#Stranger Things time jump

[ngalu]

Stranger Things 5 time jump.

See the update below.

Okay, hear me out! I think I figured out the time jump situation for Season 5! (I might be a little late on this but whatever)

Everyone's already figured that there is going to be some kind of time jump after the end of season 4. And if you haven't been following the news as I have, I think the new photos of Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson should make that pretty clear.

Now, Season 4 left us on a cliffhanger sometime in March of 1986. But last year in November, we got some leaked photos from on-set indicating that Christmas was coming up or had passed in season 5.

Among these photos was this picture. But look at the bottom right corner: There is a date!

Saturday, November 21. That exact date occurred in the year 1987. But there's more! Here is a more recent photo from the Stranger Things 5 set.

In the corner is a book that @joycelhopper over on Twitter did some digging on, and it's called "Planning, Shaping and Slotting". And get this: It was released in 1988.

This could mean that roughly 2 years have passed between the end of season 4 and the start of season 5.

Major Update!

Alright people, I just saw the new Stranger Things 5 set leaks and I need to talk about it. You might think I'm reaching but I hate being wrong so better safe than sorry.

There are a few pictures out including some of Dustin and Mike but that's another post. But I wanna talk about this Coke can picture that was included among the leaks. Just a couple of props - no big deal, right? WRONG! Because this Coke can is ⭐Special⭐

A quick Google search will show you how Coke can designs have changed over the years and you'll notice how this particular Coke can was released in a certain year.

This might be a reach, HOWEVER, Given all the leaked info I now believe that it's possible that Stranger Things 5 could take place in 1989 (rather than 1988 as I once predicted).

AND given all the other set photos, Stranger Things 5 could also take place around the Fall of 1989 specifically. BOOM!

[dysfunctionalupsidedown]

Hm. Will Byers may fear a lot of things, but lying isn't one of them.

[udkmehahaha]

fall of 1987... so you're telling me, the gang went through the rest of spring '86, summer '86, fall '86, winter '86, spring '87, summer '87, all the way into fall '87, and byler didnt kiss? yea i dont buy it.

[taeiris]

90s willelmike <3

its 1992, they’re in college, will started experimenting with hair styles, eleven is insanely happy and excited to be living a normal life and mike is mikeing, honoring eddie with his hair style🫶

[shoujo-wizard]

Bewitched by Yuletide p.2 🫖

[Hallmark movie AU steddie A/B/O ft kitchen witch Steve & former rockstar Eddie, O!Steve/A!Eddie]

[some O!Steve pov & backstory as well as A!Robin backstory too]

🎸p.1

when Steve was 13 he went through his very first heat. when Steve was 13 his alpha father left him in the care of his grandpa for an entire summer that turned into an entire school year that turned into his father signing away his parental rights to Steve to his own parent in Steve's freshman year at Hawkins High.

the adults never told him, but Steve deduced it was because he'd begun coming into his Talent. in the days after his first heat, before his father had driven him to Hawkins Indiana he would be completing his chores faster than he'd begun them. he'd know exactly who was about to ring the doorbell without ever looking out the window. Steve remembered the disgust on his father's face when Steve had correctly guessed what Richard Harrington had enjoyed eating most growing up without the topic ever being brought up. so Steve ended up raised by his remaining grandparent.

his omega grandpa Peter Harrington explained to him what was happening. he'd entered his 13th year, and that meant he began to be capable of things others weren't. apparently his grandpa's family, the Frumps, were a proud line of kitchen witches. Steve had evidently inherited the Talent. so as he grew into his Talents, Peter taught him everything he knew. Steve learned recipes & spells at his grandpa's elbow in the beautiful house his alpha grandma, the late Amelia Harrington, had bought just for her mate.

