Will Byers had his fair share of traumatic experiences. From being made fun of in school to the further side of things being taken to a different dimension at a young age — being forced to fight his way to survive.

He had always had people by his side, even through the hardest times, whether in the current tendril filled dark dimension or the normal one that mirrored it. Or rather.., the original one.

First there was Mike, the one he met only as a young boy, the two kindling a strong bond. Then was you, the second one he put together in his small but growing party.

Wasn’t long before more names were added to his growing friend circle. Dustin, Lucas. And then a girl that came along with the.., trauma he had lived through, a girl with… powers; El. And lastly, as they grew older, the ginger firecracker named Max joined their group.

Tonight was like any other nights, really. Each of them, so close to their final year at Hawkins High, the ‘earthquake’ splitting the small town of Hawkins in four patched up by a metal bandaid; curtesy of the horrible military that did nothing but make things worse.

The party had just had another long DND campaign, the battle long and hard, but the strong fighters came on top — ever courteous Mike was as the DM — the large group staying the night at the Wheelers.

Of course, to Ted Wheelers’ displeasure, the posse of young adults pitched in sleeping bags in the basement, sleeping bodies snoozing after a long battle against dungeon monsters and coming out as hero’s.

Will laid, motionless. Until he wasn’t. His body shot up, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as he panted to catch his breath, dark green eyes shooting around the dark basement; his friends’ bodies still… good.

Another nightmare. Another nightmare of the past, the Upside Down, the Demo’s, the Mind Flayer, all of them visited his mind in his dreams; leaving him restless time and time again.

Wiping his forehead, he shuddered, green eyes closing; hands behind him holding him up as he sat up in the sleeping bag.

But.., he wasn’t the only one awake like he thought he was… you had stirred, waking yourself up from moving, hearing his sudden motion and panting, eyes growing worried.

Another nightmare, you thought, your own brows pinching, pushing your body to sit up; catching the attention of the very boy struggling to keep his mind away from the trauma, embarrassment and shame filling his mind once noticing you — he woke you up.