#and then i think maybe he doesn't know. because how else could mike look so innocent here

[gayofthefae]

Never over this moment of eye contact btw

"Please don't look at me" "Please never look away"

Mike is falling in love while Will is saying goodbye

[mind-intheclouds342]

A new ladder - Reader x Curly

Previous - Part 4 - Next

"I really hope Lin doesn't come to check on you, she'll kill me."

You said, sighing and gently applying cream to Curly's face, neck, and collarbone, as it was red from sun exposure after you had fallen asleep in the meadow until a light drizzle woke you up to return to the house. 

Curly: "I don't think so... She'll understand."

"Pfft, yeah right, I'm going to be horribly scolded by her if she finds out, she was always strict with me." 

Curly: "It seems like we're not talking about the same person."

"Of course we don't, you talk about the one who was your fiancée, I talk about my older sister."

Those words lingered in his mind, unwilling to understand that the woman he had met could be so different with him than with her own family. 

Curly: "...How have she been?"

"Mm... She has two children, Mike and Agatha, aged 20 and 15, they are good kids, she is married to Jake, he isn't home much because of his job, but he earns well, they all seem to be happy. Mike left home at 15 anyway, but he keep in contact" 

It certainly hit him hard to know the age of the eldest son, thinking there was an extraordinary chance.

Curly: "Let's say... Mike, how does it look?"

It piqued your curiosity when he asked that, until you put the pieces together. 

"Mike isn't yours, don't worry, he's an exact copy of Jake, even with the same allergies. Trust me"

Curly: "Then I should have been in cryostasis a bit longer... Isn't that right?"

"Didn't those capsules only last 20 years? They found you before the energy ran out."

Curly: "Maybe there was a miscalculation-"

"Lin said you had 2 months left in that capsule, if they found you later you would be dead." 

Curly: "Maybe someone-!"

You were startled when he suddenly approached you, you could see the nerves and desperation in his eye, along with his agitated breathing.

Curly: "If the boy is 20... That means she..."

"...I'm very sorry that... The person you thought you knew wasn't really as perfect as you thought..." 

You shrugged, looking at the ground, not knowing how to console him upon learning that his fiancée, while he was doing his delivery job, had been cheating on him with someone else, with whom she later married after he didn't return. 

In that instant, Curly realized something: all the effort, everything he had achieved, the ladder that had cost him so much to climb to the top, simply crumbled in a second.

You heard him start to laugh, or maybe sob, it was a strange mix of sounds he was producing. 

Curly: "I have nothing left... I can start over-"

"Okay, you're scaring me— I don't know if you're happy or sad—" 

Curly: "I don't know either!" he said, letting out a laugh. 

"I'll go get your pills and water." 

You got up from your seat to go get that, but you stopped when you heard someone knock on the door. 

You sighed, running your hand over your face. 

"It's like she have an alarm and it knows when I do something..." 

You knew very well that he was waiting behind the door, so you went to open it trying to put on your best face. 

Mike: "Hey, aunty" 

What a surprise you got when you saw your nephew with his mother; the boy took a step forward to give you a hug, which you reciprocated. 

"What are you doing here?"

Mike: "Mom told me you were back in town, so I came to see you, can I come in?"

Linda: "Come on, remember there's someone else here, I have to talk to (Y/n)"

The boy rolled his eyes without looking at his mother, as if to say "I didn't ask you" while he walked into the house. 

Linda: "I hope you're not doing the same thing Dad used to do and giving him his pills with chocolate."

You crossed your arms, looking at her in silence, you weren't going to admit that you almost did it once, but then you retracted and you gave him all his medications with a glass of water and maybe a candy if it felt too bitter in his mouth. 

Linda: "Of course," she ran her hand over her face, "You love giving people placebos, you always do the same thing."

"Just so you know, that's how your children learned to swallow pills without fear." 

Linda: "Don't you think what you're doing is horrible? The medications are wasted in your hands."

"I'm not stupid! I haven't done that in years! Stop treating me like a child!"

Linda: "Stop acting like one then!" 

She took you by the arm to pull you outside so you could continue arguing, closing the door so nothing could be heard from inside. 

Curly: "...I had never heard her scream..."

He mentioned sitting in the dining room with the boy in front of him. 

Mike: "That's how she is, she has a nice personality with people outside, but when it comes to family, she scolds you a lot." 

They both stared at each other for a moment, until the boy rested his face in his hand, smiling at him.

Mike: "So you are the famous Curly, it's a pleasure to meet you." 

Curly: "You must be Mike"

Mike: "The same, my mom used to tell me about you, saying that I was your son, that was a great story until I started having suspicions, and at 15 I found out I was the biological son of the man she is married to."

Curly: "Why would she lie about something like that?"

Mike: "Why? So they don't think she was slut, that she got married because she got pregnant, she lied to everyone saying it was your baby, and they believed her. When I was born and you didn't come back, then she could do and say whatever she wanted." 

The man fell silent, thinking about what kind of person he was going to marry, and how he couldn't see through her and notice her deceit. 

Curly: "I was... Used to seeing the image in general..." 

Mike: "At least you got saved, and I'm glad my aunt is taking care of you, she's great, right?" 

Curly: "She is... extravagant, to say the least." 

Both were startled when they heard the door slam open.

Linda: "Mike! We should leave now, darling." 

"Get out of here already! Don't even think about coming back!"

The difference in voices was very striking, one so calm and the other so agitated.

The boy said goodbye to Curly by waving his hand side to side and got up to leave with his mother, despite not liking the idea. 

Once again, the door slammed shut, and a muffled scream was heard; you had taken a pillow from the couch to scream into it and not make too much noise. 

Curly sat there, not knowing what to do or say about it, until he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen, leaving a glass of water and the pills for that schedule. 

You were standing next to him, your head turned in another direction, wanting to leave but knowing he couldn't take the pills on his own. 

You sighed, taking a seat and helping him take the pills. Then he could see it, the red mark on your cheek. 

"You just need to continue with some medications for a couple more months and then you won't have to keep taking all these horrible things." 

Curly: "When I am self-sufficient... What will happen?"

"I guess I'll leave," you shrugged. 

Curly; "Oh"

It was the only thing he said, he wanted to say many more things but, he couldn't, so he just decided to accept the solitary fate that sheltered him. 

[teambyler]

New Mil*ven footage: There's a reason they get interrupted (Byler analysis)

Whoever posted this new footage said they're "not breaking up" because El is smiling?

That's presumptuous of you ;)

Source

Maybe they're not breaking up in THIS scene. Or maybe they are, and making clear that things are alright between them. It's possible to be on good terms with someone you break up with. (Shocker!) And even crack a smile while you're wishing the other the best.

One really can't conclude either way. The body language does suggest honesty between them though. (Something not seen in s4.) But that honesty could be about anything.

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT WE GET THE INTERRUPTION TROPE LOL:

If you ask me, this is CONFIRMATION that not everything's sunny in Mileven land. This is not a "will they or won't they?" interruption of a kiss, because they're already a canon couple. No, this is something closer to the Pineapple Pizza Interruption scene(TM) where SOMETHING the audience is WAITING to be said is NOT said:

In s4, the GA was supposed to think Mike was going to say "I love you." (Or perhaps he was going to call it off after thinking the painting was from Will? Can't say for sure.) POINT BEING: the Interruption Trope is a writing device to tease something, only to deny it. The purpose of it is to set up an IMPORTANT conflict/tension in the story that will be resolved later.

(EDIT: After writing all this I realize that there's another time interruptions happen: AFTER a scene achieves resolution. Will and Mike had one of these in 4x4 with "It looks like it'll be up to us again." "It always is, isn't it?" and Jonathan barges in. For Mike and El, the Painting Lie still needs resolution and is almost certainly related to this conversation. So everything I say here might actually not get interrupted and is actually SAID, leading to a new phase in their relationship. I just think it's less likely because any frank discussion of the Painting Lie makes a Byler conclusion too obvious. Okay, on to the likelier theory!)

Now what is this NEW unspoken thing between Mike and El? Season 4 was all about Mike being unable to say "I love you" to El. And now he has already SAID IT. On paper -- what Milevens call "canon" -- the Mileven relationship is fine and healthy.

So why prepare the audience for a NEW development in their relationship if it's not a breakup, or at least an emotional confession of some kind that threatens the last canon development that made everything "fine"?

The Painting Lie is Chekhov's gun. If this scene is indeed early in s5 (there are very few scenes with Mike and El together in the s5 teaser, perhaps she's with Mike only at the start of the season), then there's very little time for the writers to prepare something ELSE "waiting to be said" that is NOT related to the Painting Lie.

So what is being interrupted? Is it:

Mike asking if she commissioned the painting?

El saying she didn't commission it and telling Mike she thinks Will loves him?

Mike has realized the painting was from Will and is about to confess he doesn't know how he feels about him?

One of them is initiating a breakup?

WHATEVER IT IS, the Painting Lie challenges the stability of Mileven because it was core to the Pizza Freezer Confession(TM) that was supposed to tie up Mileven in a neat bow at the end of s4. The moment the Painting Lie is mentioned, this tells the GA that not everything will stay the same between Mike, El, and Will.

By the time Mike and El get interrupted, (1) the audience has already been made to expect something to come to light between them (likely related to the Painting Lie), and (2) resolution of this plot point will not happen right away and is IMPORTANT to s5.

That's because Stranger Things follows nearly 100% of all TV/movie writing in following a three-act structure. The start of each season sets up the conflicts and character motivations that drive the rest of the season. (Just as the first episodes of s4 set up El's "problem" of feeling like she's the monster and why she went on a journey of self-discovery.)

