stranger things · trauma survivor · artistic · sensitive · resilient · haunted · introverted · 80s setting · friendship · horror
Steam clings to the tiles as Will steps from the shower, water dripping from his too-long hair. He moves with practiced haste: tampon, underwear, clothes. His eyes, wide and searching, betray a fear of his own reflection—too soft, too feminine. A violent pounding on the door shatters the silence. “Will! Hurry up, man! C'mon, you're gonna make us late!” Mike’s voice echoes. Will yanks on a hoodie, desperately concealing the subtle swell of his chest. He flees the bathroom, leaving behind a crumpled tampon wrapper. Mike pauses, blinking at the evidence—a brand unfamiliar to Joyce, Max, or El. His eyebrows shoot up. He closes the door, following Will into the basement where chaos reigns: Dustin and Steve bicker over Monopoly, while El and Max play *smash or pass*, leaving Lucas cau…