#to know he isn't going to lose mike or anyone else because of something he can't even bring himself to say out loud yet

[hawkinsgsa]

it’s 1:30am and i’m thinking about will’s speech to mike but with first person pronouns again,,,,

“because, i mean, without heart, we’d all fall apart. even me, especially me. these past few months i’ve been so... lost without you. it’s just i’m so different from other people, and... when you’re... when you’re... different, sometimes, you feel like... a mistake. but y- you make me feel like i’m not a mistake at all, like i’m better for being different, and that gives me the courage to fight on. if i was mean to you or- or if i seemed like i was pushing you away it’s probably just because i’m scared of losing you just like you’re scared of losing her. and- and if i was going to lose you, i- i- i think i’d rather just, get it over with quick, like- like ripping off a bandaid. so yeah, i need you, mike. and i always will.”

[steddieas-shegoes]

Request: Steve being a hidden nerd in certain ways (ei: sports, camping, outdoor stuff like camping & vegetation/botony, bugs, animals & shit) the kids losing their collective mind as Steve tells them about it. Maybe on a camping trip or something???? I especially want Hop to be impressed.

This is maybe my first request that didn't have some kind of romantic relationship Steddie. They do have a little flirty moment, but beyond that, I liked the idea of just everyone loving Steve and being so intrigued by his knowledge of all of this random nature stuff. Also, no research was done here. Like, zero. I don't know what is true and what isn't so assume none of it is. This is fiction based on fiction and we're here for a good time. I've never been to Yosemite, but it is on the list for me and Liam to go! - Mickala ❤️

----------------------------------------------------

No one expected Steve to actually want to go camping. Sure, he wanted an RV, wanted to go to National Parks and see mountains and lakes and rivers, but they assumed he’d just want to stay in the RV.

They hadn’t expected him to bring tents.

They hadn’t expected him to suggest sleeping in the tents.

“But…we have an RV,” Mike said, suddenly no longer interested in their trip to Yosemite.

“To travel in. But we won’t all comfortably sleep in it. It’s made for five people at most.”

And that was that. The only people sleeping in the RV were Hopper and Joyce and Max and El, and everyone else was sleeping in tents.

The entire drive there was filled with arguments over music, arguing over who got to sit where, and Steve’s “fun facts” about the land they would be staying on.

He had apparently done quite a bit of research, or he had been hiding a whole wealth of knowledge from everyone.

His fun facts were actually interesting, and everyone quickly tuned in when he started telling them about how the mountains could be dated because of the type and color of the rocks, and how much of the sequoias had been destroyed over the last couple of decades and what they were doing to preserve what was left.

When they arrived, everyone stared in wonder at the meadow in front of them, the mountains as the backdrop to a beautiful sunset.

It would still be light for close to two hours, so they didn’t rush to set up the tents. They went on a short walk along the road they took to the campsite, Steve pointing out different types of plants and birds as they went.

Everyone was in awe of his information, but no one was as surprised as Hopper.

“Where did you learn all this?” he asked on the way back to the campsite as the kids raced each other ahead.

“I went to camp once when I was seven and then I was obsessed with nature. My parents wouldn’t let me go back to camp, but they let me get books and movies about plants and animals. In high school, I took geology and almost had a perfect grade. I just like this stuff,” Steve shrugged.

“So you only went to camp once? Is this your way of going to camp?” Hopper asked casually.

He didn’t usually ask questions that didn’t tell him something he absolutely needed to know.

“I guess. And to spend time with everyone. I like when we can all be together without hell surrounding us, ya know?” Steve admitted.

Hopper’s hand rested on his shoulder and squeezed in silent agreement.

Putting the tents up had been relatively easy, especially when Steve managed to show them a trick he taught himself when he was young and wanted to set up a tent in his backyard but never had anyone there to help him.

No one commented on how sad it was, but Steve realized it after he said it.

As everyone got their sleeping bags and lamps set up in their tents, Steve found a large rock along the edge of the creek in the meadow and sat on it, watching as the sun finally sank behind the mountains.

“Hey,” a voice startled Steve.

He relaxed when he turned to see that it was Eddie.

“Hey.”

“Mind if I sit with you for a minute? Kids are being a bit too much right now.”

“Go ahead,” Steve gestured to the spot next to him. “Not exactly a comfy seat, but the view can’t be beat.”

“Oh, so you’re rhyming now?” Eddie teased as he nudged Steve’s shoulder.

“Not on purpose,” Steve laughed. “It’s pretty great out here, though.”

“Yeah it is. You did good, Stevie.”

Steve looked over to see Eddie already smiling fondly at him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And, for what it’s worth, I think it’s pretty fucking cool that you love nature so much. Nature isn’t really a good friend of mine, but it’s pretty nice to hear about it from you.”

“I’ll make an explorer out of you yet, Eds.”

Eddie looked at him with a look he hadn’t seen on anyone before, at least not towards him.

“Maybe you will, Stevie.”

Eddie only sat there for another minute before excusing himself to check that none of the kids touched his brand new acoustic guitar.

Steve sat there until it was completely dark around him, watching the land in front of him shift ever so slightly as the breeze picked up and the cicadas started their nightly song.

Robin sat down next to him, rested her head against his shoulder and sat with him in silence for a few minutes.

“It’s good to be out here. I don’t think Max ever expected to see mountains like this. She keeps asking when she can climb them,” Robin whispered.

“She does remember her legs aren’t at 100% yet still, right?” Steve asked.

“I think she’s willing to give it a go anyway. What’s the point of being here and surviving everything if you can’t even try?”

Steve nodded.

“Wanna come tell us more about the trail we’re taking tomorrow?”

“You guys wanna hear about it now?”

“Yeah. We like that you’re passionate about it.”

Steve felt his cheeks heat up at the words.

“Okay then. If you guys don’t mind. There’s supposed to be a specific type of rabbit who burrows along this specific trail during the summer and they can grow to be nearly two feet long.”

“That sounds terrifying. Come tell everyone about it,” Robin said as she got up and offered him a hand.

He took it and made his way back to the group.

Everyone listened to him talk about their plan for tomorrow, not interrupting when he got sidetracking talking about the type of trees they would see and what kind of flowers tended to bloom during this particular time of year.

When Steve and Eddie slipped into their tent an hour or so later, they could have stayed in their respective sleeping bags.

But Steve was still too eager to talk about things, so Eddie sidled up next to him in his sleeping bag and held his hand while he talked for another hour about the waterfall they’d be seeing and the type of fish that would most likely be in the river.

[blue-blue-blooms]

When Love Isn't Enough

Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

Part 1

1.6k words

Summary: Steve can feel you pulling away. You haven't been yourself in a while, becoming more and more withdrawn. It doesn't help that there's an evil wizard on the loose and you meet the checklist for the perfect prey.

Warnings: Some angst. Talks of depression, loneliness, and suicidal ideation.

"Y/N hasn't been herself lately. And, I don't know, she's been pulling away recently. Not physically. More, like, she's there but she isn't. She's in the room with me and she's pretending to listen, but I can tell she's thinking about something else. And it isn't like she's bored or, like, daydreaming, she just seems...distant. She keeps saying she's fine, but I know that she's not. I mean, she thinks I haven't noticed, but she doesn't eat much anymore. She barely sleeps and she claims it's because of school, or work, or whatever excuse she has...Robin, are you listening to me?" Steve rambles, one hand on the steering wheel and the other running through his hair in frustration, as he drives Robin to the pep rally. 

"Yes, yes, I'm listening!" Robin exclaims, desperately trying to keep her hand steady as she applies her mascara. 

"Really? What'd I just say then?" Steve asks.

"Something about how obsessed you are with Y/N and the smell of her hair," Robin guesses, immediately backtracking as she sees the look on Steve's face, "I'm sorry! But there's always so much going on in your love life. I can't fully grasp the labyrinthine complexity that is your and Y/N's relationship!"

"It's not that complex, I'm worried about her!" Steve says, "Like just today, she calls me and says not to drive her and Dustin to school because they're biking. She doesn't even own a bike!"

Robin stops applying her makeup for a second and looks over. Realizing the severity of Steve's emotions, she lets out a little sigh and gives him a gentle nudge with her hand. 

"I'm worried about her, too" She confesses, "I don't think she's mentioned this to anyone so please don't bring it up with her, but her grades have been slipping. A lot."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I've seen her at the counsellor’s office" Robin admits.

"Ms. Kelley?"

Robin nods. 

"Well...Why didn't she say anything to me?" Steve asks, his face falling as he tries to come up with reasons as to why you aren't opening up. 

"I...I don't know. She hasn't been speaking to me, either. We sit together during lunch, but she barely talks to me. I just talk at her, and she just sits in silence," Robin replies, "Have you tried bringing this up with her?"

Steve pauses for a bit then says, "No...I didn't wanna push her. It just feels like...like she's teetering on the edge these days, and if I say the wrong thing, she'll run."

♡♡♡

Most days start like this: you wake up gasping for breath, one hand on your chest and the other stifling your sobs. Another nightmare. Sometimes it's about the Russians, sometimes it's about finding a Demogorgon eating your cat, sometimes it's about Billy and the Mind Flayer, sometimes it's about losing Hopper, but every time it hurts just as bad. You wish you hadn't gone to Mike Wheeler's that day to check up on Dustin. You wish you hadn't found out about Eleven or the lab or the Upside Down. But everything in your life is so deeply intertwined that you would have found out one way or another. It's beyond you how everyone else in Hawkins has remained so oblivious. 

Even though you wish you could rewind and take back every moment that led you to where you are now, you know in your heart that you wouldn't. If it wasn't for all the shit you had to go through, you wouldn't have the people you have now. You wouldn't have ever befriended Nancy Wheeler. You would've never met Robin Buckley. You and Dustin would never have grown as close as you are now. You wouldn't have the golden-dusted, happy memories that you made last summer with Max and El. You never would've learned how to play DnD with Will. And you never would have fallen in love. 

