#ch. michael wheeler .

[trashmouth-richie]

Series summary: Hawkins Annual Halloween Festival is in town, and this year you and your friends were lucky enough to work the event. But when some of your co-workers are missing, and a trail of blood leads to the woods behind the festival. Your friends work together to find out what’s going on. A killer is on the loose but who could it be? Or is it the town’s spooky secret of what really happened at Hawkins Lab?

ch 2: A SCREAM AND A SLICE

ch 3: THE ROCKSTAR AND THE RED LIGHTS

ch 4: FAMILY VALUES

series trigger warnings: blood, character death, murder, smut, p in v, drinking & smoking pot, themes of misuse of prescription pills, character killer, stranger things canon events, light mentions of domestic abuse, neglect, etc.

BUY TICKETS

PROMO FLYER

part 1 summary: a movie night with friends ends with a very scared Nancy and you and your best friend getting high in your room, when the lights flicker across town— you + Eddie brush it off as nothing— because Hawkins Indiana has always been a little strange.

FLICKER

The popcorn bowl in your lap is nearly empty, only brown kernels left to shift noisily as Eddie’s hand scrapes around the bowl in chase of one last piece of the buttery snack.

Your eyes are glued to the screen, breath hitched in your throat as you watch Michael Myers stalk down the street. Even though you’ve seen it a dozen times, it still gets to you. Something about the rubbery, expressionless mask he dons as he chases and slashes through people's skin just rubs you the wrong way. 

“Ohhh fuck!” Eddie gleams, Michael’s knife cutting through Annie’s throat, “did ya see that?!”

“Trying not to,” Nancy muffles, her face buried into the broad shoulder of Steve, small hand clasped around her eyes, Steve’s arms pulling her closer into him.  

Movie nights in the Wheeler basement were a typical Friday for your group of friends. Something that you weren’t sure would continue to happen after you, Eddie and Steve graduated this past May. Being waitlisted for your dream school put your endeavors on hold and neither one of them had any grand plans of leaving Hawkins, especially since Steve and Nancy had rekindled their on-again-off-again relationship. 

Currently they were on again, and dipping into near pornography whenever they thought no one was watching or listening.

“I gotcha,” Steve purred into Nancy’s mouse brown hair, rubbing her back, “c’mon Munson, turn this shit off.”

“No!” You and Eddie both say at once. 

He smirks at you. The same dimpled closed mouth grin he had given you since you were thirteen years old. He clears his throat, “It’s almost over anyway.”

Eddie’s love for movies and music came at a young age. Anything to keep his mind busy while his parent’s fought. Anything to keep the noise of the screen door slapping shut as his mom fled their trailer again, his dad hot on her heels and swinging a fist through the dark night trying to make contact. Anything to drown out the noise and squeal of her tires kicking up rocks and dead grass against the aluminum trailer as she sped away, this time for the last time— without him.

He was your friend before his mom had left and any of that had started, and he had spent more nights sleeping on your couch than he had his own bed. You were comfortable with Eddie in ways that girls shouldn’t be with their best friends who were boys. But you could care less. It was always, and forever would be, platonic between you and Eddie Munson. 

Reaching over the laps of both Eddie and Steve, you tug Nancy’s shirt until she peeks over Steve’s collar. You mouth bathroom? And she nods, getting up and following you, trying not to trip over a very drunk Robin or passed out Johnathan. 

The light in the bathroom does absolutely nothing for Nancy’s complexion, playing on the peaked look of her skin and illuminating dark circles under her eyes that you normally had not seen. She sits on the sink and holds her arms against her chest as you finish up, washing your hands next to her. 

“How can you guys watch that stuff?” She half whispers and sniffs, rubbing a petite hand under her red nose. 

Drying your hands, you shrug, hanging the towel back up on the hook, looking back at your reflection and fixing your smudged eyeliner,  “it’s just a movie Nance,” you say to her through the mirror, “besides, the possibility of something like that happening in Hawkins, are pretty damn slim.”

She shakes her head of ill thoughts, “yeah, o-‘f course, I just,” a chill runs through her, tickling her spine and making her skin goosebump, “the thought of it is… scary.”

“I think that’s the whole point.”

Opening the door, Steve audibly gasps at the next jump scare, and Eddie claps along hooting and hollering as Michael’s next victim joins the dead. 

“I hate Halloween,”she mutters to herself, hopping down from the sink following you out to your friends. 

-

Nancy spent the remainder of the movie with a lamp on, reading over her English paper for Mrs. Click’s class that was due in a few weeks, huffing in disapproval at either the movie or her paper you weren’t sure. 

Robin wedges her way onto the couch with the four of you, whisper yelling about how stupid the characters are and how none of it makes any sense. 

“You’re ruining it Buckley, shh!” Eddie says, placing a ringed hand over her mouth. And you can’t help but laugh at them both. 

Robin licked the flat of his palm, her signature move, and Eddie squealed in disgust, “fucks sake Robin.” 

“Aww,” Robin says, squeezing his cheeks with her long chip painted fingers, “don’t be jealous Eddie-bear.. you probably won’t know this but that smell is puss— ow!”

Your elbow digs into her ribs, “shh!” you sneer, 

The ending credits roll and Eddie’s on his feet, ejecting the tape and slotting it into the paper protector. “Who’s up for the second one?”

He groans when the entire room yells no. Pouting and shoving the tape into his backpack. “What about you Byers?” he asks, kicking Jonathan’s leg to bring him back to life. 

“Huh?” he asks through a yawn, rubbing his shocking red eyes, “nah man I’m cool, need to get home, mom is working late and Will’s by himself.” 

He tosses the pillow he was using into the arm chair and trudges up the steps, saying see ya laters and thanks as he leaves. 

Eddie shoots you a wink and you stand reaching for the blankets you were cuddling with and fold them neatly onto the couch. 

Robin stumbles up the stairs behind Jonathan, trying to score a ride so she doesn't have to walk the three blocks to her place completely drunk. 

Steve pulls Nancy in his lap. She’s whispering to him with tears brimming her bright blue eyes, but you can’t hear what she’s saying.

“Yeah, c’mon” he whispers against her hairline, holding her up so they can both stand, “still have your toothbrush at mine… hey, we’re going to my place,” he announces to you and Eddie, just turn the lights off and we’ll see you tomorrow for opening day right?”

The Annual Hawkins Halloween Carnival was in town, and after two years of working the county fair in Roane County, you had all been asked to work at the carnival this fall. 

The carnival schedule was the weekend before Halloween to the weekend of Halloween. 

Seven days of thrills and chills. Pumpkin carving, face painting, a corn maze that seemed to go for miles, the best food in the Midwest, and finally the usual carnival rides with a sick twist of Halloween themed frights. 

Orientation was last week Saturday and Sunday a grueling 7am-7pm both days. Mr. Creel went over expectations and rules for you as staff to follow. 

It seemed easy enough. You and Eddie were put on rides just like you had been all summer. Nancy and Argyle were in charge of games, Tina and one of her cheerleader friends were doing the pumpkin carving. 

Steve and Robin would be set up in a small booth sponsored by Scoops Ahoy from morning until 5 pm, later taking over on rides for Eddie while he and Corroded Coffin made their debut on stage at night. 

 Steve was still pissed that they were insistent on him wearing the blue sailor uniform, even though the mall burned down last July— they managed to have Mrs. Sinclair sew the outfit for him.  

Jonathan would help Argyle and Nancy with the nickel and dime games, ones designed to have parents shell out pockets of change to have their kids possibly win a stuffed animal that wasn’t even worth an entire dollar. 

