[ ????? & ???? ] ~ ???? ????? ? ??

"I- I mean, I just don't think they've actually thought this through." Will huffed, pacing after catching a wall ball. "If this goes on for a month, o- or months, a- and people can't get a hold of us, they're gonna totally freak out. Meanwhile, my mom's probably having a panic attack already. A- And th- what about Hawkins? That lady's just supposed to keep it 'contained'. Like you could contain any of this without El. I mean- I- Ah-" 

Antonio put a hand on Will's shoulder, forcing him to pause. "You're overthinking. Calm down. You're stuttering like Lucy when she gets all excited and weird." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. It worked, for a second, as Will cracked a broken smile. 

"Don't call Lucy weird." Mike shot down. "You don't even know her." 

"Yeah, okay." Antonio rolled his eyes. Sure he didn't know her. He never met her, but she sure made it seem like he talked to her more than Mike did. 

Will huffed, stuttering again. "If you keep staring at that, it- it's not gonna change. You know?" 

Mike looked up at Will, nodding and biting the inside of his cheek. "Yeah. . .yeah, you're right." He balled the note from Jane up into a ball and threw it into Will's trash can.

"Well that seemed a little unnecessary." Antonio scoffed, rolling his eyes. 

Will sighed, sitting down next to Mike. 

"Before the cops came, me and El. . .We- we had a bad fight. We never fight. I mean, we fought before, but just like, silly fights, stupid fights. But, I dunno, this one just felt more adult. Like it- it just felt more real. Like- Like it was a fight that you can't come back from. Maybe I should've said something a- and if I would've said that thing, then maybe she'd want me there with her, wherever she is."

"Look, dude." Antonio sighed, absolutely hating that he was about to try and comfort this douche. "How do you know she doesn't want you there? Just 'cause you got in a fight doesn't mean she hates you now. Couples fight all the time. It's healthy to fight. If you bottle everything up, now that's unhealthy." 

Will nodded. "Look, Mike, you're gonna see her again, and whatever it is, whatever you didn't say, y- you can say it to her then."

Mike nodded softly. 

"Okay?" 

"Yeah. Yeah." Mike smiled ever so slightly. 

"She's gonna be okay." Will promised with a nod. "She's not in Hawkins. That's what we should be worrying about."

"You don't trust Owens?" 

"Well I know I don't." Antonio scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't trust anyone he didn't know well. 

"No- I don't know. . . I mean, he's been good to us and good to El, but he wasn't able to protect me. That was you guys who saved me. That was you guys."

"You've lost me." Antonio softly shook his head, his brows drawn tight. He adjusted his glasses, pushing them further up on his nose. 

Mike sighed. "Looks like it's gonna be up to us again. And. . .this guy." He glared slightly at Antonio.

"It always is, isn't it." Will smiled, getting a laugh out of Mike. 

"Which is why we can't stay here." Jonathan spoke, forcing a jump from Antonio. 

"Jesus fucking- How long were you there!?" He growled, scowling in the brunet's direction. Oh, and Justin was behind him. 

Jonathan walked in and put a coke on Will's desk, pulling out the desk chair and straddling it backwards. "Listen, let's assume these friends of Owens are telling the truth. I mean, we can't call Hawkins without alerting the military, putting El in danger. Fine. Then we'll just have to go to them." 

"Go to Hawkins?" Mike nodded. 

"How?" Antonio rolled his eyes. They were under lock and key. How did this tall lanky man think he could get himself, a girl and three kids out without being seen? 

"What are you worried about? Ponch and Jon out there? They're half asleep now watching golf." 

Well that made things easy.

"No, Jonathan. I mean, we don't have a car, money." Will countered. 

"Then we'll hail ourselves a ride." 

"All five of us?" Antonio narrowed his eyes. This plan was getting dumber by the second. "I mean, my sister drives." He sighed, running a hand over his face. 

"No, no- I meant-" Jonathan cut himself off with a sigh, holding up a paper flyer ad for Surfer Boy Pizza. "I meant Argyle-"

"Couldn't you have just said that dipshit?" Justin rolled her eyes, smacking Jonathan over the head. 

"Well yeah but I just-"

"You just what? Wanted to look stupid?" 

Will and Mike left the room to go get the agents to order a pizza. 

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Word Count - 797

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Published - March 12, 2024

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