Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Things are cloudy within Mike's mind. He struggles to remember what exactly happened to him. He tries to force himself to focus. What...? What had happened? Is Will okay? Are Dustin and Lucas and El and Max and- He winces sharply. The rush of thought hurts so badly his thoughts turn white and slip from his fingers faster than he can stop them. He feels so heavy. His limbs drag him down from where he lays on the cold tiled floor. He lets out a low groan as a pounding sensation rattled his body. He was. Wet. More specifically, his head. He tentatively reached to the back of his head. It was soaked and he tried his hardest to open his eyes. All he saw was red. He was lying in a big puddle of this weird red liquid. What was this.. stuff?  

He sighs. He has to get up. He has to help his friends. He struggles to get his arms under him when he hears something. There’s strange faint thumps next to his head. He tries to turn. He wants to look. He sees a blurry outline of.. legs? So, the, the- He struggles to think. The footsteps? He thinks they’re footsteps anyway. They’re heavy. Hopper has heavy footsteps.. Mike can’t stop himself from falling into the black void of unconsciousness, firm in the belief that the one approaching his incapacitated body was Hopper.  

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The Russian soldier sprinted down one of the malls’ weird corridors. He sees a slumped figure off to the left sitting in their own blood. He assumes they’re dead. He feels almost vindicated. So many brothers have died from today’s events, it’s fitting that the Americans have suffered. Even if it’s a lanky child all by their lonesome. The soldier begins to run past when he sees faint movement out of the corner of his eye. The child is alive? With all that blood surrounding them?  

He watches as the injured child makes a strong effort to get up despite the injury. He slowly walks towards the child in case it’s a trap. But no. The Americans truly left one of their injured young out in the open to be further hurt. A plan slowly forms in his mind. He carefully slung his weapon over his shoulder and reached down for the child. His government would be pleased.  

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Will sat with his mother outside the rubble of the mall. He had been cleared by the ambulances that arrived on scene. Other than a few scrapes and bruises, he was perfectly healthy just like his friends. Each of the children sat with their parents. Lucas and Max huddled next to each other while some others talked. Will smiled as he looked over his best friends. Dustin, Steve, and Robin sat together with Dustin gesturing broadly. Erica sat with her parents with Lucas and Max not far away from them. He saw Nancy and Johnathan cuddled together while El was with his mom. Will smiled at his friends. But. That wasn’t all of them. Where was Mike? Will felt fear claw at his throat. He- He couldn’t remember the last time he saw him. Where was Mike? Had he left early? Without saying goodbye?? The idea was preposterous. Even with Mike’s actions lately, he never left Will without saying goodbye. Will felt panic encroaching on his very soul. Please not Mike, anybody but Mike. Mike was his best friend, his confident, his-  

The thought cut off abruptly. No.  

He refused to think about that.  

“Has anyone seen Mike?” He shakily asked.  

No one answered him. They had been too engrossed in their conversations. Will’s throat clogged with fear. It chipped away at his soul. He felt his eyes flood with tears while his breathing cut short. How did he not know where Mike was for so long?  

“Guys!” Will yelped out. Heads snapped up to look at him. Will’s voice tinged with desperation, “Has anyone seen Mike?!” Will gasped in air as he looked from face to face. They didn’t know. No one had to say anything. They all knew that no one knew where he was. Will turned fearfully back to the rubble and recoiled at the carnage. The firefighters had been there for over an hour and flames still quietly licked at pieces of concrete.  

No. No. Please. It had to be a cruel joke. The Upside Down couldn’t take Mike from him. Not his beautiful resilient Mike. The one who had stayed for endless nights with Will when he was possessed. The one who went against the Chief for him and searched when he went missing. The one who’s freckles made patterns across his skin like stars. The one who held his hand when Will had nightmares, the one who held Will when he cried, the one who’s gaze never changed when looking at Will, Mike always, always, looked at Will like he was the most precious thing in the world. Like he could do no wrong. Will stiffened as Lucas spoke.  

