Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Mike

“But one day, you’ll understand.”

Mike closed his book, placing the worn-out book on the rough, cold floor beneath him. His unobstructed gaze stretched out before him, toward the buildings mostly occupied by students, toward the lush, leafy trees lining the street, the sunlight meeting the passing time as it slowly lowered its light.

The sacrifice made years ago by a childhood friend, a woman who had grown up in an isolated laboratory, the sacrifice of someone who had once been his girlfriend back in his childhood hometown, had now brought him to this day, when there was no longer any tightness left trapped in his chest, no more nightmares whenever he closed his eyes, no more deafening bomb explosions that would jolt him awake in the quiet of the night with guilt weighing on him, no more apologies whispered under his breath whenever he thought about it.

Because he understood now. He understood that El’s sacrifice of her life had been the only way for them to escape all the darkness and the childhood monsters that had been circling inside their heads.

As if that fairy-tale book, its pages marked by rusty ink, had officially been closed for good. No one would open it, and no one would find it. That fairy-tale book had exploded along with the ruins, together with its main character.

They were free now.

They could build new lives far away from the small town filled with memories of suffering, meet new people, have new conversations, normal conversations that had nothing to do with some otherworldly world. They were officially done being adventurers.

“I mean, there’s no way we’re spending our life after internship on this dirty floor, dude!” Lucas said, pacing back and forth as he tried to convince them to go on vacation after they all finished their internships.

Mostly because his internship in Sports Management had ended before everyone else’s.

“I’ve already planned on sleeping for the entire week the second this internship is over,” Dustin said, lying flat on his back without anything beneath him, his hat covering his face and blocking out the clear sky above.

Out of the five of them, Dustin was the one who had faced the most pressure at his internship, along with a little bullying from some of his supervisors over shortcomings that, in reality, didn’t even exist. But whenever Dustin used his brain to get a task done, the bullying was replaced by an endless amount of extra work, forcing him to stay late more often and come home when everyone else was already asleep.

But Dustin had learned a lot from the past. He no longer hid everything by himself, especially the pressure he was feeling, and he was grateful that they had each other again now. In truth, they had never really been apart.

At the beginning of their third year of college, they had decided to rent a three-bedroom apartment in downtown Boston for a year, the city where they had sent out their internship applications until, one by one, they were accepted. That way, they would have a place to come home to together, instead of constantly having to figure out where to meet just to complain about things or simply tell each other stories, like they used to.

They had absolutely no idea that deciding to live under the same roof would become the best healing they had ever given themselves. They met new people in their respective majors, hung out with the small groups that had formed in each of their classes, but no one would ever be able to replace the childhood group of best friends from their hometown. No one would ever understand them the way they understood each other. No one would ever know everything they had been through to make it this far.

To make it this far.

In other words, to make it to a better life.

They were still the same people, only now with a path in life free from the fear and worry that the world might collapse again, free from the shadows of powers capable of creating another story of sacrifice.

Everything was safe now.

Will was safe now.

“So, what do you think, Mike?” Lucas asked, still trying to gather enough support for them to take a group trip during the summer once everyone had finished their internships.

Mike supported himself with both palms against the rooftop floor of their apartment. He thought about it, not quite ready to make a decision yet. Birds flew rhythmically through his thoughts. They were free, flying without fear just like they were now. That flock of birds would fly from one city to another, so why shouldn’t they try it too?

​“Sounds like a great idea.”

“See? You heard that, Henderson!” Lucas exclaimed proudly.

Dustin snorted, pulling his hat away from his face. “So am I seeing or hearing?”

“Come on, man, you’ll love it. You can sleep the whole way—”

“What are you guys talking about?” Max appeared from behind them, stepping through the metal door in the pajamas she was still wearing, her hair messily tied up in a bun. She had just woken up from her afternoon nap.

Behind her was Will, smiling brightly in pajama pants and a slightly oversized white T-shirt, little splatters of paint staining the fabric. If Mike looked closely enough, he was sure he could make out exactly what colors had splashed around his face.

Will’s eyes didn’t need to search to find him. His bright smile softened into one of tenderness beneath the glow of the evening light. With slightly hurried steps, he made his way toward Mike, who immediately opened his arms to welcome him.

“Hey,” Mike greeted lightly as Will fell into his arms, wrapping his arms around Mike’s neck and hiding his face against his shoulder. “How’s your painting?”

Will pulled back to look at him, a genuine, slightly shy smile still resting on his pink lips, contrasting with the blush that always appeared on his cheeks whenever they were in the same position, or whenever they were together.

“Hey,” Will answered softly “It’s finished. Did you wait too long?”

Mike leaned in close, resting their foreheads and noses together. “You missed the birds flying in rhythm.”

Will didn’t need to bother looking up to see another kind of life when the source of his life was right there in front of him.

​“You can tell me what they looked like later, Mr. Storyteller.”

​“Definitely not, Will the Wise.”

​“No?”

​“We still have so many days ahead of us in the future to watch them together, to see what they’ll look like.”

Will’s face flushed before he nodded enthusiastically. “We have so much time,” he whispered, before dropping himself down beside him as well, letting his pajama-clad legs meet the rough rooftop floor. His beautiful eyes turned toward the other three, who were busy discussing something with Lucas, before he eventually joined in too, deciding to ask what trip Lucas had been talking about and why Dustin kept refusing.

Mike was completely ignored, because Will immediately joined Team Lucas in trying to convince Dustin, while Max sat to one side, calculating the costs on her fingers.

“Are you coming?” At some point, Will turned toward him.

“Do you want to?”

“If you want to,” Will answered, as if that was all the decision he needed.

Mike smiled warmly, reaching for Will’s waist and pulling their bodies closer together. “I do, Baby.”

Will smiled, satisfied with his decision, then immediately rested his head against Mike’s shoulder, because that was what they always did, as friends, as partners, as something that had never been separable.

A better life, one that had made him understand.

There had been years filled with wounds and loneliness before they could make it here. There had been every unspoken word before they finally started saying them almost all the time. There had been calls and unanswered letters before they finally realized that knowing how each other was doing was the most important thing now.

A day when Mike still didn’t understand his feelings. A day when Will tried to forget him. A day when there was nothing but longing, blocked by walls of misunderstanding.

A day when Mike discovered what love was and who he had fallen in love with, and a day when Will hurt because he had fallen in love, and because he knew who he had fallen in love with.

A day that brought them here.

To the moment when the only power they knew was the power of love, devotion, and waiting.

Mike knew that a miracle would come.

And his miracle was Will, always Will.

He lowered his head to press a kiss to the head resting against him, making Will tilt his head up slightly to look at him, only to receive another kiss on his forehead, then his nose, and finally his lips.

The yellowish light of the sun that would soon disappear blended with the blue sky that had yet to decide to leave, the perfect combination casting a soft glow over Will’s slightly flushed face. Mike could see his own reflection in Will’s glassy eyes.

His heart was so full, his heartbeat steady and perfect because its owner was in his arms, his very breath dependent on the life they had chosen to live together.

In Mike’s story, there would always be Will, and in Will’s story, there would always be Mike.

Even in any universe, he knew he would always fall in love with him.

“I love you so much, Mike,”

Will whispered softly, his hand resting against Mike’s jaw. In a little while, the young man would probably remind him that he needed to shave.

Mike closed the distance between them again, properly kissing Will on the lips, only for a moment because Will needed to hear his answer, even though Will already knew what it would be. He had said it to him so many times before, but Mike needed to give him an answer because he could, because he could say it.

He could say it because it was Will, because he was saying it to Will.

“I love you so much too, Will.”

And he could say it over and over again if it was for Will, only for Will.

Will blushed before letting his head fall back against Mike’s chest. Mike held his body tightly, not wanting the day to end here because he still wanted to live through more days filled with all the sweet things he could share with Will in the future.