Steve learned how to start the autumn with a perpetual stew that would seemingly have no end till spring using the talents his grandpa helped him develop. his simmer pots only grew more fragrant as years went by. in the spring & summers he learned how to use his Talents in a way tht helped the vegetable garden flourish, even though neither were a green witch. his grandpa had beamed with pride telling him tht he was an even more powerful kitchen witch than his great-grandma Eva. as he got older, he was given more responsibilities in the kitchen. the different holidays became times for his grandpa to test his Talent as he neared high school graduation.

then the summer after he graduated, as he prepared to attend classes at the Roane County Community College, his grandpa Peter had a heart attack in his sleep. as the executor of estate Steve was in charge of too much concerning the death. he buried his grandpa five days later, many people who'd known Peter Harrington came to help Steve celebrate a life well lived, many people brought him casseroles, many people gave their condolences, many people told Steve stories he'd never heard.

Richard Harrington never picked up the phone or answered the voicemail Steve left him. Richard Harrington never responded to the second voicemail Steve left him informing him that Peter Harrington had written him out of his will, that Steve was now the sole inheritor of the entire Harrington fortune his grandma had worked so hard to build, and his grandpa had worked so hard to preserve.

his grandpa Peter taught him many things as a witch. that his Talent was his to manifest, his to explore, his to expand. that his heart was bursting with love, and that wasn't a weakness. he taught him that life continues on, time does not stop, the seasons will always change, and that the dead will never forget the living.

at his grandpa's funeral Steve met someone who told him stories about his grandpa when he was a Home Economics teacher at Hawkins High. Wayne Munson was a gruff alpha who looked stoic, but his manner of speaking was gentle. Steve could see the genuine kindness Wayne radiated, and he was grateful when Wayne came by the house that was now Steve's with ingredients for a sweet corn and cucumber salad. Steve sipped cold water with crushed mint while Wayne cooked. Grandpa Peter's favorite vinyl was playing in the living room, Cass Elliot's 1973 album titled Mama's Big Ones.

time went on, seasons changed, Steve started a weekly tradition of having Wayne over for Sunday dinner. he started classes at the community college, got very invested in a history class about textiles, and in the community college's library he always sat silently at the same table as another student. she was a trans feminine alpha who'd chosen the name Robin, she had moved to Hawkins for community college after graduating from high school a year early. they ended up locked in the libraries gender-neutral bathroom when the door got stuck, it was during finals and the library was open two hours longer. as they waited for the night janitor they bonded about grandparents, about parents that weren't equipped to accept them in their entirety, and Robin even confessed she only found other alpha women attractive.

Afterward they became two halves of a whole. Robin joined Sunday dinners. She spent more time sleeping over at Steve's home than she did at the apartment above her grandparent's bookstore. Robin told him that her family had owned the only bookstore in Hawkins since 1810, making it the oldest bookstore in the state of Indiana. when Steve told her he's a kitchen witch she lit up with questions after a moment of disbelief. Robin eagerly joined him in all the pagan holiday traditions his grandpa had taught him. they agreed their mutual favorite was Yuletide with Samhain as a close second. then when they learned they shared a birthday June 13th became a joint birthday celebration from then on.

when Robin's grandma died in hospice their final year at community college, Steve was the person she leaned on. she moved in with him, unable to enter the apartment without being overcome with paralyzing grief but determined to keep the bookstore going. when her insensitive beta mother came to town for the funeral Steve stood by her, helped her keep her ground against her mother's attempts to take control of the business and building left to Robin in the will. Robin's alpha father ended up being the one to silence Beatrice Buckley nee Smith by laying it out that Robin had legally inherited the building including the store as well as the majority of the contents of the apartment, that Robin might be young, but she had a good head on her shoulders. that they had no right to demand anything of her after how they'd reacted to her transition. George Buckley didn't chase after his wife when she stormed out, he apologized to his daughter for the way he shut down when she came out to them, he watched as his wife drove off back to their hotel, and after asking to rebuild their relationship he confessed he was going to serve Beatrice divorce papers. Robin cried as she hugged her dad, sobbed harder when he told her how beautiful self-love looked on her.

