What Once Was

Hope

Mike and I continued to talk for a while, just about stupid things like pineapple on pizza and how California was. It was late but we got permission to stay overnight at the hospital to be with Max. 

I decided to have a private conversation with Max now that she was finally awake. Max has known for a while that I am gay. We became good friends when Mike and El Broke up last year, bonding over the slight hatred for Mike we both have. Hers stems from him just being an ass to El and mine is because of how he dropped everything for my sister when I have been by his side forever. 

"Max, I want to come out to Mom and El tomorrow," I say quietly, hoping no one could hear our conversation. Max sighs slightly seeming worried. "Will, I want you to be able to do that." She says slowly. "But do you think they will support you?" I could make out a slightly weary expression across her face. 

"I think so, El would need it explained because I don't think she knows what gay is. But she is a girl who has superpowers, I don't think me being gay would really affect much for her." I whisper, "I think my mom has always suspected something like that and has always been very supportive of me, so I'm not too worried about coming out to her either." I say in a hushed voice, looking around us to make sure we weren't being watched. 

 "Then, I think if you are sure about it, you should do it," Max says grinning at me. "Please let me know tomorrow Will, you know I always have your back." Her expression turns solemn again worried for me. 

 I walk away back to Mike and sit down. He looks half asleep as he turns his head to look at me. "Hey Will, what's up?" He asks. "Just coming to sit down, you look exhausted." I say with a laugh. "I was going to go to sleep because you didn't seem like you were going to come back from talking with Max for a while." He says. "What were you talking about anyway?" "Nothing that you need to know about Wheeler," I say, hoping to play it off like I was teasing him so he doesn't continue to ask questions. 

Suddenly I feel the familiar tingling feeling on the back of my neck, my eyes widen slightly and I start to panic. I can't let them know that Henry has been talking to me and trying to convince me to join him. "Uh, hey. I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick Mike." I say trying to make this as quick as possible. I start to walk away as I hear Mike call ok from behind me.

The moment I close the door to the bathroom I am back in the upside down looking at Henry. "You know it will never happen Will. Your mom and sister will never accept you. Your friends wont either. Mike will never love you. When you decide to come out they wont care for you. They already throw you off to the side as if you are some old object that is no longer useful. Do you think anything will ever change? Do you really think it will get better when you come out to them? It will get worse Will, and you know it." His voice is filled with a mix of fury and pity. He looked at me as if I was a poor puppy that had just been kicked to the ground. 

 "That wont happen. My mom will accept me, Max knows I am gay, El is a girl with super powers who doesn't understand what gay is. They will and do accept me, and that is enough support for me." I say, my voice shaking. I am so nervous that it will all go wrong, and Henry isn't helping. But that is what he wants, and I am not letting him get to me. "Leave me alone Henry, I'm not going to join you." 

I walk back out of the bathroom and back to Mike. My entire body feels weak with the sudden realization that I am exhausted. I sit down on the semi comfortable couch next to Mike. "I'm exhausted." I say. "Me too," Mike responds. I look around to see that most of people in the hospital room are asleep. As I am distracted I feel the weight of Mikes head on my shoulder. "Lets go to sleep. I'll go grab some blankets." Mike stands up and walks to the closet filled with blankets and sheets and selects a few soft blankets a long with pillows. While he does that I pull off my shoes. Mike comes back over and pulls his shoes off. We both settle into the couch and Mike starts to drift off. Mike is very close to me and kind of cuddling into me. I try to keep my cool as I feel the warm invitation of sleep wash over my body. 

 -Next Morning- 

I wake up and Mike has is arms wrapped around me and is practically on top of me. I start to panic but try no to wake him. He looked exhausted last night and I knew he needed the sleep. I put my head down hoping I could maybe fall asleep again when Mike wakes up aswell. I don't think he fully understands where he is until he looks around. "Good morning" I say groggily to him. "Morning Will." 

 Suddenly we are startled by the sound of a nurse walking in. "Good morning. Some of your parents are waiting downstairs. I was sent to get Will Byers, Jane Hopper and Michael Wheeler" I groan and get up. El is already awake and getting ready. I pull my shoes on and fold the blankets Mike and I used last night placing them neatly on the couch with the pillows. I walk to the door and wait for Mike and El to be finished. All three of us walk down stairs to our parents. 

El greets mom and gets in the car. I start to walk in before Mike calls my name and asks me to stop. "I'm sorry that this is all happening, I hope that everything gets better soon Will. We will all pull through and save this town in the end like we always do." He smiles and gives me a hug. I blush but hug back trying not to make it weird. "Thank you Mike, I think I needed that." He walks away to his dad's car as I climb into my mom's. 

Authors note- Sorry for not updating for over 5 months. I have been getting sick like every month and the doctors don't know wtf I have. This latest time which is currently is almost 2 weeks of being sick. I have also been very caught up with school work and such. I am going to be getting to a more normal schedule of posting and am currently starting on chapter 4. I now also have someone to help me edit and brainstorm this story. We have gotten a rough layout of the earlier bits of this story. I hope as I go along my writing gets better, and I hope it has improved since i last posted! As always constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thanks for reading. (I may post the next chapters through the next few days too make up for the almost 6 months I was inactive. But this will not be regular X)