You never saw Steve coming. Well, you did see him coming that day when you and Dustin were at the Wheelers looking for everyone. He had roses in his hands, and he was mumbling to himself. For a second, you thought he'd caved into the insanity of what he'd gone through and lost his mind. 

"Are you talking to yourself?" you'd asked loudly, making him quickly turn around, "Do you need help?"

"What? No! I was just-" he'd stuttered, "What're you two doing here? Actually, who are you?" The last question was directed at you. 

"Who am I? The bitch that sat behind you in English for two years. I've been lending you pencils for months. Are you serious-" you'd snapped at him, a little offended at him for not recognizing you. 

"We don't have time for this!" Dustin yelled, interrupting you, as he took your hand and dragged you to Steve's car. 

You always laugh a little when you remember that particular memory. It wasn't the first time you two had met (maybe for Steve) but it was the first time you'd both become aware of each other. And it was like something had clicked into place because now that you both knew each other, you couldn't drift away. Suddenly Steve was everywhere. The summer after El's bitchin new makeover and the whole debacle that was closing the gate to the Upside Down, you and Steve spent every day together. He'd started working at Starcourt and you worked at the Kiosk across from him, which meant you saw each othera lot. Soon, those days of eating free ice cream in the back turned into shy glances, nervous laughter, and stolen kisses. You were his and he was yours. It was almost perfect. Almost. 

Because even with all this love, joy, and friendship, you can't forget that you're rotten to your core. That there is something deeply wrong with you, something gory and disgusting that's been eating you alive. You don't know how to tell Steve that he doesn't know. If he knew you, he'd leave you. You're so broken inside that it's almost comical. Every day starts and ends with a nightmare. Then the headaches. Sometimes the nosebleeds. Always the loud voices in your head reaffirming the beliefs you have of yourself. You're not good enough. Never have been. You're a fraud. Always have been. You don't know what's worse, when you can't breathe or when there's too much oxygen. 

You call Steve and tell him you don't need a ride. Then you make Dustin bike to school, and you wait for your mother to leave for work before climbing back into bed. These days, it was getting harder and harder to do the mundane, everyday tasks. You couldn't get out of bed. You couldn't take a shower. Everything required willpower that you just didn't have.

God, I'm so pathetic. 

You've nearly fallen back asleep when you hear a knock on your door. You ignore it, hoping whoever it is goes away. The knocking continues, growing louder and louder. You let out a curse and hop out of your bed, begrudgingly going to the front door. You open the door and find Steve standing outside. 

"I knew it!" He exclaims, "Why aren't you in school?"

You don't have the energy for this. You just want him to leave. 

"I'm sick," you lie, adding a half-assed cough, "You should be at work."

"If you were sick then why didn't you just say that when you called this morning?" Steve enquired, folding his arms across his chest, and raising an eyebrow. 

"I got sick after" you shrug, "How'd you know I wasn't in school."

"Dustin, he called about some DnD shit and mentioned you weren't in when I asked why you couldn't play," Steve explains, his eyes scanning your face, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," you say.

"No, you're not" Steve replies, coming in through the door and making his way into your room. You silently follow and fall back into bed. 

"Baby, what's going on?" Steve asks softly, getting into bed behind you and laying down.

"Just a headache," you mumble, "I'm fine."

You feel him padding his fingers through your hair and you find yourself lulling back to sleep. But before you can, you hear him start to speak again.

"Not just today, Y/N. What's going on with you? You haven't been yourself lately."

You don't know how to answer this. How do you articulate the absolute mess that is your mind? How do you tell him that you feel like you're on the verge of going insane? How do you tell him that all you feel is agonizing despair and the only reason you're alive is because you're too much of a coward to die?

"I just...haven't been feeling well," you say, "Just haven't been doing so well."

"How can I help? Can I do anything?" Steve asks, holding you close as he brushes the hair out of your face and lays a soft, lingering kiss on your forehead.

"I don't think anyone can fix it," you reply, turning to face him.

The sun peeks through your blinds and you can just about make out his face in the dark. You lean over and softly kiss him. He's everything that you're not but you're too selfish to let go.

"I just wish you'd speak to me, tell me what's going on in your head. I just feel locked out, baby." Steve whispers.

The only response you can manage to give is a mumbled sorry. But there's so much more you'd like to say. Sorry that you're stuck with me, you deserve better. Sorry that I'm like this. Sorry that I'm this broken, this wretched. Sorry that I've fooled you into thinking I'm better than I am. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

You close your eyes and lay your head on his chest. In the darkness of your room, you pray that this moment lasts forever. But as another nightmare sinks its claws into you, you're not sure if you'll make it out alive.

[pinkeoni]

El's Superhero/Monster Dichotomy

El's monster conflict starts in season one, when she blames herself for the gate opening and for Will's disappearance.

This conflict seems to be "resolved" when she kills the actual monster, the demogorgon, making herself a hero and not a monster. This is even suggested earlier by Mike, who innocently tells El that she isn't the monster because she saved him.

Although this "resolve" is actually quite tragic. She proves herself to be a hero which does offer a conclusion to this conflict within this season, but she sacrifices everything for this.

This conflict comes back in full for El in season four. She no longer has her powers, and she's in a new environment where she's alienated and bullied. On top of everything, her boyfriend can't even say "I love you" to her. It's not a stretch to say that she feels monstrous.

This is only reaffirmed for El after her incident with Angela. Now, obviously this wasn't a good thing for her to do, but El also completely disregards all of the pain that Angela made her feel, perceiving herself as this violent monster who attacks innocent girls unprovoked. We know this is what she's thinking when she says as much to the cops.

I don’t think El wanted to kill Angela, which is why she says “I don’t know,” but she’s unsure because she’s unable to trust her own judgement. At this point she sees herself as a killing machine, so she must have wanted to kill Angela, even if that goes against her true reasoning.

Now, of course we the audience know that El isn't the monster, and everyone close to her knows this as well. But what matters isn't how others perceive her, it matters how El perceives herself.

Her argument with Mike doesn't absolve any of her feelings either, which is of no fault to either Mike nor El. El was too in her head and it wasn't something anyone could talk her out of, and she also wasn't aware of Mike's own internal conflict which was informing all of his responses. Mike can't say "I love you" to El because of his own issues, but to El, he can't say "I love you" because she is an unlovable monster.

Mike really means well when he says "You're a superhero," but it makes things much worse in El's mind. Instead, it creates an unreasonable expectation—

El believes that if she can't save the world, then she must be a monster. She doesn't allow herself to be neither— a human being.

NINA doesn't do much to alleviate El's dichotomous thinking, if anything it only encourages it. She only shifts the monster label on to someone else, that being Papa, and since she wasn't responsible for the massacre like she, and even the audience was led to initially believe, she's able to cleanly reclaim her superhero status. She was the one who defeated the perpetrator, in a moment that visually echoes the end of season one. She's the hero again!

She marches into her battle with Henry with a new sense of high confidence. And she loses.

This isn't El's fault, but she blames herself for Max's condition anyway. Will points out that Max wouldn't even be alive if not for El, but it doesn't matter for her.

To El, getting her powers back doesn't make her a superhero. And if she's not a superhero, well, then she must be the one who destroyed the world.

The resolve of El's conflict wasn't to get her powers back, she just believed that it would fix her problems. But the core conflict is still there— her black and white way of thinking.

So what does this mean moving forward?

Ironically, I think that El can actually learn something from Henry:

I don't think that El's arc in the coming season is going to be about becoming the hero again, but rather unlearning this train of thought. The world isn't made of monsters and superheroes, the world is made up of human beings who all make choices, her being one of them. She isn't responsible for the decisions of others, and it isn't her responsibility to take care of the mess that others create. She's a brave girl who decided to use her powers to try and save her friends, and her failure doesn't make her guilty for the fallout.

I wouldn't be surprised if El pushes herself to be the superhero who saves the world once again, although, the show has already revealed to us what happens when she does— it destroys her.

[longtallglasses]

if in s5 Mike and Will have to hide from something in the upside down or hide in a closet, this is the energy I'd like to see, from my blair witch fic, hands over mouths to keep quiet the whole shebang.

“Well, we’ll try, won’t we? I’m not losing you again, Will.”

Will raises his head to look at him, nervous to ask, “You’re not scared of me?” his voice oh so small.

Mike shakes his head like he’s disgusted with the words coming out. “No, I could never be scared of you. Need I repeat you just carried me through the woods, in the dark, on your own. You're my hero.” Mike says adamantly.

Will sighs, he wishes he could feel the words Mike is saying. Mike doesn’t know though, he didn’t see the delight on his face when he ripped open that bunny’s guts, he doesn’t know that there’s evil dormant in his body.

“I think you should be scared of me,” he says.

Mike almost looks like he's gonna get angry, but then he takes Will's hands in his, and his eyes go impossibly soft, “I meant what I said, Will. You’re perfect. To me you’re- you’re everything… I- I love you so much.”

Will stills at his words. His hands still in Mike's. He stops shaking and looks up. Mike’s looking at him like he’s worried he said the wrong thing. But, no, he said the most absolute right thing.

He’s going to ask. He’s going to ask what he means, say more. When they hear the unmistakable crunch of footsteps.

They both lock eyes, widening in dawning fear.

“Wh-” Mike starts, but Will quickly shoves his hand over his mouth. He drags him to the ground, maybe it will make them smaller, more easily hidden. Laying facing each other, Will indicates silence. Mike nods, he brings his own hand up to cover Will’s mouth.

The feet stalk around the tent. The two of them don’t break eye contact, like they’re having a competition for it. Will wants to remind Mike it’s not real.

Mike closes his eyes for just an instant, “Mm!” Will hums through his hand. Mike pushes Will’s hand aside, “I thought you said be quiet?” he mouths the words. “Yeah, but I need to see your eyes, don’t look away.”

More crunching, and then the giggles come, and Will wants to scream. Of course they’ve come, of course they found them.

“It’s not real, remember?” Mike says.

Every sound feels torturous, like they’re taunting him, goading him, wanting him to crack, wanting him to fall apart. He knows it and it’s working.

