Archive of Our Own

“There are so many reporters outside, Michael.”

Mike’s brows furrowed, his arms folded across his chest as he looked out the window at the swarm of reporters gathered outside the house, each with different network labels plastered across their equipment and massive cameras slung over their shoulders. The neighbors had come out too, curious about what all the commotion was about, while Karen anxiously called out, pacing back and forth in front of the door as she debated whether she should let any of the reporters in or not.

Ted sat in his recliner, watching the news that everyone seemed to be talking about, flipping from one channel to another only to find the exact same news playing on every single one. 

He eventually glanced at Mike. “You’re in trouble,” he said, letting out a cynical scoff.

Mike scoffed, dropping himself onto the couch in frustration. He glared at the television, which was showing footage of him as one of the people involved, but that wasn’t the main story.

The main story was Will.

The footage of Will using his powers to defeat and control a Demogorgon that had lunged at Mike, snapping every bone in its body with nothing but his outstretched hand and eyes gone completely white until the Demogorgon finally died—the entire thing was being broadcast on television.

The footage began with that scene and ended with Mike running over to hug his best friend after he had successfully unlocked his powers. All around them, soldiers lay dead, and flames burned everywhere.

The footage went viral everywhere after one major news channel aired it. Will’s name was splashed across newspapers, accompanied by all kinds of different headlines, while comments from people spread rapidly from mouth to mouth, all within just an hour of the broadcast.

“Isn’t he a Zombie Boy?”

“He’s a ghost. I’m sure of it.”

“He’s a superhero! A superhero!”

“I’m pretty sure he’s not even human.”

“He’s a monster!”

“Honestly, he’s pretty damn cool and handsome.”

“He’s a threat to us.”

“He’s dangerous.”

“Did you see all those soldiers? He killed them.”

“Hawkins? That town’s gotta be cursed.”

“The woman he hugged must be his mother, but who’s that guy hugging him? The one he saved? Does he have superpowers too?”

“I think the government’s just trying to distract everyone from something else. This is all part of their plan.”

“He’s an evil monster.”

“This isn’t some movie promotion?”

“We need to get rid of him.”

And there were countless more comments from all kinds of different perspectives, especially with news outlets fueling everything by running increasingly exaggerated headlines.

A real-life superhero? Of course it was a huge phenomenon. It wasn’t just one continent talking about it, either, so Mike was pretty damn sure the reporters outside his house had come from all over the world.

Besides Will, Mike’s and Joyce’s faces were also plastered across the television as people who had been at the scene, but none of that mattered because Will was the one who was truly in danger now, being hunted down and searched for.

And Will wasn’t in this house.

The Byers family had moved to Hopper’s cabin a month after the final battle. No one knew where the place was, which made it completely safe from the reporters. That was why Mike’s house had become their target instead. It was better that way, but also worse, because right now, all he wanted was to go see Will.

But there was no way he could leave, not when there was a chance someone might follow him and eventually discover where Will was hiding.

“Will is so cool,” Holly blurted out, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the screen.

Their landline had been ringing nonstop ever since their home address became known. People kept calling, trying to get information, and Karen had started getting so frustrated that she cursed out whoever called before they could even explain why they were calling.

They had also tried calling the people staying at Hopper’s cabin to make sure they were safe, but no one had answered. Karen figured they were probably getting nonstop threatening calls too, so they had decided not to answer any calls at all.

Will had to be terrified right now.

“Okay, Michael, do something. Joyce isn’t answering my calls.” Karen sat down, rubbing her forehead. “This house never gets a damn break.”

She was being told to do something when the only thing he wanted to do was make sure Will was safe.

So he stood there. Staring at the television wasn’t going to make the footage officially disappear, and those reporters weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The news was still incredibly hot—a news worth a fortune and guaranteed to sell everywhere. Of course they were going to do whatever it took to get at least one statement from Will.

Before heading down to the basement, he gave Holly the job of answering every phone call that came in, not missing a single one, because what if it was a call from Hopper’s cabin? Holly accepted the task calmly, rearranging the couch so it was closer to the landline.

He went down to the basement and grabbed his jacket, which was draped over the back of the couch. He was going to see Will no matter what. He would sneak out through the back door, but just as he was about to look for a hat and a mask to disguise himself, the basement door suddenly swung wide open, making a loud enough bang to startle him.

“This is really bad.”

Max appeared through the doorway, followed by Lucas, Dustin, and Erica. They looked just as frustrated as he was. Seeing Erica and Max practically collapse onto the couch, Mike figured they must have gone through hell just to make it inside.

Lucas struggled to hold the door shut with both hands, fighting against the enormous force pushing from the other side. “Are you guys just gonna stand there? Dustin, shit, help me!” he yelled through gritted teeth.

Dustin immediately rushed over and struggled to push a fairly large table against the door to block it. Simply locking it wasn’t going to be enough if the people outside were actually determined to break their way in.

The two of them were left breathing heavily once they finally got it in place.

“What the hell are you doing? I need to see Will!” Mike said anxiously.

“You didn’t see what just happened?” Lucas asked, just as agitated. “The reporters found this door too.”

“They’ve surrounded your house,” Erica added casually.

“Yeah, shit. That’s because you guys basically invited them to find this door.”

He dropped himself onto the single-seater sofa in resignation, staring up at the ceiling covered in cobwebs, proof that the room had been abandoned for a long time. Will never should have moved out of here. He should have stayed here, so he could be safe with them while all of this was happening.

“Any word from Will?”

Mike shook his head in response to Dustin’s question.

“I hope he’s okay over there,” Max murmured. “Because seriously, those reporters are going completely insane out there. I’m just worried about all those negative perception calling for Will to be arrested—”

He looked at Max unhappily, because if that really happened, he wouldn’t think twice about finding whoever had recorded everything and spread it around. He would make them pay for all of this chaos.

“Oke, Who did this?” Mike looked at each of his friends one by one, knowing none of them probably had an answer either. Then his eyes landed on Erica. “Erica, you were up in the tower. Was there anyone else at the time when Will used his powers?”

“Judging by where the camera was positioned, tucked between the gaps, it had to be one of the soldiers inside the building.” Erica shrugged casually.

“But why the hell would they do this!?”

