#more from vecna omg

[strxnqerthinqz]

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

click to see the pics better <3

[madelynraemunson]

CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT 𓆩♡𓆪

(Book #1 of the Hellfire Gentlemen’s Club series)

strip club owner!eddie x fem!exotic dancer!hargrove!reader

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐀𝐔 18+ MDNI

Chapter 020: ‘Red Thong, Party’s On!’ (Epilogue)

a/n: pov you’re back at hellfire, but this time you’re sharing the stage with eddie, stripping while he plays a song for you to dance to 🤭🤭♥️ (SURPRISE AT THE END) it’s been a WILD ride my loves, thank you all so much for the support for CMWYW. i hope we all continue to create more beautiful things together. readers, writers, artists, creatives of all kinds keep the world going round. 🤟🏼💋 all my love, maddy

MESS WITH HER? SHE’LL FUCK YOU UP

↳ chapters: 001, 002*, 003** , 004**, 005 , 006 , 007* , 008**, 009, 010, 011, 012* , 013**, 014** , 015, 016**, 017, 018, 019, 020*

CW: strip club behaviors hehe, grinding, pole-dancing, ass-shaking, all that hellfire goodness, implications that shy girl c*me on eddie's guitar

word count: 990 words

♡

Mom always used to say, "Inside of you, there are two wolves: a good one and a bad one. Depending on which mouth you feed, one will triumph the other.”

She left out one thing, however: sometimes being bad feels so fucking good.

“We’ve got a verrry special treat for you tonight folks!” the DJ announces. “She took a break for a little while but now she is BACK… and here to stay with us, FOREVER! Put your hands together for the ONE, the ONLY — Hellfire’s Princess — SHYYY GIIIIRL!”

And the crowd goes wild.

You emerge from the side stage in your glimmering scarlet set, flipping your plump, bouncy locks around as you dip your hips to the beat. Your regular customers swoon as you blow them kisses, and the petty kisses you issue to the Hellfire Girls (they came to pick up their severance checks) leave them shaking in their stilettos.

"WOOO, HARGROVE!" Nancy cheers for you backstage, dancing to the song as she curls Nina's hair.

"LET 'EM KNOW, BABY!" Nina shouts after her.

You acknowledge them with a wink, giving one to Chrissy as well as she cheers for you on the opposite side of the stage, bouncing up and down in her sexy Hellfire cheer uniform.

“Let’s go, Shy Girl!” ‘Cherry’ cheers as she waves her pom-poms in the air. "LET'S GOOOO!"

She's hot! Can’t stop! Up on stage doing shots!

You shake your ass when the song calls on it, grinding your hips to the beat to match the lyrics as they come. The crowd hoots and hollers as you dance, showering you in dollar bills as you make the pole your bitch for the night.

“YEAAAH!” Max cheers. “That’s my sister!”

As you glide down the cylindrical silver steel, you wave to the crowd and thank them all for coming out.

“Thank you! Aww, thanks so much! OMG, how are you? Long time no see!”

But just because you’re doing your thing on stage doesn’t mean you aren’t paying attention to the happenings beneath you. Because while you have a bird’s eye view of Vecna’s Lair, you can’t help but fix your gaze on Lucas, who is dressed rather sharper than usual tonight, going up to Maxine in attempts to ‘rizz her up’.

“I see spiciness runs in the family,” Lucas remarks to her as they stand beside each other in Vecna’s Lair.

The self-proclaimed 'Dark Chocolate' shoots her an awkward wink, to which Max responds with a grimace on her face.

“Genetics wasn’t playing ‘bout y’all,” Lucas continues. "You're looking mighty fine tonight, Max."

“Thanks. I guess,” Max shrugs, refusing to entertain it. “But, if you knew anything about family dynamics and DNA, you’d know she’s my step-sister."

"Psh," Lucas scoffs. "Yeah! Yeah, I knew that."

"Course you did," she jeers. "Stalker."

“Stalker?! I thought we were friends.”

Max rolls her eyes. “Whatever this is, is far from platonic.”

She begins to strut away, giving Lucas the opportunity to race after her. And Sinclair wastes no time, pushing himself past the sea of sweaty men to catch up to the beautiful redhead in front of him.

“So there’s a chance we can be more than friends?!”

You chuckle as you watch it unfold from the stage. Then you turn to everyone else.

Argyle and Jonathan give you two stoned-filled waves hello. You wave back. Henry whose the designated bone-snapper bouncer tonight blows you a kiss. You catch it and return the favor. Mike and Will don't even give you the time of day.

You then turn your attention to Dustin who is both head-banging to the song, and holding up a lazily written message on the black screen of his phone: “I AM LOOKING RESPECTFULLY”. You can't help but giggle. It's like he's a mini Eddie.

Speaking of your boyfriend, your eyes dart back to the side stage where you meet Eddie’s gaze.

She likes to pull my hair when I make her grind her teeth.

You watch as the curly-haired, metalhead-turned-strip-club-owner eyes you steadily, situating his guitar around himself, giving the body of his NJ Warlock one more wipe down with a cloth.

He smirks to himself, satisfied at the thought that only you two know why that guitar needed wiping down in the first place. But he’s mostly pleased with the fact that, despite the long list of handsome, eligible bachelors after your heart, the passionate, down-to-earth, sexy, siren of a woman that is you, is all his.

My girlfriend's a dick magnet. MY girlfriend…

Eddie then takes to the stage, using the same fingers he’ll use to ravage you tonight to strum the chords of the sexy guitar solo of the song — you know, the song about a guy…..with a hot stripper girlfriend…..whose seducing everyone around her while she does her thing…..in that beautiful red set.

“HOLY SHIT!” someone from the crowd raves, causing Eddie’s eyes to light up like a little kid. “DUET OF THE CENTURY!”

You’ve healed so many parts of Eddie that he was too scared to explore: Love after Isabelle. Showing him that self-care is just as important as caring for Wayne. Encouraging him to find a hobby outside of Hellfire that didn't include doing payroll or grocery shopping. And healing his inner teenager by letting him play on stage with you, as he relives his glory days as the guitarist and frontman of Corroded Coffin one last time.

And as Eddie continues to strum, he stays thinking of you. He couldn’t wait to heal more parts of himself…with 'Shy Girl' Hargrove by his side.

“So,” you pant, edging closer to your boyfriend as the music draws on. "What's next after this?"

Eddie smirks. As the instrumental allows, he presses you against his body, kissing you softly against the lips before trailing all the way down your neck. Your breath hitches in arousal as he hums against you.

“Whatever you want.”

The End

SIKE! King Steve has entered the chat… 😉

CALL OUT MY NAME ♛

(Book #2 of the Hellfire Gentlemen's Club Series)

CEO!bachelor!steve × fem!college grad!reader

MODERN AU • 18+ | BOOK #1 (e.m.)

slight age gap (Steve is 31, reader is 23); reader goes by the nickname "Sweets"

*loosely inspired by sara cate’s salacious players club*

Summary: 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄. Steve Harrington has the WORST luck with the ladies. His high school sweetheart left him for another dude, his former fuck buddy is dating his roommate, and his dream girl is a lesbian. King Steve is losing hope. That is until he meets you — a newly graduated university student from Seattle — when your paths cross on a fateful night in Sin City. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... that is until your risky business trickles over to Hawkins, Indiana, a town your best friend knows of a little too well.

theme song: call out my name by the weeknd

tag list is open 💌✨

PREVIEW

♛

Winter 2024

“WATCH OUT INDIANAPOLIS — you're about to get... absolutely SOAKED!”

The booming voice of a man in Steve’s bedroom stirs him awake.

Letting out a ferocious yawn, The King rubs his eyes free of the annoying crust in the corner of his sockets, flopping around one more time before doing his routine stretch.

“Google,” Steve commands. “Turn off the TV.”

The TV immediately switches off. It’s nothing personal to meteorologist Marcus Bailey, but if Steve ever needed an accurate forecast of Indianapolis, all he would have to do is look outside his penthouse window. And that, after brushing his teeth, is just what he does.

"G'morning Indy,” he sighs happily on his balcony before going back inside.

Steve then makes his way over to the kitchen to fix himself some breakfast.

“Google,” he calls out again. “Open the curtains, please.”

Google replies:

“Opening curtains. Good morning — Steve.”

"Google, what's my schedule looking like today?" "Google, text Dustin." “Google, what is the weather looking like in Nevada?” “Google, turn on my shower tunes.”

The best thing about not living with Eddie Munson anymore, is that Steve can shamelessly sing Amy Winehouse in the shower without being hounded about it.

