Love Made Me Better ~ A Byler Fan Fic

001

TW: Mentions of cancer

Will stared into the small dark locker, letting his eyes scan across the many books it held. Looking inside to the darkness made him feel claustrophobic, like there was no escape.

His thought bubble was burst by a pair of familiar hands latching onto his waist that spun him around. His curly haired, full of sunshine boyfriend Mike Wheeler who always knew how to cheer him up.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Mike asked as he kissed Will's cheek swiftly.

Will laughed a little and slid his backpack off his shoulders, "I was just thinking about how I needed someone tall and strong with black curly hair to hold my bag while I put my books in it." He smiled as Mike took the bag into his hands.

"I'm not strong but I can totally do it." Mike smiled as he opened the bag and let Will place his books in.

Will zipped the bag and put it back on his shoulders, "Walk me to class good sir?" He asked holding his hand out for Mike to take.

"The pleasure is mine sexy." Mike smiled as he held Will's hand.

Will shook his head and nudged Mike, "You always ruin it." He laughed as they approached Will's classroom, "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah just wait a second." Mike said as he pulled Will from going into the classroom, "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked quietly.

Will nodded, "Mike I'm fine, stop worrying." He smiled reassuringly.

"I don't think I can, you've been dropping weight like crazy Will and I can't help but think that you're lying to me." He sighed as he squeezed Will's hand.

"I'm okay Mike." Will smiled as he tugged on Mike's shirt, "Now give me a kiss before I go." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around Mike's neck.

Mike smiled and kissed Will for a few seconds before Jane came over and interrupted them; "Stop fondling my brother." She sighed.

"Hey Jane." Will smiled as he grabbed her arm, "Bye Mike!" He called as he pulled his sister into the classroom.

———

Jane looked over at Will who was already drinking his second bottle of water making her frown, "Are you okay Will?" She asked.

Will nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled.

Jane raised her eyebrow and shook her head, "Will that's your second bottle of water, school started an hour and a half ago."

Will shrugged, "I just feel nauseous." He sighed picking up his pen.

Jane laughed a little, "Did Mike get you pregnant?" She teased.

Will rolled his eyes, "You are so unfunny it hurts." He sighed as the bell rang and the classroom door was filled with students leaving.

"Will, did you tell Mike about your doctors appointment?" She asked pulling Will away from the door before he could leave.

Will looked at her with glassy eyes before blinking his tears away, "No, and I'm not going to until my results come back." He whispered pulling away from her and leaving the classroom.

———

Mike stood beside Will's locker and watched as Will approached him, "Ready for lunch?" He smiled as he watched Will put his books in his locker.

"Of course." Will smiled as he shut the locker door and made his way to the cafeteria with his boyfriend.

After getting lunch Will and Mike took their seats with the rest of the group. As Will sat down, Max, Lucas and Dustin smiled awkwardly at him.

"Hey dude." Dustin said as they watched Will put food onto his fork.

Will looked up at them and rolled his eyes, "Stop fucking looking at me like that." He snapped.

"Will, we're just worried about you." Lucas reassured him.

"Well you don't have to be, I'm fine!" He laughed a little as Mike rubbed his back soothingly.

Mike kissed Will's head and rested his forehead against Will's cheek, "Are you coming to mine later?" Mike whispered.

Will sighed softly, "Mike I'm sorry, my mom asked if I could help her and I said yes." He lied.

Mike looked at Will and nodded, "That's okay." He smiled a little.

"We can hang out tomorrow though." Will reassured him as he continued to eat again.

———

"Whatever they tell us I promise I won't love you any less okay?" Joyce smiled as she held Will's hand tightly.

"Mom I'm gonna be okay." He smiled shaking his head, "You worry too much."

"No I don't, I just love you." She sighed softly, "Have you told Mike?"

Will was silent for a moment before answering, "No, I don't see the point." He sighed.

"Will Byers?" The doctor called, indicating it was time for his appointment, Joyce and Will stood up quickly and walked into the office behind the doctor.

"Take a seat." The doctor smiled as he gestured towards the comfy chairs placed in front of his desk where Joyce and Will took a seat in each one, "So the results are back."

"And they're good?" Will smiled as he looked at the doctors change of expression.

"I'm afraid not." He started, "Will your body has developed a rare type of cancer called gastric cancer, most people know it as stomach cancer." He said bluntly.

Joyce gasped quietly before covering her face, "But it's curable, right?" He laughed nervously.

"You're stage four Will, it's almost incurable." He said quietly, "I have a leaflet here that's tells you all the facts and statistics about stage four gastric cancer." He smiled reassuringly.

Will took the leaflet and stared down at his lap, all the sound around him suddenly stopped and Will felt like he was trapped in a dark, cramped space. Unable to get out or to survive.

"But I'm only seventeen." Will whispered as he teared up.

"Which makes the chance of survival even higher." The doctor smiled, "Twenty out of one hundred people survive stage four gastric cancer Will, I'm positive you'll be apart of the twenty percent."

Joyce grabbed onto Will and refused to let go, both shaking and crying from the news they'd just received.