Chapter Text
[September 1, 1983…]
Karen Wheeler:
I don't know what's wrong with him. He keeps telling me he gets the same dream every night. He's usually fussy in the morning but he seems to feel even worse.
???:
I see… How worse has he gotten?
Karen Wheeler:
He keeps complaining about headaches at first, then he keeps playing with food without eating. What got me here was the fact he got random nosebleeds!
???:
I understand your concern Mrs. Wheeler. I highly recommend him to take these tablets three times a day. It won't solve the problem, but it'll help tone down the effects so it won't affect his livelihood.
Karen Wheeler:
Thank you doctor!... How much do I ow—
???:
Do not fret on medical bills, Mrs Wheeler. My clinic provides free medical healthcare for young growing children and elderly.
Karen Wheeler:
Oh my… Thank you again for your service. I am truly grateful for all your efforts.
???:
Don't worry about your son. Make sure to keep up with his weekly check ups and we will provide him the utmost care he needs.
“NO MOM, I DON’T WANT TO TAKE THEM! THEY MAKE ME SO TIRED!” Mike threw a fit and was across the bed. Trying to create distance from his mother who was holding a bottle of pills with a glass of water placed at the side.
“Micheal, you haven't been sleeping at all! You're still a growing boy and I don't want to see my baby get any worse” It was almost begging, but Karen felt tired. It was 11:45 PM on a Thursday night and her son was planning on all nighter for his campaign.
Karen Wheeler wasn't having any of it.
“But I need to start making my campaign for the next game night for my friends!” His fits usually start with the bargaining, then the yelling, now he's throwing a tantrum. This damn brat—
“Mike…” She sighed tiredly, feeling her eye bags getting heavy.
“I love you, sweetie. And I don't like having to watch you stare at your plate again without eating anything! So please, not just for you, but for me too” The brunette carried a smile, even if the corners of her lips felt heavy, but Mike noticed and felt a pang of guilt.
The raven haired boy stared at the bottle of pills in her hand then towards the time on the clock. It was over her usual sleep schedule which made him look down with a frown, avoiding his mom's eyes.
“Fiiiineeeee” He groaned reluctantly as he plopped his body on his bed. Karen felt a wave of relief and opened the bottle of pills. Taking one out and placing it on Mike’s hand.
“You know this is for your own good right?”
The 12 year old boy swallowed down the pill with a gulp of water.
“I know mom…” He lay down on the bed feeling the effects come in almost immediately. The nausea, the numbness, the heavy feeling in his body to the point he can't fight the gravity.
“Good night Mike” She kissed his forehead while smiling gently and turning off his lamp. Exiting the room with the same relief in her mind while still having the hope her only son gets better.
The dreams never went away.
And so on so forth, the clock still ticks.
Louder than ever before.
The hand strikes twelve, and soon his consciousness drifts.
“Mr. Rabbit, why do people hate fairies so much?”
“Hmmm… I'm not sure little one, perhaps something small and delicate doesn’t deserve a harsh world such as this”
“I guess…”
“What do you think about fairies?”
“Well, I think they're pretty cool!”
[September 2, 1983...]
“The adventures then explore into the cave, which would reveal a hidden entrance to where the key is…..” Mike mutters to himself as he writes down on his notes. The raven haired boy is in English class, not paying a single mind to the lesson. Not that he needs to, it's his most fluent subject.
“Pssssst… Mike!” Will whispered beside him. “Yeah Will?” He replied without facing him, more focused on the campaign he's writing. His best friend scoots his desk closer to him. “Can I watch you write it?” The bowl cut bog rests his head on his arms, looking at him with expectant eyes.
Mike pauses, thinking about permitting him to do so. If it were Dustin and Lucas, he wouldn't want to spoil the plot and deny their request.
But it's Will, so he began to contemplate for a short while. “Hmmmmm…. I mean….” The raven haired boy thinks hard which made Will shake his head and stare at him with a meek smile.
“It’s fine Mike, you don't have to show me if you don't want to” The boy went back to listening to the class discussion while Mike looked at him then looked at his campaign.
Will felt a tug on his sleeve with his seatmate looking at him with earnest eyes. The boy begins to stutter in his place “Uhm… you can watch Will it's—”. He takes deep breaths “It's fine”, as if to reassure himself and Will.
“Oh! Okay!” The brunette smiled.
That's all Mike has ever wanted.
The clock keeps ticking on the wall. The teacher’s lecture became a blur to his ears. It was close to lunch break, he can basically hear it getting closer.
It was almost annoying really, the ticking noises became blatantly obvious but he can't pinpoint why. Could be the restlessness in his mind, his senses heightened, or the constant dreams of the same place.
It's like he's going crazy, that he's the only one who can feel something is wrong.
