Catastrophic Life (Will Byers x Reader)

The Flayed

We were all in Mike's basement. I was sitting next to Will. There's a big bruise on my neck and it hurts breathe and talk. Good thing I'm not Mike. Will was holding me in his arms. He won't let go of me now- I don't mind, though.

El is right now blindfolded, trying to find out where Hopper is. The blood is running down her nose. She also has a bruise on her neck but not as dark and big. He, for some reason, put added pressure on me.

"I found him." El says.

"Where is he?" Max asks, leaning forward a bit.

"Woods." El says, plainly.

"Woods?" Lucas questions.

"He's with...Will's mom." El speaks.

"My-My mom?" Will asks. He tightens his grip again.

"What are they doing?" Max asks.

"Ill...annoy. They're going to Ill-annoy." El explains, the best she could. We then heard knocking on the door.

"Mike! Breakfast!" Karen, Mike's mom, screams from upstairs.

"Not now mom!" He yells back.

"Illinois? Illinois, like the state? The state of Illinois?" Mike asks. El takes her blindfold off and shrugs.

"Ill-annoy." She stammers.

(Tiny Time Skip)

Max, El, and I are in the bathroom. Max is wiping the blood off of El's nose.

"I'm sorry I didn't help." I say, raspily.

"It's not your fault. He grabbed you before you could." Max says.

"Yeah. Don't blame you." El says.

"Yourself, El." Max corrects her.

"Yourself. Sorry." El says, correcting herself. I chuckled.

"Plus, well actually an added bonus... It's so cute to see Will hold you like that. And I just love it." Max says, as she squeals.

"Yes. He just holds you tight in his arms." El says. I playfully roll my eyes at them.

El and I look in the mirror and see the bruise on our necks. I run my hand over it and wince.

"Does it hurt?" Max asks. I just look at her, giving her a look.

"Sorry. Dumb question. El, does it hurt?" She asks, while also correcting herself.

"Only when I talk." El says.

"Well, Y/n, WHEN does it hurt?" She asks.

"When I talk, cough, and breathe. Only sometimes on the breathing though." I answered.

"Welp, good thing you're both not Mike then. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." And you'd be in constant pain." Max mocks. We all chuckle a little. We then overhear the boys talking.

"Something's not right. I can't get Hopper off my back all summer, now all of a sudden, he's hiking with Will's mom to Illinois? And Dustin's MIA, too? I mean, this can't be a coincidence." Mike says. I look at Max then to El and roll my eyes.

"What does it matter? The bottom line is, they're not here. It's up to us." Lucas explains.

"Up to us to do what exactly?" Mike asks.

"Find Billy and stop him." Lucas says back.

"Okay, yeah, that's a really nice sentiment, but even if El could find him again, and that's a pretty big if, then what?" Mike argues.