#so I need the 'mike is straight' explanation too

[fandoms-in-law]

Manual Mood Ring

Summary: To keep up popularity and the Harrington reputation Steve couldn't show many emotions. That didn't mean he didn't feel them, only that he didn't always recognise what feelings he hid. So he wore rings, swapped them out according to his moods. And a few people noticed them.

Authors note: It won the poll by 1 vote and honestly I'm glad about it. In typing the other fic up I realised how not finished it is. This has been a great fic to procrastinate work with over the last couple weeks, but I'm glad with where I finished it.

/\/\

Steve would never say, except to Robin, but it all began because of Eddie and curiosity. If the guys he'd been friends with at the start of high school had paid attention, they could've worked it out too, but none of them thought twice when the week after he noticed, and accidentally cause some bullying over, Eddie's rings, Steve came in wearing one of his own.

The ring, or rather rings, he wore weren't expensive, just simple things he'd spotted in a shop window, but somehow everyone thought it was a wealth thing when they noticed it and so far as Steve heard, nobody realised there were 6 different rings he'd swap out. They definitely didn't question when he swapped them either, not even Nancy.

Robin did know. She only admitted noticing them when Steve dragged her out to buy more after the Russians took his original rings and none of the government agents mentioned finding them. She was the one who asked about why he needed multiple rings when he'd only wear one at a time.

It didn't help the assumptions they were dating when Robin insisted on taking his hand to check which ring he was wearing every time they met up after the explanation that he used them as an indication or self check-in of his mood.

/\/\

Eddie knew Steve Harrington wore a ring. When he started to the gossip in Hawkins High said his father insisted on it due to a tradition but if that was the case then the ring was too plain in Eddie’s opinion.

Then he noticed Harrington changing rings after getting a question wrong in class and was certain the rumour was wrong, even if he couldn't figure out the actual reason for it straight away. After he'd seen that first swap, it was too clear for him to notice the times that the ring got changed, especially since he decided to try and figure out why Harrington would do that.

Spotting Harrington's ring enough to tell the differences in it wasn't easy in school, especially outside of their shared classes, but a theory soon grew in Eddie's mind of them being some sort of manual mood ring. This was only backed up when he visited Scoops Ahoy once or twice over the summer.

Before the fire Eddie even thought he was close to knowing what emotions some of the rings might indicate, but they all changed after that, not even one remained the same as before and, thankfully for Eddie's curiosity, the new ones had more noticeable differences.

With all his curiosity over Harrington's rings, it confused him to realise the kids he'd brought into Hellfire seemed to know nothing of them. Once Mike even commented ' Steve would be cooler if he just wore rings like Eddie's.' as if he wasn't already wearing one constantly. Eddie could spot it glinting on Harrington's finger when he picked them up afterwards, not hidden at all.

From paying attention to those lifts and Harrington's expressions and reactions to the brats gave Eddie some clues on what colour or general shape of rings matched good or bad moods, even if he never saw the detailing on them.

Except for one.

Eddie saw one ring in detail once. Hellfire had an extra club meeting that apparently none of the kids Harrington gave a lift to had mentioned to him until he came storming through the school half panicked. Even after confirming they were safe Harrington made everyone move along the table so he could sit next to Eddie and listen until the end.

The ring that time was in a woven pattern, made of silver and Eddie was certain it meant fear or stress. It had to, given how Harrington only looked away from his kids to watch the door or, for some reason, analyse the ceiling for damage and suspiciously eye the lights.

Who knew getting an answer about one of the rings meanings could give Eddie so many more questions?

/\/\

Survival and fear were the only things going through Eddie's mind. He didn't know what happened to Chrissie or if it would happen to him next. He didn't know if he was trying to hide from that or from the town he was sure would blame him.

He definitely wasn't calm enough to recognise any of the voices yelling for him and dived into the boat as they got closer.

The conversation of the group looking for him was heard but barely understood as Eddie tried to get ready to jump up and fight or run through the hard jabs from an oar he thought was mentioned.

It wasn't the oar or the gaze of the man he pinned that broke through Eddie's fear when he decided to get out.

The hand holding the oar wore a silver woven ring. It wasn't polished and definitely showed signs of tarnishing in the indented areas and it echoed how he felt. He knew the ring and what emotion he was certain it meant.

And he knew that other rings were kept in the back pocket from classes where they'd get swapped out. Those are what he reached for now, still pinning Harrington with one hand which made it harder to separate the bronze ring that tended to be worn if he'd be joking when picking the kids up.

“Guess you're not here to have a go at me, or this would be worn.” Eddie mutters eventually into the silence that had fallen in the boathouse.