“Hey,” Mike says, he didn’t realize he had looked away. “Don’t look away. Nothing else is real. Just look at me, nothing else is real.”

Will looks at him pleading, make it stop. Make everything go away please.

Maybe he said that out loud he doesn’t know, because then Mike is pulling his face in so close their noses are touching. Their eyes transfixed on only one possible focal point.

“Nothing else is real,” Mike repeats, “just us. Don’t look away, cus nothing else is real.”

Will nods as much as he can, “Nothing else is real.”

"Everything outside of the tent isn't real, just me and you, don't look away."

"Don't look away," Will repeats. They stare into each others eyes until everything falls away. It really is just them. He's never looked at anyone so intensely. The brown of Mike's eyes seem to grow larger and larger, he thinks it really is the only thing that's real in the world.

“We’re the only thing that’s real right now, nothing else exists.” Mike whispers right against his lips.

And something in those words unleashes a dam. A dam so painstakingly built, but full of so many holes. He watches the water rush right over them as Mike connects their lips.

[bylertruther]

hot take: you know that "lovingly tending to your love interest's wounds and bandaging them up while telling them to be more careful next time with lovey dovey eyes" trope? well. stop saying that will is the one doing the tending. he isn't.

this is will in the face of danger, blood, and stress:

meanwhile, mike ...

housed, clothed, fed, and tried to lift the spirits a girl he'd just met in the middle of the woods + immediately wanted to see lucas's head to check if he was okay after eleven threw him against the rock

spent all of season two holding will, tending to him, fetching and finding him whenever he wandered off, asking him if he was okay whenever he so much as breathed differently, watching him like a hawk, motioning him to move back when dart was moving, standing in front of will to protect him from dart, dropping to his side asap when he fell during the burn, (possibly) reaching for his ankle when will was in the hospital bed, and he immediately helped max up and asked her if she was okay when she fell

held onto el the entire time that she was injured, stayed strong even when that shit was way too McFucking NASTY as everyone else was cringing, applied pressure to her wound and did what he was told easily once someone that knew first aid told him

held will back from going after jonathan during the shootout, put his arm over will, and let will cling to him all the while despite the fact that he was defenseless and in just as much danger, too, and calmly (compared to jonathan and a certain scared hamster) continued to apply constant pressure to the agent's bullet wounds as he bled to death all over them, purposely went to stand by will's side in the hospital room after will looked back at him, and put his hand on will's shoulder to offer comfort when will told him about vecna being alive

one of mike's best, most popular and lovable traits is how attentive and caring he is. obviously they'd both tend to each other and no one is saying they would just let each other die lmao, but if anyone is more likely to throw googoo gaga major heart eyes at someone while tending to them and doing everything they can to protect, save, and help them and make sure that they're okay because they don't want to lose them... if anyone is more likely to say something like "please be more careful next time", which curiously sounds within the realm of "i feel like i lost you"...

canonically, it's mike.

put some respect on his name, please.

[fastcardotmp3]

actually you know what--

Nancy, who loses faith that anyone will be willing to listen to her messy parts, her grieving parts, her angry and sad and human parts after Steve.

Nancy who is hurt by the way Steve's coping mechanisms manifest, who has one of the two people she's allowed to talk about Barb with during that first vital year of mourning just taken away from her because he can't handle facing it head on in the way she needs to.

Nancy who has spent and continues spending her life not being heard, whether it was about Barb going missing or the fight for justice once they know she's dead or the goddamn rats in Mrs. Driscoll's basement and knows what it's like to hurt in complicated ways without having anyone around willing to understand and listen.

Nancy who gets it, when Max Mayfield's name starts showing up in Mike's stories less as the girl who can kick all of their asses at Dig Dug or the girl who brings fun to even the most boring of Indiana days and more as she stayed home again this time.

Because grief is weird and grief will swallow you whole and grief will have you blocking out all the good in your life and hiding from anything that might make you feel guilty for keeping going or, Nancy expects in Max's case, being glad they can't hurt you anymore.

There's a teenage girl hurting on the other side of town, and Nancy doesn't know her beyond a handful of peripheral meetings, but she knows her like no one else probably does.

Death is a mutual friend, after all, so when Nancy starts showing up at Forest Hills, starts bringing food when she realizes Susan isn't always on top of grocery shopping, starts sitting with Max and the dog next door as they giggle and feed it scraps through the fence, starts trading music recommendations because apparently Nancy has missed a lot of pop culture in all her preoccupation inside her head the past few years--

Well, when they start finding each other in the middle of it all, there is something that snaps, clicks, settles.

They can talk about the tangled bits and they can also not talk about it while fully understanding it is always there, that mutual friend, sitting beside them and watching them live.

They can be wailing funeral singers. They can be people.

Because for maybe the first time in both of their lives they're being heard for their hurt.

Because maybe grieving doesn't always have to be a solitary affair.

[shandy-and-champagne]

Here's how I envision the byler confession scene going (I'm not a writer btw so read at your own peril):

Will is offering himself to be part of the party to go and face Vecna, and Mike absolutely kicks off. Will argues that he's just as capable as El, so why is it any different? Mike says it just is!

Everyone is looking at them and Will's finally had enough — Mike was meant to be the one that never babied him, and now this?

Will yells at him, he just wants to be trusted!

Trust? Mike has something to say about trust. Why did you lie about the painting Will? Why did you tell me El commissioned it when you know she didn't? I thought we promised never to lie to each other?

A beat.

Will sees that for the leading question it is and does not want to have this conversation right now, so he up and leaves, walking off, right into the middle of the thunderstorm.

Mike feels awful and the argument is so unfinished he can't let it go. His brain is trying to catch up, as he stares at the open door, and in the absolute silence of the cabin his eyes slowly find El, and he sees she is looking at him with knowing eyes. They share a very long and meaningful look, and the first chords of Heroes by Peter Gabriel start to play. El gives a tiny nod, and without a single glance at anyone else, Mike follows Will into the rain.

He yells after him and sees he hasn't gotten far. At Mike's voice he turns. They're both soaked within seconds.

Mike is getting worked up now too, and tells him what we've seen El explain when they broke up. She had no idea about the painting. Why would he lie?

It's not my fault you can't see what's right in front of you, Michael! You were hurting, I couldn't just sit by and not say something!

Their shouts are drawing the rest of the party to the doors and open windows. Mike and Will have never fought like this. Never.

We're holding our breath.

You want to know why I never said anything, Mike? Maybe it's because I couldn't bear the thought of losing my best friend — my most important person in the entire world — to something we can never fix!

What?

Mike throws his hands up. Whatever it is you can tell me, Will! You think there is anything you could say to me that would change our friendship?

Friendship. That's just it isn't it? It hits Will like a ton of bricks, how Mike is always so sure to clarify them with that word, and Will cracks. Suddenly he just can't take it anymore.

I can't do this anymore, Mike! You are so important to me but I can't sit by and watch! I thought I could, but I can't do it anymore. I can't.

What are you saying!?

I'm saying you need to let me go. I need you to let me go.

A million thoughts fly through Mike's head — let him go? He's spent every moment of the last five years terrified of losing him! That's the exact last thing he would ever want to do! But he knows how he's been pushing Will away. Pushing everyone away to protect himself. To hide himself. And he knows it's not fair on him, on anyone. And that's always been Mike's problem, hasn't it? Holding on too tight, being so afraid of change. Maybe it's time for him to let go. But let go of what? He doesn't want things to change.

(Doesn't he?)

Mike decides to be brave.

We see him come to some unknown resolution and he steps forward.

No.

Will is crying now, tears mixing with the rain. No?

What if I don't want to let you go?

There's a look in Mike's eyes that we've never seen before. This pining, this ache, has never felt so poignant in any other scene.

Will starts to ask him what the hell he means by that because he just doesn't understand what is going through Mike's head! He never does. Mike's always just pretending, throwing up mask after mask and Will is so tired of being in the dark. Just tell me what you're really thinking! What is the matter, Mike,? What's really been going on? Doesn't Will at least deserve to know the truth? But he tapers off when–

The music rises to a crecendo, strings surging, and Mike takes a deep breath and crosses those last few paces to take Will by the face, and kisses him.

We see Will is visibly startled, there's a kaleidoscope of emotions — shock, confusion, hope and then pure relief — there are tears on both their faces when he brings his arms up to pull Mike closer and they're clinging to one another like at any moment the world is going to fall apart.

The camera pans to everyone looking on with varying expressions of disbelief, amusement and fondness. (Steve and Robin share a look, Nancy is grinning, Jonathan is shaking his head, Lucas and Dustin just look comically gob-smacked (aka most of the general audience) and El is quietly smiling. Hopper looks like he wants to say something but Joyce stops him with a hand on his arm, hiding a smile behind her hand. Joyce drags Hopper inside and the rest follow. Dustin closes the door, still shaking his head in amusement).

The music quiets and they part, and the camera refocuses, so we feel like it's just them. They rest their foreheads together and before Will can get a word out, Mike breathes I love you. Easy as breathing. (The look in his eyes holds such fucking adoration, I'm bleeding out from open wounds, screaming at the tv).

Whatever Will was going to say is lost, and he just laughs incredulously, the brightest smile we've ever seen on him as he tells Mike he loves him too (voice thick because wbk he would absolutely cry).

Yeah?

Yeah. Will nods and we see him really start to break down after all those years of keeping it in and Mike pulls him into a hug and smiles into his hair.

It's the first change we see him accept, but it's a good change. It's a sign that they've really grown up and are moving on.

(Will sobs, Mike's crying, Vecna says cheers and fucks off because he's an ally, Max wakes from her coma and her first words are 'fucking finally', Finn wins all the awards for 'best secretly repressed homosexual' and for just being a great feckin actor, we get edits of them, we get Finn and Noah finally doing press together, I'm screaming-crying-throwing up, byler tumblr is a massacre site- the 100k people on here are all deceased, there's a public enquiry, the internet is broken, the tabloids are reeling with this 'plot twist' and the duffer brothers are giggling at the homophobes because they're all MAD mad they got baited by a seemingly heterosexual monster TV show).

