#escapethevoid

[hiisheart]

@escape--the--void said: ❝ you haven't laughed like that in a while. ❞ ( from nancy ♡ )

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ♥︎ . *. ⋆ IT TOOK HIM A MOMENT TO really reflect on it, but as soon as he did he very quickly realized that nancy was right. even though his sister was all about getting good grades, working hard, and achieving big — and he didn't want to ever take that away from her — he figured that the two of them probably deserved a lot BETTER from each other these past few years. perhaps it was inevitable due to their family's dynamics, but he often regretted growing so distant from her lately. she'd been so stressed, and he figured that maybe she deserved some more time with him. after all, she'd been the one to propose telling each other everything after realizing firsthand what was happening between them. that moment showed him that perhaps she still really did care and WORRY about him, no matter what.

but they both seemed rather relaxed tonight for the first time in a while, and when mike was relaxed, his laughter was bright, loud, and contagious. clearly it still amused nancy, and a sense of accomplishment managed to slice right through the guilt that had been building within him. ❝ i know. it's kinda hard to laugh when it seems like the world's going to complete shit, though, right? but i gotta be honest ... i'm just really, really happy that nothing terrible has happened these past few days. ❞

LAUGHTER PROMPTS !

[guyusinuartist]

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[inanimalisarchive-blog]

catch me being drunk at @corefest.stuttgart in October 🤪🤙🏼 #corefest #corefeststuttgart #concert #concerttickets #concerttime #0711 #clubzentral #allfacesdown #alongwaytofall #knockoutconcept #weareinplastic #venues #melteyes #escapethevoid #diesdasananas https://www.instagram.com/p/BwuYHY8g_x0/?igshid=x4n1t7gphoc9

[vitalphenomena]

@escape--the--void

"We don't quite follow traditional recruitment procedures," he explains gently to Peter, assuming that he's letting the prospective employee down easily. In reality, he can't truly parse Peter's motives.

"But if you know someone who knows someone, you should certainly capitalize on that connection. Don't you agree?"

[hiisheart]

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ♥︎ . *. ⋆ ❝ HEY, I CAN'T CONTROL BEING HUNGRY, ❞ he retorts, but his slight frown was quick to turn up into a smirk as he watches the grease dribble down her chin, almost CURLING his lip as he watched. ❝ look who's talking. ❞

it's kind of nice, their sibling bickering. as of late, whenever mike would try to recall the last time he and nancy had any sort of legitimate conflict, his brain failed to come up with any adequate responses. perhaps that was a good thing; after all, it wasn't like the world they were living in was very ACCEPTING of them living separate lives in conflict. they had to work together; that was the only way any of them could get through this.

❝ it's not like any of that matters when you're living in the apocalypse, though, right? ❞ it was a strong word to use to describe his situation, perhaps jaded on by his own growing CYNICISM — call it getting older — and not truly reflective of his feelings. he was mike wheeler, after all. moody and protective, but still kind and benevolent and full of love to give.

Despite everything, Nancy can still tell when Mike gets lost in his head. She might not have been paying much attention, in the last few years, but she never really stopped being able to see it. She just wasn't looking for a bit, is all.

She lets him work it out, though. They're both stubborn enough, not all that great at listening, at taking advice. So she doesn't bother to try. He'll work it out ( or he won't ) .

She laughs at his stomach's reaction, the grumble of hunger right in time with the suggestion. Just a quiet little chuckle, maybe a bit mean-spirited but still mostly in reverie. Reserved, as if being too loud or boisterous about it would scare him off.

❝ Oh my god, Mike, manners, ❞ she chastises, even as she reaches for a slice and isn't that much more polite. Grease drips down her chin and she wipes away with the back of her hand.

❝ You're like a caveman, seriously. ❞ She offers him a grin around her own slice, punching his shoulder just hard enough to be a little painful without really hurting. ❝ Like, who even raised you? ❞

[hiisheart]

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ♥︎ . *. ⋆ THE TIMES THEY NEED IT MOST. the thought sits with mike for a little bit, the insight familiar to him even though he has no idea what to do with it. well, other than ponder over the words in the safety of his own mind, as he did with most things.

after all, everyone seemed to say that LAUGHTER was the best medicine. he knew it released healthy hormones and was a way for people to bond, but would it really cure this world of what was brought to it? would it actually save lives and families from the destruction that at this point just felt imminent?

of course, here he was, being an EXISTENTIALIST when his sister was trying to lighten the mood. since when had their roles reversed?

oh, right. pizza. another task they had to finish. but it wasn't a grueling one this time around, but one he actually enjoyed, obviously. who didn't like pizza? as if on cue, his stomach grumbled at him, the noise clearly AUDIBLE to his sister, a momentary wave of embarrassment hitting him and causing faintly freckled cheeks to dust pink.

❝ ooh, sounds like a plan. i almost forgot, ❞ he half-chuckles, reaching out for the closest slice of the plain cheese pie and taking a rather MESSY bite of it.

Nancy is aware that things have been sort of... well. It's been hard, with everything that happened in Hawkins the last few years. And she knows that she has a tendency to be sort of cold, sometimes. Brushes things off too easily, moves past things she maybe shouldn't. And her and Mike have been distant. For a while.

And it's not all her fault. It's not all Mike's fault, either, truthfully. Everything has just been a lot, hasn't it? And it's hard, for anyone, everyone, to be fine through things like that. Impossible, really.

Nancy knows all of this. Has maybe known for a long time, even if she didn't necessarily know what to do about it. The open honesty had seemed like a good start, if nothing else. Somewhere to move forward from, to try and build something just, well. Just better.

It makes Nancy smile, when Mike laughs. When he really laughs, genuine and bright and open. Not the half-hearted little chuckle she recognized as a placation, a way to seem fine when he was really anything but ( it's a familiar coping mechanism, even if she maybe doesn't allow herself to truly recognize it ) .

Mike's words are familiar, a sentiment Nancy knows very well. ❝ It is, yeah. Sort of the times when you need it most though, isn't it? ❞ And isn't that just the worst catch-22?

It's almost instinct, to feel like they shouldn't say it. Every time Nancy has been so sure that it was finally done, that it was over, something else always happened, eventually. So tempting fate with relief, with something akin to gratitude? Still, she figures, they can't spend their whole lives looking over their shoulder.

Can they?

❝ That makes two of us, then. ❞ Another smile, and an effort to not think about it too much. And then, because Nancy isn't really the best at this either, ❝ Hey, at least we have pizza, right? Wanna help me finish it off? ❞