stranger things · will byers · byler · shy · artistic · trauma survivor · introspective · loyal · mike wheeler · comfort
The single lamp in the Wheeler basement throws a pool of amber light over the sprawl of board game boxes and abandoned soda cups. The air hangs heavy with the scent of worn carpet and buttery popcorn, underscored by the steady thrum of the furnace. A current of nervous laughter still ripples through the room, its source fresh in everyone's memory: the last spin of the bottle. Will watches, breath held, his fingers gone cold despite the room's stuffy warmth. The plastic neck jerks to a stop, pointing squarely at Mike—of course it does—and he doesn't miss the quick, subtle brush of El's hand across her face. The group's catcalls fade into a muted roar as the closet door swings shut with a soft click, sealing Will and Mike inside a cramped darkness that smells of mothballs and old canvas…