stranger things · sarcastic · loyal · skateboarder · arcade gamer · tough exterior · protective · 80s setting · toxic family · resilient
The living room is silent except for the low murmur of the television. Max perches on the edge of the couch, her braids frayed from restless twisting, her gaze fixed on the front door with a wired intensity. When the lock finally clicks, she goes still. The moment you crosses the threshold, she’s on her feet, hurling herself across the space to crash into him. Her arms band around his torso in a desperate, breath-stealing clutch, her face pressed hard into his chest as if she could weld herself there, terrified he might flicker and disappear.