Chapter Text
Mike and Lucas hovered around Will as he lay unconscious on the couch, his eyes darting back and forth beneath closed lids. He had been out for the past two hours, trapped somewhere in Vecna’s mind, they assumed, and they were desperately trying to pull him back.
El kept diving in and out of her salt bath, searching for him. But each time she reached out, she couldn’t get close enough. Vines would begin to creep toward her in the void, accompanied by faint whimpers, and then she’d snap awake. Vecna was pushing her away and he was succeeding.
Lucas paced restlessly while Mike sat right beside Will, one hand resting on his forehead, gently brushing his hair back. Worry etched deep lines into Mike’s face.
“I-I’m sure he’ll wake up soon,” Lucas offered, though he had no real confidence. “El will find him. I’m sure…”
Mike shook his head, eyes fixed on Will. The trembling had started now, his body shaking slightly, as he mumbled, “No… no, st-stop-” His voice broke into a soft, terrified whimper.
Mike sat up abruptly, eyes widening in alarm. “Will?! Will?!” he called, shaking him gently but urgently. Will didn’t stir.
Lucas rushed to his side, watching as Will’s body trembled faintly.
“H-Hurts-” The word escaped Will in a broken whimper.
Mike and Lucas exchanged a stricken glance. Tears welled in Mike’s eyes, a sick knot twisting in his gut. Will was suffering. He was truly suffering. Wherever Vecna had him trapped, he was terrified and alone and in pain.
Knowing that carved something helpless in Mike’s chest.
***
Will’s eyes fluttered open, the world slowly bleeding back into focus. For hours there had been only blackness; now the first thing he registered was the tight, living pressure of vines coiled around his body. They were snug around every limb, constricting his throat just enough to remind him he wasn’t free.
He was in the Upside Down.
The freezing air clawed at his skin and panic surged through him as he took in the familiar, rotting shape of the building around him.
“No, no, no, no,” he whispered, tears already spilling over as he began to thrash. His heart hammered wildly, each frantic kick and sob sapping what little strength he had left. He felt small and weak and utterly terrified.
A low chuckle rolled out of the darkness. Will froze, a terrified whimper escaping his throat as his wide eyes tracked the figure: Vecna in his human form - Henry - stepping forward calmly, eyes glowing a sinister white. The grin on his face stretched wider the closer he came.
“Hi there…”
The voice wasn’t the deep, thunderous rumble Will had come to dread. It was softer, deceptively human. And somehow that made it worse.
“No,” Will whispered. He tried to turn his face away, to hide from that gaze, but the vines held him fast, pinning his head in place.
Henry’s chuckle deepened as he loomed over Will. His left hand shifted, skin splitting, veins bulging, until it became Vecna’s clawed, monstrous appendage. Slowly, those cold, ridged fingers traced along Will’s cheek.
Will flinched hard, squeezing his eyes shut and jerking his head as far as the vines allowed. Tears spilled faster, carving hot paths down his face. A broken sob tore from his throat.
Henry leaned in closer, his grin sharpening into something hungry.
“You’ve grown, William,” he murmured, voice low and intimate, his gaze dragging over Will’s bound body. “But not quite a man yet…”
The words dripped with satisfaction, as though Will’s youth, his fragility, his fear, were exquisite gifts laid out just for him. Henry’s human hand settled on Will’s chest now, fingers splaying wide, feeling the frantic hammer of Will’s heart beneath the thin fabric of his shirt.
“I felt you long before you ever felt me,” Henry whispered, “The others… they fight, they burn bright and brief. But you, William…” His claws grazed lightly down Will’s jaw, tilting his chin up despite Will’s desperate resistance. “You understand the dark. You were touched by it. You belong in it. With me.”
Will’s breath hitched, another sob catching in his throat as he tried to shrink away, but the vines only tightened, holding him open, exposed.
“No one else sees you the way I do,” Henry continued. “They want to save you. Fix you. But I know what you need. I know how perfectly you fit here.”
His clawed hand drifted lower, tracing the line of Will’s collarbone. Will’s pleas came out as fractured whispers. “Please… l-leave me alone,” but Henry only smiled wider, drinking them in like praise.
“I’ve waited so long for this,” Henry murmured, “Years of watching you grow, watching you suffer, watching you fight. Every time you slipped away, pulled back by your friends, your family, that stubborn little light inside you, I felt it like a loss.”
He leaned closer.