Billy Hargrove— who you were certain fled town after the mall fire, was apparently still in Hawkins and now in charge of the haunted hay ride at night and the corn maze during the day. 

Him and Eddie used to be close during his senior year, but it all fell apart and you weren’t really sure why. When you asked, Eddie would shrug it off, claiming he had changed after graduation, and that was that. 

You were surprised that the staff was minimal even though the festival was bigger and had more events going on than the summer carnival did, but you didn’t want to jinx your chances of working for it next year. Rumor was, Creel paid double for the Halloween event, Eddie called it the chance of a lifetime, and you knew it’d  be stupid to mess it up by asking questions. 

-

“Thanks for letting me stay again,” Eddie mumbles after you toss him the sleeping bag from your closet, “didn’t know he’d be home tonight.” 

After you had drove home from Nancy’s you had barely gotten into your room when your phone rang, it was Eddie and he was at the payphone outside of Benny’s. 

It’s me, can I stay over?

you didn’t think twice, telling Eddie yes and hanging up the phone. 

His dad had been released from county two weeks ago after Eddie finally scraped enough bail money together to get him out. He swore this was the last time he’d do it but you knew better than that.

Eddie was a lot of things but he wouldn’t let his dad rot in some cell. Even though he deserved every single second of being there. 

Al Munson had been in and out of jail since you could remember, petty crimes this and grand theft auto that. He was hardly a stable male figure for Eddie. 

But to the doe eyed boy with brown curly hair— Al hung the moon. 

It nearly killed Wayne Munson to see Eddie stick up for his old man, but he still offered his home to Al whenever he came through town on his next stunt, bleeding Eddie’s pockets dry and taking every emotional spark left in him when he tore out of the driveway, just before the blue and red lights could follow.

“Don’t worry about it,” you shrug tossing him one of your pillows, “you know you’re more than welcome here, anytime.” 

Even though your parents hated the idea, you moved into the old apartments across town the week after graduation. Full of naive wonder and wanting some privacy you worked all the hours you could between Meldvald’s and Bradley’s Big Buy, earning just enough to have a couple hundred dollars left to go into savings after rent. 

The faucets leaked, the paint was chipping and probably poisonous, the front door didn’t even lock properly, but you could care less: it was freedom.

Eddie grabs the hem of his shirt and drags it over his head, revealing his tattooed chest and silver bar nipples, wincing when his shirt grazes the new piercing. His curls tickling his shoulders. 

“I know,” he grunts, unclasping his belt and chain from his jeans, tossing them to the floor beside his makeshift bed, “I just worry one day you’ll get sick of pitying the Munson charity case all the time.” 

He scoffs when you throw a pillow at him, “what I’m serious!”

“Knock it off, Bam Bam, you’re my best friend, I’m never getting sick of you.”

“oh Christ, listen—” he began, shaking his head in disgust and holding up a ringed hand to stop you, “this game only goes one way, babe, and that’s me calling you the same name I have since we were six.” 

You roll your eyes, a sudden heat to your cheeks that lately was becoming more and more prevalent each time Eddie used your nickname or an endearing name someone would use for a girlfriend. 

But that was just how Eddie was, he even called Ms. O’Donnell “honey” once to ace a test but all he got was a big fat ‘F’ and a week’s worth of detentions.  

Eddie reaches into his pocket for the plastic film, “besides, you only keep me around because you can smoke for free,” he says, presenting the pre-rolled joints and his trusty zippo. 

“Ooh, and he brings gifts? you shouldn’t have,” you mock in a terrible accent, fanning yourself with your hand as if you were a true southern bell, “it's not even my birthday, mister.” 

Eddie gets into the bit, sitting cross legged on your bed and dumping the contents of the bag onto your comforter, the skin of your knees touching, “well it’s not every day a lonely feller like me comes across a lady lookin’ as fine as you.”

Giggling he licks the end of the paper to seal it tight and you lick your own lips in greedy anticipation. You loved movie nights with all your friends, but there was always something special about being alone with Eddie. 

It was calming, but maybe it was just having him around that made the stress of bills and everything else just fade away. He had that special way about him. 

Holding the joint and lighter up for you his eyes locked with yours, and you swore his cheeks went pink, “ladies first, princess.” 

—-

Across town, Steve was spending the evening with his lips on Nancy’s neck, huffing when she gasps when the bed creaks from his movement. 

“Sorry— I’m still a little freaked out.”

Steve brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, “there’s nothing to worry about honey— I promise, I’ll keep you safe. You know that right?”

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “I-I know that, I’m— it’s just this time of year that always gives me the creeps.” 

Nancy Wheeler had gained minor popularity when she struck the fancy of the king of Hawkins High. She wasn’t used to it, finding the glory of being Steve’s girlfriend suffocating. 

“Well I’ve got somethin that isn’t creepy,” he coos into the shell of her ear, “in fact, you always seem to like it.”  

“Steve..”

He shushes her with his lips, and like she always did, Nancy found herself giving in to him. 

—

Fingers twirled between the bouncy rings of a telephone cord, Robin waited patiently— well as patiently as she could— for Vickie to pick up. 

Their relationship was secretive, only her closest friends knew of Vickie and Vickie didn’t tell a single soul about the nights spent tangled in the corn powder blue sheets with the pretty freckled faced clarinet player. 

They had a system. Vickie dealt the cards and made the rules, while Robin had a hand of jokers and mismatched suits, only she didn’t—couldn’t— see it for what it was. 

The phone rang and rang, and would continue to ring. Hard to answer the phone when you’re too busy being pressed into the mattress with your feet on your boyfriend's shoulders. 

—

“Yeah mom, I’m home now.” Jonathan answered annoyingly into the phone, “… W—No he’s asleep.. I’m sure he did… yeah, fine..I’ll go check.” 

The phone would have stretched easily into the small bathroom down the hallway of the Byers’ home so he could check that Will had taken his nightly medication, but instead he let the phone slap against the floor in a clankety thud. 

Jonathan Byers had been the man of the house since his dad left in seventh grade. He cooked, he did the laundry, and worked part time wherever he could. His mom was barely able to keep it together since Lonnie had left. And most days, she couldn’t. Somehow the last year she had gotten worse. 

She was rail thin, and never ate a thing. Absent minded. Constantly writing things out and scribbling nonsense onto scraps of paper. Strewn across the living room, the kitchen, any surface available. 

She was always worrying if Will would be okay, but never reciprocating that same kind of love and care to Jonathan. 

Joyce Byers loved her boys equally, but the youngest was given more attention, maybe it was because he was her last baby, or possibly because his father had rarely ever acknowledged his existence. Still, the relationship between mother and son was broken off, string rolling in on itself when it came to Jonathan. 

The pills in the slot marked ‘friday’ were gone, just like Jonathan knew they would be. His brother took his medications religiously, never ever skippinga day, he had it clocked down to the hour,  minute, and second— the same time every single day. 

A routine he had since last year. 

Jonathan looks back at his gaunt expression when he shuts the medicine cabinet, smiling fake and toothy, taking the usual freebie from the hoard of pills his mother was prescribed but never took. 

His lips under the faucet he swallows the white oval pill down. 

Will wasn’t the only one with his own pill routine. 

—

“Eddie, turn the lights off already it’s fuckin 2 am,” 

Without fully waking you throw a pillow down to where he was laying, it wasn’t unusual for him to get high and pass out with the lights still on, but it was annoying beyond belief. 

A muffled groan is heard from beneath the tossed pillow before Eddie wrestled it from his face, “the fuck are you throwing shit at me for?” 

“you left the lights on again.”