Wayne came by after the funeral, joined the three of them for dinner. he and George shared stories from high school. Wayne told Robin stories about the many times her grandparents had taken one look at him, a kid with two working parents, a kid who'd been charged with caring for his rambunctious rebellious little brother, and they'd given him books for half the price they were worth.

George Buckley moved back to Hawkins following the divorce. back into the apartment he'd grown up in, he worked in the store as assistant manager, he joined their Sunday dinners, and he made efforts to implement the vision Robin had of the bookstore being a safe space.

then one day while Steve was perusing the shelves of the bookstore even though it was his day off from the store. he looked out the store windows at the sound of Wayne's truck pulling up to the bank across the street. when he saw Wayne fall he let out a yell, and while Robin called for an ambulance he was running across the main street to sit with Wayne till the ambulance arrived. at the hospital he listened carefully to everything the doctor said about caring for the concussion Wayne had ended up with. Robin helped him take Wayne home to his tree farm filled with fir trees, the majority being douglas fir.

the day after he'd been home for a full day Wayne called to let Steve know his nephew had come to stay with him. Steve laughed when Wayne relayed the message to make sure he made enough for four for dinner that night.

Steve drove Robin and him to Wayne's after they locked up the bookstore for the night. George had to give their inventory orders a final review so he'd declined to join them. they pulled up, and Steve noticed the shiny red car that was left running with the driver's door open. as he cradled the ancient dutch oven in his hands, Robin turned the car, and shut the door. before they went inside Steve made a come hither motion with his hand at the car thinking how nice it'd be for the nephew's many bags to b unloaded.

upon entering Steve spared not a single glance for the nephew standing to greet them, determined to begin cooking because they'd stayed later at the bookstore than usual. he pulled off his scarf and coat. then pulled the canvas bags of ingredients out of the dutch oven. he heard Robin starting a conversation with Wayne. Steve was unpacking the ingredients when suddenly the smell of cedar and tobacco filled his nose. he looked up from pulling out the bread he'd made to go with the pumpkin soup he had planned, and standing in the doorway was Wayne's nephew.

Steve knew, he knew as soon as his nose had registered cedar and tobacco. Grandpa Peter told him that all witches would have one great love in their lifetime. Steve always assumed his platonic love for Robin was his, but he knew then he'd been wrong.

because as soon as the nephew introduced himself as Eddie Munson, Steve knew that this alpha was the man who would either cherish his heart or break it.

---

@lexirosewrites this is part 2 that i've written special for slick sunday this month. it was a wonderful distraction from, well, Everything TM. I'm thinking i'll keep adding to this every month on slick sunday till i feel this little ficlet series has reached a satifying conclusion. i think i'll even open myself up to creating a tag list for this series, spaces will b limited as my adhd can only handle so many details at once.

@manda-panda-monium @awkwardgravity1

yall get to b the first two of this tag list. write in the replies if you'd like me to tag you when i post part 3 next month. i will let the tag list get to 20 accounts & no more

don't let despair rule your life, going forward we have a lot of work to do, and we need a means to recharge as we fight to maintain our freedoms. idk what the future of fic in this country will b if project 2025 gets to censor queer media by banning ao3, but if it comes to it we can do as the fans before us did: mailing lists, zines, and more now that we have the internet.

[strawberrybyers]

LMFAO the stranger things crew are so funny 😭 they’ve been filming for months with fans and paparazzi taking pics and videos, but of course right after we get pics of byler; now everyone on set wants to be proactive about leaks,, like if byler is not endgame then why are they always so afraid of us knowing anything about them 😂

[rogueddie]

eddie jokes that he can swim but he can't do any of the strokes so steve takes him to the pool and tells him to show him what the hell he's on about. he goes to the bottom of the pool and crawls along the floor like an underwater spider. steve has nightmares for weeks.

[jadewritesficshere]

Just ask me

Eddie Munson x shy!Reader (reader is inexperienced)

Summary: you want a kiss, Eddie just wants you to voice your wants.

Warnings: shyness, overthinking, kissing.

