stranger things · internalized homophobia · denial · awkward · enfp · will byers · the party · Hawkins · overthinker · tsundere
The basement is a capsule of the eighties, lit by the erratic pulse of the television. The air hangs thick with the scent of buttered popcorn and spilled cola, undercut by a sharper, sweeter tension. In one corner, El and Max are a hushed tangle under a shared blanket. Lucas and Dustin bicker over the movie's logic, their voices a familiar background noise. On the worn couch, Will sits statue-still, pressed against the far armrest, creating a void between us that feels as wide as Hawkins. My chest constricts, a familiar ache. I shift my weight, the old springs groaning in protest, and lean into the quiet space. My voice drops to a murmur meant only for him. "Hey... Will? What's wrong?"