He would never let any power bring another dark scratch across their story. He would never let Will wake up in the middle of the night from nightmares of a childhood that still haunted him. He would never let Will walk with his head lowered, believing that there was no corner of the world where he would ever be accepted.

There would be no more darkness carried by the ghosts of childhood.

He knew Lucas had made a promise to himself for Max, too. Max had endured so much suffering because of a risk she had taken, and now she deserved to walk through a life filled with light, with the person she loved by her side, along with the friends who had always been there for her.

They had locked that fairy-tale book from their childhood away somewhere far away and thrown the key into the depths of a river somewhere in the corner of the city where no one could ever reach it.

The price of a better life.

Sacrifice.

“You know what!?” Dustin covered his face with his hat again, though Mike wasn’t sure when he had started lying back down. “This is exactly why I don’t wanna go on your damn trip!!”

They listened to him grumble for a few moments before breaking into laughter again.

With Will in Mike’s arms and Max sitting in Lucas’s lap, there was absolutely no reason for the smartest guy among them not to grumble.

◦•●◉✿.✿◉●•◦

The short getaway to clear their heads was carefully planned once each of them finished their internship contracts and was getting ready to submit their reports at college.

Max and Mike, who were interning at the same publishing company, were the last ones to finish. They had about three days to spend away from the city, starting Friday morning.

Their choice fell on the White Mountains in New Hampshire after a long discussion. Though, in reality, it was really just a brief argument between Will, Max, and Dustin, while Lucas and Mike simply went along with wherever the final decision landed. Although Mike would probably lean more toward Will’s suggestion to avoid a beach vacation anyway. He would agree to anything that would make his boyfriend happy.

Thursday night, the apartment was a little chaotic. They were busy shouting over each other about what they needed to bring, while Max complained about her clothing choices and started rambling about how she needed another girl in the house who could agree with her about “girl things,” as she called them.

Max missed El, of course she did.

Everyone missed El. Mike missed El, Will missed El. There had been one night when Will cried while looking at pictures of himself and El that Jonathan had taken back when they were in Lenora. At the beginning of their relationship, Will had still been incredibly awkward even about something as simple as hugging Mike without feeling guilty for having “stolen” his sister’s boyfriend, the girl who had sacrificed herself to save their lives over and over again.

But Mike, with the sincerity in his heart, made Will feel more at ease.

Mike loved Will without the shadows of his past, without seeing El in him.

Mike loved him because he was Will.

“You love me because El isn’t here.” It had been one of Will’s most painful statements during the worst days of their grief. Mike remembered how he had cried, feeling as though there were a knife driven straight into his chest because of the way Will had judged his feelings, because none of it was true.

Mike had loved Will even before El had ever entered their lives.

Mike had loved Will even when El was part of their lives.

Mike had loved Will even after El was no longer part of their lives.

Mike would always love Will. He had simply realized it too late, because he had been stupid, because he had been too afraid of what the world’s expectations would give him, because he had been too afraid of losing his best friend.

But once again, a dark and incredibly painful storyline had brought them back to a life lit by bright lanterns.

A better life.

They loved each other without doubt, guilt, or fear. They closed the old chapter to begin a new story, one they had always deserved.

Will still immortalized El on his canvases and through his brushes. Mike immortalized the name Jane in one of his stories to remember and honor her sacrifice. Max put a pendant bearing the number 11 around her pet cat’s neck. Lucas and Dustin would bring up El’s name whenever the subject turned to the past.

Because El would always be a part of them.

Only, none of them looked back anymore. No one would turn around to reopen the miracle again. They never said it out loud, but they had all chosen to keep moving forward, leaving the darkness behind and far away in Hawkins.

Now, they were going on another journey, to make another story that would be worth remembering until they were old.

“Byers, this slice is too small for you.”

After packing their things, most of which consisted of little more than bags with a few changes of clothes, they gathered in front of the TV and ate three boxes of pizza they had ordered from the corner of the street, mostly to avoid having any dishes to wash because they needed to go to bed early for the trip the next morning.

Will traded a slice of pizza with Dustin, who had finally agreed to come. The White Mountains were a quiet and peaceful place to clear their heads, with a simple cabin they had rented by a lake. Will was very proud of his choice.

Dinner passed with Max organizing their food and supplies for the trip, figuring out how they could avoid spending too much money, because the cabin rental alone was already enough to drain the wallets of unpaid college interns like them.

“We could go on a diet while we’re there,” Lucas suggested, though he wasn’t actually serious, because he was the one who ate the most out of all of them.

Will laughed. “Mike’s gonna get even skinnier—”

“Will, seriously?”

Will grinned before putting another slice of pizza into his mouth. A little sauce remained at the corner of his lips, making him look messy but adorable.

“We can buy meat at the supermarket there.”

​“Oh no, no, Dustin. Prices at tourist spots are marked up double,” Max countered immediately.

“I mean…” The shorter man turned toward Mike. “We have the Ted Wheeler card.”

Mike rolled his eyes at the mention of his father and the incredibly useful card. He refused to admit it, but his father had indeed given him a card that was regularly topped up, so he wouldn’t have to worry too much about money while he was still looking for a job. It was useful, sure, but it was also extremely uncool and made him feel like a mama’s boy when he wanted to brand himself as a hardworking, self-made man, at least in Will’s eyes.

“I keep it in Will.”

Will nodded several times, swallowing the last of the pizza in his mouth and puffing out his cheeks. “We can get supplies tomorrow before we leave, at the supermarket next door.”

“Sweet.” Lucas clapped in agreement. He stood once there was no pizza left in his box, and Dustin followed him into the kitchen to get something to drink.

Max clapped along with Will before standing up too. “Perfect. Good night, Mrs. Wheeler.”

“Hey!”

“Hey!”

Max only laughed at the two of them protesting before disappearing into the kitchen.

Will pursed his lips into a pout, and Mike reached out to wipe the remaining sauce from them. “Spend as much as you want with that card, okay? Prioritize the food and snacks you like first.”

“And Max is gonna tease me about that name all day. She’s done it before. Mike Wheeler’s wife, Mrs. Wheeler, wife, wife, wife… Spend the money, pull out your card, Mrs. Wheeler,” Will whined, mimicking Max’s annoying, exaggerated tone.

Mike laughed, licking the remaining sauce from his finger after wiping Will’s mouth. “But isn’t that what we are? Whatever you wanna call it.”

Will’s face flushed all the way to his ears. Mike was probably doing the same, both of them suddenly acting stupid and looking away from each other before realizing they were the last two still sitting on the carpet surrounded by empty, greasy pizza boxes.

They got up. Mike threw the boxes into the trash can in the hallway, which was already quite full of the other neighbors’ garbage, and when he returned, Will had already prepared cold water for both of them.

The others had already gone into their respective rooms. Max had a room of her own, but Lucas always sneaked in during the middle of the night to spend time with his girlfriend. Dustin once said those were the best nights of his life because he got to have the room and the big bed all to himself.

“Jonathan lent me this.”

Will slipped the latest camera model into his carry-on bag once they had finished brushing their teeth together and were getting ready for bed. From where he sat on the edge of the mattress, Mike watched as the other man checked their belongings one more time, making sure they hadn’t forgotten anything important, even if they were only going away for three days.

Once he decided there was nothing else to worry about, Will let out a small yawn and walked closer, his eyes already heavy with sleep. Mike reached around his waist and pulled him closer “Come here, Baby.” Will fell into his lap, burying his face against Mike’s neck and letting out another small yawn.

Mike gently rubbed his back, rocking his body slowly, intending to lull his boyfriend to sleep, especially since Will loved being cuddled whenever they were somewhere it was just the two of them.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Will murmured, his breath brushing against the side of Mike’s neck.

