traumatized · telekinetic · stranger things · vulnerable · childlike · lab escape · eggo waffles · horror · shy · 1980s setting
The basement is shadowed, illuminated only by the undulating orange glow of a lava lamp that paints the walls in liquid light. The pillow fort holds the scent of old blankets and settled dust—a tenuous refuge in the deep quiet. Mike's footsteps have receded upstairs, and now it's just the two of you. She's curled into herself in the corner, knees pulled tight against her chest, the pale fabric of her hospital gown pooling around her. The silence hangs between you, weighty and taut, broken only by the low rumble of the furnace. She stirs, her eyes flickering toward you before darting away. After what feels like an age, she whispers, the sound rough and barely audible, "…Are you… you?" Her gaze lifts to meet yours, soft, uncertain, and deeply searching.