“I-I think I saw him a bit ago.” Will whirled around face Lucas so fast he got dizzy. “When?!” He frantically asked. Lucas swallowed stiffly and whispered, “I saw him get thrown by the- uh..” His voice dies out as he looks around at the police and others around them. “I haven’t seen him since..” He finished quietly. Will swallowed stiffly. “El? Max? Dustin?” His voice twinged with anxiety at the end, raising in pitch.  

He swallowed as he looked towards his mother in fear. She automatically rose up to envelop him in a tight hug full of love. “We’ll find him baby. It’ll be okay.”  

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At 9:17 am, the following day, a burned body that vaguely fit the description of Michael Wheeler was found in the rubble of Starcourt. The body wasn’t a perfect match but despite that, Michael Wheeler was declared deceased, and a funeral was arranged for the following Friday. The body that had been found had been two inches taller and appeared to have weighed a tad more than Michael, but with the trauma that was likely experienced during the fire and crumbling of the building, the body was expected to have morphed slightly. That had been the explanation given to the family and Michael’s friends when Will stormed into the police station because he had refused to believe that his Mike was dead.  

Unsurprisingly. Will Byers was right again.  

Not that anyone believed him. They wanted to put the agony of losing the glue that kept them together behind them. Lucas and Max had slightly broken off from the group and distanced themselves. Dustin talked only really to Suzie or Steve. El sat in her room most of the time and offered small, shattered smiles when spoken to. And Will? Will wondered the town and raided the library in an attempt to figure out what had happened to Mike.  

Chapter Text

Mike drew in a ragged breath as he adjusted to the blinding light pouring over his body. Sharp stinging pain radiated through his body, his limbs felt like they were dipped into wax. The stiffness was agonizing and stifling, Mike struggled to suck in the air he desperately needed. He let out a low groan and tried to roll onto his side. Key word: tried.  

Panic seized Mike’s throat as he yanked harshly on his hands. There was a slight shifting of fabric, Mike forced his eyes open despite the harsh light that caused pain to sear through his retinas and into his brain. He blinked quickly, begging his eyes to adjust to the unforgiving environment. He swallowed as his eyes locked on the leather straps that held his ankles to the stiff platform he was on. His eyebrows furrowed together in a knot of confusion. He tugged at the restraints experimentally, as he glanced around. Everything.. was. Well, everything was white. Not a single speck of color infected the place. Mike had been changed into a white long sleeve shirt and white pants. He shuddered as the thought of someone he didn’t know changing his clothes infected his mind. He pulled harder at the cuffs holding him in place.  

“Hello?” Mike yelled out, “I-I’m trapped!” He winced as his voice broke over the words. He choked slightly. His throat felt like it was closing as he shuddered. He couldn’t remember anything that had happened, is Will okay? Is El? What happened? Had they won?  

He swallows harshly, trying to force down the fear overtaking his mind. “Help! Please! Let me out!” He pleaded with no one in particular. He felt irrational tears welling up in his eyes. What if they had died? What if his closest and most dear friends had died and he was all that’s left? He was the most useless of their group, Max had her strength, El was powerful and kind and true to herself, Lucas was brave and stubborn, Dustin was charismatic and intelligent, and Will, oh god, Will was amazing. Will was beautiful, he was soft and kind, but he had this burning fire within his heart, this determination that never failed to inspire the nearest person to him. He had this understanding nature, that allowed you to trust him, even if the world was burning to the ground Mike would believe Will if he said it would all be okay the next morning. Mike’s eyes clouded over with tears; Mike could stand to lose anybody but Will. Anybody but his-  

A creaking sound behind his head startled him. He flinched and started yanking furiously at his restraints. “Hello?! Where are my friends? Are they okay?!” Mike wildly turned both ways trying to see who had entered the door behind him. Mike watched as a figure in an even whiter lab coat turned to stand in front of him. Mike ran his eyes over the man in front of him. The man appeared to be around his father’s age, with grey specks running through his hair. He had a sharp crooked nose with grey piercing eyes that poked hot daggers through Mike’s soul. He was clean shaven with a recently trimmed hairstyle. “Hello?” Mike questioned as the man just peeled him apart with his eyes.  

Finally, the strange man seemed satisfied with whatever he had seen within Michael Wheeler.  