Head on a swivel Eddie looks from you, to the ceiling to the switch, “open your eyes Helen Keller, they’re not on.”

the sting of light is still shining bright in your face and when you peel your eyes open you see that he wasn’t lying. Your room was dark, but the street lamp was glowing brighter than usual.  

Your toes curl around the plush fibers of your rug and you pull the cord to open the blinds. Eddie’s weight shifts onto your mattress as a loud yawn escapes his lips, followed by a scratching noise that you’re hoping is his nails against his skull instead of his balls. 

“what the fuck?”

The street lamps up and down your street were buzzing and glowing in an emberred haze. The glow of yellow was straining brighter than could be deemed possible and it was pulsing with an ominous flicker. 

You were tantalized by it’s beauty, like a moth to a flame hypnotized by the menacing doom— you couldn’t look away, and for a split second the welcoming sunshine of the lamp turned blood red, a warning of terror before being blown to bits and shattering to the ground below. 

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie jumps behind your shoulder, “what the hell was that, you saw it right?”

You definitely had, it’s illuminating shadow still glowed bright when you blinked your eyes. You have heard of electric surges, currants going hot when wires were overloaded. But flickering like that then burning red before burning out? It was almost like a fallacy, something Eddie probably would have made up for Hellfire, it simply couldn’t have been true. 

You rubbed at your eyes like a tired child, “told you that second joint smelled funny,” you said sitting on your knees facing him and shoving his shoulder, a look of shock on his face.

He scoffs and shoves your shoulder back, rolling his eyes playfully, “it’s a new strain Rick concocted himself, red…red somethin’…” he lays partly on the bed and stretches his body to the floor fumbling into his jeans pocket in search of the cellophane plastic of the baggy. 

“Ah, here,” he says, shoving the bag into your hand, your thumb rubs over the black sharpie written in boy chicken scratch hand writing.

You read it the same time Eddie says it. 

“Redrum.” 

♡ hope you enjoyed, comment what you think will happen next; reblogs are appreciated

♡ part 2: A SLICE & A SCREAM ♡

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#eddie munson #eddie x fem!reader #eddie x you #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie fan fiction #stranger things #stranger things au #hide + scream series

[hawkinsmodeloff]

Who’s the Prettiest Ch. in Stranger Things? - 1.2

Mike Wheeler vs Robin Buckley

“have you seen those cheekbones??? contour is jealous of michael wheeler. lashes for days??? how could will not fall for that boy with a face like that??????”

vs.

“Her autistic girl swag has captivated me (+ her scruffy hair)”

#hawkins model off #round 1 #mike vs robin #stranger things #stranger things poll #stranger things polls #st poll #st polls #st #polls #mike wheeler #robin buckley #contestants are picked to go against each other with a randomizer

[derryhawkins]

The Switch (ch 3)

summary: Mike and Richie, a pair of twins people describe as a loose canon when their together, come up with possibly the worst idea they could ever come up with – switching lives and personalities. Mike lives Richie’s life in Derry, Maine while Richie lives Mike’s life in Hawkins, Indiana. Their idea could either miraculously work out, or burn down in flames. (see moodboard & small snippet here)

a/n: i don’t think I’ve mentioned it but this takes place in the 80s; end of ‘86 start of ‘87.

warnings: [for the entire fic] swearing, idiotic boys, child neglect, accidental heartbreak, teenagers being teenagers, angst at some point. [for this chapter] rich sees a clown doll and almost has a panic attack at the end

chapter 1 chapter 2

ch 3 -- working out the kinks

Making plans to do something or ideas that aren’t so simple, come with bumps and halts and things that cause a bit of trouble along the way. Mike Wheeler and Richie Tozier figured that out quite quickly. Their plan to switch lives, basically, wasn’t as full proof as either had thought. There were multiple things that could cause anyone to instantly take notice it was Richie and not Mike, or vice versa.

They had made a list on what distinguishes themselves from one another. Well, Richie made it after realizing that The Switch (the name of their plan, he doesn’t care if Mike doesn’t like it) was going to be a tougher thing to accomplish than he first thought. It was a rather short list, just eight seven things that could cause anyone of their friends or family members to say, “You’re not Mike/Richie.” After finished it, he handed it to Mike who read over it.

KINKY KINKS IN ‘THE SWITCH’ a list by Richie Tozier ;)) 1. Glasses. 2. Hair. 3. Clothes. 4. Jane El Hopper. 5. Humor/the way we talk. 6. Jobs, maybe? (sorry bro, I work at a movie theater) 7. Our friends.

There was a eighth number, Mike realized as he read over the list. It was scratched out completely; one word right beside the number eight. Mike squinted at it as if it would help him read through the scratched out word, but it was no use. Because not only had Richie scribbled over it, but he had marked through the word with a Sharpie on both sides of the paper. Mike frowned and looked out of the bedroom where Richie had rushed out minutes before. He stood up from the desk in his room and walked out to find his twin, the paper in his hands.

Mike ended up finding Richie in Holly’s room. Richie had squeezed into a pink, tiny plastic chair and had his legs bent between him and the table he was unable to fit them under. A small light blue plate and tea cup sat on his knees while Holly pretended to talk to one of the bears. It was clear the foul mouthed twin had been caught by Holly Wheeler and unable to get away. Before Holly could see him as well and rope him into ‘tea time’ with her stuffed animals and plastic dolls and his twin, Mike dashed back to his room, leaving Richie to suffer alone.

Sure, he was curious about what the seventh thing was on the list -- but not curious enough to get roped into his little sister’s tea time.

Eventually, they figured out how to solved numbers 1-3 once Richie had gotten away from Holly and once they weren’t around anyone else. The party had come over for a short time, and then they all piled into Dustin’s truck and headed to Will’s house to hang out some before more family members came around for the holidays. Joyce Byers was so excited to see Richie, engulfing the boy in a tight hug as she admitted to missing him.

(It was a hug Richie liked to call the Mom Hug. It was warm and comforting and something he was almost unfamiliar with since Maggie Tozier never hugged him, and Karen Wheeler merely gave him loose, short hugs).

At some point they finally got home and finally sorted out that for the first thing on the list, Mike just wouldn’t wear his contacts. They both had shit eyesight. They both had glasses and eye contact prescriptions as well, but Richie almost always wore his glasses and Mike almost always wore his contacts. It was a way for everyone to tell them apart. To make sure they still had the same terrible eye sight, Mike took out the contacts and put on Richie’s awful glasses.

“Unfortunately, we still have the same shitty sight.”

“You’re gonna have to wear those.”

“That’s why I said unfortunately. At least my glasses are decent looking.”

“They’re still fucking huge...”

“If you make a dick joke, I’m disowning you.”

For the their hair, Mike had to not straighten his hair. Yes, Michael Wheeler straightens his hair nearly everyday and has been since seventh grade. It was neater looking and tamer; it was also another way people could tell the twins apart. Richie, on the other hand, had to make an extra effort everyday to straighten his hair. He complained just thinking about it.

“Some waves come out anyway, why fucking bother?!”

“Richie, I swear to God, if you want this to work you gotta use the damn straightener.”

Their clothing was something much simpler and took little to no effort to change -- they just had to switch wardrobes. Which meant, Richie would stay at the Wheeler house in Hawkins while Mike left for Derry with Maggie Tozier and a suitcase of ugly Hawaiian shirts and graphic tees. Neither were really complaining. It wasn’t like either of their style was horrible. Well, Richie’s choice of shirts could be sometimes, but so could the sweaters Mike wears on the occasion.

