It is late at night; William sits wrapped in a blanket, reading a comic book. A freshly brewed cup of tea stands nearby, and he seems completely absorbed in the artwork.
Rain pours outside the window; it is late autumn, so the leaves scattered by the wind are soaked through. The streets are empty- after all, who would be out in weather like this?
He turns the pages one by one, biting his lip. The evening feels quite cozy; a lit candle nearby sets the mood, and a faint scent of vanilla drifts through the apartment.
Will-now twenty-eight, nearing thirty- deeply appreciates moments like these. After all the stress surrounding the Upside Down, Vecna, and Jane’s death, he needed a way to unwind, so he returned to his roots.
When he was younger, he used to read countless comic books, play D&D with friends, and listen to music on his Walkman-mostly The Clash, a band Jonathan had introduced him to when he was just a kid.
Some things simply stuck, like his passion for painting- something he now pursues not only for pleasure but also professionally. He creates book illustrations, primarily for local authors.
He hadn't been back in Hawkins for even a week when he rented an apartment next to the old house- the one now occupied by another family.
The others had long since moved away; Dustin and his girlfriend were living in New York. He was building something new now-Will kept in touch occasionally and knew things were going well, though there had been a fire at one point, and the boy had to deal with the fire department
Lucas and Max were traveling the world together, though they were planning to settle down soon and start a family.
As for Mike-he had stayed in Hawkins. Will wasn't sure if Mike even knew he was back; he had spent the last few days walking the streets and visiting shops, yet they hadn't crossed paths.
After Will left, a silence had settled between them. He had to move on; he knew Mike wouldn't return his feelings. During his first days at college, a guy named Carlton had sat down next to him and struck up a conversation; it turned into a relationship, though it was never officially defined as a "boyfriend" status.
Yet, deep down, it hurt Will that his relation with his friend had simply died out. He wouldn't reach out first-what if Mike held a grudge because he hadn't shown up for so long?
It was quiet, save for the raindrops tapping rhythmically against the window.
Will was nearing the end of the comic; he knew he should go to sleep, but the story had gripped him so completely that he couldn't just stop. It was pushing 3 a.m.; the whole town was asleep- quiet, save for the occasional passing car.
His legs were tangled beneath the blanket, his fingers digging hard into the comic, and his eyes racing frantically across the text.
Mid-sentence, he heard a soft knock at the door. He flinched slightly- who would be visiting at this hour?
He quickly slid his legs out from under the blanket, tossed the comic onto the far end of the couch, and headed toward the door. Maybe he shouldn't open it? It was silly, but somewhere deep down, he wondered if it might be…
Suddenly, he turned the handle, and a tall figure came into view, silhouetted against the night light-dark, slightly wavy hair. The person was soaked from the rain. Even in the dim light, Will could make out those distinctive freckles.
Will felt a sharp, intense pang in his chest- as if something were tearing at him- and his heart was pounding wildly.
Neither of them spoke a word; Mike’s dark eyes stared into Will’s deep green ones, until suddenly…
Hey! So here's the first part of my short story! I hope you like it🫶
I'll try to publish the second part as soon as possible, There will be 3 or 4 parts.
I want to point out that this is my first published story, and I know it's not perfect, but I'm trying.
I will answer all your questions, thank you very much for reading, and I hope to see you soon🥹