“For money?” Dustin answered. “You guys know about all the weird shit that keeps happening in Hawkins, and then that earthquake had everyone asking questions. Selling the story would make them a ton of money, especially if they had actual footage to back it up.”

“Yeah, fuck them.” Mike rolled his eyes, muttering another curse under his breath, one that only he could hear.

Lucas turned on the television just to see the news again. The story had gotten even more out of control. Eddie’s name was being brought up again as a serial killer from Hawkins, along with theories that Eddie had superpowers too. It was getting ridiculous now, especially with kids from Hawkins High being interviewed, even though they had graduated just a month ago.

“They were seniors and they just graduated recently. They were total nerds, didn’t really socialize, and everyone at school knows Will Byers already died once and came back to life.”

Lucas changed the channel again, landing on one that happened to be replaying the exact same footage.

Dustin cleared his throat, sounding a little impressed. “You know, the only thing I actually like about all of this is that I get to see how fucking cool Will looked when he turned into a sorcerer.”

“I agree,” Max chimed in.

Mike felt a little proud that he had been there, that he’d gotten to see it happen right in front of his eyes.

“It’s just a shame the news isn’t giving people the full story. They don’t even know Will controlled three Demogorgons at once,” Lucas added. “They’d totally lose their minds if they knew.”

Erica peeked through the crack in the closed window. “They’re still out there.”

Of course they were. They’d come all the way from out of town. There was no way they were going home without getting something out of this.

Dustin fiddled with the walkie-talkie, trying to reach Will and hoping he’d answer. “Code red. Will, can you hear us? Code red.” There was no response, no matter how many times they tried. There should’ve been one. Will never let his walkie-talkie go without working.

“Something’s definitely wrong.” Mike was already back on his feet.

“Relax, Mike. You can’t exactly let the reporters follow you to Hopper’s cabin. And Will probably isn’t prepared for an interview either. What the hell would he even say about all this? Reveal the whole secret? Tell them about some weird-ass other world?” Lucas scolded, raising both hands as if trying to get Mike to calm down.

Mike let out a heavy sigh and sat back down, folding his arms as his leg bounced restlessly. He honestly had no idea what the best thing to do was right now.

“We should just wait until tonight. I’m sure the reporters will eventually give up one by one, find a place to stay, and continue their work tomorrow,” Max suggested.

He glanced anxiously at the clock. It was only noon.

But at least he knew Hopper and Joyce wouldn’t let Will stay in danger.

-------------------------------------------------------------

“You guys can’t keep me here any longer.”

Mike put his jacket back on as the sky began to darken. Spending hours in the basement doing absolutely nothing was starting to push the limits of his patience. There still hadn’t been a single call from Hopper’s cabin. There was no way they hadn’t thought to call the Wheelers too, especially with everything getting more and more chaotic.

Holly had finally given up on answering the phone. She abandoned her assignment and went upstairs to her room, leaving Mike practically begging Erica to take over the job for him.

Some of the reporters had left. Some were still there. And a few had even just arrived. Karen had been right to worry about one of them eventually getting desperate enough to break down the front door, while Ted remained planted in his recliner. At least now he was actually useful, keeping them updated on how the narrative was changing by the minute.

“Some people are saying Will’s possessed by a demon,” Dustin said. He had just come back from upstairs with some snacks for himself, and apparently he’d heard that particular opinion while deciding to hang around Ted for a while.

Max and Lucas couldn’t hold back their laughter. “Just wait until someone says Will isn’t possessed, but he’s actually the demon.”

“Someone already has, btw”

Mike kept moving, putting on his hat, then his mask. With his dark-colored clothes, he was pretty damn sure no one would recognize him if he made his way through the woods to get there.

He took a moment to peek through the window. There were only two or three reporters standing outside the front door now, but it still wasn’t safe for him to leave. He started pacing back and forth, brows furrowed.

Think, Mike. Think, Mike. Come on, think, he repeated to himself over and over.

“Shit, I don’t know what to do,” he muttered in frustration, nearly kicking the door before remembering that it would make a hell of a noise.

Lucas and Dustin exchanged a look, then communicated silently through nothing but their eyes, as if confirming something between them.

“We’ll distract them at the front door,” Dustin suggested.

“How?” Mike stopped pacing.

“Dustin’s good at talking a bunch of bullshit.” Max stood up and patted Lucas on the shoulder. “And Lucas will do something stupid and embarrassing to keep them occupied.”

Lucas let out a resigned sigh but nodded anyway.

“Yeah. Once all the reporters move to the front door, make sure you get out fast. Our bikes are parked outside. Don’t let anyone see you, or they’ll follow you, and then Will’s hiding place won’t be safe anymore.”

Mike listened.

Max had already put her jacket on too.

“Wait, wait. Where are you going?” Mike held out his hand, stopping her.

“Will’s probably gonna be happy I’m there to keep him company.”

“What? No! I’ve already done enough for Wi—”

Max rolled her eyes, scoffed in annoyance, and smacked Mike with his own hat.

“You’re kidding, right? You’re not going alone. I’m coming with you, just in case if someone follows us, I can help distract them.”

Mike blinked, making a grumpy, slightly ridiculous face as embarrassment crept across it “Yeah, whatever.”

Lucas and Dustin weren’t interested in dragging the night out any longer. They immediately headed upstairs to create the distraction, while Max and Mike, now ready, moved toward the door and peeked through the window. The moment the three reporters outside moved, they would get out.

Two minutes passed, and nothing happened. But a minute later, Dustin and Lucas finally appeared and said something that made all three reporters rush toward the front of the house, disappearing around the corner of the wall with their microphones and cameras.

“Okay, come on.”

They slipped outside. The warm summer night air hit them as Erica locked the door again from the inside.

Max rode her own bike, while Mike took Lucas’s. They carefully pedaled along the side of the house, deliberately avoiding the streetlights and keeping to the darker areas so they wouldn’t be seen.

From the side of the house, they could see the reporters surrounding Dustin and Lucas at the front. Whatever statement Dustin had given them, he was smart enough not to say anything that would make the situation even worse.

Those tense moments slowly turned into relief when they finally reached the main road without a single person following them.

It only took about fifteen minutes before they reached the woods, where a small, hidden path led toward Hopper’s cabin.

“This feels like we’re going on another adventure, Wheeler,” Max called out.

Mike nodded in agreement, smiling quietly. Somehow, this really did feel like they were doing it all over again—looking for Will, saving Will.

