Three Years Later
The mornings for the last seven months have stayed routine for Mike and Will. Now enlisted as "Civilian Assets" for the local military containment operation. That doesn't mean that their lives have become all about war. Anyone that walked in on the two almost 19 year-old boys would be very surprised.
Will didn't know when their sex had gotten so good. Mike had been feeling a bit overwhelmed when he first started topping. Now? Somehow Mike had found a sweet spot. Every stroke and bump of Mike's hips caused Will to lose his breath. There was no sound, just the short puffs of breath Will managed to get in and out.
This of course always put Mike in an extremely smug mood. He had learned how to pace himself. He could keep this up for a good fifteen minutes now. Will would beg and Mike would bend down and taunt his boyfriend.
"Ooooo, looks like I found it again." Mike Panted.
Will can only respond by furrowing his eyebrows and making pleasurable faces.
"We're still on for our bet, right?" Mike says breathlessly.
Will only responds with a counter to Mike's rhythm. He raises his legs and wraps them around Mike's waist.
"Oh, fuck you, I see how it is." Mike quickened his pace. "Not gonna-not gonna-" Mike huffs.
Will throws his head back. He drastically miscalculated, a shorter pace made him edge to orgasm faster. Then without warning he erupts. Mike gets the biggest shit eating grin, but Will can't even be mad at him.
"There we go. Will, that's three hands free orgasms in a row. You have to top tonight." Mike leans down and kisses Will.
Mike quickens his pace and then Will feels Mike's shuddering release. Will wraps his arms around Mike's neck and then another game begins. Will giggles.
"Stop." Will squirms.
"Stop what?" Mike grins as he sucks Will's neck.
"Come on, Mike, that's not f-fa-f-fair-I-hate-oooooh" Will is lost beneath Mike.
"See, you don't want me to stop, do you-" Mike says huskily.
"Mi-Mike-we have duty in 45 minutes. We both need a shower." Will Whined.
"Okay okay, fuckin' killjoy. Let's go then." Mike teased. He bent down for one more kiss and Will greeted him.
They both learned how to shower and get dressed within ten minutes. It was quite the system actually. Mike usually showered first because he was better at making breakfast. This allowed Will to get out and both of them to eat and head to their duty station. Rarely was this process disrupted. Will had barely stepped out of the shower when a klaxon rang out.
'ALL PERSONNEL REPORT TO DUTY STATIONS. ALERT STATUS ONE. ALL PERSONNEL REPORT TO DUTY STATIONS ALERT STATUS ONE'
Will and Mike looked at each other and realized they had to hurry. Their squad's chopper would be up in the air in seven minutes as of the first alert call. They both swore. It was likely a flow had begun. A flow was what they called a rush of Upside Down creatures. Usually the flow would have to be stopped by Will while El cleaned up and closed the gate. This had been happening more and more. Will wasn't getting enough time to recover and El was showing her own signs of fatigue.
Surprising themselves, Will and Mike were able to arrive just four minutes after the call went out. Will secured himself and Mike took his gunner/scout position along the left side of the chopper. They both said nothing. There were three other men in the chopper besides Will and Mike, a medic and two-pilots. They all had been together for twenty missions by now. Wordless communication was easy.
"This is Seer squad requesting permission to take off." The pilot called.
The co-pilot hit some switches. The call came back nearly instantly.
'Permission granted.'
The chopper took off and no matter how many times he experienced it Will always struggled not to vomit. They flew in silent focus to a location already known to the pilots but not by Mike or Will. They wouldn't really need to though, the smoke and energy from the gate would become apparent very soon.
"In the pipe, five by five." The pilot called letting everyone know they were on course and all things were smooth.
Will blew out his breath as a forceful tingle hit the back of his neck. Will had learned relax himself and stopped the habit of reaching for the back of his neck. With in less that thirty seconds the drop zone area was in sight. Will's eyes went from normal to pure black pools and it was like putting on a pair of glasses.
Mike reached behind himself without looking offering Will his hand. Will shook it firmly to let Mike know he was ready to go.
"Nearly to the drop." The Pilot called out.
Will fastened his drop cord to the door. While he didn't really need to use it, Mike felt better that he did. Will sucks in a big breath that fills and expands his cheeks. He let the breath go and knelt by Mike to get ready to drop.
"Alert to ground forces, seer is entering the battlefield." The co-pilot said over the radio.
Will upon hearing the phrase threw himself aggressively from the side of the chopper.
