#I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HOPPER ACTUALLY DIED

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Trimax Thoughts Vol. 4 Pt. 3

Alright. Bit of a heavier one for tonight. I want to talk Vash's relation to his own feelings of anger and how these tie into his suicidal thoughts, because it's tragically fascinating and I still can't really make heads or tails out of it - specifically in that I don't think anyone is a reliable narrator in this situation so I'm left a little lost as to who to believe.

(ID: A screenshot of four panels from Chapter 7 of Volume 4 of Trigun Maximum. A conversation between Hoppered and Vash takes place, in which Hoppered says "I bet you want to kill me too, right? Of course you do... You want to tear me limb from limb." A somewhat grainy image of Rem, smile visible but eyes hidden, is shown, before Vash replies, his eyes narrowed, "Yeah... I do..." End ID.)

Warning! I am going to be discussing Vash's no good, very bad mental health. It's nothing worse than what is obvious from a read of the manga but if you're not in the headspace for it, you might want to skip this one. I had a bit of trouble writing it, if I'm being honest.

Volume 4 basically solidified what had kept cropping up all throughout the manga - Vash is keeping himself going only through his goal of "settling the score" with Knives. On the next page, Vash says the following:

"That's why... you can go right ahead and kill me. But... before I give you that chance... before I let you bind me in chains, lock me up, and torture me to death... I will send Knives to hell!"

Yikes buddy. This has been a running bit of characterization all throughout the manga - Vash survives because he has to. He takes small moments of joy where he can, tries to smile even when he's not feeling it, looks on the bright side even when things seem hopeless, because that's the only way he can survive to do what he has to. <- There's nothing especially wrong with this. This is a coping mechanism and as far as his coping mechanisms go, it's not so bad at all. It's actually pretty good, all things considered.

Problem is, he also has to embody the ideal he strives for - that no one needs to die, that he will never kill. And herein lies the issue, because Vash already feels like a monster because of July. Any deviation from the peace loving pacifist image he tries so hard to maintain brings Vash's self-loathing to the surface.

Ex. Vash sees the moon his angel arm blew a hole in and goes from denying culpability for the destruction of July to hardly resisting and calling himself a murderer.

Ex. Vash expresses that he holds murderous sentiment towards Hoppered. He sees this as a justifiable reason for Hoppered to kill him.

Even the thought that he has or could still deviate from his promise made in Rem's memory causes him immense amounts of shame. Vash does not want to harm people. Is it out of love? Is it out of guilt? I think at this point, there's no separating them. Vash doesn't kill out of a mix of these two emotions that are so intertwined in his core they have become inextricable.

The thing is... Vash's driving emotion appears to actually be anger, specifically, anger against Knives. He wants to "settle the score", which is a pretty retributive mentality for someone trying to embody pacifism. In fact, that kind of motivation strongly clashes with that image in a way that imo cannot coexist. It's reasonable in his mind to take that stance against Knives, who is not one of the humans Rem died to save, but against humans, it's unacceptable. So, Vash represses his anger constantly.

A great example of this is watching the contrast between Vash fighting Leonof and Wolfwood fighting Ninelives. Wolfwood fights with his emotions on visceral display; he is loud and cocky and desperate and violent. Vash, on the flip side, is almost dangerously quiet and composed, to the point Wolfwood seems a bit disturbed by it - but it's all repression. He needs to stay focused, his motions are calculated to reduce harm even against the puppets, he's eerily silent and his facial expressions are controlled and muted for the most part; all methods that Vash uses to stay in control (<- this is important!).

Here's the thing. I don't know that I necessarily, fully believe that Vash wants to kill Hoppered. I don't know that I trust anyone's narration in this scene - first of all, Hoppered is mad projecting his animosity onto Vash because he needs to secure the image of Vash as unrepentant destroyer of July; if Vash isn't the demon he believes him to be, his quest for revenge was for nothing (well, sort of. Vash obviously did destroy the city, but the intent was not there - and the latter seems to be what Hoppered is banking his hatred on). Hoppered earlier accused Vash of enjoying the fight... which is pretty clearly not true, so that it was Hoppered who prompted Vash's admittance above is a little suspect. Second, we've seen what Vash looks like when actually violently angry.

(ID: Two separate images screenshotted from the Trigun manga. The first shows Vash raising his gun at a recently reborn Knives, angrily shouting the other's name. The second shows Vash having jammed the barrel of his gun into Monev's eye, clearly close to pulling the trigger. End ID.)

To me, I see little indication in the build up to this of Vash legitimately wanting to kill Hoppered. He had no desire to kill Rai-Dei after all, and that was after he knew the GHG were targeting Home. Hoppered is probably the most sympathetic of the GHG. Vash is also in a self-destructive mindset in this scene, having just called himself a murderer after seeing the damage done to the moon again.

Is he agreeing with Hoppered's projection because he wants Hoppered to continue to hate him enough to punish him for the deaths of all those people? (The image of Rem then becomes symbolic of his having already failed to uphold her sacrifice.) Or should I be taking his words at face value and he really does want to kill Hoppered? (In this case, the image of Rem is out of guilt for voicing something aloud that goes against his image of her.) Is it possible that a combination of his self-loathing in this scene and fear of himself has him agreeing with Hoppered out of resignation that despite his best efforts, he is doomed to destroy? (Like in fifth moon's "we were no good from the start". The image of Rem is thus the image of someone genuinely good and kind to him, an image he feels he cannot embody no matter how hard he tries.)

I find it very ambiguous honestly. Any interpretation is compelling from a character sense. Perhaps they all hold merit to some degree.

Regardless of how you interpret the line though, Vash is obviously angry, and for good reason - Hoppered, Midvalley and Zazie have taken Meryl. He's also likely afraid for her too - dude did jump out a window for like no practical purpose whatsoever before Zazie even finished talking. Like that's really sweet buddy but you accomplished absolutely nothing of use lol. Anyways. The point is, even if Vash was angry enough to want to kill Hoppered (and it would be for this reason, since nothing else would really warrant that), then that still wouldn't make Vash secretly evil and awful - first off, having a thought does not mean you will actually act on it, and second, what's the thing we keep getting shown and told, again and again?

Anyone will pick up a gun when their loved ones are threatened.

It's very natural to feel animosity for a person who may have harmed someone we care about. In that sense, Vash is behaving very human.

However, there's an extra layer here that complicates things. Vash has never been shy about his anger, but I think there is a bit of a progression of Vash kind of... tamping down on it faster, reeling it back in a little sooner after an initial flare of rage. ...Ever since Fifth Moon, actually. We also know that he has a strict training regimen, he does not miss a target, even blindfolded - Vash clearly maintains strong control over himself, all to mitigate the potential damage he could cause.

But then there's his Plant abilities. The angel arm. Something destructive he clearly does not understand, and has little if any control over (never mind that control was literally wrenched away from him but whatever). I don't think it's a stretch to say Vash is terrified of losing control.

Any human can feel hatred and anger and potentially cause moderate amounts of harm and damage, but these are likely to be targeted and can be more easily contained. Vash feels hatred and anger and has the capacity to level a city and blow a hole in a celestial body in the blink of an eye, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. That must be terrifying.

Because, see, the no-killing thing is out of respect for Rem, but Vash also strongly wants to, needs to believe that non-violent solutions are possible, that people are good, that anyone can change. Vash, out of some combination of love and guilt, does not actually want to harm anyone, but Vash is also a living gun just under the surface of his iron self-control. And being reminded of that deeply fucks him up, to the point he believes he is a danger by nature, incapable of living up to the standard of kindness he wants to put into the world, so even just the thought of wanting to inflict harm on another is enough to send him spiraling - because what if that is the point he loses his control? "I should never have been born" indeed...

It's interesting to me that Vash should call Wolfwood out on his lack of hope in a future for the world, when he so clearly has little if any hope in a future for himself. He allots himself no place in the world. Maybe you should allow yourself to heal a little, buddy. You have some people pretty close by who, in spite of it all, like you quite a lot...

#starting putting ids under my images since i want to make sure they are easily accessible! should've been doing that before... sorry #(hope they're ok! i tried lol) #also i apologize for the delay in writing this - the topic + my stupid depression episode was uh. not a good combo. i just couldn't write #while in that headspace. #i hope this actually made sense lol i have no idea if it flowed well or makes sense or if i wildly misinterpreted #tw suicidal thoughts #<-if there is a better tag for me to be using for these kinds of discussions please inform me! #trigun #trigunbookclub #trimax #trigun meta #vash the stampede #call me ace detective the way i am ace. and also a detective. #storyrambles

[erikiara80]

Theory: the car crash in the winter of 1976 (Part II)

You can read Part I here

To sum up: my theory is that Joyce had a son with Lonnie, Jonathan, but then she left him because he's an a-hole. She always liked Hopper, so they finally got together and had two kids, Will and El. I think it's possible that the story of Agent Orange is true and maybe that's why Jopper's kids were targeted by Brenner ("Sarah" died in the lab, after all) But then, in 1976 something bad happened and Hopper and El were separated from their family (see Part I). Love this Father and daughter missing.

Not sure if Brenner was involved, but there are hints that Lonnie was. He's heavily paralleled to Billy's father, and in Billy's memory Neil believed that his wife was cheating on him. The first thing Lonnie asks Jon is if Hopper is still chief, and the moment he thinks that Will is dead, he "comes home", calls Joyce babe and tells her that she needs him. I think he didn't just want the money, he wanted his family back. And Will wasn't part of it.

A possible hint in The First Shadow that Lonnie did something to Joyce and her family is the mention of him stealing the baby from the nativity scene. Will has always been associated with Jesus...

It's also interesting, and could be evidence of different timelines, that Will is associated with fire but El is associated with cold water. Maybe Will died in the fire in one timeline, and in another one El drowned in a lake? Maybe they were both in danger but their parents could only save one of them. They both say many times that they can't breath, which is also a parallel with Sarah, so I think it's clear that something bad happened to both of them.

Did Will burn alive? I hope not but... In 3x08, when Joyce hugs him, he says that he can't breath, he's suffocating. In Fred's vision, he sees a coffin with the grandfather clock that has the name Williams engraved on it. And in 4x04 we see Billy/William's tombstone.

El sees Heather being dragged underwater, after Max opens "the floodgates" (Owens mentions them when he explains the anniversary of the event) If Billy is paralleled to Will, Heather is paralleled to El, so maybe this scene shows us what happened to El in the past.

The vanishing of Will Byers and The case of the missing lifeguard are connected.

And when she goes into Billy's memories, there's a transition from the car crash and El in the water. Car in a lake -> El separated from her family.

Hints that Lonnie might've been involved in the car crash

In Lonnie's very first scene, there's a little bike in his house, and Jon checks his trunk. Not a good sign.

After Joyce breaks the wall with the axe, the only thing she sees is her car. Possible hint that after the car crash one of the children was taken away from the family by powers. Time powers... Tears in the fabric of time and space...

That night, when Lonnie arrives, the first thing we see is his car headlights.

Then he closes "the door" that Will used to communicate with his mom, with a hammer. As he talks about the quarry and Joyce freezing to death.

In 2x06, after they bring Will to the lab, after he screams that he feels like he's burning (Hopper is screaming too, but they're using water! Always water and fire) there's a transition to Steve's car, and the song in this scene is Hammer to Fall. In 2x09 Jon mentions Lonnie and the hammer they used to build Castle Byers.

In S4 there's another connection between Lonnie, cars, time loops and the resentment between him and Joyce. When Jon says that the cycle never ends. We see part of the conversation through the broken window of a car.

Other hints

Billy and Max

They both have many parallels with Will, and most of their scenes together take place in the car. Billy's car is actually the first thing we see.

They always fight in that car.

Billy tries to run over the kids. This reminds me of the night Will vanishes

And the scene of Billy's possession IS a parallel to the 1x01 scene. He and Will both run off the road

In 3x07, Billy almost burns alive in his car

In S4, Max confesses that she had wished her brother to die in a car accident

In 2x05, Terry shows El a police car chase!

This scene is so important. I'm working on a new theory, but I'll just say that Terry (or whoever is communicating with El) isn't just randomly switching the channels. She's telling a story. Henry's story and how El got involved.

In fact, she shows El a blonde woman ("Virginia") then the Family Feud score: 91 and 64. Two tens. 10-> mirror of 01. A donut commercial with many identical donuts (ref to the lab kids), the commercial of a Computer Supercenter (the lab/Nina) and then a police chase and someone pouring coffe into a cup. I think this is a huge hint at a car crash that involved Hopper, and what happened after, the blood transfusion that made El a lab kid. I don't know why else Terry would show El a police car chase tbh. And then, in 2x07, Kali calls Hopper policeman, many times. A clear connection with the car chase, imo.

