𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂³ || Temporary!Will Byers x Fem!Reader [...] ⇢𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥

━━ 𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐔𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐔𝐌 - 𝐏𝟐 ━━

📝:

❓: do you have a favorite minor character in stranger things?

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

If Y/n and the others thought the ride to the hospital had been a long and cramped one, they were sorely mistaken.

The journey back was excruciating.

It was long and complicated, figuring out a quick and efficient way of getting everyone changed and refreshed before hunkering down at the cabin but they somehow managed. Many of them, like Y/n, had to figure out a way to explain their absence.

It was clear to Will guilt was plaguing her mind; she had barely spoken in the time it took to get from the hospital to the Hopper Cabin. When her eyes weren't watching her fiddling hands, they were trained on the deep, almost blackened emerald hues of the valleys and trees as the station wagon made its way to the edge of town. Seeing her in this state, he was grateful to Lucas and Max who offered them the backseat, volunteering themselves for the squeeze in the trunk.

"Did you see your mom?" Will had asked, taking advantage of the noise pollution in the car. The windows had been rolled halfway down on either side in the backseat, filling what the infectious melodies of the Creedance Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising couldn't. And despite the fact more than half their friends were nodding off in their seats, Will lowered his voice in a way only she could hear. "Was she really upset?"

It was a moment before she spoke, but he knew she had heard him judging by her hands. Her fingers started picking just a little bit harder at the tiny chip in the zipper of her new windbreaker. When she did speak, her eyes remained on the scenery zipping past her window in a blur.

"I forgot she was working today," her voice was quiet, like Will's. But he knew somehow it had nothing to do with the possibility of any prying ears. Her e/c eyes were glazed and tired, void of their usual vibrance. She looked lost in thought, even when her brows knit together in a gentle frown. "It's weird. I remember how upset we were when she got the news. About her work schedule, I mean... I can't remember the last time the three of us weren't together on the fourth-hanging out at the Roane County fair until sunset. Then taking advantage of the holiday and the fireworks and we'd go see a movie at the Hawk Theatre late at night. We'd get the whole place to ourselves, and we could be as loud as we wanted, making jokes and putting our feet up on the chairs."

The wistful smile that had crept up on her face was already beginning to fade, reminded of the reality of today.

"But she's had to pick up so many extra shifts these days, she hardly sees us anymore. Incredibly, she hasn't hunted us both down by now." She half-jokes. Will can tell she's trying to play off the worry that's building and he wishes she wouldn't. Without even realizing what they were doing, Will entwined his hand with hers to offer reassurance. Y/n, in turn, laid her head to rest on his right shoulder. "She's gonna be gone through most of today so I left her a note. Said I was sorry, and that Dustin and I were with you guys at the fair."