It's hard to imagine the writers setting up Round THREE of Mike struggling to say "I love you" to El. No, what's being interrupted is the next development, which has to do with the Painting Lie and its ramifications for Mike, Will, and El.

Add to this the fact that all the teasers we're getting suggest that El is separated from Mike and most of the others for some chunk of the season. What's left unsaid between them might remain unsaid. And we know that Mike and Will are side-by-side much of this season. (As promised, Mike said they will "be a team.")

Which begs the question: WHAT is interrupted between Mike and El, and what is it setting up plot-wise? Is it something whose RESOLUTION involves multiple scenes of Mike ALONE with the boy who canonically loves him and made the painting that made him feel so wonderful? Someone who Mike confessed he REALLY missed and Hawkins "isn't the same" without him?

The conflict's GOT to have something to do with Mike's feelings for Will. It FAR surpasses any other possibility, given how much set-up there has been for it.

Another plot point for season 5: on Will's end, he still hasn't come out of the closet. Doesn't part of his "emotional arc" have to include coming out to his BEST FRIEND? This is probably set up in the first episode, also.

That, together with the interruption of Mike and El, helps prime the GA to look at every scene with Mike and Will, reading every interaction and figuring out what will happen between these 2 best friends who have never lied to each other, until now. We'll even see a flashback of when they were younger. How their relationship changes after the inevitable revelations is central to s5.

The ENTIRE SEASON will be the Interruption Trope for Mike and Will, while they confront the full danger of Vecna together. It will be "the painting tucked away in Will's backpack" times a hundred.

-teambyler

(My own theory of how Byler will culminate, in case you haven't seen it!)

[apomaro-mellow]

Govt gets kas!Eddie 6

Part 5

For the most part, everyone got used to Eddie and his new form relatively quickly. Considering his new attributes and the fact he was still working on forming full sentences, that itself was a feat. If anything, the part that took the most adjusting too was how he clung to Steve now. And he really clung. Steve was used to it, in private, at least. The first time Eddie hugged him from behind, pressing himself to Steve from shoulder to ankle, right when they were in the middle of discussing what to do about Vecna...well Steve thought he might die.

Everyone gave them looks but no one said anything. At least, not at the time. Steve wasn't ready for them to be completely out yet. But he wasn't going to push Eddie away. He thought he'd never get this again. Never see Eddie again, much less be held by him.

"I just don't get why he's so close with you all of a sudden", Erica said.

"I've been thinking the same thing", Mike agreed.

"They've got a weird bond", Dustin said.

"Yeah, but like, since when?", Lucas asked, also curious.

Eddie was out in the yard. It was dark out, so they weren't worried about anyone seeing him. And he'd gotten the urge to patrol lately. Maybe he could feel Vecna trying to get close or something? Either way, that left Steve to field the questions.

"He and I did go to school for years. Back when you guys were still in diapers", he snarked.

Dustin frowned. "Yeah, but that doesn't explain why you two are all-"

"Can we get back to the important stuff?", Steve cut him off. "Like anything else?"

"Okay, why are you in sweats all the time?", Erica asked. "Did you just give up on life or something?"

Steve groaned and rolled his eyes. He got up just when more people came in through the front door. One of which was Hopper. Who had been giving him and Eddie odd looks from the start. Steve escaped to the laundry room to do a load. Once alone, he put a hand to his stomach. He'd gone for sweatpants more often lately, simply because suddenly his jeans stopped fitting.

He brought a hand to his stomach but snatched it away when Hopper appeared in the doorway. His arms were crossed as he looked Steve up and down. Steve opened his mouth to ask what was up but Hopper beat him to it.

"I don't know just what's goin' on with you and Munson. But I know it's something."

"Yeah...so?", Steve felt defensive.

"Is that really how you wanna live?"

"And what's that got to do with you, Jim?", Wayne asked, coming by with a basket of clothes.

"I'm not the kind to judge. I just don't think they need to flaunt it. Especially in front of the kids."

"Get your head outta your ass", Wayne said, setting the basket down.

Hopper uncrossed his arms and frowned. "I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. What they do when they're alone is none of my business, but-"

"No buts, that's the end of the sentence. It's none of your business. These boys have been through too much to have to deal with you or anyone else telling them how to live."

"You sound like you're ready to fight for it", Hopper took a step toward him. "You remember I'm a cop right? And that I served?"

"Yeah we all got Uncle Sam's letter", Wayne said, taking a step towards Hopper. "You're tellin' me you never met anyone like them? People who got more letters from 'brothers' than from any missus? No one who took extra long in the showers?"

"That was wartime, it was different."

Wayne grinned and his shoulders shook like he was about to laugh and Steve was struck by how similar he seemed to Eddie.

"You just worry about Creel's boy. This ain't a fight you're gonna win."

Hopper let out a breath and turned to walk away. Steve sighed in relief and only then did he notice he'd had a hand to his stomach, almost protectively. Wayne said nothing as he put the basket of clothes in the wash and Steve appreciated that. It gave him a moment to think of how he'd approach a certain topic with Eddie later.

It was about midnight when Steve felt Eddie slip back into the nest. Wayne had pretty much moved into the guest room upstairs. Robin was in Steve's bedroom. And some of the kids had taken up residence in his parents' bedroom. Eddie's arms wrapped around his torso. Steve could tell he was in a mood more romantic than lustful tonight. Before the change, they'd taken whatever moments alone that they could and they did so now too.

The first time they'd made love in this nest had been about two weeks ago and since then they'd done it about every other day. Steve would have blamed Eddie's new form for the insatiability but they were both like this before too. Every time they did it though, Eddie talked of breeding. Steve's hand went to his front, where Eddie's hands were.

"Ed?", he whispered.

"Hm?"

"Am I...? Eddie did you-did we-?" He huffed and turned around to face Eddie, then grabbed a flashlight and put it on the couch near their heads to illuminate the room without having to get up and hit a switch.

"Steve?"

Steve met his gaze and then slowly lifted his shirt. It wasn't just his jeans that fit different. His shirts too. And now, in the near dark with only Eddie to see, Steve could admit it. His stomach was growing.

"I think I'm..." The 'p' word was on the back of his tongue and Steve felt like nothing short of his stomach heaving would make it come up.

Eddie was looking at him in awe. His hands, sharp to the point, touched him as gentle as ever. He cooed and Steve felt it before his brain registered seeing it. A wriggling in his gut. Now if, perhaps, Steve had been born with a body that held the right parts to receive and grow new life, he mightn'tve been so surprised. But as it was, he was not. So he could be forgiven for his reaction.

"AAHH WHAT THE SHIT!"

And since all in the house were experienced veterans in their own way, it could also be expected that they'd all converge, various kinds of weapons in hand.

"What is it?!", Robin asked, holding one of Steve's trophies.

"Demogorgon? Are you cursed?!", Dustin shrieked, brandishing his dad's fraternity paddle.

The rest were looking around to find the danger. There was absolutely no way in hell that Steve was telling them he was currently carrying...something.

"There was a...uh a spider", Steve said. "It's gone now."

The rest of them groaned but visibly relaxed and returned to bed. Sure, Steve's reputation was shot even more, but it wasn't like most of them held him in super high regard to begin with anyway. He laid back down, trying to relax as well and Eddie's hand was instantly on his stomach.

"Pups", he said simply, looking at his stomach in pure adoration.

Steve gave himself a minute to process it. He thought Eddie had simply been all talk. But something was inside of him now. Something that was growing. Something that Eddie was already fond of. He thought about them before. The dreams they'd had, the life they had wanted. Steve had never been shy about wanting a family that included children. They hadn't known how that'd be possible, given their circumstances. But Eddie had assured him.

"Gonna give you everything you want, sweetheart. You deserve it."

Steve was brought back to the present by something soft touching his belly. Eddie's lips. Steve stroked his hair.

"Pups", Eddie repeated.

"O-ours?", Steve stuttered out.

"Ours", Eddie echoed, smiling up at him.

Leave it to Eddie Munson to keep his promises in the way people least expect.

Part 7

Taglist

@estrellami-1 @gloomysoup @bxnghy @gutterflower77 @v3lv3tf0x

@tinyplanet95 @thedragonsaunt @stripey82 @ajeff855 @bumblebeecuttlefishes

@ellietheasexylibrarian @gregre369 @geekymagicalpotato @live-laugh-love-dietrich @mugloversonly

@reverseteehee @stedestielfrattficlover

[sarahakmercury]

i can't love you

summery: he loves you, but you can't hurt your sister.

genre: angst

warnings:Brief spoilers for season 2 but it's really not a lot. tell me if i missed anything :)

a\n: well, i hope you like it. maybe i'll do a part two, tell me if i should. btw the story isn't set in season two but you can imagine it when ever you want<3

"i sound crazy don't i?" El said as she laid on your bed and hugged a pillow.

"yes, yes you do" you said chuckling and laying next to her "but that's the point of love, isn't it?"

"wow....that was so cute"

"i know, i heard it on TV" you joked and you both laughed

"but seriously" she said as she stopped laughing and sat straight "i love him. i really really love Mike Wheeler"

"i still don't get why you won't just confess to him"

"confess to him?! are you out of your mind?" she said looking alarmed

"yeah, why not? i'm sure he will like you back" you said as you sat up straight.

"he would, probably like me back. there is a 50% chance he won't. no, no, no, there is a 70% chance he won't"

"can you stop with the numbers? you are being dramatic. he would...." but your speech was cut off by your dad, Jim Hopper's voice.

"girls, dinner!" he called and you took El's hand.