“We only saaaid GOODBYE, with WORDS!” Steve sings, confidently off-key. “I died a hundred times! You go back to her, and I goooo baaack toooo…”

"Scanning fingerprint...”

an automated voice announces at the entrance of Steve's walk-in closet.

Swish...

The door slides open. Sauntering his way inside, Steve ventures for some slick black athleisure down to the shoes, his usual musky cologne, and some matching sunglasses (despite the gloomy forecast prediction).

Black. 🎶

Steve Harrington is ready for the day.

---

"Google, make reservations for 3 people at Tony's Steakhouse at 7pm please."

All Steve had left to do for the day now was grocery shop. Which was always a hassle. Because sometimes, the store doesn't have the specific brand he's looking for so the shopper has to opt for an alternate version. Or sometimes, the shopper assigned to him that day chooses produce that is nearing its expiration date making every fruit in his bag a mushy mess. It doesn't happen too often, but it sure feels inconvenient as hell when it does. There are worse problems in life though, so Steve really can't complain.

*Ring, ring. Ring, ring*

The very distinct and custom ringtone has Steve bolting across the room to answer the call. One of his best friends was on the other line.

"Yello?" he says into the phone.

"Hey, it's Shy Girl," comes a voice. "Eddie and I are pulling in."

"Pull off to the side. Valet's got it. I'll send you guys up."

A bottle of cabernet sauvignon a la Steve awaits the pair when they make their way over. Consider it a Tony's pre-game.

"GameWorld stock is up 4% today,” Steve's buddy, and owner of Hellfire Gentlemen's Club Eddie Munson announces as the two clink glasses. "I don’t have much faith in it though, figure I’ll get my pie slices from actual grocery stores. Like Meijer.”

“Everyone's always gonna need groceries,” Steve points out. "Definitely. Just don't day trade. Not now."

"Ooh, you hear that, Eds?" Shy Girl nudges him. "You gotta be careful where you put your money."

"I gotta be careful with my money, period," Eddie smirks. "You're a danger to my pockets, angel."

"Oh but you love me," she says.

"Yeah," Eddie gives in, grabbing his lover's dainty digits, trailing his fingers across hers, and rubbing the glistening rock that took up most of her left hand on the distal side. "I sure do."

"I'm just... so proud of us," Steve sappily reflects. "So much has happened over the past two years and we've all come so far."

"Yeah," Shy Girl agrees. "And it's about fucking time we celebrate."

"I agree," Eddie chimes in, raising his glass once again. "This weekend trip is going to be... one for the books."

"Viva Las Vegas," Steve toasts. "Cheers."

"Viva Las Vegas!"

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Black and red.

They're the two colors that occupy your closet the most. But of course, after graduating from Washington State University (or Wazzu, for short), you expected nothing less.

You could do with some more sequins though, you think to yourself as you pack your bags.

"What do you think of this, Sweets?"

Peering over your shoulder, you see that your best friend, Elle has started festivities early, managing to hold two glasses of champagne in one hand, and six-inch stilletoes in the other.

"Can't take the party out of the girl, that's for damn sure," you respond.

When you left Seattle to attend WSU Pullman, Elle was your only friend in business class. Mainly because the class was predominantly for dudes, but eventually you found out that you two have a lot in common.

Elle is everything you would want in an older sister figure: she is both book smart and wise, she is sexy, and she eats men for breakfast. And, now that she's about to celebrate the launching of her lingerie business (along with her Dirty 30s Era), and you're about to enter your new-grad era, you two are hitting up Las Vegas to go ham together one last time.

It's all so bittersweet. You owe everything to the Warrens, having taken you in when you were a lost undergrad. It also sucked quite a bit not having a support system after graduating high school. You and Elle were all each other has. Which makes this inevitable separation so much more painful.

"Are you sure you're okay with Vegas by the way?" you question. "I know since the split, being surrounded by gorgeous girls 24/7 can kinda be triggering.”

"Don't worry about it, love," she shakes it off. "The past is in the past. This is a new era of me."

Cheers to that. Clinking your airport-pregame champagne glasses with one another, you raise a toast to yourselves, celebrating how far the two of you have come over the past four years.

"To friendship."

"To friendship."

"To being elegant and educated."

"To elegance and education."

"And to being girl-bosses for the rest of our lives."

You giggle as you raise your glass of champagne even higher.

"To being girl-bosses for the rest of our lives," you two take a sip at the same time. "And no matter how near and no matter how far, we're always gonna be besties."

"I love you, Sweets."

"I love you too, Isabelle."

🏷️ tag list: @chrrymunson , @the-fairy-anon , @ali-r3n , @corrodedcoffincumslut , @bebe07011 , @mmunson86 , @eddiesguitarskills , @chelebelletx , @imonhereforareasonsadly , @eddies-trailer-babe @motherfckerr , @jxpsi , @sidthedollface2 , @manda-panda-monium , @elvendria , @micheledawn1975 , @hereforshmut , @siriuslysmoking , @mediocredreams @nymphetkoo , @m-chmcl-rmnc , @ahoyyharrington , @keepittoyourselftellnobodyelse @kellyxo1 @emsgoodthinkin @winchester-angel @chloe-6123 , @redbarn1995 @angietherose @kiyastrf94 , @purplewitchcauldron @kellsck @joyfulfxckery @munsons-mayhem28 @dragonfire @emma77645 @drivelikenina @livosssblog @thinkingth0ts @hugdealer @ellielunamckay @xblueriddlex @maskofmirrors @babyloutattoo89 @queenofhawkins @feral-pumpkin-energy @bl0ssomanddie

divider from: @plum98

[heyitspersephone]

Thinking about stranger things again now that the strikes are over and how, narratively, it would be way, WAY cooler to have Mike get Vecna’d instead of Will in s5

It’s just something about the way Mike’s trauma is never addressed or handled in any way?? Like, he hugs his mom twice and then when he was depressed in season 2 and 4 nobody did anything (his parents scolded him for his behavior in s2 ig but that’s not support). His best friend went missing leaving from his house, he watched his body get pulled from the quarry, watched El (in his eyes) kill herself stopping the demogorgon, watched Will be possessed, saw Bob die, was in Star Court when everything went down, saw Billy die, had his best friend move away, was SHOT AT (and really too few people talk about the shooting in Cali bc omg??), buried a body, and watched the apocalypse start. And that’s just off the top of my head.

(And yes I’m aware that the other characters (especially Will) are traumatized too but I will get to my point in a second just hold on)

The plot is geared towards this idea that Will and Henry have to have some big face off (and they should, in my opinion, but I don’t think it should be in a possession, or at least not the the Vecna kind of possession, yk?) but that makes it all the better, writing wise, to have mike be the one in danger. Will was helpless and hiding in s1, I think Will should get his big strong moments in s5 where he gets to be the hero of the story.

It would just be a lot more fun to work with Mike being Vecna’d than Will, because what are we going to bring up with Will’s visions? His dad? His sexuality? The events of s1 from his perspective? It would be cool to see, for sure, but we already know most of that. Mike, on the other hand, has a number of untapped things, like jumping off the quarry, why he’s so hesitant to tell El he loves her, how someone who was smart and kind enough to take El in in s1 and come up with the spy and sauna plans in s2 and s3 could turn into the oblivious asshole that he was in s3 and s4 (he needs therapy, ik, I still love his character but I want to explore the reasons he went from his s2 characterization to his s3 one)

It would be a very interesting parallel, I think, to explore Mike’s thought processes in this way, especially with all of Mike’s repression business (bc whether you ship byler or milkvan he is repressing his feelings HARD. Like, beyond his inability to say I love you there’s the fact that he doesn’t bring up the apparent many times he called pre-s4 during the Rink O Mania fight?? That literally would’ve absolved him of guilt in that argument since he WAS reaching out to Will the whole time? Hellooooo????).

Anyways, this all brings me to my main point: Vecna targets isolation as much as he targets trauma and guilt. The whole party was traumatized by the events in s1, s2, and s3, but Max was the one targeted. Plus, Henry went for Fred, Chrissy, and Patrick (I think his name was Patrick) instead of going for the perceivably easy targets that the mcs would make (ik narratively that would’ve made it more boring but shhh), so why Max and those three specifically? They were isolated. Lucas and Erica have each other, Dustin goes to Steve and Robin, Will and El have each other and Jonathan and Joyce, Nancy probably goes to Jonathan, and who does Mike go to?

