#just mike accepting what it is as long as el’s safe

[thefirstlioveyou]

this mike gave up and decided to lie in the hole he dug himself into

[will80sbyers]

I think the thing people forget is that Mike and El didn't know each other for long before they got their little crush for each other

they met, got a crush because the other one was a good person to be around and they were curious about each other and kissed and all in one week

then El has to stay away for one year and can only spy on him for that time so she gets to see him and his thoughts a lot and get to know him better and her crush grows to obsession

but listening to someone like they're on a podcast is not the same thing as interaction with them face to face, they don't really know each other by the end of season 2

and especially Mike doesn't know El, he just idealized her

also El herself hadn't even had time to know herself well during s1 because of how she grew up, she didn't know what she liked/disliked, what friends were, what some type of food was...

she was already a good, kind and brave kid but she had to "form" her character traits in a more personal way

when they get back together at the end of season 2 they like each other like you can like someone that you find pretty and also that you think are a cool person because they've been good to you / helped you

then in season 3 they start actually dating and we find out the majority of the time they just love to make out with each other so much to the point that Hopper gets upset about it because he sees that that's not looking like a healthy relationship for their age, kids in actual working long lasting relationships would be more outside having fun than closed in the house kissing, only the ones that have more physical chemistry than anything else want to only do that the majority of the time

then the writers also showed us little moments where we can see that:

They don't like the same songs, don't have explicit common interests except wanting to kiss and... Make fun of Hopper? 😂

Mike doesn't feel safe telling her about Hopper/still feels awkward with her about his own feelings

El was relying on Mike so much that she didn't even took the chance to really be friends with the only other girl in the group until he flaked on her

El and Max had much more fun than Mike and El and also the writers focused on making it clear that El needed to detach from Mike's influence and Hopper's too and get her own ideas about stuff and all and El's character started to shine more

Then season 3 ends with her regressing because she loses Hopper, she needed to be around someone "familiar" after that and getting back with Mike was what provided that for her

Then she starts being part of the Byers family so she got more support around her but she's also being bullied and I suspect she knows Mike idealized her so she started to feel too insecure about herself to actually open up to Mike about it and risk that him seeing her be weak is what made him not love her

In her mind Mike's presence in her life as a boyfriend but even as just a friend (which is what she really wants imo) becomes conditional to him thinking she's cool and not a monster and she starts lying

Meanwhile Mike is going more or less through the same thing because he thinks he's a freak nerd and a nobody compared to El and she will dump him soon so he starts closing off (he never really opened up to her because of his insecurities and also because they are not truly in love)

Then Lenora happens and all of this comes to the surface... In Lenora the writers do the same thing they started to do in season 3 showing us that:

El and Mike don't like the same food (milkshake, pineapple on pizza, burrito for breakfast)

El and Mike dress up to look cooler than they are and present a facade to the other instead of trusting that they will be accepted as they are

El doesn't seek comfort in Mike often, Mike is not good in providing comfort

Mike doesn't inherently feel the need to reassure her about his feelings for her because his fear/insecurity is stronger than his love for her

El and Mike are okay with lying to each other as long as this helps them keep the other in their lives or makes the other think they are cooler than they are

El is okay with leaving Mike behind and not involving him as her partner

Like it's pretty clear this relationship is not gonna last... I think they do love each other SO SO SO MUCH but not in a way that you can call "true love" in the romantic sense

They want the other in their lives forever and I'm sure of that, they do have love for the other, they think the other is a great person with a good heart and they did have a crush/like each other physically in my opinion (and that's why they stayed together this long) but they just are not in love, the writers have not showed me they are in love they have just made the characters say it (I think they do even think they're saying the truth when they aren't) without backing it up by the narrative they presented around them

[darkcrowprincess]

Mike has a breakdown/ Mike goes off:

The last time Mike had a breakdown. He was 12, and the world was ending. The second time was no different. But everytime it happens, Mike is still surprised when the anger/sadness/powerlessness explodes out of him. It all comes spilling out in the worse way, like a shaken can of coke a cola exploding when you flip open the top. Lets set the scene. A empty office in the radio tower station, as Lucas and Mike wait for Will and Dustin. Mike and Lucas being the only two in the room. Mike has been on edge all day. Lucas is getting a little tired of it honestly. He knows you shouldn't go poking the angry bear known as Mike. But well, they have been avioding the obvious long enough.

"Its almost like you're afraid or something," Lucas says nonchalantly. Mostly to himself. But really to get a reaction out of the skinny, tall, brooding idiot he calls a best friend.

"What?" Mike asks confused. He turns to Lucas. Done with his staring match with the wall. Brings the seat he was leaning on it's back legs fully onto all fours again.

"You heard me, your scared of being with Will. Your terrified to love him. Or terrified to at least tell him." Lucas states matter of fact. No bullshit in his face or in his tone.

Seeing that he's serious, Micheal Wheeler's face goes through so many emotions in the span of seconds. Confused, realization, fear, acceptance, and then finally anger. Actually no anger isn't the right word.

Mike was in two words; pissed off.

"Fuck you. You know what Lucas fuck you.

Lucas doesn't get mad, "Well are you?"

"Im not talking about this!" Mike angrily whispers. Its the whispering that gets you. You can tell thats Mike's pissed because he hadn't started yelling yet. He's trying to hold it in.

"But are you? Are you scared? It will make you feel better if you talk about it Mike," Lucas declares with and honest, yet haunted look in his face. Unspoken between is whats obviously haunting Lucas.

Mike wants to cross that line and bring Max up to piss Lucas off. Get him to hate him and back off with this line of questioning.

But Mike thinks, he doesn't want to. Partly because he's just so sick of hurting his friends. But mostly because Mike is just tired. Tired of keeping it all in. So he pops open the soda.

Mike's pale face becomes red quickly in anger, "Of course I'm fucking scared! Im scared of losing him again!!

Mike yells this out into the room. Its loud and people could probably hear him.

Lucas though, oddly is in favor of the anger. For Mike to be honest, even if he is angry. Lucas feels like his best friend needs it. Seemingly wiser than his age suggests, "Mike your not going to lose him. You haven't lost Will. Will is still here."

"Yeah but for how long Lucas! How long huh? I couldn't handle losing him for a week when I was 12! 12 Lucas! He got lost from my house that day! My house! He was suppose to be safe! And he wasn't! I couldn't do anything! I was helpless! Then the next year with losing El, he was being possessed and hurt by that thing! He was hurt and everyone around us was dying! The best thing I could come up with was to burn up a hole in the ground! That was the best I could come up with to help him! I'm always useless! Every year its some new fucking disaster nightmare that could kill us all, but losing him in this mess is what terrifies me most. And your asking me to listen to my heart and get into a relationship with him. Tell him I love him and act like everything will turn out hunky dory, we'll be skipping off into the sunset, Will and I?! Are you out of your fucking mind Lucas!"

Mike is full on yelling now, and he seems to just be getting started.

Mike throws his hands in the air and starts pacing. Back in fourth like he needs to move.

"The whole town is this close to going crazy psycho mob on us, the upside down is leaking into our world. Plus you know homophobia is still a fucking thing in the 80s. And the cherry on top of all the piles of shit we are dealing with, Vecna wants Will.

Mike starts laughing in a cruel hysterical vocie, pulling his hair tight in his fists, still pacing. "Which is just another can of worms. That creep does not only want to kill my family personally, but he's making the moves on Will. Like no the universe can not let William Byers have a fucking break in this life! Lets add a homicidal pervert to the equation!"

"Mike calm done it will be ok." Lucas says, getting up and going to Mike.

That is the wrong thing to say.

"DONT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN LUCAS SINCLAIR! NONE OF THIS WILL BE FUCKING OK!!" Mike grabs something on the desk in anger. A paperweight. Turning to the window(behind him, no where near Lucas' vicinity) Mike throws the paperweight with all his strength towards the office window and breaks the glass. It makes hauntingly loud shattering noise. It echos loud in the room, and the glass from the impact falls out from the hole made with the round paper weight. Then the room is filled with silence and Mikes harsh breathing. His shoulder moves with his angry breathing, but doesn't turn around.

"Whats going on?" Says a soft familiar voice.

Both boys turn around, there standing in the open doorway is Will.

Mike turns back around, not wanting to make eye contact with Will. Not wanting anyone (especially Will) to see him like this. Mike just keeps staring out the broken window. In the reflection of the broken glass, if you look, you can see Mike Wheeler start to cry. Silent tears appear in his eyes.

Lucas tries to cover for him, " Nothing everything is-."

"Please don't say everything is fine Lucas. Mike shouldn't be yelling at you like that. Especially with everything going on." Says Will. But he isn't yelling. He says this with a tired but gentle look on his face. A look that he's only sending Mike's way.

Lucas is tired too. "I'm going to give you guys some space to talk."

Will nods as he fully walks into the room, heading towards Mike. Mike still hasn't turned around.

"Thanks Lucas, please shut the door too."

Lucas doesn't say anything. No point really, Mike and Will are in their own world. But he does as Will asked.

