some fitzes whilst i read assassin's quest. in his bob era rn. and some face headcanons with design thoughts, no hairstyles/outfits etc. and probably inaccurate, just for fun lol.
(ending so buns i was driven to write my first fanfiction..... i tried to keep it so the events of s5 are the same but add a post-epilogue scene so i can rest and get on with my life LOL. i'm not a writer but i figured i'd share and contribute to the group therapy session we're all having right now)
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Will stood on the drive outside the Wheeler house, the morning sun was bright but a cool breeze rustled the burnt-coloured trees along the road. He wished he had put on a sweater. Nancy was rearranging Mike's cases in the back of their car with grunts of frustration. Of course, he was bringing far too many books and the various boxes and cases wouldn't quite fit. Will had offered to help but Nancy shooed him away, insisting he would be more of a hindrance than a help. Mike stomped out of the house with another box filled with video tapes and some figurines from the shows he and Will liked. Will could also see a familiar rolled-up canvas poking out of the box, the flapping corner revealing the tip of a red dragon wing on blueish-purple sky.
'Absolutely not.' Nancy glared at Mike's approach, her hands on her hips. Sometimes Nancy scared Will a little, not that he would admit that out loud. He would have given up there and then, but Mike was as stubborn as ever.
'Nancy. You don't get it. I need all of this, for inspiration. I have no clue what the assignments are gonna be about and I need my material.' he said with a determined gleam in his eye. He had developed an immunity to Nancy's stern authority after all their years as siblings. His tenacity was something Will loved about him. As he watched the two bicker, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his stomach – he wouldn't see Mike for months once he, Nancy and Mrs Wheeler packed themselves into their station wagon and drove away. They had been apart before and it had been awful, but that time in California had been temporary, though they didn't know it at the time.
Once they had all returned to Hawkins, despite the gates opening and the military taking over the town, Will had begun to think that maybe he and Mike would be stuck here together. Forever. He had spent practically every day with him since then. Woke up beside him on the put-up beds in his basement. The quiet dread that Vecna was out there had settled on his shoulders then and, although he was afraid, always afraid, that feeling had receded to the back of his mind when he sat playing games with Mike, or drawing in his sketchpad on the couch whilst Mike wrote his stories beside him, murmuring phrases under his breath.
A lot had happened since then. Vecna was gone. The Upside Down gone. El. Gone. Mike liked to believe than she had survived and was out there somewhere, enjoying a peaceful life, somewhere beautiful, somewhere no one knew her origins. Will didn't think Mike really believed it. But it's something he can tell himself so he can sleep at night. Will missed her too. So much. They had been each other's lifeline at school in Lenora and the thought of her making that decision alone, afraid, unable to see another way out, haunted Will even 2 years later. Perhaps it always would. Mike blamed himself for not being able to talk her out of it during their last conversation in the void. Will thought, at that point, no one could have. Her mind was set. It would all end with her.
'Will! Help us with this.' called Mike, breaking Will from his unhappy musings. He jogged over to them and helped them lash the trunk shut with some rope, Mike's boxes threatening to tumble out. He had got his way after all. Will smiled. Mrs Wheeler exited the front door of their house with a large Tupperware stuffed with sandwiches and a huge tartan-patterned thermos. She briefly hugged Mr Wheeler goodbye with a peck on the cheek and squeezed Holly tight, as best she could with her arms full. 'See you in a few days! Be good, both of you.'
'Always, dear. I rented some box sets. Should keep us going, right, Holly?' Mr Wheeler asked mildly. Holly groaned beside him.
'No thanks, Dad. Max said she'd teach me to skate now she's out of the chair.'
'Wear a helmet, please, Holly. Don't make me worry.' Mrs Wheeler chimed in with a serious look.
'Ok, I promise.' Holly rolled her eyes as Mrs Wheeler turned to hand Mike the sandwiches.
'Bye Dad, bye Holly.' Mike said with a wave. His voice broke a little. 'Mom, you and Nancy get the engine running, I wanna talk to Will a second.' She nodded, patted his shoulder gently and walked to the car, sharing a silent glance with Nancy over the bonnet as she got in.
Mike put the sandwiches in the car and quickly reached into his over-stuffed bag on the back seat, grabbing something small and rectangular. He shoved it into his jeans back pocket before walking over to Will where he stood a little ways away from the car. He had wanted to give the Wheelers some space to say their goodbyes, feeling a bit out of place. Mike's black hair was shining in the bright early autumn sun and the breeze ruffled it into his eyes. He couldn't quite see Mike's expression. Will could feel his nerves rising, his face felt hot.
