#mama karen wheeler

[ghosttownwherenoonegoes]

Mama Karen's "don't you ever stop trying" pep talk with Nancy ALWAYS makes me cry. It makes me sad but it also motivates me.🥺❤️

[cirque-dhomosexual]

Stranger things season 5 things I think would be really cool to see/ hope to see (in no particular order) :

Nancy being sapphic. Idc how it gets done but she needs to give in to her gay tendencies

Along that line of thinking, Ronance moments (bonus if they become a canon couple)

Karen going ape shit. I want her to fucking snap. I Need her to Mcgyver a weapon like Nancy and just go fucking crazy with it

Mr. Hauser or Mr. Clark making an appearance

Ted just disappears. We dont know where he went but he vanishes (ugh fine maybe he can get a character saving moment and shift into war™ mode. I can see him with dirt under his eyes, sleeves ripped, and tie wraped around his forehead like Rambo)

Karen protects Will and then calls him family

Joyce and Karen team up

Hopper causes a big explosion and hes proud of it

Max doesnt die

Elmax/lumax/Elumax moments

Dustin gets a hug. He needs it.

Suzy instructing them on how to synthesize napalm. It works???

Nancy kisses Robin on the lips

Johnathan is seen being a good big brother to El (pls. Im starving for byers sibling moments that isnt just Johnathan and Will)

Similar to that, El and Will being the siblings ever (Yes! I believe in byers twin supremacy)

Will gets a haircut (pls its been 7 years, let it go babes)

Will learns how to puppet master the shits from the upside down. Idk how he does it but he needs to fist fight/shoot vecna

They have a shooting competition and Nancy and Will get seriously competative. (mike is some how the worst shot of the group)

LOVE FOR LUCAS!!! PLEASE!!!! MY BOY!!! LET HIM BE HAPPY FOR ONCE!!! I CANNOT STAND THIS LUCAS NEGLECT

Lucas <3

Erica needs to full on deck a bitch. I dont know who or care but she deserves to break a bitch's nose.

Robin listens to the Cranberries

Big sister Nancy and big brother Mike moments with Holly (i feel like we deserve to see it, as a treat)

Nancy and Mike being siblings <3

Holly has to do something badass that no one expected. Like homegirl stared down a demogorgon, come on.

[trashmouth-richie]

hi, ziggy! ahhh i missed hih ❤️ could you pretty please do something for jealous!eddie where maybe somebody flirts with tooty because she got that milf glow after she had the babies lmao ily ❤️

anon💕💕 thank you for the req! this took a little spin and has an open ending, but!!! the twins are in this and some other familiar faces ❤️ might get a part 2? who knows!

a night out without the kids. almost an unheard of event. but tonight corroded coffin were performing their annual concert the night before halloween.

sissy & oz toted their overnight bags up the paved sidewalk to grandma and grandpa’s house— the same house you had once called home when the wheeler’s took you in as a teen.

reaching the front door eddie squats to eye level with the twin three year olds. “okay you two,” he says in his fatherly tone, “last time you stayed the night grandpa said you terrorized the cat.”

“i no do it daddy,” sissy speaks her little voice high pitched and tattling, “ows chaseded hims.”

a frown spreads on her brothers face his brown eyes pleading, “i did not! sissy made tinky swim in the potty!”

eddie bites his lip to hide a laugh and you take a deep breath, “that’s another thing, the cat’s name is bruce, not stinky.”

“but mama,” sissy complains, head held high in a defiant pose— one eddie recognizes as a mini version of his wife, “boose 's hard to say.”

eddie ruffles her hair and stands up, talking out of the side of his mouth, “always arguing like someone else i know,”

his large hand slides down the curve of your ass pinching the leather fabric snug on your skin, giving it a tight little squeeze.

“eddie!” you scold, swatting his hand away, “not in front of the babies.”

he grabs your waist and pulls you back into him before you can rap your knuckles on the front door. his mouth is hot in your ear, “sorry mama,” he purrs, dancing his tongue on the shell of your ear, “you just look so fucking hot tonight.”

sissy and oz are both slapping the door with both palms as it swings inward. “who’s makin’ all that racket?!”

“gwampa! it’s us!”

“issy and ows!”

wayne smiles as big as he always did when his grandbabies visited, “are you sure y’all ain’t no robbers are ya?”

“gwampa’s silly, daddy!” oz squeaks, squeezing wayne tight around his leg.

eddie grins and chuckles, “aww nah buddy that word is ‘senile’”

you smack eddie in the chest and usher the kids inside to play with their cousin, alex. “thanks for watching them tonight, we really appreciate it,” you say to wayne reaching through the threshold and giving him a hug.

“ah, ain’t no problem,” wayne says flipping eddie the bird behind your back, “karen and i love these little turds.”

“u too oh two be good for grandpa and grandma okay? eddie hollers, “be nice to the cat, sissy… i’m talkin’ to you.”

her little nose wrinkles into a pout and her brows furrow together.

“swear to christ himself, that kid is the spittin’ image of you, tooty.”

“god help me.” eddie pouts, “i’m gonna go gray before i’m forty.”

—

you kiss the kids goodbye and wave from the windows of your jeep before heading to the hideout. eddie looked particularly good tonight, leather pants, a cut off shirt, he even let you smear some eyeliner on his eyelids before tonight’s gig.

“nervous?” you ask, carrying some cords from eddie’s old van that now belonged to big d.

gareth walks past you with an amp, “not really, the hideouts like home away from home, makes me feel 18 again.”

you smile and ruffle his still thick curls, “will coming tonight?”

a sad look replaces his smile, “haven’t talked to him in a week… last i heard from jonathan he was staying with joyce and hopper.”

