Bound By Shadows 3 | Will Byers x Reader (Fem)

~ 33 ~

I let Will's hand tighten around mine until the glow beneath my skin faded, and I closed my eyes. He kept his thumb on my pulse, counting under his breath like he was trying to memorize it.

Everything around us was a blur of headlights, screaming tires, and the pounding rhythm of the monster's pursuit. Every time Jonathan swerved, I felt my stomach drop, my vision pulsing white at the edges.

Then—something crackled from the back seat.

A static hum, soft at first, cutting through the chaos like a ghost of normalcy. It came from right where Steve and Robin were sitting. I frowned weakly, my head lolling against Will's shoulder.

They'd brought a supercom.

"Dusty-bun, you copy?" a voice chirped.

I cracked one eye open, brain sluggish. What the hell was that?

"I copy, Suzie-poo. It sounds much better now, thanks."

Steve and Robin's heads snapped toward the radio at the same time.

"...Suzie?" they said, in total disbelief.

My eyes widened a fraction. Suzie? Suzie-poo?

"Listen, do you know Planck's constant?" Dustin's voice crackled through.

I blinked, half-delirious, half-horrified. "Oh my god, is that Dustin?"

Will tilted his head slightly toward me, eyes darting between the road ahead and the radio. "It is," he said, disbelief dripping from his voice. "What—what is he doing?"

"Do you know the Earth orbits the sun?" Suzie's voice replied, completely serious.

The entire car went silent. Even the engine noise seemed quieter for a second.

"Okay, so I know it starts with two sixes, and then a... W-What is it?" Dustin stammered.

Jonathan muttered under his breath, "Are you kidding me right now?"

Nancy twisted in her seat, glaring back like she was ready to physically throttle the radio. "He's doing this now?"

"He's trying to get the code for Hopper and Joyce," Robin said quickly, hand still hovering near the walkie. "It's the Russian base thing. He has to—"

"Okay, let me just be clear on this," Suzie's voice cut through again, sharp and offended. "I haven't heard from you in a week, and now you want a mathematical equation that you should know, so you can... save the world?"

I groaned quietly, pressing my hand over my face. "Oh god, please turn it off."

"'Suzie-poo, I will make it up to you as soon as possible,'" Dustin promised.

"You can make it up to me now."

"What?"

"I want to hear it."

The car collectively froze.

Will blinked, eyebrows knitting. "Wait—hear what?"

"Not right now," Dustin said, a little too fast.

"Yes, now, Dusty-bun."

"Suzie-poo, this is urgent."

"Yes, yes, you're saving the world," she said flatly, "I heard you the first time. But Ged is also saving Earthsea and he's about to confront the shadow, so this is Suzie, signing off."

"Wait, wait, wait! Okay. Okay. Okay."

There was silence. Five excruciating seconds of it.

Then—