No one. And don’t say Nancy because if those two have heart to hearts then I’m the next coming of Christ. Max separated herself from the Party in the aftermath of her grief and guilt over Billy, and it feels quite obvious that Mike was doing the same (like I said, he has repression issues). So Mike is traumatized, alone, and guilty (be it Will getting taken from Mike’s house, losing El in front of him multiple times, the many deaths he has witnessed, or the internalized homophobia angle), which makes him more of a target than Will, in my opinion (or at least an easier one, especially given his tendency to put himself on the line during fights (quarry, most of s2, s3 mindflayer fight), which would set him up on the suicidal ideation path)

Furthermore, as I’ve seen a few other people point out (and I can’t find the posts but one of them had eight screenshots of the various moments), Mike is always the one getting in the way, so it would be a strategic move for Henry to target him to get him out of the picture. Mike was the one that found El and got her involved in saving Will s1, he was the one who came up with the spy plan and called out the ambush in s2, he was the one to monologue Will out of his possession s2, he was the one with the sauna plan for Billy in s3, he was the one trying to help El get the strength to fight s4 (even if the monologue sucked ass it’s the intention that counts). As much as people like to hate on Mike, he is in the leader position most of the time when the party is grouped up (barring his mental health struggles slowing that down beginning of s3 and throughout s4, but he’s still capable of it). He’s the idea man, and he’s the one whose character’s foundations were built on the desire to keep his friends safe, so it would be a very fun plot line to watch him be the one targeted in s5. Like Will said, as lovestruck and cheesy as he was, Mike is the heart of the party when he’s on his A-game, so Henry should 100% be trying to keep him in the issues he’s been struggling with.

Obviously, Will and El are the Targets with a capital T for Henry since they’re the ones that got away or whatever, but I think Mike is a weakness of Will’s (and El’s tbh but also I think they need to have separate character arcs and I don’t exactly ship milkvan) that should be exploited.

TL;DR: Mike should get Vecna’d instead of Will in s5 because it would make sense in lore and be a very cool way to resolve his character arc

[lucystark12]

GUYS holy shit i am literally obsessed with this app good god because your theories have given me faith in good writing again AHH just like AHH hello!?!

here’s what is cannon to me about stranger things season five as of three days ago when i made my tumblr account (this is some stuff i riffed on from other theories and some things i came up with by myself):

- vecna has been singling out will from the beginning because of his connection to joyce when he was still henry creel as seen in the stranger things play

- vecna won’t be using will for the same purpose he did max and chrissy and others, he’ll be using him to turn into a second version of him, because it was henry who got sent into the upside down randomly as a little kid and got powers. will was kidnapped by henry and will be getting powers.

- vecna is going to drive will fucking insane. SO many reasons to believe this. he isn’t even going to be remotely like himself anymore, he will be so far gone. he’s not going to be evil, just like a shell of what he once was

- some of this insane driving will be done during episode four when we get the little will flashbacks.

- the reason will wont succumb to vecna is because he’s got a community of love and support. however, joyce and jonathan and el and the party won’t be quite enough to do it- it’s going to be byler that really gets will out of his trance. it’s going to be essentially a true love’s kiss situation because that’s another thing henry never had

- said kiss or confession will be done “on the other side” (a.k.a the upside down) per what was said in the bowie lyric in heroes. heroes acoustic always plays when mike loses will, and i have serious reason to believe that the actual bowie version of the song will play when we get the confession

- the painting is literally the most important part of mike and will’s entire season because the truth about it is going force mike to confront the situation in a deliberate, intentional way that he’s never had to before because before this point he’s never had will say to him specifically anything about his feelings

- as far as stancy vs jancy goes, i’d prefer jancy of course because i adore my girl nancy (look at my pfp for goodness sake), but i’m starting to think stancy is more likely. jonathan spent most of season four a little bit dumbed down by the writers unfortunately. i think they’re doing this to try and get our heads as the viewers around him not being there. i can see jonathan’s death as another way for vecna to fuck with will, and then there maybe being some kind of reconciliation plot between nancy and steve at the end of the season. i don’t know nearly as much about stancy/jancy as i do byler/mileven, so if anybody has a different perspective lmk!

- i saw a post saying alone by heart and listen to your heart by roxette will play in in this season and i kid you not both of those have been two of my favorite songs since i was like nine (emphasis on alone by heart) so like i would literally die

anyways these theories have just made me more excited for season five so it’s like omg

[castleclerics]

every byler scene involving el ends with will

look at this little discovery i just made !!

every scene where mike starts talking about el always ends with mike being focused on will instead (or only their relationship) by the end of the conversation (foreshadowing their endgame?)

2x02 - "eleven would" -> "crazy together"

3x03 - mike mentioning el/getting girlfriends and will tells him he thought they would basically spend their lives together and you can see the realization on mike's face then calls out for will to come back

4x04 - mike talking about him and el's fight -> "it's gonna be up to us again"

4x04 - "i was being a total jerk to el" and "i think i was focusing too much on el" -> mike telling will they should be a team

4x05 - mike venting to will about el -> will gives mike some advice from his own experience and mike almost says something in response to it....

4x08 - mike venting about el again -> will giving him the painting and mike picking up on will talking in code about himself which prompts this look because he's so happy he didn't actually lose him and he loves him :)

4x09 - mike talking about what brenner told el -> mike telling will they will kill vecna and finally physically reaching out to him

they couldn't be more obvious if they tried at this point byler endgame fr

EDIT:

(12/3/22)

omg i totally forgot to add the rinkomania fight and i just realized this is the only byler scene that starts with el and ends with el. i think it’s telling this is the only byler convo where will flat out asks what they are, also the one where mike is the most defensive he’s ever been to will. the convo where mike could’ve saved his own ass by telling will he did try to reach out a lot to will (but he doesn’t want him to know that obviously).

maybe it ends with el because mike is actively not letting will in when he knows he could. insanity.

[shoot1ngst4r]

What’s worse is that the same people who dump all over Billy Hargrove are the same people who are drooling all over Gator (Joe Keery’s character in Fargo.) And it literally drives me insane.

Like you’ll condemn a literal teenager who never got a chance to grow but the adult character with similar qualities who has an incredible amount of privilege that he gets from who his father gets a pass?

People who mention anything about Billy that isn’t negative or explore a possible Billy redemption that doesn’t end with him dying get so much hate but a post about Gator makes it rounds like wildfire.

Sorry for ranting. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about for awhile and your post got me all fired up about it again.

OMG THIS^^

like i’m not saying people can’t be attracted to more.. morally questionable characters (for a lack of better terms) because that’d be hypocritical of me but why do people give adults who know what they’re doing a pass for shitty behaviour but draw the line at an, at most, abused 18 year old?

i saw the same type of treatment with vecna/001/henry creel when s4 came out. like i kinda get (jamie campbell bower is 😍) but if you compare everything he did to everything Billy did and still think Billy is irredeemable but vecna isn’t… idk dude maybe you don’t care for victims of abuse

[klausinamarink]

klausi!! 🤍 i wanna bombard you with all these prompts but!!

91 "Don’t go on that date.” “Why?” “You know why.” “Say it." and/or 12 "I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified.”

or

64 "Can I hold your hand?” and/or 79 "i like being close to you. you’re warm."

am i being too demanding :/ feel free to ignore this mwah! 🫶

dio!!! omg so great to hear from you! And don’t you worry you’re not demanding! these prompts are fantastic and I hope I did them justice for you 🫡 hope you can excuse the slight length and lateness

—

Steve loves Eddie.

It’s a fact as obvious as the monsters underneath everyone’s feet that haunted his sleeping state for years. It’s the truth that he has since accepted as part of something under his heart and bones, but is well too aware that if released, it can be ugly for everyone else.

Even with Robin, Steve just knows that if he even mumbles a fucking vowel, her first reaction would be, “Eddie would not like you.”

Okay, that’s just disrespectful to his platonic soulmate. Her first reaction would definitely be happy gasping, begging for details, using his love advice against him and strike multiple tally marks on the YOU RULE whiteboard.

But everyone else? Yeah, Steve can already see the disgust and contempt on their faces.

It would hurt more if Eddie’s one of them.

But fuck it. Steve’s always been the ‘rip the bandaid off’ kind of guy, especially when it comes to crushes. That’s why he’s going to tell Eddie first, future heartbreak and emotional breakdown be damned.

So here he is: driving down the road to the countryside that’s more farmland than actual farmhouses to the new Munson home.

And just as if the gods are giving him pity, Eddie’s already in the long driveway, leading Lucky out of the horse trailer.