Richie really wanted to be a hater of Mike’s ugly Christmas sweaters, but he was actually rather jealous. The sweaters were ugly as hell, and he wanted them all. Mike didn’t really mind his brother’s hideous Hawaiian shirts and sometimes crude t-shirts, either. Most of them were comfortable to wear. 

(No, they don’t already have a small stash of each other’s clothes because of that).

(...that’s a lie).

“So, about Miss Jane El Hopper,” Richie spoke as he entered the nearly empty kitchen. Nancy was out with her boyfriend, Jonathan Byers, while their dad went to work and Karen went to the park with Holly; Maggie was doing some last minute shopping. So, they were home alone and free to talk about their plan up until one of the Party members comes over -- if not all. They had all been informed that no one but the twins were currently home.

Mike didn’t even look up from making his lunch as he said, “You’re not kissing my girlfriend, Tozier.”

“But if I don’t it’ll blow our cover! A major kink in The Switch, Wheeler,” he said. As his brother turned around to put up the sandwich ingredients, Richie reached over the counter and grabbed the cheese and ham sandwich. He quickly took a bite of it before laying it back on the plate, and acted as if he did nothing wrong as Mike turned back around.

“Make your own damn sandwich, asshole,” Mike quickly said and snatched the plate off of the counter. He inspected the rather large bite Richie had taken as he said, “Let’s get her in on the plan.”

“Can she keep secrets?”

“She’s a girl with secret abilities that Hawkins has no idea about.”

Richie hummed and nodded. “Touché.”

“What about your crush?” Mike asked after a second of silence.

Richie’s eyes slightly narrowed as he stood straight. “What about my crush?” He asked, moving away from the counter to fridge. As Mike spoke again, he searched for something to eat.

“Pretty sure you probably flirt with her if you genuinely like her. So... Who is it? I mean, if I don’t flirt as you to your crush, then it’ll be a give away, too. Or show that you’re not interested.”

He picked up a pudding cup from one of the shelves but quickly set it back down. Richie’s fingers tapped against his thighs as he stood there, just looking into the refrigerator. “Um... It’s no one,” he quickly said. He then spotted a pomegranate in the back of the middle shelf and grinned to himself before reaching in and grabbing it.

Mike scoffed at the answer. “Okay, yeah, that’s a lie.”

Shutting the door with his foot, Richie went and grabbed a sharp knife. He instantly busied himself with the fruit as he said, “My crush wasn’t on the list, so, really, it doesn’t matter.”

“Do you not want me to know who it is or something?” Mike asked, before taking a large bite from his sandwich. Uncharacteristically, Richie stayed quiet and focused all his attention on the pomegranate as he cut it open. Mike sighed right as the front door opened.

“Dustin farted! Dustin farted!”

“That was Max!”

“Don’t bring me into this, Noodles!”

“Hey! That is Richie’s name for me!”

“Dustin farted and he has a guy crush on Rich!”

“Oh, not you too!”

“Well, who can resist the Richie Tozier?” The younger twin smirked as the group of friends entered the kitchen; Lucas, Max, Dustin, and Will. As he made eye contact with Max, he winked at her. The redhead just scoffed and rolled her eyes as she went over to Mike and stole his sandwich. She took a bite before handing it back to him.

“I can,” she said.

Lucas chuckled and let an arm go around her shoulders as they stood beside each other. “Don’t wink at my girlfriend, Richie,” he said.

“Rather me wink at you?”

“Beep beep, Richie!” Mike laughed out at seeing Lucas’ face. It was a saying he heard Richie’s own friends use, so Mike started using it, too. It was limited to him and who Richie called the Losers. No one else really used the ‘beep beep’ other than them; occasionally Will would say it, or Nancy if needed, but that was all. Never did Max, Lucas, Dustin, or Eleven say it.

Richie merely grinned as Lucas shot him the middle.

“Hey, where’s El?” Mike asked.

“Oh! She told me to tell you that she’s having a father-daughter day with Hopper,” Will said. “And tonight she’s doing something with Mom, but said she’d call you in the morning.”

“That’s good,” Mike said sincerely. Jim and El haven’t gotten to have some father-daughter time because of school and his job recently, so Mike was happy they were spending time together. And Joyce Byers and El had a thing on certain nights where the woman taught the girl different things like knitting, or just watched soap operas. “That’s good,” he repeated, but quieter.

For a few minutes, the group just stood in the kitchen as everyone helped themselves to different snacks before they all made their way downstairs to the basement. Richie was still working on the pomegranate, though, so he put the fruit in a bowl and grabbed some napkins, and slouched on the couch with Max as the other boys sat at the table. Though, at some point, Richie spotted one of Holly’s clown dolls sticking out of the blanket fort against the wall. He nearly shit his pants at seeing face of the clown, also letting out a short yell before realizing it was fucking doll.

It wasn’t alive.

Max looked up at Richie, bewildered. “The hell, man?” She asked.

Mike whipped his head around to look at his brother, and the three others did the same. “Dude, what...” The question died on his lips, though, as he notice the clown doll. He instantly remembered what had happened that one summer with Richie and his friends; Richie had called him after it happened and just cried to him. Mike instantly jumped out of his seat and grabbed the doll from the fort; Holly shouldn’t have been in there in the first place.

“It’s just a doll,” Lucas said.

“Hey, clowns are creepy,” Dustin stated as Mike rushed up the stairs to put the doll back in Holly’s room. “The makeup is...”

Richie blocked out their conversation as he tried to ignore the memories of that one awful summer. He couldn’t, unfortunately, and it soon started to get too much, so he gave the bowl of pomegranate to Max and raced up the stairs as well. He ran into his brother at the top, who instantly saw the panicked look and slightly shallowed breathing. Richie felt himself be pulled into a loose but comforting hug.

“It was just a doll, Rich,” Mike whispered.

“You’re real, right?” Richie asked in return. “You’re not gonna turn into some fucking werewolf or...you know?”

“No. I’m very real. I’m very much Mike Wheeler, okay? I’m with you and always will be, Richie.”

Richie numbly nodded and hugged his brother back. He was quiet for some time before he asked, “Who the hell gave Holly that fucking doll?”

“One of our aunts, I think, on her birthday.”

“I wanna burn it.”

“Honestly, she hates it. She might let you.”

“Good.”

“You okay now?” Mike asked pulled away from the hug some time later -- a few minutes at least. He watched as Richie ran his hands over his face, glasses on his head, and nodded. “Alright,” he whispered. “I’m going back down, but call Bill or one of them if you need to.”

After fixing his glasses, Richie nodded and gave a small smile. “Think I might. Thanks,” he said.

“Hey, not a problem,” Mike shrugged and started down the stairs. “Come back down when you’re ready.”

“Yeah, I will.”

Richie found the nearest phone and dialed the familiar number of Mike Hanlon. It turned out that the Losers had gathered at his place, all together once again, so Richie took turns talking to all of them about different things until he remembered his pomegranate with Max. Shortly after that, he finished his conversation with Stan Uris, hung up the phone, and raced down stairs back to his fruit.

TAG LIST: @irredecent @vimra @jinglejamie

#it #it (2017) #stranger things #st #s2 #s1 #mike wheeler #richie tozier #twin au #h writes #the party #the losers club #mileven #the switch

[upsidedownpromises]

You Are In Love Ch. 3

ch. 2 >> ch. 3 >> ch. 4

WC: 1156

(AO3)

Summary: Snowy kisses and warm jackets is just what El needs, especially if they come with one Michael Wheeler

     “El, are you warm enough?” Mike Wheeler asks his girlfriend as she steps out of her bedroom, wrapped in one of Mike’s sweaters and a jacket. She pauses at the door frame, looking at her boyfriend. He was, unlike her, bundled up in more than a couple sweaters, his heavy winter coat already buttoned up to his chin. He looked ridiculous.

