Pretty

Warning: use of homophobic slur

______________________________ Dylan had snuck back into his house Without getting caught this time, he went to bed with a bit of hope, Will was alive!_______________________________

He was woken by Steve

"Hey Dylan." Steve gently shook him

"Hm?" Dylan tiredly responded

"It's time for........ um...do you want to stay home today?" Steve asked

Dylan pondered for a moment before remembering what had happened last night

"I do, please" Dylan said pretending to act sad.

"Okay, I'll see you later" Steve walked away before turning to Dylan again.

"I'm here for you Dylan, always......I love you, you know that right?" Steve reminded Him.

Dylan paused for a moment he didn't remember the last time Steve opened his heart for him but he was thankful

"I know, I love you too." Dylan said with a smile

Steve smiled and gave him a nod before leaving.

Dylan packed his bag to leave for Mikes house when he got a call

*Dylan, do you copy? It's Dustin*

Dylan picked up his super comm

*yea I copy, what's up?"

*Mike wants us at his house Wil-*

Dylan cut him off*Wills alive, I know, I was there, I'm leaving right now, over and out*

Dylan then put on a pair of navy jeans and a sweater, grabbed an apple, and jumped on his bike and rode to Mikes house.

_______________________________

*statics*

The four boys all sat around Eleven who was still tuning the super comm to find Will.

"We keep losing the signal, but you heard it right?" Mike asked Lucas and Dustin.

Dylan looked at Eleven trying to figure out how she could find people like that, did she have a separate power like him or is it just her telekinesis?

"Yea, I heard a baby." Lucas tiredly said

"What?" Mike asked

Lucas sighed "you obviously tapped into a baby monitor, it's probably Blackburns next door."

"Uhh, did that sound like a baby to you, that was Will?!" Mike tired to reason with him.

"Mike-" Lucas tried to respond before he was cut off by Mike

"Lucas you don't understand we heard Will last night, Words!" Mike then turned to look at Dylan who was in front of him. "Dylan! You heard him too! He was singing that weird song he loves."

"Should I stay or should I go, by The Clash." Dylan responded looking at Lucas

Lucas just rolled his eyes

"Are you sure you're on the right channel?" Dustin asked

"It doesn't matter which channel she's on, somehow she channeling him." Dylan answered his eyebrows furrowed

"Like professor X!" Dustin added

Mike and Dylan agreeing with him

"Are you actually believing this crap?" Lucas asked Dustin in a judgmental tone.

"I don't know, I mean.........Do you remember when Will fell off his bike and broke his finger, he sounded a lot like that." Dustin remembered referring to the sound on the super comm.

"Did you guys not see what I saw!?" Lucas anger asked "they pulled Wills body out of the water."

"He's dead!"

Dylan zoned out, trying to figure out what the hell happened to Will, but if there's one thing he's sure of

Wills not dead

Dylan interrupted the argument between the boys, "this isn't gonna work."

The boys turned to him

"What do you mean?" Mike asked

"We need to get El to a stronger radio, the super Comm can only go so far, if this alternate dimension is true we need-" Dylan explained

"Mr. Clarkes Heathkit ham shack!" Dustin finished

"The Heathkit is at school! There's no way we're gonna get the weirdo in there without anyone noticing." Lucas said

"Just look at her." Lucas finished

______________________________

Dylan opened Nancy's makeup and took out some brushes and concealer. He started applying the makeup while Lucas and Dustin looked for Wigs and dresses, Mike was by his side watching.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Mike asked Dylan

"You remember Lisa, Steves girl-Ex girlfriend?" Dylan asked

"Yea?" Mike replied

Dylan added some blush on Elevens cheeks "Well she did her makeup in my house one time, I was bored so I just watched her and I still remembered what she did." Dylan chuckled "I even remember she put some um-I forgot what it was call but it's for your eyelashes to lengthen them, yea she put it on my lashes."

Mike laughed but his face quickly fell"When did this happen again?"

"Two years ago in December." Dylan responded

"Wasn't that when she broke up with Steve?" Mike asked

Dylan grew quiet "it was actually that same day."

Mike recognized Dylan's tone of voice and didn't ask any more questioned he knew he's never get an answer from him.

Dylan was quiet finishing Elevens makeup, remembering that day he wished he could forget.

______________________________

12/23/1981

"What's that?" Dylan asked

The beautiful blonde girl picked up a bottle of mascara with purple letterings "This is mascara, it makes your eyelashes long, and your eyes pop." Lisa put the mascara on her green eyes.