'Don't forget about me when you make all your cool, artsy college friends.' Will tried to joke. It was lost on the wind as Mike tried to tame his wild hair a bit, still not looking straight at Will. He could feel the same awkwardness that had coloured his interactions with Mike in those days before they had finished Vecna and the Upside Down. When he had confessed his deepest secret to everyone at the Squawk. Mike had looked at him with such intensity and a hurting realisation then, he was sure Mike had realised Will's true feelings towards his best friend. They had talked afterward, but it was so brief and ultimately, all those feelings were overshadowed by the end-of-the-world situation looming over them all. After, they had gone somewhat back to normal. The Byers still staying at the Wheelers' house, all together. It had to go back to how it was for Will to manage any semblance of normality with Mike always so close.
'Come and visit, ok? Over winter break. We can go into the city, do the touristy things together.' Mike had jammed both his hands into his pockets and methodically crunched some crisp autumn leaves under one foot. 'It's only two and a bit months away.'
'Yeah, sound like a plan.' Will tried to smile but it was warped by the tears he was now keeping at bay with all his might. 'You've gotta call, too. Not all the time but, you know, sometimes. When you're free. Tell me what college is like.' The college they were meant to go to together. Complementary majors. Sharing a dorm room. It was something they'd planned years ago. Will really thought it would be their future.
But Mom was struggling to make ends meet with her old telemarketer job – new digital encyclopaedias on game-like cartridges made selling paper copies harder and harder. And Jonathon was away at NYU already. Mom sent him small cheques every so often, despite his arguing against it. Will had applied for scholarships to no avail. Apparently he was only a good artist in their small Midwest town, where there wasn't much competition.
When Will had told Mike he wasn't going to college with him, he had been furious. Not at Will, but at the unfairness at the situation. He had promised that he wasn't going to go without Will, that they would wait a year. Get jobs, save up. But his Mom and Dad were adamant that he was going, and a part of Will believed that Mike hadn't protested to them that hard. Mike wanted to go so badly, get out of this town where there were so many bad memories. Start afresh. Will had tried to assure Mike that he was happy for him, that he would join him next year maybe, but it had stung so badly. He hadn't really cared where they went, only that they had done it together. Mike was slipping away from him again. To a whole other life. There was no way he would want to come back here after tasting what the exciting, adult world was like.
'Of course I'll call, idiot. It won't be like California.' Mike suddenly looked up at Will, a slight wildness and urgency in his eyes. Will's heart clenched but he held Mike's gaze.
Mike opened and closed his mouth a few times, finding the right words. 'Listen, I have something for you. Something from ages ago, but I, I should have sent it back then. I think things would have been easier. Maybe.'
He reached behind him and pulled out the small rectangular object, something about an inch thick, wrapped in a very crumpled brown envelope, some of its corners worn open. He grabbed Will's hand from where it was worrying at a loose thread on his sleeve and placed the object firmly in his palm. Will could feel his heart beating faster and the colour rising in his cheeks at Mike's hands on his. He tried to tamp down his feelings. He was tired of feeling the disappointment of knowing Mike's touches were just touches between good friends, but it was always hard to remember in the moment.
'Don't open it now. I, umm – just, don't open it right now.' he said quickly, his face serious. They were quite close now and Will could see a flush on Mike's freckled cheeks too and his eyes shone with the beginnings of tears. Will could feel his mouth stammering out something, but his brain felt like it was lagging behind. He had known this goodbye would be emotional but there was something in Mike's eyes now he hadn't seen before. The way his lips were jammed together as if stopping himself from speaking. His dark, furrowed brows. The fact that his hands were still lingering on Will's, warm in the chill breeze. Perhaps they weren't lingering and Will was simply extending this moment with his stalling brain and stupid, rapidly-beating heart.
Before he could say anything, Mike pulled him into a fierce hug. Shocked by the suddenness, Will's arms hung there between them for a moment, clutching Mike's gift tightly. He could feel the soft, worn texture of Mike's sweater against his face and the tickling of Mike's hair on his ear. He could smell the specific shampoo that Mike and Nancy both used, for curly hair. The one that made the Byers' straight, fine hair too greasy. They wouldn't be living together. Not any more. Will could feel the sadness making his throat tight, tears fighting to fall. He clung to Mike, perhaps too long for two best friends, but that didn't seem to matter to him in that moment.
With the same swiftness, Mike released Will and staring fixedly at the ground, blurted out a hoarse 'Bye, Will.' before striding to the car and getting in. Will felt stunned and, before he knew it, the tears he'd fought so hard to keep in spilled over. He was distantly aware that the Wheelers were watching him, probably feeling some second-hand embarrassment over his open emotions, but he didn't care. Mike was still looking down, his hair covering his face as they drove away. Nancy and Mrs Wheeler waved half-heartedly at Will and the remaining Wheelers. They turned the corner and were gone, leaves scuttling along the road in their wake.
As he saw the last of their car disappear amongst the trees, Will became aware of his surroundings again. Holly and Mr Wheeler were looking over at him as they entered the house but he turned the other way and walked a little down the road to where an old stump overlooked the houses on the hill below, the forest stretching out beyond them. He wiped away the tears on his sleeve, sat and considered the small package in his hands. He turned it over and over in his fingers, feeling the paper, worn soft and smooth by years of touch.
