#HER... THE WAY THAT MIKE /ALWAYS/ TALKS ABOUT FAMILY WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT LOVE + EL SPECIFICALLY

[teambyler]

El: "What is... gay?" (Byler talk)

This show establishes that El grew up in a lab and doesn't know basic things:

Pretty much all she knows about romance is what she's been exposed to on TV:

She naturally assumes that, if Will likes someone, it's a girl:

The fact that Will and Mike might be gay isn't even on El's radar.

Remember that this is the 1980s. Robin hasn't come out to the party; Robin had to explain to Nancy that she and Steve weren't dating, and even then she DIDN'T come out to Nancy.

I saw a poll here recently asking, if Byler is real, does El know? Can she sense the tension between them? Or is she completely oblivious?

I think El already KIND OF knows, in the same way she knew something was off in how Mike couldn't say he loved her. But she understandably thinks Will is straight (see above) and that Mike is straight (because they're canonically dating... hell many of us once thought that, too!). Also, she has always been too quick to conclude that the problem in their relationship is herself.

If Byler happens, I think El putting the pieces together would be (1) completely in character and (2) the most effective way to lessen backlash against Byler.

Once she becomes aware that loving people of your own sex and gender is a thing, the mental floodgates will open. El, as someone who knows Mike and Will well, will probably (together with Jonathan and Robin) be the first to put two and two together.

It might even be a RELIEF for El when she realizes that Mike doesn't love her romantically, not because there's something wrong with her, but because he's gay and/or has an incomparable love for his childhood friend Will. It would be part of her process of self-growth. She will learn that she can trust her instincts. And she will KNOW that she was RIGHT that something was MISSING between her and Mike (there's nothing wrong with her), and there's something RIGHT about Mike pairing with Will.

She'll learn about the PAINTING LIE. She'll see that Will sacrificed his own happiness for her and Mike. She would have ZERO resentment toward Will and want to help him IN RETURN. She's finding friendship, family, and love in all her relationships. The anti-Bylers who think Will would "steal" Mike from El and so she'd hate him, not only think too little of Will, but also underestimate EL.

El, as someone who ALWAYS has been goodhearted and had a strong moral compass, who loves Mike and Will deeply, and who from her own experience supports the marginalized and abused, could be the #1 Byler among the characters in the show.

-teambyler

[happy74827]

Fill the Void

[Mike Schmidt x Female!Reader]

Synopsis: You didn’t know what you were more terrified of. Ruining the relationship between the man you secretly loved, or the presence of his little sister who seemed to despise you.

WC: 2,818

Category: Lime/Steamy, Slight Angst

Omg, I need to stop writing him. It’s such an obsession at this point.

『••✎••』

Mike was kissing you, like actually kissing you. His hands were on your hips, pulling you closer, while yours were in his hair. His eyes, those pleading eyes, were looking up at you with such passion, such longing that it made you weak at the knees. You could see the way the Adam's apple in his throat bobbed as he swallowed, his jaw clenching tightly as he took in a deep breath. His lips were slightly parted, inviting you to kiss him again and again.

You still didn't understand how this happened. You were trying to calm him down after a fight that happened the day before. He had gotten into a shouting match with his sister about how she treated you, and then it all escalated. It was a huge argument, with a lot of hurtful things said. It ended with Mike slamming his fist against the wall and Abby storming out of the room. You had spent the entire day trying to get him to talk to you, to talk to her. You tried to get him to apologize for what he said because you knew deep down he didn't mean any of it. He had just been so stressed, so angry, that he wasn't thinking straight.

So, there you were the next day, sitting on your bed with Mike as he ranted to you about practically everything. He talked about how he couldn't stand how Abby treated you and that it made him feel sick to his stomach. He told you that he couldn't stand to see the way that she would look at you like she was disgusted by the mere fact that you were around. He didn't like how she talked down to you like you were a kid or how she treated you like you didn't have any thoughts of your own.

And that was when it happened. You tried to reason with him, to calm him down, and that's when you first felt it. You felt the spark in the air, you saw the way his pupils dilated, and you felt the way his skin felt warm under your fingertips.

You had to admit it. You were so scared. You liked Mike, you really did. You liked the way he would protect you, the way he would make sure you were okay even though you weren't technically his family; you were just a friend who lived next door. You liked how he made you laugh, how he could always make you smile and brighten your day. You liked how he would take your hand when you were scared and comfort you with soft whispers.

You liked him a lot, and that terrified you.

You never really talked to anyone about how you felt about Mike. You never even mentioned it to him, even if it was on the tip of your tongue every time you looked at him. He had always told you he thought of you as family, but you weren't sure he meant it in the same way that you did. You were worried if you brought up the subject of you and him, it would ruin everything, that he wouldn't feel the same way about you. You were scared to ruin this friendship that you two had. It was a friendship you cherished and valued more than anything.

That was why you were so shocked when Mike was the one who brought up the subject. He looked into your eyes, and you knew he could see it all. He could see the way you felt, the way your heart pounded at the mere thought of him, and the way you had a hard time catching your breath when you saw him. And instead of shying away, turning bright red, and leaving the room, he got closer to you. He brushed his lips against yours, and you knew there was no turning back. You knew you were a goner, you were so screwed, and you couldn't bring yourself to care.

You deepened the kiss, pressing yourself against him as he maneuvered your body around so he was looking up at you instead of down. Your fingers slid along his cheeks, going into his hair, tugging slightly at the strands. Your eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you over and over. Your head was spinning, and it was all so overwhelming that you couldn't focus on anything. All you could do was kiss him back with everything you had, feeling the way his hands trailed up your sides, pushing your shirt up.

God, it felt so right. This felt so perfect. You never wanted it to end. You wanted to stay at this moment forever. You wanted to freeze time, to stop the moment before anything could ruin it. You wanted to stop and relish in the way his lips felt against yours, how his hands felt against your skin. You wanted to remember how he looked, with his eyes closed as you kissed him. You wanted to remember how he tasted, sweet and addictive. You wanted to remember the feeling of his heart beating, of the way it pounded against his chest, of the way it matched your own. You wanted to remember the way he smelled and the way he sounded when you tugged at his hair, making him groan quietly.

You wanted to remember everything, a reminder that this was real. This wasn't some dream or a fantasy. This was reality. It was real, and you wanted to savor it while you still could.

Unfortunately, Mike was only a human, and he needed air. He pulled away, but only for a moment. He leaned his forehead against yours, and you took in a deep breath, trying to calm your racing heart. You could still taste him on your lips, and you felt like you were on cloud nine. It was so perfect, so perfect that it almost scared you.

You didn't know what to say; you were completely speechless. You didn't know how to process this. You just sat there, staring into his eyes, taking in everything about him. You didn't want to ruin the moment. You didn't want to do anything to mess this up. You were scared of what would happen next; you were scared to ask.

Mike sensed your hesitation, and his lips pulled into a smile. He pushed your hair out of your face, letting his thumb trace along your jaw.

"It's okay," he said in a low whisper, his voice almost husky. "I feel it, too."

Those three words. He had said those words to you before. It had been in a different situation, but it was something similar, something you remembered vividly. That time, he meant it as family. This time, you knew he meant it differently. You weren't just friends with him anymore. You were something more.

He leaned in, kissing you again, but this time, it was different. This time, you felt more than you did before. You felt like there were fireworks behind your eyes, and sparks were running through your body. You felt like your heart was on the verge of bursting as he kissed you, and your stomach filled with butterflies. You felt like you were falling, but you also felt like you were flying. It was the most amazing feeling ever, and you wanted to feel it over and over again.

But, sadly, all good things come to an end. Mike practically ripped himself away from you in an instant, and you blinked in confusion as he peeked around you. His eyebrows furrowed, and he side-eyed you before glancing back again.

You looked at him, wondering what was going on, until you heard a creak of the floorboards, and your blood ran cold. Mike's eyes snapped toward his watch, and you noticed how his concern shifted to confusion before softly getting up from under you. He brushed himself off, giving you a sheepish smile before clearing his throat.

"Abby?" he called out, sounding as sweet as ever, as he crossed the room and looked down the hallway. "What are... It's eleven, Abs! Why aren't you at school? I'm not supposed to get you for another hour and a half!"

You scrambled off of your bed, feeling your face flush as you made your way over to Mike, trying to catch your breath. You could hear the sounds of her footsteps coming up closer, and you pushed yourself against Mike's chest as if to hide behind him. You didn't want her to see you, not yet, not after everything that just happened between the two of them the day before.

"I had to walk home," she said in a sullen tone as she made her way towards the two of you. She didn't seem to notice you yet. "Why didn't you pick me up?"

"What're you talking about?" he asked, his confusion only growing. You peeked over his shoulder and saw how she stood there, arms crossed and glaring at Mike. "I told you I'd pick you up at noon."

"What are you talking about? It is noon!" she argued back. "Maybe you should be paying more attention to your watch."

At that, Mike squinted his eyes before rushing back into the room, leaving you without protection from her angry eyes. She noticed you rather immediately, and she seemed to be taken aback for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice low as she glared at you. You thought the most terrifying moment would be her finding out about the situation, but this was almost worse in terms of reactions. She looked like she could kill you in an instant, and she had no clue what was going on between the two of you.

You had a stare-down with her before turning your head towards the loud noise coming from the room. Mike had a hand to his hair, and he looked about ready to rip it all out.

"The time change!" he yelled in realization, and you thought that was the end of that. You could see how his eyes shifted from you to his watch and then to his sister, and he seemed to finally put the pieces together. "Oh... I'm so stupid. I'm so sorry, Abs, I didn't-"

"It's fine," she interrupted, and you could see her composure shifting as though she were trying to be calmer. "It's no big deal. I guess you were too busy with... uh... well..."

She glanced over at you for a split second, and you wanted the ground to open up and swallow you whole. This was so awkward. You felt like you were going to throw up. How can a ten-year-old girl with a staring problem be this intimidating?

"Abs, don't start this again," Mike warned, giving her an annoyed glare. You thought maybe it would work this time. Maybe he would convince her to drop this subject. You were wrong.

"Again?" she repeated, cocking her head to the side and giving him a look of disbelief. "What am I doing?"

"This!" Mike said in frustration, pointing to her as though it would make her understand. "You're doing this!"

She seemed to ignore his statement, and you had a sinking feeling that she did it on purpose. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something? Is there a reason why you're in my brother's room?"

"Oh my God," he mumbled under his breath, and you swore you could hear his eyeballs rolling back into his head. He then let out a loud groan and threw his hands into the air. "Can we just... I don't know. Maybe just talk about this later. Okay? I need to finish getting ready for work and-"

"Fine!" she hissed before stomping back down the hall, back down the stairs, and slamming the door shut behind her.

Mike let out a deep sigh as he plopped himself down on the bed. He dropped his head back and ran his fingers through his hair, letting out another sigh. You could only stand there awkwardly before slowly making your way to him, sitting beside him, and placing a hand on his shoulder. You tried to offer him some comfort, some sympathy for what was going on with the two of them.

"You okay?" you asked him softly, and he looked up at you. You could see the exhaustion on his face, but there was still something else there. You could see it in the way his eyebrows were furrowed and how his jaw was clenched. You could see it in his eyes. He had something else going on in that big brain of his.

"I don't know why she's acting like this. She doesn't hate you, I know she doesn't, she's just..."

He trailed off, and you got the hint that he wanted you to ask. You swallowed the lump in your throat before speaking. "She's just what?"

"I don't know," he repeated. "She used to beg me to invite you over, and now... I don't… It's like she's got some vendetta against you. I don't get it."

"Well," you started, trying to ease him into this conversation as much as you could. "I mean... Maybe she's just missing you? I know how close you two are."

