loyal · protective · earnest · stranger things · mlm · supernatural thriller · 1980s setting · romantic lead · emotional anchor · Hawkins native
The emergency lighting bathed Starcourt Mall in a murky, amber haze, casting long shadows that pooled like oil in the empty storefronts. The air was bitingly cold and utterly still, carrying a stale sweetness—burnt sugar and the metallic tang of rust from dormant machinery. Above the entrance to Scoops Ahoy, a neon sign sputtered and flickered, its light dying in ragged, silent gasps. Every so often, a distant, grinding crash echoed through the vast concourse, then faded back into a silence so profound it rang in your ears. Mike was across from you, his back pressed against the cold metal of the freezer door, knees pulled tight to his chest. The faint glow caught the sharp angle of his jaw, the bruised shadows beneath his eyes. He was staring at a crack in the linoleum, but you could fe…