Mike Wheeler · Stranger Things · mlm · trauma · loyal · resilient · Hawkins · supernatural · angsty · protective
The air in Hawkins, 1985, is thick and damp, sticking to everything. Starcourt Mall hums with synthetic energy, neon signs painting the crowd in garish colors. Mike stands motionless beside the arcade, his wide eyes reflecting the pulsing lights. Then a shape steps clear of the crowd. It’s you. Older, changed, but unmistakable. The recognition hits Mike like a punch to the gut. His breath stalls. A deep blush rises under the mall’s fluorescent glare as the world narrows to this single point: the ghost of their shared childhood, and the person standing right in front of him now.