#lucas and mike are so important to me it’s not even funny

[tartarusknight]

Steve had this habit, a habit which most of the party were annoyed by. They understood it, God did they understand. But after everything was over and the Upside Down was gone for good, it kept happening. Months and months of daily calls. Just Steve checking in and asking them about their day.

Mike hadn't understood why he was on the list of names Steve would call, but if he didn't pick up the phone, there would be a knock on the door within the hour. And Steve, sometimes followed by Robin, would stop by like he was that important to them. Once, it had been on their way to work, and Steve had only locked eyes with him and raised an eyebrow. Mike just flipped him off and continued reading his comic.

Dustin had told him it was Steve's way of coping, and Lucas had turned the calls into workouts with the older teen. Will had just gone a little red and nodded along. El smiled and told Mike about the tips for hair care she got. Max just rolled her eyes and said that Steve had taken to stopping by with food most days.

Steve would be there. He was always there. It was annoying, but it was a constant. Maybe that's why Mike laid awake as the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight. Normally, he could fall asleep within minutes, a habit he had inherited from his dad. But he could bring himself to sleep as his phone didn't ring. As the walkie stayed silent. As the door remained untouched, no knock to be heard.

And it was stupid. Because Mike didn't want Steve to call him every day just to ask him if he was okay. It made him feel like a kid. It reminded Mike of his mom, but even his mom wasn't that bad. No, no one really did that for Mike. No one checked in day after day even as he remained uncaring towards them. No one but Steve.

Until now...

Mike watched the clock as it passed midnight, and his stomach twisted into knots. Fear bubbled up, and he pictured Steve getting into a fight he couldn't walk away from. He pictured a car crash so great that Steve was unable to reach for the walkie he carried with him everywhere. He pictured the worst- the Upside Down still around. The demogorgon coming up and dragging Steve into that hellpit.

Mike was up and pulling on a warm sweatshirt before those images were fully formed. He crawled out his window and down the roof, not too unlike the way Steve had done to visit Nancy. It left him already out of breath by the time he climbed on his bike. But that didn't stop him. He pushed off the ground, biking as fast as he could towards Loch Nora.

The cold air hot his face, and the road seemed to go on forever, but Mike didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not until Steve's place was in view.

Mike tossed his bike uncarringly onto the pavement before slamming his fist into the Harrington's nice door. He didn't let up. He couldn't as an image of Steve dead in his own pool floated in his mind.

However, then the door was opening. Steve stood there, looking like he hadn't been asleep either. A smear of white powder on his cheek and a hollowness in his eyes. But still, something eased in Mike the same time Steve lost some of that weight in his shoulders as well. "You- you didn't-" Mike started, still out of breath. "Call. Why didn't you- call?" He gasped and Steve looked at him with a weird expression.

"You- What?" Steve questioned, sounding lost.

Mike crossed his arms, "I- you can't just stop!" He gasped out, and Steve's brow furrowed.

"But you don't like it when I do? I annoy you," he tries to point out, and Mike huffs.

"God, of course you annoy me! You track our days more intensly than my mom, and you always make dumb jokes, and I hate that I find them funny! You always call when I'm in the middle of something, and you make it easy to stay on the phone! You are always there like some weird older brother that I never asked for!" Mike shouts and Steve's eyes are wide.

"You don't have to stay around or call, but you do! You do, and you actually care. Like when you call and ask me if I'm okay, it feels like you care, and I don't understand why! I don't get you! I didn't ask you to care about me, but even when you were dating Nancy, you cared! You took Holly and me to get ice cream even though Nancy had to study! You give me and my friends rides everywhere! You care!" Mike throws his hands up in the air.

He glares at the older teen, "You care so much that I stupidly care about you! I care enough to come and check on you because when you didn't call, all I could think was that you were like dead or something," Mike snaps and takes a step back. "But you're obviously fine so-" and he wants to run suddenly. To run from the way Steve's eyes are filled with tears or the stupid words he just told the older teen.

Steve runs a hand through his hair, tugging slightly. "Mike, I stopped because I didn't think you wanted me to. You always acted like I was your least favorite person in the world and I guess I just- I didn't feel like it was fair to force you to put up with me just because I can't handle not knowing if you were okay." Steve said, and it didn't sound like the normal Steve. He sounded tired and nervous. He sounded like someone had finally beaten him

Mike bites his lip and tastes salt like he had been crying. Or maybe he still was. He crosses his arms like he can shield himself from this conversation. "But now you don't care enough to keep calling?"

Steve rubbed his face, a sigh shaking his whole body as he did. "I still care, kid."

Mike scoffs, "You didn't call."

Steve drops his hands to his sides. "Just come inside. It's too late for you to bike home. I'll call your place and leave a message." Steve says, his voice sounding close to tears. Mike is stiff when he lets Steve pull him inside.

They are quiet as Steve guides him towards the kitchen. The kitchen that has music playing softly and smelling like a bake sale. He blinks as he steps into the room and spots cookies cooling on a rack and a pie stilling uncooked on the counter. The top crust is sitting on the counter next to it. There's a smell of something in the oven, and Mike states at all of it in confusion.

"I bake when I can't relax," Steve admits, and Mike glances over at him. "I still care, and I was trying to give you space. I was trying not to crowd you, so I just," and he waves his hand around the mess everywhere. The smear of white on his cheek now makes sense.

Mike hugged himself, "I don't- I don't mind the calls." He whispered, and it got a snort from Steve.

He looked over at Mike, "I kinda got that from your speech."

They stood there in silence for another moment before Steve moved to finish putting his pie together. "I know that we aren't close or anything. But I care, it's not just the Upside Down making me anxious, it's just that-" and Steve went quiet. "I went overboard, I get it. But now I just- I can't stop." He admits, and Mike hates how upset Steve sounds. How guilty he sounds.

"I fall asleep easier knowing that if someone wasn't okay, we'd know because of you. It's like you take all the stress from me just by being around." He says, and Steve's eyes are wide. "Maybe we just do a sound off every night so you don't have to play phone tag all day." He shrugs, and Steve wrinkles his nose.

"I don't really get how to use the walkie. Like Dustin tried to show me, but he got distracted and started talking about radio waves and well..." Steve mimed it going over his head.

Mike snorted to hide how much that terrified him. The thought of something bad happening and Steve not being able to respond. But he pushed it away as Steve looked at him as if waiting for Mike to tease him. "That's fair. We did modify them, so they worked better. It's not as simple as your average walkie. I can show you," he offered, and Steve's face split into a grin.

"Cool, want to help me finish this so I can put it in the fridge until tomorrow? Then you can teach me the ways," Steve says, going all dramatic, proving to Mike he'd been spending too much time with Eddie. Mike groaned but came over only for Steve to shove him to the sink to wash his hands.

Steve showed him what to do, and Mike was glad to have Steve around. Because sure Steve's habit was annoying, and sometimes it interfered with Mike's plans, but it was nice too. Steve was nice. And that was something Mike ever believed would happen. But as Steve joked that Mike should not become a baker, he was nice. Like the way Mike was nice to Holly or how Nancy was nice to him. He was part of the family, annoyingly nice habits and all.

[sweet-villain]

A Heart Dared To Be Broken~ Eddie Munson

Summary : You were just a bet to Eddie.

Angst

You leaned against the plaster wall of the school hallway, fingers tracing the fading band posters. Laughter rippled from the courtyard, but the words that pierced through sent a chill racing down your spine.

“Eddie’s just doing it for the bet, man.” Mike’s voice carried over the swelling noise.

Lucas chuckled, mocking disbelief. “No way. He wouldn’t—”

“Definitely would,” Mike interrupted. “Harrington dared him. Said he couldn’t score a date with you.”

You swallowed hard, your stomach twisting.

“What if he actually likes her?” Lucas asked, concern knitting his brow.

“Doesn’t matter,” Mike replied. “It’s all for the glory of Harrington’s stupid dare. Can you see him getting serious?”

Your heartbeat quickened as their words spun around you. They didn’t know you listened; they thought their secrets were safe.

“No way,” Lucas muttered. “She’s… different.”

“Different?” Mike scoffed. “Eddie just wants to prove he can. It’s a game.”

Footsteps approached, laughter fading as they stepped away. You stepped back, breath caught in your throat.

Betrayed. The weight of their words stung sharper than any teen drama. Eddie leaned against the nearby locker, a grin plastered on his face, unaware of the storm swirling inside you.

" Good Morning, sweetheart" Eddie greets you. In that moment, his smile felt like a slice of sunshine, warm yet blinding. You forced an uneasy grin in return.

“Hey,” you managed, adjusting your grip on the strap of your backpack.

“Ready for the big history test?”

Eddie crossed his arms, feigning a relaxed posture, but the playful glint in his eyes hinted at mischief. “You mean the one where I’m gonna ace it and you’re gonna...”

Your laugh cut him off, more strainedthan amused. His eyes sparkled with a challenge, but a tightness coiled in your stomach.

“...struggle?” he finished, a teasing lilt in his voice. 

" You're so funny" you roll your eyes into your locker looking for books. You rummaged through your locker, the metal cool against your fingers. Textbooks jostled, their spines creaking, almost mocking your growing anxiety.

“Seriously, you’re not gonna study?” Eddie nudged your shoulder, laughter dancing in eyes.

" I have more important things to do" he stopped laughing. The weight of his gaze deepened, framing your unease in the air between you. You diverted your attention to the array of books, willing your heart to steady.

" Like what? Draw in your sketchbook? " Eddie tilted his head, an eyebrow arched in mock disbelief. 

“Just trying to find my study materials,” you replied, attempting nonchalance. You could almost hear the sarcasm in your own voice. Pain bloomed in your chest while Eddie observed you, amusement flickering as you struggled to maintain composure. 

“Right, your study materials.” He leaned in closer, his presence both electric and unsettling. “You mean the scribbles or the doodles of creatures that don't exist?”

Your determination to remain casual wavered. The pictures flashed in your mind, sketches of monsters that seemed more real than ever since you first picked up the pencil. 

“Creatures can exist,” you retorted, diverting your eyes back to the locker. “You just have to look closely.”

Eddie pushed off the locker, leaning back as if he intended to take the conversation in a new direction. “Alright, Picasso.” He smirked. “So if if I slide you a piece of paper, you’ll draw my portrait?” 

“Only if you promise to stop calling me Picasso,” you shot back, crossing your arms. Your heart raced, but you felt the urge to keep the banter alive.

For a moment forgetting you are just a bet to him. “Deal,” Eddie said, chuckling as he pushed a stray curl back from his forehead. “I’ll even throw in a classic Munson smile for your masterpiece.”

Inside your mind you were plotting your revenge on him. He wasn't about to make you a fool. Not anymore. 

The bell rang, a shrill cry echoing through the corridor. Students drifted past, laughter intertwining with chatter, but the noise felt distant. Your focus narrowed on Eddie’s grin, a mask painted over a reality you could no longer ignore.

“Guess we should get to class,” you said, forcing a lightness into your voice while the weight of his betrayal pressed down on you.

You slammed your locker making Eddie jump a bit hearing the slam. Eddie blinked, clearly startled by the sudden noise. A mix of confusion and concern flashed across his face, but the usual grin still lingered at the corners of his mouth.

“Whoa, easy there,” he said, backing off with raised hands as if trying to placate a wild animal. “Didn’t mean to disturb the masterpiece over here.”

“Don’t act like you weren’t just making fun of me,” you snapped back, but even you could hear the edge of humor in your voice. 

Eddie feigned innocence, placing a hand over his heart. “Me? I would never,” he said, eyes sparkling with mischief. “But if it makes you feel better, I could always pose like a stick figured warrior instead. Less pressure, right?”

You rolled your eyes, but the corners of your mouth betrayed you, edging toward a smile.

His playful banter hung in the air, an invisible thread connecting you, but the realization hardened the smile on your lips. Just a bet. Just a game. 

Eddie starts talking about his campagin last night but all you could think about is getting revenge on him. “You should’ve seen it,” Eddie continued, oblivious to the storm brewing within you. “Crawling through the yards, battling against the undead—Lucas got all dramatic about losing his sword, though it was just a stick he found in the woods. I swear, the guy needs a lesson in imagination,” Eddie chuckled, his animated gestures drawing you in despite your frustration. 

“Right, because sticks are the key to a successful campaign ” you replied, your voice laced with dry humor. 

Eddie threw his head back, laughter erupting from his lips. “Absolutely! You’d be surprised at the power of a well-placed stick.” He gestured grandly, illustrating the absurdity with wild swings of his arms, the laughter in his tone like a melody coaxing you to forget the turmoil churning within. 

You matched his enthusiasm with a tight smile, fighting to mask the bitterness. “If only

if only everything else were just as simple,” you murmured, the words slipping out before you could catch them.