     “I don’t think it’s that cold outside, is it?” She asks, confused. She could have sworn the weather forecast on the TV said that the storm would arrive in the evening. They still had a few hours to go.

     “I know,” he says, already starting to unbutton his coat. “But it started snowing when I got here and it's really heavy now and it’s kind of windy and wet and I don’t want you to catch a cold, because Hopper will really kill me, for real this time, not like the other few times when I said he would kill me, and-”

     “Mike.” El giggles, cutting off her boyfriend’s flustered monologue. “I’ll be fine.” He just stares at her, finishing shrugging off his coat.

     “El, I’m wearing three sweaters and a shirt. The coat was a precaution. I want you to wear it.”

     “I don’t mind the cold,” she protests. He knows she’s lying, and she knows he knows. After the whole incident with the Mind Flayer, no one seemed inclined to liking the cold. Mike continues to stare at her, coat in his outstretched hands, and she sighs, secretly relieved. She takes it and shrugs it on, giving Mike a look as she does. He just gives her that goofy grin she loves so much.

     “Ready?” He asks after a moment. She nods, grabbing her gloves from their basket by the door, and together they step out of the cabin into a winter wonderland.

     El was still a secret. The Snow Ball had been an exception, Hopper had said, and insisted she remain in hiding for another year before it was safe to be seen in public. That hadn’t stopped the party from spending the occasional evenings and weekends with her at Hopper’s cabin. Mike especially; he was glued to El’s side now that he had her back. Every time he showed up on their porch, Hopper would just run his hand down his face and hold the door open, allowing El to jump into his arms. Their day would be spent inside, watching movies Mike deemed ‘culturally crucial,’ such as Ghostbusters and Star Wars and soap dramas that El had convinced (though not with difficulty) Mike to watch, sharing a bucket of popcorn and blushing when their fingers brushed. It was a certain kind of quiet, reserved for the both of them. Mike, content to just see her, and El, content to stay hidden now that she was not alone.

     Today was a special occasion. Hopper had declared it safe enough for her to go out for a couple hours, and Mike had immediately jumped at the chance. They couldn’t stray too far from the cabin, so he’d proposed a simple walk around the woods. Hopper had approved, and so here they were, bundled up to their cold-kissed noses.

     “Careful, it’s slippery,” Mike says, stepping down the porch steps first and holding his hand out for El. She nods, gripping it tightly and following his footsteps, giggling at the crunch of the leaves when she steps on them. He laughs with her, and she breathes in the smell of winter, the pine and the fresh and the wonderful. She lets go of Mike’s hand and skips ahead, letting the woods welcome her into their cold embrace. “El, be careful!” He shouts at her back, but his words are drowned by a loud squeal as she promptly slips on the ice and falls onto her butt. Mike is by her side in an instant, worry on his face.

     “I’m fine,” she giggles before he can even open his mouth, “really.” He gives her a look, the one where his lips purse and and his eyes narrow, a crease appearing between his eyebrows; the look that says “you say that but I don’t believe you,” and she places a hand on his arm to boost herself up, delivering the quickest of kisses on his cheek before using his weight to pull herself to her feet. Mike helps her automatically, but she can see on his face that he’s still flushed about the kiss, and she laughs. Her breaths puff out in front of her, mixing with Mike’s, and El realizes that she’s happy, so incredibly happy, at this moment.

     “Mike,” she whispers, leaning in towards him. His attention is instantly on her, tilting his head down so that she can reach him with more ease.

     “Yeah?” He whispers back, eyes dark, and on hers.

     “I…” she trails off, tugging him just a little bit closer. He obliges, forehead brushing hers, and his lips part slightly. His breath is warm, and she sighs.

     “Yeah?”

     “I think…” She slides her hands up his arms, tangling her fingers in his hair, a twitch of lips away, a breath apart.

     “El,” he murmurs, and she can’t help it, he’s so adorable. She giggles, unraveling her fingers and leaning back. He follows her, but she bypasses his lips for his ear, opting for a whisper rather than a kiss.

     “I think I just fell for you.” She states, then slips out of his embrace and dashes off into the snow. He’s frozen for a moment, and she bursts out laughing. That breaks him out of his stupor, and he spins, the most indignant expression on his face.

     “El!!” He protests, only to move out the way quickly before the incoming snowball could hit him. “Hey! No powers allowed in snowball fights!” He calls out, and El holds up her hands innocently. He shakes his head, a wide grin on his face, face red, and falls into a crouch. She smiles, walking over to him and placing her hand on his head, running her fingers through his hair. All of a sudden, her feet are knocked out from under her and she lands on three sweaters and a Mike, their faces inches away. She realizes, with a laugh, that he’d pulled her into the snow with him, and the chill from it is seeping into her sides, but she’s laying on top of Mike, warm and steady, and this time she gives in, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. He smiles at her, another one of his signature smiles, the soft, pure, warm and sweet smile, the one that makes her melt every single time, the one reserved for her and her alone. She’s warm and fuzzy, her heart light like the falling snow.

    “Mike?” She whispers, cheeks warm.

     “Yeah?” He whispers back, fingers brushing away the snow from her hair.

     “I’m happy.” And he smiles, and that’s more than enough.

#mileven #Eleven (Stranger Things) #jane hopper #mike wheelr #snow dates are the cutest and you can quote me on that #fic: you are in love #look! an update! #stranger things #stranger things season 2 #stranger things s2 #st

[transsteves]

dead stars [CH.7]

[MASTERPOST]

WARNINGS: alcohol, panic attacks

AUTHOR’S NOTE: YEAH this chapter is like. zero angst. maybe 0.1 angst. and it’s internal. like that’s it. have fun kids 💕

at three in the afternoon, after a full day of his mind wandering and worrying and doing backflips about the two disastrous teens, mike gets a text. it’s hilariously misspelled, letters mixed up and repeated, and he worries more when he replies and she doesn’t.

he can’t get out of school until five, but he makes his exit as efficient as possible, cramming himself into his car and blasting the loudest music he possibly can. an odd mix of anger and concern mixes in his stomach, the red light of the sunset bouncing off his black curls and shining into his eyes. they don’t talk to him; they never talk to him, and it hurts. it hurts to know that will and el are closer to one another than they are to him, that lucas and dustin and max have drifted away, that he’s alone, again, in the cosmic sense of it all, even if no one has really left.

it passes through his mind that he doesn’t blame them, that he doesn’t matter that much anyway. he pushes it down, knuckles turning white against the steering wheel, fingers curling round and pressing into his palms. he’s back to worrying, to thinking about everything that could have happened to them. he speeds a little down the road, has to swerve to avoid hitting a parked car, but his mind is elsewhere.

what if they’ve done something stupid?

what if they’ve hurt themselves?

what if it’s happening again? what if they’ve been dragged back to that place?

the air is filled with possibilities, and mike can feel the panic rising in his throat. it’s getting dark, the fall bringing with it the sun’s early exit, and the cold air is seeping in through the cracked windows. the hairs on his arms stand to attention as he finally pulls up in front of el’s house, and he has to take about a million deep breaths before opening the door - the what ifs echoing and circling and getting bigger and bigger and —

it’s like he’s walked into the aftermath of an explosion. the table by the window is on its side, containers of fast food that presumably used to be on top upturned and spilling. a record is tick tick ticking over on the record player in the corner, broken glass is scattered across the floor, the couch is upside down, somehow, behind a mass of blankets — and in the middle of it all, wearing socks and mike’s sweaters, el and will are tangled together, deep in sleep. a sigh of relief barely has a chance to leave his lips before he sees the three empty spirit bottles, and panic once again fills him from head to toe.

