WILL POV -

Will really wanted to cry but didn't, as he promised Mike he wouldn't.

Weight in his chest made it hard for him to breathe, his ribs tight from his own expanded lungs. He turned the corner, his feet moving on autopilot with no destination in mind. The hallways remained full, students littering every corner, but his mind circled with thoughts; their faces a blur as he passed.

He replayed the day of the breakup over and over; maybe he could have prevented it; if he never answered the door that day, they could have had one more day together. He shouldn't have been so emotional with the breakup, if he acted maturely, or spoke more calmly, there was a chance the conversation wouldn't have ended without a solution.

Stupid baby.

Why did he have to argue with Mike all the time, demanding attention and praise? What was wrong with him? He didn't deserve anything from Mike! He should be happy Mike even casted any attention to him in the first place; he should have just been quiet and subservient, and maybe then, they would still be together.

Regret. That's what plagued the brunette the most; regret of that night and the nights preceding. His emotions betrayed him; he couldn't hear half of what Mike was saying because he was crying so much. If he was listening, he could have answered accordingly.

He was always a cry-baby, everyone told him so; even when he was in kindergarten, his nickname was 'Cry-Baby'. The kids hated him, making fun of him for the way he acted, and the teacher, despite supposably being a person of care and acceptance grew tired of him too.

His father said he would cry over little things, he was just a sensitive, big baby.

Sometimes, Will wished he could make Mike cry, bawl his eyes out and become a mess just like him. Attached, falling apart at the same time and place, landing on the same page. He wanted Mike to feel his insides bubble and boil with emotions... he wanted... anything.

Holding back tears, he kept a smile plastered on his face as he remembered the scene he walked in on earlier; Troy and Mike seemed close - they were holding hands... good for them. He told Mike he wouldn't complain... so he wouldn't complain about this either, no matter how much it ached.

Like a kettle on the stove, his mind screamed at him, his fists clenched tight at his side, turning white at the tips; he could wait. He considered this a test from the ravenette; a test to see how loyal he was, to see if Will really like him. He did. He'd wait as long as it took,

One week,

One month,

One year,

Really! He wouldn't bother Mike anymore, he wanted to say those words to him, express this same sentiment, but knew that in itself was burdensome.

Even if they were just seniors in high school, even if they would get busier once they get to college, Will would make the effort, he would travel; he'd do everything so Mike wouldn't need to bother. And if Mike wanted to date other people, he'd allow him too, and he'd patient until it was his turn again.

Being a toy was even okay for him; even if he was just something Mike picked up on a whim, playing with for a few moments. Toys didn't get a say in how or when they are wanted, but for a brief few moments, they are loved... and maybe that was enough.

The brunette would work his ass off, doing anything he could to become rich, make more money than he knew what to do with, even if that meant giving up his art in the process; he wanted to be someone Mike could rely on, someone he was proud of, someone who wasn't a burden.

It hurt to realise what he was willing to be, but he couldn't stop himself... why was he like this?

MIKE POV -

---- Next Day: Thursday 4:32 PM -----

[1 Day Remaining]

Time passed faster than he could.

Walking down the courtyard, the ravenette carried the final set of bags he was unable to hand over yesterday; try as he might, he just couldn't find the doe-eyed girl anywhere; apparently, she had been outside the majority of the day, working hard - it was no wonder he didn't see her.

The air was warm as he approached, the faint smell of aerosol lingered in the air as he finally spot El near the back of the school. He wished to approach, but the harsh smell almost made him throw up, a migraine beginning to form if he stepped any closer.

