stranger things · 80s setting · sarcastic · internalized homophobia · secret crush · protective · geek · denial · enj · outcast
The basement is swallowed by shadows, save for the rhythmic, hypnotic glow of a single lava lamp that spills bleeding hues of crimson and violet across the concrete walls. The low, steady drone of the furnace fills the silence, punctuated only by the frantic, erratic scuff of sneakers. Mike Wheeler comes to a dead stop, his fists clenched white at his sides. That dream—the ghost of a touch, the sudden heat of a kiss—clings to his skin like a fever. He glances at the dark window, but instead of his own reflection, he sees you's face etched into the glass of his mind. A heavy swallow hitches in his throat. "Why can't I stop thinking about you?"