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“Well, it is true, the comfort and happiness part. But happiness can be found in many places. The knight and the zoomer,” He looks at Max and Lucas",they retire from battle and they settle down in a small village, with each passing day their love grows stronger.”
Mike turns his head towards Dustin, “The bard, craving knowledge, makes his way to the Mage’s Guild of Enclave, where he spends his days in their vast library. Though deeply devoted to his studies…He still makes time for the occasional adventure” Mike smiles, dustin returning the smile with a soft laugh.
Mike’s head turns towards will and he gives him a soft smile as he speaks “As for Will the Wise, he travels far and long to the bustling city of Vallaki. It’s overwhelming at first. So very different from the village where he spent his youth. But it isn’t long before he finds his place there. And with that, deep happiness and acceptance.”
By now they’re all happily and quietly crying, except for Mike, until Will sniffles then questions, “And the storyteller? What about him?”
Mike thinks for a bit, then replies “The storyteller keeps telling stories, stories inspired by his friends. One day, he hopes their tales of grand adventure will spread far and wide across the land so all can know of their great bravery.”
Mike sighs then continues “But there is a story that he can never tell. The story of the mage. Or at least not the real story.” Max is taken aback.
“The real story?”
Mike nods, “When she casts the sunbeam. She expended the last of her energy, and she vanished. But has anyone asked themselves how she cast that spell? The suppression stone. She couldn’t have used her magic” Mike thinks back to the pulsing of the sonic waves. “In the excitement, no one even noticed. But you see, the mage is very clever. A cleverness only matched by her sister, who, upon hearing the pleas of the paladin, had a change of heart.”
Mike waits a bit then continues, welling up in his eyes “Together, the sisters devised a plan, a plan to protect the mage from the Order of the Black Hand, who remained hell-bent on stealing her powers. So in order to tick them, she had to make everyone, including her friends, believe that she was dead. And so the sister cast a spell from far away. Safe from the power of the suppression stone.”
Mike thinks back to how Eleven's tattoo was missing “A spell of invisibility. Once the mage escaped, the sister cast one final spell. The mage you saw die was not real. She was an illusion.” There’s gasps from across the room
Max is first to speak, “Where did she go?” She asks, concerned.
And for a reply. Mike sighs and smiles. “No one knows. No one will ever know. But I’d…I’d like to imagine that she’s in a beautiful land, somewhere far away. We don’t know if this is true. But I choose to believe.”
There’s a few “I believe”’s before Mike lets the tears slowly roll down his face. Which doesn’t go unnoticed by Dustin.
Dustin decides to speak up “Guess the storyteller didn’t want to cry during his speech” To which Mike chuckles.
Mike sits back then softly replies “The story teller didn’t exactly tell the truth. But he didn’t lie.” Those words make everyone freeze, Lucas speaking up.
“What do you mean man?”
Mike realises his mistake of speaking up, then freezes. It’s Max who speaks up, “Did you lie to El?” she asks both worried, concerned and annoyed.
Mike sighs, “I did, a few times yeah…mostly during ‘86.” Will looks up confused.
“What did you lie about Mike?” Will asks, concerned. Mike stands up and walks to his desk bringing back a rolled up painting and opening it over the table for everyone to see. Will recognizes it instantly and inhales sharply.
“El knows nothing about d&d, Will. And besides. It’s too complex for her. Will the Wise isn’t very truthful either,” Mike says, he then decides to continue. “I’ve always had this fear that if I stayed true to who I really was, I’d be bullied even out of school. So when we met Eleven. Lucas teased me about liking her, and Nancy asked if I liked her. So I thought. Just to fit in. Not be different’ Not be weird.” Mike sighs, not looking up from his lap.
What?..
Will realises what Mike’s getting at, “Mike…You can’t be serio-”
Mike cuts him off. “Internalized Homophobia is what Robin told me…I don’t blame you for hanging with her so much Will. I just…My dad always had this feeling, telling me to be careful around you. Said you might ‘infect me’ as if liking the same gender was a disease. I told him to stop it and that it was just rumours. We were 5, I didn’t know any better, I just believed him until I was 11. When I realised it was wrong. I ignored him. You went missing a year later and my world shattered.” Max and Lucas slowly start to quietly exit the room, Mike doesn’t blame them.
“I thought. I could lie to el. Tell her that I loved her…fit in. join in with what was ‘normal’. I stopped thinking like that after you started living with us. I broke things off with her in the cabin. She said she understood. We started dating 5 days after meeting for god’s sake. It was never meant to last. I just. I’m sorry…Dinner is upstairs we should get going.” Mike finishes and stands up.
Dustin stands up “No. You’re going to sit down. Finish this conversation and I’ll bring your dinner down if it takes more than 5 minutes.” He says firmly, but softly, in a scary tone. Dustin walks up the basement stairs, leaving Mike and Will down there.
“8 years…I’ve been in love with you for 8 years mike. I thought. I get bullied by people who have no proof of me liking guys. I doubt you guys could even ACCEPT me.” Will says looking and Mike's ducked head.
Mike chuckles “You beat me. 7 years here. I couldn’t tell her Will. I mean…When we got back together before you left. I just stood there. I completely forgot I said I loved her…I’ve always loved her in a sisterly way. And when she kissed me I just. I just froze. I couldn’t move. I was disgusted almost. I wanted to melt into the ground and die right then and there. Before she left us. She said she loved me…she said to me ‘I love you’ I couldn’t say it back. I couldn’t lie to her. She kissed me. And I didn't kiss back. I kissed her head. Before she left. But. I did want to say some form of I love back…but…when I brought myself to say it…I couldn’t…because you were all I could think about.” Mike finishes tears running down his face
Will walks over and wipes the tears from Mike’s face, tilting his head up, before letting out a small chuckle, tears still running down his face. He lets out a soft chuckle, “I Love you, Michael Wheeler.”
Mike smiles, “I Love you, William Byers.” He says. Will leans forward and gives Mike a small kiss lasting a few seconds before Mike pulls him in giving him a hug. After a few minutes Mike pulls back “We should probably go have dinner before it gets cold.”
Will laughs softly, “Yeah…Yeah, let’s go” They stand up and walk towards the door, hand in hand. Holly and her friends almost knocking them over as they run downstairs. “You look ugly when you cry Mike!” Holly says, noticing leftover tears on his face.
“Glad.” Mike replies, Will chuckling.
And with that. Life went on as it should.