#2x08: life goes on

[speliviafan]

Olivia Baker and Jordan Baker | All American 2x08: Life Goes On

Jordan: " She okay, Really I'm the victim here. "

Olivia: " You're not a victim Jordan. "

#olivia baker #jordan baker #olivia x jordan #baker twins #samantha logan #all american #allamericanedit #aaedit #2x08: life goes on

[yergink]

honestly it feels ridiculous to say this, but stede giving up being a pirate is a good thing. i don't know how anyone could watch ofmd 2x07 "man on fire" and come away from it thinking that what stede really needed was to continue a life beset by danger for the sake of gaining infamy, and that him giving it up to stay with ed by s2's end was bad, somehow.

we all watched stede sitting at a bar declaring a bunch of strangers singing his praises his "friends" all the while his lover and found family were leaving him. infamy in the pirate world is cold and lonely and dangerous and it does not spare room for love or true acceptance. we learned this with ed and the persona of blackbeard. it is conditional, in the same way acceptance in traditional society is.

stede, briefly, performs well enough to gain that acceptance, but it is unsustainable, and in the end, it is hollow. and it's not too hard to infer that stede comes to this conclusion by the episode's end and into 2x08, in between getting his ass kicked by zheng in a self-destructive spiral. ed leaves, his crew starts leaving, and then everything goes to shit, and the infamy stops fucking mattering. all it's done is bring danger and drive the people he really cares about away.

him giving up piracy is not him giving up his lifelong dream purely for ed's sake, or anything like that. it is equally for himself.

#ofmd #ofmd s2 #our flag means death #ofmd meta #marine blogs #sometimes--when you are someone with a very low self image--you desperately crave validation from strangers #and then you get it! only to realize it doesn't actually fill the hole inside you. #and it doesn't feel quite as good as you expected it would. #and imagine if in the search for that validation you'd driven away someone very close to you? #i just think that would prompt a very quick reorganization of priorities idk

[thoughtfulchaos773]

In 1x01, it seems like Richie was set on embarrassing Carmy in front of Sydney. He makes fun of Carmy for making a Panettone and when she doesnt fall for the ridicule, and when Carmy bites back about Mikey leaving the restaurant to him, Richie goes on this mission to make fun of Carmy in front of this new girl.

He's also the first to call out their closeness by calling Carmy her best friend in 1x02

He had to have noticed Carmy being a deer in the headlights when Sydney came back in 1x08 because he's the one that breaks the tension between them.

This is enough said. He's aware that mom and dad are fighting, and he calls it out. This is before he knew Claire and Carmy were hanging out.

Maybe the idea of Syd and Carmy liking each other died down when he saw the distance between them in 2x03-2x05.

Claire is with Carmy in 2x05, It's interesting to Richie only because he knows Claire and Tiffany are close. It's a way to get intel on Frank and Nat notices Richie's underlining motives.

When they start dating, Richie is almost proud to see it, because Carmy is doing something Mikey would have wanted (sidebar did Mikey want carmy and claire exactly, or did he just want Carmy to enjoy life outside the kitchen?)

Either way, Richie tends to catch on to things quickly, except for the thing between Sydney and Carmy. He's blinded by grief and can't see Carmy as a person with his own wants and needs. He could only see him as Mikey's little brother.

What's missing between Richie and Carmy is a heart-to-heart. In 2x09, after Richie says, "Yeah, I like Claire, Cousin," Carmy takes a moment. I also see the look on Richie's face that's very serious. Carmy wants to say something to Richie about his dwindling feelings for Claire (and maybe talk out his growing feelings for Sydney) but he holds back because Richie and Carmy aren't as close as Mikey and Richie.

It's heartbreaking that Carmy says Richie's name in 2x10- he wants to say something about not being really liking Claire as much as everyone wants him too, but Richie jumps at his throat.

When Richie and Carmy have a heart-to-heart-, it's going to hit Richie that Carmy has feelings for Sydney. His dislike for them early in season 1 and season 2- his grievances for Sydney closed his eyes to the truth. That is until 2x08, when he acknowledges that Sydney is a part of the family.

I know this meta was mentioned before, but I see more of Richie witnessing Sydney and Carmys' dynamic.

#they're so unserious #the bear is a blatant romantic comedy and i am here for it #how they have everyone noticing Sydney and carmys relationship but sydney and carmy themselves... #sydcarmy #the bear #the bear fx #richie jerimovich #thoughtful chaos posts

[butraura]

also,,,,,, if the past is any indication... eddie should start questioning his relationship with marisol in 7x02... because if anything happens to them relationship-wise they're always an episode or two apart,,,

2x07 - Shannon comes back into Eddie's life -> 2x08, Buck tries to start something with Taylor, does start a relationship with Ali

2x17 - Shannon breaks up with Eddie -> 2x18 - Ali breaks up with Buck

4x06 - Eddie asks out Ana -> 4x07 - Buck goes on a date with Veronica

4x14 - Buck and Taylor kiss, begin dating -> 5x03 - Eddie breaks up with Ana

6x15 - Buck meets Natalia, they get coffee, he tells Eddie that he thinks she sees him, Eddie is visibly thrown by that and struggles -> 6x17 Eddie is on the hunt for a partner, finds Marisol in a meet-cute (ew) at the hardware store -> 6x18 - Buck and Natalia solidify their relationship, Eddie calls Marisol and asks her out

WHICH MEANS!!!!!!!

That if the pattern holds, Eddie and Marisol will either be "on the rocks" by the end of the 3-part premiere, or there will be some evident internal conflict in Eddie's head.

WHICH ALSO MEANS!!!!!!!

That in 7x04 (Buck, Bothered and Bewildered), it would track that Buck has his own revelations about his relationships...

Am I delusional? Perhaps. Am I wrong????????? We'll see...

#buddie #911 #buck x eddie #spoilers #eddie diaz #evan buckley #season 7 #9-1-1 #7x01

[carlos-in-glasses]

2023 Writing Round Up

Thank you for the tag @heartstringsduet @reasonandfaithinharmony @jesuisici33 @chicgeekgirl89 @thisbuildinghasfeelings @theghostofashton @orchidscript @welcometololaland @ladytessa74 @strandnreyes @reyesstrand @alrightbuckaroo

Rules: Share what you wrote this year! It can be works you posted to Ao3, Wattpad, Tumblr, or anywhere else! You can share everything you wrote or just the ones you're most excited about.

15 fics this year! I have loved writing and sharing every one of them. Thank you to everyone who has read or will at some point. Work is a lot busier these days, so I don’t anticipate writing the same volume in 2024…but we shall see! I just want whatever I share to be good quality, and it’s my New Year’s resolution to keep improving. I love Tarlos. I love writing Tarlos fic. I love this fandom.

January

The Ruins of Wonderland – a reimagining of TK and Carlos getting back together after their breakup. I posted this on New Year’s Day, resolving to start 2023 off on the right fanfic foot.

Chasers – A coda for 3x13. TK talks to Cooper about his past, while Carlos goes for a swim and thinks about his own. When Carlos gets home, he and TK have an important chat. The rection to this fic spurred me on to continue writing in the flashback/vignette/timeline format.

February

Man to Man – A coda for 2x11 and 2x12, which also looks at Carlos coming out to his parents and where he is now with it all.

March

Afterglow of a Supernova – When fiancés TK and Carlos help Carlos’ high school crush and his wife during a call, they end up having a dinner with them that leads to jealousy in an unexpected way. The feedback I’ve had on this fic sent me to the moon on rainbows.

April

The Heart Behind the Shield – My first chaptered fic! I'd been wanting to write a 2x08 coda, but it was 4x04 that made it possible. This combines events from both episodes where there’s duality, and was an absolute blast to write and post.

The Light of Our Life – Listen, I wrote this during an extended lunch break and posted it the same day. For somehow it’s my fifth most kudos’d fic of the year…Thank you!!! We were all deep in our Lou II feelings at this time. Never forget.

