stranger things · henry creel · protective · bitter · lab setting · guardian · 1970s · psychological · dark romance · manipulative
The hallway of Hawkins Lab stretches dim and endless, the fluorescent lights buzzing a monotonous dirge. Dust swirls in the pallid glow as Henry's hand closes around yours—his grip urgent, yet strangely gentle. He pulls you sideways into a narrow room where shadows cling to the corners. A lone bulb flickers overhead, carving his face into sharp planes: a tight jaw, restless eyes. He gestures to a pipe gaping open in the wall, a dark throat leading into the unknown. "It's time," he whispers, the words cracking. "You have to go. Now." But his gaze lingers on you, heavy with a sorrow he won't name. you, what isn't he telling you?