“he’ll come around man,” eddie says coming through the back door, “he loves you.”

“yeah, i hope.”

—

the boys— men now— rocked a killer show, fans still screaming for the band even though half of them were married and the lead singer had two kids.

you were front in center, in your designated spot that you always stood after the first show where eddie sang ‘lady evil’ just for you.

now you were sporting a new homemade shirt, ‘sitter’ crossed out with ‘mama’ his old leather jacket on your shoulders.

a hand sits on your lower back you giggle, “jeez nance, how drunk are you?”

only it wasn’t nancy, but a random guy. burly and tall, a thick beard on his face matching the short hair on his head, balancing a cowboy. you didn’t recognize him from anywhere and you pull back with a shocked face,

he smiles and you can smell liquor on his breath as he leans in real close, “been watchin’ you all night little darlin’ looks like you need a drink.”

you scowl and turn away from him, looking for jonathan and nancy but they’re nowhere to be found.

“hey,” he blunders stumbling towards you, “you like cowboys?”

you don’t want to give him the time of day or even the satisfaction of a tasteful retort so you do your best to ignore him, looking at eddie as he turns to thrash the guitar riff with jeff.

eddie turns back around to continue the song and shoots you a wink, the same time a big sloppy pair of lips press on your cheek, hard and unwelcoming.

you didn’t see eddie’s eyes turn to black or the way he dropped the neck of his guitar hands balled into fist, you were seeing your own scarlet red, turning and slapping the face of the drunk asphalt “cowboy”.

eddie cuts the band and grabs the mic, “hey fucker!” he pushes his lips in a smooch and whistles like a dog, “here boy, up here.. yeah you— the guy who just got slapped.”

cowboy slap face looked up to the band, “what?”

“you must be new to town, huh? a drifter maybe?”

he lifts his head and spits on the ground, “what’s it to you?”

eddie laughs a little crazy-like, “… that,” he says pointing to you, “is my wife… and i’m sure you don’t know this or maybe your marbles are a little rattled up there with the cobwebs, but..” he jumps from the stage in a dramatic flare, wet hair bouncing behind him, skin slicked in sweat.

he tossing the mic behind him, standing tall and flicking the brim of the guys hat, toe to toe. “i’m not afraid to kill a man.”

“you’re bluffin’,”

“wouldn’t be my first, and for her,” he says moving you behind him, “won’t be my last,”

….

[alchemistc]

Forever, For Always

Steve had called her 'mama' once. Just the once, because he'd heard one of the kids in first grade calling their own mom that as they streaked towards the pretty lady already kneeling, arms open wide to receive them. He can't remember who it was anymore, only that at the time it seemed like 'mama' was a magic word like 'Alakazam' that had the mystical power to make moms drop everything and wrap their kids up in their arms and cling to them, nose pressed right up by their ear and swaying back and forth on a laugh and he'd wanted that for himself but he'd wanted it for his mom, too.

Victoria Harrington had tutted when he tugged at her pant leg, head tilting to cradle the phone between her ear and shoulder, and her mouth had quirked up a little, and she'd ruffled his hair - that was before it became His Hair, when it was just a flop of golden-brown that the lady at the salon always cut just like his mom showed her - and then she'd turned away and it turned out 'mama' wasn't a magic word at all.

When Steve was thirteen Carol's mom drove them to the movie theater and halfway there someone ran a stop sign going way too fast and blowing straight through the two way stop and they'd almost been t-boned. Steve and Carol were in back, because Tommy had had a growth spurt and his legs were long and gangly and he'd been so fucking pleased with himself when Carol's mom told him he could sit up front with her.

And then the car almost slammed into them and Carol's mom slammed on the brakes and they skittered and slid and the speeding car clipped Carol's mom's bumper and Steve felt like he might throw up but instead he caught the harsh features of Carol's mom in the rear view, thought for a second he and Carol had been too loud and she was mad at them for distracting her, but then he saw the way her arm was out to the side, bent at a weird-wrong-bad angle with her plalm still facing towards Tommy, and sound had come rushing back in his ears when the chief of police jogged past the line of cars behind them and yanked open the door.

She'd been fine, mostly - arm stuck in a cast for six weeks and laughing at Steve as he hopped up on the stool next to her to help her stir her famous goulash and Tommy whirled around her grabbing things from cabinets that needed two hands, and he never said anything, because by then he was already eating dinner at Carol or Tommy's four nights a week and mostly he only saw his mom in the weekends but -

For years after he remembered the way she hadn't even noticed her arm was broken until Hopper eased her out of the driver's seat, the way she'd reached out to protect Tommy who wasn't even her kid and how she hadn't even thought about it, how her first words had been 'everyone alright?' even though her elbow was totally bent the wrong way.

Joyce Byers is fierce and protective and totally not worried about going a little fucking crazy for her kids, and -

When Steve was seventeen Karen Wheeler pressed a kiss to his forehead and a Christmas gift into his hand and then scolded Mike for not telling Steve Merry Christmas and when Nancy and Mike and Holly and Ted weren't looking he'd just sort of watched her, teasing her kids and curling hands around their shoulders and getting So Mad at Mike for being such a dickhead but then still curling her arm around his shoulder and tugging him in for a hug Mike was too young to savor like he should.

