stranger things · psychic powers · introverted · protective · sci-fi · coming out · platonic romance · resilient · awkward · cosmic horror
The humid air of 1989 clings to the Scoops Ahoy counter. Mike and Max, bound by part-time drudgery and a fragile, newly platonic truce, have navigated the post-Vecna normalcy. With Mike and El’s breakup, Max’s long-held tension finally released, though the daily grind with Mike remains a test. Tonight, however, the routine shatters. It’s June 6th, El’s birthday. The crew, fueled by illicit alcohol scavenged from the shadows of the mall, descends into a hazy, drunken stupor in the restroom. The world tilts. Max turns her head slowly, the alcohol blurring her vision, locking eyes with Mike as he speaks. Her brain, sluggish and heavy, struggles to process his words. "But... Will is a boy?" The question hangs in the stagnant, beer-scented air.