Once about halfway down to the drop, Will clicks the clip holding the rope onto his chest. He dropped softly to the ground for the last fifty feet. Will and El spent months learning how to do this when she got back from her training. Her teaching skills needed some work, but Will was grateful for this skill. By being able to drop so easily Mike would stay safe further up in the air.
Will scanned around him once he landed. His facial expressions could be considered stone. Will felt his anger already igniting. He could feel this flow. This flow wasn't started randomly. Will ignored the soldiers firing and fighting, looking instead for the point of exit. Demogorgans and demodogs and some bats had come through. Will frowned in anger.
"Flash" Will whispered.
Suddenly every beast within about one-hundred feet caught fire.
"We have an ignition point!" Called Mike. "We have our marker for ordinance. Three minutes to call in."
"Understood." The co-pilot replied.
They'd done this enough that really the orders never had to be issued. They did it because of regulations but also as a way to organize the chaos.
Will was in the pocket mentally. He was killing beasts with ease, snapping their necks, pulling them apart. There were body parts strewn everywhere. Some of them Will knew were his fellow soldiers. The anger inside continued to build.
"Flash" Will hissed.
Another fire burst out and Will realized that he'd marked two places to hit. He might have cared if he wasn't so damned angry. Will closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness hit him. Using this psychic fire attack took a lot of intense focus.
Will knew he had to move, ordinance would hit in two-minutes or so. He surveyed the battlefield and saw two injured soldiers close by him. He could already feel the terrible itch in his nose as it began drip blood. Will felt his body start to betray him and he cursed when he fell to his hands and knees. Will did his best to stand up again and barely managed it. He staggered to the two soldiers and meant to grab them by the hands instead he fell back to his knees once he took hold of them.
Then suddenly Will felt all of them being lifted easily and placed back into the chopper. It was El.
"You shouldn't be out her Will." El said with annoyance in her voice.
Mike watched as El flipped back down toward the ground. But about half-way she settled into a free falling position. Instead of falling though, Eleven flew as if the most graceful of bird. Mike was always shocked by it.
"ETA on ordinance drop?" Mike asked.
"No delays should be about-here come the jets." The pilot called.
The medic was already taking care of the two injured soldiers Will had brought back. That was when Mike noticed Will was still on the floor of the chopper laying on his side. Mike would have panicked before all their missions together. This was now part of the process. He reacted quickly making sure Will's airway stayed clear. Then Mike fastened a small plastic bar around Will's mouth to prevent him from biting down on the inside of his mouth or into his tongue.
Mike started his watch and then moved into a position to stabilize his boyfriend.
"Will, I'm right here okay?" Mike said leaning over him.
"You started your watch, yeah?" The medic called.
"Yes Coulton I did." Mike said snapping his watch to the man's face.
"That was a pretty fast reaction kid, you'd be a pretty good medic." Coulton smiled.
Mike didn't care about any of that as he heard Will start to make a grinding sound in his throat. Mike watched helpless as Will's fingers locked at odd angles and his legs went rigid. The near twenty-minute ride back to base was excruciating. Will had passed out and stopped seizing after about four minutes. This hadn't been a really bad one. El would meet them after she shut the gate. Mike was prepared for her to yell at him forever.
El hadn't really forgiven Mike for breaking his promise to protect Will. This is included keeping him from the battlefield. She was right to be angry and as much as he tried to defend himself Mike hadn't tried to be that forceful in objecting. Will had insisted rather forcefully and Mike folded like a cheap suit.
There were times in the last few months or even the last few weeks Mike wished he had pushed back harder. As he ran alongside the gurney that held Will's shaking form, Mike wished he could have been stronger. This happened too often now.
Coulton for his part never panicked about much. A true battlefield medic, he was direct and determined. Mike knew Will could never ask for anyone better to take care of him. Mike watched from close to the entrance of the infirmary as Coulton and his team stabilized Will's condition. The process was so common now that the medics didn't even yell or have to explain steps. They were like a pit crew on a raceway. In fact, Coulton coldly had started timing them. Their most recent record was three minutes and some seconds.
Once Will was stable Coulton began to take Will on his gurney to an observation room. He looked at Mike with a small but still inappropriate smirk.
"This was pretty easy. William here should be okay within a few hours." Coulton said as he passed Mike.
Mike rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to insist he receive full medical clearance before he can go back out there. We could have lost him." Coulton said.
