Chapter Text
Mike Wheeler doesn’t like his father. He hasn’t liked his father since he was eight years old and he heard him ask his mother if he should send Mike to a conversion camp. He hasn’t liked him since the day he saw his mother flinch at his words. He hasn’t liked him since his mom crawled into his bed sobbing over something he said. Mike Wheeler doesn’t like his father.
Mike is twelve when he doesn’t like his father that only speaks about work. Or when his eyes glaze over something Holly says. Mike doesn’t like his father when screams at his mom. Or when he grabs his shoulders and tells him “You are just like them, queers.”
Mike thinks that 12-year-old him is full of shit.
Because he is slowly becoming his father.
It’s the end of summer and Mike has just watched his girlfriend and best friend leave for California. The longing he feels isn’t for El. He realizes maybe it’s never been.
Maybe that’s when the seeds plant their roots. But they don’t grow because Mike refuses to be anything but normal.
If anything he refuses to accept that his father was right about him.
He can’t afford Ted Wheeler being right about anything.