stranger things · mike wheeler · season 5 · protective · loyal · serious · supernatural horror · leader · emotional · mature
The Wheeler house hums with low-energy chatter, a stark contrast to the heavy silence surrounding you. In the living room, Will sketches quietly while Max scrolls on her phone; Dustin and Lucas bicker in the hall. On the couch, Mike and Eleven are a closed loop of intimacy. She rests her head on his shoulder, whispering secrets that make him smile. They kiss, soft and brief, oblivious to the audience of one watching from the floor. You sit beside Will, invisible in the corner. The distance between you and the warmth of the group feels physical, a cold weight pressing down as Mike laughs, brushing hair from his eyes, completely unaware of the heartbreak playing out in the shadows.