You and Eddie had been dating for only 3 months. Having never been in a relationship before, or doing anything before, you were concerned it would turn Eddie away. Instead, Eddie took it in stride. He calmed your anxieties, comforted you during your insecurities, and explained anything you didn't know without making you feel dumb.

You two hadn't done much other than a quick kiss here and there. You weren't sure how to say it but...you wanted more. You wanted more than to just hold his hand. You wanted more than just his lips on yours. You wanted passion and fury and tongue and biting and-

You felt slightly shameful at all the thoughts and feelings you had. You also felt insecure, what if Eddie didn't feel the same? He had never pressured you to do more...maybe he didn't want to do more? Having never done anything before, you would be willing not to if that was the case. You loved Eddie for who he was. Except, you knew Eddie had done things with other people.

"Watcha thinking 'bout?" Eddie asked, jolting you from your thoughts. His brow slightly furrowed and a frown on his lips. He lightly places a palm against your cheek. He uses his thumb to take your bottom lip out from between your teeth, where you had been absentmindedly biting it. "No-nothing," you smile weakly at him, not looking him in the eyes.

Eddie hums before tilting his head to peer into your eyes. You return his gaze, getting lost in the warm brown. Eddie blinks, his long lashes fluttering (how infuriating that he was blessed with such long lashes and didn't even notice). You can't help your eyes darting down to his lips. Slightly chapped, but still full and soft. You can feel Eddie's fingers lightly tapping on your jaw as he thinks.

"You know I'll never judge you right?" Eddie asks, causing you to nod emphatically. "So," Eddie leans close to your ear and whispers," Ask me for what you want." You shiver as he lightly exhales into your ear and then nips at your ear lobe. He pulls back and gives you a pointed look. You fidget slightly, attempting to look down, but Eddie's hands on your jaw forces you to look at him.

"Kiss?" You quietly ask. Eddie's grin spreads across his face," Of course you can have a kiss. You only have to ask, and if I can give it to you I will." You grin back, happy that you'll be getting a kiss-

Except he kisses your forehead with a loud smack. "There!" Mischief twinkles in his eyes as you pout at him. "That's not..." you frown at him. "Oh? Not what?" Eddie goads you. "That's not where I wanted a kiss!" "Oh my mistake!" Eddie chuckles and-

Eddie kisses the tip of your nose. "Eddie!" You huff indignantly. "Just gotta ask," Eddie says saccharinely. "Just kiss me already!" You whine slightly. Eddie hums again and leans forward and kisses your cheek. You groan and attempt to push away from him slightly mumbling," kiss my ass."

Eddie gasps and throws one hand up to cover his mouth, " Why i do declare! Your ass!?" You blink a few times before smacking at him," That's not what I meant! I meant like that wasn't a kiss!" Eddie chuckles wrapping his arms around your waist, "You sure you don't want me to kiss your-" "I want a proper kiss Eddie Munson. On the lips. With tongue."

Eddie's eyes flash an emotion you aren't quite sure of. He licks his lips and nods," Ask and you shall receive." He leans in and finally kisses you properly. Your lips slot together perfectly. Warm and soft and everything you want from a kiss. Eddie deepens the kiss, pulling you flush against him, making you gasp. Your gasp allows Eddie to slide his tongue into your mouth.

His tongue slides against your tongue. What you thought would be weird actually feels amazing. Warm and wet and hot. It sends shivers down your spine and makes your fingers clench onto his shirt. You don't even realize the slight moan that you release, but Eddie does. Eddie who groans and has to stop himself from throwing you onto the bed and worshiping you. Eddie who is trying not to push you, but wants you to open up to him and voice your wants. Eddie who is trying pathetically to not grind into you as you shuffle closer to him. Eddie who slowly pulls back, leaving you both panting.

Eddie thinks his heart will burst with the love he feels for you in this moment. With your hooded eyes and swollen lips, the way you stare at him with utter adoration. He wants to capture this moment and save it forever.