As he closes the door, he catches Will hugging Mike from behind. Mike leans into the touch as much as he can. Turns around (tears staining his face) and hugs Will fully.

*******

(God this took forever to write!!! But I'm so glad I finished. Would love to hera your opinions Byler shippers!)

[panickedpenguin]

I am melting with the idea of Billy arriving in Hawkins later, after everything's said and done, people have died, like kids have died, and Steve is a depleted mess of a person who is desperate for soft things to ease his nightmares. Steve doesn't talk much, doesn't wear bright colors or flirt anymore, only ever hangs out with the screaming panic attack that is Robin.

Max begins to make friends with Lucas and Dustin, filling the void that is the loss of El and Will, being introduced to Mike who lives in the long-term ward of the hospital. Max meeting Steve and being suspicious of how quiet and sad he is, like he might kill somebody, like he might kill himself, because she's only ever known rage and never depression.

And then there's Billy. Billy coming in hot and bothered by this guy who used to be the town sweetheart, used to be the high school basketball star, apparently used to have a real nice car. But now he's a ghost, wandering around the police station doing secretarial work that just doesn't make sense to Billy. And that's how Billy gets to know him first, at the station. He's given a speeding ticket every week, he's fined for disturbing the peace and nearly arrested for disassembling a car engine on public sidewalks. But also for Billy's business permit and purchase of property and some tax debauchle including the previous owner of a 1976 chevy pickup. Billy was working hard to open his own garage and build a clientele of hobbyists and car builders. All this to say, he didn't want to be thinking about the sad eyes of some cop-wanabe.

None the less, he tries to get those eyes to show some other emotion. He tries to make Steve laugh, or grimace, or even get a good eye roll. When his small jokes and barbs don't work, Billy escalates to teasing and name calling. Some days, what Billy thinks must be the worst days, Billy has to resort to shoving Steve's folders onto the ground and calling him stupid for doing a woman's job just to get his eyes to show anything but black.

There's one time he manages to make Steve cry. There's one time he makes Steve grin and blush. It's a lot. Billy realizes he has a big fat crush and it's driving him mad.

So I'm melting at the thought of Steve learning how to feel emotions again, how to feel safe in his feelings and accepted as a person, all wrapped in the softest blankets while bad boy Billy kisses the top of his head and tells him to hush up, they're getting to the best part.

[scheodingers-muppet]

TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT (Stranger Things Version)

i have no clue why it took me this long, sorry guys

Fortnight: Jopper. “I was supposed to be sent away but they forgot to come and get me” “What about your quiet treason?” Joyce dating Bob. The references to spouses, “turned good neighbors”

Tortured Poets Department: Jancy. First part is from Jon’s pov. “you left your typewriter at my apartment” is such a Nancy line. “you’re in self-sabotage mode…but i’ve seen this episode and still love the show” Nancy self-sabotages a good bit, like with Steve or by fighting with Jonathan, etc. Second verse is Nancy. “You smoked than ate seven bars of chocolate” “I’ve read this one, where you come undone. I chose this cyclone with you” Both of them have seen each other at *lows,* spiraling and just doing bad, but they stick together and love each other

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys: Mileven. Mike and his Wheeler Self Destruct Button (ie closing himself off) “he saw forever so he smashed it up” forever not even as like, them being together forever but even the fear that she’s always going to be connected to the upside down. “once i fix me, he’s gonna miss me” reminds me of El and Max at the mall

Down Bad: El. “just to do experiments on” “everything comes out teenage petulance” she is soooo teen girl. this one is mostly vibes, honestly

So Long, London: Mileven, from El's POV. "I saw in my mind fairy lights through the mist" "Pulled him in tighter each time he was drifting away" "Wet through my clothes, weary bones caught the chill" "I didn't opt in to be your odd man out" El being excluded in season 3. "How much sad did you think I had in me? How much tragedy?" "You swore that you loved me but where were the clues?"

But Daddy I Love Him: Steddie. The imagery of people seeing the singer (Steve) as socially above the love interest due to him being "crazy" and "chaotic." The town being against him, like in season 4. "I'll tell you something about my good name. It's mine alone to disgrace"

Fresh Out The Slammer: Jancy. "Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to" "Splintered back in winter," (Fall but) "Silent dinners" and Nancy breaking down over Barb in season 2, which is part of what led to her and Steve splitting up. "He didn't understand me" but Jonathan did

Florida!!!: the Bylers leaving Hawkins. “Little did you know your homes really only a town you’re just a guest in” Will and Jon were never really accepted, outside of a few people. “You pack you’re life away just to wait out the shitstorm back in Texas” Hawkins in this case, and Flordia would be California

Guilty As Sin?: beginning of Jancy, from Nancy’s pov. “this cage was once just fine” her relationship with Steve. the whole song is about wanting someone else while in a relationship.

Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?: El. “my bare hands paved their path” “crash the party like a record scratch” “i was tame, i was gentle til the circus life made me mean” the circus life being the rainbow room. “they say they didn’t do it to hurt me, but what if they did?” “you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me” “I am what I am cause you trained me”

I Can Fix Him: Steddie, from Steve’s pov. "They shake their heads saying 'God help *her*'" the entire town hates Eddie. "His hand, so calloused from his pistol, softly traces hearts on my face" Eddie's hands would be literally calloused, from the guitar, but also it's a good metaphor for him having to be tough due to his circumstances, yet still being soft and gentle with the person he loves.

loml: Jopper, from Joyce's pov before they had Hopper back. "Who's going to stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames?" "Thought I better safe than starry-eyed" "I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all" "Should've let it stay buried" "you're the loss of my life"

I Can Do It With A Broken Heart: Nancy and El. "I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit" El has the more breakup-oriented side of things, but Nancy's broken heart stems from losing Barb. The second verse hits for that. "I keep finding *his* things in drawers, crucial evidence I didn't imagine the whole thing" "all the pieces of me shattered while the crowds were chanting 'more!'" works for both.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived: Max about Billy. Hear me out. "You tried to buy some pills from a friend of friends of mine" if Billy was still alive i just KNOW he would try to buy from Eddie. "I just want to know if rusting my sparking summer was your goal" Billy was awful to Max. "Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead?" "In 50 years will all this be declassified, and you'll confess why you did it" "You deserve prison but you won't get time" "You are what you did. I'll forget you but I'll never forgive" I think it's safe to say Max has very complex emotions about Billy, still loving him for what he could have been, but still being really hurt and effected but his actions that cause a weird grief that I think this song conveys rather well

The Alchemy: Lumax, from Max's pov. This is gonna get kinda cheesy, stick with me. "The hospital was a drag, worst sleep I ever had" "Haven't come around in so long, but I'm coming back so strong" Max has been distant with Lucas but we finally see her starting to warm back up before Vecna gets her. The sports metaphors also fit. Wrong sport, obviously but ya know. "The sign on your heart says it's still reserved for me"

Clara Bow: Nancy and Karen. I think Karen was once a lot like Nancy. (i have not seen anything about the musical so I have no clue if that's canon but) and I think she sees a lot of herself in Nancy. The constant comparison to the women that came before you and you being the next great thing. Knowing someone will come after you, too. "Only when your girlish glow flickers just so do they let you know it's hell on earth to be heavenly"

The Black Dog: Byler, from Will's pov. "I move through the world with my heartbroken. My longings stay unspoken" "You said I needed a brave man then proceeded to play him until I believed it too" Mike was the one who spearheaded saving Will, even when he was scared. "Remember how my rain-soaked body was shaking"

imgonnagetyouback: Steddie. Why? I decided. The tension of "I hate you but I want you" and not being able to decide which one is stronger is so them

The Albatross: El. "She's the albatross, she is here to destroy you" "Locked me up in towers but I'd visit in your dreams" "I'm the albatross, I swept in at the rescue"

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus: The Byers about Mike. "Hands in the hair of somebody in darkness...and I just watched it happen" Will about Mike, watching him get with El. "If you want to break my cold, cold heart, just say 'I love you the way that you were'" Mike confessing to Will would rock his world, and vice versa, but they've both been changed so much. "You said some things that I can't unabsorb" the “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls” “too impaired by my youth to know what to do”

How Did It End?: joyce after hopper “died.” “lost the game of chance, what are the chances?” “guess who we ran into at the shops, walking in circles like she was lost” “my beloved ghost and me”

So High School: it could be stancy, but i like it being jopper. a lot of it can be applied to any of the couples during their good moments, but i think since joyce and hopper are *out* of high school and actually look back on their flirting in high school as nostalgic, it adds to it

I Hate It Here: karen. HEAR ME OUT. i think karen used to be *just* like nancy, with big dreams and ambition, used to be dedicated to her grades while still having a good social life, etc. and i think she misses that. “tell me something awful, like you’re a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy” about ted, who used to be romantic when they were teens. “i was a debutant in another life but now i seem too scared to go outside” “no mid-sized city hopes” “only the gentle survived; i dreamt about it in the dark the night i felt like i would die”

thanK you aIMee: either el about the rainbow room or eddie about jason if he didn’t die and made it big

I Look in People’s Windows: jonathan. there’s the obvious joke, but genuinely. we don’t necessarily see him look for someone in specific, but i imagine this is how he felt after his dad left

The Prophecy: steve. both in terms of him finding love and breaking out of the jerk-popular-guy role/getting the upside down closed forever. mainly in the bridge for the latter.

