Hawkins Indiana A few weeks after season 2

Will has been sad lately. Mike doesn't know why because Will won't say. But he'll find out soon.

Apparently, Will's dog, Chester, has been getting pretty aggressive towards him ever since Will got out of the hospital. He would growl and bark at the boy nonstop, even trying to bite him a few times. It was because of the Mind Flayer, Will knows... Will can still somewhat feel a connection to that monster despite the gate being "closed". And Chester could sense it as well. When the Mind Flayer did control Will, the dog would just run away and hide, sensing the danger. But now that the danger isn't there anymore, it made him aggressive.

So they had to give him away.

It's not until Mike comes over to their house to see Joyce put the dog crate into another persons' car when he finds out. Mike asks Joyce where Will is, because he isn't in the house, and she says he's probably at Castle Byers.

So that's where Mike goes.

He walks through the woods for a bit, leaves crunching under his feet as rain clouds roll by. The rumbling of thunder can be heard and it starts to sprinkle when Mike finally arrives. The dim light from the clouds blocking the sun makes the lantern in the little fort easy to see, and also making it clear that Will is definitely in there.

"Will?" He knocks on the stick walls, pausing when he hears sniffling from inside. He crawls in without asking, seeing Will in the corner sitting on cushions. His legs are pulled towards his chest as he hugs them, face buried in his knees. Soft sobs could be heard from the boy. It makes Mike's heart clench in sympathy. He knows Chester was an important part of Will's family and was a great dog. It's hard to let go of something like that...

Mike crawls closer, sitting himself next to Will. The rain starts coming down on the tarp above, the only thing keeping them from being soaked. He wraps an arm around the boys' shoulders, pulling him closer to lean against him.

"Shh.. It's okay.. I know it hurts." He shushes softly, rubbing Will's arm gently.