Chapter Text
Vecna’s Mindscape. Max POV.
Max thudded against a hard rock wall, catching her breath.
She breathed heavily, still trying to comprehend the deep disappointment that had occurred.
She was so close. Lucas was right there.
But she was too slow, and Vecna found her.
Max was cornered.
But Vecna didn’t dare step foot into the cave Max had discovered.
He stood, trembling just inches away. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, staring straight into Max’s eyes.
She pressed her back closer against the rocks, bracing herself. For her bones to snap, for everything to be just.. Gone.
But it wasn’t. Vecna hadn’t moved. He was still firmly in place, his eyes starting to water.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but couldn’t manage anything.
Max was confused, but as so, moved slightly, further down the rocky wall like it was a maze.
She wasn’t completely aware of the situation.
She knew she was in Vecna’s memories. She knew that she had just lost the opportunity to go back to the real world.
To Lucas.
But Max didn’t know why Vecna stopped chasing.
Was he afraid?
Was he waiting for her to get her guard down?
Was he coming after her right now?
Max’ restless thoughts came to a stop once she saw an opening. There was a.. Room?
It was a small area, slightly furnished as if the person staying there was camping.
Except without a tent.
There was a small makeshift bed lined with mismatched pillows, and a pile of paper.
The papers weren’t empty, they had scribbles and doodles all over.
There were a few books, but all in all, it look like a kid who ran away.
Or went missing.
Click.
Max knew that sound.
She quickly spun around to see a mysterious hooded boy pointing a rifle to her temple. “What the fuck?!” Max yelled unintentionally, grabbing the muzzle of the gun and lowering it. “Who the hell are you??”
“Who the hell are you?” The boy mimicked, swiping the rifle out of Max’ reach. “How’d you even get here?? You know what, actually, I don’t care. But this– this is my base, alright? You didn’t dare lead Henry here, did you?”
“Henry? Like.. Henry Creel?”
“Yeah, whatever, did you..?!”
“Maybe, but he’s not coming in..”
“Great, so you did!!” The boy threw his hands in the air wildly, the rifle dropping onto the floor with a thud. “Might as well kill myself now!”
“Well– No– He’s not coming in– It’s okay!!” Max tried to reassure the boy whose name she didn't even know yet.
“Yeah, no shit he isn’t coming in yet!” The boy started to pack up his things. “But if he chased you all the way to here, he’s looking for you, and he’ll get to you, and then realize ‘OH, Will is here with this redheaded bitch’--”
“I’m not a redheaded-bitch, you don’t even know me–” Max started, until she doubled back on what this mysterious boy included in his insult. “Wait, your name’s Will?”
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” The boy, Will, crossed his arms, pausing his packing.
“W-what’s your last name?” Max’ breath hitched.
“Nunya.”
“Please, come on, just– are you Will Byers?” Max groaned desperately.
“What if I was, huh?!” Will snapped, turning away with a huff.
“You’re not taking this seriously, oh my god.” Max ran her hands over her face. “If– If you were, are, I– I live in Hawkins, and I know your mom and your brother *kinda*” She added, “--But, but your friends!! I know them, okay? And– they would be so thrilled to have you home!!”
“You don’t know them.” Max saw Will’s eyes light up with hope for a split second, but then fade.
“Yes, Yes I do, okay?! I know Lucas, he’s my boyfriend actually, ex, maybe? And Dustin!! He’s one of my closest friends in addition to El, which you probably don’t know..?” Max squinted up at the ceiling unaware of Will trembling in front of her. “OH! And– And Mike, okay? I know Mike. the black haired emo boy!!”
Will looked down, his hands gripping the rocks so hard they would probably leave scrapes. “No, those are common names. You don’t know them, it’s just a coincidence. And– Mike is not emo. So it’s not my friends.”
