Twilight.

xxi. the burn

Vee wasn't keen on El going alone after everything that had happened with the both of them—he wanted to traverse with her through the Lab but he also had a task he needed to do. Something that was dreaded for a long time but necessary, and quite frankly something Vee was familiar with doing.

The burn.

Given from the reoccurring visions Will had been giving him throughout the time he had been traveling to find his siblings and Mother, there had been many times were Will had been trying to ask for help. He didn't know why he choose him—despite El being the one who contacted him last year—but he wasn't ungrateful for that. If anything he was more than thankful, and he was this thankful because he knew how important this was to Joyce and that he had the ability to completely help. Or at least he knew how to help.

Vee had been currently held hostage at the door of the Byers home by the Sinclair boy, and his many other friends that were lined up at the door, because now it was the time for goodbyes. Or perhaps the see you laters.

"L-Lucas. I have to go." Vee muttered as loudly as he could as the hug suffocated the poor boy. It was like Lucas had a vice grip on his body, a grip that he wouldn't let anyone else feel.

But Lucas snapped out of it, moving his head from thr boy's shoulder with a quickness as he heard his voice for the fifth time. "Oh—y-yeah. Sorry." He coughed in his closed fist awkwardly as his sister watched the two from the window with Steve.

"I will come back," Vee gave the boy a reassuring smile as he grabbed his hand. "Soon."

Lucas gave a curt but hesitant nod. "Fine. Just...don't overwork yourself, if you feel like you can't do it. Don't." The boy gripped the other's hand much harder with a fear that radiated from it. "I don't want you to leave again—I can't....lose you again."

"You will not lose me. Not again, not ever."

Lucas nodded with a sudden unsureness but a slight hope, a hope that he wouldn't lose Vee. That they would do all the things they planned to do last year—thinking of those plans and him coming back made Lucas confident. But as he glanced at everyone next to him a sudden fear came out of nowhere and he let go of the boy's hand.

"Okay. You promise?" Lucas asked, his features were serious but it made Vee want to laugh a little. But he kept his seriousness on.

"Promise. I will."

"Good," Lucas nods. "When you get back we can watch the movie like we planned. Or we can do whatever you want, I don't care." Lucas rambles but it ends with a tight smile, a smile that held so much in it but he couldn't keep it contained.

Vee smiles, "Really?"

Lucas nods, "Yes, really."

"Oh my god, can you two get a room!" Don voices from the back of everyone, the redhead next to him and giving him an ear nip at that but Vee just glares at the boy from in front of Lucas. The boy seems unfazed but Vee could feel the sudden fear that struck him for a small moment, but decides to just leave it alone.