#go read it on ao3 and give me attention GRRRR

[lighthouseas]

all i can breathe is your life

@booksandpaperss here is the fic! the rest is on ao3 and is linked below :)

mike gets severely injured and almost dies before him and will can spend the rest of their lives together. but he doesn't die. and now Will needs to find the guts to ask him something. which should be easy. they're dating. right?

OR

byler fluff with some angst mixed in. kind of chaotic but yeah

TW/CW: blood, severe injury, hospitals, swearing

May 2nd, 1989. Hawkins Hospital, Indiana.

Will was terrified of crushing the flowers. But what else was there to hold onto? The stupid hospital smelled like a mix of smoke and hand sanitizer with a twinge of death mixed in; there were people running every which way, shouting unintelligible things that he didn’t want to understand; it was just like 1983, when he had his turn, and had to spend a few nights here.  It was a time he’d rather not remember, but he had to be here for…reasons.  

Because, the truth was, Will had a very important question he needed to ask. Immediately.  Immediately as in, right now, because not only was he on a time crunch but he knew he’d lose his nerve if he didn’t.  He already had multiple times.

Despite having sat outside Room 304 for a good half an hour, nobody had come to tell him it was okay to come in yet.  Will was starting to get antsy.  He glanced down at the flowers; they had been expensive, because, well, Will wanted to make sure he got the very best ones (they were also custom arranged, upon his request. He certainly wouldn’t be able to buy that game he’d been wanting, but, oh well).  They were a mix of yellow irises, blue salvias, and - Will’s personal favorite - forget-me-nots.  An embarrassing amount of research had gone into creating the arrangement, but for what it was worth, he didn’t think it looked half bad.  Hopefully, they didn’t deter what he was trying to ask.  Maybe they would.  

Suddenly, Will was very, very nervous.

His leg bounced absentmindedly.  Maybe the hospital staff forgot he was here.  Maybe he’d get mad at him for being late.  Hell, maybe he was still recovering -

“Will Byers?”

Will jumped up, coming face to face with the nurse standing outside the hallway door.  She smiled at him, motioning him towards the hallway.

“You can see him now.”

Oh.

Will audibly gulped, trying his best to compose himself (and failing miserably). Luckily, the nurse’s back was to him, so she couldn’t see how he was fidgeting or how he was turning redder and redder by the second. He played with the stems of the flowers while still trying his very best not to snap them, when suddenly, the creak of a door opening could be heard, and the nurse was motioning him inside a room.

Room 304.

Oh.

The room had obviously been well used; it almost looked like a living space. Ripped open packages of various feel-better-present-like items lay strewn across the floor.  The walls were covered in drawings and sketches and paintings - the most important of which was pinned right above the occupied bed.

“Without heart, we’d all fall apart.”

Will’s painting.

And all of Will’s drawings.

All plastered around the room.

And, laying in the middle of it all, covered by dull blue hospital bed covers and a less-than-flattering hospital gown hastily covering thick bandages, looking utterly pissed at everything, was none other than Michael Wheeler.  He looked distraught. And tired.

And beautiful.

God, Will had missed him so much.  Even if it had only been a few weeks since they last saw each other, every day they did was a gift.

Because a few months ago, Will thought - no, he was sure he had lost Mike for good.

***

November 14th, 1988. The Upside Down.

“Mike. Mike. Wake up. Please, Mike, no, I can’t - I can’t lose you again, fuck -”

Vecna was gone. Defeated. Dead. Will had…he had actually killed him.  El was almost done closing the gates, only waiting for Mike and Will to crawl out of the last remaining one.  Everything was going to be alright. They were okay.  They were okay, and they were going to go to prom together in the spring, because they had it all planned out, there was going to be an impromptu celebration of their graduation of high school, and him and Mike could slow dance without worry of what others thought, and-

Except that was all a dream, now.

Mike was dead. Really, truly dead - and it was all Will’s fault.

All Mike had wanted to do was help Will - to help him defeat Vecna - and while running past Will, shouting something inaudible, and  stabbing a sword directly through Vecna’s heart, where it would hurt the most, Mike had made a crucial mistake.