It had surprised everyone that Eddie’s new job post-Vecna was a farmhand for a nearby horse ranch. But there’s not really a lot of other positions in Hawkins that would accept a falsely accused man who now hates the town even more for the witch hunt. The ranch on the other hand hadn’t cared much about Eddie’s history and had been quick to hire him for training shortly after the move.

Steve parks on the roadside just front of the house. Eddie seems too attentive with Lucky to notice his car yet, a gloved hand always petting the horse’s snout as he gently pulls the reins to the direction of the massive yard. Eddie has a gentle smile on his face, the one where the dimples show and gives him a little glow to the face.

It makes Steve smile too.

Eddie just looks so much happier. 

He takes a deep breath and gets out of the car, the chilly November air and horse stink welcoming him. That snaps Eddie’s attention towards him, the smile breaking into a grin.

“Steve!” He cries out with a quick wave. Lucky gives a rather loud snort in greeting. 

“Hey, Eds.” Steve waves back before jerking a chin up to the golden-brown horse as he walks up. “Taking Lucky to a timeout again?”

Eddie snorts, shaking his head, “I swear this horse either likes me more or he’s being a bastard on purpose for his owners.”

Apparently, out of all of the horses in the ranch, Lucky is the more “devil’s child” (which Eddie had described with a voice of an old Texas man). Steve hasn’t witnessed the actions himself, but the stories range from nipping other horses to clomping the front of a vehicle into smithereens for no reason except for an undisclosed hatred to the human race.

So predictably, Eddie is one of the very few humans who have the privilege to be Lucky’s close friends. 

(“Honestly, I think this horse is an agent from the Upside Down. Steve, listen to me. I’ve faced a hoard of demobats but that horse scares me.” Eddie tells him one afternoon, just a week after being the new ranch hire. Steve listens to it all, but his eyes are on the ever wild gestures and lit cigarette dangerously close to burning his hair.

“If you’re afraid of it, then hasn’t it like,” Steve makes his best impression of a horse stomping someone to death.

Eddie snorts, taking a drag of his cigarette. “I guess I’m a braver motherfucker than I thought or Lucky just likes me better than the normal folk.”

I like you better too. Way more than the whole town. It’s not Steve’s first thought and it’s far from the last one he wishes to say alo.)

As Eddie leads Lucky alongside the fence of the pasture, Steve follows from behind, keeping a very safe distance from Lucky and his back legs of severe injury. Then Eddie opens the gate, letting Lucky run into the pasture. 

Steve puts his arms on the fence, watching the horse gallop around and kicking up dirt clouds. He looks over at Eddie, who’s mirroring him but his gaze is on Steve. He smiles again, making Steve’s heart do a double flip.

“What is it?” Steve asks.

Eddie doesn’t answer. He only shuffles closer until their sides are pressing to each other. Then he tucks his chin onto Steve’s shoulder, his nose brushing the cheek. “I like being close to you. You’re warm.” Eddie finally says in a hushed voice like he’s sharing a secret.

Steve almost says it.

He almost tells Eddie, “I love you.”

But the words don’t come out. They feel blocked in his mouth. Like there’s one last gate to go through and Steve can’t find the key for it. It feels like he’s back in high school, fresh faced and still navigating the brutal castle that would chew him up and spit him out.

It feels frustrating that when the perfect opportunity for the confession is literally leaning against him, he can’t say it.

He’s scared now. That he’ll spit it out like an afterthought or say something like “I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified” and have Eddie push him under Lucky’s hooves of death. 

Eddie’s still looking at him. His eyes are hooded but cautious. He looks vulnerable. With the rays of sunlight still shining behind him, he looks beautiful.

Steve glances down at their hands. They hang limp over the fence, their pinkies barely touching. He swallows and says in a similar hushed voice, “Can I hold your hand?”

Eddie’s expression warms, his smile turning more tender. He takes off his gloves and slowly wraps his hand around Steve’s. His palm feels too smooth and sweaty with his pulse going wild. 

It’s honestly perfect.

“This okay?” Eddie whispers.

Steve resists the urge to pinch between his eyebrows, hoping to blink away the sudden tears. “Yeah.”

Later, he would finally tell Eddie the three blessed words.

[crappymixtape]

crappymixtape recos

going to try and do this at least once a month – sharing fics that are on my reading list or have just blown me away ❤ so many talented writers on here omg 🥺 show them some love and BE KIND, REBLOG! xoxo, 💿

❤ “i’ll miss your forever” – @andvys ( you are winning the battle against Vecna but you are also losing as you get closer and closer to death • eddie x reader )

❤ “i’ve got you” *18+ only – @chestylarouxx ( TW: drugs // you go to a party, grudgingly, and find that maybe that joint you smoked wasn't just the weed you expected. an old friend takes care of you • eddie x reader )

❤ “star of the show” series – @supernovafics ( TW: asshole!steve // you're hoping for the best, perhaps even some sort of miracle, but from the first phone call to the first meeting, it's pretty clear that everything that has been said about him is oh so true • modern!actor!steve x reader )

❤ “can i try one” – @inkluvs ( request prompt with a cw: reader is a bit ditzy? a luna lovegood type beat ; petnames • steve x reader )

❤ “get off – the v-card” *18+ only – @palmtreesx3 ( steve and robin get jobs at a sex shop, ie. buckle the fuck up, omg • steve x reader & robin x oc )

❤ “’rari go fast, i know you like it” *18+only – @superblysubpar ( steve takes you for a ride after closing a big deal at dinner • rich!steve x reader )

❤ “all i really want is you” blurb series *18+ only – @loveshotzz ( TW: age gap // in between summer days, when the sun barely touches the sky, when no one else is awake, you start to fall in love )

❤ “sugar meets spice” series – @lofaewrites ( the summer of 86’ brings eddie munson 3 things- a diploma, an actual job & a pretty girl who seems to like him just as much as he likes her – needless to say, life is good • construction worker!eddie x waitress!reader )

❤ “if tomorrow never comes” series *18+ only – @sweetsweetjellybean ( TW: smut, mentions of self-harm & death // trapped in the upside down, steve is prepared to die alone until he finds you hurt and in need of help. doing your best to survive while the world catches fire, is there time for one more chapter in your story? • steve x reader )

❤ “half my heart” – @steveharringtonscarkeys ( very sad and kind of out of context steve angst and sadness • steve x reader )

❤ “a study in self-sufficiency” series – @sattlersquarry ( steve’s parents have plans for his future, but he’s starting to think he wants something else • steve x reader )

❤ “to be drunk and in love” – @theshireisburning-so-mordoritis ( drunk confessions, best friends to lovers, eddie being a menace and friends who are extremely touchy and too dumb to realise it's because they're in love • eddie x reader )

❤ “to be alone together” *18+ only – @katsu28 ( steve has to work on valentine’s day, but maybe it’s not as bad as he thought it would be • steve x reader )

❤ “hugs” – @sigh-mon-says ( TW: implied homophobia // steve Harrington hated hugs until you came along • steve x reader )

❤ “colorblind” – @livingintheupsidedown ( TW: trauma, panic attack, S4 spoilers // you can't decide if you should tell Steve how you feel or not, he makes that decision for you • steve x reader )

[stevie-petey]

okay hello hi, took entire 24 hours to process (it's 1am yet again) and now im here for insights !!!

firstly, i LOVE hopper and bug SOOOOO MUCH DUDE. YOU ATE WITH THEIR SCENES, THE CONCERN, THE CONNECTION, THE HUGGGGGGGG I FUCKING LOVE IT !!!! (can u tell i have daddy issues) and just now that their relationship was getting good, he goes & dies (lol) and will come back in the end of s4 ://///

also really wish to see more of murray x bug too, chaotic duo would love it !

the. casual. fucking. intimacy. between stug omg, it was there before too but it just HITS after they've kissed. lovely.

the seperation goodbye, especially with jon & nance <3

mind flayer is such a cockblock bruh, they're at a hill looking over hawkins and talking like screech later bitch.

reaching the mall, her sitting in steve's lap & SINGING NEVER ENDING STORY HELLO?????? kinda rlly wanted a suzie bug interaction (hoping you pull it off somehow)

the fucking mall scene. holy shit i had goosebumps, m. her running down AFTER KISSING STEVEEEEE and shit dude shit your foreshadowing went HARDDDDDDDD. billy saying he tried to find her?!?!?! still hate him but OMG?!?!?!?!