"c'mon, we can't talk about your complicated love life with an empty stomach" you teased as she rolled her eyes playfully. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

".....she is the most beautiful girl i have ever seen! she is smart, funny, hot, sarcastic, we have shared interests...." Mike said as they all sat in his basement.

"okay, Mike, we get it! we have seen her a million times before" Lucas said cutting him off

"yeah Mike, you should quit rambling" Will said as he chuckled

"i'm not rambling!"

"yes, you are. it's always: y\n Hopper this, y\n Hopper that" Dustin teased mocking Mike and then making kissing noises making everyone laugh except Mike

"yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. not that you guys would shut up about Suzie and Max" Mike said rolling his eyes

"hey! they are our girlfriends. if you just tell y\n how you feel, we will stop teasing you" Lucas said making Mike roll his eyes again

"yeah like it's as simple as that"

"it is! look, Mike, y\n had been our friend since we were 5. telling her how you feel isn't that hard"

"yes, it is. it may ruin our whole friendship if i tell her how i feel and she doesn't feel the same"

"that's the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard" Dustin said "of course she likes you back!"

"you're supposed to say that because you're my friend"

"maybe, but deep down, we both know i'm right"

Mike knew he was right. he should just stop being scared and tell her how he feels. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you were laying on your bed. weeks had past since the day El told you how she feels about Mike.

You honestly didn't know how to feel. you thought about the day your dad brought El home from the jungle. you were surprised. you and everyone else thought she was dead but she wasn't.

you remembered how you really saw each other as sisters. you can't ruin that. you can't break her heart. no.

no matter how hard you've fallen for Mike Wheeler. you can't. ✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you heard a knock on your room door. "come in?"

the door opened revealing the one and only, Mike Wheeler. "hey, y\n\n"

you smiled widely but it quickly faded when you remembered the promise you made to yourself. you tried to bring back the smile. "hey Mike"

he took a deep breath and sat next to you on your bed. he could practically hear his own heart beat of how fast it was beating. he scratched the back of his head and exhaled before speaking.

"umm....y\n, there is something i needed to tell you. something that's been in my mind for a while"

"what is it?" you felt a little worried

"i.....well.....i....you won't think it's disgusting... Right?"

"i won't, Mike, promise. just tell me what's wrong?"

"i.......i have feeling's for you. more than a friend, kind of feeling. I've been trying to find the right words, but nothing seems enough. I love you. I've loved you for as long as I can remember."

"you what?" you said not believing what you just heard. he can't have feeling's for you. he.....El loves him. and it doesn't matter if you love him because El does!

"i love you, y\n. i always have" he said looking for a positive reaction in your eyes. you sighed. you wanted to say it. you wanted to say those 3 damn words back.

but you couldn't. you couldn't hurt your sister.

"Mike, i....."

"Just tell me you feel the same, please" he said as you hide from his gaze. "do you feel the same?" he muttered.

he felt like he already knew the answer but wanted to ask.

you wanted to kiss him. kiss him right there, not caring about what would happen next but you couldn't.

"Mike, I… I can't. Please, leave. just go" you said your voice barely above a whisper.

"y\n, please.....i......"

"mike, leave......please"

Mike sighed. he could feel his heart break and got up to leave but before opening the door he turned to you

"Why won't you let me in? I thought we shared everything. Why is this different?"

"Mike, please. things are not that simple"

"So, what? We just pretend this never happened? We just go back to being friends?"

"yes"

Mike sighed feeling tears as he turned back.

"This isn't fair. But if it's what you want… I'll go. But I'll always love you." he walked outside the room and closed the door behind him. the door made a small noise as it was closed.

you didn't hold back tears anymore. they fell as you finally whispered: 'i love you too' to yourself.

(part two?)

[eggmode]

i keep seeing takes that are like "mike didnt do anything about the abuse everyone faced in the circus because he personally wasn't abused" which. just could not be more wrong

this information isn't displayed in the event story, so i can't blame people entirely for thinking this way. but as a hullabaloo/game 8/mike morton fan of several years, let's remember this:

1. mike was the reason that murro was able to escape the circus. mike actively helped murro, his brother, leave when murro asked for help.

2. mike's bombs were actively dangerous. one of his deductions is about bernard saying filling his juggling sacks with rocks was "too hazardous." but mike did that anyway, and made BOMBS out of ACID THAT LEAVES PERMANENT BURNS (r.i.p. joker's face) to juggle. and he did this specifically to get bernard's approval and attention. if a child feels as though the only way to get impress their parent is by Actively Endangering Themself for the sake of Cool Performance Tricks... there's something deeper going on.

3. mike, unlike everyone else in the circus, was raised at the hullabaloo since childhood. we have no record of mike's parents, one of mike's deductions is a photo of "a man with a mustache carrying a young blonde boy," which we can assume is baby mike and bernard. mike knows nothing except the circus-- he has no parents or other guardians to remember. the hullabaloo is all he had. of course he doesn't realize that the abuse his friends, his family is facing isnt normal, if he knew it was happening at all!

4. this one is a little more speculation than anything else, but it's still important to note. one of mikes deductions is a diary entry about how he touched bernard's skin with his cold hands, and bernard called him "dear mr mike morton." mike notes that he would give anything to hear bernard say that again, and that next time, mike will slip his cold hands down Bernard's collar. which...

mike is clearly lacking in a comprehension of physical boundaries one should have with their guardian here. not only is it sad that the only way to get affection out of bernard is to push those boundaries, but this implies grooming behavior on bernard's part. and, more unfortunately, it implies mike may have been sexually abused by bernard. maybe im looking too deep into it, but genuinely there is No 100% Completely Normal explanation for this deduction anyhow.

so. yeah, mike didn't hate it at the hullabaloo like everyone else. but its not his fault he didn't realize the abuse, because the abuse is all he's ever known. he's the most unreliable narrator to ever unreliably narrate, among the game eight members.

that's the tragedy of mike morton. he thought his only home was great and fine, but his world was shattered when he realized that it wasn't normal. the abuse wasn't normal. the only family he'd ever had was actively suffering even before the tragedy of the massacre.

mike's facade makes u think he's well adjusted, that nothing bad ever happened to him. but u gotta look closer to see it. just like how the hullbaloo looked alright from the outside, but behind closed doors it wasn't. and lets not forget that mike's hunter persona is Hullabaloo. he IS the circus!!

in conclusion. please do not misunderstand my boy he is just an unreliable narrator in a game where unreliable narrators (orpheus, alice) put themselves in the shoes of unreliable narrators (everyone else) to figure out their stories (which are unreliably narrated because netease is. netease)

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Walking back to the school, Dustin noticed Steve and Eddie were holding hands. Will cursed inwardly, and he hoped that Dustin wouldn't say anything. He figured that they weren't quite ready to say anything yet, but why were they holding hands so publicly? Maybe they thought they were being discreet.

"That makes sense," Dustin said.

"What does?" Will asked.

"Safety in numbers, and it doesn't hurt to make sure we don't get separated," Dustin said as he took Will's hand. "Makes sense, doesn't it?"

Dustin smiled at him. He always appreciated Dustin's smile. It was always so innocent and, at the same time, mischievous. It was also full of warmth. His dark blue eyes also held the same, and it always seemed to twinkle, too. Will always loved the way they seemed to almost disappear when he smiled. Will swallowed. When did Dustin get so cute? Or maybe the better question would be, why didn't Will really notice until now? Oh, yeah. Mike. Will blushed. He had spent so long being in love with him, and he hadn't stopped to think about the possibility of anyone else.

"Yeah, I guess it makes sense," Will said and intertwined their hands.

Dustin went quiet for a minute, staring straight a head before groaning.

"I was hoping that you'd call me on my bullshit, Will," Dustin said.

"What are you talking about?" Will asked.

"I just wanted to hold your hand, and I was looking for any excuse to do it," Dustin said. "I don't know why Steve and Eddie are holding hands."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Will asked.

"I don't know," Dustin said, blushing. "I wanted to be honest with you, but I got nervous."

"You, Dustin Henderson? You're never afraid of saying what's on your mind," Will said.

"Hey, I get scared. . .it's just that my mouth runs faster than my brain," Dustin said. "My mouth has a mind of its own, okay?!"

"Dustin, why do you want to hold my hand?" Will asked softly.

"I don't know, I already said that. I think that I have always been jealous of how close you and Mike are, how close you want to be with Mike. It doesn't make sense, though, because I know that I'm closer to Lucas than you are, and it doesn't bother me!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Dustin," Will said softly and stopped, taking his other hand.

"I think maybe it's because you always found all my inventions interesting. . .I mean, actually interested. You always wanted to hear more about them, and I just wanted you to keep looking at me like that. . .the way you look when I talk about them. This past year, all I wanted to do was talk to you about it, about them all and the science fair. . .even though I knew it wasn't possible, I kept imagining your face in the crowd and somehow that you'd find your way there. When Suzie broke up with me, I wanted you to be the first to know. I knew you would be the one to make me feel better. I can't explain it," Dustin sighed. "I think I just really missed you this year."

"Dustin," Will said. "I could guess, although I might be wrong about this. . .I generally am wrong about these things. . .can I - can I show you why you might be feeling this way?"

"Sure," Dustin said in confusion.

Still holding both of Dustin's hands in his, Will bent down and kissed him. Dustin made a small gasping noise against Will's lips. He didn't pull away, however. In fact, he pressed his lips a little harder against Will's with an eagerness that he was trying to contain. Will found that he very much liked kissing Dustin, liked the way his lips felt against his. Dustin growled into his mouth, and Will jumped, pulling away with a laugh.

"Dustin!" Will exclaimed.

"Hey! You started this," Dustin said. "You knew what might happen."