He had turned around…to speak to Will.

“I love you.”

Will should’ve known - he should’ve known that a stab to the heart wouldn’t do shit to Vecna - but he was naive, and he felt his heart melt, and was about to respond, because for a moment, he really thought Vecna had died. Mike had killed him, right?

And then,

A scream.

A pained, horrified scream.

The sword - now pulled straight out of him via Vecna himself, still covered in Vecna’s blood, pierced straight through Mike instead.  What looked like…

Through his heart.

Will’s painting was wrong…all wrong.  Mike wasn’t saving anyone - he was bleeding, red blood splattering everywhere as the sword dug into him, and he was going to die.  Mike was going to die.

All Will could do was watch in horror as the boy he loved, the boy he had cherished most in this world, one of the only fucking people who understood him - he had to watch as he rose above the hellish landscape, broken, mangled, then thrown across it with psychic force, landing somewhere beyond Will, blood covering everywhere imaginable, with limbs twisted at not quite right angles, and head smashed against a hoard of vines -

Will didn’t even have time to think.  All he could do was react.  

In a blinding rage - a rage only a world such as the Upside Down could contain - something had been unleashed.  Something Will knew had been lying dormant inside him for years.

Now, Vecna was dead.

And so was Mike.

“Mike.” Will couldn’t breathe. “ Mike.”

Yet, despite Will’s begging, Mike’s mangled body lay motionless, now turning cold as spores began to fall upon it.  Will felt hot tears roll down his cheeks, which soon turned into uncontrollable sobs, and shrieks, and choruses of “why him, why him, why him” going around and around inside his head.

Carefully, ever so carefully, Will placed a hand over Mike’s heart, closing his eyes as tears continued to fall from them, wetting Mike’s bloodied shirt.  The blade - it had missed Mike’s heart by mere centimeters, yet it had been enough to stop its beating.  A gaping hole lay in his chest, making Will want to gag.  His right leg and left arm were both mangled and broken.

Will took a deep breath, his thoughts only consisting of the boy laying in his arms.

“Please,” he murmured. “Please live. Live for me. I - I need you.”

Read the rest on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43202595

[mageicalwishes]

A Smashing Summer - Chapter 3

Read on AO3: here

Read the previous chapter (On Tumblr): here

Summary: “I’m egging your house for a dare, but you’re parent is a cop and now they’re yelling at me, so I told them you were my ex and you wronged me, and now you’re coming outside, so please just go along with this, I really don’t want to go to jail” AU When Simon Snow agreed to egg some posho’s house, he never thought he’d find himself here - The only thing standing between himself and a criminal charge, the word of a handsome stranger.

Chapter: 3/?

Words: 1,694

Simon

I slide down against the sofa, pulling my phone out of my pocket, with a smile.

ME (19:57): Hey, hey, hey, Bazaroo!

ME (19:57): I’m super glad you liked the scones! They’re my absolute faveee

ME (19:57): I’ll bring enough to share next time :)

ME (19:58): How are you today?

To my delight, my phone buzzes with a response, almost immediately.

BP (19:58): If you ever call me that again, I will block your number. I’m not even joking.

BP (19:58): And, I’m pretty good, thanks. Yourself?

ME (19:59): Aw :( Imma just have to keep trying different names till I find one you like, then :p

ME (19:59): I’m great! Had a pretty good day today :)

ME (20:00): Sorry I didn’t message earlier btw - It’s been a busy day! Me and the lads went into town and played some footie, and then I had to do some dumb history essay (Idk who told my history teacher she could set homework in the holidays, but I wanna fight them!)

ME (20:00): I fucking despise the Tudors. I mean, why the fuck would I care about socio-economic policies from like a million years ago! Grrrr!

BP (20:01): No worries, Snow. I understand.

BP (20:01): That is unfortunate - But, you got lucky with the Tudors, to be honest. I’d rather that, than the bloody Industrial Revolution. That is mind-numbingly dull!