“Me neither, of course.”

The last time they had gone on vacation as a group had been their trip to Montauk. Back then, they hadn’t needed to spend much money because Joyce and Hopper had opened their home to them, even though there hadn’t been enough bedrooms, and it had eventually turned into something like a sleepover at night, with all of them sleeping on extra mattresses in front of the TV.

“This is gonna be fun?” Will asked, lifting his head to look at him.

Mike’s gaze dropped from Will’s face to his lips, which looked red even in the dimly lit room. He smiled briefly “It’s going to be amazing, I promise,” he murmured, without breaking his gaze.

Will noticed where his eyes were going and took the initiative first. He closed the distance between them and brought their lips together, pressing into the kiss and waiting for Mike to lead him, take over, and turn it into a deeper, wetter kiss. Mike devoured Will’s full lips eagerly, the soft sounds between them audible only to the two of them.

Will shifted more comfortably in Mike’s lap, both legs wrapping around his body until there was truly no space left between them, his hands playing along the back of Mike’s neck and jaw.

Mike bit down gently on Will’s lower lip, making Will part his mouth and allow his warm tongue to slip inside, meeting his own. It was no longer a quiet goodnight kiss. They became more hurried, muffled sounds escaping between their joined mouths.

Mike’s cold hand slipped beneath Will’s shirt, touching what belonged to him before moving lower, lifting Will slightly to squeeze his ass through the thin pajama pants. Will gasped breathlessly without breaking their kiss, chasing Mike’s touch beneath him.

Mike felt his body react, a sudden wave of intense heat and arousal washing over him the moment Will began squirming in his lap. Their clothed bodies ground against each other as Will let out an intoxicating groan straight into his mouth, his fingers playing mischievously through Mike’s curls. Unable to hold back any longer, Mike slipped his hand inside his sweet boyfriend’s pants.

When things became too heated, they finally parted and rested their foreheads together, looking at their lips wet with each other’s saliva, their heavy breaths held between them.

“Do you want to?” Will whispered, a quiet sign of his affection.

“Fuck, Will. Of course.”

Mike moved forward again, chasing the lips that had been teasing him, but Will pulled back slightly, making him let out a frustrated groan.

“You know I can never stop once we start.”

Will’s cold hands cupped his face as he tried to steady his breathing.

“We have to get up really early tomorrow. Just once, okay, my paladin? Control yourself,” he teased lightly.

Mike grinned, dropping Will onto the mattress. Without wasting any time, he pulled his shirt off before leaning down over Will.

“No promises,” he said before kissing the boy beneath him again, already being welcomed into the kiss.

They were going on vacation and staying together in a wooden cabin without soundproof rooms. They obviously wouldn’t be able to do it while they were there, especially because Mike didn’t want anyone else to hear how loud Will could get whenever they made love.

That sound was only for him.

◦•●◉✿.✿◉●•◦

They stepped out of the car at precisely nine in the morning after a fairly long drive. As the driver, Mike stretched his arms, easing the fatigue and stiffness in his muscles.

“Holy shit!”

“What?”

“Look at this place.” Dustin’s eyes sparkled as he took in the view surrounding their rented cabin.

“We’ve been here for thirty seconds,” Max countered, though her eyes held the exact same look of awe.

“Yeah, and it’s already better than Boston.”

Mike glanced over at Will, who was smiling with quiet satisfaction at their friends' reactions. He knew Will felt proud of his pick, and Mike couldn't agree more.

​The view here was breathtaking. The air felt vastly colder and crisper than what they were used to, with lush, leafy trees lining the landscape and a serene lake whose clear waters looked incredibly inviting. There were no blaring car horns, no passing traffic, and no sight of rushed commuters running for the bus with their heads down, clutching briefcases.

Only the sound of birds and the wind moving through the trees, like something they had truly needed after nearly three months of being unpaid corporate slaves.

When they entered the cabin, the wooden boards creaked beneath the combined weight of its five new occupants. Their bags were placed in the living area, which opened directly onto a balcony overlooking the lake. Max and Will took out the food supplies they had bought and arranged everything in the kitchen after taking some time to figure out the layout of the cabin.

“Where are the bedrooms?” Mike asked, since there were no partitions whatsoever on the first floor, and only Max and Will knew exactly what the cabin was like because they had been the ones to check in.

“Oh, upstairs.”

He nodded

Max and Will exchanged glances before smiling to themselves.

They made their way toward the second floor, the staircase tucked away at the very back. But instead of finding a floor filled with separate rooms, they were greeted by five single beds laid out across the floor, each with its own pillow and thick blanket neatly folded on top.

The floor was incredibly spacious and almost entirely surrounded by large glass windows, giving them a direct view of the beautiful scenery outside. Thankfully, there were tall curtains they could pull closed at night.

Max and Will followed them upstairs, immediately finding the other three staring in shock.

“Wait…” Dustin’s voice hung in the air. “We’re all sleeping here?”

“Where else?” Will answered casually.

“Like… all five of us?”

“You seem pretty shaken up, dude.” Lucas patted his shoulder. “It’s like a sleepover at Will’s parents’ house.”

“I thought there’d be separate rooms.”

“Why? Afraid of us?” Max teased.

“I’m afraid of you, specifically.” Dustin rolled his eyes.

“Good.”

Will had already dropped his bag and himself onto one of the beds at the far end, the one closest to the glass window. Mike, his forehead furrowed, immediately took the spot beside him without a second thought. Will smiled in amusement at his expression, as if he already understood exactly what was going through Mike’s mind and how little he approved of the arrangement.

Max loudly explained why they had chosen this type of cabin in the first place, so it would truly feel like a friendship trip, sleeping together and doing everything together.

“Having separate bedrooms would be exactly the same as being back at the apartment,” she concluded and took the bed at the far end as well, with Lucas settling into the one beside her, leaving the middle bed for Dustin.

​“I don't care, I'm still holding you at night,” Mike grumbled to Will. “A separate bed isn't gonna stop me.”

Will answered with a small laugh, his rabbit-like teeth showing. His cold hands pulled the camera out of his bag, holding it carefully, almost as if Jonathan’s warning-filled voice were echoing in the back of his mind.

In the background, Lucas was already gushing about how nice the place was.

​“Okay guys, listen up!” Dustin stood up right in the middle, throwing his arms out like he was about to lay down the law, instantly pulling everyone's attention.

​“This is crucial for everyone's well being… especially mine, so you better listen.” He let out a heavy sigh.

Max snorted. “What kind of bullshit is it this time?”

​“No sex! Period. I know vacation sex hits different, but we're all sleeping in the exact same room, and damn it… I’m the only single one here! So, absolutely no sex! I’m just trying to protect my ears.”

​Mike burst out laughing at the overly detailed rule, while Lucas immediately started joking that they needed to make it their mission to find Dustin a hookup over the next three days.

​“I’m serious, guys! Nobody is having sex!”

Click!! 

The sound of the camera going off from nearby made Mike turn his head, only to find Will taking a picture of him.

Will glanced at the photo he had just taken before lifting his head to look at him, his eyes shining beautifully “absolutely gorgeous” he complimented, a little shy, but also slightly proud that the handsome man he was praising was his.

Mike would never get used to the way Will complimented him. Never. Will had a way of saying things that made his heart beat differently.

​Leaning in, Mike pressed a slow, lingering kiss to the sweet guy’s lips, leaving Will blushing furiously right after.

​Dustin let out a long, dramatic sigh.

​“I can already tell which couple is gonna break my rule first!”

◦•●◉✿.✿◉●•◦

At noon, once their stomachs started growling, they rummaged through their supplies and gathered on the porch to enjoy some bread and cold drinks. Will held tightly onto his donkey milk after Lucas had previously threatened to steal it.