genuinely the foreshadowing is insane, bug already carries so much guilt but now billy AND hopper ON TOP OF will and maybe barb???? wow m wow i cannot fucking wait for s4 im so excited for EVERYTHING !!!!!! the vecna angst is gonna be CRAAAAAZZZZYYYY AND OH EXCITED ESPECIALLY FOR EDDIE X BUG !!!!! pls be a friendship pls be a friendship pls be a friendship pls be a friendship-

okay ANYWAY back to the chapter, steve and bug's conversation about her luck running out THEN THE LOVE CONFESSION !!!! I WENT FUCKING FERAL I TELL YOU LIKE GENUINELY I WAS SCREECHING IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT. literally could not be more PERFECT.

ik max and bug in s4 will be closer than ever, cannot wait to see that dynamic <3

okay the LOVERS LAKE SCENE ?????????????????? THE MAKING OUT ???????? THE I LOVE YOUS ???????? THE FUCKING BRACELET ???????? i was literally fanning my eyes trying not to cry because it was just so adorable and wholesome and i was MELTING. couldn't be anymore perfect.

the finding out of jon moving :((((

AND the goodbye scene :(((((

with joyce, with WILL !!!! love how she already knows about him and im sure she will be the first person he'll confide in :'))) i love their relationship so much, i will need some will x bug blurbs pls m.

and the goodbye with jon <!3 it was so emotional, alsoooo FOREHEAD TOUCHES ????? (loved it. adorable.) but nancy you're one STRONG soldier, i would NOT have tolerated lmao

anyway got real teary eyed during the end. and one tear dramatically rolled down my cheek as i finished reading but very grateful we have season 4 coming up next BUT THE BONUS CHAPTER BEFORE THAT I WILL BE WAITING EAGERLY FOR THAT !!!! bonus chapters are literally my favourite since it's completely m original and im a big m fan :3

so yes ! we're done with s3 insights, thanks for tuning in and thanks for DELIVERING. i will see you when the bonus drops, bye goodnight love you <3

TRUST if i ever get a chance to foreshadow ,,, im always taking it <333 i looooove foreshadowing its my drug tbh

and i LIVE for ur insights oh my god i giggled so hard reading everything

the main takeaway here im gonna focus on is jon n bug ,,,, because i really do want yall to know that theyre besties BUT (and i say this lightly) theyre obsessed with one another. nancy is also stronger than me, and i think season 4 will really show how lenient shes been with jon n bug. while theyve done well refraining from how they used to be (reminder they would cuddle and kiss each others cheek every day), theyre still realllllly close in a very uncomfortable way and bug will get a taste of her own medicine when nancy does it with steve lmao. yes, theyre childhood best friends, but christ they can be a lot to be near. bless nancy

AND BONUS CHAPTER !!! i have a few ideas where i want it to go, specifically a scene with bug and all the kids for their first day of high school. besides that: its fair game since we have a good few months to cover between seasons 3 and 4

[gayofthefae]

What if they pull a Will-Byers-season-4 and after the more ambiguous feelings season where it was a clowned on opinion that he was queer, they opened episode 1 with "yeah no shit he's gay and has feelings for Mike???? Idiot????"

Imagine they just pulled that shit again because I'm not gonna lie, from that perspective, it WAS hilarious the first time. "omg Will's not gay don't make everyone gay" episode 1: "No supernatural beings will hurt ANYBODY this week, Jonathan's definitely NOT a stoner, and Will TOTALLY likes girls"

I'm just saying it'd be gold because the buildup was gradual if you were paying attention - it's only sudden to people who committedly fought the interpretation. So episode 1 would actually make just as much sense for Mike as it did for Will, if not more - we had much less on Will in season 3 tbh.

They just open the season with "Plot A: the gate is open in Hawkins! Plot B: Will is connected to Vecna! Plot C: Mike has feelings for Will, what is he gonna do!" and they're like "yes that's the plot of the season what did you think it was gonna be? That he would be STRAIGHT??? Did you WATCH the show?? Damn, catch up. Anyways..."

[hotluncheddie]

OKAY I AM THE ANON WHO SENT IN THE CHUBBY!EDDIE THING ANF I AM FERAL AND BACK FOR MORE!!!

okay okay so. after vecna, not only does he have to take crazy meds to keep his fucking organs from shutting down, eddie becomes much more comfortable with snacking and not worrying about the expense of his food. the government payed him a good sum to stay quiet, and he uses it to support himself and wayne. this means all the treats he longed for as a little kid like chicharrones and twinkies would join the iron supplements and heads of broccoli in his shopping cart. he likes how it feels to get stoned and enjoy tasty foods, and when he and steve start dating, steve joins in the fun. cuddled on the couch with a bowl of carrots and ranch, the two pass a joint and steve encourages eddie to lean back into his chest. shirtless and giggly, eddie would gladly accept steve covering his neck and shoulders with kisses.

in terms of reconciling his new body, it was such an abrupt change but one that eddie welcomed. honestly the worst thing was he had found himself stuck between walls and furniture he used to be able to squeeze through more than once. he thought his stretch marks looked absolutely badass and metal, and he knows how much his body drives steve crazy. when he’s feeling mischievous, he’ll make sure to wear shirts that are just a touch too short and expose his belly on chore days (they always end with eddie pressed on the counter while steve fucks his thighs fast and hard). eddie’s almost like a house cat when people aren’t around. he used to struggle with sitting still, but now with steve to ground him and vice versa, the two love to lounge and eat and have mundane weekend conversations.

that isn’t to say there isn’t any sex. boy, there’s a lot of sex. the first places eddie noticed getting sensitive were under his new pooch, the delicate skin inside his thighs, and along his collarbone. however, as time went on, his wrists and love handles became noticeably more sensitive. the discovery of his wrists came one day when he and steve were making out and steve grabbed his wrists. he let out the most pathetic sound, which actually prompted steve to stop to check in. once it was discovered to be a welcome sound, steve held his wrists above his head while they rutted their cocks together, whispering praises in eddie’s ear. when eddie would fuck steve in gentle missionary late at night, the two loved nothing more than when steve grabbed eddie’s plush hips to guide his movements, eddie’s hairy belly rubbing against steve’s dick just right to make them both cum.

I HAVE WAY MORE THUS IS JUST HOW I’M AVOIDING STUDYING FOR A SPANISH QUIZ RIGHT NOW AHAHSHSHAHAHAHAJ CAN I BE 🦂 ANON?????

oh my god oh my goddddd 👹

!!!!🦂 anon!!! hello!!!!

going fucking crazy over this please send me chubby eddie hc's instead of working i beg i beg

obsessed with stoner boyfriend steddie omg and steve who just gets the worst fucking cotton mouth so he insists on buying all different kinds of sodas to see which helps the most. but he's too picky and never really likes what he gets enough to drink them all. and eddie just get fucking hungry and thirsty and just like needs something in his mouth at all times. like munchies so bad and he just ends up stealing steve’s soda bc he knows steve basically never likes them enough the finish the whole case. so eddie’s just in the habit of getting stoned and getting giggly and whiny for steve to get him more snacks, steve to share his soda, steve to rub his belly when he ends up too full and bloated bc he couldn’t feel it thru the weed. and steve just fucking giggles and dotes on him bc eddie get so cute and blushy and soft when he smokes himself into the couch. they watch dumb tv shows and make out for hours.

but the wrists!!! the sensitive wrists!!! you know steve uses that move all the time, pinning them above eddies head, before dipping to suck on his pecks because steve loves it when eddie gets stoned and too hot so he’s always shirtless in low slung sweats. or when eddie is reaching over to grab one of the twinkies hes obsessed with, steve stops him with a firm grip on his wrist, freezing eddie in his tracks, big brown eyes even bigger and pupils blown wide. steve grabbing the twinkie for him, slipping into eddies lap, strong thighs across eddies plush ones, groin up against eddies lower belly, only two thin pieces of material between them. hand still firmly on eddie wrist as he opens the twinkie with his teeth, leaning in slow to hold it up to eddies mouth. eddie keeps his other wrist perfectly still as if it’s being healed down too, opens his mouth slowly, eyes jumping form steve to the cake and back again. eddie being so sweet and good that steve has to prompt him to ‘bite down, that’s it.’ both their cocks hard and wet and pushing up agains eddie’s chub…

and fucking oh my god! eddie’s soft belly rubbing agains steve dick as they fuck and hold hands and stare into each others eyes and make love!!

and eddie who never had enough, always part of the clean plate club, never lets food go to waste. who can afford now to have a full plate, two plates, if he really wants. and fuck, lately he really wants. so he does.

