After everything that happened at the mall and the death of Hopper, El went to stay at the Byers's home. Searching through the wreckage of the cabin, they brought what they could back to their house in the hopes that El would feel more at home there. For the first few nights, she slept in Joyce's room, but after both she and Will admitted they had trouble sleeping alone, she found herself sharing his room. What bothered them were the nightmares mainly, but it was also those thoughts that came right before they fell asleep, when everything was dark and quiet. The perfect breeding ground for memories of that terrible night at the mall to invade their minds.
One night, Will awoke with a start, gasping and grasping his blanket to his chest. Images played through his mind of the Mind Flayer piercing through Billy's chest, killing him. Max's screams as he fell to the ground. All of it, forever seared in his brain.
"Will?" El said from the floor where she slept on a pile of blankets. "Are you okay?"
Wiping sweat off his forehead, he nodded. "Yeah... yes, fine. Just a nightmare." He looked down at her. "Are you okay?"
She shrugged. "Can't sleep."
Not wanting to return to his nightmares, Will shuffled over and patted his bed. "You can sleep up here if you want."
Smiling, El got up and climbed in beside him. Both of them lied back and stared up at the ceiling. "Thank you," she murmured.
"For what?"
"Being nice to me."
Will turned on his side to face her. "You're a part of our family now, El." He grinned. "Whether you like it or not."
They both laughed quietly before falling into a calm silence, and eventually, falling back asleep. They'd slept like that every night since. It was a comfort, having someone sleeping by your side when you woke up in a cold sweat, and it didn't take long for the two of them to become inseparable.
Two weeks after what happened at Starcourt Mall, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, El, and Max are gathered around a table in Mike's basement, listening intently as Will narrates the campaign he'd been working on all summer. "Do you guys hear that?" Will asks, leaning forward. Everyone else leans closer. "It sounds like... thunder. But, no, wait. That's not thunder. It's... a horde of juju zombies!" He slams the figurines down on the table. "Sir Mike, your action."
Mike sits up, glancing at the others. "What should I do?"
"Attack!" Lucas, Dustin, Max, and El cry with enthusiasm.
"Okay, I attack with my flail." Mike shakes the dice in his hand and rolls them onto the table.
"Whoosh!" Will says. "You miss."
Everyone lets out groans of disappointment.
"Your flail clanks the stone," Will goes on, "the zombie horde lumbers towards you, and..." Mike watches intently as Will's dice clatter on the table. "...the juju bites your arm. Flesh tears! Aah! Seven points of damage."
Letting out a groan, Mike holds his arm and collapses backwards into his chair. Holding back a smile, Will turns to face Lucas. "Sir Lucas, the zombie horde roars! Do you fight back or do you run?" Lucas puts a finger up, eyebrows drawn together.
Max nudges Lucas. "Fight back."
"Yeah," El adds, "fight back."
Lucas opens his mouth, but before he can answer, there's a knock at the basement door. Mike rolls his eyes and shouts, "Mom, we're in the middle of a campaign!"
Jonathan comes halfway down the stairs, waving to the six of them. "Hey, sorry, guys. Will, El, time to go."
Everyone groans. "No, they can't leave!" Max says.
"Yeah, we haven't finished," Lucas adds.
"Sorry, guys," Jonathan says, "but it's getting late. We have to be home by nine."
They all let out sighs. "Guess we'll finish the campaign tomorrow," Dustin says as everyone gets to their feet and gathers their things.
While Will stuffs all his D&D materials into his backpack, Mike steps over to him. "Can't you stay a little longer?" he asks as Will puts on his backpack.
Will shakes his head, waving to Jonathan and El who are waiting by the stairs. "Sorry, but my mom wants us home. I'll see you tomorrow though, right?"
"Yeah, okay." To both of their surprise, he wraps his arms around Will, pulling him into a hug.
When they pull away, Will, eyebrows drawn together, gives Mike a smile and squeezes his shoulder. "Bye, Mike."
"Bye."
He and El wave goodbye to everyone else and hurry up the stairs after Jonathan. When they get out to the yard, Jonathan keeps Will back while El heads into the car. Jonathan nods back to the Wheeler's house. "What was that about?"
Will frowns. "What?"
"Back there with Mike?"
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he shrugs. "We were just saying goodbye."
"Okay, alright." Jonathan gives him a look, but Will ignores it and starts towards the car. "Hey, wait." Lowering his voice, Jonathan takes his shoulder so they're facing each other. "I know he's your best friend but just... don't let him off too easy, okay? And make sure he knows what he did and said wasn't alright."
