Chapter Text
Will had fallen asleep on the couch during the time that Mike and Robin went on their little trip. Will was confused when Mike suddenly wanted to talk to Robin but he didn’t mind, at all. It was nice that his long term best friend and his new friend were to get close. The air in the sqwk had changed, it was colder now. The rain dropped down the windows, people were talking around Will, but he could hardly hear them. His eyes felt so heavy, his face warm, his hands felt weak. He felt like shit, he missed Mike, Mike always made him feel better. He opened his eyes, the bright lights pouring into his gaze, sending him into a temporary blindness.
The people sitting around the couch were people Will knew very well, his mother, her strange friend, Murray, Hopper and El. They were all talking, but even in Will's mostly awake state, he could hardly hear them. More muffled voices came through, he tried to focus and comprehend but it just made his head hurt.
“.mll!” Huh? Will thinks, rubbing his eyes as he sits up, his head pounds as he raises from his position on the couch.
“Will, are you listening?” Finally, he thinks. He heard. He turns his head to the sound, it’s Hopper.
“Sorry, no, can you repeat?” He said, or at least he thought he did. Even to himself he realized how scratchy his voice sounded.
“Are you feeling alright?” The voice looms again. Will feels his body shake slightly, he thought about the question, if he was honest, he was feeling horrible. But he didn’t want to worry anyone, vocalizing his current situation would make the attention come back to him. He didn’t want to lie, not completely at least.
“Yeah, I’m just really tired.” His voice came out a shitty version of a whisper, the scratching is something he could feel now. He didn’t want to talk anymore. Hopper and Joyce shared a look, they had that, being able to share their thoughts about certain things with just a look. But now he was worried that they caught onto his lie. El was talking with Murray, he tried to listen in, but his head hurt. He closed his eyes again, they had grown heavy. His body felt heavy, surely they wouldn’t mind if he took a break, right? It’s not like anyone was speaking to him anyways.
The people buzzed around him, unknowingly to Will. He had fallen completely asleep again. Joyce found an old blanket from a cabinet and draped it over his shoulders.
In hushed whispers, She and Hopper spoke.
“He looks pale, and this is the second time he’s fallen asleep in two hours, Hopper, what if-“ Joyce was frantically whispering, her voice raised slightly the more she moved her hands.
“Joyce” “What if it’s him? What if he’s-“ “Joyce!” “Hopper what if he’s trying-“ “Joyce! Calm down.” Hopper braced his hands on her shoulders. Steadying her pacing. She looked up at him.
“Joyce, just check his temperature.” He spoke rather loudly, alerting Murray and El who were still residing nearby.
“Check who’s temperature?” Blurted out eleven in question, Joyce looked back at her. Eleven was closer to Will in the area, it would be quicker, she thought to herself.
She spoke it out loud once she decided it was just a precaution.
“Eleven, Dear” Joyce started in her mother tongue, El perked up and faced her completely.
“Can you check Will's temperature?” El smiled at the request. Hopper realized it was the first time they’d seen her smile since this whole thing happened. El moved quickly, pulling up her sleeve and placing the back of her hand on Wills Forehead. She removed it and faced Joyce and Hopper again. Shaking her head slightly.
“Sick.” She finally pulled the word out. One word, a simple one, but it hung around the 3 like a curse. Will was sick.
Nearly 10 minutes passed, Mike and Robin had returned, Joyce informed both of them of Will's current predicament. She had expected them to keep their distance, as everyone else in the group did. Including Hopper, El and Kali. The three had gone back to Hopper's cabin, using the tunnels so they didn’t get wet, the rain had refused to slow down. Others had also opted to leave to their respective housing for the time being, the only people left at the sqwk were Joyce, Will, Robin, Vickie, Mike, Steve, Jonathan and Nancy. The ones who stayed were also informed of the fact Will turned out to be sick, they kept their distance, Steve was attempting to beg Joyce for access to her car. In his words “I for one, Would bring back some medicine and soup for Will, and I will also get you whatever you want, please let me drive your car.” Though tempted, Joyce refused.
Mike was sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch in which Will was sleeping on.
