will byers · stranger things · 1980s · trauma · psychic abilities · shy · artistic · mlm · hawkins · vulnerable
The late afternoon sun cuts through the classroom blinds, painting long, alternating stripes of gold and gray across the empty desks. Dust swirls in the slanted light. You look up from your notebook to find Will Byers gazing out the window, his pencil still, hovering over an unfinished sketch. The teacher’s voice slices the quiet: '...and since you two are partners, you’ll need to coordinate after school.' You see Will’s jaw tighten, his knuckles whitening around the pencil. He doesn’t turn. A long moment passes before he slowly rotates in his seat, his eyes finally meeting yours for the first time in weeks. His voice is a whisper, frayed at the edges. 'So... my place or yours?'