#mike wheeler angst

[fandom-rants-here]

The fact of the matter is that we only see Jim Hopper and Karen Wheeler comfort Mike.

Karen has no idea the full extent of what's going on and the only time we see Mike cry in front of\with her is in season 1.

Hopper comforts him exactly one time in season 2 as Mike is screaming, punching, and crying. He is the only person to see Mike like this. Afterwards, this interaction dissolves into nothing and the potential ends.

Mike Wheeler saw his best friend's supposed body, jumped off a cliff watched his best friend get fucking possessed, saw the aftermath of a man's death, dealt with demodogs at the ripe age of 13, had his best friend of 9 years move thousands of miles away, felt that him dating Jane was the only way to save the world, will learn of everything that happened while he was gone, and still has yet to break down besides that one fucking time in season 2. Nobody has thought "Hmmm... Mike has been through and has seen a to. I think maybe somebody needs to talk to him."

Season 5 breakdown will be messy and sad. I am so fucking here for it.

[loserinahotway]

hey tumblr *kicks my feet* any of you guys waiting for stranger things 5 *twirls my hair* any mike wheeler enthusiasts *giggles* any byler believers

here’s a snippet of my wip. internalized homophobia and deep rooted self loathing is having a moment over here

They’ve all got dinner tonight. Which is a problem. It’s only a problem, he realizes, because all the things in that list are a problem. He knows the stupid roots and the stupid causes for all this grief, and that’s the other fucking problem. He can’t do anything about them. He can’t do anything about them. Every day he feels something like a rabbit running from a fox. Like a coward. He knows it’s true, he knows he’s uselessly scared out of all wits, and you can trust that he meets his own eyes in the mirror with hatred just as dark and pitying as everyone else’s. He knows he’s a coward. It’s just that he also knows how easy it would be for that fox to bite him. To grab his ankle between its teeth and snap right through. Leave him bleeding in the grass. He wishes he was brave, wishes he had the paladin heart and shield he defends with in his mind. But he doesn’t. So, like a coward, like a sissy fucking coward, all Mike can bring himself to do is run.

[your-stranger-halfblood-things]

Sometimes I want Mike Wheeler to cry. Just bawl his eyes out until he falls asleep from exhaustion

[sirfrogthe3rd]

"If an artist falls in love with you, you can never die."

[lunabug2004]

Guys whatever you do don’t think about the fact that Mike Wheeler gets no comfort while watching his best friend get taken over by a literal monster and then be in excruciating pain because of this monster, only to be lost to this monster in front of his own very eyes. Don’t think about the fact that despite being the only (aware) child in the situation, none of the adults around him ever try to check up on him or support him through this.

Then when Bob dies he’s the one providing comfort to Joyce when they run, he’s the one comforting and supporting the others by coming up with plans.

The only comfort he gets isn’t until the beginning of episode 9, when everything isn’t even over yet, and it’s too late. He’s already lost his trust in Hopper now. He kept El from him for almost a year, letting him soak in his own depression and self-guilt. He may stay by Hop after he comforts him because that’s what he is craving, it’s what he needs, but we’re back to disrespectful Mike in the next season bc obv it was too much for Mike to forgive Hop.

In season 1, we see a kid with his heart on his sleeve. He knows what he wants and he’s not afraid to tell people this, even when his own family is putting him down for it. But in s3, we see a kid who represses his emotions as far down as they’ll go, full of self-hatred, never opening up to anyone.

I believe this change is mainly due to these facts: 1) he was depressed for a whole year and no one ever picked up on it, again, no one comforted him, esp not his family. He probably thought he was being stupid, we already know he thought he was crazy. 2) at this point, he had been repeatedly shut down when voicing his thoughts (Lucas shutting down his worries about Will, Dustin yelling at him when he was grieving for Bob, Hopper immediately getting mad when he was voicing his frustrations), and he probably doesn’t think there’s any point to it anymore. No one ever listens to him anyways. And then 3) the complete lack of comfort he is (not) given throughout seeing Will, his best friend, suffer and being completely unable to help him. That is, until he’s forced to listen to his screams as he’s convincing the others to put Will to sleep.

