chapter one                    where is will byers
episode one                  the vanishing     
       of will byers

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THE CHEERS OF DOZENS OF MEN FILL theodore's ears, right now that is what he's focusing on which is his fatal flaw. he gets punched in his face, but he just places a grin on his face it even becomes real when he sees the sudden flash of fear in his opponent's face. spitting out the blood in his mouth from the punch onto the ground theodoee begins to beatdown on the man in front of him.

this has always been his style of fighting, his opponent always gets the hit first after all his mother taught him to never fight unless he is hit first. most of the time it seemed to work in his favour, other times not so much but hey it gave him his most wins and wins mean money.

the match was over fairly quick, theodore immediately getting the upper hand after his little show. he sits in a deserted corner of the abandoned warehouse they always used for these matches. "hey kickass!" theodore turns around to see his friend and the money handler around here, daniel gray. "hey dan." theodore nods at him, unwrapping his hands he grimaces at the sweat on them wiping them on his sweats.

"i never get tired of seeing you take on newbies. it's so funny, their scared little looks when they realise they're up against someone better. here your cash for winning, hundred and fifty counted it myself." daniel hands over the wad of cash and theodore immediately counts it himself, not that he doesn't trust his dear friend it's just he prefers it. hundred and fifty nice and clean. well as clean as underground fighting rink money can be.

and he needed money, living in such a house with his single mother and little brother wasn't cheap and his singular job at the local grocery store wasn't cutting it. so theodore took his elevated ability to take a beating and started fighting with the help of daniel who once saw theodore take on someone with a knife without any injuries. it was sheer luck but daniel didn't need to know that.

"you sure you can't stay for another match kickass?" daniel's girlfriend lizzie walks up, daniel immediately wraps his arm around her muttering a 'hey darling' into her hair after he gives her a kiss. "nah. gotta pick up my little brother from his d&d campaign." theodore packs everything he has into his backpack, his money save and hidden in his boxing gloves.

"yeah okay nerd. i'll see you at your next match yeah."

"totally." theodore grins at daniel and lizzie and bids them goodbye, taking his bike leaving towards the wheeler house to pick up dustin.

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THE GROUP OF BOYS SCRAMBLE AROUND searching for the die that will had dropped when karen wheeler opened the door to the basement. "MIKE!" she yells, standing on top of the stairs looking at her young son. "mom, we're in the middle of a campaign."

"you mean the end. fifteen after and dustin your brother will be here soon." she taps her watch before leaning down a little looking for little dustin henderson. "okay mrs wheeler i'll be there soon!" he responds.

meanwhile theodore stands in front of the wheeler house, his mom had asked him to pick up dustin like always when she didn't want to. but he didn't mind, he still had nancy's book that she let him borrow so now will be the best time to bring that back. he rings the doorbell and looks around awkwardly for a few seconds before the door opens.

"hi mrs. wheeler." theodore smiles. "hi theodore, dustin will be right here." karen wheeler smiles back at him, letting him into the house. "okay. uhm, is it fine if i go up to nancy's room. i gotta give her this back." he holds up the book.

"oh of course you don't have to ask me that silly go on." theodore nods and gives mrs wheeler one last smile before going up the stairs, what he sees doesn't really surprise him. dustin in front of nancy's room, he knows about the huge crush his little brother has on nancy and he doesn't really blame him she's pretty cool.

"hey dust. what are you doing?" theodore's voice startles dustin and nancy both when she walks up to the door. "theo!" dustin says with a smile walking up to his older brother, pizza box still in his hands. "hey little dude." theodore and dustin do the one hand secret handshake ending it with a silent roar. theodore then looks up at nancy, who gives him a small smile and a wave.

"i uhm- i got your book with me." theodore holds it up, walking past dustin to give it to her. their fingers linger against each other for a few seconds, theodore thinks it's just him who feels it though. the two stare into each other's eyes before nancy breaks the stare. "right. thanks theodore." she mutters. "i'm going back to bed now." she gives theodore one last smile before closing the door in his face.

theodore turns around towards dustin who's looking at him with a 'really' face. "what?"

"you know if you date her i wouldn't be mad. you're a worthy opponent theodore."

"shut up." theodore pushes dustin's cap down so it covers his eyes. "nance is dating harrington and i'm too busy pining over molly ringwald. now come on we gotta get you home."

dustin walks out of the wheeler house first and theo goes to say goodbye to the other wheelers. "hey little dudes." theodore greets his little brothers friends when he walks out of the wheeler home. "hey theodore." the three kids greet him back. theodore grabs his bike, slapping his front light so it'll turn on. dustin and lucas already started biking away but theodore waits a little in front to wait for will, watching as the will and mike talk.

"will you coming?!" theodore yells wanting to go home and ice his probably already forming bruises, thankfully none on his face. "i'll be right there!" will yells back, starting to bike away from the house.

the four boys bike along the houses, lucas goes home first his house is closest and he bids goodbye. "see ya ladies." he says, bike swerving towards his house. "kiss your mom goodnight for me." dustin says and theodore immediately hits him up the head, not too hard of course not how he hits the people in the rink.

lucas flips dustin off and then it's theodore, dustin and will. "wanna race to our place? winner gets a comic."