“I wouldn't do that. Dustin would never talk to me again if I did that. And how do you know anything about my rings?” Steve's words tumbled past each other, but seemed more confused now, instead of the panic he'd shown when first getting pinned.

“What rings?” Dustin demanded, somewhere behind Eddie.

Steve glanced over, “Forget the rings actually. What happened? We want to help.”

/\/\

Steve hadn't changed his ring in days.

Eddie glanced at it each time they came to give him supplies, came to try and talk him into staying with one of them despite how they'd need to hide him from parents, every time he got the change to.

It was still the silver woven effect ring.

He could only hope he'd live to see another ring take its place and was beginning to suspect Steve was hoping the same thing. A few times he'd been caught looking at the hand wearing the ring, but Steve never said anything, only brought his hand back to the pocket with the rest of them.

“You got the bronze ring wrong.” Robin commented on one of the few moments everyone else was distracted. “It's not when Steve's truly happy or whatever you think.”

Eddie glanced at her, gaze returning to Steve straight away. “What is it then?”

“Forced positivity. It's when he's struggling to believe we want him here so tries to reach out subtly for most of them.” She explained.

“And you?”

“Check his rings when I first see him so give him reassurance as needed. Although you might've changed its meaning now.” Her words sounded slow as if she was musing on the idea. “We'll see after Vecna's defeated.”

Eddie wasn't quite sure what to make of that but Robin was already over with Steve again, catching up with whatever they were working on. At least being in hiding gave him lots of time to think through her cryptic comments for breaks from panicking.

/\/\

“That's my ring.” Eddie stated. He'd been staring at the hand since waking up, originally cause it was clinging tightly and then as his memories filtered through the medication clouding his brain, to see if Steve was still stressed out. How was he meant to understand seeing his own ring being worn by Steve?

Steve's chuckle was watery, and there were tears in his eyes when Eddie looked up. “Yeah, mine now. Glad you're awake finally.”

Somehow that was what made him realise he had none of his rings on at all. “Where are the rest? What does my ring have the honour of meaning?” They felt like dumb questions but Eddie was scared to ask the more serious ones.

“Dustin's got them and your pic necklace. He'll be here as soon as visiting hours start along with at least a few of the other brats. Not sure which are seeing you first today other than him. Wayne's at the trailer salvaging what he can. Added me as an emergency contact so you wouldn't wake up alone.” Steve offered, thankfully guessing what he'd want to know first. “As for the ring, I don't know. I've been a mess, unable to figure out what I'm feeling so it's currently a question mark ring.”

That felt like a familiar feeling as Eddie blinked. He had no clue why things would need salvaging from the trailer at all. “What happened?”

The explanation carried on through the kids arriving, Dustin trying to push the rings onto Eddie and being stopped by nurses not wanting the jewellery in the way, and plenty of interruptions and additions. It covered how the attack that had left him in an induced coma to heal had only partly succeeded and everything that had come after and ended with Steve pushing his hair back into place sighing, “Thankfully most of us decided against sleeping through it all. Vecna is gone now and we're just waiting for people to wake up and heal.”

“And get Steve to explain how he's worn a ring so long without us knowing.” Dustin insisted, glaring at said man.

Eddie grinned, shaking his head alongside Steve. “It's not the king's fault if his friends don't pay attention to him. After all, I'd never spoken to him before all of this and I knew about the rings.”

“Lies.” Robin called, appearing in the doorway. “You spoke to him precisely 7 times as I never served you when you came into Scoops.”

Steve tilted his head, thinking before he shook his head at her. “Nope. He just pointed and handed over the money. I spoke to him before it all, but not the reverse. Such an unsociable customer.”

“You couldn't get Eddie Munson to talk to you? That board needed more tallies under you suck.” Robin teased, coming over and smiling at Eddie. “How are you feeling?”

For a moment it was silent as Eddie didn't realise the Steve and Robin show had finished with a question to him. “Oh, I'm – Honestly I feel like I died and this is a bizarre form of purgatory. Could be hell from the pain levels but you're all being too nice for that.”

/\/\

Robin loved Steve's rings. She saw them as a small rebellion against his parents rigid views of gender as well as a good idea for someone who wasn't often allowed to express his emotions.

Even before she knew what they showed, back when they were just co-workers and former classmates, she paid attention to the rings and the ways Steve swapped them out. She knew the original set of 6 almost as well as she knew the ones she'd helped Steve find to replace them.

And she knew they definitely shouldn't be in Nancy Wheeler's jewellery box, still bagged with a label from the US government stating they had been goods confiscated by the Russians.

