📝:

❓: do you have a favorite minor character in stranger things?

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

If Y/n and the others thought the ride to the hospital had been a long and cramped one, they were sorely mistaken.

The journey back was excruciating.

It was long and complicated, figuring out a quick and efficient way of getting everyone changed and refreshed before hunkering down at the cabin but they somehow managed. Many of them, like Y/n, had to figure out a way to explain their absence.

It was clear to Will guilt was plaguing her mind; she had barely spoken in the time it took to get from the hospital to the Hopper Cabin. When her eyes weren't watching her fiddling hands, they were trained on the deep, almost blackened emerald hues of the valleys and trees as the station wagon made its way to the edge of town. Seeing her in this state, he was grateful to Lucas and Max who offered them the backseat, volunteering themselves for the squeeze in the trunk.

"Did you see your mom?" Will had asked, taking advantage of the noise pollution in the car. The windows had been rolled halfway down on either side in the backseat, filling what the infectious melodies of the Creedance Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising couldn't. And despite the fact more than half their friends were nodding off in their seats, Will lowered his voice in a way only she could hear. "Was she really upset?"

It was a moment before she spoke, but he knew she had heard him judging by her hands. Her fingers started picking just a little bit harder at the tiny chip in the zipper of her new windbreaker. When she did speak, her eyes remained on the scenery zipping past her window in a blur.

"I forgot she was working today," her voice was quiet, like Will's. But he knew somehow it had nothing to do with the possibility of any prying ears. Her e/c eyes were glazed and tired, void of their usual vibrance. She looked lost in thought, even when her brows knit together in a gentle frown. "It's weird. I remember how upset we were when she got the news. About her work schedule, I mean... I can't remember the last time the three of us weren't together on the fourth-hanging out at the Roane County fair until sunset. Then taking advantage of the holiday and the fireworks and we'd go see a movie at the Hawk Theatre late at night. We'd get the whole place to ourselves, and we could be as loud as we wanted, making jokes and putting our feet up on the chairs."

The wistful smile that had crept up on her face was already beginning to fade, reminded of the reality of today.

"But she's had to pick up so many extra shifts these days, she hardly sees us anymore. Incredibly, she hasn't hunted us both down by now." She half-jokes. Will can tell she's trying to play off the worry that's building and he wishes she wouldn't. Without even realizing what they were doing, Will entwined his hand with hers to offer reassurance. Y/n, in turn, laid her head to rest on his right shoulder. "She's gonna be gone through most of today so I left her a note. Said I was sorry, and that Dustin and I were with you guys at the fair."

A certain quiet returns. One filled with the sounds of the occasional clicks of the car's turn signals, the rushing of the air through the windows, and the soft snores of Max, Lucas, and Mike all asleep on one another's shoulder together in the trunk. With the occasional addition of El's head softly thumping against the glass with every other bump in the road as she slept. But all Y/n is thinking about is whether or not the note and the added bowl of chicken noodle soup she had left for her mother in the microwave were enough to quell even some of her mother's anger.

"I hate lying to her, Will," Y/n admitted finally, her voice incredibly tiny.

It was a rare thing for Will Byers; to not have an answer or a simple remedy. Specifically when it came to his best friend and love, Y/n Henderson. It made the few seconds of silence feel like a few eternities. He thinks of his own mother and his relationship with her. She had and does continue to go to the ends of the earth to protect him and his brother, and would unquestionably do the same for Y/n and the others. He realized just how often he took for granted her knowledge of the Upside Down and Hawkins Lab. It led him to ponder, if only for the briefest of moments, what it would be like if he had powers to hide from someone so important.

Resting his head atop hers, he finally spoke. "She knows you love her," he says, his voice still a delicate whisper. His eyes subconsciously drift between the dashboard and his brother. "And you're doing it to protect her. Sometimes that has to be enough,"

When Y/n didn't say anything, he had feared he had upset her. But the soft movements of her head nestling further into his shoulder, the top of her head burrowing into his neck, put to bed any such fears.

The silence between them stretched on, basking them in the calm ambiance of the car, the contemplative thoughts that came with the past four days, and the comfort of each other's embrace. The moon was still out, shining among the stars, and save for their collective cosmic glow, the occasional streak of gold grazed their faces from the passing streetlamps outside. It was the most peace either of their exhausted minds could recall, but they had a clear enough mind to know they needed to enjoy it for as long as they could. And so, in this, their own tiny crumb of peace, they allow themselves to succumb to the temptations of sleep. But not before Y/n's small, hoarse whisper reaches Will's ears from under the song of the wind.