All he could do now is focus, he can't be bothered to act around Will. Not around him, otherwise, he would know there's a problem with Mike. Then he would be weirded out and look at him like he's being dramatic as his dad said.
Sometimes he believed his dad might be right—
“—ike!” Riiiiiiiiinggggggg
“Huh?” The boy blinked profusely, he quipped his head towards Will who looked at him with a worried expression. “Are you okay? You were zoning out!” Said the bowl cut friend who clasped his hand on the other’s shoulder.
“I-I’m fine?” Even Mike doesn't sound too sure.
“That sounds like a question more than an answer!” The brunette pointed out while Mike quickly denied him. “Dude, I'm fine. I was just thinking…” He stared down at the campaign of where he left off, still feeling the eyes of his best friend piercing through his head.
“I'm fine, Will, let's just get lunch. I'll share with you my PB and J sandwich” He started cleaning up his desk and shoving all the papers in his bag, uninterested in organizing.
He can still feel the concern linger from his best friend.
“C'mon man, you're not gonna show us your progress?” Lucas whined while Mike brushed him off his shoulders with a glare. “Hell no! I don't want to spoil the surprise for the next game” He grumbled in response, the sounds of writing continued to flow.
The core four were in the cafeteria together. Typical lunch trays full of messy patties and juice boxes. It was different for Mike because his mom packed his lunch today, for reasons his friends know too.
“Mike kinda showed me a little of his work but I'm not gonna go into details” Will said with little attention to Lucas’s and Mike’s mild bickering as he was eating his lunch.
“What!? You showed Will a bit but can't even show your best friend?” The black boy turned to the raven haired boy with an envious and annoyed expression. The two heard a playful scoff from the other side.
“Lucas, don't bother. We know Mike plays favourites” Dustin joked with a smirk.
“I do not!” Mike denied with a fist slammed on the table.
“Uhm, let's not fight guys” Will intervened as he looked around, seeing some unwanted eyes on them. “Will, how’s it feel like to be Mike’s number one best friend?” Lucas asks teasingly while the raven head begins to pierce his stare at his friend beside him, who then turns to him grinning like a troll.
“Dude, don't drag me into this” The bowl cut boy frowned.
“Whatever, let's just move on and pretend that Mike isn't Will’s protective boyfriend or something…” Dustin muttered, looking laid back.
Mike felt the heat reach his face.
“HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!” The table shook as both of his fists hit it. The three friends were shocked at the sudden outburst. Dustin immediately sunk in his seat. “Okay dude, I’m sorry…” His voice shakes as he says it.
Mike takes a step back then shakes his head, gathering all of his stuff and shoving them back in his bag. He quickly walked away with all his friends calling him that faded as he got further.
“Mike!” Will called out only to see him make a turn down the hallway, not coming back. The boys began to feel uncomfortable at the turn of events. Lucas looked at something and a thought came into his head.
“Guys, did Mike even eat lunch at all?”
“stupid Dustin…stupid Lucas…..” Mike grumbles to himself. The boy was in an empty gym under the bleachers. His hiding place, just by himself. He continued to write in peace until he felt his stomach rumble.
“Shit… I need to eat” The ravenette checks his bag only to find nothing but school supplies. “Goddamnit!” He cursed and laid his head against the wall. ‘Tch, I can survive. I've not eaten lunch before. I can do it again.’ The boy can only cope with the situation.
“That's not good Micheal…” Mike blinked.
“Huh? Who's there? Will?” He searches around the area, finding nothing but a cold still emptiness. He was not in the gym anymore but he knew where he was.
He's been here before.
Mike frowned and closed his eyes. “Stop getting in my head” He finally sees it. They were just standing there, in the corner of his mind.
“You're being very annoying so stop it!” He yelled at the figure in front of him. The silence only grew louder which made Mike even more frustrated. “I said stop it you bi—mh!” A hand clasped on his mouth.
“Now now little one, you shouldn't be so uncouth” The voice was gentle but stern. The raven haired nerd knew that voice annoyingly well. Like a little shit, he licked the palm which resulted in a noise of disgust.
“Ugh, how gross” Mike rolled his eyes at the response. “Yeah well, stop acting like a creep then, Mr. Rabbit.” He emphasized his name. The tall man wiped his hand with a cloth. Mike sets his distance, a little further away from Mr. Rabbit.
“Yes well, I thought it would be a wonderful surprise to meet you again at such a random encounter” The blonde man stated, still a little peeved but still smiling calmly. “Look where that got you” Mike sassed while crossing his arms.
The fancy looking person sighed with no feelings. “Moving on, I've noticed that you're being a little unfair to your friend hm?” The gamemaster expected this and his lips curved down. “Unfair? Dustin and Lucas were complete jerks! They keep testing my patience.” The young boy's voice dripped with bitterness.