Eddie’s laughter faltered, and he turned to you, genuine curiosity flickering in his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”The curiosity in his gaze pulled at any lingering threads of resentment, but you steeled yourself. "Nothing," you replied. You hated that your voice trembled, that you felt so vulnerable standing in front of him as he blinked, searching for something deeper behind your facade. 

“C’mon,” he pressed, his tone softening. “You can’t just drop a line like that and leave me hanging.” 

You took a breath, willing the flicker of unease to settle. Eddie’s concern felt like a chain wrapping tighter around you, holding you in place. 

“What do you want me to say?” Your voice barely held up in the chaos. 

Eddie studied you, his brow furrowing, genuine concern brewing behind his playful exterior. “Just be real for a second. What’s going on?”

You hesitated, caught between the urge to spill everything and the instinct to guard your heart.

You took a deep breathe, rolling your eyes as you kept to yourself heading into the classroom, with a confused Eddie behind falling in step. Inside the classroom, desks sprawled before you like a battlefield. Your mind swirled with chaos, fogging your thoughts while sunlight streamed through the dusty windows.

Eddie plopped onto his seat beside yours, the weight of his presence both familiar and hurtful. 

He leaned back with an exaggerated sigh, arms draping over the backrest. “So, what’s the plan? Are we gonna sit here in silence, or do I need to start cracking more jokes until you crack a smile?” 

You stared at the desk in deep thought not daring to look at him. You thought you meant something to him but he only wanted to please Harrington winning the stupid bet. You pressed your palms flat against the cool surface of the desk, grounding yourself in the midst of the storm swirling inside you. 

“Why do you care?” The words slipped out, sharper than intended.

Eddie turned to you, eyebrows raisedin surprise. “Why wouldn’t I care?”

You broke eye contact, your fingers picking nervously at the edge of your notebook. “You know,” you replied, each word heavy with unspoken tension, “people don’t usually care about stories that aren’t theirs. You just want the thrill, the chase. A bet.”

His expression shifted, confusion sweeping across his features like a shadow. “That’s not—”

“Isn’t it?” You shot back, finally meeting his gaze

with a fire igniting in your chest. You leaned closer, the distance between you and Eddie shrinking but the gulf of understanding growing wider.

“C’mon, you think I’m some trophy for you to snag just because Steve put up a dare ?” The words hung in the air, sharp and unforgiving, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Eddie's mouth opened, then closed, like a fish out of water, searching for air, for a response. His eyes flickered with

" You think I didn't notice? You think I'm some stupid girl? You don't look at me the way you look at Chrissy over there." Eddie's face fell, disappointment etching its lines deeper. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?” Your voice broke slightly, turning your vulnerability into a question loaded with disbelief. “Why play me for a dare? You don't even know me!”

“Hey, that’s not fair.” Eddie leaned closer, the intensity in his gaze pinning you like a fluttering moth against the wall. “You think I don’t know you? We’ve been hanging out for weeks and I like you. You’re not just some dare to me.” His sincerity cut through the fog of disbelief that loomed over you.

“Weeks,” you repeated, scoffing. “A couple of jokey lunches and borrowed mixtapes don ’t mean anything when it’s built on a foundation of deceit.���

Eddie flinched, the wind knocked from his sails as your words landed hard between you.

" I mean look at this way, you just wanted to prove Harrington wrong. That's it." Eddie recoiled slightly as if you’d thrown an invisible dart. “You really think I’m that shallow?” His voice wavered, disbelief lacing his words. “You think it’s just about proving some point to Steve?”

“Your always trying to pick a fight or banter with him. You never considered someone else's feelings" Eddie’s shoulders slumped, the weight of your accusation visibly sinking in. “Seriously? You really think I’m the type to just chase a dare?” 

" You can tell Harrington you got me fooled, what a win for Eddie Munson" you clapped, rolling your eyes. His expression darkened, eyes narrowing like a storm brewing on the horizon. “You think I want to just be some mindless pawn in this stupid game? That’s not me!”

“Maybe not,” you shot back, your voice steadying with the anger spilling over. “But it sure looks like it when you let him call the shots.”

Eddie leaned forward, determination igniting his gaze. “You’re not seeing the bigger picture.”

" Oh? Poor Eddie Munson can't get his dick hard then, is that it?" His expression twisted, surprise morphing into something sharper. 

“Wow,” he said, voice low and steady. “That’s a new low, even for you.” Anger tinged his words, but confusion lingered beneath, like a storm.

" Cry me a river, Munson" Eddie's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with defiance. He exhaled slowly, controlling the fire flickering within. “You’re really painting me with a broad brush here, aren’t you? You don’t even know what I’m capable of.”

“Clearly not much,” you shot back, frustration bubbling over as the hum of classroom chatter faded into the background.

" You're not scary, Eddie. I don't care what your capable of, clearly you can't even get a date" Eddie’s nostrils flared, and the color drained from his face. His frustration morphed into hurt, but underneath the rawness simmered a fierce resolve. “Really? That’s how you see me?”

" Pathetic" Eddie’s eyes narrowed, a mix of hurt and simmering anger flickering within. You felt the air grow heavy, your words echoing like a bell tolling in an empty hall. 

“Pathetic?” His voice dropped an octave, his gaze sharpening like a blade. “You think you can just throw that around without consequences? I’m not some chump you can tear into just for kicks.”

" Oh look, Eddie Munson knows how to talk and use words" Eddie’s expression hardened, discomfort shifting into something more dangerous. “You’re right. I’m not just going to sit here and let you dismiss everything we’ve built. You think I’m trying to play you? I've seen the real you.”

That was a mistake, you're nothing but an asshole that doesn't even know what real feelings are to a woman. You're an idiot Eddie." Eddie inhaled sharply, the wind knocked out of his sails. The laughter from the hallway faded, leaving the classroom swathed in a heavy silence that rippled with tension. 

“Wow.” A rough laugh escaped his lips, but it held a pitiless edge. “So this is what it’s come to, huh? Just lobbing accusations because you found out I’m only a player in someone else’s game?”

" You keep trying to please the wrong people. Tell Harrington I said hello" You turned away, the words a shield against the crack in your resolve. As you gathered your things, a heavy silence bore down on you, thick as fog. Eddie’s presence lingered, a fierce energy that both annoyed and electrified.

You wiped your cheeks with the back of your hand, furious at yourself for breaking under the weight of it all. Folding your arms over the books, you turned your back to him, determined to block out his gaze.

" Dustin was right, I should of never agreed to whatever this was. You broke my heart, congrats. You graduated from Heart Break school..." Eddie’s silence hit like a loaded gun, the air crackling with tension. The chatter from the classroom faded into a muffled hum, isolating the two of you in a bubble thick with unspoken words and heavy breaths. 

Wait,” Eddie said, his voice a low growl cutting through your storm of emotions. You didn’t turn around; fear of his gaze held you captive.

“Just… Let me,” he continued, desperation seeping into his tone.

You remained facing the window, your heart pounding against your ribcage. Outside, laughter danced through the mid-afternoon sun, a world away from the whirlwind inside you.

“Please,” he urged, voice softer, almost trembling. “Just listen to me for a second.”

You remained still, heart pounding. The aching silence stretched between you, a taut rope ready to snap.

“Please, just hear me out,” he pressed, the desperation threading through his voice like crackling electricity. You remained muted, feeling the weight of his gaze boring into your back.

It was wrong for me to listen to Harrington and take the bet, but I couldn't be around you becasue you make me nervous" He says.You turned, slowly. The intensity in his eyes surged with a mix of vulnerability and something deeply raw. 

“Make you nervous?” The disbelief dripped from your voice, thick as molasses. “So you thought a dare was the way to handle that? A bet on my feelings? You weren’t even trying to get to know me, just trying to entertain Steve.” 

Eddie’s jaw clenched, the frustration simmering just below the surface. “You have to understand, it ...was stupid. I’ll admit it. But I had my reasons.” His voice dropped, the bravado slipping away like sand through fingers.

You crossed your arms tighter over your chest, defensive, pushing back the urge to listen—a part of you still wanted to believe in his sincerity, in the sparks that had shot through your shared moments. 

“What reason could possibly justify treating someone's feelings like a game?” You shot back, your voice laced with disbelief.

Eddie hesitated, searching or words amidst the chaos in his mind. “I thought… maybe if I could make Steve eat his words, it’d all be worth it.” He took a deep breath, frustration and regret mingling in his gaze. “You were just too good at making me feel something more than I deserved".

Eddie’s confession hung suspended between you like the hum of electricity before a storm, sparking an array of emotions within. 

“More than you deserved?” You stepped closer, voice barely above a whisper. “Is that really how you see yourself as?” 

Eddie flinched, unsure how to respond. The weight of your gaze bore down on him, and for a moment, silence enveloped you both like an electric shroud. 

“Yes.” His voice trembled, revealing a raw honesty that caught you off-guard. “I thought proving myself to Steve would somehow change that.” 

Eddie’s vulnerability flickered like a candle flame caught in a draft, wobbling between hope and despair.

" Harrington is something else, he will know what's coming. I'll give him a piece of mind" Eddie held your gaze, and the flicker of vulnerability in his eyes transformed into a spark of curiosity. “You think he’ll care?” 

" Not with my foot up his ass, he will be throwing up my shoe laces" Eddie's laugh, unexpectedly rich, broke through the tension. “Now that’s a visual I needed today,” he said, shaking his head, the pain easing momentarily. 

“Glad to entertain,” you shrugged, the ghost of a smile.

" I know where he lives and I know where he works, piece of cake" Eddie’s eyes lit up, a mischievous spark igniting within. “Now that’s the spirit! Maybe we should form a revenge committee or something.” The playful glint shifted the mood slightly, but shadows still clung to the edges.

" You're not off the hook Munson" “Not off the hook?” Eddie’s voice turned more serious, beneath the cocky grin. “You really think I don’t know I messed up here?” He leaned forward on his desk, intensity sharpening his gaze.

" You don't, Eddie. You really hurt me and right now I don't think it's best if we hanged out anymore." Eddie recoiled, as if you’d struck him. The playfulness vanished from his eyes, replaced by a raw vulnerability that tugged at your heart. “You can’t be serious. We had something real, didn’t we?”

" I was stupid to fall in love with you" The words hung between you, heavy with truth. Eddie's face paled, the spark of mischief fading, leaving the raw ache of reality in its wake. 

“Love?” he stammered, voice strained as though processing an overwhelming blow.

" It doesn't matter anymore" He stared at you, bewilderment etching deep lines across his forehead. “It matters to me. Everything with you has meant something deeper than just a dare.” 

" It really hurts. I fell with your brown eyes, the way you laughed, the way your dimples popped out. The way you said my name. The way your arms would feel around me. The way you held my hand and walked me to class. The way you played with my hair and shared lunch with. The way you explained your campaigns to me, the way you let me come to band practice. Eddie you've made me a fool." 

Eddie’s expression shifted, raw pain surfacing behind the layers of bravado. “I never wanted to make you feel like that,” he whispered, as if the weight of your words pressed down on his chest. “I swear.”

" And worst of all, I waited for you until you were ready to kiss me. You told me you needed time and I gave you it but now, you made me into a bet for your own joy" Eddie’s face turned impassive, as if your words carved him into stone. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I never wanted it to come to this—”

“You should have thought of that before playing games with my heart ” you shot back, the heat of your frustration hurling every syllable like a well-aimed arrow. “Words don’t mean anything when they’re just a cover for a stupid dare.” 

He stood up from his seat, stepping closer as his hand reached out to grab your shirt pulling you closer. His grip was firm, but his eyes held an urgency, a request for understanding that tangled with your own hurt. 

" I think... I love you too" His words hung in the air between you like a delicate thread, wavering in the tension of the moment. You searched his gaze, uncertainty swirling within you, battling against the urge to believe him.

“Don’t,” you said, voice low, you don't get to use those words like they are air you breathe." Eddie flinched, the gravity of your words landing like a strike. He stepped back, hands falling to his sides, frustration flickering across his features. “What do you want from me?” he demanded, his voice a harsh whisper.

" I want you to go fuck up Harrington first and then get it through your thick skull how you hurt me, how of an idiot you really are..." “Fine,” Eddie relented, the fire simmering behind his eyes, transformed into determination. “I’ll take down Harrington. But don't think that’s going to fix what’s between us.” 

“Nothing will fix this,” you replied sharply. " I'm really special, in my own way and you've lost that." Eddie studied you, frustration etching lines across his forehead. “You don’t mean that. You can’t.”

The air felt electric, charged with anger and hurt, a volatile concoction swirling around you. You shook your head, tears threatening to spill over with each heated heartbeat. 

"Seriously, Eddie?" You spat, a tremor weaving through your voice. "You still don’t get it? You’ve reduced me to some forgotten whim in your tangled game, and I refuse to let you rewrite my story for your own amusement.”