"Yeah, I know." Will rolls his eyes but cracks a smile. "I can handle him."
"Okay, okay." Jonathan chuckles, and they get in the car. "So how's your campaign?" he asks as Will gets in the passenger's seat.
"Good, I think."
From the backseat, El leans forward. "Oh, it's so much fun. I really like it."
Will turns to her. "Really? I was afraid you were getting bored."
She shrugs, a small smile on her face. "I like when everyone's happy."
They share a smile before Jonathan starts up the car, and they head home.
When they get inside, Joyce is washing dishes in the kitchen. While Jonathan and El go to their respective rooms, Will hovers by the table. "Hey, Mom?"
"Yeah?"
He takes a seat, hugging his arms. "Can I talk to you about something?"
She glances over her shoulder and seeing the serious look on his face, turns off the faucet and takes a seat beside him. "What is it, honey?" Drying her hands off on a towel, her eyebrows knit together. "Are you okay?"
"I..." Trying to figure out how to phrase it, he chews the inside of his cheek and takes a breath. He's been thinking of telling her for days. Since he's basically told everyone else he knows, it shouldn't be so hard, and he's sure his mom already has her suspicions. And yet, the lump in his throat and knot in his stomach are still present.
"Will? What is it?"
He looks at his hands, wringing them together. "Mom... I'm – I like..."
As he struggles to get the words out, he can feel his mom's eyes on him, waiting ever so patiently. Sucking in a breath, he closes his eyes and lets it out. "Mom, I'm gay."
"Oh, honey-" A smile pulls at his mom's mouth, and she wraps her arms around him. "Thank you for telling me."
He sinks into her arms. The lump in his throat and knot in his stomach vanish, replaced by a warmth in his chest. When they pull apart, she takes his face in her hands. "I want you to know I love you so much, no matter what, okay? I always will."
"Really?"
"Of course." She wipes a tear off Will's cheek. "Will, you're the world to me, okay? You mean everything to me. I know I'm not always here when you need me, and I don't always know how to help you, but I swear, I'll do everything I can to make sure you're okay and that you're happy. You understand that, don't you?"
"Yeah." He smiles. "Yes, Mom, I understand."
She smiles back until her face falls. "There's something I need to tell you as well."
"What is it?"
Getting up, Joyce calls El and Jonathan into the room. When they get there, she has the two of them sit down at the table beside Will while she stands in front of them. Will meets Jonathan's eyes, but neither one of them know what's happening.
"Mom," Jonathan says, "what's going on?"
"I know this will be hard," she says, "but I want you to understand that I want all of you to be as safe as possible."
Jonathan glances at Will and El before staring back at their mom. "What are you talking about?"
"I put the house on the market."
The three of them are stunned into silence. Will's stomach drops. "I know it's a lot to process," Joyce continues, "but I want you to know that I never would have done this if I didn't have to. I need to make sure you're safe."
Jonathan narrows his eyes. "You're – you're serious?" He glances at Will as if he's making sure he isn't going crazy, but all Will can do is stare back, fear written all over his face.
"What does that mean?" El sits forward. "When will we see our friends?"
"It depends on where we go," Joyce says.
"Where are we going?" El asks.
"I don't know yet. I've been looking at a couple places, but nothing's concrete."
El sits back, staring at the floor, while Will's eyes drop to the ground. The whole world seems frozen. Blood rushes through his body, his head and heart pounding. Moving? His mind can't seem to comprehend it. He's never been anywhere else. He's always been here. Hawkins. With his family and friends. This is his home.
"Will?" His mom's voice pulls him out of his thoughts. He looks up to her worried face. "Will, are you okay?"
"How – how long until we leave?" he murmurs.
"We have to wait for the house to sell, but I'm sure it'll take a while. You'll have time to say goodbye to your friends."
Tears stream down Will's face. His brain doesn't seem to be working, like it's short-circuiting. All he can think of is his friends. How can he live without them? How can he survive school without them by his side? "Mom, you can't." His throat starts to close up, his eyes watering. El sits stiff beside him. Jonathan, sniffling, wraps an arm around Will and El.
Pain in her eyes, Joyce stares at him. Her voice comes out soft. "I'm sorry. Sweetie, I love you so much. You three are the world to me... but I need you safe. We can't risk something happening. Not again."
"Will we be able to come back?" Will asks.
Joyce nods. "Yes, yes, of course. And you can call your friends, and they can visit whenever they want. I just... I want to make sure that you're safe."
