#caretaker nancy wheeler

[the-lark-ascending69]

Whumpee Robin with caretaker!Steve vs caretaker!Nancy

Steve would visit every day, bringing storebought food and whatever book he found at the library he thought she would like. He tries reading to her because he knows she loved reading, even if it seems she lost her interest in books or languages after being rescued.

Nancy often spends the night at Robin's house. Robin's parents are happy to see their babygirl has a girl-friend and, knowing how poorly Robin is doing, they'll let Nancy stay over whenever they ask. Nancy learns how to cook half-decently for Robin and helps her get around the house when she feels too weak to walk.

Steve isn't allowed to stay then night because he's a boy, but he'll sometimes manage to crawl through her window and be with her.

Steve ends up taking the more traditionally "femenine" role, as in, taking care of her the way a man who's not her partner rarely would: he helps her get dressed, helps her bathe, changes her bandages, shares a bed with her whenever possible. One of Robin's main love languages is physical contact, so this is a way for him to make her feel grounded and safe. They're only comfortable doing this because they're so confident in the platonic nature of their relationship, and it never really feels weird.

Robin doesn't allow Nancy do any of that. She hates the idea of being in any state of undress in front of another girl, especially Nancy, so she won't let her dress her or bathe her and will rarely let her hug her. Nancy thinks she's just shy and in a weird will-they-won't-they with Steve, which would explain why she's so physically affectionate with him. In a perfect world, she'd be like this with all of her friends, but as things are now, she feels like a predator taking advantage of Nancy if she lets her cuddle her to sleep without knowing "the truth".

Robin will hide it from Nancy when a bad movement results in open stitches because she doesn't want to accept her help, calling Steve instead.

She never calls Nancy when she needs help, only Steve, though Nancy seems to have a kind of sixth sense for when Robin needs her.

Robin gets very irritable when she's having a bad day, often snapping at her friends. Steve doesn't take it personally, but Nancy would be lying if it didn't make her tear up a little to hear Robin tell her that, if she wants to help so bad, she can start by leaving her alone.

Robin always feels guilty regarding Nancy. She hates hurting her feelings, and she hates that Nancy cares so much about her. She's convinced Nancy wouldn't even want to be near her if she knew how she truly felt.

Whenever she goes out in town with Steve, she likes to link their arms. She loves holding hands with her friends, but she stopped holding Steve's hand in public when she realized everyone kept assuming they were a couple. Still, the contact is comforting and it helps her keep her focus on better things.

Nancy tries linking arms with her and Robin only accepts to not seem weird, but she just feels tense and uncomfortable and drops Nancy as soon as she gets the chance to do so discreetly. Nancy is a little bit heartbroken by that.

Nancy worried Robin avoids her this much because she smelled her own secret: that she's in love with her.

Robin tries to cook something for Nancy as both a thank-you and an i'm-sorry, but she ends up collapsing in the kitchen and panicking when she accidentally gets burned, the pain reminding her of what happened to her. Nancy finds her on the floor, breathing rigidly and staring at a point in the distance.

Robin doesn't let Nancy sleep in her bed with her, but to this day, she still hasn't told Nancy not to sit by her side while she drifts off to sleep, humming a lullaby and gently stroking her hair. She hasn't told her to stop that yet. She's not strong enough.

[steddiebang2024]

Feels Like The First Time  |  Teen and Up |  50k

Author: @artsadvocatetrashcan

Artist: @yellowsweater-bluevest

Beta Reader: @acasualcrossfade

[Link to fic]  |  [Link to art]

Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Chrissy Cunningham, The Party, Joyce Byers, Jim “Chief” Hopper, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Wayne Munson

Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Gay Disaster Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has a Bisexual Awakening, Mutual Pining, Tattoo Artists In Training Eddie and Chrissy, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, kind of lol, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Roommates, Romantic Comedy, Alternate Universe - 50 First Dates Fusion, Platonic Soulmates Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Chrissy Cunningham & Eddie Munson Are Best Friends, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Memory Loss, Caretaker Robin Buckley, Hurt Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart

Trigger Warnings: Mental health struggles, anxiety attacks, memory loss, minor head trauma, caregiver burnout, mentions of doctors and hospitals.

↳ Keep reading below for a summary!

Eddie's lived in Hawkins long enough to know he wants to get out of there one day. He and his best friends have big plans to move out west and start a tattoo shop, but it all goes to the back of his mind when he jumps head-first into a friendship-turned-crush with Steve Harrington, who's plagued by a condition that makes him forget every day that passes by.

There's no way Steve can ever feel the same way about him, though. Right?

[bylrlve]

Warning! Potential spoilers for Stranger Things Season Five!

Compiling some new Alex DMs. The first one is just amusing - Uuh huh, I’m real convinced that you’ve gotten no byler tea - and the other two are very funny.

‘Steve driving with Nancy, Jonathan, and Dustin’ - a cop-out but also confirmed, except for the Steve-as-driver bit. The rest is plausible enough - Mike being afraid Will won’t need him would be a glorious call-back to s4 mileven, except better bc of the van speech, and bc unlike mileven, byler have a dynamic where Will is receptive to Mike’s caretaking, and where Will’s decision-making is ultimately respected by Mike. The ultimate example is Mike realising that Will intended to sacrifice himself when he told them all to CLOSE GATE, but ultimately choosing to go along with it, trusting his judgement. It’s also very clear from his smug smile after “that was you guys who saved me, that was you guys” that he genuinely feels proud of protecting Will, and enjoys being his knight in rusty armour.

