-I do straight ships, yuri, yaoi, but i mostly get requests for x reader. I write whatever is requested lmao.
-Fandoms I write for: Jujutsu Kaisen, Stranger Things, K-Pop Demon Hunters, SKZ (hyunjin and jeongin biased!) Cookie run, Alien stage, Tokyo revengers, vocaloid (some), attack on titan, evangelion, black butler, twd (only Carl!) sk8 the infinity, murder drones, genshin (I donât know all the characters and havenât played in a while) and hxh, link click (havenât finished yet)! More to come.
â˘Doâs and Donts!
-GIVE ME DETAILED REQUESTS RAAAA PLEASE
-In all seriousness, I do need more detailed requests! Iâm an overthinker so please tell me what you want <3
-So this is my first blog, so please be patient! My asks are open right now.
-Please donât spam!
-Donât be mean
-Constructive criticism is GREATLY appreciated
â˘Will write:
-sickfic (LOVE SICKFICS AAAAA)
-fluff
-angst
-hurt/comfort
-Yanderes (Iâm iffy on this one)
-I mostly do headcanons or short one shots, but I would love to write longer fics one day!
â˘Wonât write for
-R@pe/noncon
-minor x adult (unless platonic)
-Violence (it depends! light stuff if okay but nothing too graphic)
-Nothing gory or morally grey
-or anything weird!
â˘Thatâs all for now!
thanks for dropping by! When I get my first request Iâll start writing âĄ
Hey! I have a request for sick Mike and Nancy takes care of him. I saw you wanted a request for Mike whump so here it is! The wheeler parents are kinda absent so I think it would make the kids really close. And itâd just be cute to see their dynamic. Thanks!
Sick! Mike and Caretaker Nancy !
read tags!!! donât sue me ok
TW: Sickness, stomach pain, vomit, uhh Mike Wheeler, Ted is an absent father, hurt/comfort lowkey Mike whump (once again), angst and sad
Mike woke up later than usual on a Saturday morning. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. 10am. Despite sleeping in so late, he doesnât feel rested at all. His head is pounding in his skull, his stomach is cramping with unbearable nausea. Not to mention his skin coated in cold sweat, yet his body feels like a furnace.
He smells the familiar aroma of pancakes and waffles wafting through the house. Normally, he would be overjoyed to eat his momâs delicious cooking. But right now, even the mere idea of eating makes his already sensitive stomach ache with pain.
Meanwhile downstairs, the two families are bursting with energy. Will and Jonathan are lovingly bickering while getting ready in the basement, Nancy and Joyce are helping to serve everyone. Ted is reading the morning paper. Holly is also reading her favorite book, completely lost in her own little fantasy world.
After another 5 minutes, Holly is instructed to yell at everyone to come down for breakfast. Mike groans and buries his face in the pillow. Her high pitched yelling makes his agonizing headache worse. He desperately hopes they wonât go looking for him, and just let him sleep. Not having the energy to deal with the loud family just downstairs.
Thankfully, it seems like they havenât noticed so far. That doesnât last long, as Karen is serving food, she realizes her boy isnât in his seat. Sighing in frustration, she yells for him.
âMike! Come down honey, itâs time to eat!â
Waiting for a few seconds to get a response or listen for any movement. She doesnât hear anything. Ted seems particularly pissed off by what he thinks is his sonâs disrespect. Muttering something angrily under his breath that sounds like ââŚthat damn boyâŚ.pain in my assâŚâ Karen shoots him a glare, then gives Nancy an exasperated look.
âCould you go get your brother, please?â
She was about to start eating, but she reluctantly sets down her fork and gets up. She doesnât want to deal with a grumpy Mike who stayed up too late doing whatever the hell it is he does at 2am. But here she is. Marching her way up the stairs to see her annoying little brother. She knocks on the door.
âMike! Wake up!â
She calls out to him, but he doesnât respond. She doesnât even hear movement. She knocks again, a bit more forceful this time.
âMike..?!â
Sheâs starting to worry, this isnât normal for him. She gently opens the door, expecting to see him passed out on his bed, so deeply asleep he drools a bit as usual. But thatâs not what she finds. Nothing couldâve prepared her for what she sawâŚ
She finds her younger brother curled into a ball, clutching stomach tightly as he can. Shaking, shivering, in pain, tears absolutely streaming down his cheeks. Her heart shatters. She quickly rushes over to him, and sits on the bed next to him. He looks up at her with teary, confused eyes, clearly disoriented from high fever.