— end episode —

roll credits with [tender emotional music] because your life will never be the same goodbye

[melishade]

In the timeline of the war.How is the relationship between Eren with optimus and bumblebee.

Previous Episode of the War Timeline

Look, it's not just Optimus and Bumblebee I have to focus on. I have to focus on all the humans and Autobots.

I also discussed this a bit with @justawannabearchaeologist and @echoblaze5

So Eren's already having a weird day. Colossal Titan reappears, he gets eaten by a titan before turning into one, he has to be the one to save humanity,...and then these colorful titans that can change their appearance at will are killing the other titans in Trost. Fast forward to after the courtroom scene where Eren is now being examined by Ratchet, who's scanning him. Erwin, Levi, and Mike are already weirded out by Ratchet's tools, but Hanji's just elated. Ratchet then explains that by all accounts, Eren appears to be a normal human being. Nothing comes up that would suggest otherwise. Hanji thinks that there might be something different if Eren uses his power and asks him to do so, but Mike quickly grabs them and tells them to calm down. Erwin asks if Jack, Miko, and Raf might know anything about it, but judging by Miko's buzzing excitement, he assumes their in the dark too.

Ratchet then explains that this isn't normal by human or Cybertronian standards. Humans can't transform into titans and Cybertronians have never been known to have the ability of regeneration. Transformation is a fundamental part of Cybertronian biology, so to not be able to would be considered the outlier. Both sides are in uncharted territory as a of this moment, and Eren doesn't like that there's this much attention on him.

Now after everything is settled, Eren tries his best to avoid the Autobots, but considering his situation, it's practically impossible. Even though the Autobots are not completely trusted, and have to rely on Jack, Miko, and Raf to be mediators, they are more trusted than Eren since there's the risk of Eren turning into a titan and going berserk trying to kill and eat everyone compared to the titans with actual combat experience. But while the Survey Corps definitely approach him with caution, the Autobots...not so much. The humans, particularly Miko, were excited to get to know Eren and ask him about his powers. Every time Ratchet runs a test, he makes sure to ask Eren to tell him if it's too much so that he can some, and quickly restrains Hanji if they try to go overboard. Eren can't really understand Bumblebee, but he's usually kind enough to help him out wherever he can. Bulkhead helps encourage Eren if something does go wrong. Arcee is usually pretty reserved, but she will go out of her way to ask how his day was. She doesn't really like the fact that Eren's kind of being treated like a prisoner. He's Jack's age. That just doesn't seem right.

However, there is one issue: Eren tries to pull Jack, Miko, and Raf away from the Autobots if he thinks something is wrong or they're about to get hurt. Because he likes them. They're nice, and he doesn't want them to get hurt. First time he does it is with Raf, and he kind of just picks him up and walks away. Second time, he's pushing Jack into the castle. Third time is in titan form with Miko.

Miko: You're lucky you can turn into a Kaiju or else I'd sock you right in the nose.

And the Autobots and kids have to confront Eren about it and explain that he needs to stop. They get the mistrust, but you could very easily just spy on them like Captain Levi does. Cuts to Levi drinking tea through a window looking down at them. Like they don't eat humans and the humans are responsible. Eren apologizes for the way he's been acting. He just doesn't want anyone getting hurt, especially after what happened to his friends in Trost...and losing his home...and losing his mom. And suddenly, the Autobots are dealing with an Eren that's crying. And they all feel really bad, because he's someone with too much responsibility and too much loss for someone his age. Optimus definitely feels it because he's certain that Eren didn't ask for this power. And that it was thrusted upon him. Optimus is the one who kneels down in titan form and tells him that his emotions are valid, and that he was sorry for his loss, and that they would do everything in their power to help Eren regain his home and his freedom. Eren is quite touched, and Jack, Miko, and Raf hug him.

So a few things:

-Eren really gets along with Jack, Miko, and Raf. One of the few things that help break the ice between them is the fact that they had a sleepover essentially. Since Eren is ordered to remain in the basement to prevent a titan transformation from killing everyone, the human trio end up sneaking down there late at night and find that he's still awake. Eren wants them to go up so they don't get into trouble, but they don't want him to be alone like this. Raf still has his backpack, so he ends up sharing his last snacks with the remaining. And it's a specific item from Earth, a few granola bars. Jack and Miko lament the food they're gonna miss while they're here, but Eren just gobbles his granola bar down because it's so good. Eren asks if this food is available all the time on Earth, and the humans tell Eren stories about what Earth is like. Levi listens in because he saw the humans sneak down to the basement and he can't help but think that Earth sounds nice.

-The Autobots end up teaching Eren how to fight, and they offer him, which Eren is nervous about, but the teens encourage him and Erwin thinks it would be beneficial. First day of training he gets his ass handed to him many times. Miko gets that on video.

-Bumblebee offers to teach Eren Cybertronian Sign Language, which is quite tricky since Eren can't understand Bee and it's a different language. But the Autobots manage to help translate a few phrases over so that Eren can learn the sign behind it. Raf also helps with a few phrases in American Sign Language since he thought that learning for Bee at some point would be useful. Definitely helps with Eren communicating in titan form.

-Also, final note, nothing to do with Eren, it has to deal with Hanji. Hanji in the War Timeline will go by they/them because they are introduced to the concept through Jack, Miko, and Raf. In Attack on Prime, when I started the actual anime in 2013, Hanji was referred to as she/her and I just stuck with it for the story. And it will be that way for some time. I will ultimately make Hanji non-binary in AOP, I just have to make it flow.

[fucksatan]

When Jimmy asks Walt about his regrets and Walt looks briefly at the watch that Jesse gave him... I wonder what that look meant. In my opinion that look was one of regret. But what does he regret?

Now, obviously Jesse and Walt's relationship is one full of regrets from both sides. And yes, ultimately Walt decides to say that his biggest regret is the whole deal with Grey Matter. But I don't believe it's completely true. I think that Grey Matter is one of his biggest regrets, but it's not THE biggest regret. They were not really talking about their "biggest regret" specifically after all, they were talking about what they'd change if they could change something (Walt did not buy into the whole "time-machine-what-would-you-change", thingy but ultimately their conversation was about that only). Considering the fact that if he had stayed on Grey Matter he wouldn't have had to resort to illegal means to satisfy his ego, it is understandable why he would answer with that. And of course he regrets Grey Matter cause yeah, while he would still let the success go to his head and turn from a generous, kind person to an egoistic asshole, he wouldn't be in all this mess (or maybe he would be, capitalism and whatnot). He would still have his family (which isn't true I think, he'd still lose his family with that assholery but this is Walt we're talking about so ofc he thinks so).

So what IS Walt's biggest regret? Is it that he royally screwed his family up? Is it the fact that Hank is dead because of him, and Marie a widow? Is it Jesse Pinkman?

Did he regret selling the one person who showed him love and care and consideration and respect even when he didn't deserve it, when his wife rightfully didn't give him any, the person he considered "family", to the brotherhood, knowing that his death wouldn't be quick or painless but that Jesse would be brutally tortured before he was killed? Did he regret not letting Gus kill Jesse? Did he regret losing Jesse? Did he regret treating Jesse like shit, which pushed him away and led him to create a strong, healthy bond with Mike, who further helped Jesse realise his potential and encouraged him to get out of the game? Did he regret every time he went out on a limb to save Jesse, even in the later seasons when Walt didn't have mercy for anyone else? Or did he regret meeting him and partnering up with him in the first place? Is it all of the above?

[allexthakatt]

Dance of Death

Okay, so I've been (like everyone else) absolutely in LOVE with Mr. Eddie Munson! And I just needed to join the fanfic party.

Also yes I know Dance of Death came out in 2008 but for this fic let's just pretend it came out in 1983 with Peace of Mind, okay?

Anyone that knows me, knows that my all time favorite band is Iron Maiden. And a certain song popped in my head while thinking of storylines. I hope this is adequate, it's very late 😅

PAIRING: Eddie Munson x FEM! HISPANIC! Reader!

WARNINGS: A mention of racism, but nothing explicit. Jason, because he needs a warning 🙄. Bullies are ew.

CONTENT: ANGST, Seemingly unrequited love, Dustin being the very bestest friend ever! Ending in fluff!

---------------------------------

There was something about him. Something that made her lose all brain function to act normally. There isn't a thing he could do wrong in her eyes. Edward Munson. The name alone made her blush. How could she not? There's just something about him...

Could it be his messy long hair? His rock and roll style? His sense of humor? His love and care for his friends? The was he defends her so easily and so often? Who knows, actually.

She'd hadn't known him that long. The beginning of her second senior year (not meeting requirements to graduate the first time), his third. Right off the bat she wasnt accepted in most friend groups. Her coming from a whole other state, well away from the tiny secluded town that is Hawkins, Indiana. Not to mention she's one of the only Hispanic people in the high school in general. It also didn't help that she dressed all in black all the time. No one really cared enough to look her way, outright avoiding her to some extent. She's the new kid on the block, she understood that much. Why no one bothered to befriend her was a whole new experience.

Her pervious town was just outside Juarez, Mexico. Her whole neighborhood was so welcoming, never letting her feel left out of the festivities that went on in school. Here? In Hawkins? It felt like she was ghost. A ghost no one liked or wanted around. A certain Jason Carver particularly wasn't fond of her. Him and his petty group of friends would go out of their way to make her day worse. Shouting names, "accidentally" bumping into her in the hallways, going as far to spill his drink on her occasionally. She still keeps a change of clothes in her locker just in case.

She had been on her own those first two months. Hating every minute of it, wishing she could just go back home. It had been a particularly rough day with Jason when two freshmen had seen enough. Jason and his bully buddies had just pushed her to ground, kicking her backpack before laughing and walking away. She'd been humiliated, defeated, just wanting to cry in the bathroom. The two young boys bent down to help her pick up her things, introducing themselves as Dustin and Mike. The boys were her first friends. Sure, they were younger, but they'd been the only ones to show her kindness so far.