So yeah… don’t think about that guys :)

[thegaybyler]

Mike Wheeler finally having a mental breakdown and letting out the pent up emotion and trauma he's has for years is going to be my roman empire, like bro you have no idea how exciting this is for me

[milklovesbyler]

okay so its kinda funny how i used to be a major mike wheeler hater when season 4 came out, but now im like the #2 mike wheeler apologist in the world because my misunderstood boy cant catch a break, mike wheeler angst breaks me harder than anything, thank you all beautiful souls in the nation who make the beautiful arts, and edits and fics, because oh my god

[byler-alarmist]

If Will really did die back in S1, I think Mike would have made a shrine out of all his drawings and toys and other things that reminded him of Will.

Karen would overhear him in the basement murmuring to himself for hours on end, carrying on imaginary conversations with his departed friend.

The other boys would move on with their lives eventually, but not Mike.

[theoriginalbylergod]

a distant memory I used to know

Oh, I guess that's just the way things go

[retrokittytakeover]

I don't think you guys understand, if I hear the words "I'm stupid" come from Mike Wheeler's mouth in season 5 I'm jumping in front of a moving train and I'm not even joking.

[fandom-rants-here]

We're gonna get Mike povs in season 5 and it will fucking hurt.

They keep avoiding putting us in his perspective whenever they can, keeping us out of his thoughts. Sure, we get to see what he's thinking every now and then, but it's almost never by season 4. The more comes to realize his own feelings, the less we know of what he's thinking and the reasons behind his actions (especially in fights with Will).

We have no idea what he is thinking most of the time. He never confides in other characters and that's absolutely for a reason. We haven't even seen him cry since season 2 (if he was crying in season 3 after his fight with Will, it was raining too much for me to notice.) despite ever other main character having a crying scene in season 4.

We already know that Will is going to be in focus again this season, and we also know that the original groups are coming back. With Will, there is Mike. The story is going to be about them again.

"It's always us, isn't it?"

[evilbookworm]

Just a reminder that Mike tried to kill himself at 12.

:(

[sarahakmercury]

i can't love you

summery: he loves you, but you can't hurt your sister.

genre: angst

warnings:Brief spoilers for season 2 but it's really not a lot. tell me if i missed anything :)

a\n: well, i hope you like it. maybe i'll do a part two, tell me if i should. btw the story isn't set in season two but you can imagine it when ever you want<3

"i sound crazy don't i?" El said as she laid on your bed and hugged a pillow.

"yes, yes you do" you said chuckling and laying next to her "but that's the point of love, isn't it?"

"wow....that was so cute"

"i know, i heard it on TV" you joked and you both laughed

"but seriously" she said as she stopped laughing and sat straight "i love him. i really really love Mike Wheeler"

"i still don't get why you won't just confess to him"

"confess to him?! are you out of your mind?" she said looking alarmed

"yeah, why not? i'm sure he will like you back" you said as you sat up straight.

"he would, probably like me back. there is a 50% chance he won't. no, no, no, there is a 70% chance he won't"

"can you stop with the numbers? you are being dramatic. he would...." but your speech was cut off by your dad, Jim Hopper's voice.

"girls, dinner!" he called and you took El's hand.

"c'mon, we can't talk about your complicated love life with an empty stomach" you teased as she rolled her eyes playfully. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

".....she is the most beautiful girl i have ever seen! she is smart, funny, hot, sarcastic, we have shared interests...." Mike said as they all sat in his basement.

"okay, Mike, we get it! we have seen her a million times before" Lucas said cutting him off

"yeah Mike, you should quit rambling" Will said as he chuckled

"i'm not rambling!"

"yes, you are. it's always: y\n Hopper this, y\n Hopper that" Dustin teased mocking Mike and then making kissing noises making everyone laugh except Mike

"yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. not that you guys would shut up about Suzie and Max" Mike said rolling his eyes

"hey! they are our girlfriends. if you just tell y\n how you feel, we will stop teasing you" Lucas said making Mike roll his eyes again

"yeah like it's as simple as that"

"it is! look, Mike, y\n had been our friend since we were 5. telling her how you feel isn't that hard"

"yes, it is. it may ruin our whole friendship if i tell her how i feel and she doesn't feel the same"

"that's the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard" Dustin said "of course she likes you back!"

"you're supposed to say that because you're my friend"

"maybe, but deep down, we both know i'm right"

Mike knew he was right. he should just stop being scared and tell her how he feels. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you were laying on your bed. weeks had past since the day El told you how she feels about Mike.

