nightmares

"Will!" I heard as I slowly opened my eyes, meeting with another pair of brown, hazel eyes looking at me. But they weren't relaxed like they usually were, instead, I was faced with eyes filled with fear and concern.

"Will! Are you okay?" The voice repeated, my vision was still kinda blurry as my eyes were still adjusting to the darkness of the room. "Will, can you hear me? I'm right here" The voice said again but with worry.

"Mike?" I say realizing whose voice it is.

"Will, are you okay?"

I glanced around my surroundings trying to figure out what had happened.

Mike was sitting on my bed grabbing ahold of my shoulders and staring at me with concern. I felt hot, my back drenched with sweat, gross, I realized my hands shaking a bit. "Oh." I sigh, I had another nightmare, again.

This was the third time it had happened, three nightmares in a row. They started back ever since I got out of the upside down and they just wouldn't stop, they got worse and worse each day until after a while they finally went away, only for them to be back later again once the mind flayer took over me and had finally left my body. It was kind of a way of the mind flayer reminding me that he always comes back.

I look back at Mike after realizing that I spaced out and he was still looking for an answer to his question.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! I just had another nightmare, but it's alright, I'll get over it soon..." I paused until I realized I must've woken Mike up, damn it. "Sorry, did I wake you?" I say with a frown.

"Kind of, yeah. But it's alright, I was worried about you because I could hear you tossing and turning and then I thought I heard crying so I got up to check on you, and then I saw you shaking and I didn't know what to do! So I decided to wake you up." He said while gently taking his hands off of me and placing them on the bed.

"How long have you had these nightmares for?" He asks.

I don't respond. I don't want him to be worried.

"Will, you know you can tell me." Mike says with a stern voice.

"A while." I reply slowly.

Silence.

Neither one of us speaks until Mike finally breaks the silence.

"I'm always here for you Will, and I want you to know that. You're not alone, not anymore, we're all here for you, I'm here for you, and I always will be." Mike says looking up at me with a soft smile.

I feel my face heat up but that doesn't matter right now, what matters is just this moment. I meet him with an even bigger smile.

"Thank you, Mike." I say.

"Well, we should head back to bed." Mike says.

"Yeah, we should," I respond nervously.

I don't want to go to sleep. I can't go back to sleep, if I do, I'll see it again, the upside down, the demogorgans, the blood, the horror.

"Hey Will?" Mike asks, looking in the opposite direction from me.

"Yeah?" I question.

"Uhm, can I sleep on the bed... with you? If that's okay with you!"

I feel my face flush.

"Mike."

"I mean if you don't want to or if you feel uncomfortable I completely understand,"

"Mike."

"sorry, it's just, I was asking yknow in case you get a nightmare again, I'll be there."

"Mike!" I raise my voice finally getting Mike's attention to look at me.

"You can sleep on the bed." I say with a smile. "Cmon!"

I wave him over and start getting myself comfortable, I look back at him for a moment noticing his face looking a bit red, is that blush? No, it can't be. I'm probably just seeing things, it is pretty dark after all.

After we both get settled into the bed, I turn around to lay down facing the opposite direction from him. We both keep our distance with our bodies on the edges of the bed, scared to accidentally touch or bump one another.

"The moon is pretty." I whisper out loud while looking at the moon from my window.

"Yeah, it is." Mike agrees as he slowly turns over to look out the window aswell.

Some time passes and I hear Mike's breathing slow down. He's asleep. I turn around to face Mike taking in his beautiful features, I can't help it, I mean who knows when will be the next time I can see his face looking so at peace.

None of us can get peace anymore. It was taken from us, from all of us the day I went missing. Because of that stupid demogorgon. That stupid mind flayer. Now we're all in danger, cause of me, I dragged everyone into this mess. If only my friends and family hadn't come to save me, maybe it would've been better for them now. I should've died. Now I can feel tears forming and myself starting to cry. But I stop almost immediately when I feel a sudden warmth on top of my hand.

Mike's hand is on top of mine. Almost like as if unsure, his thumb starts rubbing up and down slowly trying to be of any comfort. I look up at him, his eyes still closed but squinting, and a small gentle but sympathetic smile starts forming on his lips.

Then the unexpected happens, Mike lifts his hand from my hand and wraps his arm around my shoulder bringing me in closer like a hug, my face feels like it's on fire now, I can feel my face bright red but thankfully it's still dark out, otherwise I would be a goner.

Mike then rests his head on top of mine bringing me closer into his chest, I feel like I'm suffocating, but not literally, it's just, a lot to take in right now. In return, I put my arm around his waist, so my arms could be more comfortable, not for any other reason. It's comfortable like this.

I hear Mike softly snoring, actually falling asleep this time, and before I can think of anything else, soon enough I start feeling my eyes drooping and falling asleep to Mike's heartbeat.

This is all I need right now, a way to get my mind off of things, and what better way to do that than to be falling asleep in the arms of your childhood crush? I finally feel like I can have a break from all of this, from all of the horrible nightmares, I finally feel at peace, but it's all temporary, so I'm going to enjoy this while I can.