"Thank you, Will. I'm not sure what I'd do without you,"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

By the time the team of Flayed hunters reached the cabin, the first light of dawn was breaking through the trees. Birds were singing a merry tune, squirrels chattered amongst their branches, and the morning sky painted the forest in a glow of corals and golds. The morning air was a welcoming change to the stuffiness of the car nobody realized had accumulated after all that driving and had their town not been under the constant terror of inter-dimensional monsters and unheard of conspiracies, it would have been the perfect morning.

One by one they filed out of the station wagon, most groggy from sleep or lack thereof. El stumbled sleepily to the front to lead her friends up the porch and through the locked front door. Y/n and Will weren't far behind, neither of them aware of how endearing they secretly found the other looking as sleepy as they did: Y/n rubbing at her eyes and Will letting out a yawn.

The cabin was a welcoming sight to all. The cushions on the couch and Hopper's recliner looked extra plush today, and the fully stocked kitchen practically called their names. It was no surprise when they all broke off in scattered groups, seeking either food, rest, or first turn at the only restroom.

It seemed Y/n was the only one not sure what to do with herself. She stood stopped at the entrance, taking in the familiar sight as the others flooded in around her. Lucas was the last to enter, but she only half registered the sound of the closing door behind her. Her mind was too muddled with deja vu.

Though that night had been one she often chose to forget, it came rushing back the moment she filed in through the door in line after Nancy and Jonathan. The burst of laundry detergent and pine hit her nose as she walked through the door, and when she looked down at the coffee table she half expected to see El's completed firework puzzle from last year.

"Y/n?"

The kind voice to pull her from her thoughts was not the one she had expected, but it was a welcome one all the same. Standing behind the counter and watching her with an empathetic smile was none other than Nancy. The very girl to have brought her comfort on that night.

"You okay?"

Her lips pulled into a grateful smile, and Y/n nodded. "Yes," she answered, and she meant it. Pleased to hear it, Nancy nodded with gentle relief. And no sooner had she, was her attention called away by Jonathan, leaving Y/n once more to her thoughts. But the truth remained the same. Y/n was okay, and for very good reason.

She was quick to return to Will's side, seeking the comfort his presence gave. He had been so swept up in memories of his own he hadn't been anticipating the hand gently cupping his cheek, guiding his eyes to meet familiar hues before her lips were on his. The kiss was chaste but full of care and warmth-something driven right from their hearts. He had hardly had the chance to ask Y/n what had sparked the sudden act of affection before she had pulled him into her embrace.

The wiggle of her chin as it burrowed further into his shoulder was only noticeable to him, as was the tiny exhale he could detect as a breath she had long since been holding back.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked, quiet enough for only her to hear. His head was still on her shoulder, their hug from over, but his eyes still wandered the cabin where the others prepared-unknowingly answering his question before she could. Nevertheless, he was still happy to have this moment to just themselves.

He felt Y/n's grip on the hug tighten just ever so before he heard her voice in his ear. "I'm just so glad you're here with us, Will. I'm so glad you're you,"

Will could practically hear the shatter of his heart in his chest. Regret from last year haunted him-would haunt him for the rest of his days. Setting that trap in the hub, sending out the Demodogs that killed Bob and who knows how many other people. He hurt so many people.

But there was something about this moment. Maybe it was thanks to the dawn of a new day. Maybe it was the part of his heart he was holding against his chest at this moment. The one telling him such sweet things. Or maybe it was a realization yet to come.

But Y/n was right. He decided it, then and there; he was here, with her, as himself. And he was going to do everything in his power to help protect the people of Hawkins. But that started with helping to protect the girl to have stolen his heart.

"I'm sorry," he says, his heart weighing heavy in his chest at the thought of the last two years through Y/n's eyes. It was often easy to forget what she and the others had gone through on their end.

Her hands moving to his shoulders, Y/n pulled away, her wide eyes filled with concern. "Why are you sorry?"

"I don't know, I guess I just," Will didn't have an easy answer. He merely shrugged, finding it difficult to meet her eye. "I'm sorry you've had to do it alone,"

Her expression softens; the hardened look of concern melting into a delicate, grateful smile.

