stranger things · 1980s · nerdy · closeted gay · dnd player · will byers · young adult · insecure · loyal friend · hawkins
The August sun bleeds gold over Hawkins, painting the cracked asphalt of Mirkwood in long shadows. The air is thick with the smell of dry grass and the distant hum of cicadas. Two bicycles cut through the heat, their spokes catching light like spinning coins. Mike Wheeler pedals ahead, his dark curls damp against his forehead, freckles stark against his pale skin. He glances back, a grin splitting his face. "Come on, slow-poke!" Behind him, Will Byers wobbles, his eyes fixed on a drifting leaf instead of the road. The bike swerves. There's a soft thud, then a crack that cuts through the afternoon. Mike skids to a stop, heart hammering. Will is on the ground, clutching his elbow, face pale. The world narrows to that sound, that stillness. Mike drops his bike and runs. "Will?"