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Alone in the Upside Down together, Will came to a sudden realization.
“Will, what’s wrong?” Mike asked, noticing the shock on his face.
“I have to die,” Will muttered under his breath.
“What?” Mike said.
Will spoke up, louder and clearer, this time, “I have to die. It’s the only way to kill him – to kill Vecna…” His voice cracked.
Mike’s entire world came crashing down. Shaking his head, he said, “No,” over and over and over again.
“I’m the bridge between worlds,” Will explained. “It’s the only way to destroy the Upside Down.”
Mike felt like his chest was going to collapse.
“Will, no!” Mike yelled at him. “There has to be another way! Anything but that!” Short of breath, with tears streaming down his face, he tried to steady himself against the wall.
“There’s no other way, Mike.” Will began to sob. He walked over to the dead Demogorgon and pulled Mike’s sword out of its carcass.
“Will, stop!” Mike shouted. He raced over to him and tried to pry the weapon from his hands.
“Mike, please!” Will sniffled, pushing him back. “Please, don’t make this any harder than it is.”
Mike stopped, choking back a loud sob.
“Think of all of the lives at stake, Mike,” Will reminded him. “We have to kill him. We have to destroy the Upside Down.”
Mike shook his head, his face red and his eyes puffy.
“We have to do this,” Will said, “Or more people are going to die.”
“I can’t lose you, Will,” Mike cried. “I don’t want to live without you.”
Will gently put a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Everything is going to be okay.” He told him. “You’re going to be okay."
“Will…” Mike choked out.
Mike grabbed Will's face and pulled him into a deep kiss, making the sword come clattering down to the ground between them. Will threw his arms around his neck and kissed him back.
The kiss was warm, passionate, hungry, and desperate. Mike tried to savor the moment, memorizing the sweet taste of Will’s lips. Neither of them wanted to let go of the other, as it was too painful to pull away.
The kiss was long, but not long enough. Mike whimpered when Will pulled back to press their foreheads together.
“I love you, Will,” Mike whispered. “I always have…I always will.” He hated himself for not coming to terms with it sooner. All of that time he wasted should’ve been spent with Will.
“I love you too, Mike,” Will whispered back. He picked up the sword again, his eyes never leaving Mike's. With shaky hands, he touched the tip to his stomach.
Will paused, looking scared and nervous.
“I can’t do it…” Will sobbed, his eyes filled with tears. “…Will you help me?”
Mike hesitated for a long moment. As much as it pained him, he knew it had to be done. He stepped forward and took the hilt into his hand, cursing the sword’s very existence under his breath.
Mike wrapped his free hand around the back of Will’s neck, hoping his touch would bring him some comfort in his last minutes.
“I’ll make it quick,” Mike promised. Will nodded at him, bracing himself.
Hesitating again, Mike looked down at the blade between them and then back up at Will. He pulled the sword back and quickly thrust it through him, making both gasp in surprise. Mike then pulled the blade out of him and tossed it aside.
Will’s breath hitched. At first, it felt like a bad punch to the gut, followed by a hot, piercing pain mere moments later.
Dropping to their knees together, Will fell back into Mike's lap and stared up at him. His body trembled as he began to cough up blood. Mike cradled and caressed his face.
“Take care of M-mom…J-Jonathan-” Will choked through the blood, “’t-t-the party…”
Will felt colder the more he bled out. His heartbeat weakened, and his breathing slowed.
“I will. I will.” Mike swore to him, crying harder than he ever had in his life. He kissed him on the forehead. He ran his fingers through Will’s hair, soothing him through the pain. His eyelashes stuttered before falling closed and going still. “Will?” Mike choked out.
He was gone.
Their surroundings warped and distorted, returning to the real world. It was over; the connection between worlds was severed. Vecna and the Upside-Down had ceased to exist. But not without losing the love of his life in the process.
Mike hurt so badly it felt like he was going to die – he wanted to. Why? Why couldn’t it have been me? His question enraged him.
Even though the world had treated him terribly, Will never stopped being kind and compassionate. He had sacrificed himself for a world that hated him, a world that didn’t deserve it. Wishing for a miracle, the paladin’s healing tears landed on the cleric’s face.
Mike picked up the bloodied sword and swung it at everything in the abandoned building. Stabbing walls and floors. Shredding curtains, blankets, and pillows. Breaking furniture and shattering glass. He snapped out of it when he heard a breath hitch.
Will’s body slightly stirred, his wound glowing a warm, angelic yellow. Awestruck, Mike dropped to the floor beside him, watching until the light faded away.
“Mike?” Will said.
Mike scooped him up into his arms again, his heart leaping in his chest. “Will!” He beamed.
“Is it over?” Will asked, confused. For the first time in years, he couldn't feel Vecna anymore.
“It’s over,” Mike confirmed.
Will lifted his shirt to find no wound in sight. Only leftover blood remained.
“I knew it,” Will smirked.
“Knew what?” Mike asked.
“I always knew you had powers,” Will told him. He sat upright and wiped the stunned look off his face with a kiss.