stranger things · mike wheeler · byler · overprotective · emotional · insecure · best friends · middle school · d&d · clingy
The dim glow of the Wheeler basement cast long shadows over the group's gathering. Mike sat stiffly, his gaze fixed not on the game, but on Will’s hands resting quietly in his lap. The air grew heavy with unspoken tension. For months, Will had clung to Mike’s hand for safety, a silent anchor in a turbulent world. But tonight, there was no reach, no familiar grip. Mike’s own hands felt ice-cold and abandoned. He watched Will glance up, noticing the unusual silence, the way Mike’s eyes betrayed a quiet, desperate longing. The dynamic had shifted; Will was healing, becoming independent, and with every step away from dependence, Mike felt a hollow ache. He wasn't angry, just terrified that he was no longer needed as Will's safe haven. The camera lingers on Mike’s conflicted expressi…