there’s dried blood on el’s face — that explains the mess, at least — and the way will’s sweater falls, mike can see bruises on his collarbones, and he panics. his brain moves a mile a minute and screams at him as he rushes to shake them awake.

el wakes with a shout, and the bowl of chips flies across the room, barely missing mike’s head and hitting the wall behind him. will wakes up at that, eyes wide with shock, before collapsing into yet another fit of giggles and sinking back down. within a couple of seconds, mike watches the two fall back into each other, somehow so close they almost become one entity, one entity with two laughs, screeching almost maniacally as the sunlight dies.”mike!” they shout as one, and laugh into each other, their bellies filled with alcohol and sparing love.

mike shakes the fact that they both look so beautiful from his mind, his brow furrowing and eyes closing as he runs his hands from his hairline to his chin. a clap, loud enough to separate the el-will mess, before he pulls them to standing, one by one, met with grumbles and grunts and “dude, come on"s. will falls twice, once cracking his hip against the coffee table and once, heavily, into mike -arms around his neck, bright, toothy grin so close to mike’s face that he can feel his friend’s breath heat his cheek.

“c’mon, will. let’s get you home.”

“but miiiike!” will whines, sound drawn out through pouting lips. “i don’t wanna!”

one arm around will’s waist, holding him up, mike’s free hand pinches at the bridge of his nose. he won’t admit it, that the proximity is nice, because will’s skeletal form is digging into his hipbone, and his drunkenness is making him heavier. “no. your mom’ll worry. she probably already is.”

“she always worries!”

“are you gonna walk or am i gonna carry you?”

mike uses the sternest voice he can, but stumbles, stuck in between the girl he’s been in love with since the first time he laid eyes on her and the boy who—

no, he pushes that down, just as he always has.

will pushes him away, holds his hands up, suddenly grinning again, slurring out words that don’t make much sense but that mike assumes mean that he’ll make his own way. a part of mike misses the warmth of will against his skin, but he pushes it down, backing up to open the front door. “c’mon. both of you. el! c'mon!”

will grabs her, they giggle, and stumble together, imitating mike as they go, complete with pouty faces and whiny voices; the sober boy can’t decide whether to smile or grumble, and settles on something in between, an apathetic smirk that doesn’t reach his eyes.

nonetheless, he finds himself glancing in the rear view mirror every chance he gets while driving. he admires the way the streetlamps light both will and el’s smiling faces, the way their hair is lit in shades of gold. the stars have started to bloom into view, the sky an ever-stretching expanse of nothingness, a backdrop for a play in which they laugh into the night, one that mike could watch forever.

the drive is short, and the driveway is empty when he puts the car into park. joyce is probably working late and jonathan probably with nancy as usual – the house is quiet, a blessing, as he practically drags will from the car, through the front door, and through the house to his room.

the slender boy giggles and pokes at his face the whole time, grinning in a way under which mike struggles not to melt.

he pushes it down, just as he always has. on some level, he doesn’t think he’ll ever let it out, but knows he’ll never be happy if he doesn’t— he settled into that truth years ago.

carefully laying the skinny boy down on his bed, mike is lost in thought as will giggles uncontrollably. will reaches up again to drunkenly poke mike’s cheek, but is pushed back down as mike hurries around the room, placing a trashcan by the bed (just in case), and a glass of water on the little chest of drawers. above the bed still hangs an old corkboard, covered with photos and sketches and old memories — the corner of the crayon-doodled will the wise still peeking out from beneath beautiful photorealistic pencil recreations of seemingly every person will has ever known. a reminder of old times, crawling beneath the surface of the new. mike stares, for a moment, eyes settling on a perfect rendition on himself, before will’s slurring voice pulls his attention away, unintelligible words drifting into the air. absentmindedly, he mutters, “what?” as he bends down a little to hear him better, but he’s met with both of will’s hands cupping his face. both boys stare at one another with wide eyes, and mike’s suddenly terrified.

“mike!”

“…yeah?”

“michael!”

“yes, will.”

“mike michael mike wheeler!”

“that’s— what, will? what?”

he watches will’s face twist strangely, just for a second, resembling something strangely close to fear or pain, something like the way he’d looked when he broke his arm in fifth grade, or when he finally woke up after the bathroom incident. mike feels panic rise again, but it doesn’t have long, because will’s grinning again, and monologuing, and repeating himself over and over, like he’s trying to make sure the words don’t disappear back into his throat.

“i’m gay, dude! i’m so fucking— tell el i owe her thirty bucks— i’m so fucking gay, like—”

“what?” mike chokes out, but it doesn’t stop the raging train that is will, even as he releases mike’s face from his grasp and he starts talking at the ceiling instead of the friend at his bedside.

“—boys are so cute and— fuck, shit, don’t tell mike but like, mike is so cute— shit, you’re mike, don’t tell mike— mike! don’t tell mike but like… i’m so gay, shit, because fuck, i’m just— i hate hawkins, y'know? ‘cause it’s all bullshit, and they make ya hate yourself and it’s all bullshit and y'know? fuck. just fuck it. just fuck it…”

the words get slower, taper off towards their ends, until he’s practically whimpering out syllables. his eyes are closed, and then he’s out like a light, and mike is standing alone in his room.

mike is standing alone in will’s room, examining everything with pinpoint focus, noticing now that the sketch of himself on will’s wall is more precise than the others. he’s watching the boy’s chest rise and fall, and finding it impossible to match his rhythm. he’s trying to wade his way past the returning panic, the ensuing battle so harsh that his ribs burn.

he squeezes his burning eyes shut and runs away.

he pushes it down, like he always has, but it bubbles up between his fingers and screams against his every movement.

he runs out the front door and slams it behind him.

he tries to push it down, but it begins to take him over, and he can’t breathe under the weight of it.

he slams the door of the car and reverses out of the drive like they’re being chased, waking el with a start. she begins to mutter a question, before slipping away again.

he can’t push it down anymore. it wants to be free, to stop him putting every syllable and movement through a filter for the world around him.

he chokes, holds his breath, and ignores the way his eyes burn and leak as he tears down the street.

NOTES: i hope u guys liked that chapter. i am building up to shit i swear, it just takes a whole damn while. idk if this fic will ever end at this point jeez. but anyway! as always, any feedback and criticism is massively welcome, message me to be added to the taglist, and here’s the:

TAGLIST: @beforetoday @king-wheezy-trash @marikamber @turkerlymarsh @benverlyharsh @eddskaspbrak @thescaryflower @serendipity-y @whee-ler @doesnthavetobesobad

#dead stars fic #stranger things #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #my writing #mike wheeler #will byers #eleven #eleven hopper #jane hopper #mileven #byeler #milevill #aged up

[coloradoqueen]