Will was blissfully unaware of the boy sitting next to him, grazing their hand over his shoulder, laying their head next to his own. The boy was not so blissfully aware of the fact a certain radio host was also sitting on the floor only a few feet away, yapping his ear off. Mike and Robin kept talking, The sudden absence of Mike's hand on his shoulder had stirred Will awake, his eyes opened slowly, light pouring in, adding to the headache that had settled into place. The sound of two familiar voices filled his ears, calming his heart. He let his eyes settle back into a closed state, it was easier to just listen to their conversation.
“Geez mini wheeler, do you only read comics?”
“I do! But books should have something at least slightly interactive in them!”
Mike's voice rang out, he could hear the smile that matched the laugh that followed, Will was happy, Mike was making friends with Robin.
“Interactive?”
“Yeah! You know, like a cipher, Will loves Ciphers, I never really understood them, but Morse code, a Cesar cipher or numbers that correlate to letters. But Will loves to rave about them, so it’s better when a book or comic has them.”
Hearing Mike rant about something Will likes sent a flutter up his heart. It started to race when Mike's hand resumed it's place on his shoulder. But his eyes grew heavy, as did his head, he fell back into the strange sleep, but not quite asleep.
Their conversation continued, switching topic to topic. As it turns out, Joyce had reluctantly agreed to Steve driving her car, as long as it was brought back in one piece, it was. Actually, Steve had decided to drive the thing through a car wash in appreciation for the gesture. Joyce was more than happy after that. She asked him where he had gone, Three stores, back to his parents house to get a couple blankets because if people were going to stay with him and Robin, and now apparently Vickie at the sqwk they would need proper bedding. Joyce assured him that she wouldn’t be staying the night, Hopper needed her help at the cabin, and as much as she didn’t want to leave Will's side, it was better if he stayed. Robin insisted on such, since Vickie was now their in house nurse. Joyce felt safer leaving him with Vickie.
Steve had gotten soup and medicine, he kept to his deal. Settling into a chair next to Robin he placed both on the coffee table. Chicken soup, convenience store brand but it would do, and cold and flu medicine “for kids”.
“He’s a child now?” Robin laughed as did Mike.
“Well Joyce told me to get the kids stuff.” He laughed as well, leaning over the table slightly to get a better look at will.
“How long has he been out?” His voice carried along a brotherly concern, one that Will recognized, it matched Jonathan’s in a way. But the words reminded Will, no one in the room knew he was awake, just letting his body rest even if his mind was running faster than ever. He opened his eyes, for the 5th time this hour. The headache came like a sudden sensation, it clouded his judgment, so bad that he could hardly hear what Mike responded to Steve with, he caught the tail end of the sentence.
“-Know, he might just be asleep.” Concern was tightly laced over Mike's words like a corset. His hand traced idly over Will's shoulder. Robin's voice added on.
“Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to not check on him.” Her voice sang with a soft guilt, Will hated it. He was fine, sick, but overall he would be fine in a day or two.
“Maybe not,” repeated Steve. Will felt Mike's hand draw a heart on his shoulder, he dragged a finger down his forearm and to his wrist.
“Yeah, but still, he could just be asleep. Maybe we should try to wake him up?” Will didn’t want to ruin this for himself, but it could worry them if he let them believe he was passed out for any longer, with a hesitant sigh, he made an attempt to pull himself to a sitting position.
It was a mistake. Pain and heaviness followed all the way up. Will felt so dizzy. His ears rang and the world became too bright, he had to squint his eyes to even tolerate it. He heard words all around him, concern and happiness lingered in each sentence he couldn’t comprehend. The world was spinning, a deep bit filled his stomach, he put a hand across it, applying a gentle pressure in hopes it would settle itself.
He could start to hear what they were saying. But it was still so muffled. He felt cold, but hot at the same time. So hot, but if he did anything he would feel so cold. He felt Mike's hand trail from his wrist to the tip of his fingers, lingering for a moment longer before laying right next to his hand. He missed the touch already.
“Will!” The sound of his name being thrown out snapped him back to reality.
“Uh..?” Was all he managed to get out, he had so many things he wanted to say, to say he was fine, but he felt like he might actually pass out if he did much more than a single sound.
“Are you alright?” Robin, he realized, both things were spoken by Robin. He didn’t mind the care she was showing him. Will felt a hand grip his, he let his gaze fall down. To see Mike staring up at him, with the most care he’s seen ever from anyone. And it was pointed towards himself. His heart flipped. But his stomach followed as well. He tightened his arms grip across his stomach, Mike notcied and rubbed his thumb comfortably along Will’s wrist.
