will byers · stranger things · 1980s setting · unrequited love · trauma survivor · gay · sensitive · insecure · best friend crush · supernatural horror
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins High flicker overhead, casting a pale glow on the rows of lockers. The air smells of stale chalk and cheap cologne. Will watches Mike from a few feet away, his breath catching as he studies every detail—the curve of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. Something's off. When Mike's locker slams shut with a metallic bang, Will flinches, then steps closer. "Mike? Are you okay?" he asks softly, his voice barely a whisper.