When she saw them it wasn't sensible to mention it. They were still dealing with Vecna and trying to find out more about him, but she remembered and once everything was over, and all that was left to do was healing, she wasn't going to stay silent any more.

“You know, Nancy, I've had a question for a while.” She stated, off hand, but laser focused on getting answers.

It was just her, Steve and Nancy for the moment so seemed like the best time to bring it up without anyone else interfering.

Nancy didn't seemed concerned either, just smiling. “Which is?”

“You never had anything to do with the Russians during the Starcourt fiasco, right?” Robin didn't immediately mention the rings, knowing just bringing up any of the events was likely to get the guard up of all of them.

Guarded eyes now looked at her, and beside her, Robin knew Steve was trying to catch her eye to silently ask what she was doing. “No. You know I was researching for the paper or with the kids basically the entire time.” Nancy agreed.

“Okay. So why, when we were trying to figure out info on Vecna, did I find a bag of items labelled as things the Russians had confiscated in your jewellery box?” Robin still didn't mention the rings, but knew Steve would immediately think of them.

After being given his keys back he'd tried asking about them but been told nothing else was found. Both of them had watched the government agent then go to talk to other members of their group but assumed that wasn't regarding any other items.

Nancy narrowed her eyes, but stood, going over to the jewellery box to get the bag. “Because the government agents said they'd found them and they seemed most likely to belong to me.”

Robin nodded, holding her hand out for the bag. “So little miss reporter got handed some items she knew definitely weren't hers and instead of say, asking any of the people who had actually been in the Russian base if they knew whose they were decided to keep them for herself and never question the origins?” She challenged, reaching out to take them when Nancy showed no sign of handing them over.

“I recognised them. I've tried remembering why I recognise them so I could return them.” Nancy insisted.

“Again, why didn't you just ask me, ask Steve, Dustin, Erica, if any of us knew who these rings belonged to?” Robin challenged, Steve's hand coming to rest palm up on her shoulder although he remained silently watching the scene.

Nancy glared, “Because I should know whose they are.” She snapped. “If I could just-”

“Pay more attention to the people around you, you'd know.” Steve interrupted when it looked like Nancy would go into a rant about her memory to try and justify not asking. “The reason you'd recognise these is I was always wearing one of them the entire time you knew me.” His voice was calm, but Robin could feel the tension in him, and a glance over at him showed his current rings had been swapped. She didn't think he'd go back to using the set she held even as she put the bag in his hand.

For a moment it looked like Nancy would scoff before she narrowed her eyes on Steve's hands, as if only just realising he still wore a ring. “But why would there be 6 of them?” She asked. “Only Eddie wears that many or more at a time.”

“Because I swap them out when I feel like it.” That wasn't the explanation Robin had received and she doubted the full one would be offered right now. “Thanks for returning them finally. I'm more annoyed that even when I asked specifically about the rings those agents didn't mention them to me at all.”

“Oh.” Nancy deflated as she realised Steve wasn't going to yell at her. She seemed not to notice Robin's gaze was still hard. “Yeah, sorry I didn't remember or, as Robin rightly said, ask whose they were earlier.”

At that Robin leant forward again, knowing her smile was colder than she'd normally direct at friends. “Please do ask if this happens in the future, because Steve shouldn't have had to replace his rings for you to delay solving a mystery this long.”

Nancy nodded, “I will. Are you two sure you aren't-?”

“Best friends and protective friends at that. You might be pretty but you aren't Stevie.” Robin reaffirmed, before sighing and trying to let her annoyance go. “Shall we put a film on or something?”

Steve hopped up, going to the stairs to listen for where Nancy's parents might be. “Probably not a film. I think Ted is still watching something, unless you're about to suggest going back to mine.”

“Funnily enough, Dingus, I was.” Robin agreed, also getting up. If she hadn't wanted to get him his rings back she'd have suggested going there to hang out from the start but now that was done she would happily swap hang out locations.

/\/\

Perhaps he'd just been young, but Steve had never thought he'd have to get more rings, after finding six of them. Emotions had seemed simple to him, nothing like the tumult he'd been going through and while six rings had stretched before now he was learning that getting more was necessary.

He didn't question how, in getting those original rings back, he knew that one already meant heartbreak and grief, while the rest weren't needed any more. It just seemed reasonable; an escalation of the swap from the ring saying everything is good to saying his world was crashing before he lost them, to now having its hopefully final meaning be grief.

Then there was Eddie's ring, the mixed feelings ring, or as Steve still thought of it, a question mark ring. He hadn't meant to claim it, but when taking the rings off so the hospital didn't dispose of them he hadn't been able to let it go, even to hand it to Dustin. He'd covered by swapping it out with the stressed ring and repeating that Eddie wanted him to wear a different ring.

