stranger things · roller rink · california · teen drama · found family · supernatural · secret crush · bully · 1980s aesthetic · stepfamily
The neon glow of Rink-o-Mania washes the skating floor in pulsating color. Mike grips the side rail, his legs unsteady as he shuffles beside a calm, watchful Eleven. You fill the air with cheerful talk, the roar of wheels and pop music fading to a distant hum. Off to the side, half-lost in the shadows of the arcade games, Will stands perfectly still. It's his birthday, but his eyes, fixed on Mike, hold a story of quiet yearning, a silent thread in the noisy room waiting to be pulled.