Rewriting the coming out scene if it was just Joyce and Mike
âEarlier today when you asked me what happened in vecnaâs mind I⊠I didnât tell you everythingâ Joyceâs eyes flashed with worry as they sat down.
âwhat-what happened?â Her hand reached out to hold willâs.
He closed his eyes, flashes of the visions vecna had forced him to see engulfing his mind. âHe showed me⊠things mom-the most awful things.â
âNo listen, whatever he shows you. Itâs not real, he plays tricks. He lies.â Joyce leaned forward as if closing the distance would make her words stronger.
âNo he doesnâtâ Tears pricked at the edges of Willâs eyes. âWhat he showed me⊠It didnât come from him.â Will met his momâs eyes. âIt came from me.â His breathing quickened and his gaze landed on the floor. âHe sees everything mom. He sees my thoughts-â
Will and Robin in the hospital, hiding behind a door smiling and talking.
âHe sees my memoriesâ
Rain pouring down âItâs not my fault you donât like girls!â
âAnd he sees my secretsâ
Mike bathed in yellow light, staring at a painting. Will blinking away tears âyouâre the heart.â
âBut max, she told me heâs scared which proves that I can beat him.â Willâs breath moved faster now, his eyes red and puffy as tears fought hard to get out. âBut for me to do that, you need to know. I think you need to know the truth.â
Joyceâs eyes focused and gave him the smallest nod. A door slammed open and they both jumped, as Mike turned the corner towards them. His eyes connected with Willâs, as Willâs heart jumped into his throat.
âOh uh⊠Sorry, we just heard from Hop, heâs fifteen minutes out so we should probably leave in five.â Mike paused, âis everything okay?â His eyes filled with a concern Will knew too well. Well enough that he had to turn away.
âYeah, weâll be out in a minute,â Joyce said, nodding at Mike to leave.
He nodded and turned, before Will knew what he was doing he was on his feet. âWait,â Mikeâs eyes met his again, âI think you need to hear this too.â
Mikeâs eyebrows softened slightly as he moved closer, sitting in a chair across from Will. Will sat back down, tugging on the end of his sleeve as his voice shook. âIâŠâ
Maxâs face flashed through his mind, sharp and angry, shaking her head, âI canât believe you!â
âI havenât told⊠either of you this because-â Willâs breath hitched.
Dustin and Lucas looking at each other, mouths curling in disgust as they turn to walk away. âAre you kidding me?â âWeâre not kids anymore Willâ
âBecauseâŠâ His motherâs hand went to his knee, rubbing circles into it.
Joyce staring at Will, taking a step back. Her eyes full of fear and questions. Hopper taking her hand, glaring at him and leading her away.
âI donât-I donât want you to see me differently. I mean, I am⊠Different.â The word escaped his mouth like it was freeing a prison.
He glanced up, Mikeâs eyes held the same concern for him they always did. The kind that made his stomach flip when he wondered if heâd ever seen it aimed at anyone else.
âI just pretended I wasnât because it was easier, if I just pretended I was like you, it was-it was⊠easier.â He sniffled and a tear rolled down his cheek.
Mike flashed through his mind, face showing nothing but disgust, yelling words, taking Elâs hand and running. Will stood, tearful alone in a field as Mike and El ran.
âWillâŠâ Joyceâs voice cut in softly.
âAnd-and in most ways Iâm not. Iâm still-me just⊠I-I still like the same things as you, playing dnd until morning, arguing about what movie to watch and always watching Holy Grail anyway and-andâŠâ Will met Mikeâs eyes briefly then looked away as if heâd been burned by the sheer emotion in them.
He closed his eyes tightly, fighting back the visions vecna had pulled out of his mind. âAnd⊠and I wanted to be like you-like most people⊠And I am but Iâm⊠not and I-I thought that if I was, if-if I pretended I was then everything would be fine. And weâd all be normal together and-and I wouldnât-â Willâs voice cracked âLose any of youâ
âHey,â his eyes flew open and met Joyceâs, âyouâll never lose me, youâll never lose us,â she glanced at Mike who nodded automatically.
Will pulled away from his mother, suddenly wanting to shrink away so they couldnât see him, so he couldnât see their faces when they heard. âBut-but you donât know and-â
âNothing you say could make us walk away,â Joyce assured him, interrupting.
âBut I donât⊠I donâtâŠâ Will looked at Mike then back at the floor, âI donât like girls.â His breath shuddered, the words flying out of him like a caged bird finally free in the air. Silence hung for a moment too long. âNot like⊠Not like you-like most-like⊠normal people do.â
Willâs gaze stuck to the floor, his lip quivering. If he never looked away from the concrete he could never see their faces, never see the disappointment and fear he expected.
âOh Will, you could never lose me over that,â His eyes flicked up to his mother. Joyceâs smile was simple and comforting, a future heâd never envisioned. âNothing could ever stop me from loving you, any of us from loving you, much less whether you⊠like girls.â
Joyce pulled him into a tight hug, Willâs weight collapsed against her, breathing rough as tears rolled down into her shoulder. He stayed there for a moment then his eyes opened and glanced past her at Mike.
His expression was unreadable, eyes trained past them as if he wasnât there and couldnât react. Cold dread rushed back to Will, memories of a million conversations flooded him. Did he care? Did he know? Did he hate him?
âMike?â The word came out quiet, barely a whisper.
Joyce pulled away to look at Mike. His eyes blinked rapidly and he looked up at Will. âOh-thatâs-yeah, youâd never get rid of me because of that. Itâs-I support you, I support you.â His words tripped out of his mouth but Will nearly collapsed from relief.
Tears ran down his cheeks and he wiped them away, sniffling. âWhat did you think, I was gonna find a new cleric just to make sure I had one that liked girls?â Mikeâs joke landed half heartedly but Will laughed anyway. Mike stood up and pulled him into a hug. âYouâre supposed to be the wise one.â Will sniffled into his shoulder, taking a deep breath.
âHey! Weâve go to-ohâ Mike and Will broke apart, turning to see Robin in the hallway. Will met her eyes that widened with clarity. âDid you-â
Will cut her off with a nod then ran and she scooped him up into a hug. âI told them,â he gasped, sniffling.
âIâm so proud of you.â Robin pulled back, hands on his shoulders. âWow talk about one upping me, accepted yourself yesterday and youâve already told as many people as I have?â
âItâs not exactly a race, Robin,â Will face split with a smile.
âMaybe not to you,â She joked, pulling him into one last hug then letting him go.
Joyce and Mike walked up, glimmers of confusion on their faces. âYou already knew?â Joyce asked quietly.
Robin and Will made quick eye contact. âUh-yeah-well I mean yes I did but itâs only cause-â
Will cut her off. âYeah, she knew.â
Joyce nodded then gave Robin a âthank youâ smile and started walking out with her.
Mike stepped close to Will. âHow come she got to know first?â
âMike,â Will laughed, sniffling and wiping tears off of his cheeks.
They paused for a moment, Will evening out his breathing and exhaling through his mouth. âHey, youâre not gonna lose me,â He looked up and met Mikeâs eyes. âEver. Weâre best friends remember?â
Will smiled and nodded. âBest friends.â
âRather be crazy together than normal together right?â Mike joked as they walked out towards the truck. Will rolled his eyes through a smile.
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