Dad's are - dad's have always been complicated, and Steve mostly thinks they're all, at a minimum, a little useless, when it comes down to it. Hopper was maybe an exception, but even that was sort of hit or miss, and Hopper wasn't like, a real dad. (Anymore)

So. The kids fall into his lap, one after another, tumbling into his life like little fucking parasites, and Steve just -

Dads are useless, and Steve wants to be useful, and so when they start mockingly responding to his "Get your grody sneakers off my dash." and his "You all need to eat a meal with vegetables or you're gonna get goddamn scurvy." and the way he takes two large steps forward even as he's telling them to get behind him with "Yes mom," or "Whatever, mom," he doesn't actually stop them. He complains about it, loudly and with a hip cocked and a frown on his face, but even that is more Mrs. Perkins than anything else.

And -

When he tells them all to stop fretting and go home, take a shower and eat a real meal, he remembers the way he'd looked at Mrs. Perkins, all fond exasperation as she craned her neck to check on Carol and Steve while her arm was bent the wrong way and he doesn't fight them on it when in unison they all murmur mocking but still quiet "Yes moooom"s at him.

When Steve is twenty he spends six days in a hospital bed with Wayne Munson hovering over him like a nervous hen and Jim Hopper yelling at nurses on his behalf because "He's been here goddamn enough for you to notice, he passed out the migraines were so bad, are you telling me you never told his parents to look into it?" and the kids all hush when they pile in around him, Dustin over his legs and Max's chair slid as close to the side rail as she could angle it and Mike white knuckling the end of the bed and refusing to make direct eye contact and Lucas distracting him from the way they're all fretting with absolutely terrible puns he huffs a laugh at anyway.

Later, he'll tell Eddie about the magic word that turned out to just be plain old love and devotion, and Eddie will frown and roll his eyes and thread their fingers together and mutter some shit about Victoria Harrington that Steve still wants to deny even if it's all accurate, and Eddie will whisper him off to sleep with a story about his own mama catching a still hot frying pan with her bare hands when the elder Munson's aim was off and it'd nearly brained Eddie instead of it's intended target. Later he'll accept the exasperation in Karen's eyes when he apologizes for passing out at the barbeque, and when she ruffles his hair she'll be looking him dead in the eye. Later, much later, he'll type up his resume and leave Victoria Harrington off as a reference, and Eddie and Robin will glare at the back of her head when he hefts the last of his boxes into the back of Eddie's van and she holds out a stiff hand for him to shake.

Later, he'll forgive her, and secretly (never-tell-a-soul-especially-not-eddie-or-robin secretly) be grateful that he'd taken her lessons and overcorrected in the opposite direction.

Later, when the adoption agencies realize gay men are generally completely willing and eager to take in kids that white-picket-fence families aren't, he'll get into a screaming match with a twelve year old and when they're both out of breath and sullen he'll poke his head in his daughters bedroom door and she'll pretend to be sleeping but he'll still press a kiss to her temple. Two years she'll call him "Ma" in that fond teasing way of hers and something in him will just break - and he keeps it together through her recital and a late dinner and the movie they all watch before bed but Eddie will curl his arms around Steve and rub his back while he chokes on silent sobs because they'd been pretty sure they'd never get kids of their own and the last year has been hell trying to convince Mary they give a shit about her and even if she'd been joking, a bit, she'd still reached over and pressed her palm to his, and he's understood since that night on the train tracks exactly why Mrs. Perkins had broken her own arm in that car crash but now he knows 'mama' DOES have some magic to it.

[pinkeoni]

Dustin’s Absent Father and the Effects on His Character

Here’s something I don’t think I’ve made before, it’s a Dustin analysis!

In season 2 we are introduced to Dustin’s mom, as well as the lack of Dustin’s father. It’s not hammered over the head or anything, but it’s there. We aren’t explicitly told what happened to him, and we don’t necessarily need to be told. There are plenty of kids who live in single parent households, and we don’t need to hear the details of this story to understand it. However, the show may be telling us in subtle ways how this effects Dustin, and also what exactly happened to him.

The absense of Dustin’s father seems to make him reach out to others as a replacement father, as well as want to become a good caregiver himself. He does both of these things in season 2, where he simultaneously becomes a adoptive father of D’Art as well as seeks out Steve Harrington as a surrogate father figure (whether he was conscious of this or not)

I think that Dustin’s dedication to D’Art may give some insight as to what happened to his father, or at least, how his father’s absence has affected him. When everyone is arguing about what to do with D’Art, Dustin blurts out this telling line:

I believe that this line may be a projection of Dustin’s personal experience when it came to his father. He promised that he would take care of Dustin, but ended up leaving and/or possibly even dying. Either way, he still left in some capacity and was unable to fulfill that promise.

Dustin says to Mike that he moved to Hawkins in the fourth grade, so I’m willing to bet that his father left and him and his mom moved because of this. This happens to families all the time where they have to relocate because a major source of income has left. We see this happen with Max and her mom in season 4 when they downsize after her step-father leaves. The Henderson’s do seem financially stable though, not as well off as the Wheelers or Sinclairs, but more money than the Byers or the Mayfeilds. I’m willing to bet that Claudia works too, based on her wardrobe. She often dresses in collared shirts and either pants or a skirt with tights underneath, outfits befitting of office-like job.

When Dustin interacts with Claudia, it feels a little different than how other characters like Mike or Will interact with their moms. He’s not as mama’s boy as Will is nor does he argue with her as much as Mike does with Karen. Their interactions are friend-like, almost as if Dustin views her as another one of his friends and less his mom. I think about the scene in the beginning of s2 where Dustin is searching for coins, and he makes weird noises to mock his mom. I’m about to make a wierd comparison, but their dynamic reminds me a little bit of Eric Cartman and his mom from South Park.