Cassandra: el and joyce. verse one is season one joyce. “that’s where i was when i got the call” with will going missing. “when the truth comes out it’s quiet” the imagery of not being believed and being treated bad by the town. second verse is el, about the rainbow room. “in my tower weaving nightmares, twisting my smiles into snarls” “what doesn’t kill you makes aware but what happens when it becomes who you are?” bridge is both. “bloods thick but nothing like a payroll. bet they never spared a prayer for my soul” about the people working the rainbow room and the government keeping everything quiet.

Peter: byler, from wills perspective. “in closets like cedar preserved from when we were just kids. was it something i did?” “promises, ocean deep but never to keep” “a natural scene stealer” “life was always easier on you than it was on me” the BRIDGE

The Bolter: robin. i can’t really explain why but it is

Robin: nancy about holly

The Manuscript: joyce. once again, can’t fully explain it. but it is.

[strangerthanyou011]

to me a big byler proof is the fact that in order to ship milkvan u have to almost willfully misunderstand so many aspects of the plot😭 like the characters’ feelings and arcs have to be misconstrued so much in order to justify mike and el being together and believe there’s any kind of hope for a healthy relationship between them. if you actually look at the arcs of the characters, byler is what makes sense!

el has always been somebody’s lab rat, pet, superhero, etc. she has never been given the space to live for herself by anyone other than max, which is why their friendship is so special despite how brief it was. el needs to be single so she can properly learn who she is in the real world, and what she wants and needs. el’s arc will end with her not dating mike, or anyone else. her story is about freedom and independence.

will knows he’s capable of love, knows what he wants and how wonderful it would be to have it, but he doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to have it. growing up gay in a conservative place without any other queer people to relate to is so isolating, and so naturally will has accepted he will never be able to be loved back. i think robin will be an important part of his arc in season 5, helping him to see that he’s not alone and there is hope for him. it’s possible that robin and vickie getting together will actually be a catalyst for will and mike doing the same once they see that the people in their life would be completely accepting and they don’t have to hide who they are anymore. of course, will could learn that he can have what he wants by dating another boy, but that wouldn’t be a very satisfying conclusion to his story. who could understand what he’s gone through the way mike does? who’s stood by his side through all of his trauma, made him feel safe, cared for, and better for being different? will and mike’s devotion for and compatibility with each other have been built up since season 1, it would be horrible writing to throw that out for will to date some rando. i think it’s possible another guy could come into the picture to further show will that he’s not alone and he has options, which would also make mike jealous and force him to face his feelings head on, but whatever would go on between will and this other guy (my bet’s on mikhail) wouldn’t last long, because being gay doesn’t mean you’ll just date any guy. he wants mike, he loves mike. will’s story is about learning you can have happiness in a world that wants to oppress you, and mike is that happiness will wants.

all of their stories are about rising above your conditioning, what you’ve been told about yourself and your life and your worth, and taking your life into your own hands and living for yourself. the lead female character ending up alone, and the two male leads ending up together? crazy, but stranger things have happened!

[chirpsythismorning]

I feel like a big part of the reason Anti Bylers are so aggressive is because this is the first time in mainstream media where there's a chance that the main couple of the show may end up being mlm.

Not only is there a likelihood that the main couple will be gay, it will come after years of these fans assuming that the cliche, safe straight ship was going to sail from start to finish.

If you look at the "predictions" these individuals have for season 5, which honestly have less to do with narrative direction and more to do with what they want, you'll always catch a certain undertone to what they're saying:

"The heterosexual, white male audience is the default for media. We will allow the wlw ship, so long as it has limited screen time. We will accept Will surviving, and even allow him to have an acceptance arc. But you will not receive queer rep at the expense of a ship that we are nostalgic for. The straight male audience is the one that matters, and we will be represented by the main couple in the show."

My favorite is when they’re asked what they hope for Mike and El in s5, only to list off qualities of Mike and Will’s dynamic. I legit saw someone say that they hoped they finally took the time to talk through their problems (oh so you’re admitting they never do..) and that we’ll actually get to see them be a team…

Like, do you hear yourselves?

I would actually like to read off their play by play of how they imagine s5 going down. Not just their wishes but like what they literally imagine happening over the course of the season, episode by episode.

And I’m talking the confident milkvans ones that are like super hostile about it. I wanna see what they hypothesize will happen in early s5 related to Mike and El… I don’t think I could keep it together if it is anything along the lines of them instantly making up and being happy for the rest of the season… 😳🤣

They just don’t realize how dumb that sounds.

S4 created conflict and hasn’t settled it. It was considered the beginning of the end, meaning those parts are going to fit perfectly together. If Mike and El were lacking romantically more than ever before in s4, don’t expect that to change much…

And gentle reminder that rewatch value is everything. If milkvans have to skip 3 eps in s1 bc they’re not together or fighting, skip all of s2 bc they’re separated, skip most of s3 bc they broke up in the second episode, skip most of s4 bc they separated in the third episode…. What does that fucking tell you?? They are not being prioritized for rewatch value, that’s what. Whereas byler is. (Bylers also are capable of watching milkvan scenes religiously… I can’t say the same about milkvans being capable of handling more than one second of rewatching a byler scene. And it’s bc they know if they watch it the mental gymnastics they gotta go through to convince themselves nothing romantic is going on is near impossible…)

Byler endgame is going to make the rewatch for the entire series hit, while milkvans, even with a hypothetical endgame would probably watch s1 and s5 and say the rest doesn’t matter. Do they think that’s how the show is supposed to be watched?

With one season left, they should have been hoping that monologue wasn’t in s4, but instead s5. Bc now how can those two one up that? They simply can’t. It was put there to show that they’ll never progress beyond this point. Nothing will ever top it. This is as good as it gets and yet, they still lost. What should that tell you?

What are they gonna just repeat that monologue in s5, but have mike say it 20x and THIS TIME it works?? Yay? Like there’s literally nothing satisfying about that in the least.

Can’t say I wish bad for ppl that simply like Mike and El and are bummed that they’re starting to lose hope. That as a basic idea is like whatever. I don’t like seeing ppl sad. Even if I told off a milkvan directly, seeing them like feeling depressed afterwards, does make me feel bad.

But when it comes to the hostile ones, people literally resorting to harassing directly with complete strangers unprompted and threatening to dox, over people merely theorizing? Like?? Was it ever that serious?

If we’re so delusional and we’re just setting ourselves up for disappointment, why not wait to say I told you so when it’s all said and done, if you’re so sure? Why dedicate so much of your time trying to discourage people on the other side? Unless it somehow qualms doubts you have?…

What makes this whole situation such bullshit, is that if this were a queerbait situation, you still shouldn’t be out here being hurtful like literally spouting off how you can’t wait for people to experience getting queerbaited? Like it’s fucking weird? The prominence of queerbaiting is literally referring to show runners taking advantage of fans, making them think it’ll happen, even encouraging it, and then ripping it away, usually ending in a bury your gays situation. That is the norm in the industry and it’s only now within the last few years starting to change in mainstream.

The hypocrisy of it all, is that they think we should just accept what they believe is the only possibility, queer-bait. But you know if the roles were reversed, which they inevitably will be when s5 drops, they’re going to be playing the victim, saying nonsense like if queerbaiting is bad then so is straightbating!! and it’s just going to be so out of touch and pathetic.

It’s not the same. Whatsoever. And the fact that they can’t see that, that one result is lazy writing and one is epic subversion, and are literally making a mockery out of the situation, convinced they’re right bc they have history on their side and gays should just be used to never getting their way and THATS okay to them?

Like it’s almost painful to watch. Especially knowing the 180 they’re gonna pull when they end up in the situation they convinced themselves we were gonna be in.

[azrielgreen]

This is long. Forgive me.

Also, I have posted this on AO3 as well, cause sharing the love!

Right, I think the only way to do this is thus...

Jason... I hated Jason in the show. He was vile, and he scared me more than Vecna did. He showed the true depth of human fear and hatred, and he was terrifying. In this, I love that you gave him a second chance to show who he truly could be given the right environment. By the time Steve didn’t once let go of his hand, I was in love. He was so beautiful in this, well crafted and thought out. His journey wasn’t a slow thing. It took time, trust, and love. Thank you for giving him and us the chance to know him.

The boys, not including Will...the three of them are so sweet in this, just as they should be. I loved how you had Dustin and Lucas play if each other, how they worked together on their theories, how they gave each other the confidence to say what they thought and back it up with science. With Mike I’m so glad he got to be the soft caring Mike we all know he can be. He was so beautiful in learning to show his emotions and feel no shame, to voice his concerns for those he loves knowing he would be listened to. You gave them all a voice in this, keeping them true to themselves, making them feel alive rather than just being there.