"Want some?" Lisa asked in a gentle tone

The young boy pondered for a moment

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Lisa begged

Dylan faced her, slightly flinching as the wand came close to him, smelling the mascara he could feel his lashes getting heavier

"Take a look!" Lisa said

Dylan opened his eyes and looked in the mirror, he hated the smell and it was uncomfortable but for the first time he didn't look at his scar, he looked at his almond shaped brown eyes

It was pretty

Dylan's thoughts were interrupted as his father burst into the bathroom with them.

"What the hell is going on?" Mr Harrington yelled

"Mr Harrington-?" Lisa asked her face stretched with confusion

"Get out of my house." He responded

"But-" Lisa tried to reason with him but was met with more shouted until she ultimately rushed out of the bathroom and left the house.

Dylan's dad just looked at him, Dylan just stood there with fear looking down, he could smell the alcohol from his father's lips another smell he hated

"Look at me........Look at me!" He yelled enraged

Dylan looked up slowly before his face was grabbed by his father his neck jerking up by force.

"Look at you, a freak and a f@g!" Mr Harrington threw Dylan's face away from him causing the young boy to fall hitting his cheek on the tiled floor.__________________________________

Dylan then added the finished touches applying a bit of lip balm on Elevens lips.

"Ta, da!" Dylan said closing the makeup box

______________________________

The boys were outside the door waiting for Eleven to put her dress and Wig on.

Eleven walked out with a blond wig that came to her shoulders, a pink dress with long sleeves and a white collar, and socks that had yellow and green stripes on them. Dylan couldn't deny it she was a pretty, but it made him worry if he thought she was pretty then.......

"Wow, she look-" Dustin started

"Pretty.......good pretty good." Mike said

Dylan looked at Mike and then Eleven, he couldn't help but feel jealous, did he like Eleven?Or maybe..........

Eleven walked past him and looked in a mirror "Pretty......good."

Dylan turned to face the mirror looking at Eleven through it, "yea pretty." Dylan said in a whisper so only Eleven could hear.

She gave him a smile, which he gladly returned.

_________________________________

They were riding their bikes to school, Eleven on the back of Mike's bike.

Dylan was really hoping this worked, if they could channel Will and talk to him they could figure out where he is and save him.

Dylan was just also hoping no one suspected Eleven.......or an even worst thought was if they do manage to find Will and he's in serious danger and he needs to use his powers to help him, what would his friend think?

*your so selfish! Wills in trouble and your thinking about your own wellbeing!*Dylan thought

Dylan then realized they were at the school so they all got off their bikes and made their way in.

"Okay remember, if anyone sees us look sad." Mike said

El looked at Dustin and Lucas confused, the two of them just acting out tears down their faces and a frown which eleven copied, Dylan just chuckled and walked faster to catch up with Mike.

Mike then ran up to the door and tried to open it but to no avail, it was locked.

"It's locked." Mike said looking at Dylan

"What?" Lucas then tried to open it himself

"Hey, do you think you can open it? With your powers?" Dustin questioned El but before she could answer they were interrupted.

"Boys?" Mr. Clarke came around the corner surprising them

They all turned to face him, Dylan slightly getting in front of El in an attempt to cover her.

"Assembly's about to start." Mr Clarke said in sad tone.

"We know We're just, you know....." Mike said looking down.

"Upset." Dylan said finishing Mikes sentence putting a comforting hand on Mike shoulder.

"Yea definitely upset." Dustin replied Lucas looking down sad

"We need some alone time." Mike said

"To cry." Dustin said

Dylan rolled his eyes.

"Yea listen, I get it, I do, I know how hard this is but let's just be there for Will, huh?" Mr Clarke said his hands on his hips. "And then," he sighed through his pockets for his keys. "The Heath kit is all yours for the rest of the day." He added throwing his keys to Mike.

It grazed Mikes hand falling, before it could hit the ground Dylan caught it putting it into his pocket Mike giving him an embarrassed smile.

Dylan sighed in relief until

"I don't believe we've met, what your name?" Mr Clarke asked Eleven.

"Eleven-" she started

"Eleanor! Shes my........" Dylan cut her off

"Cousin!" Dustin said

"Second cousin!" Lucas replied

"She's here for Wills funeral." Mike sighed

"Ah well, welcome to Hawkins Middle Eleanor. Wish you were here under better circumstances." Mr Clarke said

Eleven looked at Dylan who nodded at her mouthing the word thank you.

"T-thank you." Eleven said

"Where are you from, exactly?" Mr Clarke asked

"Bad place." Eleven said

"SWEDEN!" Dustin responded

Mr Clarke confusingly looked at Dylan.

"I have a lot of Swedish family." Dylan said giving him a customer service smile, pointing at her wig and his hair. "Blonde."

