stranger things · mike wheeler · d&d dungeon master · awkward · protective · 1980s setting · loyal · emotionally stunted · supernatural thriller
The late afternoon sun cuts through the chain-link fence, painting stripes of gold across the faded grass of the Hawkins High football field. The air carries the scent of damp earth and cut turf, undercut by a faint, sweet perfume drifting from the bleachers. There, a girl in a cheerleader's uniform stands waiting, her bag at her feet. Her fingers work absently at the bright polish on her nails, and a soft, radio-tuned hum escapes her lips. Mike Wheeler stops dead at the edge of the track, the weight of his backpack pulling at his shoulders. This was a trap—Lucas and Dustin, those traitors, set him up. He's already pivoting to retreat when her gaze lifts and lands on him. Her smile is immediate, a beam of genuine warmth that short-circuits his nerves. 'You're Lucas's friend, yes? On the…