#the way to his relationship problems would be for el to break up with him

[glisten-inthedark]

The Experiment | Part 2

In case y'all missed it, I asked one of my best friends to watch Stranger Things and here's what she had to say about season 1 and 2 .

Now, here's the updated version of season 3 that she finished so fucking fast and I felt guilty because she told me didn't sleep because she was desperate for answers, my sweet summer child.

This time around she'd update me as she watched the episodes and needless to say I woke up today with way too many messages

She's 100% convinced that Mike is gay because she said and I quote: "What teenage boy takes off the hands of his girlfriend like he did?".She also said that Mike should remember that friendships are important too, she doesn't understand why he's avoiding his friends and focusing too much on El.

She loves Max Mayfield BTW (again, sweet summer child). She 100% agrees that El needs to learn how to be herself without the influence of others.

She said that the biggest problem she has with Mike and El is that El didn't even know what a friend was the first season, how can se be in a relationship? However, she does think that if Mike learns how to listen to her they might work it out but she's not sure they should. "Ok I guess they're not going to work it after all" says her after their break up. Also, she was like: "shouldn't he be more upset about this?

In comes the rain fight scene and I think the conversation deserves to be in a mural somewhere. This is what she said and I apologize for the language and for how she talks about Mike but this deserves to be translated in it's entirety because her rant was epic.

"Why. The. Fuck. Was Mike being such an ass?! He used to be so sweet to Will and now he's treating him like this? Hell nah! Like, I get that he wants to spend time with his girlfriend and that's fine, but that doesn't mean he gets to treat Will like this!

And who the fuck said anything about Will not liking girls? Will didn't! So why the fuck would Mike say this completely unprovoked? Like, this is the kind of shit Will's bullies would say! I don't know who the fuck this Mike is, but it's definitely not the kid from last season.

"Oh se he goes to apologize to Will but doesn't apologize to El?" She asked me after she calmed down from her seething rage. "Inch teresting"

"Oh boy, Billy is gonna die. Am I supposed to want him not to?".

"How the fuck did Soviet Union manage to build this entire lab underground without anyone noticing? And this is I'm thr hight of cold war too, makes no sense but what do I know?"

She absolutely adores Robin, she thinks she and Steve will get together.

"Am I supposed to feel bad for Billy?" Needless to say, she doesn't like Billy.

"What. The. Fuck. Am. I. Watching?" She asked during the people turning into slush scene.

"Oh. So I guess Robin and Steve won't get together after all" lmao I laughed.

"Oh they do want me to feel sorry for Billy, huh"

She had a mental breakdown over Hop's "death". She sent an invoice crying and cursing me for bribing her into watching the show.

She also noticed how unresponsive Mike acted after El told him she loved him and was like: "is this boy ok? Like, I'm sorry Bia (my nickname) but you're telling me he just stood there with his eyes opened while she declared her love and kissed him? Am I watching this right? Answer me dammit!" (She was angry when I refused to tell her anything lmao).

Now, bare in mind that I haven't told her about Byler at all, didn't even tell her I ship it because I wanted her to be as unbiased as possible. She told me she had thoughts/theories and I told them to share them even after she claimed she didn't think she was right.

This bellow are her thoughts and hers alone, translated from Brazilian Portuguese to English.

"I just feel like Hop's letter is telling us something about Mike, maybe? Like, how he's afraid of change, of confronting his feelings, maybe? Like, I know you won't tell me, but I don't think this scene is about El leaving at all, I think it's about Will leaving.

"But I have a theory? I don't know, but the scene parallels the scene from when they find Will's body, right? But he comes home and holds his mom and I think this when he realized he has feelings for Will? Maybe? Or at the very least he realized he isn't straight.

" I didn't think Will was gay until I saw his reaction to what Mike said, and I think Will felt that he was stupid for believing that Mike cared for him at all. He destroyed the castle because he lost his childhood, he lost everything when he wasn't even looking, and I also think he called himself stupid because he thinks it was stupid of him to hope Mike could ever think of Will that way.

"I don't think Mike truly loves El, and he's coming to terms with the reason why he doesn't"

She then begged me for information which I refused to give her, obviously. But this is part 2. Now onto the last season *laughs maniacally *

[willbyersabyss]

What's your level of confidence in a Byler endgame and what evidence can you use to lead towards it?

I have 100% confidence in byler endgame.

Sorry this is longer than I expected, so evidence under here:

Like I said in this other post, the storytelling simply wouldn't make sense if byler was unreciprocated. There would be no reason to give Will feelings for Mike in the first place. If this were an unrequited love story, it would've concluded at the end of s3... maybe s4. They would've given Will a different love interest in California, which they alluded to at the beginning of s4 before settling for Mike again. They know how easy it would be to give him someone new. But they didn't. And they won't.

What's the point of giving Will an unrequited love arc? There is none. It gives Will something for Vecna to chew on? He already has plenty of trauma for that. They didn't know what to do with Will in s4? Sure, but why not explore how everyone is distancing themselves from Will? We could've had him feeling like an outsider because of his queerness and trauma once more, but the distance from Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike exacerbates it. He could just be afraid of losing his best friend because he's gay, not because of his feelings. The rain fight would factor into that. But no. That's not how it's written. He's in love with Mike.

"I'm not going to fall in love." And he did. It's not a crush, it's love. Will said himself that he'll always need Mike. That's not something he's going to get over on a random Tuesday. If this were unrequited, Will would have to move on. But he already admitted he can't. There is no satisfaction in rejection for his arc. It would do nothing but make him feel more ostracized and unaccepted. There's no lesson. It just confirms what he already believes: he won't find love because he's gay. He needs to be proven wrong.

There would be no reason for Mike to struggle with his relationship with El for two whole seasons, with Will being the only one he opens up to about it. Why can't they fix it on their own? Why does he need constant outside reassurance to understand his feelings for her?

Mike has a lot of insecurities and Will is the only one who helps him feel better about it. El makes it worse. El's struggles are also made worse because of Mike. They don't understand each other enough to help because they never try to understand. The one time they did, it ended in more misunderstanding. Then Will's confession "solved" this through... lies. Those weren't El's feelings. Why would someone else's feelings fix Mike and El's problems?

Even El's arc is fulfilled through their break up. Her story was never about romantic love. From the beginning, she's been longing for familial love. People think it would be unfair to El for them to break up, but romance was never needed for her arc in the way it is for Will. And Mike keeps trying to put El into a superhero box even though it goes AGAINST her entire self-identity arc. Mlvn's relationship does nothing for either character but set them back.

Byler endgame is the most fulfilling conclusion for Will, Mike, AND El.

[borbealis]

has anyone shared this here yet?? they are so unintentionally anti mint chips

[fiendforbyler]

wait y’all i just realised something that is probably niche as fuck but anyway! if you know/have read the Keeper of the Lost Cities series in it’s entirety you will understand the relationship/love triangle between sophie, fitz and keefe. from the beginning fitz is set up at sophie’s love interest, even as young kids (i believe she is 12 in the first book? and he is maybe a year older? not 100% it’s been a while). she crushed on him for majority of the series and finally in book 7/8 they get together with a seemingly very romantic gesture from fitz, with many hints during the series that fitz liked her back. point is: we were all rooting for them. it is imprtant to note that it’s also always been hinted at but later in the series confirmed that keefe has major feelings for sophie as well. for me, this is representative of mike/el/will love triangle, with sophie being mike, keefe being will, and fitz being el. now, i don’t really like fitz but i LOVE el so yeah this isn’t a flawless comparison but ANYWAY back to my main point!! keefe (will) is so likeable with a tragic backstory, troubling plot line, has a lot of trauma AND a sorry crush on a girl (boy) who (supposedly) has eyes only for one person since the beginning- something that has been clearly set up and formed into a seemingly sweet relationship readers have been rooting for from the beginning. yeah this is sounding familiar? here’s the problem (or solution for sophkeefe/byler shippers like i): ITS NOT WHAT SOPHIE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. fitz pressures her into trying to find her bio parents so they could be matched, he is aggressive and possessive over her (not in a good way) and she breaks up with him. during this, i’m pretty sure she begins to crush on keefe as well- keefe in permanent denial she could ever like him back of course- and feels terribly guilty about it, because she still has feeling for fitz. (yeah i told you, not the perfect comparison but you understand what i’m getting at right?) while things with fitz get worse, sophie starts genuinely discovering how she really feels about keefe, with lines like “if she was really really honest- and really really brave- she had to admit that the idea of being with keefe sounded… kind of amazing. Yes, it was scary. and yes there were risks. but wouldn’t it be worth trying?” wouldn’t it be worth trying? ladies and gents, we just discovered mikes inner monologue!!! scary, risky, but worth it? its what will is to him! mike has always been “too insecure to let (him)self see what’s right in front of (him)” (a line taken from the book!!!!!!) will is in front of him. he is being so distracted by his internalised homophobia that he has NOOO idea what he is missing!! “‘SERIOUSLY, STOP!’ she told herself again…/ adding those kind of feelings to a friendship pretty much ruined everything. ( talking about fitz)”

and it’s all oh so familiar…

BUT WAIT! THERES MORE! finally, FINALLY, during our long awaited kiss scene, she says this:

“some tiny part of her head had always wondered if kissing keefe could really be as great as everyone claimed. but kissing keefe was so. much. better.”

yeah. and then blah blah they get interrupted by who? of yes of course fitzy the ex boyfriend is here. and he says what when he finds out? OH YEAH. “you kissed him? you didn’t even kiss me!”