He grinned a sharp smile. “I am Dr. Kozlov. It is a pleasure to meet you, Michael.” The Russian accent was unmistakable, and Mike stiffened before narrowing his eyes accusingly. “Why am I here?” He snarled at the older man. Dr. Kozlov seemingly ignored him, continuing to speak as if Mike had never uttered a word. “You are very special. You will make Russia proud.” Mike squirmed, “Where are my friends? What did you do to them you sick bastard?” Mike screamed at him, tugging wildly on the cuffs. He breathed raggedly as his struggling stopped. The older man just smiled down on Mike with too many teeth.  

He nodded at someplace behind Mike, likely where Mike had assumed the door was. Mike attempted to turn to face the door again. “Hey! Wait! Wait! What are you doing?” Mike turned to the older man standing off to the side now. “What are you going to do to me?” The doctor turned slightly towards him. “We, are building our weapon.” His vicious eyes shredded any sense of coverage Mike had, had. Mike heard sharp footsteps and he turned to try to see the source of the steps, however he didn’t turn far before he felt hands grip into his hair. Mike gasped sharply before struggling, “Stop it! Stop it! Let me go you asshole!”  

The grey-haired doctor, Dr. Kozlov, snapped his fingers in front of Mike’s eyes, cutting through the panic like a knife. “Stay still.” He strictly ordered. Mike sucked in a broken breath. “Please, please, you don’t have to do this. I’m not-”  

“You are perfect.” Kozlov cut Mike off. He reached behind Mike’s head and pulled a thick vial out from wherever he had reached. Mike’s eyes widened. “What is that?” Fear was potent in his voice. Mike struggled against his bonds with renewed vengeance. “No! Stop it! Get the fuck away from me!”  

The doctor raised his hand and without missing a beat he struck his hand across Mike’s face. Mike gasped in a pained gulp of air before being pinned back onto the hard chair-like platform. Mike dragged in air as the stinging ache from the slap turned into muted pain. Multiple hands helped hold Mike’s body down as he twitched and begged them not to do that. He wasn’t sure what that was but he didn’t want it to infect his veins. He didn’t want to be more of a freak than he already was. He felt the tears start to pour down his cheeks as the terror iced its way through his veins. His voice turned ragged as he begged them to stop, to not touch him, to leave him alone. None of his cursing or kicking or pleading faltered the people holding him down or the people preparing the vials and syringes.  

Suddenly, Mike’s neck was torn sideways to expose the left vulnerable side of his neck to Kozlov. He cleaned the area gently before pulling out a large needle filled with the swirling black liquid, when the neon white lights hit the vial just right it had an almost glittery look. Mike stared with wide eyes at the vial; it was almost captivating in its beauty. Kozlov leaned down close to Mike and smiled the too-wide smile he had sported when he first entered.  

“This.” Kozlov narrowed his eyes slightly and something similar to clinical fascination flickered within his gaze. “Will hurt.” His vicious smile covered Mike’s vision as he felt the sharp sting of the syringe into his neck. The doctor watched as Mike’s eyes rolled backwards into his head. “Fascinating..” He whispered barely audible.  

Doctor Kozlov leaned up as he watched Michael’s body become slack. The tension just seemed to slither out of his body. He carefully shined a light into each eye and noted the unresponsive nature the experimental liquid had given him. Unlike the past experiments, Michael had stayed partially lucid, and the solution had worked much faster than it had for the others. The man smirked in satisfaction.  

This was the one.  

Chapter Text

Everything hurt.  

Pure and uttered unaltered agony coursed through Mike’s veins.   

This was worse than anything Mike had ever experienced, even in terms of psychological pain. This- This was definitely worse than the pain he had experienced at the hands of his father’s rage and his hurtful words. This was worse than the bullies, this was worse than the multitude of injuries he suffered from the Upside Down, this was worse than every hurtful slur and beating he got from the older people at school. God this was excruciating.   

This might even be worse than seeing Will’s fake dead body be pulled from the lake.  

Images of Will’s body flashed underneath his eyelids. The open eyes and pale complexion forever burned into his memory. He choked on the memory as if it had clutched him deliberately and dragged him in those icy depths of the quarry.   