The byler bit in the second also seems to be building on ‘I know what he thinks, and how he thinks.” Probably fake, but good guesswork.

I do want to emphasise, here, that swiftlynatalia is getting NOTHING mileven, except that one instantly-debunkable one about Hopper still being pissed at Mike for hanging around her so much. It’s interesting - if nothing else, it shows the fandom is over it lmao.

Lastly^.

Speaking of leaks, remember this one?

heavenlymiwi on twitter found that there’s a Philkas scene where Philip - the Will parallel - kisses Lukas - the Mike parallel - while he’s unconscious in a hospital bed. We’re all aware of the Eyewitness parallels, and this is another interesting one.

https://x.com/willsxbylers/status/1758228641819808162?s=20 - other eyewitness parallels.

Finally, just to mention them here - Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Robin Buckley, and Karen Wheeler (confirmed as bi in the play The First Shadow) may all be in scenes together at this farm location. Not confirmed, as Cara is close with the Duffers and may just have flown out to celebrate their big day, but it’s fun to speculate.

This person on twitter observed that the person on the bike might be Will -

https://x.com/motherts1307/status/1758453575401734647?s=2

This injured person is also wearing those shoes, but given how popular this style seems to be - there’s a pic of someone else wearing them in Ross’s Jan 9th post - it’s still a mystery.

Ross’s Jan 9th post

My Masterpost

To clarify, I’m archiving all of this because I think that, for better or for worse, it’ll all be interesting to look back on in a few years.

[dreamwatch]

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson | Rating: Mature | WC: 6988

Tags: Angst, Mental health issues, Depression, Cotard’s syndrome, mental institutions, protective Steve Harrington, Angst with a happy ending, recovery, caretaker Steve Harrington (full tags here)

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley, Max Mayfield, Dustin Henderson

Summary: Nobody has seen Eddie for weeks, and nasty rumours are spreading through Hawkins. When Dustin can't get any answers from Wayne Munson he turns to Steve for help.

(Read on AO3 - excerpt under the cut)

Steve’s not friends with Eddie Munson. 

Honestly? After spending four years of high school with him, he’d say he was a bit of an asshole. Eddie thought it was funny to add a ‘t’ when pronouncing Miss Cunliffe’s name. He made a spectacle of himself in the cafeteria while people were trying to have their lunch. He’d sit in the bleachers and make stupid buzzer noises every time someone on the basketball team missed a shot. Steve had actually been on the receiving end of that a couple of times himself; birds were flipped, horns were raised, it was pathetic. 

But then Henderson, Sinclair and Wheeler started high school, and it turned out that Eddie was a safe space for them. He was a walking deflection; no one gives a fuck about some nerdy freshman when Eddie’s standing in their lunch. 

And then there was the Upside Down, where Steve was proclaimed a ‘good dude’, while Eddie pushed him toward Nancy because he thought he could see a flame still burning. He was wrong, but it was nice that someone cared.

So, Eddie Munson: not really an asshole, as it turns out. Or as far as he can tell; Steve hasn’t seen him in months.

Thing is - neither has anyone else.

For a while, they thought Eddie had left Hawkins. But Max has seen him peering out from behind the curtains in his trailer, so everyone knows he’s there. Dustin stopped knocking on the door of the Munson’s trailer weeks ago, but he still calls hoping that Wayne will finally say ‘Sure, he’s right here’ instead of the usual ‘Sorry, he’s busy’. It’s a wonder the kid hasn’t been arrested for stalking.

It gets worse, because of course it does.

The new school year brings new rumours, nastier than the ones before. And Dustin, with his carbon-copy hair, and carbon-copy rings, isn’t letting them out into the world unchallenged.

The story goes that the cops got called to a ‘disturbance’ at Roane County Cemetery, and found Eddie at Chrissy’s grave trying to dig her up. No one with an ounce of sense would believe it, which means that in Hawkins it’s practically gospel.

Of course, when shit hits the fan Dustin has a way of always making it Steve’s problem. He makes Steve promise to talk to Eddie. Steve promises to try; he’s not committing to anything else. 

Max still lives in the trailer park, and the Munson’s new trailer is close to hers. She has an eagle-eye view of the comings and goings from that place. 

He drops her off one night, but she doesn’t immediately get out of the car, so he kills the engine giving her time to talk.

“I’ve seen the cops dropping him off at three o’clock in the morning, Steve. More than once. He looked awful. Like, really skinny. He was like a zombie, like he didn’t even know where he was.”

It’s not his responsibility. But going back for Nancy and Jonathan wasn’t his responsibility, and protecting the shitheads in the tunnels, or in the Russian bunker, or in the Upside Down wasn’t his responsibility. It’s never been his responsibility. But he did all those things anyway because he cared. Still does.

