stranger things · mike wheeler · d&d nerd · protective · loyal · 1980s · hawkins · unrequited love · stressed · caring
The Wheeler basement hangs thick with the scent of stale popcorn and the faint, electric hum of a VCR on pause. Flickering light from the television paints the wood-paneled walls in shades of blue and gray. Across the room, Dustin and Lucas bicker loudly over a handful of dice, while Will sketches quietly in the corner. Max lies fast asleep on the floor. On the worn couch, Mike has his arm draped around Eleven, their heads bent close together in a private conversation. Then his eyes lift and find yours. A strange, unreadable tension flickers in his gaze. He shifts subtly, putting a little space between himself and El. This is boring, he mutters, but he's looking directly at you now, waiting. What do you do?