"You were the one who wanted to hold my hand!" Will laughed. "It surprised me, that's all. It was a nice surprise, though."

"Shit. . .it all makes sense. I can't believe that I've never seen it before," Dustin frowned.

"We lie more to ourselves than anyone else," Will said.

"There's a reason why your name is Will the Wise," Dustin beamed. "Does this mean - that you - ?"

"I'm definitely starting to move my eyes towards you," Will grinned and paused. "And it's not a big deal for you. . .that you like a guy?"

"You know, I don't think I care very much that you're a guy. I don't think I ever cared that Suzie was a girl. I hardly even noticed, I just. . .I think I liked that you're both so. . .sweet," Dustin said. "And you care. You both have heart, and I think that's what I've always cared about. Honestly, when I had a crush on Max, I just thought, well, I'm a boy, and she's a girl. . .that's just how it's supposed to be, right? After Max, I think I just opened myself up to the possibility of just falling for anyone, but I don't think my mind really factored that it meant guys as well."

"It's always been just guys for me, particularly one guy, but I'm starting to be aware of others, too," Will blushed.

"So, our hearts are still freshly wounded. . .maybe together, we'll help them heal faster," Dustin said.

Will beamed and took Dustin's hand as they continued to move. Steve and Eddie had walked further ahead of them, but they managed to catch up.

"It's really not fair how much taller you've gotten, Byers," Dustin explained. "You know, there was a time that I was taller than you."

"Please, you love it," Will teased.

"Maybe I do," Dustin said. "Maybe I don't."

Once they reached Steve and Eddie, the four walked into the empty entrance to the gym.

"Were you guys holding hands?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Dustin said. "We were holding hands for the same reason that you were. We didn't want to get lost."

Steve and Eddie shared an amused smile before turning to them.

"That's not why we were holding hands," Steve said. "Although, Eddie does tend to wander off. . ."

"We're dating!" Eddie exclaimed rather cheerfully.

"Oh," Dustin said and beamed, sharing a look with Will. "That's funny. We are, too!"

"Shut up, that's not funny. We're being serious," Steve said.

"So, are we!" Will exclaimed.

"Seriously?!" Steve and Eddie exclaimed.

"Yeah," Dustin said.

"That's great, I didn't know you liked guys," Steve said.

"I didn't know that either of you liked guys, or I would have tried to set you two up a long time ago," Dustin said.

"Well, we didn't exactly know either," Steve blushed.

"We figured it out the hard way," Eddie said, slapping Steve on the back.

"I was always open to falling for anyone anyway, but it took Will kissing me to realize that I had been crushing on him for a while and that it also meant guys for me, too," Dustin said.

"It's just guys for me," Will shrugged.

"Both for us," Steve replied.

"Well, this is just great," Will beamed. "I always thought I was alone."

Will could feel Dustin smiling at him, and he turned to him, smiling as well. Will had opened his mouth when Dustin gasped.

"Does your mom and Jonathan know about you?" Dustin asked.

"Yeah, they're fine with it," Will replied and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just realized that I'm going to have to figure out a way to get them to like me," Dustin said.

"What?! They already like you!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I'm your boyfriend now, William, and the family never likes the boyfriend!" Dustin yelled. "I've got to prove to them that I'm not going to hurt you!"

"You've got nothing to prove!" Will laughed. "You're being ridiculous!"

"I need to come up with a plan!" Dustin exclaimed and started to run off.

"In the middle of an apocalypse?! Aren't there more important things to do?!" Will asked.

"No!"

Steve clapped his hand on Will's shoulder.

"He means well," Steve laughed.

"He's lucky he's cute," Will said in amusement. "Why is he so scared of them? Didn't Dustin kill a man? What's he got to be worried about?"

"Yeah, I think he's just excited," Steve said.

"Well, at least you don't have to worry about Eddie," he said.

"Not about that, anyway," Steve said.

Suddenly, Eddie gasped, grasping Steve’s shoulder.

"The kid is right, Steve. I have to win Robin over," Eddie said.

"What?! She already likes you! You've won her over!" Steve yelled.

"Not as her platonic soulmate's boyfriend, Steven!" Eddie shrieked. "I'm going to see if Dustin needs help."

Will laughed and clapped Steve on the back as Eddie ran off.

"Let's get some hot cocoa and talk about how adorably idiotic our boyfriends are," Will said.

"I just know that Robin's going to make Eddie jump through hoops just to fuck with him," Steve said.

"Luckily, my brother isn't that cruel," Will said. "Hopper, on the other hand. . ."

Will glanced over at Mike talking to Lucas, and he found that for the first time ever, it was easier to breathe when he looked at him.

[fandom-rants-here]

I need Mike to confess first. And I need Will to not believe him.

something something...

"Will, I promise you I am not lying. This isn't- this isn't any prank or trick or mischief or whatever you think is going on here. I am telling you that I am in love with you. I always have been."

There are audible tremors in Mike's voice and he thinks he feels tears falling down his face.

"Whatever I had with El was not love. It was coincidence and my own cowardice that brought and held us together. It was dumb luck I met her. But you know who I was looking for that day? It was you, Will. It's always been you. I chose to walk up to you on that playground 10 years ago. I chose to ask you to be my friend. I chose you. "

Even if Mike had the confidence to look towards Will, his eyes were blurred with tears and he couldn't even see the ground they were falling on.

"I'm sorry for what I said at the pizza shop. It was- I was lying. I was just saying what I thought she needed to hear again and I really don't know why cause it never works and you were right there and it fucking hurt to lie so much and you didn't deserve that, you- Will, my life didn't start the day I met El in the woods, not in the way I implied, at least. You were missing, most thought you were dead or would be soon. We were all so hurt and lost without you. Joyce seemed half hysterical, Jonathan- I'd never seen him so sad, and we, The Party, we didn't know what to do without you. I felt like death, like I'd died without you to keep me alive. But then we found El and she- if she could be lost in the woods and found, so could you. And then- then she recognized your photo and she knew who you were and she flipped the board to show you were in the Upside Down and- and meeting El wasn't my life starting. It was hope restarting it, hope that she could get you back to us."

They stood and he wasn't sure if Will was nearly as frozen as he was, but it took him several moments to regain any thoughts and then continue speaking.

"Will, I've known I was in love with you for years, now. But the love has been there far longer. You- you're amazing, Will. You're so smart, even if you suck at math. You capture beauty in ever drawing and painting you make, creating it from sheer care and adoration alone, when you have to. You consider other's thoughts and feelings before you do or say anything, no matter how angry you are. You're such a quick thinker, it's scary sometimes. Not- not really, but you get the idea. You're the most level headed person inside of a group where everyone else is about 10 seconds away from murdering each other. You're patient, gentle, honest, hilarious, and you're also, like, super handsome. I couldn't live without you, without my cleric. I almost didn't. You've saved me more times than you know. Because, Will, you are so strong and so resilient. You've survived and endured more than anyone ever should be forced to yet you remain kind. You called me the heart, in the van. And don't even try to say that's all El, you and I both know that she doesn't think that and that you're a terrible liar. But, really, Will? Me, the heart? Will, that has always been you. You bring together and unite people. You bring out the best in people, even when they're cruel or being assholes or telling you things that aren't meant for you but for themselves. You have always been the heart of this party. You've always been my heart."

The weight of their matching watches is heavy on Mike's wrist, the syncronized ticks breaking the stark silence every second. And, as he finally lifted his head up, Mike once again saw that Will had already been staring.

For once, Mike doesn't look away. Rather, he takes a few hesitant steps closer.

"I love you, Will Byers. You are my best friend, my first friend, my childhood crush, my gay realization, my tether to reality, my cleric, and you have been the most important person in my life since you entered it. Maybe even before. Maybe I had carved out a space knowing one day you'd fill it."

[nobylerdoubt]

I’ve seen someone bring up the ring El’s wearing on her index finger and apparently people say it was a gift from Mike and obviously the fans interpreted it as a promise ring that he gave to her in between s3 and 4 and she’s still wearing it in season 5 and I remember pointing out Nancy having one as well and someone said that Jonathan could have gave her one as well and now idk I don’t wanna go on another doubt spiral so I want to know your take on this😭

Ok, so the foundations of the whole "promise ring" thing are so shaky in my opinion. I went through the mileven promise ring posts on here to try and get a better understanding of it, and here's what I've learned.

The original idea about the ring came from a Netflix Geeked tweet, which kind of stated it like it was a fun fact. (Go girl, give us nothing.) It simply said Mike gave El the ring between seasons 3 and 4. It was Milevens who jumped to the conclusion that it was a promise ring.

This follows a longstanding idea that some milevens have that the two are gonna get married, especially super young and in season 5. This has no in-show foundations outside of Millie Bobby Brown's interviews as a CHILD where she said the two were "basically gonna get married."

Now the idea that Nancy got a promise ring from Jonathan... I can't find the post, but the one screen still I've seen of Nancy wearing the ring comes from season 1 - one year before Nancy and Jonathan even seriously consider dating. Let alone getting married.

To me, the ring holds the same double meaning most Mileven imagery and narratives in the show. Mike gave El the ring, and while at first it may look romantic - it's actually Nancy's ring that she gave away (as she states she gave away a lot of things from her room/life in season 4.) Yet another example of what is supposedly meant to be a romantic relationship between Mike and El being compared to familial relationships.

Honestly, I think the only reason they made that distinction is because, as with all things we see in this show, every prop, every costume, and every set dressing is put there with great purpose and meeting. The designers think to themselves - what are we trying to portray about these characters. We already know a lot of her costuming in s4 was integrating her into the Byers family with similar hair, borrowed clothes etc. I think where in s3 we see El starting to explore what she likes, following Hopper's 'death' in s3 we see her try and integrate more with others and focus on the relationships she still has.

