Hiraeth \\ Stranger Things 2

'Why are you out in the rain like a loser?'

The rain was dreary this afternoon, something that would never take on that type of feeling. Rain is a soothing feeling, a sound- but this type of rain was mourning. Tj had recently left a small antique store, her haul was nothing more than a couple nirvana records and J.R.R Tolkien's classic- The Hobbit. Nothing like a cup of hot chocolate and a book to shy away from the downpour.

Tj used to love the rain. Playing in it was almost euphoric. The way the droplets splashed upon her pale skin, leaving behind traces of its once spherical shape. But, now she found it a nuisance. Maybe it wasn't the rain- deep down she knew it wasn't. It was something else, something she refused to ever speak of even in her conscious awareness. Tj's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her body shifting on the leather seats. That sinking feeling creeping over her shoulder like it did back in 1986, in that goddamn hell house. Her foot pressed harder on the gas, numbing her senses.

Even within these miles- she's still haunted- tortured with her own shell of a body, of mind. Her eyes dazed, knuckles white. Her mind slipped for a brief moment but reeled back when she was approaching an SUV quicker than she needed to be in such a short distance. Frantically, her foot smashed onto the brakes sending her car lurching painfully to a stop- so close to kissing the bumper in front of her hood. Her chest heaved double time, eyes wide with her loss of self control. The traffic light remained red as she slumped against her seat, head thrown against the head rest. Slowly did she turn and catch the sight of someone undoubtedly familiar standing at a cross walk. Tj persuaded herself to crank the passenger window down before leaning a little over the center console. "Hey Wheeler! Hop in."

Mike looked surprised at the sound of his name and as much as he wanted to protest against getting in the car, he was drenched and freezing. So quickly he scurried into the warm passenger seat just as the light turned green. Mike didn't realize who's car he had gotten into until he turned to look at the driver- then did his mouth drop. "Tj?"

"One and only." Tj gave a ghost of a smile as she tossed her oversized pull over at the boy. Mike took it gratefully, pulling it over his drenched torso. It was warm from the previous owners body heat and smelled oddly like burnt chocolate and incense. Something that Mike wouldn't admit out loud- smelled good. "Are you done sniffing my stuff?" Tj narrowed her eyes at him while taking a turn further into town. "I-I wasn't sniffing it- My nose was runny so I was wiping it off." Mike shot back with a huff. "Ew, dude. Don't get your snot all over my pull over." Tj wrinkled her nose in disgust and slight bemusement.

"Oh darn- too late." Mike teased with a wide smile that had Tj playfully shoving him away. "Why are you out in the rain like a loser?" Tj questioned. Mike shrugged his shoulders while peering out the window. "I have a lot on my mind and taking walks help, y'know?" Tj silently nodded. "You hungry?"

Mike turned to look at Tj. And look he did. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, her clothes consisted of acid washed jeans with fake holes, a white crop top with some odd lines on the front which he couldn't see from his seating position, chunky black sandals with straps, a choker, X style earrings and glasses. "Take a picture it'll last longer." Tj teased slyly which caused Mike to scoff. "Don't flatter yourself, I was just looking out your window." Tj raised an eyebrow which had Mike inwardly cursing at his lack of good comebacks. Tj pulled into a small diner, Flo's shining in bright red lights. "I don't know about you but I could eat a cows ass right 'bout now." Tj joked while turning off her car. Mike gave a small smile as he grabbed onto the passenger handle. "You know the drill?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

Tj and Mike burst out of car, slamming the doors shut before running hurriedly to the shield of the diner. "Boobs." Tj squinted her eyes towards Mike she was looking at her shirt. "Yeah, ever seen a pair before?" Tj inquired while opening the diners doors. "Yeah, totally." Mike blew a raspberry of nonchalance while Tj eyed him knowingly. "Ever felt a pair before." Both walked to a booth near a corner, settling down quickly. "Uh- no."

"Let's make a deal, Wheeler." Tj crosses her arms on the table top as the waitress came to give them menus. "Okay." Mike agreed his own mischief matching that of the older girl across him. "You tell me a secret, and I'll tell you mine. If your secret is way worse- I'll let you cop a feel." Tj leaned back into her side of the booth watching as Mike's face went from several ranges of emotion- surprise, mischief, and suspicion to name a few. "And if it isn't worse?" Mike asked.

Tj shrugged. "Then you'll just have to wait until puberty." Tj smirked at Mike's frown. "For all you know I've already hit it."

Tj could only laugh at the ruffled feathers of Mike Wheeler. "You go first." Tj gestured. Sighing, Mike leaned back in his booth. "You can't tell anyone- I shouldn't even be telling you.. but, there's this place. Like an alternate dimension, except it's horrible. There's things that lurk within it- I've witnessed them, here. A girl... she was from there- or something along those lines. A friend, she saved us a year ago and it killed her. Or so the others think but I have this feeling that she's still here. Just lost, you could say." Tj felt a cold sweat creep onto her palms. "What is this alternate called?"

"We call it, the upside down." Mike spoke quietly as his brown eyes glanced around for any eavesdroppers. Tj bit the inside of her cheek, she knew all to well of alternate worlds- creatures of unexplainable origins. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Mike asked as he stared at Tj who was silently gazing out the window. "I don't. Because I've faced something otherworldly and I'm afraid I'll have to face it again, in time."

"Y'know, you remind me of someone I once knew." That peaked Mike's interest as he placed his menu down to look at Tj. "Oh yeah? Who?"

"We called him, Trash mouth." Mike crinkled his nose at the nickname. "Why? That's such a shitty nick name." Tj had a gleam in her eye as she smiled. "Cause his mouth spoke utter garbage." Mike let out a laugh at the pun. "Tell me your secret." Mike retorted, his face propped onto his hand.

"Okay, But this stays between me and you. Got it, Wheeler?" Tj leaned forward which had Mike doing the same. "Tj isn't my real name."

"What do you mean?"

"My real name is-" But Tj didn't get to continue as a waitress came to take their orders. Once she was gone, Mike sought out Tj's blue eyes but down that her attention was out the window. "So?"

"I will tell you another time, when the moments right." Mike was disappointed to say the least but he knew that her name played a bigger part in her life than she was to reveal.

And the prize of a feel up was forgotten amongst laughter, stories and small food fights.

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Okay I swear if no one figures out who Tj is by this point I'm going to fly off into the sunset.

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