THAT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE “you never say it/i say it” AND “i didn’t say it/you didn’t have to” or pretty much the same way mike acts around will vs el.

you know what else? mikes inability to say i love you to el (hasn’t kissed fitz) but so clearly communicate it to will (kissing keefe)

if you haven’t read all this (and i don’t blame you!!) just read this next paragraph!

but back to my main MAIN point. sophitz was the ship EVERYONE (except maybe a select few) wanted right up until they got together!! it was perfect on paper, cute, with history and seemingly ‘connected’ character (as per the plot), and as soon as they got together, everything fell apart, as well as sophie closing herself off and beginning to lose fitz even before the downfall of their relationship due to her suppressed feelings about keefe. (cough cough MIKE) they need to break up for her to realise keefe was the better match all along. keefe, who never thought he as a chance. keefe, who loved her from the start. KEEFE, WHO LET HIS BEST FRIEND HAVE HER IF IT MEANT HAPPINESS TO THEM.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? please tell me i’m not crazy!! thank you for reading this it took me a long time to write but it also felt great to write this out even if no one reads this. hail to byler and a reminder we are one day closer to seeing them on screen. have a great day/night!

[queermikewheelertruther]

“If Byler happens, what will happen to El?”

I’ve seen this question be asked a lot so I’m gonna answer it. I think she’ll be independent. She doesn’t need a romantic partner. She has so many loving friends and family to support her and if her entire arc was just breaking up with Mike in s4 and then their relationship being the entire plot in s5 would be kinda useless.

I’ve also seen a lot of people argue that if El doesn’t need a boyfriend and Mike isn’t good enough for her, then Will can be single too. This would be a good point if you watched the show with your eyes closed. Will NEEDS Mike, and I feel like people don’t understand if there is 4 seasons building up Will’s love for Mike just for it to end with a heterosexual relationship and him being alone would be a terrible ending. The difference between Mileven and Byler is that Mike can actually express his feelings to Will, in a way that they both understand. Their dynamic is SO much more intimate and passionate than Mileven. Byler being endgame would be a much better way to end the show because it would make El, Mike, and Will happy.

El NEEDS that independent strong women arc right now. She had her first kiss before she even knew how to form a sentence. They’ve been together for 2 (maybe 3) years without even knowing how to properly communicate and act in a relationship, and El needs to experience life without the pressure of being in a romantic relationship. I mean seriously, you cannot watch s4 and think that Mileven will be endgame. Every single other canon couple that is likely to be endgame all have something in common, they all understand and are on the same level romantically. However, with Mileven, this is not shown. They don’t understand each other romantically. This wouldn’t necessarily be an issue if they addressed and resolved this in season 4.

If Mileven were made to be seen as a healthy endgame ship, they would’ve put so much more effort and genuine and emotional feeling moments between them. They could’ve had Mike and El have a deep conversation about their problems, after their fight, and be in a private, calm space together. Mike could’ve explained directly to El why he’s been distancing himself romantically, his reaction at the roller-rink, and tell her how much he loves her. El could’ve explained to Mike why she didn’t feel comfortable enough to tell him she was being bullied, and they could’ve had some emotional, passionate kiss or something.

But they didn’t. Why? Because it’s not endgame. Why wouldn’t El and Mike be a main team together in s5? Why wouldn’t Mileven share similarities between other canon ships? Why does Byler have so many more intimate and romantic coded scenes in s4? What’s the point if Mileven is truly endgame?

(This is kinda badly worded but it’s like 2 am and idrk where I am)

[pinkeoni]

I have another take on the monologue. Walk with me.

And I’m not saying that my interpretation is the correct one, but rather, I’d like to look at it from another angle and consider another possibility.

With the script coming out and the monologue recieving all of this renewed attention, I’m starting to think that maybe El did believe Mike’s monologue.

And this isn’t just me looking at the script as proof. And while yes, the script did say that she believed it, you can’t take what’s on the page as cold hard proof versus what is on the screen, BUT I do think that what we do see on screen supports this idea.

Oh, I still think that Mike was lying out of his ass, and many have already elaborated on that idea so I don’t really want to rehash it here. We as the audience know that Mike is lying because we get a much clearer view of everything, but El does not get that view. We heard Mike say in the van that meeting her was just dumb luck, El did not.

While we also know that Mike’s reasoning for not saying “I love you” comes from his internal struggles, El’s belief as to why Mike couldn’t say comes from her own inner turmoil. She believed that Mike couldn’t say it because she saw herself as a monster. She has no idea about Mike’s personal struggles and doesn’t really consider it a possibility just because she is too in her head. I elaborate more in this post about El’s dichotomous thinking and how it drives her in this season.

It might be different if, say, El questioned Mike if there was someone else, that would definitely send a different message. But this isn’t El believing that Mike is love with someone else. This is El believing that she is unlovable.

But if she did believe him, shouldn’t she have looked happy? Wouldn’t she be closer with him and not giving him the cold shoulder? Wouldn’t they have a conversation after to reconcile their feelings?

And I agree. This is not the face of someone who is happy to finally hear “I love you” from her boyfriend.

But it’s not because she didn’t believe him. It’s because she realized it’s not what she wants to hear because she is not in love with him.

I talked about it more in this post where I discuss some Elmike and Stobin parallels. Here’s the main point I want to draw attention to:

I don’t think El is intentionally lieing about her feelings. I think she felt this hole ever since Hopper left, and believed that Mike’s love was supposed to fix everything. That Mike’s love is what she wants to hear. And then she finally hears it, and realizes it’s not what she wants. So maybe the face she is making during the monologue isn’t out of dissapointment, maybe it’s out of realization and guilt.

This would be a perfect parallel to the end of season 3, which I talk about here—

—and I pretty much agree with everything I said before.

And think about it, if El did believe what Mike was saying, that would make this line—

—so much worse than it already was.

Maybe El believed Mike in that moment, and maybe it did give her enough strength to break free of Vecna’s grasp, but the important thing is that she fails.

And what does El’s dichotomous thinking tell us about how she’s thinking afterward? If she’s not a superhero, then she must be a monster. She got her powers back, her boyfriend loves her, and yet she’s still a monster. Everything that she believed would solve her problems, didn’t. So what can she now?

I think when El side eyes Mike in the cabin it can be read through this lens of guilt as well. How can she bring herself to tell the guy that fell madly in love with her at first sight, that she doesn’t feel the same way? Especially when this guy sees her as a superhero, the thing that El wants her to be? Would breaking up mean losing the superhero title along with the girlfriend title?

I guess I like this interpretation because it shifts the focus to both Mike and El’s internal conflicts, rather than placing their relationship faults on the other person. Mike isn’t a nerd who is hopelessly in love with someone who is disinterested because she is way cooler than him, and El isn’t hopelessly in love with a gay guy who can’t love her back (even though he is a gay guy imo). They are both not in love with each other, and it has nothing to do with the other person.

And what great irony would that be if they were in the exact same position. They both believed that what they wanted from the other person was their love, and it wasn’t until they got it when that cold hard truth would hit them across the face. Now they are in this awkward position where they believe the other person is in love with them, and they both care too much to actually break the truth to the other person. It’s perfect.

[mysecretlittlelibrary]

What's One Night With A Different Knight

Pairing: Jake Lockley x Reader & Marc Spector x Reader

Word Count: 2.7k

Warnings: very brief mention of abuse; not towards the reader just as an idea but besides that I think it's safe here- there's some bickering at the end but otherwise a... relatively cute fic

Genre: very much fluff

Summary: When Marc coincidentally overhears you telling your friend you might dump Jake he steps in to help

***

Jake Lockley. He's been your boyfriend for about 3 months now although at this point you're not too sure he'll keep that title much longer. It's not that Jake mistreats you or anything but, he can be cold, distant. Sometimes it feels as if he's not there even when he's with you, which honestly isn't saying much because these days he's hardly with you anyway. This thing between you, it's new, and you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he's going through something he's not ready to share with you because of how new things are. That you can understand, and you don't necessarily want to give up on your relationship if all of this is because he's having a hard time, especially because he was so kind and charming when you met. Although, 'he was so kind when we met' is the beginning of too many stories that end with bruises, restraining orders, arrests, death. So you won't put too much weight in 'he was kind and charming when you met'. You don't want to believe that Jake would ever hurt you but you still don't know him well, and you can only ignore so many warning signs. The more you mull it over the more you think it's time to end things. You just want to figure out the best way to do so.

"El I think I'm gonna break up with him." You mutter to your friend as you walk back from dinner together, the summer nights being perfect for it.

"Jake? I thought you really liked him!"

"I do. Or- I did. These days there's not enough of him around to like. That's the problem." You sigh. "I know he has a life, I mean, so do I but the bottom line is that Lockley isn't putting in effort and I refuse to be the only one that cares in this relationship."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it?"

"Maybe. It's just that it's only been a couple of months, if he's already falling off like this so soon I mean, it seems like he can't be bothered." You shrug.

"I think you should talk to him if you see a future with him in any capacity. But I know you don't have patience for being treated like an option."

"Correct, I don't. I won't prioritize someone who won't prioritize me. I'll think about it though. I just- I'm not going to beg him to be invested in our relationship that's all."

You had no way of knowing that, coincidentally, not Jake but one who shares his body heard a good bit of this conversation. While Jake hadn't told you about his secrets, between Moonknight and his fractured mind, it didn't take Marc and Steven long to find out about you. Considering how little he fronts, it was easy for them to solve the mystery that had him showing up more often. You. They obviously didn't know you personally but they knew enough about you. Marc had particularly taken an interest in you and while Steven would never admit it, because you weren't his girlfriend, part of him liked you a little bit too. They'd both like you to stick around but Marc, unlike Steven, is willing to cross lines if it means keeping you around. Which is why the night after hearing you vent to your dear friend, he's strolling coolly to your apartment with a bouquet of flowers. He knocks on the door with all the confidence in the world, smiling kindly when you open the door, even when he sees the confused look on your face.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" You ask. Marc reveals the flowers from behind his back.

"Now I would've got your favorites but forgive me I'm not sure what they are. I do however know flowers and put together some that show what I feel about you. Blue salvias, morning glories, forget me nots, and a collection of carnations and camellias." Marc says.

"I'm not personally well versed in flowers so I'm not sure what any of them mean but thank you." You chuckle. "And what's up with your voice?"

"I thought it'd be fun to do an accent." He shrugs.

"Oh? Should I do one too?"

"Nah, I love your voice too much." He winks.