*Long post* Found on Facebook. With a following of over 6,000 people, I found it appropriate to share this information. My fellow ranchers are in dire straits. Animals are dying by the thousands and a way of life is burning away for hundreds of people, every single day. For multiple generations, these ranchers have worked their ass into ground for this land and cattle, but now it is all going up in ashes. WILDFIRE RELIEF INFORMATION - LISTED BY STATE How you can help, if you need help, where you can go to get it. COLORADO – INFORMATION • CASH DONATIONS - Colorado Farm Bureau Fund - Checks payable to Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation, cash and credit card payments are being accepted at this time. Please note "Disaster Fund-CO Wildfire" in the memo line on the check. Cash and checks can be sent to: Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation Attn: Disaster Fund 9177 E. Mineral Circle Centennial, CO 80112 • HAY, FENCING, TRUCKING DONATIONS – Take to CHS Grainland in Haxtun. A loader and scale are both available, if needed. Contact Rick Unrein [phone] for more information about dropping off donations. More information: Kent Kokes 970-580-8109, John Michal 970-522-2330, Justin Price 970-580-6315 Dan Firme 970-520-0949 KANSAS – INFORMATION • DONATIONS OF HAY AND FENCING - Kansas Livestock Association is organizing hay and fencing material donations for delivery to affected areas in Kansas. To make in-kind donations, call KLA at [phone]. • CASH DONATIONS - Cash donations can be made through the Kansas Livestock Foundation (KLF), KLA’s charitable arm, by going to www.kla.org/donationform.aspx. OKLAHOMA – INFORMATION • SUPPLY POINT – Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hemphill and Roberts counties will be located at 202 W. Main St., Lipscomb. The point of contact is J.R. Sprague, AgriLife Extension agent in Lipscomb County, who can be contacted at 806-862-4601, office, or 806-202-5288, cell. • SUPPLY POINT - Gray, Wheeler and Roberts counties will be at 301 Bull Barn Drive, Clyde Carruth Expo Center, Pampa. Mike Jeffcoat, AgriLife Extension agent in Gray County, is the point of contact and can be reached at 806-669-8033, office, or 580-467-0753, cell. • FOUND CATTLE - For found cattle or other livestock with official identification, document the number and location of the animals and call the Texas Animal Health Commission at 512-719-0733 or 806-354-9335. They will contact the owner. • STRAY CATTLE W/ BRAND– For stray cattle with a brand, call the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association at 817-332-7064 for brand identification. • STRAYS ON PROPERTY– In the event cattle stray onto your property, you must report them to the sheriff’s office in the county in which you are located within five days of discovery to be eligible for reasonable payment for maintenance or damages caused by the estray livestock. For more information regarding Texas’ estray laws visit: Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 142. • CARCASS DISPOSAL– For questions about carcass disposal, call the Texas Commission on Environment Quality at 800-832-8224 or visit their website at www.tceq.texas.gov. TEXAS – INFORMATION (provided by Capital Farm Credit): • Have an injured animal that needs to be processed? Please contact these resources for further help/information: o Preferred Beef (Booker, TX) Travis Herrod 806-435-7999 o Caviness Beef Packers (Hereford, TX) Steve Anthony 806-357-2333 • In need of vet-related supplies? o In need of Vetercyn spray and Pen G? Forrest Watson (Spitzer Animal Health) will be at the Higgins Fire Department the morning of Thursday, March 9. He will stay until dark or he runs out of products. (free of charge) o Synbiot Ag Wash is donating their Wound Wash product to anyone in need as a result of the Texas Panhandle Fires. Contact Michael Jeffcoat, CEA, 580-467-0753. • In need of hay, fencing and/or general supplies? Want to donate supplies? o Arena of Life Cowboy Church (Amarillo) is taking, and will be distributing, hay donations. o Michael Jeffcoat, CEA (Gray County AgriLife Extension) 580-467-0753 Hay donations can be made at Clyde Carruth Pavillion (301 Bull Barn Drive, Pampa, TX) o J.R. Sprague, CEA (Lipscomb County AgriLife Extension) 806-202-5288 Hay donations can be made at Lipscomb County Show Facility (202 W. Main St., Lipscomb, TX) o Andy Holloway, CEA (Hemphill County AgriLife Extension) 325-668-0466 • General Questions? o Visit Texas AgriLife Extension Service- Wildfire Resources • Want to lend your support? Contact these relief organizations: o American Red Cross- Texas Panhandle o Perryton Fire EMS o Higgins-Lipscomb Volunteer Fire Department

#Colorado fires #Texas fires #Kansas fires #oklahoma fires #agriculture #signal boost #help ranchers #agvocate #cattle #cows #cow #disaster relief

[itsnelkabelka]

Press release: The New Year's Honours list 2018

The list covers every nation in the UK. In Kirkwall, Orkney, Margaret Jamieson receives a BEM (British Empire Medal) for her support of local community projects through the Blue Door charity shop. In Falmouth, Cornwall, Geoffrey Evans receives an MBE for his wide-ranging contribution to the community, including over 40 years’ service as a local councillor.

The list includes people who have given their lifetimes to supporting others. Among a wealth of people who have given sustained service to others, two recipients stand out for the length of their contribution. Both are 101 years old: Lt Col. Mordaunt Cohen receives an MBE for his services to Second World War education and Helena Jones receives a BEM for her services to young people and the community in Brecon, Powys. At 18 years old, Lucia Mee is the youngest person on the list. She receives a BEM for services to promoting public awareness about organ donation.

Awards include a knighthood for author Michael Morpurgo, a damehood for businesswoman Vivian Hunt, a knighthood for musician Richard Starkey aka Ringo Starr, a knighthood for singer-songwriter Barry Gibb, a damehood for dancer Darcey Bussell, a damehood for Cathy Warwick, outgoing Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, a damehood for microscopist Professor Pratibha Gai, a damehood for theatre producer Rosemary Squire, a CMG for former astronaut Helen Sharman, a CBE for author Jilly Cooper, a CBE for Head of Women’s Cricket Clare Connor, a CBE for DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis, a CBE for actor Hugh Laurie, a CBE for ex-British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, an OBE for PR consultant Lynne Franks, an OBE for England’s Women’s Cricket Team captain Heather Knight, an MBE for hip hop artist Richard Cowie aka Wiley, and an MBE for Paralympian athlete Stefanie Reid.

Following the centenary year of the Order of the British Empire and the Order of the Companions of Honour, this honours list continues to demonstrate the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds and ethnicities.

In total 1,123 people have received an award:

981 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 452 at MBE and 211 at OBE

70% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity

551 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total

9.2% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background

5% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010)

The centenary year of the Order of the Companions of Honour

2017 has marked the centenary of the Order of the Companion of Honour (CH). Following nine appointments in the Birthday Honours List 2017, the independent committees have now recommended author and historian Lady Antonia Fraser and broadcaster Melvyn, Lord Bragg of Wigton to join the Order. Together with historian and Warder of St. Antony’s College Oxford, Margaret Mcmillan, who is recognised with a CH on the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List, the Order now has its full 65 members for the first time since its institution in 1917.

Women

At the highest levels (CBE and above), awards include a damehood for Rosemary Squire, co-founder of the Ambassador Theatre Group, one of the UK’s foremost theatre producers as well as making a wider voluntary contribution to promotion of the Arts. A CBE goes to Chairman of the Black Cultural Archives, Dawn Hill for her pivotal contribution to recording and celebrating Black history and heritage in the UK. There is an OBE for PR consultant Lynne Franks, whose professional expertise has been put to use promoting causes including social responsibility, women in business and tackling violence against women.

Philanthropy

Philanthropy recommendations include a CBE for Jane Hamlyn, Chairman of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, which gives grants to help people overcome disadvantage. An OBE goes to Richard Mintz, who has supported a range of causes over the last 50 years. And at MBE, Rosemary Cadbury is recognised for her philanthropic support of a wide variety of community and charitable activities in the West Midlands.

