Salt To The Wound (A Stranger Things Story)

Season 5-Chapter 8: Art (Wills POV

Will found his happy place, a place he felt was safe, Art. All he had to do was look at the canvas and move his hands and it'd create whatever was on his mind. It was a skill he acquired throughout his practice, and lately, it distracted him from the horrible shit going on around him.

Will missed his dad, Lucas, and everyone else he lost in the past year. He also resented T-11 for causing this to happen. She built those portals, got close to him, sabotaged everything, and he was happy she was gone, for now.

"Hey, what you doing?" Joyce asked and Will smiled. "Well right now I'm painting, well I don't know what I'm painting, my hands kind of just do it," Will said and Joyce nodded. "I'm not ready for you to leave," Joyce said, and Will turned. "Don't worry about me, it's only like 6 years, I'll be back to visit," Will said and Joyce crossed her arms. "Still, why did you grow up so fast? I still remember holding you as a baby," Joyce said and Will rolled his eyes. "Stop being so cringe," Will said and Joyce smiled. "Well watch Holly for me, I'm going out to the store," Joyce said and Will nodded.

Will was pretty distant from his friends since the events in July, but he was most distant with Max. It was as if the group split off into separate duos. It was Troy and Dustin, Will and Mike, and Max and El. He wanted to bring the group back together, contrary to before, but he didn't know how, and they were separated because everyone had their shit to deal with. He wasn't affected by this, he did lose Lucas, but not anyone else that close to him, he didn't know how to comfort anyone else either.

His mom was driving him to school, and he looked out the window, completely zoned out. He was only thinking about his friends, and how to help them, but most importantly, Mike, they haven't talked or done much together recently. He honestly missed Mike, he wanted to go hug him, and tell him everything would be okay. And luckily, his popularity in the school died down a little with the new batch of underclassmen.

He walked down the hallway, looking around for Mike, but he simply couldn't find him. He just walked to his class, thinking Mike just stayed home that day.

He walked inside the class, the only class he had with Max. He sat down next to her, and she didn't acknowledge he was there. She seemed to be thinking about her things, Will was doing the same. "Hey Maxine, William, you two with me today?" The teacher asked and both were snapped out of their fantasy. The two looked at each other and then back at him. "So, all that daydreaming, you must know the answers because obviously, my lessons are too boring for you both," the teacher said and Will gulped. Max seemed to have a clear mind as well, the two just stared at the teacher awkwardly.

He walked out of the classroom and saw Mike, talking with Karen, who was sadly their new principal. It didn't seem as if Mike was trying to leave or anything, it was as if both were enjoying the conversation. Mike smiled at Karen and she smiled back before she left. Will walked up to Mike, smiling, "oh hey," Mike said, "hey," Will said back, it was kind of awkward between the two, considering they haven't talked in about two weeks. "How've you been?" Mike asked and Will shrugged, "Okay I guess, how about you?" Will asked and he shrugged. "Same, not the best, not the worst," Mike said and Will smiled. "Well, want to, I don't know, catch up later?" Mike asked and Will nodded, trying to hide his excitement, "sounds good," Will said, he then walked away to his next class.

After school, he went over to Mike's house, for their hangout, it'd be the first time they'd hung out since before the misfortunate events. He knocked on the door and Mike answered. "Hey," Mike said and Will smiled, "hey," he said, the two then hugged and held it for a while. "I've missed you so much," Mike said and Will agreed, "me too," Will said. They then entered the house and caught up, they told each other everything that's happened in the past two weeks. Little did Will know, Mike was hiding a huge secret from him.