"How cute. Did you, really come all this way just to drop off some flowers though?" You ask.

"No. So you'll have to look up their meanings later, I'm actually hoping you can spare a couple hours of your evening for a date. I thought I'd surprise you."

"A date? I'm hardly dressed for a date."

"Well you could wear a paper bag and still be the most gorgeous person in any room we entered, but I'm a patient man, go ahead and get ready. I'll wait."

"Give me 15 minutes." You say ushering him into your apartment.

"Take your time mi amor." Marc says, throwing the endearment in to appear more like Jake.

Marc??? Where are we? Marc sighs at the voice in his head, he'd hoped that both alters would be blocked for most of the evening.

"Jake babe, where are we going?" You call down the hall.

"It's a surprise princessa!" 

"I mean I know, I really just need the dress code."

"Casual is fine, although you'd look perfect in anything."

"So charming this evening." You muse.

JAKE'S GIRLFRIEND?! THAT IS JAKE'S GIRLFRIEND MARC!

Marc rushes into the bathroom and turns on the faucet, glaring at the mirror.

"Yes I know who it is Steven thank you."

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!

"I'm thinking that Jake is about to lose her and I have no interest in letting that happen."

So what's your plan?! To tell her the truth about us?

"No! At least, not tonight. Tonight is just about showing her what she deserves."

That is absolutely mad. Not to mention a betrayal of trust, both hers and Jake's. She thinks you're someone else Marc.

"Yeah, that's kind of the point."

So you're just going to pretend to be him indefinitely?

"No, she's this close to breaking up with Jake so- I'm proving he's not a shit partner."

Right, so that when he fails to deliver after this she'll dump him quicker.

"I'm trying to save their relationship not ruin it!"

You realize if Jake ever tells her about us and she finds out about this she will probably be pissed off

"That's fine because if I don't do this they probably won't even last long enough for Jake to tell her about us."

You've lost your mind Marc, you cannot pretend to be Jake anymore than you could pretend to be me or I could pretend to be either of you

"For a couple of hours, I absolutely can actually."

"Jake? Where'd you go?" Your voice halts their conversation and Marc turns off the sink, swinging open the bathroom door to greet you with a smile.

"Apologies hermosa, I'm here." He says.

"Well, let's go on this surprise date of yours." You say  You've put on a pair of jeans and a mesh sweater over a crop top for the evening, something comfortable but cute since you still don't know where you're going.

"Yes, let's." Marc offers his arm to you and you loop yours through it as you exit your apartment.

"Will you tell me where we're heading now?" You ask him while he leads you through the streets of town.

"I will not, but I'm sure you'll guess before we get there." He says.

"How on earth would I be able to guess before we get there?" You frown.

"Listen closely amor." He says and you allow yourself to take in the sounds of summer evenings. There are people talking, and walking, everywhere, but after a moment you hear faint music, not like the kind playing in restaurants that you pass. It's- carnival music? You can hear the sounds of laughter and screams and the almost obnoxious chimes carnival games are known for and just as you piece it together you just barely pick up the smell of overpriced fair food.

"Are we going to a carnival?" You ask with an excited gasp and though Marc doesn't answer he smiles in a way that tells you you've guessed correctly. Just then you turn a corner and are suddenly met with so many bright lights you're tempted to close your eyes for a moment.

"Surprise." Marc says quietly as you approach.

"I didn't even know there was a carnival in town! This is so cool!" You say beaming at him.

"I thought you'd like it." He smiles softly.

"I love it. Thank you." You tell him.

"Anything for you." He says and he means that. He's not sure Jake would say it but- he feels that way. In this moment, watching you take in the carnival with childlike wonder. He would do anything for you. He's sure of it.

"What should we do first?!" You ask him excitedly.

"Whatever you want, it's your surprise. We can do it all, ride every ride, play every game, eat everything from every stall, win every prize they've got, we can just walk around, we can ride the same ride a hundred times if you want. I'll do whatever makes you happiest." Marc says and you smile so sweetly he's sure his heart is fit to fly out of his chest and into your hands.

"Let's start with the swing carousel." You say pointing out the ride.

"Of course." He nods leading you both to the line. He's quiet as you make your way to the front and onto the ride but he holds your hand even after you're sat in your swings waiting for the ride to start. After a few moments, the ride lifts into the air and begins spinning in large circles, taking all of you with it. Marc watches you as you happily look around at the rest of the carnival from the vantage point this ride gives you. There's a childlike wonder to your happiness that when he's looking at you he feels at peace like every problem he's ever had is dissolving. It's a feeling he wants to hold onto. When the ride ends you and Marc take turns picking what order to hit the others in. Honestly, he'd let you decide every step he takes if you wanted to, but you insist that he have some say in the evening.

"I didn't take you for the carnival type Jake." You say after you've ridden most everything there is to ride here. The use of Jake's name is like a bucket of cold water in Marc's face and he has to remind himself not to react outwardly.

"I don't know that I'd say I am actually but I am the make you happy type, cariño." Marc says kissing your cheek.

"You're so cute tonight." You giggle. "We have to ride the ferris wheel before we go." You point at the large brightly lit up wheel.

"Alright but before that let's play one of these games, yeah? Tell me what prize you want and I'll win it for you." Marc says.

"You don't have to do that Jake." You shake your head.

"I want to. Go on, pick a prize." Marc tells you. You look at the different games around the carnival and your eyes eventually catch on a stuffed raccoon. It's big with blue eyes and paws and ears and feet and it's hanging over one of those impossible ringtoss games.

"Do you think you could win one of those raccoon toys?" You ask, pointing at it.

"Easy." He nods.

"Well the bottle ring toss is notoriously hard usually. Don't take it too seriously." You tell him as he walks up to the booth with you.

"Trust me princessa, I've got this." Marc winks at you before buying his rings from the attendant who looks extremely bored.

"Alright." You laugh.

"Watch this." He turns slightly to the side and tosses the rings in rapid succession, making every throw with surprising accuracy.

"Wow." You say.

"Told you it'd be easy." Marc says throwing his arm around you. He points at the stuffed raccoon you wanted and the game attendant pulls it down with a shocked congratulations.

"Thank you Jake." You say kissing his cheek.

"Of course amor. To the Ferris wheel now, yes?"

"Yes! Let's go!" You smile, clutching the raccoon closely. Your Ferris wheel ride is peacefully quiet and when you eventually return to the ground, Marc walks you back to your apartment. You chat idly as you walk, catching up about how you've been since you last saw each other and before you know it, you're at your apartment door.

"I had an amazing time tonight." Marc says.

"Me too. I dunno what's up with you tonight but, I like you like this." You say with a small smile.

"Yeah? Me too." He smiles. You place a hand on his shoulder to lean up and kiss his cheek shyly.

"Text when you get home, okay?" You say.

"Of course amor." He nods.

"Goodnight Jake." You say softly.

"Goodnight mi vida." He breathes out as you step into your apartment. You almost don't want to close your door because it means the night is over but you do and Marc leaves, whistling happily to himself as he was back to their flat. It's not until he makes it all the way back that a voice rings in his head.

If we didn't share a body hermano I would kill you right now.

Marc looks at the nearest reflective surface to see Jake glaring at him.

That was my girlfriend! What the hell are you doing?!

"Hey, if not for what I did tonight she'd probably be your ex girlfriend by morning. She was ready to dump you just the other night. You should be thanking me." Marc says.

Marc, that's Jake's life. It's not your place to meddle, we agreed to let each other have our things. You overstepped seriously. 

This time it's Steven who steps in, gentle but scolding.

"I just saved his relationship. That girl deserves better, all I did was show it to her."

Not only have you fundamentally destroyed the trust of their relationship but you've set an expectation you don't even know if Jake can maintain! At best you've strung her along and at worst you have to maintain this lie which can only lead to a million other problems because when you eventually start to care for her and hearing her call you Jake starts driving you crazy and you're tempted to tell her the truth you won't be able to because at that point you'll be in so deep that she'll never speak to either of you again if you do tell her.

"I gave her exactly what kind of relationship she should have, now Jake either has to step up or lose her for good."

And when he doesn't fill this weird bar you've set up because he's not you, then what? Because she was about to dump him until you stepped in, right? 

First of all who said I couldn't fill it?!

"If you can be that for her why haven't you?"

It's none of your business Marc

Case in point. He's not gonna do what you did. You've just created this unnecessary contradicting person for her and there was literally no reason for that.

"Whatever, she deserved a nice night."

You're ignoring the part where she is MY girlfriend and you had no right to take her out! Just because she doesn't know there's more than one of us doesn't mean it's okay to take advantage of that!

"If she's your girlfriend. Treat her well and we won't have this problem."

The only problem is you meddling

"God you two are such nags. I saved your relationship tonight Jake. I won't apologize for it because you're lucky you can still call her your girlfriend right now." Marc rolls his eyes and walks away from the mirror and their conversation. Yeah maybe he should've left well enough alone but you deserve nice things and even if it means you leave Jake for not being enough, at least you should know that someone will give you everything you deserve.

Meanwhile, after you've showered and changed you look up the meaning of those flowers he brought you, the blue salvias mean 'I think of you', and morning glories mean 'affection', forget me nots are self explanatory, the different colored carnations mean everything from my heart aches to I'll never forget you and the various camellias have meanings of longing and other dramatic declarations of love, at least according to a website you found. It's a very thoughtful collection of flowers, more emotionally expressive than Jake has been for most of your relationship but it's something that warms your heart as you lay in bed thinking about your date. An absolutely perfect date.

***

[dukeofdelirium]

I'm torn between wanting to see Mike and El's break up on screen or for someone to just alert the audience to the fact that they're officially done via a passing comment.

It would be great to finally see Mike stand up for himself. His POV has been hidden for so long that a lot of people have only been able to sympathize with El. Coincidentally, El is the one who causes the majority of their problems and she's also the one who engages in the more harmful behavior (spying, shutting Mike down when he tries to express himself, constantly running away whenever there's a conflict.) So it would be nice for the majority of the audience to finally get his perspective, while allowing him to put his happiness first for a change.

