Byler || One Shots

Bathtub

Slight trigger warning:
This talks quite about PTSD related things and some unnerving things.
Figured I should give a bit of a warning for any of that so yeah, it's mostly calm, I promise, but it is talked about.

3th POV || November 6th, 1992

Even almost ten years later, this time of year still got to him.
Will found it weirdly fascinating that his mind could remember the date a trauma happened and every detail of that fateful day in the shed in early November..

Even now, even though he's in college across the country from that hellish town, sharing an apartment with his best friend, his parents were only about twenty minutes away from them.
The Upside-down still followed him, even if just through his mind,
Even though he saw the the whole alternate world crumple into pieces,
It followed.

Currently, Will was sitting in the bathtub fully dressed in the middle of the night with his legs over the side and arms wrapped around himself as he looked towards the ceiling with his eyes shut.

God he felt pathetic.

The door was shut and locked as Will felt like he was drowning in memories.
It was like he was in the ocean and there was no sight of a life boat.

Soon, he heard their bedroom door open, soft footsteps coming towards the dark bathroom followed by a soft knock at the door.

"Will? Are you alright in there..?" Mike asked, his voice still rough with sleepiness
Will couldn't bring himself to reply
"Will? If you don't answer I'll pick the lock, you're scaring me.."
Mike couldn't pick a lock, even after Max showed him how, he just couldn't; but they did have a screwdriver, and that was good enough for their cheap apartment locks.

Mike waited about sixteen seconds of complete silence before going to grab the screwdriver from the kitchen where Hopper left it after they called him to fix something.
Look, they didn't know how to fix a lot.
Will was better than Mike, but not by much.

Soon, the door swung open.
Will moved his head to look at him, opening his eyes to see the other man in a band shirt and pants that were too long —even on him— and messy curly hair, and a worry look flowing in his eyes.

"Will?" Mike asked, carefully stepping in and shutting the door so their dog didn't try to join their little 'bathroom breakdown party'

"Hi.." Will whispered, Mike sighed moving to sit beside him letting his legs hang over the side next to his.

"Nightmare?" Mike asked softly, Will nodded and Mike swore Will acted like a cat when he had a nightmare.

Cats tended to run away when they're sick, or getting old, because they don't want to bother anyone and Will did the same with his nightmares.

"Hey.. it's okay to wake me up.. I want to help you Will.." Mike whispered kissing his cheek softly
Will just sighed resting his head against Mike's shoulder

They stayed in mostly silence as Will listened to Mike's breathing like it was his favorite song.
Like it was the only thing keeping him here in that moment.
The sink was leaking and the only sound they could hear —besides each other's breath— was their dog walking around the hallway.

"I love you Will.." Mike whispered kissing his head Will smiled softly cuddling up

"Do we have any drinks?"

"Like, actual beer and shit?" Mike asked surprised Will would ask for that, but the other just nodded "yeah I think so.. why? You never drink." Mike didn't drink much either but occasionally one or two was alright; though Will commented on how much of a lightweight he was everytime.

"I need something to help forget.."

"Will, no, that sounds like a bad idea." Mike said "plus, I can't carry you if you pass out or some shit." Will shrugged "Will, you never drink, for a reason."

"One beer won't make me him.."

"I meant your meds, not that asshole." Mike explained pushing his hair back slightly Will shrugged "those have like, very detailed warnings about mixing that stuff.. how about we just talk, alright..?"

"Okay.. sorry.."

"Don't apologize.." Mike whispered softly touching Will's arm as he wrapped his arm around the shaking, slightly older, man beside him.

Will didn't start a conversation and Mike didn't know how to.
So, back to silence.

"Um.. do you wanna, talk, about it..?" Mike asked into the dark room; the only light being from the moon shining in from the tiny window above their toilet.

"It was, just, like.. like I was reliving that week.. but you guys didn't find me, not in time anyways.. so, I just gave up.." Will whispered with a shrugged "you all moved on after awhile.. I don't know.. it just hurt to be back there.."

"How did you survive a week down there..?" Mike asked having never questioned that fact of the story, and even now it's wasn't a direct question, more so just thinking out loud.

"I found some water.. it wasn't exactly clean but, it was there.. I found some dead animals, and yes I know how disgusting that is but.. I needed to eat something.." Will whispered Mike just sighed "I just.. kinda ran around, and hid the best I could.."
Mike couldn't imagine doing any of that —especially at only twelve— he kinda figured he would be dead by day two just by getting caught, let alone trying to find food and water.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Will.." Mike whispered kissing his head softly "I'm so, so, sorry you had to go through that, at all, let alone without anyone there.." Will sighed burying his face into Mike's shoulder

"I feel so fucking pathetic.." Will whispered in a weak-ish voice sounding exhausted
Mike was surprised he cussed; even since they started college Will kept the cussing to a minimum.

"You're not pathetic.. you're the strongest person I know Will.." Mike whispered into his ear "you're so brave, and strong Will.. you're not pathetic, or weak, or whatever other word you want to use for yourself.. and you're so smart, I wouldn't have thought to hide like that, or even pull a gun on a monster.. you're so smart Will.."
Will just gave in and started crying against Mike's shoulder

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I dragged you, you all, into this shit.." Will whispered Mike rubbed circles into his back kissing his head softly "I love you.. I'm so sorry.." Mike just held him

"Stop saying sorry so much.." Mike whispered Will chuckled slightly holding on to him like he was the edge of a cliff.

Soon Will ran out of tears.
Mike got up and helped Will up, they stood there in front of the mirror.
Both of them had red eyes and tear stained faces, Mike had cried in silence while Will cried on him.

"Man.. we're just a couple of messes, aren't we?" Mike said wrapping his arm around Will's waist, Will simply chuckled

"Yeah, yeah we are.." Will whispered wiping Mike's tears away "but.. at least we're crazy, messes together, right?"

"True.." Mike whispered before looking over at the clock on the wall "wanna go back to bed..? We've got about four hours before our first alarm goes off.." Will nodded so off they went.

Will fell backwards onto the bed.
Mike fell face first into the bed, which made Will laugh softly, until the other rolled to his side to wrap his arm around Will.

"Night, Mike.." Will muttered against Mike's chest as he cuddled closer.

"Goodnight Will.."

Soon the room was silent once again.
The alarm clock's green writing standing out against the pitch black room.
Their dog joined them shortly laying behind Will's legs.

The only noise being their breathing, and Mike's snores, which, in some weird way just made Will sleep better.

And they were safe, in this small, three room apartment, with nosey neighbors and noisy streets.
They were safe with each other.