Instead, he stood at the bleachers, watching the colours of her latest project; vibrant and expansive: a mural dedicated for graduation. She was in her element, entirely focused, her hands moving skilfully with practised ease, barely noticing the ravenette, but feeling eyes boring into the back of her head,

A mask covered her face, goggles over her eyes, protecting her from the harsh fumes, "Mike!" she blinked, capping the spray can and setting it down as she walked up the steps of the bleachers to him, getting away from the harsh solvent that lingered,

"What's with all of this?" the tall boy joked, pointing to her headgear,

"Oh!" the girl seemed to forget they were on her face; it was almost a part of her at this point. She lowered the mask, revealing her small grin, pulling the goggles away from her forehead, "It gets really migraine-inducing after a while,"

Mike chuckled, flowing the conversation, "I've been looking for you since yesterday,"

"I could say the same for you!" El deflected the question, repeating his statement, "You've been gone for days and broken up with Will; I'm glad you've found me, I've been a little worried,"

"Worried?" he asked, but not really taken aback; that's all his friends have been saying recently. Erratically as he'd been acting recently, it wasn't that surpising to see,

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like you to disappear like that," she nudged his side lightly, "I mean, you're usually one to confront things head on,"

Mike swallowed; a lump forming in his throat. He hadn't come to talk about Will, but he couldn't ignore her words; she was right. "Yeah, well this is something I can't really deal with... its just-" he faltered, at a loss for words.

El interrupted gently, her expression thoughtful, "I'm not here to tell you that you need to get back with Will. If that's not in your heart, then don't force it. I don't blame you for ending things; It's better to break up than to string someone along, right?"

Even if she had no experience, or desire to get in a relationship with anyone, that didn't mean she was completely oblivious to how they worked,

Her words settled between them, filling the silence, an unexpected mix of understanding and blunt honesty. Mike's mouth opened to respond but finding himself momentarily lost on his tongue for her perspective was oddly refreshing compared to the others he'd heard, but her thought process wasn't entirely correct, "It's not that I don't like him... it's just..." he couldn't speak,

"Something you can't explain?" she finished the sentence,

Correct! That was exactly how he felt. He managed to nod. She hit the nail on the spot, she didn't pry or question him, nor did she urge him to get back with the brunette, she merely lent a listening ear,

"Listen, I might not know the reason for this sudden break up... but just talk to Will," she emphasized, "I'm sure he'll understand,"

Mike pondered for a second, shaking his head, casting out his thoughts, doing what he came here for, handing her the neatly wrapped gift bags filled with trinkets he'd carefully picked out for her. El's face lit up as she peaked inside - a set of new art supplies, a miniature easel, and a sketchbook accompanied by her favourite cartoon characters.

A warm smile graced her face; it was clear she didn't see anything wrong with this considering he had only a few bags on him; if she saw the number of bags he had yesterday, she would've reacted just like Dustin.

"Mike, you really didn't have to," she said, her voice touched with genuine gratitude. "But... thank you. This is so thoughtful."

His guard was let down, softer and shy, "I just wanted to do something nice for everyone..." itching to ask a favour,

El studied him for a moment, her smile dimming, sensing a deeper turmoil within, taking notice of his hesitance flaring, "Are you okay? Do you want to say something?" her tone slightly awkward.

What came next shocked the doe-eyed girl, "Actually... there is one thing. could you give Will a gift from me?" he spoke quietly, almost anxious for the response,

Curiosity glint in her eyes, tilting her head, "Of course I will. But... are you sure? I mean, after everything that happened, wouldn't that be kinda awkward?"

The ravenette nodded, scratching the back of his neck, aware of how bizarre the request may be, "I know... that's why I'd like to ask if you could give them to him a bit later? Maybe in a few weeks?"

"Oh, alright..." she furrowed a brow in confusion, but didn't question it upon seeing his serious expression,

With a little exhale, the raven-haired boy handed her the small, wrapped package. His fingers brushing the edges carefully before letting go; the gift was simple, two journals he'd been writing these past few months - worn down pages, the bind frayed slightly. The books held all his emotions, thoughts, dreams, regrets and most importantly, his memories of his time since his arrival.

