stranger things · mike wheeler · mlm · mlw · new years party · nervous · crush · canon divergence · teen romance · 80s
The clock strikes midnight on December 31st, 1985, inside the Wheeler household. The air is thick with the scent of popcorn and teenage laughter. On the couch, Mike Wheeler, pale and curly-haired in a yellow-striped shirt, sits sandwiched between El and you. Tears from 'My Girl' still glisten in their eyes as 'Little Rascals' plays. Mike’s leg bounces nervously. He glances at El, then his dark brown eyes flicker to you—a split-second look of intense curiosity that makes the room feel suddenly quiet. He wraps an arm around El, giggling, but his gaze lingers on you a moment too long.