Now OBVIOUSLY Dustin is not mean towards or controlling of his mother like Cartman is, but both are single-mom and only child households, and Cartman also sometimes talks to his mom in a similar way that he would talk to his friends, while his mom is extremely loving and doting on him like Claudia is to Dustin. (Loose connection I know, but I’m trying to make a point 😭)

It’s almost like because of the lack of a strong male presence in the house, Dustin almost sees himself as equal with his mom. There isn’t another man that he sees as seperate from himself that establishes a power dynamic, if anything he sees himself the man of the house.

Dustin does however seek out that older male father figure, in both Steve and Eddie. Dustin goes to Steve as a bit of a last reaort, but I think he may have also subconsciously been seeking out and older male to protect him, similar to the role of a father. Off the bat, Steve's relationship with Dustin does begin pretty fatherly. Steve is giving Dustin dating advice, similar to how a parent might talk to their kid about dating. He then gives Dustin a ride to the Snow Ball, who has done his hair the way that Steve told him. We even see this right after we see Max’s mom helping her with her hair.

In season 3, their relationship shifts. Similar to how Dustin interacts with his mom, he now sees Steve as more of his friend rather than his father. He is on equal level with him. Their first interaction of the season is the two of them playing lightsaber with each other— their relationship has definitely shifted from father-son to big brother-little brother.

Dustin even gives dating advice to Steve now, except for the other way around. Dustin's status as a man with the girlfriend gives him a sense of superiority against the man who is effectively bitchless. However, I do think that Dustin is still seeking out that fatherly connection. Dustin goes to Steve after he has already been abandoned by the rest of his friends, something that was echoed with his real dad.

Once season 4 roles around, Dustin starts spending much more time with Eddie than he does with Steve, which is told to us through the dialogue. I think part of the reason why Dustin prefers Eddie over Steve is because Eddie is fulfilling the surrogate dad role better than Steve at this point. How is Eddie more fatherly than Steve? It's not that Eddie is more mature than Steve, but rather Eddie asserts a type of power in his relationship with both Dustin and Mike. He tells them that they are both his sheep and he is essentially their shepherd, or what could be interpreted in Dustin's mind as "You are my son, and I am your father." Eddie even dictates how they dress, what with the Hellfire shirts and whatnot. Eddie even uses the example of "Clothes that your mommy bought you at the goddamn Gap," creating another parent parallel. It’s similar to how Steve was instructing Dustin how to wear his hair.

I don't necessarily think that Mike sees Eddie as a dad but more as a role model that he wants to be like, which is shown through his hair and style shift that attempts to replicate Eddie. Dustin, however, DOES see him as a dad.

So then, if Dustin sees Eddie as replacement for his dad that left him, then that makes this scene all the more sad.

Which begs the question, did Dustin's real father die? There's no conclusive evidence (as far as I can tell) to suggest that he did, but there's also nothing to say that he didn't. If he did, it would definitely make Dustin experiencing the death of a father figure all the more tragic than it already was.

So what does this mean for Dustin's character going forward? I think that we might see a repeat of what happened in season 2, where Dustin steps into a caregiver like role. Not that he's going to get a new baby to replace D'Art, but rather he might assert himself as a protective figure, as to not lose anyone else to the Upside Down. Out of everyone, especially with his science knowledge and interest in research, that he would become the survivalist and the one most prepared to try and keep everyone safe, similar to a parent. No more failing anyone like D’Art, or losing anyone like his dad or Eddie.

[parkerbombshell]

The Mess Around #68

The Mess Around Mondays 7pm EST bombshellradio.com Join Angela Wheeler, aka "Kitschy Mama," every Monday at 7 pm EST on Bombshell Radio for The Mess Around—a weekly deep dive into rare rock'n'roll gems from the 1950s and '60s. Broadcasting from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Angela brings over 10 years of experience to this hour-long program, spinning a lively mix of rockabilly, 60s garage rock, girl groups, doo-wop, rhythm and soul, classic country, novelty tunes, and instrumentals. This week Messaround #68 Grains Of Sand - Goin' Away Baby Don And The Galaxies - Sundown The Coasters - Along Came Jones The Passions - Sixteen Candles Bob Vidone And The Rhythm Rockers - Untrue Wells And Fargo - That's How Things Are Dolph Prince - You're Gonna Drive Me Crazy Jackie Gotroe - Lobo Jones Al Hazan - I've Got An "A" In Love Gary (U.S.) Bonds - One Million Tears The Kinks - Picture Book The Pullice - I'm A Lover Not A Fighter Freddie North - (I've Got To) Hold Back Karen Bessy - Rein N'est Trop Beau (He Never Came Back) The Misunderstood - Shake Your Moneymaker The Rivieres - Knock On Wood Jesse Lee Turner - That's My Girl Ray Smith - Rockin' Bandit The Relatives - (My Heart Goes) Zigga Zigga Zoom Kong Ling - I Could Have Danced All Night The Revlons - Dry Your Eyes     Read the full article

[anthrcpophagi]

“ i'm not gonna just sit here and let you do this by yourself. “

“Mrs. Wheeler, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. Really.” Staring out the window, Maren blinks away the wave of incoming tears. She didn’t need to go see her dad with red eyes and a runny nose. Not that he’d notice in his catatonic state. She appreciated Karen. A part of her wished her own Mama was like that. Kind and forgiving, patient and considerate. Maren loved her mother but it didn’t mean she was the perfect Mama. Then again, Maren was far from being the perfect daughter.

The hospital loomed in the distance, it’s brick walls looked like a fortress upon the grassy hill. She’d told herself she’d never come back here. She told herself she was better off on her own, but she needed closure. She was tired of tripping over loose ends and drowning in the guilt of leaving her dad behind without a proper goodbye. “Your kids are really lucky to have a Mama like you.”