When El looks for the source in S3, the first thing she sees in the eye of the Mind Flayer storm is Billy's damaged car. Since Billy is paralleled to Will, this could mean that the source of everything that happened to their family started with a car crash and powers?

I'm also thinking about this shot in the Vecna game. It looks very similar to a shot in Benny's diner in S4. Jason in a white outfit, like Henry, Christmas lights, a police car, the W and E, and another car with something that looks a lot like the Mind Flayer, looming over it.

And don't forget Joyce and Hopper escaping from Grigori and the engine of the police car literally exploding. And where do they find another car? At a Seven Eleven convenience store, where they meet clerk Rich (like Richard Brenner?) Also, Alexei is with them. A guy in a white outfit, and with a name that is the russian variant of Alex, like Alex P. Keyton, one of the characters played by Michael J. Fox, mentioned by Steve when he and Robin talk about time travels in Back to the Future.

There are many other hints, but I think these ones are the most relevant.

#willel twins #tfs spoilers #will byers #el hopper #jopper #timeline theory #time loop theory #joyce byers #jim hopper #max mayfield #billy hargrove #st analysis #stranger things

[steviesbicrisis]

I think we're sleeping on the possibility of making everything apocalyptic/dystopian.

Imagine that things go way worse after the gates were almost opened: monsters come out of the cracks, a lot of people get killed, some of them get possessed, and Hawkins is just the first town to be hit. Soon, the whole State is considered to be a risk for the country and, while the government wants to protect the citizens, there are too many upside-down creatures. Indiana gets quarantined, no one can get in and few can manage to get out. People get mad, greedy, tired, desperate.

The peaceful spirit of collaboration days after the "earthquake" soon turns into everyone for themselves.

The party sticks together, for obvious reasons. But then the government wants to use El to stop the Upside Down monsters from coming out of the cracks. She refuses (she wants to help, but she knows to not trust them) so she has to run away. The party decides to split: some of them stay in Hawkins and some decide to go with El to find a new place to stay.

Without her powers, things get ten times harder but they manage. Steve's house is everyone's house now. The whole neighborhood is abandoned, rich people already bought their way out of Indiana, somewhere safe, Steve's parents included. They had offered a ticket for him too, but quickly took back their offer as soon as Steve asked for the whole Party as well.

Not many people stayed in town, and none of them are trustworthy. Steve isn't the only adult (Joyce and Murray are there with him, Hopper went with El) but he feels a heavy burden on his shoulders.

He needs to protect the kids, protect his friends, protect everyone. He does most of the night patrols, he's always on grocery shopping duty (they still call it that as a joke, they actually go to the supermarket at night and hope to not encounter anybody as they stock some food and supplies), and he's tired.

It's been five months since the earthquake, one since Hopper and El left. They haven't heard from them yet, they're running out of supplies and they're tired. So tired.

But the kids heard something in the woods next to his house, they can't fall asleep. Murray and Jonathan are out, so it's up to him to go check the woods. He's prepared, his beloved nailed bat in one hand, torch in the other.

Steve is tired. Steve has, once again, found himself in an impossible-to-believe situation, he still manages it.

But Steve should've learned, a long time ago, that once you think you've figured everything out, something from the Upside Down comes to kick you in the ass.

This time, that something is none comes in the form of Eddie Munson, looking the same as he did five months ago, when he had died.

«Harrington, fucking finally! care to tell me what the fuck is going on around here?»

#I'm stressed so I wrote this to decompress #sorry to leave it open #feel free to write more if it inspires you #steddie #steve harrington #bi steve harrington #gay eddie munson #steve and eddie #eddie munson #stranger things #steddie headcanon #steve x eddie #post s4 #stranger things post s4 #prompts #sbc writes

[theyaregayyourhonor]

Headcanons of platonic mileven and madwheeler and very not platonic byler 'cause why not?

Mike: Max, I can't believe I'm saying this but, I

Mike:

Mike: need your help

Max: Oh really? *smug smile* With what, Michael?

Mike:

Max:

Mike: El can you help me?

Max: C'mon!

Jane from the other room: I'm busy drying Will's hair

OR

Will and Max skatebording and Will is actually pretty good at it (man can load a gun and survive the upsidedown for a week that's nothing)

Mike 'heart eye' Wheeler

Jane: Mike, you're drooling

OR

Max: Because I SAID SO!

Mike: Well that's not a very good ARGUMENT!

Max: EAT YOU'RE STUPID HAT WHEELER!

Mike: NO, I FEED YOU WITH IT FIRST!

Jane: What are they arguing about?

Will: I'm not sure anymore, it started with comics but now it's just a screaming contest.

OR

Will and Jane in the livingroom at 3 am eating highly sugared food with soda and watching cheap horror that is so bad it's now good

Mike falling from the window they left open face first next to the couch while Max is opening the door laughing

Mike: You said the door is locked

Max: I lied

Jane: Friends don't lie

Max: Sweetie, Mike and I are not friends, his my target and mortal enemy

Will: You cried in his arms after the dog died the last movie night we had

Max:

Mike:

Jane:

Will: and he is your emergency contac

OR

At Hoppers

Will: You put it down first

At Wheelers

Mike: No, no you put it down first

At Hoppers

Will: No, YOU put ut down first

Jane eating cereal while Jonathan waiting next to Will for his turn at the phone

At Wheelers

Mike: You-

Max who is there to help Mike with math

Max: No I'll put it down first.

Mike: He-

Max: Next time I'm cutting the cable

OR

Mike: I love you

*looking deep into Will's eyes who is blushing*

Will: I-

Max: Oh well thank you Michael. I didn't know you felt that way

*Max falling into their laps and smiling up at Mike*

Jane looking up from her book: Did Mike just walked back into the closet? Again?

*Will burst out laughing as Mike shoves Max of off them*

Mike: Way to ruin a moment Max

Will still laughing: I- I... i lo-ve y..ou tohooohahah

OR

Jane: Mike what did you do?

Mike confused as he looks up from his comic

Max: Will is all depressed, Wheeler.

Mike goes on hands and knees in front of Will apologizing for everything

Will: Max!

Max: It was El's idea

Jane 'smug face' Hopper

#will byers #byler #mike wheeler i know what you are #platonic madwheeler #madwheeler #platonic elmike #el and mike platonic soulmates #anti mileven #but like affectionately

[cyberhades]

𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 ੈ♡˳ | Eddιᥱ Mᥙᥒ᥉᥆ᥒ ᥊ Fᥱ꧑! Rᥱᥲdᥱr

Warnings: angst, sadness, mention of teenage pregnancy, mention of death, anniversary of death.

A/N: My heart was sad after writing this. But I got some inspiration by "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd.

“TODAY HAD EVERYTHING to be just another normal day in 1990 but it is not. And this is Eddie Munson writing, I'm famous for playing guitar in the thrash metal band Corroed Coffin. I'm here seriously thinking about how to actually start this letter since I've been doing it for a while because it's a way to get rid of the trauma. I have to admit that over the years it became my therapy.

Looking at the clock in my room here, I can clearly see that it's 4 o'clock in the morning. I just woke up and I'm not sleepy at all. I have bouts of insomnia, in fact I always had and now that I woke up this morning full of energy there is nothing better than good old pen and paper. Nice words, don't let me down now, please!

Okay, okay. Let's start for real, better this way?

How do you even start a letter? I know I wrote one of these last year, last year and last year. Well, it's been four years since I've written these letters but I still get stuck in words and get lost in grammatical issues. Without further ado, let's go before I lose focus.

Hello, my love!

What the fuck, my hands are still shaking writing this to you, however it does not affect my handwriting. I remember you always complimented me on that, so I'm trying to keep it impeccable. I came to tell you the good news.

Where do I start? Oh, I know!

Look, the band is having a lot of success and we are on our way to owning the world, Ozzy Osbourne has become our biggest friend and supporter. I know you would be very proud of your beautiful guitar player here. Touring has been a lot of fun and I always find myself imagining what it would be like if you were here.

Sometimes on cold nights when the light from the rays and lightning lights up the whole room I miss your warmth in bed. However, you can't go back in time and play God, and I'm fully aware of that. Oh, how I wish... how I wish you were here.

Steve misses you everyday, Nancy misses you everyday, Robin misses you everyday, Hopper misses you everyday, I miss you everyday... we all miss you everyday. We know you wouldn't want us to be sad missing you but this is kind of complicated since you were a person who brought us light.

Day after day I try to get over the fact that I'll never hold you again, I'll never kiss you again, I'll never hear your laugh again, or see that beautiful smile. It's sad to think like that, isn't it? But it's a sad reality that I have to deal with day after day with your absence during these four years.

I know you're in a much better place now, because that's where you deserve to be. Dancing with the angels and holding stars in your hands.

I'm going to talk about our daughter Felicia now.

Felicia is 4 years old now. She is very beautiful and I have to confess that she looks a lot like you. Honestly, she doesn't miss you just because she hasn't had enough time to stay with you since you died when she was just five months old. You died so young, my love, you were only 20.

I remember that you had already finished school, we had known each other for a few years. I also remember when you came all happy in 1985 to tell me about your pregnancy. In that yellow dress of yours that seemed to carry the glow of the sky in the smallest details.

I remember very well the day Felicia was born in 1986. She was the most beautiful baby in that hospital, no offense to the other babies born that day. Your dad was really mad at me when you got pregnant and so was my uncle but after our daughter was born they became the cutest grandpas in the world. And they are still very cute grandpas, believe me.

When our daughter is a little older, I promise you, my love. I promise you I'll tell her that you died heroically saving the city from the demonbats.

Today I understand that I have a little bit of you in almost everything. There are fragments of you in the bed sheets, my shirts, my guitar, our daughter, the incredible memories...

Everything you did was art and left a little bit of you in it. It's amazing to think how lucky I was to date such a perfect woman.

The paper is a little smudged and the ballpoint pen ink is slowly dispersing along the lines. It is my tears that wet this letter.

Thank you so much for being my main source of energy and my main pillar of support during all these years we lived together. You were unique, you were perfect. You were like a comet and I lost.

Everyone needs someone, but I don't know if it's everyone who feels the way I do. Sometimes I wonder how I can breathe with this burning in my chest... you're gone so fast. And I cried for many nights wanting you back.

Today is the day that completes four years since you died. Here in my bed our little Felicia is sleeping, right next to me. I promise to be the best father in the world for her and I give her as much love as you would.

I know you'll always be with me, especially because of the pendant with our initials that I've worn on my silver chain since 1985. But I miss you anyway, that's kind of unavoidable.

I love you, my love. I hope you are resting with the angels now Mrs Munson, because you deserve so much.

With love from yours and only yours,

Eddie Munson, your freak.”

[...]

TAGLIST 𓆩♡𓆪

@eddiemunsons-girl @hellfireswhxre @chaoticmunson @tvandfanfic @iliveforotps @goldie86 @queenariesofnarnia @kellynickelsgirl00 @shyposttree @planetsteddie

#eddie munson #stranger things #joseph quinn #eddie munson imagine #eddie x reader #stranger things imagine #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson angst #eddie my beloved #eddie munson sad #eddie munson x you

[thestrangestthing89]

I thought I'd weigh in on the whole "do the Wheeler's know El exists and is dating Mike" debate.