"No, that's not it. She knows that I'm always going to put her first and that she's the most important thing to me, so she doesn't need to feel like that's changing. I'm still going to be her big brother, and I'm still going to love her and take care of her. I just have you in my life now, too, so... Oh. That's why..."

You nodded slowly, trying to tell him with your eyes that he was right on the money.

"Shit, I've been such a jerk to her," he sighed, closing his eyes tightly for a moment before rubbing them with his fingers. "I just get so stressed about everything, and I get mad. She's my sister; she's the most important thing to me, and I've been... I haven't been a good big brother to her lately."

"It's okay, Mike, really," you tried to tell him, placing your hand on his back and rubbing it in small circles. "You just have to talk to her about it. Preferably, when I'm not here."

"Yeah, no kidding," he snorted, shaking his head. "I just... I don't know what to do. I don't know how to talk to her. She's so good at this, you know? She gets under my skin so easily, and I can never really tell what I should be doing with her."

"I'm sure she feels the same way. She's just stressed out, too," you offered, trying to sound as sweet as possible to cheer him up. It didn't seem like it worked.

"Yeah, I know," he muttered. "I guess we'll just have to... Wait, what time is it?"

You glanced at your watch, seeing that it was half past noon. He jumped up off the bed, his eyes widening.

"Oh, shit," he hissed, running to the door. "I'm supposed to be at work by now."

"You really are just out of your mind today, huh?" you laughed, shaking your head in amusement as you watched him scramble around his room, getting ready for work.

He seemed to completely ignore your statement and continued on his frantic rampage to grab his necessities. Once he was ready, he shot you a glance, and you knew you had to get moving, too. He had already gotten you fired once, and you didn't want it to happen again.

"I'll catch you later, okay? I'll talk to Abby tonight and hopefully get some answers," he promised. You smiled at him as he leaned in, kissing you one more time. You stood there as he opened the door to leave, but then he stopped in his tracks and turned around, giving you a serious look. "If you don't want to... you know, Max's number is on the fridge. It's always there for emergencies or anything else. I know she'd be more than happy to watch Abby—even though I can barely pay her anymore."

"It's okay, Mike," you said with a smile. "Go to work. I'll figure something out."

With a quick nod, he left, closing the door behind him.

You thought about calling Max, but you decided against it. If you and Mike were going to have any chance at a relationship, then you knew you had to face Abby sooner or later. You might save the conversation for Mike and her to have, but that didn't mean you couldn't start proving that you weren't just some stranger who came into his life to steal him away.

You were going to make Abby see that not only you were worthy of being around her brother, but you were also worthy of being around her, too.

[2222bad]

BABY FEVER

[you and michael thinking about trying for another baby] | 800+ words

WARNINGS: fem! reader , (domestic) fluff <3

*i don’t name the kids in this for comfortability reasons, but they could be paris and prince if you wanted!

[2002]

you can see from the upstairs windows the large expanse of neverland’s grounds. the station, the sunny hills, the large gardens, the trees plopped about and dangling. beneath one, the largest, was michael, covered by the large net of shade, with a baby balanced on his knee and his umbrella turned down at his side. the tiny girl and him watch as the other baby, growing bigger by the day, hands him a flower of a color you can’t quite see. it was sunday, so michael got to be at home, and since the kids were growing he took every chance to be with them. filming little speeches and reading to little eyes and holding little hands. he was truly happy. always beaming! there was nothing more peaceful to you than framing this beautiful family in your view each day. there was just one thing you wished for. one thing you wanted to add.

as you step into the sun, michael’s already halfway back with them, letting go of baby girl’s hand to point to you. “you say hi? say hi to mommy!” you figure he’s saying because they all wave and yell out lovingly, a grin on every face. he was very kind to you that way, his desire to have you be a part of the magic even though the children weren’t yours.

“i picked this for you!” the little boy exclaims as he pierces ahead, his face bright and pink. another flower, golden you can see now, beats up and down in his tiny grip.

“oh, aren’t you just the sweetest thing?” you cry down on one knee, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. “thank you, sweetheart. i’ll have to go put it in water!”

“can i do it?” he asks as you take its limp stem in your hand.

you grin, “of course, honey, let’s go do it now.”

“and daddy’s too?”

his finger points backward to the figure that made up his daddy, now close and closing his umbrella again as him and baby girl make it to the first step. the first flower was in his shirt pocket, perfectly snug against his chest.

“did you give mommy her flower, applehead?” michael asks proudly.

“yes, he did!” you rise up and smile, welcoming a kiss, then a couple more for good measure once the little ones bumble inside.

“i told him not to run with it,” michael sighs with an air of humor, his eyes on your deflated, nearly petal-less flower.

“what do you mean? it’s perfect,” you argue, eyebrows furrowed in mock defense.

baby boy hollers from the hall, ready to vase his gifts. with a dutiful parting, you take michael’s from his pocket, pressing the two blooms together in a flowery kiss.

—

later in your bedroom michael finishes up the last few buttons on his sleep shirt, his body turned away from you laid in bed. the kids were fed, bathed, and tuckered out. after another day of endless adventure, there was just the two of you.

“mike?”

“mmm?”

“when you were out with the kids today, i was thinking about what we’ve been talking about,” you pause as he lays next to you, curving the last button into its hole, “i think i’m ready.”

he searches your eyes, a lightness in his tone. “ready?”

your fingers twist in the soft hem of your comforter as the words form; slowly, intentionally.

“i would really like to…have another baby…of our own...”

there was quiet as his face changed. like a beam of light turned on inside. “really?”

you nod and watch his aged smile grows into this beautiful crescent, wide and excited, so bright he has to hide it away behind his hands.

“are you sure?” he peeks.

hooking your finger onto one of his, you pull his hand down. of course you were sure. “would you like to?”

michael takes your hand and kisses it softly, taking some time to nurture your knuckles and palm. “it’d make me the happiest man in all the world.”

you come together, smiles turned kisses. there’s love in it. there’s heaven in it. his arms, with desire, pull you closer.

then, the sound of tiny little raps against the door.

“mommy?”

michael rears, his face flattened. “what are they doin’ out of bed?”

your instinct to giggle was squashed by a sudden realization. your whole body perked. “oh no. i promised baby girl i’d read her her book tonight…”

“oo!” michael teases. “she’s gonna get you…”

“i know.” you roll your eyes, swatting your hand at him. “i’m coming, baby!”

as you head for the door, adjusting your pajama set on the way, michael lays back, watching you.

“i love you,” he says, his voice full of tenderness.

“i love you more,” you hum, turning around. “now wish me luck.”

“you don’t need it,” he counters, “you’re perfect.”

—

thank you so much to the anon who requested this one <3

[104cadetlauren]

Rivetra was a tragedy of timing / Levihan was a tragedy of restraint

⚠️ hot take incoming ⚠️

If you can’t handle your fave ship being shipped with someone else, go ahead and keep scrolling. this post isn’t for you.

this is for the people who actually enjoy digging into the messy, layered dynamics in Attack on Titan's complicated and subtle relationship dynamics. the ones who don’t mind exploring the in-betweens and what-ifs, the subtext and the missing pieces that canon never fully spelled out.

So yeah. let’s talk about Levi, Petra, and Hange. buckle up.

I’m a hardcore Levihan shipper (and I strongly believe this to be canon, don’t fight me!), but if someone ever asked me if Levi had another possible love interest other than Hange—well, sorry Eruri fans, but no, it’s not Erwin. It would be Petra.

Wait, what? I thought you were Levihan for life???

Yes, and I always will be. But let’s not forget these characters are multi-faceted. They have layers—complicated pasts, subtle choices—and the plot itself helped mold them into who they became by Season 4.

Season 1, while tragic, still had a clearer structure. Titans = enemies. But as the story evolved and they reached the other side of the wall, the narrative shifted. The real threat wasn’t just titans anymore—it was the entire world, planning to erase the existence of Eldians. And that changed everything, including how our characters saw themselves, each other, and their purpose.

Levi and Hange were different people back then. Even if they were close, even if there was a bond, their dynamic wasn’t exactly what we saw later. (more on this in a bit.)

Let’s try to seal the intentional gaps left by the story—to stay in-character and to make sense of the subtle ways Levi’s relationships were presented in the earlier seasons.

A quick reminder of the timeline: by the start of Season 1, Levi was probably in his early 30s and had already been with the Survey Corps for around six years (based on ACWNR), which means he’d known Hange for at least that long. Petra, on the other hand, was relatively new—she’d been with Levi’s squad for about a month.

Now, when Levi and Hange were introduced in the manga, they were introduced side by side (like Eremika, hello?). Hange was teasing Levi about how if people only knew what a neat freak he was, they wouldn’t admire him so much. And right after that? The hair grab scene. Levi pulls her close and says “kokoda” in that deep, near-whisper voice—and the way it's animated, it’s clearly meant for her and only her. It’s intimate. (Mike literally looked tired of their shit. Iconic.)

Sure, this wasn’t in the manga—but the anime added it to emphasize their relationship. Let that sink in.

From just this small interaction, you can already feel the closeness. It even flirts with flirtation. Look at Hange’s eyes when she teases him—girl’s either crushing hard or just enjoying the chemistry. And Levi? Let’s not forget that he’s a clean freak and Hange… well, isn’t. So him pulling her that close? Look at how her hair scrunched from Levi’s hold. That’s not nothing.

Let’s be real: if I were Hange’s boyfriend and saw her “best friend” do that, I’d be flipping a table. So let’s simplify things—Levi and Hange were that pair. The two friends who swear they’re “just friends” while everyone around them silently suffers through their PDA. But no, they weren’t together during this time. They were simply them—deeply bonded, constantly orbiting each other, sharing laughs, rants, and quiet loyalty.

Now let’s talk about Petra.

Petra Ral was 19. Levi was around 31–32 (and still not fully aware of his Ackerman lineage). Yes, there’s a significant age gap, but this is just headcanon territory—trying to connect the dots the narrative left scattered.

Even if Levi wasn’t actively thinking of retirement or family, he was still human. And at that age, even the most closed-off people start wondering: What next? He probably didn’t have a detailed fantasy of domestic life, but maybe—maybe—he had moments where he thought about coming home to someone. Not someone romantic, per se, but someone stable. Someone who wouldn’t mind sharing tea in silence.

Now, Erwin? Out of the question. Levi knew he’d serve the military till death. Pixis-style. The next closest person was Hange. She was a confidant. The one who understood him without needing him to explain. She never judged him. She tolerated his harsh words. She knows him well.

…But she was obsessed with titans. She had purpose and obsession that extended far beyond Levi. Even if he wanted to offer her a quiet life, she wasn’t someone who could stay still for it. She needed freedom, curiosity, movement. And Levi—quietly—wanted that for her too. He wouldn't chain her to anything.

Then Petra entered the picture.

She was young, but she was also warm, kind, and clearly devoted to him. Levi noticed. How could he not? Petra worried about him—even though he was humanity’s strongest, this is evident is some scenes like in S01E09 where we first got a preview of Levi fighting.

Levi handpicked her for her skills, sure. But maybe also because of her balance—her strength and her care. Yams even said Levi thought Petra was cute. And when she died, Levi lingered. He stared.

Look at this picture, even in death, she was beautiful.

When Erwin died, Levi didn’t even take a keepsake. But Petra? He collected her patch, though he gave it to another soldier who needed comfort more. And when her father approached Levi in the street, talking about Petra being too young to marry, it was painful. Petra’s father had clearly misunderstood the letter she wrote—one where she declared her dedication to Levi. Not to the Survey Corps. To Levi.

In Petra, Levi saw a distant, fragile future. Not plausible, but… possible.

And that’s why he cared.

But what about Hange in all this?

I think Hange was the first to realize her feelings for Levi were more than friendship. All that teasing, the time spent together—come on, it was bound to happen. But Hange being Hange? She probably buried herself in her lab, blasting Heather by Conan Gray while dissecting a titan carcass (I’m joking… kinda).