Eddie gives you a final quick peck on the lips before smiling softly at you. "Just ask next time instead of overthinking and getting yourself riled up." You nod at Eddie's words as he pulls you back in for a hug. You'll have to voice your wants more. Maybe one day you'll ask to take this a step further, but for today you relish in the moment you two had.

[gaysforbyler]

Are they ever going to change clothes, or…

[trensu]

have another snippet of stasis in darkness! just 'cuz i'm bored tbh, and kinda stuck on all my wips i'm currently working on.

The seventh night:

“Has he spoken to you yet?”

“How could he when you’re here yammering my ear off every night?”

“He’s a god, I’m sure it wouldn’t be that hard for him to shut me up.”

“Even gods have their limits.”

“Oh, har har. The warrior’s got jokes. You didn’t answer my question.”

“...not yet,” Steve said stiffly. 

“It’s been how long now? A week?” The man hummed in a falsely thoughtful manner. “Maybe he’s just not that into you, man. Maybe he’s letting you down easy.”

At his words, Steve involuntarily curled his shoulders inward, slightly, ever so slightly, in defense. He'd been wondering that same thing earlier that day. Steve had toiled hours in the sun to fix up the shrine; to make it welcoming; to encourage a divine visit. 

He had stopped wearing his armor to free up more time to work. Putting it on and taking it off took too long, and he didn't have to maintain it as much if he wasn't wearing it regularly. He stuck to only his chainmail. He'd kept his shield stored away, too, so it wouldn't get in the way while he worked. Though, he made sure to keep his sword nearby.

He’d taken his knife and traced over the etchings of stars in the alcove that served as a backdrop to the statue. His knife had been ruined but it didn't matter. The Lord of Night would probably want the stars of his dark sky with him, he reasoned, and these had worn so thin. Sadly, it was the only detail he could bring out of all the stone. The statue’s face was so crumbled that Steve couldn’t even begin to guess what it had originally looked like.

He had discovered that the vines he chose to keep were moonflowers. They had blossomed every night since he’d removed the other more invasive plants. He'd draped them carefully so they lay across the statue's shoulders, wrapped lovingly around its torso and clung to its waist before the ends of the vines trailed off at the knees. 

The strange man might have made himself a nuisance during his visits but he never stayed the whole night. Steve had been able to get a few hours of makeshift prayers at the shrine every night. He’d done all this, yet dawn broke every day without a single sign that the Lord of Night had been listening.

“Warrior?”

Steve broke out of his reverie. He refused to look at the man. He had to clear his throat roughly before he could speak.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been rejected by someone I love." Steve tried not to dwell on his father's perpetual scowl and his mother's infinite disinterest. "I’m pretty used to my devotion being one sided by now.”

“That’s a bummer,” the man said. His sympathy was meant to be teasing, Steve could tell, but it came out surprisingly sincere. “Good thing you have a whole pantheon! Strong guy like you? Any god would take you to be their warrior in a heartbeat.”

“What are you talking about? No, I’m nowhere near done with his shrine,” Steve said determinedly. “I know a silversmith and a stone mason who’d give me a hand, and Dustin and Robin have been dying to come up here to bring him offerings. The only reason they didn’t come with me is because I had to do the pilgrimage on my own if I wanted a shot at earning his blessing.”

The man spluttered.

“Are you insane? A god rejects you and you’d come back? What kind of stupid–were you dropped on your head as a child?

“A couple times, but that doesn’t have anything to do with it.”

“Are you sure? Have you checked? You should go to one of the gods of medicine. Owens, maybe. Have him take a look at your head,” the man huffed in frustration. "For stars' sake, why would you want to come back?"

He ignored the insult to his intelligence. For stars' sake. Steve murmured the words to himself, letting them settle in his mouth to get a feel for them. He'd never heard of that one before. He liked how it rolled off the tongue, natural as anything. 

The man waited for his response. Steve took a moment to try to sort out his words. He kept his head bowed towards the shrine as he ruminated.

“People barely remember my god,” Steve finally said. “And when they do, they remember him as something he’s not. Even if he doesn’t believe I’m worthy of carrying his crest, he shouldn't be forgotten.” 