"any comic?"

"yeah-" and with that will is speeding off towards the henderson home, dustin and theodore hot on his tail. theo quickly over takes both dustin and will in speed, he's the first one home but will is a close second. "and THAT! my friends is how you win a race." theodore boasts letting his bike fall to the ground in front of the house.

"that's not fair you're older!" dustin argues, pointing at his older brother accusingly. "you shouldn't have suggested a race then dusty, besides you would've lost anyway. will, right here, is faster than you.." theodore softly pats will on his head and smiles brightly at him. "whatever..." dustin mutters walking towards theodore who wraps an arm around his shoulder and the three walk into the house.

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"YOU SURE YOU OKAY WITH BIKING home alone? i don't mind coming with you will, your house is pretty far." theodore leans against the railing of his house door, dustin had fallen asleep and their mother had gone to bed hours before. will looks out to the street and back to theodore, it was quiet surly nothing could happen to him. "mhm! i'm sure! i'll be fine don't worry!"

"well okay then, stay save little byers or your brother will have my head." theodore waves will goodbye and will waves back before biking away into the darkness. theodore goes back inside, locking the door when he suddenly sees a dark figure out but its gone as fast as he sees it.

"either i'm seeing things or that hit was harder than i thought." he mutters shaking his head while walking towards the kitchen, taking an ice pack out of the freezer and placing it on his stomach which is already turning purple. he grimaces at the sight, maybe he should play it safe his next match.

after all the fights he has been in before he's gotten very good at hiding any physical indications that he was in pain. emotionally though? he's an open book, except for in the rink. no in the rink if you can't take someone spitting obscenities at you you might as well walk out and never return.

he shuffles towards the kitchen cabinets, taking out the first aid kit that he almost replaces daily from all the injuries he gets. he takes out a few ibuprofen pills and pops them in his mouth, dry swallowing them as he goes to the living room falling down on the couch.

he takes a deep breath, relaxing into the soft pillows as he releases it. he closes his eyes to rest when some of the lights suddenly flicker on and off. he frowns walking to one of the lamps and tapping against lightbulb, it does nothing. "fuck me i really need to get some rest if this is happening." he groans running a hand through his curly hair before softly going up the stairs making sure not to wake anyone.

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"MORNING MOM." THEODORE CALLS OUT, his voice light and cheery as he walks down the stairs. "morning theodore, can you wake up dustin for me?" claudia asks her son who nods and goes immediately back up the stairs. he softly enters his little brothers room, he's still sleeping. if he didn't know him he'd probably say he looks adorable.

theodore sits down on dustins bed, softly pushing him so that he wakes up. when that doesn't work he starts pushing harder. and even that didn't work. "dustin. dustinnnnn. DUSTIN!" theodore yells at the top of his lungs and that's what it takes to wake him up, the younger boy wakes up screaming scrambling up. theodore just laughs at his reaction.

"not cool theo." dustin throws his pillow to theodore who catches it with ease. "should've woken up when i was being nice then. come on you gotta eat some breakfast." theodore throws the pillow back and then is on his way towards the kitchen once again.

theodore is already almost finished when dustin comes down, his hat already on not for long though as theodore takes it from his head and puts it on himself. "how do i look?" he asks. "like a dork. give it back." dustin tries to take back his hat but theodore just moves out of the way and stands up. "if i look like a dork i don't wanna know what you look like with it on." he teases but still gives the hat back, leaving his brother alone till he finishes his food.

"want me to drive you dust?" theodore leans against the table, twirling his keys on his finger. "no i'm going bike with the party." dustin walks past his brother placing his dish in the sink. "okay i'll see you back at home then yeah." dustin nods and the two brothers walk outside after saying goodbye to their mom.

getting into his red 1970s range rover throwing his, now filled with books instead of boxing equipment, backpack into the passenger seat. he honks his car when dustin passes him on his bike and barks out a laugh when dustin flips him off. after that he's pulling out of their drive way and on his way to school.

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THE SECOND THEODORE GETS OUT OF his car he gets attacked, someone pushing his head down for a noogie. "tristan get off!" he laughs pushing his friend away from him. tristan park, he fights with theodore from time to time when he wants to make some extra cash otherwise he's either studying or bothering his girlfriend. "heard you won yesterday. what'd you make."

"he was up against a newbie, he always wins against those." comes the voice of his other friend and tristans girlfriend grace todd, sweetest girl ever unless you mess with her. she has a incredibly mean right hook. "what your girlfriend said now keep moving asshole."

"still didn't say what you made."

"maybe you would know if you actually showed up."

"the mrs wanted my attention what can i say?" tristan throws theodore a cocky smirk but that quickly wipes off his face when grace hits him up the head. "last time i checked you wanted to watch pretty in pink not me."