“But now… now you’re here. No one to interrupt. No one to drag you away.” A slow, satisfied smile curved his lips. “All mine again. Just like the beginning.”
His gaze drifted downward, unhurried and possessive, tracing the lines of Will’s body held helpless by the vines. The way the restraints pulled his arms taut above his head. The faint tremor in his legs. The vulnerable stretch of his neck. Henry’s expression softened into something disturbingly tender.
“You’re perfect like this,” he whispered. “So delicate. So breakable. The others are loud and defiant. But you… you’ve always been so quiet. Sensitive. Marked by me from the start,” his voice dropped, “Permanently changed.”
Will’s breath hitched, fresh tears spilling as he tried to twist away, but Henry only hummed approvingly at the futile struggle. He cupped Will’s jaw again, forcing their eyes to meet.
“Mmm…” Henry hummed.
Will shook his head frantically, the vines creaking as they held him in place. “No! I-I’m not like you!”
Henry’s smirk deepened. He reached out with his human hand, fingers sliding gently through Will’s sweat-damp hair, brushing the strands away from his face.
“Maybe not now,” Henry whispered, “But you will be.”
Will jerked his head again, as much as the restraints allowed. “No, I won’t!” he cried, voice cracking.
Henry’s gaze softened into something almost fond, but the hunger beneath it never dimmed. He leaned in until their faces were only inches apart.
“You’re exquisite when you fight it,” he continued, “The fear in your eyes, the tremble in your voice… it’s intoxicating. I’ve watched you grow into this…this delicate, sensitive boy,” he hummed softly, “Mine in ways no one else could ever claim.”
Will’s breath hitched on a sob, his body straining uselessly against the vines. Henry only smiled wider.
“No! No!” Will cried. The restraints only tightened in response, biting into his skin, forcing him to stay pinned and exposed beneath Henry’s unrelenting gaze.
Henry’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it grew, as though Will’s defiance was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.
“Shh,” he soothed, almost tenderly, his human hand sliding back into Will’s hair, fingers threading through the strands with possessive care. He tugged gently, just enough to tilt Will’s head back, baring the pale column of his throat. “There’s no need to shout, William. There’s no one coming. No one left to hear you.”
Will’s chest heaved with panicked breaths, tears streaming freely now. “Let me go,” he choked out, the words trembling. “Please… just let me go.”
Henry leaned in until his forehead touched Will’s, his voice dropping to a hushed, reverent murmur. “I can’t do that. I won’t. Not when I finally have you like this.”
His eyes roamed downward once more, hungry and unashamed, lingering on the way Will’s shirt had ridden up slightly in his struggling, exposing a thin strip of skin above his waistband. Henry’s human thumb brushed over it.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,” he whispered. “To touch you without barriers. To watch you tremble under my hands and know it’s only for me. You’re more beautiful than I remembered. Terrified, yes, but so fucking beautiful.”
Will squeezed his eyes shut, a broken whimper escaping as he turned his face away as far as the vines would allow. But Henry followed, lips brushing the shell of his ear.
“Look at me,” he coaxed. When Will didn’t obey, the vines tightened an unbearable grip. Will’s eyes flew open, wide and glassy.
“That’s it,” Henry breathed, satisfaction thick in his voice. “Keep those eyes on me.”
Will’s entire body went rigid, a sharp, involuntary gasp ripping from his throat as Henry’s human hand slid lower and cupped him through the fabric of his jeans.
The touch was possessive and violating.
Terror exploded behind Will’s eyes. This wasn’t pain like the vines or the cold, this was something deeper, something that made his skin crawl and his stomach lurch with revulsion. He hadn’t been ready for this. He’d braced himself for torment, for breaking, even for death, but not this.
A strangled, horrified sound escaped him, half-sob, half-scream, as he bucked wildly against the restraints. The vines answered by cinching tighter, forcing him to remain still, open, trapped beneath Henry’s weight and gaze.
Henry’s smile was slow and satisfied, his palm pressing just firmly enough to feel the frantic tremor running through Will’s body.
“Shh,” he whispered again, as though calming a frightened animal. His thumb traced a lazy circle, savoring the way Will’s breath hitched in panic. “There it is… that perfect fear. You didn’t expect this, did you?”
He leaned closer, lips brushing Will’s temple in a mockery of comfort.
“I want all of you, William. Every part. Especially the parts you hide from everyone else.”