They continued pedaling deeper into the woods. When Hopper’s cabin finally came into view, they stopped their bikes and ducked behind a tree, because there were one or two reporters standing outside.

“Holy shit. How did they…”

The place they had thought no one would ever find had now been discovered by reporters too.

Will had to be terrified in there.

Hopper’s cabin was completely dark. There wasn’t a single light coming from inside, making it look as though no one was home. But they assumed that was probably intentional, just another way to make the reporters think they had come to the wrong place.

Luckily, it didn’t take long for the two reporters to give up and leave, allowing Mike and Max to finally come out of hiding and continue toward the cabin.

The floorboards creaked beneath them as they stepped onto the porch. Mike knocked calmly on the door.

“Will? It’s me, Mike.” He glanced at Max. “And

"Joyce?”

“Hopper?”

There was no answer from inside. But Mike had known this place for far too long. He knew they could get in through the back door, so without wasting any more time, they hurried around the cabin until they finally managed to get inside through the back.

Max flipped the light switch, immediately filling the cabin with a little more light.

There was no one there.

They opened one room after another, eventually stepping into Will’s neat bedroom. It looked like it had been deliberately left that way, almost as if someone had made sure everything was in its place before leaving. Even Will’s bag was gone. His favorite jacket wasn’t hanging behind the door either.

Whoever lived here had left intentionally.

“But where did they go?” Max voiced her confusion. The cabin was incredibly tidy, almost as if Joyce had made sure they didn’t leave the place in a mess.

“Hiding? Running away? But why wouldn’t they tell us any—”

“I don’t know!” Mike cut her off in frustration.

Now he knew why they had never answered the phone.

He stepped farther into Will’s room when he noticed a piece of paper sitting on his desk. He hoped it was a note they had left behind, but when he picked it up and read it, it wasn’t a message at all.

It was Will’s acceptance letter to NYU’s School of Art and Design.

The same college Mike attended.

Mike broke into a wide smile without even realizing it. He hadn’t told Will about his own acceptance yet, and Will hadn’t told him either. But now he knew, and this was going to be good news for both of them.

“But isn’t it too soon for Will to have gone to check out the dorms?” Max asked after finishing the letter.

Mike really hoped that wasn’t the case, because he’d be incredibly disappointed if Will had no intention of telling him, especially when Mike had already started making plans to become his roommate. 

The walkie-talkie inside Mike’s bag suddenly crackled.

He immediately pulled it out, but he already knew it wasn’t Will calling. Will’s walkie-talkie was right here in his room.

“Mike, do you copy?” It was Erica’s voice. “Jonathan Byers just called. He said we need to make sure Will is safe at the cabin because he’s alone. Joyce and Hopper went to Montauk to look for a house while all of this is happening. Over.”

Mike pressed the button and hurriedly brought the walkie-talkie to his mouth “He said Hopper and Joyce went to Montauk by themselves? Over.”

“Yeah. So if you’re already with Will there, stay there and keep him company, because things are getting even crazier here. Over.”

The two of them exchanged a look, standing completely frozen after Erica’s voice disappeared.

Max bit her lip worriedly, placing her hands on her hips.

“Oh, shit, Mike… not again.”

Mike’s heart began pounding. A terrible feeling settled in his chest, familiar in a way he desperately wished it wasn’t. He knew something wasn’t right.

Because Will had disappeared again without a trace.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay, listen, Michael. Joyce just called. She was already in Montauk when the news broke, and she’s on her way back now. It’s gonna take her hours. She wants you to keep Will safe because Will hasn’t answered a single call—”

Mike walked right past his mother and took the phone from her hand, immediately dialing Jonathan’s number at his place in New York.

He and Max had managed to get back inside after Dustin told the reporters to just give up because the person they were looking for wasn’t there. Apparently, it had been enough to convince some of them to leave. They’d probably be back tomorrow, but at least things outside were a little more under control for now.

“Michael, you hear me !?”

“Will isn’t there, Mom!”

The woman froze, then turned to look at his friends sitting in a row on the couch, all of them silently asking the same question—where was Will? And no one knew.

Jonathan still hadn’t answered, not even after the fifth ring. Calling Joyce would probably be just as useless since she and Hopper were definitely on the road by now.

“Come on…” he muttered under his breath.

“I’ll go look for Will. Maybe he went somewhere safe.” Lucas stood up, and Dustin followed him.

They had no idea where Will would go at a time like this, but checking the places they knew he might go could at least give them somewhere to start.

Mike dialed Jonathan’s number again. He had a bad feeling about this, and Jonathan always seemed to know where his little brother would go whenever he disappeared.

First ring.

Second ring.

Third ring.

“Jonathan, please pick up.”

“Oh, hey, Wheeler. I was in the bathroom, so… is Will there alrea—”

“God, thanks.”

“Mike? What’s going on? Where’s Will? Is he with you? Let me talk to him.”

“Will isn’t here.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Will isn’t here. He’s not anywhere. We’re gonna go look for him, but I don’t think it’d be safe for him to be wandering around right now. He has to know that, so I don’t know where he could—”

“You just said Will is missing?”

There was an unmistakable note of worry and tension in Jonathan’s voice on the other end, making Mike close his eyes for a moment.

“He’s not there. There’s no trace of him.” Mike wet his lips, the tension that had been building in him all this time finally becoming unbearable. “And, uh, the reporters actually got into Hopper’s cabin too. But I don’t think it was them. I mean—not the reporters who took Will.”

Hearing himself say it out loud made his mind race through every possibility. Jonathan went completely silent on the other side for a long moment. His friends started growing anxious as they listened, even Ted lowered the volume on the television to hear better.

“What if it was the government?”

“No, Mike.” Jonathan let out a heavy breath. “Listen, it could’ve been my dad—I mean, Lonnie.”

“What!?”

That was even worse.

Worse than the government.

Because if Will was with his biological father right now, Mike couldn’t even be sure whether Will felt safe or not.

“Yeah, Mike. I’m sorry, but can you do this for me? Please? I’m so far away, so I can’t—”

“Jonathan, just tell me!” Mike snapped impatiently. “This is about Will. I’m not gonna just let it happen either. I know what your dad is like.”

“Yeah. Of course. Write down the address. Hopefully, it’s still the same one.”

