#like we have SEEN that the duffers are capable of showing a healthy relationship

[tearsofsaudade]

my biggest “melvin is bones” argument is the fact that their relationship could’ve been better and we know that it could’ve been better

in season three, moth m*leven and lumax pissed me off bc they were both shown as childish and unhealthy (in my opinion). lumax seemed healthier, but ofc we don’t get as much screen time with them, and we see both lucas and mike (under lucas’s direction) trying to fix their relationships with gifts instead of actually talking to each other. i was still ga watching season 3, but i just wanted both of them to grow up before trying to get into a relationship (they were thirteen. and they acted like it.)

but in season 4, we see lucas reach out. he doesn’t try to buy max’s love, he talks to her, he apologizes for not being there for her, and he does everything in her power to be there for her. not only that, he doesn’t push for them to get back together because her friendship is more important to him than her romantic affection.

mike and el on the other hand? they’re clearly childish in season 3, and while we do have their hospital talk, there is still miscommunication at the end, with mike not being able to say he loves el to her face and el not talking to him before kissing him.

you would assume that in season 4, they would try harder to communicate and be in a happy relationship (if they were endgame) bc that’s exactly what we see with max and lucas. but instead we just get more miscommunication, more lies, more distrust. and again, we end the season with them not talking to each other and not seeming genuine.

we do not get a sweet m*leven talk after mikes confession, in fact, we get the opposite (where they specifically make a point to tell us that el isn’t really speaking to mike. why would that be the case if she believed his monologue and thought they were ready for a relationship? (and who do we see mike talking to instead?)