Mike swallowed and continued his silent walk beside Will. They entered the observation room specifically designed for Will's case. Being a psychic military weapon had its advantages.
"Thanks." Mike said softer than he intended. "Coulton, seriously, thanks for everything."
"Don't mention it kid, seriously don't, I have a reputation." The man smiled. He did not in fact have a reputation to ruin.
Mike smiled without looking up from Will laying on his side shivering.
"The shivering should stop in about ten to twenty minutes. If it doesn't, please send word up to me." Coulton said. He didn't wait for Mike to respond. He had pressing duties as more injured were likely on the way back to the base.
Meanwhile In The War Room
"General Clarke sir, Seer Squad is back in the nest and Eleven has finished closing the gate. The remaining flow has been contained. Byers did his best job cutting them off. We have minimal casualty reports. Ordinance was perfect, no misses this time."
General Steven Clarke waves off the commander's report.
"Thanks for the sunny report but we need to figure out why these incursions are increasing. Do we know anything new about that?"
"I do not know sir." The commander says in an apologetic tone.
"Then you have my response and next set of orders Mister. Get to it." General Clarke said.
"Right away sir." The commander salutes and leaves in haste.
From somewhere General Clarke heard a squad leader mutter something under his breath. There are really few means of insubordination that General Clarke finds troublesome. Muttered words and hushed whispers around command was one of these he hated.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant? Do you want to speak freely?" Clarke's voice was stern tinged with annoyance.
"No sir." The young soldier answered turning pale.
"Oh, I insist. This is a clear space. I do not tolerate muttered words. So now, what was it you were so eager to mutter?" Clarke crossed his arms and everyone in the room was watching this exchange.
"Sir, I simply feel that it's a shame that the military has to rely on those two faggots to fight this battle." As soon as the words left his mouth everyone in the room took two or three paces back. The movement happened in such lock step that it was clear this had happened before. The lieutenant hadn't caught on.
"Lieutenant, will you present me your sidearm please." General Clarke ordered in an even and unreadable tone.
Everyone took another pace back. The Lieutenant likely believed he was being dismissed for insubordination and handed his weapon over without a second thought. Steven Clarke was an expert at wielding a pistol. Within less than five seconds he had prepped the weapon, turned it on the lieutenant and fired a shot through the man's shin.
"OH MY GOD, YOU SHOT ME AHHHHHHHH! WHY? FUCK AHHHHHHHHHH!" The Lieutenant screamed in agony.
General Clarke knelt down on one knee next to the screaming man and frowned.
"With what is facing this country and perhaps the world, I do not have time to police your ignorance or bigotry son. I expect you'll file a report with the army. That's fine, this is my last post, but I assure you son, they'll support my choices here. While this threat level is high and requiring a force to handle it, I won't have to deal with you." Clarke's voice sounds like a cross between indignation and irritation.
Clarke stands up looking over the room with an icy expression.
"Anyone else?" No one answers. "Good. Take him to the infirmary. Then begin his battlefield discharge." Clarke looked around for a communications officer.
"Get word to Eleven I need to meet with her and her brother" He ordered.
In Hawkins
Joyce, Jonathan, Hopper and the other Hawkins gang were away from the front line battle, but they all kept themselves busy. Monitoring this small town was now more of a painstaking commitment than anything Hopper had experienced. Dustin and Lucas did a lot of investigating for possible hidden gates or other signs of Upside Down infection.
At the end of the day, they would all gather together along with Steve and Nancy. They discussed just the happenings and possible problems. None of them trusted the military, even if Mike, El, and Will were involved in it. Whatever the military were doing seemed to be working. Hawkins had been incident free for nearly three years.
Nancy came back for her brother. She didn't really understand Steve or Jonathan anymore. The romantic part of her life was on hold. As far as her parents? She'd written them off like any other judgmental child might. She was the most distant of the group now and remained the only person Will and Mike hadn't confirmed their relationship to.
Robin for her part was a strategically used blabbermouth when it came to Mike and Will. Both boys liked aiming her at people to take care of the awkward 'Come out' part of these conversations. Will said he thought it was mean, but Mike pointed out that Will never stopped him from doing it. This forced Will to admit that he was okay doing it.
Base Of Operations: Infirmary Observation 1800 hours (6pm)
Will's eyes slowly opened. He instantly felt Mike's hand holding his. Will reached his other hand to the top of Mike's head that rested against his chest. Will smiled. He had a headache but felt okay otherwise. This was certainly a massive improvement to the last few times he'd been here. Will watched Mike stir and turn his head toward him. When they locked eyes, Mike still on Will's chest, they both grinned.