“Mike wasn’t emo before you vanished, I’ve heard. And you mom and brother, Joyce and Jonathan. Imagine if they named you Jill, heh.” Max started to giggle but then her mind came back to the main concern. “But– I need you to trust me, okay? Then we both won’t be alone!!”
“No.. No.. No..” Will wiped at his face, his voice cracking. “You’re lying, right?”
“No, Jesus, Will, I’m not!” Max stumbled forward, trying to reassure the boy.
Will flinched. “Then how come no one has found me yet?! They all just left me for dead!!”
“They tried looking, Will. But you’ve been in Henry’s memories this whole time, how were they supposed to get you?!”
“Not this whole time. I was in this weird dimension for a year or so, it was so dark and cold..” Will trailed off. “My mom tried looking, I remember contacting her.. But then I got taken, and I expected to be rescued but I never was..” Will wiped a tear from his cheek. “I mean, I was probably in hell like my dad said I would end up in.. how was my mom supposed to reach there, either, right?!”
“No– You weren’t in hell, why– why would you think that?” Max sat next to Will, but still kept her distance. “But.. you were in another dimension. We call it the upside down. It’s basically a copy of Hawkins, didn’t you realize?”
“No.. I never got a– good look..” Will rubbed the back of his neck. “I told you, uh..”
“Max.”
“..Max, I was taken. By the doctors. They ran tests on me, infused me, until Henry took me to his mind, saying I was safe, until I really realized what was going on.. I ran into the woods until I found this cave.” Will gestured around. “He wouldn’t come in, for some reason.”
“Luck.” Max stated, “It works in mysterious ways.”
“Sure.” Will smiled slightly before closing his eyes calmly.
“What is it?” Max raised a brow, watching Will’s eyes dart back and forth under his eyelids.
“Oh nothing,” Will opened his eyes as a trail of blood started dripping from his nose. He quickly wiped it. “Henry is gone, though.”
“How do you know?” Max watched, stunned.
“I checked. I told you, they experimented with me.” Will started rummaging his stuff back together, then pulled off his cloak.
Max noticed he was quite skinny, with only some muscle. He must’ve trained.
He was wearing combat pants and boots, and a tank top, which revealed the multiple scars that decorated his arm. At his wrist, there was a number. 018
“Oh my god.” Max realized. “You’re just like my friend El!!”
“Eleborate..?” Will inquired calmly, sitting down with his sketchbook.
“She has powers too!! She was in a lab, experimenting on. Whenever she uses the powers she gets a nosebleed too, and she has 011 on her wrist just like your’s.”
Will looked up sharply, quickly pulling his wrist away from view. “Well.. small town, I guess.”
“Sure, but that’s amazing!! Why do you have to hide from Vecna, couldn’t you just attack him?!”
“Vecna..?” Will raised a brow.
“Oh shit–” Max rolled her eyes. “It's a name our group gave Henry, since he’s like this dark wizard from DnD, that nerdy game they play.”
“Hm. My friends and I played that too.” Will nodded, looking back down at his paper.
“So why don’t you believe me?!” Max snapped. “And why are you acting so casually?”
“Because..” Will started firmly, “I’ve been in this hellhole for almost four years, Max. I’ve seen shit beyond what you can’t comprehend. Henry has messed with me, played me, and not only him but my own mind has betrayed me too!! So, sorry if I’m not naive enough to believe you.” His voice broke. “To believe you know all my friends and family and that once we allegedly escape, I can see them again.”
“How can I prove it to you?” Max groaned, crossing her arms.
“Tell me something only a friend of my friends would know.”
Max thought hard, until a certain phrase came back to her. He tried to cast fireball. I don’t know if it worked.
Mike had vented to her when they first met, when he was still questioning if he were alive.
Mike had no hope since then.
“Did the fireball fail, Will?” Max choked out.
Will’s head snapped up, and he muttered ‘fuck’ under his breath. But he simply went back to drawing. “Yeah it did. But… you can’t outrun fate sometimes.”