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"Holy fucking shit!"
In an instant, Ethan runs to Will as he wipes the blood trailing from his nose. He pounds him into a hug as Joyce approaches, limping to the boys.
"Oh, my God!" Ethan giggles, wrapping Will in a hug, "You're a Sorcerer! A real-life Sorcerer! I told you! I told you, you could do it!"
Will hides in Ethan's shoulder, muttering his name with an airy laugh. "Ethan, Ethan! Oh my God, are you okay?" He quickly pulls away to inspect his face, blood trailing down his nose.
Ethan nods as Will pulls his hand away from his scalp. His fingertips are laced with bright red blood. Will's face morphs into a look of fear and concern as Joyce pounds him in a hug. Will smiles, but keeps his eyes set on Ethan next to him. He holds his bloody fingers away from his mom, not wanting to get Ethan's blood all over her.
She inspects Will before letting him go, allowing him to fall into Ethan's arms, exhausted and running on droplets of adrenaline. The boys smile, tired, hearts beating out of their chests. Ethan feels his heart warm, so hot he feels it might melt. Just... holding Will in his arms, seeing him overcome the trauma that buried its way into him, seeing him fight and become one with who he was. Will clings to Ethan for dear life, taking short, slow breaths to calm himself down. He feels this... weird numbness in his stomach. It feels good.
Will slowly rises from the clutches of Ethan's hug, his brows turn down in concern and worry. Joyce allows him to wrap an arm around her for support.
"Vecna... he's got the kids," he mutters.
"Yeah, I know," Ethan exhales, "The three we had with us."
"No," Will lowly mutters, "Not just them."
Ethan and Joyce quickly furrow their brows, staring at the boy with the bowl cut for answers.
"The others, they didn't make it out of Hawkins," he explains, "I... I could've helped them fight if I had just acted sooner. But... I was too late. And now, he's got all of them. All twelve. The batteries." Will slowly looks between Ethan and Joyce, "We failed. I failed."
Joyce quickly shakes her head, "No."
Before she can get another word out, the flapping of helicopters interrupts. They follow the sound to the sky, seeing lights emerging in the night, illuminating the burning military base.
"C'mon," Ethan instructs, "We gotta go. Into the tunnels."
Will presses his weight onto Joyce, but it seems she alone can't handle the limp weight of him. Ethan quickly takes notice, looking between the two before grabbing both of their free hands. He shuts his eyes tight, trying not to focus on the helicopters, the fire, or the pulsing gate behind them.
Sparkles, almost like glitter, in a way, emerge from his hands. Joyce shares a nervous look with Will, but he doesn't seem scared. If anything, a little excited.