Honour: A word Steve had only ever heard directed to him jokingly, but Eddie used for his ring being worn. It boggled his mind a bit to realise how sincere the other was being with him. A lot of things did when it came to Eddie, like the fact he'd called Steve a good person out of nowhere and without prompting. Most people just complained about or insulted who he used to be and when he tried talking with Robin about it she'd got mad at herself before repeating how good a person he was now. That hadn't helped his bewilderment, just added another cause for it.

“Dingus, why are you glaring at your rings and a notebook?” Robin asked, draping over his shoulder and bringing Steve's mind back into Family Video and the slow work day they were trying to keep busy through.

“I need more of them but don't want to go around with even more rings in my pocket. Or know how to label what feelings they'd be for.” He grumbled.

She leant closer, forcing Steve to bend with her so she could see the notebook better. “Yeah starting from scratch is dumb. Write what you have rings for already, Your terms not mine or anyone else's, and see what you think is missing after that. Then see which stand out as unlikely to be worn often. Those could live in your car or wallet or something instead of your pocket.” Saying this she moved to his side and laid the rings out on a clear page of the notebook.

As Steve considered the idea Robin wandered off to check on the only customer. It was a pretence he knew, but one he's grateful for, even as the biggest necessity in his list becomes evident.

There's nuance, and different rings for sadness, anger, confusion, embarrassment, heartbreak, but only 'good' and 'trying to see positives' for good emotions. Good was one he barely knew how to quantify now and 'trying to see positives' didn't actually feel good to wear. But Steve wasn't feeling constantly bad, he knew that. He felt hopeful, amused, warm, and loved; like these friends were a real family.

Plus the question mark ring was where good and bad emotions were fighting in him.

“Do you think Eddie will come ring shopping with us?” He called out, settling on the four emotions he needed new rings for and looking around the store for the first time in a while.

“I think I can fit that in, yes Stevie.” Eddie replied, leaning on the counter opposite him. Robin was stood beside him looking over at Steve in amusement.

He shifted a little, looking between them, expecting to get teased. “You've been here how long?”

“Couple minutes, was going to block the page to say hi but you looked so adorably focused.” Eddie shrugged. “Are these all your current ring meanings? You've still not told me-” The words broke off as he read the list, fingers tapping over empty spots noted for new rings

Robin had started snickering, needing no words to tease once Steve met her gaze, but stopped in confusion at Eddie's reaction. “Sure they are. He's decided he needs to show more emotions than that now.”

“Like more positive ones, you mean?” He asked, a sharp gaze stabbing at her. “Little Miss Platonic, why haven't you told him to get more or change all the meanings so he doesn't only have negative emotions to show sooner?”

“What?” The demand was when Steve realised their focus might be surrounding him but it didn't currently involve him. “When did those change?”

He blinked at them, seeing a tussle break out for the notebook and wondering what Robin meant as he glanced as the ring on his finger now, bronze, looking for positivity, then back to her. “They didn't?” He asked, trying to remember what he'd told her they meant. He'd probably described situations which made him change to each ring he was replacing after Starcourt since describing his feelings isn't easy without them. “What did you think they meant?”

Instead of saying anything she snatched the pen to start writing her understanding of the rings down, Eddie's eyes getting wider as he read them. “That's – That's some difference.”

“Did I explain when I'd swap to wearing them before?” Steve asked, unable to read upside down and just getting frowned at as Robin made it clear he had and she didn't like the meaning mix-up it had apparently caused. “You still know how to help anyway.” He tried to reassure, hoping to lessen the glare.

“Just how pissed should I be at Nancy?” Robin demanded instead, angrily gesturing to the embarrassment ring. “How much didn't you say when I thought you might date her again?”

Both Steve and Eddie stepped back from her anger as Steve frantically tried to remember what he'd used to explain that ring and how it involved Nancy. “You literally said you didn't need to know that story.”

“Apparently I do now if just her visiting your workplace has you feeling embarrassed enough to change rings over it.” Robin insisted. “So, story-time please Steve. What happened with Nancy Wheeler?”

/\/\

“Did you argue with Buckley?” Jonathan asked, sitting down beside Nancy and taking in the glare levelled at them.

She looked over as well but soon looked away. “The rings were Steve's. She found them but didn't seem this mad then.”

For a moment he just nodded, before straightening to look for Steve. “I didn't imagine the rings he used to wear then? I guess between you giving them back and now we've been spoken about. Makes sense I think.”

“What does?”

“Steve's best friend being pissed when he told her what happened between us three. I did wonder if she knew anything beyond the rumours.” He explained, waving when Steve emerged from the kitchen.