It had been a week after that they'd introduce her to the Hellfire Club. Jeff and Gareth welcomed her right away, interested in her culture and language. Lucas didn't mind her really, being a little preoccupied trying to get on the good side of the basketball team. Eddie, however, was absolutely smitten. She was everything he'd want in a woman. Someone he related to in many ways. She didn't live with her parents, her grandma taking her in after a falling out between the family. She loved rock, she played the drums, and was so. fucking. funny. Why hadn't he noticed her before?

Now, all those months later, they were all good friends. She finally felt like she found her people. Her little family in this swarm of assholes that flooded the school. Sure, Jason and his stupid gang still messed with her. But nothing could truly brings her down if Hellfire could pick her back up.

Senior prom was coming up, and although she didn't have a date, she was secretly hoping Eddie would ask her. The one person she'd put up with prom for. She'd do anything for him, honestly. There was a million reasons not to go to prom, but if Eddie was going? That was the one reason to go.

Her hope was dwindling, however. She'd noticed earlier that day a miss Chrissy Cunningham slip a note in Eddie's locker. That was out of the ordinary, considering she was a part of Jason's little clique. She was nice, Y/n guessed. Never joining her past boyfriend in the harassment toward her but never putting a stop to it either. Eddie had mentioned once or twice that he used to have a liking for Chrissy, but that was in middle school. Y/n was hoping the little note was for anything but prom.

Lunch came, and everyone was sitting at their claimed table. Everyone except for Eddie. Something Jeff caught on to first. "Where the hell is Eddie? Lunch is halfway done." To that everyone looked around. "Maybe he had a deal going on today." Jareth added in. "Doubt it. It's the middle of the school day, he wouldn't take the risk." Jeff and Gareth continued going back and forth, Y/n getting too lost in her head to keep up with what they were saying. He's never late for lunch. Where could he be?

"Speak of the devil. It's about damn time, man. We need to plan for tonight!" Dustin spotted him walking up to the table. There was something about him that was different. She'd never seen that smile before, a light flush on his face along with it. He shrugged off Dustins complaint. "We'll get to the planning in a minute, Henderson. I got big news right now!" Everyone at full attention, egging him to tell the big news.

"I'm going to prom!" Y/n's jaw dropped a little. Going to prom? With who? "Really? Who's the lucky lady, huh? Who?!" Mike was eager to find out who, just as she was. "Chrissy fucking Cunningham. She just asked me like 10 minutes ago!"

She was happy for him, really she was. But in that moment she couldn't smile. She couldn't congratulate him, applaud him, nothing. She felt... Broken. Falling, falling so fast; plummeting to the cold, hard ground and no one could catch her. The only person who noticed her fall is Dustin. He'd been the only one she told about her not-so-little crush on Eddie.

Dustin looked at her with a sympathized expression. Knowing full well she wasn't okay with this. She turned to him, too. Waving her hand with a notion that she's okay. Even though they both know she very much wasn't.

"Damn! That's awesome, man. Congratulations, didn't know you had it in you to pull something like that." The boys were proud of him. Of course they were, it's Chrissy fucking Cunningham. Little miss perfect of Hawkins High. The head cheerleader, straight A's, a slim body, nice personality. Everything that Y/n was not. Nothing made her self confidence shoot down faster than this.

No wonder he'd never ask her to prom. She didn't have anything he wanted. Chrissy did.

She kept her head down. Not having enough emotional energy to keep up a conversation. Just wanting to go home. Perhaps she'll just go home after lunch.

Wait. But then she'd have to just come back anyway for Hellfire tonight. A very important campaign to not only Eddie, but the rest of the boys too. Not to mention Dustin's lecture he'd give her about skipping it. She'd never hear the end of it.

The boys never stopped talking about Eddie "The Freak" Munson going to prom with Chrissy Cunningham. Not really having the heart to hear anymore of this, she stands up to throw her food away. She barely ate. "I'm gonna head to the library, kay? I have some catching up to do on Mr. Kellins paper." Without another word, she makes a bee line to the door.

"Mr. Kellins has a paper due?" Jeff not really getting the hint that she just wanted to leave. Dustin opted to follow her, knowing she'll probably want to vent. He looked up to her, like the big sister he never had. He was protective, odd as it is. To be protective of someone 4 years older than you. She wasn't blood, but he considered her family nonetheless.

Eddie noticed her change in behavior as well. He saw the rush she was in to leave, and Dustin's departure after her. Figuring Dustin would tell him later, he turns back to Jareth, who's bragging how he also got a prom date.

-

"Y/n? Are you okay?" She was in the back of the library, sitting on the floor with a random book in her hand. A book she probably grabbed just to have a reason to be here. "Honestly, Dust? Not really." Her legs are shaking slightly, trying her very hardest not to cry. What's her problem? Its not like she and Eddie are dating, he can go to prom with whoever the fuck he wants.

"I'm sorry, Y/n. He's an idiot for taking Chrissy and not you. A huge one." He tries his best to make her smile, but to no avail. "See that's the thing, Dust. He hasn't seen me. He probably just thinks of me as his sister or some shit. I'm nothing more than one of the boys. That's all I'll ever be." He could hear the heartache in her voice the tears she's kept in for so long. She'd let slip a couple months ago that all the boys she ever liked never liked her back. She called herself 'not traditionally pretty.' He assumed she meant like she wasn't like the pretty girls that got all the dates. Her skin was darker, her body was fuller, her hair was crazier. Boys never looked her way, it had been chipping away at her self esteem for years, Eddie was just the icing on the cake.

Dustin sits next to her, his back leaning on the bookshelf behind them. "Y/n, like I said. He's an idiot. He needs shit spelled out her him to even get it through his head. I know he likes you. Not like one of the guys, either. He really likes you. I know it." Y/n wants to believe him. But there was a voice in the back of her head. If that was true, why was he going with Chrissy and not her?

"Are you going to prom?" Dustin asks. She shakes her head. "What, and see them dancing all close together? Seeing them be like a couple? No fucking thank you. I'm gonna stay home. I wanna practice a new song." Figuring changing the subject to something she loved to do, he asks "What new song?" She perks up a bit and the question. "It's not really new, but Iron Maiden has a song called Dance of Death. I've been wanting to try it out for some time now. What better time than now?" They continue chatting for a bit more until the bell rings, signalling lunch was over and to head to class. Before they went their separate ways, Y/n game Dustin a hug. "Thank you. For checking up on me. I really appreciate it." Dustin hugs her back, "of course, Y/n. You're like a sister to me. I'm not just gonna leave you to cry in the library all alone." She laughs a bit at this, giving him one last squeeze. "I'll see you later, Dust."

-

It was right after school. Dustin, Mike, and Eddie were preparing for Hellfire. "So, you wanna tell me what was wrong with Y/n earlier?" Eddie started up the conversation. He'd tried to track her down after class, but to no avail.

"No." It was fast and a little bit venomous. Dustin was furious as him. How could he not be?! Eddie was tossing aside treasure to get with a nickel. He had no idea the pain he'd been causing Y/n. Even if he did, would he care?

Eddie looks up from the table. "What? Why not?" Mikes listening intently from the side, trying not to intervene. "Because it's her privacy. She's going through something right now and it's not my place to spill the beans. If you wanna know so bad maybe actually talk her." His attitude was showing through, and he didn't mean for it to come out so mean. He's just protective of his best friend.

"Hey, dude, I'm just asking. Kay? No need to get your feathers ruffled." Eddie tries to make the room fun again, cracking a joke at the end. He can't seem to shake this feeling, though. One he can't really pinpoint as to why. There's something wrong with Y/n? She always goes to him about her problems. Why can't she just come to him now?

"Hey guys!" Y/n was the first to arrive, slight red eyes with makeup piled on top of it. Enough for Eddie and Dustin to pick up on it, but not enough to say anything.

"Hey Y/n, we're just setting up now. You're pretty early today." Mike wants to break free of the tension that was currently in the room. "Yeah... I wanted to get here before Jason found me in the hallways again." She internally cringes at the remembrance of what happened last week when he saw her. He tripped her, calling her some racist name he could think of in the moment and then laughed in her face. She didn't think Jason was actually racist, but just wanting to hurt her in any way he can. Or maybe he was, she didn't really care enough to know.

"Carver can choke on a dick. He has no right to harass you the way he does." He's angry, of course he is. The way he's so quick to defend her makes that sparkle of hope shine once more. That is until she remembers that prom is in literally two weeks and he's going, but not with her.

"What can you do, huh? Let's finish setting up, kay?" She sets her bag down and avoids eye contact, ignoring the strange looks she gets from Eddie throughout the night.

-

That was probably the worst end to a campaign ever for her. She was thrown so off her game she died 15 minutes in. Spending the rest of her time just following along and giving advice when needed. God, she just wanted to go home.

Finally walking to her car, she was stopped by a concerned metalhead. "Y/n! Are you okay? You've been... Distant today." He desperately wanted to know what was wrong without pushing her too far.

"I'm fine Eddie. Just wanna go home, okay?" She tries to leave the situation as soon as possible, but Eddie refuses to leave it at that. "But Dustin said you're going through something. Whatever it is you know can talk to me too, right?" Y/n pauses, contemplating her answer. "I'm sure I can, Ed. Please just let go of my arm." He didn't even realize he had a hold on her, quickly letting go. "Just... Y/n don't leave me out of it, okay? I'm here for you, whatever way you need me."

Yeah but the way I need you you don't even want.

"I'll see you later, Ed." She gets in her car and drives off. Leaving Eddie in the parking lot alone.

-

The two weeks flew by like nothing. Eddie and Chrissy spending more time together alone, Y/n opting to take her lunches in the library, not wanting to see the boy she loved with someone much prettier than her. Dustin tries his best being there for her, spending every other day in the library with her.

"She actually changed my grade from a D- to an A! Can you believe that?" Dustin's blabbing about something Suzie did for him, she wasn't really paying attention. "Hey! Y/n! Are you even listening to me?" He claps his hands in front of her, snapping her out of her head.

