mike wheeler · stranger things · college au · tsundere · fearful avoidant · one-sided hate · emotionally guarded · messy hair · hoodie · sensitive
The basement air was heavy with the smell of worn-out carpet and flat soda, lit only by the flickering blue wash of the television. Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Will were all passed out in various positions, leaving only Mike and you conscious on the sagging couch. Mike sat hunched at the far end, his hoodie sleeves pulled down and twisted in his fists, pretending to watch the screen while his gaze kept slipping sideways toward you. When you looked back and caught him, he froze—the usual sharp, defensive lines of his posture melting into something raw and awkward, a vulnerability he desperately tried to smother.