Tears poured down Will’s face now, silent and unstoppable. His voice cracked into nothing, reduced to fractured whimpers as he tried to shrink away, to disappear, but there was nowhere to go.
“Listen to me,” he whispered, “Really listen.”
Will tried to clamp his thoughts shut, but Henry was already there, root-deep.
“To them, you’re just a queer. A fag. Right? That’s all you’ve ever been.”
Will’s breath stuttered. The words weren’t new. He’d heard them before, felt them before, but coming from Vecna they sounded like the undeniable truth.
“No one wants you. Your friends keep you around out of pity. Your own mother looks at you sometimes like she’s wondering where she went wrong,” he continued, "You're a burden to them all, William.”
A fresh wave of tears burned down Will’s temples. He wanted to scream that it wasn’t true, but the denial caught in his throat, strangled.
“And Mike… poor, sweet Mike,” Henry’s voice dripped with mock sympathy. “He’s in love with a girl. Always has been. Always will be. Every time he looked at you and you hoped - just for a second - that he might feel the same… he was thinking of her. You were never even a possibility.”
Will’s chest caved in on a silent, shattering sob. It was true, it was all true, at least that’s what he was convincing Will to think, and he was succeeding.
“But me-“ Henry drawled, lips brushing against Will’s, “I understand you. I see you clearly. I am the only one that wants the parts of you that everyone else pretends don’t exist.”
Will’s whole body shook with the effort to hold himself together, but the words kept coming, relentless.
“No one will ever choose you. Not like this. Not without force. Not without darkness. But I do. I choose all of you. The broken parts, the ugly parts, the parts you hate most. I want them. I want you.”
Henry pulled back just enough to meet Will’s eyes, his gaze fever-bright with possession.
“So stop fighting it,” he murmured, “This is your truth, William.”
“Please,” Will whispered again. “Please stop… Please let me go!”
Henry paused, head tilted as though listening to a favorite song. Then he exhaled and brushed his human fingers along Will’s jaw, forcing his face forward again.
“I know you’re afraid,” he murmured, voice low and almost gentle. “But it’s okay, Will - ahh, it’s okay I call you Will, hm?” He chuckled softly, but Will just cried, tears streaming endlessly now. He couldn’t even speak anymore; the words were trapped behind his choking sobs.
Henry’s fingers hooked under the edge of Will’s shirt, beginning to push the fabric upward slowly.
Will’s world narrowed to the cold touch of air on exposed skin, the suffocating weight of Henry above him, and the crushing certainty that no one was coming. That this time, there would be no rescue.
Henry smiled and stepped back, then let the vines release him without warning. Will dropped hard, the impact jarring his knees and palms against the cold floor.
He scrambled forward on hands and knees, already clawing toward any direction that might be away, toward escape.
But Henry was faster.
A weight crashed down on him from behind driving the air from Will’s lungs in a sharp, pained gasp. Henry’s body pinned him flat, chest to Will’s back, one clawed hand slamming between his shoulder blades to hold him down. The other gripped Will’s wrist and wrenched it up behind him, forcing a choked cry from his throat.
Will bucked wildly, legs kicking, hips twisting, trying to throw the heavier form off. But Henry only shifted, knees bracketing Will’s thighs, spreading and trapping them against the floor. Will’s stomach pressed hard into the rough wood, every panicked breath grinding him deeper into it.
“Stop!! please!! God stop!!!” Will sobbed. He thrashed again, weaker this time, strength already bleeding out of him.
Henry leaned down, his breath cold against the back of Will’s neck. “There’s nowhere to run, Will,” he murmured, almost tender. His human hand slid up Will’s pinned arm, fingers threading through Will’s trembling ones in a cruel imitation of comfort. “Not anymore.”
Will’s free hand scrabbled uselessly at the floor, nails splintering as he tried to drag himself forward even an inch. Henry’s weight settled heavier, letting Will feel every ounce of his helplessness.
“I have you now,” Henry whispered, lips brushing the shell of Will’s ear. “Exactly where you belong.”
The vines snapped back to life without warning, whipping out from the shadows to coil around Will’s wrists and ankles. They yanked his arms forward and pinned them above his head, stretching him flat against the freezing floor. Others looped around his thighs, forcing his legs apart and anchoring them down.
“No! no stop!! please!” The words dissolved into frantic sobs as Will fought harder, hips jerking, shoulders burning from the pull.