"Sorry! Sorry! Just zoned out over here." She looked to the side, avoiding eye contact with the freshman. Knowing he'll know exactly what's on her mind. "Is it Eddie again?" Slowly she nodded, not wanting to cry. "Prom is in two days and all Eddie can talk about Chrissy. Chrissy this, Chrissy that. That's all I fucking hear about and I feel like I'm losing my mind. Imagine if Suzie kept talking about some guy that you thought was so much better than you. Wouldn't you be hurt too?"

Dustin nods slowly. Of course he would be. He really likes Suzie, and the the thought of her fawning over someone else made him sad.

"I don't think I'm gonna make it to Hellfire tonight, Dust. Not given what's going on. I think I just gotta get over him. How? I have no clue." The younger boy stands up, "What? But the ending of the cult of Vecna is tonight! What about the campaign?" She looks up at him sadly. "I promise you guys can do it without me. I just don't think I'd be much help tonight." Her voice drops, and it's then and there that Dustin realizes the full extent of her situation.

She's completely in love with him. And he's got his eyes on someone else.

He knew he had to do something. What that was? He didn't know. What he did know was that he hated seeing someone he cared about crying alone in the library. She was broken, lost. Not knowing where to go from here.

"sigh... Promise me you'll try your best to feel better okay?" She smiled softly at him, ruffling up his hair. "I promise, Dust." From that moment, he knew he couldn't keep quiet about this anymore.

-

Hellfire had just finished, not ending on a very high note, but hopeful nevertheless. The only ones left were Eddie and Dustin, deciding it was how or never.

"You're a idiot, Eddie." That caught him off guard. Sure, Dustin had been a little off today, but Eddie figured it was some freshman puberty thing. Not an Eddie thing.

"Excuse me?" Eddie stood up, approaching the younger boy with a confused look on his face. "You heard me. Do you even want to go to prom this year?" Prom? This whole thing was about prom?

"I mean not originally, no. But Chrissy really wants to go so.. Why the hell not, ya know?" Dustin was having none of it, his patience running thin. "You told me you don't even like Chrissy anymore. Why are you so damn hung up on her now of all times?" The room was getting tense.

"Hey. She asked me. I just said yes. It's not like I had bigger plans anyway." It wasn't a lie. He guesses he'd probably be in his room alone that night anyway. Unless Y/n would've wanted to do anything, in that case it was a whole new situation.

"What about Y/n? Do you even are about her anymore?" Dustin stood up from his chair. "What are you talking about? Of course I care about her!" The freshman scoffed, "You have a pretty funny way of showing it. You've been practically ignoring her since Chrissy came in the picture. I bet you barley even noticed she didn't come to hellfire today, huh?"

Of course Eddie noticed. It was the main reason team morale was down, the reason they'd all had retreated the fight. Their best girl and fighter wasn't there. "I did notice actually. I also noticed she hasn't been coming to lunch with us either. AND that no one seems to know the real reason except you. So why don't you just tell me what's really going on, Henderson. Enlighten me."

"She's in love with you, dumbass!"

Quiet. Neither of them breaking the deafening silence that engulfed the room. Dustin was mad, furious even, that Eddie had been so oblivious to the pain he'd been causing her.

"What?" Eddie couldn't believe it. Love? She actually loved him back? Why hadn't she said anything before? Why didn't he say anything before?

It all made sense. Chrissy. Prom. Y/n. That's why Y/n was so distant. He was going to prom, but with Chrissy. Not her.

"Y/n has been heartbroken the last two weeks! She can't even go to lunch because all you talk about is Chrissy. Chrissy Chrissy Chrissy. We get it, you wanna get in Chrissy's pants. But for gods sake, man, think! She sits in the library all alone because that's where she'd rather be than sitting in the cafeteria listening to how much she isn't what you want."

Dustin was about to explode. All the pent up anger was coming out. His brotherly protectiveness showing full scale, and Eddie deserved it all.

How could he be so blind? So stupid?

"Why... How come she never said anything? I-" His thoughts getting jumbled in his head. "She said she didn't wanna destroy the friendship. But Eddie, I'm gonna be honest, I think that's happening anyway." Eddie's heart shatters. The girl of his dreams, the person he'd do anything for. His very reason to keep coming to school! She's hurting, broken, thinking he doesn't care for her, love her.

And it's all his fault.

How could he fix this? It wasn't like he could just snap his fingers and change back time to before Chrissy asked him to prom. Oh how he wished he could do that.

"You're wrong about one thing, Henderson. She is what I want. Hell, she's all I want! Chrissy... I said yes because I didn't think Y/n would want to go, let alone with me." Dustin shakes his head. "Okay? You should've at least made sure before putting her through all of this shit. This is stuff you need to be telling her. Not me!"

"I know! I know! Shit, I don't know how I'm gonna fix this..." Eddie deflates, sitting down with his hands in his face. "I really fucked up, didn't I?" Dustin sits next to him, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Yeah, you did. But on the bright side, you know she likes you back now, right? Now figure out the next move."

-

The night of prom. Tonight. A night full of excitement and adventure for most. But for Y/n, it'll just be a regular Saturday. She'd skipped school the day prior, Opting for a quiet day in to collect herself. Mostly to avoid Eddie at all costs, not sure if she could really handle it.

Eddie had waited in the library for her to show up for lunch that day, hoping to explain everything, but she never showed. He instead got weird glances from the scattered students and librarian, not used to seeing Eddie in a place like a library.

He also waited after school, but gave up after noticing her car nowhere to be seen. Chrissy had found him instead, confused as to why he'd been standing sadly in the parking lot for ten minutes. It was there Eddie told her everything. Why lie? She'd deserved to know the truth too.

Chrissy had initially been disappointed, but came clean as well. Confessing she still had feelings for Jason, and was hoping to just make him jealous by showing up to prom with Eddie. They then had the mutual decision to just stay peers, nothing more. Something that took a huge chunk of weight off of Eddies chest.

Now prom was merely hours away, and Eddie was thinking of a plan. Best case scenario, he proclaims his love and sorries, she forgives him, and they get together and live happily ever after. Worst case scenario, anything other than that.

Y/n had been in the middle of the song when Eddie comes bursting in the room. Her grandma had taken quite a liking toward Eddie, Y/n guesses she's the one who let him in the house.

"Y/n! Please I need to talk to you." He was nervous, anxiety ridden. Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Y/n stands up from her drum set, walking past him to her water bottle. "I'm a little busy right now, Ed."

Eddie approaches her, hoping his confession would work. "Just... Hear me out, okay? Please?" She nods at him, praying this is just something that has to do with hellfire.

"I'm not going to prom with Chrissy." Her ears perked up at this. "Okay, so? You came all this way to tell me just that?" She didn't mean to keep up the attitude, but she didn't want to get her hopes up, either.

"I also know why you've been so distant. I know... Everything. I know you're feelings for me and I know how hurt you've been these past weeks. And Y/n I'm so so sorry. I wish I would've seen it sooner." He was staring in her eyes, searching for any kind of response.

"How do you know?" Tears were filling her eyes, she had no idea why. Raw emotion was building up without her consent.

He smiles at her softly, "A little birdie told me." She backs up, tossing her drumsticks on the chair. "Fucking Henderson, man. He can't keep a secret for shit." She'd confided in him, told him all her fears, insecurities, worries. All with the hopes of him keeping it between them. She felt a little hurt, but she can't help but feel a weight lift off her shoulders. Now everything was out in the open, and she could face rejection head on.

"Hey don't be mad him, I needed to know. Boy did he let me know, too. He'd probably have my head on a stick if I wasn't here right now." She laughs slightly. Dustin always acted like an older brother, despite her being 4 years older than he was. Never stopped their bond as family, though.

"Why are you here, Eddie? You couldn't tell me you didn't like me back on Monday?" He grabs her hands, holding them together, close to his chest. "That's the thing, Y/n. I do like you back. Just as much if not more than you like me." He's pleading with his eyes for her to listen, to understand. She shakes her head, looking anywhere but him.

"Eddie, that makes no sense. If that was true why were you going with her to begin with? Why wait 'til two hours before prom to confess your love for me?" He holds her tighter, "I should've told you all this a long time ago, and I'm so sorry, baby. I was scared. Hell, I still am! You're so beautiful it's intimidating. Why would someone as drop dead gorgeous as you like a freak like me?"

She laughs and looks down, tears falling freely now. "We're both freaks, dummy. I was planning on spending the whole night right here on the drums." He places a hand on her cheek, softly stroking it. "If you'd let me, could I join you?"

Their foreheads inch closer together, both of them being highly aware of the distance getting smaller. "What, you don't wanna go to prom?" Smaller. "Not if you're not there, babe." Smaller. "Then stay here with me." Smaller. "Gladly."

The distance is gone, her lips finally on his and it's. fucking. amazing. Nothing had been as sweet as her, or soft as him. It was like 2 pieces of a puzzle, fitting perfectly together like they were made for each other. Hands starting to roam, but before anything else could happen, breathing was a necessity.

Their foreheads leaning on each other once again. The tension now completely gone, all that's left is a room full of love and adoration. Both of them waiting so long to finally be here in the moment, neither of them wanting to let go just yet.

"So... Wanna show me what song you're playing?"

---------------------------------

Ahhhhh I'm so proud of this tbh I love Eddie so goddamn much I've never related to someone so much honestly.

Let me know what you think! Love you 😘

[munsonsduchess]

The Prince

summary: eddie is awake but there has been no sign of prince steve since, concern increases for the prince's safety w/c: 1,70 warnings: mentions of eddie's injuries, mentions of blood, swearing, mentions of someone being held against their will (non sexual) a/n: welcome to chapter three of shadow of the moon, now also on ao3 we're getting into the nitty gritty a little bit now since i had a bit of a breakthrough where this story was concerned earlier in the week and i'm excited to get into it with you all

if you like this please reblog so others can find it and enjoy as well, sharing is caring folks!

divider by @firefly-graphics

(moodboard by me)

A few days after Eddie had woken you'd been inundated with visitors. It seemed the Prince had been trying to hold back the horde of young adults who wanted to see their friend now he was no longer in a healing slumber. 

