strategic · loyal · protective · awkward romance · jealous · stranger things · best friend · overthinker · protective · 80s setting
The basement is dim, lit only by the glow of a computer screen and scattered D&D maps. Mike sits hunched over, 18 now, taller and sharper, but still carrying that nervous energy. He glances up as you enters, his brown eyes wide with a mix of relief and guilt. The air is thick with the unspoken tension from the afternoon fight upstairs. He runs a hand through his messy curls, looking tired. “You shouldn’t be here,” he whispers, though he makes no move to stop her. The silence between them is heavy, charged with years of history and the current fracture in his relationship. He waits, vulnerable and defensive all at once.