"She hates it there!" Dustin replied

"Cold!" Lucas added

"Subzero!" Dustin said

Dylan whispered for them to shut up so they didn't blow their cover.

Mr Clarke just brushed it off "Shall we." Mr Clarke said pointing them towards the assembly.

_______________________________

The doors to the gymnasium opened and the group was met with silence and stares from their classmates and teachers.

"Abort." Dustin whispered before trying to turn around which Lucas then pushed him back around and towards the bleachers

They sat on the third bleacher, Dylan was in between Mike and Eleven, he was tuning out the principal and his friends just waiting till they could leave.

He heard chuckling from the top right and looked to see Troy and James.

"Who's interested in this? This is so stupid." Troy said his laugh making Dylan's hands warm up and his blood boil. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Tory continued every word coming out of his mouth just made Dylan more furious.

"Mouth breather." Eleven mumbled

"Yea that's a nice way to put it." Dylan sarcastically said his eyes not leaving Troy's head.

Dylan took some deep breaths trying not to start something he couldn't finish.

The bell rung and students were piling against each other trying to get to 5th period, Dylan was walking towards the door until he heard his favorite voice start something.

"You think, this is funny?" Mike asked

Troy and James turned around to face Mike

"What you say wheeler?" Troy asked offended

Dylan sped walked to get by Mikes side

"I saw you laughing up there and I think that's a real messed up thing to do!" Mike stammered

"Didn't you listen to the counselors wheeler, grief shows itself in funny ways." James said

Dylan put a hand on Mikes shoulder to stop him from doing anything he could get hurt from. "Besides what's there to be sad about, anyway? Wills in fairyland now, right? Flying around with all the other little fairies, all happy and Gay!" Troy mocked.

Dylan then took his hand off of Mikes shoulder glaring at Troy, he didn't know what Mike was going to do but he was gonna be with him every step of the way.

Troy walked away with James but Mike came up behind him and pushed him, the students around them gasp as Troy fell flat on his face.

"Your dead wheeler, dead!" Troy ran up to Mike before he stood still not being able to move a muscle. Everyone was confused on why he wasn't doing anything until he started peeing his pants

"Dude, Troy peed himself!""Ew, oh my gosh!""What the hell!"Everyone started laughing

Eleven had stopped Troy but was confused on why Troy was peeing before looking at Dylan who was wiping blood off of his nose. He gave her a small glance before grabbing Mike and signaling the rest of them to get out of the gym. Mike then looked at Eleven who wiped her nose following them.

_______________________________

They all crowd around the Heathkit, Eleven sitting in the wheeled chair in front of it, with the guys surrounding her, Mike and Dylan on her right while Lucas and Dustin were on her left.

"What now?" Dustin asked

"She'll find him." Dylan said tuning the radio frequencies

"Right El?" Mike asked which El nodded in return

Eleven then closed her eyes her hands planted on the table, searching for Will, the sounds of static was echoing through the room. They were all silent attempting to hear the sound of Wills voice or anything.

"She's finding him!" Mike exclaimed smiling

"This is crazy." Dustin responded

"Calm down. She just closed her eyes." Lucas said

Dylan didn't take his eyes off of her and he definitely didn't take his ears off the radio.

"Sssh, she needs to focus." Dylan gently said leaning forward against the table.

Then the light went out, they all gasped, Mike leaned in closer to Dylan in shock

"Holy-" the sound of clanging came from the radio

*clang**clang!**CLANG*

"What is that?" Dustin asked fear lingering in his tone

Suddenly the boys all heard the sound of their friend screaming for his mom

*mom! Mom!*

"Will! Can you hear us?!" Dylan asked

"Will are you there it's us!" Lucas asked

There voices mashed together

"Will!""Can you hear us!""We're here!""Will?!"

Wills distorted voice played from the radio, Dylan was confused on why Will couldn't hear them.

"Why can't he hear us?" Dustin asked

"I don't know!" Mike said in frustration

They all quieted down to listen to him

*it's like home! But it's so dark, it's so dark! And empty! And it's so cold! Mom! Mom!*Wills voice echoed

Dylan could feel his body clench up and his eyes water, where the hell was will?

Then the fuse of the radio blew up, the boys all stammered away from it Dylan grabbing El so she wasn't hurt by the sparks. The Fire alarm started to ring causing El to Come out of her trance as Dustin grabbed the fire extinguisher.

"El are you okay?" Mike asked grabbing El by the shoulders El just looked at him tiredly her nose bleeding

"She's weak, help me carry her." Dylan expressed as Mike grabbed her by the arm, and the two boys carried her out of the room.

The group rode back to Mikes basement, Dylan was in agony from all the questions and thoughts he hadWhat happened to Will?Where is he?Can he save him?