..But I'd also like it if Mike literally just states that they broke up one time in passing. Because MiIeven is a silly middle school relationship that neither party really wanted, but they were pressured into dragging out for way too long. So I think Mike just saying "Yeah, that shit's finally done" is also satisfying.

Honestly I kinda want to see them officially break up on screen. I want Mike to voice that he doesn’t love her romantically and I want El to voice the same bc it’s obvious they aren’t in love and never really were. But I totally get the desire for it to be quick and to the point, too, or for it not to be a big focus in s5.

I feel like they already kind of are broken up post s4 bc we didn’t actually see them get back together anyway and it’s giving that vibe but I still want them to talk about it and for Mike to actually say how he feels and I think it’s kind of necessary for his character atp. His pov has been hidden for 2 seasons now for a reason.

I also think that Vecna is going to basically out Mike to the audience kind of like they did in IT 2 with Richie, since Vecna is obv inspired by pennywise. But I think the vision itself will be a lot more like Ben in that same film, just with the addition of making it obvious he’s gay and in love with Will.

[ultfreakme]

Jon and Co-dependence: my boy's mad at me. i'm going to make him move in w/ me and make him popcorn

Absolute Power: Super Son gave me a lot to think about. In terms of writing I really can't complain, it was executed very well for a one-shot. But in terms of characters, I'm frustrated(in a way indicative of good writing) about Jon and Nia.

This issue does not resolve Jon's problems, it brings them to audience awareness in an explicit manner. People who've been keeping a keen eye on Jon saw this coming since 2021 in SOKE but no writer stated it in clear terms on page this way. Avoidance, denial, and an inability to think in terms of his humanity and only as a tool or a part of a whole(family, romance, friendship). Jon knows he's avoidant, he doesn't like thinking about his trauma or talking about it, he will suffer through it alone. Even in his deepest, most lowest moment, he speaks of his own trauma in terms of his family.

His autonomy and individuality have been slowly chipped away by the prospect of being Superman. Superman does not live for himself, he takes risks and sacrifices himself for the greater good. That label and the shadow of his father in that suit has been following him since he was 9-10 years old.

The only thing Jon seems to want solely for himself, is Jay.

Up until this point, Jon has been fairly chill and normal about seemingly on the surface. Their relationship was always very sweet, they were always on the same page and never had a reason to fight. There is a deep admiration and respect between them. But the understanding, the ability to see the person for who they are at their core, has yet to happen.

Regardless of that, Jon loves Jay in a way that is damn near unhealthy and codependent.

His love for Jay is what breaks Jon out of Brainiac Queen(BQ)'s control, but it makes him reckless and impulsive. He needs Jay in his life. Throughout the issue, Jay was pointedly not present in the dreams Nia constructed to keep Jon's mind safe from BQ's attack. This is precisely what kept breaking any shield Nia put up.

Jay's absence drives Jon deeper into spiraling. The lies Nia made for Jon never, ever worked because Jay was missing. A dream of his which Nia repeatedly showed Jon and which Jon has admitted is his wish to move to San Fran and get an apartment with Jay in it.

Nia gave him the apartment and the city but not the man and that always, ALWAYS broke Jon out. When Nia isn't around to keep things in-check, Jon just spontaneously remembers Jay on his own and inserts him into the dreamscape.

Nia built those dreams to protect Jon, but also to help him in fighting back but Jon was extremely weak to BQ's control regardless of those efforts. The only time Jon manages to find the strength to fight back is when Nia drops the dreams and instead just shows him the truth of BQ and acknowledges his trauma. She correctly identified that Jon needs help to fight back, but not through falsehoods, but through the truth.

That's when Jon fights back and breaks out of the control. At every turn, Jay and the things he stands for are what pull Jon out of false comfort.

There's those phrases right? Sweet dreams. Ugly truths. That's Nia and Jay.

The reality with Jay is nothing like a dream but Jon would rather take the pain of reality than be trapped in fake happiness. There was a pattern in the issue where Jon kept texting Jay after every dream session with the Amazonians. Jay checking in asking if he's okay, Jon replying he's 'totally fine' despite not feeling like that. Jay was his guide to the truth in SOKE, AOSJK, and now Super Son.

Jon's had his reality fucked with a LOOOOOOOT. Manchester Black, Waller & BQ, Injustice Universe, and the whole space trip. Jon has had this existential turmoil since he was a child, it was made worse by his trip to space with Jor-El. The impossibility of his existence is frequently emphasized. Most people see it as a miracle, Jon sees it as point of fear and doubt about his existence. He needs something, anything to stay above the surface and that is Jay.

Like, it is now canon, that Jay is Jon's tether to reality. He is the one thing he will selfishly ask for himself and by golly is he selfish about it. He clings. It's a repeated pattern.

The night they become official, the tendencies start showing.

SOKE establishes that Jay is always the one letting go, and Jon is always the one holding on by any means necessary. This leads to so truly ✨Problematic✨decisions on Jon's part.

A list, if I may:

Gives Jay a new suit and half-proposes to him with a legion ring

Nearly fights Batman over him

Goes to Jay's counterpart in the injustice-verse with no evidence of if he may be good or not and just trusts him blindly

Took Jay to his own Fortress of Solitude and planned on keeping him there during the Siege of Gamorra

Burst in through a wall because he thought Jay was in danger

Asks to move in with him and move across the country with him

Safe to say, Jon needs Jay in some deep, fundamental, and kind of unhealthy way. The last one happens when Jay suggests it's not going to work between them if Jon insists he must forgive Nia. You don't define your own reality based on one person if you don't got issues, and unfortunately Jay does dish it like it is and calls himself the truth so like Jay was doomed from the second he opened his mouth and posted his recordings online.

Jay suggested breaking it off-- for understandable reasons- and within five minutes Jon dropped his very first "I love you" to Jay and asked him to move in with him.

This kind of leads to Jon deifying Jay and not seeing him entirely as a person. Jay is deeply upset about his mother's death, when Jon just rush at him with moving in together, Jay cries but doesn't immediately agree. He actually pulled away and seemed like he might have protested if not for the Amazonians calling Jon in to stop Waller.

Jay's relationship with Jon is filled with this, and Jay has to call Jon out to slow down and address Jay's issues(this makes him sound so bad, he really isn't, he' just gets too caught up in "protect him protect him protect him" mode when he's under distress). He does this when Jon is about to leave him to go fight Bendix, and in AOSJK when Jon's being all happy about getting to go out freely in public while Jay's stuck wearing disguises.

Jon's tendency to view Jay as his tether leads to him dismissing Jay's very human, raw and awful emotions. It's why he's so shocked when Jay feels nothing about Nia's death. It's also why he's quick to just ignore the topic and because yeah he feels terrible about it but if he keeps pushing this, Jay will leave him.

Jay's story.....is one of a loss of autonomy, just as much as Jon's. It happens in how he gains his powers, the way Nia betrayed him, the loss of his secret identity which he HEAVILY relied on to convey news, the seeming loss/ lowered involvement with The Truth news streams, and frequently with Jon where Jon chips at it with his desperate need to keep Jay by his side.

Jay doesn't dream of San Fran. Jay doesn't dream of shared apartments. No one has yet to properly let Jay cry about the loss of his country and his mother. Jon's avoidance strategy HURTS Jay here in an immense way.

If this keeps going, this relationship is going to break. Jay's always putting up with this, with Jon, because at this moment, he has no family. Jon is his closest tie to anyone, he can't let him go either because if he does he loses his entire support system but he's willing to since he actually prioritizes his grief over his mother. Jon centering Jay as a concept around his desire for himself is going to cause huge problems in the future.

Anyways, Jon's a freak, free Jay. Stan toxic yaoi.

[chirpsythismorning]

This makes me feel like Mike is lying and knows he’s lying in his monologue:

And…

And dot dot dot…?

El’s literally choking and Mike is frozen.

Will pushes Mike and tells him not to stop, reminding him of his speech in the van.

Then, even as he is about to say it, HE STALLS.

It’s clear Mike is having a serious internal conflict when it comes to saying I love you to El, and for a character whose most important rule is ‘friends don’t lie’ and whose sister had an identical plot line where she couldn’t tell her boyfriend I love you when she realized she didn’t love him and was starting to have stronger feelings for someone else, I feel like the answer is right there.

But the And dot dot dot just does it for me.

Like what is with the dramatics.???

It’s so weird to me because if the problem was as simple as Mike being scared of losing El, he wouldn’t have risked things by not saying it when she was crying in her room during their fight.

As the cop car was taking her away, it wouldn’t have been the perfect moment, and yet the way Mike said everything he could to reassure her but avoided simply saying the one thing he knew she wanted to hear, something that had her crying not even 5 minutes earlier, saying it could have been a way for Mike to comfort her in this moment of uncertainty.

Then there’s the letter, where El says from instead of love, and this is the last semblance of contact they have with each other, which has given Mike the impression that they had a fight they could never come back from. And so, he lost her in that moment. His greatest fear has apparently already come to fruition.

The rest of the season he continues to grapple with his insecurities and his concerns with where him and El stand, with Will reassuring him. He nods his head about someone he cares about not liking the truth. Him constantly talking about his conflict with El as if it’s something that cannot be fixed?? Dude it required 3 words?? And what reason exactly would he have to agree with what Will said, unless there is some truth he’s already aware of that he doesn’t think El will like?

And then their reunion in the desert happens. THIS could finally be the moment he makes clear to El how he feels. He hasn’t lost her, they’re back with each other and she’s safe and alive and happy to see him.

So why when she leans in fully, does he hold himself back (El’s face is perfectly symmetrical vertically with the frame when their foreheads meet, whereas Mike is more so leaning back horizontally as much as he can, doing his best to keep his mouth as far away from El as possible)?...

So, no kiss then?…

After they separate and smile at each other relieved, instead of making a point to say ‘that thing’, Mike decides to shift focus from them, to those around them, seeking our Will specifically.