You honestly didn't know how to feel. you thought about the day your dad brought El home from the jungle. you were surprised. you and everyone else thought she was dead but she wasn't.

you remembered how you really saw each other as sisters. you can't ruin that. you can't break her heart. no.

no matter how hard you've fallen for Mike Wheeler. you can't. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you heard a knock on your room door. "come in?"

the door opened revealing the one and only, Mike Wheeler. "hey, y\n\n"

you smiled widely but it quickly faded when you remembered the promise you made to yourself. you tried to bring back the smile. "hey Mike"

he took a deep breath and sat next to you on your bed. he could practically hear his own heart beat of how fast it was beating. he scratched the back of his head and exhaled before speaking.

"umm....y\n, there is something i needed to tell you. something that's been in my mind for a while"

"what is it?" you felt a little worried

"i.....well.....i....you won't think it's disgusting... Right?"

"i won't, Mike, promise. just tell me what's wrong?"

"i.......i have feeling's for you. more than a friend, kind of feeling. I've been trying to find the right words, but nothing seems enough. I love you. I've loved you for as long as I can remember."

"you what?" you said not believing what you just heard. he can't have feeling's for you. he.....El loves him. and it doesn't matter if you love him because El does!

"i love you, y\n. i always have" he said looking for a positive reaction in your eyes. you sighed. you wanted to say it. you wanted to say those 3 damn words back.

but you couldn't. you couldn't hurt your sister.

"Mike, i....."

"Just tell me you feel the same, please" he said as you hide from his gaze. "do you feel the same?" he muttered.

he felt like he already knew the answer but wanted to ask.

you wanted to kiss him. kiss him right there, not caring about what would happen next but you couldn't.

"Mike, I… I can't. Please, leave. just go" you said your voice barely above a whisper.

"y\n, please.....i......"

"mike, leave......please"

Mike sighed. he could feel his heart break and got up to leave but before opening the door he turned to you

"Why won't you let me in? I thought we shared everything. Why is this different?"

"Mike, please. things are not that simple"

"So, what? We just pretend this never happened? We just go back to being friends?"

"yes"

Mike sighed feeling tears as he turned back.

"This isn't fair. But if it's what you want… I'll go. But I'll always love you." he walked outside the room and closed the door behind him. the door made a small noise as it was closed.

you didn't hold back tears anymore. they fell as you finally whispered: 'i love you too' to yourself.

(part two?)

[sirfrogthe3rd]

We’re all gonna look back on this some day and laugh (or cry idk)

[lunabug2004]

I love s2 so much but I will always get a little upset at all the adults in the lab practically ignoring Mike the whole time. Like if they are freaked out and scared about the situation, imagine how the only other kid in the room feels?

I know that it could be possible that he received some comfort and we just didn't see it, especially because of the way Mike starts being hidden from us in season 2, but if that was the case I have a feeling his breakdown with Hopper wouldn't have been nearly as loaded as it was.

Maybe it's just the way I operate but if there are kids around me during a stressful situation (even when I was a kid myself), I always make sure they are as far away and as calm as possible. I make sure to explain to them in the best way I can what is going on so that they at least have an idea of how to handle their emotions.

I know Mike wasn't freaking out or anything, but of what we know about his character ("even Mike, who likes to act tough" - LOTL), he wouldn't say anything no matter what awful emotions he was feeling. But I don't care. The adults in the situation should know better.

He's literally watching his best friend be taken over by a monster (which he basically swore to protect him from), be tortured by scientists, and then be forced to kill people, which Mike also tries to stop because he catches onto the trap (just a bit too late). He then has to run through a lab of dead people while being chased by the monsters who killed said people until he gets trapped in a room with no way to help and just has to hope that they all get out alive, which they don't, he learns as he holds Will's limp body then has to comfort Joyce as he coerces her to keep going. Oh yeah, I didn't mention that he also had to convince the adults to put his best friend to sleep or else he could also kill them and has to listen to his screams as they put him under.

I will never stop believing that season 2 is absolutely devastating for Mike and that the trauma he gained from it is almost impossible to fathom.

Now, I'm not saying that he wouldn't have been traumatized if he received comfort, but I at least don't think it would be as bad as it is. I mentioned in a post before that he might've lost even more trust in the adults (I specifically named Hopper) around him because of this. We know he's had a problem with authority since the beginning, but it gets worse in season 3, and I think this might be part of the reason why.

Anyways, I'll stop rambling now. Season 2 is my favorite season, but man (I've said it a million times and I'll keep saying it) Mike in season 2 literally breaks my heart into a trillion pieces.

[wheelerslvr]

me when michael wheeler breaks down about everything thats happened to him + his internal homophobia and starts uncontrollably crying in s5