Same Blood, Different Feelings ~OC x Will Byers~

Chapter Five: Shock Jock

"Oscar!" Will choked out a sob as he hugged Oscar tightly. Oscar weakly hugged him back, burying his face in his shoulder.

"Will, how- how did you-" Oscar started shakily.

"He's a sorcerer!" Mike exclaimed as he ran over to them. "An honest to god, real life sorcerer!" He hugged them both briefly before looking at Will excitedly. "You did it! You did it!"

Will paled. "The kids...Vecna took them..." Joyce came over to them worriedly. "All of them."

~

They retreated into the tunnels and headed for the radio tower. They found Lucas on the way and he had a bad gash on his chest from a Demogorgeon but was otherwise okay.

"So you were able to tap into the hive mind...this changes the game, doesn't it?" Lucas asked hopefully as they walked through the tunnels.

Will frowned deeply. "I don't know. But I'm worried." He looked at Oscar, who was pretty quiet the whole the time. 

~

They made it back to the radio tower and Joyce explained the plan. "The goal is simple, we get Will close to the hive mind, once he's in, he jacks back in, only this time he doesn't go after a demo, he goes after Vecna. One blow, takes him out." Joyce hesitated. "So... any thoughts?"

"That's great but how do we connect him back into the hive mind?" Robin frowned.

Everyone fell silent, and Murray decided they should take a break and eat.

~

Oscar was outside the radio tower, getting some air. It was times like these where he longed for a cigarette.

Mike stepped outside and looked relieved when he found him. He came over and spoke hesitantly. "...Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." Oscar muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall.

"...So we uh, we came up with two other plans. Erica and Murray are gonna get Mr. Clarke in on all of this and see if he can build a tracker to find Dustin and the others. We're also gonna try and jumpstart a Demogorgeon back to life and use that so Will can tap into the hive mind." Mike explained.

Oscar huffed, looking up at the sky. "Great."

Mike frowned. "...What's going on, Oscar? I mean...it feels like lately...like you've been keeping a lot to yourself."

"I'm fine, Mike." Oscar told him plainly.

"Yeah you keep saying that," Mike huffed. "But it's bullshit. It's bullshit." He gave him a serious, concerned gaze. "I'm worried about you, Scar."

Oscar frowned. "You don't need to worry about me, Mike."

"Well too bad, cause I am!" Mike snapped, stepping closer. "You're hiding something! Something happened when Vecna grabbed you and you aren't telling anyone, not even me! What is going on with you, Oscar!?"

His words made Oscar hesitate. There's never been anything he couldn't tell Mike. Mike's always understood him, no matter what. 

But he's not sure there's anything he could say to make Mike understand this.

So, instead, he gently set his hands on Mike's shoulders and gave him a reassuring smile. "Mike...it's gonna be fine. You know me. I need you to trust me that I know what I'm doing. You're right, Vecna...showed me some things, and told me some things, but it's nothing worth sharing because in the end it won't matter. I've got this. Just have faith in me, like you always have, okay?"

Mike hesitated, looking at him with pained, concerned eyes. He wanted to keep pushing and protesting, but Oscar's eyes were genuinely kind, and there seemed to be honesty with his words.

"...Okay." Mike nodded shakily. "I'll trust you. Like I always have. You're our knight, and you've never let us down."

Oscar bit his lip, and managed another smile.

"Yeah...a knight never wavers."

~

Robin and Oscar were setting up a Demogorgon corpse, tying it up to wires to shock it.

"Hey um, listen, I know this is really awkward timing but um, you almost died and I think part of it is my fault?" Robin spoke up shakily. "Because I...I said the wrong thing before. I know I did. And I um, I really want to remedy that."

"It's okay, Robin." Oscar mumbled as he worked. "Will's the one I'm mad at for sharing something so personal."

Robin hesitated. "And I get that, but um, I really still think I should explain myself because I said some really hurtful things to you without meaning to. I don't really know much about transexuals-"

"Transgender." Oscar corrected plainly.

"Transgender." Robin corrected and continued. "But um, I was just worried you were...you know, going by male pronouns and doing all of that stuff for the wrong reasons. But I shouldn't have assumed that when I don't know you very well. If you say you're a boy, then you're a boy and that's...all there is to it. And um...I support you. And Will."

Oscar's eyes softened at her obviously nervous rambles. "...Thank you." He told her.

She smiled a little, looking relieved. "So um, we're good right? We're- we're okay and you get that I support you and stuff, right?"

"I do." Oscar chuckled faintly, before hesitating. "...Alright, I think these are ready. Go ahead and climb down, I'll hammer them in."

"Roger that, captain." Robin gave a lame salute, chuckling at her own awkwardness before climbing down from the roof.

Oscar smiled a little as she left and then looked at the pumpkins. The moment he was alone, his smile dropped.

~

They set up the Demogorgon and hammered the stakes into its body. "Okay we're all set!" Robin called. Will was sitting on the ground, preparing to try and tap into the hive mind.

"Light her up!" Mike called. He and Oscar were on the rooftop with the Demogorgon.

Robin turned on the electricity and they watched as the Demogorgon began to come back to life with each jolt. Will focused, and was able to tap into the hive mind again.

"I think...I'm Derek." Will slurred out, eyes looking up and in a bit of a trance. Mike and Oscar came down from the roof and ran over. "He's with the others...the other lost children."

"Where's Holly?" Oscar asked quickly.

"Henry...is searching for her." Mike and Oscar exchanged a horrified look.

But then, Will said one word that made them all stop. "Max."

Lucas gasped. "Wait- What about Max?"

"She's with Holly...but Vecna...Vecna's hunting them."

Oscar felt himself tremble. Was it really possible?

~

At one point, Will stood up, his eyes had gone white and he started moving his hands, using his powers against Vecna. 

"Max...." Will spoke out, strained. "If you can hear me...you need...to run! RUN!!!" His voice came out rather demonic.

Blood poured from Will's nostril and he started to struggle.

And then he was sent flying.

"WILL!" Oscar shouted in horror, running over and crouching down at his side in an instant. He gently patted Will's cheek. "Will? Will!?" He stared down in horror. Will wouldn't respond whatsoever.

He vaguely heard Lucas shout at Robin to crank up the electricity, and then the Demogorgon shrieked as the shadowy essence of Vecna left its body and vanished up into the sky.

"Will!" Oscar sobbed, gently patting his chest and shaking him. "Please wake up..." He rested his forehead on Will's shoulder.