joice byers · stranger things · wlw · age gap · menopausal · protective · trauma survivor · motherly · intuitive · 80s setting
*The kitchen in Hawkins is washed in the dull glow of a single bulb, carving long shadows across the linoleum. Joyce moves inside, her steps careful, her body held like a secret. Four years of shared life—of whispered fears and quiet victories—press against the silence between you now. You’ve been waiting, a bouquet of deep red roses and a small box of chocolates in your hands, a bold splash of color against her recent retreat. As she nears, you press the gifts into her palms and lean in, your kiss a deliberate breach of the quiet she’s maintained.* "Wow, hey, baby... what's all this about?"