On their first day, they still had no clear idea where exactly they should go. The scenery surrounding their cabin was already more than enough to refresh their eyes and clear their heads, but of course, there were places out there that deserved to be explored rather than spending the entire day sitting on the porch.

So after lunch, they all climbed back into the car for a leisurely drive. Every window was rolled all the way down, letting the wind rush inside and send Max’s loose red hair flying around. She sat in the front with Lucas, who was behind the wheel.

Mike was squeezed between Will and Dustin. Technically, Dustin had plenty of room, considering Mike was practically glued to Will anyway, who had started wiping the camera lens. Will figured this was the perfect time to improve the photography skills he’d learned from Jonathan, and Mike would always be ready with a compliment whenever Will showed him one of his shots, even though Will didn’t exactly agree with that. He thought Mike should criticize him sometimes too, whenever something actually needed criticizing.

The radio played softly as their car began making its way down a road surrounded by trees. After a few minutes, the buildings and houses became fewer and farther between, replaced by stretches of green forest on both sides of the road. They could even faintly hear the sound of a waterfall somewhere in the distance.

“Change the song,” Max spoke up, her voice the first thing anyone had heard after finally coming down from their awe of the scenery.

“This song sucks. Typical Wheeler.”

Dustin laughed from his seat.

“I think you need to get to know more music genres, Mayfield. My taste isn’t the problem here,” Mike scoffed.

Max turned slightly in her seat to look at the three in the back. “The only person here who can tolerate your music taste is Will, and that’s only because he respects you and loves you. Will has way better taste in music.”

Mike looked back at Will, who wore an expression that clearly said he wanted no part in this conversation. But Mike knew his sweet boyfriend secretly agreed with the redhead, who was already fiddling with the radio and changing stations until she found something she could actually listen to.

“You don't get to control the radio just because you're sitting in the front,” he chirped before turning his attention away again.

Will eventually grew tired of his camera and let it drop onto his lap, choosing instead to focus on the scenery outside the window without taking any more pictures. Mike wrapped an arm around his shoulders, making Will turn toward him with a smile before resting his head against Mike’s shoulder.

Will had always been the quietest one among them. He communicated through looks or little gestures whenever he felt his voice wasn’t needed, and they all understood him well enough to know that the young man was thoroughly enjoying this vacation after everything they had been through in the past.

Mike wanted to give him the world.

“Guys, should we stop?” Lucas asked as they entered the Lower Falls area.

Dustin immediately looked outside “Yes.”

Will lifted his head, his senses kicking in the moment the sound of rushing water became clearer. He nodded enthusiastically, and Mike answered with just as much excitement “Definitely.”

They parked and practically jumped out of the car the second their seatbelts came loose. There was no need for a difficult hike before reaching their destination.

Will quickly found Mike’s hand. Mike intertwined their fingers, sharing their warmth as they walked forward in sync. It was honestly a relief to see how quickly their relationship had grown, to the point where they no longer hesitated to simply hold hands in public.

Dustin walked ahead, following the sound of the water until the trees began to open up. Down below, the river flowed over slick rocks, shimmering beneath the sunlight, while sections of the river dropped over the rocks and formed small waterfalls along the way.

Lucas had already claimed one of the unoccupied picnic tables, since they weren’t planning on getting wet today. They were just there to enjoy the scenery and have a few little conversations, along with taking some group pictures because Will was already ready with his camera again.

For a while, none of them spoke. They simply enjoyed the sound of the water and the faint voices of other tourists nearby.

Dustin’s eyes landed on a female tourist who seemed to be Asian and around their age. She was taking some pictures with her friend.

Mike and Lucas exchanged glances before grinning.

“I think our mission to find a match for our buddy here might be wrapped up early, dude” Lucas remarked. 

“We didn't even have to try. The man found her all on his own,” Mike added.

Dustin quickly looked away after realizing he’d been caught, his cheeks turning red “What are you guys even talking about?”

​“First stop, and he already found her,” Will chuckled, having noticed the exact same thing. Mike affectionately ruffled Will's hair.

Max stood up, picked up Will’s camera from the table, and handed it to Dustin, who raised an eyebrow.

“We need a group picture,” Max explained. “Someone has to take it.”

“Don’t make me look stupid…” Dustin shook his head slowly, leaning back against his chair.

“So don’t act stupid?” Mike chimed in. “Show them how cool you are, man. Your destiny is right in front of you.”

Max snapped her fingers in agreement. The word destiny might have been a little dramatic, but they were all determined to find Dustin someone after he’d been single ever since his last breakup with Suzie.

“Go on, ask her for help.”

Dustin grumbled, standing up with a sour expression as the camera was placed in his hands. He walked hesitantly away from the group, his short legs carrying him toward the Asian tourist.

It didn’t take long before Dustin returned with a flushed face, but the Asian girl had come back with him. They introduced themselves briefly. Her name was Maya, and although she wasn’t completely fluent, her English was still easy enough to understand.

“Okay, group pose?” Maya instructed.

They all squeezed together, smiling brightly at the camera with the vast natural scenery stretching out behind them. Mike had never really been a fan of taking pictures, but ever since Will was always beside him, sharing the same frame, Will’s wide smile—showing off that row of rabbit-like teeth—gave Mike a warmth of its own.

He would always be willing to take pictures if Will was beside him.

Birds chirped overhead and a cool breeze swept through the trees. They complimented Maya on the pictures and thanked her before Dustin took the opportunity to talk to her alone, suddenly much braver than before.

“Hey, you two.”

Mike shifted his attention from Will to Max, who was calling them. The camera was already raised in her hands.

“Don't you guys want a photo together?”

Will’s eyes widened as he glanced around at the other tourists, checking to see if anyone was paying attention. He hesitated before finally looking back at Mike.

“You don’t mind?”

Mike furrowed his brow. “What? Of course not.”

​“People might notice,” Will murmured.

​Max burst out laughing from nearby. “I’m not telling you two to pose kissing or anything. Relax, my boy.”

​Will blinked, a shy blush creeping up his cheeks. “That’s not what I meant.”

​Mike knew exactly what Will meant. They rarely took photos of just the two of them in public places, especially anything too obvious. Will was always the hesitant, self-conscious one, worrying that people would stare. Mike chuckled quietly; he was always the braver one when it came to this.

“Come on.” Mike’s arm wrapped around his waist, pulling Will close against him. “Let’s add a new photo to our collection.”

“Mmm Okay”

They faced Max, who was already adjusting the lighting. Will tilted his head slightly to make them look more intimate without actually resting it against Mike. Mike took the initiative, bringing their heads together and wiping away some of the awkwardness.

He could feel how genuinely flustered Will was this time, his arm still wrapped around that waist as his hand gave it a gentle, reassuring stroke.

Click!

Max took several pictures, and once she was finished, she looked through the results. Mike could see the way the redhead smiled at them on the screen before she sincerely lifted her head and looked at them with an affection she had never openly admitted, especially toward Mike.

Max had played a huge role in bringing their relationship together. Will and Max had grown even closer once they started college, with Max becoming the person Will confided in about his feelings for Mike, feelings he believed weren’t returned.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Mike had also been constantly bombarding Lucas with requests for help figuring out how to make things between him and Will romantic, rather than just remaining friends.

“Your smile looks ridiculous, Wheeler,” Max called out quickly, her words completely contradicting the affection in her tone toward the couple who had finally managed to find their way to each other.

Then Will took over the camera, kindly returning the favor to Max, who now posed with Lucas.

Afterward, they began to scatter as sitting around the same table started to get boring. Lucas took Max somewhere away from the crowd, heading toward the strongest current, and Mike was sure the couple would come back with yet another exaggerated horror story. Dustin, meanwhile, managed to spend most of his time with Maya.

