Experiment - BYLER + REDDIE

➵ chapter eight

➵ it's all Mike's fault

November 13th, 1985

Hawkins, Indiana

"I just hope the Bad Men didn't get you. Okay, I'll actually go now. Talk to you tomorrow. Over and out."

Mike wasn't expecting Will to respond, of course, but he did it just in case. Just like when El went missing almost two years before, he called every day for the many many days until she came home, and just like when El went missing, he wasn't gonna give up until Will came home. Will was worth all the new batteries he needed to buy, all the hours spent on the top of the hill with Cerebro, all the times he missed hanging out with the Party, just so he could try to contact Will. Will was worth everything. He deserved the world, in Mike's opinion. Mike would fight ten million Mind Flayers if it meant he would get to play D&D with Will again, or even just see Will's smile.

God, he missed his best friend so much.

More than he had missed El when she went missing.

But it didn't mean anything. It made sense. Will was Mike's best friend, and El was Mike's girlfriend. Best friend is more important than girlfriend.

Mike sighed and dropped the radio, then gathered his things and ran back down the hill.

When he arrived at the arcade, he was met with three very annoyed faces, and one slightly suspicious face. Those faces, of course, belonged to Lucas, Dustin, El, and Max.

"Took you long enough," Dustin yelled as Mike biked up to the door.

"Sorry, I was just... sorry." Mike dropped his bike next to his friends and smiled at them. "Ready to go?"

They all walked inside and immediately ran to Dig Dug. As they waited their turn to play, Max caught Mike's eye and tilted her head to the side, still looking suspicious. Mike shook his head and turned back to the game.

That night, when all of the teenagers went their separate ways, Mike went back up the hill to Cerebro. It was a school night and it was freezing, yes, but like Mike had said a billion times before, Will was worth it.

"Will, c-come in, it's me again."

No response. Same as the past week Mike had gone there.

Mike sighed. "It's all my fault. It's my fault you got taken or left or whatever you did. If I had just been there and had my walkie talkie on, none of this would be happening. You'd still be here. I miss you so fucking much, Will. Please just... come home."

Mike sniffed, trying not to cry, then nearly had a heart attack when the radio crackled to life.

"I miss you too."

"Will? Will, is that you?" Mike asked frantically. "Please, please, Will, come back."

"I love you too."

"Will, please don't go, I need you."

As much as Mike tried to keep Will there, the signal went out, and he was left alone again.

—

Later that week, when Mike arrived at his house after talking to Will, he was startled by a certain red-head girl sitting on his windowsill.

"You're out of chips, Michael."

"I know that, Maxine." Mike sighed as he threw his coat down on a chair. "Why are you in my house?"