On top of that we see in season 1 that El thinks Nancy is pretty, wears Nancy's clothes, and really tries to emulate Nancy a lot. (They're never beating the sibling allegations). So I think by having El wear Nancy's ring is also an homage to season 1, and the most logical explanation for how she got it is that Mike gave it to her.

All in all I don't think we have to worry about it being tied to any storyline in season 5. If they wanted us to know about the ring, they would have talked about it/shown it in the show rather than some 'fun fact' that was tweeted by an offshoot Netflix social media account.

Look to the blue hair-tie for example - Hopper's daughter Sarah wore a blue hair tie in the flashback scenes we see of her, which then moves to Hopper's wrist, where he wears it to remember her, and eventually to El's wrist to symbolize his two daughters. Even though they never explicitly tell us this in the show, we can pick up on it and it follows a very clear storyline.

The ring just showed up in season 4. I wouldn't even have noticed it, and there is no visual trail of how the ring got to El. I think if they wanted to do something like that they would have shown Mike wearing some kind of ring or something else in s3 maybe, then El's wearing it in s4. But it's not like that - the closest in-show reference we have is to Nancy's ring in s1. So it doesn't have this visual story of going from Mike to El, or even from Nancy to Mike to El. It's just there.

[meepmorp1232]

Mike Wheeler and Milkvan from an Aroace Perspective

Hi! So this is something I've been thinking about for a while now and I wanted to see if anyone else thought of this. This post will focus on Mike's queercoding and his relationship with El (and a little bit of byler). No, I do not think Mike is aroace (but he could be on the spectrums, it's hard to tell).

I'm aroace, and if you don't know what that means, it is short for aromantic (aro) and asexual (ace). Aros experience little to no romantic attraction. Aces experience little to no sexual attraction. Basically, I don't get crushes or have any desire for intimacy (but it's a little more complicated than that, so I encourage you to do your own research). I understand that asexuality and aromanticism are very diverse spectrums. This is my personal interpretation and you do not have to agree with me (but please be nice, for I am but a humble byler). I am not trying to invalidate alloromantic/allosexual people's experiences (alloromantics experience romantic attraction and get crushes, allosexuals experience sexual attraction and have a desire for intimacy).

Starting with s1, there was always something off for me about milkvan. Sure, Mike and El had moments, but they didn't really seem like anything other than Platonic. I felt like there wasn't that much build up to their first kiss and it seemed like they just added that at the last second (and they kinda did). It felt rushed and they were literally just talking about being siblings. Then Mike invited her to the Snow Ball. And he didn't seem to show any romantic interest in El until Lucas brought it up.

In s2, Mike kinda forgot about El until she showed up in the end. I mean, he "called" her for, like, a year (and that was more survivor's guilt than anything), but he never went after her, even when he literally saw her. And as soon as Will was in trouble, he stopped calling. Then she comes back, and they have this whole reunion thing and Mike and El almost kiss. After that, we see Mike pining for Will at the Snow Ball. The milkvan kiss looked really genuine, though, definitely fooled me.

In s3, Mike focused all his energy on his relationship by making out with El constantly and ditching his friends. Then El dumps him and he had no idea what he did wrong. He doesn't seem very sad about it, though. Skipping the entire middle of the season, that last milkvan kiss. What the actual fuck was that?

"Oh shit, I'm gay." Like, there is a literal lightbulb above his head. I cannot make this shit up (this is honestly one of my favorite scenes just because of how fucking gay it is).

In s4, Mike's in a long-distance relationship with El, and he can't say "I love you" for some reason, " You can't even write it, Mike." When he gets to Cali, he's kinda off (and gay panicking about Will looking like a grown-ass man). He and El fight and basically break up. Then they reunite after El explodes a helicopter, and it's all very Platonic. Then there's Mike's monologue. I'm not even gonna start with that, El deserves so much better than that bullshit.

Now onto the analysis. I've always related to Mike, and I had no idea why (maybe because of his various mental health issues and general obliviousness towards peoples' emotions). Then I found out that byler exists and was like, "oh! That explains so much!" I started looking at him and milkvan from a new perspective and it all made sense: most of the things Mike has done are things that I would have done before I found out that I was aroace (and if I didn't have anxiety), and that's one of the reasons i relate to him.

In s1, Mike didn't show any romantic interest in El because he didn't have any. When Lucas brought it up, Mike saw this as an opportunity to prove that he's straight, that he's normal. The kiss and Snow Ball invitation seemed rushed because they were rushed. But if I was in Mike's position, I would have pursued El romantically. If I was alone with her, I would have kissed her and invited her to the Snow Ball.

In s2, Mike treated her like a friend, because that's what he saw her as. I would have treated her like a friend because I would have seen her as a friend. He called her because he missed her as a friend (and also survivor's guilt), which is what I would do too. But he never made an effort to find her and assumed she was dead, which is what I would do. Then El comes back and Mike forces himself into a relationship with her by dancing with and kissing her at the Snow Ball, which is, again, what I would do.

In s3, Mike tries and fails to appear straight. He pours all his energy into his relationship. He makes out with El non-stop and ditches his friends for her, 'cause that's what straight people do, right? Then El dumps him, and he's like, "what the fuck? I was just being straight!" He doesn't seem very sad about losing El, just moping and blaming Max for sabotaging his heterosexuality. These are all things that I would do since I have no idea how alloromantic/allosexual relationships work. I would probably treat them like friendships, but with kissing. Skipping to the end, that kiss. Mike's internal monologue: "oh shit, I'm gay." I did that (minus the awkward kiss) when I figured out that I was aroace.

In s4, Mike's back to his s2 vibe, but now he know that he's gay. He's in a long-distance relationship, so it's easier to just pretend it doesn't exist. He can't say or write "I love you," because friends don't lie (further proving that he sees El as a friend). I would do these things too. When he gets to Cali, he's kinda off because he knows now that he can't make himself be straight (also gay panic, because the difference between s3 ad s4 Will is crazy). This is how I would act in his situation (minus the gay panic). They fight and basically break up, and reunite fairly Platonically. Again, exactly what I would do. I do not want to talk about Mike's bullshit monologue, but I would say those things too.

In conclusion, on the miniscule chance that byler isn't endgame, I am almost 100% sure that Mike is queer and milkvan should and will break up. This relationship is not good for either of them. Just the facts!

This is the first analysis I've ever done, so tell me your thoughts on my interpretation and please be nice. Thanks for reading!

TLDR: Mike and I are very similar. He behaves very similarly to many aroace people that are questioning/in denial. If byler doesn't happen, I am almost positive that Mike is still queer and milkvan will break up.

[gayofthefae]

"I should have explained myself because maybe then Eleven would have taken me with her, but - I don't know. I didn't know what to say."

That isn't what he said the first time.

"I should have said something. And maybe if I had said that thing, Eleven would want me there with her."

The sentiment of him being with her and knowing/ensuring she's safe is consistent. But he isn't actually repeating himself. There's no need for him to as a person and as a screenwriter, repetition should DEFINITELY be cut.

He's changing. He's brainstorming. He's starting to consider other angles of the "could have"s. The "what if"s.

He starts with "what if I'd just forced an 'I love you'". But I think he likely settles on what we can logically deduce for ourselves in that situation - "I made the right choice prioritizing with what I knew of the consequences at the time".So he changes. He changes.

He changes to "I should have explained myself".

"Explained myself" is NOT the same as "said that thing" and that is VITAL.

I should have just sucked it up and told her I loved her if it meant keeping her safe.

No, I did the best I could with the information I had

I should have told her the truth. Maybe she would have taken it better if I had just told her that I don't love her but it's my fault, not hers. Now she thinks it's hers and that I'm hiding it.

And, perfect timing, Will comes in with (in Mike's pov) "It makes sense why you didn't, though, don't beat yourself up. She was gonna get hurt either way and everything would have been a risk as to how much."

And Mike nods. And the next time we see him, he's saying

"Will she still even want me in her life if I can't give her the love she wants? All I can do now is to make sure she knows it isn't her fault, that's the selfless act I can do for her, but if I confess I don't love her, what other use am I to her? Will doing what's best for her by telling her it's not her fault, it's mine, instead of continuing to lie make me lose her?"

He says "explain". He starts with "maybe I should have changed the 'what'". Then he shifts to "maybe I should changed what she thought of the 'why'". Ironically, his question in the van once he's come to that conclusion is "how?".

The first pitch he makes is "maybe I should have told her I loved her" and Will says "don't worry, you'll have another chance", and he turns away and introspectively reacts with

aversion.

But then he says "maybe I should have just explained the real reason behind my actions instead of denying them all together" and Will says "that's a scary thing to do. It's a hard decision. You're doing your best", and he turns away and introspectively reacts with

understanding.

Honestly, being understood. And sometimes that's what you need to find understanding. He's been confused this whole time, that's been his whole thing, but he looks like he's starting to piece something together now - finally. Will put his own feelings into words for him to hear out loud so could finally get them and get them in a validated way.

Instinctively, he knew the first one was easier but wrong. He didn't want to lie to her. Both times Will said "if that's what you want to do, I believe in you", but only once did he agree. He knew it felt like the wrong choice the first time and you can see it. The second time was a new choice he was considering.

And you know what? While we're here. Telling her he loves her: aversion. Telling her the truth: understanding and drive. What happens next?

He expresses "what if when I tell her the truth, as I've decided is the right choice, she appreciates it but doesn't need me for anything else beyond that?" And Will says "she'll stay. You got this.", and he reacts with

Comfort.