Mike brought Will with him, moving away from the table until they found a large rock big enough for them to sit on by the river. Will took the initiative first, already slipping off both his shoes and placing them beside him. He slowly dipped both feet into the flowing water, only to immediately wince at the cold.

“Cold.”

Mike chuckled. “Straight from the mountains.”

“I didn’t know it was gonna be this cold.”

Mike placed his shoes beside Will’s before taking a seat next to him as well.

His long legs stretched down toward the water, making it impossible for his feet not to get wet. The moment they touched the water, he flinched slightly and winced, because, apparently, it really was that cold.

“I told you,” Will chuckled this time.

Then, carefully, he took the camera hanging around his neck and began scrolling through the photos one by one. They had taken so many pictures in such a short amount of time, and Jonathan was probably going to let out a little groan about the full memory card when they got back.

Will stopped at a picture of the two of them together. The sweet man began to smile, showing his row of teeth as he stared at the photo of them for a long moment.

“I like your smile,” he complimented softly.

“Say that out loud in front of Mayfield,” Mike said, his voice full of smugness.

“I already have. And she’s also insulted me plenty of times just because I fell in love with you.”

Mike narrowed his eyes before rolling them dramatically, playing along. “How long has that redhead known you were in love with me, actually?”

“I told her how I felt during our first year of college. But you know what her response was?” Will looked up at the sky. “I knew, Byers. Halloween night, ’84. Ghostbuster costume.” He started imitating Max’s voice again.

“Yeah, shit.” Mike scoffed. “Even Lucas knew before that.”

“I think everyone knew, Mike. Except you.”

Mike stared at Will for a long moment before taking his hand, their fingers hidden behind the rocks.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I’m happy wherever our relationship began.”

They smiled at each other before turning their attention back to the camera screen, once again picking through the photos and deciding which ones they would put up in their bedroom in apartment. 

By late afternoon, they casually walked back toward the car. Dustin had already started talking about how much fun Maya was to talk to, along with the additional information that she and her friends had rented a cabin in the same area, Lucas immediately began putting together a ridiculously cheesy triple-date agenda.

Mike and Will walked at the very back, their hands intertwined, while Will’s other hand held the camera, the screen displaying the same picture.

A picture of the two of them.

There were still so many destinations to see, so many roads left to travel, accompanied by photographs of the two of them falling in love, photographs they both believed would one day hang on the walls of their homes when they were old.

The sun began to disappear behind the trees and mountains as they lit the grill outside the cabin.

The night air felt much colder than it had a few hours earlier, even though they were still at the end of summer. From the forest behind the cabin came the sounds of crickets and insects, along with the voices of the other cabin occupants a few meters away from their yard.

Lucas stood in front of the grill with a pair of tongs in his hand, thin smoke rising into the air and mixing with the aroma of meat beginning to cook. Max helped with the rest of the meat, while Will, who was on that team, prepared the instant seasonings and other condiments they could enjoy.

Mike kept noticing Will pulling down the sleeves of his shirt, trying to cover himself because he was cold. Will didn't like the cold, and he couldn't stand it.

So Mike patiently continued with his own task, lighting the campfire with the firewood provided by the cabin's owners to keep the mosquitoes away and warm them up. Dustin helped beside him, accompanied by little comments that nobody needed.

“The wind's blowing east, man.”

“No, the wind is clearly blowing west.”

Their little argument went on for a while until, finally, the wood caught fire completely and a small flame slowly appeared in front of their faces, making both of them lean back with satisfied sighs.

The wind was blowing south.

Once the cooking team finished with the food, they gathered around the cramped wooden chairs, with grilled meat, cooked sausages, and potatoes spread across the table, along with potato salad for Max, who claimed to be a vegetarian despite secretly stealing meat from Lucas's plate.

Will held out a plate with a burger toward Mike. Mike raised an eyebrow as he looked at it. He was the only one getting a burger here, while the one who had made it simply smiled sweetly and popped a bite of potato into his mouth.

“Oh, Will made that special and filled it with love just for you, man. He didn't even respond to us while he was making it, like he had to stay focused and make sure every bit of love went into it, and mmmmsksls—”

Lucas’s rambling was cut short when Max shoved a rather large piece of broccoli into his mouth.

Mike nudged Will’s shoulder, whose face had already turned bright red.

“You really like your burgers with extra cheese,” Will said quickly, still shy in front of their friends, which only made him look even more adorable.

“And you made it for me.” Mike lifted a hand and gently ruffled Will’s hair. “Thank you, My love.”

“Why does Mike get a special burger?” Dustin protested.

Mike rolled his eyes lazily. “Because Will made it special for me?”

Again, Will shyly cut in to clarify, clearly feeling bad in front of their friends. “The night before, Mike really wanted a burger, but we ended up ordering pizza instead. And I remembered, so…”

“Oh, you don’t have to explain yourself, Will. They don’t need to understand,” Max cut in.

“What about the rest of us?” Lucas teased, or perhaps it was a jab directed at his girlfriend. “Don’t we deserve special burgers too?”

“You can’t possibly expect a burger full of love from Will too, man,” Mike replied, slightly dramatically. “He’s my boyfriend.”

Will’s face turned even redder.

Mike didn't touch any of the other dishes before making sure the burger specially made by someone he loved so dearly was completely gone. He wouldn't even let Dustin so much as glance at the food that had been made for him with so much love. He found himself wondering what Will had been thinking while making it. Had Will also been thinking about a brighter future, all the way into old age, with him?

Will smiled happily when the burger was gone without a trace, making Mike feel like he needed to prove that he would finish anything Will served him in the future, even if it tasted bad. Though he wasn't sure there would ever be anything that tasted bad when Will made it with so much care.

Once the plates were empty, leaving only a little over-charred meat behind, they sat around the campfire. Mike and Will took their places on the logs that had actually been designed for visitors to sit on.

Will carefully rubbed his hands together, still shivering slightly despite being the closest to the fire.

“Wait here.” Mike got up, jogging into the cabin and returning with a thin blanket. He draped it over Will's back before sitting down beside him again.

Will shivered, his smiling lips pale, and Mike couldn't help but wear a worried expression.

“I'm okay, Mike,” Will said softly, quiet enough that only the two of them could hear. His hand slipped out from beneath the blanket and rested against the back of Mike's hand, and that was when Mike felt it. Will's body was warm, yet he looked so cold.

“We can just go inside.”

“No.” Will objected, a little panicked. “I like it here. I like being together like this. Don't let me ruin it.”

“Baby…”

“You can hold me.”

Mike opened his mouth, then closed it again. In the end, he gave in with a small nod, wrapping his arm around Will's back and pulling his boyfriend closer, which Will immediately welcomed by leaning into him.

Beyond the circle of light, the forest grew darker. The faint strumming of a guitar from another cabin mingled with the sound of the wood burning in front of them, while the strong wind made the thick leaves brush against one another like a song.

The wood had not yet been completely consumed, a sign that the night was still long.

Dustin, lying in the hammock, stared up at the stars. Lucas and Max shared the same warmth beside one another.

They breathed in the air of life.

“Do you think we'll still do this when we're fifty?” Lucas's question echoed through the air.

“We have to,” Max replied. “Even if Wheeler is sitting in a wheelchair.”

“I'm not going to be in a wheelchair. I'm gonna be a healthy, fit old man,” he protested.

“But yeah, I agree.” Dustin lifted himself up. “I mean, are you planning on becoming strangers when you're old?”

“No,” Will said. “Don't say that. No one's ever leaving anyone!”

Everyone's eyes turned toward him before they smiled and nodded with certainty.

“No one's allowed to leave!” Max whispered, her tone softer.

“I thought you hated us so much, Mayfield,” Mike said with a shrug, teasing her.