He shot upright and off the floor as the dread flooded his veins. Anguish tightened around Mike’s body and every muscle, even ones he didn't even know existed, seized and he dropped to the floor. He felt the bubble rise in his chest before he could help it. He gasped in a chunk of air and his voice chords thrummed with unused energy. Every muscle tightened again, and the most gruesome scream ripped through his chest and tore apart his vocal cords. The scream was like a physical being and it was pure violence. He gasped out a sob and sucked air in again only unleash another tormented scream. He curled into a ball on his side as every molecule of his being vibrated in agony.   

Distantly he could hear what sounded like a door being pushed open, but he was too wrapped in agony to perceive it. It felt all consuming, the wrath of whatever they had given him was tearing him apart. He felt a sudden hand tighten around his bicep as a fresh wave of pain clobbered him from the touch.   

He gasped in air and rolled away trying to desperately escape from the torture being inflicted on him. Realistically he knew the pain radiated from the very DNA that looped through his cells, but the pain addled part didn’t care. The hands were on him again, bruising and violent.   

The newfound pain that was brought on by the hands also brought absolute rage. These people-     

These monsters had done this to him. To him. He hadn’t wanted this.   

It welled up inside him battling with the pain. He fought against the hands and struggled to crawl away, to roll, to walk, anything, to get away from the hands that tried to cause him pain and harm. Away from the hands that had hurt his friends.  

The thought lit a dark fire within him. His friends. The memories flashed underneath his eyelids. Mike and Lucas play fighting, Mike and Dustin sharing comics, Mike and Will-   

“Asking you to be my friend was the best thing I’ve ever done.”   

Four hands grabbed him now. Clutching him tightly, wrestling against him to make him come with them.   

The fire roared inside him. It was bright and agonizing and destructive. He wanted the hands gone. He didn’t want to be touched, he didn’t want to be looked at or prodded or whatever else they were planning to do to him. Fury rose sharp and heavy within his chest.   

The hands finally released him. Air funneled into Mike’s lungs and set him free. Blind fear turned into utter rage as Mike shoved his hands underneath himself to scramble away from the people invading the room. Mike turned and tore his eyes open so he could see who had grabbed him, only to see-  

No one.  

The black walls of the room contrasted with the wall Mike had pressed himself against. A black metal door squealed as hung off its hinges. The wall Mike had huddled against was the only white wall in the room. He sucked in air like he was starved for it. It was agony to swallow the air, but it was even worse to keep it out. Mike curled into the littlest ball he could manage even as he crushed his organs. His knees held in front of his face as he curled his hands into his hair. He shivered as quiet sobs started pouring out of him. He wanted to go home.  

He wanted Steve’s caring behavior and fond hand in his hair. He wanted Johnathan’s tight hugs and kind looks. He wanted Nancy’s perfume and the bickering behavior between them. He wanted Lucas’s banter, and then Lucas’s bravery for their friends, and Dustin’s intelligence but also his love for others. He wanted to see El’s smile and tell her how sorry he was for his less than stellar performance as her boyfriend, or rather ex-boyfriend, and he even wanted Max’s arguments.  

He wanted Will’s presence. God, Will had an intoxicating presence.  

Mike sobbed harder.  

Will was- He was beautiful. He was kind and brave and good. He was everything Mike wasn’t. Mike was dirty, and disgusting, and- and-  

Will would hate Mike if he knew what a disgusting freak he was. Even before what they had injected him with.  

Self-hatred curled inside Mike like a vicious poison. It ate at him and ate and ate-  

The door creaked loudly. Mike’s head snapped up and utter fury crushed through his veins. He might’ve been a worthless freak before but they made him worse.  

Soldiers stood with guns raised at Mike. Mike propped his hands flat against the wall as they grew nearer.  

At least if he died like this, he wouldn’t betray Will.  

A soldier stepped closer and Mike’s head snapped towards them. He breathed in sharply as a growl snarled low and animalistic in his chest.  

The same soldier stepped closer.  

There was a pause as everything in the room seemed to freeze.  

Mike lunged at him as gunshots shattered through the pause.