#romantic elmax

[satanismybestie4427]

Can we just collectively agree that Will and Mike are these codependent little bitches who make fun of El and Max for also being codependent. Like Mike will make fun of Max for being around El all the time meanwhile he hasn’t left Will’s side all day.

[byler-alarmist]

Whether romantic or platonic......Elmax are kinda.....the best? Whatever they've got, I truly believe in it

[willthespy]

elmax should watch the barbie movie

[runninguplenorahills]

I just can’t get over the fact that they made El take Max’s advice from s3 in s4!!! Just a little hint that the distance didn’t stop El from adoring Max <3

[thatonesongyouretryingtoremember]

✨️BEACH Episode✨️

Ft. Max's rapidly sunburning skin and El's cheap novelty glasses.

This is when they're maybe fifteen years old <2

Image Description in alt text <2

I'm not too happy with El's jorts, but I got some pose practice with Max! Hopefully her arms look bent and not just short lol. If you have something about her crutches that I should fix next time, just do it in the replies, or I've got anons on :)

[lesbobyler]

we used to be a proper country.

[thesapphicsoldier]

“Fell first, fell harder” this, and “one partner would do anything for the other” that. What I really love is when both people are equally head over heels for each other.

When they both think each other are the coolest people they’ve ever met (bonus points if neither of them are very cool). When they both freak out after they get together and have a hard time believing it’s real. When they both get a little bit jealous when someone flirts with the other. When they both love showing each other off because they’re so proud that they get to be with a person like them. When they’d both go insane if someone dared to touch a hair on the other’s head. When one of them says that the other deserves better and they’re really confused because “wdym?? You’re the one that deserves better!”

I don’t get the craze of making one partner hopelessly in love when they could both be hopelessly in love, and that’s so much more beautiful and endearing to me.

[80shorrorstory]

The progression of me watching stranger things:

St1: gay...?

St2: gay.

St3: gay!

St4: GAYGAYAGAYGAYGAYGAY

[demadogs]

you ever think about how max just dragged el to the mall to have a fun day with her and el didnt know what they were doing until they got there so she probably didnt think to grab money or maybe hopper hasnt even told her how money works yet so max probably bought her all those clothes

[elekinetic]

dear el,

i’m sorry i didn’t call you more. god, that feels like such a stupid way to start this letter, but i have a feeling this’ll mostly be apologies, so i might as well start with one.

i’m sorry that i haven’t been around as much. i’m sure mike told you that i was being a total asshole and ignoring like, everyone. and he’s right, which is stupid and i hate it, but he’s right. it was never about you, okay? i’ve just been dealing with so much shit in my own head and… well, i guess i thought it would be easier if you didn’t have to worry about me anymore. i know you were worried about me, and i know pulling away probably only freaked you out more, and i’m sorry. you deserve better than m that.

it’s weird, going through this whole thing again but without you. i keep thinking i’m gonna turn around and you’ll be there with some great plan to save the day. and i’m sorry—again—that i wish you were here. you deserve to be free of all this bullshit.

when we started hanging out last summer, i remember thinking, okay max. you’re gonna just treat her like a normal person, because no one else does. and you’re not normal, you’re like, totally cool and awesome and so brave… i just wanted to be someone you didn’t have to be brave for.

i need you to promise me something. like, actually promise me, and follow through on it. it’s my “dying wish,” or whatever.

don’t blame yourself. this is not your fault. i’m not saying that to say it, or to make you feel better, because if you’re reading this then…. well, everything’s probably really fucking shitty right now. this is not your fault. i had as much of a role in this as “vecna” did, okay? i knew what i was getting into. i need you to know that no matter what happens, you are like, my favorite person. you’re the best person i know. all you do is help people and love people, even when they don’t deserve it. i need you to promise me you’re gonna do that for you too, because you do deserve it.

and i need you to do one more thing for me. and i’m sorry that i keep telling you things i need because it feels like that’s all anyone ever asks of you, like, what can you do for them, or whatever. but that’s what i’m trying to say here.

i need you to be selfish. don’t be a hero. get the hell out of hawkins and lenora and all this small town bullshit, and make a life for yourself somewhere where you can do whatever you want. whatever you like to do. and if that’s with mike or whoever, i don’t know and i don’t care. just put yourself first.

i’m sorry i haven’t been the greatest friend lately. and i’m sorry that it’s gonna hurt you for me to not be here. i wish we had more time. but, you know, the time we did have was pretty bitchin’, right?

i miss you. i love you.

your grateful best friend,

- max

p.s. apparently the whole thing with fighting vecna is “hiding in the light,” or like, good memories. when he comes for me, im gonna be thinking about you. so, you know, even if this goes bad… you helped. just you being you. thanks.