The man said nothing. Steve took a shuddering breath before the quiet could take over. 

“Having someone forget you is…it’s very lonely. Which is the worst feeling. I…I guess I don’t want him to be lonely anymore.”

The silence that followed his statement stretched long enough that Steve started falling into that meditative state he’d learned during his many nights at the shrine. It helped dull the twisted up, unsteady sensation that lingered from the man’s prodding at his every self-doubt and fear.

“He hasn’t rejected you yet, though,” the man broke Steve's musings awkwardly.

“He hasn’t reached out to me either. It’s fine. I’ll keep coming either way.”

Another silence. It was around the time the man usually left Steve to his worship. He didn't hear retreating footsteps. Instead, the man cleared his throat, and when Steve looked up at him, the man turned his face away, shrouding it in gloom.

“Maybe he’s nervous. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t contacted you yet.”

“Nervous? No way.”

“He sounds like a godly weirdo,” the man said. “Maybe he’s never had a holy warrior before and doesn’t know what to do.”

“He’s the good kind of weirdo! And there’s no way he’s not had a warrior carry his symbol. He must’ve had loads back in the day. I probably don’t meet his standards,” Steve smiled lopsidedly, playing off his insecurity.

“I’m serious!” the man exclaimed. “It’s possible! Some gods never get warriors. Some never want them at all!

“Look, even if I was the first to offer to be his, he’d know he didn’t have to be nervous,” Steve insisted. "I’ve never served a god before either! I wasn’t sure I could have faith at all until I learned about him. So like, if he’s new to it then so am I, and we’d figure it out together.”

“...you really mean that, don’t you? You’d let him make it up on the fly if he took you on.”

“Well, yeah,” Steve shrugged.

“You’d keep coming back even if he rejected you?”

“Yep.”

“But why? That’s so stupid. Nobody would do that!” The man sounded frustrated.

“I’m not really known for my smarts,” Steve said matter-of-factly. “Robin and Dustin had to translate the only book we found about the Lord of Night because I definitely wouldn't have been able to. It was a tiny book but it still took them ages to do because the language doesn’t really exist anymore. So they told me it’s possible it’s not accurate. It felt true, though, to me. 

“There was this quote, I can’t recite it word for word, but…it was something about how monsters don’t always look monstrous, and the monstrous aren’t always things to be feared.”

“That sounds ridiculous,” the man protested. Steve shook his head.

“No, it’s true! Like, I know I’ve got a pretty face and really great hair,” he smirked when he heard the man scoff, “but I was such a fucking asshole when I was younger. I went around hurting people on purpose, tearing them down for no reason other than I was hurting too, and that’s the shittiest reason to hurt anyone. I had to get some sense knocked into me by the people I call friends now. 

“My friends are the greatest people I know, and I’m really lucky to have them, but to everyone else? My friends are losers. They’re rejects because they don’t act right or they don’t look right; they talk too much or too loudly. People treat them like shit because they're different. 

“And after I noticed that, I started seeing it more even if I don’t always pick up on it. And I still mess up sometimes. I'm not a god, I can't change the world but…in the stories Robin and Dustin translated, the Lord of Night helped people like my friends because it was always the weak and rejected that try to hide themselves in the dark. I want to help those people find him again so they know they’ve got someone holy in their corner. They should know someone loves them enough to protect them.”

Steve didn’t really know where all those words came from; he wasn’t a wordsmith like Robin and Dustin. He always had a hard time verbalizing his thoughts, and he usually messed up the words. Nonetheless, these words had almost burned to be said. 

When the speech that flowed from him finally reached a natural end, he felt…lighter, cleaner. He felt like his shield and sword when they were polished to a shine. But when he turned to see his audience’s reaction, the man had gone. Steve felt strangely dejected instead.