BP (20:02): But, I hate to break it to you - If you think the Tudor dynasty was a million years ago, then maybe you should reconsider your subject choice. You’ll definitely fail the A-level, if that’s your level of understanding.

ME (20:03): Aha trueee. Sucks to be you :p

ME (20:03): And stfu!! I know it wasn’t actually a million years ago, you tosser! I was BEING dramatic - You should've realised, you know ALL about that, Mr. Roll-your-eyes-every-two-fucking-seconds.

BP (20:04): I’m unconvinced.

Stupidly, I scoff aloud - Drawing Nathan’s attention away from the television and over to me. He stands, trudging over, and plopping down onto the sofa besides me.

I groan, frustrated.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing. Nothing … Just wondering who you’re texting,” he drawls, the mocking amusement clear in his tone. “Got yourself a new girlfriend, or something?”

“No! I’m just talking to Penny,” I defend, my voice rising suspiciously. Fuck. I’m such a crap liar.

“You know, I know you’re lying, right?”

“Obviously,” I drone. “Just … Butt out of it, though, yeah? Please.”

“Alright, alright” he laughs, throwing his hands up in a mock surrender. “I’ll leave you be. But, if you wanna keep your little buddy a secret - I’d advise against laughing at their messages in the bloody common room, you divvy.”

“Noted,” I sigh, turning towards the door. “Don’t tell Josh though, yeah?”

“Sure, Simon. If that’s what you want, your secret is safe with me.”

“Cheers, mate.” I smile. “You’re the best.”

“I know, I know. I’m amazing. Just go and text them, you mug!”

I do (Obviously). Quickly jogging upstairs, and locking myself in the bathroom - Where I’m safely hidden from prying eyes. Laying myself down in the bathtub, I hammer out a reply, sending it off Baz immediately.

ME (20:13): Whatever, dickhead!!

ME (20:13): Also soz I didn’t answer. Nathan was being nosy lol.

ME (20:13): Anyway … You been up to much today?

Baz

Just as I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I won’t be receiving a response, my phone buzzes loudly against my bedside table - My chest swelling pathetically, as I reach out and grab it.

Typing out a response, I find myself smiling - Unbridled joy melting away my impassive neutrality.

ME (20:14): No worries, Snow. It’s not as though I’m just sitting here, desperately awaiting your every response. I do have a life outside of you, you know.

That's not exactly true ... But, he doesn’t need to know that.

ME (20:14): And, no, not really. I’ve mostly just been reading. I did try to teach Mordelia how to play chess, though - Which was fairly disastrous.

SS (20:15): Lol! Sounds good :)

SS (20:15): Who is Mordelia, though?

SS (20:15): Is that your girlfriend?

I stare at my phone, blankly - Trying to formulate a response.

ME (20:17): Seriously?

Barely a second after I've send it, my phone starts buzzing furiously - Message after message, pouring in.

SS (20:17): What?

SS (20:17): That’s a perfectly valid question!

SS (20:17): You haven’t mentioned anyone called Mordelia, I swear to God!

SS (20:18): I’d remember, for sure.

SS (20:18): It’s not exactly a common name

ME (20:19): I know that, Snow. I was referring to the girlfriend question!

ME (20:19): I thought that we had already established that, a girlfriend isn’t exactly on the cards for me - Given the whole fake ex-boyfriend situation.

SS (20:20): Bi people exist, you moron!

SS (20:20): I’m Bi. Lol.

SS (20:20): I didn’t wanna assume you were only into guys … Or that you were even really into them at all.

SS (20:21): You totally could’ve been Bi!

SS (20:21): Or straight! The whole ex-boyfriend thing was a lie, remember? - You could’ve just been a straight bro, pretending to be into dudes, to help me out.

SS (20:22): It aint a dumb question, really. So … Don’t be annoying!!

Oh. Okay.

Newly nervous, I begin typing out my response - Ensuring that I sound perfectly unphased.  

ME (20:22): Christ, Snow! You seriously have to stop sending so many texts in a row. My phone is going to have a meltdown, if you keep it up.

Hesitating slightly, I continue.