Fire Island – TK and Carlos travel to Fire Island, where an older gay couple talks to them about their experience of the AIDS crisis in 1980s New York. This fic by far had the most emotional impact on me while writing it, and based on feedback it seems to be the same for readers(?) People have shared personal stories and memories with me since I posted this, and I just want to say I’m truly grateful for the response, given I wrote it in January but didn’t feel brave enough to post it for a few months.

May

With Infinity Folded Into It – Written for the @tarlosweeklyprompts Countdown to the Wedding event (prompt was: Love). After TK proposes, Carlos remembers the first time they said “I love you.” It’s fluff, it’s smut, it’s kinda angsty because Carlos is trying to bake and baking is stressful.

The Center of the Maze – Another written for Tarlos Weekly Prompts Countdown to the Wedding. (Prompt: "I Never Thought I Would Get This Day".) I thought this was going to be a 2k one-shot; it turned into 20k split into 4 chapters… Seven times they thought they would never get married, and one time when they actually did. I was super inspired and happy with the writing in this one.

June into July

When Soulmates Swim – The closest I’ll ever come to writing a sports AU (….or is it?👀…) Sparks and splashes fly when TK and Carlos each take up swimming while they recover from workplace injuries. I really pushed myself with smut and humour in this fic and the feedback I’ve had has been incredible. One of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had, this fic holds a special place in heart.

Release The Hand to Relax the Animal – TK and Carlos explore the world of tantric massage in their own way. Written because Rafael Silva has madly attractive hands, and @heartstringsduet and I thought we should celebrate. You can read Michelle’s hands fic, Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life, Too, here. It is BEAUTIFUL.

(Nothing in August)

September

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines – A 3x08 coda, which also gets into TK and Carlos’ childhood memories of 9/11, and the way that event went on to impact their lives (to the point where it set them on the path to meeting each other). It recieved the most amazing comments, with people sharing their memories of 9/11, so like Fire Island this fic feels deeper to me in a social way.

October

Suddenly in the Silence – I’d ‘joked’ about the show giving us Ghost Gabriel in season 5, but a conversation with thisbuildinghasfeelings led me to explore that concept myself. In this fic, it’s up to the reader to decide whether they think the spirit of Gabriel is around, which made writing it challenging but a lot of fun. It’s so interesting to see what side people fall on!

November

Where All This Love Comes From – This is my Tarlos novel at ~90k words, due to finish posting in February. I began writing it in March, when a hefty amount of plot relied on Gabriel being alive after season 4. Substantial rewrites happened after May, which was pretty gutting at the time, but ultimately I think this has ended up being the best thing I’ve written so far in my life.

December

There is a smutty one-shot coming with a scream very soon…And I hope you like it!

I'm not sure who has already done this - tagging with no pressure if you want to share/haven't already - and open tag!

@cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @goodways @lemonlyman-dotcom @paperstorm @wandering-night19 @heartstringsduet @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @rmd-writes @rosedavid @chaotictarlos @lightningboltreader @taralaurel @three-drink-amy @redshirt2 @noxsoulmate @sanjuwrites @bonheur-cafe @liminalmemories21

❤️🩷🧡💛❤️🩷🧡💛

#writing round up #cig tagged #cig fic #my fic #tarlos fic #tarlos fanfic

[mashithamel]

I was as frustrated as any every Nynaeve fan in 2x08 when Elayne had to prompt her to remember she was a Wisdom and could heal people without the One Power. Book Nynaeve doesn’t struggle with that, and it felt like the back half of the season just kept working to make Nynaeve look bad.

But then I started thinking about her overall arc, and about how eventually she’s in a cave, unable to use the One Power, and has to save a woman’s life to keep the world from literally ending if she doesn’t. This season, this episode, and this moment in particular could be a fabulous parallel/contrast to season 8 Nynaeve (willing it into being!!).

Season 2 Nynaeve is afraid of the power she could wield and doesn’t have a clue how she fits into the world any more. Like Moiraine said in 1x05, she can’t go back to who she was before, and she won’t be able to relate to the people she knew before in the same way. But she still hasn’t learned to appreciate it for the gift it is. Everyone has been telling her how special she is, but she hasn’t been able to demonstrate any actual results yet. In the arches she watches as everyone she loves is killed or lost because she’s unable to save them, with or without magic. And then in the back half of the season she trusts the wong person and gets betrayed, gets her best friend tortured and enslaved, accidentally exposes Ryma and she gets enslaved, and can’t seem to get back on the right foot from the moment she heads for Falme. Plus the bloody Daughter Heir of Andor got dragged along and gives her zero respect. She’s learned she really doesn’t know anything of this world and that it’s so much bigger than she thought. So when she’s faced with death and injury on the battlefield she’s paralyzed. She’s forgotten what’s she capable of, she’s afraid of failure, and she’s lost her confidence.

But season 8 Nynaeve will have mastered her powers, done the impossible more than once. She will have traveled the world and experienced so much of it. She will have been humbled by powerful women, and humbled powerful women herself. She will have earned her place in the world. And this time, when faced with the literal end of the world she will know that she is more than her magic powers and she won’t doubt or be paralyzed, she will be able to just act. And she’ll be amazing.

So, as a Nynaeve fan season 2 was disappointing in some ways. But I really, really hope that in the context of a full 8 seasons (it’s gonna happen!) it’ll make a lot of sense and make her growth believable. If that’s the way it goes, it’ll be so much more rewatchable and I might come to appreciate it.

#wheel of time #wot on prime #nynaeve al'meara #shower thoughts on 2x08

[amuseoffyre]

Ended up lying awake last night thinking of Ed and Zheng as mirrors of one another.

Both of them are at the top of their game, the Pirate Queen and the Legendary Blackbeard. Both of them are brilliant tacticians, clever and astute and excellent at reading a situation and using it to their benefit.

While Ed leans into visual Fuckeries with smoke and mirrors to inspire terror, awe and confusion, Zheng inclines more towards emotional Fuckeries. Auntie said it herself - "men are so fucking emotional" and Zheng uses that over and over again to get the results she wants.

We see it in the way Zheng takes control of situations with Bartholomew, Stede and Ricky. Where she lures them into a false sense of security, assures them, encourages them, tells them what they want to hear (only Ricky is more murdery than she anticipated, which is why that one goes so horribly wrong. She thought he was just weak. She didn't know he was spiteful and brutal - the fact he's someone with a legitimate source of power is the difference here. The others are desperate or have no other choice but he has choices and his choice is to be "the worst").

It's very similar to Ed's "fear is a powerful emotion: turn your enemy's fear against him and you'll own him". He uses it to make Stede run him through and to scare people into behaving and submitting. Both of them target peoples' emotions but while Ed goes for fear, Zheng goes for the soft underbelly, finding their emotional vulnerabilities and playing on them.

At the end of 2x08, Zheng does to Ed what Ed does to Izzy in 1x04: suggesting something she assumes he wants (Ed offering the captaincy to Izzy/vengeance for Izzy), indicating that there's a way to get it (Ed's retirement and vacating the spot / joining forces), flattery ('the crew are going to need someone who really knows the ropes' / 'the Pirate Queen *and* Blackbeard'). They operate using the same playbook and he recognises it when she not only tries it on him, but refocuses it on Stede to keep him sweet as well.

It's also a demonstration of the weaponising of gender and race for both of them. Ed is fully aware of how he is perceived and has seen it printed in black and white in the British propaganda. He hates it, but when he's in his deepest despair, he uses it, dressing and acting as they assume he will to terrorise them - the nine guns, the black around his eyes, calling himself "the fucking devil" after the print of the "the devil pyrate blackbeard".