He looked around to make sure he was alone. He needed to be alone for this. The gravity of Mike's look as he pressed the parcel into Will's hand had told him this. Breathing in, he gently tore the envelope open. Inside was a folded piece of lined, yellow paper. And a cassette tape. Written on it in Mike's characteristically bold and jagged handwriting were the words 'For Will' in thick black ink. He placed this gently aside on his knee and looked to the folded paper.
His hand were shaking slightly as he unfolded it. It was a letter.
To Will,
Sorry it's been so long since my last phone call. School's been crazy and every time I try to call you, Nancy or Mom are hogging the phone or its engaged on your end. What's going on there? I hope you and El are ok. Tell her I miss her.
Anyway, I was helping Lucas make a mix tape for Max and I thought maybe I could make you one. I would make one for El too but I don't think she likes the same kind of music you and me like. It's got our favourites and also some new songs Eddie showed me that you might find cool.
I really wish you were here. It feels weird without you, we've always been together since the beginning. It's kinda like the colour has gone out of Hawkins. That sounds suuuper cheesy but it's true. Do you know if you're ever coming home?
I miss you.
Love, Mike.
Will read the letter, and then reread it, each time catching on the last line. 'Love, Mike.' Before long he realised he was crying again, drops falling on the page, ink spreading out under the wet marks. He hurriedly wiped them away, smearing it more.
'Love, Mike.'
Once, in Lenora, El had pulled Will aside after dinner and shown him a few of her letters from Mike. She confided in Will that she was upset that Mike never signed his letters with 'Love, Mike' only 'From, Mike. This was probably something that she would have wanted to talk to Max about if she weren't so far way. But she had no friends at school, Will was all she had. He had comforted El, saying that Mike was just being Mike and that he was always awkward about his feelings. At the time it had felt wrong, he knew Mike always said how he felt. That's what he'd believed.
'Love, Mike.'
I was written there, in black ink. Written from Mike to him. He ran a thumb across the words, as if trying to wipe away some magical illusion from the page. It remained the same.
He folded the letter up again and placed it gently in the breast pocket of his shirt along with the tape. He could feel a strange, light sensation blooming in his chest. He pulled his knees up, wrapped his arms around them and buried his face in his sleeves. Only then did he feel like he could finally let the light feeling up and out, smiling even whilst his tears still left dark marks on his shirt.
It was almost four years since California. So much had changed. Everyone had changed. But Mike's feelings hadn't. There would have been no reason for him to give Will this letter if they had. He could have just thrown it away with the trash, a teenage crush. But he hadn't. Mike's earnest face flashed in Will's mind. The way he had looked at him so many times, as if they shared a mind, thoughts that no one else could understand. Just the two of them. Mike's dark eyes full of a special emotion just for Will. He had assumed he'd projected those feelings on Mike with his own misguided emotions towards him. Maybe his feelings had been real, all this time.
Will got up, went inside and down the stairs to the basement. His temporary room. No, this room was his home too. Mike always treated it like both of their home, like Will belonged there just as much as he did. The thought made him smile again. He opened the cassette case and pushed it into the player. The Clash blared in the empty room. This song, the only thing that had given him comfort during him time in the Upside Down, all those years ago. Despite himself, a shiver passed up his spine and prickled his neck. Snippets of his time there still punctuated his nightmares.
He lay down on the couch, pulled a threadbare blanket over him and listened to the tape. There were some of his old favourites, The Cure, Bowie, a few of Mike's favourites like Pink Floyd and Bronski Beat, interspersed with some songs new to Will. Thick, heavy guitar and gravelly vocals. It wasn't what Will would normally listen to but he did like it. He had never met Eddie but he could feel his heroic spirit in the music.
As he listened to the songs, images flashed in his mind. Of him and Mike laying in the grass outside Mike's house, listening to music floating through the window as Lucas and Dustin played at sword-fighting with branches, Max and El reading comics and drinking lemonade under the rustling trees. Him and Mike and Jonathan in his car on the way to the arcade, blasting Bowie as loud as the old speakers would go. Him and Mike sitting at the table just over there, planning their next D&D campaign, their knees knocking together every so often, Mike flashing him a smile over his piles of books.
The cassette player gave a clunk when the last song finished, churning and whirring as it rewound the tape. Will took the tape out, placed it in its case and lay back down in the silence for a while longer, the tape clasped in his hands as they lay on his chest. Mike would arrive at his dorm in around eight hours, maybe nine accounting for stops. Two more hours for unpacking and settling in. Will would ring Mike around 8pm and tell him how much he loved the mix-tape and the letter, and how he missed him so much already.
turnnoffyourmind
origamiaround
pixelskylines
stormborns
gummygunk
titsay
areudirty