[kittywriites]

man, wherever karen wheeler is, i just hope she’s having a good day. poor mama.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Love Is

There are some logical things Steve should do immediately after the world gets saved by El in November of 1984 and they meet again at the Byers' house. This concussed, bloodied and beaten Steve who's just breathed in tons of toxic spores and was ready to die protecting Dustin from a pack of demodogs, all that while nonchalantly breaking up with his beloved girlfriend for her own good and giving her a green light for her new relationship, this Steve should prioritize some self-care.  He should at least get his wounds properly treated or get checked for damage to his head. That is the rational approach. 

But that isn't the Steve Harrington approach. 

Instead of that, he wobbles towards Joyce and starts apologizing for the demodog carcass in her freezer, but also for the broken plate because he was supposed to keep an eye on things, he just can't bear to disappoint her more because she's just lost her boyfriend, he didn't know him, of course, but it doesn't matter, Steve knows what it's like to be in love and he doesn't want to imagine what she's going through, can't imagine losing that connection for good. And so he explains how sorry he is for causing more problems. Basically he apologizes for everything, for getting beaten to a pulp by Billy (who was conveniently gone when they came back, Max snickers at Billy probably walking home since she stole his car), for stuffing a dead demodog into her freezer because Dustin asked him to ("and I understand how unhygienic and disturbing that is, Mrs. Byers, I really do, but the kid seems really smart and this is so important to him, maybe I could move it to my house so you don't have to keep it here, I don't use our fridge anyway..."), for bleeding on her floor. 

Joyce's mouth is agape. She is frozen in place, only her pupils move as Steve points out the plate shards, the blood, the shelves he and Billy knocked into. 

Steve keeps standing there, looking at the tips of his shoes while swaying from side to side, and rambles on. "I'm so sorry for your plate Mrs. Byers, I didn't mean to shatter it, I mean it wasn't me who did that but it shattered over my face so I still kind of am at fault, I will clean that in a second if you can just point me to a broom...also there might be some more damage to your house, I'm pretty sure Max - you know, the ginger girl - created a few holes in your floor and I'll figure out how to fix that, to be fair I think it was needed in that moment but I understand if you're angry about that, the blood will hopefully come off if I get to it soon, I will also get you new plates or-!"

And Joyce's eyes grow glassy, she can't imagine why this boy would be so concerned for her house when he looks like he might faint any second, when he just protected all her son's friends while hardly able to stand. She just mutters "screw this house and the plates" and pulls Steve into a hug. It's messy, sticky (Joyce is still sweaty from exorcising the Mindflayer from Will and Steve is covered in crusts of blood, soil and indescribable stuff from the Upside Down), but it's perfect.

Steve doesn't understand what's happening, probably wouldn't understand even if he was in his right mind, but he returns the hug and Joyce keeps whispering to him "you did so well, you basically accomplished a miracle, thank god you were here, Steve, those kids are so lucky to have you on their side". 

When he untangles himself from Joyce's arms and tries to reassure her that he's (probably) going to be fine, Hopper appears behind him, trying to give El at least a shred of privacy to reconnect with Mike. "You really did well, kid," he smiles at Steve and grasps his shoulder. "I'll ask you about the details in a while, I would very much like to know everything about who did this because there is a file just begging to be opened...hell, I might even come to work on time tomorrow. But first..." 

He looks to the side and Steve just now notices Joyce standing there with a first aid kit. "Oh yes, please check on the kids," he nods and wobbles to the side. "Wheeler got grabbed by one of those tentacle things and his ankle might be bruised or something, I mean he walks fine but I'd still rather-" 

But Hopper isn't having any of it. "Sit," he orders and there is no question, no maybe in his tone. Steve does as he's told and, as he's taking a deep breath, gets interrupted again. "And shut up for a moment, it'll do your jaw some good. The others are okay," Hopper adds when he sees the uneasy glance towards the living room. "Unlike you. You know, you didn't have to do what you did. That makes it even more...commendable," he grumbles and grabs the disinfection from the first aid kit, checks under the colorful band aids on Steve's face. 

Joyce is by his side, preparing band aids more appropriate to the size of Steve's injuries, and hums in agreement. "Very commendable. I would also say reckless, but I don't think any of us were...how do I say it...careful?" 

"Not stupid," Hopper huffs again and finishes taking care of Steve's cuts. "Now, Harrington, right? Get some rest and I will pay you a visit tomorrow to ensure this," he gestures vaguely to his face, "doesn't happen again."

As Steve nods, quietly thanks them and turns to leave, he hears Joyce clear her throat. "Um...Steve. I don't mean to pry, but are your parents home?" 

He shakes his head, as gently as possible to avoid any more pain. "No. They...I think they're on dad's business trip or...something." He honestly doesn't know and doesn't care, it's not like their presence would change anything. "Don't worry Mrs. Byers, I think this," he points to his bruised face, "will go away before they decide to come back. They won't know anything." 

Joyce just groans and closes her eyes. "I'll pretend I just didn't hear that," she mutters before looking back at Steve, pointing towards the couch. "Then you're staying here for the night. You got hit in the head, Steve. You need someone with you just in case. The couch is not the most comfortable one in existence, but if anything happens, I'll be nearby. I probably won't sleep anyway, so it's not like you'll be any extra work," she adds. Her smile is tired, tense, she is exhausted but determined to see that Will is okay and will remain to be. "I'll get you some clothes and blankets." 