At Surfer Boy, they get interrupted by Argyle and his pineapple pizza. Leading up to it, Mike doesn’t look like he’s about to confess this deep and emotional reason for why he couldn’t say I love you.

I guess… I dunno… I guess I just wanted to say that—

AGAIN WITH THE DOT DOT DOTS!

If Mike was going to say I love you, that would have been the most anti-climactic love confession in the history of television. He doesn’t sound like he’s about to tell her something genuine from his heart. He sounds like he’s about to say something because he feels obligated to.

And then that leading to the monologue, where there is more stalling…

Mike had soooo many chances to say it, and if he was truly scared saying it would make losing her eventually ‘hurt more’ (words inspired by Will’s speech), then he could have said it any one of those previous instances and could have saved them and their relationship.

Instead he treats it like no man’s land, as if it’s this bad word that isn’t an option, until it’s quite literally the only option.

I think that while it is heartbreaking, it makes Mike a very complex character. While he did lie, it was a pretty selfless act, because he was breaking one of his most sacred rules, he was lying. He put it off for sooo long for a reason. He goes against how he truly feels in his heart, and that’s in large part why they lose .

Another factor to all of this, that makes me think this is very likely, is again the major theme of friends don’t lie. And how there is one scene from s1 in particular that offers up a really good Mike and El parallel we could get for them in s5, that I think would make this whole situation and the buildup to it, just sooooo fucking layered.

Imagine something similar to this conversation in s5, but switch Mike and El around:

Rewatching all the seasons in general opens up a lot of possibilities for brainstorming about potential callbacks we could see in s5. When it comes to the importance and impact of lying in the story, with s4 being filled with characters lying, there is just something so full circle about s4 opening with El’s letter filled with lies, Will’s veiled love confession filled with lies that his feelings are El’s and the season closing off with Mike lying to save the world and as a result failing.

And then in s5, kind of bringing together all of these lies, with the truth this time.

Having a parallel to this, with El calling Mike out, would finally give her the chance to voice to Mike, face to face, how she feels truly about everything, and having it be in a way that will sort of put Mike in his place, in a similar way he did to her, would be kind of insane.

Not only that, but in doing so, along with making byler canon by the end end of the series, this entire scene in s1 could be re-contextualized to something much more incredible than it was to viewers in their initial viewing.

After s5, this scene would never be the same:

[suzukiblu]

I know it's totally wrong for what you're shooting for but your stories make me feel bad for Clark. All these folks judging him, when as far as he can tell Kon doesn't even want to be around him. And honestly, he's had clones before. No one expected him to mourn when a Bizarro degraded

. . . okay, friend, first off I apologize, because I def got carried away with this response and it turned into a bit of a rant, hah. Please don't take any of this the wrong way or get the impression I'm annoyed by this ask or anything, I just fundamentally disagree with SO many things about how Clark's relationship with Kon has been handled in canon and apparently I had to word-vomit a lot of that out here and now in explanation of why I tend to write Clark as being Objectively Wrong about Kon/how he treats Kon.

A) There's no convincing reason I can think of that Clark should think Kon doesn't want to be around him, and if he DID, why would he have given him permission to wear the El crest to begin with, much less offered him either the name "Superboy" or "Kon-El"? Especially Kon-El, because that's a name that originated from a specifically ADOPTED member of his birth family, and Clark offered it to him while CALLING him family, but also . . . lying to him about having a secret identity? And whole-ass other life??

and also

B) I actually WOULD expect Clark to mourn a Bizarro degrading. That's like his whole deal, in my experience of him across various media: Clark Kent is a person who thinks that every person matters and is undeniably the kind of guy that would be upset by someone suffering from genetically-inevitable degradation. Especially if the people suffering that degradation only exist to suffer it because HE, Clark "I Am Personally Responsible For This Whole Damn Planet, And Yes That IS A Threat" Kent, exists.

Like, Clark always takes way too much on himself. So it doesn't really make sense to me that a dude like that would take one look at a kid with his own face who is actually at best about a month old and just decide "yeah, this person doesn't need me ever involved in their life at all" and STICK with that assessment even through repeated problems, near-death experiences, and straight-up disasters. ESPECIALLY because Clark already knew Matrix, and she was ALSO a genetic experiment who'd been made in his image by someone he didn't have any reason to trust. But he still took Mae to his parents' farm and let her live there pretty much immediately, trusted her with SO many of his secrets and even trusted her living with his parents without, again, having to jump through ANY of the MULTITUDE of hoops that Kon did to earn a similar level of trust, and she eventually started dating literal LEX LUTHOR and Clark still trusted her after THAT!

( I mean, I think everyone thought Lex was his own son at the time or something weird like that, Because Comics, but still! STILL!! )

Shit, Clark still trusted Mae after she had a mental breakdown ON HIS PARENTS and tried to attack him and had a severe enough psychotic break that she thought she literally WAS him! Mae very quickly proved herself to be WAY more dangerous and hostile than Kon has EVER been outside of being directly mind-controlled, but from the jump Clark is way more invested in her and her life and CARES way more about her and her life. And later he responds to Kara just as differently as he did Mae, despite her ALSO debuting as both a more dangerous and more hostile person than Kon. So like . . . there's a bit of a double-standard going there, it kind of feels like? Like, at least on a meta-level. And I'm sure most of it's editorial nonsense and the kind of narrative problems that lie inherent in like . . . what, thirty-plus years of comic history and about eight bajillion different writers and the like, obviously, but it just is REAL hard to justify that behavior in the actual narrative when Clark Kent is meant to be the moral paragon that the entire damn rest of the DC universe is meant to set its metaphorical watch by.

Either way, though, I'm usually trying to write Clark as either sympathetic or at least understandable in his logic, even when it's flawed, so I wouldn't really say it's "wrong" if you feel sympathy for him while reading my writing. Like, I'm not saying he's in the right in those specific fics, but I do still want to be empathetic to his point of view. It is again just REALLY hard for me to explain a lot of Clark's canon relationship with Kon in any way other than "benign neglect due to just deliberately assuming that all Kryptonians are always Perfectly Fine, Thanks due to his own personal issues about what 'Superman' represents", and that's the KIND option.

Long story short, I really just don't care what DC says, It is NOT on the brand-new teenager with zero life experience who Clark deliberately LET put an S-shield-shaped target on their back to single-handedly foster a relationship with the perfect superhero idol that most of the damn world looks up to. I genuinely cannot think of a single significant occasion where Clark ever does anything for Kon that involves CLARK having to put in any kind of recurring effort, but we're supposed to accept that KON has to earn scraps of Clark's attention and the right to be considered a part of his family over and over again--while Clark, again, doesn't have to do anything to earn Kon's attention or the right to be considered a part of HIS family? Ever? Even ONCE??

Relationships are two-way streets, DC! That's just how relationships are, DC!! Otherwise it's just parasocial bullshit or someone taking advantage of someone else, DC!!!!

Don't get me wrong, I really love Clark, I think he's a great character in a lot of fascinating ways and that he is VERY interesting and affecting when he's done well ("you can do anything you want, and all you want to do is help people" HELLO CRYING IN THE CLUB RN), but like . . . come on, DC, what the fuck and WHY?

[thestrangestthing89]

One of the many reasons Mike's monologue feels so unsatisfying is because there is no build up to it all season. He's talking to Will about his feelings of insecurity and guilt. He doesn't even tell Will what him and El fought about. He just vaguely references a fight. He mentions how he should have just said "that thing" and she would have taken him with her.

But that isn't true. Because even if he had just told her what she wanted to hear in the moment, it wouldn't have helped. It wouldn't have been enough for her. She had to beg him and if he just gave a trigger response it would have been so phony. She's not an idiot. She knows he doesn't or he would have been showing it by now. He would have said it in his letters. Her demanding he say it was meant as confirmation of what she already knew.

Mike spends the rest of the season feeling guilty and like he isn't enough. He avoids talking about the problem directly because he doesn't need to. He's not looking for relationship advice. He knows why he doesn't love her. If he was trying to work through that he would have been saying it instead of avoiding that part of the conversation. This was about him and his feelings. He feels guilty for not being what she needs. He's insecure about the fact that she's a superhero and he's just some guy. He doesn't think he's enough. He wants to feel needed and he spends all season talking about how El doesn't make him feel this way.

We were watching a slow motion break up. So the curveball of Mike just saying what she wanted to hear in the least romantic way possible falls flat (for a lot of reasons). It wouldn't have worked if he had said it in Lenora and it's not working now. Because he's just telling her what she wants to hear and he's not showing her he means it. It doesn't fix any of their problems. It's just him having to once again prioritize what she wants at his own expense because he wants to feel needed. But it's not enough for either of them.

[nouies]

hello and welcome to the february fic rec featuring my favourite works from what i’ve read during the past weeks. as always, please check tags before reading. if you liked the fics please reblog their posts, leave kudos and write a nice comment. happy reading! rec tag | more rec lists

— harry/louis —  

໑ Time Stamp: Valentine's Day from Heart Beat by @allwaswell16 (E, 1.7k, established relationship, romantic trip, valentine’s day) A romantic weekend away for Valentine's Day

໑ i want real love baby (don't leave me waiting) by loulovep (NR, 2k, established relationship (or not?), farmer harry, city boy louis, fluff, valentine’s day) Harry thought of the perfect date for (his boyfriend?) Louis. Nothing goes to plan.

໑ a little bit of you by @lvinlou (T, 2.3k, strangers to lovers, a/b/o, fairy louis) Louis is a cute omega who loves autumn and baking cupcakes. However, when he goes to the supermarket to get the last ingredient for his recipe, strawberry jam, he meets Harry, a grumpy alpha who is unwilling to hand over the last jar.

໑ your face is like a melody by @meloummy (NR, 2.4k, alternate universe, friends to lovers, singer louis, stage fright) Where Louis is a singer who needs his boy in the most critical moments.

Or where Harry helps his superstar and shows him how much he loves him.