"ooooh tristan busted." theodore teases his friend dodging his fist when he swings at him. the three walk into the school, theodore's eyes immediately finding nancy at her locker. they even lock eyes and he gives her a small wave when she gives him one back her red headed friend turns around to face him as well before turning back to nancy and telling her something that he can't make out.

"still got that huge crush on wheeler?" grace's voice snaps theodore back to reality, facing her with a frown. "i don't- i do not have a crush on nancy wheeler."

the way tristan and grace look at him after uttering those words is incredibly embarrassing. "okay maybe i have a crush on her, but that doesn't matter she's dating harrington. so drop it." theodore points at his friends and they hold up their hands in defeat. "good now wheres jonathan, i gotta give him his cut of the win."

"probably skipping again, you know for his actual job instead of being your manager." tristan leans against the locker next to theodore's when he opens his, taking out some books and stuffing them into his backpack. "maybe. i'll go over to his house later then." he shrugs putting his backpack on once again right before the school bell rings.

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"WILL IS WHAT?!" THEODORE'S VOICE BOOMS OUT, he's stressed, his breathing heavy as thoughts of self blame run rampant through his mind. he hurriedly sits down on the couch ignoring the sting of pain that runs through his veins as he does. "i- i gotta go to jonathan." he stutters out, dustin agreeing with him but their mother shoots that thought down as soon as it comes out.

"absolutely not! you two are staying home! you're on home arrest!"

the two brother start arguing with their mother, but she doesn't listen and keeps by her words. dustin is the first to walk away, storming to his room. theodore leans closer to his mother, using the puppy dog eyes that she couldn't say no to when he was younger.

"mom please. jonathan is my best friend he'll need me." he pleads, taking his mother's hand in his. "those eyes don't work on me anymore theo. it's still a no."

theodore lets out a sigh, standing up fully and following in his younger brothers footsteps to his room. "we're sneaking out right?" he hears dustin ask. "totally." he smirks, giving dustin a high five.

the two act sad when dinner comes around, picking at their food to not look suspicious to their mother. though if theodore was honest their mother would probably not even notice if they weren't acting like this. dinner goes on without any talk of will and since it's theodore's turn to wash the dishes today he does it immediately, instead of waiting a few minutes ( hours ).

after dinner dustin and theodore go back upstairs both of them stuffing their backpacks with things they'll need. theodore climbs out of the window first, standing below it to catch dustin when he goes out after. "don't stay out later than you have to, if you hear anything and i mean anything you run as fast as you can understand?"

"yes dad." dustin rolls his eyes.

"dustin."

"yes i understand. i hear the faintest sound and i'm bolting the other way."

"good. if you're not home by the time i am i'm beating your ass." theodore points at dustin who just flips him the bird as the younger one bikes away towards, what theodore can only think, mike and lucas.

normally when theodore visits jonathan he takes his car, but now that he's sneaking out he can't afford his mother hearing him so he grabs his bike. the road to the byers home is far but all theodorei can think of is last night where he could've possibly saved will if he only just insisted on bringing him home.

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THE RAIN IS STORMING DOWN ON the byers house, theodore's glasses are almost useless with the rain that's pouring down on him. he carelessly drops his bike down onto the front lawn, urgently knocking onto the front door. he waits a few seconds before the door opens, it's jonathan his eyes watery like he'd just been crying. his face seemed hopeful and it falls just a bit when he sees it's theodore but he doesn't take it to heart.

"i'm so sorry jonathan..." theodore whispers and the two friends embrace. "i could've- i- i should've insisted on taking him home i'm so sorry." he can't even look jonathan in his eyes when they break apart. "it's okay theo. you couldn't have known." the voice of joyce byers calls out.

her hand reaches out for him, cupping his face in a comforting way. joyce has always comforted him better than his own mother, although he loves her very much.

"i should've known." theodore shakes his head, his mind still blaming himself for will's disappearance. "just. whatever you need to find him, i'll help. i have to." before either joyce or jonathan can respond to him the phone rings. the three look at each other and joyce immediately goes to the phone. "hello? hello? lonnie? hopper? who is this?" she fires off question and after question, theodore and jonathan looking at each other before moving closer.

joyce's eyes widen, a gasp falls from her lips. "will?! wil?!"

"it's will?" jonathan whispers.

"WILL?? WILL?!? WHO IS THIS? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BOY?! GIVE ME BACK MY SON." joyce sounds hysteric, but theodore gets why. he'd probably be the same if something happened to dustin, oh little dustin. god he's hoping that his little brother isn't doing anything dumb and that he's actually listening to what he said.

theodore's train of thought is disrupted when joyce gasps loudly and suddenly drops the phone. he and jonathan look at each other, jonathan steps forward first. he grabs the phone. "hello? hello? who is this? WHO IS THIS?!" his voice is shaking wether it's with anger or sadness he doesn't know.

jonathan hangs up the phone looking back at his mother who was clearly distraught now. "mom? mom look at me was it will?" as the family almost sob in each other's arms. theodore sits down on the couch, his head in his heads. what could've happened to sweet little will, what could've theodore done so that this wouldn't have happened.

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