spin the bottle// byler

ii.iii(dear dustin)

i wasn't worried that he wouldn't be able to communicate, we had been practicing for months after we figured out will's powers are quite a lot like mine. he's able to connect worlds, it's why he's such an easy target and why the gate can never be closed, he is the gate. 

the last thing i said to will before he hopped on his bike and rode away was "i'll find you, will. i'll bring you back to mike, i promise." he offered a little smile at that and looking back, I'm glad i got to see it one last time. 

we talked then for a while over the walkie-talkie until he made it to Illinois on day 3, that's when the walkie-talkie went silent. we were both a little surprised it reached as far as it did, but we were grateful nonetheless. it wasn't until 6 days after he left that we communicated again. by then, everyone had figured out he was missing and joyce had hopper send out the search teams. i was waiting the first few hours for them to find him, but when they couldn't, i decided it was time to test out will's ability to communicate telepathically. 

he completed the connection almost immediately. i couldn't see him the first time and his voice sounded shakey, like he was either sick or over exhausted. that's when i started to wonder if will was eating. he didn't take any food, but he did have all of his emergency money which i think he told me was somewhere around $280. if he was buying food, he was only eating once a day, which isn't nearly enough especially riding his bike like he is. 

that's when i urged him to consider coming back. i tried again to tell him we were all going to be here, just like last time.

every conversation we had after the first, i was able to see him and the sight of him in combination with the frail sound of his voice was enough to make me want to get him home immediately. he looked bad, lips all blue and skin pale. he had strange bruises on his skin. it made my heart ache. will needed to be home. 

i tried a different approach each time to try to get him to come back. After a couple of weeks, he didn't know where he was and wasn't sure how to get back even if he wanted to. 

the last time i talked to him, almost 2 months after he left, he really sounded like he was dying. he sounded weak and i seriously questioned when the last time he got something to eat was. he told me he had $5 left and wasn't sure what he would do after. he said he thought he was losing whatever monster was chasing him but since we haven't been able to connect in almost a month and a half, i had to assume he was wrong. 

i worried about him every day and keeping it to myself has been so difficult, but then i remembered something i had learned a long time ago. 

sometimes, when two powered people cannot form a communicative connection, a powered person may be able to form one with one of their own, which in normal people language basically translates to a soulmate, mike. and it worked. mike and will have been able to form a connection and actually communicate a few times since will and i have lost connection. it's so strange to me, all of it. i want so badly to be able to ask mike to ask will the things that matter like is he eating? is he okay? where the hell he is? but, i know i can't ask him without telling him everything and at this point, almost  months in,  i don't think he would ever forgive me.

but now, mike knows. he doesn't know everything, but he will soon. I'm going to tell him. 

anyway, thank you for helping me with this, dustin. i know it's been a long time but i really believe we will find him. 

i'll write to you again, soon. i continue wishing you and steve the best luck and safe travels.

yours attentively, 

eleven."

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Hey guys!

here's a little background info in case anyone's confused: will left hawkins after he and el realized the mind flayer was back. he did it in order to protect mike and the rest of his friends from the danger and chaos the mind flayer brings with it, even if that meant having to deal with it by himself. el was the only one who knew he was leaving and the two of them communicated until the end of month 2 when they were unable to connect. el assumes it's because the mind flayer got him. she tries to think of some way to reach him and so she tries her luck with mike, who she tells very little to about the reason the connection between the two of them might work, but alas it does work. meanwhile, dustin and steve have been traveling the country in search of will after el told dustin about everything she knew as soon as the connection was lost. they've been through most of the surrounding states, currently driving through Minnesota. el has been writing to dustin periodically when she has updates on the situation.

I hope it hasn't been too confusing to follow along with, as always if you have any questions, feel free to comment or message me directly so i can clear things up :)

Yours,

Sava