໑ I'm gonna love you forever and ever by houisminou (M, 3k, established relationship, a/b/o au) louis is independent, he is a free omega, except when he is with his alpha, then he just wants to be holded and taken care of

໑ the prints of your hands are still on my canvas by puppyvirginloui (NR, 4.5k, exes to lovers, a/b/o au, nesting, jealous harry) Harry and Louis broke up not long ago. Everything was fine until then, problems started with Louis’ heat just around the corner, an important presentation that he could not miss, and a very visible (or more like invisible) alpha that could help him go through his heat.

And then Harry shows up. (Again.)

໑ no one's gonna take my soul away by puppyvirginloui (spanish, NR, 6.7k, strangers to lovers, a/b/o au, dark fic, shapeshifting, read tags and author’s note) Nunca te metas con un omega en celo.

໑ and then, i wait there for you by punk_pillow_princess / @punkpillowprincess (M, 9k, established relationship, marriage proposal, valentine’s day, miscommunication) Harry has always dreamed of having his “happily ever after”, but hasn't found the right one yet. Suddenly, he meets Louis.

໑ Fortune cookies by DaxitaIsDaydreaming (spanish, T, 10.6k, friends to lovers, valentine’s day) Louis y Harry han sido amigos desde que tienen memoria. Catorce años, para ser justos. Están enamorados el uno del otro pero ninguno cree conveniente confesarlo por temor a perder la amistad que han construido durante todos estos años. Sin embargo, San Valentín les tiene preparado una sorpresa. Un pequeño empujón en forma de galletas de la fortuna. Depende de ellos el futuro de su relación.

໑ The Unsuccessful Promise by @trysomecats (T, 15k, enemies to lovers, a/b/o au, high school) At the end of the previous school year, Louis swore to everyone that he would return in the fall as an alpha. He made this promise especially to his arch-nemesis Harry Styles, who has already presented as an alpha himself. Unfortunately over summer break, the worst thing possible happens: Louis presents as an omega. Now school is back in session and he has to return and face the consequences of pre-determining his status.

Featuring Liam and Zayn as Louis' doting and exasperated parents.

໑ Gemini Rising by Speechless (E, 23.4k, roommates au, quirky harry, frustrated louis, angst and humour) Louis might as well give it a shot.

Maybe - just maybe - if he starts crossing boundaries in the same reckless way Harry does, that lunatic will get the message.

So he starts invading Harry's space any way he can think of.

໑ You Bring Blue Lights To Dreams by @starryhazelou (E, 30k, strangers to lovers, soulmates au, cowboy harry, veterinarian louis, light angst) Finding your soulmate had been described to Harry as, “finding the answers to the universe.” As the years passed, he would become restless trying to find his. Everyone was born with identical birthmarks on their bodies tying them together. With the combination of living in a small town, along with having a mark that was constantly obstructed by clothing, he was beginning to lose hope.

໑ the road not taken by teenytinytomlinson / @hs3lt2 (E, 35k, friends with benefits, famous harry, non-famous louis, holidays) The one where Harry returns back home for the holidays after a successful debut album, leaving Louis to unwrap gifts as well as old complicated feelings. Cue: hometown holiday hookups, overbearing siblings, and a disastrous New Year’s Eve party. A 'Tis’ the Damn Season' inspired au.

໑ give my love a four letter name by @levelofcharm (E, 46.6k, enemies to lovers, angel/demon relationship, angel louis, demon harry, supernatural elements) Louis hates Harry because he's a demon. Harry hates Louis because Louis hates him. Things change.

໑ Paradise is getting closer by louislovesh28 (M, 52.6k, friends with benefits, supernatural au, hunter louis, journalist harry, read tags) Louis hated his life, which consisted only of death and destruction. Despite the lives he had saved and continued to save, a part of him couldn't feel satisfied.He had been the one who gave up a normal life and although he knew what was to come, the loneliness had never left him in all these years, not even for a second. He felt it in his heart every time he approached a target, he felt it in the few minutes before falling asleep in his dingy car or while he allowed himself a few hours of sleep before setting off again, and he felt it every time he closed that door behind him.

— extra —  

i don’t usually self promo here but i’d like to invite all of you to read the smau my friend and i are working on. it updates daily in the morning (central time). please check it out, it’s called Running with the Wolves.

[bylertruth3r]

idc what anyone says he totally knew Will was talking about himself in the van scene and Finn keeps saying Mike’s totally clueless cuz saying Mike was happy about Will loving him back would be a spoiler( he also said Mike didn’t know Will was crying in the van when we literally see Mike looking at Will while being worried) and here’s why:

In this scene Mike was mad cuz Will barely talked to him but he used El's name to pretend he wasn't mad about Will not paying attention to him

Which is why I think he knew(or suspected) that Will was doing the same thing to mask his feelings for him during the van scene cuz remember he already knew Will's painting was for someone he liked (at first he thought it was for a girl and got jealous(i explained that in another post) also Will used words from their fight at rink o mania and their heart-to-heart scene in the bedroom: “which is why you decided to be a douche to her (me) all day?” “i feel like i lost you or something” "this year has been weird you know? and you know Max, Lucas and Dustin they're great ,they're great it's just it's hawkins it's not the same without you" “and if she (i) was being mean to you or pushing you away was just because she (i) was scared of losing you just like you’re scared of losing her”  “well maybe you should’ve reached out more”  “these past few months she’s (i’ve) been so lost without you”

this is the face of a gay boy who feels loved in the way he wants to and who realized the boy he’s in love with loves him back 

But then when things got really bad Will told him he's the heart and reminded him of what they talked about in the van so now he thinks he got it wrong and that El commissioned the painting and in the script it says Will's words gave him the determination to tell El those things (which was literally the only insight we got of Mike’s feelings during that scene)

also “you’re the heart”(something related to Byler) is the name of the soundtrack of this scene

also them showing Mike when Will says “what if they don’t like the truth?” and Mike nodding cuz he relates to what Will was saying..

why wouldn’t El(his gf) like Mike loving her back? nah this was about the opposite this was about Mike not being able to love her back cuz yk he’s gay and being afraid of hurting her and about Mike being afraid of Will finding out he loves him which was also why he never told Will the reason of his fight with El which ironically happened the same episode of the stancy break up 

and then ofc Jonathan( who’s in love with Nancy) reassured Nancy(who’s in love with Jonathan) about Steve

                            Wheeler                                              Byers

and Will(who’s in love with Mike) reassured Mike(who’s in love with Will) about El

               Wheeler                                                                  Byers

at the end of s1 Nancy got back with Steve but they still had relationship problems and started dating Jonathan in s2

at the end of s4 Mike got back with El but they still have relationship problems (and El is still mad at him) and he’s gonna date Will in s5(?)

[mileven11forever]

Ok, since you were friendly with bylers, I want to actually know your own interpretation from some scenes that we as bylers sometimes use as bylers proofs, but mileven ones.

*I am just asking this on anon because the last time I tried to be friendly with a mileven off anon and just ask something, I received a wave of hate from a lot of milevens on my asks*

Ok, your thoughts about:

Mike claiming that his relationship with El is love at first sight, when the duffers made clear that they don't believe in it and they made fun of that trope with Argyle and Eden (while Mike is really annoyed by it behind them)

What do you think about the difference between mileven break up scene and byler rain fight, with Will being devastated and El hanging out and being really happy with Max after. Why do you think they decided to joke about it even when all other couples that broke up had been taken serious, like stancy.

About the fact that they made Max assure El that Mike would be at her door crying for forgiveness and at the same episode Mike goes to Will's door instead to scream "I'm sorry" and actually accepting that what he said to Will was wrong instead of blaming other as he did to El ("Max corrupting her" instead of understanding that she is mad because he lied).

Are you satisfied with the fact that the duffers used Will's feelings to save Mike and Els relationship?

The fact that El NEVER once said something that she likes about Mike or complimented him or tried to know what he likes or his interests, what leads to Mike to think that to her, he is just a random nerd and she is going to leave him for whatever reason (his words before Will's speech to him)

The fact that for some reason, Mike hides from Will what's the real problem in their relationship and says to Will that he need to say something but if he said "that thing" he would lose El, even tho he just needs to say "ily" and there is no reason to believe he is going to lose her, since she asked him for it.

Why do you think Mike acted the way he did with Will at the airport if it's confirmed that Mike don't know and don't even suspects that Will is gay nor in love with him?

What do you think about the writers choice to have a focus on Els memories with Max with Max saying "there is more to life than stupid boys" right after the monologue and El and Mike aren't talking after what's suppose to save their their relationship problems.

There are more things I would like to ad but those ones I really want to know what you think. I'm asking you this because you look like you are going to awser seriously without being bitter about it. Also, if you want to know bylers thoughts about all of this, let me know, I would explain to you our interpretation of it.

(I'm sorry you've gotten hate from people, that sucks.)

1) I don't know if it was actually love at first sight, I think Mike just said that because he was trying to say anything to save El. I do think he truly loves her, but he fell in love with her more gradually throughout season 1, not at first sight. And in hindsight, sometimes when you really love someone, it feels like it was immediately when you met them even if it wasn't. So Mike might have just felt like he loved her immediately and said it that way in a high pressure situation, that doesn't mean it's completely accurate to what actually happened, memories can be unreliable too. And the Duffers say lots of things, and sometimes they are inconsistent. That happens, they're human. Also, where's the proof that they said this? I think you're probably talking about that tweet with "wrong answers only", but how do you know the Duffers wrote it and not a different employee who believes differently than them? And I don't think Argyle and Eden were making fun of the trope, they hooked up. Even if it was meant to make fun of the trope, that doesn't make it untrue for Mileven. But like I said before, I do think he was being hyperbolic.

2) I think it was because they were more making fun of Mike specifically than Mileven/their relationship. And S3 was playing on the summer blockbuster sort of thing, so it was kind of different than the other seasons. And the rain fight was probably from Will's perspective, and so it was trying to portray how he was feeling. Mike was caught off guard by El dumping him and probably didn't really believe it at first, but Will believed everything Mike said and took it to heart. So I think that's the difference. Additionally, the Mileven breakup wasn't meant to be serious because they just got back together later that season, and still obviously liked each other while broken up, wanting to get back together. The break up wasn't serious because it wasn't supposed to be taken seriously, they still acted like a couple and loved each other, and they got back together pretty quickly.