Eddie’s expression shifted, hurt mingling with anger. “You’re acting like I haven’t tried to show you who I am,” he said, voice rising slightly. “The stupid bet was just a misstep—a foolish attempt to prove a point...” He paused, words tumbling from his mouth like dominoes teetering on the edge. “But I wanted to be more than that. I liked the way you saw me.”

No you liked the attention I gave you" Eddie’s brow furrowed, shadows flickering across his face. “You think that’s all this is? It’s more than just a game for me.” 

“Then why the bet?” You crossed your arms, every word hardening even further into indifference. The classroom buzzed with life around you, students oblivious to the storm brewing in this corner. 

“I don’t know!” Eddie exploded, throwing his hands up in frustration. “It was stupid. I thought it would be easy, a way to impress Steve and prove a point. But then… you came along, and it all became so much more complicated.” 

“Complicated?” You scoffed, feeling the anger bubbling inside. “You turned my life into a circus act while smiling like a clown. I’m not this easy prize you showcase to win over your friends.”

Eddie ran a hand through his hair, his expression a mixture of frustration and desperation. “I didn’t mean for it to turn out like this,” he said, voice lowering, almost cracking. “You’re not just some prize. I never wanted to treat you like one.”

“Then why do it?” The words slipped past your lips, tinged with an urgency that resonated like a drumbeat in the charged silence. You felt the world around you blur into the background, focusing only on him—the boy with wild hair and a leather jacket, standing in stark contrast to the orderly classroom with its rows of desks and bulletin boards cluttered with reminders of school spirit.

His eyes, once playful and bold, now faltered under the weight of your gaze. “Because I hought I could impress him.” Eddie’s voice cracked like brittle glass, revealing the vulnerability beneath his bravado. “I thought it would be funny. It was all a mistake, and then—” 

“Then what?” You pressed, clenching your fists to keep from shaking. The edge in your voice sliced through the tension, a sharp demand for clarity.

“Then I realized,” he began, voice unsteady, “that I liked you. It was never just about the bet. I thought I could have fun, but it spiraled into something real. I didn’t want to hurt you—”

“Then I started to like you.” Crumbling under the weight of his admission, Eddie’s gaze fell, the bravado of moments.

" I thought you loved me?" you asked " Or was that a joke?"Eddie's mouth parted, surprise wiping the smirk from his lips. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, grappling with the weight of your question. “It’s not a joke,” he said, voice strained. “I really do"

" Then why play Harrington's game? To look cool?" Eddie’s brow furrowed, emotions swirling in his dark eyes like a brewing storm. “You think I wanted to? It just… happened. I got caught up in this web of trying to impress him, while something real started stirring between us.” His voice dropped to a whisper, the weight of his admission heavy in the space between you.

" But yet you're not doing anything to show me. Show me you love me." Eddie’s breath caught, caught in the swell of your words. “What more can I do? You think I don’t want to show you? I’ve been juggling everything—trying to prove myself to Steve, trying not to ruin this with you." He ran a hand through his hair, fingers trembling slightly as if trying to grasp the right words.

“Then stop trying to impress him,” you shot back, frustration surging within you. “Start caring about what’s right in front of you. Me.”

You stumbled through the classroom door before Eddie could reach for you, pushing past a group of students gathered by the lockers, oblivious to the storm brewing behind your eyes. You spotted Harrington leaning against his car, the sun glinting off his sunglasses like an unspoken challenge. 

“Hey, where are you going?” Steve called out, pushing himself off the car and approaching, his casual smile fading into confusion as he caught sight of your expression. 

A sharp crack echoed in the air, drowning out the laughter surrounding you. Steve stumbled back, hands shooting up to clutch his now-bloodied nose. Eyes wide, he blinked in stunned disbelief.

“What the hell was that for?” he shouted. " You've made a bet on me, with Munson!" Steve cradled his nose, confusion morphing into realization as he wiped away the blood. “Whoa, what—” His wide eyes darted between you and where Eddie hovered near the entrance, uncertainty shadowing his face. “You can’t just go around treating people like pawns in your little games, Harrington!” Your voice cut through the air, sharp and demanding.

Steve straightened, wincing as he wiped blood onto his sleeve. “What are you talking about?”

" You know exactly what you little shit!" Steve stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender. “Whoa, whoa. Let’s not escalate things here.”

“Not escalate?” You glared at him, fingers clenching into fists. “You orchestrated the whole thing! Shall I tell Nancy? Does she know? " “Hey, come on!” Steve protested, the confusion in his eyes shifting to defensiveness. “It was just a stupid bet! I didn't mean for it to blow up like this.” 

“Stupid bet? You’ve turned my feelings into a joke!” You retorted, the fire in your veins boiling over. Steve raised his hands defensively, taken aback. 

“Okay, okay, but it was just supposed to be a bit of fun, alright? I didn’t think it would actually go this far.” 

Rage surged through you, hot and unyielding. “Fun? You think making someone a trophy is fun? You turned me into a punchline.”

As you were about to swing again, Eddie grabs you and turns you around to face him as he stares into your eyes. Eddie’s grip on your arms felt grounding, a stark contrast to the swirling chaos inside. His eyes locked onto yours, raw with a mix of determination and something deeper. 

“Let me handle this,” he said, voice low and steady, yet somehow soothing amidst the whirlwind. 

“Eddie, no,” you protested, pulling your gaze away. The electricity in his eyes sparked a flicker of hope, but the anger roiling within you demanded attention. 

“Just… trust me ,” he urged, his voice steady as it wrapped around you like a protective shield. The intensity in his gaze pulled at the fraying edges of your resolve, urging you to let go of the anger, if only for a moment.

This time Eddie pushes Steve against his car, seething with anger.Eddie’s hands gripped Steve’s jacket, slamming him against the cold metal of the car. Steve’s eyes widened, the breath knocked from his lungs. “You ever think about how your little pranks can ruin someone’s life?” Eddie demanded, his breath hitching with the weight of pent-up fury.

“Eddie, chill!” Steve gasped, hands bracing against the car as he struggled to find his balance. Panic stirred in his eyes, disbelief mixing with realization as he stammered, “Look, man, it was supposed to be harmless! I didn't know she’d get all worked up over it.”

Eddie's grip tightened, his expression a tempest of anger and hurt. “Harmless? You think making her the butt of your joke is harmless?” he snarled, his voice low and fierce, each word slicing through the simmering tension. 

Steve stumbled over his words, desperation lacing his tone. “I didn’t think—”

" what's going on here? " Robin asks as she walks up to the car. The words hung in the air, a sudden distraction that sliced through the tension. Robin's presence arrived like a breath of fresh air, abrupt and disarming. She tilted her head, arms crossed, a look of bewilderment clouding her face.

" Why is his nose bleeding? Eddie what did you do?" She continued to ask. Eddie released Steve, who slid down the car with a gasp, cradling his nose as he winced. “It’s not what you think, Robin,” Eddie shot back, frustration lacing his voice. He turned to you, eyes still burning with a mix of anger and desperation. You could feel the weight of Robin’s gaze on you, a careful observer caught in the aftermath of something chaotic and unfiltered. 

“Okay, so what’s happening? Because I just saw a punch thrown and now I’m confused.” Robin stepped closer, concern etching into her features as she glanced between you, Eddie, and a dazed Harrington, who was struggling to regain his composure.

Eddie turned to Robin, catching his breath as he rubbed the back of his neck, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Your pal Harrington here decided to treat my girlfriend like a bet,” he said, venom thickening the final word.

“Steve made a bet,”

Robin blinked slowly, her confusion deepening as she processed the accusation. “A bet? On what?” 

Eddie turned his intensity on Steve, the fury still crackling in the air. “On her! He thought I wouldn’t be able to snag a date with her. Said it was a challenge.”

Robin’s mouth hung open, disbelief morphing into a frown. “A date? Are you serious? You're such a dingus!!” She shifted her gaze to Steve.

Steve winced, the gravity of her words sinking in like lead. “It was just a dumb dare, Robin. I thought it’d be funny!” He looked around, desperation spilling from his eyes.

“Funny?” Robin’s voice cut through the air, disbelief etched across her features. “You think betting on someone’s emotions is funny? You were supposed to be better than this, Harrington!”

“That’s enough!” Eddie barked, his hands slamming against the car, fists trembling at his sides. “You need to understand that this isn’t just a game. You don’t treat people as pawns in some ridiculous contest. You never know how it can affect them!”

Robin stepped forward , her jaw set with determination. “This isn’t just about jokes or bets, Steve. You’ve crossed a line. You have to take responsibility for your actions.” She shot a glare at him, her frustration palpable even in the shifting tension.

" I'm sorry" Steve says to you. " I was an idiot" He adds. “An idiot?” Your voice sharpens, the hurt leaking through your words. “You think that covers it?”

Steve fidgets with the collar of his shirt, avoiding your gaze. “I didn ’t mean for it to come out like that. It was just some stupid bet.”

“Stupid bet?” you shot back, eyebrows raised. “You treat people like that for fun?”

“Come on, it wasn’t supposed to be serious. We were just messing around,” Steve stammered, glancing toward the ground.

You think this is funny? You played with my feelings like they were a game, Steve.” 

The sun hung low, casting long shadows over the school parking lot. The fading light wrapped around you like a cold shroud.

“Listen,” he began, " how about free movies for a year?"Your laugh burst out, sharp and humorless. “Movies? You think I’m going to be swayed by popcorn and a flick?” 

" How about driving you to school every morning?" Eddie cuts Steve off, " No your not!"You turned your head, the noise drawing your attention.

How about you let me drive your car whenerver I want? How about you let me put a bet on you and see how you feel?" Steve looks in horror at you. “Do you even hear yourself right now?” Your voice drips with disbelief. 

“Look, I get it. I messed up,” he stammered, hands raised in a half-hearted defense. 

“ Or should I send Hargrove on you?" you asked.Steve’s eyes darted around, scanning for an escape. “Okay, that’s low. You know Hargrove...”

" I'm still here" Eddie says. Eddie leaned against the rusted side of Steve's car, tossing a crumpled soda can into the nearby wastebasket. “And I’d love to hear more about this bet.”

Steve groans, " how about you do the same thing to Nancy as Eddie did to me? Then you'll feel how I feel? Hmm?" you asked. " How about I call Nancy instead?" Eddie raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Oh, you mean turn our sweet little Steve into the town’s biggest villain? I’d love front-row."

“Please don’t,” Steve whispered, his face flushing crimson.

Eddie chuckled, running a hand through his dark curls. “Relax, Harrington. I wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation of being the good guy."

Steve shot Eddie a glare, frustration radiating off him like heat from a fire. “It’s not a joke, Munson. You don’t get it.”

" Look I'm so sorry for making the bet with Eddie. It won't happen again" Steve says to you. You crossed your arms, the bite of his apology doing little to thaw the ice between you. “It’s too late for regrets, Steve. You can’t just wipe this away with an 'I’m sorry' and expect it to all be fine."

Your hand reaches for his keys. " You should walk home, I'll drive Robin home" you smirked. Steve’s eyes widened, panic flickering across his face. “Wait, what? You can’t just—”

“Watch me.” You turned your back on him, the weight of his gaze heavy on your shoulders as you approached Robin.

Eddie is laughing as Steve glares while Robin high fives you. “Now that’s what I call a comeback,” Robin said, her grin wide as she fell in step beside you. 

You slid into the driver’s seat, your hands gripping the wheel, knuckles white. Robin hopped in, a bounce inher step as she settled into the passenger seat. “You know he’s going to sweat bullets all the way home, right?” 

“Good,” you replied, tapping the ignition.

"He's walking for the rest of the week" you tell her. Robin leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, the corner of her mouth quirking up. “You know this whole thing will blow over, right? You’re not really going to drive him crazy forever?” 

" Let see him use those legs first" you pulled down the window shoutign at Steve, " Is that even walking?" Steve stood there, mouth agape, hands thrown up in surrender. 

“Real mature!” he shouted, embarrassment deepening the blush on his cheeks. “You can’t just act like this forever!” 

" This is my game now, Harrington" Eddie is laughing clutching his stomach. " You're not off the hook, Munson." “Let’s not start acting like I’m the villain here,” Eddie shot back, a playful glimmer in his eyes.

" you look like your pissing your pants, Harrington!" you shouted as you pass him driving his car. “Very funny!” Steve called after you, hands balled into fists at his sides. 

You rode the car in step with Steve, smirking. " move those legs, or are you too slow now a days? Is being the babysitter gettign to you?" Steve tossed his hands up in frustration, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “You think this is just a joke, don’t you?” His voice strained against the surge of humiliation.

" your fly is undone anyways" you laughed. Steve's cheeks flared crimson, hands darting to his zipper. “You’re unbelievable!” 