âNancy..?â
He hoarsely calls out to her. Itâs hard for him to speak as tears choke his throat, and the pain from vomiting earlier affects him. Nancy looks down at her brother with sympathy, brushing his sweaty bangs out of his forehead and feeling for a temperature. Heâs burning.
âYeah, itâs me, kid.â
She says softly, trying to soothe him. He doesnât respond, but nods and scoots closer to her. Silently asking for comfort. Nancy canât help but smile softly, seeing him like this reminds her of when they were younger. When he was 10 and Nancy was 14, he had gotten sick while their parents were away on an anniversary trip. She had to take care of him all on her own. It was absolutely miserable. But worth it in the end. Seeing him sick now, he looks the same as he did nearly 6 years ago. Some things never change, do they?
âYouâre not feeling good, are you?â
She gently strokes his hair, damp, messy curls under her hand. He seems to subconsciously lean into her touch, she smiles at that. He shakes his head no and gulps down his nausea.
âNoâŚIâm not..â
Her smile almost instantly fades at that. Knowing her brother is so miserable is heartbreaking.
âItâs okay kid, Iâm gonna take care of you. Promise.â
She says lovingly, care and worry evident in her tone. He smiles too, feeling better at the promise alone.
Their sweet moment is cut short as they hear the annoyed voice of their father yelling at them to hurry up and get downstairs. Nancy rolls her eyes and mutters something. Meanwhile Mike winces, the loud noise worsening his headache.
When Nancy gets downstairs she notices the Byers are gone. She remembers them mentioning having errands to run, so that explains it. Her mom and dad are waiting for her and Mike, surprised he isnât with her.
She explains the situation. Her mother is worried, concerned for her son. Her father doesnât seem to care, if anything he seems annoyed that heâs sick. Seeing him as an inconvenience for their day plans. The family had plans to go shopping, they even made a reservation for lunch at a nice restaurant. Of course Mike had to get sick today.
âIt would be a waste to stay home and cancel the plans, Mike can take care of himself.â
Ted says gruffly before turning back to his newspaper. Karen and Nancy both give him a glare, disappointed in his lack of care for him. He doesnât even bother to look at them. Karen offers to stay home, Ted immediately shuts it down.
âI paid too damn much for those reservations just to cancel cause Mike has goddamn a stomach ache.â
Nancy is furious at her dadâs continued dismissal. She understands not wanting to waste the money, but Mike is really sick. Itâs not fair to drag him along with their plans while heâs so miserable. Then it hits her, she can stay home to look after him.
âWhat if I stay home with him? I donât mind taking care of Mike, Iâve done it before.â
She says sweetly, hoping the honeyed tone is enough to convince them. Karen is happy with it, but TedâŚnot so much. He still thinks Mike should just suck it up and go along, but the idea of Nancy staying back is at least more tolerable to him. He begrudgingly agrees, and her parents, along with Holly, are off. Leaving just the two of them.
She sighs in relief before bracing herself for whatâs to come. Taking care of a sick Mike is never easyâŚ
She makes her way back upstairs, going to her parentâs bathroom and getting some supplies from the medicine cabinet. A thermometer, pain medicine, and a fever patch. Should do the trick. She gently opens the door, and sits down on the bed once again.
âIâm going to take your temperature now.â
She uncovers the thermometer and places it his mouth, holding it there for about 30 seconds. It beeps, revealing his temperature as 102f (38.9c) That was very high, especially for Mike. He doesnât usually get this sick, only mild colds and rarely a feverâŚNancy tries to hide her worry, knowing it would only make him more anxious. Despite being sick, he can tell that whatever his temperature is, itâs not good based on her face alone.
âWhatâs it sayâŚ?â
He croaks out in a hoarse voice, looking up at her with curious, teary eyes. She debates if she should tell him the truth, knowing it would only worry him more. She decides against it, opting for a more sugarcoated way to tell him.