“Are they? Or are there a few… unresolved feelings that you need to uncover” The raven haired pause for a moment, then look at the adult with confusion “What do you mean?”. Mr. Rabbit put on a gesture with his hands and looked at Mike.
“It's as clear as day that you, Mike Wheeler, have a little secret you aren't telling me.” He moved forward and raised his hand. The raven head slightly winced before he felt a finger tap on his nose. “Boop” Mr. Rabbit said playfully.
Mike’s face scrunched up in disgust.
The adult let out a hearty laugh at his reaction. He waved off the hand in front of him, a little prissy about his presence.
Maybe it's the empty stomach speaking to him—
“There's nothing wrong with me” He spits while glaring at him. The tall man raised his hands, as if to surrender. “Never said that, I told you before. You are special, little wheeler” The blonde man kneeled down. “Care to tell me what's the matter?” He smiled at Mike, so warmly than any adult he’s ever met.
More times than his own family.
More times than his own father.
Sometimes he wishes that his father could pretend to do so like his mom.
“You already know why” The raven haired boy sits on the ground. Legs pulled to his chest as he hid his face in his arms. Mr. Rabbit didn't talk, he didn't need to. He sits beside Mike, letting his arm go around his shoulder. Pressing his body for Mike to lean on his side.
A few minutes passed, the frozen moment of silence felt like hours. Mike doesn't want to talk, or at least he doesn't need to. Mr. Rabbit knows exactly how he feels, probably more than he can put into words.
He isn't stupid or dimwitted, but he doesn't understand why he feels the way he feels. Not even the people he's close with understand him either.
Loud, messy, and untameable and so much more complicated that his parents can't seem to deal with except pointing out every little mistake he made. Every flaw and every piece of him apart is like a crumpled piece of paper.
Maybe that's why his friends can't seem to read him either, except Mr. Rabbit.
“Hmm, perhaps I do know what you feel. Bitter and hard to chew is the best way to describe it” Mike felt his head cradled in his hands. “But I want to know why you do” It was so gentle, it was so suffocating.
The blonde man began to hear the sniffles out of the young boy. “I don't know! It's stupid! Everyone is very nitpicky at what I say or do and I hate it!” He yelled. “Dustin and Lucas… it's like they know something is wrong with me too. About me and Will, like our bond is different from me and them” He teared his eyes away from Mr. Rabbit, he felt shame in his body.
“I see” Mr. Rabbit’s face remains unchanged, composed and unwavering.
“And it's not just them! Mom and dad seem to get that idea too! Mom’s too subtle about it but dad is clearly disgusted with me like—” Mike was starting to choke on his own words. Gripping his hair tightly, breath unsteady.
“Am I doing something wrong?” The question was laid there, within the moment, no one said anything yet.
“I guess they just don't understand you.” The response was so simple, yet it made Mike’s chest hurt so much that it broke a sob out of him. Two long arms embraced the boy's body.
“Not like I do.”
“MIKE!”
Mike woke up, confused and dazed. “Huh?... What?” His eyes saw Will, all panicked and worried. Oh god, he made Will feel this way. “Oh thank goodness you're okay, I thought you passed out because you didn't eat yet!” The brunette exclaimed.
“What? Wait, what?” The dungeon master was still in a daze as he rubbed his forehead, feeling a pang of pain. Then his stomach gurgled, loud. He felt red taking over his pale skin. “Oh… that.” He scratches the back of his head as he looks down to see his stomach.
He saw Will with his lunch box in hand. “Yeah, I've noticed you haven't eaten lunch yet and you left it back in the cafeteria so I was trying to find you” Sweet Will, always so considerate of his friends. Despite the embarrassment, something else made Mike feel warm on his face.
It's not making the killer headache any better.
“Right, thanks Will” Keep a cool head Wheeler, you can't make your best friend worried even more. He takes the lunch box out of the other’s hand. He opened it to see a PB and J sandwich with his favourite flavor juice box. It took him a couple of seconds just staring at it.
“Uhm, are you okay back there? You kinda blew up out of no where” Will sounded hesitant to ask.
Mike uses deflection.
“Will, I'm kinda too hungry to be answering uncomfortable questions right now.” He mutters as he grabs his sandwich.
“Oh, right! Sorry” The brunette looked away.
It was super effective, but it made Mike feel a tinge of guilt. He turned to Will, who was avoiding his eyes. “Here, have some. We'll share.” He held up his sandwich. The other was quick to deny his suggestion.
“No no, you need to eat more Mike” This made the young boy frown. “If you don't share with me, I'm not eating my lunch” The look on his face made Mike inwardly smirk. "I- Ugh, fine. But don't complain if you get too hungry later" Will looked miffed as he warned him. He takes the other half of the sandwich. The two eat his lunch in silence.