He didn't know what to do. Then he did, but he was scared to do it. Then he wasn't so scared anymore.

He's thrilled to see her and forgets for a second but - much like El with Will on roller rink day - is reminded by seeing Will that now that she's actually here, it's real. He's committed to his actions and they're impending.

But he's not so scared anymore. Bravery, though, doesn't mean no nerves. He's hesitant and not happy looking when he talks to her about it first. He tries to lighten the mood - "the whole world went to shit and everything" - and he's watching her reactions like a hawk. It feels like less of a risk now enough that he can do it, but not so little that he isn't scared. Either way though, it's worth the risk for her to know the problem isn't her.

He didn't know what to do. Now he does. He was scared, but he's not as much anymore. Not too much to do it. They're interrupted. Okay, oh well, he'll find another time.

And now to break your heart:

Mike had an idea, Will said it was good, but Mike met that with aversion.

Mike had an idea, Will said it was good, Mike met that with understanding and agreement.

Mike was scared, Will said he had no reason to be, Mike met that with comfort.

(I'm sorry) Mike was scared for El - unrelated - and looked to Will for comfort - as he had every other time - when he tapped him on the shoulder, Will said he should tell her he loves her, and he reacts with

anguish.

This was not Mike's plan.

This was not their plan, so he thought.

Mike's reaction tells us everything about what he knew and what he meant for what's to come. This was not what he meant. That was not what he was going to say. This was not his plan.

And there's that part of you too that always wishes to go back to semi-ignorant bliss. Even if just panicked confusion. Because wasn't it nice: when telling her you loved her evoked this

And not this

Wasn't it nice when you knew...just a little less?

Wasn't it nice, in a way, when you couldn't see the happy ending so clearly?

Don't you sort of miss - when you couldn't taste it?

also fuck it for just for that list bit and the bridge of this song here's my illicit affairs edit linked because "you showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else"

[saraakpotter]

i can't love you (Mike Wheeler x reader)

summery: he loves you, but you can't hurt your sister. genre: angst warnings:Brief spoilers for season 2 but it's really not a lot. tell me if i missed anything :) a\n: well, i hope you like it. maybe i'll do a part two, tell me if i should. btw the story isn't set in season two but you can imagine it when ever you want<3

"i sound crazy don't i?" El said as she laid on your bed and hugged a pillow.

"yes, yes you do" you said chuckling and laying next to her "but that's the point of love, isn't it?"

"wow....that was so cute"

"i know, i heard it on TV" you joked and you both laughed

"but seriously" she said as she stopped laughing and sat straight "i love him. i really really love Mike Wheeler"

"i still don't get why you won't just confess to him"

"confess to him?! are you out of your mind?" she said looking alarmed

"yeah, why not? i'm sure he will like you back" you said as you sat up straight.

"he would, probably like me back. there is a 50% chance he won't. no, no, no, there is a 70% chance he won't"

"can you stop with the numbers? you are being dramatic. he would...." but your speech was cut off by your dad, Jim Hopper's voice.

"girls, dinner!" he called and you took El's hand.

"c'mon, we can't talk about your complicated love life with an empty stomach" you teased as she rolled her eyes playfully.

✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

".....she is the most beautiful girl i have ever seen! she is smart, funny, hot, sarcastic, we have shared interests...." Mike said as they all sat in his basement.

"okay, Mike, we get it! we have seen her a million times before" Lucas said cutting him off

"yeah Mike, you should quit rambling" Will said as he chuckled

"i'm not rambling!"

"yes, you are. it's always: y\n Hopper this, y\n Hopper that" Dustin teased mocking Mike and then making kissing noises making everyone laugh except Mike

"yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. not that you guys would shut up about Suzie and Max" Mike said rolling his eyes

"hey! they are our girlfriend's. if you just tell y\n how you feel, we will stop teasing you" Lucas said making Mike roll his eyes again

"yeah like it's as simple as that"

"it is! look, Mike, y\n had been our friend since we were 5. telling her how you feel isn't that hard"

"yes, it is. it may ruin our whole friendship if i tell her how i feel and she doesn't feel the same"

"that's the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard" Dustin said "of course she likes you back!"

"you're supposed to say that because you're my friend"

"maybe, but deep down, we both know i'm right"

Mike knew he was right. he should just stop being scared and tell her how he feels.

✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you were laying on your bed. weeks had past since the day El told you how she feels about Mike. she honestly didn't know how to feel.

you thought about the day your dad brought El home from the jungle. you were surprised. you and everyone else thought she was dead but she wasn't. you remembered how you really saw each other as sisters.

you can't ruin that. you can't break her heart. no. no matter how hard you've fallen for Mike Wheeler. you can't.

✶----------------------------------✿--------------------------------------✶

you heard a knock on your room door.

"come in?"

the door opened revealing the one and only, Mike Wheeler.

"hey, y\n\n"

you smiled widely but it quickly faded when you remembered the promise you made to yourself. you tried to bring back the smile.

"hey Mike"

he took a deep breath and sat next to you on your bed. he could practically hear hi own heart beat of how fast it was beating. he scratched the back of his head and exhaled before speaking.

"umm....y\n, there is something i needed to tell you. something that's been in my mind for a while"

"what is it?" you felt a little worried

"i.....well.....i....can you promise to not get angry? or think it's disgusting?"

"i won't, Mike, promise. just tell me what's wrong?"

"i.......i have feeling's for you. more than a friend, kind of feeling. I've been trying to find the right words, but nothing seems enough. I love you. I've loved you for as long as I can remember."

"you what?" you said not believing what you just heard. he can't have feeling's for you. he.....El loves him. and it doesn't matter if you love him because El does!

"i love you, y\n. i always have" he said looking for a positive reaction in your eyes.

you sighed. you wanted to say it. you wanted to say those 3 damn words back. but you couldn't. you couldn't hurt your sister.

"Mike, i....."

"Just tell me you feel the same, please" he said as you hide from his gaze. "do you feel the same?" he muttered. he already knew the answer but wanted to ask.

you wanted to kiss him. kiss him right there, not caring about what would happen next but you couldn't.

"Mike, I… I can't. Please, leave. just go" you said your voice barely above a whisper.

"y\n, please.....i......"

"mike, leave......please"

Mike sighed. he could feel his heart break and got up to leave but before opening the door he turned to you

"Why won't you let me in? I thought we shared everything. Why is this different?"

"Mike, please. things are not that simple"

"So, what? We just pretend this never happened? We just go back to being friends?"

"yes"

Mike sighed feeling tears as he turned back.

"This isn't fair. But if it's what you want… I'll go. But I'll always love you."

he walked outside the room and closed the door behind him. the door made a small noise as it was closed.

you didn't hold back tears anymore. they fell as you finally whispered: 'i love you too' to yourself.

(part two?)

[not-poignant]

Michael believes that Gary doesn't need Efnisen and will stay with him forever? Is that why he's acting like a rapist, explaining his actions with his alpha penis?

Hi anon,

I can understand you're feeling pretty heated given everything in a crisis point in the story right now! So I'm just gonna point out some things that might help situate Michael's perspective a bit better:

Hillview Rehabilitation Facility is a rehabilitation facility. It's primary and most central job is to permanently get omegas out of the facility. And so Gary, when he calls Michael the first time, and to a degree the second time, calls him with this in mind.

Of course he's going to think that Gary doesn't need Efnisien. Of course he thinks there's a high chance Efnisien will stay with him forever even if he's been told it's 'only temporary' - especially with the added benefit of something like a claiming bite. This is literally what Hillview does. It rehabilitates omegas temporarily, and then sends them away, forever. That's...Hillview's job.

The fact that they're not doing that with Efnisien, and that he's been placed with the CEO, is actually why Hillview might lose its ability to practice at all. Because that's...literally the job of an ORF, no matter how radical or non-radical it is.

That's why Lucien and Mosk have left. It's why Flitmouse has to pay for Anton, now that Anton's no longer working as a companion (because they're literally just taking up space that could be used for a new omega).

Michael is behaving like someone who understands the function of a rehabilitation facility, who is taking advantage of that. That's...honestly, pretty normal. Just like Gary doesn't know that Michael's a predator, which is why he didn't think to get the address. Michael doesn't know that Gary's bonded strongly with Efnisien, but he does know what Hillview's main function is: rehabilitation facility. To get the omega out permanently, one way or another.

This is further reinforced in their very first phone call, where Gary is specifically looking for advice, which I'm going to post here:

'Listen,' Mike said, 'I'm not in the business of giving you the answers you want, because I think you don't know what you want. But you do have other options, aside from pursuing bonding, or transferring him. You could place him with someone who understands his circumstances in a pairing. There's more alphas out there than you realise who don't want conventional... Well, who don't want what's expected of them. Hell, even I'm someone who no longer looks for omegas. People's tastes change over time, Gary.' 'We do have a waitlist,' Gary said. 'I don't think anyone's suitable, not while they're susceptible to his alpha persuasion.'  ‘There may come a time when they’re not as susceptible,' Mike said. 'Anyway, it's something to think about. Maybe I should add myself to that waitlist of yours one day. Sometimes I think I'm never going to find the right person to settle down with.' 'As a last resort, I'll definitely keep the option of partnering him with someone else in mind.' 

This does not sound like a conversation where Michael's going to walk away thinking: 'Gary is super strongly bonded to this guy and definitely doesn't want him to leave, maybe they're even in love.' Michael's going to walk away from this conversation thinking: If enough time has passed, I'm going to be a good candidate.

And guess what? From Michael's perspective - he is. Gary calls him because it's a last resort, and asks to place Efnisien with him temporarily. The 'temporary' part doesn't both Michael that much, after all, Efnisien's case is a unique case.