Will...damn I love that boy, his instinctive caring nature, his shyness in his own self. We all know how powerful he is, how amazing, bright, and beautiful he will always be. I love the relationship he has with Eddie and Steve, how he slowly opens up to them, allows them in, and how they let him take the lead. I love the question about the world with the monster and the smile he only gives in response to Steve saying no and asking if the monster was scary. That was Little Bit wasn’t it?

Max and El... their friendship was pure light, pure life. I loved how they talked with Steve, letting him learn with them. Max is so special, her to the point nature, allowing brutally honest conversation that help bring to light facts that help them all at times. She’s like a little flame that shows people the truth of things, never shying away what’s before her just showing the truth of it all. El is pure joy. Despite everything, she just brings light and laughter into her world, sharing it with those around her. When she tells Hopper that his kids are just like him and he says that they are all little assholes and she deadpan responds that no, they are all superhero’s, I cried! Again, you brought them to life, made them real, and had them be the beautiful lights they are.

Hopper...oh my god, that man, that beautiful gruff, hard-headed man. I cried when you brought him back when he walked out of that bathroom. He is just brilliant in this, the pinnacle of being a good person, of putting family and loved ones first. Sure he does it with gruff words, and an angry frown and a few swear words scattered throughout, but he wouldn’t be him if he didn’t put some sort of affronted look on while happily doing it. I love that you made Steve his, gave him a son, gave him another child to love and care for. But also to give Steve an adult he could love and trust because he needed that, he needed that so bad after everything Sylvia and Daniel put him through.

The rest of the adults... I have to say I wish all adults were so understanding and accepting. Just taking things as they were thrown at them and simply saying “as long as you are happy and safe”. That is how it should be, how people should love, with knowing its not their right to choose how others live, but it is their choice on how they react.

Chrissy... this beautiful bright light of a human. We saw it in the show, that light softness that was still there despite everything she was going through and you ran with it. She is so lovely in this, just a tiny little fluff ball of joy and light. The dynamic she adds to the four of them is so spot on, the way she just slips in like she was always meant to be there, to be part of their pack. I love her relationship with Steve, how she instinctively became a fellow Omega, loving on him in a way the others didn’t. But more so I loved her and Eddie, again, we see a little snippet of what could be on the show and again you ran with it. Their cute nicknames, the way they played and leaned on each other was just so lovely and made me smile so much.

Robin... God love her. Her every word, action, and thought was just so her. Her relationship with Steve is a thing of pure love, pure need. They are definitely soul mates, totally made for each other in a way not many people get to have. The scene in the bathroom, when Steve wakes covered in blood, is done so well. I’m sure when that door opened, she wanted to scream, make a fuss, but she had promised, and she kept that promise, only looking at him. She is so amazing, she reminds me of my best friend so much.

Robin and Chrissy.... arghhh so perfect! Their dynamic is spot on, I wish we got to see a little more of their relationship, more spilt coffee, please!

Doors... love, love, love this idea. Being able to travel through worlds, seeing imagined lives, seeing the what if’s. The construction of this idea must have taken some time to make it plausible and real. I liked that Steve had a guide, that little Stevie got to be with him, show what to do, how it worked, that he got Charlie, he was sweet and cute. The scene with Sammy was brilliant, and heart wrenching, to be able to see her grown up and alive was such a gift, for us readers and Steve. Then...then, you threw in Eddie, not just any Eddie, our Eddie, the one from the show, I cried, I was happy he was there, helping Steve understand that he deserved love, just as he did in the show, just as he always has in every story written about the two of them. What I love most about this concept is that not only does it link each and everyone of your stories together it also links every single story written about them because this concept is unending and infinite ♾️.

Eddie... my love, my beloved, God, I love this boy. Every incarnation of him is just amazing, especially when he loves the way he does. This Eddie, Alpha, is so raw. The struggle he has with becoming who he is, is so real and heart-breaking. He truly believes he is unlovable, a monster. The time when they broke up was horrible, I know we saw it through Steve but you still felt how horrible it was for Eddie too, especially having that need to care for Steve and not being able to and having to reconcile those feelings with his Alpha self as well as his human side. He tried so hard not to push Steve, to let him do what he needed even as it went against ever instinct in him. I love how you don’t romanticise what they have. You make it very hard, very real, make it imperfect, and above all you make it human.

Steve... my sweet sweet boy. You gave him magic! You gave him powers to be what ever he needed to be, let him become what he had to be. Beautiful inhuman monster, made all the more human because when humans love to their full ability they are magic. Steve is love personified, he breaks, becomes fragile and brittle when he can not love, doesn’t understand why some people just can’t accept what he so willingly offers, and it destroys him. He becomes this new thing, a new word, Omega, because he just loves so deeply, so wholeheartedly and being human isn’t enough to give the love he has inside of him. Him loving Eddie was always going to be a lot for Eddie to bare, for someone who thought themselves unlovable suddenly having the love of Steve was never going to go down well. I know why Steve felt so hurt and crushed by what Eddie said, being told his love was too much, would have of course broken him. Their time apart again, horrible, but it was nothing to when Eddie died. God that stole my breath, it broke me, had me crying, sobbing because I could feel what Steve was feeling. It took me a while to push through that part, to get to the other side of it because you made the pain so real.

I think, if I could, I would spend a year going through this story, breaking it down, analysing it, showing the world just what you have created, and that it is a work of genius. Nearly 400k words of pure brilliance is something you need to be proud of. It is an accomplishment not many authors have made. I looked up how many published books have that many words, and there are not many above that word count, but you are up there with the likes of Stephan King and George R.R Martin.

Az, thank you for letting me bombard you with silly little Asks as I have read Touched, it has been amazing to touch base with you, to tell you my little thoughts and feeling as I have read. I could never give you enough praise for what you have accomplished, what you have shared.

So, thank you, just thank you.

Natasha x

OH MY GOD THIS *BEAUTIFUL* GENEROUS KINDNESS JUST MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME, THANK YOU MY DARLING SO SO MUCH 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[fandoms-in-law]

Stories Chapter 9 - final chaper

chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 chapter 7 chapter 8

Summary: The redecorating is done, and all that's left is getting used to it. So Steve arranges a movie night for everyone

Authors comment: I had so much fun writing this and cannot thank everyone enough for all the support you've given me.

/\/\

 According to Eddie all the kids were thinking about now was how Steve had decorated other bits of the house and if he'd let them see it all at some point. That, at least, was the reason Steve gave for arranging a family movie night with everyone invited, from all the members of Hellfire, to Joyce, Hopper and Murray and even Argyle if he managed to get back to Hawkins for it. 

It wasn't a lie, just not the full reason because the bigger motivation was that Steve had finally got the carpet changed, and the furniture switched out with the old things put in storage. He was hoping not to store all of it for long, and was going to offer to the adults and young adults of the group that they should have a look through and decide if any of them want some of it. As long as the kids didn't steam-roll the evening he'd make the suggestion while everyone is together.

"There's no mural?" Dustin asked, staring around the living room as if one would appear on the walls. "I was sure that you'd have asked for one in here since you got one in the dining room along with that painting." 

Steve huffed a laugh, "Good observation Dustin. Thanks for a quieter reaction though. Did any of you actually think of films you want to watch or was everyone focused on how I've changed the living room?"

"We can watch films whenever. You'll surprise us with redecorating only this once. Of course that's what we want to judge." Mike stated as if expecting anything else was stupid. "But at least you kept the TV. That would have been a waste to get rid of."

Max scoffed form where she'd pulled El and Lucas down onto one of the massive cushions slightly shaped to be sofa like. "And you're not even judging it right. Like the mix up of these cushions and proper sofas is so weird. Couldn't just pick one type, could you?"

"So you want us to throw these out, right?" Steve countered, not even needing to glance at Robin for them both to grab an end of the cushion the trip were on and start pulling it towards the door.

He got squeals of laughter before Lucas and El were taking Max's words back for her. "Guess I'll have to keep it then."

...

Steve smirked when he saw Hopper quietly stepping away from the noise of his living room when they were between films and Robin was corralling the kids into actually making a decision on the next one.

"You finding parenting them all a bit hard." He asked, following and a teasing tone in his voice.

"Not sure how you manage it, even with all the energy of youth to help you." Hop grumbled, grabbing one of the beers he'd brought over.

Steve shrugged, "It's a gift."

"By the way, you had any luck getting hold of Owens?" The chief asked, keeping an eye on the door in a clear desire to not be interrupted asking about it.

"I think the number is either disconnected or he's got a way to block our numbers cause I can't get through." He answered, disgruntled. "But I'm still ready to put it right using that page to claim the money off Mr Harrington if you and Joyce will let me."

"Just call him the asshole. People round town are already calling you 'that young Mr Harrington' sometimes like this is some Austin nonsense. And no, we're not letting you risk him trying to fight back if he's not realised what he signed. You just got your place safe and made it a home." Hopper insisted.

"Then at least go through the furniture I'm getting rid of and take some of it, even if it's just to sell on. I bet a fancy bed could do wonders for your back." Steve segued easily. He'd hoped he could do something like that just to make Hopper more likely to accept.