Eddie is driving behind the car, laughing watching it unfolds. 

" You need another leg, Harrington" you laughed watching as he stomped home. Steve growled ready to bang on his own car when you drove further making him chase the car. You pressed the accelerator, the tires screeching against the pavement as the distance between you and Steve widened. 

Behind you, Eddie’s laughter echoed, the sound infectious. 

“Look at him!” Eddie pointed, his voice rising above the roar. " Good luck getting home, Harrington!"

Steve flipped him off.

[jaegerisim]

Vent post y'all are gonna hate me for.

I viscerally hate how the Duffers treat most of their non white or queer characters and I hate even more viscerally, how y'all big byler blogs in your circle jerk of other 5 big byler blogs casually like to ignore many red flags the show has.

Y'all like to say: "tHe DufFeRs ArE gReAt WrIteRs" and it's like girl, who are you lying to??? They aren't top shit writers at all. The Duffers are pretty mid imo. Yeah, they run a good show that's fun to watch and theorize abt , but that doesn't mean they're good writers cuz they're not.

1. they completely side lined Will during s3 for the sake of their straight romances: lumax, jancy, mlvn, duzie and partly stobin (even if stobin wasn't endgame, thankfully, Steve's intentions were clearly wanting to date Robin and they gave it a lot of screen time). Will was sidelined bc he didn't fit the straight romance plotline bc they planned to make him gay or whatever. Now in s4 Will and his feelings have been used as mlvn toilet paper. Yes, we like to say this is build up for byler but canonically, Will's feelings have been used to clean the shit mlvn leaves behind.

2. Billy was sympathized a lot during the last 2 seasons. They gave him the sad backstoryTM in order for ppl to feel sorry for him. Billy's backstory is literally Jonathan's but whatever.

3. El's anger issues are constantly girlboss-ified. They down play her bullying situation and literally just use it for El to be a ''girlboss" without realizing how triggering that is. As someone who has lived bullying, seeing it be ignored by canon and fanon is super sad. The whole Rink-O' Mania experience must have been so traumatizing for her yet, everyone absolutely forgets abt it 🤷🏻‍♀️

4. Robin, Erica and Argyle are stereotypical characters. Robin is the quirky lesbian with social anxiety, Erica is the badass black woman and Argyle is the Latino stoner that sells weed to white kids and works as a pizza delivery guy.

5. Altho Argyle and Eddie both do drugs, (Eddie actually sells K-12 to a minor and nobody batted an eye. He has a huge fan base). Eddie is held in a pedestal bc "poor thing 🥺 he lives in a trailer with his uncle 🥺". Tell me a single fact you know abt Argyle that isn't "he smokes weed", "he is Jonathan's only friend", "drives a van" and "he works at a pizzeria". Exactly, Eddie is given a useless backstory and Argyle isn't.

6. Dustin stopped being important to the plot sometime around s2 and s3. He is only there to curse and be mildly funny. My guy needs to hangout with ppl his age cuz he only hangs out with seniors.

7. El needs to stop having so much "I'M THAT BITCH" screentime like I need in s5 for El's arc to not just be her becoming more powerful and falling in love with Mike. I need the Duffers to explore her trauma and problems.

8. Angela should have been run over by the van.

9. Patrick should have been given a backstory that isn't the basic "strict black parents that hit their kids cuz they are a disgrace". Patrick's backstory is actually racist af, fight w the wall.

10. As Lex already said, they didn't trigger tag the ep where Jason and his friends assault Lucas and Erica. Like wtf? Why was that necessary? Why did I have to see a black boy being held at gunpoint by some white guy?? Was it relevant to the plot?? I don't think so. And then I've got to see ppl online be like "Jason wasn't that bad. He was just mourning" like bitch you can stfu. This is what happens when you make the racist assholes conventionally attractive.

Also the fact that Lucas's arc is fulfilled by him fist-fighting Jason and "embracing his weirdness" aka accepting he is black. His arc was not fulfilled at all cuz that ending spoke so loud to me. It showed how little empathy ppl have towards the struggles poc ppl living in the Midwest have. Y'all circle jerks can only see racism when it's super obvious.

Furthermore, parents complained when ST showed "an excessive amount of smoking" yet nobody batted an eye when Billy tried to run over Lucas, when Erica (an 11 y.o ffs) was chased by white kids or when Lucas was held at gunpoint by Jason.

All of this happened while they focused on Max's guilt and mourning that, yeah, are important but certainly not less important than racism!!!

11. In s3, they gave us that whole Nancy vs The Bigots arc that was honestly just triggering and useless. It didn't help Nancy's character at all, quite the opposite it put unnecessary angst.

12. Lonnie being presented as an abuser just for him to never be spoken of again. Can we please get to explore the trauma he left the Byers's with?

13. The fact that both queer relationships are considered "sloppy seconds" is extremely sad. Both Vickie and Mike are rebounding from their failed relationship with Robin and Will. These 2 ships have caused more commotion than Jancy and Jopper together! (These last ships are technically sloppy seconds too but everybody forgets that. Shocker!!)

14. Last but not least, ppl blame Argyle for being the one to get Jonathan into smoking weed as if Jonathan probably wasn't the one looking for it. Let me tell you, that you only find weed if you look for it.

[apomaro-mellow]

based on this

It was supposed to be a joke. A laugh. A funny story to tell later. But five questions in and things were different.

It was a normal barbecue. Everyone was there at Hopper’s cabin and generally having a great time. Good food and good company tended to guarantee that. But then someone had pulled out a home version of the Newly Wed Game. It was clearly well-used and probably missing some parts, but still playable. The most important parts were the questions anyway.

Mike, definitely not compensating for anything, adamantly exclaimed that he and El could win in a heartbeat. And because he couldn’t help his annoying little brother tendencies, challenged Nancy and Jonathan. And because Nancy couldn’t stomp down the big sister urge to put her brother in his place, she accepted. So they already had two couples but Mike got it in his head that they needed a third. He vetoed Hopper and Joyce, saying that they didn’t count as newly weds.

Lucas and Max were still figuring out what they wanted and hadn’t officially come back as a couple even though Max wasn’t actively avoiding him anymore. Dustin proclaimed he’d kick their asses if Suzie was there, but alas.

“We’ll be your thirds”, Eddie said, putting an arm around Steve’s shoulders.

“You?”, Mike’s face and voice was so incredulous and while Steve was confused as well, Mike’s offense offended him on principle.

“You’ve got two couples who are absolutely made for each other. You need an obvious dud couple”, Eddie reasoned, then winked at Steve and oh.

This was another one of those attempts at getting him back with Nancy. Because he and Eddie wouldn’t get any of the questions right, but he’d know things about Nancy and she’d know things about him. A sound plan.

If only Steve wanted Nancy back.

Steve meant to tell Eddie as such but it was hard to fight against that blind optimism. 

And so the three couples sat down, with Argyle being their show host and asking the questions. The first few were easy. Steve got asked “What’s their favorite type of music?” Eddie got asked “Favorite sport?” Steve got asked “Favorite kind of weather?” Eddie got asked “Do they prefer the beach or the pool?” Steve got asked “Night in or night out?”

All easy. He knew those almost immediately. And it seemed Eddie did too by the quick way he answered. But while they were 5 for 5, Nancy and Jonathan had only gotten three and Mike and El had only gotten two. And Steve had to admit, he was at a loss for some of the answers for Nancy.

“You guys are on a roll my dudes”, Argyle said. “Next one: Crust on or off the sandwich?”

“Crusts off”, Mike answered.

El showed her response and Mike was correct.

“Crusts on”, Nancy answered.

Jonathan bit his lip. “Actually, I prefer them off.”

“Heh, yeah he does”, Argyle said. “He said crusts were crusty and it was like, profound man. Eddie?”

“Trick question, he’ll eat anything I make for him. Wontcha, big boy?”

Steve grinned. “I never turn down free food. Even when it’s one of your Scooby Doo specials.”

“His what?”, Mike asked.

“Moving on”, Argyle continued. “Your spouse can take one thing on a deserted island. What is it?”

El guessed a book, which turned out to be wrong. Jonathan replied with a gun, which turned out to be wrong. Argyle’s eyes turned to the third couple.

Steve bit his lip before answering. “My first instinct was to say his guitar, but I gotta go with a copy of Lord of the Rings.”

Argyle looked to Eddie. “Is this correct?”

“This man knows me like the back of his hand”, Eddie said, clapping Steve’s back. At some point he had forgotten his own plan and was just having fun.

“Okay, this is bullshit”, Mike finally broke. “How are you guys getting all of these right.”

Steve didn’t have an answer. And neither did Eddie. They shared a look without words and once again they came up with the same answer but neither of them wanted to admit it.

“Just admit you lost, Mike”, Nancy said.

“You lost too.”

“Second’s better than third.”

“God you’re so-”

“Hey guys! There’s more hot dogs!”, Lucas called out.

The game ended there, the other two couples going about their business. Whereas Steve and Eddie were left with the question that already had an answer. How did they know all of those things about each other?

Part 2

[longtallglasses]

some miwi headcanons just bc ! older ones

i see young mike as kind of loud and not realizing how loud (and annoying) his yelling near people is (ie karen yelling in s1 “mike let’s go!” “COMING!!!”) however he quickly learns not to yell around will, adopting his softer voice for him BUT

in school he’s constantly calling over to will “will come here” “will sit next to me” “will! over here! look at this!” trying to get his attention “will, will, hey will…” other kids are like dude shut up… so many kids know will’s name who’ve never seen him, and mike’s thought of as that kid who’s always calling out for his friend.

i’m an avid rock collector!mike enjoyer. on the playground, in the forest, at the park, at the lake. he’s picking up all the cool ones, storing them away for very important scientific reasons like “this one’s shiny in A Different way!” he sets aside his favorites to show and give to will, very much in the style of a cat bringing a dead rodent to their owner, like “got something special just for you :) a Very Cool Rock :)” will loves how much mike enjoys it and is very excited to receive them, feeling quite special.

will loves stuffed animals (i mean we been knew) when he was younger they all had names and backstories, interpersonal drama and storylines he played out. two stuffed cats he definitely thought of as him and mike subconsciously, as they were best friends. he would act out little dramatic scenes of them running away from some oppressive kingdom, going on an adventure and meeting new friends along the way. … and he may have made them kiss a few times …

obviously small will loved drawing, but i don’t think he was always confident in his skill. after people tell him he’s good he gets caught up in trying to be really good, and gets frustrated when he can’t do something the way he wants. hence crumpled up attempts in the trash mike fishes out. there’s a spell of time where he gives up for a bit and jonathan asks why he hasn’t seen him drawing lately, and will says he doesn’t think he can get any better, it’s too hard. jonathan tells him it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect, he should just draw to make himself happy “draw for the campaigns, your friends think it’s so cool” so will keeps at it focusing on drawing what he thinks him and his friends will appreciate

while watching scary movies in the basement mike and will always held hands under blankets. it started when they were younger and they first got permission to watch a scary movie, they didn’t want to admit they might be getting too scared. during a big jump their hands reached out on instinct and too caught up in the movie they didn’t let go. when it was over they didn’t talk about it, but then it just kept happening every time they got scared. which led to holding hands when upset outside of watching movies. they never really discussed it, it just felt like their little secret thing.

all the boys were nice to holly but will was the only friend who actually liked seeking her out to play w them. (fascinated by a little sister unlike lucas and only-child dustin) mike and will would play games with her sometimes, will thinking she was really cute, and mike thinking it was cute will really liked her. cue karen thinking will is the best influence on her son

i have such a strong image of kindergarten miwi right after they become friends making mud pies together every recess. their teacher scolds them the first few times having to scrub their hands when they come back in. it gets so bad when the recess monitor sees them heading for the dirt they’re yelling “Michael! William! don’t even think about it!” they think it’s so funny to rile them up, they start spreading mud on each others arms “will you need more than that!” they only try to eat it a few times, it does taste really gross. after they’re banned from the dirt, they move to the sand box, it’s only a bit cleaner.

