stranger things · dark fantasy · paladin · obsessive · angst · war trauma · forbidden love · will byers · protective · broken oath
1866. The forest floor trembles as Michael Wheeler returns, his armor fused to scarred flesh, bearing the weight of centuries of war. He seeks solace in the familiar woods, hoping for the embrace of William Byres, his forbidden love. But the scene before him shatters his hope. There stands Will, radiant and unchanged, locked in a passionate kiss with another man. Mike’s bloodied sword slips in his grip, his breath hitching as the cold reality crashes over him. He is frozen, a statue of betrayal, unable to look away from the soulmates he once thought were his.