The thing is, Hange’s smart. She’s observant. She probably saw the shift in Levi. She noticed the way he treated Petra, the stolen glances, the growing bond. And even though their bond (Levi and Hange’s) was stronger, she saw that Petra offered something she couldn’t: devotion without distraction. Petra had one purpose—Levi.

And Hange? She had a thousand obsessions. She probably told herself that Levi deserved someone who could give him time, stability, care. And she couldn’t. So maybe she quietly let him go.

Hange isn’t the typical “waifu” material. She’s not soft and kawaii—she’s chaotic brilliance, messy hair, explosions in the lab. Meanwhile, Petra was gentle, sweet, nurturing. The kind of person who'd write home about Levi. The kind of person Levi could come home to.

Hange, maybe, told herself Levi needed that. And she stepped back.

But here’s the thing: Levi couldn’t quite step back from Hange. Even if Petra represented a possibility, Hange was gravity.

He kept coming to her lab. He still sought her out. Even when he didn’t understand why. Even when she seemed to be moving on, fully immersed in her titan research.

When Petra died, that fragile possibility of a quiet future died too. And maybe Levi finally realized that he was never meant for “normal.”

After his injuries, he spent more time with Hange again. And guess what? That pull? Still there.

He starts asking for her attention. He pesters her. He picks her up from her lab, pretending it’s nothing. But it’s something.

And as time passes, especially after Erwin’s death, Levi and Hange lean on each other more. By Season 4, they’re inseparable. Partners in everything. Understanding each other without speaking.

And I believe—truly—that they only fully acknowledged what they felt from the moment Hange saw Levi broken and near-death… all the way to Hange’s sacrifice.

That’s what makes Levihan canon for me. Not in the loud, dramatic way. But in the slow-burn, unsaid, devastatingly beautiful way.

Star-crossed lovers. Never given a real chance. And that hurts. But it also fits.

Petra mattered. Her presence made Levi think about the future. She was part of his emotional evolution.

Hange? She was always there. The constant. The one person who knew Levi more than any one else, she took the time to know him, and in spite of Levi’s coldness, she stayed.

And okay—remember Hange had a thing for Keith Shadis? Yeah. Look at her type. Grumpy, brooding men who never smile. (Girl has a pattern.)

So even if the stories look different—Petra and Hange are vital to understanding Levi’s emotional core. They shape how he responds to grief, to love unspoken, to futures imagined and then ripped away.

Petra was an almost. And with Hange, he was finally sure. But by then, it was already too late.

Ps: Petra was beside Hange when Levi saw them in the mist. We can’t ignore that.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk about it. Just don’t send hate—this is a safe space for headcanons and heartbreak.

[zombiewheeler]

i kinda want to talk about how deeply i love eleven.

she’s been through literal hell since she was just a kid. she’s suffered so much loss, isolation, trauma, and confusion. she has these powers that she doesn’t fully understand and that’s scary, especially for a teenage girl.

and yet, despite these hardships, she’s soft and loving and she cares so much about her friends and family.

when i say i ship byler, it doesn’t mean i hate eleven. it doesn’t mean i want eleven’s boyfriend to leave him because will is “better��.

it was never about who’s better, and it’s honestly slightly misogynistic to tie eleven’s worth to a boy when she has always proven herself to be someone who is independent and brave.

and just because she’s independent, it doesn’t mean that she shouldn’t have a boyfriend!! of course she deserves love!! but does mike give that to her? NO!! it would be different if he was somebody who loved her openly and in the way that she needed. it would be different if he treated her well… but he doesn’t. and she doesn’t deserve that treatment, either.

being thrown into teenage life with zero context or experience means that it’s hard for her to realize when a relationship is not good for her. i really hope that mike does the right thing and recognizes that their relationship isn’t healthy.

[jimmybutlrr]

Mystery Girl

Pairing: Professor -Terry Richmond x Brown-Skinned Women

Warnings : 18+. Romance, Mature Content (Cursing, and Smut) One-Shot, "Getting Slut Out"

Summary: He's that easy, that his draws dropped a few hours after meeting.

A/N: You voted and you shall receive. As always constructive Criticism is welcome and feedback *No Part 2*

“SURPRISE” everyone said. 

Terry clutches his heart feeling happy that his family showed up and out for him. 

“Thank y'all,” Terry said. After going around the party greeting every family member and friends. Terry can be found talking to Mike and the rest of his friend group. “We have to the club, maybe the strip club” Mike said, throwing all the options out there, “calm down, I just came back after being in the military for a few years” Terry said knowing his cousin is not going to take no for an answer. “You're right, we could go to the bar and use your military discount” Mike said, making the men laugh. 

Terry sighs, thinking about the options, laid out in front of him. “Alright, we can go to the bar but only for a few hours because I want to bury these memories”. Terry said in despain, thinking about his time in the military. “I’m going to make those memories disappear” That’s what Mike said a few hours ago, now being too drunk to entertain Terry. 

As Terry sits at the bar talking to the bartender as he has nothing better to do. During the time he spent talking to her, he found out that she had graduated university with a bachelors of social science, has a chihuahua, is collecting another degree  and works at the bar to be able to pay off her classes and debt.  “I really enjoy this talk with you but It’s the end of my shift and I have to switch out now, See you later Handsome .

" The bartender says winking at Terry and leaves before Terry can have a chance to get her number. Drinking the rest of his drink, he looks around for Mike and the boys, seeing them on the dance floor and he walks towards them. Tapping one of his friends on the shoulder, he lets them know that he has to leave and to watch out for Mike. “I have to go, but make sure you guys  make it home safe, alright”. The man nodds to Terry’s words, turning around to continue to dance with the bad gyal in front of him.  

Making his way through the club, throwing a few excuses here and there. He gets to the exit of the club and starts searching for his car when he sees the bartender on the phone, arguing with the uber as he’s not understanding where to go or what she’s saying. Terry walks up to her grabbing her attention, “Hi, I was just walking to my car, when I  saw you upset and I just wanted to make sure that everything was alright, as it’s dark out” Terry said concerned for safety. “I’m alright , it’s just the uber, they're starting to piss me off”. She said upset, “If It makes you feel better, you look sexy when you’re mad” Terry said walking  even closer to her, she blushes feeling flattered, by his compliment. 

“Thank you handsome, you don’t look too bad yourself” She smiles, staring into his eyes, biting her lip, noticing the height difference between them.  “I’m about about to go home, do you need a ride” Terry said breaking the silence, “I would love that” She said putting her head down, Terry wanting to charm her some more, takes to fingers and picks up her head “Don’t put your head down around me”  he demands staring into her eyes some more, feeling a bit chilly as he has no jacket, he put his arm around her neck and starts walking towards his car.

Thinking back to how they met, It really doesn’t explain how she ended up on his bed with her face planted into the sheets, gripping for dear life. “Don’t cum, Don’t cum” Terry demanded “No ppllleeaassee, let.. .me .. .cum, ppllleeeaasse” moans as her stomach starts hurting her. “It hurts, pleassee”. Terry nodds “Alright let it out, when i could to 3 alright” Terry said, lifting up her hand to start slapping her cheeks “ One “Slap” Two “Slap” Three” Terry said feeling her tighten around his dick, feeling like 2 orgasm isn’t enough. 

He starts fucking her through her orgasm, not caring that she’s trying to push his stomach way from her “Please, it too much,plleeaassee” She moans feeling tired. Terry stops, slapping her ass one good time before turning her around. He takes her legs putting them next to her head giving her a small kiss before he starts to bottom her pussy out”OOOMMYY Gooooodddd”. Tears start falling from her eyes, all while her ears start ringing and her body starts twitching. 

Making her reach up to push his body,” Why you running” Terry said, grabbing her hands and choking her. Looking down, Terry smirks, seeing drools fall from her mouth, the whites of her eyes and her delayed speech, trying her hardest to speak English or at least speak at all, it was cute. Terry’s thrust starts rough and slopier, revealing that his nut is getting closer and closer. “Come on, Nut deep inside me, daddy please” She said hoping to be filled. Terry obeys letting of a string of curses while he nuts deep inside her, not caring about the missing condom

Letting go of her body, he falls next to her, both too tired to get up. They fall asleep bare and sheetless.  A few weeks later, Terry wakes up and starts rubbing his eyes. Walking to his bathroom he starts getting ready for his first day being a substitute teacher for a college course that his connections helped him get. He gets to work, taking out the lesson plan from the previous teacher, the students start piling in one by one. Scanning everybody's faces for remembrance, he sees her. Shocked that she turned out to be his student, while also coming to the conclusion that she is equally as shocked as she is seated staring at him with the same eyes that were rolling back, just a few weeks before. When it hits him, He never got her name.

Tags -

@nahimjustfeelingit-writes @blackgurlnhermoods

@easybrezzy @planetblaque

@urfavblackbimbo @jenlovey

@avoidthings @kimuzostar

@skvrpion @theereina

@megamindsecretlair @theereina

@melaninpov @mscarter213

[behidethetrees]

Mike schmidt as your boyfriend hcs ꩜

Pairing: mike schmidt x fem! Reader

Contents: slight angst if u squint, Fnaf mention, Reader and mike are sooo cute hehe

.❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。 .❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。

-You and Mike met in 1983 when you were 15. Mike was smart in the things you werent, So you two made a deal that you could copy off of him . One day when you were walking down the halls you saw the meanest boy in school Trying to bully mike and it pissed you off.

-You pulled the boy off of mike and punched him with no hesitation, Mike was so sure there were hearts in his vision. You were brave and fearless, But you were also gentle and caring when you offered help if he was hurt, He wasnt but He had never wished he was more than on that day.

-Thats when you two started becoming close. At first it was small talk or friendly banter but it slowly turned into never being seen anywhere without each other.

- One lucky day in december of senior year he decided to tell you how he felt in the garden you had showed him. Mike was never romantic, He didnt know what to do or say, So he did whatever guys did in the movies he’d seen. He handpicked you some beautiful pink flowers and wrote you a cute but short letter and handed it to you.

-You accepted his feelings and looked at those puppy dog eyes that crinkled as he smiled.

-Mike is very loyal. He has your initial around his neck and he talks about you almost all the time. (Abby tells you all about it) He has even gotten into a few fights for you, He always defends you even if you aren’t there.

-As mike got older, He starting learning the old way of love. He opens all doors for you, The occasional flowers and cute poems he writes for you, the sidewalk rule, He really knows how to treat his lady.

-Mikes Love Language is definitely quality time. Youre the love of his life and he wants to be with you always! There are alot of times where mike doesnt know what to say or show you how much he loves you. But you know he does by the way he follows and takes you everywhere. How he offers to spend time with you when he gets off of that strange nighshift where he works, Even if it means he gets no sleep.

-Mike is a family man. He loves his little sister and you love her too. You and Abby have a bond that was fun and ‘girly’, in mikes words. (Mike wears bracelets you and abby make for him) When Mike opened up to you about his brother and his parents one day, You just put your head on his shoulder, letting him talk and not mentioning how his voice would wobble and crack every once an awhile.

-Mike struggles with his emotions and mental health. When he feels like its getting bad, He tends to distance himself but you reassure him you are there for him no matter what. You hold mike whether hes crying or not and whisper sweet words into his short curly hair.

-Mike is very jealous and protective. He tries to not to show it but its obvious. His arm slinged over your shoulder everywhere, Making sure everyone knew you were his. Even when you talked to people, He subconsciously glared at the people taking your attention away from him. Mike eyes, that could be so welcoming, were cold.

-Mike loves the date nights you plan for the two of you. Whether it was going out or staying in, He loves being in your presence.

