Chapter Text
Lying works.
This is something Will knew, he knew this from his childhood. Lying to Lonnie to hide his sexuality, lying to Mike through his teenage years.
And lying still laces the words he says.
The party believed he found someone, someone that accepts him, a guy he is interested in.
A guy with black curtains and freckles framing his face. Reminding him of a certain someone. The lights framing his nose in a way to remind him of… Mike.
The guy was gay, he liked Will.. he still liked Will. But Will couldn’t like him.
He didn’t understand the tensing of Wills shoulder when the lights flashed. He doesn’t understand the lump in his throat when a cold breeze touches his neck. The tears the prick his eyes when he sees the number “11”.
Will couldn’t bring himself to kiss someone that distance understand the pieces of the mosaic that built him up from November 6th 1983..
But lying works.
Will told the party that he reciprocated the feelings of the boy. The boy from the bar. The boy that he finds comfort in due to their shared sexuality.
…….
Will walked up the stairs holding onto both sides of the banister. His palms gliding on the soft wood towards the voices of children and adults alike. Lucas, Max and Dustin already sat at the table holding their fork above their lasagna as if holding off until Will… and by extension- Mikes arrival.
Will sat opposite to Max. She looked up and smiled, before being broken out of the smile by the shutting of the basement door.
Mike walked up, his silent still persisted but his brows furrowing showing his true ideology.
Max watched him sit and smiled as she finally pushed the fork into her lasagna.
“I hope you’re right..”
Her voice jumped and cracked.
Mike didn’t stiffen, didn’t waver in his emotions. He just lifted his eyes and licked his lower lip. Allowing his stiff shoulders to rise and fall in a shrugging way of not knowing.
Will felt his eyes water and shoulders stiffen. He knew stuff they could never. The hive-mind isn’t dead. Two members of that mind still thrive.
———
William Jacob Byers and…
Jane “eleven” hopper.
The blood of Henry and the slight smoke that still laces the lungs of Will. They still thrive.
At certain times El visits. Through the minds of each other.
Maybe some things are best kept secrets..
covered up with lies.
“Will”
El said. Airy. Quiet. Breathy.
As if it was a memory of a word.
Will lay in his bed, sweating eyes rolling and roaming the inners of his socket.
Memories filling him.
Builder.
Spy.
Builder.
Spy.
The only times he ever was useful.
A gasp. Raspy but wet. Eyes shooting open just like his once useful demo-vision.
A black void. Watery floor, nothing but delicate light.
“El..” Will crocked out.
Sitting up the water feeling slimy against his skin. Running up. El pushed back, not allowing him to touch her.
“I’ll disappear..” she whispered. As if the moment was sacred.
“I tried, every day.”
El continued the tears framing her face.
El held her hair tie out.
“You touched it..”
Her voice broke.
“The last person.. other than me-“
Wills brows furrowed, the air feeling thinner.
“Lenora. Training in Hawkins.”
She paused.
“You became my brother, the brother I chose.”
She reminisced on Henry.
“The brother I chose- not through blood.”
“The blood, and the- the smoke.. they still connect us, Will.”
She smiled with tears as Wills eyes leaked.
“You will never loose me, Will.”
“You will never loose me, Jane”
Will felt his voice whine and crack.
Will didn’t enjoy lying. But it made things simpler. Will couldn’t bring himself to mention the guy El met while doing a walk around the 2 waterfalls. Will couldn’t even mention Iceland. Will couldn’t bring himself to tell them he still heard and saw her in his mind during his sleep.
———
“Will?” Lucas questioned. Waving an arm in front of him. Their plates empty and basically licked clean, while Wills was still full, no bit- not even a nibble.
“Yeah..” Will asked, brows furrowed, the lies brewing inside of Will.
“We asked if you finally had your first kiss man.” Dustin joked out.
Will felt heat rise into his cheeks.
“No…”
Will awkwardly said. Not that he was embarrassed by his lack of physical intimacy, but that he was embarrassed that he was still lying.
——
Will sat in the bar, the strobing lights filling the room. His heart punching against his chest. Lights brought something out of him.. memories.
“You alright?” Carl questioned Will as he sat next to him at the bar.
Will looked up and smiled, and reached his hand onto Carls arm.
“Yeah I’m okay.”
He couldn’t explain. That was something held within his group of friends.
“Come dance with us Will..”
Carl said. A slight smile on his face. His blushing splattering between his freckles.
A gay bar. A place that Will never thought he would be empowered enough to walk into.
Carl raised a hand to rest it on Wills cheek. Will turned slightly away, inspecting his drink. Carl sighed. And rolled his eyes.
“Mike call in preparation for your graduation?”
Will sighed. Chest feeling tight.
“It’s not about him..”
Carl rolled his eyes. The rainbow lights continuing to flash. Carl but his bottom lip.
“Is he still not over his ex?”
That’s the only way Will could explain the situation, not the sister part, the dead but not, the deaths, the universes. Just a simple ex. That’s how he boiled Mike and Els relationship to him.
——
“I just.. can’t bring myself to make the first move. I’m waiting for Carl to do that—“
Will poured out, trying to hide his nervous, lying rambling.
“Carl?”
Mike questions. That was the first time Will mentioned the name of the boy.
“Haha.. ah shit.” Will grumbled out. This is something he would have to tell El later.
El found a new guy, Will was still stuck on Mike.. and El knew that. She was in his mind daily for gods sake!
——
Mike sat up in his room after everyone left. He sat at his desk, his eyes continually moving towards the painting on his wall.
He never really asked about it. Will was already over him at that point, they were in the upside down, why would he bring it up then?
Mike always felt conflicted when it came to Will. His feelings hadn’t truly been explored in the past 2 years- Mike had never found himself alone with Will. He was attached to the hip with Max or Lucas or Dustin. When over the phone Joyce was involved, Hopper was listening in or he was away and Carl was next to him. When could he ask about this fucking painting.
He loved El. Missed her more than ever. But… she didn’t even know how romantic versus platonic felt. He questioned his feelings for her daily. He lied to her in her final moments. He didn’t explicitly say that he loved her. He never brought himself to say the words. But the kiss and the waist holding gave off that impression. He couldn’t move on from his own lies.
It was a mess.
Lying doesn’t work.
That was what Mikes whole teenage relationship was.
————————[chapter 1 end]———————