There was still a moment where he was stared at as if Hopper knew what he'd tried to do and was trying to decide if he should reject the offer just in principle. "I'm paying you something for anything I decide to take. Don't care if you don't think you need it or shouldn't ask for it, and God knows I'm not going to get close to however much the asshole paid for the stuff, but you're taking something." Hopper sighed after a moment. 

"I'm offering to just give it to you though." Steve protested, but stopped at the flat look he was given.

"And I'm saying you shouldn't just give this stuff away. At least tell me you're going to properly sell the rest of it."

He was nodding before the sentence was finished. "I've gone to the auction house in Indie to get them to resell it. Plus Robin is scheming to get Hawkins High kids informed of this to see if some of the furniture gets brought back."

It was clear Hopper was going to say something more but both men picked up some call saying they couldn't explore. "Guess there's still some curiosity among the brats for all they hated not getting lifts from you."

…

Robin and Eddie were laughing on each others shoulders when they re-entered the living room, near the other door to the room.

From the look of Dustin and Lucas it was clear they were the ones to stop the laughing pair, which honestly made Steve start laughing too.

"It wouldn't be exploring when they were my main help in getting everything done,but how about I give everyone a tour, settle your curiosity before we eat and the next film is put on?" Steve decided. 

"Two rules: Judgement is okay, telling Steve what he should have done when it's really just your preference is not. Go through the shelves or cupboards and be sent back here. If that's not enough to stop snooping we can take tips from 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory'. Consequences are exaggerated and plausibly deadly." Robin cut in, grinning at the noises of complaints nobody actually voiced.

"No deadly or plausibly so consequences, including no throwing my kids in the pool." Steve countered, snapping his fingers back at her before leading the way upstairs. "I will let you see my room. Will's mural deserves to be shown off, but no brats are allowed in without supervision."

"Come on Steve. It fits with how they're acting." Robin goaded, still laughing as they all followed behind him. 

…

“Hang on a second. That's freaking metal!” Gareth stated, one of the last of the group to enter Steve's room and now frozen staring at the mural Will had painted covering the wall behind the door. “How do you dress all prep and pretentious, when you want something so – so metal on your walls? I thought Eddie convinced you to do it for the dining room, but here? What?”

The other elder Hellfire guys had pushed forwards while Gareth spoke to see and were nodding along with his words. The kids instead just stared at them for a moment, before Dustin scoffed. “I told you, Steve is metal. He's like awesome. Why does no-one believe me when I'm always right?”

“Ego check.” The groan came from Steve, leaning in the door frame before he shrugged at the other teens. “And this is what I'm used to wearing. That's what I keep ending up doing and we all protect each other. It's just life, with a twist Will gave it to make it look cooler.”

Eddie snickered, nodding at his friends, “And I am trying to convince him to have a makeover, try out a better style. It's slow work though.”

“One group of big changes at a time, Eds. Let's get used to the house being redecorated before redecorating me.” Steve countered, nudging him.

Gareth was still looking from Steve to the mural, before finally deciding, “You had better include trying out DnD at some point. If even half of what the shitheads say, and that mural shows, is in you then you'd be a great player.”

“Don't encourage them trying to make me join.” Steve groaned over a chorus of agreement from the kids to the words.

...

Since they'd actually changed the furniture of Steve's room, he'd spent a month sleeping in the guest bedroom. He liked it in his room during the day but adjusting to having all his things around him openly felt terrifying, even more so after he decided the shelves were a good place for his notebooks of stories.

The thought remained in his head that his parents would see and destroy everything was too ingrained in Steve to simply be shaken off. If he wasn't staring at it while trying to sleep it was easier to believe he was as safe from his parents as everyone was finally beginning to believe they were safe from the Upside down and government torture.

Robin and Eddie still haven't been allowed to look in the notebooks since the kids found them. They hadn't asked, nor really pished him to share his storytelling. The most that had been done was Eddie asking him for ideas on where he could take campaigns next and that Steve was happy to offer suggestions for. He'd never gotten in trouble for helping someone else share a story so it was safe to do.

Eddie begged for a sleepover after everyone had headed home from the movie night. He dragged Steve into his room as soon as he agreed, insisting they go to sleep cuddling on the bed, atop the covers since Steve didn't let go long enough after being pulled in for them to be pulled over after getting permission to cuddle.

It's that night that he finally starts to relax. He had spent the evening here with his family and their friends all around him, and even people he was still getting to know felt safe enough to comment and invite him into things, most people wouldn't imagine he'd enjoy.

With Eddie there now, his room must seem alive and welcoming to his friends, that meant it could be his now. He had his own space that he could decide when to share it and other people actually wanted to help him.

That meant some of his stories happy endings were real and as much as he denied it, wanting to believe in happily ever after but struggling to was the precise reason why he never shared them or tried to join in with others.

This felt a lot like a happy ever until the next change and Steve was happy with that. His friends would be with him through whatever came next regardless.

"Can you read me a story?" He asks, not trying to escape Eddie's arms until he pulled back to look for a book.

Eddie wouldn't find any, but that was fine cause Steve was already reaching for the notebook he wanted.

"Sure Stevie, anything particu-" It was clear when Eddie recognised what he was doing. "Are you sure?"

"We've got a happy ending so I want to hear about my friends getting one too." He shrugged, silently asking that there isn't a big deal made out of this.

Nothing is as the notebook is taken from his hand, Eddie flipping through the pages to a bookmark he'd watched Steve replace while moving his things onto the shelves. 

[hitchell-mope]

(The Wedding Conversation)

Lucy: here.

Kara: what’s this?

Lucy: a cheque for 800 million dollars.

Kara: wow! Want me to give this to Alex and Kelly?

Lucy: no. I bought them a China tea set. The one in the catalogue that Kelly circled with orange felt-tip. The cheque is for you and Mon El.

Kara: yeah I think everyone got them the China tea set WHAT?!?! 800 MIL-800 million dollars? Where did you get it from?

Lucy: me. James. Alex and Kelly. Winn and Samantha. Cat and Carter. Clark and Lois. Thea Queen and her niece. Barry and Iris. Sara Lance. Actually Sara’s the reason why it’s a cheque. I didn’t know what year the money was from. For all I know she could’ve robbed a treasury during prohibition.

Kara: yeah she does that. But why?

Lucy: the boys are what? Six months old now? They’ll be walking soon. Flying soon. The loft is no place to raise your family. James and I found this great bungalow for you guys. It has three guest bedrooms. Four if the twins share until they’re older. En suite bathrooms. Walk in wardrobe in the master bedroom. Giant backyard you can cover in baby safe foam material. Plus. It’s still in National City. So you can still be Supergirl and Valor. You win. Everybody wins.

Kara: I can’t accept this.

Lucy: yes you can. Look, Kara. Fact of the matter is. We’re family.

Kara: we’re Space Balls. You’re my cousin’s sister in law. We’re virtually nothing to each other.

Lucy: and yet I still wanted to help you and your family. What does that tell you?

Kara: I’ve been an ass?

Lucy: only occasionally. Okay look. I know we don’t see eye to eye on everything. You prefer to talk things out before you start punching and I prefer to use brute force before talking.

Kara: yup.

Lucy: but we’re still family. And after what you’ve been through. You deserve this. Which brings me to my next point.

Kara: what?

Mon El: Cat just told me that your job is ready and waiting for you whenever we get back.

Kara: our honeymoon. I completely forgot.

Mon El: oh yes!

Lucy: we can move your stuff in. Alex and Winn know where you like to put everything. It’ll all be ready for you when you get back. Just send holograms of the chubby cheeks and vomitron.

Mon El: is Tony vomitron?

Lucy: does my hair still smell like milk and crackers?

Kara: yes.

Lucy: then yes. Tony’s vomitron.

Kara: thank you Lucy. Sincerely.

Lucy: it’s what I’m here for.

Mon El: how did you think this up though?

Lucy: well I have new memories of Clark and Lois dealing with their boys emerging powers. So I thought you’d need a house more equipped for new parents.

Kara: how’re we gonna spin it?

Mon El: hm?

Kara: the city depends on us. We can’t just leave them for a year.

Lucy: well I say fuck em. You’ve given six years of your life to this city. You’ve been tortured, hunted and almost killed multiple times. It will survive without you guys for twelve months. And between all of us at the DEO. The city’s in more than good hands.

Kara: it still doesn’t seem right to me. Kara Danvers can’t just disappear. Maybe we should release a state-

Lucy: please don’t. You don’t need more Lena’s blaming you for everything. Forget about Kara Danvers. Forget about Mike Danvers. Forget about Supergirl and Valor. Kara Zor El and Mon El need their say. Your real lives have had to be a secret for a long, long time. You more than deserve the chance to be yourselves.

(Kara still doesn’t seem convinced)

Mon El: hey. Honey. Look at me. What was our plan for when we got married?

Kara: go to Argo on our honeymoon and have a second wedding there.

Mon El: and what did Sarah Jane tell the Doctor at the end of Journey’s End?

Kara: “you have the biggest family on earth”.

