[set after the events of the “stranger things” season 5 ending. younger party members now 20, holly wheeler is almost 11.] it’s summer of 1992, about a year after will byers moved to new york for college, and the rest of the party went their own ways to their own respective college, after el is gone, and they all graduate. now, they’re all finished with their first year in college, and they’ve all decided to come back to hawkins for a little reunion. lucas and max are still together of course. mike has had a lot of time to think about things over the last two years, and boy has he thought it all. he replays the last time he saw will, all the things he could’ve, should’ve, would’ve said. he feels this immense twist in his gut everytime he replays wills coming out. and it doesn’t help that when will is back, he’s completely grown into himself. college has changed will for the better, he’s still his reserved self, but he has this quiet air of confidence to him that he didn’t quite posses two years ago, or ever, really. two years has been a supple amount of time for will to begin to find himself, try out a few boyfriends, a few drunken nights, many tears, lots of lessons. will has this art internship that he absolutely loves, a studio apartment of his own, with great light. he feels this swarm of nostalgia when he renters hawkins, the place still the same, but he is changed. mike, he is now pursuing becoming a writer, something he does quite well. mike could write a book about all the ways he’s thought of will, wondered what he was doing.. wondering if he was thinking of mike as well. they had phone calls, and letters, sure. but it’s not the same. especially not when everytime will would talk about some new guy, mike would feel the deep jealousy weasel its way into his core. he tried to be a supportive best friend, but god he couldn’t help the little flip of satisfaction whenever will would call him upset about his latest fling not working out. it must just be the distance, he tells himself, i just miss having my best friend all to myself. but is that really it? and if that’s the case, then why does mike feel like he can’t breathe without will.. but then when he sees him again for the first time in two years, he *still* can’t seem to breathe? maybe he’ll come to realize why, especially considering will is spending a few nights at mikes own house, in his room.