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Mike never fully savored moments until he realized they were gone.
Like with the mall, with his old toys, or all the time with his friends, or even hanging out with his sister since she’s gone to college now.
But, after the ending of the Mind flayer.
Will died, he sacrificed himself, he died so everyone could live–
So Mike could live.
So everyone could live.
But Mike tried moving on from it all, he broke it off with Jane, knowing it was time to let his first relationship go.
He went on dates, got a job at the convenience store, got a new haircut, and started writing more.
But one thing wouldn’t move past him, even almost 2 years later.
Will’s last words.
Mike could still feel them as if it were yesterday–
Will was levitated up, the black sky and red mist throughout, the cracks burning around us all, his eyes dripping blood, rolling back, his skin sickly pale like Mike’s only seen after he was out of the upside down, his hair was tangled, his skin grimy from the particles.
The Mind flayer was growing, and growing, roaring with power.
Until Will struggled, the Mind flayer began screeching, almost like a crashing plane, Will had done something nobody could see– but the Mindflayer was hurting, it was dying, the whole thing was dying, everything in it was dying–
Suddenly, Will’s voice rang out, yelling, yelling like he had never done “Mike– I love you.”
And it was like Mike’s world blurred.
He couldn’t think, for hours, not a thought, his brain couldn’t comprehend.
Until it all clicked.
He never got to say ‘I love you’ back, or express his feelings which he didn’t even realize he had.
He never got to spend more time with Will.
He never got to fully realize his feelings.
Not in this life,
Hopefully the next.
He prays so.