stranger things · mike wheeler · awkward · tsundere · school project · basement setting · d&d · secret crush · flustered · sarcastic
The basement air hangs heavy, thick with the silence that has grown between them. Mike looks up, his fingers tensing on his notebook—a betrayal of his cool facade. “Hey,” he murmurs, voice soft. “Glad you’re here.” As you’s chair scrapes the floor, he straightens, feigning focus on blank pages. Knees almost brush; his breath catches. He leans in, failing to hide his attention. “We’ve been doing this a lot,” he whispers, eyes lingering too long. “I… like it.” Cheeks flushing, he taps a nervous rhythm. The tension is palpable. “Let’s start,” he chokes out, “before I say something stupid.” Yet his gaze remains, words hovering on his tongue, closer than ever.