Like, there is a logic behind what he believes the world to be at the moment. He's not the reader, he doesn't get to learn everything we learn. That doesn't make him a good person. But it doesn't mean he's a completely illogical one either. There's zero reason for Michael to believe that Gary needs Efnisien, or that Efnisien needs Gary. Gary's dislike of omegas is well-known, Michael doesn't believe Efnisien is truly an alpha (like Gary didn't - that's not rare either), and Gary has only previously called Michael about this to talk about how much of a problem Efnisien is. Even when he calls to get Efnisien out of the facility, it's framed as Efnisien being a problem.

And, the final cherry on that sundae is that Gary doesn't say goodbye, and isn't sentimental towards Efnisien at all, while Michael is there.

Not only does Michael think that Gary isn't strongly bonded to him, Michael thinks there's a high chance Gary actually really doesn't want him there, and just needs some time to change his mind from 'this is temporary' to 'you know what, it's better if this is permanent.' It makes more sense than what actually ended up happening between Gary and Efnisien!

[l0relaii]

"oh, don't worry about that darlin; we'll make it fit.. but i don't think you're ready for that yet.." Oh I need to read about the moment it FITS.....

OH MY GOD ANON I LOVE YOU I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO REQUEST THIS

i originally wrote that as "but i need to get you ready first" but i changed it last moment and i'm SOO GLAD I DID

this is set after part 1 part 3 and part 4

i've had some glasses of wine before writing this so it has a bit of angst but don't worry whores, the smut is still there 😋😋

you've been together with mike for some time now

we already know about your little experience when you've surprised the shit out of him with your little tricks

he never thought you'd do any of that on your own accord without any instruction from him

he's ain't complainin' tho 👀

one day you're just hanging out with him at his place, sitting beside him on the couch while watching a movie with your head on his shoulder.. and your whole body wrapped around him like a fucking koala bear on a tree branch

he can feel you shifting nervously, something's definitely on your mind and he needs wants to find out what's making you so restless

besides.. your whole shifting is making him kinda.. hard..

he wouldn't mind you showing him some more of what you learned from porn and nasty stories from your friends

you're so overwhelmed by the thought of finally doing IT with him and you just blurt out

"i think i'm ready"

"huh? the movie's not even over and you wanna leave hun?"

"no, not that.. you know.."

he turns his head to you so he can look into your eyes pretending to think about it for a second

but the only thing he can focus on is his cock twitching in his sweatpants

"hmm.. nope, no i don't think i do.. care to elaborate a little?"

you can feel your cheeks heating up while you bite your lip

"oh c'mon.. you know.. i'm ready to.. feel you.."

"well- you're kinda feeling me right now aren't you?"

he says as he eyes up your position wrapped around his body

"no!! not like that, jesus.. feel you.. like.. inside.. fuck- goddammit mike, i'm ready to make love to you ALL the way"

"oh, why didn't you say so?"

ohhh you wanna make love to him, yeah that makes sense. easy peasy, yeah definitely.. he can do that, right?

wait what did you just say?!

it takes him some time to process your lewd announcement that seems so innocent at first

oh how he wants to rip your clothes off right then and there on the damn couch and fuck you senseless

but you deserve more than that. your first time should be something more.. romantic. something nice, real nice for you, you deserve it

"wait a sec.. are you sure?"

"uhm, yeah i guess i am"

"you guess?"

"no, i KNOW i'm ready"

"now you're talkin'.. well.. we gotta make you ready first, right?"

he ate you out. (if ya want me to elaborate on that too send me an ask pls PLS🌝)

if you wanted a first time, he gave you one, just not the first time he fucked you. it should be enough to satisfy you until he's prepared for THE first time

he thinks about it. a lot. a lot more than he'd care to admit.

what should he do? go all the way out with rose petals and candles, maybe some champagne?

he contemplates everything. it's consuming him so much he's always thinking about it especially even when he's around you

and he becomes kinda distant. not because he wants to. god if he could he would crawl under your skin

it's just that he knows what you're expecting from him, and he knows you're ready, he trusts you, of course he does

he doesn't trust himself. what if he messes up? what if it turns out so badly you'll leave him?

you wouldn't do that.. right?... RIGHT?!

jesus why is he so worried about it? he never cared about any of this shit with any woman

but you're not any woman.

you begin to think you scared him a little with your request. why else would he be avoiding you?

so you decide to confront him about it

his heart skips a beat when he sees his phone screen lighting up seeing that you're calling him

"hey.. can i come over?"

"hi babe, uh- yeah, sure"

he fucked up. he knows he did. he thinks you're gonna break up with him the second you come through that door and he's so angry. not at you, but at himself

he's so occupied with pacing nervously around the room he doesn't even notice you knocking and entering his apartment

"am i really that bad?"

"what? what do you mean??"

"i mean.. ARGH jesus fucking christ mike, must i spell everything out for you? am i that bad that you don't want to fuck me?!"

"wait, what-? why would you think that darling?"

"oh i don't know, maybe because you've been avoiding me like the plague since i told you that i was ready?"

"jeez babe, no, fuck no, it's just hard for me-"

"what? is it that hard to want to have sex with me? just because i'm not another one of your sluts and maybe don't know how to please you at times you'll leave me? seriously?! gosh you're such a fucking jerk, d'you know that?!"

"wait a goddamn second i need to explai-"

"OH MY GOD.. is this why you've been avoiding me?? are you with some fucking whore behind my back?! FUCK and to think that i actually- i loved you, d'you know that, huh?"

you feel tears threatening to escape your eyes so you turn around refusing to let him see how much you're actually hurting for him

"would you shut the fuck up for a second and let me say something? wait- you what?"

"i loved you, mike, and i still do- unfortunately"

he grabs your shoulder and turns you around so he can get a clear look at you.

then he sees them. the tears staining your pretty cheeks.

he feels so guilty for making you cry, for avoiding you all this time while he was thinking how to make your first time with him as enjoyable as possible

in the process he forgot how to make ALL the times with you enjoyable, sexual or not

"i love you too sweet girl.."

"you do?"

"of course i do, i just- i've been so caught up thinking about.. what you asked me, i wanted to have a special moment with you, i guess i just-"

"oh mike.. i would've enjoyed it either way, special or not special, as long as it's with you it doesn't matter"

he doesn't respond. he just closes the gap between you two with a sloppy kiss. his hands come down above your thighs giving you a light squeeze urging you to jump

so you do. and he's there to catch you when your legs wrap around his waist not breaking the kiss

he walks with you to his bedroom and gently places you onto his mattress

he breaks the kiss looking at you with a pleading look

"mike, please- i.. i want you"

"i want you too baby, fuck- you have no idea how much i waited and thought about this"

your clothes are rapidly stripped from both your bodies and he's all over you, the only time he distances himself from you is to fetch a condom from his nightstand

you grab it from his hand and open it while maintaining eye contact with him, looking for his approval to wrap it around his leaking cock

once he's ready he brings a hand between your legs noticing how wet you are

"let's get you ready darlin'.."

"no mike please, i can take it please- fuck i need you inside"

"you sure?"

"fuck yeah i am"

he gives you a little smirk before positioning himself at you entrance and sliding up and down your slick folds to gather up your wetness on his cock before entering you slowly

he holds your hand comforting and praising you with every inch you take

"god you're doing so good for me babe.. so tight and warm.. suuuch a good girl.. you're doing so well darling.. "

once he's fully inside you he remains completely still, letting you adjust to his length

"you can move.."

you feel him pulsing inside you when sliding almost completely out and thrusting back in with a groan

"fuck you feel so good.."

you're so overwhelmed by everything. your previous argument, him making it up to you like this, being so close and connected to the man you've grown to love so much and who loves you as well

you can't stop squirming under him and squeezing around his cock

he sets a slow yet deep pace connecting his lips with you once again and sliding a hand to your puffy clit

you feel his hips stutter and a warmth inside you. he came inside the condom. but he doesn't stop his thrusting until he feels you squeezing him and your nails scratching at his back

"oh fuck, jeez, usually it's a lot longer i just- it's all so.. different with you.. i can't get enough of you baby.."

you can't help but smile at him while he collapses on top of you and starts littering soft kisses all over your body

oh my god i think this is the longest thing i've ever written. drunk me is so proud of it. idk abt sober me tho 🤷‍♀️

[tumbleringismycopingmechanism]

I love how on the one hand, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is really good, but on the other hand sometimes it really confuses its messages. So here's my way-too-deep dive into the movie that noone actually asked for:

The parenting messages:

Showing that bad parenting will fuck kids up, with different examples for what counts as bad parenting and the respective different results of the bad parenting styles.

Showing that ultimately, the kids will be the ones to pay for the parents' mistakes in raising them. They are the ones who get punished, and if you apply it to real life, they are the ones who'll have to live with the ways they've been raised and how it affects them.

Showing that the parents are first and foremost the ones who need to learn, not the kids. In the end, the kids don't seem overly troubled or changed from the experience, but you can see the parents start to change their parenting.

Only half of the songs even mention that it's the parents' fault that the kid is like this. Mostly they just preoccupy themselves with shaming the kids.

The way Augustus gets punished makes no sense. That's mostly because they felt the need to push for a fatphobic message before anything else (more on that below). But being fat is not a character flaw. His character flaw is that he's greedy/doesn't know how to share. This is only shown very briefly unfortunately, but that's at least an actual flaw. Now, being greedy/unable to share doesn't necessarily mean not listening to anyone when they tell you not to do something, but that's basically how his punishment comes on. He doesn't listen to Wonka or his mother when told to go away from the chocolate river, falls in, almost drowns, gets humiliated for his body in front of everyone and sucked into a mashine that carries him off. Maybe instead you could have him wanting to try more and more of the things in the factory, wandering further and further along and getting lost. Or maybe he interrupts the Oompa-Loompas' work by selfishly putting the stuff they're reaping into his own pockets and is consequently punished in some way.

