Two Worlds Apart // Will Byers x Male!OC

iv. - BICKERING

chapter four .||. bickering

[intertwined, sewn together]

Theo waved goodbye to Dustin and Will as he and Archie turned down their street, the rocks bumping under their bike wheels.

"Bye Arch!" Theo shouted over his shoulder when Archie turned into his driveway, both biding good night to each other.

Further down the road, Theo noticed his bike light flicker and tapped on it until it stopped. He thought nothing of it, the battery probably just needed to be changed.

He ignored the feeling of being watching and peddled slightly faster to his driveway, unlocking the door hurriedly and flicking the lights on.

Theo locked the door behind him—checking it after, you could never be too sure—and kicked off his shoes by the rack, hanging his coat up and taking his scarf off. He walked from the living room to the kitchen, pouring himself some cereal as he knew his father was asleep and didn't want to wake him.

Theo walked back to the living room a few minutes later and turned the TV off, tucking his dad—who had passed out on the couch—in before turning off the lights and heading for his room down the hall.

He fell asleep with difficulty that night, the creeping sensation that something bad was coming for him. The dark felt as if it was bleeding in from the edges of the town and crawling towards him, taunting him.

His bedroom lamp flickering kept him up as well, to the point of where he had to lean over and unplug it.

Theo didn't notice it flicker again when he turned over in his bed, closing his eyes and getting restless sleep plagued with nightmares.

Theo woke up in a cold sweat, he didn't remember much of his nightmare. All he knew as that it was dark. And cold. And Will was there. Then it changed to outside in the woods, a boy and a girl. Both bald. Both scared, he could feel their fright suffocating him. Their sheer, unbridled terror crushing his chest and squeezing his lungs.

He woke up a nearly two hours earlier than he usually did, taking a quick shower to wash the cool sweat that stuck to his skin off. Theo and Benny talked over cereal before the man headed to the door for work. "Hey, Bear?" Theo turned to his father, "Yeah, Dad?" Benny walked from the door to Theo, ruffling his hair. "I love you, kiddo."

Usually Theo would push his dad away with a comment on how sappy the man was, or exclaim how gross that was. This time, Theo paused and looked up at his dad with a smile. This time he felt compelled to tell his dad that he loves him, just in case. "Love you too, Dad." He gave Benny a quick hug, walking towards the sink. "Have fun at work!" He called out, hearing the front door open and close.

Fifteen minutes later, Theo grabbed his bag and pulled on his red Chuck Taylor's that had drawings on them, and headed out the door.

His itchy grandpa sweater—it smelled like a grandpa too—pooled over his slim frame and he had to bunch the sleeves to use his hands. But the sleeves of his overcoat hid that fact temporarily. His pants weren't as bad, a bit big, but they were manageable. "Do you have a-any other clothes?" Archie asked from where he was perched at the end of the Hammond driveway, rolling his eyes.