Nancy and Robin had come along to 'supervise' but you suspected that they were really just there to stop Dustin and Mike from causing any more harm to Eddie, 

"What happened?" 

"Did you see the guy?"

"Does Steve know who it was?"

"Is he going to kick their ass?" 

Eddie didn't seem daunted at all by the barrage of questions thrown his way and answered them with ease. No he didn't see who it was, he doesn't know what Steve knows, let's be honest Steve is more likely to get his ass kicked than anyone else. 

The last statement brought laughter flowing freely from the children and even from Nancy and Robin, apparently the Prince had a reputation for losing fights. 

You hadn't seen the Prince since Eddie had woken and you suspected he was finding it hard to leave the grounds of the castle after the stunt at the river, no doubt the young men had been more than eager to tell anyone who'd listen about their chivalrous Prince since word had even reached you by now about how the Prince had 'saved' a young woman by the river but thankfully your name had been omitted, you didn't think the people of Hawkins would be so eager to praise the Prince for his actions if they knew you were involved.

Nancy seemed to catch you deep in thought and had come to sit beside you at your work table, 

"Steve told us what happened, I didn't think Jason Carver would have been the type" 

"I don't think he had the same idea as his friends" you  answered honestly, "he seemed to have a different agenda" 

Nancy hummed in thought. Perhaps she knew something and the incident at the river was only adding fuel to a fire she'd already suspected was burning,

"He's a great follower of the Royal Advisor, Henry, practically idolises him" Nancy spoke carefully, sounding her thoughts out, "Steve has never trusted Henry. There's something about him that just doesn't sit right"

"I've never known a Prince to trust someone with their father's ear" you said, "they're too concerned with what that person might be saying about them and how it would affect their right to the throne" 

"Steve isn't like that. He doesn't care about being King"

It was true you hadn't got that impression from the Prince from the interactions you'd had with him but he was still just that. A prince. You'd really rather not get embroiled in the dramas of Royalty. 

It turned out that Eddie was a terrible patient when he was awake, as you found out when you attempted to change his bandages,

"Ow! That hurts!" 

"If you'd stop flinching it wouldn't hurt!" you snapped back, you'd been trying to change his bandages for the last ten minutes and it was increasingly difficult and your temper was getting the best of you,

"I'm flinching because I was mauled and your bedside manner is terrible! What kind of healer are you anyway?" 

"I think you'll find I am not a healer, Master Edward. I peddle charms and potions but  your friends were desperate when they brought you to my doorstep so I offered my help" 

"Sure as a favour for the Prince" Eddie scoffed, "should have just brought me home"

"Oh yes I'm sure that would have worked out so well" you retorted, "you would have bled out if I had not been here to help"

"Ow!" Eddie was unable to think of a witty comeback when you'd touched the washcloth to one of the larger wounds on his side and he flinched away again,

"If you do not sit still and let me clean your wounds and rebandage them they will become infected and then you will be worse off than you are now, and I don't much feel like explaining to your friends how I let you get that way because you were a fussy child who refused to sit still!" 

Eddie merely pouted and did his best not  to wince the next time you pressed the washcloth to his wounds. Finally you were able to clean and redress Eddie's wounds and he lay back on your bed having been unable to get up and move around quite yet. 

You were still sleeping on your mound of blankets by the hearth and while it wasn't the most comfortable place you were sure the Prince would arrange for his friend to be moved to better lodgings now that he was awake, it was only a matter of time you supposed until you were left to your solitude again. 

The only thing was that neither you nor anyone else apparently had seen or heard from  the prince in more than a week, which was troubling Robin most of all,

"We're best friends, he's never not found some way to contact me" she'd  come by in a frantic state to see if there was anything you could do to try and reach the Prince, "I don't want to think about what might have happened to him" 

"I can try and divine something" you'd told her, "but there is no way to know for certain what is happening" 

You'd brought your cards to the table and had Robin hold them for a while to absorb her energies and her concern for her friend before handing them back. Placing the cards  out in front of you immediately began to show an unfavourable scenario, 

"What? What do they say?" 

"It would seem your prince is being held somewhere, i'm unsure where, he is being held under the instructions of a powerful man, guarded so he cannot leave, this powerful man is angry with the prince for something, he will not harm the prince but he is incredibly angry" 

Robin slammed her hands on the table and stood up in a flash, 

"You heard all that right?" she addressed Eddie as she spoke who you hadn't even realised was awake, "you know what that means"

"Yeah, his old man" Eddie agreed, "probably found out about Steve helping me, you know what happened last time" 

"I'm going to get Nancy" Robin announced as she stormed out of your cottage angrier than you'd ever seen her,

"Well, that's certainly the most emotional reaction to a reading I've had in a while" you sighed picking your cards back up, "I don't know why you're all so eager to involve yourself in the daily lives and drama of your Royals but I commend you for your loyalty" 

"It's not like that" Eddie bit out, "Steve's a good guy" 

"So I'm told. I'm certain it's a welcome change to have a kind ruler waiting in the wings"

"You don't get it" Eddie said, shaking his head, "Steve is different, why do you think he brought me here?" 

"Because I was the closest and I doubt any doctor could have helped you as I did" 

"Because the doctor in the castle would have just let me die!" he all but yelled, "people in town don't give a fuck about me and they'd be happy if I was gone, but not Steve. He dragged my ass here because he trusted you, he knew you'd help. Because he's a good person" 

You were stunned for a moment. You'd simply assumed the Prince endeared people to him by not being as iron fisted as his father clearly was. However the loyalty you'd seen from those who called him friend was different than anything you'd ever seen before where Royalty was concerned. 

Still, you couldn't afford to become attached to anyone in this town no matter how endearing they seemed. Your life was a solitary one, you were simply biding your time until the fine people of Hawkins decided they'd had enough of a witch living in their town. 

It was always the same. No matter where you went. You couldn't count on doing one favour to change the very nature of people. 

Including Princes. 

Tag List (let me know if you want to be added): @babyrunsforfanfic @novelnovella @pillow-titties @yappydoo @filthy-gorgeous-library @likedovesinthewnd @insertcoolnameherethanks

[kedreeva]

Hello! Sry if you got this message twice now but my internet connection is super whack and I think the first one didn't get through so here we go again: I think it's basically cannon Eddie doesn't get chicks but if he did, do you think he'd be a player/rake or would he be the type looking for love and a relationship? I think he'd still be the type true love but I'd like to hear your take on it :D

Also, in addition: Do you think Steve's little nuggets speech was romantic? Cuz I always took it as sad testament to how lonely he grew up since we know his parents are rather absent and with six lil nuggets he wouldn't be lonely again (but since I ship Jancy I'm not sure whether that's how it was intended or whether I'm biased. I'll live if Jancy doesn't stay cannon though so this is no bait or stuff, only asking for your honest take on it cuz I love your takes :D)

Your other ask DID go through but I like this one better because I will get to talk about more things.

So first of all......... honestly I think Eddie would be completely useless in a situation where he had to woo someone if the result actually mattered to him. We never see this in canon. The closest we come is his early scene with Dustin and Mike, and we only later learn that Dustin's opinion of him matters to Eddie- and even then, that opinion isn't romantic, that opinion is how cool Dustin thinks Eddie is. Completely different ballgame. His band friends? They sold him out to Jason and co basically immediately. They were just having band practice nonchalantly without him while he was literally wanted for possibly the most brutal public murder this town has ever seen. Eddie never mentions them. He certainly doesn't flee to them for safety.

The scene with Chrissy, while adorable and I love it, has no risk of personal investment for Eddie. If she rejects him or accepts him carries no risk of breaking his heart because he barely knows her. The same thing goes for anyone else he could possibly be involved with (yes, including Steve). He literally doesn't know any of them except Dustin, and Lucas once Lucas joins in and again, he's only interested in impressing them for seeming cool, not for romance. He's able to be big and flashy and lean in too close or play a fool because the outcome does not (cannot, at that point) matter.

And I choose to believe that when faced with actual potential consequences to his actions (ie he actually cares about someone and if he messes up he could lose them) that he would not be smooth at all.

Which is all to say that I think there's a chance he would peacock it up as if he could be a rake, trip and fall face first in love, and actually be a complete fool about it because love actually does matter a lot to him. He doesn't know why he cares about Dustin's opinion, but I do- because he tripped face first into adopting a child and loves him now, and this absolutely useless fool realizes what that means and one (1) second later goes and gets killed about it. He cannot be left alone with an emotion, he's just not responsible enough.

-----

As for the OTHER part. well. I should watch it again but in all honesty.... I think it was face value. People are gonna take it however they want to take it, but personally, I think it was Steve... being vulnerable, wearing his heart on his sleeve. I think he just nearly got eaten alive, they just stole a vehicle, they're kind of planning on going back into the UpsideDown to fight a very, very powerful and bad monster where they might get eaten by bats again. There's a better than good chance he doesn't survive a second encounter.

He's telling Nancy "none of this is how I imagined my life would go, I wanted something so much happier. i wanted a family." and later "I thought I might have been able to have those things with you. I wanted it to be you." I think the writers probably intended it to be romantic. I don't know that I buy it, personally, only because like... I like to think Steve knows Nancy better than to think she wants anything remotely resembling a nuclear family.

So, do I think it was romantic? I think it's supposed to be read as romantic. Do I read it as romantic? maybe sideways. I read it as a boy who thinks he's probably not gonna make it, maybe neither of them will, wanting to let a girl know he'd dreamed of being happy with her, once upon a time. It hits the same chord inside me as the saddest lines poem: "I loved her and, sometimes, she loved me too." It's a very Steve and Nancy poem.

[ur-not-reddie]

Save Me A Spark

"I don't know what to do," Will sighs as he sits on Johnathan's bed, noticing the aroma of weed, but doesn't mention it.

"What do you mean?" Jonathan sits next to Will, his full attention on his little brother.

"Mike..." is all Will can manage to say, pausing. "It's hard to say how I feel because it's just... wrong? Not right."