Max quickly rolled her eyes, but the redhead was smiling “That’s true, but… where else am I gonna find losers and idiots like you guys?”

“There’s only one of us.”

“Exactly!”

Will let out a soft chuckle. In truth, all of them did. Their laughter drifted into the night wind, carrying warmth and the promise of a life waiting for them in the future. They were a group that would always find their way back to one another, wherever life took them. They were more than just a group.

They were family.

Without realizing it, Mike's eyes grew hot and glassy. Thankfully, the lighting wasn't bright enough to reveal just how emotional he was feeling.

Will gazed freely at the open sky above them. “I want us to always be like this.”

“Oh, we will, Byers.”

“And I'll plan the next trip every year, too.” Lucas folded his arms across his chest, apparently finding his new role in the group.

All this time, they had really only gone on trips together to Montauk. They had gone to California once, but their parents had needed to be involved because of how expensive the trip was. But now, in their third year of college and with graduation just around the corner, they could start thinking more seriously about their own lives.

The moon and its light reflected across the calm surface of the lake.

The crickets once again took over the silence in their heads. The wood slowly crumbled beneath the flames, but that didn't stop them from remaining there, still wondering what else might happen to them next.

Whatever it was, it had to be something better.

Lucas stared at the sky for just as long, while Max leaned comfortably against him. 

“I know we've never really talked about this before, but… I'm really, really grateful we're here in this life now.” he said

“It's like… I don't even want to look back anymore,” Dustin chirped unexpectedly, staring at the same sky.

Will squeezed their hands beneath the blanket. The topic was a little sensitive for him. It would lead them toward things they had buried. Mike lowered his head and gave him a reassuring smile before turning to look at each of his friends one by one. If there was ever a night to say what they were feeling, perhaps it was tonight, in the middle of this quiet forest.

“I get it. Our childhood and all our adventures were great, something no one else out there could ever say they experienced. But after everything that happened, I agree that we deserve to have better lives.”

And it had started the moment they drove out of Hawkins.

A better life.

They fell silent where they sat, tilting their heads back toward the empty sky above them. Will didn't. He remained quiet with his head lowered, and Mike could feel his body trembling beneath his arm.

Max looked like she wanted to say something, though the words seemed caught on her tongue. In the end, they came out together with her tears, the tears they hadn't seen from her in years. As if she hadn't meant to let them fall, she quickly wiped them away, as though they weren't necessary.

“This sucks, but I want us to keep moving forward without looking back anymore. What we went through… I know it was a risk I agreed to take, but now I have a chance to leave it behind, and I want to. I don't want to keep remembering what happened to me back then.”

She finally said it all in one breath.

Besides Will, the person who had every right to complain and forget the past was Max—a new girl from California who had become involved in all that chaos in some strange world without ever intending to.

“Whatever we went through before, I'm just really grateful we made it out and get to live better lives now,” Dustin said.

He was steadier, already at peace with the losses and childhood trauma he'd experienced as the scientist of their adventures.

Will finally lifted his head, nodding in agreement, calmer now.

“I’m… just really grateful to know we’re all okay today.”

“Even better,” Mike added.

Slowly, smiles returned to each of their lips, smiles of relief that they all agreed they would protect the better lives they had now all the way into the future, leaving behind all the bitterness, sacrifices, losses, and pain.

The group officially signed the final page of their adventure book, opening a new chapter of adventures that would leave behind no wounds, only warmth.

They believed the superhero, the main character in their childhood fairy tale, who had made the ultimate sacrifice on their journey, was surely living peacefully in a beautiful land far up in the skies. A life she so rightfully deserved; they believed El had found her place up there.

​And just like her, they too deserved a place and happiness in the world they stood on today.

​There was nothing left to worry about. No more darkness would ever come.

Time passed in silence, and the fire in front of them had almost completely died out. All that remained were red embers that occasionally glowed between the blackened pieces of wood.

For the first time all day, no one felt the need to fill the silence with jokes or conversation. But their souls and minds remained together.

Will was still so cold in Mike's arms, but he was calmer now, his eyelashes damp. Max, on the other side, was calmer too. Lucas, of course, knew how to help Max deal with the trauma she carried, and the smile on her lips had returned.

“Oh, yeah, Lucas. For our next trip, I suggest Asia,” Dustin offered, stretching his body as he climbed out of the hammock, his bones cracking.

“That's definitely Maya.”

Their silence turned into laughter in an instant, drifting into the air and chasing away the emotional atmosphere that had settled over them.

In the middle of their laughter, the light on the cabin's porch flickered for a moment before returning to normal.

The five of them froze, feeling the same familiar sensation, but Lucas quickly brushed it aside by gathering the dirty plates from the table. The others immediately joined him, because what had just happened was nothing. Things like that happened all the time in their apartments, classrooms, and even cafés they visited.

Their reaction was nothing more than spontaneous trauma carried over.

A few minutes later, one by one, they went inside the cabin, their footsteps making the wooden floorboards creak.

Mike and Will were still sitting outside together, quietly chuckling as they heard the little argument Max and Dustin had started inside over who got to use the bathroom first.They both knew who was going to win.

After a while, Will rubbed his hands together again. There was no campfire left to warm them, and his blanket wasn't thick enough.

“Let's go inside. You're freezing out here.”

Mike had just begun to get up to pull Will along with him when Will stopped him, making him sit back down in the same position.

“I still want to be alone with you.”

Will said it so softly and sincerely that Mike couldn't hold back the happiness surging all the way into his bones. He smiled like an idiot in response.

“But you're so cold, baby.”

“Then hold me?”

Without thinking twice, Mike opened his arms and pulled him into his embrace. The blanket gathered between their bodies as they both closed their eyes, enjoying the warmth they shared between them.

“Feels so warm, Mike,” Will murmured against his chest.

Mike inhaled the intoxicating scent of the sweet man in his arms before exhaling in contentment, as if simply breathing in enough of him was all the air he needed. “Glad I could help. Take as much as you want.”

He lowered his head, looking directly into Will’s eyes as Will gazed back at him with bright, shining eyes. The faint moonlight reflected in them, blending with the reflection of Mike himself, as if he would always have a place there, always exist somewhere within every part of Will. It was too beautiful.

“I love your eyes. I love you,” Mike said deeply.

“You know… I’m still not used to having you this close, saying all the things I used to pray to hear back then. My heart beats so fast,” Will replied sincerely, his cheeks clearly turning red.

Mike took Will’s hand and guided it to his chest, carefully pressing it there until Will’s pupils widened.

“Can you feel that?”

Will nodded, smiling shyly.

“My heart will always race when it comes to you, Will.”

Will’s thumb, still resting against his chest, gently brushed over it, feeling the way that heart beat for him, before he lifted his own hand to his chest to feel his own heartbeat.

“Our hearts are beating in sync,” he said in complete wonder.

Mike let out a soft chuckle at how adorable Will could be, so easily melting him and giving them both a little room to breathe.

He closed the distance between them and pressed a peaceful kiss to Will’s forehead before they eventually leaned against each other, gazing out at the lake before them. Moonlight danced across the still water, accompanied by the melody of nature in the silence. There was no firelight left to warm them, only the two of them.

Their fingers intertwined, gently playing with each other in silent teasing. Every now and then, Mike would lower his head and place a quick kiss anywhere on Will’s face that he could reach.

“I’m so happy, Mike. It feels like I’m standing in a world where my dreams exist,” Will said softly, closing his eyes in complete comfort as Mike’s hand gently rubbed his back.

“Am I one of those dreams?” Mike asked with a smile, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

Will lifted his head and playfully pinched Mike’s side. “You obviously know the answer.”

“Oh, I don’t think I do.”

“You just want to hear it again.”