Holly handed him a piece of paper and a pencil as Jonathan began giving him the address of a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of town. Mike knew the area. There weren’t many people living there. It was quiet and far from the center of town, and it would take about an hour and a half to drive there.

“Oke, Mike. Thank you. This is just my guess, but you need to make sure.”

The call ended.

Mike stared down at the address he had hurriedly scribbled onto the piece of paper—the address of Lonnie Byers, the man he knew Will was terrified of more than anyone in his life.

If Will really was there, Mike would never forgive himself for letting his best friend end up somewhere unsafe. He should’ve gone to find Will the moment the news broke.

“Dad, I need your car.” He walked over to his father.

Ted gave him a cynical look before finally pulling the car keys from his pocket, telling Mike not to speed and to remember to fill the tank when he got back.

Mike didn’t respond at all. Once the keys were in his hand, the only thing on his mind was figuring out how to get the car out of the house without any of those stubborn reporters following him.

Erica lazily peeked through the window. “There are only a few of those crazy reporters left.”

“So I guess it’s my job to get them inside and give them an interview. You guys remember, I’ve done that before in this house.” Max explained. “Mrs. Wheeler, you can let them in and keep them busy with some small talk while Mike gets into the car.”

“Yeah, and we’ll go look for Will outside, just in case something happens. You know… a lot of shit always seems to happen to him,” Lucas suggested, and Dustin nodded in agreement.

Mike nodded, not wanting to waste any more time. Everyone already understood what they had to do. He just couldn’t think straight right now, with the horrible thoughts of what Lonnie might do to Will haunting him.

He was about to walk toward the door leading to the garage when Max quickly grabbed his hand.

He turned around, only to find her smiling at him.

“Wheeler, if you’re still this fucking terrible at understanding your own feelings after everything that’s happened, I swear I’m gonna kick your ass.”

Mike furrowed his brows. Max had already let go of him and pushed him back toward the door. He blinked a few times, trying to process what she had just said, but eventually gave up and went back to what he needed to do.

He was already inside the car, tapping his fingers against the leather steering wheel as he waited for the moment he could finally pull out while his mom kept all the reporters occupied.

The walkie-talkie he’d brought with him suddenly crackled.

Erica’s voice came through a moment later.

“Go get your sorcerer, Michael Wheeler. Over.”

Mike scoffed, started the engine, and drove the car out onto the road, driving through the cold night.

Maybe it was enough to pretend again.

He smiled before he could stop himself, something warm spreading through his entire body, making that strange, uncomfortable feeling in his stomach stir just from letting those words echo in his head.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Mike looked back and forth between the address Jonathan had given him and the small house now sitting right in front of him, hoping he had the wrong address because the place looked awful from the outside. The yard was a mess, with all kinds of things like hoses and tires scattered around, while the overgrown grass had been cut down in uneven patches.

The Oldsmobile 442 parked outside erased most of his doubts. He vaguely remembered seeing that same car parked outside the Byers’ house before the divorce.

He was already standing at the front door, hoping even more that Jonathan’s guess had been wrong and that Lucas or Dustin had managed to find Will hiding somewhere else.

Because if Will really was here, Mike had no idea what kind of game Lonnie was trying to play this time, suddenly taking back the son he had neglected for most of his life.

He knocked. It was already ten, but he hoped it wasn’t too late for whoever was inside to be asleep. He knocked again, three or four times.

“Hello? Is anyone ho—”

The door swung open, leaving his next knock hanging in the air.

An older, broad-shouldered man with a graying beard stood directly in front of him. The strong smell of alcohol and cigarettes immediately hit his senses, along with the uncomfortable heat radiating from the man’s presence.

Lonnie Byers.

They stared at each other for several moments. Lonnie seemed to study his face, trying to figure out why he was there.

“I want to see Will,” Mike said quickly, having no intention of wasting time with small talk.

“You got the wrong house, kid.”

Lonnie was already about to shut the door again, but Mike quickly caught it, staring firmly at the older man in front of him.

“Lonnie Byers. I know that’s you.”

Lonnie raised an eyebrow for a moment before finally letting the door swing open again. A small laugh escaped him, one that sounded absolutely revolting to Mike’s ears, before the man folded his arms across his chest and stared at him.

“So it’s you. The same kid who was with my son and his mother in that footage.” Lonnie decided there was no point pretending anymore. “But relax, kid. I don’t remember you just because you were in that footage. I remember you as Will’s first friend. You two were always playing together when you were little.”

“Will’s inside.”

Lonnie looked at him dismissively when Mike showed no interest in making small talk.

“You don’t—”

“Will is inside. That wasn’t a question, Mr. Byers.”

Mike’s patience was running out. If Will really wasn’t inside, Lonnie wouldn’t be acting like he had something to hide. And the way Lonnie was looking at him now made it feel like he was opening the door to a fight between the two of them.

“What the hell are you trying to—”

“Mike?”

Before Lonnie could finish, a soft voice came from inside, calling his name. Mike didn’t even need to see his face to know who it was.

“Will?”

Lonnie stepped aside, making Will’s presence inside the house immediately visible. The tense expression Mike had been holding onto softened at once as he looked at his best friend, relief washing over him when he saw that Will looked perfectly fine.

Will stepped closer, stopping right beside his father. He looked a little awkward, but he didn’t seem afraid.

“Mike, you’re here,” he murmured.

Mike gave a small nod, finally smiling at Will, momentarily forgetting Lonnie’s presence until the man cleared his throat roughly.

“Oh, Will, I thought you were already asleep. Your friend’s here.” Lonnie lifted an arm and draped it around Will’s shoulders, making Will visibly shudder with discomfort. Mike wanted nothing more than to knock that arm away.

Seeing how Lonnie was suddenly acting like everything was perfectly fine only made Mike more convinced that the man was up to something—that there was a reason he’d brought Will here and was pretending to be a good father.

“Do you wanna come in?” Will asked.

He shouldn’t have nodded. He should’ve just grabbed Will and pulled him out of there, taking him somewhere far away.

But seeing Will’s eyes brighten slightly made Mike wonder what had brought him here in the first place. What exactly was Lonnie trying to pull? “Yeah, of course.”

Will smiled widely and was just about to reach for his hand, but stopped halfway. He quickly pulled his hand back and lowered his gaze, remembering that Lonnie was watching them.