âItâs pretty high, but some medicine will fix you up, okay?â
She says with a soft smile, before helping him sit up against the pillows. Mike isnât much help, keeping his arms firmly wrapped around his stomach and not helping prop himself up. She pours out the pills, and hands him the water bottle on his nightstand. Itâs a struggle to even take the medicine, it feels like swallowing sand paper. She just hopes he can keep it down.
Thankfully, his stomach doesnât reject the medicine. Heâs able to keep it down. Nancy is relieved, thatâs a good sign. Since he was able to take the medicine without too much pain, she decided it would be good to get him to eat.
She hurries off to the kitchen, and decides to make some soup. Nothing fancy, just something he can eat without hopefully puking it back up. She boils the water, and chops up some vegetables and already cooked chicken. Adding them to the pot with some chicken stock. She doesnât add any seasonings, worrying it would upset his stomach. Itâs not like he can taste it anyways.
After roughly 20 minutes, the soup is done. She pours it into a bowl, one that theyâve had since forever. Then she makes some tea, ginger tea to be exact. Supposedly it helps settle your stomach. She remembers mom making it for him when heâd gotten sick in the past, it made him feel better. She hopes itâll help him now too. Now with the tea and soup in hand, she marches back up the stairs, careful not to spill any of the hot liquid and burn herself. Thankfully she doesnât.
She finds her brother lying down, staring at the cielong completely unfocused. She calls to him,
âMike.â
And he barely even registers her voice. His fever is getting worse if he doesnât even notice her coming in. She sets down the soup and tea on his nightstand, before taking her familiar spot on his bedside. She tries to rouse him awake, but he doesnât budge. Heâs already hard to wake up when heâs healthy. Itâs like trying to wake a log. Sheâs a bit more forceful now, shaking his shoulder and speaking a bit firmer. That does the trick. Finally, he grumbles awake and looks at her with a groggy expression.
âHmâŚhi, NanceâŚâ
He mumbles out, barely coherent. Nancy smiles at him, despite being all sweaty and gross. Heâs still sorta cute in a pathetic way. Maybe itâs just caretaker instincts kicking in. She brushes it aside and clears her throat, helping him sit up once again.
âHey. I got you some soup, can you eat some of it? You donât have to finish it all, just a bit. Maybe half?â
She says hopefully with a smile, maybe if sheâs cheerful enough itâll rub off on him. It doesnât seem to work. Heâs still grumpy and annoying, but she canât even hold it against him. If she was sick like he was, she wouldnât be so happy either.
âUghâŚI donât want to eatâŚâ
He says with a whine, clearly against the idea of eating anything. Nancy however, isnât going to give up that easily.
âCome on kid, just a little bit? Please?â
He groans again, itâs almost like heâs trying to be difficult. She knows he isnât, heâs just miserable and doesnât want to eat, but God, he's making it hard to stay patient.
âNo, please donât make me eat NanceâŚâ
He complains again, now heâs starting to get on her nerves. She notices he doesnât sound angry, but pleading, she tries to calm down. Reminding herself that heâs sickâŚheâs not in the right mindset right now. She tries a gentler approach.
âWhy donât you want to eatâŚ?â
She asks him softly, hoping to find out why heâs so strongly against eating. She knows heâs sick, obviously. But he doesnât even want to try eating a little bit.
âBecauseâŚI know Iâll just throw it upâŚI donât want to puke again..â
Her heart wrenches in sympathy. Her brother has always hated throwing up. Itâs especially awful for him, and especially painful. It makes sense heâd be scared of it happening again. She tries to be more understanding, and convince him gently.
âI know you donât want to, but after you eat Iâll give you some medicine so you wonât throw up, okay?â
She says softly while resting her hand on top of his. Hoping that heâll finally agree now. He does, thankfully. She feeds him about half of the bowl before he canât stomach it anymore. Satisfied with his compliance, she makes him take the medicine. He swallows it with a grimace, clearly disgusted by the taste. But heâd rather suffer through the nasty taste than any more stomach pain.
The medicine made him sleepy, clearly having a calming effect on him. His guard lowered, and he opened up to her for the first time in a very, very long while.
âYou know âŚI missed thisâŚâ
He sleepily mumbles out, heâs not filtering himself right now, saying everything honestly. How he really feels.