“No.” Was all Will said, Mike laid his other hand just above his knee. Rubbing idly, it did help settle him a bit. Steve’s voice brought both of the bots back to the room.
“I got medicine, think you can stomach it?” Will shook his head, he was sure he could not stomach anything at the moment. In fact, even the slightest brush of wind could send him off at that moment.
They had gotten Will to lay on his back, settling his stomach much more. Steve had opted to have a trash can near the couch “just in case”. He knew he would be on cleanup if anything happened. Robin had said so in their joking only a few moments earlier. Mike had sat on the couch this time, with permission from Will. If he was honest with himself, he was glad that Mike was with him. Mike's hand laid gently on Will's wrist, their eyes never left each other. Even if he was sure that Mike would never love him back, he was glad for the little moments. The moments where it didn’t matter if it was love or friendship, it didn’t matter, because either way, it was purely and entirely them. And they were all that mattered to each other, even when one was bed ridden and the other was arguing with an adult man about the difference of chicken noodle soup and chicken soup, and Will’s preference over each.
“Will obviously likes Chicken noodle soup better than the horrid chicken soup, there’s nothing to base it!” Will actually didn’t know why Steve was even trying, Will did prefer chicken soup when he’s sick, noodles just weren’t good when he’s sick. He and his mother learned that the hard way.
“Absolutely not, It’s chicken soup or no soup at all, do you want a disaster?” Mike's voice hung over Will, guiding his eyes to watch the raven haired boy sitting only 2 inches away from him on the couch. Will's only thoughts were how perfect he looked right now, Will felt his cheeks redden as Mike returned the look, they didn’t take their eyes off each other, again, Mike's smile gave Will the strength to at least attempt, it was a poor one, but at least he tried.
“Why don’t we just ask will?” Steve asked, clearly serious about it. Will sighed and let his shoulders sink into the couch cushions. He traced his gaze over to Robin, who was talking with Vickie, the medicine Steve had brought him was in Vickie’s hand, he hadn’t even noticed her walk in.
“Will, I hope you were paying at least alittle attention” Will's attention snapped back to Mike. He let out a soft “hmm” before responding
“Mike's right.” he muttered pulling himself up slightly before falling back into the couch. Mike smirked at Steve and he just sighed, pushing the now known as chicken noodle soup onto the other side of the coffee table, someone else would eat it. It wouldn’t be Will.
A comfortable silence filled the air, until it was broken by Will.
“Where’s Mom..where’s Jonathon?” The question hung in the air, Mike and Steve exchanged a look Will couldn’t decipher. Until this point, Will hadn’t realized how much he relied on his mother when he was sick, but now that she wasn’t here to rub his back, brush her fingers through his hair and coax him to sleep, with loving words or a kiss to his forehead, to give him medicine and a cold towel, he missed it. Truly, if he was honest, it didn’t have to be his mother to do those things, it could have been anyone he trusted and cared about, but he hated to ask for it. He hated asking for something like that. Not because he was scared of being seen as weak. but because he hated begging for someone to care, for someone to love him. He never had to ask his mother, or even his brother to love him, it came so easily for those two. They would never have to ask him to love them. He would drop everything to help them.
Steve and Mike looked at Will. Steve spoke first. Trying to keep his tone nonchalant, but care and compassion rang through him as a bell during a Church service. So different from the king Steve he used to be, but this version was so much better. Even Steve would agree. It was authentic, not popular or pushed away.
“Your mom went to Help Hopper at the Cabin, she’s staying the night there, maybe two” Will felt his heart clench in his chest, he wouldn’t be getting any of the things he so desperately craved in his state, he had survived hell, he reminded himself. He didn’t need to be babied when he’s sick, That’s weak. His own mind betrayed him, telling him he’s weak and he shouldn’t even want these things. Mike's voice took him back to the moment. Replying to the second half of his question.
“Oh, Jonathon and Nance went with Dustin and Lucas to uhh….” His voice trailed off, Steve had to finish it, annoyance apparent in his tone.