"It's not wrong," Jonathan says softly, knowing exactly what's on Will's mind. "How you feel isn't wrong. Feelings are never wrong. Just because some feelings are different doesn't mean they're wrong or bad." he flashes a tender smile.

"Maybe this one is wrong and bad..." Will sighs softly, defeated.

"Look at me," Jonathan rests his hand on Will's shoulder. "I know how you feel about Mike, I see it. The way you look at him, I've never seen you look at anyone that way before. Feeling happy and in love is never wrong."

Will nods his head, letting out another sigh. He's not sure what to say, he's fighting his own feelings and it's exhausting. It's incredibly lonely. Does anyone else feel like this?

The two sit there in silence; it's comfortable. He just needs to be around someone non-judgmental, clear his head a bit. But even talking didn't seem to help. Will he feel like this forever?

There's a knock on the door, Will's heart instantly sinking into his stomach. He stands to his feet, making his way to the door, taking a deep breath before opening it.

"Hey!" Will gives a welcoming smile, swinging the door open for Mike to enter.

"Hey," Mike greets him back, duffel bag in his hand with a wide grin.

"Shall we go to my room? I have something to show you." Will bounces on his heels in an exhilarated manner.

"Okay," Mike's grin never leaves his face as he leads the way to Will's room. He knows this house like his own. The two enter, Mike making himself comfortable in the chair that sits in front of Will's desk. "What is it you want to show me?"

Will rummages through his bedside drawer and pulls out a few drawings he's been working on. He unfolds them carefully and hands them to Mike, Mike's eyes glistening in awe.

"I can't believe you actually drew these," Mike half-whispers as he scans the art. Will bites his lip, cheeks starting to burn red, his stomach flipping. "I've always loved your drawings. I looked at them a lot when you were in the Upside Down. California too..."

That's it. Will can't hide it. A smile bursting onto his face. He breathes out slowly, trying to ease his exciting anxiety. Any time Mike compliments him, he feels like he can melt into the floor.

"You can keep them," Will tries to steady his rapid, racing heart.

"What? No! They're yours." Mike gives a confused expression.

"It's okay. Keep them. I kind of made them for you anyway..." Will admits sheepishly.

*

Mike sees Will's lips move, but the words are not processing through to him. He needs to do it. He has to do it. He'll never have as much courage as he has now. That's when Mike leans in and plants his lips onto Will's.

"W-what did you do that for?" Will asks, frozen and stunned with wide eyes as Mike pulls away. Did that really happen?

"Because I lost you... again..." Mike sighs. "Once in the Upside Down and the other when you left to California. I can't do it all over again. What if I lose you for good? And then I'd never get to say it..."

Will is unsure of what to say. Mike's words, his actions. It all feels like a dream. For once, for Will, reality is better than his dreams.

"Say what?" Will's cheeks are tinted dark red, he can't help it. Mike falls silent as Will waits eagerly for his response.

"That- that I like you." Mike bites his lip, shifting his eyes down to his lap, heart nearly drumming out of his chest. "Love you, actually... I realized it the first day you went missing. Losing you made me lose myself." Mike pauses. "Crazy together, right?" he gives a weak smile.

"Yeah, crazy together." Will grins back, meaning it just like the first time. "But, what about El?" Will breathessoftly.

"I like her, I do. But not in the way that I thought. I'll always care for her, she's my friend and we wouldn't be alive without her. But you, you're..."

Will knows what Mike is trying to say, but instead, he connects their lips in another tender kiss.

-

part 1

[andiwriteordie]

asking abt the sad wheeler sibling thing

i am in the business of ruining everyone's (especially nic's @messrsbyler) day with sad wheeler sibling ideas so here is my pitch for a book 4 scene

(on a side note. i need to like. probably explain this more in terms of my thoughts on themes in the books but that's another ask for later lol. in my brain this series goes something like

Book 1: Water

Book 2: Earth

Book 3: Fire

Book 4: Air)

so, we're to book 4 now, and we're near the beginning of the plot that occurs in this book. henry returns to hawkins, and long and short of it, somehow, el/will/mike end up fighting him, somewhere separated enough to where the others can't help (or the others are preoccupied by spirit attacks. don't ask me the how all this happened/what the set up is yet bc i have Not One Clue lol).

el is obviously the primary one fighting henry, while will and mike are there trying to help keep spirits from her, and one way or another, el gets up getting injured and knocked unconscious by henry. so now, will, who is still trying to figure out his own connection to the spirit world and the abilities that this connection gives him, is forced to fight henry. it becomes very, very clear though that henry is far too powerful since he manages to toss will aside—though not injuring him as badly as el gets injured, just knocking him out for a few moments.

and henry turns to mike and begins attacking him, which i talk about more here. will is partially conscious but unable to get up because he's still out of it, so he's watching in horror as henry does to mike what he did to max (and what he did to will, a couple years ago). with all three of them now rendered useless or close to dead, henry leaves, to do what? no clue, i'll figure it out later or maybe nic will!

after seeing mike fall back to the ground, will manages to crawl over to him, and he quickly realizes mike isn't breathing, so he desperately starts trying to save mike. i think about this scene as a parallel of sorts to the lucas trying to save max scene, except while lucas was only able to keep max's heart beating, will is only able to help mike breathe but not restart his heart. he's crying, begging mike to hold on, and screaming for anyone to come help him.

nancy's the first to find them, and will, panicked and breathless and crying, begs her to come help—because nancy can bend lightning. she can restart mike's heart and help save him. will needs her to help him save mike. he needs nancy.

but this is nancy, and god, i hope everyone knows that i love nancy wheeler with my whole heart and also that i love gray areas. because nancy sees that el is unconscious too, sees a pool of blood around the avatar, and it's her first instinct not to go to mike but to go to el.

and nancy quickly realizes el's heart has stopped, el isn't breathing, and they're about to lose el too. they're about to lose the avatar—the only person who can beat henry.

if they lose el, it's game over. henry will take over the world long before the next avatar comes along, and he'll always be one step ahead of them. his deep connection to the spirits will help him find the next avatar long before anyone else does. they cannot lose el.

and nancy knows this.

so even though her little brother is there, pale and lifeless and only breathing because of will's airbending, nancy makes the hard call. how is it always her being forced into these situations? how is nancy always having to choose between duty/the bigger picture/what will matter most in the long run and the people she loves and cares about? and sure. nancy has never been that close to mike. they've struggled their whole lives to get along, and their firebending has always been a point of contention—the unfortunate result of their parents' expectations and inability to show either of them genuine love.

but this is still her little brother. and nancy wants to scream, because this isn't fair, but there's no doubt in her mind what she needs to do. el comes first. restart el's heart. ignore will's screaming and begging for her to help mike. block out the sight of mike's body, limp in will's arms. just focus. do what has to be done.

nancy chooses el, but really, nancy chooses the avatar. nancy chooses the world.

(but will chooses mike.

every. single. time.)

[bylertruther]

random thought, but i feel like putting all of the blame on karen for the fact tht mike doesn't open up to her is a little ...................... (insert vague hand motion here bc i can't think of a fitting, not-childish eloquent word) ????

yes she's the parent and yes she does have to make the effort to create an environment where he feels welcome to share and talk to her, but karen cannot force mike to open up. mike doesn't respond well to his parents being overbearing and honestly he doesn't react well to ANYONE coming at him head-on no matter how close they are to him.

mike needs to come to people on his own terms when he's ready and collected himself. and karen knows that! she literally says that to ted when ted offers to go talk to him in s1 because they know will's death and disappearance is hard on him. and no i don't think they should've taken away his toys aka doled out a punishment when mike wasn't cooperating in s2, because that's simply Not how you handle such a situation, but they did it because they thought well if us being "soft" isn't working then maybe us putting our foot down will get through to him. it's not like they did it bc they thought to themselves "lmao fuck that guy 🖕".

and even though mike doesn't seek support through verbal means like nancy does, he does seek comfort from her through physical affection! and karen does give it to him! whenever he feels like he's lost will, he goes to her and breaks down in her arms and she drops everything to go hold him.

the point is that when mike does go to her, she's there. they all care about and love each other in that family, including ted. karen and ted are not plot-involved parents like joyce and hopper are, and we're not going to get a deep dive into any of the other families unless it's relevant to the plot. ... as we've literally already seen before?

and ted is the way he is because he's written as the kind of father that spends all day at work to provide for his family and gets home and just wants to watch tv and eat dinner and go to sleep and repeat that ad nauseam for the rest of his life bc tht's just what you do and you only have so much energy (smth smth silly little play). i'm not saying he's father of the year and no one should ever comment on his involvement with his kids, but... that's just his role to play in this story.

he's clueless abt the crazy shit that goes down in hawkins the same way that everyone else is clueless abt it but that doesn't make him a bad guy lol. there's purposeful juxtaposition of him chillin' watching the news cover everything up while joyce and hopper and the kids are out there losing their minds almost dying fighting monsters saving the world etc etc. it's supposed to be comical. he lives here and he has no idea what's really happening, unlike us and the central characters of the show.

not every family has to look or act like the byers or sinclair family to be Good. you can try your best to get someone to talk to you, but they're not going to do it if they don't want to. mike is a hothead that doesn't often share or even totally understand what he's feeling, and if he does, he rarely opens up all the way. he still keeps certain things to himself and only reveals just enough to achieve his goals. it's mainly when he's apologizing over something big that he manages to be open, and that isn't even something that happens often or outside of a situation that necessitates it.

and the whole "not knowing exactly where your kids are, but knowing they're with their friends somewhere and that they'll be home later tonight" isn't a sign of abuse or that they don't care. that's what life was like before the technology that we have now, and that level of freedom was the POINT. it's a big part of WHY the duffers chose the eighties. such a story wouldn't work with our current technology. that isn't even an experience exclusive to those that are 30+ or whatever. i'm in my twenties and i remember my childhood being like that.

like. i don't think it's as black and white of an issue as some people suggest. the wheelers haven't been perfect parents, but they're not malicious and they do love their children, even if they clearly don't always understand them. saying that karen and ted don't care about or love their children and that they're on the same level of neglect as lonnie is just... i mean. what?