ME (20:23): But, you’re right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to make it to sound as though Gay and Straight were the only options. I could’ve been Bi … Or Straight, I suppose. But, to clarify - I’m definitely not. I’m gay.

ME (20:24): I guess that - Where I’ve known since I was eleven, and I stopped trying to hide it a while ago now, I sort of forget that it isn’t immediately apparent to everybody else. Everyone in my Family knows. Everyone at College, too. So, I just, sort of, forget that I can still be perceived as anything other than what I actually am.

SS (20:26): Hush you! I like multiple texts!! It’s easier to keep my track of my thoughts, like that. If I try to put it all in one text, I forget what I wanna say.

SS (20:26): And dw about it, it’s chill! I know you didn’t mean it like that, I was just teasing :)

SS (20:27): I get what you mean tho. Coming out was so scary … But now I sort of forget that not everybody knows. I just like to assume they do lol. It’s stopped being such a big thing, now that I can just, like, relax about it.

Unsure of how to respond, I type out a simple …

ME (20:28): Yeah.

SS (20:28): Yeah :)

SS (20:28): Seriously, tho. Who is Mordelia? You never actually answered me lol.

ME (20:29): She’s my little sister.

SS (20:30): Oh lol! That’s crazy! I didn’t think you had a sibling.

SS (20:30): You don’t give off doting big brother vibes.

SS (20:31): More like … Spoiled only child, ones. LOL! :D

SS (20:31): Is she your only sibling?

Unable to help myself, I chuckle, quietly.  

ME (20:32): Very funny, Snow. But I never said I was doting! I may be their brother, but I still have standards.

ME (20:33): And, no (Unfortunately). I have three more - Two sisters, and a brother. They’re my step-siblings technically, though. And they’re quite a bit younger than me. So, I was an only child for quite a long time.

SS (20:33): Cool!

SS (20:34): Do they all have stupidly posh names, too?

SS (20:34): And, do you like having siblings?

SS (20:35): I always wanted a brother, when I was little!

ME (20:36): Yes. Unfortunately, my family are incapable of picking normal names.

ME (20:37): And, yes. Most of the time, anyway. It’s nice to always have somebody to talk to - Or to play with (Although, I think I would’ve appreciated that more, if the age-gap wasn’t quite so wide). But, they do drive me up the wall, sometimes! Mordelia has taken to drawing all over my revision notes, recently - I’m sure you can imagine how I felt about that!

SS (20:40): Aw, yeah. That sounds nice!

SS (20:40): LMAO! THAT’S HILARIOUS! I feel bad for her tho … I’d hate to have your wrath turned on me! You'd probs make me cry lol.

ME (20:41): Yes, well. Despite what you think - My wrath was, evidently, not strong enough! She’s still bloody doing it!

SS (20:43): Aha lol! I like her! She sounds as stubborn as you.

————————————————————————————

A soft rap on the door, disturbs me from my conversation with Snow.

“Baz, Honey? Are you in there?” Daphne calls, her voice sweet and cautious.

“Yeah? You can open the door. It’s fine - I’m decent.”

“Okay,” she hums, pushing the door open slightly, and peeping her head in. “I just wanted to let you know that I'm about to start plating up dinner.”

“Alright,” I smile. “Thank you. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Perfect. See you then,” she sings, turning and leaving the room.

Hastily, I rattle out a text to Snow.

ME (21:14): As much as I am enjoying this, I have to go now, Snow. Sorry.

SS (21:14): Aw :( How come?

ME (21:15): I’ve got to go and eat dinner.

SS (21:15): At nine ?!?

ME (21:16): Yes, Snow - At nine. I must compliment you on your time-telling abilities!  

ME (21:16): My Father insists that we eat dinner together as a family, but he was working late tonight … So, nine P.M steak it is.

SS (21:17): Aw fuck! You have steak! I’m well jel :(((

SS (21:17): But, okay, no worries! Hope you enjoy your dinner.

SS (21:18): TTYL :D

ME (21:18):  Will do! Talk to you later. Goodbye for now :)