"Hey." Will blushed.
"Hey cutie." Mike grinned with a hot blush of his own.
Will shot his eyes elsewhere to hide his embarrassment. This only ever encouraged Mike.
"Head is still a bit cloudy. What time is it?" Will asked
"A little after 6:00 pm." Mike whispered.
"Was it really bad this time?" Will groans squeezing his eyes shut.
"It wasn't as bad as last time, but Coulton put you on required medical clearance." Mike squeezes Will's hand.
Mike saw tears fall from Will's face.
"I'm letting everyone down." Will said feeling crushed. "I couldn't do more."
"What are you talking about? If not for you we wouldn't have been able to cut the flow off." Mike said softly working to catch Will's eye but not pressing.
"Forty-eight before today." Will said.
He'd been thinking too much about it. Will knew that there was nothing he could do in most of those cases. If he could have helped one though, that was enough.
"What?" Mike asked in confusion.
"That's how many people have died in the last month, Mike. I'm not doing good enough." Will wipes his eyes.
"Will-" Mike started.
"I know I could have done better somehow."
"Will, all of these soldiers, they know what they're doing here."
"Dying because I can't do-" Will began with a hitch in his voice.
"That's not how those people would feel." Mike says softly
Will had been struggling in recent months with how much he could actually do. As he became more adept at battle, Will put more and more pressure on himself. Mike had tried to help but Will was listening less and less. It didn't help that Mike had said versions of this same exchange several times. Mike for his part was starting to feel like a terrible boyfriend.
"Hey Will, I have to step out. Do you need anything when I come back?" Mike's question is cloaked in the need to escape.
Will shook his head and Mike left without another word. A determined stride and a stone face kept Mike together until he got out behind the medical building. He slid down the wall and screamed. He screamed because he was angry that he couldn't take some of this burden from Will. He screamed because he felt helpless watching Will get so hurt.
"Hey Wheelies, what are you screaming into the void about?" A voice called warmly.
Mike took a second to recover from being startled. When he finally looked up he saw a man standing beside him. The man gestured asking if he could sit. Mike nodded.
"Nothing Matt, just frustrated."
Matt Blankenship was a mid-west native that Mike and Will worked with in their crash course basic training. The man was only a few years older than them but somehow seemed miles ahead of them.
Matt's face was always dirty as if he'd been servicing vehicles all day. Mixed in with the man's olive skin, he could have passed for his thirties or forties.
"That scream didn't seem like nothing." Matt offered.
"I-it just-" Mike sputted.
Matt offered a cigarette crinkling the pack and pushing one out. Mike waived him off. Matt lit himself a cigarette and took a long drag. He pushed the smoke out with what Mike swore was a sympathetic noise.
"This situation is all kinds of Fubar." Matt Said.
Mike nearly laughed. Fubar was 'fucked up beyond all recognition' and he'd learned that phrase from his team's pilot.
"I'd scream too if I was a civie serving in a combat capacity." Matt blew out more smoke.
"It's not about me, Will's struggling. I just don't know how to help him." Mike begins to thump on his knee with his hand as a distraction.
"Bright eyes? What's going on?" Matt's concern was instantly evident.
"He's not cut out for this, man. When he was a kid he didn't want to eat animal shaped food because he didn't wanna hurt it." Mike blows out a frustrated breath. He was surprised when Matt didn't laugh.
"Now, he's accepted the violence and that breaks my heart. But he's also blaming himself for every single person that has died on this mission. Because he has these powers-" Mike stopped himself.
"He feels like he should be perfect." Matt said as a statement of fact.
Mike nods.
"Yeah. I get it. We've all been there in one way or another. It can't be easy for him to deal with having that power on top of all of it." Matt said pensively.
Mike let Matt talk hoping the break would let him compose himself.
"Do you think it would help if I spoke to him?" Matt asked after a short silence.
"It really couldn't hurt." Mike shrugged.
Matt stood up.
"Well then, I should go do that. I have a few things to tie up after."
"He might be a bit cloudy still. He had a bad seizure after cutting off the flow this morning."
Mike entered Will's room first to make sure Will was awake and responsive.
"There's someone who wants to see you, Will." Mike said softly.
Will turned his head weakly.
