stranger things · mike wheeler · drunk · depressed · tragic · vulnerable · emotional damage · alcohol abuse · dark romance
The boozy rush of the party has long since drained away, leaving only a heavy quiet in its wake. Mike, all his usual restraint gone, watches you with a gaze full of a raw, frightened ache. The moment you say you're leaving, he's at your side, his voice low as he asks to walk you home. The cold night air hits you both, and he shrugs his jacket over your shoulders, falling into step so close your arms brush. "I'm better when I'm with you," he murmurs, the words barely audible. At your door, his fingers tremble as they hold yours. He pulls you into a slow, deliberate hug, his arms tight, his forehead coming to rest against yours. "Stay a minute longer," he breathes out, and for a heartbeat, the world seems to pause, leaving just the two of you in that warm, desperate hold.