchanging hell. He kept falling and falling but he could care less. All his fear turned into annoyance as to how much longer will Henry enjoy this boring game.
Give it up Henry…
On the prospect, could Henry maybe get him out? It can’t be as easy as just asking him but he could try for sure.
“Henry!” Clearing his throat, he makes sure that Henry is actually listening by the wisp of darkness crossing him, he’s here. “Let me OUT!”
“Do you really think you can just demand me to release you? Hell no, William!” His voice filled the starry space with a snappy tone.
That didn’t work genius…Will criticized the stupidity of his plan. He was planning another way of escape when he felt a presence looming beside him.
“I could…” Henry starts but doesn’t finish, prying Will to ask.
“What?” Will responds immediately, unknowingly trapping himself into Henry’s ploy.
“Well, I could make a deal with you,” Will could feel his smirk but listened more closely, “It’s something very lucrative for the both of us, extremely beneficial for our situation.”
His reassurance scares Will and he very well knows that this could be bullshit. But if he could save himself and Mike, he will most probably do it.
“But what are you talking about, Henry? What could be your grand plan that’s good for the both of us?” He breaths heavily, “Last time I checked, I’m being held captive in my crushes fucking head! Because of you!” Will now is completely losing himself and raises his voice “AND! You sent me here because I wasn’t the ‘perfect’ vessel you have been oh so seeking, aren’t I Henry?”
…
The both retain a silence between them that is nowhere near comfortable after Will’s burst and it seems the first to say a word is the one losing in this pretend battle of pride and ego.
“Ahem…Well…Anyways…” Henry awkwardly stumbles over his words, being uncharacteristically nervous. “I think it’s time I go over my deal, shall I?”
Loser lost the battle, Will pumped his fist in victory. “We should definitely go over terms and conditions, yup,” He popped the ‘p’ of yup, giving it the ultimate amount of sass he could conjure, given the severity of the situation.
“Now we have common ground, don’t we?” He says slowly, as if waiting for a reaction.
“Well, for one, there is no ground idiot. I’m still falling.” Crossing his arms and rolling his eyes, “And two, put me on some solid ground or else I won’t agree.” Will firmly states.
“Fine.” Henry agrees and what sounds like a snap of fingers yielded his falling and Will dropped on his bottom hard. A grunt escaped from him and Henry smirked. Will blew the hair away from his eyes and stood up, curiously, he looked around and the starry night was still visible but he looks down and is standing on what seems to be grass.
“Where are we?” His bare feet stroke the grass and he feels that he can breathe easier. A large plain of green grass muted by the purple blueish night sky and stars enunciating its beauty. Will's eyes shine and tears pool in his eyelids, reminds me of Earth. He didn’t know how much he missed it.
“This is the calmest part of Mike’s mind, and the most ideal place to have a conversion.” Nodding in agreement to Will sentiment to this place’s tranquility. “Let’s get started.”
Will shakes his head in anticipation, because Henry was finally telling him his deal.
“So,” He starts, “We both know we dislike each other,” Irrelevant but true, “Said that to get it out of the way,” He clarifies, and Will nods in agreement, “What I’m about to say is going to relieve all of your problems but with a small price to pay in return.”
Gosh, Will always knows there's some condition that's labeled as “small” but in reality it's not, he just hopes it has nothing to do with his beloved.
“What’s the ‘small’ price, Henry?” This sly creep is setting him up but Will still listens, awaiting his answer.
“The price my dear,” He stops, and Will throws his hands up in frustration, “Ok ok, do not get impatient with me,” He continues and takes a deep breath and Will couldn’t help but notice his smile falter, “You and I have to sacrifice ourselves.”
Wow, this is NOT what I expected at ALL…
Will stood there stunned, and Henry couldn’t even retain eye contact.
“So we’d have to kill ourselves—”
“Each other,” He interrupted, "We would kill each other because that’s how it works.”
Will clears his throat and Henry slaps his hand on his mouth, “As I was saying, why would we kill each other?” Even if the topic was serious, Will still had to mock Henry at every opening to display his disgust that's mutual between the both.
“Simple, the universe would reset and we would cease to exist. Call it..,” He hesitated, reaching for the right words, “A restart! Everything I’ve done so far wouldn’t happen because you and I didn’t exist!”
“But why would the universe reset? I didn’t know you had that type of power…”
The dark entity Henry had been speaking from transformed into the actual Henry. He rubs his watch then fixes his cuffs before looking at Will, “I don’t, but we have the right conditions for such to happen.”
Right conditions? Will ponders what could be right about a place that is so wrong and defies everything, but at this point, nothing is impossible.
“Mutual dislike, someone in the mind of their beloved, and the both of us have otherworldly powers as well. If we channel all of those—especially our powers—into the intricacies of Mike’s mental state, we would defy Fate itself causing it to reset to restore balance.”