âWhat do you mean? You missed being sick~?â
She teases him.
âNoâŚI donât miss being sickâŚI miss when we were close.â
He says softly, vulnerability evident in his words. They used to be inseparable, Nancy would look after him and play with him nonstop. Spending hours making blanket forts and messes throughout the house. Pretending she was an evil villain, and Mike was the brave hero, coming to save everyone from her clutches. Things were perfect. Then she turned 12, and suddenly didnât want to play anymore, finding him annoying and clingy. With him still being 8, he was heartbroken about it. But ultimately he got closer to his friends, and stopped wanting to play with her too. Since then they havenât been close anymore, only speaking at meals and arguing the rest of the time.
Now that theyâre older, theyâre definitely more civil now, not arguing as much, but not being friendly either. Almost 4 years ago, when everything first started with the upside down, they made a promise to not hide things anymore, and to be more open with one another. That promise rings hollow, with them being more distant now than ever. With Nancy gearing up for college, and Mike focused on studies, they interact less than ever. Despite how sad it makes both of them, they never make an effort to change. Just make empty promises.
Nancy never realized how much it affected her brother, knowing that theyâre parents arenât exactlyâŚpresent, he grew up seeing her as more of a parent figure. Mike also never knew that his sister was missing how close they used to be. He assumed she was too busy with everything else to notice how far they were drifting.
âYeahâŚI miss it too, kid.â
She says with melancholy, knowing that they both will never be that happy or carefree again. Especially not with everything they've been through.
âDo you think we can be close like that again..?â
He asks carefully, not wanting to get his hopes up if she says no.
âOf course we can. Just in a different way, you know?â
Mike nods in response, a soft smile on his lips as he looks up at her.
âThanks for taking care of me. I know you wanted to go shopping with everyone today. And I know Iâm not the easiest to take care ofâŚâ
He trails off, gratitude and embarrassment in his voice. He knows itâs a chore to look after him. But Nancy is happy to do it.
âNo problem~ Now you should get to sleep, okay?â
He nods with a soft hum, before turning over and falling asleep almost instantly. He wonât wake up for a while, that boy sleeps like a log. But when he does, Nancy will be nearby, watching over him. Just like she used to.
I think itâs .3, I feel like itâs so mundane that itâs a fake out and in my mind there is a correlation between people who are online a fair amount and thusly have some eye damage and tumblr users
Iâve been on fire more than one in my life
I managed to nearly dismantle a desk at my old school
i am physically incapable of writing a grounded narrative
When i started only wearing my retainer at night instead of 24/7 my teeth would shift so much during the day it broke 3 retainers so then i got a metal one but my teeth broke that too so i had to get braces again and now i have a permanant retainerÂ
One time my friend and i almost crashed a wedding when my sister was running a raceÂ
One of my kneecaps sits about a quarter or eighth of an inch above the other because it popped out at a robotics competition and didnt go back all the way but it doesnt hurt that much so its okay
I think 3 is the lie..?
thanks for the tag!!!! @eating-the-sand @crunchy-bisquit @gandagastthepsychotic @our-lady-of-good-health @mike-newton-is-a-marshmallow @literal-insomniac-freak
My Spotify wrapped this year said I listened to my top song 673 times
Ima say....2 is the lie?
@sylki221b-is-back @moonkissedfaeriephantom @quietlychaotic13 @olive-and-aves @ghostonagravestone @ihavenocluewhatiwanttobecalled @iwanderbecauseimlost @pipis-took+ open taggsss
people always assume Iâm like two years younger than I am but I was told to be very mature for my age when I was younger
i havenât slept for two nights in a row but I was so exhausted afterwards that I never did that again
a few years ago I hated marvel because the first mcu movie Iâve watched was ant man and the wasp quantomania thing and I didnât like it
Bro I can see you doing all three of these things T.T so iâd say 3 is the lie?
@aliensatemysocks (if you want to and arenât too stressed because of the whole stranger things shit) @chaotic-snowflake @livelove-fangirl @eatlembasbread @moonkissedfaeriephantom @bwsdjc @iwanderbecauseimlost @ghostonagravestone
Mike was feeling rough. After another run-in with the military he was severely injured. He was grazed by a bullet on his side, which was now oozing blood, staining his shirt a bright red. He had hit his head when he was thrown, making him bleed quite a bit, the blood dripping onto his bangs and forehead, giving him a throbbing headache, likely a concussion. His ankle was twisted or sprained, leaving it swollen and purple, unable to walk. Despite his injuries, he wasnât focused on himself, but his friends.