Likewise Zheng knows there's a certain expectation of women, especially in a region where the colonising forces are primarily shown to be white, and uses it to her advantage to keep people off balance, knocking the emotional legs out from other people and keeping them down before they can work out wtf has happened. The scene with Bartholomew when he goes to the white guy first, then the black guy and only then to Zheng herself and the way she uses that to take control of the scene is beautiful. She also plays it sweet and nice and gentle, friendly and self-depracating, to make herself seem less of a threat, even when she has just kicked ass in front of them and they fall for it.

Both of them have a certain kind of reputation and an earned respect, but likewise, they are both also hankering for something else. A break in the day when it's become a bit of a grind. A bit of softness when everything else about their life is hard.

The difference comes from Zheng choosing the path she's on and expanding her conquests, while Ed has been pushed onto his by circumstance since childhood. Zheng actively pursues her ambition while Ed feels strangled by the reputation and name that precedes him.

I'm so curious where they'll take their arcs if/when we get S3, when Ed has made moves to step back from that life, but will inevitably be dragged back into it, while Zheng has faced her first major loss and needs to recalibrate and change her tactics.

#ofmd #ofmd meta #ed teach #zheng yi sao #blackbeard

[mayasdeluca]

Station 19 Season 7 Episode Info

7x01 ‘This Woman’s Work’ Written by: Henry Robles (5x05*, 5x17*, 6x02, 6x15*) Directed by: Paris Barclay (1x01, 1x02, 1x10, 2x01, 2x08, 2x17, 3x01, 3x02, 3x07*, 3x16, 4x01, 4x03*, 4x13, 4x16*, 5x13, 6x10*, 6x15*) Synopsis: Andy steps into the station's captaincy as Jack's life hangs in the balance. The team is called to a hostage situation. Natasha fights for her career, and Maya and Carina make a choice.

7x02 'Good Grief’ Written by: Meghann Plunkett (3x04, 3x12, 4x06*, 5x06, 5x15, 6x12) Directed by: Tessa Blake (2x03, 2x16, 3x06*, 5x11) Synopsis: Ben and Theo respond to a challenging Crisis One call, and Jack struggles adjusting to his new reality. Maya and Carina treat a nanny with a surprising diagnosis. Travis finds a surprise at Dixon’s wake, and Vic joins Beckett at a family funeral.

7x03 'True Colors' Written by: Staci Okunola (5x10, 5x17*, 6x09, 6x17) Directed by: Peter Paige (4x14*, 5x02, 5x08, 6x02, 6x07*) Synopsis: The Station 19 crew struts their stuff at the FABruary Winter Pride parade, where Maya encounters someone important from her past. Carina looks to Bailey for support, while Travis and Eli arrive at a crossroads.

7x04 'Trouble Man' Written by: Mellow Brown (6x05*) & Sybil Azur (new writer) Directed by: Stefania Spampinato (!!!!!!!!!!) Synopsis: The Station 19 team faces a grueling 24 hour shift that threatens to split them apart. Andy must make an impossible decision; and Maya and Carina navigate new parenthood.

7x05 (100th Episode) 'My Way' Written by: Emily Culver (4x10, 5x04, 5x09, 6x04, 6x16) & Alex Fernandez (6x10*) Directed by: Daryn Okada (2x10, 3x12, 4x12, 5x05, 5x15, 6x06) Synopsis: Andy Herrera earns her captain’s stripes as she fearlessly leads her team during a life-or-death emergency at Seattle’s most beloved landmark. Vic struggles with emotional burnout, and Maya helps Carina navigate some difficult news.

7x06 'With So Little To Be Sure Of' Written By: Rochelle Zimmerman (4x09, 4x15, 5x03*, 5x11, 5x16, 6x06, 6x11) Directed By: Boris Kodjoe Synopsis: With both Vic's job and Crisis One in jeopardy, a flashback shows how the program has changed the lives of the team and the local community. Meanwhile, Ben keeps a secret from Bailey.

7x07 'Give It All' Written By: Heidi-Marie Farren (new writer) & Leah Gonzalez (5x07*, 6x08, co-wrote 5x16, co-wrote 6x17) Directed By: David Greenspan (3x08*, 4x10, 5x07*, 6x13*) Synopsis: The crew responds to a call at a local park, only to have their assumptions challenged by the Tulalip Tribe when they arrive. Meanwhile, Maya confronts her past, and Carina goes on the offense.

7x08 'Ushers Of The New World' Written By: Shernold Edward (new writer) & Beresford Bennet (co-wrote 6x11) Directed By: Letia Solomon (new director)

7x09 'How Am I Supposed To Live Without You' Written By: Zaiver Sinnett (4x03, 4x15, 5x08, 5x14, 6x07*, 6x15*) Directed By: Tessa Blake (2x03, 2x16, 3x06*, 5x11, 7x02)

7x10 'One Last Time' Written By: Zoanne Clack (6x18*) Directed By: Peter Paige (4x14*, 5x02, 5x08, 6x02, 6x07*, 7x03)

(* = episode that includes multiple and/or good Marina scenes)

#station 19 #s7info #updated

[raayllum]

Let’s break this baby down symbolically

Originally this post was longer but my draft didn’t save so I’m doing a quick notes version; if you want more thoughts or have a clarification question please feel free to drop them in my inbox, but hopefully everything will still carry across

Light and dark motif with Callum unintentionally / unknowingly getting close to the darkness, with Ezran and Rayla more in the light. The surface world does not seem to be particularly stormy, more so bright and happy, which is a departure from the previous promo art(s) really highlighting the storm, and how often storms in TDP foretell transformation and disaster (1x01, 2x04, 2x05, 2x07, 2x08, 3x01 when Ez comes home, 4x01, 4x04 before Aaravos possesses Callum at dawn, etc). 

The light-dark duality mirrors Callum’s worries of “What if I’m on a path of darkness” due to its associations with Aaravos: “In darkness, gaze upon a Fallen Star” and “already tainted with darkness, ad destined to play right into my hands.” 

Darkness = dark magic; octopus tentacles have associations with dark magic (Claudia) specifically being used to drag people down (the boys) or catch them (Viren) in terms of control; dark magic / octopus tentacles = control. Control is attached to Aaravos

This is doubly true with associations of water and destiny (“Life is like a river - don’t try to control where the river goes”). If you’re interested in more thoughts on that, check out this meta

Callum perhaps being lured in with curiosity or magical impulse, only to realize he’s in way over his head / being dragged down by something he can’t escape (tentacles having similarities to puppet strings) and/or mirroring his dark magic dreams from 2x08

Ezran being closer makes sense, as he is emotionally closer and currently more reliable to Callum than Rayla has been due to their separation. 

It’s also a nice parallel to Ezran saving Zym (another brother / soulmate) under the ice as well as Rayla and Callum then working to save him, as well, with now Rayla and Ezran working together to save Callum, especially since Ezran almost drowned and Rayla has a specific fear of drowning/water.

In the S1 novelization, Ezran states that his mother’s spirit helped guide him through the darkness to find the glowing (light) egg of the Dragon Prince. Given that Sarai also helped guide Callum towards the Sky arcanum, Ezran possibly carrying / embodying his mother’s spirit while saving his brother would be really beautiful. 

As stated, Rayla being further away makes sense, but it does align her further with the light, and I do think her reaching for Callum (as opposed to a more generic swim pose) is purposeful due to Rayllum (and the show’s) consistent reaching motif.

Rayla’s fear of water isn’t literally about the water (after all, she saved Bait 1.5 days in when she and the glow toad had an immense mutual dislike of each other) but what it represents: shame, self-reflection, fear, guilt, trauma. Rayla left in TTM because she didn’t know how to love Callum and be scared to lose him at the same time in a healthier manner, leading her to majorly hurt both of them. Her swimming through the water could symbolize 1) helping to save Callum (per other foreshadowing as well) in addition to 2) her beginning to learn how to deal with that fear in a healthier way that also lets her stay and be/do what she wants to do. 