3) Again, because the break up wasn't serious, they both knew they would get back together. And Mike did apologize to El and tell her the truth later, he was just scared because Hopper literally threatened him. What was he supposed to do when a grown man threatened him? And of course Mike went after Will because he was visibly upset. El ran off giggling with Max, and Mike was surprised and confused about what was happening, so he needed some time to process it and vent to his friends. The urgency in the scenes are completely different. Mike could tell he really hurt Will, but El was fine, so why would he run after her? They were different circumstances, so I don't think it's really fair to compare them.

4) Yeah, I think it makes sense for the time period. He substituted El's name in place of his to be able to get out his feelings without outing himself. He doesn't know how people might react to finding out about his sexuality, it's the 80s, the height of the AIDS epidemic, he's scared. He just needed to get closure somehow, knowing Mike will never feel the same way about him, in a way that didn't possibly risk his safety. And *Will* didn't fix their relationship, he didn't know what Mike was going to say to El, he just tried to boost his confidence a bit. Everything Mike said to El was his own feelings, and repairing what happened in the Mileven fight earlier that season. Will had no idea what the problem between them was, so he couldn't have directly fixed it, and he didn't, he just helped a tiny bit, like any friend would. So yeah, I think the way it was written makes complete sense.

5) I think when we see them in the show they have a lot going on dealing with all the Upsidedown plot related issues, is there really a good moment for her to start listing everything she likes about him? They're going through literal hell, so of course they aren't just spending time complimenting each other. She said she loves him, he should know that without being given a list of her favourite qualities about him.

6) Mike was scared of losing El, and maybe worried if he said the problem out loud, that would make it feel more real. Will isn't entitled to any information that Mike isn't comfortable sharing with him, and they had drifted apart a lot since S3. Mike is just a 15 year old boy, not all of his decisions necessarily make perfect sense, he wasn't comfortable telling anyone, he struggles to express his feelings.

7) Because they hadn't seen each other in so long, and barely kept in touch. It would be pretty awkward seeing an old friend again after months of trying to call them and not having them reach out. Will could have called Mike, but he didn't, so they drifted apart. Their connection is just a lot weaker than it used to be because of all the things they've been dealing with. Being awkward around a friend you haven't had contact with for a long time is completely normal.

8) That scene was about Max and El specifically, so of course it focused on them. And that line was about how platonic relationships are just as important as romantic ones, they don't have to be mutually exclusive, El can have both kinds, and both are important. Romantic relationships aren't better than friendships, they're equally as valuable, both kinds of love matter and can make El's powers stronger. And Mike and El were talking a little after, he was the only person she talked to at all, so clearly she feels safe to open up to him after all the traumatic stuff she just went through.

So those are my thoughts and interpretations, I don't think any of those events in the show proves anything about Byler.

[sp0o0kylights]

Part one / Part Two / The Entire Fic on A03

There’s a part of Steve that is extremely cheeky.

Not nasty, not anymore, but at his core there exists a bitchiness Robin has playfully titled his inner “mean girl.” It's this part of him that has him swinging by the corner store, picking up a small bouquet of flowers and a cheap plastic heart full of candy on his way to Wheeler’s.

Because if there is one known truth in this universe, it's that Steve Harrington knows how to show a date a good time. A truth he will not be caught lacking in, no matter how fake it is.

And maybe, for a few personal reasons known only to himself--and Robin.

(Three months, seven days and one hour before the fateful "date" Steve had turned to face Robin in Family Video and announced "I don't have a crush on Eddie Munson."

Robin had quirked an eyebrow at him. "Of course, dingus. You just did your entire flirting routine, complete with offering to show him how to throw an ax, as practice."

Steve nodded frantically. "Exactly Robs! As practice! For the ladies!")

This is the kind of teasing he instinctively knows Munson can take, in the same way he's always known what his potential dates like and dislike.

He's not psychic, not like El is, but Steve can read people better than he could read books. He knows how to treat people right.

Steve personally doesn't see it as a “gift” as so many have loved to call it. Being nice to people definitely isn't one.

Nancy, bless her, once argued that it was more that he was observant. Clued into body language and thrown away words that other people ignored.

That line of thinking had gotten a little too close to Steve's upbringing for his own comfort, and he'd gently steered it away from that--only for Nancy to call him out on that too, three days later.

"I'm not saying you should be in the debate club, I'm just saying you'd excel at it!" She told him and for all the love he had for Nancy Wheeler, it was days like that which had made Steve happy she was with Jonathan.

Nancy was a shooting star, a girl on fire, someone who had her eyes set on goals and took care of those around her by doing evening she could to help you achieve your own.

The problem, Steve decided, two long years after their relationship ended, was what happened if you didn't have a goal. Because then, Nancy would try and give you one.

A fact that not even moving to California could save Jonathan from.

('All the power to you dude.” Steve told him during their last awkward conversation.

Jonathan had given him a knowing, tight smile, and only broke it when Steve finally gave him a hug.

The two of them never quite knew where they stood with one another, other than together. Steve wasn't sure if they'd ever be friends, but trauma buddies sounded dumb and he didn't know what else to call them.

El had smirked knowingly and said “family” after Jonathan had moved on to hug Mike, and Steve had rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her.

Didn’t tell her that she was right.)

Point being, flowers and chocolate may break Munson’s brain, but the guy wouldn’t be decking Steve over it.

If anything, this was the kind of shenanigans Eddie himself would pull and so, adorned in his dating jeans and one of his nicer, maroon sweaters with his hair perfectly done, Steve swept through the Wheeler’s basement door ready to knock one Eddie Munson’s socks off.

Harrington style.

Ignoring Dustin's loud "Steve, you're late!" and whatever bitchy sentence Mike was trying to spit out around a mouthful of chips, Steve beelines immediately to Munson.

"For you.” He purrs, holding out the flowers and chocolate with a flourish.

Eddie, who had one sneakered foot up on the table, looking like he’d been about to spit out something haughty, froze entirely.

Like Bambi in headlights.

(Five months, two hours, and seven minutes until the date, and Steve Harrington watched Eddie Munson handle the kids--Steve’s kids!--flawlessly.

He’d heard three of them had joined Hellfire. Connected “Eddie the Banished” to Eddie Munson, local freak and drug dealer extraordinaire.

Had his rants and threats about drugs, and then followed it all up with a very series ‘If you dorks smoke weed and cannot drive, or pedal, or fucking fly home, call me.’

Informed Max she could be offended all she liked but yes, he really was going to include her in this. Steve wasn’t an idiot. Sooner or later she’d end up around Munson too, if the boys were hanging out with him.

Then made one good go at catching Munson, planning on telling him he’d be getting an up close and personal visit with Steve’s nailbat should Steve ever find one of his kids high on anything stronger than weed-- only to instead come upon the dipshits fighting.

A rare one, because all three were facing off in a dramatic, angry triangle. Dustin’s arms were crossed, Lucas’s shoulders up to his ears, and Mike with a thunderous expression, all of which screamed trouble.

Steve knew them. Knew without Will or El to calm the three down, they’d blow. That there was but scant seconds before the yelling started, and he’d better move his ass before this became an entire week of hurt feelings and long nights on the phone mediating.

Eddie beat him there.

The guy just--leapt. Like a fucking lemur, into their anger-triangle, and with a voice of authority Steve had never heard him use, spat a handful of words that sounded like what Shakespeare would have written if he’d been the one to tell the hobbits-and-elves story.

Steve paused, curious. Would the brats eat him alive? Turn on him as one?

Perhaps they’d just go full feral today and take a bite out of Munson’s shoulder. Steve, still haunted by thoughts of Dustin high on acid, would absolutely allow it.

Except, Eddie wasn’t torn apart. Except he was now speaking softer, a lot kinder, and the kids were creeping closer to both him and each other.

Dustin had dipped down his cap, Lucas hanging his head but the craziest thing of all?

A loud and clear apology from one Michael Wheeler, an embarrassed blush spreading across his cheeks.

More apologies were traded, with Eddie clapping them on the back after. The whole thing was adorable, and suddenly Steve knew exactly why women swooned over a man who was good with kids.

Steve wasn’t sure if it was the dopey grin he abruptly realized had crawled onto his face, or the fact that Eddie bossing around a bunch of baby-teen hanger-ons had had him practically fainting in the parking lot but either way, he caught it and he shut it down.

Firmly.

Even if Munson kept playfully trying to bat Dustin’s hat off his head, making the younger shriek and duck.)

"Are you serious?" Mike deadpans in the following silence to Steve’s little spectacle.

"About a date? Always." Steve scoffs playfully. "I have a reputation to keep, Michael."

Lucas blinks rapidly at that, and even Dustin seems lost for words for a moment, mouth gaping like a fish.

"Eddie's a guy, Steve." Mike points out, as if by some chance he simply hadn't noticed.

"And?" Steve challenges back. "That doesn't mean he deserves any less than the Harringron best."

With that he shot a wink to Eddie, before gently setting the flowers and chocolate in front of him.

Judging by the flabbergasted look on his face, Eddie wasn't going to be taking them from Steve anytime soon.

"Maybe if you ask nicely, Eddie will even share his chocolate with you." Steve continues as he sat himself down in the open seat between Eddie and Dustin, as a way to get things back on track.

(Two months, seven days and six hours before the date, Steve sat on the floor of the bathroom after closing the store, head in his hands. "Oh my god, is Eddie Munson my bisexual awakening?"

"Could have been worse." Robin informed him, Twizzler in her mouth, knees touching Steve's. "At least he doesn't sound like a Muppet."

"Kinda looks like he could pass for one though." She added, and laughed when Steve groaned and swatted at her.)

This, he decides, is good for the kids.

Even if it doesn’t go anywhere, it will at least show them that dating someone of your own gender isn’t some terrible thing. An idea he wants firmly planted in their thick, teenage skulls, preferably before Will puts two and two together about what those long, pining looks about Mike meant.

