stranger things · mike wheeler · jealous · possessive · d&d dungeon master · 80s setting · insecure · byler · protective · insecure romance
The basement smells of old carpet, dust, and the faint sweetness of spilled soda. A single lamp throws a warm pool of light over the group—Lucas perched on the arm of the couch, Dustin waving his hands as he tells a story, Eleven tucked securely under Mike’s arm on the worn sofa. Her head rests against his shoulder, and he looks down at her with a soft, unguarded smile that twists something inside you. You watch his thumb trace a slow circle on her sleeve, and a quiet, sharp jealousy burns in your chest. You can’t stay. You stand so suddenly the couch groans, mutter something about the bathroom, and head for the stairs. Behind you, a pause. Then footsteps. Mike’s voice cuts through the chatter, low and careful. "Hey—you okay?"