[brionysea]

mike wheeler's catchphrase ("are you okay?") usually gets a "yes". el and will said yes until it got so bad that they would just start explaining what's wrong, or he would figure it out. mike wasn't present to ask max, but the season 4 stock answer was typically "i'm fine," and even if they were together, mike was so burnt out from ignoring his own mental health that he needed help too (hi will), and i doubt max would have let him keep trying to neglect himself in order to baby her. they've both played the caretaker role before (even sharing it once el got hurt), so they're by definition equals.

mike seemed to get recharged near the end of season 4 by will, el, argyle, karen, and hopper, showing that they care about him (jonathan was also watching over him the whole time, as nancy pointed out at the end, but there wasn't a distinctive Moment to illustrate it because they were both obviously more focused on will). one of mike's final scenes of the season, with will, was him slipping back into a role that's reminiscent of their season 2 dynamic, so mike might be able to get back to asking the classic question again in season 5. and if he asks dustin, the answer will be "no" for the first time. dustin doesn't have the patience for that evasive bullshit.

the obvious blank space is lucas. mike's dustin-ordained best friend who challenged mike in season 1, went against his leader/dictatorship to welcome max into the party in season 2, was constantly guiding and helping mike in season 3, and spent season 4 questioning and figuring out why max was cursed. lucas is increasingly being (and to a certain point has always been) the one to come up with alternative plans when the current one is in need of correction, usually due to a lack of care towards the people it involves; so far, that's will, el, and max. if you count his plan to postpone the hellfire campaign for his basketball game, it includes himself, too.

similarly to dustin, i could see mike finally having the opportunity to ask lucas if he's okay in season 5, but that's not really the vibe i'm getting. they don't seem like they'd need or use the words to communicate that sentiment, for a start, and their whole dynamic is also predicated on lucas not quite getting mike, whether he's supporting whatever he's doing or not. if anyone's gonna turn the tables on mike, put a stop to the lack of care being extended towards him, and be the ultimate deciding factor in fixing the root issue he's spent so long ignoring, it's lucas.

[hothammies]

just wanted to say I'm really liking this au so far, mike's character breakdown is so fun and I just wanted to thank you for a part of it! when I first read that he wasn't good with guns I deflated a little because I thought oh, it's another incompetent mike and macho will situation 😞 but the fact he's not good with guns because that's a NERF, and he's otherwise actually competent, respectable, intelligent, commanding, just - mike wheeler himself - made me really happy! that's a fun take, and I appreciated the effort in how you used the dnd charts etc too it's so cool!

it makes me look forward to the other character intros, and I already loved how sweet will looked in the party line up art even while holding a gun 😂 idk if you plan to have him only embrace the skill because it's necessary and not entirely what he likes, or something else, but I just liked that kinda contrast in the art regardless it made me giggle

oh also: "would never hesitate to do something deplorable to protect the party: family first" <- iconic. I can see the ruthlessness already I love you mike that's our leader, kind badass boy

this ask made me squeal and kick my feet like five times so thank you for that LMAO

i'm so happy that you (and others) have been enjoying the mike characterization i've put out for this au :"D i put a ton of thought into all of them and i'm having a lot of fun! mike in canon seems to be one of the most intelligent characters in the show, closely rivaled to dustin in making plans and having them go right, so him being incompetent is like an oxymoron.

there's a reason he's the leader of the group, and when people paint him as incompetent and / or babygirlified (in the "damsel, innocent, weak, must protect" sense) because he's played by finn or because he has terrible physical capabilities, it kinda makes me annoyed. so what if he's weak physically? he's still the one who actively squares up to people even when he knows he's about to get his ass beat :P he is the one who puts everything into action. his intuition and plans are correct most, if not all the time, and it pisses me off when people undermine that to try to fit him into someone who needs to be saved.

of course, in this au, his weaknesses more lie in his emotional incapabilities rather than survival. he isn't the best physically either, but that doesn't mean he can't do anything (its the apocalypse - he had to have learned something at some point).

the pressure that bears down on him in this au isn't based on society, and more related to the fact that he sees himself as the sole "caretaker" for the group. being put in charge of the lives of five other people followed by your own is scary as hell, and he doesn't really have an outlet for the pressure he faces until he enters that fwb relationship with will. that's an entirely different can of worms though so i'll stop with that for now!

i'm actually so happy that you mentioned how sweet i drew will in his design <3 will's character sheet will be posted tmrw so hopefully it will make sense why i drew him the way i did. i hope that my explanation regarding the rifle makes sense and does his character justice! him being good with guns was also a way for him to bond with lucas and explore his character a bit - it'll be explained later :O

and abt that last line regarding his ruthlessness... in all of the group's backstories, they all had people outside of the party that very much helped shape their identity and how they act. all i'll say is that mike is very much influenced by nancy in the moral compass department >:)

[thestobingirlie]

interesting thoughts about steve re: the triangle and being the boy that helps nancy relax. i agree completely.

for me, as someone who was very much into stoncy and now leans more stancy (they are so cute holy shit), i have always been fascinated with the similarities and differences between steve and jonathan.

it is so clear to me, that jonathan could never truly take care of her in the way she needs, not on his own. not as a husband (in the future). nancy is very much the caretaker in that relationship, and natalia said so herself. i do love jonathan, and he is a strong caretaker for will and joyce obviously, but when it comes to nancy—he is unfortunately a burden to her in a way that steve will never ever be *or* even let himself be. jonathan has so much emotional baggage. its heartbreaking of course but its baggage that he makes no effort to tame or heal (besides smoking i guess), and i would argue he is absolutely selfish for fostering a committed relationship with nancy and expecting her to deal with that on top of her own issues. (i do get though that teenagers are selfish naturally.) but he knows he isn’t ready to support a girlfriend, he knows that. he also has to know how much heartbreak the inevitable end of his relationship will cost her, especially since she began her relationship with him in what was arguably the most depressed point in her life in the second season. jonathan, god bless him, is self-pitying but not proactive (see: following around your girlfriend with your tail between your legs like a wet sad dog wordlessly begging its owner for food) (but hes my wet sad dog). he is her perpetually passive accomplice and while that may be appealing to nancy when she’s in tunnel vision mode, even she is shown to be resentful of his inability to step up for her. he is malewife in the absolute worse way (i promise i love you jonathan).