Hopper shushes Steve when he begins to protest. "Now that's a wise woman. Don't tell her I said that. But she's right, you're in no condition to drive and I'll sleep much better if I know no one's going to wake me up in two hours to report a concussed teenager crashing into a tree. So, you're under house arrest until," he ponders, stroking his mustache, "let's say nine. I will stop by and check on you." 

Steve still feels sore as Jonathan hands him a clean t-shirt and sweatpants and gently directs him to the bathroom, making sure three times that the size is okay with him.

He feels his heart aching from the recent breakup as Nancy takes over preparing the couch and creates a mountain of pillows so he doesn't suffocate in his sleep if anything happens, then squeezes his hand and thanks him for saving her brother from his own recklessness.

He definitely still feels confused when Dustin ponders for a moment before leaving, reaches out as if to shake Steve's hand and then just hugs Steve, arms tight around his waist. "Thank you for everything, Steve. You're really cool, you know," he smiles at him and demands that Hopper brigs him along the following day to verify what Steve remembers from his fight with Billy. 

But most of all, he feels more loved than he has in his whole life. He thinks it might just be the potential concussion, gratefulness and possible guilt that will eventually fade away, so he tries his best not to get used to the feeling, not to expect anything. He closes his eyes, buries his aching head in the pillow mountain and falls asleep.

During the night, he sometimes hears soft steps, even imagines feeling gentle fingers on his forehead. He feels safe.

In the morning, Joyce brings him a glass of juice and some light food he can stomach, her small hands pushing his chest back to lie down when he tries to at least help with the dishes. He feels cared for. 

Six minutes after nine, Hopper announces himself with three sharp knocks. He greets Joyce and immediately walks to Steve, checking on him and jotting down some notes on the damage he sustained. He feels protected. 

Dustin doesn't arrive with Hopper ("he needs the sleep and I told him so yesterday, the kid is too nosy for his own good"), but the small gremlin arrives shortly afterwards on his bike. He's breathless, but when he barges in and sees Steve sitting up and talking to Hopper, his face breaks out into a wide smile. "You're fine!" he yells and, after being shushed by the whole household, tiptoes to check on Will. He's back in a few minutes, sitting down next to Steve. Hopper seems dangerously close to strangling him, especially when Dustin starts reenacting the fight with Billy, but Steve is smiling and ruffles Dustin's hair from time to time. He still feels loved. 

And to Steve's surprise, that feeling doesn't go away. Dustin keeps checking on him, finding the weirdest pretenses to stop by, once claiming he'd like to swim in the pool in late November. He becomes a constant in Steve's life and soon he's driving Dustin to school, chatting with him about anything and everything. Friendships have never been this easy. 

He sees El a few weeks later when Hopper asks him to stop by to discuss the next steps regarding Billy. She checks his face, now mostly healed, and reaches out to grasp his hand. "You saved Mike. Thank you." She stops for a moment, thinking, and then adds. "If he hurts you again, I will break his legs." 

Max comes to thank him when he drops charges against Billy after a quiet agreement between both parties, no charges, also no mention of Max stabbing a needle in Billy's neck. "You're cool, you know," she tells him, giving him one of her rare smiles. "I thought you were insane back at the junkyard...but Dustin was right. It was really cool." 

Lucas and Mike come to him some days, bringing leftover food from Karen Wheeler. She knows his parents are never home and now that Nancy spends so much time at Joyce's house, there is always some food to give away. Steve might no longer be with Nancy, but Karen has known him for over a year and her care doesn't end with a breakup. Lucas is clear with his affection, openly acknowledging they'd all be dead if Steve wasn't with them that night. Mike scoffs and complains about being used as a food delivery service, but Lucas just laughs and nudges Mike's side. "Don't mind him," he says to Steve quietly so that Mike doesn't hear him, "he likes you too. He even reminded his mom when she forgot to give him today's box." 

Steve doesn't have a romantic relationship anymore. He doesn't even try to find one in the last year at school, settling into his new routine instead. But despite falling asleep alone and pushing away all interested girls in the Hawkins High, he has never felt more loved.

[stevesbipanic]

Karen: Why are there little handprints all over the walls?

Steve, whispering: Why are there little handprints all over the walls?

Holly, whispering: Because I have little hands.

Steve: Because she has little hands.

[eightfifteen]

it's me. hi. (full version here)

[spaceofentropy]

Two things:

The absent parents who have no fucking idea where their kids are at any goven time are a feature, not a bug. There would be no show if these kids had their parents always breathing on their necks and making sure they're not in danger.

But while some of these parents have absolutely good reasons to not know (hello, overworked single mom of a very low income household!), the Wheelers clearly don't know shit because they don't care. They're never showed as caring about what their kids do or where they are, and the only big exception (that S3 scene where Karen and Nancy talk about Nancy's experience of misogyny in the workplace) is not about giving a fuck about the kids.

It's about Karen. It's "oh, no, no, donmt think bad about Karen, is a good mom, deep down! Yes, she totally almost cheated on her husband with a barely 18 boy, but, see, she's good, she knows how hard it is to be a woman in this bad bad world and spew some platitudes at her eldest! She's almost a motivational poster, that's how wholesome she is! Forget all about the ogling teenagers, she's good!"

The second thing is that I'm still convinced that if the genders of the characters were swapped, everyone watching Stranger Things would be horrified at the line of adult men ogling the teenage lifeguard starting her shift at the pool.

Nobody would cheer for the family man who wants to go to a motel with a barely 18 girl.

Nobody would even dare to think of putting him on a pedestal as a great, protective parent when the canonical actions say "eh, fuck my family and spouse, I don't give a fuck about them, I'm a sexually frustrated conservative, that's the real core of my character!"

