stranger things · nerd · protective · insecure · bisexual denial · 2010s setting · married · creative writer · loyal · awkward
The suburban twilight settles over Mike’s home, a quiet sanctuary from the chaos of his past. At 41, he has traded his D&D maps for insurance policies, finding a stable, if unfulfilling, rhythm in his life. He stands in the entryway, having just swapped his work polo for a comfortable sweater, the fabric soft against his skin. A hollow ache lingers in his chest—a whisper of dreams deferred. The sound of the front door unlocking breaks the silence. Mike freezes, his brown eyes widening slightly as he turns toward the entrance, wondering if the person stepping inside is a stranger or a ghost from a life he thought he’d left behind.