[manic-pixie-aquarius]

So I'm doing a season 3 rewatch and I've noticed some things (some ramblings about 3x01)

1. Hopper goes to Joyce and makes her write the heart-to-heart to Mike and El, nothing super significant about that alone (and of course Hopper actually ends up writing his own letter). I just think it's interesting how later on Will is the one to create a heart-to-heart "from El" to Mike... The Byers are always solving everyone else's problems lol, I love them but babe you needa focus on yourself and your happiness too😭

2. Also, when the party + El and Max are going up the hill to use Cerebro to talk to Suzie, Dustin mentions that Suzie is Mormon. He explains that: "her parents would never approve. It's all a bit Shakespearean. Like Romeo and Juliet. Star crossed lovers". I thought this was interesting because you could say the same about Mike and Will being gay in the 80's in a small town where being in a gay relationship does seem forbidden. And when Dustin says, "her parents would never approve" El is cut off from the frame... Idk the fact that she's the only one out of frame is interesting to me, especially since she's clinging right onto Mike's arm the whole scene. Instead, the two people in the back of the group who aren't engaging in the conversation are Mike and Will. Then she comes back into frame when Dustin mentions Romeo and Juliet. Now the thing about Romeo and Juliet is that it's regarded as a romantic tale, but I disagree with that perspective honestly... R + J love for each other is so intense and passion filled that they ignore everything else, even important things like family and other responsibilities. Their love is destructive, kind of like Mike and El's love. In Hopper's letter he mentions that he misses when he and El would spend time together and is feeling her distance because of her new relationship. Similar to how Will, Lucas, and Dustin recount that Mike is being super distant and annoying because he is neglecting the group to makeout with El all the time. Max opposes them by stating "It's romantic". Max is also the person who's been in the group the shortest amount of time, the boys who have known Mike since childhood state, "It's gross" and "it's bullshit". Mike is severely neglecting his friendships in the name of love, El is doing the same to her paternal figure.

3. Another thing I love about this season is how Lucas is quick to call out Mike on his bs. When Mike makes the excuse of "I was spending romantic time with my girlfriend" Lucas says "Yeah well I'm spending romantic time with MY girlfriend" (whilst still spending time with his friends) But it's also funny because Lucas is insinuating that this theater going experience is romantic, like everyone has pointed out by now, this was essentially a Byler + Lumax double date (like this scene didn't HAVE to happen, they could've waited until Dustin got back to see a movie together, and once Dustin does return we already see how neglectful Mike is being towards everyone. So, what was the point of this whole mall movie theater scene...well to establish the mall setting and the new characters, thats first and foremost, but it was also to show that Mike is still trying to at least put in some effort into his relationship to Will. It shows that he still cares and is at least kindaa keeping his promises from the previous season (making sure his best friend is feeling safe).

4. The hand grab Joyce does to Hopper to reassure him... Byler heart-to-heart vibes...

Question: Why aren't there more Nancy and Mike scenes when they share the same passion of writing???

Anyways this episode is just so funny honestly, I love how angry Hopper gets at Mike. All their scenes together in every season are so good. We missed out on those in season 4, I hope we get some more in s5

[jqmalikhsgib]

beauty and the freak

three

you were pissed! the moment you heard the news about your mom moving into the house right across the street from you. you knew she only did that to piss your father off.

it angered you to your core! who the hell does she think she is?! your dad tried to keep you from blowing a fuse, but it was too late.

by the time eddie arrived to pick you up, you went off, cursing, yelling, and screaming. Eddie’s just hummed along. he was use to you constantly going on about how much distain you have for your mother.

“eddie?! are you even listening to me?”

“im sorry sweetheart, but is it such a bad thing she lives right across the street? its not like you have to see her everyday. im sure she’ll be in her own little bubble just like before.”

you scoffed. “that’s not the point edward!”

eddie sighs. “what is the point baby?”

you didn’t know what to say. mostly because you didn’t know why you were so angry by this. but eddie was suppose to just understand.

“as my boyfriend you’d think you would give a fuck about how i feel.” you roll your eyes.

eddie sighs once more. he really didn’t have the energy to argue with you.

“edward!”

“hey! i understand you have this huge issue with your mom, i do! but you do not talk to me like that. do you understand?!”

you huffed and folded your arms while looking out the window right when eddie parks.

he grabs your face a little roughly. you looked into his eyes before he speaks. “do you understand?!”

“yes, sir.”

“now, may we please have somewhat of a decent day? i canceled dnd tonight to watch my girl cheer today.”

you had been begging him to come see you from the moment the two of you started dating. unfortunately he had a dnd game every friday as well. he refused to cancel it simply because, just like cheer is important to you, dungeons and dragons is important to him.

this week was a very convenient one for him to cancel. gareth was grounded, mike and dustins family was going to visit their friend will, and lucas joined said basketball team, so he figured he might as well cancel tonight’s events.

“really?!”

eddie smirks. “yeah!”

you squealed before hugging him tightly. “you’re gonna enjoy it, i promise.”

“doubt it. couldn’t care less about basketball. but i do like that short little skirt you have to wear.” eddie smirks.

you playfully roll your eyes as eddie gets out of his van and goes to open the door for you. the two of you walk hand and hand, all eyes on you. people still didn’t get the appeal of eddie munson, but you couldn’t give three fucks.

your relationship with eddie was amazing. he treated you like the queen you are. no one else’s opinions mattered.

a few of your friends actually loved eddie once they got to know him. he was funny and charming so they understood. others, not so much.

“yn?!”

your turned and saw your best friend, ariana. “what’s up?”

“did you hear about what happened last night? apparently jason cheated on chrissy again, but she caught him in the act.”

“it was about time. we kept telling her he’s no good.”

“yeah, but that’s not the worst part. she forgave him instantly! he kept apologizing to her all night and she made him promise he’d never do it again.”

“she can’t be that dumb?!”

eddie was already over this conversation. not giving a single fuck about jason fucking carver.

“im gonna go find the guys. see you later, baby.” eddie kisses you passionately before walking away.

“god! you’re so lucky. eddie is literally the perfect man.”

you honestly couldn’t argue with that. eddie was the perfect man! and if this closed minded, dumb fucked town actually got to know the metal head, they’d realize he was the sweetest man on the planet. you were so sick of them judging eddie simply because he liked listening to heavy metal and playing a fantasy game.

eddie made you the happiest. no boyfriend before him has ever treated you the way he did. eddie was the kind of boyfriend to buy you flowers every date, run to the store to buy you pads or tampons when needed, cuddle you whenever you just needed someone to hold, listen to anything and everything you had to say, gives you random forehead kisses, and so much more. he was perfect in your eyes.

not to mention, the only man who could put you in your place. eddie was a very dominant man when it came to the bedroom. it’s something you lacked in the past. most guys just want to get off! they couldn’t care less about your needs. eddie, eddie made sure you came at least once before he fucked you into oblivion.

“i know! god, ari! he’s so romantic! just last night he took me out to this fancy ass restaurant outside of hawkins. he bought me my favorite flowers and spoiled me with anything i wanted! i don’t understand how i got so lucky with him. it still baffles me.” you slowly shake your head as you looked over and spot eddie talking to his group of friends.

“please find me an eddie, girl!”

“his best friend gareth is single!”

“the one with the short hair? he’s cute!”

“mhm! he’s still very skeptical of me. but i can ask eddie to talk to him for you. im sure he’d finally give me the green light as well. so far ive only been able to win dustin over.” you sigh.

it was hard on your relationship with eddie. you wanted—no, needed his friends to like you! you weren’t going anywhere, you let eddie know that the moment you took interest in him. he knew that of course! but his friends would still put things into his head. calling you suspicious, saying girls like you don’t date guys like them, saying you’re using him, calling it a bet like you’re in so basic ass rom-com! it hurt. you love eddie with your whole heart. sure, the two of you were young, but you knew eddie was your person. you wanted to marry him someday and have as many little munsons ruling the world in the future! but winning the friends over was a must! and you’d do anything and everything to try and prove to them you’re not going anywhere.

“set it up! we can double date.”

“texting eddie now,” the first bell rung. you say goodbye to ari as eddie walks over to you and walks you to your first class of the day.

taglist: @lov3withurgency @sunshineandwitchery @melaninjhs @baileebear @am0iur @lovesanimals0000 @pipsqueakkitten @paygurlxoxo @peachy4u2

if anyone else wants to be added to the taglist please kindly let me know <3

[strangerfigs]

maybe this is an unpopular opinion but you are just as valid of byler shipper if you have doubt or full on do not think they are gonna happen like i guess just shout out to all my bylers who are doubters because i truly as mike wheeler once said, don’t know what’s going to happen next, but i think it would be better if we were a team. anyway. like idk. i just am so unsure if they are gonna happen or not ?? like the subtext speaks volumes but i feel like they intentionally write it as it going either way. or many ways. ??? like even in the season 1, dustin saying that lucas is mike’s BEST friend makes me wonder if the duffers really didn’t see the potential of byler until later?? esp because they said they wrote mike as a very typical straight charqcter at first but then they met finn and changed his character. idk. ig i also just wonder about the party dynamics before will went missing because we really don’t actually know much about it. like did things change after will went missing because it’s evident and so clear that mike’s closest friend is will in every season after season 1 even when they are fighting and even when he is spending a lot of time with lucas. it’s just very very clear there is a bond there that is either outside of the party or closer than the party and it’s literally verbalized by mike himself in season 4 when he tells will that the others are great but it’s not the same without him. if it just wasn’t the same without him then he would just say that part but it’s clear since he mentions the others that he ranks will higher than them which is just funny because mike literally tells dystin that they are all his best friends and makes a point out of it so it’s just very funny but it really does make me wonder if it used to be like that but then mike sort of realized in s2 that will is his best friend whether that be from what happened or just like realization but just from mikes little monologue it’s also sort of implied that will is his BEST friend as that is the BEST decision he has ever made so. interesting. but yeah it just really makes me wonder the purpose of that scene with Dustin where he tells him that when the rest of the show past s1 clearly depicts will (and eleven) as the central points in mike’s plot lines and idk, maybe s3 was mike trying to return to his previous dynamic with will (pre- will being taken) but it’s no longer that dynamic anymore? and in doing so, mike kind of ruins their “new” dynamic a bit (not really but also kind of) but there is also no going back to their previous dynamic. so then in s4, mike is pretty sure that dynamic is ruined. I mean they never really made up in season 3. will brushes it off and they focus on the more important issues at hand. but it still happened, and while they have that scene at the end, where will tells him he isn’t going to join another party, I feel like that honestly just repairs the “party” dynamic esp because Will told Mike “you’re ruining the party” and Mike spent a majority of the first half of the season treating Will the same as Dustin and/or Lucas, categorizing them in the same “best friend” title, forcing that dynamic back into place even though, obviously, Will and Mike grew closer in s2, or at least their bond solidified, but Mike is just kind of pretending that didn’t happen? so s3 ends with will basically confirming that the party is still in tact and mike didn’t ruin it and will still wanted to be a part of it regardless of him moving, mike ruining it, him and Lucas being assholes, and mike being even a bigger asshole. but I think that the fight they had was more of a will/mike fight then it was actually about the party. it’s separate than the party dynamic and it’s more about their special bond which is why Mike runs up after him and Lucas stays in the basement, but it does result in Mike and Will having an entirely different fight of their own, which is both a stand alone fight because Mike says some fucked up shit, and Will insults his gf and says he is ruining the party. like Lucas isn’t even aware of all this!!!

(I ran out of text block). Lucas thinks that they were just a holes and they were but are apologizing for mocking him, so anyway, yeah: I just am getting at how this sort of refers again to the closer bond/additional dynamic that will and mike have which i’m not even fully convinced dustin and lucas are even aware exists? even though it so obviously does but a lot of mike and will’s most intimate moments, or moments that it’s clear they have a deeper connection, happen while they are alone. and I think Mike because he has this “you are all my best friend” mentality I think also feels guilty in s3 for having favored will or having a deeper bond with him than dustin or lucas. i think he is trying to balance it all and have it all and mike can only have one person outside of the party that he is especially close with at a time and he can barely keep that up but it’s why in s3 he feels so miserably because it’s the party, will, and el that he is trying to balance out. he therefore tries to just group will in with the party but their relationship/friendship has evolved past that so it sort of just collapses in on itself, and while the other party members are annoyed with Mike, it hits will even harder because yes, he loves him, but also because they did develop that strong bond that went deeper than the party, and now it just didn’t even exist

I think it’s safe to say that I’m totally just rambling at this point but I think it’s interesting to have s4 because it really does feel like in s3, they broke apart completely, and by the end of the season; Will was back in the party and that dynamic was healed but that wasn’t the only dynamic/bond they shared, and it really feels like in season 4, that bond is healed and restored, and mike admits to it, and WANTS it back, and admits to feeling like he lost will (due to worrying too much about el which honestly has so many meanings - worrying about her being happy, worrying about making her happy, worrying about being the perfect boyfriend so she doesn’t break up with him because he feels like he has has a mask on in the sense that he said one day she is just gonna realize he is a nerd like he has just been putting on this act and it’s so interesting and it’s so obvious too in all the season 3 scenes as well that he is just doing or saying whatever she wants to hear in so many of their scenes like that bike scene where they were just together and he is riding to the movie theater like she literally says ‘I wish you were still here right now’ and he says ‘yeah me too’ but he could have stayed like he is going to the movies and I know it’s just a small lie and like he would be a douche if he didn’t agree but it’s just such an interesting thing to include by the duffers because he isn’t going home, he could still be with her but he goes to his friends to see a movie. but I think it says a lot regarding the genuineness and sincerity of mikes words vs his actions like it is such a huge juxtaposition to create this scene idk).

