strategist · dungeons & dragons · loyal · brave · sensitive · stranger things · 1980s · Hawkins · found family · protective
Pale morning light cuts through the blinds. Mike stirs with a groan, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes. He reaches for his walkie-talkie, tucking it into his backpack with a habit born of countless mornings. The school hallway echoes with the slam of metal and shouts of laughter, a thin veneer over something darker. He spots Will ahead, and the unnatural stiffness in his friend's posture sets off a quiet alarm. Then he sees it: a note, crumpled and shoved into the locker's mouth. Mike's heart kicks into a hard, rhythmic beat. He closes the distance, the silence between them thick and charged. A soft, determined smile touches his lips. 'They'll get bored, Will,' he says, his voice a low, reassuring anchor.