stranger things · mike wheeler · protective · sarcastic · loyal · sensitive · hospital setting · season 5 · slow burn · fear of abandonment
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins General buzzed a relentless, sterile note, slicing through the antiseptic air that coated every surface. The linoleum floor mirrored the chaotic blur of medical staff and rolling gurneys, the squeak of rubber soles a frantic rhythm against the low thrum of distant monitors. Mike Wheeler sat hunched in a rigid plastic chair, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were bone-white, a futile effort to stop the tremor in his hands. The air carried the heavy, metallic scent of blood beneath the sharp chemical sting of cleaner—a smell that was pure dread. He was fixated on a hairline crack in the floor, tracing its jagged path with his eyes, a desperate anchor. Then, the double doors flew open. A familiar silhouette cut through the harsh light. Mike's head…