–

The eighth night:

“Hey, it’s me again. My supplies are low and I don’t know what your thoughts about hunting on your land are so I’d rather not…I don’t want you to think I’m disrespecting you. I might have to leave soon to get more supplies,” Steve swallowed nervously. “Which isn’t an ult..ultimate…? No, damn, what is it called? I’m not trying to force you to talk to me before then, is what I mean. Not–not that I could! With you being a god.” 

Steve scoffed at his own blundering. He should’ve had Robin help him make speech notes. Cards with conversation starters. Something! He took a deep breath and tried again.

"But I'm coming back, I promise. I meant what I said about fixing up your shrine. I’ll commission a new plaque and I’ll talk to the stonemason about replacing your plinth. I don’t know a lot about sculpture, but I’ll get you the strongest type of stone and get something nice carved on it. Your flowers? Or cats? Cats are cute. Maybe your bats would be better…?” Steve trailed off.

It was quiet save for the faint rustle of leaves in the cool breeze. The full moon illuminated the area more than ever before. The shrine must have really been a beautiful sight back in its heyday. The thought of it sent a pang of longing through his soul.

The hour came that the strange man usually showed up. Steve steeled himself for another round of questions, another jab at his faith. The hour went by with Steve alone in the clearing. Steve frowned.

“Do you think he’s okay?” 

Steve’s question went unanswered.

After another hour without seeing his stranger, Steve had finally convinced himself to round the perimeter for a quick check in case the man was nearby or in need of assistance. When he found nothing, he checked again in case he missed something. 

Still nothing. Uneasily, Steve gave up his search and returned to the shrine. He knelt before it again, head bowed. He cleared his throat.

“Lord of Night, I don’t know his name, and I know he’s been rude–annoying–but could you please watch over the man? Please keep him safe from harm for as long as the stars shine tonight. Thank you.”

He received no response, but Steve had faith. He knew he was heard. He knew his god wouldn’t let an innocent come to harm if he could prevent it.

ps: i do not do those reader tag list things. if you’d like to keep up with my stuff, follow my writing tag: trensu tells stories

[abirddogmoment]

wow eternally grateful to Mav for fixing something in me (the deep-seated anxiety of being embarrassed in public) by being the most best boy (the most endearingly embarrassing animal to ever go in public)

[whathehonestfuk]

Steve is a huge Star Trek fan and a firm believer in spirk

[chirpsythismorning]

For the last 24 hrs I’ve been trying to find the real motel from that production assistant’s s4 bts pic…

[jazy3]

To kick off Stranger Things Day 2024 we got the episode titles for Season 5! Which are as follows:

The Crawl

The Vanishing of **Redacted**

The Turnbow Trap

Sorcerer

Shock Jock

Escape from Camazotz 

The Bridge

The Rightside Up

I feel like The Crawl has to be something to do with Vecna. Like maybe he's crawling out of somewhere or to something? For Chapter 2 I feel like the person vanishing is probably Holly Wheeler. They recast the actress playing her this season and she got a lot of screentime in the BTS Teaser Trailer. And in the clips they gave us you can see the lights flicking and her staring at something horrifying.

I think the Sorcerer is likely about Will the Wise and is going to be a Will focused episode. This might be where we see a lot of the flashbacks to his time in the Upside Down that they've been filming. I think Shock Jock is about Jimmy Fasthands Lee the guy we saw advertised on the WSQK Radio Station poster or it's got something to do with Dustin either working or volunteering at the radio station.

For Escape from Camazotz I have a few theories. It could be about our heroes escaping from the lab or Vecna’s lair maybe? Or it could be about them escaping from a military base? I think The Bridge refers to a bridge between worlds and will have something to do with crossing the boundary between the Upside Down and the Right Side Up.

And lastly, I love that they chose The Rightside Up as the final chaper title for the series! It's such a cool callback and it really brings everything full circle. I think this episode is going to be about the characters returning to Hawkins from the Upside Down and us seeing the end of their journey.

It's interesting that Chapters 4 - 6 don’t begin with word “the.” I didn't notice that until a friend pointed it out to me, but now I can't stop wondering what it means. I wonder if it has something to do with D&D gameplay or the sections that the story is broken up into like a beginning, middle, and end?