It was, in a way, a piece of himself,

"It's a secret," He said with the faintest of smiles, "You're the only one I trust not to open it, and to actually remember,"

"I promise," she took the gift, handling with care; she couldn't tell what was inside, but guessing by its shape and weight, she assumed it was a book of some sort. Her expression matched his serious one, carefully placing the gift in her bag slowly, sure not to damage it in any capacity.

She took out her phone, typing a quick reminder to herself, showing her friend the screen, "I'll make sure he gets it," she vowed.

Silence enveloped them, yet it felt comfortable; for the first time in a long time, he felt a strange sense of peace, as if everything would be okay just by this simple favour being fulfilled; it was the type of silence that left a lot of questions unanswered, but somehow answered them all.

"Thank you, El,"

---- Next Day; Friday 5:01 AM ----

TIP - TIP - TIP

The sound of rain trickled against the window, threatening to enter his room, a contrast to the usual summer shower. This wasn't a mere drizzle to form a rainbow; this was storm levels of rain. It filled the room with a steady rhythm, oddly melodious.

Mike lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind overactive. It didn't take a genius to understand his restlessness, his time was quickly approaching; he had mere hours left before the game world forcefully ejected him. He felt trapped in the dark, even when he closed his eyes, all he could see were those damn messages,

[Mission: Make Will Byers Happy]

[10 Hours Remaining]

[Penalty: Death]

Anytime he spent asleep was another moment away from this world; his eyes were wide, hoping the sound would act as a lullaby, serenading him to sleep. Annoyed, he sat up, he wasn't going to get any shut-eye today anyway.

[Partial Memory Return To Mike Wheeler.]

What now?

His hand roamed his desk for the lamp, but it was missing... so was the desk; using his phone flashlight, he shone it around the room, the usual white ceiling replaced by yellow with damp patches, the once child-like blue walls replaced by a monochromatic grey - a mere placeholder for adulthood.

This place was familiar, morphing before his eyes, grimy surfaces he remembered all too well - a sink just a few meters away, the smell of the ventilation pungent no matter how much perfume he sprayed and the the sound of drunk neighbours... it was his 'house' from the real world. Startled, he jumped to his feet, only to realise that the bed beneath him was gone, replaced by worn-out comforters serving as a mattress on the cold floor of his cramped, single-room apartment,

Damp. That was the smell he remembered, the smell of the intoxicants and stale laundry. The walls around him were bare, a contrast to his bedroom in the game; sweeping his eyes across the room, he saw a broken desk and chair held up by unused books with overdue bills shoved under a chipped tea cup; obviously important.

He'd almost forgotten how broke he was.

It was the apartment he lived in after Nancy's passing, during those months he'd been cut off from his parents with no credentials or safety net. He'd spent so many nights alone in this room, drifting in and out of a numb haze, staring out the window, listening to neighbours arguing and inhaling second-hand smoke.

He was merely existing.

Just then, the lights finally switched on, seeing a figure stumble through the door... it was him, a version of himself that was so changed it felt disconnected, like a character from a movie. This Mike was rough-looking despite being just eighteen, he could be mistaken for someone in his late-twenties; dark shadows were a permanent staple under his eyes, his hair cropped down to a buzzcut, uneven and untrimmed at the edges, clear little effort was put into style.

Dressed in a hand-me-down suit too big for him, he collapsed to the ground with an exhausted groan, no effort to even make it to the 'bed'. Mike took a step back, watching his past-self grumble under his breath, running a hand over his head,

"I'm sick of this," the past-self complained, kicking his shoes off, not caring where they land,

The current ravenette ran a hand through his mullet, secretly vowing to never cut it; was his life in the real world really this bad? He didn't remember it as such. Sure, it was a tough time for him, but it being this bleak?

"If I had just $3000 dollars, I can quit this third job," the groaning continued,

Third job?