Mon El: and your family encompasses planets and dimensions and, let’s face it, occasionally time periods. And your birth parents deserves to know their grandsons. Plus. I wanna get to know my in laws that aren’t Eliza, Alex and Kelly. But you can’t keep ignoring a whole entire half of yourself because you’re afraid of what others might think of you. That’s no way to live.

Kara: let’s do it.

Mon El: what? Really?

Kara: yes. Let’s go to Argo for a year. I mean not right away. We’re babysitting Esme for two weeks while Alex and Kelly are on their honeymoon. And we’ll have to release a statement as our Alter Egos saying we won’t be around for a while. But we’re going to Argo.

Mon El: YES!

(He picks up Kara and spins her around)

Esme: Uncle Mon. Aunt Nia’s asking for you.

Mon El: ooh it’s bouquet time.

Kara: what?

Mon El: I promised Nia I’d stop Andrea getting the bouquet.

Kara: oh she’s gonna hate you for that.

Mon El: I’m planning on it. C’mon!

Kara: WHAHOO!

(End of The Wedding Conversation)

[fantasticallyfruity4]

So last night @midnight-corvid and I were discussing how if hopper actually died eveyone and they moms would be shipping Wayne and Joyce and

Now I need to post some munson-byers family head cannons

We all know Wayne has that southern gentleman charm. The absolute rizz. Joyce deserves it. 10/10. What a man.

When they first get together and start interacting with each others kids wayne is so relieved to see how kind joyce is to his boy. Because people in this town have always judged eddie so harshly, so unkindly, so unfairly. Especially now, after all this shit. And yet she doesn’t. She treats him just like she does her own three kiddos. She’s maternal and loving and supportive and takes an interest in his interests and hobby’s and truly gets to know him. One night Wayne comes home from work a little early (around 2 am, he was feeling a little under the weather) and comes in the door to find eddie and Joyce at the kitchen table talking softly over tea. Eddie had a nightmare from the memories of the upside down. Something Joyce is all too well versed with. Of corse, Joyce and Eddie are instantly turning their worried attention to him when he comes in. (“Honey? Why are you home so early? Oh my you look so pale sit down, Eddie go get the thermometer”) (“you okay unc? Did you get hurt again?”)

Wayne and Eddie are somewhat surprisingly good at fixing things around the house. Years of being unable to pay for repairmen and fixing the car and the van and the trailer left them forced to become very handy. That means eddie and Wayne were all to eager to help jonathan get his car up and running again (“boy, this isn’t even too bad. We coulda fixed this months ago if you’d ‘a just told me. Come out with us eds and I will show you how to fix this”). God knows the byers house has a million things wrong with it from the years of abuse by interdementional monsters. And a teenaged girl with telekinesis and mood swings has led to its own damage (“we’re not mad sweetheart, it’s okay, but how did you do this to the toaster? I just gotta replace the bulb but how I’m gods name?”). On the weekends they pick little house projects to tackle in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up. Patching up holes in the wall, sanding the nail marks out of the floor. It’s their little morning routine, just them.The munson boys are handy.

Both Joyce and Wayne share the same anxiety/mindset that “if they can’t accept my son being gay they can get the hell out”. You can imagine both their surprise when joyce is welcome Steve in the house with open arms “my fourth son! Look at this, now I can officially call you my son in law! Isn’t that something! You know Steve if I didn’t love you so much I’d have to give you a proper shovel talk now.” And Joyce watches with soft eyes as Wayne kisses Eddie’s forehead as Eddie heads out on his date, and reminds Steve “drive safe out there, you’ve got real precious cargo, you know” (“I know sir, I’ll have him back before you leave for work, I swear”). She knows that when wills ready to tell anyone but Jonathan (becuase Joyce knows he knows. She can see it in his eyes when mikes over, he knows something that they’ve all known for a long time) he’s gonna be okay with it all. Hell, his chief complaint about argyle isn’t anything about Jonathan fooling around with another boy but “Joyce, that boy smokes more weed than, no offense- both our idiots AND Steve combined. And that’s a high feet to reach”

Getting close to jonathan is weird for Wayne.

He keeps to himself so much, he’s so reserved even with his mom and will and el. Maybe the most outgoing with will.

And him and Eddie settled into a strange relationship, of smoking together and pretending they believe that no one knows. They bond quietly and slowly over months of hot boxing the van and getting to know each other slowly. And Wayne’s happy got that, truly. That they get on, Atleast. But he can’t seem to find his in. The boys a good kid, respectful, polite, protective and loving of his mom and siblings and Eddie too. But Wayne just can’t find his own in.

Then one day Lonnie’s back in town, bothered by news of Wayne’s presence (trailer trash, really joyce?”) and he comes in, throwing a shit fit. And Wayne doesn’t need to have met lonnie to dislike the bastard. He treated his Joyce like shit, didn’t appreciate his wonderful kids, had the gaul to put his hands on Jonathan. And Wayne doesn’t like men like that. Small men, bullies who like to push around their kids and women. He didn’t like his own blood, his good for nothing brother for the same damn reason. So when he’s faced with Lonnie’s presence he’s almost excited to give that man the what for. And Jonathan is ready to get into it with Lonnie (“get lost dad, I’m serious. We don’t want to see you.”) Wayne is all too happy to come out of left feild and knock that man on his ass. He may be small and wirey but he Damn well can fight. And that wins Jonathan’s favor.

Will doesn’t know what to do with Wayne at first. Bob was weird, sure but he was nice enough- so nice to him and Jonathan, and tried to connect with him over nerdy things. But Wayne is a quiet man, a kind one, who loves his mom and is so good to him and his siblings like they’re his own, but he’s not sure how to interact with him. But Wayne just treats will the same way he did a little Eddie when Eddie first came to live with him. This is all very familiar to him. One day he plops down next to will while he makes his campaign. “Eddie always thought he was too cool to teach me how to play this game you boys love so much. Could you maybe spare a few minutes and help me out?”. “You watching Star Trek? Oh, I loved Star Trek back in the day, mind if I join you?”

El is a different story. Els had it hard. Too many father figures who did her wrong or died on her. So she’s hesitant to let Wayne in. He gets it. That girls been through hell. And he’s got no idea how to raise a teenaged girl, but he had no idea how to raise a little boy either and despite what local losers say his boy turned out Damn fine. So he’s not gonna push, but he’s damn well gonna try his best. “Joyce, we’re out of syrup” el calls out one mourning with a wobbly lip and water fills eyes. Wayne has come to underrated that as strong as she is, she’s real sensitive to little breaks in her routine, and this is a very important part of her routine. Because she misses her dad, and these damn waffles remind her of him. And when the boys all flounder trying. To figure out what to do, tear apart the fridge and cabinets for a spare bottle the poor girls just getting worse, pulling at her hair now. This is his chance, no pressure. “Hey, hey now kiddo it’s gonna be okay, I know it’s scary now but it’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna go to the store after breakfast and fix this but right now it’s scary, huh?”. And el looks up with teary eyes and nods. “Can I give you a hug?”. She nods again, letting Wayne give her a hug. “Take slow, big breaths. That’s what I used to tell Eddie to do when he was a kid and would get like this, slow big breaths.” And when el calms down he’s got a proposition. “Hey, I know it ain’t Mrs buttersworth, but have ya ever tried peanut butter and chocolate chips on waffles?”. El looks up with shocked eyes. “Chocolate chips at brekfast… is that… allowed?”. “Corse it’s allowed! I offered it didn’t I? Whatta ya say? Give it a try just for today?”. Later that night, el invites Wayne to watch Miami vice with her and Joyce. The boys have never been allowed, understanding it’s how the girls cope, a fact Wayne respected. They’d been through a lot, all of em. But El let him inz

Jonathan and el and will getting Wayne a “#1 step dad” mug for Chanukah. He cried.

If you thought joyce was a wreck when she got her first Mother’s Day card from el? You should see her with Eddie’s. Wayne was just as much of a cry baby when Eddie gave him his first Father’s Day card too. She cries. It’s snotty. She just loves her kids so much.