The caption for this video reads "In the fall of 1987, one last adventure begins. Stranger Things 5 coming 2025." which means there will be a 17 month time jump in Season 5 which will take us from the Spring of 1986 to the Fall of 1987. This is certainley a surprise given what the Duffer Brothers had previously said in interviews about Season 5 dovetailing off of Season 4 and how they did all of the set up in Season 4 so they could jump right into the action in Season 5 right from the get go.

I suspect they made this change because so much time has passed since filming wrapped on Season 4 and the younger actors have aged so significantly they could no longer pass for middle schoolers or freshman. Which is a shame! It also leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Like how did the town survive for 17 months with the Upside Down fully merging into Hawkins? Has Max been in a coma for 17 months? Did the older teens leave for college and university? I guess we'll find out in 2025!

[steddieunderdogfics]

Pebble by sleepingoffyourdemons for the one word title fic challenge. Very cute AuDHD Eddie.

Pebble by sleepingoffyourdemons

@punkslovepoints

Rating: Teens and up

5,467 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Character Study, Eddie Munson Has ADHD, Autistic Eddie Munson, Summer Camp, Kid Eddie Munson, Time Jump, Bisexual Eddie Munson, Indiana Jones References, lots of facts about bats

Summary

“Right, well when the male finds a female penguin he likes, he brings her a pebble. It shows the female that he wants to build a nest with her, that he wants to have her as a mate. So I thought -” Steve raised an eyebrow, “You want me to be your mate?” - Eddie learns a lot about bats, penguins and himself.

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Challenge Monday. The challenge this week was Fics with one word titles.

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[quietwingsinthesky]

of ten’s companions, if the doctor couldn’t handle losing them and crossed his own timeline to trick them into traveling with future!him instead of past!him so that he’d have a little more time with them:

rose would do it. first because bless her but she has the situational awareness of a rock, and legitimately would not realize this isn’t her doctor until his facade starts to break down and he starts bleeding grief-laced love for her at every turn. but once she does realize it, she’s both deeply sympathetic and a little scared that she could make him into this. it’s a lot to be confronted with having that much power over someone, to break them so thoroughly. rose would try to get back to her doctor, but while she’s with the future version, she tries to do what she can to ease his pain. (she also tries to figure out a way to subvert her fate. she fails.)

i think martha would be harder to trick. she can smell desperation on the doctor like a bloodhound. she is so tapped into the fact that this man wants to off himself so bad and that she’s 90% of his self-restraint, so present her with a doctor who is lacking that and she’s onto him immediately. however, assuming he gets her to come with him, explains why he’s doing this, there’s like. a minute where she’s kind of. not flattered exactly, but surprised, giddy with the realization that he’d come back for a little more time with her, especially if this is early season 3 martha. which would all come crashing down around the time that he reveals that he wasn’t pushed to this by losing her to some tragedy or her death or anything- but that she chose to leave. that is the point at which martha goes ‘oh i need to get the fuck off of this tardis right now’ and ghosts the past!doctor that she was also traveling with because holy shit, man.

donna, like rose, is easily bamboozled into following the wrong doctor home, provided that he shuffles her along into his tardis too fast for her to argue. but she catches on far quicker than rose does. like, three minutes tops of watching the doctor move through the tardis in a way that’s definitely not enthusiastic piloting and looks more like guilty panic. and then she yells at him for lying to her. and she yells at him for kidnapping her. and then she stops yelling because he’s gone sort of still and quiet and his eyes are just broken. and he doesn’t explain himself, he confesses. donna is going to try to stay with him after this btw. because how do you go back to looking your best friend in the eyes when you know he’d take everything you’ve become away from you, even to save your life? and this is still the doctor, he still did that to her, but he regrets it. regrets it so much that he can’t live with it, he’s breaking time and space just to hear her say his name again. and donna doesn’t want to lose him anymore than he wanted to lose her.