#Will and eleven

[gayregina]

It never fails to amaze me how much El is compared to Will throughout the show in general and how it affects both these characters’ relationships with Mike specifically. Here’s some thoughts as I wait for the new year:

Similar characteristics, both outside and behaviour-like, aside (saviour complex, immense trauma, tons of guilt, being deemed different and a freak and feeling like a mistake because of it, hell even their connection to the upside down etc) the duffers have never shied away from openly comparing them.

Even from episode one, ever since Will goes missing, whenever Hopper is searching for Will, he’s actually following El around. We see some guy at the police department reporting El as strange activity, thinking she was a boy and specifically Will. Now El’s general outlook in season 1 resembles a boy (Brenner, you tasteless son of a bitch) and that’s definitely an interesting choice concerning the person who ends up taking a liking towards El.

That’s right, Mike. Mike who is constantly looking for Will ever since he went missing and meets El because of it, who keeps El around in hopes she can help them find him(at first at least), whose breakdown we focus on the most, who goes against every logical explanation and even a seemingly dead body of his said-friend to prove to everyone else that Will is indeed still alive and needs their help. Mike who has never left Will’s side ever since kindergarten and who puts protecting his friends and Will specifically above all else. Mike, who Lucas claims hasn’t had any sort of meaningful relationship with girls because they are grossed out by him and who is the only one that defends Will against Troy’s homophobic comments actively and physically. Seeing a pattern yet?

And because life is funny like that (duffers I am watching you) Mike’s first words to El are and I quote: “That’s not Will”

Taking into account that later on, El and Will end up becoming literally family, their similarities cannot be denied. That being said, let’s focus on El’s and Will’s relationship with Mike.

First things first, let’s face a truth. Mike had never had to deal with both Will and El and the feelings that are associated with each person at the same time up until the very end of season 2(I would say season 3 but okay). And why is that important, you may ask? Well, because in each season we can clearly see his priorities and how they affect his behaviour.

In season 1, in the absence of Will, Mike never stopped looking for his friend, constantly coming up with ways to help Will directly (searching in the woods with Dustin and Lucas) or indirectly (using El to try and contact him). His first and foremost concern and sole purpose is finding Will and making sure he’s safe. No easy task, as it turned out. Meanwhile his behaviour towards El differs and is based (on some level) on her growing importance in finding Will. Of course, there is genuine affection as well and it’s obvious by the end of the season that Mike cares a whole deal about El.

Now there is an interesting shift in season 2. Although we see how much Mike is affected by El’s absence and we see Mike still seeking her out through the walkie talkie, he never actually actively looks for her, even though he isn’t convinced of her “death”. Again Mike focuses on Will as he struggles through his newfound connection to the upside down and later on his possession, without ever leaving his side, even if he was scared and/or in danger. Once again he takes on the role of Will’s protector and exceeds in it (if I may say so). Those days he’s being very affectionate and vulnerable towards Will and he isn’t afraid to open up and talk about his feelings and issues (one of them being El’s absence, mind you).

The tables are turned in season 3 where for the first time Mike has to “choose” between Will and El in a way. As we see from early on, the friend group has complicated feelings towards Mike’s and El’s relationship and they especially have a lot to say about how Mike’s attention is focused for the first time mainly on El, causing conflict between the friends (“it’s romantic” “it’s gross” “it’s bullshit”). Meanwhile, Mike is ignoring his other friends, especially Will, running late for dates and refusing to play dnd. He is particularly hurting Will (“it’s not my fault you don’t like girls” ouch) who is trying to come to terms with his stolen childhood and the fact that everyone around him seems to have moved on. We notice a more angry and regretful version of Mike, one that stumbles over his words and says the wrong thing at the wrong time. He goes on his own personal arc from the start of season 3 (I think), one filled with guilt and shame that has yet to be resolved (I think).

The important thing is that in both seasons 3 and 4, Mike struggles in prioritising his relationships and can’t seem to choose between his best friend and his girlfriend. In season 4, we get a grande display of miscommunication between the happy couple and once El has gone to retrieve her powers, Mike once again confines in Will and restores their bond(not to its full potential but we are getting there,trust). Mike doesn’t seem to even be able to spell the word “love”, let alone communicate it to El when she needs it the most (although he doesn’t seem to struggle opening up to Will, just saying). El is Mike’s proclaimed superMAN, so I am just gonna leave it at that note.

In conclusion, Mike’s got a hell of a challenge as the heart of the group and he’s gotta accept what his own heart tells him, whatever that is.

Will and El, no matter their similarities, are not the same but they deserve the absolute best nonetheless. Best badass sibling duo EVER.

-

Happy new year, everyone! Best wishes to all<3

[stuck-in-hawkins]

The Field- New in Town

Stranger Things

The letters laid strewn across the floor. Their words had been El’s solace for the first few weeks moving out to California. But as each letter came, a small hope peeked in her. She would scan the letter looking at the end and find disappointment at the words:

“From, Mike”

It stared back at her in silent mockery. “From,” but never “love.” He had said it once. He had meant it. But now, it had hidden itself inside him and he had not let it show since.