The less Mike eats, the better he doesn't feel nauseous for class.
After eating their lunch, the boys went out of the gym to their next class. Not after Mike pops a pill down his throat then slightly gagged on the bitterness.
“Hey man, I'm sorry for pushing your buttons earlier,” Lucas says to Mike as they bike across the streets of their little hometown. “It's fine Lucas, I shouldn't care as much as I should've” He assures the boy, acting uncaring.
The black boy became silent for a moment then turned to Mike “If you needed to talk, we're here for you dude.” He smiled, genuinely. Unlike their long history of bickering and play fights, they're still next door neighbors who have known each other since birth.
It was almost comical to Mike now that he rarely knows what’s been going on recently.
He sees his friend bike over towards the other two. Dustin probably told a joke with how Mike saw Will laughing as bright as day. Now there's three of them, talking casually like nothing has been bothering them.
No bullying, no name calling, and nothing to fear or be afraid.
The Paladin wants to protect this peace for as long as he's alive, his people, his party.
“Hey guy! Wait up!” He turns the peddles faster, not wanting to be left behind.
[September 3, 1983...]
“Aaaaand this is your character Holly!” Mike shows a horrible drawing of an incoherent little blonde girl with stick figure arms with purple doodles. The blonde little girl tilt his head, confused.
Nancy snorts and is amused “What the hell is that supposed to look like?”.
“It's supposed to be Holly the Heroic! A great cleric who can open doors to other dimensions!” He explains in a serious tone as he points the yellow crayon at her as if scolding. The oldest sister couldn't take it seriously.
“Mike, even Holly can't understand what's on that paper.” The little sister was holding the drawing, squinting as if she's deciphering ancient texts.
“See Mike?” Nancy points out and continues to work on her assignment. "Ughhh... You sound just like Dad..." He murmured as he's peeved.
The air suddenly went cold.
"What was that."
"Nothing."
The Wheeler siblings were taking up the space in the living room. Mike didn't have anything much better to do as he wasn't feeling any motivation to write his DND campaign. He thought of a much better idea to hang out with his younger sister.
Unfortunately, Negative Nancy was in the same living room.
“Tch, whatever, I don't need YOUR opinion” His cheeks puffed as he turned away from his sister's direction. The middle child picked up his sister and headed towards the stairs. "Mike, don't forget to take your medication!" Nancy reminded while the other evidently groaned.
"I know! You don't need to remind me!" He stomps up a few steps then paused. “And I'm taking Holly to my room if anyone is wondering!” He yelled.
Mike heard a loud “yeah” from Nancy then continued to climb up the stairs. He felt his sister lay her head on his right shoulder, smiling in triumph of acting like an older brother.
An hour has passed as the two siblings hang out on the raven heads bed. Papers scattered on the floor filled with doodles and writings on them. The middle child was grinning excitedly as he held something behind his back.
“Hey Holly! I have something to show you” The little girl tilted her head. He revealed to her a big book in his hands. “Hm? Was that?” She looked confused.
“This is my Dungeon master guide!” He exclaimed with pride. The youngest noticed the sparkle in his eyes and the very big smile so she also became amazed. “Wooooaaahh” Holly clapped.
“It teaches me everything I need to know on how to be a dungeon master. And! Create awesome lore and stories for my campaigns” The blonde understood nothing, evident in her indifferent reaction.
Not that Mike minds.
Holly noticed something bright on Mike’s face when he quickly picked up some papers on the floor. “I got some great ideas for my next campaign!” His hands dropped them in his bed.
“And you're gonna help me, Holly the Heroic!” He plops himself down with a pencil in hand then starts writing with focus. The blonde lied down with him and heard something.
There were static sounds coming from above which made Holly look up. “Mikey!” She was in awe of the flickering lights as she pointed up. The raven head paid no mind to it and mumbles “It's fine Holly, it's probably just nothing”.
Two long blinks and one short blink. “Huuuhh?” The little girl tilts her head.
Another blinked while the next one took longer. She huddled closer to her brother as her eyes focused on the flickering lights.
The light lasted long and so did the other.
The next flickered more quickly than she had blinked.
Two short flashes, the next two took longer, and the last open and shut twice. The lights went back to normal and so did her discomfort.
“See? There's nothing to worry about, your big brother’s got you” He nuzzled his cheek against hers which resulted in a giggle out of the girl. “Hehehehe! Mikey stop!” Her hands hold his face in defence.
The two continued to spend the rest of the afternoon in light warmth and color.
"MICHEAL! IT'S TIME FOR YOUR WEEKLY CHECK UP!"
"COMING!"