anyways back to s4. s4 restores their special bond. mike is the most direct he has ever been regarding his closeness to will compared to the other members of the party. i think mike may have realized it when will left ? or at least realized he couldn’t shove will in with the rest of the party once he left, but i do feel like mike thinks he ruined it last summer with will because they barely make up as party best friends let alone best friend best friends outside of the group dynamic/bestie #1 so it sort of feels like mike just assumes he fucked that up, and he didn’t realize that Will would still want/wanted to be BEST friends with him until that roller rink scene (which is supposed to be what they are anyways because of what Mike told Dustin but I think it’s just another testament to the fact that Mike’s bond with Will is deeper and separate from the rest of the party.) I think especially too with Will not really speaking to him that whole day he didn’t really think that Will cared that much about their friendship (like to Mike, shouldn’t Will be happy that he is here? shouldn’t he be spending that time talking to him?) so I do think Mike is surprised when Will asks what about us because he didn’t realize this feeling was reciprocated because to him, really, in his little mike perspective, they had a huge fight where Will said he was ruining the party, and then when Mike tried to resolve things, Will didn’t seem interested in doing so… so (and I also think this is why Mike is so surprised that Will doesn’t plan to join another party but I do really think this was putting a bandaid on a very damaging rupture of their’s) and I think that is why he is also projecting in the sense that Mike knows that he is guilty of the rupture which caused them to drift to start with so him asking why he is always the bad guy is out of defense and guilt that this is how their friendship was now, but also a little bitterness as well because will wasn’t receptive to Mike trying to patch things up with him, and also the fact that Will was again blaming him for their friendship being the way it was when Will didn’t reach out either and how was Mike supposed to even know if Will wanted him to seeing as how things ended last summer? But also I think it’s clear that Mike tried calling more often than Will thought. Also - I think because Mike is into this idea of justice among the party and everyone being his bestie, and this is totally a hc, but he probably replicated Dustin and Lucas in regards to how often they reached out to Will and the means of how they did which wasn’t letters. Plus, Mike was pretty depressed so ! I’m sure it was hard to do anything.

All this to say, I think their friendship is lovely and beautiful and special, and while I do think that Mike has feelings for Will, I also hope (and have hope) for s5 that the st writers will honor their close bond and friendship because it is different and it is beautiful and I think that s4 really healed byler’s friendship 🙏like even when they are back with eleven, there is an obvious closeness between them that sort of proves that they are healed in that aspect which I just think is beautiful because I love their friendship so much and if the duffers aren’t going to give us Byler then I pray to god that they at least honor their beautiful and close friendship because god dammit it’s amazing. !!!!!

anyways, it is just fun to analyze their friendship because the ship is literally childhood friends to lovers which is my cup of tea, but I just feel like their friendship needs to be super strong in the 5th season and I feel at least very confident in that? which is good and nice. I will still be heart broken if byler doesn’t happen and i do have my doubts and i hope they do happen but if the duffers can at least honor their beautiful friendship then i think I’ll be okay in the end ??

but anyways. that’s some thoughts of mine

[izzy2210]

saw your message! Here was my comment again! :)

1. May I be tagged for all your prompts? And 2. Can we see a Steddie fluff fic were Steve gets embarrassed by the amount of pet names Eddie calls him? Bonus if others start teasing him about them too such as Corroded Coffin, The Party, etc? Do it if you’re comfortable! :)

have a great whatever time of day!!!!!

ofc ofc! here you have it! this is my first request done, so if you have feedback, please tell me :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sweetheart, Let me just..” Steve is standing in the kitchen, planning on making cheese nachos for the Party, when Eddie decides he needs attention. He shimmies through the small passageway between the island and the cabinets, and stops walking when he’s next to Steve. “Hi Eds. Just making some food for you guys.” “Mhm.” Eddie sits on the counter, his thigh touching Steve’s arm. “You take good care of us, sunshine.” Steve’s face reddens. 

“Sunshine?” “Yeah.” Eddie has a huge grin plastered on his face, but Steve is too focussed on his tomatoes to notice. “Okay.” “You don’t like it, sweetheart?” “Sweetheart..” He chokes out, and the red has reached his ears now. “So you like it?” “Y-yeah, I do.” “Good, fair-haired boy.” Eddie hops off the counter, and before he joins the Party in the living room, he gives Steve’s ass a good squeeze. Steve is speechless.

“Coming through! Get your hands off of eachother!” Robin comes into the kitchen, her hand in front of her eyes. Eddie barks out a laugh, and pats her shoulder when they pass each other. “Steve. I just- Steve?” “Yeah?” His voice sounds high pitched, and he’s still bent over his cutting board. 

“What’s wrong?” Robin squeezes past just like Eddie just did, and decides to sit on the counter as well. Steve thinks that his two friends are more alike than they think. “Nothin’. Really nothing, it’s great, even.” “Yeah? Sure?” Robin nudges his arm with her knee, raising her brows. “Yeah. I’m sorry, can you just finish these for me?” He points at the tomatoes. “I just need to do something.” She nods, her brows still raised. “Thanks, Robs.”

“Sweetheart, what is it?” Eddie is sprawled out over the couch, and Steve immediately turns red again. The Party is looking at each other, Will at Mike with a confused look, El and Dustin with a knowing one. “Can you come real quick?” “Come for you? Of course Stevie!” “Shut up.” Eddie laughs, but follows him up to Steve’s room. Well, since Eddie’s trailer got ripped in two pieces, their room. 

The Party stares at them while they go up the stairs. “They’re gonna fuck, aren’t they?” Mike sighs. “Mike!” Lucas and Dustin shout at the same time. “What?” “You don’t just say that?!” Dustin screams. “I just did.” He shrugs. “Ok, little goblins, shut up!” Robin shouts from the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Eddie’s sitting next to Steve on his bed, who has his hands covering his face. “That! Exactly that.” “What, love?” Eddie’s still smirking. He knows what he’s doing. “Just, the nicknames. I can’t-” “You don’t like ‘em, baby?” Eddie moves his hand from his lap to Steve’s. “Fuck.. I do, I really do, that’s kinda the problem.” “Mh?” Eddie’s hand moves to Steve’s back, rubbing, soothing. “You really want me to say it, huh?” He chuckles, and Eddie chuckles with him. “Yup.” 

“You calling me sunshine and love and baby, it turns me on more than it should, okay?” He runs his hand over his face. 

That is not the answer Eddie expected, and his hand comes to a stop on Steve’s back. “I thought you were gonna say it made you flustered.” “No, it turns me on. And it makes me flustered but I don’t think that’s the important bit.” Eddie chuckles, and Steve looks at him. “Sorry.” “No, it’s fine. I can see how that’s funny.” He chuckles as well, and before they know it, they’re laughing. “I’m so stupid..” “Hey fuck off, you’re not.” Eddie’s hand started moving again. 

“You’re just saying that, man.” “Hey, no, I’m not.” He’s taken Steve’s face in his hands now, cupping both cheeks. Steve doesn’t even have the time to register it. “You are by far one of the smartest people I know.” Steve huffs. “That's definitely not true. Dustin knows all about your little nerd game, and El is so good at English, and I’m just kinda here with all my concussions and barely successful courses.” Steve’s eyes begin to fill with tears, and he tries to blink them away. It isn’t working. “Hey fuck that, man. You can’t do shit about those concussions, and the so-called bad grades were ‘cause you were pushed into sports by your dad.” 

“I know that, but still. I’ve surrounded myself with people who know more than me, and.. Just.. I dunno. It’s shitty to be dumb sometimes.” Now it’s Eddie’s turn to huff. “Listen to me clearly, ‘cause I’m saying this just fucking once, you, Steve-whatever your middle name may be-Harrington, are not stupid. You are a darling, and you’re so pretty, and I really wanna kiss you, but you’re not stupid.”

“Wha-what?”

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck, he said that out loud. Well, shit. No way back now. “I said you’re pretty. And I said I want to kiss you.” They stare at each other for a while, and then Steve opens his mouth. “Well fuck, you already have my face in your hands, do I have to do it for you, or will you do it now?” “The mean girl in you never stops, huh?” Eddie murmurs, bringing Steve's face even closer than it is. Steve closes the gap, and it’s a soft, sweet kiss.

“Nope..” He breathes, pushing Eddie down a little. Eddie’s not amazed by how good Steve can kiss, of course,he was King of Hawkins High, but he is amazed that he’s experiencing it. “Stevie.” He mutters, moving his hands from his back, down, until he’s groping his ass. Steve lets out a squeal, and Eddie laughs. "Eds, I like sunshine better.” “Okay then, sunshine.” He gets another kiss, a bit more urgent this time.

“Steve? Eddie? If I come in, will I see you on top of each other?” Robin's voice sounds through the door. “Fuck..” Steve gets off Eddie, and rakes his hand through his hair. “No.” The door opens, and Robin comes in. She takes one look at the both of them, and sighs. “What?” Steve’s confused. She leans on the side of the door, arms folded. 

“Fucking finally, you’ve figured it out. Happy for you, really, I am, but the goblins downstairs are not so patiently waiting for their campaign to start.” Eddie decides to ignore the first comment, and stress over the second. “Oh shit, yeah I’ll come down.” Robin turns around, walking away. “You better.”

When they’re alone again, Steve stretches out his hand. Eddie takes it. “What the fuck just happened?” He asks. “I think we kissed. And I think you grabbed my ass. Twice.” Eddie snorts. “Yeah sorry ‘bout that.” “Kinda liked it.” He shrugs. Eddie raises his brows, and chuckles again. “Okay, I have to do a campaign right now, but when we’re done, I’ll come upstairs, ‘kay? And we’ll.. We’ll finish what we started, ‘kay sunshine?” Steve’s still breathing heavily. He nods. “Yeah. Yeah, let's do that.” Eddie stands up, pulling Steve with him. “You coming, baby?” Steve smirks. “Come for you? of course Eds!” They laugh, and Eddie hits him with his pillow. “Seriously, Stevie?” He pulls him closer, and they kiss again. “Yeah. Seriously.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

taglist:

@evashuuu @littlespaceyelf @mysticcrownshipper @steddieas-shegoes @sheisdemetra

[castlebyersafterdark]

AH the cafeteria scene drives me INSANE. barely any bylers ever talk about it even though it's such a crazy scene and i feel like it's such an important look into mike's character.

i suppose a lot of bylers are just uncomfortable with the idea of mike being into any other guy than will, let alone eddie, who's older than him, and that's why they ignore it. which, come on.

it's not anything against byler. and not anything problematic, obviously, not even gonna go into that. let him have a fucking crush. it's just proof that mike is intoTM men. and only men. that boy is smitten. he's shown more attraction to eddie in this one scene than to el throughout the entire series so far, istg. it's so funny.

and he's just so cute. this is the only time we've ever seen him act like this, other than in his scenes with will. especially taking into consideration how absolutely miserable mike is ever since the byers moved, and that him and dustin are 'in trouble' because lucas won't be able to play d&d, the fact that eddie manages to make him sooo giddy says so much.

and the music choice... even without it, i'd have been real suspicious, but that just confirms to me mike really has a crush.

i think about this all the time.

Combining two older asks with this recent one together for some Eddie chat! This will cover a few topics as to consolidate ideas and not be repetitive. I made a post a little while back about Mike's behavior towards Eddie I've linked here, the rest of my thoughts under the cut since this got long!

I think Eddie in general served primarily more as a plot device - and you can love him and love the character and that's cool and admit that's not a bad place/character to be in the narrative. Stranger Things has a pattern. New character for the season, they will represent something for main/focus characters arc, then they die tragically. Barb, Bob, Billy (even if he slid into two seasons), Eddie (people add in Alexei and I guess he counts? I have very few thoughts on him but sure, I'll add him). Not to say that these characters are not characters onto their own, but for analytical purposes - I think it's accurate. Eddie had an arc, met his end, represented many many things for our characters. Especially Mike and Dustin. There is something to be said for his queer-coding - but I don't think it was primarily meant for Eddie himself (I mean, to be fair we do have the guy yelling about sodomy in the high school cafeteria). It was the catalyst for audiences to shift the idea onto Mike. And most probably missed it, but I think it will hold up on the rewatch after the whole series is out. Who knows what the show is going to do with Eddie (mentioned in passing - that guy's dead) in season five. Maybe it's my biased opinion since that's when I picked up on what was going on with Mike, that cafeteria scene.