Local communities

In total, 70% of awards in the New Year Honours List will go to people who have undertaken outstanding work in or for their local community, following the Prime Minister’s strategic steer that she would like more honours to go to people contributing to society and their communities. Awards include:

an OBE for Aina Khan, for the protection of women and children in unregistered marriages

an MBE for community volunteer Afrasiab Anwar, for services to building community cohesion in Burnley, Lancashire

an MBE for Susan Coates, who took her first leadership role in the Girlguides aged 18 and who has now spent five decades supporting girls and young women across south west England

an MBE for Sara Fitzsimmons, who co-founded and now directs SiMBA (Simpsons Memory Box Appeal) to support bereaved families at the Simpsons Maternity Ward at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh

a BEM for Thomas Allen, whose support of the community in Donemana, Co. Tyrone has been widespread and unstinting over 50 years

a BEM for Alyson Williams, Child and Youth Officer at Swansea Community Farm, who also participates in restorative justice programmes to reduce youth reoffending

a BEM for Henry Arnold, tailor to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines who in his spare time volunteers to support the Royal Marines Cadet Corps in Plymouth

a BEM for Scott Watkin from Ryde, Isle of Wight, who teaches people with learning disabilities about eye care

a BEM goes to Christine Pratt, who has been Director of Blurton Community Hub in Stoke-on-Trent since 2010, working to create a stronger and safer community for residents

The Prime Minister provided a strategic steer to the Main Honours Committee that the honours system should support children and young people to achieve their potential, enhance life opportunities, remove barriers to success and work to tackle discrimination. Among the awards that reflect these priorities are:

a knighthood for Alan Wood, lately Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services at Hackney Council

a CBE for Nick Whitfield, Chief Executive of Achieving for Children who has acted as Children Services Commissioner in Sunderland and Reading

an OBE for David Canning, a teacher who is Northern Ireland Coordinator of Project Children, a cross-community project which has facilitated 23,000 young people from opposing sides of the community developing team building skills

an OBE for Naomi Marek, Chief Executive of Sky Badger, whose innovative work has provided online support to over 695,000 families who have children with disabilities or special educational needs

an OBE for John Shallcross, whose voluntary service over 30 years to fundraise for youth clubs in disadvantaged areas has benefited young people across north east England

an OBE for Bartholomew Smith, who founded the Amber Foundation to support young homeless and unemployed people

an MBE for Tunji Akintokun, founder and co-director of Your Future, Your Ambition which aims to inspire children and young adults from ethnically diverse backgrounds to study science, technology, enterprise and maths (STEM) subjects

Education

Around 11% of honours are for work in education. The Education Committee has recommended a damehood for Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, Professor Janet Beer and a knighthood for Timothy Melville-Ross, Chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Other senior awards in education include a CBE for Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winchester Joy Carter, a CBE for Principal of Gateshead College Judith Doyle, and a CBE for Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, Professor Richard English. An MBE goes to Paul Berman, Chair of Trustees at Wargrave House School in Merseyside, which supports development of life skills in children on the autistic spectrum.

Health

Health sector recipients make up 10% of all honours. There is a rich breadth of vocations recognised. There is a Knight Grand Cross for medical scientist Sir Keith Peters; a damehood for Chief Executive of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Jackie Daniel, a damehood for the outgoing President of the Royal College of Surgeons, Clare Marx and a damehood of the outgoing Chief Executive of the Devon Success Regime and Sustainability and Transformation Plan, Angela Pedder. A CBE goes to Chair of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Michael Giannasi and an MBE to Neelam Farzana, who in 2007 set up The Listening Service to address a gap in provision of mental health support for the BAME community.

Industry and the economy

Industry and the economy make up 11% of this honours list. The Economy Committee recommended a damehood for Scottish businesswoman Susan Rice and a knighthood for Northern Irish businessman and founder of WrightBus William Wright. A CBE goes to Chief Executive of the Wesley Clover Corporation in South Wales, Professor Simon Gibson and to Timothy Rix, Managing Director of family-run Hull-based J R Rix and Sons Ltd.

A number of entrepreneurs and those supporting entrepreneurship are also recognised, including a knighthood for tech investor and philanthropist Ken Olisa and a CBE for co-founder of The Lakes Distillery Nigel Mills. An MBE is awarded to Elizabeth Tappenden, founder of In to Biz Ltd., which supports small business start-ups on the Isle of Wight through training programmes. In the technology sector, awards include a CBE for President of techUK Jacqueline de Rojas and a CBE for Dana Tobak, Chief Executive Officer of Hyperoptic.

Married couple Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, and Nicholas Wheeler, founder of Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts, receive OBEs for their respective services to retail.

Science and technology

Science and technology recipients make up 3% of the List. There is a knighthood for volcanologist Professor Robert Sparks, a knighthood for psephologist Professor John Curtice, a CBE for Deputy Director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, Professor Caroline Dive, a CBE for statistical epidemiologist Christl Donnelly, and an OBE for Suranga Chandratillake, General Partner at Balderton Capital.

Sport

Awards for sport make up 4% of the total recipients. A number of awards celebrate the success of women’s cricket. There is a CBE for Director of Women’s Cricket Clare Connor, an OBE for the Captain of the World Cup winning England Cricket Team, Heather Knight, an OBE for Head Coach Mark Robinson, an MBE for World Cup 2017 Player of the Tournament Tammy Beaumont and an MBE for World Cup 2017 Player of the Final Anya Shrubsole. Elsewhere there is an OBE for Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation. Sue Anstiss, founding director of the Women’s Sport Trust and co-founder of the Women’s Sport Trust charity, receives an MBE for her support of women’s and grassroots sport. Awards for grassroots sport include a BEM for David Woodward, whose voluntary service to youth sport includes being the driving force in establishing a youth hockey coaching network in Rotherham and Sheffield.

The arts, music and dance

In the arts, there is a CBE for co-founder and Director of the Hay Literary Festival, Peter Florence and an OBE for Hay Festival Chair, Revel Guest Albert. In music there is a CBE for President of the Royal College of Music, Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, an OBE for Sarah Alexander, Chief Executive of the National Youth Orchestra and an OBE for singer-songwriter Marc Almond. There are CBEs for actresses Julia McKenzie and Susan Hampshire, as well as for playwright Peter Nichols. An MBE goes to Lucille Briance, founder of the London Children’s Ballet.

And there are awards to recognise the success of Hull City of Culture 2017, including a CBE for Chief Executive and Director Martin Green and OBEs to Chair Rosie Millard and Executive Director Francesca Heygi.

Law and order

In Law and order, the awards include a knighthood to Craig Mackey, Deputy Commission of the Metropolitan Police Service and an OBE to Jackie Hewitt-Main, CEO of The Cascade Foundation, which supports prisoners with learning needs to develop the skills they need for their future lives. A BEM is awarded to Violet Atkinson, who volunteers with Northumbria Police to educate young people about road safety and the consequences of dangerous driving.

Parliamentary

The Parliamentary and Political Service Committee has recommended a damehood for Cheryl Gillan, MP for Chesham and Amersham, and a CBE for Jo Swinson, MP for East Dunbartonshire. An OBE goes to Ealing Councillor Ranjit Dheer.

Finally, there is an MBE recommended for Deborah Brownson, who has spent the last ten years raising awareness about autism. She wrote the innovative book ‘He’s not Naughty! A Children’s Guide to Autism’ which has helped children, families, schools, medical professionals and businesses all over the world.

The honours system continues to recognise those doing extraordinary things to support their community and reinforce civic life across the UK. It is built on/relies on nominations put forward by members of the public and we urge everybody to nominate the person in their lives that they think deserves an honour. We continue to see inspirational action by people up and down the country - and not least in response to significant events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, or recent terrorist attacks.

Read the full New Year’s Honours list and find out more about how to nominate someone for an award.

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