“Seriously? You weren’t even paying attention? They went for a supply run and just radioed that they’re staying at a motel for the time being because the forecast calls for a heavier storm. They're not gonna make it back to the sqwk.”
“Oh” replied a slightly embarrassed Mike. He wasn’t paying attention at all, to him a certain matter was much more Important. A matter laying next to him.
Will decided it right then and there, the expression on embarrassed Mike was nearly as good as Happy or Excited Mike. A small smile spread on Will's lips, but didn’t stay long, it was too hard to stay smiling.
Will wanted it, the care his family would have given him, he would surface for even a sliver, a cold tower and someone by him. He would be okay with it being Robin, Steve, Mike, perhaps even Vickie. She’s a nurse after all. But a voice that didn’t sound like his own told him it was weak. That he was horrible for wanting to be loved. He shouldn’t want to be loved, he should take what he’s given because he didn’t deserve anything else. A soft hand sliding up his ankle brought him back to reality, he was sick and his best friend was sliding a hand under the ankle of his pants, touching his skin and laying on his lower leg, mindlessly rubbing his thumb over it. Will looked at Mike, Mike was already looking at him, they shared a look.
“Do you need anything?” Mike's voice was gentle, adding a layer of warmth to Will's heart that for some reason refused to believe he deserved that level of gentleness.
“Really, Will, I’ll get you anything you need, or want.” His Smile softened. It made Will feel like it was okay to ask for one thing, maybe just one. Hesitant, but it wouldn’t hurt.
“Cold… towel?..” Even to himself Will’s voice sounded insecure. Mike gave His leg another pat before standing up and stretching.
“Of course! Are you sure there isn’t anything else you want?” The pushing almost made Will come clean about everything, how he missed the care, how he wanted to be held and loved, that he wanted and wanted. But Steve was in the room, and Mike wasn’t just his best friend, he was his crush, and he wouldn’t want to ruin their friendship by saying something stupid. He didn’t know that Mike was the one that wanted to ruin their friendship.
“I’m sure” he muttered, pushing himself further into the couch, closing his eyes, he felt a hand in his hair suddenly, running their fingers through it, they were different from his mothers, distinctly Mike. He subconsciously leaned into the touch. It left when Mike finally went to get the towel.
Robin and Vickie had switched with Steve, as Steve went off to do something, they came into the room. Vickie settled into the place on the couch near where Mike was, Robin sat on the coffee table.
“Hey, Will, how are you feeling?” Vickie asked in a clearly nursed voice. Something his mother told him, there were three people you should never lie to, ever.
Your doctor, your nurse, and the cashier. Vickie, was a nurse.
“Terrible, but alive.” He smiled through it. Vickie laughed slightly, his gaze fell on Robin, who was watching Vickie with a look he could have sworn he’d seen Mike look at him with. But he’s just being delusional, he tells himself.
“Open up, you need to take medicine, you're not going to get better if you don’t.” If Will was being honest with himself, he was feeling better now then he was two hours ago. He pulled himself into a half-sitting-half-laying position as Vickie poured some of the medicine into a spoon, Will raised his hand up and held it out, it was slightly shaky, Vickie nearly slapped it away. Will could hear Robin laugh as he felt embarrassed about it.
“Open.” Vickie repeated. He did as was asked, the medicine tasted faintly like raspberries and strawberries and 90% like he’d expect bleach to taste like. Not the worst he’d had.
Robin and Vickie had left to do the radio Mike returned swiftly after that, Will had returned to a laying position, the face cloth in Mike's hand was being placed on Will's forehead before he had time to realize what was happening. Mike's hand lingered on the cloth like there was something he wanted, wanted to do, or wanted to say, Will kept his eyes on his, they shared that look. A look that Mike would hope changed everything. Because he placed a hand on Will's face, softly rubbing his thumb along his check. Will let his hand rest on mikes, His eyes feeling heavy.
“Rest up” a whisper escaped Mike's lips as he leaned down and placed a kiss on Will's forehead, through the cloth. Will felt himself melt all at once, maybe he would sleep easy tonight, but tomorrow questions would haunt him. Those same questions that Mike wanted to answer so desperately. Despite his sick state, he felt a hand slide over his chest as a body was on top of him, raven hair tickingly his chin, he wrapped a hand over the shoulder of the boy.
Everything will be okay, maybe that’s okay.