So there are 2 possibilities here:

The first is that Hopper told the Wheelers the truth about El and how she's staying in his cabin (or Mike or Nancy told them with Hopper's approval). Here's what would have had to happen for this to make sense: Hopper would have had to talk to both of them about this very delicate situation (a thing we know he avoids doing because he doesn't want to talk to Mike and El) and the Wheelers would have needed to understand that El needed to be kept secret because she was in danger. This is plausible due to the fact that Brenner spoke to the Wheelers in season 1 about El so they know she exists. I highly doubt Brenner told them exactly what her deal was (He likely didn't mention superpowers or anything supernatural) but he made it clear that she is potentially dangerous by all the questioning and that he needed to find her to keep everyone safe. They also know that El was hiding in the basement and we see Mike (and presumably Nancy as well) get questioned by the police about the situation. So what they know is that Mike found this girl and hid her in the basement and there was some kind of showdown in the school resulting in people dying. It is unclear if they think she died during this time (that's what seems to happen to her and what the group believes) but Mike says "I'll never tell you" to the police and I doubt he told his parents. It's also unclear whether or not they realize this is related to Will's disappearance. It's possible they assumed Mike found her when looking for Will but we don't know much here. So this is about the extent of the info we actually see on screen and the rest of this is just guessing. Back to Hopper telling them the truth about her being there. I find this unlikely due to Hopper protectiveness of El and the fact that El understands how dangerous it is for too many people to see her and know about her. She knows she can't go to the mall or around town. There are already a lot of people who know (this group is big). Ted is the kind of person who hates all things unconventional and back in season 1 was cooperative with the police and Brenner saying "we're all patriots in this house" when asked to report any info about El. He frequently complains anytime things aren't the way they are supposed to be. So if Hopper told him the truth, are we supposed to believe that his man didn't notify the lab or the government? He already said he would. And the Wheelers have to know he's this type of person. Not to mention the fact that he is conservative and very much the "how is this my problem" type. And he what, just accepts this information and is cool with it? Then we have Karen, who is bothered by Brenner in season 1 and says he "gives her the creeps". She has a good read on the dude and is visibly worried and upset about Mike. She is relieved to be reunited with him at the end of the season. So if she knows this girl is still hanging around her son are we supposed to believe she's totally ok with this? She understands the situation is dangerous and she didn't want Mike anywhere near it in season 1. So what, Hopper explains she lives with him now and it's fine if Mike hangs out? Which leads to the next problem with this theory - Hopper was incredibly annoyed with Mike through the beginning the season 3. Mike is at his house all the time and never leaves. So if the Wheelers know about El and why Mike is hangout out at the cabin, all Hopper had to do was have a talk with Karen (something Joyce would have recommended since she was level headed about the Mike drama) and problem solved. No more Mike hanging out at the cabin. This could have led to El hanging out at the Wheelers but she never does this. Which leads me to believe that she isn't allowed to be there because they don't know about her.

There is a line in season 3 where Hopper tells Mike "your mom called. It's your grandma". They are at the cabin and Hopper is trying to get rid of Mike. So Karen has Hopper's cabin number. (Obviously Hopper is lying here and Karen didn't actually call. But Mike believes him and doesn't question this.) This does not mean she knows about El and could be for a couple reasons. 1) Hopper gave it to her in case of an emergency, 2) Hopper meant that Karen called the station looking for Mike and they either called Hop at the cabin or Hopper was told while at work. He's still in his uniform so he could have just gotten home. Or 3) (and I think this is the most likely scenario) Karen believes Joyce and Hopper are dating so the kids would plausibly be hanging out at his place. She says they are a couple at the carnival and Ted responds also believing it. Which means most people in town believe it too (of course they do, they are always together). So if the two of them are dating it makes sense that Will is spending time with him especially considering how Hopper saved his life and the whole town knows this. Which means it's plausible Mike and their friends are there all the time, too. (I want to note here that I don't think anyone knows about Hoppers cabin for safety reasons. Just that they think the number is for his trailer that we saw in S1. I'm assuming people in town think this is where Hopper still lives.) Now Karen also overhears a conversation over the phone between Mike and El (She spies on her children a lot). El is allowed to call their house (Hopper doesn't stop her and she seems to have the number memorized). All Karen hears is that there is a girl trying to get Mike to come over and Mike is lying and making up excuses. Karen also fixates on the nana being sick part and gets upset so it's unclear how much of this conversation she's actually paying attention to or when she started listening. So that "sweetie pie" line of Ted's. If this was simply a dorky dad teasing his teenage son about his girlfriend why does Karen very concerned at Mike after he says it? And why does Mike look wide eyed for a second like he's shocked he said it and then visibly annoyed. Because if he actually liked his girlfriend and that's who it's about, his reaction is very odd. It does fall in line with Ted's other passive aggressive comments about Mike not liking girls if it's about Will. Now at the end of the season El with her shaved head emerges from the pizza van her son was just in so I think at this point it's safe to assume that Karen will be putting the pieces together. But before this, I don't think it's likely that the Wheeler's know she lives with Hop or the Byers. There isn't enough evidence from the show to suggest they thought about her beyond season 1. And it's the 80s - parents weren't constantly asking where their kids were going and who they were hanging out with so it would have been easy to simply avoid telling them.

Edit: I want to add here that I don't think Ted would actually approve of El just because she's a girl. She isn't a "normal" girl. Ted was a jock who was likely popular. He likes things that are conventional and normal and El doesn't fit into this category. So he wouldn't be happy that Mike was dating a girl if it wasn't a girl who was socially acceptable. I don't think he would be ok with a vague story about her and even less ok with the truth. El is someone who would have attracted gossip and attention from the people in town if anyone had known they were dating and this would have embarrassed him.

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #eleven hopper #anti mileven

[cannibalistic-vampirefag]

Thing I would change in vol.2

in order

The scene where Vickie kisses her boyfriend doesn't exist because what was the point of having it there if not to make Robin suffer? it didn't further the plot, didn't further her character, it was there just to give us a bit of queer pain for nothing.

During the hug between him and Jonathan, Will says something that is undoubtedly queer (not necessarily "I'm gay", but even just a referce to him having a crush on Mike so The Straights can't interpret his feelings as something else) because the discussion of Will's sexuality was hyped up a lot and what we got was underwhelming.

Steve gives Eddie a talk about how he isn't a coward for running away because what he did was all for survival instinct, but when he was actually given the choice to stay safely behind (at the lake and once they got back to Hawkins) he still chose to follow his friends into danger to help them knowing the risk.

Murray dies. I feel like someone from the Russia plot has to but it obviously isn't going to be Hopper, since he's just come back from the dead, or Joyce, since the Byers have already lost so much. Murray is just right because he's not a main character, but he's also not a background one.

No Steve/Nancy talk because in my version for season 4 the writers never tried to make Steve and Nancy get back together.

Jason goes to Eddie's trailer instead of the Creel House and there he finds the portal to the Upside Down while Eddie is playing, so he gets in and Dustin explains everything. Even if he's confused, he understands the situation and believes them (considering he's literally in another dimension about to get attacked by demobats and it's clear that Hellfire isn't leading them but actually fighting them). He sticks with them to help them fight.

The demobats are attacking the trailer but at one point they stop abruptly and we see that they are heading towards the Creel house to kill Nancy, Steve and Robin, so, after making sure Dustin is safe in the normal world and cutting the rope, Eddie and Jason run to distract he demobats again. They get followed but keep running until they can, but at one point they reach a dead end and have no other choice but fight. Jason is dying after fighting alongside Eddie, while he's bleeding out he apologises for being a dick, accusing him of murder, and sending an angry mob after him. His last words are 《I'll tell Chrissy you said "hi".》

Therefore, yea, Eddie also doesn't die. by now we've understood the trend of killing off all the new characters, do something different. how do they handle him being wanted by the whole town? I don't know. maybe they hide him in Hopper's cabin like they did with Eleven in seasons 2 and 3, maybe Jason said something to his friends after finding out the truth, maybe he clears his name in season 5, maybe they help him leave the town.

Max dies because this time Vecna knows about the music thing and makes sure she can't save herself again. she and isn't brought back to life and dies in Lucas' arms while the portals open. The reason for this is that I feel like so far all the main characters have had huge plot armor and killing one would really raise the stakes, make it clear that from now on everyone is in real danger.

Also to raise the stakes, I feel like one between Nancy, Robin and Steve should die but honestly I don't know, I'm not sure (obviously not Robin, one of the only canon queer characters, and I do think the Duffers want to keep Steve's death for season 5, so maybe Nancy? not sure though, so this is just an idea, not necessarily something I'd for sure change)

Antonov doesn't follow the others to America, he goes back to his family so they can all move somewhere safer with Yuri's help.

Nancy and Jonathan have a serious talk and Jonathan tells her the truth about the college letters. they understand that them going to college together isn't going to work, so they break up, but Nancy still tells Jonathan to not stay stuck to his family forever, but to go to NYU instead (y'know, NYU, literally Jonathan's dream school since he was six, as is mentioned in season 1?). after season 5 we learn that they got back together after they were both done with college and being a journalistic power couple and are as strong as ever, and the break up helped the grow individually.

no time skip at the end of the season because I don't really see how it could work out with the finale. also, every other season has had a time skip of some months, and it would be nice if, for once, two seasons happend in direct sequence. I do understand that they are doing it for the actors' ages, but also, I don't care.

this is it, I think.

#stranger things s4 spoilers #stranger things spoilers #stranger things s4 #stranger things s4 vol2 #stranger things #stranger things rewrite #will byers #jonathan byers #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #max mayfield #robin buckley #eddie munson #jason carver #murray bauman #jim hopper #joyce byers #dustin henderson #st vecna #dimitri antonov #nancy wheeler/jonathan byers #will byers coming out #this season felt very underwhelming so i'm doing this #vampireposting

[trashcanniballecter]

an au idea has been beamed into my brain and I Have to write it

Eddie will always be grateful for his Uncle Wayne. The man is practically a saint. He took Eddie in, adopted him, gave him his last name. He didn't have to. His aunt could have raised him but she needed to focus on his mom and Wayne taking him in was the best way to help all of them. Uncle Wayne would even regularly take him to visit mom even though it was hard for both of them. It was always hard to see her like that but Wayne always said that he should be able to see his Mama. He's the best parent a kid could ask for but Eddie still sometimes thinks back to before, Back when his mom could still be a mom.

She had been a great mom when he was little. Caring, fun, smart as a whip. things started to change after his dad was drafted. Obviously she worried about dad and she was heartbroken when he died but she was still mostly herself then. Finding out she was pregnant was the first time Eddie could remember his mom seeming truly happy after dad died. She was so excited to be having a little girl. She let Eddie help pick out decorations for the nursery, when she was further along she would let Eddie press his little hands to her tummy to feel his baby sister kick and would laugh at the look of awe on his face every time. But then his baby sister died before he even got to meet her and mom was never the same. She could never accept it. For years she insisted that his baby sister was out there and she was going to get her back. Then one day she was just kind of gone? Physically she was there still but mentally she was far far away. So Wayne took him in.

He wonders what his life would have been like if she had been able to handle it all differently. Been able to stay herself through her losses or better yet, if his baby sister had lived. He's always imagined what his baby sister would have been like. Would she have been a sweet little angel? A tiny teror like him? Would they have been close? Would she have deep brown eyes like him or hazel like their mom? His same riot of curls? He knows for sure he would have loved her. He does Love her.

Despite his deep love for Wayne his mom and baby sister were always in the back of his head. But he couldn't think of any of them right now because the world is fucking ending and monsters are real. He's being blamed for murder of all things! Nancy Wheeler has guns, plural. Steve Harrington is actually a decent dude. And kids, His Kids, His Little Sheep have been dealing with Hell for years. None of it makes sense. The people around him are putting a lot of faith into some supergirl that they can't even get ahold of and everything is just insanity.

But by some miracle they make it through. Steve dragged him out of Hell with just barely enough time to save his life. Little Red has lost most of her vision and will be wheelchair bound for the foreseeable future but she's Alive and that's all that really maters. Apparently supergirl was able to come through, restart Little Red's heart and save the day like everyone believed she would. Chief Hopper is alive and on their side, he managed to clear Eddie's name. Eddie has no idea how any of that worked but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. And now he's just allowed to go home. Well, Steve's home. The trailer was pretty wrecked in the "earthquake" and Steve had offered up some spare rooms for Him and Wayne to stay in until they could get a new place. God why was Steve so fucking Nice?

Steve and the kids have set up a barbeque as a sort of welcome home/Meet the Party/Yay the World didn't End/Debrief thing. It was probably a good idea to meet all his allies and they were planning to tell Wayne everything at the party. And hey, he was finally going to meet this supergirl everyone had been talking up.

The barbeque was in full swing by the time they got there. Hopper was manning the grill while a woman Eddie vaguely recognizes as Joyce Byers is setting food out on the table. There's some weird bald guy with a beard demonstrating karate moves to them? most of the kids are running around the backyard. Little Red is even threatening to run Mike over with her wheelchair. He probably deserves it and it's nice to see her in such high spirits. Jonathan is lounging around on some pool chairs with a guy who must be a friend from California because he's never seen him in his life and a guy with hair that long and clothes that different would stand out in Hawkins as Eddie knows from experience. Eddie's eyes keep scanning around the backyard. Robin and Nancy seem to be gossiping about something. Steve is doing his classic mom pose at Dustin. Eddie continues looking around and then hos heart stops in his chest. There staring back at him, younger than he has ever seen it is his mothers face. His mothers face but with the same deep brown eyes he sees every time he looks in the mirror and the familiar begins of curls growing out of a buzz cut.

"Janey?"

#stranger things #ficlets #eddie munson #jane hopper #Eddie is El's big brother #AU #might write more but idk

[theblackphoneislife]

You're here..? Robin Arellano x Vance Hopper (Dead/Ghost! Vance x Suicidal! Robin)

Summary: Vance died three years ago. Robin and him were bestfriends before Vance was kidnappedand killed by the grabber. They spent every waking second with each other, from the time they both got up, meeting up to walk to school together and then walking back, spending their evenings together splayed across the roof of Vance's house.