And as always, the foreshadowing that Aaravos’ specific prison (darkness, dark magic, tentacles, ocean, etc) is underwater and it will be found / we’ll get some answers about the cube in S5:

#water motif #tdp #tdp spoilers #s5 spoilers #brotp: we're in this together #broyals #rayllum #if there is longing on the mirror of my heart #light and darkness motif #the dragon prince #s5 #analysis series #analysis #arc 2 #promo art #official art #two pillars

[speliviafan]

Spelivia | All American 2x08: Life Goes On

Coop: " 57 damn bro you know how many players they are in the country. "

Spencer: " How many? "

Coop: " I don't know that's a serious question somebody should really look it up. "

Olivia: " Over a million. "

Spencer: " Wow! "

#spelivia #spencer james #olivia baker #spencer x olivia #olivia x spencer #tamia cooper #jordan baker #dillon james #grace james #billy baker #daniel ezra #samantha logan #brez #michael behling #jalyn hall #karimah westbrook #taye diggs #2x08: life goes on

[stagefoureddiediaz]

When Buddie go dating!

Look the maroon blazer from the sneak peek had me spiralling hard last night so I decided to take a look at Eddie And Buck when they try dating because as I said in my other post - Eddie wearing a shade of red in connection with a first date - doesn’t bode well for the relationship!!!

Eddie

If we went with the very strict definition of a first date then the only ones we’d have are Ana and the new one, however I’ve included a couple of other instances that I think re also first date adjacent enough to count!

In chronological order we have

2x04

I’ve included this one because when we have Eddie rocking up to Bucks to ‘help Maddie move - its important to remember that at this point Buck doesn’t know Eddie is still married to Shannon. Eddie thinks Buck has set him up on a date when Buck says he lied about helping Maddie move - if it was that kind of set up it wasn’t going to end well!

2x10

This one is a two parter - Eddie worrying about hooking up with Shannon and letting her back into Christophers life - worrying about essentially dating her again and if its what is best for Chris.

followed up by Chris telling Eddie what his Christmas wish is - to have his mother back - and Eddie therefore deciding to let Shannon back in. I know this isn’t technically a first date (either scene) but it is the moment that the relationship is rekindled properly - the moment we see Eddie make the decision to date her again - for Chris.

4x06

first date with Ana (need I say more!!)

6x14

And now this date non date where Eddie was going to let her down gently but she beats him to the punch!

Eddie doesn’t wear maroon or burgundy all that often. We get a couple connected with the fight club arc and the only other times we see Eddie in maroon/burgundy are in familial moments - seeing Chris off to summer camp or when Buck comes over in 6x12 - its not a colour he wears often.

Buck

Then we have Buck. who doesn’t wear maroon or burgundy on first dates but he does wear black and the same thing happens - they don’t go well for him or the relationships don’t go well.

1x06

He’s wearing a black tie with his suit for his date with Abby and we all know how that ended up!

1x09

This is a second attempt at a first date so I’m including it - it also doesn’t end very well

2x08

His first date with Ali sees him in a black knit polo. I haven’t included his hook ups with Taylor that precede this - because they are just that hook-ups - they are not an intention to date, they are spontaneous things that happen and Taylor doesn’t want anything more at this point even if Buck would’ve!

4x07

Eddies dating Ana so Buck starts dating to - this one with Veronica goes super well for him!!! He’s wearing a black jacket during the date and we then don’t ee him in it after the date is over and he runs into her again.

4x08

Taylor still wants to just hook-up but Buck thinks he’s on a double date - a detail he didn’t mention to Taylor. this ‘date’ also goes really well for him!! Buck is wearing a black button up/down shirt (I can’t remember which it is) 

6x13

And then we have Poker date - where Buck is wearing a black shirt again Buck thinks its just going to be him and Eddie going out and playing a bit of poker - very date like! Only then Julie Rosen is there and things spiral outwards from then on. Buck has a great time winning etc. but the way the script plays out it reads like Buck expected a date of some sort and he thinks he misunderstood the assignment! this black shirt burgundy blazer being followed by Eddie in the same outfit to a date that his date makes into a note date is making me cackle!

So there we have it. I’m very much expecting any further dates Eddie goes on to involve him wearing maroon or burgundy and any Buck goes in to involve black.

When we see them go on an actual first date together - I think we’ll see them in colours closer to those we see them in around each other in everyday environments - so a combination of green and blue, and possibly some cream or yellow, but no white (on Buck) or black or red. 

#buck and Eddies first dates #I love that htis show goes this hard with the costume choices #the costume department never lets me rest - and I love them for it! #kym costume thoughts #right I'm back off to look at watches and phone cases!!! #911 costumes #911 spoilers #buddie

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Thank you for asking

There's a possible callback here.

Carmy and Sydney need to consider their person before rushing to move forward.

In season one, Syd is grieving like The Berzattos- she is mourning Sheridan Catering, and after she talks to Carmy about her past, an idea sparks to life, and she's ready to move forward. Sydney was so excited to move forward with Carmy that she stepped on his toes even as he told her to give him a minute; this delay had to do with Carmy processing his own trauma.

As a disclaimer- this isn't a reason to blame Sydney for Carmy's anger in 1x07- this happens when you ignore the grieving process- the rage lingers until it explodes.

Throughout season 2, we can see that Carmy is making progress in coping with the death of his brother. He attends Al-Anon meetings, passes on Mikey's hat to Richie, tries to have some fun, almost asks Sydney out, and takes a step back when he meets Claire (though to him he's processed his trauma).

But this illusion of moving forward goes on until 2x08-2x09. When Carmy understands the error- he gets Richie to ask Sydney about Mikey's note, a way to tell Sydney he hears her (he should have told her this to her face but maybe the table scene makes up for this).

The Thank you for asking is considering each other before they take a step forward. Because when they rush to heal without the other, things go wrong. It's like the universe requires they're in sync now rather than too far in the past or too far in the future.

They're switching roles as they process grief. As I write, I realize what they meant by you could do this without me. I couldn't do it without you. Yeah, you could. I wouldn't even want to do it without you.

This is about healing together rather than apart.

#sydcarmy #brain rot or finding new shit everyday because this show is insane #carmy x sydney #the bear meta #the bear 2x08 bolgenese #the bear 1x06 ceres

[altschmerzes]

It’s my birthday so… 🌹?

and a happy happy birthday to you!! i hope it's been a good one <3 this is a scene i've posted a piece of before, but it's a much longer clip of the context leading up to it. it's much later in the fic than we are now, after the au version of 2x08. this is right after ted and roy - and beard and rebecca, who went with them - got back from manchester where they went to retrieve jamie's things from his dad's place. they left jamie at the higgins house while they went to do this, because while he's obviously old enough to stay home alone, he's hurt pretty significantly and he's had an extremely traumatic like. week or so. so they don't want to leave him on his own. this is when they go to pick him up.

When they arrive at the Higgins house, it’s dark. Evening is wearing on, and the sight of the cosy home with the light shining through the curtains makes something in Roy’s chest give an almighty yank. This is a day that has lasted a lifetime and he feels so tired he could lie down on the pavement and sleep for an age at the same time that he feels alive with nervous energy that won’t quiet until he gets eyes on Jamie. Even lifting his hand to knock on the front door it shakes. Roy can feel the same sort of anxious buzz radiating from the person behind him on the porch and, far from the first time, he is extremely fucking glad that Ted is here with him. Maybe it’s a bad sort of thing to think, but Roy is beyond grateful that he isn’t feeling everything that he’s feeling - about what they did today, about the whole situation, about Jamie - alone.

Higgins answers the door with a smile and waves them inside. He doesn’t ask why they didn’t stay in Manchester for the night, or how things went, or what the man they’d gone to see had been like, and Roy could kiss him for it. The only thing he says, huddled with Roy and Ted in the front entry, is, “Alright?”

Roy gives one stiff nod and Ted mumbles something unintelligible. Higgins nods back, and steps into the living room, both of them following behind him.