then let’s think about nancy’s other dumbass malewife. steve is absolutely her caretaker, and let’s be real that is what she needs, whether or not she knows it (she does deep down). i dont mean that in a “nancy can’t take care of herself” way but in a “he wants her to have fun” way! he’s got to have a ton of shit haunting his dreams at night but like ken in barbie (lmao), does not let her see his pain. he is so selfless, always making sure he can be a light presence for her, a calm easy presence. jonathan doesn’t do that. jonathan doesn’t know how to take control of a “nancy wheeler is so deep into this truth journey she might get herself killed” situation—i see the (bad) “feminist” take often that steve holds her back and jonathan supports her but that is such watered down feminism. nancy is a badass but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t put herself into danger (she does.) and jonathan isn’t a feminist hero for supporting her dangerous endeavors (though ofc most of her endeavors save everyone’s ass).

any way: essay complete. i just really am falling deeper and deeper in love with stancy because i realize that nancy, as my favorite character, needs taking care of! like noooo one takes good care of her! let her bejeweled (taylor swift ref lmfao)!

i think what it comes down to for me, is that jonathan’s priority will always be will, and nancy deserves someone who will prioritise her.

jonathan’s gone through a lot of abuse, he’s been majorly parentified. he doesn’t put his own happiness first, and i think as a result, he doesn’t put nancy’s first. he thinks they’ll both be miserable and hate each other and their kids in the future, but he’s still with her. because that’s what you’re “supposed to do”. and i really, really don’t see him working through that anytime soon. especially not if he’s still in a relationship with nancy.

but steve. he makes her laugh! even in terrible times. we see this calming and happy effect that he has on her in s4. he tries. even if it wasn’t enough when nancy was deep in her grief. he was trying.

like you said, nancy deserves to be swept off her feet and romanced. for someone to want to take care of her. for someone to want a future together, instead of resent one.

i think it’s insane to say it’s anti-feminist to ever question a woman lmao. steve wants nancy to be safe, that means he doesn’t always like her plans. her plans often put herself and others in danger because she gets all in her head. i think she needs someone to stand up, and lay out what might be wrong with the plan. to go toe to toe with her.

(and the irony of people criticising steve for not immediately liking nancy’s plan in s4 when that plan did not work lmao. two people died. and neither of them was vecna.)

obviously all three of them are imperfect. they’re teenagers! they’ll fuck up and do harsh things. but what matters is that they care about each other. steve cares about nancy, so he laid out his feelings, and stepped back. jonathan cares about nancy, and he kept secrets, didn’t explain to her what he was feeling, and allowed this… resentment almost, to fester. he’s an avoider! it doesn’t mean he’s a terrible person, but it does mean he shouldn’t be in a relationship.

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

Many Ways, Many Days, to Say 'I Love You'

by morningberries

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Argyle (Stranger Things), Gareth (Stranger Things), Jeff (Stranger Things), Vickie (Stranger Things) Additional Tags: Eddie Munson Lives, Post-Season/Series 04, Fix-It, 5+1 Things, POV Eddie Munson, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Slow Burn, Sexual Tension, Bathing/Washing, Caretaking, Healing, Massage, Awkward Boners, Literal Sleeping Together, Accidental Cuddling, Fourth of July, House Party, Drinking, Body Shots, Spin the Bottle, Virgin Eddie Munson, Play Fighting, bros being bros, Just Kidding It's All Very Homoerotic, Accidental Orgasm, kind of, Dry Humping, Coming Untouched, Coming In Pants, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, boys in makeup, Crossdressing, It's very minor though, Light Angst, barely, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Eventual Relationships, Smut, 1986 is Eddie Munson's Year, Porn With Plot, The Fight For Dominance in the Bedroom, Oh No They're Both Tops, what will they do?, Top Steve Harrington, Power Bottom Eddie Munson, That's What They'll Do, Power Dynamics, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Friends to Lovers, EDDIE MUNSON WEARS A G-STRING, FOR THOSE IN THE BACK, Under-negotiated Kink, Nipple Clamps, Explicit Sexual Content, Unsafe Sex, Creampie, Happy Ending, Complete Words: 25,970 Chapters: 6/6

Summary

“You trying to get me naked, Steve?” Eddie asks, heart in throat because he has a creeping suspicion that Steve is actually about to get him naked. He suddenly wishes it hasn’t been months since he last trimmed his pubes, because it’s already been a week since his last proper washing at the hospital. No, it couldn’t just be one or the other. What a dumpster fire. OR Five times Steve Harrington oversteps the boundaries of a normal friendship, one time Eddie Munson does something about it.

