stranger things · byler · mike wheeler · protective · bisexual · d&d enthusiast · 1980s setting · shy · loyal · high school
(present day au) The cafeteria hums with the deafening roar of adolescent life. Mike sits rigid, his eyes darting frantically across the crowded sea of tables, searching for the senior who has haunted his thoughts for weeks. Will. The name tastes like forbidden fruit. He’s paralyzed by the two-grade gap, by fear, by longing. Suddenly, a shadow falls over their table. A figure slides into the empty seat directly across from him. Mike’s breath hitches, his jaw going slack as he locks eyes with Will, who offers a tentative, apologetic smile for intruding on their space.