-Mikes favorite part of everyday is at night when you two would cuddle while talking about your future together. He wants to spend the rest of his life with you and hes thrilled someone like you wants that with him too.

A/N!!!: happy halloween!! What are u guys going as? Me and my bf are going as mavis and johnny :3

Hope you enjoyed!

Requests

Taglist: @nowitsmissing

[dungeon-master-mike]

The State of Mike's Safety & What He Needs in S5

a part of s5 is gonna be them finally realizing they need mike. i mean, it makes sense. you have a character who feels like nobody needs him. wouldn't he need to discover that everyone needs him? in order to believe he is needed by everyone, he needs to see it for himself and not just from a single person's words.

and if it's true that he is needed by everyone like will, the duffers, and shawn levy claim, who we have no reason not to believe, then wouldn't whoever "everyone" is need to have a plot changing moment where they all collectively realize that? as of right now, he still flies right over their head. something major needs to happen for them to finally realize he has been the key this whole time. they need to lose him in some way. it's kinda like how you never know what you have until it's gone or it's almost too late.

with people still doubting mike being in danger.... why on earth wouldn't vecna take away the one thing that makes them all fall apart?

the show's literally spoiling s5 right in front of our eyes. the twist is in our face. they lost. they fell apart and were always bound to lose no matter what. why? because they lost the heart (mike). it's why mike keeps getting mentioned for NO reason in plots that don't even concern him. the answer is right in their face but the characters keep missing it.

when vecna tells el "you have already lost," it only makes me think that he had already done something that solidified his win a long time ago [side-eyes that damn vine]

s3 kept bashing the audience over the head through weird ass dialogue and blocking that mike's important. he is key. he is also "flayed." s4 just bashes you over the head even more that it's almost too late for mike, much similar to how it was for max.

now, this shot is incredibly important. nancy hugs jonathan instead of hugging mike. the show wants us to notice the flaw in this.

i think after what we saw in the bts video, one of nancy's priorities next season will be connecting with family, especially mike.

one of the points of mike in s1 was that nobody knew anything about him because they didn't put the effort to. he wasn't a concern to them until government was involved and they didn't know where he was. he was invisible until he was actually "missing" momentarily.

his mom didn't fight for answers the way she did for nancy the whole season. nancy didn't know where he could've been because they don't talk and she's clearly embarrassed to admit that. she proposes they never hide anything again but that doesn't last long. karen doesn't say anything about the scab on mike's chin when all it'd take is a line or two to write in that acknowledges it. even EL noticed it and asked. meanwhile, without hesitation, karen asks nancy about the sweater she was wearing with full concern. then the infamous cliff scene just. it never happened. he's never even thanked in any capacity for it and all the credit turns to el. a 12 year old boy stepped, not jumped, stepped off a cliff. he didn't bother begging or fighting for an alternative. he just accepted it. totally normal scene, right? and it just never gets mentioned.

karen refuses to go to mike herself. she expects him to come, but mike isn't gonna do that. there's a reason why we never see him actually open up with her and only hugs her, the same way jonathan and joyce only hug but never actually talk about what actually needs to be talked about. karen and nancy don't ever hug once the whole show because the love karen has for her is shown through her actual actions and efforts.

this "he'll come to us when he's ready" bullshit is the opposite of what season 4 was trying to say with max. waiting for someone to come ain't gonna work, at least not in this universe. it just ends up horribly.

they need to look harder.

there needs to be someone fighting for him.

it's been so clear what the show is trying to do with mike since the beginning. he is constantly shown to be running out of time or being late just like vecna's victims. he is invisible up until he's in danger, just like max. karen waits for him the way lucas waited for max, and he learns from it. the "i just tripped" excuse from vecna's victims ties directly back to mike. so if you think about it, in a way, mike's been living in his own version of vecna's curse the entire show. it's just a slowburn version of it and nobody's noticing. that's why they lost.

if they say we are coming back in a circle, then that only means mike has to finally be visible to them now. he has to be one of their concerns. they need to care and be given a reason to. we are finally gonna see into his head again, and likely more than we ever have before. finn's also already confirmed s5 will dive more into his mental health.

the last 20 minutes of s4 is basically screaming at you how screwed mike is, but it's also a line up of the people who are likely the ones gonna be fighting for him. he gets a personal scene with his mom, who tells him he is staying right there. it matters that he's there. he has his scene with hopper. nancy tells jonathan she's glad he was with mike (and adds on will as an after thought. interesting writing choice there. they're doing too much to single him out this entire ending bit).

we're even shown that will is the light in mike's life, the same way mike and will's family was will's light in s2 during his possession. will is drowning in sunlight while mike's sits right at the edge of it.

they need to reach out to mike. mike needs to be fought for in some way next season rather than him only fighting for someone else again, which only feeds into his toxic cycle. if he saves someone, he's needed. but that's not it. that's not how it should be. that is the same logic that holds him down. he was confronted with a dying el and max again in s4, paralleling s1. the pressure was on him to get to her fight and do something, or else she'd die... again... because he failed (in his eyes).

and i'm not saying mike won't be a hero - he definitely will be. he will get his moment. i'd like to think the love he'll receive will fuel his will to fight back and win against something finally. but first, he must find worth in his own life in order to do that. he needs to realize he himself is worth fighting for.

mike is clearly a target next season and has been since the start. thinking the antagonist has nothing to do with the main character... respectfully cope harder. as if it wasn't both nancy and mike's best friends who went missing. as if holly wasn't moments away from being snatched by a demogorgon. as if karen didn't have a moment with a flayed!billy. as if it isn't mike that is vecna's "friend" and him that wasn't grabbed a vine we have never seen before. as if it isn't nancy who vecna chose to give his message to. is mike really just there to sit there and look pretty and be perfectly safe to some of y'all? that makes sense to some people??

it is obvious it's max, then it's mike. they aren't even being discreet about it.

so all in all, mike needs to be valued and loved next season. and clearly, that's what the writers want you to do as well.

"but he's been a complete jerk!! he needs to earn this by apologizing first!! they shouldn't be doing this first."

ok let's think for a second why they're doing that in this order because it is odd. why is mike being met with so much love, care and concern before we even get an understanding of why he's been the way he's been? why are they making us worry about mike? why is it almost like he's getting a pass? why are they working backwards?

it's simple. if they're trying to get you to gather sympathy for this boy before a proper """redemption arc""" or apology, before getting a single glimpse into his pov, all while wholeheartedly saying he's the heart despite the last 2 seasons failing to give him the chance to be that... it's only because they know something that we don't. there's a massive plot twist regarding him that's gonna recontextualize everything.

this is another big reason why i think it's very likely possessiongate may actually be real. the way they're setting it up like this makes it seem like mike never did anything at all. when a character messes up in this show, it does not go this way. you don't seem them get rewarded with a painting that tells them how great of a person they are. there is something very off about the way this is being structured if mike is truly at fault.

-

tags (i'm gonna assume the likes were also yes' 😭):

@itswhatyougive @apocalyptic-byler @lazylama9 @beepingmemesauce2727 @gimmiecandy @will-teehee @girly-eldritch-screeching @lemons-woo-yeah @bylerposting @luhvtan875 @thecharliechip @80syaoi @ivermyri @my-coven-is-claudia @bulionzkury @heroesbyler @directorfinnwolfhard

[samwitcch]

the party leader, mike wheeler - apoc au character details + poll under the cut!

---

mike's role in the party:

a scouter - essentially plans runs, checks areas first to ensure safety, and directs the runners during supply runs

assigns basic survival chores at the beginning of each day (laundry, boiling water, patrol, hunting, etc.)

is the "face" of the party -> always the one to negotiate with people of other groups

even though the party likes to give him shit for being kind of rude and bossy about how he talks to them in "leader" mode - they always hang onto his every word! they love and respect him deeply

kind of like a tired dad whenever he's not fighting with someone else -> basically watches over everyone to make sure they're okay

would never hesitate to do something deplorable to protect the party: family first

skills + hobbies:

considered the designated driver (along with max): nancy taught him when he was younger. he was scared about being useless due to his inability to shoot and aim guns so nancy helped him find something useful. max teaches him how to drive manual so that he can drive her muscle car (its how they get over their distaste for each other)

writes an entry in a journal that he stole every day! he lets will doodle in the margins of the paper :)

loves to read whatever's around - particularly interested in history, sci-fi, and old journals from people before the apocalypse (reads them with dustin and el -> they are nosy as hell and live for the drama)

great at using machetes and hatchets -> do NOT let this boy shoot a gun. he will accidentally hurt you and himself

good at fixing up guns and navigating - lucas (guns) and dustin (navigating) taught him :D

quirks / fun facts:

he likes to switch around the pins on his jacket a lot! the party find pins around to give to him (range from terrible to wearable)

since he's the only boy that likes to tie up his hair, max and el like to doll up and play around with his hair during their downtime

is very annoying and particular when it comes to doing survival chores (out of love) -> makes sure that the chores are divided equally among all of them and that no one gets the same chores twice in a row

--- other notes: mike was the first character i had in mind when thinking about this au (no surprise there) and the drawing of him sitting cross legged with a machete in his hand was the first ever "official" drawing i made for this :D i tried to make apoc mike similar to canon mike in terms of his temperament, his hero complex, his self-sacrificial tendencies, his inability to appropriately process his romantic feelings, his natural leadership and his personality. about mike's inability to use guns -> looking at mike's character dnd sheet, his dexterity is low and s1 mike wheeler cannot aim for shit either (see his rock throw). the reason he's most comfortable with machetes (and hatchets) is because of their versatility as both weapons and tools! just wanted to share because i think mike needed a nerf and him not being able to shoot guns is both in character and funny as hell to me i've had mike and will's char sheets done for a while and i really love the way they look :) i'm excited to post will's next! i'm working on the character sheets in batches of two, so which duo are yall most interested to see next? i'll work on them based on the poll results and post them next week at the earliest :) i'll prob also try out some concept designs for the demogorgon-like zombies sometime soon as well!

[hellodaydream1111111111111111]

More HxH headcanons!

Leorio has had a mullet.

Hisoka shows up at illumi's window frequently.

Mike sheds his summer coat all at once but he still loses a lot of fluff, Illumi uses so many lint rollers it's insane.

Killua and the gang buy random phone numbers on Craigslist to bully Illumi and whenever he gets these texts, he kicks his feet like a little girl.

Silva told all the other Zoldycks not to buy Killua a birthday present so he could seem like the best dad ever and comfort his son when the rest of the family “forgot”

Kikyo is a flat earther.

Hisoka finds Illumi’s hair everywhere in his apartment.

Hisoka is actually a natural ginger but he covers up his freckles with texture surprise and dyes his hair.

Milluki hates Killua because in his eyes his brother took everything from Illumi (he did but it wasn't his fault) and he knows Illumi won't hate him so he feels like he has to do it for him.

Milluki is always worried about Illumi because well... He's Illumi.

Milluki and Illumi flip each other off if they pass by each other in the hallway.

Chrollo spams Illumi with texts equivalent to “Quit your job, join my emo band”

Whenever Illumi returns from an especially long mission, Kikyo picks him up when she hugs him.

Zeno gave up his role as head to Silva on the condition he got a say in what happened to Killua, he doesn't care about any of the other kids and won't do anything about Silva being a terrible human being as long as it doesn't affect Killua.

Illumi talks about his siblings so much (Especially Killua but that was implied) that sometimes Hisoka feels like he’s dating a single mom.

Illumi loves his mother but secretly feels that he would be a better fit as Killua’s mother despite being a man.

Zeno constantly makes fun of Silva for letting Kikyo dress their sons up as little girls and “Giving in to his woman”

Since the Zoldycks are immune to poisons, Kikyo wears dresses in authentic scheele’s green and to build up tolerance the Zoldycks would give their children toys painted with it.