They were hurt too, not nearly as severely as Mike, but still in pain. He was most worried about Nancy, his older sister sitting in the front seat. He knew she was struggling the most with the news of their parents. She was the first one to find them in that god awful state. Soaked in their own blood, on the verge of death, barely conscious. Seeing Mike laying in the back of the trunk, bleeding out, and laying his head on Willâs lapâŚHe must look just like their mom.
Will however, was focused on Mike. The boy lying in his lap, wincing and whimpering in pain every time the car hits a bump in the road. Will was keeping his hands firmly pressed against the deep wound on Mikeâs stomach. Desperately trying to stop the bleeding. His hands were soaked with cold blood, Mikeâs blood. Despite his best efforts, the bleeding wouldnât stop.
He was getting weaker and weaker every minute. His once firm grip on Willâs sleeve was loosening. The color draining from his face, and his eyes are starting to close. The blood loss is starting to really affect him..
âHeâs getting worse!â
Will frantically shouts to Jonathan, his brother whoâs driving. Jonathanâs head snaps back to see the heartbreaking sight. Nancy looks up at the sight of him. She observes him, taking in his pitiful appearance. Sheâd forgotten that heâs still 17. No matter how much bigger or taller than her heâll get, heâll always be her little brother. She canât hold back her sobs as she looks at his blood soaked shirt.
She looks around the car for anything that could help. She finds a bottle of ibuprofen, and a small bottle of water. She hands both items to Will.
âMike.â
Will softly says his name. Trying to bring his hazy mind back to reality, however itâs pointless. Mike doesnât respond. He continues staring at the ceiling with glazed eyes.
âMikeâŚcan you hear me?â
Will repeats himself, gently tapping his cheek. Mike perks up at the movement. He moves his eyes to meet Willâs, unable to move his head without angering his already agonizing headache.
ââŚYesâŚâ
Mike responds in a soft whimper you can barely hear, Will and Nancy have to lean down to understand him. Will is at least happy heâs still conscious, by now he should be passed out.
âGood, I need you to take this medicine, can you do that?â
Will asks him through his own tears, trying his best to stay calm for Mike. He takes way longer to respond than he should, the silence is unbearable.
ââŚOkayâŚâ
Will gives him two pills, and water to wash it down. Itâs hard to get him to swallow them without choking, especially because heâs lying down. Eventually theyâre able to get him to take it. But theyâre not sure if itâll do anything to help him, or if he can even keep down the medicationâŚ
It seems to help at least a little bit, but it gives him barely any relief from the agony heâs experiencing, itâs downright torturous for him. Theyâve only been driving for about 5 minutes, but for poor Mike it feels like hours. The pain in his stomach is only worsening, the burning ache now developing to searing pain thatâs spreading over his entire torso. The pain is so intense heâs starting to lose consciousnessâŚ
Will notes this and his stomach drops. If he falls asleep now, thereâs a chance heâll fall into a coma. He taps his cheek again, a bit more forceful this time. Mike doesnât even register the touch. Will starts to panic, he canât even hide it anymore.
He holds Mikeâs hand in his own bloodied one, his hands are cold. Mike, whoâs usually warm and loving, has the hands to match. He would always warm Will up when his hands got cold in the winter. But now, his hands feel like theyâve been deep frozen. That canât mean anything goodâŚMike holds onto the comforting warmth of his hands tight as he can. Which sadly isnât very tight, heâs so weak that Will can barely even feel him squeezing.
His weak grip weakens even more, his eyes start closing once again. Will is full blown panicking now. He gently shakes Mike, he cringes in sympathy, knowing the movement is aggravating his symptoms. But maybe the pain will help him stay awake..?
âWill..?â
Mikeâs weak voice cuts through the silence, his words are slow and delayed. Will waits with bated breath for him to finish.