“Jamie,” he calls softly as he crosses the threshold. “Jamie, Ted and Roy are back. They’re here to get you.”

Jamie is laying on the couch. He’s curled on his side, a throw blanket tucked around him - a sight that kicks that lurching yank in Roy’s ribcage back to life again. It hurts to look at him there with the blanket so carefully tucked in at the edges. For a moment, Roy can’t hardly breathe. Then he notices that Jamie isn’t wearing the sling he’s supposed to be wearing so that his shoulder heals right. He sees it off to the side, set on an end table, and then he’s walking before he remembers deciding to do it. As he goes, he sees Jamie sitting up, a trajectory slowed and made awkward by sleep and pain.

“Roy?” the kid asks, voice clumsy with the same.

“Yeah,” Roy says. He picks up the sling and turns with it, sitting down on the couch next to Jamie. The fabric is rough and he’s not quite sure how to get the straps open, but he figures it out after not too much fumbling.

Holding out the sling, now opened as far as it will go, Roy gestures towards Jamie with it. Jamie looks at him and doesn’t move at first. When he does, it’s a slow shift, a hesitant raise of his bad arm that stops when it’s held out between them. He doesn’t put it into the sling. He just sits there with it held out between them, already trembling slightly from the pain of holding his wrenched shoulder at that angle.

It’s an offer. A silent gesture of hesitant trust and Roy almost can’t do it. He almost can’t bring himself to accept what he’s being given for fear that he’ll break it, that he’ll take this chance Jamie has given him and ruin it. Hurt him. Roy has to take the chance, though, because if he doesn’t, if he rejects the offer, he knows Jamie will be hurt. Something between them will fracture. So he reaches out a faintly shaking hand and gently takes ahold of Jamie’s wrist. Jamie jolts at the touch - not much, just a twitch really, but Roy stops. He sits still and holds Jamie’s wrist, waiting for… Waiting for something. What, he doesn’t know exactly. An indication that he hasn’t made things worse? Someone else to speak, or move, or breathe? Something, anything that will tell Roy that things are steady, that the ground under their feet isn’t ice about to crack.

The room feels like it’s holding its breath. Roy doesn’t know if Ted came in or is still in the doorway, if Higgins is here or if he’s disappeared somewhere into the rest of the house. He can’t pay attention to either of them. All his attention is focused on Jamie as he slowly, carefully starts helping the kid maneuver his arm into the sling. Mostly, it goes just fine. His arm fits into it easily with only a single moment where Roy twists the fabric to get it settled and Jamie lets out a hiss. Roy pulls the offending part of the sling out of the way and swipes his thumb over the bone of Jamie’s wrist in apology.

“Feel okay?” Roy asks, once it’s all settled, with all of its fiddly straps and velcro bits arranged in the way Sarah had showed him before they left the hospital.

Jamie doesn’t answer. He just keeps his head ducked down the way it has been while Roy’s fussed at his arm, watching the process with detached fascination. There’s an odd expression on his face and his eyes flick away from his arm, up to Roy every so briefly, then back down again. It takes Roy a moment to notice, but he’s chewing on the inside of his cheek.

“The sling, I mean,” Roy corrects, chastising himself internally for being an idiot with how he worded the question. Of course Jamie doesn’t fucking feel okay. What kind of a stupid, nonsense, ridiculous… “Does it feel alright, do you need me to…”

Whatever he’d been about to say is cut off by Jamie. The boy moves in an unexpected, sudden moment, wrapping his good arm around Roy’s waist and ducking his face into the side of his neck. The grip at Roy’s waist is tight in a way that’s almost desperate and Jamie is pressed as close as he can get despite the bulk of the sling getting in the way. There’s a tremor running through his body that Roy hadn’t been able to see but can sure feel now, and he’s breathing in heavy, laboured pushes of his chest like he’s about to cry.

It’s wrong, knowing that. It’s wrong that Roy knows so acutely and so surely what it feels like when Jamie is on the verge of tears in his arms, and he realizes with a lurch of his gut that he hasn’t actually reacted at all. Jamie is clinging onto him like he’s the last steady thing in the world but Roy’s arms aren’t around him. It’s been several long seconds now and he hasn’t responded, and he knows Jamie, knows that means Jamie’s probably already convinced he’s done something wrong. He’s got to be going ten rounds with himself inside his head but he still hasn’t let go, which means the only thing worse to Jamie right now than clinging to something he’s afraid doesn’t want him is not having anything to cling to at all.

Slowly, hesitantly, still so haunted by the inescapable knowledge of just where the worst of the boy’s injuries are mapped onto his body that a large part of Roy is terrified to touch him, he responds. Roy’s hands lift and hover behind him, trying to decide where to put them, eventually settling with one palm pressed to the nape of Jamie’s neck, the other gently eased around the part of his upper arm swaddled in the sling. If he can keep the pressure off Jamie’s shoulder, if he can avoid pressing on his injured back, then maybe Roy can justify staying here like this with him for a little longer. Maybe Roy can justify leaning his cheek on the top of Jamie’s head and feeling him breathe, which is proof that he’s alive. Proof that he’s not okay yet but he is safe, which means that okay is in reach, even if it’ll take a while to get there.

They stay there like that for a long time.

#gav gab #gav answers #anotherlongstoryshort #fic: wriggle up on dry land #writing liveblog #abuse implied #ask box games #ough...... this whole. sequence.

[infinite-beginnings]

Whumpy Wesper Fics

My collection of Wesper fics so far, filled with angst and some good Wylan whump.

In the Midst of Battle

A Missing scene from 2x08 where Wylan gets hurt during the fight with the Nichevo'ya

Stressed, Pressed, and Sick?

Wylan is working hard to finish a project for Kaz, but can't quite figure out how to make it work. Jesper starts to realize there might be more going on than simple work stress.

Words from the Past

Wylan has a panic attack and Jesper does his very best to help him through it

A Little Love Story of Sorts

Wylan is in the room when it fills with the Datura Meloxia poison and what he sees makes it harder to open up to Jesper about what he is feeling.

Gemstones and Blood

Kaz and Wylan are on a heist together when things quickly go wrong and Wylan gets injured. Kaz does the best he can to help Wylan and get him to safety.

Love like a Bullet

Jesper gets shot during a heist and Wylan has to get him to safety and care for him afterward.

Broken Glass and Shattered Secrets

Post-Canon for the show. Wylans father tries to kill him again.

Bombs and Cheese Sandwiches

An AU where Jesper goes with Kaz when he asks Wylan to build a bomb for him. Wylan hasn't eaten in a while, so Jesper helps him out and gets him some food.

A Dangerous Life

A soulmate AU where you have a meter on your arm that indicates the level of danger your soulmate is in at the moment

There's more to come but feel free to send me any requests that you have!!

#shadow and bone #sab #fanfic #fic #wylan van eck #wylan hendriks #jesper fahey #wesper #wylan whump #whump #h/c #sickfic #hurt/comfort #jesper whump #angst #comfort #six of crows #soc spoilers #crooked kingdom spoilers #crooked kingdom

[carlos-in-glasses]

An update to the list!

I'm blown away by the fact that anyone would give their precious time to my fics - I want you to know that I always strive for it to be time well-spent. Thank you, thank you. I'll update this list as more fics are posted. Running from most recently posted to the first❤️:

Search And Rescue - (15k, E) - On their first Valentine's Day as husbands, Carlos surprises TK with a trip to adopt a retired police dog.

Where All This Love Comes From - (107k, E) - TK reflects on meeting Carlos after years of addiction and self-destruction, while Carlos seeks closure by uncovering two unknowns: The identity of his father’s killer, and how his father truly felt about Carlos as his son.

You Can Leave Your Hat On - (6k, E) - The heating breaks in the loft so TK and Carlos find another way to stay warm.

