Chapter Text
Will's time being ‘dead’ had almost entirely been spent in excruciating pain. It was dark, his vision nonexistent except for a light in front of him that pulled and shoved. His soul.
It felt like it was being pulled apart. Memories he'd just regained were being ripped from his mind before he could stop them, and he knew he wouldn't get them back. He still had some memories, but in all honesty they felt more like feelings than anything else.
He could remember the feeling of meeting Mike that day in kindergarten, and how bright Mike had seemed. He could remember the feeling of learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons, creating his character as he and his friends read the manual and argued about the rules. He could remember the feeling of saying his first words at the grand age of eight, and how his mom had smiled at him. He could remember happiness.
For some reason, all the worst memories of Lonnie left his mind. He didn't exactly love that idea considering now he could barely remember the man's name, but he had to assume there was a reason the memories were gone.
The pain from being ripped apart was briefly put aside when he realized Mike was asleep and Will could talk to him. Will pushed into Mike's mind, spoke to him, then felt the pain spiked and was pushed back out. He didn't think Mike was the one who did it, considering how his whole being burned and pulled at itself. Parts of him were burning away, but he was afraid there would be nothing left by the time he was able to go back to his body.
He didn't know how long he was stuck there, but at some point he felt warm hands against him, pushing him somewhere.
Then everything went black.
—
Will stirred to the sound of voices. “Wha…” He mumbled groggily. He opened his eye and looked around, eventually finding the person he was looking for. “Mike.” He said softly, smiling.
Mike smiled back and sat on the couch, setting Will in his lap. “Hi.” He whispered.
“Hi.” Will repeated back.
“I told you I'd see you tomorrow when you fell asleep. I was right.” Mike said.
“I'm glad.”
“You're so pretty.” Will whispered.
Mike blushed a bit, his ears turning red. “What?”
“You're pretty.” Will repeated before he could stop himself. “S-sorry, I don't know why I said that-” He said, trying to backtrack.
“No no, it's fine.” Mike said. “Hal had said you may come back a bit different.”
Will frowned. Different? “Bad different?”
“No no, not bad.” Mike assured.
“Okay.” Will said. “You are really pretty though. Really really pretty.” He couldn't even control his words.
“You think so?”
“Yeah.”
“You're not so bad yourself.”
“Even with the one eye thing and the fangs and the claws?” He asked.
Mike looked around quickly as if about to tell him a secret. He leaned forward and pressed his nose against Will's so now Mike looked like he was upside down. “I'd argue it makes you even cuter.” Mike whispered.
Will giggled and felt his face heat up. Upon getting himself under control, he asked,“Really?”
“Really.” Mike said. The other teen tried to kiss Will, but Will panicked and sat up before he could. His eye was wide and he couldn't breath, he wanted to claw at his throat but his hands wouldn't move, he wanted to move away, and run as far from here as he could, where no one could suffocate him or put vines in him or do anything to him.
“S-sorry-” Will said, choking on his words. “I’m s-sorry-” He tried again.
“Hey hey, it's okay! You're okay!” Mike took Will's hands, pulling Will from his thoughts. Will clung to him, and he had a feeling he was digging into the other teen’s skin enough to draw blood, but he couldn't loosen his grip. “Can you tell me what's wrong?” Mike asked gently.
“It-it wasn't- it wasn't even the same thing- I-I’m sorry-” He said, because it wasn't. How could he equate Mike trying to kiss him with those vines?
“Will, Will, it's okay, don't be sorry, okay? Don't be. Just tell me.” Mike said.
“You- you were just so close, and I was okay when it wasn't near my mouth, but there just- there wasn't any warning, and then your lips were near mine and- it… it reminded me of those, those vines in the Dark, Mike I'm sorry-” Will struggled to explain what he was feeling and why he'd freaked out.
“It's alright Will, I promise-”
“I’m-I’m sorry I can't just be normal-” Will said.
“Hey, normal’s boring.” Mike whispered. “I’m sorry, Will, I-I didn't even think you would associate the tw-”
“See? That's what I mean! I-I shouldn't, but I do!” Will didn't mean to interrupt, he hadn't even meant to say anything.
“It's not like you're trying to.” Mike pointed out. “You can't help what you think of or associate things with.” He said. “But… you, you wanted to kiss me when you asked yesterday before you… fell asleep.”
“Yeah, but I was prepared then, and I had asked. I knew what would happen next.”
“Can I kiss you now?” Mike asked.
Will bit his lip.“Uhhh…” He mumbled, hesitating.
“Shit, sorry, too soon? I- I won't if you don't want me to, I promise. But, can I hold you?”
“Yes please.” Will whispered before curling up in Mike's lap. His head fell on Mike's chest, and Mike wrapped his arms around Will. Will sighed shakily, feeling at peace. Mike moved his arm to run his fingers through Will's hair and Will leaned into the touch. “Feels nice.” He said softly before he could stop himself.
“Good.” Mike said. “I'm sorry about earlier.”
“It's fine, Mike, really...” Will mumbled. He could feel himself falling asleep. “Can… I sleep…?”
“Yeah, yeah you're safe here.”
Will nodded and fell asleep.
—
As he slept, his mind drifted, falling through dreams. He found himself in memories he couldn't recall, but he didn't actually know if they were his memories because they seemed to take place during the years he was stuck in the Dark
He woke eventually and found himself still in Mike's arms in the Squawk. He shifted and Mike woke with a scream. Will's eye widened. “What happened? Are you okay??” He asked worriedly.
“I-I’m fine, it's just my arm.” Mike said.
“What happened to your arm?” Will asked.
“Oh, it just, um… it broke a while ago.” Mike said softly.
Will frowned. “You broke your arm??”
“And my leg.” Mike whispered.
“What?? Which leg? Which arm?” Mike pointed to the limbs in question, and Will put a hand on each. His eye closed as he ‘focused.’ One could argue it wasn't exactly focus, but instead some instinct that compelled him to heal somehow. A soft glow flowed from his hands into Mike's limbs and after a few minutes the other teen was fully healed.
“I didn't know you could do that.” Mike said.
“I didn't either.” Will responded.
“You're like a cleric.”
“What's that?”
“It's a DND class. They heal their teammates with magic.”
“If I'm a cleric, then what are you?”
“The paladin, obviously.”
“That sounds nice.” Will said softly. “The paladin and the cleric.”
Mike smiled. “We need to play a game at some point. I've been writing a little one shot to try to help you relearn it.”
“You're doing all that for me?”
“Of course. “ Mike said.
“Can I kiss you?” Will asked.
“Always.”
Will smiled and put his lips to Mike's, closing his eye as the two teens connected in a beautiful mess of love and hope.
“What comes next?” Will asked softly, pulling away from Mike.
“I love you for the rest of your life.” Mike said.
“You're so cheesy.” Will said.
“Do you not want me to?” Mike asked.
“Of course I want you to, stupid.”
“Good.” Mike said. “I love you, Will Byers.”
“And I love you, Mike Wheeler.”