When Killua was little, Illumi used to just sit on his bed and watch sleep all night; gently stroking his hair every now and then.

Kikyo is manic, she hurts her children and then cries about them being hurt while bandaging them up.

Kikyo’s mood changes rapidly, with Illumi she is jealous of him and berates him half the time and is the most supportive mother the other half.

Not really a headcanon but if Illumi can sharpen his nails like Killua, which I assume he can, I feel bad for Hisoka though he probably enjoys it.

Illumi can crack all his joints and it freaks Milluki out.

The Zoldyck siblings are mad creative with insults.

Kalluto has 3 dads and none of them are Silva (Chrollo, Phinks and Illumi)

Illumi is very nitpicky once he comes out of his shell.

Hisoka and Illumi have specialty weapons that are a lot higher quality for when they eventually fight each other.

One time Illumi was in a really good mood and got way too excited to see Mike, the giant beast had lipstick stains all over him.

Illumi tried to summon a demon because Hisoka told him he needed a hobby and he wasn’t sure what to do, Chrollo happily volunteered as the sacrifice.

Illumi enjoys embarrassing his siblings.

The phantom troupe members always ruffle Kalluto’s hair when they walk by him.

Hisoka blasts music while getting ready and Illumi smashes dishes to drown out the sound because he thinks Hisoka’s music is trashy.

Illumi has all of his siblings baby teeth in a jar on his nightstand.

One time Gon tried to make his own orange juice but he added salt instead of sugar to it and cried.

Kalluto knows fan language and uses it on Zushi who is absolutely oblivious.

Illumi organizes when he’s stressed but eventually he runs out of things to organize som he goes into Milluki’s room and cleans. Milluki used to get pissed but now he’s found out that he can pretend he did it an only gets slightly annoyed.

Kalluto and Illumi have a long standing game where Kalluto will try to land a hit on Illumi as he goes about his day to day, he’s only be successful four times and usually ends up getting held upside down by his feet.

Hisoka actually has a lot more aura than it seems, he just uses a lot of it on bungee gum to keep his ridiculous outfits in the right places.

Illumi throws pins around his room when he’s bored but it drives Milluki nuts because they share a wall.

[happy74827]

Unspoken Gestures

[Mike Schmidt x Female!Reader]

Synopsis: After seeing how overly stressed your closest friend was, you decided to take matters into your own hands to ease his load.

WC: 3,210

Category: Fluff

I’m sorry but he was so fine in the movie. Anyways-

『••✎••』

Mike was… he was something. Some would say he was grumpy, and others say he was just downright cold, but you liked to think of him as a reserved kind of person. Sure, he was a bit awkward and unassertive, but he was also one of the nicest guys you knew.

It wasn't even because of his good looks. Well, maybe a little bit, but that wasn't what attracted you to him. It was his kindness. His love for his family, his baby sister. The way he'd dropped everything for her when it became just them. You loved how passionate he was when it came to protecting those he cared about. It's what drew you to him in the first place, really.

That and his face. That dumb smile, that little bit of stubble, those alluring hazel eyes. Those cheeks, that adorable laugh…

God, that laugh. You loved hearing it. It wasn't all that often that he would laugh, but when he did, it made your heart flutter. It made you want to hear it again and again, to make him laugh so much that his stomach hurt and his cheeks flushed with happiness.

He was so sweet, but sometimes he was closed off. He didn't always have the best days or the best attitude. Being a parent to your sister for the past year would’ve worn anyone out, of course, but he never really talked about it. You wanted to be there for him, you wanted to support him, you wanted him to be happy, but you couldn't if he wouldn't talk about it.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago that you even realized you liked him, like actually liked him. You knew the feelings had been there for a long time, but they were always there in the back of your mind. Now that they were there and present, it was like a light had been turned on.

You wanted to be there for him. You wanted to be the one he came to when he needed to relax. You wanted to be the shoulder he leaned on when he was down. You wanted to be the other person he turned to when he needed someone. You wanted to be able to take some of the burden off his shoulders.

You wanted to support him the same way he had supported Abby when she needed him to. You wanted to help him, even if he never needed it, even if he was a bit cold sometimes. Even if he was a bit awkward and maybe just a little bit shy.

That was why you decided to help him take the stress off his shoulders on your day off. He didn't have much of a sleep schedule, with his night shift job and being a parent to his little sister, and you knew he wouldn't turn down help, so that morning, you decided to clean up his house while Abby was at school and he was out running emergency errands. You started small, picking up trash and setting it by the door to throw out. You folded his clothes that had been lying around and piled them on his bed. You picked up the dishes and wiped down the counters. You scrubbed down the kitchen sink. You swept the living room floor. You vacuumed the carpet. You washed the windows.

And you did it all with a smile on your face.

When you were done, you wrote up a quick note telling him where everything was before you left, leaving it in the kitchen. The house looked nice, really nice, and it smelled like lemons. You knew he'd appreciate that. He loved that smell and said it reminded him of when his dad used to make his lemonade when he was a kid.

With that taken care of, you decided to head back to your apartment and change out of your cleaning clothes. When you got back to your place, you took a quick shower and changed into some sweats. You were going to make some lunch for yourself, but you were so tired after all that cleaning. So, you made yourself a big bowl of ice cream and curled up on the couch.

You were halfway through the movie you were watching when the door to your apartment opened. For a moment, you thought it was a robber breaking into your house, but when you saw Mike's presence near the entryway of the kitchen, you remembered that you had given Mike a key months ago when he was over one night to help fix the sink in the guest bathroom.

He was wearing his usual green jacket, but the sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, and the collar was undone. His hair was ruffled and a bit sweaty, and he looked tired, really tired. It must have been a long day for him.

"Uh, hey," He muttered, his voice a bit raspy. His hands were in the pockets of his hoodie, and you could tell he was a bit stiff. He seemed a bit awkward.

"Hi, Mike." You greeted warmly, trying not to sound like you were excited that he was there. Truthfully, him showing up at your place was the last thing you expected, but you didn't let that show on your face.

"You look exhausted. How was your day?" You asked, setting your half-finished bowl of ice cream on the coffee table in front of you.

He didn't answer right away, instead wandering further into your apartment, taking his hands out of his hoodie pocket to rub at his eyes. You watched as he turned and dropped his jacket and keys on the armchair of your living room couch, moving around as though he was on autopilot, his mind elsewhere. "It’s fine," he responded after a few moments of silence. "Same as always."

He stretched his arms above his head and cracked his neck, his voice low and his eyes heavy. He looked like he was about to fall over any minute. It was a little bit cute, but you had to do something to get him to relax a little bit.

"You should be home in bed," You chided lightly, sitting up straighter and pointing to the couch. "Mike, not to be blunt, but you look terrible. You need to get some sleep."

"I had to come here first," Mike mumbled, sounding like he was almost asleep already as he flopped down onto the couch and kicked his legs up over the side. "The house was a mess when I left, now it's...I mean...I..." He stammered, his voice growing quieter.

"Hey," you interrupted, a small smile tugging at your lips as you rested a hand on his shoulder. He was warm, and you could feel the tension in his shoulders, the stress he'd built up over the course of the week. "It's fine, I promise."

He was still, almost as though he didn't hear you at first. Then, after a moment, he tilted his head toward you. He seemed almost dazed, as though he wasn't entirely with you, but he gave you a small, tired smile. It was enough to make your heart flutter.

Mike leaned back into the couch cushions and let his eyes slide shut as he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. You were worried that maybe he'd nodded off, but when he spoke, you realized he was just resting his eyes.

"Why? Why do you keep helping me? You don't...you shouldn't have to do this for me." He asked softly, his eyes still shut, as though he wasn't entirely there. He was vulnerable, you could tell, but he was trusting you with his thoughts, sharing them with you.

You brushed a stray strand of hair out of your face before answering him, leaning back into the couch, closer to him. "I'm helping you because I want to. I want to be there for you."

Mike's eyes opened, but he didn't look at you. Instead, he kept his gaze on the ceiling, studying the cracks in the paint and the stain that was on the plaster. He let out another slow breath, leaning further back into the couch and relaxing a bit like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Thank you," he said softly, his eyes sliding shut again as if he was trying to rest. You knew he wouldn't sleep there on the couch, not comfortably anyway, so you leaned forward and took his hand, trying to get his attention.

Finally, when his eyes opened for the second time, his gaze fell on you, and you felt like he was looking right into your soul. The two of you stayed like that for a moment, looking at each other, neither of you speaking. You figured it was because of his exhaustion, but the way he looked at you was different from before. He didn't look tired or tired of you. He didn't look angry or irritated, not even annoyed.

Instead, his gaze was softer, more inviting. He wasn't looking through you anymore. Instead, he was looking at you. Really looking at you. He was studying your face, trying to see who you were and how you worked, what made you tick. He was looking at you the way you had always wanted him to look at you.

He leaned forward, slowly as if he were worried you would push him away, but you didn't move. He moved closer and closer until you felt his breath on your lips, and his eyes were fluttering closed. Your breath caught in your throat as you felt the warmth of his skin and the closeness of his body. You could smell his sweat, his shampoo, and the deodorant he used, and it was a mix of things that sent your head spinning.

"I don't...I don't get you." He muttered, his voice so low you almost didn't hear him. "I don't understand why you like me. I don't get it, I don't..."

He stopped, his breath still on your lips, and you opened your eyes to look at him. He was staring at you, looking you in the eyes, and you could see that he was hurting. He had always been so reserved, so closed off, and it was something you hated. You didn't like how much he hurt himself over the little things that people didn't even care about.

But, right now, you weren't going to focus on how closed off he was. You were going to focus on him. You were going to focus on Mike and the way his eyes shone in the light, how he was so close to you that you could feel his skin, how his mouth was just a hairsbreadth away from yours.

You were going to focus on the fact that he had trusted you. He had let you into his mind and his heart, and he had let you see him in his most vulnerable state. He was telling you how he felt without saying a word, and you could tell that he was trying to work up the courage to speak. You were going to focus on how beautiful his eyes were.

It was dark in your apartment, and the light from the paused television screen illuminated his face. It made his eyes glow a bit, and it made him look almost magical, almost otherworldly, like an angel or a god. Like something so good that it couldn't be real. He looked like something you were too afraid to touch, something you were too scared to break. He looked like something you wanted to protect, and he was so close to you, so warm and comforting, that you didn't know what to do.

"It's because..." Your voice was low, quiet, almost like a whisper. The two of you were so close that your lips were practically brushing against each other, and you were suddenly aware of how hard your heart was pounding. "Because you're such a sweetheart, Mike. You always have been. I like you because I know that you care. I know that you'd do anything for the people you care about."

He looked at you for a moment, and it seemed like he wasn't really there, like he was in another world. Then, he seemed to come back to you, his eyes refocusing on you as if he'd forgotten that you were there, and his jaw fell open just a little. His breathing was deep but quick as if he'd been running a marathon. He swallowed hard, his mouth clicking as his gaze darted between your eyes.

"I'm...I'm not that sweet," He muttered, his gaze finally falling back to yours. "I can get pretty rough. Especially with... certain things."

That made you snap out of your own reverie, your face flushing with heat as you processed what he'd said. He constantly said things that didn't mean the way you had. Of course, you knew that. But this time, with that look in his eyes, he didn't sound like he meant it as stress.

"I don't think Abby would appreciate that type of talk, Michael." you teased, leaning just a little bit closer to him.

"Good thing she's not here then, huh?" He asked, his tone playful. He had that smile on his face again. It was a different smile than the one before. The first smile had been sweet. This one was mischievous and playful, and it made your heart do a flip.

"Mike-"

But you didn't get to finish your thought before he slowly lifted his hand to the back of your neck and pulled you toward him, gently, so gently, like you were made of glass. His lips were warm, and you could feel his soft stubble brush against your cheeks. He didn't move at all, he didn't rush, he didn't even press into you. Instead, he let you take the lead. He let you kiss him.