“Eugh, yeah. Come on.”

Mike stepped through the doorway, passing Lonnie and giving him one sharp look before following Will farther into the cramped house. The place was stuffy and reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. A tall, thin woman wearing a rather revealing top sat casually on the couch, as if none of this was unusual at all.

Will led him to a bedroom at the very back of the house and closed the door behind them, leaving the two of them alone.

The room was dimly lit, relying mostly on the moonlight pouring in through the wide-open window.

Only then could Mike finally breathe properly.

It was like he’d finally inhaled normal air again. The room smelled like Will—a familiar scent that told him Will had spent almost the entire day in here.

“Will, I’ve been worried about you. Why didn’t you call me? Not even once?”

The smile on Will’s face faded. He walked over to the bed and sat down, facing the window with his back to Mike.

“I’m sorry. I was just really scared, Mike.”

Mike swallowed, walking around the bed before sitting beside Will. From here, he could see the moonlight shining directly across Will’s face. He always seemed to glow, even in the dark.

He didn’t ask anything. He didn’t answer either. He simply sat there, quietly watching Will’s face, because he knew Will would tell him everything soon enough. They never kept things from each other. At least, that was what Mike believed.

“When the news came out, I was at the supermarket buying breakfast. My face was all over the TV, and people started recognizing me, so I ran. A few people tried to follow me. I tried going to your house, but the reporters started showing up there too. I was too scared to face them, so I ran into the woods, hoping whoever was following me would lose track of me.”

Mike closed his eyes as Will told him everything in one breath. While he had been sitting comfortably on the couch at home, watching the news, Will had been fighting for his life.

“You could’ve gone to Dustin’s, Lucas’s, or Max’s, you know.”

Will looked at him. “You’re already involved, Mike. I didn’t want to drag more people into this. You’re all going off to college. I want your college lives to be peaceful, without all these rumors hanging over you. Just leave me out of it.”

“Will, you know that’s not true.”

“You don’t understand, Mike.” Will’s eyes were already glistening with tears. “I want all of this to be over, but now… I’m… I’m what everyone’s talking about. People are starting to come up with all these crazy things about me. There was even this little kid at the supermarket who started crying because she was scared of me. I don’t want this happening to you guys.”

Mike swallowed hard. His throat felt tight, and his breathing grew heavier as he realized just how much this must be weighing on Will, especially now that he had become the center of the entire story.

His hand reached out and touched Will’s where it rested in his lap. He looked at him so gently, wishing Will would just let himself cry if it would make him feel better.

But Will kept pretending he was strong.

“Then how did you end up here?”

Will glanced back toward the door, then looked at Mike before finally lowering his gaze to their hands.

“When I ran back to Hopper’s cabin, I don’t know how, but my dad was already there. He was standing outside his car.”

His tears finally fell.

“I was so scared, Mike. I thought he was going to hit me. I thought he was going to kill me because I’d grown into someone different and embarrassed him. I didn’t even recognize his face at first, but his voice… that deep voice kept echoing in my head, just like when Vecna used to send me those nightmares.”

Mike held himself back from immediately pulling Will into his arms. From everything Will had told him, he already knew just how shaken he was.

“But he hugged me, Mike. He treated me really well. He offered to let me hide here because the reporters were going to find Hopper’s cabin soon, and I wouldn’t be safe there anymore. I just… I accepted his offer, Mike. I was really scared of having to face the reporters, and I had no idea what I was supposed to say. Anything I said would just give people more things to talk about.”

“Will, I get it.” Mike spoke quickly. “Just try to calm down, okay? Everything’s okay. He hasn’t treated you badly, right?”

Will nodded, a smile appearing on his face even as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He told Mike how Lonnie had treated him well ever since he arrived at the house—giving him food, giving him a room, and barely talking to him, which meant he never made Will uncomfortable. Will also admitted that Lonnie hadn’t said anything cruel about him, unlike the way he always had when Will was younger.

Lonnie had really been treating him like a responsible father.

And honestly, that pissed Mike off, because the man had to be putting on the perfect act just to get whatever it was he wanted.

But Mike didn’t blame Will for believing him so easily. Will just needed somewhere safe to go, and his father had been there to give him that. Will was simply accepting the affection from his biological father that had been missing from his life for so long.

“You might think this is stupid, but… I’m actually really happy I get to have his attention again, Mike. So I don’t regret taking him up on his offer.”

“What? Hey, no, Will. I understand how you feel. And honestly, it means a lot to me too that he hasn’t hurt you.”

Will looked straight at him, his eyes still wet, and Mike did the same. He stared deeply into Will’s eyes before giving him a genuine smile.

The walkie-talkie inside Mike’s bag suddenly crackled.

The sound snapped them out of the moment, making them quickly pull their hands away from each other.

Lucas’s voice came through as Mike pressed the button.

“Mike, did you find Will? Over.”

Mike glanced at Will and pressed the button on his own walkie-talkie. “Yeah. I’m with him. You guys can relax now. Over”

“Sorry for making everyone worry. I didn’t mean to not call, but my dad said the landline was broken.”

Mike nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. His hand had been itching to touch Will again this whole time, so he did, gently bringing their hands back together.

“So what now? Wanna come home with me? I think the reporters are probably gone for tonight,” he offered.

Will swallowed, looking at him uncertainly. “But they’ll be back tomorrow morning,” he murmured.

“Will…”

“I’m sorry, Mike. I know we’d be safe at your house. They wouldn’t be able to get inside, but I’m so close to them there. I’d be on edge the whole time. And here… no one knows I’m here. I’m safe here.”

“Let me ask you something.” Mike looked at him, keeping his gaze gentle and making sure Will didn’t feel pressured beneath it. “Do you really feel safe here?”

Will went quiet for a long time. He seemed to think about something only he could know, taking so long that Mike almost wondered if he would answer at all. Finally, he gave a weak nod.

“Yeah… I think so. My dad really just wants to protect me from the reporters. So far, he doesn’t seem like he has any other plans. Maybe I’m just a little uncomfortable with the whole atmosphere, but he lets me stay locked in this room. I guess that’s okay.”

His answer was far too hesitant, but Mike tried to understand where he was coming from. So he nodded, gently squeezing the hand in his grasp before standing up.

“Then I’m staying here with you,” he decided.