Tw: description of gore, death, suggested suicide, boy x boy

This is part One! Part two is titled: You're here..? (Part two!)

Robin had believed that the rumors of a ghost residing in his house were merely fabrications, stories designed to frighten young children.

"It's not even real, Vance isn't haunting my house, okay?" He told his friend over the phone, as he lay on his bed. "Yeah, I live in that house he was buried in, but it doesn't mean anything!"

That was five hours ago, and now he'salone in the middle of the night, staring at a fucking ghost, Vance Hopper.

Robin sits on his bed, staring at the ghost of Vance- Fucking -Hopper. How in the actual Fuck!? He's a ghost. How can he see Vance!? Why was he here!?

He just sits on his bed, not moving to get up or lay back down. He just sits with his back against the headboard, staring.

"...Robin?" Vance called out, with a slight waver in his voice as he took a step into the room.

He was a mess, from the dried blood all over his clothing to the gash across the back of his head, he looked like he'd just survived a murder scene. Except.. he didn't.

"Hey, Robin...?"

"Vance.." Robin answers, voice shaky as he looks at Vance's ghost. "You fucking douchbag. You said you'd make it out."His breath is shaky, trying to sound angry, and he pats the spot next to him on his bed, practically begging for Vance to join him.

"I tried!" Vance replied with a yell, making a face as if he was hurt by the fact that Robin's still mad at him.

The ghost takes another look up and down at the state of the bedroom...his room, and makes a face as he takes a seat next to his friend. "Christ...what a mess."

"Look, I'm sorry..." Robin starts, voice still shaky as he reaches out for Vance, a pleading look in his eyes for Vance to come to him and not keep them apart."You just... it got worse after you left and... and I miss you so much..." He whispers, loud enough for Vance to hear as he tucks his thin legs under the rest of his thin body.

He continues holding his arms out for Vance to come closer.

Vance hesitates for a moment, trying to fight back the feeling of comfort he craves, to not give into Robin.

"…Ro...I-" He began, until he finally caved and moved closer to Robin. "...I miss you too, you idiot."

It'd been three years since he'd seen the boy, and yet it felt the same as the last time they'd met, the same warmth he felt from his hugs he could feel right now.

Robin hugs Vance tightly. Even if he can't feel any warmth coming from Vance's ghost, he tightens his arms around him and buries his face in Vance's cold chest.

He shakes a little while mumbling into Vance's chest, "I f-fucking miss you.." it's meant to be a little harsh, like he'd had a horrible time without Vance and wanted to hurt him by saying it, but it comes out soft and shaky, almost like a plead.

Despite his ghost-like form, Robin would feel Vance shift and adjust to face the boy a little better before pulling him tighter into the hug and wrapping his arms around Robin.

"I know..." Vance said, voice shaky. "I wish we'd been able to meet again."

Robin could feel Vance's hand stroke his hair, a comfort he was familiar with. Vance would always do it when they were together. It makes him take a deep breath and calm slightly.

#cw: gore #death tw #Willing suicide #robin x vance #Robin Arellano #Vance Hopper #Dead! Vance #Suicidal! Alive! Robin

[eloignetoi]

STRANGER THINGS 5

And things I want to think might happen :

Steve is going to die - don't ask me why, I don't want it to happen but I just feel it : the lack of romance/ambition, the closure he and Nancy need, Robin's nagging feeling that things might not work out for them.

But Robin might live because of the introduction of Vickie.

Eddie will hopefully come back as Kas.

Billy might reappear in the Upside Down, in Vecna's mind - the people he kills sort of end up here, and Billy might help El find Max there.

The Mind Flayer was not exactly created by Henry : the realm and its creatures already existed but they took the shape of Henry's vision and feelings, as if Henry became an anchor.

Eleven (or Will) will become that new anchor, transforming the realm and keeping it a safe place, still open but hidden from the real world.

All the people who died because of demo-creatures, the Mind Flayer or from Vecna's hand (Billy, the flayed, Fred, Chrissy, Eddie, etc...) are going to remain in that new realm - sort of like souls that can't come back into their human bodies.

If Eleven becomes the anchor, Will and Mike might end up together with the time skip.

Will might gain some powers because of his connection with Vecna and the Upside Down - he is the wise who throws fireballs after all.

If I follow my anchor theory, Will has way more influence on the Upside Down than he knows : it is stuck not the day Henry arrived, but the day Will was taken and learnt about this parallel world. He is also the one with imagination and drawing talents, like some kind of creator.

Or, taking a completely different road, Vecna and the Mind Flayer always planned for Will to help/join them : the demogorgon could have just eaten him, but it actually captured him, kept him alive for the vines to put baby demo-dogs in his body, let Hopper and Joyce take him back in the real world to then let the demo-dogs invade it. Then, Will was never the target: his connection with the Upside Down allowed the Mind Flayer to attach itself to him - using the whole demo-dogs and vine tunnels as a distraction until it was finally expelled from Will's body into Hawkins. It allowed it to get to the next step : taking solid form to fight El and take her powers to give Vecna through their connection. You'll notice that since season 3, Will is not really threatened by anything beside the government. The Mind Flayer used him as a tool for its grand project, and I believe it might be expecting more from him.

I really want Karen to get involved - she really is the only parent who sees something is going on, the only one who seems to take charge (a quality Nancy inherited), and she also craves to finally be herself and be free from this life that is not really hers.

Will finally coming out, properly - to his brother and mother at least.

A Robin and Vickie kiss because they deserve it.

Vecna taking back his Henry appearance when defeated. Following my theory, this Vecna appearance is all about his vision, but he truly is just an impetuous child who, instead of dealing with the world like El, fought with children, killed everyone who disagreed with his vision, never truly had a right education because of Dr. Brenner, and is somehow fulfilling a dream he had as a child : he was lonely and misunderstood, and therefore, angry with the entire world (very similar to neurodivergent kids who are left without help to navigate the world), and he never grew out of it, mostly because of the Mind Flayer feeding his powers, his anger and his homicidal fantasies.

I'd love an interaction between Will and Eddie (if he comes back), or between Nancy/Eddie and Billy (if he even reappears - they'd bully him and make him cry lol)

That's it for now, but I might add to it later, if some other crazy idea or theory comes to me haha.

#stranger things #stranger things 5 #will byers #eleven #mike wheeler #dustin henderson #max mayfield #lucas sinclair #steve harrington #eddie munson #billy hargrove #erica sinclair #jim hopper #joyce byers #jonathan byers #nancy wheeler #karen wheeler #will and vecna #vecna #upside down #henry creel #stranger things theory #duffer brothers #will and mike #robin and vickie

[munsons-maiden]

What are your thoughts about the Duffers in their Eddie interviews??

Summed up?:

I don't know. I can't read these guys. They're either geniuses who have a master plan for season 5 that'll blow our minds...or they are just two guys who are rolling with the punches, don't have a clue what they're doing, think D&D lore symbolism is just neat and got very lucky with Netflix.

I want to believe the first one.

I still desperately hope, should #2 turn out to be true, that they'll simply listen to what the fans want and bring Eddie back.

Either way, the default is "they're lying", which would be okay to protect a good story, of course. They lied about Hopper after ST3, too. Granted, his death was off-screen and his return already teased in the post-credits but even though we all had a feeling he'd be back, they still lied and said he was dead.

And we know that Max, who actually died on-screen, is still alive.

If they were planning to bring Eddie back, they wouldn't tell us. And they already proved that they're willing to change the script for characters. They did it for Steve, for Billy (who was supposed to die in ST2) and as far as I can tell from the tone of that interview, they would have done it for Chrissy as well hadn't her death already been filmed. They didn't do it for Bob, who they disn't want to die, but Bob would have been in the way of Jopper and they needed to kill him to avoid the situation we now have with Nancy, Jonathan and Steve (they never openly said it but it's clear they've been building Jopper from the beginning so Bob had to go).

Eddie isn't in the way of any ship, my man was just out there vibing so his return wouldn't be the iceberg for another Titanic, which is good.

What we definitely know is that the Duffers fell in love with Eddie and Joe as well. I mean, they cast him on the direct way without the usual in-between-steps; they said they'd be happy to have him in ST5 and the scene in the woods with Joe and Grace was one of their favorite scenes in ALL 4 season (if they fell in love with Chrissy there, they 100% fell in love with Eddie there, too).

And what we also know is that writing will only start in August, so there will be time.

I'm clinging to hope.

#kiki answers #stranger things #stranger things 4 #eddie munson #stranger things 5 #duffer brothers #joe quinn

[whydoyouwantmyname]

Imagine life after the Starcourt Mall

Spoilers for season 4

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

6 months later

-Robin was insistent that you and Steve needed to get away for a weekend, she was even going as far as to suggest places for you to go.

"Robin... I can't just leave..."

"I will watch El, and on the afternoons I work late I am sure Mrs. Wheeler wouldn't mind her and Mike making out at their house."

"Robin it isn't just El." You smiled, "What would you do a whole 72 hours without me to save your sanity from the kids?"

"I would..." She started as you gave her the look, "I would beg you to never leave me again."

"Exactly, and besides Keith would murder Steve if he asked for a whole weekend off."

-That night while you were reading El Ronald Dahl, Steve stuck his head into Robin's room and whispered, "Any luck?"

"No, she saw my bluff, and pulled the what would you do without me with the kids for 72 hours."

"Shit." Steve hissed as Robin replied, "We'll figure this out dude, we always do."

-Steve's favorite thing to do when the kids were around was to walk about behind you and start dancing in the kitchen, normally to whatever movie soundtrack you had bought them that week. Whatever was cooking would be making background noise, as he twirled you around the kitchen, acting like he didn't have 5 sets of eyes on him as he dipped you.

-He did it cause he always wished he could have experienced a love like that, or that his parents had expressed to each other their love in that way.

-Dustin would tease Steve about it sometimes.

-Lucas always wanted to practice for Basketball, so you invested in building a mini basketball court with one hoop beside the trailer, the first time he saw it he gasped, as you handed him a new ball, "Steve can help you run drills, he might not look like it, but he is actually pretty good. You can come use it anytime."

-Lucas would groan when you would invite Erica to come play DND with the boys, and said that they were training the youth in the ways of the strong.

-When Lucas started to pull away from the group, he would still come to play. You would always bring him a drink to the court and talk, "You know Lucas, I get what you are saying about no longer getting bullied, but don't forget that these douchebags aren't really your friends."

-You and Max would always talk about music, and you would share with her all the different music tapes that you would find.

-You gave her the Hounds of Love cassette, "I thought you might like it."

-She came to your house often to avoid her mom, or to talk about her feeling. She also came to your house the night she broke up with Lucas.

-Max told you how she believed a part of her died the day Billy did, you were the only one who knew.

-After her and Lucas broke up however, she didn't come around as often, and would only visit you at the station, since she didn't want to see anyone.

-She always complained about the counselor, and how she just didn't understand.

-You were the only one who knew Max was still having the nightmares, and she was the only one who knew you were having nightmares too.

-She told you about her nose randomly bleeding in class, "It's probably just because of how dry the air was yesterday."

-You always thanked Max for bringing out the best in El.

-The three inches rule was still a rule.

-You always thought it was funny when the Boys would argue who had the best girlfriend, in which Steve would always interject, "I win, hands down, I have Hopper."

"You don't count." Dustin would say as you smiled, "I say he does."

-When he would have a day off, Steve would go to the cabin to fix it up for you. Sometimes you would go with him to help, but he wanted it to be a surprise, so he wouldn’t let you see too much.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love this trailer, but I want us to have a home that is all our own, and then the trailer can be their escape, and we will have our escape.”

-You would always host a girls weekend at the trailer every month, no boys allowed. Steve would end up going to his parents for a weekend when you had them.

-You would force Max to come, "Honey, even if you just stay in my room, and don't socialize with a soul, that's fine."

-She never did that

-The four of you would just gossip, and joke around about how idiotic the boys were. Robin would always show up with some sort of thriller and you would pick up whatever snacks and fast food the group decided on the week before.

-Steve would always come back and complain about his parents, so finally you looked at the girls and sighed, "Can Steve stay here for girls weekend, if he promises to not leave his room?"

-El convince Steve one girls weekend to let her paint his nails, which made you smile. She was so careful with the brush as she glided over each fingernail.

-That night after everyone went to sleep, you snuck into your bedroom where Steve was, he was still awake playing the Mattel Electronic's Dungeons and Dragons game that Dustin had gotten him for Christmas, "Thank you."

