i can't lose you - byler

four chimes

WILL KNEW what he had to do. even if the others didn't, all that mattered was that he did. he didn't want to die, but he had to, and he knew it. the only problem was that no one left his side, not after vecna had almost 'killed him'. he claimed that he ran, that he didn't need the music, but it was all a lie. vecna only had will in his grasp to make sure will was safe, so vecna was safe.

will wondered whether the connection was on purpose, or an accident. after nancy's theory, he believed it was an accident, that he wasn't supposed to be a connection. yet here he is.

eleven had been spending her time trying to find her powers. she usually sat in a quiet room, remembering. trying to hard to remember the first time she learnt her powers. the lights, the coke can, the fights. she tried to recreate them all: setting up a circuit of lamps, or using pillowes as a substitute for the people he fought. 

there was progress: her nose started to bleed and slight flickers in the lights could be seen. but something was stopping her: there was something stuck on her mind.

mike. 

she felt like running to him for help, even though she knew he couldn't. she had built her life over this one boy, who, she wasn't even sure she loved anymore. she needed to be alone, independent, just like she was before.

she got up from the floor, and searched for her boyfriend.

''mike?'' she asked. mike was sitting on his bed, flicking through what seemed to be multiple peices of art.

''hey, el! how's the whole 'getting your powers back' thing going?''

''i'm getting close.''

''good.'' he smiled.

''mike?''

''el?''

she took a deep breath. ''i dump your ass.''

there was a moment of silence between the two. it wasn't an upsetting silence, but a relieving silence, like a weight had been lifted off both their shoulders.

''oh.'' mike finally said.

''i just... i need to be alone. i've built my life around you and i've forgotten who i am. i'm sorry.''

''no, no it's fine. maybe we could try again after this whole thing-''

''no.'' el replied sternly.

''what? el i really care for you and-''

''care. you don't love me, and i don't love you-''

''you don't love me?'' mike was shocked, yet not hurt.

''i'm sorry mike.''

''but you said you needed to be alone... isn't it just so you can get your powers back?''

''no. mike, you're not even crying, and nor am i! we aren't upset.''

mike was dumbfounded. he wasn't upset. he was relieved.  ''yeah... yeah you're right. i guess i've kind of built my life around you too.''

el giggled, and left the room, whilst mike let out a sigh of relief, and looked back at the drawings. the drawings will gave him.

will.

the group were discussing a plan. a third kill had been announced the previous morning, and they knew they were running out of time, especially after will had mentioned the chimes.

''there were four chimes when i heard the clock.'' he had said. ''there's been three kills already, maybe he needs a fourth to finish his plan?''

''and will's the last one. we need to make sure he doesn't die.''

will didn't know what to think. vecna needed one more kill, and will is under his curse. surely that makes him the last kill? but at the same time, if he dies, vecna dies. so if he died, vecna's plan would work, yet vecna would be dead.

''hey, you okay?'' it was mike. he had noticed will zone out.

will's heart fluttered slightly. ''yeah. yeah i'm okay.''

''we won't let him get you, i promise.''

''so as soon as el gets her powers back, we get vecna to take will. but this time, el follows vecna into will's mind?'' jonathon asked, the plan was super confusing.

''yes.'' nancy responded. ''that way, vecna will be in his trance, and we find him in the upside down, and burn him.''

''burn him?'' steve asked.

''we got the mindflayer out of will using heat, who says it's different for vecna? the upside down hates heat.'' nancy replied.

''and what ever happened to: will dies, the upside down dies or whatever?'' robin asked.

''well, clearly, we were wrong. vecna's targetting will, he wants to kill him.'' 

will knew they were right to begin with, and now they were wrong. but, will had a plan of his own. if they did manage to get both el and vecna into his mind, he would find a way to... well... kill himself. a glass shard or something, he didn't know yet.

''i'm ready.'' el spoke up, eager to kill one.

''are you sure, el? we can't afford to let this go wrong.'' dustin asked. 

''i'm sure.'' she said, glacning at her brother. ''lets kill this son of a bitch.''

''woah, el, where the hell did you learn that phrase?'' jonathon asked, shocked.

''will.'' and all eyes were on will, he never swore. will only smiled awkwardly in return.

''moving on!'' he said. ''aren't you guys going to need guns or something? what about the other monsters in there?''

''nancy's the only one who knows how to use a gun, will.'' mike said. ''she can't teach us all.''

''jonathon knows, too.'' nancy pointed out.

''and so do i.'' will said quietly. once again, eyes were on his.

''will, why the hell do you know how to use a gun?'' robin asked.

''uh, my dad. i still remember pretty well.''

''we can split you guys up in three groups, and me, nance, and will can teach you all.'' no one really responded, they were all shocked that sweet will knew how to use a gun. ''okay then. mike, lucas, and dustin. you're with will. robin, steve, and eddie. you're with nancy. and max, argyle, and el. you guys are with me.''

and with that, the groups scattered outside.

they were going to learn how to use a gun.

a/n: debating whether or not to have a heart breaking, soul crushing end to this story or a happy one.