When Jonathan and Eddie walk across the stage at graduation, the cheers are so loud from their 5 person personal cheering section (not including their friends of corse) that joyce and Wayne get glares from the other parents. She doesn’t care. She’s a proud mom! Wayne’s a proud dad! And el and will are so Damn proud of their big brothers. (Note: el holds max’s hand the whole time at that graduation becuase Billy should have been on that stage, too). Jonathan is used to the outpour of love from his family at school events. And he’s still appreciative of it, but he’s used to it. Eddies never really had a schools accomplishment or a big family before so this is a new experience for him. And he’s a bright red mess under everyone’s affection and attention. Joyce needs a million photos of the boys and Steve can’t stop fussing with his cap and gown (“to fix it” but really bc he’s just so in awe and proud that Eddie did it) and el and will are just smiling like idiots

[normal-is-a-raging-psychopath]

ok so I just saw this (@blobvis456) fanart of max with the caption "do you accept the risk?" which obviously is the quote lucas said to max when telling her about the up-side down.

and that threw my mind to this one analysis? or something that focused on how mike was against telling people about the supernatural shit, both as a way to keep the party safe, and also the person. I'll try to find it because I'm pretty sure I rb'd it and I'll link it when I do. EDIT : here (@darkquill98)

I am a sucker for time travel au's. specifically when the future is thrown into the past and reveals something not known (relationships -romantic or otherwise-, personal revelations etc) or when the past gets transported to the future and just see how they're future selfs are, whether it be in a fluffy way or angsty or something in between.

anyways. imagine this. it's the st season 2 finale after el closes the gates and everyone is back at the byer's house. they're planning the sleepover (the party not the older teens because it's awkward still). it's been a long night, and then suddenly there's a long bang or something and two people kinda just appear on the floor of the byers living room (where the party was planning on sleeping).

everyone's on edge, weapons are pointed and then they realize who it is.

mike and max considerably older (I see them as seniors but anytime post-s4 post-vecna defeat goes).

during this time, mike's gotten up to a sitting position on the floor, but max is still on her back.

a key point in this is that max is disabled.

so everyone (present) is surrounding m&m (it's much easier to type that max and mike every time) and they see as mike slowly helps max up and positions himself behind her so that she can lean against him.

this is odd for two reasons. a) max and mike are getting along? mike is helping her? which he'd obviously do either way (see skateboard scene) but still, it's the care and love he does it with. b) why does max need help? why didnt she get up her self?

before they can verbalise this one of the walkie talkies starts spewing static and first, which slowly clears into lucas's voice. future lucas.

there's talking about are they ok? do you know what happened? and so on so forth. it's not really planned out in my head but there are a few things revealed. 1) a reference is made to both el and will working together in order to create a signal between the present and future radios, 2) lucas asks how max is and she replies that it's a bad day and quips the whatever sent them here is abelist because it didn't even bother to send her wheelchair with her.

(max absolutely plays the abelism card wherever she can fight me on this. she also makes so many dark jokes related to it. i think lucas would kinda hate it but it makes her smile so it's fine with him. el also kinda hates it but she finds it funny as well so she conflicted.)

also the way I imagine things, most days max is in her wheelchair with limited mobility, on good days, she's able to walk with her crutches but on bad days (like the one she's having) she can barely move without pain and needs help a lot. (which the party+extended are always happy to give her)

so after the whole conversation, obviously the present have some questions, m&m just reveal that max is paralyzed due to some event with the up-side down but not how (because they're not sure how much they can reveal)

anyway onto why i wanted this. the angst. i want present max to cope with the fat fact that she can't walk, i want mike's guilt at not being able to keep her away, I want lucas's horror because he was the one that brought her into this. maybe will and el feel guilty because it was caused by the upside down. maybe the older members (teens +jopper) feel guilty because they're older they should have been able to protect her.

while i'd like the main focus to be how max has adapted to her disability (speaking of which, does anyone have any fics recs like that?) I also want little snippet into the future to show that despite things becoming worse for a while it's also gotten so much better. i see elumax and byler. or if elumax isnt your thing then elmax or lumax maybe with henderhop aswell. idk, it's kinda flexible ig (excepts for byler even though it's not a main-main focus i still want a reveal because mike to mike chat about their sexuality and relationship with will and el and will learning that theres hope (especially considering it's following the shed scene) and theres just a lot i think can be explored there)

it it was elumax, which is what i thought of, then it's lucas and max finding out they get together and finally act on their feelings, its lucas feeling odd because he's also dating el and he though that el and mike had their thing going on. its el's not sexuality crisis i would say but realising not everything is like in the movies. its el and max realising that they worked through their problems and became friends and then more.

for the older teens idk what but im either leaning towards established jancy whose worked through their issue with steve who is learning he's come to term with it and learning about robin (he definitely make more of an effort to befriend her while working at scoops ahoy) or stonathon. which might require alteration to the canon s2 or maybe not and they figure out how that complicated mess of relationships worked out (which i think would be hilarious cause at this point in time stancy have just had their nasty break-up and jancy are in that weird phase that's like we fucked and we lie each other a lot but haven't defined what we are yet only to find out apparently steve and jonathan are dating?? what?)

for jopper, if they find out they're established and married, I think there's a whole lot to work through, cause while joyce may have had some feelings for hop, that was far overshadowed by her love for bob who she is now grieving because he's dead because she dragged him into this supernatural bullshit and yeah she has a lot of shit to work through. not to mention I think hopper will also need time to come to terms especially since the last time he was married didnt go well.

this has drastically spiralled but whatever.

as a bonus to the previous, give me the byer-hopper clan realising they're becoming a family. jonathan had a new father figure and he doesn't know how to feel about that. hop suddenly has 2 sons. joyce has a daughter now jonathan and will have a sister now el has two brother now. apparently will and el who literally only just met are as close as twins in the future.

can you tell that i really love time travel au's. there's just so much potential.

this has spiraled way out of control so if the beginning and the end seem disjointed, its because I expected this to go in a very different direction.

[dinitride-art]

It was never a realization; Late at night, heart beating and the thrum of fear dancing like the stars on the other side of the window. There was never a moment in time where everything stopped moving. Where everything finally made sense. Or when it all came crashing down to the ground.

Instead there was a moment, just before it all started to fall apart. It was after an admittance of feelings, long ago. And a cliff, long ago. Buried in the ground, covered in yellow roses. Dead on the floor, eaten by monsters. All of this in the past. All of it buried deep inside, not safe to be touched.

It was in a room, with a girl and a confession. Sealed with a kiss.

It was then that Mike realized that he loved him. And it was then that he realized that would never change. No matter how hard he tried to be with El, or do everything right, or be how he’s supposed to be.

It will always come back to him.

And even now, he loves him.

“Mike. I lied to you. The painting wasn’t from El,” he says, like Mike hasn’t thought about hearing those words since they were scared. And driving across the country in the back of a van. And telling him things that Mike desperately wanted to be true.

And for those feelings to be his.

“I don’t know what I was- it’s just- I’m sorry you broke up. I just wanted you to be happy,” he says, and he’s crying.

And Mike wants him to be happy too.

“Why can’t I be happy with you?” Mike asks.

It’s not an admittance, or a moment, or a realization, or an acceptance.

It’s his heart. Held out in front of him. To the boy he loves.

“Because… you’re happy with her?” he says.

There’s a flicker in his eyes. A brightness, not yet allowing it’s presence to be known.

But Mike sees it. He always has.

And now he’s going to do something about it.

“Not like that,” Mike says.

“Like what?”

There’s a spark now. Not enough to cast a glow on his cheeks, but enough to widen his eyes, and steal the breath from Mike’s lungs.

Drawn to the growing flames.

“She’s not you, Will.”

And watching them burn into a moment of admittance across Will’s face.

And a realization, that burns bright enough and a fast enough that Mike’s heart stutters and beats in time with his stolen breaths.

“Oh.”

Will reaches out and takes Mike’s heart from his hands. Taking his bloody fingers and wrapping his own around them.

“You make me happy too,” Will says.

An acceptance.

The fire burns to embers, softly casting light between them. No longer consuming or in danger of burning them into ruin.

“Yeah?” Mike asks, the air returned to his lungs, words no longer fearing the fire grasping them and turning them to ash.

Gentle eyes, and a soft glow, and something new meets him.

“Yeah,” Will says.

And it’s a start.

[byler-4-life]

1. How do you think Will would react when he finds out that Mike is in love with him? 2. How do you think Mike would react when he finds out that Will is in love with him? (if Mike isn’t in love with him) 3. How do you think will felt after "it's not my fault you don't like girls"? 4. How and when do you think Will found out that he loves Mike and how did he react to his own feelings? 5. What future do you think Will likes to envision for himself and Mike? 6. What future do you think Will sees for himself in his adult life? 7. How do you think Will was feeling at the snowball? 8. What do you think Will imagines in the situation if someone finds out that he is gay? 9. How do you think Lonnie’s abuse affected Will? 10. What do you think Will was thinking of season 3 Mike and season 3 El? 11. How do you think Will was acting ‘weird’ in Lenora according to El’s letter X)

Sorry for the delay! There were so many wonderful questions I had to work my way through them. But I love the ask!

1. How do you think Will would react when he finds out that Mike is in love with him?

I think Will is going to be incredulous. He's not going to believe it at first. He's wanted this for so long, spent so much time dreaming about it. But, he's also convinced himself it's not happening. So it's not going to be easy for him to accept what Mike is saying. Mike might just have to convince him with a kiss ;)

2. How do you think Mike would react when he finds out that Will is in love with him? (if Mike isn’t in love with him)

This one was hard for me to answer, because I'm so convinced Mike IS in love with Will. But if he isn't, and he finds out Will loves him...sigh. Idk. It won't be anything outwardly mean or hurtful, and I think Mike would be very careful with Will's feelings and apologetic but...any rejection is gonna ruin the show for me.