Will looked up at him, slightly surprised “Mike”.

“I’m gonna talk to Mr. Byers. You just stay here, okay?”

He didn’t wait for Will’s permission before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him, searching the house for Lonnie.

He found him sitting on the couch in front of the TV, a bottle of strong-smelling alcohol in one hand and a woman around his age sitting on his lap.

Mike let out a heavy sigh, but he had to deal with him. He leaned against the counter, folding his arms as he stared at the scene in front of him.

“What’s your plan? What are you trying to do to make Will trust you this much?” he asked firmly.

“What are you talking about”

“Just tell me what you want from him. Or I’ll take him out of here myself, even if he doesn’t want to leave.”

Lonnie coughed, sitting upright and making the woman move over beside him.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Wheeler, right?”

“If you’re planning to hurt him or break his heart, I swear I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done.”

“You’re being very disrespectful.” Lonnie leaned back again and took another drink. “You’re questioning the kindness I’ve offered that boy”

“Your son,” Mike growled, his hands curling tightly into fists.

Lonnie laughed. “If Will trusts me, you should trust me too.”

Mike rolled his eyes, scoffing silently until Lonnie cleared his throat at him again.

“Listen, I just don’t want Will being interviewed. It’s for his own comfort. Besides, I know he can’t exactly act normal—.”

“Normal? What the hell are you talking about?”

Mike was no longer leaning against the counter. He stood straight now, his anger dangerously close to boiling over.

“I just want him to be able to act normal despite his… abnormality—”

Mike couldn’t hold himself back. He nearly lunged at the older man, only stopping when the half-dressed woman climbed back onto Lonnie’s lap, acting as though she was scared.

Mike rubbed his face in frustration. He had to keep his emotions under control, or Will wouldn’t feel safe anywhere.

“Who is he, honey? Who’s he to your son?” the woman asked sweetly, squirming against Lonnie’s neck.

Mike let out a cynical laugh.

Normal he said? Lonnie was still full of shit.

So he stared challengingly at Lonnie, then finally turned his gaze toward the woman and answered her question.

“Will’s boyfriend.”

He said it without hesitation before leaving the room and heading back to the bedroom.

He still caught the way Lonnie’s expression changed, caught somewhere between anger and humiliation, while the woman grimaced.

-------------------------------------------------

He went back to the bedroom, where Will was already sitting by the window, working on something. He pulled out the long wooden chair and sat down.

“What did my dad say?” Will asked as soon as Mike dropped down beside him.

Close enough that their knees touched, but neither of them thought to move away.

“He said I could stay, of course.”

Mike was well aware that he hadn’t actually asked for permission. He’d simply walked out, gotten himself worked up, and walked right back in. But seeing how amazed Will looked by his answer, he decided to keep it that way.

His eyes then fell on the sketchbook and crayons in Will’s hands. Noticing where Mike was looking, Will spoke again.

“My dad gave them to me.”

He said it so enthusiastically that Mike could hear just how touched Will was by it.

“He said he’s had these for a long time. Since I was really little. He just never had the courage to give them to me because, back then, he was still convinced I was supposed to play football.”

“Yeah…” Mike made a restrained sound, trying not to sound suspicious, because even now, he still couldn’t figure Lonnie out or what exactly he was trying to do. “I’m glad you got them.”

Will smiled, closed the sketchbook, and set it aside before staring out the window for a long while. Mike followed his gaze, breathing in the fresh night air as the silence stretched between them.

“So what now, Mike…?” Will sighed, returning to the problem they were actually facing. “I can’t keep hiding forever. People aren’t going to forget about me that easily. This news isn’t going away anytime soon.”

He turned and found Will already looking at him.

Mike shifted his body so he was fully facing him. “We’ll figure out, Will.”

“How?”

Will asked it so weakly, as if he had already surrendered to the new fate that had been forced upon him. Mike’s heart sank. Once again, Will was being faced with another difficult situation.

But he had promised himself he would always be there for him.

Always them. Just the two of them.

He might not have the answer right now, but somehow, they always ended up finding one.

“This won’t last forever. They’ll forget about it. The news will die down, and eventually no one will care anymore.”

“I’ll be known as a monster.” Will shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks.

“You’ll also be known as a superhero.” Mike lifted his hand and wiped away Will’s tears. “A sorcerer.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Will’s tears kept falling, soaking Mike’s thumb as it remained against his cheek.

“Depends on how people choose to see you, Will. But if you’re asking me, I’d say it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

He smiled faintly, remembering that he had been there—the person Will had saved. He felt a quiet sense of pride as he continued “…the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Will’s pupils widened for a moment before a smile slowly returned to his lips. This time, there were no more tears as Mike finally wiped them away and lowered his hand.

Mike looked outside for a while before turning back to Will.

“Life isn’t gonna stay stuck on today, Will. I promise you’re not gonna spend the rest of your life living in the shadow of this news. Just trust the process. You’ll get through it.”

“Life will keep going…”

Mike nodded, nervously squeezing his hand before finally deciding to say it.

“I’ll be there through that process, and I’ll make sure you’re gonna be okay from here on out.”

Will blinked. Mike reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Will and telling him to read it.

Will read it quietly. His brows slowly furrowed as he went through each word, until his eyes suddenly widened and lit up.

“Mike… you got accepted!”

“You got accepted too, right?” Mike cut him off with a small laugh.

Will looked surprised before finally nodding and laughing along “We’re gonna be at the same college.”

“Yeah. Isn’t that cool?”

“That’s really cool.”

They laughed softly for a few moments before silence returned, making the atmosphere between them slightly awkward.

Until Mike finally gathered enough courage to ask “So, wanna be my roommate?”

Mike worked up the courage to ask, and it seemed like Will needed a moment to answer. His face turned red as he smiled shyly.

“Sure. Roommates.”

And that was how things would be from then on.

The thought of them staying together for years to come was something they both needed, because facing another separation felt impossible for two people who had always been one another’s constant.

Mike and Will, Will and Mike. Always like that. Even as they stepped into every new chapter of their lives, they would always find their way back to each other.

Mike smiled in relief, and so did Will.

From here, he could see Will’s face clearly, his eyes gazing deeply into Mike’s as the soft moonlight illuminated his features. Even so, it couldn’t hide the blush spreading across Will’s entire face and ears, making him look several times more beautiful.