A gentle knock came to her door. She sniffed, “Come in.”

Will walked in to see the scene. The letters all across the floor. The balled up tissues that hadn’t quite made the wastepaper basket.

“El… what’s wrong?” He kneeled down gingerly. Ready in case she wanted to kick him out instead.

She put her head in her hands, she mumbled, “…alone.”

He bit his lip. “I’ll give you some space.”

She lifted her head up and new tears burst forth. “No! I said I feel so alone!”

Will immediately realized his mistake and got on the floor with her. She wailed and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, El. It’s okay.” He soothed, holding her and she sobbed into his shoulder. “You know that’s not true, right? You aren’t alone. You have me and Jonathan and my mom- our mom.” He wasn’t sure if she was actually okay calling her mom but it felt right in the moment.

“I know that. But I used to have everybody. I had Max, and Lucas and Dustin and… Mike.” A fresh sob emerged from her throat at the mention of his name. Her cries choking out the last name, “Hop-”

He squeezed her tight. Why? Why did all this stuff happen to her? To them? She was right. There was a moment. After the Snow Ball, there had been a reprieve from all the fear and the heartache. They went over to the cabin nearly every other day. They helped her learn what they knew. They would talk and laugh. And then summer came and everything fell apart.

All he could do was hold her. “I feel it, too. I miss them everyday. Most days, it felt like they were the only thing keeping me together. And now, they’re a thousand miles away. And I know it’s hard, but they still try to talk to us in the ways that they can. We get to talk on the phone and Mike sends you all these letters.”

There was a pang of jealousy in him. Mike didn’t write him letters. Will had attempted doing the whole “story/ art back and forth” thing, but Mike hadn't sent anything back. To make things worse, his mom had started a new job as a salesperson and used the phone all the time.

El let go of Will and looked, begrudgingly at the letters. “You don’t get it. All these letters, not one of them say love. He won’t say it or even say why.”

Will looked at all the letters, bewildered. Wasn’t that the way you were supposed to sign letters to your girlfriend, ‘love’?

Wil questioned, “Well, have you talked to him about it?”

El quoted, “‘You can’t make someone say, ‘I love you.’ I have to wait.” She was quoting Joyce. She had talked to her about it, but another letter had come and El felt the fresh wave of disappointment.

“I- Yeah, I know you’re right. But maybe just if you say it first.”

“I say it in every letter.” Her voice was frustrated and she sat back against the bed.

“Oh.” Will couldn’t understand or fathom it. Why wouldn’t Mike say it? What was going on with him? He looked over at El and saw the hurt.

There was a small, sad sigh. El leaned her head back against the bed, “I think something is changing. But… I still feel so attached to him. Like he has a part of me forever. When I think of him, I think of that boy in the rain, who made me feel safe, who hid me from the bad men.”

“He has that way about him. He finds ways to save you, in all the ways that matter. Without even trying, he makes you feel like you’re not alone. Like you’re important and belong.”

El looked at Will and she saw that same love

reflected in his eyes and the same ache.

She said, “I want to love all of him, but there’s this part he won’t let me get to, no matter how hard I try. He keeps it hidden.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Will.

She paused, trying to find the words. “I don’t know what I mean. I’m not making sense am I?” She wiped her eyes with her hands.

“He loves you, okay? I know he doesn’t say it on paper, but you gotta understand, his parents aren’t the type to say, ‘I love you’ out loud. A lot of what we learn about love we get from our parents. The people who raise us. But he shows it to you in so many ways.”

El shut her eyes at the thought. Did that mean that some part of her Papa’s love was in her? The twisted, cruel “love” that was conditional and transactional.

No, she thought. Everything she learned about love was from Hopper. Love was reading together. Love was in a tussling of hair. It was in smiling eyes. It was in the smell of freshly toasted waffles. But Mike couldn’t do any of those things.

El said, “We’re a thousand miles away, Will. What other way is there to show love?”

Will was struck dumb. She could be poignant at times. He tried to think of what he could say to console her, “You didn’t hear the way he talked about you when he thought you were gone-”

“Actually, I did.” She huffed, “I’m done talking about this.”

“El-”

“Would you say it?” She asked.

“What?”

“Would you tell him you loved him?”

Will felt flushed, he must have gotten her meaning mixed up. “You mean, if I was him would I say it to you?”

He misread her, but she nodded anyway. She didn’t have the energy to explain herself. The conversation was draining her.

“Well…” he tried to think. It didn’t matter whether he actually would say it or not. What mattered was saying the right thing to her in this moment. He needed to lift her spirits, to give her hope. It was his job as Mike’s best friend to smooth things over.

But he was also El’s brother now. And somehow, in the short time, she managed to learn more about him than he’d ever let the others know.

So, he offered her the truth, “I don’t know, El. There’s a lot of weight behind those words. For me, I heard those words said from my mom and dad when things were good, but that was a really long time ago. And there is so much doubt when I think about it, because of what ultimately ended up happening between them. The fighting, the broken dishes, the yelling, everything. So, it’s like, did they mean it at all? Did they even know what love was to begin with? Do you wait to say the words until you’re absolutely sure?” His shoulders sank with the weight of it all. “And… for me… being who I am and loving who I love… it’s even more complicated because…” He put his head in his hands.

