Chapter Text
It’s been almost a year since they graduated high school. Will is now almost 20, and miles away from the place he once called home. Hawkins is distant yet so close in his memory, he almost misses it, mostly his party. The torturing fog is cleared from his mind now, and he should feel victorious. But there’s this lingering sense of sadness… or more like grief for all the things he went through and everyone he lost along the way.
Sometimes, he wakes up in the middle of the night in a sweat. He doesn’t remember what he was dreaming of, but every time he opens his eyes, it’s El who appears in his mind. So, he assumes that he must’ve been dreaming of her, of her smile, and of her jokes. She was that one person who matched his freak. Whom he could relate to. He misses her the most. That wound is still fresh in his heart.
But he also thinks of Mike. His golden boy. It’s been almost two months since he last talked with him through the phone and hasn’t written to him in months. He knows that Mike is busy writing his first book, but the longing for that one person who feels like home is just something Will can’t control.
It was 8 in the morning when he heard the familiar sound of his housemate prepping breakfast before heading out for lectures. Ah, yes. Will was accepted into the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, 40 minutes away from Jonathan at the NYC and 3 hours away from Joyce and Hop at Montauk. It was a Friday and it was that rare day where he could have the whole apartment for himself because he didn’t have lectures and Josh, his housemate, is going on a field trip after lectures and won’t be back until late night.
He had a quick breakfast and got into his favorite task, working on his diorama art project on neo-expressionism and postmodernism. He is creating a miniature urban landscape inspired by his childhood in Hawkins. He calls it “The Summer Nights in Hawkins”. It’s sentimental and nostalgic, and so much of a Will-Byers-thing to do.
By 12 pm, he was hungry. He was thinking of having a homemade lunch, but he was too tired and bored to cook. So, he puts on his jacket and heads out. There’s this little restaurant close to his place that served a decent plate of tomato pasta that he loves. So, he went and ordered one.
When he was a kid, Joyce rarely made pasta. It was Mrs. Wheeler who always brought pasta and lasagna whenever she visited, and the Byers would eat them for days because the potions were massive. Classic Karen Wheeler.
Will was smiling to himself when he remembered the sweet memories of the time when he was the happiest. He was never a big foodie, at least not like Lucas. But he loved when he visited Mike’s and Dustin’s and Lucas’ places, because he could eat all the delicious food the moms prepare. He used to love the Cheesy Sloppy Joe Sliders Mrs. Sinclair made in summer afternoons. But Will’s best food memories were at the Wheelers, since it was their go-to meetup spot. Mike’s basement always smelled like pizza because they always ordered at least three every time they got together for their weekly D&D campaigns.
Will was lost in a strain of memories hitting him like a truck and suddenly he’s getting emotional. Luckily the sweet waiter Jessie’s arrival bringing his pasta order pulled him out of it.
“Here you go Will.” She placed the plate on the little round table where Will was sitting, and gave him that adorable smile she always wears even when old Mr. Hawke spills his tea all over the floor.
“Thanks Jesse. Looks yummy”. He gave the familiar playful wink at the older girl as he prepared to dig in.
“By the way, did you see the poster. There’s a concert happening next month.” Jesse asked, clearly excited.
“Wait, really? Which band?”
“Metallica dude”
Will stood up in a jolt, he almost turned the table (with the pasta) upside down.
“WHAT THE HELL!? Are you sure?” He asked holding on to Jesse’s shoulders.
“YEAH!” She was one of those few people who could match Will’s sudden bursts of energy.
“Holy Shit!”
Will was so excited. It’s Dustin’s favourite band.
Apparently, Metallica is touring the East Coast; the show is part of a free city-sponsored summer music series.
This is going to be big, Will thinks, and he gets a brilliant idea. He finishes his lunch, kisses Jesse on the cheek and runs back to his apartment. He calls Dustin, Lucas and Mike and tells them about the upcoming concert.
Dustin was the most excited. “Eddie would’ve lost his mind over this.” He said.
So, everyone agreed to visit Will this summer, and Will was giddy for the first time since a long time.