"Don't apologize," she insists. "You don't ever apologize for that. Besides," He followed her gaze around the cabin as it trailed the others spread out amongst the cabin. When he looks back into her eyes, he knows her words are sincere. "I haven't been alone,"

The tiny tug in his lips doesn't last long, for his face falls as soon as hers does. "Speaking of," she says. Quickly stepping around Will and to the group's last-minute go bag filled with an odd mix of everyone's last-minute essentials that sat at the breakfast bar. No sooner was her supercomm in hand and a look in her eye as she made her way to the front door. "I gotta make a call,"

||𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

'It's okay, Mike. I can do this,'

I don't have to look at the door to know it's still closed and she's in there, straining herself for the good of the group. I should be more supportive-I should be proud that she's always ready and willing. Part of me is.

The door is still closed.

I just need to get moving, get my mind off of it. If I can.

Pushing myself up off the couch is a good start, particularly since I haven't done anything in the last ten minutes but bounce my leg and lose a staring contest with El's bedroom door since she went inside. I find myself in the kitchen at Will's side without a thought-my reflexes just took me there.

He turns away from the closing fridge, grumbling to himself something about the only food around being Eggos.

I guess he hears me chuckle, even when I didn't even realize I had when he meets my eye and lets loose a small laugh of his own. We meet at the counter, and my hands subconsciously fiddle with the lip of the countertop as I nod at the cabinet past his head. "'m pretty sure they keep cereal in that cabinet."

Will pulls his head out of the bottom cupboard and redirects his search to the upper cabinet. His eyes light up when he finds the box of Lucky Charms and I nearly have the energy to laugh. He says a thank you under his breath as he pours a bowl, and I try my best to ignore the fact that we're alone together and why that might possibly make me so jittery.

It's been hard to be alone with him these days. Scary, even. It's messed up how tempting it is to be grateful for something even scarier to take the focus off of my feelings-something like the Mind Flayer. But it's hard when I've nearly lost him twice now.

"You want a bowl?" I felt a subtle jolt in my bones at Will's voice pulling me from my thoughts, thankfully I don't think he noticed. He pointed to the open cabinet he was ready to shut, before hitting a thumb over his shoulder at the freezer. "Or do you want some Eggos, or something?"

I looked between the Lucky Charms and the stockpile of Eggos I knew laid just beyond the freezer door, mulling it over with too much thought.

"I'm fine," I lied. "I'm not that hungry,"

I was starving. But frankly, I was too nervous to do anything about it. Pretty sure my appetite was halfway spoiled already, so it's not like I was completely lying.

Will nodded, and proceeded to finish making his breakfast. Fetching and retrieving the milk in silence, he dug out a silver spoon and leaned against the counter against the sink. I was only partially aware of my fingers still fiddling with the mortar holding the counter together under the lip.

"How are you holding up? W-with everything?"

He picks his head up from his cereal and swallows the bite in his mouth after some thought. "I don't know," he shrugs. I should have known he'd try to play it off. "One day at a time I guess,"

I glance over my shoulder to assure no one was listening-they weren't by the looks of it. Lucas and Max were snacking on Cinnamon Toast Crunch gathered around the coffee table with Nancy and Jonathan as they exchanged theories. Knowing I was in the clear, I stepped around the counter and further into the kitchen, leaning against the inside of the breakfast bar and next to Will.

"Will, you know you can--,' I sighed, already inwardly cringing at the irony of my next words considering my previous track record. "you can be honest with me about this stuff. I get it, man. I do. What you went through last year was... scary. It was really scary,"

He doesn't say anything. He just continues to fiddle with the spoon in his bowl. When he looks back up, it's hard to meet his eyes.

"I appreciate that, Mike,"

I smile a little.

"And I won't pretend its not hard coming back from something like that," he shakes his head, growing into his bowl again. But this time, he quickly pulls himself back up with a small shake of his head. "But to be completely honest, it's not me I'm most worried about,"

I know immediately who he is talking about. While Will is exactly the kind of person who worries about others-while I know he's been worried about all of us since the return of the Mind Flayer-there's one person in particular who we've all been keeping an unspoken close eye on. Guiltily, my eyes trail across the walls and focus on the figure to have stepped outside shortly after we first got here. She had been pacing the porch ever since. I hadn't realized until now just what she was doing, and my heart sank when I finally caught sight of the supercomm in her hand.

Of course Y/n was trying to contact Dustin. It didn't matter we already failed to get ahold of him, nothing was gonna stop her from trying.

I sighed into my hand, sort of embarrassed for not picking up on this sooner.

"She's not giving up anytime soon, is she?" I ask already knowing the answer, hesitating to pull my eyes off from my friend and back on Will.

"Can you blame her?"

My shoulder sagged. "No," I mutter, making my way to the patio door. "No, I can't."

