The other Mayfield (Will Byers X Reader)

018. Will

~Will POV~

We had been driving for hours in Argyle's van. We as in me, Mike, Jonathan, and his friend Argyle.

The road just kept stretching on and on, the scenery blurring together through the windows. Mike stared straight ahead, lost in thought, and Jonathan looked like he was fighting to keep his eyes open, both hands on the steering wheel. I could tell he was exhausted, but he wouldn't stop. Not until we got where we needed to be.

I couldn't stop thinking about Y/n.

I was worried sick about her. She could've written to me while I was gone and I wouldn't have even known, I hadn't been home to check the mail. Or maybe she tried calling. The thought made my chest tighten. What if she needed me? What if something happened and I wasn't there?

I wished I was with her. Just sitting beside her, holding her hand, or letting her talk while I listened. Letting the rest of the world go to shit without us for a little while.

That would be nice. Just not caring... for once.

But I knew that wasn't how the world worked. Not for us. Not ever.

I missed her so much it almost hurt. Letters and phone calls helped, but they weren't the same. I missed seeing her face when she talked, the way she'd tell me about her day and all the people she felt like slapping. She told me flipping them off took the urge of slapping them away.

I also just missed being there, in the same room, feeling like things were normal, even if only for a moment.

I didn't know if it was weird to miss kissing or any of that, but I did. I really did. It wasn't just that, though. It was the closeness. The quiet moments. The way she made everything feel less scary just by being there.

Then Argyle's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Holy shit dude, check it out! I didn't know they expanded into Nevada. Watch out dominos, your dominos are gonna fall."

He pointed excitedly at a Surfer Boy Pizza sign off the highway.

I rolled my eyes. That was one voice I definitely wouldn't miss. I think Argyle's comfort came from talking, because he hadn't been quiet for longer than a second this entire trip.

Still, part of me was glad for the noise. Silence made my thoughts louder. And right now, my thoughts were all with her.

"How far is Nina from Vegas?" I asked Mike.

"From Vegas? As long as Suzie's coordinates are right, about another ninety miles. Why?" Mike answered.

"Well, once we save her, El, we should stop on the way back. El could make us, like, super rich, and we'd never have to work. We could just play D&D and Nintendo for the rest of our lives," I joked.

I tried to sound light, like it was just another stupid idea to pass the time. Like the world wasn't ending and our friends weren't scattered across the country in danger.

"Yeah, totally." Mike smiled, but his mind was elsewhere, his eyes quickly looking away from me.

I noticed it right away. I always did. Mike tried to hide things, but I could see it in the way his shoulders tensed, the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"We're gonna make it, Mike. She's gonna be okay," I assured him.

I meant it. Saying it out loud made it feel more real, like maybe I could force the universe to listen.

"Yeah, I know, I know she is... but... but what if after all this is over, she..." Mike hesitated. "Sh— she doesn't need me anymore?"

The words hit harder than I expected.