Mike's reactions and body language around him. His treatment of Eddie like an older figure he respected and didn't want to disappoint. They hang out and play DnD together, but when has Mike ever been a beacon of agreeability with people giving him shit, especially those older than him? He wasn't really trying to be cool, Eddie was a freak. I'm honestly not sure they were close friends, even if they were in the club together - and maybe I'm wrong. I feel like Dustin was the closer one, and Mike enjoyed the club, but was probably also going through the motions of high school. I haven't watched the show in a while, might need to revisit to reevaluate episode one to see how Mike is acting overall that episode. There's a lot packed in there.

He wanted his approval, though. His body language around him. The cafeteria scene, though - that song playing in the background. Mike had a crush. I stand by that forever. Eddie wasn't on Mike's mind once he left for Cali because Mike wasn't around Eddie, and Eddie's part in the story was for those in Hawkins. Television storytelling. Mike had to pretend and force it again for El and hide it all and act messy af with Will. But it set the tone for the season, what happened in episode one. Why would he mention Eddie when they had other things going on in California?

And I stand by in canon - no real purposeful chemistry between him and Steve (I don't care what people do in fanon fanfic world - yes, yall want two adult male characters to ship and write smut about. I see you, I understand you, I've been you. I just have no investment because Byler is more interesting to me and I'm bitter about the Steddie fandom because I wish I liked them more so I could enjoy more fic and art while wishing people weren't babies and fearful about Byler for no damned reason). YES there was a cheeky little remark in the van, but I think Eddie's just an ass, not specifically flirtatious. He spent too much screen time on pushing Steve and Nancy together, for whatever reason (plot device reasons). He moved the narrative. He will move the emotional narrative for Dustin, like Bob moved it for Joyce, and Barb for Nancy.

It's interesting that there's this discomfort with either Mike or Will having a wandering eye for anyone other than each other, which is just unrealistic. You don't have to write them with other characters if you don't want to, but to not even acknowledge what might have brought them along their sexuality journey... boring. I've literally read things where fans say "Mike is just Will-sexual" or the same for Will. Ughh, spare me. Let them be gaaaaay. Let them admire men around them and have formative crushes on other boys, especially older boys. That's sooooo formative and something fun about the speculative nature of fandom, a space to dive into what that could mean for the characters.

Take Eddie for example, great question. Because we talk a lot about what Eddie meant for Mike's sexuality, but what would Will have thought about him? I'm not sure, because I can see multiple angles with him. There's the rock and roll angle and the unashamed nerd angle and the DnD angle - I also think Eddie draws? They'd have a lot to bond over. Eddie's unabashedly himself. Will would admire that. But Will's also a little reserved, a little bit of a doormat sometimes. How would he react to the somewhat brash attitude? The aggressive methods. The critiques and insistence of nonconformity. But Will is really the most himself of everyone, even if hiding a massive secret. His style and personality and demeanor is neither "conformity to being normal" (Mike) nor a somewhat forced "fuck you to conservative small town society" (Eddie). Will stands alone.

I firmly believe Will would have gone to Lucas's basketball game - the loyalty of friendship. But with Eddie screaming at them in the cafeteria, judging them? Would he even have joined Hellfire? Would the Party have even joined if Will had been there - maybe, maybe not. It seemed Will leaving broke the glue. Would they all have even been interested if Will was there - would he have made some comment to the group - "I'm not interested in joining a new party. What we have is good enough, right?" or would Will been intrigued by joining in a group with fellow nerds? I honestly cannot make up my mind. And I'm not so sure that Will would be as into Eddie as Mike is. I just feel like there would always be either this layer of trepidation or his admiration might be at arms-length. But I can also see Eddie as maybe clocking Will for his sexuality and maybe since they're all fellow misfits, maybe he'd be a source of telling Will to embrace who he is and tell the rest of the town to fuck off. I'm not sure he would be that sort of mentor but he... has the potential capacity. And maybe we can make the case of bi Eddie, as something he and Will could find commonality over, idk. That makes for a cool fanon exploration, to be honest.

Kind of a ramble, kind of a lot of ground covered. But there's a lot of interesting directions to take with Eddie - who is just a fascinating point of conversation regarding his role in Stranger Things. The Eddie Effect is both bafflingly overly-popular while simultaneously underutilized in other subsets of the deeper fandom.

[mike-haters-dni]

‘SENT TO THE GULAG’ IS KILLING ME

okay yes hop has probably atoned for his sins by now and his monologue at rock bottom was really good but it still pisses me off sometimes idkk. im just waiting for the payoff of seeing him actually DO better this time😭

and exactly! the angst in s2 is like- messy- but that’s good television! it gave us a top 5 millie preformance how can i even be mad

men in stranger things are weird sometimes cuz you have to overlook their CRIMES, (i’ll be like “omg jancy!” then i REMEMBER…) it’s weird when a character is randomly at their worst for a scene or a season just to meet the story’s requirements

jopper can scream at each other all sam and diane for nostalgia in s3 but when you look at it in a larger context it’s kinda dicey. like how weird of hop to doubt her when he already knows to trust her instincts.

and also it’s just like- nobody drags him enough for me! he’s so loved- male characters can do ANYTHING kinda- so i have to get him. out of principle. and i see that hopper (and like david harbour) is too important to kill off in the show and that him and el’s relationship isn’t all lows, not even in s2. i think i’m just bitter that 1. st tiktok treats el like she was SO unreasonable in that scene>:( (i need to stop going there it makes me want to rant on tumblr) and 2. how much time was devoted to bringing him back last season like my cali boys were so neglected. :( (after 2 failed prison escape attempts i was like (why i am still looking at this insanely bruised man) so-

but yeah i need to stop typing now cause i have a million thoughts in my head about hopper and the way that he is. and the way the show treats him. (how funny is it that even the viewers can have a complicated relationship with him. maybe i’m not giving the writers enough credit in that regard)

: )

-No like, I agree 100%. We forgive but we never forget

-I have a hard time even being really mad at Jonathan for the Incident cuz like, that was such a weird ooc moment that was clearly just so the plot would happen. Like he got possessed by the spirit of the writers to do that shit. And like I can't even be mad at the writers either because like, the plot they were servicing is really fucking good? I might be the only person in the world who thinks this but I think this show is phenomenally written esp from a plot structure perspective. Near perfectly even. Like this show single-handedly instilled a sense of how to do super satisfying setup and payoff, and how to have every scene push multiple things forward, and how everything seen on screen needs to be relevant to as much as possible. Its so tightly written that its like...yeah Jonathan had to do that shit. It allowed like 3 perfectly intersecting plotlines to play out. There was no other option. And like there probably was and maybe I'm coping or whatever but like...idk it's perfect to me :) But still we forgive but we never forget. And we only forgive after they display a marked change in behavior. And we still never forget <3 (side note: remember when El dumped him and Mike ((and Lucas)) went full andrew tate for a second? That's the one thing he's ((they've)) actually ever done wrong lmaooo ((tbf they were also 13 so like)))

-Who tf is saying she was being unreasonable??? child???? traumatized??? isolated in a tiny cabin for a year?????? With Hopper?????? A cop????????? HellO?????????? Bro ppl HATE her bro this needs to stop

-I think the biggest problem with the Russia plotline is just that it's not fun? Watching Hopper get tortured in a labor camp is not fun? I came here for 80s vibes, friendship and supernatural shit and it only delivers that whenever Joyce and Murray are onscreen (who are really fantastic together tho) and once the monster finally shows up way too late into the proceedings. There should have been inklings of monster throughout to add some intrigue and let us know that this was all going to have a point that tied into the plot of Stranger Things the 80s Monster Show. But alas.

[erikiara80]

favorite/least favorite Byler and M!leven scenes?

Ciao, anon. Thanks for the ask.

If you follow my blog I hope you know that I'm not a fan of Mike and El as a couple. I like a few scenes, but I don't think their relationship is good for them or that they're actually in love.

Ok, if you're still reading, let me explain.

I never found them cute, not even in S1. When I watched it I didn't understand why the writers were writing such a good story set in the 80s, but with El and Mike it felt like I was actually watching an 80s show with the typical story, boy and girl kiss/end up together because... boy and girl must date. It felt wrong to me. It wasn't what ST was about. Now I understand that I was supposed to feel that way.

That being said, El and Mike are beautiful, complex characters, so these are the scenes I like.

1. El would (understand). Ok, not saying this is a Mlv scene, but Mike can be vulnerable with Will and say how he really feels. And I love what he says about El. He's right. She would understand. The funny thing, is that I think she would (and will) understand Will much better than how she understands Mike.

2. I feel for them here. El's been isolated for so long, and Mike misses her and feels guilty for what happened to her. Interestingly, Castle Byers is playing here...

3. From one look you can see the joy, the relief and all the pain this kid must've felt. Amazing (one of Finn's best performances)

4. If I remember correctly, this was actually Millie being exhausted, not El, and Finn helped her. But it's in the show, and I love it.

This s pretty much it.

My least favorite mlvn scene: 3x01. How they left their friends on Weathertop, and them making out and laughing at Hopper's face. Lol, those little shits.

With Byler, it's the opposite. There's only one scene I don't like. The dnd campaign in S3. I know it's important and even foreshadowing of events in S5, but like the rain fight it reminded me of something that happened to me. That's all I'm going to say.

Now, my favorite Byler scenes...

1. Probably my favorite scene of the show, imo one of the best and also Finn's best perfomance. The shed scene is such a pivotal moment, when we learn, along with Will I'm sure, that asking him to be his friend was the best thing Mike has ever done. It all started with Will and Mike. Their bond is special, and it's forever. They were the ones who started the first party and they will start a new one together.

2. You can feel how much they need each other and want to be close again. A precious moment that almost made me cry.

3. He's quiet today. Four words that mean so much. The fact that Lucas says He's always quiet informs us that Will and Mike's relationship is different. That Mike knows Will better that the rest of the party and that Will opens up to him. And Mike does the same, as we see in the Crazy together scene.

4. Mike's head on Will's heart. Adorable

5. Another little moment that is so important. Just a Not possible, a flirty look and Mike's smile. They don't need anything else. Steve would've felt it, the electricity.

6. Speaking of Mike's smiles, the ones in the van are something beautiful

7. Crazy together. What else can I say?

8. I love Will's sweet voice here: "It was you guys who saved me. It was you guys." Mike tries to hide a smile (he's so happy that Will is saying that he helped save him) Then Will's flirty: It always is, isn't it?" And Mike melts. It was too much for him.

Honorable mention:

And this (Gif credits to Celebslive)

[hotdadlicense]

Max Mayfield - 🩷🧡🩵💙🖤🤍💐🌼

max mayfield love of my LIFE

🩷 why are they your favorite?

listen she is!!!!!!!!!!!! so important. she has had it up to here with the step members of her family, she's moved to a shitass town with weird people she barely likes, except then she DOES like them and they make her genuienly happy and the way her smile could literally light up the room????? the way she's been through shit and she's going through shit and she's literally living in her own personal hell and she just. keeps fucking trying. she just never fucking stops trying!!! also she's soooo funny. what i would give to see her and billy's conversations between s2 and s3 like in the car etc like. please.

🧡 do you have anything in common with them?

Youngest Sibling/Youngest Sister/Youngest Daughter rights. apart from that i think she's genuinely badass and like takes no shit and i. am not like that. love that about her, though.

🩵 what's a popular headcanon for them you just can't get behind?

she hated billy and is glad he died and steves the older brother she actually deserved. what the fuck is wrong with you people.

💙 what's a popular headcanon for them that you adore?

gonna be real. feel like i don't see that many hc's to know what's popular with max becos most max stans have me blocked. but i do adore elmax? is that technically a hc? but i also love lumax, and that's not a headcanon kasjehfd ohhh i love the idea of max fixing up the camaro after billy dies. also love the idea of max killing neil. thats fun.

🖤 if they weren't from their source, what fandom universe do you think they would make the most sense in?

again. i feel like i have her in various au's but like. she can fit anywhere. she's everything. there's nothing she can't do. although her in fear street? she does horror so well!!!!!

🤍 do they need therapy?

YES. she has a childhood and a teenhood to un fucking pack okay. billy was not the only messed up one in that house!!!! max literally LITERALLY endured that shit show, too!!! and then like idek if its my personaly hc's or it's been mentioned somewhere in canon but like. what was her actual dad like. like i feel like theres shit to unpack there as well. also she watched her brother die and then got fucking cursed and pretty much died, like. sooooooo much therapy is needed.

💐 what are your favorite poly ship(s) for them, if any?

max/lucas/el!!!!!!!!! i just think they could be special and sooooo fun, please. also my mind is like, el/max/mike even though i've never like. thought deep about it. maybe.

🌼 do you think they'd survive an apocalypse scenario?

again!!!!!!!! she does technically die!!! but not from like. apocolyptic reasons, but becos neils a fucker and he pushes her into a heard to save himself. okay WHEN THE TIME TRAVEL ASPECT takes place in my au, she fucking survives and u know what. she fucking thrives. if no one was out there murdering her, she would LIVE.