But the heat spreading across Mike’s own face told him he was in the exact same state.

Somehow, it made him feel like his feet weren’t even touching the ground anymore, taking Will with him.

He found himself looking at Will’s lips, then back into his eyes, slowly leaning closer. Will met him halfway, closing his eyes.

Their foreheads and noses were already touching, and Mike could feel just how close Will was to him. His own hand slowly lifted, touching Will’s damp, cool cheek.

And…

“Ahh.”

They pulled apart with their eyes wide, heat rushing through both their bodies as they heard it.

“Shit,” Mike cursed.

The unmistakable sounds of whatever Lonnie and the woman were doing could be heard faintly through the wall.

Will’s eyes widened in panic. They were both old enough to know exactly what they were hearing.

“Mike, oh my God, that’s…”

Mike had just started to get up when Will stopped him, quickly covering both of Mike’s ears with his hands, pressing them firmly.

“Will, what are you doing?”

“I’m sorry, Mike. You have to hear this. That must be my dad and his girlfriend. I’m sorry. I already covered your ears.”

Mike stared at him, raising both eyebrows. Seeing how panicked Will was, and feeling Will’s cold hands covering his ears, made him burst out laughing.

“Mike, don’t laugh!”

Mike carefully removed Will’s hands from his ears, gently lowering them “Wait here,” he said.

He pulled out the wired earphones connected to his Walkman from his bag, putting one earbud in Will’s ear and the other in his own.

He didn’t even bother asking Will what song he wanted to listen to before How Am I Supposed to Live Without You by Michael Bolton began playing.

It was the newest song released this month. Mike had probably listened to it a thousand times already, but this was Will’s first time hearing it.

I could hardly believe it

When I heard the news today

I had to come and get it straight from you

Will looked up, staring directly into Mike’s eyes, which were already fixed on him.

The music echoed between them, shared through the single connected cable, and they understood its meaning without saying a word.

Ignoring whatever sounds Lonnie and his girlfriend were trying to show them about what normal really meant.

Tell me how am I supposed to live without you

Mike lifted his hand, cupping Will’s face and slowly bringing them together again until there was no space left between them.

Now that I've been lovin' you so long.

Mike kissed Will softly on the lips. Will closed his eyes. Even the cool night air coming through the window was no longer enough to keep them apart as he returned the kiss.

The hope that one day

We'd be so much more than friends

The music continued to play. Mike deepened the kiss, wrapping an arm around Will’s waist and pulling him closer, almost onto his lap.

Will slipped his arms around Mike’s neck, feeling the soft kiss deepen into something warmer and more lingering.

But there was no hunger in it. This kiss simply carried a feeling between them.

Now I don't wanna know the price I'm gonna pay for dreamin'

Oh, now that your dream has come true.

A tear slipped between their kisses, neither of them sure whose it was. When they finally pulled back and rested their foreheads together, the music was still playing, moving toward its final verse.

Mike smiled as he looked at Will’s flushed, damp lips, his own no different.

“Are they done yet?” Will whispered, his breath still warm against Mike’s face from this close.

Before Mike could answer, the unmistakable sounds from across the room started again, making them both let out quiet laughs.

“I think they’re gonna be a while,” Mike whispered, pressing the Walkman to move on to the next song.

“I think it’s gonna be a long night,” Will murmured.

“Yeah.”

One More Night by Phil Collins began playing, and Mike pulled him back into a deep, lingering kiss.

------------------------------------------------------------

Mike woke as sunlight streamed through the window, one they hadn’t even bothered to close the night before after falling asleep wrapped around each other following that long kiss.

They still hadn’t talked about any of it. They hadn’t said a single word about what they were feeling. It had been a long night, but the one thing they both knew was that, right now, they had each other again.

That everything would be different starting the moment they woke up that morning.

Except Will wasn’t beside him.

That made Mike sit up, and after gathering what little life was left in him, he got out of bed and left the room.

Lonnie’s bedroom door was wide open. Mike really had no intention of looking inside, but he still caught a glimpse of Lonnie’s girlfriend asleep beneath the blankets, probably naked, while Lonnie himself was nowhere to be seen.

The commotion coming from the front yard made him move closer.

And there he saw it.

Lonnie and Will were washing the car together.

Lonnie kept talking, looking enthusiastic as he said all kinds of things, while Will laughed brightly in response. Will asked plenty of questions too, his voice shy and a little awkward, but Mike could still feel just how happy he was right now.

So happy that, for a moment, Mike wished this happiness could actually be real.

His heart warmed at the sight of Will growing closer to his father, and it made him question his own suspicions about whatever Lonnie might be planning.

Lonnie casually patted Will’s shirt as he tried to explain something, and Will smiled again.

Mike stepped back and quietly closed the door, letting Will have that moment for himself. He sat down on the couch, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do with himself that morning.

Will had been right.

Here, they really were safe from the reporters running wild outside.

So Mike stood up, thinking that maybe he could at least make breakfast or find something useful to do. He walked toward the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water to soothe his dry throat first.

The corner of his eye caught an envelope sitting on the table.

He had no intention of invading anyone’s privacy, but the envelope bore the logo of one of the biggest television networks, the kind with a talk show practically everyone watched.

He picked it up quickly. The envelope had already been opened, the glue no longer holding it shut, which meant someone had gotten to it before him.

Mike unfolded the letter and quickly read through every word, his heart pounding harder with each line.

He nearly crumpled the paper in his fist if he hadn’t heard Will’s happy laughter echoing from outside again.

Lonnie had signed an agreement allowing the television crew to come to the house, with the arrangement that William Byers would appear as a guest on that episode of the talk show.

At ten in the morning.

They would be here in one hour.

That fucking bastard.

Mike nearly tore the paper in half when Will walked in with a bright expression, the remnants of his laughter still visible on his face.

Mike quickly slipped the letter back into the envelope and closed it.

He couldn’t. He really couldn’t destroy Will’s heart with the truth.

He couldn’t take away the happiness Will had finally found with his father after waiting for it for almost his entire life.

“Mike?”

He just needed to get Will out of here. Will didn’t need to know about this. He could keep believing that his father’s kindness had been genuine.

“Hey, Will. Morning.”

