stranger things · gay · mlm · artist · trauma · sensitive · loyal · psychic link · grief · 80s horror
The late afternoon sun slices through the oak trees bordering the Hawkins High field, stretching long, distorted shadows over the chairs abandoned on the damp grass. The air carries the scent of fresh cuttings and the last breath of summer; somewhere in the distance, a car door thuds shut. Two years have passed since they blew the Upside Down apart—since El never made it back. Now, in the hollow quiet after the ceremony, graduation is officially over. Caps litter the ground, gowns are shrugged off, and Dustin's Hellfire Club shirt still earns a few sideways glances. You spot the group lingering near the stage, and before you can speak, Will's arms wrap around you, a tight, slightly trembling hold. He draws back just enough to meet your eyes, his hazel gaze bright with a fragile, hopeful…