Thankfully the prospect of free candy did exactly what Steve predicted and Munson immediately found himself the target of three pairs of teenage eyes, all craving sugar with the same single minded determination of a seagull.

“Children.” Munson warns, far too late.

He ends up having to shout that he will share only if they stop talking when the inevitable explosion of begging hits, the end of which he turns to find Steve grinning at him.

"I'll get you for this one, Harrington.” Eddie says darkly before opening his chocolate and offering it up to the wolves.

(One month exactly before the date and Robin is shaking her head at him, body shaking in laughter.

“Dating as many girls as you can isn’t going to erase the fact you got drunk and announced you wanted to suck Eddie’s dick, Steve.”

“Shut up Robs.” Steve hissed, crossing out Rachel’s phone number so hard it tore the paper. “It was just the concussion.”

”Which one?” Robin asked playfully, tapping her chin. “Or maybe they all do different things. Like, the Russian incident makes you stare at Munson’s ass, and the plate one makes you wonder how his hair smells--”

“Shut up, Robs!”)

'Now Henderson here insists I don't have to walk you through creating a character sheet. Is he right?" Eddie says, determinedly plowing ahead.

Steve hums an affirmative, simply holding out his hand.

Dustin immediately slides a piece of paper over, talking before Eddie could even start piecing together an insult.

"It's the same guy you played before. I even added the loot from the one shot you played with me and Erica, since it puts you closer to where the party's characters are."

Steve glances it all over, nodding.

"Do you have dice?" Eddie asks, and even to Steve's notoriously bad hearing, the exasperation sounds forced.

Looking dead into Munson's face, Steve smiles and flicks his hand.

Once, twice.

On the third go, yellow dice appear between each finger.

Dustin gasps as Lucas and Mike both let out a loud "Whoa!"

"You never told us you could do magic!" Dustin howls, sounding almost betrayed.

Steve answers without looking, eyes still locked with Eddie's. "I only trot it out for special occasions."

Lucas and Mike gag in unison. It only adds to the smile on Steve's face.

"You're missing three dice." Eddie tells him and his voice is flat but the blush creeping across his cheeks rats him out.

Steve just does the same trick with his other hand, a smug little grin on his face.

"Okay you're showing me how to do that.” Lucas announces.

"If you want." Steve tells him, dropping the dice on top of his character sheet. "I’ll show you later. I've got all the goods, Munson. We ready to roll?"

"Don't rush the DM, Steve." Eddie snips, flicking his own papers out from behind his cardboard shield. "The oneshot we're playing is Battlehill.”

The kids groan immediately, all three talking at once. Something about how the one shot was unfair and someone named Gareth had warned them about it.

Steve just leans over while they were distracted with their moaning, to quietly whisper "I'll make sure to go nice and slow for you then.”

(Two weeks before the date, Steve is glaring at his soulmate. “Hey Robs, when you’re done gloating, could you please help me figure out a way to figure out if Eddie actually likes men?"

"That's not the question you should be asking.” Robin says, making no effort to remove the giant grin from her face. She’d been after Steve to admit defeat since he’d slipped up that one time while drunk and yeah, okay, Steve can finally happily admit that he’s bisexual.

Not might be, not may be, but is.

“No?” He asks, confused.

“No.” Robin repeats, the giggles finally easing out of her voice. “You should be asking how you're going to get his attention.”)

“No. No, stop it, you are not seducing my dungeon master, Steve!" Mike shouts, slamming a hand on the table.

Whoops, maybe he’d spoken a bit louder than he thought.

“Eddie!” Mike whines desperately, shooting a glance towards the metalhead and Steve internally celebrates his victory when Munson not only doesn’t criticize Steve, but instead just claps his hands.

“Everyone shut up, we’re starting.” He calls. “Your party wakes up on the bottom of a hill, with no recollection of how you got there…”

Steve settles in, because this is part of the plan he and Robin had come up with.

He’d been given a chance to give Eddie his perfect date, as over the top as Steve wanted it to be, and he wasn’t holding back.

The real trick was going to be convincing Munson the entire thing was real.

(One hour and two minutes after Eddie Munson bought a date with him, Steve paced across his kitchen floor, phone tucked against his shoulder.

“If anyone can pull off a real date inside a fake one, it’s you.” Robin told him, after hearing the entire story--twice.

“I know, I’m just--” Steve ran his hands through his hair, frown slashing across his face. “I like him, Robs.”

This at least, sobered his best friend. “I know.” She told him, voice gentle. “And you’re gonna get him. We just have to plan it out!” )

xXx Eddie xXx

Eddie had exactly two expectations going into this mess.

One: Steve had no idea how to play D&D, and thus would have to be babied throughout the game.

And two: Playing with Steve would be like playing with a particularly stubborn brick wall.

It’s not that Eddie expected his players to go over the top. Do voices like he does or even get into as hard as he does--but well.

He’s only played a handful of games where people who didn’t enjoy it, and to say they made it a less pleasant experience for everyone else would be a vast understatement.

So color him surprised when Harrington actually engages in the game. Was creative about it, even with Eddie on the defensive with all the weird amounts of flirting.

“A man in the woods once told me my greatest enemy is myself.” Steve says, staring at the minifigure spread out in front of him. “I immediately ran into a wall and knocked myself out to prove I am stronger. If I can defeat myself, I can definitely defeat a dragon.” He delivers his lines not quite in a character voice, but with the same self-assuredness his Barbarian character has.

He looks up, a serious expression on his face. “I say we fight.”

The kids immediately burst into laughter, and Steve grins widely as Mike fights to get himself back under control.

“Sorry, did no one tell you?” Dustin asks, after watching Eddie’s own shocked laugh get away from him. “Steve’s funny.”

“Funny isn’t the word I’d use.” Mike bitches, but he’s still giggling, making his point moot.

“Don’t tell him that!” Steve gasps in fake-outrage. “We are on a date, let him find out naturally!”

The joke cuts Eddie’s laughter right off, as all three freshmen groan dramatically.

"Steve, we didn't buy you so you could be gross with Eddie for the whole day.' Mike complains, likely thinking that Eddie's frozen hands were because he was upset, rather than that he was desperately scrambling to get his brain back in working order.

“Technically, Eddie is the one who purchased me." Steve counters, jerking a thumb in his direction. “He gets to decide what we do.”

“We gave him most of the money!” Dustin protests, while Lucas promptly looks anywhere but at Steve.

Harrington’s head turns and once again Eddie finds himself on the receiving end of a look that he’s seen aimed at countless girls over the years. Low-lidded eyes and a cocky little smile, all pointed directly into Eddie’s soul.

It doesn’t make sense. Why Harrington keeps up with this act, why he hasn’t dropped the date angle.

Yeah, sure the flowers and chocolate were amusing, but the “we’re on a date” thing hasn’t stopped.

"Steve, I am on my knees, literally begging for you to stop saying it like that." Dustin groans, putting his head in his hands.

Which frankly is the stupidest thing he could have said because Eddie himself can come up with multiple ways to run off with that little sentence starting with the words “on my knees.”

Steve, apparently is on the same wavelength because he laughs once, quick and sharp, before saying; “Don’t leave me openings like that Henderson, you’ll hear a lot more things than you’ll ever want to.”

Mike makes a vomiting sound, and Lucas pats his back sympathetically.

For a moment Steve drops the charm to send Eddie a hell of a smile and oh, fuck.

Suddenly, the entire game Steve's playing makes sense

It's a bit.

A game, a fake thing he's doing to piss off the kids and a part of it hurts, being flirted like that by his long-time crush, the rest of him is too thrilled to care.

This is the kind of thing Eddie was made for.

If he's down to play, Eddie absolutely is.

"Stop taunting the merchandise." Eddie calls, regaining his voice as he finishes rolling his dice. "I need Harrington in top shape for what I have planned tonight!"

Gives his typical grin but secretly checks to see how Steve takes that one.

Knows that he's switching from defensive to offensive here, and that joke may very well have been across whatever line Steve had for this.

The answer is very, very well.

"You heard the man. He has special plans he needs me in top shape for.” Steve wiggles his eyebrows, and Eddie can't stop the delighted laugh that erupts out of him.

Dustin gags so hard he starts coughing.

“Now, Sir Swearington,” Eddie says, cupping his chin in his hand. “Are you sure you want to use your big boy muscles to fight that dragon?

Now Mike and Dustin are both gagging, and Lucas is turning a lovely shade of green.

Steve sits back against his chair. “Indeed I do.”

(It goes like that for the next two hours of the game.

Turns out Steve’s banter game is just as on point as his humor.)

xXx

“Harrington, what do you do?”

“I walk over, and wrap one of my fingers around her curls--”

And then fucking Steve does just that. Reaches over, gently running his fingers through Eddie’s hair. Wraps a finger around a singular strand of curls.

“I tug on them and ask if she’s sure this is how she wants to do things.”

He gives a sharp tug on the hair he has trapped around his own finger, and it took everything in Eddie not to gasp aloud.

Steve hadn’t pulled gently. No, no that was a a fucking--a sex tug! Straight up hair pulling that paired so fucking well with that smug grin on Harrington’s face and oh god, Eddie could feel how hot his face just got.

It takes everything in him to keep his voice steady. “She stabs you in the gut.”

Steve drops the strand of hair with a gentle shrug. “Worth a shot.” He says.

Eddie doesn't know where all the air in his lungs just went, but he’s trying very hard to be smooth about getting it back.

The kids thankfully, are howling with laughter, taunting Steve about him “learning his lesson.” Are so focused on how hilarious the whole thing is they don’t seem to catch Eddie's struggle to get his breathing under control, his heart a wild thing in his chest.

‘It’s just a bit, man.’ He tells himself, over and over but even as Steve playfully argues with Mike and Lucas about something, he keeps sending little glances Eddie’s way.

Like he knows, even if the brats don’t.

God, Eddie doesn’t know if he’s going to survive this game.