'You drew first blood, metaphorically speaking, so you have to apologize.'

The door was still open, but the screen stood before me and the porch. I could hear the soothing sounds of the forest almost as clearly as I could hear Y/n calling into the comm as she paced.

"Dustin, this Y/n. This is a code red. Get yourself to safety. I repeat. This is a code red. Over."

'A real apology, not a fake one, and not out of defense.'

"Dustin, this is Y/n. I repeat. This is a code red... Dammit, Dustin-please. respond! Are you alive? Are you safe? Over."

Shit... Here goes nothing.

The screen door creaks as I push it open and step outside, but I'm reluctant to even leave the doorway when she stops mid-pace to look at me. It's obvious she has little patience as it is, and I'm pushing it just by being here.

"I know you already tried Mike," she sighs tiredly, fiddling angrily with the dials as she tunes the settings. "but I'm not gonna stop as long as we have even a moment to spare. Not with that thing out there,"

I finally leave the doorway and close the screen behind me when she plops herself down on the top of the porch steps with a huff. She's still fiddling with the comm in hissed curses, and she digs into her pockets after taking off the back. Reluctantly, I cross the porch and lean against the railing, looking down to see her dumping the batteries into her hand.

"Before you lecture me about wasting power, after these, I'm about two battery packages away from no charge. We're set for another week at least. Not counting what we can get here,"

"I know," is all I say.

And all she does is glimpse up at me before going back to work.

Neither of us say anything for a moment, and I grimace out at the woods. It really sets in just how long it's been since we last got along.

Clearing my throat and looking wearily back down at Y/n, I give it my best shot. "Can I sit?"

She doesn't say anything, and I bite back the urge to scoff. But I know that'll just land us in the middle of another fight. I unclench my fists at my sides and try to think about what the others would do.

Her leg is bouncing up and down sporadically as she works, telling me the reason for her silence. It hits me I don't need to know what the others would do. I need to know what I would do. What I used to, anyway.

"Are you... alright? With your anxiety and everything, I mean?" God, this couldn't be going worse.

Y/n looks up at me again from her work, this time with suspicion. Like I had started speaking Martian or something. Her eyes narrowed a little and I could tell she didn't know if she could trust me.

'Can you blame her?' I find myself biting back another urge to scoff. Get out of my head, Will.

I sighed, weakly throwing my arms out to my side in guilt and embarrassment, just as uncomfortable as she was. "Believe it or not, I'm totally serious," I tell her, not bothering to hide how exasperated I sound. Or feel. This was embarrassing, and I'm angry. I'm angry at myself.

"I am... I am trying. I guess I'm just sorry I forgot what that looks like. And for everything, really. But maybe there's a better time for all that, so..." I awkwardly nodded to the cabin door. "I'll leave if you want. But I just wanted to say that. If, you know... You were... open to hearing it? I guess?"

Fuck. Should I leave the country? Maybe I should leave the country.

Her eyes haven't met mine in a while, but she's long since forgotten about the walkie. She's just staring out at the woods past the stairs, lost in thought. Even her legs stopped bouncing, which is bone chilling.

"Forget I said anything. I'm sorry I bothered you," I say as I made my way back to the front door. I just hoped it sounded as sincere as I meant it. "Good luck with Dustin--"

"--Did you mean it?"

My hand stopped on the handle of the screen door before I could open it. I looked over my shoulder at Y/n, confused.

"What do you mean?" I almost ask her if she means what I said about me being sorry. But I've known Y/n long enough to sense she's talking about something else. I'm just scared to know what.

Her voice is quiet, almost scared. She was vulnerable, which was something she hadn't been around me for a very long time. Neither of us had. She was turning over her shoulder to look at me, but it was like her eyes couldn't bring themselves to look any further past the railing of the front porch.

She was scared to meet me halfway. So I turned to meet face her, giving her my attention to show I was listening.

"All this," she says, gesturing between the two of us. There's a look in her eye I've seen so many times this past year and a half. One I wish I could say I haven't buried underneath anger. She's sad and tired as she sets her attention out to the trees and her fingers begin to fiddle. I remember her always saying she loved the woods despite how she was found-it was her safe space. "everything between us-all this fighting. The fact that we haven't truly been friends since the night Will came back..."

Y/n finally looks at me. When she finishes, I have to strain to hear her voice over the subtle breeze in the trees and my entire body goes rigid.

"...you're jealous of me?"

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a.n. ppl who predicted y/n overhearing Mike last episode, how does it feel to win 😂 I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING SO BAD

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