and eddie not fitting thru spaces the same as he used to, getting squished when he leans to get something between the couch and recliner and between the counter and the table in the kitchen. knocking over things on his beside table because now he actually has an ass. and steve getting hard in like 2.5 second whenever he catches a glimpse of eddie’s struggle, the way he always gets a glimps of love handle or lower belly because eddie’s movements still get a little wild, he flails a little to get unstuck. but really he is just a big house cat now, so much more used to lounging and resting because he had to in order to recover. so they have lots of time to mess around, try different things, really play with how eddie’s body is changing and how they keep wanting it to change. planning together for the day when everything lines up just right. eddie’s a little stuck somewhere, enough to really feel it and maybe actually believe it. maybe it’s christmas time so it plays up nicely with the little extra hes put on, overindulging and feeling it all over. steve coming over to grope him, use him while he’s incapacitated (he’s not really but it’s hot). maybe not even touching him much, steve staying fully dressed, just peeling away eddie’s too tight shirt and underwear, playing lightly with his hole, one finger stroking his thighs, light kisses over his shoulders and collarbones, watching parts on him jump and each soft touch. steve just enjoying seeing eddie trapped and plump and squirming…

and those new stretch marks mixing with his new scars into this pink, red watercolour that just makes him feel so unique and badass. it’s like his death, survival and life all there in his skin. but eddie would sooo show it off, cropping his new baggier shirts but keeping some of his old ones too. now skin tight and obscene. and steve is just obsessed, always groping and squeezing eddie if he dares to wear an old one around the house, never getting to stray far and always getting a good solid orgasm if eddie slips one on to tease.

also obsessed with the idea of pre relationship steve getting it in his head that eddie’s too skinny. that he needs more nutrients. making him hearty foods packed with vegetables, making flapjacks full of nuts and raisins. hands eddie a big portion teasing ‘bet you can’t finish it’ and somehow it just makes this electricity buzz between them. the push pull of it. the eddie wanting to please and steve wanting to offer. and then it keeps going, steve offering eddie a spoon to taste, saying he made it just for him. ‘bet you can’t’ knowing he can. ‘bet i can’ knowing he will, that they both want to.

*this is so many thoughts on different tangents aaaaaaa hope it’s okay!!!

[hercynianforest]

Hello :) i'm here for some stancy headcanon-stuff!

Robin&Vickie and Steve&Nancy have a double date together after they defeat Vecna and life is back to normal. Where all have silly fun together and how Robin and Steve tease each other about how Steve always knew since the beginning that Vickie is the right girl for Robin. Just like Robin knew and felt, that Steve and Nancy belong together.

Steve and Nancy have finally their missed romantic dance together, since they didn't have the chance at the snow ball back then. Maybe even while "their" song Africa by Toto is playing.

Steve and Nancy say their iconic lines to each other, but this time it's the other way around: "You're beautiful, Steve Harrington", after Nancy realized how handsome Steve is. From the inside and outside. "You're an idiot, Nancy Wheeler" after Nancy did or said something funny/goofy. Learning from him how to relax more. :)

Steve and Nancy are travelling with an Rv, similar to the one we saw in season 4. They're going on many adventures together, exploring different beautiful places, like the ones, Steve mentioned in the last season. They are enjoying each others company and have a great, romantic time, like watching the sunset on a beach. Being "the most important part" in their mutual dream. And when the time feels right, everything can be possible... maybe even some little nuggets.

Steve and Nancy sitting next to each other in her room and are smiling about the love letter Steve wrote to Nancy back then, after she found it again. And while doing so, Steve says, that he knew since the beginning that she is the one for him. And Nancy reveals that she couldn't throw the letter away, even after all these years, because it was too important to her.

Maybe i could give you some Inspiration. :)

Omg, these are all so beautiful, ASDFGHJKL - thank you so much!🥹🥰💗

Seriously, I can't say which one is my favourite. I also headcanon Stancy and Rovickie going out together after all is safe again. Steve even suggested something like this to Nancy in the Creel house, though of course he never would have imagined it to be a double date.

Ah, and I love the idea of Steve and Nancy having a very belated Snow Ball dance! I forgot in which scene "Africa" was playing, but it sure fits them!

Steve wrote Nancy a love letter?!😳???????? When? How? Where? What did I miss here?🤯

Aaaaaaaaaah, and the swapping of their lines! I love it!!!!😍😍😍🫠🫠🫠

And of course travelling together - I really loved how Steve describing his dream in s4 painted a perfect opposite picture to the loveless marriage of Nancy's parents, which Jonathan painted as her fate if she stuck with Steve, during their argument in s1. It's also beautiful for Steve to share this vulnerable side of him with her, when in s2 he talked about ending up working for his father, in a defeated way.

I definitely wanna do something with these, probably more than I have time for, but the wheels are turning!😁🙏❤️

[andiwriteordie]

omg??? congrats!! so well deserved <3

hmm. what abt wheelclair friendship where Mike has his “oh” moment while Lucas is talking abt how he feels abt Max? maybe they have a chat abt it? I j love them <3 ;__;

ahh!! hi, thank you so so much!

i got carried away with this one, WOOPSIE. can you tell i love wheelclair friendship? like HELLO I LOVE THEM.

hope you enjoy! (also. highly recommend listening to this song it is very byler coded!)

—

wherever i'm going, i'm going with you

Today’s Mike’s day to sit at the hospital with Lucas and Max.

It’s been nearly six months now that Max has been in a coma—nearly six months since Vecna nearly killed her and ripped open the gates in Hawkins. Nearly six months since the Upside Down first began bleeding into Hawkins and nearly six months Will’s nightmares, caused by his growing connection to Vecna, first began. 

It’s been nearly six months, there’s no end in sight, and Mike feels completely useless.

Seriously. There’s nothing that he can do right now—nothing that any of them can do but sit and wait until Vecna strikes. The only good thing about Will’s connection to this asshole is the fact that they can somewhat monitor him as well and at least get a basic understanding of what Vecna’s state is. He’s still injured, according to Will. He’s not in any condition to strike and to come after them again.

So, now… all they can do is wait.

Talk about the world’s slowest apocalypse. 

In the meantime, Mike tries to keep himself busy. Things… don’t really go back to normal, but he tries to find normalcy in any way that he can. He goes to the makeshift shelters often and volunteers with Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Robin’s friend, Vicki. Will tags along sometimes, but a lot of days, he’s exhausted from being unable to sleep well at night, so Joyce makes him stay at home more often than not.

(Will hates it, but he doesn’t ever say anything to Joyce about it. Instead, he rants to Mike about it on the nights when neither of them can sleep—sharing his thoughts about how this type of thing makes him feel so pathetic and like his life will never be normal. Like… like he’ll always be different because of what has happened to him.

His words feel hauntingly familiar, and some night, after Will does manage to fall asleep, Mike finds himself staring up at the painting that had been gifted to him just six months ago.

He doesn’t dare fall down that rabbit hole though, lest… lest he find himself with many, many questions he doesn’t wanna deal with.)

On top of going to the shelter, the Party also takes turns sitting with Lucas and Max at the hospital. They have a schedule planned out, and between the four of them plus Steve and Erica, they always try to make sure Lucas isn’t alone at the hospital. 

He shouldn’t be alone. He shouldn’t. 

And so, that’s exactly why Mike finds himself sitting in the chair opposite from Lucas and listening to him read the newest novel he’d chosen to read to their comatose friend. He’s reading The Two Towers—one of Mike’s personal favorites, actually.

“'Master, dear master!' said Sam, and through a long silence waited, listening in vain,” Lucas reads, and Mike looks up, a pit growing in his stomach.

He knows this scene. Oh God… Mike knows this scene, and judging by the way Lucas’s hands are clenched tightly around his books, he knows it too.

“Then as quickly as he could he cut away the binding cords and laid his head upon Frodo's breast and to his mouth, but no stir of life could he find, nor feel the faintest flutter of the heart,” Lucas reads, his voice getting quieter as he continues the paragraph. “Often he chafed his master's hands and feet, and touched his brow, but all were cold.”

“Lucas,” Mike starts to say, his own voice soft, but his words are lost to the sound of Lucas continuing the passage of the book.

“'Frodo, Mr. Frodo!' he called. 'Don't leave me here alone! It's your Sam calling. Don't go where I can't follow! Wake up, Mr. Frodo! O wake up, Frodo, me dear, me dear. Wake up!’” Lucas reads, and his voice breaks.

The room goes impossibly quiet, and Mike holds his breath, watching his best friend carefully.