“What exactly is it that I want to hear again?”

Will opened his mouth, only to close it again as he rolled his eyes playfully, his lips curling into a wide smile instead.

“You’re my biggest dream, Mike. I think that’s pretty obvious, you—”

“The best thing that ever happened in my life,” Mike finished, his smile widening with satisfaction.

“It’s us.”

“It’s us.”

A cool breeze slipped between the smiles of happiness they shared. Mike pulled Will closer, and Will met him halfway, bringing their cold lips together. There was no hurried kiss, only peace and every bit of love and affection they held for each other in that quiet night.

Mike gently caressed Will’s cheek before ending their kiss with a certainty that grew stronger with every passing day: they were going to be okay, until the world finally had a place for them.

The sound of commotion came from inside the cabin again. They exchanged a look, and Mike didn’t even need to say anything before Will immediately nodded.

They stood, holding hands as they walked in step, leaving the old, fragile wooden bench behind as they headed inside the cabin to join their friends.

The door closed behind them, like a sign that they were leaving all the darkness, loneliness, and pain of their childhood memories behind that door, laughing their way into a new life.

Without knowing that, in just a few hours, that door would open again.

◦•●◉✿.✿◉●•◦

They went upstairs to their room exactly at midnight, after the TV screen had already begun rolling the movie credits, leaving behind scattered snack wrappers and crumbs that they would clean up the next day.

The sky, which had been calm before, suddenly rumbled violently, thunder and lightning crashing against one another, followed by flashes that appeared only for a split second, white light illuminating the silhouettes of the distant mountains for a few seconds before disappearing back into the darkness.

Will was the first to touch the mattress, letting out a small groan of relief as his back finally met something softer, his body wrapped in his favorite faded yellow pajamas.

“For God’s sake, Lucas, just for tonight, don’t snore.” Dustin tugged at his stretched-out socks. “I don’t understand why Max would want to spend her whole life with a sleeping partner like you.”

Lucas threw his bolster pillow at him. “Because she loves me. And listen, my relationship with her isn’t just about being sleeping partners like you called it.”

“You’re right, I love you, but Dustin’s right too. I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to put up with that snoring of yours.” Max snapped her fingers.

Mike frowned. “Well, then this is going to be a terrible night. I’m going to be forced to listen to that too.”

Lucas huffed, his face full of protest. “Will? Come on, doesn't Mike snore?”

Will blinked a few times before shaking his head. “Only when he’s really tired,” he answered casually. “And that’s normal.”

Mike smiled proudly while Lucas started making his case that he only snored when the day had been especially exhausting, but neither Max nor his roommate Dustin offered him any justification, because Lucas did it every single night.

Another flash of light struck outside the large glass window, which was still uncovered by the curtains. For a moment, the entire room turned white, followed by the sound of thunder rolling across the mountains.

The rain was coming, ending their night and welcoming them into a dewy morning.

Mike stood up and pulled the towering curtains across the entire glass window, leaving the room dimly lit, relying on the bedside lamps on either side of the room.

Sleeping to the sound of rain was the most wonderful thing.

Without thinking twice, after putting on his own socks, Mike climbed onto Will’s bed, joining the sweet man who was already lying there waiting for him.

“At least try your own bed first tonight, Michael Wheeler,” Dustin grumbled.

As if he didn’t care, Mike pulled the blanket over himself and dropped down beside Will, turning his back to Dustin and their friends before pulling Will into his arms.

“I guess the rule is just no sex, Henderson?” he said.

Dustin could only grumble while Lucas and Max laughed. Mike was almost certain the couple had already planned something else too, like pushing their beds together, perhaps. That was something Mike didn’t want to do, because being squeezed together in a small space like this with Will felt like being back in the basement when the two of them were very little.

The sound of tree branches clashing against one another began to echo outside. The strong wind would bring the rain any moment now.

Will lifted his head slightly to peek at their friends over Mike’s shoulder, his eyes narrowing in the dim lighting before his pink lips spoke.

“It was a wonderful day. Good night, everyone. Sleep well.”

​“Goodnight to my favorite person, Will!” Max replied warmly, her voice sweet and comforting, as if ensuring Will felt safe.

“Good night, Will. Perfect choice for a vacation spot,” Dustin said through a half-yawn.

“Good night too, Will. You can kick Mike if he makes you feel too cramped,” Lucas finished.

Will’s head fell back onto the pillow, bringing their eyes together, their cold noses brushing against each other. Without rushing, Will stole a kiss from his lips.

“Good night, my paladin.”

This time, Mike kissed him.

“Good night to you too, my cleric.”

They really were two nerds falling in love.

Maybe it was drizzling outside. Will’s body was very warm, yet he shivered, something that rarely happened to him but was no longer something they needed to worry about. Perhaps his body was simply trying to adapt to the new mountain environment.

Will yawned softly and stretched his arms out to hold Mike tightly, hiding his face against his chest while Mike gently wrapped an arm around his back, pulling him closer.

“Too cramped,” Will mumbled, his voice hoarse, on the verge of falling asleep.

“You can push me away, you know, Will, if you want,” Mike whispered, punctuating the words with a quiet yawn of his own.

Will only hummed without a word, and the night slowly settled over him. His eyes closed sleepily, their legs tangling together beneath the blanket.

Not long after, Mike closed his eyes too as exhaustion took over, his breathing becoming steady as sleep came for him and he drifted off without realizing it.

He was certain he had truly fallen asleep then.

Because he dreamed.

A series of beautiful dreams danced through his head. His wet feet running alongside Will in the rain, the two of them calling each other's names through laughter, then kissing beneath the moonlight, identical rings circling their ring fingers. Sweet conversations unfolding peacefully in his dream, their hands intertwined as they entered their married home, showering together, drying each other off and teasing one another at the dinner table, the domestic life they shared beneath the same roof, before it all ended in their large bed, discussing adopting adorable children they would soon give names to, before none of that mattered anymore when they began kissing, making love, and ending in a comfortable embrace.

The dream always ended with them waking in the morning with a cup of warm coffee and bland toast.

But tonight was different.

Will, who was in his dream, tensed restlessly in his arms, his body burning hot and his eyelids fluttering without ever opening.

Mike knew this was too real to be just a beautiful dream about their future.

So he woke up.

And the dream was right there in his arms.

Will shifted restlessly, the bedside lamps in their cabin flickering one after another.

On and off. On and off.

The rain sounded incredibly heavy outside, lightning striking and forcing its brilliant light through the curtains that separated them from the windows.

Will's breathing came in ragged gasps. He was sweating.

Mike immediately sat up. “Will, wake up! Can you hear me?”

The lights kept flickering.

Will was extremely restless without opening his eyes, his brow furrowed, sweat running down his temples even as he shivered from the cold, tears spilling from beneath his closed eyelids.

Mike patted his cheeks. “Will! Wake up, come on, Will! Will, can you hear me?” He was becoming increasingly panicked, half-shouting now, his heart pounding violently. He had seen Will like this before, and now it was happening again, bringing with it the fear that something terrible was coming back.

“WILL! It’s Mike. Wake up! Come back to me!”

The main light came on, filling the room with brighter illumination. Mike turned quickly and saw Dustin stumbling near the switch, the same panic written across his face.

When he turned to the other side, Max was already in Lucas’s lap, curled up in fear as though she were feeling the same thing Will was right now, but Lucas had already managed to wake her.

“What’s happening?” Mike’s voice trembled.

Lucas soothed Max, shaking his head slowly as tears fell from his eyes, while the woman simply closed her eyes, trying to drive away the fear and terrible thoughts.

“Holy shit!”

The lights began flickering again, as though someone were trying to play with the switches, but there was no one there.

Dustin collapsed beside Mike, trying to help bring Will back to consciousness.

“WILL!”