[steddiebang]

When it feels like Heaven, I wanna bare my teeth | E | 110,690 words

Author: @vicecapitain on Tumblr / @vicecaptain5 on Twitter / @vicecryptid on IG Artist: @stacetanicpanic on Tumblr / Linktree Beta Reader: @suitupbatman on AO3 / @thesewingskeepmesafe on Tumblr Beta Reader: @kaspurrcat on Tumblr / @kaspurrcat on Twitter

Legend has it that in the depths of Shades State Park once dwelled a bat-like being said to steal people away. Now a mysterious stone effigy lies dormant in the forest, believed to be the creature trapped in slumber. If you perform the proper ritual you will see one wish come true, however, were you to fail or disrespect the entity, a curse will befall you and you will be snatched in the night. That’s the myth of the Shades Snatcher.

Dustin Henderson believes the legend. And has a wish.

In hopes to save Hawkins orphanage, his home, he reaches out to the Snatcher, unaware there’s more to the tale than an urban legend. Like a cryptid that can take human form who they decide to keep and name Eddie. Despite their caretaker Steve’s reservations, he too grows fond of the creature.A story about found family, love, the meaning of being human, and the one rule to the universe: what you give comes back to you.

Change is some kind of death.

[Fic (Art Included)]  |  [Art(Banner)] | 

Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Background Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Erica Sinclair, Eleven, Barbara Holland, Chrissy Cunningham, Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Jason Carver, Jason’s goons, Corroded Coffin guys. Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Cryptid Eddie, Caretaker Steve, Hurt/comfort, Found Family, Animal/Feral Creature Characteristics, Temporary Character Death, Minor Character Death (mentioned), Period Typical Homophobia, Homophobic Slurs, Mentions of Hate Crime, Jealousy, Human/Monster Romance, Monster Fucking, Top Steve Harrington, Bottom Eddie Munson, Wing Kink, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Mutual Pining. Trigger Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Homophobic Slurs, Mentions of Hate Crime

[the-lark-ascending69]

lumaxramblings here (it's a sideblog so !!!) and thank u for the nancy whump, you've done the people a service <3 ouch. shit. fuck. that shit hurted <33

nancy's recovery must be pretty hard huh

@lumaxramblings !! Omg hii! I'm so happy you liked it i was worried it would be a bit too much/unasked for lol. But yes I love whump, I love ronance whump, regardless of who is in the whumpee/caretaker role. Robin and Nancy in canon have this dynamic in which Robin is kinda looking to Nancy for comfort, sacurity and guidance and Nancy is happy to provide that, so it's kinda intuitive to imagine whumpee Robin and caretaker Nancy but... whumpee Nancy just hits all the best notes too, because she's already gone through so much pain... Robin would be an amazing caretaker and exactly the person Nancy needs at the moment.

Nancy's recovery is a very rocky process indeed. Her whole family left when they thought she died, and the rest of the party still kept intermitent contact with Mike for some time, but I think that at some point the Wheelers must have changed their number without much regard for Mike and his friends and effectively cut short any way for Steve and Robin to contact them, so she's pretty much an orphan right now. Her mom and dad left. Doesn't help much. Though the kids (now entering highschool) are so excited to see her, especially Dustin, who always thought Nancy was really cool and is super happy to see her, but the three of them genuinely cry when they get her back. It's actually pretty overwhelming for her. Though I'm getting ahead of myself.

During the first day after her rescue Nancy is kinda like.. floating. Kinda peacefully going along with whatever Robin and Steve suggest. It's just the three of them in Robin's cozy little house in the outskirts of town. The doctor said she needed rest so Robin acts like a tiny helicopter parent always fluttering around her making sure she's well-fed and helping her get around the house, trying to keep her in bed most of the time and doing everything she can to keep her entertained. Afaik according to the book Robin doesn't own much technology other than her walkman and her language and music tapes, and her parents have a record player, so that's pretty much everything she has to offer Nancy, but listening to her parents' old Fleetwood Mac albums on repeat may not be the most entertaining activity for Nancy, so she offers her books instead - she even offers to read for her the ones in other languages, but Nancy seems uninterested in music and books. When she doesn't react to Robin's suggestions, Steve says she's overwhelming her, which is true, but really Nancy has become so accustomed to lying still in her cell with zero stimulation, that it doesn't even bother her anymore.

It's towards the end of the day that it dawns on Nancy that she's not dreaming, that they found her and brought her back and now she's in a strange girl's bed recovering from a few broken bones, soft and warm and safe for the first time in years. She unintentionally wakes Robin up in the middle of the night when she begins to sob. Robin doesn't know if something hurts or if she's having some sort of flashback or panic attack, and she can only think of holding her hands to ground her, but Nancy doesn't want to be touched. When Steve shows up and tries to hug her, she flinches away. She's crying why, why, why? As if she didn't understand why they took her away from her captors. Robin tries making some tea for her, but Nancy doesn't drink it. They wonder if she needs space, but when Steve asks her if she wants to be alone, Nancy holds onto his and Robin's hands so tightly they conclude she's asking for company, so they stay awake all night, next to her. She stops crying at 4am, and stares at the closed window until 8am, when she finally falls asleep. It's only been one day and it's already exhausting.

Steve and Robin wouldn't have it any other way though.