Nancy stared, trying to understand how Robin's anger came from that, even as she smiled at Steve coming over.

“You two okay? Your move back to Hawkins going well?” Steve asked, relaxed, a ring shaped into a shield on his hand.

“We're good, are you?” Jonathan asked, but carried on without pausing for a reply, “Realised that we never apologised for everything during that Halloween. I thought you'd broken up honestly, until Dustin said you were taking flowers to Nance when he asked for help.”

“I'm good and thank you. It's all history now and I'm pretty sure there was no coming back from that argument. I'm sorry for everything bad I did back then too. Some fault on both sides, I think.” Steve hurried to accept the apology but followed Nancy's gaze when she looked back over to Robin. “And Robs will calm down soon enough. She just got the meanings of some of my rings wrong and is mad about it.”

“What meanings do they have?” Nancy asked, glancing back at the ring he currently wore. “Eddie too? He did the hand hold thing too today.”

His nose scrunched but he looked amused, “Yeah but also no. That's cause Henderson tried using Robin's ring checking as evidence I'm dating her and Eds wants to see if he'll insist the same for someone else doing it. I'm preparing for anything Robin does to me to get copied or escalated for a while.”

“You're cool with that?” Jonathan challenged, looking shocked at the thought and Nancy could remember their fight from years back, wondering if that was why.

“Robin would kill me if I wasn't. Plus it means my empty home is a lot noisier with laughter now.” Steve mused. “Yeah, I'm pretty happy about Eddie's game.” As he finished speaking his hand dipped into his back pocket, a practised gesture that seemed absent enough to be unnoticeable as his ring was swapped out while he looked around the gathering. “I'd better check the kids aren't causing trouble over there.”

There was silence between them for a moment as he headed away. “So that's the first time I've actually seen that happen.” Jonathan eventually commented.

“No wonder. If he hadn't just mentioned his ring I'd have missed it.” She agreed, wondering why Steve would hide the gesture but do it so openly. It was more evidence that she hadn't known him as well as she thought.

/\/\

Dustin was getting frustrated. He'd thought it was a blatant lie when Robin said she was checking Steve's ring each time she took his hands upon greeting. Then he'd thought maybe it was valid but still an excuse after noticing them was what started calming Eddie down in the boat-shed.

Now Eddie kept waiting behind Robin as she checked Steve's rings, draping himself over the side of him left free when they watched movies. It was getting honestly difficult to get a hold of either of them separately and Dustin didn't trust it.

“Why are you leading Eddie on?” He accused one of the few times Steve picked him up without the other already in the car.

“I'm not, but thanks, really flattering view of me you have there.” Steve huffed.

Dustin narrowed his eyes, “You're straight Steve.” He stated as if he was being dumb. “Why are you accepting his flirting when you aren't into him? Are you going to hurt him?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “One, that's not for you to question for me. Neither of us are going to get hurt. Two, Eddie checked and keeps checking we both know where we stand in this. Three, thanks for winning me that bet.”

“Bet? What bet?” He demanded but they'd pulled up in the trailer park and Eddie was already climbing in.

He'd clearly heard the question and leaned over Steve's seat, pulling his hand up to check the ring while asking, “Yeah Stevie, what bet are you telling Dustin about?”

“One I won cause he got in telling me off for leading you on.” He smirked, taking his hand back to pull off again. “Seatbelt.”

“As if I wouldn't follow you anywhere, Big boy. Keep leading.” Eddie remarked flippantly before swatting at Dustin, “But talk about clouded vision, Shithead. So when Robin does it they're dating but I do it and I'm being led on.”

Dustin spluttered for a moment, but Steve's smirk got sharper, “So that's me and Robin one each, you none. Lucas could be anyone's but I think you have a shot at Mike.”

/\/\

Robin helped Steve find it, the final ring he’d buy for himself hopefully. She’d helped with everything else in his realisations since Eddie’s game began and was trying to make him share his feelings with Eddie now.

The ring had been both Steve’s way to delay that admission and his hope that Eddie would bring the conversation up for him. If only because he had no intention of advertising the feeling it meant at all.

It should have worked too, except he was never wearing the ring when Eddie first arrived, never able to get privacy when the change was noticed by the other and didn’t see how it could change with their kids all wanting attention constantly. He almost felt like his crush was doomed to silence and Robin’s teasing over it but refused to accept it, adapting instead. He started swapping rings when even slightly feeling besotted, hearing Dustin raving over something Eddie had done or a song reminding him of the other. Steve even started practising demanding private moments and dragging Robin off during her greetings, just waiting for Eddie to question this new ring.

“Is it my turn to ask for a private chat, big boy?” Eddie asked, finally seeing Steve’s latest ring worn as he arrived.

