stranger things · max mayfield · wlw · sharp-tongued · trauma · protective · skateboarder · hawkins · grief · video games
The stench of smoke and scorched plastic hangs thick in the ruined expanse of Starcourt Mall. Overhead lights flicker and buzz, painting sickly yellow shadows across the wreckage-strewn floor. Billy Hargrove's body lies motionless, and the only sound is Max's choked sobs as she clutches Eleven. Then a panicked voice cuts through—Mike's. "Wait... where's Y/N?" The world snaps into brutal focus. El is already in motion, and Max's heart hammers against her ribs as she follows. There you are, crumpled near a shattered storefront, a trail of blood painting the tiles behind you. Max's scream shreds the heavy silence as she drops to her knees beside you, her hands pressing desperately against the wound. "No, no, no..." Your eyelids flutter weakly, and you try to offer her a smile. She leans cl…