"For what?" He lifted his head as you leaned against the door, a smile on your face as you whispered, "For being so great with El, it really means a lot."

"She's your sister. Of course I am going to treat her right, cause her and her sisters are princesses that don't need a brave knight to rescue them."

"You know what I mean." You whispered as you gave him a knowing look, "Listen, all I mean is, it's nice knowing someone else cares about her as much as my dad did. He, umm, he would let her do his nails too in the cabin, and his makeup once." You giggled, "It was a disaster but he never said anything. Getting the lipstick off his checks though... that was an interesting adventure."

"Hey." You looked up, to see Steve walking over, his arms wrapping around you as he put his chin on top of your head, "He would be really proud of both of you."

-Eddie would come over sometimes for movie night with the kids, whenever he did you were always offering him extra snacks, and to do his hair.

-He was honestly surprised you remembered him, "You were always in the popular crowd with the pretty boy king, and all his little puppets."

-You made him a mixtape of songs you thought he would like, that way he had music to play at your house.

-You chuckled when Mike was telling you what his parents called Hellfire Club, "What your father lacks in imagination he makes up for in stale parenting."

-You always told the kids, "Make sure you are home from Hellfire by 10, nothing later, or else all of your parents will be mad at Eddie."

-You would always offer to host Hellfire Club, and sometimes Eddie would agree, however Robin would always complain about the music they played before a campaign.

-You were always trying to convince Eddie to let El in the Hellfire Club, however he always responded, "She just has to play for a bit longer, and master all the rules before I can allow her entry."

-Eddie would come over sometimes and just sit in your living room, while you helped him study so that he could succeed at his dream of flipping off Principal Coleman. Also however he would ask you advice about Chrissy, and you always thought it was cute that he was bashful about her.

-He invited you, Steve, and Robin to the hideout, usually only you would go, which Eddie appreciated.

-When the kids weren't at your house though the three adults of the house would always just hang out, and talk. Your head resting on Steve's shoulder as you watched bad tv and gave Robin dating advice.

-Both you and Robin would groan whenever Steve would say Boobies, however he knew that you found it adorable.

-You and Robin always would do your makeup when Steve was driving, which sometimes bothered him, "I swear neither of you listen to me when you have those stupid wands out." He teased as you joked, "Sorry babe, what was that?"

-You were in constant communication with Joyce trying to figure out when Will and Johnathon could come visit. You had both settled on Spring Break, and as hard as it was, you knew El missed Joyce as well, so you proposed El and Mike going to California instead of the boys coming to Hawkins.

-El was astatic when you told her. She immediately started trying to plan out what to pack.

-You were also invited to join, but you replied, "I can't, I need El to see that I trust her, and am trying to treat her like a grown up. And besides, Steve would drive Robin crazy if I was gone for a week."

-Joyce always told El that she loved her job when they would talk on the phone, but you knew the truth.

"Everyone is fucking idiotic, and so argumentative." She would sigh as you smiled, "That's telesales for you."

"Honestly I don't know why I took this job."

"Because in person sales is worse, and besides, you get to be a part of something revolutionary." You replied, as Joyce chuckled

"You sound like your dad."

-She would say that almost every call.

- Joyce never shared with you about the Russian Doll. She didn't want to get your hopes up, even though she knew you would be excited by the letter.

-You stayed up all night with El making her visual aid about her heroes, you were laughing while she painted the figure that represented your father, as you glued together the popsicles stick cabin.

"Thank you, by the way." She whispered

"No problem, honestly it brings back memories of when Pops helped me with mine." You smiled before continuing, "And Steve's."

-You took the week of their spring break off, and teased with the party that Steve and you were going to go on a adult vacation for once as a couple.

-You got mad at Dustin when he told you that he had Susie changing his grades, "Dusty Buns, that's not very nice to have your girlfriend do."

"Don't call me that." Dustin groaned as Steve clapped his shoulder, "Yeah Dusty Buns, why don't you just ask Hops here to help you study?"

"You two are insufferable." He groaned as you smiled, "It's almost like this joke is a never ending story."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." Steve sang to the tune and Dustin facepalmed

"We do it because we care." Steve added as you looked at Dustin, "But honestly, just ask me for help next time."

-The day before Mike and El went to California, you took off of work, you not only wanted to clean, but also wanted to make sure El had everything she needed.

-You skipped the pep rally for the basketball team, and sent Steve in your place since both he and Robin had the morning off, and you stayed home to clean.

-Dustin called you to play in Hellfire, and you laughed, "Sorry Dustin, I can't tonight, and neither can El."

-Before El came home from school, you found yourself sitting on the floor in the living room, your eyes scanning over the piece of lined paper that had been folded and unfolded so many times from you and El rereading the handwritten scratches of letters on the page. Your mind clinging to everyone as you absorbed the words on the page.

The truth is for so long I'd forgotten what those even were, I mean I knew I felt something, I had [Y/N] to remind me that I had them, but other than the feeling I felt towards your sister, I had been stuck in one place, in a cave you might say, a deep dark cave, with occasional cracks of daylight created by your sister. And then one day, your sister talked me into leaving a pile of Eegos out in the woods, and you came into my life. You made it so that for the first time, in a long time someone other than my daughter made me feel something, you helped me feel happiness El, you completed my family. Lately however, I guess I have been feeling distant from you, like you're pulling away from me or something. I'm finding myself jealous even of your sister because I feel like you are more connected to her now than me. I mean I never experienced this feeling before with her, but then again, maybe I just ignored it, just like I did her profound relationship with Steve. Looking back, you and Mike remind me a lot of her and Steve, but with you, I feel more like I need to protect you, because she wants to save you from every bad thing in the world. I miss how the three of us would play board games every night, or watch movies while eating whatever unhealthy food we could find before dozing off. I miss making triple decker Eego extravaganzas at sunrise, and watching you and [Y/N] exploring the woods. I know you are getting older, that you are changing and growing into a remarkable young woman, and I remember faintly having this fear too the moment I realized your sister was growing up too. I guess though, if I am being honest with myself, that's what is scaring me the most, I don't want to lose my girls, I don't want things to change, and for you both to forget me, just like how I did my parents when I was grown. I think that's why I am more hard on you than I was her because I want to stop that change, however I can. I want to turn back the clock to before, when it was just us three, laughing and living life together in the woods, in our own paradise. I know that it is naive to want that, and that time is only moving forward, cause life doesn't work that way. And yes, sometimes time moving forward is painful, and sometimes it's sad, and scary, but sometimes it's surprising and happy too. You definitely were a surprise to my life, in the best way, and I know you have been such an impact on [Y/N]'s life too. I mean I haven't seen her smile so wide since Sarah, Steve never made her glow like you do. So you know what, keep on growing up kid, don't let me, or anyone else stop you, make mistakes, learn from them, and when life hurts you, because it will, remember the hurt, the hurt is good. The hurt means you're out of that cave. And know that I will always be here to support you no matter what. But please if you don't mind, for the sake of your poor, old, dad, keep the door open three inches, I don't need Mike moving into my house like Steve did.

-You had tears rolling gently down your cheek as you remembered the day your father told you that you didn't need to keep the door open when Steve came, because he figured you two would never do the stuff that Mike and El did. You didn't even hear the door open, or hear El's house keys hit the counter before she saw you crying.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she softly crouched down besides you, and placed a hand on your shoulder, your fingers wiping under your eyes as you sighed, "Yeah, I was just..."

"I miss him too." She whispered, as she put her head to yours, "Want to watch a western?"

"Yeah, I would like that." You smiled, "However we will have to go to the video store to rent one."

"That's fine, I like picking on Steve at work." She joked as you looked at her laugh at the thought of joking with your boyfriend, and best friend.

-You noticed that Robin loved to help El tease Steve, and occasionally you would join in too, however you always found yourself defending him at some point of the teasing.

-You noticed the visual aid was crushed when you were leaving, but before you could bring it up she was dragging you out the door.

-"How was school?" You asked as you both drove the truck into town, her head leaning against the window as she watched the trees whiz by.

"Good."

"El, sisters don't lie."

"Why are people mean to me?" She whispered as you put your hand on her leg, "Because they are jealous of everything you can do."

"But my powers..."

"El, you are more than your powers, you are smart, beautiful, creative, adventurous, you make the best Eegos, and you are the greatest mage I have seen in DND other than Will. You are fantastic at everything you do, and you have come so far in the past year. Like it's strange for me to remember that just a year ago we were living in a cabin in the woods, just the three of us."

"Now we live in a trailer with everyone." She smiled as you put your hand back on the wheel, as you pulled into Family Video, "And now we live with two people that can get us the hook up on whatever movies we want."

-When you got to the video store, El opened the door, and while she held it asked, "Can we also get the Black Cauldron, I know Will mentioned in one of his letters wanting to see it, but he can't find it."

"You might not be able to either, I think Steve said that one was a popular pick." You whispered as you looked to the empty counter.

"I swear they never do their job." El chuckled as you ruffled her hair, "It's probably over on the display, and if you have time, see if you can grab Silverado."

"Yeah sis, don't make out too much." She smiled before jogging to the display, however when you leaned over to ring the bell, you noticed it was gone.

-You causally walked behind the counter and peaked your head into the back room, where you found Robin fast asleep on Steve's shoulder, as he softly snored besides her.

"I am honestly shocked that this place hasn't been robbed yet." You stated causing both young adults to awake with a fright, as they looked at you, "Honestly, you heard that, but not El and I coming in?"

"We were busy." Steve whined as you walked over and plopped onto his lap, his hands going to your waist as you mocked, "Yeah, real busy."

"Where's El?" Robin asked with a yawn as you smiled, "She is trying to find Black Cauldron."

"I better go tell her where it is, Keith caught me trying to hide it in here for your children, so I hid it out there, with the adult films." Robin responded before jogging out and calling, "El, where are you?"

"Over by the westerns." She replied with a shout, as Robin walked towards that section, leaving you and Steve alone.

"Why the westerns?" Steve asked, as you put your head on his shoulder, his arms pulling you closer to his chest as you whispered, "Cause to celebrate her going to California tomorrow, we were going to watch one, in honor of Dad."

"And Black Cauldron?"

"Don't tell Keith, but she wants to watch it with Will."

"So she is taking it to California?"

"Yup." You whispered as he kissed your temple.

"So what's got you down sweetheart? You normally are more energetic when we are in this room."

"That's just because we are normally having sex back here, while Robin watches the front." You replied as he smiled, "It's nothing, I was just missing my Dad."

-After a few moments of silence you whispered, "Did you know that there was day when we were living in the cabin that he and I were talking about what a normal life would look like for El, and we were just rattling off all these different ideas and scenarios, like how she would be an A+ student, how she would be the fastest bike riders, Dad even said she was going to master her culinary skills and make the first gourmet Eego restaurant. However one idea he was dead set on, he always wanted to take her to see the ocean, and now Joyce is gonna be taking her, instead of him."

Steve tilted your head up towards him, and ran his thumb across your check, wiping away a tear that had fallen without your knowledge, "He would be okay with that probably, everyone knew he had a thing for Joyce anyway."

-When Robin was ringing her out, you asked Steve, who had joined her at the counter, "Do you want me to pick up pizza tonight?"

"Yeah, I don't know what time the game will be over, but I promise I won't be out too late." Steve answered as Robin rolled her eyes, "Oh that's tonight."

"Yeah, and you told him you would go with him."

-As you went to leave Steve stopped you, "Umm wait a moment, my two favorite Hoppers are leaving, and I don't even get a goodbye?"

-El ran around the counter and gave him and Robin a hug, as she released though, and headed back to the door you leaned over the counter and kissed him.

"I love you." He whispered after you pulled away.

"I love Robin more." You teased before walking out of the store, Robin chuckling as Steve stood there watching you leave, before sighing, "How did I get so lucky?"

"I don't know, honestly I am still trying to figure out why she loves you." Robin teased as Steve replied, "Yeah, me too."

-When Steve got home that night with Robin, he couldn't help but smile at the sight he saw, both you and El were asleep on the couch, her head on your lap as your head leant to the side, a quilt you had made El out of some of Hopper's old shirts thrown over her as she cuddled her teddy bear, reality tv playing softly, since you were waiting for Steve and Robin to watch Silverado. He let out a small chuckle as Robin closed the door, and saw the sight.

"Are you thinking what I think you are?" Robin whispered as Steve nodded, "We scare them awake."

-He snuck up to the couch, and screamed, "Baby! Wake up!" Causing you to jump, and wake up with a fright, El waking up as well from the movement and sound as you grabbed a decorative pillow and chucked it at Steve, "Fucking jerk."

-While you all ate pizza, M&Ms, and watched Silverado, Steve put his arm around you and pulled you into his side, "I'm sorry."