"Hey Blankenship, how goes it?" Will smiled.
"It's not too bad bright eyes. Not too bad. Thanks to you." Matt smiles.
Mike watched as the man leaned over and clasped Will's shoulder.
"My squad would have been crushed without your help today. You pulled us out of the shit." Matt's voice was serious. "You need to take care of yourself. We can handle this until you can recover. If we lose you, we're pretty fucked. Hear me? Rest up. Okay?"
Will nodded with confusion in his eyes.
"If the pressure gets too much and believe me, I know what it's like, please come see me."
Will nodded again.
"Now, both of you do your best to get some real rest. I promise we won't let everything vanish while you do that." Matt smiled. "If you two will excuse me."
Both Mike and Will watched Matt leave. When the door closed, Mike went to Will's bedside. He sat down and reached for Will's hand. A brief silence followed before Mike smiled.
"I know you hate topping, but isn't this just a bit drastic?"
Will blushed.
It took a couple of hours and a few forms but Will was eventually discharged. Mike and Will headed back to their apartment on base for the rest of their time off. General Clarke sent word that he wanted them in his office 'bright and early' the next day. El would be there, which was the first time all three of them would be in a room in nearly two months.
She had frozen both Will and Mike out after Will had joined the fight. She wasn't just mad, she was furious. She wouldn't even tell them where she was staying. Mike said she must have a fortress of solitude now. Will wanted to reach out but could never think of what he might say. Will wondered if she ever went home to see Joyce or Hopper. Neither he or Mike thought so.
This whole invasion had everything messed up and turned around. Friendships were strained, even family relationships. Every adult disapproved of Mike and Will's choice to join up with the military. All of them except Mike's dad Ted. The support had been offered under duress though, Mike threatened that he would go regardless of their thoughts on the matter.
Mike made a small meal of chicken and rice. He made sure Will ate and then took him to bed. Though Mike wasn't tired he stayed by Will's side reading some gaming magazines. One of the benefits of knowing so many military guys from around the country was meeting more nerds like them. Mike and Will had been introduced to Battletech and Warhammer 40k and though they hadn't played, it gave them new worlds to explore.
Mike probably spent two to three hours looking at these magazines before the soft snores of Will seemed too inviting. He reached back and turned off the light and settled into a sleep position. He laid an arm across Will and sighed into his neck.
"I love you Will, goodnight." Mike whispered planting a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek.
Will is lost in a nightmare. At least, he's sure that's what it is. He's seeing the world burning, smoldering, dead. And he's the one that did it. He's laughing, but he doesn't want to be. This is horrifying. Then he watches behind his own eyes as he starts to kill soldiers. Will watches as men's heads are ripped clean off their bodies.
A tank rolls up but is easily crushed by Will's mind. He's hearing screaming and crying. Will can't stop and he's finding that he doesn't want to. He topples a building wall crushing some people to death and he feels nothing. He should feel something and that is what has him scared. Then off in the distance he hears it, Mike Wheeler's voice. Will felt himself take flight and race toward the voice.
He landed gently in front of his best friend. Will did not feel gentle at all right now. He tried to warn Mike, he tried to scream for him to run away. Will's voice was stuck. Mike was speaking softly, trying to bring him back. Then, Will watched in horror as his hands shot out in front of him and turned Mike's head around backwards. Mike's body falls down dead. Will wakes up and starts to feel around for Mike.
He doesn't feel him at first. Then Will finds Mike's arm. He's too afraid to look for anything else. His breath comes out too hard. Will is trying to stop himself from crying, but Mike has already heard him. Will feels Mike scoot closer to him and use a firm embrace. A few tears fall.
"Shhhhhh, it's me Will. It's just me. Shhhhhh, It's okay."
Will can't respond except to move into the embrace. Mike plants a soft kiss on Will's forehead.
"Shhhhhhh, sleep Will, shhhhhhhh."
Will's eyes closed the only sound he could make being a soft whine of fear and relief.
"Shhhhhhhhh" Mike rubs Will's arm. "It's really okay."
And to Will's own surprise he does start to fall back to sleep. Whether it was Mike's coaxing or the warmth of Mike's body, Will couldn't tell.
Across The Base
El was sitting on top of a building. She'd started isolating herself from everyone. Even if they tried to break her bubble she didn't let them. Ever since the mess with Will attempting to seal himself in the upside down. El couldn't stop thinking how much Will's suffering was her fault. Yet he never let her feel that. However, things were changing, the battle was changing. The upside down was straining under Henry's likely return.
