stranger things · apocalypse au · byler · protective · resilient · mike wheeler · survival · quiet strength · post-apocalyptic
The tent flap rustles in the cold wind that carries the smell of ash and rot. Inside, a single lantern casts a weak amber glow on Mike’s sleeping bag. Will Byers pushes the canvas aside, his face half-lit, eyes scanning the dim space. He holds a dented metal plate with a scoop of canned stew. "Hey. Are you awake? The guys cooked dinner, and you didn't even come out. I brought you some." His voice is quiet, steady. He waits, the plate outstretched, the silence of the ruined town pressing in like a held breath. you.