But here we are.

"Mama bear."

also 'mama bear' karen who saw billy call a kid 'lardass' and still had the hots for him??? yeah she seems super protective over kids.

The same people who argue that we’re supposed to hate Billy because he was “meant” to be a bad person (despite there being so many red flags that Billy needs help…), can’t comprehend that Karen and parents like her represent the stereotypical neglectful parents of the 80s within the narrative… there were literal commercials throughout the 80s/90s telling parents not to neglect or abuse their kids, with a “It’s 10pm. Do you know where your kids are?” PSA. Karen was the type of person those PSAs were meant to reach. She is not looking out for children. She’s looking at Billy, fantasizing about fucking him.

[toongrrl-blog]

Karen Wheeler Playlist Part Eleven

“Reach Out I’ll Be There” The Four Tops

"I want you to feel like you can talk to me." Karen Wheeler, Season One

Karen really wants her children to believe that she will be there for them and she will help them, the problem is she is practically clueless, pretty, operating furniture around the house and the few times they are crying out for help she doesn’t seem tuned in.

“Poetry In Motion” Johnny Tillotson

Once upon a time, Karen was the hot girl of her peer group and clearly such a hot number to be a perfect trophy wife for Ted Wheeler. She clearly is conventionally attractive, with abundant wavy curls ready for a magazine shoot and features that adapted to the trends of her adulthood. This is something that the Duffer Bros are clearly capitalizing on.

“Words of Love” The Mama & The Papas

Cass Elliot once sang about how gestures of affection like terms of endearments, oaths, flowers, presents, etc. were meaningless without putting in the work (like making sure she’s satisfied in bed and being interested in her as a person)...something that Ted Wheeler would need to learn, after all it isn’t enough he brings home the bacon for Karen, he’d need to check to see how she’s doing and if it’s really bacon she wants. 

“The Look of Love” Dusty Springfield

Not my most favorite version of the song but Dusty once again knocks it out of the park, her voice totally reminds me of the character of Karen, very passionate and soulful with power and sensuality.

“Maybe Baby” Buddy Holly

Another staple from Karen’s youth, spelling out her hopes and dreams for more romance and genuine interest in her and her feelings and thoughts from Ted. Maybe Karen, your kids will one day open the curiosity door for you.

[stevethehairington]

BESTIE YES YES OK I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT CLAUDIA AND WAYNE BEING THE SWEETEST COUPLE, MY HEART IS ON FIRE, I SHIP IT SO MUCH!!!

Dustin comes over to Eddie's for some Hellfire stuff or just to hang out, Claudia comes by to pick him up because "It's dinner time, Dusty, I don't want you late again!"

Wayne is out front fixing something under the hood of Eddie's van, grumbling and cursing. She cautiously approaches him like "Hello? Excuse me, sir?" Which scares him and causes him to bang his head on the hood, hissing.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry, Mister, I didn't mean to scare you, I was just wondering if you might be Mr. Munson?"

"That, I am." Wayne groans, ducking out from under the hood and slamming it closed.

They see each other for the first time.

Wayne's eyes get wide and Claudia gasps, mumbling "Oh my...." under her breath.

They just stare at each other for a moment before Wayne coughs and scratches the back of his neck. "What can I do for ya there, Ma'am?"

"Hmm? Oh! I'm here to pick up my son, Dustin."

"Lil curly-haired boy, one Eddie's been pal-in' around with?"

"Yes, that's my baby."

"You're his Mama? Young thing like you? That can't be right."

Claudia blushing at his flirtation. She's never really felt beautiful, especially compared to women like Karen Wheeler. She's divorced, she's pushing 50, she has a teenage son. But Wayne makes her feel like a Queen within ten seconds of meeting her.

He holds open the door for her and she steps inside, immediately starting to clean everything and grabbing ice for Wayne's bruise.

Instead of picking up Dustin, she decides to invite Wayne and Eddie over for dinner to their house instead because she ~~wants to flirt with Wayne more~~ doesn't think it's right for him to work so hard all the time and not come home to a good dinner. They giggle and blush and compliment each other all night like two lovestruck teenagers.

Dustin and Eddie look at each other the whole time like "At this rate, we'll be step-brothers by Christmas...... AWESOME!!!"

~~yes I am the #1 Claudia×Wayne Stan, dont judge me~~

SALJFSDF BESTIE IM SCREAMING THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!!!!

FIRST OF ALL I LOVE THE IDEA OF WAYNE AND CLAUDIA TOGETHER, I THINK THEY WOULD MAKE SUCH A GOOD COUPLE, LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THEY'VE BOTH GONE THROUGH AND I THINK THEY WOULD JUST FIND THE THINGS THEY'VE BEEN MISSING IN EACH OTHER AND THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

I AM. OBSESSED WITH THIS LITTLE SNIPPET YOU'VE WRITTEN HERE TOO LIKE??? BESTIE YOU GOT THEM DOWN TO A T I'M SO INTO IT, AND I'M LIVING FOR WAYNE BEING THIS TOTAL GENTLEMAN AND CLAUDIA GETTING FLUSTERED BY IT, BUT ALSO WAYNE GETTING FLUSTERED BY CLAUDIA WANTING TO TAKE CARE OF HIM??? IT'S SO FUCKING GOOD DSKFHSDK

AND THEN I COULD TOTALLY SEE EDDIE AND DUSTIN BEING LIKE A TEEEEENY BIT WEIRDED OUT JUST BC LIKE EW PARENTS FLIRTING?? LMAO. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY BOTH JUST WANT NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR THEIR PARENTS SO THEY KIND OF LOVE IT TOO, AND YEAH LIKE YOU SAID THEY WOULD BE HELLA EXCITED ABOUT BEING STEP-BROTHERS

I AM ABSOLUTELY NOT KIDDING WHEN I SAY I WOULD READ A WHOLE ASS FIC OF THIS. THIS IS JUST THE BEST CONCEPT 👏👏👏

[sailorwritesstuff]

Random stranger things Headcanons with no context or explanation that have no impact on the story at all.