Everyone else was filing through the house to the kitchen or Steve’s pool and barely glanced their way as Steve tugged Eddie upstairs, blush only noticed by Robin as they went.

“You like my ring then?” He asked only after they were alone. It was partly to delay the admission, but mostly a genuine question. When looking for this ring he’d specifically wanted something that reminded him of Eddie’s rings and the coiled serpent design seemed fitting.

/\/\

Eddie for the first time in a while didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ramble about how much he liked it and wanted a similar one for himself; wanted to interrogate Steve on this new ring when he’d been resolute on pairing rings up if he found an emotion missing from their meanings in the future; wanted to ask if it was a way to get his attention.

It was mostly the last of the list actually, but that felt too vulnerable to say.

“It’s metal, but why? You said you didn’t want to get any more after our shopping spree.” He asked, holding back all the words trying to tumble out.

Steve fell backwards onto his bed, heaving a sigh and making Eddie wonder if he’d asked the wrong thing. “Because a crush isn’t as simple an emotion to indicate and I didn’t want you to make similar errors to Robin if I paired it up with other rings straight away.” He muttered to the ceiling.

Hope flickered to light where it had dimmed at the sigh. “A crush? On who?” There was a guess, especially with how Dustin had been distracted from his questions the week before, but he wanted to hear it for himself.

“You.” Steve said, rolling onto his side and watching Eddie as he stood just beside the door, never having moved since they came in.

He moved now, taking the hand and brushing his thumb over Steve’s ring. “That explains why you weren’t wearing it when I wasn’t around at first, but not why you’re wearing it now.”

“Will mentioned you earlier, some of the chats you’ve had with him over Mike.” He hummed.

“Your love for those kids is cute.” Eddie grinned, kneeling on the bed beside him. “It also doesn’t say what you want to happen now. You seem plenty happy with me copying how Robs treats you but are you wanting more than that?”

Everything in Eddie was screaming to just ask for more, or lean down and kiss Steve, or do something other than gently prying more details out from the gorgeous boy rolling around on the bed.

“Maybe you could kiss me too sometimes, see how we feel about going further when my house isn’t full of everybody else.” Steve smirked up at him, as if reading the desires on his face. “Oh and invitations to either your band practices or performances. I want those too. Who knows maybe the Corroded Coffin boys could just fit in with this chaotic family of ours over time.”

“Yeah?” Eddie asked, leaning so their lips were millimetres apart. “Want to join our families? You already thinking of marriage, big boy?”

Steve leant up for a small kiss, “Forever with you sounds like torturous bliss. Where do I sign up?”

“I think you already have.” They both grinned into the deep kiss Eddie pulled him into then.

#stranger things #steve harrington #robin buckley #eddie munson #steddie #nancy wheeler #platonic stobin #dustin henderson

[knownoshamc]

Someone remind me, what’s the point of the Duffer brothers showing us scenes between Mike/El & Mike/Will so close to each other, shot in a way so you compare & contrast them ( the fight scenes & the ‘I love you, too’ & ‘not possible’ ) ? I need a heterosexual explanation, please.

#byler #we know what makes sense #so I need the 'mike is straight' explanation too #this is old news but I am focusing again on what they have showed us so far #(not s4 spoilers/interviews)

[lambertdiary]

NSFW!! if i can make my request could you write somthing about mike and reader being in a relationship and she takes care of abby when he's working and one day he comes back sad and upset cuz he's been fired and she comforts him?? and yk i feel like he might be a little sub when it comes to doing it

A/N: Hey!! This is my first time writing for this lovely character, so please let me know what you think of this! Also thank you so much for your request, please keep them coming

Word Count: 2.5k+

Warnings: NSFW, smut, brief hand job, blowjob, sub!mike x dom!reader, praise kink, unprotected sex, FNAF movie spoilers

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After A Bad Day

Mike was driving back home from the mall, his hands gripping the wheel a little tighter than usual. He had just been fired from his job, again. He needed that job if he wanted to keep custody of his sister, he needed to look good on paper since he didn’t think a judge would want Abby to live with his unemployed brother. 

The incident that caused him his job was something he wasn’t proud of, but if he was being completely honest it wasn’t even his fault, he was just doing what he thought was right, but his boss did not like that explanation.

He got out of the car as he held his belongings, taking a deep breath as he opened the front door. There was only one thing worse than getting fired, and that was having to tell his girlfriend about it.

“Hey” She greeted him as soon as he walked through the door.

“Hi” He greeted her back, but walked straight to the kitchen counter to drop off the stuff he was holding. It had been a long day and he didn’t wanna have to face her after losing his job, not yet.