None of them say a word.
"Why don't we watch a movie?" she suggests, giving them a sympathetic smile. "Jonathan, didn't you rent something?"
"Oh, right." Standing, he goes into the living room and grabs a VHS tape from on top of the television set. Dr. Strangelove.
"So, what do you say?" Joyce asks.
Will wipes his eyes. He glances at El who lifts a shoulder. "Yeah," he murmurs, "all right."
Jonathan gestures to Will and El. "Can you make some popcorn?"
Sniffling, Will nods. "Yeah, um... can I use the bathroom first?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
He rushes down the hall and into the bathroom, shutting the door before collapsing onto the floor. Sobs escape his throat. Trying to quiet down, he clutches the front of his shirt, holding it over his mouth and crying into it.
Once he's calmed down, he returns to the kitchen where El is staring into an open cupboard. Glancing into the empty living room, Will furrows his eyebrows. "Where are Mom and Jonathan?"
She gestures to Jonathan's bedroom. Voices can be heard through the walls. Will moves to stand beside the closed door, El joining him. Through the door, Will can hear his mom and brother arguing. "I don't understand how you can do this without talking to us first," Jonathan says.
"I'm sorry, Jonathan," Joyce murmurs, "but I can't let anything else happen to you or Will or El."
"Mom," Jonathan says, "haven't they been through enough? Now you want to uproot everything they've ever known? What about all their friends? Mom, this town is all they have!"
"Honey, you have to understand, I need to know you kids are safe. Staying here, it will only bring up bad memories. The gate's closed for now, but what happens when it reopens? How long do we have until then? I don't know if I can handle something happening again."
"That's the problem. You don't know if you can handle it. But Mom, this isn't a decision only you can make. It's a family decision, and just imagine how Will feels. How El feels. Both of them have suffered so much. Probably the most out of all of us. They should at least have the opportunity to decide if they want to move or not. They deserve a choice in this."
Joyce takes a moment to answer. "I know, honey. I know..."
Both of their words echo in Will's mind. Haven't they been through enough? I need to know you kids are safe. The gate's closed for now, but what happens when it reopens? Both of them have suffered so much. You want to uproot everything they've ever known? What about all their friends?
"Mom?" Will knocks on the door before opening it and walking into the room, El trailing behind. His mom and brother look at him as he takes a breath. "I just wanted to say that I understand."
Joyce glances at him, Jonathan, and El. "Oh, sweetie, it's okay." She takes his face in her hands, hugging him. "I should have asked you first. If you don't want to go, we don't have to." She looks to El and pulls her into the hug. "You, too. All three of you. Jonathan, you're right. We're a family, and this is a family decision."
Will pauses. He thought he was completely against it. Moving. But now that he's given the choice, he can't help but think that maybe his mom is right. Maybe a fresh start is exactly what their family needs. And it's not like moving means he won't see Mike or the rest of their friends again. He shakes his head. "No, actually, I do understand. If you think it's best that we move, I'm okay with it." He looks at Jonathan. "I'm okay with it, Jonathan. Really."
"Are you sure?" his brother asks.
Will gives him a pained smile. "As much as it hurts, I think a fresh start might be good for me."
Joyce looks to El. "What do you think?"
"I'm okay with it, too," she says. "I'd like to see more of the world, and I think I'd like a fresh start, too."
"Jonathan?" Joyce asks.
Looking to Will and El, he smiles. "Okay, if you guys are okay with it, I am, too."
Joyce sighs. "Are you sure you're okay with it? You three were all upset about it just a moment ago."
"Mom," Will says, "I'm okay with it. I've thought about it, and I understand why we need to go. I mean, as long as we're still able to see our friends."
"Yes, of course."
Jonathan stuffs his hands in his pockets. "So should we watch the movie?"
Everyone exchanges looks before nodding. While Joyce and Jonathan head into the living room, Will and El go into the kitchen to finish making the popcorn. After a few minutes, when the popcorn is nearly done, there's a knock on the door.
A second later, Jonathan appears in the doorway. "There's someone here to see you, Will."
Will looks up from the popcorn confused. Jonathan gives him a look, nodding towards the door. "Be careful, alright? Don't humor him," Jonathan says, making Will even more confused. "I'm serious."
"Okay?" He leaves the kitchen, but slows down when he sees who's there.
Mike is standing in the doorway, his eyes lighting up when he meets Will's eyes. Will scrunches his nose. "Hey, what's going on? Weren't we just at your house?"
Letting out a huff, Mike gestures in the air. "I'm an idiot."