[menaceadored]

Heard this song and thought of them

- an elmax edit I made months ago

[polyamorous-eleven]

Max’s protectors. 

[byler-alarmist]

Why is no one talking about the Byler and Elmax parallel?

I'm guessing it's either:

A. They think that to compare Byler to Elmax would mean that Byler is platonic

B. They'd rather die than admit there could be a romantic vibe to the Elmax nosebleed wiping scene

Listen, even if Elmax is only platonic, I don't think it means that Byler is platonic if they have a scene mirroring Elmax's. At the end of the day, Byler ARE best friends, and their romance grew from that friendship.

Either way, Will and El both had someone truly care for them on a deeper level than their other friends. Mike for Will and Max for El. Someone who sees and loves them for who they really are.

[fruitbythefoot7]

they make me so happy 💕💕

[runninguplenorahills]

Since I’ve already posted something about Elmax today, here’s a quick for fun analysis on a screenshot of one of their scenes in s3

Butterflies

In the context of relationships butterflies often symbolize having a crush or falling in love due to the expression “butterflies in your stomach” and seeing two butterflies together is symbolic of both romantic and platonic love. Since both butterflies are next to their heads this can be interpreted as Max and El having both platonic as well as romantic thoughts about each other.

Butterflies are also representative of transformation and good luck within that transformation which can translate to Max being a lucky charm on El’s journey of transforming herself into the person she really is.

Rainbows and colors

Of course, the rainbow is a symbol for queer love and since it consists of a lot of different colors colorful imagery in general is used to hint at queer romance. I personally interpret the fact that Max is wearing the rainbows as Max being aware of her queerness and aware of her romantic feelings for El while the fact that El is wearing miscellaneous colorful shapes means that while she is aware of her romantic feelings for Max she simply doesn’t know that that makes her queer [because she isn’t familiar with the concept].

Rainbows also represent hope, positivity and harmony which can translate to Max having a positive influence on El and them sharing a harmonious friendship as well as the fact that El’s interactions with Max in s3 gave her new hope for a better life experience.

The Valentine’s cards

The fact that Mike’s Valentine’s cards are framed behind Max hints at the fact that not only is Max having romantic thoughts addressed to El in this scene but that El sees Max as a romantic love interest as well.

The Valentine’s cards are also visually supporting the fact that Max and El are talking about if Mike is a good kisser in this scene so they have multiple purposes.

The Mirror

Mirrors oftentimes represent the reflection of the truth meaning that the mirror in between Max and El reflects that the implied romantic feelings between those two do in fact exist. It’s true that they’re not only thinking of each other platonically but also in a romantic context.

Bonus

[upsidedog]

max mayfield is 7 years old, like kelly green and annie johnson, who are her best friends. she isn’t their’s, she knows this. like she knows kelly will live in a mansion, become a princess and drive a lamborghini with her twelve kids and husband, tom simon, her seat partner. kelly’s happy, obviously, she cheated, she always cheats at m.a.s.h, but max is happy for kelly anyway, she tells her. max is marrying annie’s dad, the other girls gag at the idea, she makes a joke about marrying rich “like grandma said my mom should’ve!” max laughs too loud, no response from the girls. “i’m glad she didn’t though cuz i love my dad…” she specifies. this embarrassment doesn’t stop her from squealing at her own barf joke later on, she repeats it in case kelly and ann didn’t hear. “she’s so annoying, do we have to keep hanging out with her? your guy’s moms aren’t even friends anymore.” kelly pleads after recess, max knows they know she can hear them.