Henry mind worked to strip away Will’s jeans and boxers, dragging down past his thighs.
Will felt completely exposed, vulnerable in a way that went beyond flesh, as if his very soul had been laid bare. His eyes flew wide, brimming with horror, and his body locked in place, every muscle seized by terror and violation. He couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, couldn’t do anything.
“D-Don’t-don’t touch me-please, n-no-” he stuttered weakly, voice trembling.
Henry didn’t answer with words. All Will could hear was the sound of Henry’s belt unbuckling.
“There, now,” Henry murmured, hands now moving up and down the back of Will’s thighs. “No more running.”
Will closed his eyes, body shaking uncontrollably, and braced himself for the worst.
Sure enough, a broken sob escaped Will as Henry forced his cock inside of him. Pain shot through Will, ripping another sob from his chest. His body tried to reject it, muscles clenching in futile protest, but the vines only tightened, forcing him to stay open, to take it.
Henry exhaled against the back of his neck, “There you are,” he whispered, “Fuck.”
Will’s world shattered into fragments. Agony, humiliation, the suffocating knowledge that this was real, that it was happening, that no one was coming. Tears poured silently now, soaking the floor beneath his cheek.
Henry moved with unhurried cruelty, savoring every shudder, every choked gasp that escaped Will’s lips.
“Good boy,” Henry murmured, lips brushing Will’s ear. “You take it so fucking well.”
Will couldn’t answer. Couldn’t think. Could only endure the darkness.
Henry moved with relentless patience. Will’s body jolted with every motion, the cold slimy floor rubbing against his skin, pain radiating from every point of contact. His screams had long since faded into hoarse, broken gasps. There was no strength left for anything more.
Henry’s grip tightened in Will’s hair, yanking his head back with a sharp tug that forced a gasp from Will’s throat. The monster’s breath was hot and ragged against the nape of his neck, each exhale a shuddering growl of satisfaction.
“That’s it,” Henry rasped, “Take it like the good little thing you are. You were made for this. For me.”
His hips snapped forward harder, relentless.
With a final, shuddering thrust, Henry buried himself deep and stilled. A low, guttural sound tore from his throat as he came, heat flooding Will in a way that made silent sobs wrench from his chest.
“You feel that?” Henry hissed against his ear, “That’s mine now. Every inch of you. You’ll never be clean of me.”
Henry stayed there for a long moment, breathing heavily against Will’s skin, fingers stroking almost tenderly through his hair as if rewarding him for it.
“You’re mine,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the nape of Will’s neck. “Completely mine. And now you know it.”
Will didn’t move. Didn’t speak. He lay trembling beneath the weight, staring blankly at the rotting floorboards.
Henry remained draped over him for what felt like an eternity, breath steadying against Will’s neck, fingers tracing patterns along his side. Will lay motionless beneath him, eyes open but unseeing, every part of him numb except for the dull, throbbing ache that pulsed deep inside. When Henry finally withdrew and stood, the vines loosened just enough to let Will curl inward, knees drawn tight to his chest, arms wrapped around himself as though he could hold the broken pieces together.
“That was fun,” Henry teased as he adjusted his clothing, then crouched beside Will’s trembling form. He brushed a strand of hair from Will’s forehead.
“And one more thing… when you’re alone… when you think you’re safe… I’ll come back. I’ll take you again and again, until you stop fighting altogether.” He leaned closer, breath ghosting over Will’s ear. “You’ll beg for it eventually.”
Henry stood up, a faint, cruel smile curling his lips.
“Remember that, little one. You’re mine now. And I’m far from finished with you.”
Then he was gone. And the vines slithered away entirely, leaving Will alone on the cold floor, half-clothed and shaking.
Eventually the blackness returned, swallowing him whole.
—
Will’s eyes snapped open to bright, ordinary light.
He was on the couch again at the radio station. His body jerked involuntarily, a choked gasp tearing from his throat as he scrambled upright, blanket tangling around his legs. Pain flared sharp and immediate between his hips, a sick reminder that made bile rise in his throat.
Mike was there in an instant, hands hovering but not quite touching. “Will, hey, hey, you’re okay! You’re back!”
Lucas stood a step behind, relief and worry warring on his face. “Man, you were out for hours. We were freaking out.”
Will’s mouth opened, but nothing came out except a ragged breath. His throat felt raw, like he’d been screaming for days. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself, suddenly hyper-aware of every inch of fabric against his skin, every place that still ached.