His hand slowly moved to the side of your face, his thumb gently stroking your skin as you leaned further into him. You closed your eyes and felt your body relax, releasing all the tension you had been holding in your body. It was as if everything was melting away, and the two of you were left in this little moment together.

His lips were soft against yours, and he kissed you so slowly, so sweetly, as though he had all the time in the world. You had never felt a kiss like that. Sure, you'd had some passionate kisses, some sloppy makeout sessions, but this...this was different.

This was the first kiss that you actually wanted, that you had wanted for years, and it was so sweet and so soft. His hand slowly slid down your body until it rested on your hip, pulling you closer to him, but he still didn't rush. He didn't want to take what he wanted. He wasn't being selfish. No, he was giving you a choice, he was letting you take the lead and take the power.

You felt his fingers curl into the hem of your shirt, but you pulled away, opening your eyes to look at him. You could feel your face heating up, your skin burning from the blush that had formed on your cheeks, and he let his hand slide under your shirt, his fingers slowly tracing circles over your hip.

His lips were still parted as though he was ready to speak, but no words came out. His eyes were half-closed and his hair was still a mess from when he'd been running his hands through it, and you had the urge to do the same thing to him. You had the urge to run your fingers through his hair and tell him how much you cared.

"Mike," you whispered softly, reaching up to touch his cheek. His hand slid over your hip and down to your thigh, and you bit your lip at the sensation of his skin on yours. His gaze was heated, and he was so close, so close that you could feel the heat of his body and the softness of his breath. You wanted to kiss him again, you wanted to keep going, but you knew his schedule, practically by memory at this point.

"It's noon." You whispered, looking up at him from where you had laid your head against his shoulder, his fingers tracing shapes on your thigh. "If you don't get home soon, you'll be late for Abby."

'Yeah, I know," he muttered, his eyes finally averted from yours. He stared off to the side, but you could still see the longing in his expression, the way his lips had parted slightly, as though he were thinking about kissing you again. "I gotta take a shower too." He added.

"And nap." You pointed out.

Mike huffed softly, closing his eyes for a moment before getting up and stretching his arms above his head. He let out another yawn, the kind of big, wide yawn that made his shoulders hunch up. He still looked like he wanted to kiss you, but the exhaustion was weighing him down, and he was fading fast.

"Right," he muttered, taking his hands out of his pockets to rub at his eyes, which were looking just a bit more droopy by the minute. He didn't move, though. He just stood there, looking like he wanted to stay, but he also wanted to go.

"Be careful on the way home." You teased, rising to your feet. "Don't fall asleep behind the wheel."

"I'm not that tired," Mike responded quickly, letting his arms drop to pick up keys off the armchair where his jacket was. He shoved them in his pocket as you headed toward the door, opening it for him. "And if I was, I wouldn't crash my car," He muttered.

You paused at the door, your hand still on the handle as he stopped just in front of you. His gaze fell on yours again, and he looked like he wanted to say something. His eyes were sparkling, and his lips were parted just a little. You felt like you could see his thoughts just from looking at him, and they were just as sweet as the kiss he'd given you.

But he didn't speak, and you knew he wasn't going to. He just stared at you for a long moment before nodding and walking out, pausing only to shut the door behind him. You stood there for a moment, not moving, not speaking. You were still reeling from the kiss, trying to piece together what had happened in the span of five minutes.

But, despite your confusion and the way you were reeling, you had a smile on your face. A genuine, wide smile, the kind that made you feel like you could float away if you tried hard enough. The kind of smile that came with your lips feeling like they were about to split in two and your cheeks hurt from the stretch. It was the kind of smile that you didn't have very often, and it was a nice feeling.

And, most importantly, it was a smile that Mike had put there.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 216 (Nature's Calling)

cw: If you're waiting to start the rewards event and want no spoilers, this has spoilers for week one tasks!

Hard-working eco-inventor Neal Nesbitt was frustratingly stubborn about retirement, but he worked a lot less these days than he used to. All the better to spend time with his loving wife of forty years, Sims In Bloom founder Daisy, and their growing family.

And as with any season for this outdoors-loving pair, the warm weather called them to spend time in nature.

Every morning they'd putz around the garden, which all but tended itself after decades caring for a myriad of perfect plants. Home-cooked meals at the Nesbitt home were always spectacular because Daisy not only embraced simple living and published a cookbook with local popularity, she made all her ingredients from scratch, and she was skilled enough to add secret spice to all her dishes.

But the favourite family recipe was, by far, Nesbeets Wellington, a vegan savoury pastry using Nesbeets all-natural beet 'meat,' the successful alternative protein Neal first invented on the family's outdoor garden wall.

Each morning, Daisy would arrange flowers for the home business she shared with daughter-in-law, Cassandra, while Neal would make reclaimed wooden furniture on his reclaimed wood workbench.

They shared the two story cottage they'd lived in for most of their adult lives with their only son, River, his wife, Cass, and their sons, Michael and Sammy. Their daughters had moved out and started families of their own years earlier, but they still came around to visit as often as they could.

The rooms of the Gen 1 home were small, and the wallpaper the same as it had been for decades. With additions made and the home well-lived in, it felt eclectic to match the vibe of their exotic garden. But they were comfortable here, and this was the home they'd built a beautiful life within. Daisy and Neal would never leave it.

One morning, Cass woke up nauseous and took a pregnancy test - the cottage on Cobblebottom Street would soon be even more full! River and Cass left the boys with their grandparents to visit the obstetrician, and Neal and Daisy set out a picnic brunch on their brand new blanket. (Not used like that yet, I swear!)

"Your cousin Lavender will be here soon," Neal said when Cass returned, making a beeline for the last grilled cheese. "What do you say we take her fishing and to catch frogs in Isle of Volpe Park?"

Michael and Sammy cheered their grandfather's idea, and once Conrad delivered her on his way to talk to Ophelia Nigmos in San Myshuno, they left River and Cass at home for the walk to the national park north of their home on Finchwick Square.

Lavender danced and jumped in the small pond, chasing dragonflies while Mike and Sam looked for frogs and Neal and Daisy cast their fishing lines.

The weather was perfect and the mood was high - the Nesbitts had always been an outdoorsy family, and passing a love of nature to their grandkids was important to them.

After an afternoon at the pond, the family tried cloudgazing even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Henford was green and prone to rain year-round, but this summer was warmer than it had been in years.

While staring up the at endless blue sky above their heads, Neal and Daisy listened to the breeze. As they laid there, a small voice seemed to carry over the wind, and they both listened closer.

"I am a spirit caught in the wind, seeking to regain my true form. Your attunement to nature is helping me regain my strength. Please, continue to aid me, and together we shall restore what was lost."

The longtime lovebirds shared a look. "Maybe those rumours about whispers on the wind were true all along," Neal suggested, but neither was sure they could trust what they heard.

"Maybe it's something Mayor Varner cooked up to get people out and enjoying all this sunshine," Daisy suggested realistically. "You know how much he loves a community event."

Moving to the picnic table, Lavender asked her grandparents if they'd heard the whispers, too. "Do you think there really could be fairies out there?" she wondered.

"Anything's possible," Neal surmised. "I guess we'll just have to keep listening to the wind to see where it leads us."

That fairies might be as real as ghosts or mermaids excited young Lavender. She'd always loved reading about them in storybooks. Ash got to talk to ghosts all the time - why couldn't she talk to a fairy?

Still grounded for lying in Sulani, Ash was home in the Bay with Heather, Roan, and Iris, giving Lavender a chance to bond with her Nesbitt relatives alone. Especially close to her grandparents, she loved the quiet pace of life in Henford. The air smelled like farmland and a lot less like fish, and the sky on a clear night was so full of stars it left eight-year-old Lavender in awe.

The family spent the afternoon hanging out in River's community treehouse, built mostly by Conrad when Lavender was still a toddler. Before the end of her visit, with the air a little cooler than it had been for most of the day, she visited her friend, Violet Pancakes, who invited her to play on their backyard monkey bars in Old New Henford.

Violet's older brother, Jett, climbed the metal rungs while Lavender sat on the top bar. Eyes closed, she listened carefully to the wind for a sound of the voice.

(Jett is also Lavender's biological half-brother after Heather served as his surrogate 13 years ago. But their relationship is friendly more than siblings. Also, the next time we see Jett, he'll be a teenager!)

"I don't hear anything," Jett complained.

Lavender frowned. Neither did she - not this time. But the determined young girl wasn't about to stop trying. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary | Gen 2.2 Summary

Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary

NOTE: The new family recipe feature from Business & Hobbies has officially inspired me to add a new goal for each generation of this legacy. Since someone usually maxes cooking at home, they can create a family recipe. So each generation will have at least one family recipe, typically pulled from plot. Heather has also maxed cooking and one of you knows the family recipe she created, but I'm sure more of you could probably make a good guess! I'll reveal her contribution to the legacy soon.

BABY NESBITT NEEDS A NAME: No poll because I don't have a list of ideas, but I need a name for River and Cass' baby! So far I only know the middle name, but I can't decide on a first name. PS it's a girl! Any ideas?

My initial thought was Victorine Ravendancer Nesbitt, but I need a good nickname (Tori or Vicki feels too retro, almost, even though her older brothers are Mike and Sam, and I like Vika but no one in this family is Slavic so I'm not sure it makes sense?) So maybe Victorine/Victoria is the wrong choice? Brothers' full names are Michael Bachelor Nesbitt and Samuel Crumplebottom Nesbitt and Ravendancer will be her middle name; I'm into a family names theme with River and Cass and I've been parsing Cass' storied ancestry for name ideas because the lore tree is so vast!

If you want some name suggestion inspo, the Goth and Bachelor family pages on the Sims Wiki are excellent sources!

[miwiromantics]

Let’s talk about this.

Why both will and el are so connected is because they both have the same storyline. They both have the same end purpose: acceptance.

!!warning: long post ahead!!

Will’s storyline: acceptance of love.

Unlike what most milevens believe, the duffers aren’t planning to end Will’s story with him accepting that he is gay because he HAS already accepted it. He accepted the fact that he was gay and in love with Mike, hence, the painting.

The painting, from the start, was a way of Will confessing his feelings (etc. you’re the heart) but it was never going to be said out loud. He had just planned to give it to Mike during the airport scene and it was supposed to be over.

But instead, he used it as a way to build up Mike’s confidence in himself and also lead up to say ‘I love you’ to El. He used El as a shadow over his own feelings to help Mike.

Will accepts that he likes men and is attracted to Mike. What he doesn’t accept is that he is going to fall in love. We see this in season 3 when he’s talking with Joyce.

This was a scene directly after a canon couple’s scene. Both Jonathan and Nancy are in fact in love with each other and when Joyce says the words ‘you won’t think it’s gross when you fall in love’ it indicates she meant when Will is in a relationship, not when Will is some one-sided love triangle.

So when Will says he isn’t going to fall in love, he is saying this because he knows he’s feelings in a relationship are not going to be reciprocated. He isn’t saying it because he hasn’t fallen in love with someone, he’s saying that it’s impossible for those feelings to be mutual.

Also to remind you, there was no need to put this scene in the first place if it was not hinting at something. It could’ve just been Jonathan and Nancy getting away and Joyce wiping lipstick off his face, indicating that she knew Nance was there anyway.

Throughout season 3, we can clearly notice that Will is struggling with something not related to the mind flayer. He’s struggling with his childhood, his friends and change. And the most important change is his feelings towards a certain friend.

Because of these feelings we get the rain scene. This was Will struggling to accept that he was different (gay) and in love with Mike. This was season 3’s struggle. But in season 4, through the painting, we see it’s been resolved.