"What?" Will laughs.
"I have something to show you." Before he can protest, Mike grabs Will's hand and drags him outside.
"Wait, what's going on? Mike? Where are we going?" Will glances around as they head into the woods.
"You'll see." Mike continues through the woods while Will's eyebrows draw together. As they come to where Castle Byers used to be, Will expecting to see its ruins, he's instead shocked to find it standing right where it was before he'd taken a bat to it, completely in tact as if nothing happened at all.
"What..." Will walks around it, peering through the curtain to see inside before looking back at Mike. "Did you-"
Mike nods. "Lucas, Dustin, Max, and I fixed it up this week. I should've done it myself, but they volunteered to help since everything you've done for us."
"I haven't done anything."
"You saved everyone."
"Not everyone."
Mike takes his shoulders. "You saved everyone you could. It wasn't your job to do that, but you did it anyway. Because you're a good person." He gestures to the Castle. "And you deserve this. You deserve somewhere safe to be."
Will glances at his Castle before looking back at Mike and shaking his head. "I have somewhere safe to be. With you guys. My friends."
A smile forms on Mike's lips.
"When... when did you guys have time to do this?" Will gestures to the Castle.
"Throughout the week, when you were helping El get settled in. We were also trying to find something to get Max's mind off everything. We were going to show you tomorrow, but I couldn't wait. Sorry."
Will turns to look at the Castle again. "You really didn't have to do this."
"No." Taking a step forward, Mike shakes his head. "I did. I caused this. I made you do this. Everything that happened that week, it was my fault."
"Well, not all your fault." Will laughs to himself.
"I was such an asshole," Mike says. "I thought you'd told them about me, so I freaked out... but I had no right to do what I did or say what I said. I just... I don't know. I was scared and stupid... but it's no excuse for everything I put you through."
Will shrugs. "It's not like I was perfect either."
"You had every right to act like you did, Will. Every right. Will, I kissed you. Twice. Then I tried to act like it never happened."
"Wow. You're actually admitting it?"
Mike sighs. "I'm sorry. For everything. I wish you'd told me that you didn't tell anyone what happened between us. I never would've..." His eyebrows draw together, and he looks away.
A sympathetic smile pulls at Will's lips. "I guess I was just angry at you, and I wanted to make you angry too. So I let you think I told everyone about us. Well, I did tell everyone some things." He rubs his arms. "I shouldn't have done that either. I shouldn't have told anyone anything."
"No, no way, no." Mike shakes his head. "You had every right to tell them how you felt and what I said. I hurt-" He chokes, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Will, I – I hurt you."
"Hey... hey-" Will takes Mike by the shoulders and pulls him into a hug. "It's fine, Mike. Really. We don't have to talk about it."
"No, we do." Mike falls to his knees in the dirt, sobbing.
"Oh-" Will utters. "Mike?"
Mike rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands as Will inches forward, hesitating before putting a hand on Mike's trembling shoulder. "Mike? Are you... are you okay?"
He shakes his head, his eyes squeezed shut. "I'm a terrible person."
"What?" Will frowns. "No, you're not. Mike, you're not a terrible person. Hey-" He takes Mike's arms and pulls him back to his feet, looking him in the eyes. "You're one of the best people I know. I mean it."
Sniffling, he turns his back to Will, clearing his throat. "No, I'm not. I'm an idiot. I... I knew what I was doing to you and El, but I did it anyway. Because I'm horrible."
"Don't say that. You're not horrible. We all do stupid things sometimes."
"No, I ruined everything." He scrunches his hair in his fists. "You were right. I kept apologizing as if it would make things better, but it never did because I kept going back to doing the same shit over and over again. This whole time, I was the problem. I was being a stupid idiot, and I destroyed everything I cared about." He sobs. "I don't deserve to be your friend. I'm the worst person in the world. I deserve to just die already."
"No! No, Mike-" Stomach churning, Will takes Mike's shoulder, turning him so they can face each other. "Stop that. Why would you say something like that?"
Mike doesn't answer, his head swaying. Glancing at Castle Byers, Will goes on, "You don't deserve that, Mike. No one does, but especially not you. How could you think that?"
Staring at the ground, Mike wipes his eyes with the back of his hand.
"Please, don't think that. Please don't." Will shakes his head, holding his hand up to his mouth. "I knew you were struggling. I just didn't think... I didn't think you would ever think something like that."
Mike looks up at him, teary-eyed.