Suddenly, in the Silence – (10k, E) - TK wonders if he's being haunted by Gabriel, while Carlos questions his faith.

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines – (14k, E) - A coda for 3x08 that also explores how 9/11 impacted TK and Carlos as children.

Release the Hand to Relax the Animal – (15k, E) - TK and Carlos have tantric sex.

When Soulmates Swim – (53k, E) - A season 1 canon compliant AU. TK and Carlos find each other and themselves when they each take up swimming.

The Centre of the Maze – (21k, M) - TK and Carlos have never been on the easy path, but all have lead to the wedding.

With Infinity Folded Into It – (8k, M) - After TK proposes, Carlos remembers the first time they said I love you. And he bakes a babka. Sort of.

Fire Island – (12k, M) - TK and Carlos visit the legendary Fire Island and learn from an older couple about life at the height of the AIDS crisis.

The Light of Our Life – (2k, T) - A coda for 4x12. Carlos buys TK a bearded dragon.

The Heart Behind the Shield – (34k, E) - A coda for 2x08 and 4x04 combined. Carlos and TK work through their kidnapping traumas and Carlos and Gabriel share an important moment.

Afterglow of a Supernova – (13k, M) - Carlos and TK have dinner with Carlos’ high school crush and his wife. Insecurities rise and jealousy ensues in an unexpected way.

Man to Man – (15k, E) - A coda for 2x12. In 2010, Carlos comes out to his parents. In 2021, in the aftermath of the housefire, Carlos feels more empowered to talk to Gabriel and embrace his life with TK.

Chasers – (13k, E) - A coda for 3x13. TK is alone with Cooper, Carlos is alone with his thoughts. Both recall times they’ve chased the next high, other men, or each other.

The Ruins of Wonderland – (14k, E) - The severe winter storm doesn’t happen as forecast and Austin receives a manageable snowfall – without TK plunging into a frozen lake. Nancy’s 126 hang goes ahead. TK attends, but so does Carlos…

In Your Adorable Glasses – (4k, T) - Carlos is struggling to find the perfect poem for the wedding; TK tries to help but sits on his glasses.

Wrestling Angels – (8k, M) - Carlos wishes he could invite his seventeen-year-old self to his wedding to TK.

A Naked House – (8k, M) - TK, Carlos and the 126 attend a murder mystery event in which a real murder takes place and TK vanishes…

Teardrop on the Fire – (11k, E) - TK discovers a birthday card Carlos had written for him during their breakup.

Bath Time and Black Magic – (7k, E) - Carlos is naturally upset after being kidnapped by a satanic cult, so he and TK have a bubble bath and talk about it.

A Rainy Day in Austin – (5k, T) - A 3x15 coda. TK and Carlos drive to the greenbelt to release Lou.

Sensitivity – (5k, M) - TK opens up to Carlos about his past, and Carlos finds himself falling for him even harder.

#My fic #cig fic #tarlos fanfic #fic masterlist #tarlos

[mlchaelwheeler]

Mike, El, and familial coding

I think that one of the biggest arguments against Mike and El working out romantically (besides their fake behavior, the constant lying, the lack of communication, etc) is the numerous parallels between Mike and other familial characters in El’s life. In this analysis, I will be pointing out parallels both between Mike and the parental figures in El’s life (Hopper, Papa, and Joyce), while also highlighting the sibling-like narrative between Mike and El. This is going to get pretty long, so stick with me-- it will be worth it (hopefully)! I also noticed a few of these less-obvious parallels from reading other posts on here, so I’ll tag the op and a link to the post they pointed it out in. Ok, that aside, let’s dive in!

Parallels between Mike and the parental figures in El’s life, act I: Hopper (limiting El's independence)

Mike’s very first role in El’s life was that of a protector and teacher. He found her in the woods, took her to his house, and gave her a safe place to stay while the party searched for Will. This first scene of Mike and El meeting in the woods in S1 is our very first parallel to El and Hopper’s relationship: 1x01 vs. 2x03. In 1x01, Mike finds El in the woods, just like Hopper does in 2x03 (in a flashback). They both bring El to their respective home and take care of her, while also teaching her about the world. Mike teaches her about friendship (”a friend is someone you’d do anything for”) while Hopper teaches her about safety (”we’re not stupid”). 

Up until the end of S1 when Mike kisses El (more on that later), he is taking on the role of a parental figure with her. She basically knows nothing about normal life, so the burden falls on Mike to teach her everything he knows. Just like Hopper, Mike teaches El new vocabulary ("promise," "mouthbreather," vs. "compromise," "brat"), how to tell time ("when the numbers read 3-1-5" vs. "it’s 8:15, not 8-1-5"), and what a good level of privacy is (Mike letting her keep the bathroom door open a crack vs. "three-inch minimum!"). At this point, Mike’s just a twelve-year-old kid, but he’s trying his best to be what El needs, as he needs her to find Will. 

I also just want to quick mention the eggos here, because they’ve kind of become a romantic symbol for Mike and El among shippers, which I find funny. Sure, Mike made her eggos, but Hopper did too! He left them out in the woods for her and made a triple-decker-eggo-extravaganza as an apology. Also, is liking eggos the only personality trait Mike has cared to learn about El? That was just the first food he gave her-- it doesn’t mean they’re her favorite. Away from Mike’s influence, El has learned to like lots of new foods, such as milkshakes and pineapple pizza (which Mike calls "blasphemous" and is subtle queer-coding, but I digress).

Anyways, despite Mike and Hopper’s teachings, El begins to feel stifled in both relationships and decides to gain some independence. In 2x03, El leaves the cabin despite Hopper’s warnings, and in 3x03, El goes to the mall, only to be reprimanded by Mike. Both Hopper and Mike consistently believe that only they know what’s good for El, not giving her the space to be her own person.

Both situations blow up: with Hopper, they get into a fight and El uses her powers to smash up the cabin and then eventually runs away to Chicago-- she doesn’t see Hopper for the rest of the season until they reunite at the end of 2x08. Similarly, El going to the mall ends up with her and Mike getting in a fight, where she dumps him-- she then doesn’t see him until the group reconvenes to find Billy.

While we’re on the topic of reunions, let’s look at this clear parallel between 2x09 and 4x09. In 2x09, Mike and El reunite after a year of El being "dead." Mike tells El, "I never gave up on you. I called you every night." He first tells her how he felt about her going missing, and then follows with his action based on that sentiment. El and Hopper’s reunion in 4x09 is eerily similar, as they reunite after nearly a year of Hopper being "dead." El tells Hopper, "I never stopped believing. I kept [the door] open three inches." Just like Mike’s statement, El tells Hopper that she never believed he was actually gone, then follows up with an action based on that belief. They also both share a meaningful hug here, but Mike and El don’t kiss, which makes the reunion seem more platonic than romantic. 

El also seeks support from Mike and Hopper in similar ways. In the "two days later" segment of S4V2, there is a clear parallel between El leaning her head on both Mike and then Hopper’s shoulder. The way the two shots are framed in position is nearly identical-- El doesn’t even try to hold Mike’s hand, she just leans into him the same way she does to Hopper.

Another thing Mike and El shippers like to claim as their thing is "bitchin.'" However, that’s funny because it started with El and Hopper in 2x09 when she shows up in Hawkins with a new look. Hopper notices that El has a new style and accepts that even though it’s different, it’s still cool. In 3x08, Mike and El have the same conversation, after he comments that he likes her new style. This happens again between them in 4x02 at Rink-O-Mania, which is supposed to be a romantic day for Mike and El, so it’s funny that this parental-type quote was brought up again. Both Mike and Hopper are being forced to confront that fact that El is moving on from needing them in every aspect of her life, and is instead finding her own independence.

In 3x03, Max brings up one of clearest parallels between Mike and Hopper for El. At the GAP, El asks Max how to know what she likes. At this point, El has been told what she likes by first Mike and then Hopper-- she's never even had the chance to consider what she herself might enjoy. Max tells El to think about her own heart, not Mike, not Hopper. This is important because it's dialogue that kick-starts El's independence arc in S3, which she can only do once she's apart from Mike and his overbearing influence.