Mike sat carefully on the edge of the couch, eyes wide and searching. “Will? Can you hear me? You’re safe. You’re home.”
Will nodded, but it was jerky, too fast. He couldn’t even look at them. Couldn’t meet Mike’s eyes. His gaze dropped to his lap, hands clenched so tightly in the blanket that his knuckles went white.
Lucas exchanged a glance with Mike, voice dropping. “Something’s really wrong…”
Mike swallowed hard, reaching out slowly, like Will was a spooked animal. “Will, talk to us. What happened?”
The question hung in the air, heavy and impossible.
Will’s lips parted again. A sound tried to escape, something small and fractured, but it died before it formed. Shame flooded him. The memories crashed in behind his eyes: the floor, the vines, Henry’s weight, the pain, the whispers. If he spoke, even one word, it would all spill out. They would know. They would see how ruined he was. How dirty.
He shook his head instead, tiny, frantic shakes, and pressed his knees tighter to his chest. A single, choked sob slipped free before he could stop it.
Mike’s face crumpled. He moved closer, careful not to crowd, but close enough that Will could feel the warmth of him. “Okay. Okay, you don’t have to talk yet. Just… we’re here. We’re right here.”
Lucas dragged a chair closer and sat, elbows on his knees, watching Will with quiet alarm. Neither of them spoke again, but the silence was thick with the same unspoken certainty:
Something horrific had happened to their friend.
***
Nobody had disturbed Will for the rest of the evening. He remained in the bedroom, isolated, replaying every moment of what had happened to him.
He felt disgusted. Violated. And even though his physical body hadn’t been touched, he had still felt everything. He still felt filthy. More than anything, he wanted to take a long shower and scrub every inch of his skin until it was raw. But there was no shower here, and he didn’t even have a change of clothes.
Deep into the night, a soft knock sounded at the door. Will flinched and turned toward it. Mike stood in the doorway, easing it open with care.
“Will?” he asked softly.
Will scooted backward on the bed, pulling his knees closer to his chest. “O-Oh,” he stammered, eyes fixed on the wall, “Mike, uh, n-now’s not really a good time-”
“Will,” Mike said again, stepping fully into the room and easing the door shut behind him. “Can we talk? Please?”
Will dropped his gaze to his trembling hands. “I just want to be alone,” he whispered.
Mike hesitated, then sat gently on the edge of the bed. He shook his head. “I know something happened,” he said quietly. “And locking yourself in here all night isn’t going to help. I want you to talk to me, Will. Like… like you used to.”
The words pierced him. Will’s chest tightened, and hot tears welled in his eyes. “I can’t,” he choked out, shaking his head.
“You don’t have to,” Mike said softly. He reached out and rested his hand over Will’s shaking one. “But you can. You can tell me anything.”
Will stared at Mike’s hand on his, then slowly lifted his eyes to meet Mike’s steady gaze. “You wouldn’t look at me the same if you knew,” he whispered, voice breaking.
Mike shook his head at once. “That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is,” Will whimpered, pulling his hand away.
“No, it’s not,” Mike said firmly, shifting on the bed to face him fully. “You need someone right now. And I’m your best friend, Will. I would never ever judge you for anything.”
Will didn’t believe him.
It’s not my fault you don’t like girls.
He stayed silent, eyes fixed on the blanket.
“It was Vecna, wasn’t it?” Mike asked quietly.
Will flinched at the name alone. He waited, breath shallow, before finally answering. “…Yes,” he whispered, still unable to meet Mike’s eyes.
“Did he hurt you?”
Will hesitated, then gave the smallest nod.
“How bad?” Mike pressed, voice gentle but steady.
Will swallowed a sob. “Bad,” he whispered. “Really really bad, Mike.” The words cracked as tears spilled over.
Mike slid closer. “How did he hurt you?” he asked, barely above a whisper.
Will let out a broken whimper, shoulders shaking. “He…” He sucked in a ragged breath, unable to continue.
Mike’s hand hovered in the air where Will’s had been, then slowly lowered to the mattress. He waited, giving Will space to breathe, to decide.
Will wiped at his eyes with the heel of his palm, but the tears kept coming. “He… he got inside my head,” he started, voice barely audible. “He-he made me feel things. Things I didn’t want to feel.”
Mike’s brow furrowed, concern deepening. “What kind of things?”