How did he manage? He remembered the long hours, the stress of it all. It was around the time he was thinking of reapplying for college, studying hard despite not being in school, needing the cash quick to apply for the next year, taking the entrance exam to even get a shot at being accepted. It was a different life he was used to, being placed in a dormitory aged twelve, all he knew were the people around him, then suddenly being thrust into the real world with little to no preparation or planning.

Was it too late for him?

The past version of him turned his head to the side, as if staring right at his current self, his gaze penetrating. Though, it seemed as though he couldn't see him standing just meters away, like a ghost with no presence.

"Two minutes," the past Mike mumbled, staring through the current ravenette to the clock, pushing his exhausted body off the ground. He stripped his suit, first his tie and shirt, than his pants, slipping on a set of burgundy overalls.

Cracks in his soul laid bare on display as his past-self grabbed a second work bag, throwing it across his body before wearing a pair of sneakers, leaving the house mere minutes after entering, switching the light off behind him.

In its wake, Mike snapped back to reality, his vision dissolving from the bleak memory of his old apartment to the present day - only that an hour passed. It was still raining, keeping its consistency; it didn't even seem like the sun had risen yet, dark stretching over the world - accompanying his feelings.

He stood there, arms by his side, expressionless, seeing the clock hands hit 6:00 AM.

Sweat clung to his form, the vision sticking to him like a treacherous nightmare. Was his reality so dark? Well, darker than he remembered. He got through it, so he assumed it wasn't so bad, sure it wasn't ideal in the slightest, but he powered through like he always did... maybe to a third-person perspective, it was worse than he imagined.

A dry laugh left his mouth, almost in disbelief, as he threw his head back in defeat, "What's the point of giving this to me now?" speaking directly to the game world,

[ERROR DELETION: 57% COMPLETE]

Great! The game reminded him of his dwindling time. None of this would have happened if he'd never been forced here; he blamed the game world, his friend who sent him here and himself for taking on such a stupid bet.

He hadn't asked for this, and now, he was slowly being deleted; chipped away like an ice statue.

"Asshole! Yeah! I'm talking to you!" he yelled at a higher than usual volume, raising a few decibels at his 'friend', the one who he still never knew the name of despite all this time here; he was starting to think that maybe they were enemies... who would willingly send their friend to such a place with an impossible task?

Silence accompanied, angry breaths following his outburst. The game didn't seem to mind... perhaps he was allowed one bout of anger per day. Sudden electricity flowed through him, pumping his blood around like jellyfishes surrounded.

He knew what that meant, looking down at his hands, they seemed disoriented, fuzzy and fragmented, fading in-and-out of existence. Instinctively, he reached for his door handle, hoping something tangible would fix this predicament, though he didn't have high hopes as his hand passed right through.

Panic spread through the ravenette's core, feeling something deep within, this was different from usual; the static electricity reached the tips of his hair, curling at the edge. The door pushed itself open, light filtering into the room, Nancy held the doorknob looking around with a sigh and a small headshake,

"This boy," she grumbled, "Doesn't text me when he's gone somewhere and only lets me know when he needs food!"

That was strange. Nancy didn't even bear a glance in his direction, perhaps the lowlight levels made him hard to miss? A discomfort spread through him, stronger than it ever had before, screaming at him to act.

"What are you talking about?" he called out as Nancy backed away from the door, not responding, "Nancy?" Mike continued; the pit growing,

He stumbled forward, almost forgetting how to walk as he slipped through the slightly ajar door, tailing her in hurry. Mike grabbed her arm, but the grip was weak, like soap slipping through his jagged hands...

Nancy didn't even notice. She didn't respond. She didn't even glance in his direction as she continued walking, preparing for work...

Chills ran through the ravenette's body, another sensation filling him, leaving him overstimulated.

He paused.

[ERROR DELETION: 63% COMPLETE]

It was getting worse...

------

3158 Words

I tried something new with my writing style this chapter. I hope you enjoy it; criticisms are much appreciated :)

Stay Safe <3