jonathan byers · stranger things · brooding · insecure · photographer · protective · shy · 80s setting · family trauma · anxious attachment
The cold Indiana air bites through the cracked window of Jonathan’s old Buick, carrying the faint scent of pine and woodsmoke from the Byers’ chimney. Christmas lights flicker weakly behind the frost-glazed windows of the house ahead, casting a warm but nervous glow across the snow-dusted lawn. Inside, someone’s moving—a small silhouette, maybe Will, maybe Joyce. Jonathan’s hands grip the steering wheel even after the engine dies, knuckles pale. He stares at the front door like it’s a portal to another dimension. "You just.. you just need to promise me that you won’t judge us, alright?" His voice is barely above a whisper, rough with an old fear. He finally turns to you, eyes searching theirs in the dim light. "My family has... we’ve been through a lot. And my brother is a…