âInâŚIn case I dieâŚ.or go into a comaâŚI want you to knowâŚâ
Mike hesitates again, unsure how to word what he wants to say. He takes a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep himself from crying due to the pain
âIâŚlove you, Will.â
Will is stunned, almost frozen as he tries to process what he just heard. Mike returned the feelings..? Before he can even respond, Mike passes out. He tried, he really did, but he couldnât stay awake any longer. The exhaustion, pain, and blood loss all combined were weighing down on him, he couldnât keep his eyes open.
Willâs heart drops to his stomach, this was all too much to handle. He yells at Jonathan, begging him to drive as fast as he can.
âPlease Jonathan! You have to speed up, he- he passed out!!â
Both older kids snap back their heads to see the depressing sight. Mike was passed out, his blood pooling out beneath him, his bloodied head resting on Willâs lap. Will was sobbing as he tried to wake Mike up, but it was pointless. There was nothing that could be done to wake him up without real medical care, and Will just couldnât give that to him. It broke his heart, to see the one he loves so much, and there being nothing he can do to ease it.
After another 5 minutes they arrive at Hawkins General Hospital. Nancy rushes into the emergency room, nearly stumbling over her feet as she comes to a sharp halt in front of the check in.
âPlease you have to help! My little brother, he- heâs hurt! He was shot and he passed out! Please you have to help him!â
She yells out through her tears, trying her hardest to stay composed. The woman working at the front desk calls for help immediately. Shortly after multiple nurses and a stretcher are wheeled to the parking lot.
She follows them back to the car, watching them gently move Mike onto the stretcher. Will tries to help best he can, but thereâs not much he can do. Heâs utterly helpless right now, all he can do is trust them to help Mike. All three of them follow the hospital staff into the building. They enter through the lobby, and make a sharp right turn past a corridor. The halls seem to never end, as if the hospital was infinite.
They havenât been running for long, but they all feel exhausted, especially Will. Maybe the emotional drainage is catching up to him. Eventually, they arrive at two large doors, the sign reading âEmergency Departmentâ A nurse with silvery grey hair stops them before they can enter.
âIâm sorry kids, but you canât follow them in. That room is off limits.â
She says with a sympathetic smile, sensing how distraught and in shock they are at whatâs happening. Will canât accept this, he needs to see Mike.
âPlease Miss, we wonât cause any trouble. I just need to know heâs okayâŚâ
Her smile softened, she knows my how worried he must be.
âI know you want to see your friend, dear, but Iâm afraid itâs not available to the public. Once heâs transferred out, and is up for visitation we will let you know. Until then, please go wait in the lobby. Iâll keep you updated on his condition.â
The nurse walks past the same corridors Mike was taken into, leaving them alone in the hallway. They do as theyâre told, returning to the lobby with a sluggish, depressing pace. The stillness of the hospital is agonizing, despite how full the emergency room was, the lobby is nearly empty.
Will takes a seat at the end, closest to the door. Jonathan sits next to him, and Nancy is beside him. Theyâre all exhausted, especially Nancy and Will. It breaks Jonathanâs heart to see his two favorite people suffering so much. He places his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in to rest on his chest. He rests his hand on Willâs shoulder, before dropping it to hold his hand. He gives him a sad smile, trying hard to stay strong for his brother, but heâs just as worried as Will is.
Nancy is no better, if anything sheâs just as bad as Will. She canât handle so much pain in such a short amount of time. First her parents, then Holly is taken, now her brother? Her entire family is in shambles, and so is she. Sheâs hit her breaking point.
Despite how tired they are from the days events, none of them can fall asleep, or even relax. Theyâre too worried, too on edge to even think about anything but Mike. Jonathan is greatly affected too, but he tries to be strong, he knows Will and Nancy need him right now. Jonathan and Mike werenât the closest, but he watched that boy grow up alongside Will. Despite not knowing him well, Mike was always there for his little brother, and Jonathan will always be grateful for that.
He also knows that Nancy and Will love Mike dearly, and how much this near death experience has traumatized them. He does his best to be comforting, but it isnât enough. Will and Nancy are still shattered, and thereâs nothing anyone can do to help them.
2 hours have passed.
Eventually, the same silver haired nurse walks through the doors, and stands in front the kids. She clears her throat to get their attention before she speaks.