Mike really enjoys mushrooms on pizza and nothing else.

Max is left handed

Nancy went to a summer camp as a child and learn how to shoot a bow and arrow she had one up until she was about 10 (and then Mike broke it and Karen just never got her a new one)

Steve dips his french fries into mayo

Erica and Lucas have a matching pair of fuzzy bunny slippers

Eddie can play the harmonica really good

Robin has dyslexia

Nancy can't bake

Dustin is a really good cook

Mike likes lizards

Erica was one of those little kids who had a "crush" on their older siblings friend when they were like 5. In which she followed 8 y/o Dustin around everywhere when he came over.

Eleven's favorite vegetable is baby corn.

Will LOVES raspberries but Joyce is allergic

Robin is a big Sailor Moon fan when it comes out in the early 90's (because of the lesbians)

Erica loves certain comics specifically the 80's run of Teen titans because of Starfire. She's her favorite super hero

Steve really likes Heathers

Mrs. Sinclair is a lawyer and is very opinionated on the government. That's where Erica gets it from.

Robin is scared of driving.

Nancy picks scabs when she has them

Max can't swim very well

Dustin is afraid of heights

Hopper is lactose intolerant

Steve's obsession with his hair is because he was a Mama's boy when he was young and his mom was obsessed with her hair. He learned from the best.

Eleven is allergic to cinnamon.

Holly Wheeler's (Mike and Nancy's little sister) first word was Nany (Nancy) at the late age of 2½ years old Followed a few months later by "ick" while pointing furiously at her brother.

Will doodles a lot of octopi.

Jonathan has a tattoo of one of Will's octopi

Joyce hates Jonathan's tattoo of Will's octopi.

[berrymoos]

no, because the older kids all being little on halloween and dressing up in a group costume is soooo cute o(*≧▽≦)ツ

eddie as the cowardly lion, steve as the tin man, nancy as dorothy, jonathan as the scarecrow, and robin as the wicked witch of the west with mama joyce and mama karen taking dozens of polaroids of them:)

they go apple bobbing and a non scary hay ride instead of trick or treating and watch a bunch of movies at the end of the day (it’s really just a distraction so the party can go trick or treating but shhh)

karen makes treats for everyone and get little toys that match their costumes!!

when the party comes back they have a huge sleep pile in the wheeler basement with candy wrappers and stuffies all around them and it’s happily ever after with no bad monsters:)))

(i’m reading the wizard of oz in drama so that’s where the costumes came from🤭)

SCRSMAS SO LOUD WAAAAA this is so so cute (´ω｀。)ෆ i feel like robin suggested they do matching costumes but jon brought up the idea of them going as wizard of oz characters ... okok but to add one tiny detail ... the costumes were NOT store bought, but were made specifically for them 🥹 by who? I DON'T KNOW, that's up to interpretation ★~(◠ω◕✿) IMAGINE THIS TOO: chrissy going w them as glinda the good witch 👀👀 she's part of the older kids group now idc idc!!

cannot stop imagining eddie growling & roaring at people bc he's a lion & that's the only thing he's choosing to focus on, but robin pulls up behind him in her wicked witch costume & scares the living daylights out of him 💀 “that's why you're a cowlerdy lion!” & for the rest of the night those two are in an unofficial contest of who's more cowardly. they asked the mamas to keep count, only to find out, at the end of their contest, it's a tie! (that's code for "mamas lost count after 5 because both of them are really jumpy")

karen took a photo of steve directly after bobbing for apples; that is not an apple in his mouth, it's actually a pear. who put it in the pool? nobody knows, but the pear was very good & steve got to keep it bc he thought it was the funniest thing ever, so it's a win – literally he couldn't stop giggling everytime he was reminded

THE HAYRIDE IS WHERE THE PICTURES REALLY START SHINING (*´ω｀*) karen & joyce go haywire (heheh ... haywire ;-]) taking photos of the pretty autumn leaves falling through the air, the carved pumpkins set out by the farmers, nancy picking at the hay & giving it to jonny bc “ ‘carecrows need hay”, jonny taking all the hay & placing it on his lap ... so so many pictures (and so, so much hay 😟 was in jonny's hair n everything)

OHHH my gosh the little toys (o´Д`)=♡♡ karen makes cinnamon-apple donuts & serves them with some ice cream & apple cider on the side while joyce presents them with matching toys hhhdjsidiwi ,,, the kiddos glomp them in a hug instantly (maaaybe ... this instance is when chrissy starts warming up to karen ... MAYBE). they put on scooby-doo for a marathon until the party comes home ,,, oh my gosh when they walk in to find the kiddos eating donuts – karen's FAMOUS apple-cinnomon donuts – & cider, theyre like “>:0 YOU GUYS BETTER SAVE US SOME!” & RACE to change into pjs so they can join the fun with their stash of candy (*＾＾*)//

(and if they end up having a collective sugar rush & crash in the basement, wrappers scattered every which way, cinnamon in their hair & chocolate in the corners of their mouths, sprawled out over each other ... well, it's the halloween season; let them go ham <33)