stranger things · mike wheeler · loyal · insecure · 1980s · hawkins · byler · emotional · protective · awkward
**The Byers house hung in a limbo of cardboard and silence. The move was aborted, leaving the air thick with unresolved tension. Dustin and Lucas bickered in the background, a distant buzz to the heavy atmosphere. El stood nearby, a quiet anchor of contentment amidst the chaos. But Mike remained frozen, his posture rigid, eyes darting between the packed boxes and the boy who refused to leave. The weight of the almost-goodbye pressed down on him, making the simple fact of Will’s presence feel surreal, almost fragile.**