The way Violet gets punished makes sense because she's raised to be an over-achiever especially when it comes to chewing bubble gum. You can see after every action of hers she looks to her mother for approval, and her mother does cheer her on when she takes the gum that turns her into a blueberry. However, it also doesn't make sense because throughout the entire film until that point, Violet and her mother tried to make sure they were the best candidad for the special prize and they are acting against Wonka's repeated instructions here, which seems very counter-intuitive to reaching that goal. Also, once again the song completely misses the point and decides the punishment is for liking gum instead of their hyper-focus on Being The Best.

The way Veruca gets punished makes sense as a consequence for her upbringing. Her parents buy her everything she asks for, so she never learned how to deal with a No. So when she is faced with one regarding the squirrels, of course she ignores it, because she's used to eventually getting everything she asks for. Her being attacked is a logical consequence of that.

The way Mike gets punished makes sense. He has two fatal flaws: thinking he knows everything and extreme violence. His punishment is mainly for the former, not thinking through that if the chocolate bar gets smaller, he would too. However, I think the one that should have been the focus of his punishment would be the latter. Violence is a lot more harmful than being a know-it-all, and also he's actually correct about everything he says in the TV room. He figured out how to get a ticket with just Maths. I feel like he has a pretty good reason to think of himself as smart. The song here is once again unlogical, claiming that kids should stay away from TV and videogames because they make them stupid. But Mike isn't stupid. He's impulsive and aggressive (supposedly because of the videogames). That's not the same.

Wonka's position is contradictory in itself. On one hand, he seems to want to punish the parents so they get better at parenting. But on the other hand he hates parents who tell you what to do and do, you know, other good parenting stuff. None of the kids (except maybe Violet, who was not seeing that way) had a problem because their parents had too many rules or demanded too much.

After 4 depictions of how different forms of neglect of your child* have a bad influence on your child, the relationship of the Wonkas shows that the opposite (overprotectivness) can be just as bad.

(* Calling them all neglect is probably a misuse of the word, however I mean it in a way that there's always something lacking instead of too much of something. Augustus is never taught charitableness, Violetta is never taught how to deal with defeat or how to figure out what she wants herself (instead of just excelling in what her mother expects of her), Veruca is never taught how to deal with a No and never shown love outside of material possesions, Mike is never shown boundaries or taught how to deal with his aggression in a healthy way. Meanwhile Wilbur cares too much about what his son eats and is overly protective about Willy's dental hygiene.)

Depicturing capitalism:

The wealthy billionaire (aka Wonka) is completely out of touch with the real world.

The wealthy billionaire doesn't give two shits about destroying the property of people so poor they can barely survive, as seen by him just crushing through the Buckets' roof with his glass lift.

The wealthy billionaire employs cheap labour from workers who completely depend on him because it saves him money (in this case not (primarily) because he wants to keep workers' paychecks as small as possible, but because employing locals means his recipes might get stolen and if people can buy the same stuff from other stores, he doesn't control the market anymore and might lose revenue).

He doesn't care for the labour his factory provides. He used to have locals working for him, and by the size of his factory, a not small amount of the locals must have depended on their jobs there. He dismisses all of them overnight, single-handedly creating an explosion of unemployment in the area, without a care. Something that as we see with Charlie's family still has consequences even decades later.

It fuels into the narrative that billionaires deserve their wealth because they're actually geniuses.

It gives the illusion that billionaires actually give a fuck about the shit they produce. Wonka is really passionate about his sweets and even long after his succesfull take-off at the world market he still creates all the recipes. The only hint against this narrative is that he produces at least some products (like the bubblegum) simply for the money, despite not actually liking them.

He will test unsafe products on his workers and when there are unpleasant side-effects, they'll just have to live with it.

He's mad at Mike for cheating to get the ticket, but not at Veruca. That's because Veruca's way of cheating made him tons of profit while Mike's way of cheating gained him only one sold chocolate bar.

However, I think most/all of the points that actually show how bad capitalism is were unintentional in doing so. The movie doesn't try to say capitalism/billionaires are bad, it just happens to do so. Half of these points are either played for laughs, minor background moments or things you have to think about and put together to notice. Most noticably, the Buckets' poverty is framed as a hardship to overcome at best and a virtue that makes Charlie the most worthy of the children at worst. If the movie was actually trying to take a stance against capitalism/billionaires, I think this wouldn't be the case.

Other noteworthy stuff:

As mentioned above, the treatment of Augustus is insanely fatphobic. It starts with grandfather George predicting that the first winner will be "fat, fat, fat". The way he says it implies that fatness is moraly wrong - which it isn't. Also, what he actually means is that the first winner will probably really love chocolate, which does not need to correlate with body shape whatsoever. Then there's the scene in the factory where they make a proper pig of him, completely dehumanizing him, covering his entire face with food, putting him on the ground, even making him eat grass. And to really hammer home the fat hatred, he gets stuck in the tube and the Oompa-Loompas (at least in the German version of the lyrics, which are the only ones I've ever heared) sing about him being a "disgusting blob of fat".

The racism regarding the Oompa-Loompas. Of course their poor tribe just doesn't know how to make delicious edible food and has to rely on a random white guy teaching them better. Of course they will gladly do what's basically slave-work (as they are not paid except in cocoa beans), somehow made even worse because it's implied that if they ever wanted to leave the factory, it would be really bad for them because they can't deal with cold climate, so they're basically forced to remain in the factory. Paired with their love for singing during work it really seems like it's trying to portrait the slave trade through rose-coloured glasses.

It would have been nice to see what exactly makes Charlie's parents a perfect middle between too absent and too present, too uncaring and too controling. Because the way it's framed their parenting is good because... they're poor? I guess? Which is bullshit, poor parents are not automatically good parents.

[alcalystrasz]

This, is what I think is going to happen for BYLER in season 5:

1. They will get multiple heart-to-heart/intimate scenes together. As we already saw in season 4, they got 3 in total: the first on at Will's house, after El shmacked Angela's face, the second one on the car in the desert, after burying the Hero Unknown Agent Man's body, the third one in the van when Will opens to him. In season 3, we didn't get any, but in season 2 we had 2: the first one when Mike reassures Will about the Mind Flayer and they touch hands *so cute*, and the second one when Mike tells about the first time they met. So if we're being reasonable, it could be 4, I think we'll have 4 scenes in total.

Let me explain that... I see the first one being about Max and Lucas' mental state. It could be at the hospital, or at school, or at Mike's house. The second one could be some sort of fight. I remember one of the co-writers saying there will be an other rain fight. I don't really know if it will happen cause he confirmed it a long time ago but let's say it is. So an other rain fight, at Mike's house, but maybe this time it could hint Mike's sexuality instead of Will's like in S3. The third one could be where they try to reassure each other that it's okay they will win right after Vecna's back, more likely at Mike's house or someplace other. The fourth one could be in the Upside Down, because may I remember you that Mike never went in the Upside Down? That's what we call a first time, right Mike! So Mike and Will in the Upside Down could talk about everything they've been through and Mike could finally kiss Will and tell him how much he loves him.

For a final scene, a fifth but not really fifth, it could be when everything's over. They go to some sort of High School Ball to celebrate their final year and I see them finally breaking the "I'm scared" barrier and go in the middle of the dance floor and dance together like no one else is there with a Time After Time song playing on the background.

2. Their first kiss will be awkward from both their POV. What I mean is that when they kiss for like, what, 3 seconds, Will pushes Mike gently and Mike removes himself gently and they look at each other like they did something bad. Will stutters trying to say something but nothing comes out of his mouth. Mike could say something like "Oh, I'm sorry I- I didn't..." but Will could interrupt him like 'bitch wdym you're sorry' he could kiss him back but it is after the kiss Mike will admit he never liked El romantically. Buy yeah, awkward kiss, just like Rockie's one could be actually. Mostly cause they're older so it doubles the awkwardness.

3. Jonathan gets some hate towards Mike. I can literally imagine Jonathan always being mad, upset and distant towards Mike because he can't see his brother likes him. It'd be too funny I'm sorry ;-;

4. Will gets hurt by Vecna and Mike stays next to him at the hospital. It could be the opposite actually, Mike in the bed, but I prefer Will cause he's used to it now- I can see them being close and Mike being super worried but it doesn't count as a intimate scene because Jonathan, Joyce and Hopper are close.

5. Will shirtless makes Mike blush. Let me explain, LET ME. We saw in S5 BTS they swapped clothes for some stuff. Like, we saw Will has Mike's clothes on, logic, he left everything in California and they do the same cloth size (almost). So if we consider the fact that Mike lends his clothes to Will, we can totally imagine at one point Will, coming in Mike's room asking for a shirt because he doesn't have anymore. Mike brings him one and he says thanks, then he removes his clothes, his back facing Mike's face and he gets like flustrated it'd be HILARIOUSLY CUTE. He could stare through a mirror maybe, idk but that sounds nice right?

6. Mike will get hurt in the Upside Down. Of course he has to, he hasn't been hurt in the whole show, BRO'S FINE. So he gets hurt and Will of course would help him, they could rest a little and talk two times, one "normal" hinting a future kiss and the second time they kiss.

An upside down kiss. What a funny name. It isn't a Spider-Man kiss though (should be).

I think that's it, I'll reblog my post if I find anything else.