MIKE POV –

"I think we should break up,"

"What?" The comfortable smile on the brunette's face faded instantaneously, replaced by a crooked raised brow, almost letting out a short laugh, thinking it was some poorly timed joke,

"It's exactly as I said, we should stop dating," Mike kept up his persona, his words detached, driving the nail into his point.

"W-why? Stop joking," Will smiled awkwardly, still thinking this was a part of the ravenette's twisted sense of humour,

Every moment they spent together had been so special, something Mike had never experienced before; he wanted to tell Will that he loved him, but he was forced to do the exact opposite, "I don't think I know how to properly like people."

He said the words his past lover had told him. Mike never made the time, effort, or even the heart-space to like someone. It was like a slap in the face when he first heard it... but it was true. He had never really liked anyone before, he was just doing what was expected of him. He didn't know how to like people... he often made the people he liked feel more isolated than they would have been alone.

There was a brief silence, the sound of the river crashing against the banks,

Will shook his head, the words seeming to sink into his brain... this was real, "Stop talking,"

"I've been alone for so long.... I don't know how to be with people!" he turned back to the sky, looking up, "I'm sorry if I've done that to you too Will."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know how to stay by your side,"

"W-why all of a sudden?" The small boy stammered, "What did I do wrong?"

"This isn't because of something you did; we met by chance, and now it's time for us to go our separate ways," the tall boy said calm, but perhaps he was too apathetic to the point he appeared to be uncaring,

"Is it because of how I've been acting recently?" Will didn't even pause to take a breath.

"It's not that..." the ravenette felt unable to come up with coherent sentences, each syllable hitting the ground; he didn't want to break up... he had to, "I just can't date you right now,"

"This makes no sense!" his voice elevated, raising higher. Jumping to his feet, his eyes widened. He was ready to explode, "Is that why we came here? Why didn't you just dump me outside my house?" his anger reaching a magnitude it never had before, he didn't know he could speak this loudly, "Oh, it must have been soo funny to see how excited I was to see something special to you, huh?" his voice cracking at the very end, throwing accusations like arrows,

"That wasn't my intention." Mike looked out onto the river, still sitting on the ground, his mouth dry. "I shouldn't have come into your life,"

"I won't agree until you explain," The small boy used all his strength, grabbing Mike by the arm, pulling him to his feet, forcing them to face one another, "If you say we break up, why do I have to follow your orders?" he jabbed Mike's chest, not realising his own power in that situation, "Why did you even date me in the first place?

His anger reached a crescendo, "...Why don't you like me anymore?" he stepped closer, grabbing Mike's shoulders, leaning in, his eyes fixated on the ravenette's lips, filled with determination; he would do anything to stop Mike from breaking up with him right now, grasping at straws... maybe Mike just needed a kiss, they haven't done that in a while, so maybe it would fix everything. Yeah! He convinced himself that Mike was a hormonal teenage boy who just needed to be stimulated a little...

But before their lips could touch, Mike placed a hand on the brunette's forehead, pushing him away, met with slight resistance until he scolded, "Stop it,"

Upon being pushed away, Will's resistance crumbled, his bottom lip quivering as though he may burst into tears at any moment, "I'm sorry," he realised what he was about to do, grabbing Mike's hand softly, "I-I know you've wanted to break up with me for a while, I've known but... c-can we not break up? I'll be good, I won't be a burden anymore... I promise," his anger turned to shaky pleading, "I'll do anything you want; I'll fix whatever you don't like about me... so please-" tears fell, drowning in his own mucas.

The ravenette honestly wished Will had been angry during this whole ordeal, it was hard to watch him beg, "There's no need for that," Mike replied, his words coming out harsher than he intended; he wanted to tell him not to beg, but moving his hand away did nothing to help his meaning,

Will looked down at his hand, the one that was carelessly swatted away like a persistent fly, "Please Mike," he choked back a sob,

Averting his gaze, the raven-haired boy couldn't bear to watch the display of emotions before him; it made him ache, "Don't cry,"

"I won't cry anymore," he rubbed his eyes, forcefully suppressing the stream from his tearducts; he was so soft and sensitive, "I'll stop whatever it is you don't like about me; I won't cry, I won't complain, I won't even speak... so please just tell me," his voice quivered, hiccupping on his tears; his nose red, cheeks rosy.

The tall boy clenched his jaw, knowing this had to be done; it was an inevitability; an impossible battle against his own emotions. The urge to take all the words back, pull Will into his arms and tell him the truth grew strong, but couldn't give into temptation. He balled his fists, needing to do this even if it tore them both apart.

It was clear Will wanted to say something, to use his larynx to argue his point, reasons why they shouldn't break up; he felt so much... it hurt.

"I'm sorry..." Despite the sadness, the small boy spoke shaky, "I still love you,"

The ravenette wanted to say something, anything to make it stop... grinding his teeth together, not out anger, but frustration to himself and the game world.

Finally, he looked at Will - his now ex-boyfriend – seeing a red glaring message appear in front of his face,

[ERROR: SYSTEM MALFUNCTION]

What happened now? Why did it have to appear? This wasn't fair, he was doing everything he could; everything! And despite it all, these error messages wouldn't leave him alone. No matter if he tried to do right or wrong, everything was futile.