max mayfield is 9 years old, she and billy hargrove recently became siblings, legally at least, billy would not call them that, max doesn’t care. and not in the way that she’s feigning chillness to seem on top of things, but in the way that she knows if she plays her cards right she can prove herself as someone worth calling a sister. “that jacket makes you look like a dyke.” billy says, he and his friends pool into the backyard. a month ago she’d ask if she could play with them, but she’s smarter now, she’s no longer a pussy, she’s a dyke, its change, it’s progress, she can work with it. “yeah, even more than usual.” one of the friends adds, everybody laughs. max remains focused on tightening the bolts of her skateboard and uses her free hand to flip the boys off. mentally she prays this is what playful sibling fighting looks like and not an action that will get her deck ripped away from her and broken against the concrete. it’s fine, the boys mock and jeer but don’t say anything she hasn’t heard before. another friend asks if she rides her skateboard or just pretends to be it’s mom. this is in reference to the time she convinced herself the boys were interested in knowing her and earnestly spoke about the mechanics of her skateboard, being too passionate, speaking too much, smiling too wide. all things she has since learned the right amount of is none. “i don’t know.” she gets up. “do you have a life or are you such a dweeb the only time you feel the need to get off your ass is to annoy a little girl with real hobbies?” when she walks off she hears the other boys gang up on him, he’s the new fool, all the other boys were just guilty of the same thing, but whatever. she thinks maybe if she maintains this for a little longer they can return back to the sibling conversation. they don’t even have to call it that, they could just do the part where they’re nice to each other sometimes.

max mayfield is 11 years old. jenny chen is a teenager, fifteen, from san francisco, short black hair, dresses like she’s on the cover of thrasher, first girl max has ever seen at the skate park who isn’t just there to watch. max wants to be her friend so bad it makes her stomach turn. until it happens. “i never see other girls who skate! it’s so cool to meet you, i’m jenny!” max knows. she ignores jenny’s invitation to fist bump. “do you really skate? or are you just someone’s girlfriend?” max knows the answer to the question, but she also knows the ending to this story. jenny pulls her hand back like max hit it. “yeah i skate, but i’m sure the boys here wish.” her laugh is refreshing, max didn’t know that was a thing laughs could be, it was so cool and light and confident, like it reset something in her. max wonders how someone can be so cool without any hit of cruelty, when max tells jenny she has to do a trick to prove it she shrugs and agrees like it wasn’t something said with the intention of upsetting her. jenny does an ollie off on the half pipe and asks if she can see any of max’s tricks. it makes max more upset that there’s no malice in this request, the audacity to show genuine interest in her. max is usually too mean but to jenny she cannot be mean enough. and typically she cannot do an ollie off a half pipe. today is no different. she falls and wakes up in the hospital. billy hands her flowers, rolls his eyes, then goes to wait in the car. max’s mom lets jenny apologize. it’s a real genuine apology, even though she has nothing to be sorry for it still feels good and different. max tells jenny to leave and never sees her at the park again.

max mayfield is 13 years old, she wonders if the group of boys yelling over dig dug are too. her initial annoyance with their hogging of her favorite game has melted into an admiration.. that’s too bold, curiosity, maybe. there’s arguments every other minute but between those there’s “oh wait! oh shit! lucas you genius! you genius!” whoever’s praising “lucas” gets so excited his friend progressed in the game the other boys have to pull him away. when the little one says he can’t see, no one mocks his size, instead the group instinctively makes room for their friend. and they’re all being too loud, too passionate, definitely taking the game too seriously. max wonders what it would be like to have something like that. she wonders how long they have all been friends for. do you have one chance for something like their’s as a child and then never again? has she missed her opportunity? could she even exist in an environment like that or would her cruelness be so sharp it’d cut through any moments tenderness? if she just walked up and asked to join what they’d say? answers for another day. maybe never. probably never.

max mayfield is 15 years old and mike wheeler’s basement is her favorite place in the whole wide world. which is why it’s the ideal location for her birthday party. sure billy is dead and el and will are moving next week, but ignore that, because yes will and el are moving away which is sad because they’re two of her best friends, but they’re two of her best friends, and she’s there’s. el is sitting on the floor with max making stupid jokes and max is clutching a pillow to her stomach, laughing like she’s alone, too much, too loud, dustin joins in and is even worse, she loves it. lucas interrupts, nudging her back with his foot. “this is the part you like.” he mouths, big, stupid, earnest, adorable smile on his face, so proud to remember. she’s proud of him too, swooned might be the better word, if she’s being honest. she likes him so much she wants to shrink herself into something small and accessible for him, but the worst part is that isn’t even what he wants from her. as much as max is trained to see the worst in others, lucas is real and warm and never says anything he doesn’t mean and he says he likes her. “thanks.” is all she can get out, trying not unravel from the affection. her last straw is mike and will marching down the basement stairs singing happy birthday. she’s clenching her teeth, mentally “don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry”-ing. she’s crying. it didn’t work, she’s crying. they’re doing this nice thing and she’s going to ruin the moment because she’s crying, they’re the best friends she’s ever had and she’s crying, they’re the only friends she’s ever had and she’s crying and they’re hugging her and laughing and she’s laughing and oh god, it’s good, she’s crying because she’s loved.