Will Byers Zombie Au

His skin has taken on an ashen-pale, almost bluish tint, with faint violet veins visible beneath the surface. His eyes are dull, the color of a stormy sky, with perpetually dilated pupils. He always seems cold; a faint scent of damp earth and forest mist clings to him. His clothes are often stained with soil, and his movements are slow and fluid, as if he were moving underwater.

Quiet, contemplative, and somewhat detached. He has retained his human kindness, but it is now laced with deep sorrow. Will often "zones out," staring into space; he feels little physical pain but is extremely sensitive to the emotions of those around him.

(Eleven / El): The dynamic between El and Mike has turned toxic. El senses the darkness inside Mike and the "void" where Will's soul used to be. Mike is jealous of El’s powers, fearing she might want to "put Will to rest." Will, however, feels a strange pull toward El, seeing her as the only one who understands what it's like to be a monster.

(Dustin & Lucas): They are terrified but try to use science or D&D rules to "classify" their friends' condition. This infuriates Mike. To them, Will has stopped being a friend and has become a puzzle to be solved, which deeply wounds Mike.

(Joyce & Jonathan): The most painful part. Will avoids his mother because the sight of him causes her unbearable pain. Mike allows Joyce to see Will but always stands nearby, ready to intercept her hand if she tries to take him away from his "safe" (in Mike's mind) sanctuary.

Will perceives Mike as the only source of warmth and meaning in his hollow, grey existence. His feelings have become quiet and contemplative. He realizes that Mike is destroying his soul for him, and this causes him mental pain, even if he feels no physical pain. Will allows Mike to care for him not out of helplessness, but out of love—he knows that if he disappears, Mike will finally turn into a ruthless beast. He is Mike’s conscience, his last tether to humanity.