Defying Fate itself would cause the whole timeline to erase itself and start over is something Will could’ve never guessed was the end result of a measly deal. Something so elaborate coming out from Henry as well, the world is full of surprises and there seems to not be lacking of any at the moment.
“So,” Will whispers but loud enough for only Henry to hear, “Would Mike be hurt by such a plan?”
Henry raises an eyebrow, How selfless, but still disgusting, he thinks but goes over to pat Will’s head.
“Oh Will, Mike will be just fine, he’ll just be the vessel for the both of us.” Henry reassures him but only makes Will panic more.
“A vessel??” His voice was harsh, “I could never reduce Mike to a mere vessel like you do!” Eyes holding Henry hostage.
“No, it will not be bad, I personally assure you.” Henry’s hand ruffles Will’s hair, lifts his hand and he steps behind him, looking towards the horizon, “The only thing he’ll have to endure is heartbreak and he’ll never know why.”
Heartbreak? Sure, Mike would care if Will never existed—wait, would he?
“Henry, could I talk to Mike? Is that possible? Can it be now?” Fear filled Will as he didn’t want to leave without Mike knowing his feelings in this timeline.
“That is possible, but there is nothing you can do to change the consequences. But if this is what gives you solace, then I’ll allow it.”
Will quickly stands up, gulping. I’m too nervous right now!! He can’t seem to calm down and Henry chuckles at him. Will whips him a death glare, then he is caught off guard when someone hugs him.
“Will…” His voice choked with emotion, Will’s eyes widened at the sound of his name. He threw his arms around his love, squeezing everything that he missed.
“Mike!” Tears escaped and Will was sobbing, his face in between the crevice of his neck, wetting Mike’s shirt. He pulled away and drank all of Mike, the corners of his lips to the familiar curls falling on his ears. Will reached to tame the wild curls when Mike grabbed the back of his hair, pulling him into a kiss. Will squeaked but ultimately melted in Mike’s warmth. Mike pulled away and leaned his forehead on Will’s, noses touching. He saw Will’s flush, even if their lips touched and nothing more.
“Mike..”
“Shh, it’s ok, I feel it too.”
Will’s eyes glistened and he gently smiled. The moment was the embodiment of warmth, two lost parts finding each other, completing as a whole. That is until Henry ruined it all
“We don’t have all day, lover boys.” He spat, the venom in his tone apparent. Mike shifted his head to face the bastard and anger was evident in his expression.
“Why the fuck are you here? Did you hurt Will?” He raged, holding Will even closer to him.
Huh? Will was under the impression Mike knew they were invading his mind, he even heard Mike talk directly to him but was that the inner Mike? These thoughts confused him and he decided not to dwell on the topic for too long. If he did, what was the point? Mike would forget he ever existed anyway.
Henry filled Mike in the plan and Mike’s face paled. Will stood beside him, hands intertwined and he felt his beloved grip tighter. Both Henry and Will could read Mike’s face, telling them that there had to be some other way to do this. But Henry responded that if Mike wanted half the population to die, then there was another way. Will didn’t even know that there even was another way, but they all knew the former was better than the latter.
“If you hadn’t gotten us to this mess Henry, everything bad wouldn’t have happened!” Henry looked away, he knew he was right but his pride denied accountability. Typical, Will thought, turning to Mike, he cupped his face and peppered him with kisses, trying to console Mike by saying he would save the world.
“What about saving you?” He held Will’s wrists looking away, refusing eye contact. Will stood there, his smile losing itself. He had no response, because Mike’s right. What about him? Just as he finally got Mike, it would be over sooner than it was established. Just as Will was about to ask Henry if there was another way besides euthanizing half the human population and having a bastard kill him, Henry snatched Will away from Mike.
“Grab this!” He yelled, shoving a gun to Will’s chest, “We don’t have much time left!” The sky swirled, the stars losing its might and the tranquil aura becoming shaky. “Mike’s mind has had enough of us being here and wants us out! It is either now or never, WILL MAKE UP YOUR MIND!”
Will gripped the gun, looking back towards Mike’s pained expression and ran towards him. He gave him one last kiss, a string of saliva connecting their lost touch when Will pulled away. He patted Mike’s hair and leaned over by his ear.
“Mike,” He breathed, tingling all of Mike’s senses, “I love you.”
He pulled away, leaving Mike’s mouth agape in an attempt to reciprocate those three words. Mike grabbed the air he was just in but Will was already out of his reach.
Henry pointed the gun between Will’s eyes and Will did the same.
“This will lessen the pain, and cause immediate death.”
In which it did.
—
The feeling of loss and heartbreak haunt Mike, nothing seeming to relieve a certain absence.
But life moves on, he’ll go over to Lucas’ house today.
He will be over this soon, at least that's what he thinks.
If there's a will, there's a way