Will squeezes his hands. "I struggled with it, too, you know. I still am... but I guess for me, people have always told me what I am before I even knew it myself, and eventually, I realized they were right... and I accepted it, or owned up to it at least. And I think everyone's told me I'm different for my whole life that it didn't feel like such a life-changing thing to admit.
"For you, I think I've realized now that it's different. Of course it is. We weren't raised the same way, and we don't have the same families, and people don't see us or treat us the same way. And we're not the same either. I guess I thought you were being selfish or playing games with me, but that's not exactly it."
"Don't make excuses for me." Mike sniffles, his cheeks red and splotchy. "I have to apologize, Will." His voice comes out steady. Controlled. "Really apologize."
"No," Will says, shaking his head, "really, you don't-"
"Please, let me." Mike gives him a pleading look.
With a knot in his stomach, Will stays quiet.
"I know it's taken me longer than it should have." Mike's eyes dart everywhere but at Will. "I should have said sorry right away. Really said sorry. I know that now, but... you're right. Before... before, I wasn't being honest. Not to you. Not to myself. Not to any of our friends. I thought if I tried hard enough, I could push my feelings away. Turn them into something they're not. But I can't.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Will. Truly." He takes a step toward him. "I know I played with your feelings. I didn't even think I was at first. Not really. I was too stupid to realize it. I was... I was scared. I didn't want to accept how I really felt."
He meets Will's eyes. "You were right, though. I kept going back-and-forth, and I screwed everything up." A sob escapes his throat. "I was a total asshole. I ruined our friendship because I was too selfish to realize how I really felt. I ignored you, I treated you like crap, and I hurt you. I ruined everything."
Will opens his mouth to respond, but Mike holds up a quivering hand. "Wait, just let me finish." He sucks in a breath, stepping forward. Tears stream down his face, and his voice shakes. "I know I screwed up. I – I screwed up so bad, and I understand if you can't forgive me, and honestly, I don't think you should... but I just have to tell you. I think... being around you, being your friend, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Really. I-" He swallows. "I love you, Will. I always have."
Mike watches Will, his eyebrows drawn together. Will stares at him in disbelief, about to ask if he's sure, but then he just shakes his head, laughing quietly. "I know."
"You do?"
"God, you dumbass." Will grabs Mike's shoulders and hugs him. When they break away, Will gives him a shit-eating grin. "After everything that's happened, you think the thought didn't cross my mind? In the back of my mind, I think I've always known."
Mike smiles. "Then why did you let me act like such an idiot? You never should've let me get away with it."
"Come on, I didn't let you. That was all you."
Both of them laugh.
Will's face softens. "I love you, too, by the way. But-" He puts a hand up when Mike moves closer to him. "I think we should take things slow."
Mike pauses, watching Will closely.
"I just... I don't want us to jump into something we're not ready for."
"I completely understand, and I don't want to pressure you into being with me or anything if you don't want to...but, Will-" Mike takes his hand, holding it tight. "I am ready. I've been ready since the day we met."
With a sympathetic smile, Will squeezes Mike's hand. "I don't think you are... and I don't think I am either."
"Why?"
"After everything that's happened, the kissing in secret, the lies, the fighting; you can't expect all of that to not make a difference. Two weeks ago, you were telling everyone how much you loved El. How she made you crazy. I don't want us to be together if we're not a hundred percent sure of it." When he sees the pained expression on Mike's face, he softens. "I just came out to my mom, and I still feel like the only reason I came out to everyone else was because I was hurting so much that I couldn't take it anymore. I'm not... comfortable with the idea yet. I'd like to be, but as much as I try, I need time to process all of it. I think you should, too. Especially after what you said."
Looking downward, Mike chews his lips. "I guess I understand... but after everything we've been through, aren't you...aren't you scared that we won't, I don't know..."
"Have another chance?"
Mike nods.
"Of course, but I also don't want to rush into things and end up losing you altogether."
"You won't. Will-" Mike presses his hand against Will's cheek. "I won't let us lose each other again, okay?"
"I know... I know. But for now, can we make sure we're okay on our own? Friends, yes, but on our own, I want to make sure we're okay with how we are."
A smile forms on Mike's lips. "Yeah, okay. So... friends?"
"Yeah, friends." Will lets out a laugh. "Max would still be furious that I'm forgiving you so easily."
"You don't have to. I mean, what I did, everything I said, it was awful. I was a complete asshole."
"I know, but I get it." Will chews his lip. "You can do one thing for me, though."
"What is it?"