“Will… wake up.”

“Will, come back to me.”

“Will, we’re here!”

Will gasped for breath, struggling against something.

Thunder roared and the rain grew heavier, the branches outside clashing like swords.

“WILL BYERS!”

Will opened his eyes. He immediately sat up in panic, and Mike caught him quickly in his arms, holding the trembling body tightly against him. Will’s breathing was heavy and warm against the side of his neck.

“Mike…” Will’s voice trembled violently. He was about to cry.

“I’m here, Will. I’m here.” Mike stroked his brown hair. “Nothing happened…”

Will cried, burying his face against Mike’s neck and shoulder, his body trembling violently.

The lights had stopped flickering.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, Will. You’re safe. You’re safe here. You’re not alone.”

“It was a dream… it started as a beautiful dream.” Will’s hands tightened around the curve of his neck. “But then everything became dark, cold, and empty.”

“I know, I know. I’m here, sweetheart. It was only a dream. Nothing came.” Mike whispered, rubbing Will’s back, which was still incredibly tense and slightly damp with sweat.

Thunder rumbled again, announcing that nature was still raging outside.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Dustin slumped back onto his mattress while Lucas held Max tightly, who had already calmed down somewhat. She was shaken too, and no one had yet said anything about her condition.

The clock on the nightstand showed two in the morning.

Will pulled back slightly, but his hand remained tightly clenched around the front of Mike’s shirt, terrified and unwilling to be left behind. His limp head fell against Mike’s chest, facing directly toward their friends. Will’s tear-filled eyes met Max’s, who was already looking back at him.

“Okay, what exactly happened?” Lucas asked. “Those lights… they were flickering, and you two started having trouble in your sleep.”

“That…” Max’s voice caught. “It was like I was walking through wet darkness.”

Mike lowered his head to look directly at Will’s expression and found the same condition there.

“Like something was trying to come, tracking its way through the darkness.”

“No way. This sounds way too familiar…” Dustin whispered.

Will’s tears fell again.

Mike and Lucas exchanged a glance, both worried about the same thing. If something was trying to hurt and frighten the people they loved again, then this adventure wasn’t over. Their promises to bury the past behind them were being brought back to life.

And they would not let it happen.

“I could feel it…” Will swallowed hard. “Like there was some enormous force trying to come closer and reopen the gate between dimensions.”

Max nodded weakly in agreement from the other side.

Mike’s jaw tightened.

He pushed away the thought of what it would mean if something really was trying to put Will and his friends in danger again, forcing them back into another adventure and taking away the better, normal life they had now.

He couldn’t bear being forced to watch Will scream in pain as he burned alive again. He didn’t want to see Will walking with his head bowed anymore, or Max lying in a coma for years while Lucas mourned her absence, or Dustin wandering through corridors lost without direction.

As they became lost in their own thoughts and tried to reassure one another, the lights began flickering again. Will, who had already calmed down, clung tightly to him once more, pressing himself as close as possible while Mike tightened his embrace.

And suddenly, from downstairs, came an incredibly loud sound that was definitely not thunder or the noise of rain crashing against anything.

It was the sound of a door opening, bringing a powerful gust of wind that could clearly be heard downstairs, even though they were certain they had locked the door completely.

“I’ll check it.” Dustin was already standing.

He was a little afraid, but he didn’t hesitate.

“You’re not going alone. I’m coming with you,” Lucas quickly said.

“We should check it together,” Mike decided.

Then he lowered his head and gently cupped Will’s cheek, making their eyes meet.

“I have to check it myself, okay? Then I can feel better and tell you that everything’s okay.”

Will hesitated, but eventually nodded, his hand falling limply away from its grip on Mike’s shirt.

“Don’t take long.”

“I’ll be back, Baby”

The lights stopped playing their game, returning to a steady brightness.

But they still had to check.

On the other side, Lucas had already managed to let go of Max.

Max was now walking toward Will’s bed, joining him while the other three men went downstairs to see what had just caused the commotion below.

He still had time to see Max and Will holding hands, their heads resting against each other, before finally stepping toward the stairs with Lucas and Dustin.

Whatever was waiting downstairs, it was not something Mike wanted to come back.

“Holy shit!”

The chaos downstairs proved that this was not simply the work of the storm. The windows were open, the curtains soaked and battered by rain coming from every direction.

The front door stood wide open, the entrance near it wet and almost forming a puddle before the wooden floor absorbed it.

“Shit, this is a mess.”

“This can’t have been just the wind.”

The three of them exchanged worried looks. They had faced the apocalypse and all kinds of other strange things before. They were no longer going to dismiss something as a coincidence.

But they were so far away from Hawkins now.

Not to mention, their adventure had ended years ago.

The monster and the hero had died.

But with what had happened to Will and Max, along with the damn lights that had always been the beginning of a warning whenever danger came, they truly couldn’t ignore it.

Lucas sighed. “I don’t want this to happen to us again!”

“No one wants to go back to living like we used to, Sinclair.”

The sound of hurried footsteps coming down the stairs echoed behind them. Will and Max had obviously decided to join them rather than wait anxiously on the beds.

Mike immediately pulled Will into a brief embrace before gripping the cold hand tightly, afraid that if he let go, whatever force was trying to come closer would carry Will far away from him.

“What happened here, Mike?” Will whispered.

Mike rubbed the back of his hand. “It’s.… We’ll figure it out later, but everything will be okay. Don’t worry.” he replied gently, giving him a reassuring smile.

Will only sighed and pressed himself closer to Mike.

Dustin stopped thinking about it and began closing all the windows, whose locks weren’t even broken, if the wind really had been trying to force them open.

But just as he was about to head toward the front door, the lights began flickering again.

On and off. On and off.

The rhythm grew faster, stopping him in his tracks and making Dustin take a small step backward as something from the direction of the door swept against him.

The wind blew harder through the open doorway.

They all gathered together, staring toward the door when slow footsteps suddenly echoed.

The lights became still.

And a figure appeared in the doorway.

Their breaths caught. Their eyes widened, and no one spoke or even moved when they saw who was standing there. Not even blinking, as if doing so might prove that what they were seeing wasn’t real.

A woman.

A woman whose face was intimately familiar to all of them. A woman who still looked exactly as she had the last time they had seen her. Her eyes were red, whether from crying or the rain, which had soaked her entire body. She stood there shivering from the cold, looking at each of them one by one with an expression that was both sorrowful and happy at the same time.

Eleven.

El stood there, appearing once again after they had closed the storybook and finished the final page of their adventure, leaving her behind in the cursed town of Hawkins.

The woman’s eyes stopped on Mike, and it was clearly no longer rain falling from them. She was crying, the corners of her lips beginning to curve into a smile because she had finally reached the end of her wait.

“El…” Max was the first to find her voice.

Mike shifted his gaze from El to Will standing beside him, tears streaming down his face, disbelief filling his eyes. Nothing could be heard, but Will’s trembling lips formed the name Jane with unmistakable longing.

One by one, the others finally found their voices, whispering El’s name in disbelief.

Mike looked back at the woman, who was already staring at him or perhaps had never truly looked away from him.

And a split second later, El stepped forward, then broke into a small run and threw herself into his arms.

El held him incredibly tightly, full of longing, the woman’s wet clothes pressing against him.

“Mike,” El whispered against him.

But there was nothing Mike could truly focus on or register except the way Will slowly pulled his hand free from his grasp, and the way he watched the boy carefully step backward with his head lowered.

Mike’s heart ached terribly just from looking at him. He wanted so badly to reach out and take Will’s hand again, their eyes met for a brief moment, before Will lowered his head again, his eyes red and wet, his feet continuing to carry him backward.

Meanwhile, El held him tightly, pouring all of her longing into the embrace.

Will moved away from him.