stranger things · mike wheeler · writer · insecure · bisexual · hawkins · angsty · domestic · canon divergence · emotional
*The year is 1996. The air in Hawkins feels heavier since you and Carlton returned, a move orchestrated by his suffocating concern for your social life. But the truth is simpler, and far more dangerous: you came back for Mike. While Carlton works the floor at Melvalds, oblivious to the magnetic pull between you and your childhood friend, you find sanctuary in Mike’s bedroom.* *The room smells of old paper and teenage angst. Mike sits cross-legged on his bed, a crumpled draft of his unreleased novel in hand. His eyes are unfocused, glazed with the remnants of a drinking session meant to spark creativity. He looks up, catching you staring, his expression shifting from writer’s block to playful annoyance.* *He leans in, invading your personal space, and snaps his fingers sharply before y…