El didn't want to lose focus. She wanted more than anything in this world to protect her brother. Any distractions were selfish in her mind. She'd be distracted tomorrow morning when she reported to General Clarke's office. El would be with the two most important people in her life. She shouldn't dread it, but she was.
The Next Morning
Will was sitting on the side of the bed looking worn still. Mike could tell the dreams were getting worse. They both suspected that Vecna had resurrected in the upside down. Too much was happening for that not to be true. Mike sat down next to his boyfriend and put his hand on the man's shoulder.
"Will, are you gonna make it to this meeting?" Mike asked.
"I can't say no to the General, Mike." Will said more irritated than he meant to sound.
"I know sweetheart. I just mean, will you be present there. You drift sometimes." Mike looked at Will with worry.
"I'll grab a shower and we can head over okay?" Will's words and tone were a request to stop this conversation.
"I'll wait out in the living room." Mike's voice came out like an apology.
Mike leaned over and kissed Will on the cheek. Will turned to face Mike then Will stood up and drew Mike up to him and gave him a full blown long tongue kiss. Will did this as a way to let Mike know there wasn't anything to worry about. Mike for his part didn't care why or what the kiss was for.
General Clarke's Office (0730)
"Okay, so your thought is, if this controlling consciousness isn't back that it could be any day?" General Clarke clarified.
"That's each of our beliefs, yes sir." Mike answered.
"So how do we proceed? You and your friends fought this thing more than once, right?"
"No sir, not this particular one. Just entities it created." Mike corrected simply. "But others from our group did fight him and won after El fought him to a standstill."
"And then you-" General Clarke pointed at Will. "You tore apart what you believe was the manifestation of his mind?"
"I believe so, yes." Will answered but seemed uncertain. "The power in me kind of clouds things, so I can't be exactly sure."
"I see." General Clarke stands up from his desk. "So what do we need?"
"You're taking this really well, sir." Mike blurted, not meaning to.
"Son, I've seen everything in three years here. I doubt nothing anymore."
Will speaks up.
"We need to speak with our friends who fought him last time. They know more than we do and if we have to fight, they'll be our upper hand." Will looks into General Clarke's face. "The military will need to trust us even if it seems crazy."
"We still need you here, we just won't know what for." Mike said.
"Well the least I can do is help you put that into motion. We'll gather up your friends and bring them here. You discuss your ideas and strategy and come to me for the logistics. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir." Both men answered in unison. It was then that Will realized El hadn't said a word.
They were all dismissed and left the office. As they did, El picked up her pace to leave Will and Mike behind. Will wordlessly asked Mike to wait for him as he went after her.
"El wait, talk to me. Why have you been avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" Will called and felt his throat tighten.
It was the sound in Will's voice that caused El to stop in her tracks. It took all her strength to turn back and look at him. El's defenses fell instantly looking at his worried and hurt face. She fought back a sob and wanted to turn and run.
Will closed the distance between them. She felt his arms close around her. She felt his strong body pull her in protectively. He didn't say anything. He held his sister and kissed the crown of her head. He draws her head back to look him in the eye.
"Oh El, stop trying to carry the world by yourself. We can help. We all can." Will said softly.
"I know you can. It's just-you're suffering-everyone is suffering because-" El couldn't finish.
"I get how you feel, but that's not how we feel about you Eleven. It's not. Hear me? If we're going to work together and end this thing, you have to stop hiding. We love you. Mike and I want you to stay with us. If we're close to the end of this fight, it will only be for a few days, okay?"
El nodded wiping tears from her face.
"Good girl. Now let's get ready. Our friends will likely all be here by early afternoon."
Will turned back toward where he left Mike. He had waited like an obedient dog. Will smiled and waved him over.
"Hey Eleven." Mike said awkwardly
Hey Michael." El chuckled.
The three of them reunited and hurtling to the finish line. All glad to be in this moment.
"Off to save the world again." Mike smiled broadly.
"Yeah." Will smiled too.
"I love you both." El said suddenly breaking the mood a bit.
"We love you too." Mike said pulling her into a hug of his own. "We really do."
El hadn't expected how much she needed that from Mike. It wasn't a lie, it wasn't forced. It fell from his lips easily and with care. When Mike added the 'we really do' she understood perfectly. She hugged him tightly. She wouldn't let anything happen to these two loves in her life.