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December 23rd, 2001. Hawkins Indiana.
It’s a normal day for everyone in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. No alternate dimensions, no monsters, no evil wizard trying to destroy the world. But it doesn’t feel right for Mike Wheeler. Twelve years since Vecna, twelve years since he started his normal life. It’s never felt normal for him though. His friends are all living their own lives doing amazing things and here he is still in his hometown; but hey at least he doesn’t live with his parents!
Mike is at his childhood home for Christmas, it feels weird without his friends. It’s so empty. He walks into his bedroom, still the exact same as it has always been with his posters and wall decor in the same exact spot as always. As forever. It’s nice to see that something hasn’t changed. He walks around to his bed and sits down as he takes in the nostalgia that the room brings. He smiles at the thought of his friends. Dustin, Lucas, Max, El, Will. He misses them, all of them. He hasn’t been able to see them much lately because they’re so busy with their new lives.
Dustin is a college graduate and is living his best life in the town over. Lucas and Max are still going strong together, of course, and were supposed to come over for Christmas but their flight got canceled. El is living in a village far away, if she came back she isn’t for certain that the military won’t come back too; but she writes to the party which they appreciate. Will is….. Mike isn’t too sure what or where Will is nowadays… They talk but they don’t talk. Mike mourns the days where they would talk for hours on end about stupid shit and they’d just laugh. Mike smiles at the thought.
He sighs, getting up from his bed and walking down to the basement where all his D&D campaigns took place. Holly and her friends took it over once he left but they didn’t move much around which Mike is grateful for. He doesn’t know how much change he can take today.
Once he reaches the bottom step he takes a deep breath. He walks around to a certain shelf where he and the party had stored their D&D books. He smiles as he remembers all of the memories they made through this silly board game. His smile turns sadden as his eye catches sight of Wills. He remembers Will and the way he always put himself first, not just in the game. The way his eyes crinkled up when he smiled, the way when the light caught his hair it lit up, the way his smile could brighten a room. Mike tears up. Why was he so stupid when he was a teen? He regrets it.
Mike takes a deep breath as he walks back up the steps. It’s late. He should get some rest.
He goes to his bedroom and shuts the door. He sits on his bed, his head falling into his hands. Once he picks his head up something catches his eye. In the mirror in front of him he can see a blue binder poking out from under his bed. His brows furrow in confusion as he drops to his knees in front of the bed to retrieve the mysterious item. He dusts it off, he isn’t sure how long it’s been under his bed but it’s been a long time. He slowly opens it and turns the pages. holy fuck. He remembers it now. It’s Wills drawings. The drawings Will had made for him. He smiles as he caresses each drawing carefully as if he will harm it if he touches any harder.
He bites his lip in contemplation before setting the binder down and picking up his phone, dialing Wills number. He breathes in deeply before pressing the call button.
ring. ring. ring.
For a moment Mike isn’t sure if Will is even going to answer him and he bites his nails anxiously as he waits.
The ringing stops. A voice comes from the other end. Mike could recognize that voice anywhere.
“Hello?”
“Will. hi.” Mike smiles at Wills sleepy voice. “Did i um did i wake you?”
Will yawns, “A little but it’s okay. what’s up?”
Mike swallows harshly, gripping the phone so tight his fingers turn white.
“Mike?”
“Sorry. um i just uh wanted to talk to you… i miss you.”
“I miss you too.” Will say’s softly.
“I’m sorry.”
“for what?” Will asks and Mike can hear the confusion in his voice, the way his eyebrows are probably bunched together as he tries to think of something Mike should be sorry for.
“For how i was when we were kids. Well not kids i guess… when we were younger. i was an asshole to you, and Eleven. and i-i’m sorry. there isn’t really anything that can excuse that sort of behavior but-“
Will cuts him off with a soft laugh, “Mike it’s okay that was forever ago. forgive and forget right?”
“But i don’t want to forget. I don’t want to forget you. I never want to forget you.”
Wills quiet for a few moments before he sighs and Mike hears the rustling of bedsheets before he hears a door open and close. “Mike. why did you call me?”
Mike feels his throat getting tight. it’s now or never. “I love you Will. i always have, ever since we were kids. I didn’t lie when i told you that becoming your friend was the best thing i’ve done. it was. it truly was. and i’m sorry i was such an asshole to you. i was so caught up in El a-and dating her that i never even realized i was being a dick. well maybe i did. but i didn’t want to acknowledge it because i was scared. i was so scared of what people would say a-and what they would think. and when you came out alll those years ago i wanted to say something. i wanted, needed, to tell you the truth and-“
Mike gets cut off by a voice on the other end. it’s not Wills, he knows that.
“Are you coming back to bed?” The muffled voice asks.
“one second baby.” Will tells the mystery man.
In that moment Mikes heart plummets to his stomach, he feels his throat tighten, his eyes burning, his lip bleeding by how hard he’s biting his lip. He finally speaks. “sorry. this was so fucking stupid. goodnight Will. see you soon i guess.”
And before Will could get another word out Mike ends the call. He feels so stupid. So dumb for thinking Will would wait for him for twelve years.
He just cries and cries and cries until everything goes dark and he finds himself asleep.
He’s too little way too late.