He reached for Will’s hand and gently pulled him back toward the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Will smiled shyly at him, his face turning red again now that they were alone, and Mike lovingly brushed his cheek.

“You’re really happy?” Mike asked softly.

Will nodded enthusiastically.

“Really happy.”

Mike pulled him into a warm embrace, and Will immediately melted into it, comfortably wrapping his arms around him.

“I’m so happy, Mike. Because of you… because of my dad.”

Mike closed his eyes.

His decision not to tell Will anything had been the right one.

He lowered his head and kissed the top of Will’s hair. He just needed to convince him to leave now without having to tell him why.

“Will… I’m glad you got this. You deserve it. But can we—”

“Mike, can you take me out of here now?”

Will’s sudden request caught Mike completely off guard.

He was about to pull back to look directly at him, but Will held him there, refusing to let go. Mike could feel the front of his shirt growing wet against his chest.

Will was crying.

“Will, what’s wrong?” Mike gently stroked his head.

“I know, Mike. I know my dad’s trying to use me. I saw the letter. I read it. He… he’s trying to take advantage of me. I know.”

Mike let out a heavy sigh.

So Will knew.

He had just chosen to pretend otherwise.

Mike pulled back and cupped Will’s face, which was already soaked with tears, his nose and eyes red from crying.

“I thought everything my dad did was genuine. Until this morning, when I accidentally read it. It hurts so much…”

Just hearing Will admit how much it hurt, his voice trembling as he spoke, was enough to send Mike’s anger surging all over again.

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“No, Mike.” Will stopped him, pulling him back into another embrace. “You’ll get hurt.”

“Will!?” Mike protested, even though he still let Will hold onto him.

“Let’s just leave now, okay? I could’ve left the second I read that letter, but I chose to stay and take one more moment with my dad. And now I’ve had it. I’m gonna keep that memory and move on with my life. At least now I know what it feels like to have his love, even if it wasn’t genuine.”

“Will, I’m sorry.” Mike couldn’t hold back his own tears anymore, not when Will was being so strong through all of this.

“It’s okay, Mike. I’m already happy.”

Mike shook his head, wiping away his own tears before gently wiping Will’s away too. He looked at him seriously.

Will searched his eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

And Mike gave him an answer.

“Wanna stay a little longer and get revenge on your dad?”

-----------------------------------------------------------

Mike ordered Dustin over the walkie-talkie to tell all the reporters who had gathered outside his house again to head to Lonnie’s place immediately, because the person they were looking for—the one they wanted a statement from—was there.

Dustin gave them the address, and the reporters chasing their deadlines were soon swarming the front of Lonnie’s house.

They kept pounding on the door, even shouting through it, which sent Lonnie into a frustrated panic as all the reporters descended on his house.

But Mike knew what was frustrating him even more: the television crew that had already paid him was going to arrive any minute, and he still hadn’t managed to get his house under control.

“Mike, why did you send them here?” Will squeaked nervously.

“It’s okay, all right? We’ll deal with them. You don’t have to say anything. Just don’t let go of my hand.”

Will nodded.

Lonnie finally stepped outside to tell the reporters to calm down. He was bombarded with questions about Will Byers, and he proudly introduced him as his son, repeating it several times as if he wanted to make absolutely sure everyone heard him.

Will sighed.

“He never wanted to acknowledge me because he was embarrassed to have a queer son, but now that people know me for something else, suddenly he can’t stop announcing that I’m his son.”

Mike laughed, making Will shoot him an annoyed look.

“Mike, what the hell are you planning?” Will whispered nervously. “Can we just get out of here?”

Mike turned to look at him, then reached for his hand and held it tightly.

“Okay, fine. You ready to go?”

“I’m never ready,” Will answered hesitantly.

Mike gently ruffled his hair before walking toward the door.

He opened it, facing the swarm of reporters going wild outside.

Lonnie was pushed aside the second the main attraction finally appeared.

Camera flashes exploded around them. Microphones were shoved forward as question after question came flying at them.

Will was already panicking, but Mike simply grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him to face him.

A second later, he gently cupped Will’s cheek.

“Mike…”

Mike kissed Will right there in front of everyone.

In front of all the flashing cameras.

Right beside Lonnie, who stood there completely stunned and humiliated.

It was a short kiss, but the reporters had already gotten their pictures.

Mike pulled away with a satisfied smile, while Will was still completely frozen in shock. He quickly grabbed Will and pulled him through the crowd, the reporters chasing after them as they made their way into the car.

Inside the car, all the chaos suddenly disappeared.

They could see Lonnie running back into the house, his face bright red with embarrassment.

Some of the reporters were still standing there in stunned silence. Others had already started knocking on the car windows.

“Mike, you’re crazy!” Will exclaimed once he finally regained his senses.

“Crazy together, right?” Mike replied, lifting Will’s hand and pressing a kiss to it.

Will stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds before finally laughing.

“Yeah. Crazy together.”

They stayed wrapped up in that happiness that only the two of them could feel as Mike started the car and pulled onto the road.

Heading home.

There was nowhere left for them to hide now.

But the narrative would change. The news would stay hot for a while, then slowly become old, boring, and eventually forgotten.

It was going to be a long summer for them.

A tense summer.

A happy summer.

Perhaps the most eventful summer they had ever experienced.

With everything they still needed to talk about, and every feeling they still needed to confess.

Mike glanced over at Will, giving him a soft, loving look.

Will returned it with the same warmth.

Then the walkie-talkie crackled, followed by their friends’ voices coming one after another.

“What the hell was that, man?! You’re fucking insane!” Lucas’s voice came through.

“What were you trying to prove, Mike? I gotta admit, that took some serious guts. Wow. legendary lovers” Dustin.

“WHEELER!” Max shouted. “OH MY GOD, FINALLY! But seriously, in front of everyone?”

“You two are so embarrassing” Erica said.

“So, are you and Will dating now, Mike?”

Holly’s question was the final one, silence followed.

They both just let out quiet laughs in response.

Mike’s hand dropped from the wheel for a moment, finding Will’s hand again and holding it tightly, their fingers wrapped together in warmth and tenderness.

After all this, they were going to be okay.

Maybe after they survived this next call, though, because the walkie-talkie crackled again.

Will pressed the button.

Hopper’s voice immediately boomed through the speaker.

“MICHAEL FUCKING WHEELER, YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM!”