“How was your day?” “It was good” He simply said, his short response giving her a heads up that something was off “Yours?”

“Really good actually, I managed to bond with Abby a little better during dinner. I think I’m in one of her drawings but she won’t tell me”

“I can imagine”

She left the couch and tried to approach him without coming off too strong, if something was off then she didn’t want to overwhelm him, so she stopped when she was close enough “I made spaghetti if you’re hungry”

“Thanks. Where’s Abby?”

“She went to her room a while ago, I’m pretty sure she’s sleeping now”

“Did she eat her dinner?”

“I tried my best but you know her”

“Yeah” He turned around to face her, revealing his injured fists.

“What happened to you? Are you okay?” Y/N approached him completely, her hands going straight to his.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just gonna go take a shower” He freed himself from her grip as he started to make his way to his bathroom.

“Mike…” She stopped him, her glance asking for an explanation when he turned to meet her gaze.

“It was stupid, don’t worry about it”

“What happened?”

Mike stayed silent for a moment, struggling to spit the words out “I uh- I got fired”

“Oh my god Mike, I’m sorry” She could see the disappointment in his face. She knew it was hard for him and she wanted to help, but sometimes he would lock himself up and not let her in “What happened?”

“It was a misunderstanding”

“How?” He simply shook his head, his eyes falling to the ground “What did you do?”

“It doesn’t matter… Look, we can talk about it later, okay? I just need to get my mind off things and take a shower”

She nodded and slowly closed the distance between their bodies, her arms going around his neck “Why don’t you get the shower started while I check on Abby? And I can join you if you want” Her words lingered in the air for a moment as Mike gathered his thoughts. There was a lot going on in his mind. Getting fired, having to look for a new job, the possibility of losing custody of his sister, but it all faded slowly when he was with her “Still there?” She asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“So you’re not mad at me? You wanna join me in the shower?” 

“Of course I’m not mad at you, and I think that you need to relax. You’re right, get your mind off things and we can talk about it later” She guided him to the couch, sitting next to him as one of her hands fell on his knee, tracing small circles on it “Does that sound good?”

“Y- yeah”

“Are you having a stressful day, baby?” He nodded softly, his tongue wetting his lips quickly “You know, I can help with that” Her hand started to rise up his leg, getting closer and closer to his crotch area.

He swallowed hard as he watched her hand, his trousers getting tighter by the second. She was taking her sweet time, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as her amusement grew watching him get desperate for contact.

She fell to her knees in front of him, her hands spreading his legs to make enough space for her between them “Wanna get rid of these?” She asked, tugging at his bottoms and he just nodded.

He watched and he patiently waited. She imagined him enjoying the tension of anticipation as she hooked her fingers around the sides of his trousers and slowly, slowly, agonisingly slowly worked them down his legs until they pooled around his ankles. She decided to tease him a bit longer, so she admired his cock covered only by the thick black cotton of his boxers that was just a few centimetres away from her face. She dragged her palm over the lump and watched his eyes widen. He breathed a sigh at the contact, the pressure in his stomach releasing just the smallest bit at the relief. She didn’t break eye contact once, she loved to see the effect she had on him.

After just a moment, her hand slid under the waistband of his boxers, her cold hands against his hot skin caused a hiss to leave his mouth as she curled her fingers around his thickness. She laid her cheek on his thigh, watching each pass of her own hand over his cock.

“Do you want me to take you?” She asked him, expecting an obvious answer from him, but she repeated her question when she didn’t hear a single word fall from his mouth “Mhm, do you?”

“Yes, please” He replied in a desperate tone.

A smile appeared on her face. She sat up straight and positioned herself better between his legs, her mouth slowly approaching his cock as he completely got rid of his pants and boxers. She took the base and her fingers barely connected around his cock, a sight that made him moan on his own.

He was looking down at her with his eyes begging for more, his breath staining when he felt the spit she had collected in her mouth go down his cock. She pressed her soft lips against his head, opening her mouth a little wider when she started to slide down his prick. 

A choked moan left his throat at the feeling. She stopped immediately and looked up at him “You have to be quiet, we don’t wanna wake Abby up, do we?” He shook his head, his mouth slightly open “Good boy”

She went back and took him again, hollowing her cheeks around him and her head bobbing painfully slowly. She repeated the motions a few more times but never fully pulled back, and he could feel her warm tongue at different spots and his cum glossing over her lips.

The entire time he was trying his best to stay quiet, he knew he had to, but he couldn’t help himself with how good she was making him feel. He let out a soft moan as her head continued to pump his base to meet with her lips, and as her pace began to quicken the more desperate he was getting for a release. 

