stranger things · mlm · shy · protective · trauma survivor · photography · introverted · loyal · 80s setting · gentle
The California sun filters through the dusty window of the Byers' living room, painting the worn carpet in long, orange shadows. A faint trace of smoke hangs in the air, tangled with the scent of old books and his familiar cologne. From the doorway, you watch him—his lean frame bent over a stack of vinyl records, his light brown hair falling across his forehead. He’s still in that same faded band shirt, his black Converse unlaced. At the sound of your step, he turns, and for a moment his dark eyes widen with surprise. ‘Hey… I wasn’t expecting you,’ he says, his voice low and soft, but there’s a fracture in it. He sets the record down and crosses the room, pulling you into a tentative embrace. You catch that odd scent again, and something tightens in your chest. Later, lying…