"You better be." You whispered, as he offered you a bite of his pizza.

-Steve excitingly told you all game, and how Lucas made the winning shot.

-That night when you were laying in bed with Steve he whispered, "This is going to be super weird."

"What is?"

"El is going to be gone for a whole week." He whispered as you snuggled closer into him, "Have you two ever been away from each other?"

"Not since she ran away." You whispered, "Like I always see her at least once a day."

"She's growing up so fast." He whispered, his response greeted by silence.

- "You know they brought up Hops at the rally." Steve whispered

"Really?"

"Yeah, they said they were motivated to win the game because of all the lives we lost."

"What idiots." You replied as Steve smiled, "I love you Hops."

"I love you too Harrington."

- You offered to drive Mike to the Airport, and you sat with the two while they waited to board, going over their plans, and some rules, "Now don't forget no kissing a lot in-front of Will, or going off alone."

"Yes mom." Mike groaned as you raised an eyebrow.

"Don't forget to give him my present." You called after El, as she waved.

-Once they were on the plane and boarded you went back to your car and just sat there for a while, letting the reality of the situation sink in. Tears slowly welling up in your eyes at the thought of how independent your sister had become.

"You were right Dad, she is growing up." You whispered to yourself before wiping the tears from your eyes and starting the car.

-"Hey, so you know how we always talked about the two of us, and maybe Steve if you thought you could tolerate him, were going to go to California one day, and you were going to show me ocean. You always said in school that I would love it there, and how a sugar mama like me would be the most desired babe on the whole coast. You wanted to show me all the places your mom showed you, and have me try a Fajita. You were joking too that when we came back to this dump of a town that we would open something similar to the California scene, if we didn't just decide to leave. But you always knew I would never leave, I could never leave my family, the kids, or my friends behind, I like to secretly think that's why you liked me, because I was undying loyal, and constantly there for the people I cared about. Which was something you were never used to. I fucking miss you, so much. I mean even know I feel like you are laughing at how loyal I am, because I turned down going to California, because I couldn't go without you. I'm an idiot, I know, but.... Sometimes things just happen, and you have to deal with it." You spoke to the stone, while your chin rested on your knees.

-After you went to visit Billy's grave you walked into work and sat down at your desk, as you heard Florence whisper to you, "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"About the body found over in the Munson trailer, looks like your new little friend mangled the Cunningham's daughter and just left her to rot in his uncle's trailer. Powell was wondering when you were going to be in to question you to see if you knew where he might be."

"We aren't that..."

"I told him you weren't close with Munson, and you wouldn't be back in the office until Monday, because you were going on a weekend trip with your sister, go." She answered as you bolted out of the office and to your car, before racing to the Family Video.

-When you walked in, Robin and Steve were illuminated by the light of the TV, as the reporter stated, "We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in East Roane county, we don't have a lot of details yet but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins high student was found early this morning, police have not yet released the name of the victim however we have been informed that the local authorities are notifying the victim's family."

"Holy shit." Steve whispered as you spoke up, "It's Chrissy Cunningham."

"What?" Robin asked as you continued, "Chrissy Cunningham's body was found mangled in a trailer early this morning. The trailer belongs to Wayne Munson."

"Wait, isn't tha..."

"Eddie's uncle." You cut Robin off, "They can't find Eddie."

"Has he tried reaching out to you?" Steve asked, now understanding why you were looking at him freaked out.

"No, Eddie didn't do this, you don't know him like I do, and besides.... Her body was mangled. Nothing human can do that."

"Calm down... I am sure..."

"I should have went to California with her, I shouldn't have left her alone." You were panicking now, Steve was quick to run to you as he grasped your arms, "Babe, breathe."

"Steve, she lost her powers, she can't... what if it's back, what if it's Billy all over again, and I can't protect her."

"Babe, we will find Eddie, and we will stop it, if it is back."

"But what if it's looking for her?" You whispered as he pulled you into his chest, "It can't be back, we killed it, your father and Joyce blew up the machine, there's no way..."

"Don't lie to me." You whispered as he kissed your forehead, "If it is back, we will find it, I promise."

"I have to find the kids." You whispered as Steve held you there, "Baby, I love you, but you can't leave."

"Why?" You gasped, "If that thing is back, then I need to make sure..."

"Babe, you're fully panicking, and I know that you are going to hate the kids seeing you like this, so go in the back room, take a seat, and I will be right there with snacks."

"Steve...."

"Go." He whispered, putting his forehead to yours, "I will be right back."

-Once you were in the room Robin whispered, "She's not wrong."

"I know. And that's what worries me." He whispered, "Don't let her leave."

-when Murray was talking to Joyce about the note and how they were trying to lure her in to kidnap her, he added, "If I am wrong, then why didn't they send his goodie two shoes daughter the ransom note? Wouldn't you think a KGB friend of Hopper would want to let his loving daughter know that dear old daddy is alive?"

"We are not telling [Y/N]." Joyce hissed as he laughed, "No shit."

-When Max told Dustin what happened he immediately said, "We need to find [Y/N]."

-Max and Dustin immediately went to your house, and when they saw it empty, they raced to Family Video. When they exploded in the door Robin immediately went, "The back room."

-When they walked in, you were standing in the middle of the room, your arm crossed over your chest while you chewed on the skin of your thumb, your eyes meeting theirs as you gasped.

"I know what happened, and I need your help." Max stated as Steve stood up, "Guys, I really don't think..."

"Shut it Harrington, Max, ignore him." You replied.

-After she told you everything she shared with Dustin you looked at Steve, his eyes wide knowing already what you were thinking.

"Baby." He started as you looked at him, "Baby, we don't know it was..."

"I do." You whispered, "I know it is."

"Baby, El is fine." Steve whispered, "I need you to take a deep breath."

"Love." You whispered, "She is all I have left as family, she is my little sister... and..."

"Baby, the best thing we can do is..."

"What do you need?" You asked Dustin, "Do you know how many phones they have here?"

"Three, why?" You asked as he set down his knapsack and pointed to the old computer in the corner, "Is that a working computer?"

"Yeah, why Henderson?" Steve asked as he raced over to it and started typing, "Welcome to HQ."

"Dude, what is it with you and turning my jobs into headquarters?" Steve groaned as Max walked over to you, "We'll figure this out, I promise. Maybe it's a good thing El isn't here."

"Yeah maybe." You whispered as Steve and Dustin bickered about Eddie.

-You helped Max and Dustin call leads while Robin and Steve ran the store. However Robin looked at him and whispered, "Hey, she is gonna be fine."

"You clearly don't know her then." Steve whispered, "After the first incident, back when Barb died, and we saved Will from those things, El was presumed to have gone missing, and Hopper... well she pulled away, and turns out she pulled away, because she was taking care of El. She chose El over me, and has risked her life more than once to save El, and protect her. I know her, and I am terrified she is gonna do it again, and this time, I don't have her dad to talk sense into her, and as you can see, she doesn't listen to me. I just.... I can't lose her."

"Steve, you aren't going to..."

"You don't know that." Steve whispered, as he quickly wiped under his eyes

"I got a lead!" They heard Max yell, as you all turned to her.

"Where?" You asked quickly as Steve and Robin entered the room.

"So apparently Eddie gets his drugs from a guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there."

"Awesome, where does he live?" Dustin asked

"Well that's the problem, no one knows." Max replied, "He is more of a legend that a lot of people have heard about then a physical being."

"Do you have a last name?" Robin asked as Max shook her head no.

"Bet the cops would know a last name." Steve answered, looking at you, "I mean if this guy is an actual drug dealer..."

"I can't, Florence lied to them about where I am so that I won't get questioned."

"But he is in the system probably, I mean if he is an actual drug dealer, then he probably has a record."

"Really Steve, the cops, that's your suggestion." Dustin snapped as he looked to Steve, who replied, "Well at this point don't you think they should be filled in on what we..."

"No." You whispered, "This isn't like how it was 6 months ago, we go to the cops with this, they will drug test us all."

"Or reward us for helping them find Eddie."

"No cops." You sighed as he put his fingers to the bridge of his nose, "Listen I am all for innocent until proven guilty and all that constitutional bullshit, but we can't rule out that he did it."

"That's exactly what we are trying to do Steve." Max snapped as he snapped back, "And what if you are right and we get to Eddie and find out that the thing that was possessing Billy is back, what then?"

"We don't need them." Robin replied, running to the computer and typing in Rick, "12 Ricks have accounts here, and I can look at their rental history to narrow it down."

"You're a genius Robin, finally someone who works here who is willing to help." Dustin cried as you looked to Steve, "we kill it."

"What?"

"You asked what we do if it's back. We kill it, and then once it's dead, we leave."

"What, babe, you aren't making any..."

"We kill the monster hunting my sister," you whispered, "And then we leave Hawkins for good, and we never come back."

"What about them?" He whispered as you looked to Steve, "They'll understand."

-Your attention was pulled away as Robin celebrated, "I found it! Rick Lipton, he lives out by Lover's Lake, middle of no where."

"That's where he would hide, perfect place." You answered, before racing to your car, the kids close behind as Steve and Robin quickly closed the store, and all piled into your car.

-When Nancy was talking to Wayne, he brought you up, "You want to know who the real Eddie was, talk to anyone in the Hellfires, or Sheriff Hopper's girl."

"[Y/N]?"

"Yeah, Eddie was close to her, even if they have only been friends for a few months."

-When you got to the lake, you killed the engine, and looked at Max in the front seat. The whole place was dark, except for the light inside the house.

"I'm gonna go." You said as Steve laughed, "Alone, bullshit, I'm coming..."

"Eddie will talk to me and Dustin, that's it." You said, as Steve snapped, "We all go, or none of us."

"Fine." You groaned as you all got out of the car, and huddled on the porch, as Dustin rang the doorbell and pounded on the door, "Eddie! It's Dustin! Listen we just want to talk, no cops!"

-Peeking into the inside of the house you could see how empty it was, and started to round the side of the house, where you saw the shed.

"Oh my goodness is that a foot?" Steve asked, as Robin went, "No you idiot, it's a shoe."

"Hey guys, look what [Y/N] found." Max called as she snuck up behind you.

-Once you all were at the shed, you pushed open the door, "Hello?"

"Is anyone home?" Robin asked as she approached behind you, as each member of the group filed in one by one.

"This place is a dump." Steve replied as you looked around, not noticing him grabbing the oar, until his was stabbing it into the boat, "What are you doing? What are you even doing?" Dustin questioned as Steve looked defeated, "Just making sure."

"By violently stabbing a tarp?" You questioned as he sighed, "He could be in there."

"So just take the tarp off." Dustin pointed out as Steve lowered the oar, and said, "Okay tough guy, you take the tarp off."

"Well someone was definitely here." Max replied as Robin added, "maybe they heard us and got spooked, took off."

"Well it's okay cause if anyone is hiding under these tarps Steve will get them with his oar."

"I know you are being funny Henderson, but considering everyone in this room has almost died a million times, I personally don't find it the slightest bit funny."

-As he said it something jumped up behind him and screamed, causing you all to jump, however it was Eddie slamming Steve into the wall that got you, "Eddie, it's us!"

-You ran to his side and put your hand on his shoulder, trying to make him look you in the eyes, "Eddie, it's me... It's the girl that hung out with the pretty boy king and all his mindless puppets, okay, hey lower the knife from my pretty boy's throat."

"How do I know..."

"Eddie, do you really think Dustin and I would bring the cops here?" You asked as he started to lower the knife, "Eddie, look at me..."

As he did you saw the look in his eyes, it was the same one you remember El having when she saw Billy possessed, and you whispered, "What did you see?"

"You're gonna think I'm..."

"My sister.... She has seen it before too, if this is what I think it is...." You started, "We can help you Eddie."

"What are you even doing here?" He asked

"We're looking for you." Dustin replied, "We're here to help, and we're on your side, I swear on my mother."

"I swear on Dustin's mother as well." Robin and Max said, and Steve hissed out as you looked at Eddie, "I swear on my relationship, we are here to help."

-When he heard that he lowered the knife, cause he knew how important Steve was to you. As he did he lowered himself down the wall, as Steve gasped and bent away, your feet carrying you Eddie, "Now tell me, what happened?"

"You won't believe me if I did."

"Try me Dungeon Master Munson." You smiled as he let out a breath, and told you everything. When he was done he looked at you, "You think I'm insane right?"

"Eddie, we don't think you are crazy."

"I know how it..."

"Eddie, you know my sister, Jane." You whispered.

"Yeah, the one you always want me to let into Hellfire."

