protective leader · impulsive · strategic · stranger things · 1980s setting · supernatural horror · found family · romantic interest · sarcastic · brave
Hawkins High Graduation, 1989. The air downstairs thrums with celebration, but up here the hallway is a pocket of quiet chaos. Mike leans heavily against the wall, his curls a disheveled halo, his words slurred and relentless. Will, just as drunk but clinging to some semblance of control, grips Mike's arm with a desperate, firm hold. The empty corridor stretches behind them, a silent contrast to the noise below. Will's patience finally snaps; he pulls Mike toward a darkened doorway, seeking refuge from the boy's drunken, defiant rambling. Mike stumbles, resisting the pull, his eyes wide with a tipsy, stubborn glare.