He has accepted this but knows he isn’t going to be in love. He knows he’s feelings aren’t going to be reciprocated. So he does the next best thing other than confessing, and help mileven build up their already broken relationship.

Even more so, the scene with Jonathan and Will in the pizza place was acceptance enough for Will to come out. Both Will and Jonathan knew what they were talking about, the subtexts were very obvious. This was the acceptance of Will being gay and in love with Mike.

Now anybody with a right mind would see that this is clearly building up to something more important. A gay boy who thinks he’s feelings are not going to be accepted using he’s only way of confessing as a tool for a problematic ‘straight’ couple.

We must give the duffers credit as we know they aren’t just going to ignore Will’s feelings next season or slap him with some background character as a way of resolving this. There has to be more.

El's storyline: acceptance of independence.

Throughout her whole life, El has always been told what to do. Whether it has been for positive or negative means, she's never made a decision in her entire life leading up to season 2.

Let's be clear that before this girl knew the word 'friend', 'family' and 'love' meant, she had already gotten into a relationship. That before she ever knew what she liked and disliked, she was already in a relationship with the supposed boy of her dreams.

Anyways, independence is something so rooted in El’s storyline. It’s something repeated throughout the seasons. We see it in season 2 when she goes out on her own to find her mother and sister. It is important to note that Mike was not a part of this journey. Mike was not the sole focus or someone El thought she needed at that time.

Even in season 3, we are given the fact that El has never made a decision for herself. The strongest decision we ever see that season was her breaking up with Mike and even that has been disregarded by milevens, saying that Max influenced her or that she ‘didn’t know what she was doing’ or that ‘she’s just a teenager’.

Let’s be clear that anybody in a relationship is given the option to break up and leave the relationship if they want to. Max did not ‘influence’ her, she merely gave her the option. The option that is rightfully hers. By saying that it wasn’t really her decision or that she didn’t know what she was thinking, it’s like saying she doesn’t have an option.

She has the right to leave a relationship if she wants to.

The words ‘not hopper, not mike, you’ is so important to a character like El. A character that has been locked up and dependent throughout her life, finally given a choice to decide for herself is powerful.

Season 3 is important in El’s arc to independence because unlike what Milevens say, she doesn’t require Mike to be there for her to feel complete. The reason that El went to find Mike in season 2 was because they need each other is debunked in season 3. It shows that even when Mike is within her reach, she doesn’t go find him.

Now in season 4, we see a very big shift in her attitude from the previous seasons. She’s pretending to have a normal life when she clearly isn’t. She’s lying and hiding behind a fake persona to make her seem happy. She is still grieving from hopper while trying to put everything behind her and live a ‘normal’ life.

She, like many milevens, is building a reality where her and Mike are the supposed perfect couple. A reality where they are truly in love. She lies to Mike and herself throughout the rink-o-mania scene. And this all unfortunately breaks when Angela (that bitch) comes into the picture.

She throws El’s persona into the fire and absolutely humiliates her in front of the one person she didn’t want to be humiliated in front of. And this is where we see their relationship break (even more).

We see the first crack when El says that Mike doesn’t understand how she feels. To be honest, she’s right. Mike didn’t know how it felt to move to a whole new side of the country without her father and to be subjected to brutal bullying. But disregarding his feelings towards bullying is also something she does.

Now the curtains are open and everything is shown. We then get a scene of El basically pleading Mike to tell her he loves her. But instead of admitting it, Mike gaslights her and tells her their problems are caused by other people.

Mike says he says he loves her but if this was really the most important couple in the show I’m sure the duffers would’ve included the supposed scenes where Mike and El say they love each other TO EACH OTHER. And when she brings out proof, he calls her ridiculous.

Even in the van scene, he says that he’s scared that El won’t need him anymore. He wants to feel like a hero to her, someone that can protect her when in reality, she is way past it. She wants him to love her but he wants her to need him. He wants her to be dependent on him.

Through the beginning of season 4, we see her define herself in the way Mike sees her. While giving him a false narrative of her life, she pretends she lives in them. Plastering a fake smile just so that Mike would think she’s enjoying herself in Lenora and lying about parties to make herself seem cool.

You can see how defeated she looks when she realises that Mike might not love her at all.

She, like so many more milevens, want Mike to be the perfect lover, the person who is with her through all her problems and a shoulder to cry on. But he isn’t that person and she knows it.

But after she leaves Mike, we can truly see what her goals are. There isn’t a scene throughout her journey where she thinks of Mike and you can see her gain more confidence in herself, once again proving that she doesn’t need him to feel complete.

She does better without him.

Her arc was never about romance. Her arc was about finding who she truly is. It was about her finding a place in this world where she doesn’t have to be the hero or villain in the story. It was about her growing alongside the people she loves and the family she built.

We see that she realises that she is her own superhero, that she can solve her own problems and that she doesn’t need a shoulder to cry on. She can take on a challenge headfirst without letting anyone define who she is.

She doesn’t need Mike telling her that he loves her to realise that she is loved or that she can live a normal and happy life just like how she doesn’t need to forgive brenner to know that she is a good person. She is her own person.

And before anybody comes at me, yes. A woman can be in a relationship and still be independent. But once it come to a point of lying about and to yourself and defining who you are through another person’s feelings, it is not healthy.

She has taken on challenges before Mike, during Mike and will continue to do so after Mike (and all this happened without Mike). She doesn’t need him.

Both Will and El need support and love through their journey. It only comes down to what type of love they need that’s important. El does not need romantic love to thrive while that’s the only love Will is lacking.

Anyways we also clearly see that in the end El is on her own journey and that Mike and Will are a team alongside all the other endgame couples.

So byler endgame and El independent arc era.

(My writing is a bit sloppy here and there so if there are any questions regarding it pls ask. Also again, sorry for long post)

[crusty-chronicles]

is there any chance you could add killua for the airheaded but strong s/o headcanons? If not, then no worries, I just love how you write them!

Yeah, I don't mind but it's gonna be platonic because I'm a little iffy about writing for him romantically. He's just a boy 🥺🥺🥺 This is mostly a crack fic.

BONUS AIRHEADED S/O HEADCANNONS: Killua (HxH)

Honestly tried to kill you at one point

Oh you're strong huh?

Then proceeds to hit you with everything he's got, only to see that it hardly affected you. (Kinda like the way he first treated Zushi)

After that he's petty, but impressed.

Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉 You've earned his respect 🥳🥳🥳

You're basically Gon 2.0

And he hates it

Cannot take you two anywhere

"We should break the lock to get in." Gon suggested.

"Are you stupid?" You scoffed.

"What's the point of having a door if you're just gonna break it?"

And Killua is momentarily at peace that at least one of you has some sense. Until you open your mouth again.

"Obviously we should smash open a window."

And Gon is nodding along enthusiastically

"You're right! What would we do without you 🤩"

And Killua is just 😮‍💨.

He is the parent of the group and I will die on this hill

If Gon's the sun, you're a nuke

He's constantly dragging you away from Hisoka

Nope. Not today

Why do you insist on talking to strangers.

No scratch that.

Why do you insist on talking to creepy strangers????

It gives him a massive headache everytime you almost get abducted.

Honestly thought about putting a tracker on you to avoid this happening.

But then he remembers you're practically indestructible so he drops it.

Is afraid Illumi will come for you and hurt you.

He was never allowed to have friends, and after Illumi threatened you and Gon at the Hunter Exam, he's very protective.

But then he remembers something you said after Greed Island.

"The three of us are all gonna become the best of the best. We're gonna get all wrinkly and old together and still kick butt!!! We're gonna stick together no matter what!"

And it temporarily quells the fear of his brother.

It makes him look forward to that outcome and gives him something to fight a little harder for.

When it comes to fighting, he does get a little envious of how you and Gon just rush in without thinking.

And how you always manage to win despite the circumstance.

But he never feels left behind because of it.

Like with Gon, he won't baby you, just call you an idiot and move on.

You fell?

Get up loser.

You can't read?

Find somebody else to translate. Or he'll make you do it and be laughing nonstop while you struggle to pronounce the word "Apple"

"Gon what color's an orange?"

"An orange is the same color as it's name. Just like a lemon."

Please somebody take you two back to first grade.

Killua is begging.

Even though he won't baby you, he'll rush as fast as he can if you're in actual danger.

You got caught by the phantom troupe?

"Are you completely brain dead!?!!? Where are you!?!?"

Now he regrets not putting a tracker on you.

"This nice clown man gave me candy and told me to follow him." You tell him over CALL.

"HISOOKAAAAA!!!!"

He is screaming and panicking.

You trespassed into the mountains his family lives to see him.

"WHY???? DON'T YOU KNOW ABOUT MIKE!?!?"

And when he gets there he sees you rubbing the monstrous canine's tummy. Petting him and calling him a "Good Boy."

Names he has called you out of spite: Idiot, Moron, Dummy, Psycho, Airhead, Ditz, and probably Pea Brain

On the bright side, you are Alluka's favorite person.

"Give me your ribs."

"Oh, are you hungry? Let's see if we can't find you a smokehouse for those ribs."

And it baffles both souls so much that Nanika accepts that as fulfilling her command.

Plus you have endless amounts of energy that works to drain both girls out. Even when they've both already swapped twice.

Killua designates you her official babysitter when he's busy.

You are a complete lunatic and moron, but you're one of the people he trusts the most.

Even if he does complain about you a lot.

MASTERLIST

[spnjediavenger]

I Need My Brother (Chapter 1)

Title: I Need My Brother (Chapter 1)

Type: multi-chapter; matt murdock x sister!reader, some foggy and karen x teen!reader (platonic!)

Warnings: Matt unintentionally being a jerk brother, sibling argument, some angst, hurt no comfort (yet)

Spoilers: S1 SPOILERS

Notes: hey look, another fic that was meant to be a one-shot that turned into 4+ chapters. Oops

As always, love and/or constructive/friendly criticism is welcome and encouraged!

Word count: 1506

Y/n Murdock had a decent life. She would admit that. She was in a good school, she had good friends, and she had family through Nelson & Murdock. Her brother, Matt, always did his best to look after her. She never knew her father but she had Matt next to her as they both grew up at the orphanage. And as soon as he was legally able, Matt took custody of her, knowing she wouldn’t be happy without him. Granted, going through college with an 8 year old wasn’t entirely smart. Or easy. But he did it. 

So Y/n was thankful for these things.

That began to slowly change, however, when the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen was born. Y/n and Matt knew each other better than they knew themselves so it didn’t take Y/n long to figure out his ‘secret.’ Needless to say she wasn’t happy about it. But she learned to live with it. There were still times, though, where it got hard. Y/n felt like her brother was spending more and more time away from her and she was beginning to miss how things used to be. 

After doing some tracking down, Y/n found Claire and the two formed a bond over the stresses of knowing her brother and his secret life. She lately found herself at the hospital during Claire’s breaks or her apartment after shifts unwinding with her and venting about Matthew’s absence. Like today. 

“I mean, I get that what he does is important, and I’m proud of him - I really am. But…”

“But you miss him,” Claire finished, tone understanding. She pursed her lips as the girl nodded sadly, looking down at her mug of hot chocolate. “It’s ok to think that way, Y/n. Your feelings are valid. Why don’t you talk to him about it?”

Y/n shook her head. “He has enough going on. He has his p-“ she stopped herself. While Claire knew about the vigilante side of her brother, she didn't know his true identity. And as Matt told her several times - the less she knew about him the better. “He has his day job that’s gotten busier, he has his vigilante thing that’s also gotten busier. I don’t want to waste his time.”

Claire frowned and furrowed her brow. “But he’s your brother. And your legal guardian. If he makes time for anything, Y/n, it should be you.”

Y/n sighed. “I know,” she said meekly. “And I do have this mindset that I should be his priority…”

“But?”

