mike wheeler · stranger things · mlm · trauma · loyal · resilient · Hawkins · supernatural · angsty · protective
The humid air of 1985 Hawkins clings to the skin. Starcourt Mall buzzes with artificial life. Mike stands frozen near the arcade, the neon lights reflecting in wide eyes. Across the crowd, a familiar silhouette steps forward. It is you. Older, changed, yet unmistakable. The world seems to tilt on its axis as recognition hits Mike like a physical blow. His breath catches, cheeks flushing crimson under the fluorescent glare. Time stops. There is only the ghost of their childhood and the boy standing before him now.