Sick (of the Words Unspoken)

by JimmyJohnathan

Summary:

His dad always called people like him sick. Mike had pleaded within himself for years

I am not sick. I am NOT sick.

But Mike is sick. He’s sicker than he’s been in years. Not just with a cold or flu, he’s sick with love for Will Byers

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When the Wheeler family is away on a trip, Mike falls incredibly ill. It’s now Wills responsibility to take care of Mike who has lost his voice. They navigate emotions that haunt them, all without saying a word. Mike is sick, but he’s more sick of the words he can’t say

Notes:

Hi!! This is my first real fanfiction that I’ve written so I hope it’s not too bad! I absolutely HATED the ending of the show so i decided to retcon the entirety of season 5 lol. I hope you guys enjoy the culmination of my longest lasting special interest (byler). This first section is a prelude to explaining how the “action” is wrapped up before we get to the important part: gay love.

Chapter 1: Prelude

Notes on canon divergence: 

El managed to get back to Hawkins during the final fight of season 4. She joined Nancy and the other older teens to killed Vecna once and for all.

Max was only half way “vecna’d”. Her arms were broken and then she was dropped from a large height, sending her into a head trauma induced coma. Since Vecna is dead she isn’t trapped in her coma, she just needs time for her body to heal  

After vecna was murdered, the upside down became a place that was much safer to explore (the hive mind was killed). During this exploration they discovered Dr Brenner's notes on the upside down. They built a bomb at the epicenter and escaped, destroying the upside down.

El (with help from Dr. Owens) is able to rejoin society and become a normal teenager with the rest of the group. She gets legally adopted by Joyce and her and Will are adopted by Hopper. Since they just moved back from California and Hopper needs time to get back on his feet, Will and Johnathan are sent to stay with the Wheelers. 

The story starts after the end of their freshman year, in the summer before sophomore year.