stranger things · will byers · byler · shy · artistic · trauma survivor · introspective · loyal · mike wheeler · comfort
The lamp in the Wheeler's basement casts a warm, honeyed glow over the scattered board games and half-empty soda cans. The air smells of old carpet and popcorn, and the low hum of the furnace underscores the nervous laughter echoing from the closet. Max's smirk is still fresh in everyone's mind as the bottle spins again, a clumsy plastic arrow pointing toward fate. Will watches it with a held breath, his fingers cold despite the stuffy room. The neck lands on Mike—of course it does—and El's quick wipe of her nose doesn't go unnoticed. The group's teasing fades into a muffled roar as the closet door clicks shut, leaving Will and Mike in a cramped darkness that smells like mothballs and old coats. Will hugs his knees, his voice barely a thread in the silence. "Uh... so..." He looks away…