∞
Mike was going though a writer’s block. He can’t think of anything at the moment, his head was all over the place. He was sitting on his chair, staring at the blank sheet of paper attached to the typewriter, moping, when their house-phone rang. He could hear his mom picking it up and her faint voice of excitement. He pushed his glasses on to his head and rubbed his tired eyes before he slowly made his way downstairs.
“So, how’s Brooklyn Will” He heard his mother’s voice and his mood was piqued. It was Will. He paused at the doorway and kept staring at his mom speaking on the phone to his best friend. Yep, that’s right, his best friend.
He remembers the day when Will left with Joyce and Hop, a month after their high school graduation. It brought back memories from Fall 1985. It hit him hard because it was the same feeling, same heartbreak, but all he could think of was the love that was drifting away from his reach. He swore he could see El there standing next to Will as he waved him goodbye with his tear-streaked face. He missed her so much. Now he was going to miss Will. Will, who loved him more than the whole sky; the boy who looked at him like he was his universe. But all he saw was El. Will must’ve accepted that at some point. That’s why he moved on, or that was what he said.
“I felt like I was depending on you emotionally, a lot. And that’s not fair for either one of us. It took me a while to come into terms with that knowledge, but I finally did.” He was crying when he said that two days after their high school graduation. Mike was feeling numb at that time, all he could do was stare at this beautiful boy who was pouring his heart out. But now, he finally realises, it was not Will who was too emotionally dependent, it was him. He made El the centre of his world, and everything revolved around her. She became his whole identity, that at some point, he forgot who else was there next to him. He didn’t see Will’s longing or his pain, how his heart kept breaking. He didn’t see Dustin drifting away. He didn’t notice the mental struggle Lucas was going through when Max broke up with him during their high school freshman year. And God he didn’t see Max’s pain, and it almost cost him a good friend. But he sees them now. He sees them all now, but they are so far away.
He felt lonely and depressed. He didn’t know whether it was his grief over losing the girl who became his whole world, or the fact that everything warm he knew is not there anymore. It was overwhelming. He hasn’t even gone to his basement since their last campaign, one and a half years ago. His writing kept him distracted and busy, but all he could think of were the memories of the good times when all he knew was laughter.
Then he remembered his best friend. How Will’s eyes were shining under all the tears when he came out at the Squawk. He wanted to pull him into a hug when he saw how terrified Will looked. And then when he confessed his love, Mike felt like he was hit by a brick. But he lost the right timing to be there for him, though Will was always reassuring him. “What matters is that you’re still here” He once told him while they were climbing a 500ft tall radio tower in the Upside Down. Even then, Mike wanted to hug him. But all he could come up with was a lousy ass “I’m sorry”. He missed his best friend so much. Too much.
His trail of thoughts was cut by Karen’s voice “Mike, hey sweetie, Will wants to talk to you”.
So, he treaded to the phone and picked it up.
“Hey Will, how’s it going”
“Good... yeah good. How’s your book coming up?”
“Urgh. I don’t know man. I think I’m hitting a wall.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“Hmm…. Low motivation?” His voice squeaked in that hilarious way that Will finds absolutely adorable.
Will softly chuckles at that, “Are you saying or asking me?”
“Both I guess…” Mike returns a playful chuckle.
“Okay, look, the reason why I called was, there’s a Metallica concert happening here at Prospect Park next month, and it’s free. I was wondering if you’d like to come visit. Dustin has already confirmed, Lucas and Max say that they’ll be there too. So, what you say?”
Mike was a bit taken aback by the sudden idea of visiting Will, but he also felt a sense of relief.
“Damn, dude Metallica free concert. I don’t wanna miss something like that. When is it happening though?”
“Saturday, July 22nd, 6:00 PM "
“Cool! I’ll be there.”
“Cool”
And they keep talking about some life updates; about Will’s new art project he’s working on, and how Holly fell from her bike and broke her nose, and about the new mayor in Hawkins who is obsessed with planting new trees. They keep talking for about 40 more minutes.
After the call Mike feels so relaxed, like he put down 40kgs that he’s been carrying on his shoulders. He goes back to his room and sits on his chair. He looks at the painting Will gifted him, now hung on his wall. And then he looks at El’s picture, framed on his table. He keeps staring at it for some time before he stands up and makes his way downstairs, again, to give the news about his upcoming trip to New York to his mom.
∞