3. How do you think will felt after "it's not my fault you don't like girls"?

I mean, you could see it in his eyes. He could not BELIEVE that Mike said that to him. He was stunned. Out of everything that Mike could have said. Out of anyone that could've said it. The combination of those two things devastated him. Mike was his greatest safe space, and it got ripped away pretty brutally. This also led to him destroying his other safe space, Castle Byers.

4. How and when do you think Will found out that he loves Mike and how did he react to his own feelings?

I love this question, because I think it was all very gradual. He always kind of knew he felt differently about Mike than his other friends. But early on, he just thought it was because Mike was his best best friend. I think that he began to suspect the truth some time around Season 1, but hadn't really accepted it yet. In S2, he knew he was in love with Mike for sure.

5. What future do you think Will likes to envision for himself and Mike?

I don't think Will minds a lot what they're doing as long as they're together. Not saying he'll completely abandon his own interests for Mike. But he knows that their interests are so similar/complementary, whatever they end up doing, they'll be compatible. The comic book writer/artist team is a popular headcanon for them, and I do love that idea.

6. What future do you think Will sees for himself in his adult life?

I think that a part of Will, especially around S3, had been resisting thinking a lot about his adult life. He was clinging to childish things, and a part of that might have been because he didn't want to grow up. The GA was pushing that agenda hard. But the piece they left out was why he didn't wanna grow up. Think of being a closeted gay teen in smalltown Indiana. It's probably hard envisioning a future for yourself where you get to be happy, especially romantically. That's probably even more true as he feels Mike slipping away from him more and more.

Career-wise, I think he does want to do something with art, even if it's nothing huge. Maybe even just becoming a high school art teacher or something. I think Will would be great working with kids/teens.

7. How do you think Will was feeling at the snowball?

This always breaks my heart thinking about it. After all the hell he went through in S2, the Snow Ball was the topper. Mike basically forced him to dance with some girl he didn't want to dance with. Then Will had to watch Mike dance with and kiss El. That's probably the moment he really realized Mike was drifting away from him. Which was probably an abrupt turn, given how present Mike had been with Will during S2 before the Snow Ball. He probably cried himself to sleep that night.

8. What do you think Will imagines in the situation if someone finds out that he is gay?

Dire? I mean, he's been bullied and abused a large chunk of his life just because of allegations. If it was actually confirmed and he was outed? Yeah, Will is probably terrified.

9. How do you think Lonnie’s abuse affected Will?

I touched on this above a bit, but it likely just solidified that it wasn't safe at all to be gay. We hear in his van speech to Mike, he feels like a mistake. Like he sometimes doesn't want to fight on. That's part of the reason I'm hoping they give Will come closure with Lonnie in S5. (even if that's just kicking Vecna's ass while he's in Lonnie's form lol)

10. What do you think Will was thinking of season 3 Mike and season 3 El?

Again I touched on this above. He was likely jealous and scared. Jealous because El had the type of relationship he wanted with Mike. And scared that he was losing Mike altogether. I don't think it helped that Hopper (and Mike) had El on such a tight watch in S3. It didn't look like she got to interact with any of the party except Mike on a regular basis. That's why it was good development for both Will and El to be able to get to live together as siblings in S4, and form a relationship with each other outside of Mike.

11. How do you think Will was acting ‘weird’ in Lenora according to El’s letter X)

Hard to say. Seemed like it centered around the painting. Maybe he usually would let El see his work, but with this one, he was being secretive, leading El to think he had a crush.

Thank you for allowing me to ramble on about byler! This was fun :)

[brighteyedbushybrowed]

Sometimes I think about the scene where Will pretty much comes out without explicitly doing so and Jonathan a couple scenes later telling him he accepts and loves him no matter what. And I think about Robin and the scene where she comes out to Steve and him just accepting her and going right into teasing her for having a crush on Tammy.

And then I think about a scene in an AU where Vecna is defeated, everyone lives, or perhaps an AU where the Upside Down doesn't even exist. And I think about a scene where Robin is maybe babysitting Will bc Steve can't or she sees him at Starcourt looking down and she decides she's gonna try and fix that.

And somewhere in the process, amongst Will spilling his hidden feelings for "a friend" and how he can't act on those feelings no matter what and Robin realises who the friend is and what he's saying without saying it and she just hugs him and whispers to him that it's okay, she understands, she's been there with Tammy and she's there rn with Nancy and it's okay for him to have these feelings.

And Will doesn't have to hide it as much anymore. He doesn't have to only talk about it with Jonathan bc Robin is so much like him and Steve becomes someone safe he can talk about it with too. And gradually, slowly, his support network grows. Eddie doesn't even need him to tell him because he recognises that part of himself in Will and immediately takes him under his protective wing. Argyle is so chill and cool about it that Will never feels he has to hide it with him. Nancy figures it out and she's so sweet and kind to him while also gently encouraging him not to hide himself. Not to hide part of who he is from his friends bc she knows they'd still love him regardless. They fought so hard to bring him back, protect him, they're not going to throw that away for anything.

And then he finally comes out explicitly to his friends. The first one to hug him is El, who secretly always knew he wasn't like the other boys in their friend group and was waiting for him to come to her instead of making him before he was ready. Then Dustin joins in, reassuring him that it doesn't matter to him as long as he's happy. Lucas is next, then Max, and soon everyone joins in.

Except Mike.

Mike, who suddenly has this moment of smth clicking in his brain. Mike, who had always paid so much attention to Will before he started dating El. Mike, who is overcome with guilt bc he never noticed Will was going through smth and didn't try to get him to open up.

Mike, who waits until everyone else has let Will go to pull him into the tightest, all encompassing hug he can muster as he apologises for never noticing and making him feel like he couldn't tell him.

Perhaps Will doesn't tell Mike how he feels about him, but the acceptance and unwavering platonic love his friend has for him is enough for now. He will tell him when he's ready and he knows Mike will wait.

Mike will always wait and listen.

[cosmorom]

who i think can/can't die in st5 and why (long post):

eleven: it's pretty plausible she could die like a hero with a sacrifice, when she'll fight against henry again, but i simply don't believe it because it dosen't make sense? for all her narrative we see how she dosen't want being compared to a hero, she doesn't want to be a hero. el wants to be loved for who she is, not because she's cool with powers and she saved the world like 3(?) times. she wants to be loved like el, not 011. if in s5 they don't finish her story arc and put her at peace with herself, duh her death will just be heartbreaking and unfair. i would like to see that in some way, at the end of everything, she'll lose her powers (like in s3) and she just be in peace with her family and friends. however, this doesn't mean that the probability of her death is low.

will: well he just can't die because 1) the previous seasons will be like useless? the whole story starts because will is alive and has to survive (talking abt s1). 2) will is literally the only one who never had his happy ending at every end of the seasons. and he suffered enough. just give his happy ending with the boy he is in love with and with the love of his family. obviously, knowing him, if his intervention (even risky) is needed to kill vecna, he would not think twice and would immediately offer to die for the others, as he has already demonstrated. i just can't think about the fact that he will suffer more in the next season until the end (bc he will). give him a BREAK.

max: well the situation is actually complicated. she can die as she can't. i think if they wanted to kill max they killed her in s4. so i'm not totally sure about her. i mean clinically she was (or is she?) dead...her mind is lost (in vecna's?). i don't know. i have doubts. i hope she won't leave us for good.

lucas: i don't think he'll die duh, he won't

dustin: recently, after, some declarations by the actors... i have a lot of doubts about dustin. pratically there's a lot question and theories that he could die with steve ("if you die, i die"), and this totally makes sense. yet dustin is devasted about eddie's (and max's) deaths, and we will see this much more clearly in the next season. i don't know if he will tolerate even steve's (we'll talk about him later). i don't know, i'm scared about him. i'll explain better later.

mike: so, i think they'll do something with mike like vecna'd but he won't die. just sayin': what would be the happy ending for will if mike died? yeah, this is a pretty selfish example, but it's the truth. and mike just can't die, he deserves some happines in this somewhat dark period for him. i swear i will punch someone (a lot of dudes) if he dies.

erica: nah she's a girlboss she just can't die

suzie: no

nancy: she's a girlboss too but i'm not sure she's totally safe rn, it's not sure that she won't die, that's it.

robin: there's not any reason for killing her, facts.

argyle: duh???

jonathan: doubts. many doubts. too many doubts. he could. duh i don't want this.

steve: 99,9% he's fucked. listen. it's too obvious. in the next season he will (finally) understands and accepts that he dosen't need romantic love in his life to be happy (reminds me of someone or am i wrong? right, el?) and he will probably die like a hero or something. he's the only one with (almost) full character development, when jonathan still has many things to solve. and the fans love steve. he'll die. and if dustin will die with him i'd- anyway...talking again about dustin. i'm scared about the fact that when (not if) steve dies, he will die in dustin arms (like someone else, his name starts with e and finish with ddie munson.) my boy dustin will be so fucking tired.

eddie: "he seems pretty fucking dead to me" lmfao i'm sorry

vickie: nah

joyce: she can't right????

hopper: he already cosplayed Jesus, that's enough

murray: probably.

enzo: also probably.

lonnie: yes because he deserves it.

vecna-001-henry: yes.