Will shook his head quickly, as if trying to shake the memory loose. “He… touched me. E-Everywhere.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he curled tighter into himself.
Mike went very still. The color drained from his face.
Will couldn’t look at him. “I didn’t want it,” A broken sob tore out of him. “I didn’t. I promise Mike. I didn’t want it! Please!”
Mike’s throat worked soundlessly. His eyes glistened, wide with horror and a grief so sharp it looked physical. “Will…” he whispered, voice ragged. He reached out again, slower this time, and when Will didn’t pull away, Mike gently laid his hand on Will’s shoulder. “He touched you?”
Will flinched at first, the contact too sudden, but then he melted into it. “He…did more than that,” he whispered, tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks.
Mike’s heart hammered against his ribs. A cold dread coiled in his stomach. “What?” he asked, voice barely steady. “What… else?”
Will squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in his hands, shoulders heaving with silent sobs. He shook his head, the memories crashing over him again and again, relentless. “I can’t,” he choked out. Then he lifted his head, dragging the heels of his hands across his wet cheeks before wiping them shakily on his jeans. He sniffled, eyes swollen and red. “I can’t-”
“It’s okay,” Mike murmured, guiding Will forward until his forehead rested against Mike’s chest. Will collapsed into him, sobs muffled against Mike’s shirt. Mike wrapped his arms tighter, one hand cradling the nape of Will’s neck, fingers threading gently through his hair. “Will…” he whispered into the soft strands, voice trembling with the weight of what he was about to ask. “Did he… rape you?”
Will went rigid in his arms, every muscle locking. For a breathless second, there was only silence.
Then the dam broke. A raw, gut-wrenching sob tore out of him, louder and more desperate than before, his whole body shaking with the force of it. He didn’t say yes. He didn’t need to.
Mike’s eyes burned as the truth slammed into him. He couldn’t breathe for a moment, couldn’t think past the roaring in his ears. Rage and helplessness and horror all surged at once. His arms tightened instinctively, as if he could shield Will from the memory itself.
“I’m so sorry,” Mike whispered, voice cracking. Tears slipped down his own face now, falling into Will’s hair. “I’m so sorry, Will. I’m so sorry.”
Will clung to him, fists twisted in Mike’s shirt, knuckles white. The sobs came in waves, each one stripping him raw, until his voice gave out and all that was left were shuddering, silent gasps against Mike’s chest.
Mike didn’t let go. He rocked him slowly, the way his mom used to when nightmares woke him as a kid.
“You’re here,” Mike said, over and over. “You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore. I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You don’t understand,” Will cried, pulling back just enough to look up at Mike. His face was streaked with tears, eyes wide and frantic. “He has me. He can take me back whenever he wants.”
Mike’s arms stayed around him, but his breath caught at the words. The terror in Will’s voice was raw.
“No,” Mike said immediately, shaking his head. His voice came out fierce, almost angry, but the anger wasn’t at Will. “No, he can’t. He doesn’t get to do that. Not anymore.”
Will trembled harder. “You didn’t feel it, Mike. When he… when he...” His voice cracked into a whisper. He couldn’t even finish his sentence. “I’m never going to be free of him.”
Mike’s jaw tightened. He cupped the side of Will’s face with one hand, thumb brushing away fresh tears, forcing Will to hold his gaze. “Listen to me,” he said, low and steady, even as his own eyes teared up, “You’re not his. You’re not anyone’s but yours. And I’m here. We’re all here. He has to go through every single one of us to get to you again, and he won’t. I swear he won’t.”
Will searched Mike’s face, desperate for the words to be true. “You can’t promise that.”
“I can,” Mike insisted. “I am. I don’t care what it takes. We’ll find a way to cut that connection. To burn it out. Whatever we have to do.” His voice wavered, but he didn’t look away. “You’re not alone in this anymore. You never should’ve been.”
Will’s lip quivered. He leaned forward again, forehead pressing hard against Mike’s collarbone, as if trying to hide inside the embrace. “I’m scared,” he admitted in a tiny, shattered voice. “I’m so scared Mike.”
Mike’s hand slid to the back of Will’s head, holding him close. “Then I’m staying right here,” he said without hesitation. “All night. As long as you need.”
Will didn’t answer with words. He just clutched Mike tighter, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt like it was a lifeline, and let the tears come again.
All he could do was hope that somehow, Vecna wouldn’t get him again.
But he knew that was impossible.