𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐈 𝐆𝐎 - 𝐵𝑌𝐿𝐸𝑅

It's Always Tease, Tease, Tease

Mike

"Will!" The lanky boy turns a corner, instantly recognizing his friend standing by the wall. He comes to a stop a few feet away, frowning at the stillness of the other boy. The air around them is almost electric, and incredibly still. "Will?"

He turns, eyes almost appearing black for half a second before he blinks and it returns to normal. "Yeah?" Will asks, arms wrapped around himself as Mike takes a few steps towards him. In response, the other boy shuffles backwards. Something about the situation is wrong to Mike, but he quickly shakes that thought off. It's just Will.

"I thought we were gonna meet in the stairwell?" Mike asks with a small smile, watching the other boys' eyebrows furrow before he nods slowly.

"Sorry, I think I got lost." Mike looks over his shoulder, already imagining Dustin freaking out over the two of them being gone so long.

"That's okay." He replies with a wider smile, motioning Will to follow him with a hand. "C'mon, we found Robin. Apparently everyone else got caught."

"Even my brother?" Will asks, voice strangely cold. Mike glances at him as they walk back towards the stairs, trying not to look like he thinks Will is acting weird.

"Yeah, but it's not like we can bail them out. Dustin's sending out a code red cause if El is close enough her walkie will pick up on it." Will's lips downturn suddenly, expression souring and Mike looks away without questioning it. He's probably just worried about his mom, to be fair Mike himself had been trying not to think about the group and not for the same reasons. Him and El hadn't spoken, even after Mike's declaration that's starting to feel closer to a rehearsed speech than a heartfelt admittance.

He knows he shouldn't be feeling this way, not after being so distraught at the idea of El leaving him. But it wasn't like last time when she dumped him when he was so scared of El not needing him. Of losing his first love. No, this time it was more terror for her. Not for them.

"Finally!" Dustin hisses when they meet him on the second first floor landing. "You guys were taking forever, and in the meantime I got in contact with Lucas."

"Nothing from El?" Mike asks in a whisper, kneeling on the steps beside Robin who looks a little worse for wear. Her flannel button up is covered in dirt, and there's a cut on her cheek.

"Nada." She speaks up, clearing her throat. "But we did see Demo-Dogs on our way in here so we should probably..." she points a thumb over her shoulder with a twitch of her head.

"But we still haven't found vecna." Mike interjects, biting his lip slightly. "I mean, that was the whole point right?"

"Yeah, but we also don't want to die- and we need to get the others." Dustin argues, arms crossed over his chest.

"Mike's right." Will finally speaks, and Mike looks over his shoulder to see the boy shuffle closer. He looks oddly pale, and there are dark circles under his eyes. "We should check out the basement where the original gate was, that way we can know for sure whether Vecna's in this dimension or not." He shrugs, arms tightening around himself.

"See?" Mike smiles smugly.

"Okay, I get your point." Robin sighs. "But seeing as i'm your babysitter now, i vote we leave and make Hopper do it." Mike groans, loudly.

"I'm so sick of being benched! We've saved the world like three times now- when are you going to start letting us do things to help?" He throws his hands up, and even Dustin nods his agreement. Mike can't help but think back to the hundreds of times the party has told them to sit, stay, and don't get involved El will handle it.