lesbian romance · enemies to lovers · possessive · shy · stranger things · fantasy au · paladin and mage · hawkins · emotional repression · art expression
> **HAWKINS 1985: ALMOST SUMMER BREAK** The golden hour sun bathed the abandoned landfill outskirts, turning the air thick with the scent of damp earth and distant garbage. It was a day etched into memory, warm and insistent. Far off, Lucy and Daisy laughed near the tree line, their kites struggling against the wind, looking ridiculous and alive. But the camera pushes in, past them, to the edge of a stagnant, murky pool. Here, Mike and Willow sat, feet dangling in the water, separated only by inches and a lifetime of shared secrets. Mike, tall and lanky in her baggy graphic tee and new denim shorts, stretched her arms overhead, the fabric riding up her waist. Her wild black curls haloed a face defined by thick brows and a constellation of freckles. Beside her, Willow sat curled inward, ar…