He… he doesn’t have the right words to say. It feels like a common problem nowadays. Back when he was younger, Mike always felt like he knew what to say to make his friends feel better. He’s a writer, a storyteller for God’s sake. Words are kind of his things.

But nowadays, he never seems to know what to say to help anyone.

So, Mike just swallows the lump in his throat, and he whispers, “I… I’m so sorry, Lucas.”

It’s the first time he’s said those words aloud, but God, Mike has been thinking them. He’s been thinking about them ever since he first heard about what happened to Max from Dustin. He’s been thinking about these words every single day he’s come and sat with Max and Lucas, and he’s been thinking about these words every night that Will wakes up, breathless and terrified from another nightmarish encounter with the monster tormenting everyone’s lives.

"Don’t go where I can’t follow," Sam had said—desperate and pleading and terrified.

Oh, how Mike knows what that feels like.

And Lucas does too.

Lucas looks up hesitantly. There’s a watery look in his eyes, and he meets Mike’s gaze, before taking a shuddered breath. “I miss her,” he admits, his voice impossibly soft. “God, Mike… you have no idea how much I miss her.”

Though he doesn’t actually say it, Mike knows from talking with Dustin and with Will that Lucas… really hasn’t opened up to anyone. The person who has had the biggest breakthrough with him has been El, but even then, Lucas really has kept most of his pain and grief to himself. 

It feels like bitter irony, considering the fact that this is exactly how Vecna had been able to target Max.

“I know you do,” Mike whispers back. “God… I know, Lucas. And I… I’m so sorry.”

The words don’t feel nearly big enough, and that sucks. But somehow, they must help, because Lucas manages a shaky breath and wipes his arms on his sleeve. 

“I keep thinking about what I could’ve done differently that week, you know,” he confesses, looking down at Max now. “About… how maybe if I’d been just a little faster, or if I’d made one different decision… maybe I could’ve prevented this. Maybe… maybe she’d still be here.”

Mike can’t help but flinch. The lump in the back of his throat grows, and he… he can’t help but think back to his own regrets—ones he’s had all the way back since 1983. An old memory replay over and over again in Mike’s mind—haunting him and reminding him of how his own mistake could’ve prevented so much pain.

“It was a seven.”

“Huh?”

“The roll, it was a seven. The demogorgon… it got me.”

…

“Well, see you tomorrow!”

“I get that,” Mike finally manages to say, and he swallows the lump in his throat. “I… I think I get that.”

For a moment, Lucas is quiet, like he doesn’t know what to say. Then, finally, he murmurs, “Right… I… I bet you would think about that stuff a lot when El was missing that year… after the fight with the demogorgon.”

The words are a gut punch, and Mike’s breath catches.

Why…. God, why hadn’t he been thinking of El? Obviously… obviously, Mike felt guilty about that instance too, but… that hadn’t been his first thought, even though El used to be his girlfriend and everyone still expects them to get back together someday.

But the truth is… El is rarely the first person that Mike thinks about… in any circumstances nowadays.

It’s always Will.

…

Why? something in the back of Mike’s mind wonders, and he can’t help but look at Lucas and Max curiously. There’s a gentle gaze on Lucas’s face, and he reaches up, brushing some of Max’s hair from her face.

Why is it that Mike always thinks about Will? Why is it that Will takes up so much space in Mike’s mind and heart—to the point where Mike had noticed the difference in that year that the two of them barely spoke? Will’s his best friend, sure, but… but so is Lucas. And so is Dustin. But Mike doesn’t think about them this much, and… and he can’t imagine himself doing the same things for Lucas and Dustin that he would for Will.

If Will was ever in Max’s position, Mike knows he would be just like Lucas—faithfully sitting by Will’s side and waiting for him to wake up. Hell, it was only for a couple days, but Mike did that, just a couple years ago when Will was suffering through his possession. Mike would’ve stayed for as long as Will needed him. He knows he would’ve.

But why?

You know why, that voice in the back of Mike’s mind whispers, and Mike’s breath catches as he watches Lucas press a gentle kiss to Max’s forehead. You know why.

…

Oh.

Oh.

…

Oh, shit.

The lump in Mike’s throat grows, and his heart pounds inside his chest as this newfound revelation begins to sink in. Suddenly, it feels as though the blinds have been opened, or like he’s finally seen the light, or like the last piece of the puzzle has finally slotted into place, allowing him to solve the mystery of why things have always been different with Will.

…

Mike is in love with Will.

…

Mike is in love with Will.

Holy fucking shit.

“Lucas,” Mike blurts out, before he can stop himself. His heart continues to beat nervously—thump, thump, thump—and Mike forces himself to take a deep breath… in and out. In and out.

Lucas looks up, a confused expression on his face. “Um… yeah?”

“I… I wasn’t talking about El,” Mike whispers, watching as a confused expression forms on Lucas’s face. “And I… I think I just realized something, and to be completely honest with you, I am freaking out right now, and honest to God, I should just shut up before I say something I regret, and—”

“Mike,” Lucas interrupts sharply, and Mike closes his mouth, still staring at his best friend with wide eyes. “Dude, okay… first of all, breathe. Second of all… what are you talking about? If… if you weren’t talking about El, then who were you…”

His voice trails off. Mike can pinpoint the exact moment that Lucas makes the same realization he did, and Lucas stares at him with wide eyes. “Oh, shit.”

“Yeah, ‘oh shit,’” Mike echoes, the panic still rising in his chest. His face feels like it’s burning up, and he runs a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends. “Lucas, I don’t… what do I… I’m not supposed to…”

The words fall flat again, and as tears sting Mike’s eyes, he looks away, lest Lucas see him cry over this. Fuck. This is bad. This is bad, and Mike has no idea what he’s going to do here. He’s officially fallen down the rabbit hole, and there’s no turning back now.

“Hey,” Lucas says softly, and Mike looks up, tentatively meeting his best friend’s eyes. “Let’s just… let’s not freak out or anything. I mean… there’s nothing wrong if you do feel that way for Will… but… but let’s just try to figure this out first. Okay? Nobody has to know but you and me.”

“Right, right. You’re right.” Mike takes a deep breath again—in and out. Okay. It’ll be fine. Maybe he’s just overthinking all of this, or… or maybe he’s not. But for better or for worse… this is happening. He’s down the rabbit hole, and he’s dragged poor Lucas in with him. 

“What makes you think that… that you might feel that way for him?” Lucas asks gently. 

It’s a loaded question, but then again, it’s not. It’s really, really not, especially when Mike stops to think about all the moments in his own life—staying by Will’s side through thick and thin and doing anything to make sure that Will is protected and safe and cared for. All those moments… they parallel exactly what Lucas is doing for Max right now. The similarities are undeniable.

Mike glances away from Lucas to look at Max, then back at Lucas again, and with a shuddered breath, he whispers, “Because I’d follow him anywhere, Lucas.”

Just like you’d follow her anywhere.

“Don't leave me here alone,” Sam had cried, in the passage of the book Lucas had just read. “Don’t go where I can’t follow.”

Mike doesn’t have to say anything else.

Because better than anyone else in the world, Lucas gets it.

[byleriscanon713by]

So I might be reading too far into this but I took the duffers funko pop thing and sorted it

Code:

Yellow- friend pairings

Green: romantic pairings

Blue: familial pairings

Red: not currently present

Okay so we’ll get into the friendship parings first.

So I think will and robin will get to have a fun friendship this season. I think they prob want robin to hang out with someone other than Steve and Nancy so will and her would bond well since they’re both part of the lgbtq+ community. I also think there’s potential for her to help in the buildup for byler. i also see a lot of potential for Mike and Lucas to kind of mend their friendships that’s always been a little rocky throughout the seasons. I think they’ll get some (not a large amount) of interaction together to kind of mend their holes throughout the seasons. I also have seen the theory that Lucas will be integral in helping Mike realize his feelings for Mike which is possible. It’s 50/50 but I do think Lucas may just say something unintentionally that triggers Mike into being like “oh god I’m a homosexual.” (Even tho he probably ALR knows that from the ending of season 3)

The Dustin/Johnathan/Nancy/Steve pairing is interesting and I think it’s gonna be a great quartet thing-a-ma-bobber. So we know Dustin and Steve are joined at the hip and Nancy and Johnathan are also super close so they’ll def stick together. However we’ve also seen previs’ of steve and Johnathan having a conversation in episode 1 of st5 so I think the two of them will become friends. There was also a previs from episode 5 I believe and it looks like they’re in the upside down and you could see Dustin in the passenger seat of a car and Nancy and Johnathan in the back. I think it’d be weird for Dustin to just casually be hanging w/ Nancy and Johnathan so I bet Steve is driving. Also, we know Eleven is gonna be an integral part of the series and so is Will, so the four of them kind of are on the outskirts a little. They’ll prob have a more separate storyline where they’re discovering things unrelated to the core problem. Now why would robin and Lucas not be with that group? Well Lucas just lost max so I think he might need some separation time from that group and he might want to rekindle with mike and will cuz he was kind of distant with them in season 4. I think Robin may be with that group part time, but I also think she may take up some sort of fondness for Will where she wants to protect him (especially if he’s susceptible to vecna) Also if Will is susceptible to Vecna, Lucas has seen Max get vecnad and saved her the first time so he might have that instinct to “I need to save Will since I didn’t save Max.” Robin may be there because she’s the one who discovered the whole music thing and she may want to be wills lesbian protector idk. And obvious mike would want to be there but we’ll get into that later.