"Once El is doing better," Will explains, "which I know might not be for a while, you have to let her know what's going on. You owe it to her."
Mike nods. "I know. I will." A smile forms on his lips. "But for now... can I kiss you? Just once?" he whispers, leaning closer.
Biting his lip, Will rolls his eyes, and he catches Mike's lips in a kiss, curling his fingers through his hair. Both of them smile against each other's mouths until a sudden realization dawns on Will. He breaks away, looking Mike in the eyes. "We're moving," he murmurs, breathless.
Mike's smile falters. "What?"
"My mom just told us. She put the house on the market, and we're leaving once someone buys it."
"You're serious?"
Will nods.
Chewing his lip, Mike frowns. "You can't leave."
"It's not only my choice to make."
"That's not fair." Mike shakes his head. "Your mom can't just uproot you and El and your brother. Where are you even moving to? How often will we see each other?"
"I don't know, Mike. I don't know." He forces a smile. "She just wants us to be safe. After Hopper, I don't think she can bring herself to stay here anymore in case something else happens. I'm not sure I can either."
"You can't just leave us. What if something else does happen? We can't fight it without you guys."
"Nothing's going to happen."
Mike huffs. "If that was true, you wouldn't be leaving."
"Mike..." He takes Mike's face in his hands, making them look each other in the eyes. "Mike, I promise you, if something does happen again, I'll come back for you. All of you. I can never leave you guys. You're my family."
"But you are leaving." Tears fall down his cheeks.
"I-" He lets out a breath. "Mike, I think I have to. I don't think I can stay in Hawkins anymore. At least for now. I need... I need a fresh start."
Mike gazes at him, his face shimmering in the moonlight. His chest rises as he takes a breath and lets it out. "Okay... okay. I understand."
"I'm sorry."
He shakes his head. "Don't be. I want you to be happy, Will, and if moving away means you'll be happy, then that's what I want for you."
Will takes Mike's hands in his. "This doesn't mean I want to leave you. Never in a million years would I ever leave you, Mike. You're... you're everything to me, and I need you in my life. But I just need to find somewhere where I can feel safe."
Mike pulls him forward in a hug. "I know. You're everything to me, too, Will." When they pull apart, he gives him a playful grin. "But you know this means you have to hang out with me every day until you move, right?"
Will laughs. "Yes, I guess that's fair."
"And we have to finish your campaign."
"Also fair."
"And you have to promise we'll see each other again. Even if you're halfway across the world."
"Mike-" He squeezes his hands. "I promise we'll see each other again, and as often as humanly possible. This isn't goodbye. It's just..."
"See you later?"
Will smiles. "Sure. See you later."
Mike pulls him into another hug, holding him tight. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too."
"Oh, by the way, can you act surprised when we come here with everyone else tomorrow? They don't know that you know now."
Will chuckles. "Yeah, yeah, okay. So..." He pauses. "Did you tell them about us?"
Worrying his lip, Mike shakes his head. "Not really. I thought you'd already told them, but when I realized you didn't, I figured I should talk to you before saying anything. Do you want to tell them?"
"I... I'm not sure. They already know I like you, but they don't know your side of things. But... maybe it's best if we wait a while before announcing it. At least until we tell Eleven first."
"Okay." Mike nods, glancing to the side before looking back at Will. "I think you're right. About needing time to figure things out. I'm not sure I'd be ready to tell anyone else just yet."
"Yeah, that's fine. As long as we stay on the same page with each other."
"We will. I promise."
"But Mike?"
"Yeah?"
"If you're ever feeling... bad about yourself? Please, tell someone. If not me, Nancy or someone you can really talk to. Or I don't know, ask your mom if you can actually talk to someone who can help. I don't want you hurting yourself."
Mike shakes his head. "I know, I'm sorry. I didn't really mean-"
"Even if you didn't, just be careful."
"Okay, I will. You, too."
They share a smile before Will glances at his watch. "It's getting late. We should probably head home."
Mike looks at his own watch. "Oh, man, you're right."
They head away from Castle Byers and out of the woods. Once they reach they Byers' house, Mike picks up his bike from the lawn. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
Will smiles. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."
Smiling, Mike gets on his bike, but before he can pedal off, Will surges forward. "Mike!" Mike turns, receiving a peck on the cheek. "Be careful."
"I will." A grin is planted on his face as he leaves the driveway.
When Will gets inside the house, El is sitting beside his mom on the couch, a bowl of popcorn on her lap. "Where'd you run off to?" Joyce asks as he plops down between her and El.