[vicecapitain]

When it feels like Heaven, I wanna bare my teeth | E | 110,690 words

Author: @vicecapitain on Tumblr / @vicecaptain5 on Twitter / @vicecryptid on IG Artist: @stacetanicpanic on Tumblr / Linktree Beta Reader: @suitupbatman on AO3 / @thesewingskeepmesafe on Tumblr Beta Reader: @kaspurrcat on Tumblr / @kaspurrcat on Twitter

Legend has it that in the depths of Shades State Park once dwelled a bat-like being said to steal people away. Now a mysterious stone effigy lies dormant in the forest, believed to be the creature trapped in slumber. If you perform the proper ritual you will see one wish come true, however, were you to fail or disrespect the entity, a curse will befall you and you will be snatched in the night. That’s the myth of the Shades Snatcher.

Dustin Henderson believes the legend. And has a wish.

In hopes to save Hawkins orphanage, his home, he reaches out to the Snatcher, unaware there’s more to the tale than an urban legend. Like a cryptid that can take human form who they decide to keep and name Eddie. Despite their caretaker Steve’s reservations, he too grows fond of the creature. A story about found family, love, the meaning of being human, and the one rule to the universe: what you give comes back to you.

Change is some kind of death.

[Fic (Art Included)]  |  [Art (Banner)] |

Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Background Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Erica Sinclair, Eleven, Barbara Holland, Chrissy Cunningham, Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Jason Carver, Jason's goons, Corroded Coffin guys. Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Cryptid Eddie, Caretaker Steve, Hurt/comfort, Found Family, Animal/Feral Creature Characteristics, Temporary Character Death, Minor Character Death (mentioned), Period Typical Homophobia, Homophobic Slurs, Mentions of Hate Crime, Jealousy, Human/Monster Romance, Monster Fucking, Top Steve Harrington, Bottom Eddie Munson, Wing Kink, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Mutual Pining. Trigger Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Homophobic Slurs, Mentions of Hate Crime

[berryflavouredkoolaid]

Meredith Gibson - Stranger Things OC

~ General ~

Full Name: Meredith Adeline Gibson

Nicknames: Mer (By friends)

Born: October 3rd, 1968

Residence: Hawkins, Indiana

~ Physical Appearance~

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Brown

Skin Tone: Light

Height: 5’7

Misc: a detailed cross necklace, green stains from cheap jewelry, bitten lips, chipped nail polish

~ Schooling/Career ~

Best Class: English

Worst Class: PE

Job(s):

Hawkins Arcade (1983-1984)

Starcourt Cinemas (1985)

Family Video (1985-)

~ Personality & Traits ~

Personality: Described by most as a prickly, rude individual, Meredith exudes an air of irritation. Defensive, cynical and even mean, Meredith is reluctant to let people in past her walls. Despite her closed off nature, Meredith places great trust and care in those she trusts. Her love is hard won but loyal and nearly unbreakable. Meredith is a loner, and prefers to spend most of her time alone. She rarely shows her emotions, and reacts in anger when people catch a glimpse.

Priorities: Her friends safety as well as her own

Strengths: Tough, strong, quick thinker

Weaknesses: Often pushes people away, holds grudges, can be mean

Fatal Flaw: Her distrust of others

Likes: rolling her own cigarettes, cold pizza, milk chocolate, silver jewelry, horror movies, horror novels (especially Steven King), pop rocks

Dislikes: Blood, liars, peanut butter, cola gummies, dogs, cheesy music and movies, beer, store bought cigarettes

Hobbies: Reading, photography, smoking, watching movies, sleeping

~ Family/Backstory ~

Meredith’s family history is fraught with incident. When Meredith’s mother became pregnant, her heavily religious parents kicked her out. Kathleen and Adam, Meredith’s father, were left to fend for themselves. They had to drop out of school and get jobs to afford a trailer in Forest Hills Trailer Park. Following Meredith’s birth, Kathleen struggled with severe depression. Adam, as the sole breadwinner and caretaker for Meredith, struggled under the strain. Until he killed himself when Meredith was 3. Kathleen quickly fell into drugs and alcohol.

When Meredith was 14, her mother died of an overdose. She was sent to live with her grandparents, but their conflicting views and Meredith’s agnostic and independent nature caused them to butt heads almost daily.

She was kicked out after a particularly explosive argument in October 1983 that ended with her grandmother slapping her and telling her to leave and never come back. With nowhere to go, she called Jonathan, who picked her up and convinced his mother to let her stay with them for a couple months.

~ Relationships ~

Family:

Adam Gibson (Father) (D.1971)

Kathleen Gibson (Mother) (D.1982)

Dorothy Booker (Grandmother) (Estranged)

Martin Booker (Grandfather) (Estranged)

Best Friend(s):

Jonathan Byers (Formerly)

Robin Buckley

Friends:

Will Byers

Nancy Wheeler

Dustin Henderson

Max Mayfield

Lover(s):

Jonathan Byers (Formerly)

Steve Harrington

Enemies:

Billy Hargrove

Carol Perkins

Tommy Hagan

~ Misc and Notes ~

Mer has semi-adopted a stray cat who comes by her apartment, she calls him Mister and feeds him. He comes and goes from her apartment.

Growing up, Meredith was often bullied for her cheap, secondhand clothing.

She used one of her first pay checks to buy herself a camera.

She likes cold pizza more than hot pizza and often has a box she eats out of for a couple days at a time.

She graduated high school a year early but condensing her junior and senior years into one.