Now why did I put Steve/Nancy/Jonathan in green? I think they’re gonna be a love triangle. Not the love triangle where they all date, but just the fact that Steve and Johnathan are both obviously pining over Nancy. As much as I hate admitting it, I think stancy is endgame with the way they set them up in st4. I also think there’s a large possibility of Johnathan well… perishing. I’ve seen a lot of people saying “omg stonathan” cuz they saw Steve and Johnathan touching heads in that photo but I am skeptical of stonathan ever happening. I think they’ll be friends, but I think the head touching could still meaning there’s some head butting over Nancy going on. They both love her so I do think they’ll both have romantic moments throughout the season with her. Idk. That love triangle is quite a mystery. Let’s get into the best ship: Byler! I believe Byler is endgame and I could go on for probably eight hours about all the proof and all the queer coding they’ve gone through. Now why do I think byler is a logical thing going to happen in a straight to the point way? Well you saw Mike at the end of st4 when Will was talking abt feeling Vecna. Mike looked terrified. Mike has that instinct of needing to protect Will, and I think as st4 went on Mike started gaining it back and releasing el didn’t love him as much and that will was the one who needed him. The duffers have also teased a lot about circling back to the og relationships and dynamics from st1, but they’ve also said a lot of it is based on st2. Now in st2 Mike was practically attached to Will since he was possessed by the mid flayer. I am 100% sure Will is going to be under Vecnas trance and I’m pretty sure that’ll happen early in the season. I think once Mike sees that he’ll snap right back into his protector mode and be joined to Will for the rest of the season. From there, the potential of the painting being recalled and basically them confessing their love is quite obvious. I’m not gonna get too into byler here but it you love hearing about byler you should follow me cuz I post about them a lot :) (Also if your a st account or like any fandom I’m interested in I’ll prob follow u back and stalk ur page cuz I adore reading yalls theories and fics and ahhhh)

Now let’s get into the familial relationship!!! I forgot to circle Joyce and hopper in green but that’s okay cuz they’re endgame and it’s obvious. Now since Joyce lost hopper for so long and it took so much tension building over the seasons for them to get together, I think they’ll be partnered up again. They typically are anyways. I think Eleven will also be with them. I think Eleven is going to break up with Mike and become her own character. Now I think eleven is going to die at the end of the season by using all her powers and instead of fainting, destroying the upside down for good and killing herself in the process. I think it’s a full circle but also depressing and plausible ending for her. It’s very likely. This season I think they’re going to focus on her character. In every season her character has either been based on her powers or on being mikes girlfriend. I think her having time with Hoppet and Joyce will give her some good character qualities and depth that we haven’t seen. She’s also reeling from the death of Max and I feel she’ll just want some space (especially from what we see at the end of st4) However she also misses Hopper cuz he was the primary influence in her life and personally I think he loves her more than anymore. She wants to makeup for the lost time with him. Also wherever hopper is Joyce will be too, especially since she’s always had that kind of motherly dynamic towards El (and she is her mom now technically.) I’m just so excited for el to finally get to be her own person.

Lastly I think Max will be MIA for a while. I think that she will come back but not until later. She may help fight Vecna from inside his mind, but I doubt she will truly not come back till Eleven is able to kill vecna. Not seeing Sadie sink in this season much would kill me cuz I love her, but it’s realistic.

Anyways thank you so much for reading this super long rant!!! Reblog and add your opinions cuz I would die to see them. Like I love hearing new theories!

[1lostsoul0fishbowl]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by the absolutely lovely @staceymcgillicuddy and my wondrous darling @pearlypairings - thank you both! 🥰

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

15, 13 of which are complete and the last two very nearly finished. 😭

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

365,528 and counting. I’m a rambler!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only Stranger Things… nothing else has grabbed my attention quite the way s4 did.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

With a Little Help From My Friends (my ultra-long found family fic)

Why Should I Cry For You (that one surprised me, it came from way behind!)

Not-so-iron Maiden (Eddie & Max sibling supremacy)

Tattoos and Trash Talk (Eddie and El bonding)

the shield and the shepherd (my very first fic! Eddie and Chrissy falling in love without Vecna in the way)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do! I’m absolutely tickled every time somebody likes something I wrote enough that they take the time to leave me a comment about it. I’ve even made a few friends that way!

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably Into the Shining Sun? Even then, it’s angst with a very hopeful note to it. There’s enough angst in my real life; I like everything in my fics to turn out okay.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

So far, With a Little Help, because it ended with Eddie and Chrissy’s wedding!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully, I haven’t. I honestly think it will break my heart if it ever happens. I stumbled completely by accident across a post here on tumblr hating on GreatMage and I literally cried about that for two days. (Shameful!)

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Nope, I live firmly in the fluff zone. All of my fics are rated a very mild T.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Haven’t tried one yet, but maybe someday, if I can think of a good idea!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. How would I even know that? 🤔

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not yet, but @pearlypairings and I have kicked around a few fun ideas and someday we are going to make Clarkelley happen!

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

This is a nearly impossible question.

15. What’s a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I’ve only got two WIPs and they’re both almost done, so— none!

16. What are your writing strengths?

Omg, I don’t even know, honestly. Umm… I guess building friendships and relationships between characters?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Anything outside of my comfort zone. I have a tiny little box I tend to stay in, and refuse to even try branching out.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

With the help of Google Translate, I’ve scattered some bits of Welsh dialogue here and there throughout Next Time I Fall. Apparently I got most of it wrong. So I don’t think I’ll try any other languages unless I’m actually familiar with them!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Probably X-Files? And then there was that random embarrassing NSYNC stuff… we won’t talk about that. Those were all just scribbled in old journals, though. I never actually posted anything publicly until I found Ao3 last year.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I think each one is my favorite while I’m working on it! But I think I have to say Next Time I Fall, because the response to it was so much more than I expected, and people’s engagement with and investment in the story has given me so much joy.

Randomly tagging @tnmdfhgkg @saltyseagoat83 @sokkas-first-fangirl

and for anyone else who sees this and feels like sharing, 🫵 *boop* I tag you!

[ebongawk]

for heart begins to beat, 3, 4, 14

omg 🥺🥺 thank you for asking about my undead babies 🖤 heart begins to beat:

3. what's your favorite line of narration? omg ok maybe it's out of pocket but writing from Vecna's perspective near the end of the story was SO weird and gross and cool:

All it took was one child – one nearly as feared as he – to become the catalyst.  To upend the carefully structured monotony derived from people playing with chemical compounds they did not comprehend. The correct composition may have given them the army they so desired. Alas…  They constructed a most gorgeous explosion instead. And he may have been the bomb, but she was the fire he needed to spark his wick to life.

4. what's your favorite line of dialogue? I'm gonna post like a whole lil section from the second chapter and I don't want to be called out about it:

“I’m glad you did, Eddie,” she said, unable to keep the hitch from her voice.  “I’m glad you lived.” When he finally, finally met her gaze, the well of sadness painted behind his chocolate brown irises was ancient.  As deep and unending as the eyes she was forced to face every day.  The stare she couldn’t stand for more than a second. The stranger in her mirror drawn in midday pastels across another person’s face.  Across Eddie’s face. Squeezing her hand in turn, he rasped, “That makes one of us, Cunningham.”

14. is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic? yeah I wanted you all to know that I'm a better writer than the Duffer bros - not that that's saying much - and that canon is shit (no but honestly, the entire point of this story was to explore the emotional roller coaster that is grief. the way it presents itself as hideous monsters hidden within dark, demented dreams. the guilt of being a survivor when maybe you shouldn't have, and the emotional transformation these difficulties put people through.)

fanfic ask meme!