He shrugs. "Just talked with Mike." Glancing at El in the corner of his eye, he sees that she's unphased by what he said.
Jonathan puts the tape in the VCR and hits play. "For more than a year, ominous rumors had been privately circulating among high-level western leaders that the Soviet Union had been at work on what was darkly hinted to be the Ultimate Weapon, a Doomsday Device. Intelligence sources traced the site of the top secret Russian project to the perpetually fog-shrouded wasteland below the Arctic peaks of the Zhokhov Islands. What they were building, or why it should be located in such a remote and desolate place, no one could say."*
3 Months Later
When moving day arrives and everyone comes to help pack, Will keeps to himself in his room while the rest of the party mills about the house. He sorts through years old toys, trying to decide which ones are worth keeping. When he pulls his D&D manuals out from underneath his bed, he wonders whether or not he'll even need them in the new place. Without the rest of the party there, what's the point?
As Max and Lucas sing 'the NeverEnding Story' at Dustin in the living room, Will walks into the kitchen, setting his D&D manuals into the donation box, and moving to go back to his room. "Whoa," Mike says from across the table, stopping him in his tracks. "That's the donation box."
He turns to Mike, nodding. "I know. I'll just use yours when I come back." He pauses. "I mean, if we still wanna play."
"Yeah, of course, but what if you want to join another party?"
Will shakes his head. "Not possible."
They exchange smiles, and Will starts back to his room, a skip in his step, to finish cleaning up. Before he gets there, he notices Nancy and Jonathan standing in the middle of Jonathan's room, holding onto each other. Stopping in the doorway, he focuses his eyes on the light above them and flashes it on. Nancy and Jonathan jump, glancing at Will before cracking smiles.
"Jesus, Will," Jonathan says, "it still freaks me out when you do that."
Will grins. "Yeah, I know."
"Is everything else packed?" Nancy asks.
"Most of it, I think."
"Well, I guess I'll help with the rest of the boxes," Nancy says, pecking Jonathan on the cheek before exiting the room.
Jonathan looks around his empty room, shaking his head. "I can't believe we're really leaving." He glances at Will. "And you're sure you're okay with it?"
Will shrugs. "I'm not sure I'd say I'm okay with it... but I think it's necessary."
"I guess I'm just surprised."
"Why?"
"I just thought you wouldn't want to leave your friends."
A sigh escapes his lips. "I don't. Not really."
Jonathan looks at him carefully, his eyebrows drawn together before his face softens. "But you wanted to support Mom."
Will chews the inside of his cheek. With a smile, Jonathan squeezes his shoulder. "I understand... but if you're ever not feeling good about it, you can talk to me. And Mom will understand if you're not okay with it. We're in this together, alright?"
"Always." He squeezes Jonathan's hand.
As he's heading out of his brother's room, he nearly barrels into El in the hallway. "Oh, sorry." Clutching Will's old teddy bear, El gives him a smile before heading into his mom's room.
Will glances into his own room to make sure he got everything and spots Mike standing near the closet, a look of confusion on his face. He steps inside. "Everything okay?"
Mike glances up, shaking away his confusion. "Um... yeah, I just... yeah."
Laughing, Will walks over to him. "Are you sure?"
After a pause, Mike lets out a sigh. "Actually, no."
"Oh." Will crosses his arms. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
Mike glances up before widening his eyes. "Oh! No, sorry... I mean, yes."
Will's forehead creases. "What?"
Mike waves his hand. "Sorry, sorry. It's just... something weird just happened."
"What was it?"
"El kissed me."
"Oh." Will's eyes widen. "Oh."
"Just now," Mike goes on. "I didn't kiss her back or anything, but she asked me about what I said in the cabin in the summer when I said I loved her. I tried to act like I didn't know what she was talking about, so you know, we could just forget about it, but before I knew what was happening, she said she loved me too and then she kissed me."
"Okay..." Will chews the inside of his cheek. "You have to tell her then. Right?" He and Mike had been considering telling El for a while, but time somehow slipped by and they still hadn't mentioned it to her. They'd wanted to wait until everything settled down and when she wasn't too distraught, but nothing really settled down. According to Mike, El had barely spoken to him during the past three months, and Will had sort of hoped they wouldn't have to address it at all.
"Yes, right." Mike nods. "I don't think right now obviously, but soon. Maybe once you guys are situated in your new house and everything. But we can't put it off any longer."
"Agreed. The longer we wait, the worse it'll be."
Both of them whip their heads around when there's a knock at the door. "Hey," Max says, giving them both a smile. "There's a couple more boxes left, and then I think it'll all be set."