When Adam died, her mother bought a gun incase of intruders. When Meredith was 12, Kathleen tried to shoot her while on a bender, thinking she was an intruder. Meredith buried the gun in the backyard when her mom passed out.

She found her record player in a dumpster behind her apartment and fixed it up with steve’s help.

{remade her! i just wasn’t very happen with the look of my old one lol and i’m loving this new format haha}

[female-woman-wiffman-lass]

I like yours better, let's switch

Jonathan Byers, who was made into a caretaker, had to take care of his brother, cook and clean while his mom was working. Then he himself had to work, and shoulder burdens for his mother. Turns out and presents as an Alpha. Man of the house, it feels right. Or it's supposed to.

Nancy Wheeler, pink and pastels, straight A's straight path, girl. Curly hair, and big eyes. She was the girl next door, the nerd girl you'd find a delight, with laughter like tinkling bells. She's an Omega. It makes sense. To everyone except Nancy Wheeler.

Steve Harrington, jock extraordinaire, hairy chest and biceps. Gets into fights and is the kids protector. A ladies man, a cassanova. Is an Omega. Everyone is absolutely baffled, but Steve knows he's perfect. He likes it.

Steve loves them both, and just like them, was absolutely baffled at the presentation. Laughs about it, patting their backs going, "I really thought it would be the other way around." And in some event or another, of them getting closer and admitting their feelings over it, Steve has a thought.

Not sure if it's a good thought but it's there. He wants his friends happy, and he wants them to feel good the way he does in is own skin. So, he proposes. Studding and bitching. Respectively.

Steve, during a hangout with both of them, apropos to nothing, he blurts it out. "Ha– have any of you thought of bitching?" And like, Jonathan, high out of his mind, admits that he's thought of it. Thought of going through that with an alpha. But answers, "but.. I don't think I'd go for just any alpha. And after all, I have Nancy.. and you, I guess." Jonathan shakes his head, straightening up on the couch, "and neither of you are alphas." He winces, turning to Nancy, "no offense." He smiles sadly, it honestly feels hopeless.

Nancy, although her face gone a little sour, pats him on the thigh. Then looks back to Steve, curious as to why he went and picked such a topic, "why do you ask, Steve?"

Steve smiles. He doesn't know when all three of them have grown close, when it didn't feel like he was intruding. He got to know Jonathan better. Loved hanging out with him and how happy Nancy was. Not just watching her with Jonathan but realizing how she's giddy with him too. With Jonathan.

He's not really sure how it progressed to this. To ease and to be ushered in, but he's not really thinking about that. He's thinking of the implications, and the fact that he can help. "Have you thought of studding?"

Nancy, the one with all the sense, catching on so quickly it makes Steve breathless at how well she knows him, "and how will we work it out?" Straight to the point. Or maybe she's thought of ths too.

Jonathan all bleary eyed, darts his gaze back and forth between the two of them, trying to catch on to what they were somehow telepathically communicating about, "am I..missing something here?" He gestures vaguely.

Steve, the cheeky thing, puts his hand in Jonathan's thigh, like how Nancy did, but slides it up, trying to reassure him that whatever it is, it isn't bad, "how do you feel about getting bitched, Jonny?" Steve is literally the only one who can call him that.

He blushes, but still unsure of where this is going, "uhh, what?"

Steve can't help but giggle, making Nancy sigh in exasperation, and begins to try and explain Steve's ridiculous, although very simple solution, "Steve studs me and I bitch you."

Jonathan's jaw drops, eyes wide and looking between two of them in awe, "woah."

"I know, right!" Steve bursts in giddy delight, making Nancy chuckle.

[blingyu]

Why I Think the theme of Stranger Things Supports Byler Endgame

Ok... this will be hella rambly (all my posts on here are just rants tbh lol)

But I think the themes and messages of this show STRONGLY support Byler endgame over anything else to be honest.

The first thing I want to make abundantly clear: STRANGER THINGS IS NOT AN 80s NOSTALGIA BAIT. It drives me insane for so many reasons when people say this.

For one: Stranger Things is not just looking at the 80s from an idealistic pov. Stranger Things to me critiques the era more than anything. Sure, we do have our fun 80s moments like malls and riding you bikes with your friends, and all the retro tech. But it's so much more than that. When you watch the show just for the vibes~ you miss the context.

The party is comprised of people who're disabled, black, and gay living in a small town in Indiana. They're not just seen as weird because they're nerdy to other kids, they're seen as weird because they are inherently different than what society deems as acceptable. All these aspects are something they can't and shouldn't need to fix. Also in S1 the idea of the loveless relationship between the Wheeler's was right in your face.

Jonathan critiqued the idea of Nancy ending up like her parents. Something comfortable, maybe- but not passionate or romantic. The man gets a nice job, they get married, get a house, have babies, the mother is the caretaker. The nuclear family. The Wheeler's are the embodiment of doing everything "right" by the 80s standards, but the show has not shown that as a positive thing; it's quite literally the opposite. It's depressing.

Idk to me I disliked the idea of Mike and El ending up together long before I liked Byler, not because I disliked El (anyone who hates on her can choke) but because I couldn't see how that could be her ending. When people who ship them say they want it to end with them getting married or having kids idk... I just don't see how that fits with the story the show has always been trying to tell.