“You should say it some day.”

He could feel his face getting red. To Mike? Never. But that probably wasn’t what she meant. “When I find the right person, I will. But Mike does love you. I see it.”

She sighed, “I know there is love in his words. But I don’t know if it’s the love I thought it was…”. She looked exhausted. “Can we take a bike ride please?”

Will felt like a failure. He couldn’t comfort El or smooth things over for Mike.

“Of course.”

____________________

To read the rest, please visit ao3.

[browsethestacks]

Arthouse Muppets

Art by Bruce McCorkindale

[thismission]

when even that guy is like rook for the love of FUCK go make sure your man hasn’t died yet

[lazylittledragon]

they just got to have a sleepover and nothing bad ever happened at all

[zanephillips]

JOSHUA MCDONALD Eleven Days, Eleven Nights (1987)

[11o8x4]

so where do i go from here?

[whosbian]

[thenotoriousscuttlecliff]

The Doctor being able to to hear non-diegetic music explains why Eleven always fixed his bowtie so dramatically. Motherfucker could always hear 'I am the Doctor' blasting and acted accordingly.

[gael-garcia]

ate

+ her letterboxd list

[lonelyzarquon]

[henley-reeves]

The Doctor's fascination with ordinary human beings

[imfinereallyy]

El being wholesome with Steve. El being wholesome with Steve. The weird sibling duo we didn’t know we needed. I need more of it. I might do it….no I’ve done enough of them…

Okay, okay. But just picture this:

The kids trying to embarrass Steve all the time with photos and stories to Eddie, but El ruins it every.single.time. because she is so unbelievably wholesome when it comes to Steve.

Here is everyone pulling out scoops photos (which Eddie actually loves thank you very much) and sharing stories about his failed dates. Dustin tells Eddie specifically about the time he was teaching Lucas basketball and Lucas threw the ball too hard at the backboard and hit Steve in the face.

So they are all poking fun at Steve in his and Robin’s apartment (because in every universe these platonic soulmates live together) and there is just El who randomly chimes in:

“Steve took me to this thing called a ren faire once. It was very fun. We both looked really pretty.”

Eddie absolutely melts at the story and gushes over the photos she has.

And everyone gets quiet every time, because no one wants to criticize El, but one time Max gently goes, “You know that’s like….nice right? We’re making fun of him.”

Everyone one expects her to being embarrassed or confused but instead she simple says.

“I know. I don’t like it. Steve’s nice.”

And she embarrasses everyone, except Robin and Eddie who are the only ones Steve never gets upset with when they make fun of him. They all mumble out apologies, and Steve turns to Dustin and goes:

“This is why she gets a special section in the freezer. All different flavors of eggos.”

El’s eyes get wide. “Even the blueberry ones?”

Steve gives her hair a tousle, “Especially the blueberry ones.”

[pierppasolini]

Eleven Days, Eleven Nights (1987) // dir. Joe D'Amato

[morganbritton132]

Look, should you beat up the least shadiest drug dealer in Hawkins? No. Do people do it anyways? Unfortunately.

This is what Hopper happens upon driving home from the station. This is also how Eddie finds himself sitting in the passenger seat of the Chief of Police’s truck with a probable broken nose and three undoubtedly bent joints in his pocket, saying, “Well, you know, can’t really afford the hospital so.”

Then Eddie finds himself in the passenger seat of the Chief of Police’s truck driving pass the hospital thinking, wow. Jumped by jocks and murdered by the police all in one day.

He mourns all the times he could have been more annoying, and follows Hopper out of the truck to a little cabin sat back from the road. Hopper tells him to watch for the bear trap and Eddie thinks, what the fuck. He’s about to voice that when he sees it.

Sees him. Sees, “Harrington?”

Steve is tucked into the corner of the couch, messy haired and clearly wearing Hopper’s clothes. He looks beat half to hell with his face bruised and the row a stitches disappearing into his hairline.

Actually, “What happened to you? You look like dog shit.”

“Dog shit,” repeats from behind him and Eddie turns to see a girl with curly hair standing in the doorway of a bedroom.

“Hopper doesn’t like when you teacher her things like that,” Steve says, moves his feet off the cushions so she can sit on the couch with him. “Also, I was kidnapped.”

“You weren’t kidnapped,” Hopper grumbles, having disappeared into the kitchen and returning with a first aid kit. “I don’t like you enough to kidnap you.”

“So, i can leave?”

“You got a parent at home to make sure your brain doesn’t melt out your ears?”

Steve huffs and Eddie is being lead to sit down on the coffee table. Hopper hands him a dishrag and then before Eddie can properly take it, grabs his nose and yanks it back in place. “Ow! Fuck!”

“F-“

“Oh, don’t say that one,” Steve says, shaking his head at El. “Wait until you hear it from Henderson.”