Chapter Text
18 months have passed after the Upside Down collapsed into the void. Everyone returned to their regular lives, in the centre of Hawkins the town built a memorial pillar for the people who have fallen into eternal sleep as a result of the 'Earthquake that divided the Earth into four sectors'. It's decorated with dozens of photo frames of loved ones that have fallen. Each frame contains many different pictures ranging from older people down to children. The pillar is decorated in a rainbow of various of flowers and candles.
A photo of El rests on the right side of the memorial, the frame was placed by her friends on the final step of the marble pillar, baby yellow petals mixed with lilac purple ones crowd her frame. A half melted pale cream candle rests in a metal dish next to her frame, the hardened wax from previous uses coats the bottom of the metal dish in an off white colour. The friendship bracelet she returned to Hopper is currently the only thing that is holding the bouquet of sunflowers and lavenders together.
The Wheelers basement is brightened by the golden shimmer of the ceiling light reflecting a dusty mustard upon the walls of the room.
Nothing has changed within the basement, the table remains dead centre of the room like it's been permanently screwed to the chestnut wooden panelled flooring, the smell of old leather seeping from the couch which is presumably older than Mike coats the room in a familiar scent of nostalgia. Chairs are occupied by the party members as they surround themselves around the warm mahogany square shaped table.
Will the Wise must choose his final move, but how will he be able to overcome this obstacle? The slim chance of rolling a 20 on a singular die. It's impossible! His attacks won't stand a chance against the supernatural enemy. His party are relying on his next move, sharing whispers on how he can take the risky chance in using his abilities. But no luck, the enemy's HP is too high, they'd need someone stronger, a friend- The Mage!
Cries of relief fill the air as the Mage they met on their travels creates a portal to fight by their side. And wouldn't you know it? They are showered in victory and pride.
The faint echo of the record player drifts the soft lullaby of 'Heroes' by David Bowie into the background noise. Wrapping the victory in joyful tears that drip down each of their faces as they're now heroes.
The prize for their determination as a reward for the journey they traveled is gold, leaving their characters wealthy physically alongside an outcome in emotional growth they awoken on each of their expeditions.
"We won! We actually won!" Max exclaims, her voice an octave higher as her emerald eyes well up with a gloss that she would blame on the horrible lighting in the basement, not her emotions. Her fingers tremble as the journal that contains every detail based on her DnD character rests astray on a written page, collecting the water droplets that rolled down her cheeks.
"Of course we did! The Mage-" Dustin's hands fly up in the air as his sentence is cut off by a shaky sob escaping his lips, his face burns a rouge hue as the cries pour out of his chest followed by a weak laugh. His hands fall over his face in an attempt to build a dam barrier to prevent the waterfalls from flowing down his cheeks. (They continue to flow down his face)
Lucas throws an arm around Max who is sitting on his left, earning a scoff from her as she shuts her book proceeding to swat her boyfriend with it. His right arm lounges around Will's shoulders, the man who is the reason behind their achievement.
A proud smile carves its way up the corner of his mouth like it wants to stay permanently and never rot away. "Beat that Michael Wheeler! We won against you" Lucas's tongue shoots out of his mouth in a sense of mockery that a child breaking the rules and still receiving what they wanted would act like. His dark umber eyes lock onto their Dungeon Master, Mike. With pure enthusiasm behind the thick blurry tears that are threatening to fall from his umber eyes.
The book stands upright on the table, behind the barrier of pages filled by literature is Mike Wheeler peeking over the top of his rulebook, his deep dark carob coloured irises watching the way his party has sunken the ship from their emotions. And as captain he must go down with his ship, the salty tears threaten to fall from his carob coloured eyes. "I was going to congratulate you all, but I think Sinclair here made it obvious this is serious business." His eyes roll in disbelief as his tongue clicks against the inside of his mouth, earning a shared wave of laughter around the table.
The faint sound of children yelling floats from the top of the basement stairs, then a loud yell rings through the moment of peace they spent so long fighting for. "I made lasagna, hurry up and eat it before it goes cold. I'm not reheating food for you guys" Karen Wheeler's shout echoes from the top of the stairs; snapping everyone back into reality and how they are starving.
Especially Dustin, his stomach lets out a loud demanding rumble like it's growling at its next prey- that being the lasagna he's about to engulf. "Guys I am not waiting, my tummy here needs its nutrients for me to grow." Dustin groans as he stands up on his feet grabbing his journal and sluggishly stumbling his way towards the shelf to let his book rest until their next game.
Wiping the tears with the edge of his sleeve Dustin turns his back to the party and ascends up the stairs with a creak on every fourth step.
Lucas is the next member to place his book away, his brows quiver as his lip trembles with shaky unsteady breathes unable to hide the emotional tug this has on him. He gives a salute to his captain and stumbles over his feet as he ascends up the old wooden steps.
Max rises from her chair, her book rests tightly in her hands. Her knuckles growing pale as a result to her grip. She also follows the two boys, letting her book rest on the shelf for whenever she will need to pick it up once again.
As she turns to jog up the steps Mike's voice cuts through the air, her body jumps at how sudden and loud he calls out to her. Her head whips over her shoulder to glare back at Mike, the ginger strands of hair falling messily over her shoulders as her emerald eyes squint at Mike and then at Will who has also stiffened from Mike's loudness "What Wheeler?" Max's brow raises higher as her voice comes out pointed with curiosity. She's not here to play any more emotional matches of DnD.
"Uh- Listen- Just tell my mom me and Will are just putting the game away and we will be late okay? I don't need her on my ass again" Will's brows shoot up as he simply nods in agreement to Mike's demand for him to clean up. As for Mike, his lips awkwardly tighten in a blank line, his hands closing the rule book letting it rest against the table that still has the aftermath of their victory scattered around the surface.
"Ugh. Fine. Don't expect me to become your parrot. You owe me two tickets to go see Back to the future II. Or else I'll tell her what kind of music you listen to-" Mike immediately chops Max's sentence off like it's a lasso that's pulling every secret out of his mouth, a bit too close to the truth. "No! I mean ok! Ugh! Yeah whatever, I will. Now get out!" Mikes face tinges redder as he stands up on his feet, shaking his head profusely as Max's smirk grows wider since she got a free movie date for her and Lucas!