[two-sides-samecoin]

Shippers forgetting/ignoring the characters/growth of who they're writing!! By1er people are so obsessed with proof of it being canon or that Mike never loved El that they make him seem horrible to her (and also makes me question if they actually think he'd be good for Will?). Steddies seem to ignore the fact Eddie is kind of a loser and Steve has nothing to redeem himself for (he did it back in season 1) and he wasn't a mega mean bully. R0nance make ls it seem like nothing besides getting Nancy away from men matters.

All of them sometimes make me wonder if the shippers even like half of not both parts of the ships. Do by1ers like Mike? Or Will? Some make them either pathetic or terrible to others in a way I wouldn't want to ship with a character I liked. Do steddies like Steve? Some make him so mean for no reason or a door mat when the appeal was that there wasn't baggage really between them just assumptions and jealousy. Do r0nances like Robin? She often becomes either a tool for a Nancy revelation or all her actual canon personality and connections are devalued. Nancy's past relationships aren't treated as important even though they clearly are to her, or they're portrayed as being horrible and that Robin is the only one to ever respect Nancy (even though arguably Nancy doesn't particularly respect Robin)

okay but literally half of the time im convinved that bylers hate hate hate mike because of the way that they have to make him a horrible person like its so weird. bylers will say that they don't think mike ever loved el romantically which is weird because for years he has shown interest in el like even in season 1. so many people think just because lucas and dustin weere saying that "oh just because you like this girl" was the reason mike kissed her which is just gross if you think about it for one second. honestly i'm so convinved that bylers havent actually watched the show which is funny because they always talk about 'parallels' but majority of thaat is just the, talking out of their asses and never actually watching the show besides with shipper glasses. that is a valid question especially with the scenes that we have seen on screen if mike would be good for will. i think people forget that we only get a glimpse of thesse characters lives so they say that mike is attentive to will but that's because omething UD happened - what about the other days? is mike going to be good for will on normal days?

lol this is long but yeah about steddies - honestly it's weird how this ship has gone from 'i love steve and i want someone that will appreciate him' to completely trashing on steve and making steve live in a hell hole and abusive relationship. please i am in love with how you described that becaause yes eddie is a loser and steve has nothing to redeem himself for. oh ronance is 100% just about getting nancy away from men (specifcally steve which is then hilarious because if you want her away from steve then why choose his best friend?)

im so convinved steddies dont actually like steve because the majority of the content is either making steve into eddie or making steve an agressive bully or makes steve okay with eddie completely disregarding his autonomy. you're literally right about robin like i swear half the content for ronance is just how robin can be nancy's therapist. i also hate how nancy gets the short end of the stick too like her autonomy is disregarded in ronance because now she just wants women which she doesn't want. idk i think they both get the short end but it's sso obvious how robin is just used for people to insert themselves and then use robin to prop up nancy

[lovestuckyhatemarvel]

CHAPTER 5. THE FLAYED. Sorry I just think that’s super dramatic.

1.) Why is that elevator so fast? The kids could have gotten this place shut down so fast just by going to OSHA.

2.) Erica and Dustin are worsties.

3.) They are so far underground. The logistics of getting that elevator built must have been a nightmare.

4.) The evil Russians can’t build elevators but they sure are good at building secret bases under houses.

5.) The subtitles have betrayed me and no longer translate Russian for me. Probably because Joyce and Hopper don’t speak Russian. So like it makes sense but I can still be annoyed because I’m nosy.

6.) Policeman have rules? Man, you really aren’t from around here, my dude.

7.) STOP SHOOTING A MACHINE GUN IN A CLOSED AREA, DIPSHIT.

8.) Joyce is bad at throwing but that Russian is worse at shooting. HOW MANY ROUNDS DID YOU SHOOT WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING? And people say stormtroopers are bad, but they at least canonically weren’t actually trying to stop them. Pretty sure that dude actually was supposed to be stopping them.

9.) Nancy called Jonathan at 6 am to vague about Will being in danger, something no rational person would do, but it was done to be dramatic so they could cut to other characters.

10.) JOYCE AND HOPPER BICKERING IS SO BORING. SO FUCKING BORING.

11.) I love Max being sassy to Mike. Also excited for this to go from 4 groups to 3 groups.

12.) I missed part of Robin and Erica being sassy to each other because I was giving smooches to my cat on his widdle head. And now he’s cuddling with me. That’s not an update about the show but I feel it’s important.

13.) Steve stops the elevator door with a truly impressive move.

14.) Dustin got called roast beef.

15.) I don’t care about evil Russian guy who looks like if you ordered Arnold Scwarzenegger from Wish.

16.) OHH MY GODDDDDDDD. WHY DID THE DUFFERS HAVE JOYCE AND HOPPER BE SO INSUFFERABLE AROUND EACH OTHER THIS SEASON?

17.) I forgot that they carjack a guy named Todd and it is the Toddfather car.

18.) Steve figures out the potential upside down connection about the same time that Dustin does.

19.) I love that El just breaks into so many places.

20.) Their plan is to use an 80 year old woman like a tracking dog.

21.) I forgot they take Alexei to Murray.

22.) I love Joyce.

23.) I love Robin believing Erica about the comma room immediately while Dustin is like ‘that could be anything’.

24.) It is very funny that the only time Steve wins a fight is against a Russian soldier while in an adorable sailor outfit.

25.) Robin discovers the portal.

26.) I hate that they have Jonathan say he was 100% wrong. He kind of wasn’t wrong. The real enemy is capitalism, btw. The patriarchy too. That being said, “I’m a woman and I want to do this so you’re not allowed to be mad about losing a job you desperately need because your financial situation is completely different than mine” is not a feminist take, actually. Like Nancy has her own phone in her room. She has her own TV. Her mom is a stay at home mom. She doesn’t have to worry about how she’s going to pay for college or if she has connections for a job because she has both. She can even blow off a job in the summer before her her senior year because it’s not that important. Jonathan doesn’t have any of those luxuries.

Like yes, Nancy was right about this case and she was right to pursue it, but Jonathan wasn’t wrong to want to drop a case that looked like nonsense to keep a job he needed. Or at least not rock the boat with it. It was also just kind of naive that Nancy thought that there was an amount that would make a bunch of sexist men who saw her as a couple years away from being worth fucking to see her as a professional. There literally wasn’t. They didn’t ask for proof, they asked for her to shut he fuck up and get them coffee.

27.) I love Lucas being the one to notice a moment to actually talk to El. Dustin may think he’s the smartest child out of the boys, but it’s actually Lucas.

28.) I forgot that they get chased.

29.) The flirting going back and forth between carnage in the hospital while Nancy and Jonathan run for their lives is something.

30.) so many people get choked this season.

31.) Jonathan gets his ass beat this season.

32.) For every time that ugly man disrespects Nancy Drew, he owes me 20 dollars, so he owes me a lot.

33.) I think they just killed like 1/5 of the papers staff at least. Do either of them get to have a moment to reckon with the fact that they killed two human beings?

34.) The bodies melted into bad CGI that is STILL DISGUSTING.

35.) Have you heard of a meet cute and a meet ugly? Now in season 3 episode 5, you can see a meet disgusting where two blobs come together to form into a mini mind flayer.

[runninguplenorahills]

That’s still jealousy though.

When Will laughed about Lucas’ joke that was rooted in jealousy. Lucas criticized and made a joke out of Mike’s “feelings” for El and Will thought that was funny because it cast milkshake in a bad light. Lucas called Mike out for neglecting them and Will thought that was funny because it depicted Mike blowing them off for El as weird. It was a negative statement against milkshake and Will thought that was funny. Max for example defends Mike by telling Lucas to stop messing around but Will does not. He even goes further and backs Lucas up.

When Mike left with El even before they could set up cerebro Will was bothered. He was bothered that Mike chose El over hanging out with him. “It’s been like that all summer” he says. Will has been paying attention to the fact that Mike’s been choosing El over him all summer long and it bothers him! It bothers him because he wants Mike to spend time with him.

Will does not have his big fight with Lucas. He doesn’t tell Lucas “you’re ruining our party”, he tells Mike that! Simply because the focus of all of this is on Mike. Yes, Will wanted to play his campaign with both Lucas and Mike but especially with Mike. It was an excuse to spend time with him. And when they neglected the game to go shopping for a gift for El, Will was jealous. Will was jealous because Mike prioritized buying a gift for El over spending time with him.

Now, the rain fight. Again, this was a fight between Will and Mike! Will tells Mike that he’s ruining the party just to swap spit with some stupid girl, he doesn’t tell Lucas that. In fact, Will has absolutely no issue with Lumax at all. Lucas isn’t ruining the party by swapping spit with some stupid girl, Mike is. “Some stupid girl” is a statement drenched in jealousy. Will doesn’t actually think El’s stupid. No, as you said, he doesn’t have a problem with her as a person. He likes El. But Mike choosing her over him fuels him with contempt towards her. Will snapped in that moment. All the jealousy is just bubbling out of him and he says something mean about someone he actually likes. That’s peak jealousy here.

S4. At the airport Will literally crumpled his painting after Mike and El finish talking about how the day’s gonna be about “you and me” and Mike gives her a kiss on the head. Will is jealous here. Because Mike is once again prioritizing El over him.

Will is clearly jealous at rink-o-mania and that is made so obvious by yet another in jealousy soaked statement: “You called maybe a couple times. Meanwhile El has like a book of letters.” It’s not just about the fact that Will wished Mike would’ve reached out more, it’s that he’s sad Mike didn’t reach out as much to him as he reached out to El. Will would’ve wanted a book of letters from Mike! Will wants Mike to treat him like he treats El (from Will’s perspective) and that’s jealousy.

Just because Will isn’t throwing people off skateboards and ignoring them doesn’t mean he isn’t jealous. Will is jealous but he’s also selfless so he puts Mike’s needs before his own in s4. Mike’s happiness is more important to him so Will helps Mike regardless of how it makes him feel while in s3 he was slightly more immature about it. But Will is generally a sensitive person. He’s more in touch with his emotions so while he does occasionally snap, the way his overall jealousy presents itself is more mild than for example El’s. El does not know how to handle her emotions. Her time in the lab has given her severe anger management issues and that’s why when she feels angry and also jealous she feels the need to harm someone. That’s why her anger at rink-o-mania led to hitting Angela with a roller skate and it’s also why her jealousy led to pushing Max off her skateboard. And again, just because Will’s jealousy isn’t presented in the same way that El’s is doesn’t mean he isn’t jealous. Will is jealous! He’s jealous and he’s jealous and he’s jealous and you know what? That’s not a bad thing! Jealousy isn’t this big bad, it’s natural. Yes, it’s not a nice emotion but it’s so natural for Will to feel it in the situation he’s in. It’d be weird if he wasn’t jealous at all because that’d be depicting him as perfect. Will is not perfect, he has flaws and he is jealous!

It’s interesting to me how much a view of a character can be warped.

Because Will really isn’t jealous. Like…at all. He hasn’t seemed to even really care apart from when Mike is actively neglecting him.

In season 3, he got angry because Mike and Lucas had been ditching him and brushing him off. In season 4, he got angry because had been ignoring him all day.

But in season 3, he lightheartedly laughed at Lucas’ joke and Mike and El making out. In season 4, his excitement was in no way squashed by Mike greeting El first, kissing her in front of him, or getting her flowers. And when El and Mike reunited, he was still smiling waiting for El.

When El and Mike are together, jealousy of El isn’t inherently his main focus. The one time his focus really was on El when he hadn’t been neglected by Mike was because he missed her and was waiting to reunite with her. If anything he was jealous of Mike for taking too gd long and stalling his time to hug his sister /lh.

But Will has repeatedly not been jealous about their relationship in general. Who knows where he’s stood with hope, but he hasn’t historically found issue with their relationship. I think maybe since the van scene he’s realized that it’s really serious and he should squash that hope completely - coming to terms with the idea that he won’t ever really get what he wants, which he may have been able to put out of his mind in the past. But ultimately, in these little moments, he hasn’t been hurt. It’s only when Mike directly prioritizes El over him or confides emotionally deep truths about his relationship that it hurts Will. Otherwise, he tries to be happy with his life as it is. Kind of like a couple who has become friends - “You’re my best friend, I just don’t want to hear about your relationships.”

Ultimately, though, he hasn’t seemed to have much of a problem with it.

This idea for me is in the same vein as El being super aggressive in response to Will liking Mike. Will is not taking deep breaths every time he’s reminded that El and Mike are together. Will watched El and Mike kiss; he watched Mike give her flowers. He only actually got “jealous” after Mike avoiding his hug, eye contact, and conversation.

Consistently, he isn’t so much jealous of El as he is hurt by Mike’s inability to allow them to coexist in his life. He’s hurt when he feels replaced by El, not by her inherent presence.