"Okay. Thanks, Max." Will glances at Mike whose face falls. The two of them follow Max out and into the living room where the remaining boxes are. They help load them into the U-Haul, and when everything's packed in, Will and his friends gather in the yard.
"So, the second you get there, you'll call us right?" Dustin says with a grin.
Will cracks a smile. "Yeah, sure."
"And you'll tell us all about your new house and what it's like there?" Lucas says.
"We'll tell you guys everything."
"And don't forget," Mike adds, "I'll be there Thanksgiving."
Will smiles. "Wouldn't forget."
"And you guys will talk about maybe coming back for Christmas?"
"Yes, Mike, of course."
"Yeah, Mike," Max teases. "You've only mentioned it like seven times."
A blush creeps up Mike's cheeks. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Sorry."
Will gives him another smile while Max nudges El. "You'll call us when you get your powers back?"
El nods unenthusiastically.
"Hey," Max says, giving her a reassuring smile, "they'll come back. Don't worry."
"Yeah," Will says, "they'll be back in no time."
El smiles at them before pulling them both into a tight hug. They're joined a second later by Lucas, Dustin, and Mike. "We'll miss you guys," Dustin says which everyone murmurs agreement to. Pain hits Will when he realizes it's truly happening. They're leaving Hawkins. They're leaving his friends.
Everyone disperses to say their separate goodbyes, all a mixture of hugs and tears.
"I don't want you to go," Mike murmurs into the crook of Will's neck, tears streaming down his face.
Will hugs him tighter, his voice cracking. "I know... I'm sorry."
When they pull apart, they can't even look at each other. Will looks to the ground, a wave of despair rushing over him, and he begins sobbing, the air escaping his lungs. Lucas comes over to him and pulls him into a hug, patting his back. Will clutches onto him as he lets tears fall down his cheeks. After they let go, Will hugs Dustin and Max before stepping to the side, trying to slow his ragged breathing. A hand grasps his shoulder, so he turns around.
Nancy gives him a smile, and he lets her wrap her arms around him. "It's going to be okay," she murmurs, ruffling his hair. "We'll see you guys soon. Mike will see you soon." When he glances at her, she gives him a knowing look.
His stomach sinking, he moves back to his friends who are talking to each other separately. Seeing Will, Mike pulls away from El, not saying a word, and collapses into Will's arms again with a whimper. They stay like that for as long as they can.
They finally pull apart when Joyce steps out of the house and closes the door, locking it. Seeing the house that he's lived in his whole life being locked up, empty inside, makes Will know that this is it. Nothing will ever be the same.
Everyone glances up when a car comes speeding into the driveway, braking beside the moving truck. "Wait!" Steve shouts from inside. He and Robin rush out of the car and look around at everyone. "Oh, good, we made it!" Steve ducks down and pulls Will into a hug.
"Barely," Lucas says.
"Yeah," Dustin adds, "about time, guys."
"Sorry." Robin gives Will a tight hug. "We were at a job interview."
"A job interview?" Will asks. "For where?"
"Family Video. Oh, and here." She pulls a VHS tape out of her bag and hands it to him.
He looks at the cover before a smile forms on his lips. "Firestarter?"
"Yeah, we thought you might like it."
"Thanks, guys."
"Will you be visiting soon?"
"Maybe for Christmas. I'll visit the video store when we do."
"We'll miss you."
"I'll miss you guys, too." He looks to the rest of his friends. "I'll miss all of you."
Max glances at everyone before shaking her head. "Oh, come on, you idiots. Come here." She embraces Will and El. Lucas, Dustin, Mike, Jonathan, Steve, Robin, and Nancy join the group hug, laughing through their tears.
When everyone disperses, Joyce approaches them with a soft smile. "I think we should get going now." She slides a hand over Will's shoulder before she moves to the truck.
Will looks to El. "You ready?"
She gives him a smile and a nod. "Yeah. Ready."
They look to their friends. "Goodbye, we'll miss you."
While El gets into the moving truck with Joyce, Will takes the passenger's seat in Jonathan's car. Buckling up, Jonathan meets Will's eyes. "You're sure about this?"
Cheeks puffy and wet with tears, Will nods. "I'm sure."
Jonathan starts the car. Glancing out the window, Will sees Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max, Nancy, Steve, and Robin standing in front of the house. They wave after them as the car pulls out of the driveway. Will stares back at them, a lump in his throat. He exhales a ragged breath and waves goodbye to his friends.