“But I still can’t get myself to bother him.”

Sensing it was a lost cause, Claire just pursed her lips and rubbed Y/n’s shoulder. All she could do was encourage her to talk to Matt (or, ‘Mike’ in Claire’s case) and be there for her if and when she needed to talk. 

A couple weeks later, Y/n was at her breaking point. She had barely seen her brother for days it seemed. She couldn’t get herself to approach him and be upfront about the issue; but she had an idea to get his attention. Leave it to a teenager to make things more difficult than they needed to be. 

Y/n smirked to herself as she walked up to Nelson & Murdock, tossing a bouncy ball off the ground. She had been trying to get Matt’s attention the whole week with no luck. But she was sure this would get him.

“Uh oh, I know that look,” Foggy’s voice came as Y/n walked through the doorway. “You better not be spiking my food again, gremlin.”

“Ok, first of all, don’t say ‘spiking!’ I didn’t drug you!” Y/n defended herself. 

“You may as well have,” Foggy muttered. 

Y/n rolled her eyes. “It was just hot sauce, you wimp. And, no - I’m not here to mess with you.”

“But you’re here to mess with someone else,” he accused, pointing a finger at her. 

“Shut up!” She whisper-yelled. 

“Matt’s not here, relax…is that who you’re messing with?!” 

“Foggy!”

“Ok ok whatever. I’m leaving soon anyway.”

“Don’t give me away. Matt knows things, ok?”

Foggy rolled his eyes and messed up her hair as he walked past her, making her swat his hand away. 

Y/n kept bouncing her rubber ball as she entered her brother’s office. She brought her backpack over her shoulder to pull out a whoopie cushion. She moved the seat cover on Matt’s chair and placed the partly filled cushion underneath before replacing the cloth. She walked back out to the ‘lobby’ of the firm and sat on Karen’s desk, smirk on her face. The unpaid secretary looked at her with a knowing look. 

“I have a feeling we’ll know when it happens?”

Y/n nodded proudly. 

About 30 minutes later, Y/n could hear Matt’s walking stick tapping in the hallway. She stayed on Karen’s desk, still bouncing the rubber ball off the ground as her brother came in. 

“Welcome back,” Karen greeted nonchalantly. 

“Thank you,” he nodded plainly. “Y/n,” he addressed his sister. “How come you’re not at the apartment?”

“It’s my usual day to see Foggy and Karen,” she commented, a little deflated. That part she kept true - she did visit the firm every friday. Was Matt really that out of the loop that he forgot her routine?

“Ok. Well, I have a couple things to finish up at my desk then we’ll walk back together, ok?”

“Alright,” she shrugged dejectedly. 

Rubber. Constant bouncing off the ground. Normal heart rate. Matt quirked a brow but made his way to his office.

As part of her plan, it distracted him enough to ignore his seat; the smell of the rubber also made it so the rubber from the whoopie cushion was also overlooked by the vigilante. 

Y/n’s face split into a grin as she saw her brother’s shadow bend down towards the chair. Her hand flew to her mouth so she didn’t laugh prematurely as her brother sat and a loud fart sound rang through the office. Foggy and Karen both let out sudden laughs and Y/n let her own laugh loose, a rare snort coming out as well. 

Matt sat in shock for a moment before staring towards his door, jaw dropped. Ears burning, he called out, “Y/n…” warning in his tone. 

Foggy and Karen looked at said girl, amused looks on their faces. She mirrored their looks and hopped off Karen’s desk and popped her head into Matt’s doorway. 

“Yes, dear brother?” she said innocently. 

“Shut the door,” he said, a little too seriously for Y/n’s liking. 

She gave a nervous glance at the other two, who shared her expression, before steeling her face and stepped into Matt’s office, closing the door behind her. 

“Feeling gassy today, Matty?” she joked. 

“Y/n, it’s not funny,” he said, looking her way. 

“Oh, come on, Matt-“

“Y/n, just stop. You’ve been pulling these immature pranks all week and it has to stop. And to bring it to the office? What if a client had walked in?”

Y/n rolled her eyes. “Yeah, ‘cause you get a lot of those, do you?”

“That’s not the point! You know how hard Fog and I have been working to try and get this place off the ground! I can’t have a teenager running amok and pulling this stuff because the last thing I need is for someone to walk in and for their first impression to be that we don’t take things seriously! Is it too much to ask for you to act your age for once?!”

Y/n’s jaw dropped about halfway through Matt’s rant, tears collecting on her waterlines. Matt never snapped at her before. She was just trying to get him to lighten up. Not turn him against her. 

She set her jaw and hardened her gaze. She went from shock, to sadness, to anger. “You know what, Matt? No. It’s not too much to ask. Because I forgot that this whole world revolves around you, how foolish of me to forget! God forbid you have to think about anyone but yourself for once! It’s not like you have an underage sister who still depends on you metaphorically and legally or anything.”

Salt in the air. Almost non-existent sniffles. Watery voice. She was crying.

“...Y/n-”

“Forget it, Matt,” she said, voice cracking. “I’ll see you later. Don’t let your big ego get caught in the doorway when you leave.” At that, Y/n spun on her heel and stormed out, tears streaking down her face.

“Y/n. Y/n!” Matt tried calling in vain. “It’s dark! You don’t walk back alone!”

“I got her,” Foggy said. He turned to leave but twisted to look at Matt one more time. “And you know something? Everyone’s entitled to act stupid every once and awhile, but I think you just abused that privilege.”

As Foggy ran out to catch up to Y/n, Matt hung his head in shame. 

(Chapter 2) ->

[miwiheroes]

Dropping Byler Evidence Every (Other) Day Until Season 5

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . Day 36: Byler's Common Romantic Tropes . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

There are many many times where I get asked what is your favourite byler proof or what is the most convincing byler proof. I could talk about light and imagery and symbolism but y'know what's even more convincing and simple to me? The fact that Byler literally has these extremely common romantic tropes attached to it, but nobody seems to notice because they're two boys. It cannot be a coincidence that they have all these different tropes attached to them -- its clearly planned out to help the pairing's romance come to fruition, otherwise it would make no sense.

1. Playing Cyrano

Definition: Traditionally in film, to "play Cyrano" is to have a more physically attractive person (Person A) hit on the object of their desire (Person C), but the words that are winning them over are being fed to Person A by someone else who is in love with Person C and knows them better (Person B). In every case, Person C originally falls in love with Person A because of the words they say, but upon finding out who really said those things, they end up falling in love with Person B. Some examples include Cyrano De Bergerac of course, Friends, Modern Family (though it's played as a joke), Back To The Future.

This is literally the painting plot, but it's not played out in the exact same way, though it's similar. Will (Person B) is obviously in love with Mike (Person C) but doesn't feel he can actually tell him those things because he doesn't think it will make him happy. This is a misbelief.

Now, technically, having Will refer to his feelings as El's feelings (Person A) is not the same as the original Cyrano trope. However, Will believes that he is helping both Mike's self-esteem and Mike and El's relationship by doing this, as he thinks that is what they both want. This is obviously an extremely selfless act. Now, these words obviously make Mike feel like he can finally say "I love you" to El, because Will reminds him of them right before the confession. So in S4, we have part 1 of the "pay-off" to this trope.

If we follow along with the trope, then hopefully, Mike will find out that those words are really coming from Will, he will actually fall in love (or realise he's in love) with Will, all because he's always been touched by those words. He'd also be touched by the selflessness of the act, and this selflessness usually inspires some loving feelings in Person C toward Person B.

So if Mike looks like he's falling in love with Will here, it because he literally is, he just has no idea yet.

2. First Girl Wins

Definition: Commonly in romantic plot lines, the first girl introduced — either overall or as a potential love interest — has a very good chance of ending up with the protagonist. She's often presented as someone who knows the protagonist better, stays in love with the protagonist despite his obvious non-reciprocation, etc. The First Girl will rarely be the first one to confess her feelings or admit them. In fact, she's much more likely to be the one who does it last. The logic behind this is that she's the one whom the main character loves (even if he doesn't realise it himself), if she showed him romantic affection, then he would immediately choose her.

Will being in love with Mike is literally the classic 'I know you better than she does' trope but it's gay. There are so many times in S4 especially where Will is presented to have a better understanding of Mike than El and the audience is supposed to feel bad for him. For example, when he's the one Mike goes to about all his problems, and when Will judges whether they should go to the movies based on Mike's body language. The viewers are supposed to feel frustrated that Mike isn't seeing what is right in front of him.

Having Will be in love with Mike from the beginning and having their first scene together literally show that Will can't lie to him, and that he's selfless, is insane to me. What would not make sense is for all this to happen, for Will to be presented as such an ideal match for Mike, just for him to be used as a tool in their relationship. As if that's a reward.

There is a reason that the writers haven't shown Will make any real moves toward Mike -- they're saving it for the climax of the show, aka when Mike ends up 'choosing' Will.

3. The Promise

Definition: When characters call a "promise" into the spotlight as something that can never ever be broken, this always backfires for the character that says so or the characters involved in the promise. (The most famous example of this I can think of is literally in Tangled lmao) This can backfire in a number of ways, but the most common are: the promise was never going to pan out, the promise would end up hurting the protagonist or sacrificing them, the promise will start out as something good but end up trapping them.

I've touched on this trope much more in this post, but as a summary, basically in this scene above, Mike draws attention to the definiton of a promise as "something that you can't break. Ever." This immediately dooms Mileven for me. It's clear that Mike is going to make some huge promise about their relationship to El and this is either going to hurt Mike or it will trap both of them in something that they feel far too invested in to go back on. Which is exactly what happens.

Mike promises to go to the Snow Ball with El. He says those words when she seemingly is about to die (in S1). This promise does not pan out because she 'dies'. UNTIL season 2, when the Snow Ball actually happens. Which means this promise can only happen in the other sense: it is trapping the protagonist. But Mike isn't just promising to go to the Snow Ball with El, no, he's promising to be with her, keep her safe etc. What he thinks is keeping her safe so that he won't lose her is by being in a relationship with her.

I really recommend the post I linked, because it goes way more into depth, but yeah. Insane parallels happen.

4. Interruptions

Definition: I'm sure you can safely assume what this is, but this is when two characters seemingly have a romantic interaction and seem to be building up to something intimate, but something out of their control stops both characters from doing this. This interruption is often paired with both characters looking embarrassed/ acknowledging the interruption to further romantic tension. These moments are made with the intention for the climax of the romantic plot to seem more satisfying.

This happens to so many ST couples after romantic moments, including Lumax and Jancy, but this happens to Byler in S4 four times. Yes, you heard me right. Four TIMES. They really really wanted us to make sure we see them as romantic didn't they?

Pictured above, Mike and Will both have a slightly flirtatious moment before they get interrupted by Jonathan who they are shown to swing their heads around and look at.

After Byler have an intimate moment of gazing into each other's eyes, they get shocked and gasp because they hear something outside the house that could possibly interrupt them.

On top of the car in the desert, after Will says something that might imply that he has a 'truth' that Mike won't like, Argyle interrupts them, showing a shot of Mike and Will stopping looking at each other.

In Hopper's cabin, after Mike grabs Will's shoulder and reassures him, they hear people outside and there is a shot of Mike's hand still on Will's shoulder before they look at each other one more time and leave the couch.

I mean this trope is as literal as it gets. In the script of the "cool, cool" scene, it literally says "this intimate moment is interrupted". HELLO???

Anyway, as I said before, you don't accidentally write this many commonly used tropes into a story without the characters actually doing something about it. There are also even more other common tropes that I didn't talk about here because it is not worth going into for a whole post (these include the holding hands trope, the selfless confession trope etc,). Basically, I just can't believe they would do all this for no reason. It also makes no sense for this to be done for queerbait purposes. Writing Byler this way is no easy way out.