That it's okay to be different. Different from whatever bullshit thing society has to say, and how in Stranger Things society is in the form of 1980's Hawkins Indiana, a place where they're God-fearing, and if you stray from being just like them you're bad.

I think all the characters fit that in some way or another. Except... Mike? Well, for those who say he's straight, anyways.

And with El, seeing her with Max in S3 was like a breath of fresh air, seeing the positive feminine influence and Max wanting El to stop thinking of others, think what she wants.

Some people don't like a possible El independence arc, because she does deserve love. I get that angle, but idk to me her ending up on her own isn't sad. I think it's sad that a woman ending up without a romantic interest is even seen as sad. Why?

In the 80s and even now the idea of a woman NEEDING a man was the expectation. If you were happily alone that was seen as wrong. You should want babies, and a husband, and you should want to be a housewife/stay at home mother. Honestly, it was terrible.

So: We don't want Mike to end up like his father (the scene in S4 when El leaves the table paralleling S1 with Karen) and we don't want El to think she needs to be in a relationship to feel happy and loved and content w life.

Then honestly I think the way they've set that up makes a Mike and El breakup super likely.

And with Will's feelings towards Mike confirmed, Stranger Things wrapping up to be a gay love story is incredibly fitting with the themes of being different and turning the 1980s film and television tropes on its head

[wheelercore]

Thinking about the popular anti-christ movies and the names of the mothers involved. With all the mentions of the "spawn of satan" in st im surprised that The Devils Advocate is the only movie on the inspo board and not Rosemarys Baby or The Omen. But The Changeling isnt on the inspo board either and the Creel home is FULL of references to it.

I think the Changeling plays into the concept of the anti christ in The Omen very well, and there might have been a Rosemarys Baby reference in The Changeling as well but its a bit of a stretch. Both The Changeling and The Omen tell a story that starts with two boys being switched- one is an orphan ("Edward"?) and one is a boy born to a "normal" family (Henry?). In the Omen, the orphan boy is the Antichrist, the spawn of satan (read that with Victors voice). The Changeling doesn't have those sort of antichrist connotations but i do think this possible reference to Rosemarys Baby is interesting:

(both find a secret passage to secret room in their new home behind shelves leading them towards the child they are trying to find)

All this switching talk makes me think of Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) which directly references switching lives/places with someone else... which is an interesting choice of song for s4

But also the concept of children not being born evil and that the caretakers of the children should look in the mirror at themselves is very strong in ST. Its also something that stuck in the back of my mind while watching The Omen, how this little 5 year old boy is hated and looked down upon by his caretakers while just... acting like a emotionally distressed 5 year old boy ("she always hated me"). I understand with the context he is the AntiChrist(tm) but st always subverts.

Regardless, I find it very interesting the name of the mothers on these movies and possible references in ST:

In The Devils Advocate, there is Alice Lomax, who slept with John Milton (Satan) once as a young girl and had Kevin Lomax (the son of Satan). She is a very christian woman.

In the Indianapolis Gazette, Edward's mother's name is Alice.

The funny thing is that the antichrist isnt Kevin in this movie but Kevin's prospective son that Milton wanted him to have with his half sister (🤮).

In The Omen, Damien's (lil antichrist kid) mother was a jackal buried under the name Maria Scianna, which translates to Mary of the Shadows, which makes sense given the whole "dark version of the virgin mary" thing going on here. Similar to Rosemary Woodhouse in Rosemary's Baby and Mary-Ann (Kevin's wife), who had a shitton of RB references attatched to her.

Rosemary Woodhouse brings me to Robin Rose Weaver and Nancy Ruth Walker, both having the exact same intials as RB, with Robins hair actually styled to look like a combination of s2/3 Karen and Virginia (Karens bangs and Virginias bob) with the charactersitic pink-white-blue color scheme of female conformity mostly associated with mothers

With Robyn even saying that shes looks like shes coming from an Easter brunch, which again more Christian mom subtext. Not only that but Christian mom subtext visiting a psychiatric hospital re: Virginia in the show planning to have Henry sent away to Brenner, Karen promising to not let Mike go at the end of s4, but also Billys mom with the big rose on her shirt abandoning him.

Which is a common theme amongst some of the movies above- mothers rejecting their son, upon finding out that they are "evil". The final lines of Rosemarys Baby:

You're trying to get me to be his mother

Also The Omen:

(therapist talking about Kathy, Damien's adoptive mother who doesn't know that he's not actually her biological son)

Which, I know I've mentioned this a gazillion times, but why does the rose-y urn that has been in the Wheeler home suddenly change during the earthquake in s4? Why is the Wheeler home full of references/callbacks to the stuff in the Creel home in Henrys unreliable memories, which is seemingly different to when the gang actually visit it in the show (different wallpaper, missing doorway, etc)?

[rxttenslutcemeterysys]

✡⤷ eden bingham

she ` dark ` they ` thing ` freak ` it

18yr old

agender + ambiamorous + bisexual

< ??/??/???? 3 single

— introj. / fictive , caretaker/caregiver , addict. hldr , socializer

— sign off is -e.b

— therian(crow, raven, and ferret specifically)

★★ notes

looking for nancy wheeler /r robin buckley /r argyle /r jonathan byers /p or /r suzie bingham /fam /p

ed / edieth are allowed nicknames

touch ; yes/no/ask

flirting ; yes/no/ask

petnames ; yes/no/ask

personal blog,, do not have one