âHello again dears, Iâm sorry to come so late. I had some patients to attend to before I could see you again.â
All three of them perk up, suddenly sitting straight and staring at the woman with utmost attention. Nancy especially, she speaks up for the more reserved boys.
âNo, youâre fine, Miss. Is everything okay with him..?â
She asks with fear and uncertainty, but a hint of hope. The woman doesnât seem to be sad, she actually seems a bit hopeful. Which they take as a good sign.
âThankfully, heâs been stabilized, and isnât in any immediate danger. He underwent surgery to repair some internal bleeding in his side, and thankfully it went well. His ankle is only sprained, and the concussion will heal with time. Heâll be fine, dear.â
She explains with a smile and a caring tone. All three of them deflate against the chairs in relief, they can finally relax knowing heâs okay. Will canât help the smile creeping onto his lips.
âCan we see him? Is he awake yet?â
He asks with a hopeful tone, heâs not sure if sheâll say yes, but god he hopes she will.
âIâm afraid not dear, heâs still sleeping, and he needs to rest.â
She explains with a sympathetic voice, she knows just how worried they were about him, but she canât do anything about it if he isnât awakeâŚWill seems to accept this answer, staying silent as he tries to process the information. That doesnât last long. He perks up to ask another uestion.
âDo you know when heâll wake up..?â
The hope evident in his voice. The woman feels her heart melting at the sight, she composes herself before speaking again.
âSoon, dear. Either tonight or early tomorrow morning. The anesthesia should wear off by then.â
She says softly, a warm, motherly smile as she speaks. The sweet moment is cut by sound of her radio crackling to life. Alerting her sheâs needed elsewhere. She excuses herself, before scurrying into the same door she came from.
The kids sigh in relief. He was okay, and they could finally relax. Neither of them wanted to make the drive home with how exhausted they were. They ended up falling asleep in the lobby.
Will was the first to wake up, he wasnât sure how early it was, but it was definitely later than he would usually wake. The sun was already shining brightly outside the window, so he assumes itâs about 9am. He checks beside him, the older kids are still sleeping. He knows how exhausted they are, so he doesnât wake them. Or at least tries his best not to. He carefully stands up, careful not to make a sound on the squeaky floors.
He makes his way to the check in desk, finding someone different this time, an older man with a grumpy demeanor. He can sense the irritation on him as he approaches. Heâs always been in tune with others' emotions after all. He clears his throat when he arrives at the desk. The man doesnât even turn to look at him, but makes an annoyed âhmm?â Sound to show his acknowledgment.
âGood morning sir, I was wanting to see if a patient is available for a visit?â
The old man sighs, before finally turning to face Will.
âAnd which patient would you like to see? Do you know the id or hospital room?â
Will realizes that he doesnât actually know if Mike was formally checked into the hospital, he arrives on emergency, not an appointment. He shakes his head no.
âWell, this patient wasnât reallyâŚchecked in. He was brought in because of an emergency.â
The old man seems a bit less annoyed, detecting the seriousness on the young manâs face. A hint of sympathy on his stern features.
âWhat was he brought in for? I can look him up that way.â
Will has to swallow his guilt and speak up. He takes a breath to steel himself.
âHe was shot, sirâŚâ
The old manâs deep set eyes widen in surprise, before saying a muttered âI see.â And searching patient records from last night. It isnât long before he finds the patient in the files. A kid being shot tends to stand out.
âYes, I see records of him being admitted and operated on. But you canât visit until heâs formally checked in, and youâre cleared to visit him.â
Will feels familiar disappointment wash over him. He doesnât want to wait, he knows thatâs impatient, and maybe even a bit childish. But he needs to know Mike is okay.
âPlease, sir. I need to see Mike. The nurse from last night said she would let me see him, can you please just ask her..?â
He pleads with him, normally, he would just accept no. But this is Mike weâre talking about. No way is Will gonna take no for an answer. Almost as if rehearsed, the woman from last night walks in. Searching for Will on the chairs before seeing him at the check in desk.
She greets the old man, before explaining the situation. With reluctance, he lets Will pass, (not that it was his choice anyways.) But Will is happy he changed his mind. As they walk, the nurse makes some light conversation.