"Yeah, her name wasn't always Jane, it's Eleven, she was a test subject at the Hawkins National Laboratory. She escaped when she was 12 years old, and helped save Dustin's friends from a world called the Upside Down, an intergalactic gateway that she opened. After that she lived with my father and I in secret, until we had to defeat a creature called the Mind Flayer. Once we defeated that we thought it was over until a Mind Flayer possessed Max's brother Billy, and we once again had to fight it. I watched Billy die because of it... we both did. Steve, Robin, Dustin and Lady Applejacks were almost taken by the Russians, who were trying to create a gateway to use the Mind Flayer as a weapon. My father died blowing up that gateway, so trust me when I tell you, I believe you."

"So the curse of Hawkins is real then?" He asked as you inhaled, and whispered, "It is for me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because if these monsters are back, we need to know, I need to know for my sister's sake. See the last time we fought them, in the Star Court Mall fire, my sister lost her abilities. I need to know if they are back, so I can protect her, because she can't protect herself without them."

"Did you see anything?" Steve asked, "maybe dark particles, almost like swirling dust?"

"No, it's like I said, she levitated, got pinned to the ceiling, and all her bones just snapped." He answered, and then he added, "You know, I tried to wake her, but she... she couldn't move. It was like she was in a trance or something."

"Or under a spell." Dustin added as you looked at Eddie and took his hand, "or a curse."

"Vecna's curse." Dustin piped up as you looked at the duo, "You're joking."

"I'm sorry, whose Vecna?" Steve asked as Robin asked, "Do you just not listen when they are at your house? Eddie is always telling your girlfriend about his plans for Vecna."

"Vecna is an undead creature of great power." You started

"A spell caster." Eddie added

"A dark wizard." Dustin continued

"Vecna is the final boss of Eddie's DND campaign, and now it looks like, a member of the Upside Down." You hissed as you got up slowly and looked at Steve, before whispering, "I told you."

"I know." He whispered, "I just wanted to believe that you and El were not in danger."

-Doctor Owens immediately tried to get a hold of you on a secure line, but you weren't home to pick up the phone.

-Murray was insistent that Joyce should call you and tell you about Enzo's letter, but Joyce refused, "I don't want to tell her until I know for sure I can bring Hopper back to her. I can't get her hopes up and fail her, she doesn't desire that."

-Jonathan and Will also refused to tell you that El got arrested when she was there, she had taken a skate and hit Angela upside the head when she was picking on Will for being different.

-When Enzo was talking to Hopper, Hopper reassured, "And my daughters?"

"Weren't even mentioned, my guess your little angels are still convinced Daddy went boom."

-The next morning you got up before Steve and went to the local grocery store, and picked up some food for Eddie, and drove it over to him. When you gently knocked he opened the door cautiously and smiled, "Hopper, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

"You just saw me Munson." You smiled, handing him the bag, "I figured every mighty warrior needs his provisions, so I come bearing lucky charms and chocolate milk."

"You are a life saver." He smiled as you also extended him a coffee, "Also I brought the good stuff."

-As he ate you heard more car doors close and looked out the window to see the others, "Seems I have been joined finally by our accomplices."

"Greetings weary travelers, care to hold up for the day in my inn." Eddie joked as you opened the door to see them, before Max snapped, "Way to leave without us, we all had to cram in Steve's car."

"Sorry, none of you were awake when I left." You smiled as they all entered, Steve came into the shed last and leaned in to kiss you, "I was scared you fled to California."

"Hopefully, the Vecna doesn't leave Hawkins, otherwise I might just have to." You whispered as Dustin spoke, "So I have good news, and bad news, which do you prefer first?"

"Oh bad news, always." Eddie replied as Dustin continued, "Okay, so we might have hacked into the Hawkins PD database," which caused Dustin to then look at you, "sorry mom" he said before looking back at Eddie, "and there is definitely a warrant out for your arrest. Oh and they are pretty sure you are the one who killed Chrissy."

"Like 100% convinced." Max added

"And the good news?" Eddie asked

"They haven't released your name publicly yet, however when they do, I am sure others will be able to find you as easily as we did. And once that is released, everyone and their shallow minded mothers will be gunning for you more than usual." Robin spoke

"Hunt the freak, right?"

"Exactly. So before that happens, we need to find Vecna, kill him and prove your innocent." Dustin answered.

"That's not gonna be all Dustin." Eddie answered, as you added, "Listen I know it sounds crazy but we have done this like 3 times before, it works."

"Yet it keeps..."

"No, different creatures keep attacking, totally different." You cut him off.

"Listen I know it sounds delusional, but trust me, I have been doing this with them since '83, works every time." Steve added as you smiled

"However we normally heavily rely on Hopper's sister's powers but since she lost them, and is in California with her boyfriend we are kind of just in the brainstorming phase right now." Robin added as you looked at her and said, "Could you have sounded a bit more confident in the our brainstorming."

"Oh no, I am fully confident in yours, I mean you are normally with El when she saved the world, it's us I am worried about." Robin gestured to her and Steve, as you rolled your eyes, "Ignore them, we got this Eddie."

"There's nothing to worry about." Dustin said as you looked to Eddie and smiled, "Totally under control."

"Thanks, you guys sure know how to reassure a guy."

-When you heard the sirens you immediately went, "Under the tarp, quick."

-As you watched the ambulance and the cars drive by, you knew there was another body, "Fuck." You hissed

-They all took your car to go check out the crime scene, while you stayed with Eddie, "I promise, we know what we are doing."

"I know, I just...." He started, "I can't get the sound of her bones snapping out of my head."

"It goes away after a while." You answered, "Trust me, I can still hear my sister's screams of agony sometimes, or see her nose bleeding."

"Is that why you are so wicked protective of the kids?" Eddie asked as your feet dangled off the side of the boat, "Yeah, I ummm I started off as just their babysitter, mainly Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin's, and then one day Mike called me needing a dress and makeup. That's when I met El, and my life changed forever."

"Do you think you can beat the Vecna, like for real?"

"Yeah, I do, I mean if Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve can defeat a Demigorgon with fire, we can defeat a Vecna without Telekinesis."

-Before Steve went to go see the shrink he looked at Dustin and Max, "We are going to go get my girl, and then we are leaving. I don't think I can handle being your babysitter without her."

-Eddie was sad when they came, "It was really nice talking nerd with you Hopper."

"Likewise, I'm probably gonna grab burgers before I come back, hold the ketchup, as usual?"

"Yes please." He smiled, as you jogged to the car and got into the back with Max, "Dustin belongs in that seat more than me."

-They filled you in on the way to the counselor's office.

-While Max was talking you were sitting in the car with the boys, "So what do you think Nance's shot in the dark is?"

"No clue." Steve said, as Dustin looked at him, "Alright she's in."

"Thanks Steve, but if you remember, I'm missing collarbones, not eyes." Dustin groaned as a silence settled over the car, "So are we going to talk about this?"

"Talk about what Henderson?" Steve asked, looking at the saddened expression on Dustin's face as you leaned back.

"The fact that we didn't get ice cream before this, you know to relive the Scoops day."

"I agree with Dusty Buns." You answered as Steve smiled, "How about after we kill Vecna."

-When Max got in the car and demanded Steve drive you asked, "What did she say?"

"Nothing, but we need to go to Hawkin High."

"Why?" Dustin asked

"I'll explain later, just drive!"

-When the kids were going back and forth on the radio, you leaned forward, "Didn't you say that Lucas's basketball captain was dating Chrissy?"

"Yeah, why?" Steve answered, as you snatched the radio from Max, "Lucas, is the team looking for Eddie?"

"Yeah, and now they are looking for Dustin, someone spilled the beans that he was looking for him."

"Shit! Turn around!"

"What?"

"You just told them exactly were Eddie is, Turn around!" You screamed as you looked at Dustin, "I swear you are the smartest one in the room, but the dumbest at the same time."

-When Doctor Owens was talking to El about restoring her powers she leaned back, "I want my sister."

"I can't get a hold of her sweetheart, my guess..."

"She knows." El answered

"Yes, and knowing her, she is trying to figure out how to kill it, and I am terrified, it might kill her first. El, some think you are the cause of this problem, but me, I think you are the cure. If you want to do this, I believe it can work, but you must know, if it fails there is a very real possibility that you will never see your sister, or friends again."

"They are in danger, [Y/N], Steve, Robin, Max, Dustin, and Lucas right?"

"Yes, and so many others."

"What if I am the monster though?"

"Listen I don't know you that well Kiddo, but I do know one thing, your sister fought like hell to keep you in Hawkins after your father died, she knew I was developing this program, and she knew you were capable of using your powers to save the world. She believes that you are not a monster, and I have come to trust her judgement, I mean she is the one who convinced your father to adopt you."

"If it will save them, then do it." El answered

-You were driving back from checking on Eddie and making sure he was okay, when they shared they found what they needed

-Once you got there though, you pulled your radio out of the car, "Henderson, you copy?"

"Yeah, bad news though."

"What?"

"Max is next." The radio lowering as you heard him screaming your name

"How do you..." you started, picking it back up to your face as you fought back tears

"Max had a vision, she saw a grandfather clock in the wall."

"It's establishing authority over Hawkins." She whispered, "Vecna is trying to show us it is..."

"Baby." Steve took the walkie, "Where are you?"

"Parking lot, why?"

"I need you to come inside, right now."

"Okay."

-"Why would you tell her to come in, we are about to leave?"

"He is targeting traumatized people right, people who have had life altering events right? What's more traumatic then your father blowing up while saving the world? And then having your best friend die in front of you, and having a sister who had super powers, and then lost them fighting one of these assholes, a sister who all you want to do is protect her, and when they were younger their biological sister died slowly from cancer, and their mom just bailed."

"She's going to next.... Eventually.... She is on the target list probably."

-While you were entering Sinclair was coming in after you. You looked to him and asked, "I thought you were with those losers?"

"No, I just rode 8 miles back, I didn't tell them where he is, I took them somewhere else in the woods."

-When you reached the group you ran forward and hugged Max to you, as Lucas spit out everything he knew about the basketball team. As he did Max whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, Hey, listen there is nothing that could have been..."

"It's my fault." She whispered as you got down to her level, "Listen, we will get through this, we always do."

"Are you still having the nightmares?" She whispered, as you looked at her, "Yes."

"What about headaches?" She whispered as you tilted your head, "Other then the mild one yesterday, no."

-Steve heard what you said, and just tilted his head back, and silently pleaded with God that you weren't next.

-As they caught Lucas, and you up on everything, you all went back to your trailer, the kids crashed in El's room, Robin in her room, Nancy slept in your room, and you and Steve were once again on the couch.

-Steve didn't sleep at all that night, he just kept looking at you, cherishing the way your chest slowly rose and fell as you slept. Every once and a while he would get off of the counter stool and push a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Please don't be next Hopper." He whispered.

-In the morning when you woke up, the whole crew had gathered in the living room, and were reading over print outs of the article, as you made waffles. The boys bickering over Victor Creel, as you spoke up, "Why don't we just go visit him?"

"What, are you mental?" Lucas asked as you shrugged, "I mean, he survived, maybe he can give us some insight about the Vecna."

"Baby, there is no way you are going to see this..."

"Nance is the journalist, not me." You interrupted, "Besides.... I don't want to leave her."

"Has she come out of the room yet?" Dustin asked as you shook your head.

-Steve was ready to fight Nancy on going with you, if she was insistent that you were going to visit Victor Creel instead of Robin, but she looked at Steve and whispered, "She isn't going to leave Max, I know her."

"Yeah, and you also hate her so it makes sense that you would try to do something.."

"I don't hate her okay!" She yelled, "I never did, actually I pity her, she was the smartest in her grade, and yet somehow she is stuck here because she befriended people who held her back, and is dating a boy who all he has going for him is his good looks, and ability to talk someone to death. Why do you think I want to get out of this town so badly, and start an amazing life with Jonathan, a man who encourages my dreams, and wants to improve his life? I agree, she is the best thing to ever happen to you, but you aren't the best thing that has happened to her."

"I am so glad that you only ever want to talk when the world is ending." Steve's voice was monotone as he looked at her, "And for the record, I see why she always disliked you."

-When Enzo made a remark about eating with his sexy woman, Hopper's response was, "No, I will be eating with my daughters, and my idiot son in law."

-When you were dressing Robin up in your clothes, you were smiling at how ridiculous she looked, "I hate this outfit on you, you look like a 10 year old being forced to go to Mass."

"That's how I feel." She groaned as you smiled, "As soon as you return, I nominate we burn this outfit."

"Agreed." She smiled as you leaned over, "Remember, kill them with kindness."

-When Max handed out the letters she gave you yours last, "And for you."

-She wrote mom on the front of yours, and Said, "I didn't write that either to funny, I mean it."