Even though Mike started out as El's (really) only link to the normal world, it's clear that at this point in the narrative she doesn't need him anymore. Sure, he'll always be special to her-- which is why they'll be great friends once they realize they're not compatible romantically-- but they're not destined to be endgame. Mike was what El needed in S1. However, now she has Hopper, Joyce, Will, Jonathan, Max, and lots of other people who genuinely care about her well-being and support her.

Parallels between Mike and the parental figures in El’s life, act II: Papa (idolizing El's powers to an unhealthy degree)

Now before discussing the parallels between El's relationships with Mike and Papa, I want to make it clear that Papa is abusive. He's evil. He's irredeemable. Mike is none of those things. Does his relationship with El share some similarities though? Yes, yes it does. However, this is not to show that Mike is abusive of El. Instead, it's to show that El has moved past needing Mike, and has realized she can move forward independently on her own. That aside, let's continue!

One of the biggest parallels I noticed between Mike and Papa was made abundantly clear through dialogue in S4V1. In 4x02 after El attacks Angela with the roller skate (good for her!) Mike runs up behind her, and instead of comforting her, helping her with Angela, or being supportive, he just asks, "What did you do? What did you do?" This is also a parallel to go S1, in which after the party sees Will's body in the quarry, Mike yells at El, "What is wrong with you? What is wrong with you?" The exact same line from Mike at Rink-O-Mania is said by Papa in 4x02 after he finds El in the Rainbow Room (in El's flashback after hitting Angela).

Papa is shocked by what El has done with her powers, as she's (seemingly) spiraled out of control and done something terrible. Even though she didn't really kill all the kids, Papa still thought she did and blamed her for it. Similarly, at Rink-O-Mania, Mike is shocked by what El did to Angela, even without having powers. He obviously is not ok with what transpired, and does seem scared of her initially, based on his expression-- despite the lie he tells her during the monologue. Mike doesn't go after El, doesn't attempt to comfort her, and even blames her at dinner with the Byers family, causing her to storm up to her room (Mike doesn't care that this occurred nor does he try to fix it until the next day when he still refuses to take responsibility for his actions).

Another interesting parallel between Papa and Mike is what they actually refer to El as. In S1 and S4, Papa exclusively refers to El as "Eleven"-- it's the only name he calls her, as she's his special little experiment. When El meets the party in 1x02, Mike is the one to give her the nickname "El." The funny thing is, Mike is the character (besides Papa) who calls El "Eleven" the most often. Even though he picked the nickname, he still refers to her as "Eleven" (not "El," not "Jane") multiple times. Even during moments in which they should be comfortable with each other or baring their souls to each other (such as their fight in 4x03), Mike uses "Eleven" to refer to her.

The last stand-out parallel I'm going to be discussing between Mike and Papa in regards to their relationship with El is another dialogue cue from S4V2. When El escapes from NINA and gets her full powers back, Papa attempts to give her a little pep talk, telling her she'll "need to fly." Interesting choice of words, since those are not what her powers actually entail, but it's a throwaway line (seemingly). However, this exact sentiment is brought back in 4x09, during Mike's infamous monologue. About halfway through, he just starts spouting out words (nearly all lies), trying to get El to wake up. He overexaggerates her powers, claiming that "[she] can move mountains, [she] can fly."

Now, we know this is a lie. The closest El has come to flying was in 2x09 when she closed the gate at HNL and levitated. However, flying? Moving mountains? Michael. Let's think rationally here. Just like Papa, who idolizes El for her powers, Mike is once again putting El on a pedastal, only focusing on her superhero abilities when she wants to be loved despite her powers.

To Papa, El is his special little experiment, his best subject. To Mike, El is his superhero, his girlfriend who has saved the world twice. Their love for El doesn't really go beyond that construct. Papa never showed any real love for El, only for what she could be used for. Mike doesn't seem to love anything about El except that she's a superhero-- even when talking to Dustin, he can't find one personality trait or interest of El's to highlight, only the fact that she's a badass with powers. It's sad and stifling, and just like with Papa, El needs to accept the fact that Mike isn't good for her and move past their relationship so she can fulfill her independence arc.

Parallels between Mike and the parental figures in El’s life, act III: Joyce

This parallel isn't really an analysis, it's just more of an interesting observation in which again Mike is paralleled to one of El's parental figures. In this post by @bylerisrequited there is a clear parallel between 1x07 and 4x09.

There really isn't much to say about these scenes, but it is interesting that one of the only times Mike and El are alone during S4 is directly paralleled to a moment between El and Joyce. Perhaps it's foreshadowing that El only wants comfort from Mike in a familial way? It did seem like El was about to break up with him in this scene after all. Whatever the case may be, this parallel seems too spot-on to be accidental. It's simply another case of coding Mike as one of El's family members by paralleling him to her mother.

Narrative between Mike and El as siblings, act I: S1

Honestly, the sibling energy between Mike and El in S1 is through the roof. For almost half of S1, Mike is nothing but nice to El-- he wants to help her (because she'll help them find Will) and develops a fondness for her. However, does he actually like her romantically? No. The evidence? Let's take a look at 1x03, when Lucas tells Mike it's obvious he like-likes El. Mike is at first confused, then rejects the idea. It's clear that up until that point, he had never even considered liking El that way (I talked more about this moment here, if anyone's interested).

Throughout a lot of 1x02 and 1x04, El is paralleled to Nancy (Mike's sister). In the Wheeler's living room, El calls Nancy "pretty," then after dressing El up in Nancy's old dress the next day, Mike calls her "pretty, really pretty." This is a clear parallel that shippers love to call romantic between Mike and El-- it's not! It's just another dialogue cue paralleling El and Nancy.

Furthermore, during 1x08 (the scene that is supposedly Mike and El's "big romantic moment" of the season), El asks Mike if he'll be like her brother minutes before he kisses her. Now, it's important to look at the context here. El and Mike have known each other for less than a week at this point, and El has just started learning about the basics of normal human life and relationships. I'm positive that since she didn't even know what friendship was in 1x02, that she would have absolutely no idea what a romantic relationship would entail. Based on what she's learned from Mike, the only difference between a "sister" and a "girlfriend" is that you can't go to the Snowball with your sister, because it would be weird.

So far, Lucas has told Mike that he should like El romantically. Dustin had told Mike that Lucas is jealous of his focus being on El recently (despite the fact that it's to find Will). Nancy has asked Mike if he likes El. From all of the people closest to him, Mike keeps being bombarded with heteronormativity: meet a girl, develop feelings for her despite having nothing in common, fall in love with her, and date her-- because when you're a normal guy and you meet a nice girl, that's just what you do.

So when Mike remembers the snowball, of course he tells El that he can't be like her brother. The funny thing is, before saying this, Mike describes El as his sister. He says, "my mom will be like your mom, and Nancy can be like your sister." He then reaches himself in his mental list and gets confused, because he sees himself as her brother, but that isn't possible if he's supposed to like her romantically. So instead he says "no," he wouldn't be like her brother. When El is confused, Mike doesn't have a good explanation. He just kisses her because that's what you do next in a normal relationship. She's a cool girl and he's a regular guy, and they're apparently supposed to like-like each other, so the next logical step is kissing.

Another funny familial parallel between Mike and El is in 1x04, when she's introduced to Mr. Clarke as Mike's cousin from Sweden. Why Mike's cousin? She couldn't have been a visiting friend? A cousin of Dustin's? In my opinion (and especially with that wig), El looks more similar to Dustin in S1 than she does to Mike. Yet, the Duffers went out of their way early on to show the audience again that El and Mike are like family to each other-- not romantically oriented, but instead platonic.