âIâm glad youâre here, heâs been asking for you.â
The casual tone in her voice is baffling to him. He tries to hide the flusteredness in his voice, but sheâs perceptive. He tries in vain to play it off.
âReally..? He asked for me? What did he say?â
He canât even hide how excited he is to hear Mike specifically asking for him. The nurse picks up on this, smirking softly.
âYes, he did. Heâs been asking for you since he woke up. I would go to the lobby to bring you, but you were sleeping. You shouldâve seen his face when I said you couldnât come yet~â
The playful tone is infectious, instantly making Will feel comfortable with her. He was going to continue the banter, but they arrive at his room in the ICU. 116. He commits that number to memory for when he comes back to visit.
The nurse opens the door, revealing Mike lying in the hospital bed. He looks awful to say the least. Heâs hooked up to too many machines for comfort. His head has been bandaged, messy bangs falling over the gauze. He can see the outline of a cast underneath the blankets, remembering the injured ankle from earlier. Despite how miserable he should be looking. Heâs happy to see Will. His entire face lights up.
The nurse being the smart woman she is picks up on this, and leaves the room to give them space. Will instantly runs over to Mike, wrapping him into the tightest hug. Well, as tight as he can without hurting him.
âCareful, I donât need broken ribs on top of all this.â
He says with the lighthearted charm he always has. Good, at least his sense of humor is still there, Will thinks.
âOh shut up, youâre so dramatic.â
Will teases back with the same energy. He pulls away, tension heavy in the room. Mike looks at him with a gaze you can only describe as love struck. Will looks away, suddenly the sterile wall is so captivating to him. Mike smirks at his shyness, knowing that heâs the cause.
âSoâŚabout what I said in the van..â
Mike trails off, unsure how to continue. Suddenly he canât keep eye contact either.
âIâŚdonât remember it all too well, but I do remember what I told you before it all went darkâŚâ
As if it were even possible, Will feels himself turning even redder than before. Heâs able to bring himself to make eye contact despite his embarrassment. He stops those thoughts in its tracks, reminding himself how delusional it is. Thereâs no way Mike meant what he said, none at all. No point in getting his hopes up and his heart broken.
âYou werenât all there, I get it. The blood loss and everythingâŚyou werenât thinking.
Will tries to convince himself that Mike didnât mean the confession. Why would he? Willâs never noticed anything that would say Mike even likes boys.
âItâs fine Mike, I already forgot about itâŚâ
Willâs flusteredness turns to tears, unable to hide how much he deeply wanted the confession to be real. He tries to play it off like itâs nothing, but internally he feels more shattered than ever before.
âI meant it.â
His breath hitches, as if the air in his lungs froze over. He makes eye contact with Mike once again, he has the same expression as Will. Hoping that Will feels the same. Just as Will is praying Mike means what he said. How ironic.
âNo MikeâŚyou donât know what youâre talking about, you donât have to pretend to spare my feelings. Really, itâs okayâŚâ
Will chokes back his tears, and faces away towards the door. He covers his mouth to stifle his tears and tragic sobs.
Mike is shocked at the sight, unsure what to say for a moment as he tries to process whatâs happening. But he did mean what he said. How can he convince Will that he truly loves him back?
âBut I didâŚI promise you Will, I wouldnât lie to you like thisâŚâ
Mike desperately tries to convince, but what else can he give him besides his word? Will hesitantly removes his hand, looking at Mike with sad eyes.
âReallyâŚ? You mean it..? What you said..?â
He says with teary vulnerability in his voice. He hopes to god that he meant it, and it wasnât the blood loss or delusion talkingâŚ
âOf course, Will.â
He speaks softly as he responds, the tone he uses for no one but Will.
âIâŚI canât believe it..â
He speaks through tears, finally allowing them to spill down his cheeks. Not forcing himself to act like heâs not flustered or embarrassed. He lets himself feel, feel these things he thought he never couldâve in a million years. Love.
Will never thought anyone, let alone Mike Wheeler, his best friend would love him back. But here he is, living out the same scenario he fantasized, but brushed off as wishful thinking.
âI love you, Will.â
Mike can barely choke out through his own tears spilling over. Placing his hand on Willâs. Almost instinctually their hands interlock, a firm, comforting hold.