-She also gave you Mike, El and Will's to give once you saw them again.

-When the boys started to open them you snapped, "You can't open them yet, you have to wait until after we save her."

"Don't, just don't." Max snapped

"But Max, everything is going to work out." Lucas rebuttaled as she sighed in frustration, "I don't need you to reassure me that everything will work out, okay? People having been doing that all my life, and it never works out, and it's never true. I mean, of course this asshole curses me, should've seen that one coming."

-When she asked about East Hawkins you knew exactly where she wanted to go, and you grabbed your keys.

"Well come on fellow babysitter." You teased as the boys scrambled to get up.

#steve harrington imagine #steve Harrington imagines #steve harrington one shot #Steve Harrington oneshot #Steve Harrington one shots #Steve Harrington oneshots #stranger things imagine #stranger things imagines

[andiwriteordie]

Okay which stranger things ship do you see as “champagne problems”?

Bc i can’t stop applying it to the ships.

Lumax, from max’s pov, but they work their shit out later. Stancy, from nancy’s pov, but there were never SUPPOSED to be. Joyce/Bob, from Joyce’s pov, except she almost felt ready to take that extended hand… and then he was taken from her. Jopper, from both their povs depending on the time, because i feel like season 3 joyce is in a better place with HERSELF but grieving, and hopper views himself as a curse but he isn’t the one doing the rejecting. Chrissy/Jason, if Chrissy’d gotten to live, except we’re all cheering for her inwardly even tho she’s sad ab it at first.

& “right where you left me”???? Idkidkidk my brain just keeps saying look look look—first it goes lumax from lucas’ pov, then it goes nancy & barb (espec. season2 nance) & obvi byler i could see interpretations for either pov but mike jsut—works so much better for him post season 3 idk. El & her dad… el & henry.

Basically—talk to me ab tswift song associations w/ stranger things bc i can’t get them out of my head 😓

OOH A TAYLOR SWIFT X STRANGER THINGS ASK MY FAVORITE.

every single one of those couples absolutely fits champagne problems, for all the reasons you just listed! i don't think there's necessarily one couple who fits this story the best, since the song does ends with the couple being broken up and the narrator experiencing at least a little bit of regret (as shown in her self-deprecation through the song).

i think of every couple, lumax probably fits this the best? especially with s4 max's mental health struggles being such a large part of why they broke up. it doesn't seem like a far reach for me to imagine those two in a future where max is still struggling with her mental health and does choose to break things off with lucas again, simply because of what happened with the upside down and also honestly max doesn't have the best home life and has grown up learning defense mechanisms that make her more prone to try and run away (see her dumping lucas a lot in the in between of s2-s3 and ofc the pre s4 break up) rather than deal with those problems head on. not trying to drag max because she is my girl and i love her with everything i am, but i think that's just part of how she's grown up and how she tries to protect herself.

that said, i don't think lucas would ever give up on her. s4 shows us that and shows us how he is trying to reach out to her and believes he should've done more. so, i think where they diverge from champagne problems' narrative is that the narrator's love interest isn't going to find someone new. instead, that love interest is going to keep working and keep holding on, because the love is real between them, even in spite of the mental health issues and such!

also again, agree with your rwylm analyses! but my first gut instinct though with this song is to think about will, actually! rwylm tells us a story about a narrator who was blind-sided by the loss of this relationship and then ends up staying "frozen" and stuck in that past, unable to move on from it. obviously, like i just said the song is in the context of a relationship, but pulling back a little bit more, i think the theme of it can fit will in general. will's trauma has left him frozen and stuck in a sense. everybody moves on, but will... will stays there. his childhood was robbed from him first with the kidnapping then with the possession, and we see how in s3 he is so desperately trying to hold onto that childhood while everyone else moves on without him.

digging deeper into the byler implications here, obviously this happens in tandem with the break in will and mike's friendship, where will again feels stuck because of his ud related experiences but also because of his sexuality, but mike? mike's moving on. he's found a beautiful girl who is a superhero, and he obviously loves her and cares about her. i mean come on. "if our love died young, i can't bear witness" screams the rain fight to me, and that image just hurt me very deeply ok.

"you left me no choice but to stay here forever" has a twofold meaning then. it's directed at both henry (the abuser who robbed will of his childhood) but also then at mike (the boy who will loves who has seemingly moved on past the need for will).

and uh... yep. i could go into more detail probably, but that's a little summary of my thoughts!

#andi's asks #st x ts #lyrical analysis #thank you so so much for this #i love getting to do this #please always feel free to send me more because god knows my brain thinks of st when i listen to ts now

[californiannostalgia]

I cannot believe I am saying this but

Steve Harrington should've died this season

like, narratively speaking

nothing against the guy, there was just so much set-up for it and then they Game-of-Thrones-ed it (that much build-up, all for nothing? that's bad writing bruh)

and what on earth are they trying to do with the Steve and Nancy plot? do they not rewatch their own show before writing the script? where did the character coherency go? do you expect me to believe Nancy Wheeler would ever settle for a suburban mom's life? and for that matter, where's my feral, knife-sharp Mike Wheeler? where is my sarcastic little shit, where's my blorbo

also Will Byers deserved to have a horrifying clock vision actually, instead of putting Max back in the hell she magnificently climbed out of in episode 4 (and Jonathan saves him by playing their favorite song, COME ON) (my other blorbo barely got screentime, I want more Jonathan Byers in my Stranger Things aaahhhhh)

it's like because we got some quality Lucas (YES PUNCH THAT RACIST MOTHERFUCKER) and Dustin (he made me cry) content, Will and Mike got put on the backburner (I mean I guess with the track record for previous seasons, it was Lucas and Dustin's turn to carry the entire plot, but still)

Max and El had some really phenomenal scenes tho, Millie and Sadie are so freaking good (wow I can't wait for season 5 when Mad Max comes back to life and Max and El kill Vecna) (manifesting)

Brenner is a pathetic man and I want everyone like him to know that you are ordinary, you are nothing, your abuse does not deserve forgiveness and no one will mourn you

anyway I guess I'm not very satisfied with how they wrote the latter half of this season, but I did cry when Hopper and El reunited so I guess there's that (THE PARENTS ARE FINALLY KISSING)

#stranger things #stranger things spoilers #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #mike wheeler #will byers #jonathan byers #lucas sinclair #dustin henderson #eleven #el hopper #max mayfield #jim hopper #joyce byers #my thoughts #stranger things review #tw abuse #my reviews

[fireballhot]

Stranger Things Season 4 Characters Part 1

THE MVPs

Eddie Munson

For me, the one true real MVP of the season. Despite his terrible father he grew up to be a pure soul who wanted to make something out of his life. He was an outcast, wrogfully blamed for Chrissy's death but still, he never lost his spirit.

I hate that he died. I hate that they didn't bring him back for a proper burrial. I hate that the world will never find out that he was a true HERO. His death made me soooo angry but he went out like a true Metal God.

Never change Eddie Munson, Never change!!

Max Mayfield

I don't understand why this character had to go through so much and in such a brutal way. She had the balls to go us against Vecna for a second time and her last scene...oh my. So raw and honest.

Her strength, her courage, her batlle with depression was inspiring. She fought with all her heart to get out of that dark hole and deserved to be saved.

I really hope she somehow manages to come back to us.

Dustin Henderson

Once again, a true loyal friend to all and especially to Eddie. That last scene with the uncle just broke me. Not to mention the actual death scene. He is always the brains of the group and without him they have lost a lot sooner. He is a pure soul and I hope no one and nothing will ever corrupt him.

It's heartbreaking that Eddie died in his arms and I believe he is broken inside, even though he won't admit it.

Nancy Wheeler

I don't think she gets enough praise. She is a total bad ass, smart and all in all strong female character done. In all seasons she jumps into action without a second thought. Even though she saw first hand Vecna's power, she didn't think for a second to back down.

Steve Harrington

Awww the babysitter of our hearts. What a great character development. Though he didn't personally know Eddie, he trusted Justin and gave his all to protect him. He was injured by the bat-gorgons but chose to go for a second time to the upside down to protect his friends.

Robin

Like everyone else, she didn't think twice before joining the team to save the world, AGAIN!

Awkward but brave and quick witted I was excited that she seemed to find a ray of light in this darkness towards the end.

Erica Sinclair

I Have to be honest, when she was first introduced I was not impressed. I thought she was just a nutt cracking spoiled little brat. But man was I proved wrong. Just because someone is a "nerd" doesn't mean they are weirdos with no social skills and Erica is a fine example of that. Eleven could take some lessons from her but we'll get to that too.

Lucas Sinclair

I was so sorry for him when his friends ditched his big game. They are supposed to be a group, best friends and yet they couldn't be happy that he found something fullfilling.

I love how he stayed with Max till the end and I pretty sure this whole experience is going to break him in the next season.

Joyce & Hopper

Again, in all honestly I found their story arc a bit boring. It could have ended a lot sooner but they chose to drag it. If it wasn't for jaqen h'ghar....I am sorry Enzo, I wouldn't mind skipping those scenes.

Nevertheless, they make a terrific duo and I can't wait to see more of their dynamic.

#stranger things #stranger things season 4 #eddie munson #dustin henderson #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #lucas sinclair #max mayfield #erica sinclair

[thestrangestthing89]

In season 3 we are shown what Billy sees when El is remote viewing him. He sees her in a ghostly form. How would it change your interpretation of season 2 if when Mike said he kept thinking he saw El he was being literal?

I think it would have obvious implications for the crazy together scene, but also recontectualizes his treatment of max if he's being haunted by the girl he couldn't protect, as well as the strength of his reaction toward Hopper.

I never thought about him telling hopper, but it would have let him know how vulnerable Mike was at that moment, so I actually like the idea of him trying to have Mike's back.

El's void is really interesting to me. We never got an explanation of how it works and I got the impression El herself isn't really sure. The people who have sensed her or seen her there have some tie to the lab or upside down. We have seen her spy on Russians and they don't notice her there. And we've seen her spy on Joyce and Hopper in Season 3 when they are with Alexei and walking to Illinois. They don't sense her or see her either. I think the only reason Billy could see her was because he was being possessed. But Mike definitely can tell something is there even if he can't see her. He possibly suspected that it was her or hoped that it was. It would be interesting if he did actually see her at some point. There are a lot of parallels between Mike and Hopper with regard to El. Hopper says he's chasing ghosts in season 1 when he's looking for Will. He realizes that he's been following some other kid (El) and he makes a comparison to his daughter. He also tells Joyce that he thought he saw Sarah everywhere after she died and that he seeing Will after he "died" is normal. I think it's plausible that Mike could have mentioned seeing El around to Hopper or that Hopper overheard the boys talking about it. Lucas and Dustin tell El that they talked about her pretty much every day (when they reunite at the end of S2). So it's likely Hopper knew this when he was checking in on Will and it's also possible Mike could have asked Hopper if he heard anything about El at some point. Which could definitely be where the "you're a liar" comments come from when he's breaking down. I do think Hopper is trying his best to protect all of them - specifically El, Will, and Mike. He sees what's going on with El at the cabin. He sees her checking in on him repeatedly. El tells Hopper Mike "says he needs her." So I think Hopper knows that Mike is trying to find El to save Will. I think he also knows this isn't healthy the way these two are fixated on each other seeing as he's done this behavior in the past too. He called his ex-wife repeatedly. He recognizes this as grief. And I think his way of protecting them by keeping them apart feeds into his behavior in S3 a bit. I think he can plainly see the way the two are interacting with each other and how it isn't good for either of them.

As far as Mike literally seeing El around goes, I think it would draw more attention to the fact that Mike has some kind of tie to the upside down. Because it's not everyone who is able to see or sense El there. If Mike actually did see her, he convinced himself that he was imagining things. But it would be an interesting twist in terms of his grief. It would have enhanced him feeling crazy for sure. And definitely would have made his breakdown hit harder. He wasn't crazy, he was right.

In S1, Joyce thinks she keeps seeing Will around too and we know he was still alive and she is actually seeing him. But everyone tells her she is crazy and it's just grief. When she finds out she was right there is so much relief that Hopper believes her. But with Mike we see anger. He's been angry though, that's just how he has learned to express his feelings. It's why he's hostile to Max. It's why he picks fights and get's in trouble at school. If he feels crazy but logically understands he couldn't be seeing her it would be difficult for him to get a grip on what's real. If he actually did see her, it enhances those scenes where his depression is being shown. Because she was unintentionally messing with his head. His anger makes sense to begin with (it's grief) but I think him actually seeing her would have had even more of a negative impact on his mental health than simply grieving would have.

#byler #mike wheeler #my asks and replies