[Calculating Fondness...]

[Fondness: 89]

The ravenette paused as the message changed.... It didn't move... even in a moment like this, Will still loved him, still cherished him, still needed him. His throat tightened as he read the words; in trying to fulfil his mission, he'd only broken the boy who he was aimed with protecting.

[Mission: Make Will Byers Happy]

Now, neither of them were...

---- Next Day: Tuesday 9:53 PM ----

BEEP – Notification from Max

BEEP – Notification from Max

RING – RING - RING – Missed Call from Dustin

BEEP – Notification from El

BEEP – Notification from Max

BEEP – BEEP – BEEP – BEEP – BEEP

Mike sat in his bedroom at his desk, staring blankly at the table before him, his phone buzzing relentlessly with messages, text after text, phone call after phone call. Time was passing quick; he only had a few days left.

Through hair-covered eyes, he skimmed the messages blasting on the phone screen,

TROY – "What's wrong with Will?"

LUCAS – "I'm here to talk if you need to man!"

The screen filled with messages of confusion and worry from his friends,

DUSTIN - "DUDE ANSWER THE PHONE PLEASE!"

MAX – "HELLLOOOOOO. Earth to Wheeler? Are you alive?"

MAX - "If you don't answer I'm climbing through your window,"

EL – "Hi, what's wrong? You didn't come school these two days,"

The tall boy rested his head on his arms, unable to bring himself to reply; he just wanted to sleep. He had hurt Will deeper than he ever thought he could, and he felt like a douche for it. The questions were painful, reminding him of his actions, but also of what he was leaving behind. The end was closing in on him faster than he could process. How could he explain his situation to anyone?

He stared intently at the pen – the author's pen - the reward; he didn't know how it worked, what it meant, or why he was gifted it, but what he did know was that it was important... very important,

[3 Days Remaining]

The message popped up in his vision, pumping adrenaline. Slowly lifting his head, Mike reached for the pen, feeling its weight between his thumb and forefinger, the entire world pressing down on this shoulders. He touched the cap, pulling it apart to reveal the nib.

He was back in the void.

He blinked, looking around in momentary shock, seeing the ever-expansive nothingness stretch out for miles in every direction. The transition was seamless; he didn't even feel like he was transported, everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. Looking down, he half expected his desk and the chair he was sitting on to disappear, but they remained; they must be crucial.

A new message appeared,

[Write The Setting You Wish To Change In The Blank Space]

[Accumulated Fondness Will Be Used To Complete The Request]

[Accumulated Fondness: 228]

Mike hesitated, biting his bottom lip in a whirlwind of emotions rushing through his cranium, debating if this pen could really change reality. He thought back to the goal he had been chasing since the first day he arrived here – 'To Make Will Byers Happy' – but as he sat there, in his familiar desk chair, he worried it had all been for nought,

The pen was gripped tight in his grasp, thinking about his whole life, everything he tried to fix but couldn't. He only wanted what was best for Will after all this time... he wanted to use this wish for him...

Then, he lowered the pen, hovering over the table for a mere second as he began to write, his hand steady, tracing out each letter before closing the lid.

Silence followed.

One second passed,

Two seconds passed,

He was still in the void; maybe for once, everything would be okay,

[ERROR: SYSTEM MALFUNCTION]

Spoke too soon.

The message flashed onscreen, red and alarming. His heart jumped out his chest, the pen slipping from his grasps, clattering onto the desk; he had dealt with a plethora of warnings, orders and errors before, but never at this intensity,

[SEARCHING WORLD FOR ERRORS...]

[!ERROR DETECTED!]

What? What did that mean? This was new! What error? What was going on?

He looked around, searching for a clue, anything that would show him a sign,

[SERVER CRITICALLY DAMAGED; IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED]

His fingers tingled; a sensation foreign to him. When he looked down, horror spread through his core as he saw the outline of his fingers fading, his tips translucent, almost ghoulish. His hand was disappearing, a mere outline of himself before it returned to normal.

[DELETING ERROR...]

Then, like a shattered mosaic, memories flooded his mind, the memories of his three-hundred days here altered, twisting into something unusual.

He saw himself in the hallway with Will and Nancy, the first day they met, Mike slowly fading into the nothingness as his sister talked as if he didn't exist. Next, Will was alone on the carousel with a big smile, the dark blue unicorn beside him empty. Another memory, the picnic they had just days prior; the group huddled in a circle, but Mike's spot lay dormant, a paper plate for no-one. Memory after memory played out in his head, but he could only sit back and watch as he vanished in each – like he had never been there in the first place.

"No," his eyes widened, trying to grasp the scene, keeping himself tethered to these moments, but they slipped away, "This can't be happening!" he murmured, his eyes widened; no that's not fair! He still has three days left...

He pushed himself up from his desk, the void disappearing around him feeling like he couldn't breathe. He needed to get out of here, he needed some fresh air... somewhere not here.

He ran out his bedroom.

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2025 Words

Stay Safe <3