It wasn’t a lie. No…well, not completely, alright? He just knew that Will wasn’t the type of person to hurt him, or anyone else ever on purpose. “Can I rephrase that then?” He asks. There was no point in lying to his best friend, not that it was what he had intended to do in the first place. “….It hurt, when I thought you were…gone. Like, gone gone.” he admits, remembering the night at the lake, when they had thought someone had found Will’s body. The shock, hurt, and rage he had felt that night….to believe he had just lost a friend he’d assumed would be around his entire life. But how could he even call that Will hurting him? none of them were to blame for what had happened. “Other than that, I really can’t think of another time.”
“ see? ” lips twisted downward, quivered so slightly. not quite preparing for tears but getting close. “ i hurt you. i hurt everyone, ” he began again, frustration now in the mix of emotions he felt. will knew, by now, where the fault mostly lay. and yet he couldn’t help but blame himself. for riding away so FAST that night. for letting himself get CAUGHT. it was his own weakness that ultimately led him into the demogorgon’s grasp. and he was FRUSTRATED with himself. embarrassed. his friends were always coming to his rescue. and what could he do? nothing. not ever. couldn’t even shoot a stupid fireball. “ and i’m afraid that i’ll never stop hurting you. ”
