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“will, how old are you?” el asked. her, mike and will were sitting in a room in hopper’s old cabin. mike and el were sitting side by side, not close though, and will was sitting in front of them. they had just finished cleaning up and had nothing else to do other than talk.
el was a forgetful person, often forgetting people’s names and their ages. she had forgotten it was her birthday this year, so the question she was asking didn’t prompt the shock that people would normally think there would be.
“hes fourteen,” mike answered, turning to el. will felt his face drop and he dropped his gaze from where it was previously looking at the teens to his criss-crossed legs.
“im fifteen,” he whispered out. he lifted his eyes a bit to see mike’s head snap towards him with a confused expression, the ends of his lips going down to meet in a frown.
he glanced towards el, who was confused at the sudden tension in the room when suddenly she got what happened and let out a little gasp. she looked at will with pity. a look he had grown to hate.
“we missed your birthday? wh-why didn’t you tell us?” mike blurted out loudly, making el look at him weirdly at his small outburst and will flinch at the sudden loudness of his voice. his voice sounded oddly accusatory. the boy gulped and could feel his hands start to sweat. he just hoped this didn’t turn into an argument.
“‘cause well, you were busy with el and stuff so, i dunno. i kinda thought you’d remember.” will answered, voice soft but full of emotions not even mike could decode, with a shrug.
“w-why didn’t you remember? i mean, march 22nd should’ve- it should’ve reminded you of something. or maybe someone..” he continued when he got silence as a response.
el had sensed that this conversation didn’t involve her, and she felt as if she was intruding on something very personal between the two boys, so she quickly got up and shuffled out the door, shooting will a tight smile as comfort before leaving.
“i mean, i’m honestly not surprised anymore. especially not with you,” he continued after el had left, “just… disappointed, i guess.”
he looked up to see mike with his jaw dropped. he knew that he had struck something with his words, but he couldn’t be bothered to care anymore. he was just…sad? angry? he didn’t know, but he knew that he was definitely feeling stuff right now.
he saw mike’s face contort to one of anger and braced himself for something he knew was going to hurt him for a long, long time. he had gone through this before, but he knew it wasn’t gonna get easier hearing hurtful words come out from mike’s mouth.
“does this have to do with the whole argument in the rink place? just- i’m sorry, okay! is that what you wanted to hear?! i’m sorry i ignored you, or whatever, but i’m not the only bad guy in this!” he stood up from his place, will following shortly after, walking closer to mike, who was stood still. he felt himself breathing rapidly, almost hyperventilating, as the tears he tried so hard to keep at bay flooded out of his hazel eyes. he let a heart wrenching sob out as he balled his fists.
“you ALWAYS do this, mike! you always fucking do this!”, he shoved a finger into mike’s chest, making the boy slightly stumble, “you- you try to make yourself the victim, and you say stupid shit like this! i’m not mad about you ignoring me and forgetting about me for a year, and then ignoring me these past few days, no, not right now! i’m mad that you forgot my birthday!“ he sobbed out, wanting nothing other than to just… feel happy. he never liked arguing with mike. though, they did only start arguing a lot during these past two years, but still, he didn’t like it.
“i didn’t forget yours! and i’m— 2,100 miles away! i sent you a gift two months early and had your parents give it to you on your birthday so you wouldn’t have opened it earlier because i know how you are! or, i knew how you were.” he said the last part coldly, looking dead into the eyes of the boy he thought was his best friend while tears rolled down his cheeks, further reddening his already red eyes, and shocking the boy in front of him to his core.
mike opened his mouth and shut it rapidly, speechless to another extent. will sobbed, bringing his hand to his mouth to cover the noises he was making and his gaze dropped down to the floor.
“as i said, i’m not surprised! not just at you, but at everyone! everyone forgot my birthday. my mom, jonathan, you. yeah, it hurts that my own family forgot my birthday, a lot actually,” he laughed humorlessly before his face dropped and he looked up to mike, and mike had never wanted to cry so badly before.
will’s nose was red, so red, and his eyes were even redder. the whites of his eyes had turned red and the skin around the eye was red, making them puffy and probably irritable. he looked at mike with a small, obviously fake smile, eyes glossy with fresh tears.
“i just never expected you to forget.”
will walked out of the room, and immediately heading for the cabin’s front door.
he passed el, his mom, and hopper, who were in the living room, while on his way. he walked with his head down, hearing his mother call his name, asking him if he was okay, but he ignored her. he passed them and walked straight out the door.
he felt like he couldn’t- he needed to get away. and walking wasn’t going to let him get away, so he ran. tears streamed down his face as he ran through the woods that hoppers cabin was located in, not knowing where he was going, or if he would find his way back. probably not, but it was okay. as long as he got away.
he ran for a good 10 minutes before he slumped against a tree and just… cried. he cried, and cried, and cried. he cried for the boy that had died november 6th, 1983. for the boy that was reborn as just a mere shell of who he once was. he cried for the boy that cupid had mercessly shot with an arrow that had the name ‘mike wheeler’ in a fine print. he cried for the boy he wish he was, for the boy everyone would’ve loved, for the boy everyone wouldn't forget the birthday of.
he felt crying wasn’t enough, so he screamed, not caring for anyone who could hear him. he shouted at the sky, begging for any god to just hear him and answer the biggest question he had ever had in his 15 years of life, one bigger than the question he had in second grade when he asked ‘what’s the purpose of someone in life?’ to his mother; why him?
“what did i do wrong?! what did i do wrong?!” he screamed to the sky, his voice cracking as he sobbed through his sentence,
“please, i was a kid! i was a kid!why me?! fuck!” he cried out once more, his throat feeling scratched to hell and back, and his vocal cords not being able to handle anymore stress on them.
“did i deserve it?…” he, now speaking quietly, sobbed out as he rested his head on his knees. he felt so tired, and he didn’t even know if he felt it emotionally or physically or both. probably both.
he just wanted to go home, but where was home if it wasn’t mike wheeler?
“no, not at all,” a sudden voice spoke from will’s left.
will lifted his head up and whipped it and loe and behold, there was mike in all his red faced, puffy eyed, 6’0 glory. will felt himself tense up.
they stood there for a few deafeningly quiet seconds, before will’s hesitant voice said, “how much did you hear?”
“a lot, ‘cause you were… screaming…” mike paused in the middle of his sentence. will felt his heart drop.
“you’re pretty far from the cabin, y’know… it took me like, 20 minutes to get here,” mike tried lightening up the mood to no avail.
he sighed and say next to will, leaning his back on the tree as well.
“i’m… i’m sorry, will. i really am. i’m- i’m more sorry than i’ve ever been.” mike said quietly, tears starting to fill up his eyes.
“it’s okay,” will responded, and although it was not, and although mike wasn’t forgiven, and will didn’t think he would ever forgive him for it, it’s a start.
they watched the sunset through the plethora of trees, their pinky fingers touching, and they sat in silence.
it’s a start, and for once, it’s a good one.