One last clear dialogue parallel between Mike and El as siblings is in both 1x07 and 1x08, and was originally pointed out by @paladin-n-cleric in this post. When El finds Will at Castle Byers in the void, she holds his hand and does her best to reassure him. She tells him, "Just hold on a little longer." One episode later, when El is trying to gain back her strength from killing a bunch of soldiers, Mike holds her hand, and in a direct parallel to the earlier episode says, "Just hold on a little longer."

In 1x07, it was El reassuring Will, and they end up becoming siblings (true family) in S3-4. During an emotional moment between Mike and El later on, this exact same exchange occurs. The clear repeat of dialogue is a clue to the audience that hey! These two scenes are connected! Perhaps it's alluding to the fact that Mike and El are really just looking for family-like reassurance at that point, and nothing romantic.

Narrative between Mike and El as siblings, act II: S2

Even though Mike and El are separated for most of S2, their brief moments together are familial coded (in a romantically coded season between Mike and Will, I might add). I already discussed Mike and El's reunion scene in 2x09 paralleling El and Hopper's reunion in 4x09, so instead, let's talk about the Snowball. Despite being a romantic dance that Mike and El discussed in S1, it's actually very platonically coded for Mike and El, with clearly parallels to other character dynamics that are sibling-like in nature.

First, El's attire. It's extremely doubtful that Hopper bought El that dress she wears to the Snowball, or is the one who did her makeup. Now, it's possible Joyce did El's makeup, but where did the dress come from? It's a pretty widely accepted theory (at least here on byler tumblr) that El's dress is actually Nancy's. This is a pretty clear parallel already to the fact that El wore one of Nancy's old dresses nearly all of S1.

If we look at the framing of the actual Snowball though, Mike and Dustin are clear parallels throughout the entire dance. First, Will and Max (who Mike and Dustin are hoping to dance with, respectively) are asked to dance by other people, leaving Mike and Dustin looking forlornly at the dance floor. The way they're positioned make them clear parallels to each other. A bit later, El walks in and Mike, seeing her, smiles and starts dancing with her. In the next scene, Nancy asks Dustin to dance-- something an older sister (of sorts) would do, since Dustin was crying in the bleachers. Sure, Mike and El end up kissing, but that wasn't originally scripted-- MBB asked the Duffers to include that because otherwise "the fans would be disappointed."

Now, it's really interesting that Nancy makes an appearance at the Snowball, especially since Mike spells out this exact situation to El in 1x08 when he tells her you could go to the Snowball with your sister, but it would be weird. Nancy (who's like an older sister to Dustin) asks Dustin to dance because he's sad that Max doesn't love him. Similarly, Mike is dancing with El to get over moping the fact Will got asked to dance by a girl. El is fulfilling the same role as Nancy at the Snowball, which is another parallel to being like Mike's sister.

Narrative between Mike and El as siblings, act III: S3

So in S3 there's not a ton of sibling-type parallels between Mike and El, since they're officially "dating" and spend most season arguing and lying. However, @howtobecomeadragon pointed out a very interesting familial parallel in this post. After Mike blurts out that he "loves [El] and can't lose her again," he immediately regrets saying this. You can tell it was heat of the moment stuff (as Mike explicitly says in 3x07), and that while Mike genuinely does love El (though not romantically), he didn't like that he misconstrued their love to the entire group in Hopper's cabin.

The interesting thing is, once El walks out into the kitchen to ask what happened, Mike tells her they're having a "family discussion." Perhaps this is pointing to his true intention behind the outburst? El is obviously very important to Mike, so when she's in danger, of course he's worrying about losing her! He's already lost her once before and certainly doesn't want to go through that again. Yet when he blurted out his true feelings, everyone in the cabin misinterpreted it to be a love confession (especially telling in a season where codes and masked phrases are of the utmost importance). Mike truly was attempting to have a family discussion, like he told El.

This is also likely the reason why when she brings up this moment in 3x08, Mike at first can't remember saying that he loved her. It wasn't a big deal then, because he was speaking about her like he'd talk about any one of his friends. Yet, El is clearly implying something very romantic happened back at the cabin, which Mike doesn't remember. Probably because Mike didn't clock that moment at romantic at all, but instead as true familial concern.

Narrative between Mike and El as siblings, act IV: S4

So, again like S3, there isn't as much sibling coding between Mike and El, as they're in a (somewhat) established relationship. However, there are three interesting things I want to point out quickly.

First, in 4x03 after the Rink-O-Mania incident, Mike decides to finally check on El. He makes some eggos for her (familial coding in relation to Hopper; discussed above), but for some reason, also gets out the syrup. This is strange, as El has never been shown to use syrup before with her waffles in the show-- she always eats them plain. Now, there's two options for the syrup:

Mike has forgotten so much about El that he doesn't even remember how she likes to eat her "favorite" food. If this is the case, it's showcasing how much of a disconnect Mike and El truly have in their relationship. Eggos were the first thing Mike fed El, and it's apparently the only way Mike knows how to comfort her, and apparently he can't even get that right.

A less likely option, but a parallel to Mike and Nancy's relationship in S1. If you remember back to 1x01, during a family breakfast, Mike pours syrup all over Nancy's food, annoying her greatly. It's a typical sibling interaction, showcased in the introductory scene to the Wheeler family. Now, in 4x03, Mike is pouring syrup on El's breakfast, most likely greatly annoying her-- just like with Nancy, another sibling parallel between the two.

The second sibling narrative parallel was noticed by @naturallybrielle in this post. It's obvious that when the Cali crew reunites with El in 4x09, more emphasis is put on her reunion with Will than with Mike. Furthermore, her reunion with both Mike and Will are framed nearly identically (except for her forehead touch with Mike-- though it's important to note that they don't kiss, which is perhaps a parallel to their reunion in 2x09, which I discussed earlier).

El and Will's reunion-- between siblings-- is paralleled nearly the same to El and Mike's reunion. Isn't this strange if they're supposed to be a main romantic couple that's reuniting after a big fight? You'd think the emphasis would go to their reunion and it would maybe include a kiss. However, El and Will are the emphasis here, as he seems more concerned with her well-being than Mike does. Here again, Mike is given a "sibling reunion" with El-- an interesting choice if they are in fact endgame (here's a hint: they're not).

As a last note, let's quick look at the framing of the monologue. I already discussed this here, but for a quick recap, it's important to note the camera shots used. In a true romantic confession, the shots would be close, tight shots on just Mike and El to convey the depth of their emotion. Is this the case? No. During the entire monologue, Will is mostly in view (in Mike's shots), and there are shots that cut back and forth between Jonathan and Will, as well as Mike. This is just to reinforce the idea that the monologue isn't romantic! It's simply El's family concerned about her well-being and trying to get her out of the mindscape, safe and alive. If the Duffers wanted this to be the "big romantic moment of the season," this scene could've been shot in a much more convincing way. Instead, Jonathan and Will (El's brothers), were also heavily included to make it clear that this is just about family-- not romance.

All together, this analysis should be quite compelling evidence that while Mike does love El, it's not in a romantic manner. He loves her like a sister-- like a part of his family. The numerous parallels to El's parental figures (no matter the role in her life, whether positive or detrimental) as well as the building of a sibling narrative between them further deters the idea of them ending up as a couple.

Why would these parallels exist throughout all the seasons if Mike and El are written to be the big romantic couple? It didn't happen with Lumax. Or Jancy. Or Byler (never once has Mike said he "loves Will like a brother"-- and there have been countless opportunities to do so). Mike and El simply aren't meant to be. They're very important to each other, but unfortunately, they haven't quite figured out in what way yet.

#this took SO long 🫠 i hope everyone enjoys 4500 words of proof that milkvan is not endgame <3 #also sorry about the screenshot quality bc i took this with my phone from netflix on my computer sjdhfhdhd #but. pls enjoy and lmk your thoughts!! #byler #stranger things analysis #sarah.txt