𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

xxv. I'M BACK

   

     At the hospital, Charles sat, his leg bouncing up and down as he stared at the wall. Dustin and Lucas were asleep, he can't blame them, he was tired too, but right now, he was too anxious. Will was back, he was alive and he wanted to see him so badly but they were waiting for him to wake up.

     "Hey, relax.." Sarah whispers, raising her hand to his shoulder. "I can't. I-I want to see him." He whispered and she sighs. "I know.." She said before pulling him into her arms.

     He looks at the time on his watch, sighing softly. He looks at Mike who was staring down at the floor, then the door opened, he looked over right away. When Jonathan nods, Charles stood up and rushed over, walking past Jonathan as Mike woke up Lucas and Dustin. He opens the door, "Will!" He says when he saw that the boy was awake.

    He rushed over, but stopped, hesitating as Joyce got out of his way. "Well, don't just stand there.. Hug me, Charleston." Will said and Charles let out a small chuckle before he leaned down, hugging him tightly. "Be careful, be careful with him." Joyce said as Will hugged Charles back tightly. The boy closed his eyes, smiling contently as Charles did the same, sighing softly, realizing Will was back, he was really back. And here he was in, in Charles' arms.

      "Byers!" Lucas yelled as the three of them ran in so Charles pulled back, letting Lucas and Mike hug the boy next, "move," Dustin said as he shoves them away. Charles chuckled, walking around the bed to stand on the other side of Will.

     "Guys, guys, go easy on him." Jonathan chuckled as Will hugged Dustin back. "You won't believe what happened when you were gone, man." Lucas said after Dustin pulled away from him. "It was mental!" Dustin exclaimed loudly. "You had a funeral." Lucas said with a wide smile on his face.

     "Jennifer Hayes was crying." Dustin said right away. "And Troy peed himself after Charles punched him!" Lucas exclaimed. "What?" Will said, glancing at Charles who sheepishly smiled. "In front of the whole school!" Dustin exclaimed as Lucas nodded his head. Will starts coughing, they all grow quiet and their smiles had went away as they look at him. "Are you okay?" Charles asked, stepping closer to the edge of the hospital bed.

    Will nodded at him then looked at Mike. "It got me. The Demogorgon." He says. "We know. It's okay. It's dead. We made a new friend. She stopped it. She saved us. But she's gone now." Mike said, then looked down, looking upset.

    "Her name's Eleven." Dustin said to Will who looks at him. "Like the number?" He asked right away with a confused look. "Well, we call her El for short." Lucas said who they all look at.

     "She's basically a wizard." Dustin says as he looks at Will. "She has superpowers." Charles whispers and Will smiled up at him, and damn it, there was that feeling in Charles' chest again.

    "More like a Yoda." Mike said who Will looks over at. "She flipped a van with her mind, and these agentz were trying to shoot us—" "Yeah, it flipped over us—" "Then she squeezed the brains out.." "And blood was pouting out of their faces." And as they all started to speak over one another, Charles stared at his friends with a smile on his face.

    He missed this. And Will, especially. As the boys started to leave the room, Will looks at Charles. "Wait, Charles, stay." He said and Charles turns to him. "Oh, yeah, sure.." He said as the other three walk out. He sits by Will on the bed, smiling.

    "So, tell me.. how much did you miss me?" Will asked as Jonathan left to give them privacy, shutting the door behind him. "A lot, William. I missed you very much.." Charles said, resting his hand onto Will's fingers. Will smiled up at him, "I missed you too.." He whispered as he looks at their hands. "Everyday I thought of you." He said as he looks back up at Charles who starts to blush.