It was taking everything in him to keep it together right now, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment to try and calm his urges. He let out a long breath, he needed more but he knew he had to be patient, but a particularly good suck made him involuntarily buck his hips up a bit. His eyes shot open as her hand lightly smacked the side of his thigh, warning him.

“Sorry, sorry, I- I’m sorry”

She continued to take him, and he was repeating in his mind he had to be more careful, but it was hard with the sight of his cock disappearing between her lips and her spit coating in his cock.

He was thankful when she started to go faster and deeper, she was sucking and licking repeatedly, her tongue tracing the vein along his cock as the weight laid heavy in her mouth. The pressure in his stomach was tightening with each pass of her mouth, letting both of them know he was close. He almost begged her to keep going, but the words ‘Don’t stop’ got stuck in his throat and a soft whimper replaced them. She had done that before, taking away the pleasure just moments before his release, but she wasn’t planning on doing that today, not when he was already having a hard day.

One of fists was taking a handful of the couch and the other was placed over his thigh, his nails digging his skin every time he felt his tip brush the back of her throat. The feeling of her spit drooling down onto his balls was what pushed him over the edge, and there was nothing he could do about it but cum.

“Oh fuck, I’m cumming” He moaned as quiet as he could. 

Her thumb circling his hand gave him the permission he was waiting for. It only took a couple more passes of her soft lips before he was shooting his release down her throat, his eyes screwing shut as he tried hard to keep every sound as low as possible.

She was working him through his orgasm, licking and swallowing every single drop of cum he was giving her. Once she took all of it, she pulled back, the smallest lick of her pink tongue rolling over his head to collect the last drop of release that was still there and a thin line of spit and cum was connecting his cock and her lips before breaking and falling over her chin.

Her gaze was glassy, her lips swollen and her hair a bit of a mess, but he swore that it was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on.

“Do you feel better, baby?” Her voice was as soft and innocent as ever, only adding to the filthy scene.

He swallowed hard before answering “Yes” 

“Good. Are you gonna join me in the shower then?”

He watched her as she got up and made her way to the bathroom, his eyes following her. He wanted to get up and run to the bathroom, but he was still recovering from his orgasm.

“Mike” She whispered when she made it there, waiting for him to follow her “I’ll be waiting for you”

She entered completely and Mike heard the water running so he immediately got up, bursted into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. She smiled when she saw him, the bottom part of his outfit still gone.

Y/N let her sweats fall to the floor, her top joining shortly after. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath and she could almost hear him willing her to turn around to let him see more than just her naked back.

He decided to get rid of the rest of his clothes when she stepped into the shower. He joined her and he secretly admired her naked body. 

She finally turned around, giving him a full view of her front, and her lips found his right away, he could taste the traces of his cum still on her lips. His hands travelled up and down her back as her hands landed on his hair. She lightly pulled his head back to give her more neck space, kissing and softly biting down his neck.

With the water muffling any sounds, he allowed himself to let out a moan slip past his lips “It’s my turn to come, yeah?” She whispered as her hand went down his body, finding his hardening cock.

He nodded frantically as his hips betrayed him again with a buck against her hand, but she let it slide this time. He rolled his head back to feel the water run down his face, taking a deep breath before grabbing her hips and lifting her up, holding her with her back against the wall. 

They started kissing again, this time more desperate for each other, but especially Y/N who had been getting uncomfortably and painfully wet between her legs the moment she went down on him. Her front was pressed against his and she could feel his hard pressing against her tummy.

“Go on baby, I want you inside me” His response was a low grunt, so he positioned himself and slid his aching cock inside her, slowly moving in and out until she asked for more. He was going deeper with each thrust, and her eyes began welling up with tears at the complete ecstasy coursing through her veins. He went even deeper, hitting her special spot just right. Her walls began to tighten around every inch of him as his brows furrowed in pleasure.

“Faster” She whimpered and he happily obliged.

He quickly picked up a faster pace, her breathing becoming stained at the motions as her nails scratched down his back.

“Play with my clit baby, I know you can handle it” Her words made him moan but he did as she said. He positioned his left arm better to be able to hold her with it alone while his right hand found her clit between their bodies, the immediate feeling of pressure making her head fuzzy.

He motioned slightly faster, this time making small circles around it. The pressure had her crumbling against him almost instantly, as soon as he felt her legs begin to shake against him he started to thrust deeper into her. 

By the way her eyes squeezed shut he knew she was close, and so was he, but he had to wait a little longer this time. Finally, that familiar feeling was coming closer and closer, the edge of her climax making her walls tighten around him and her mouth hanging open as moans of his pretty name fell repeatedly from her lips.

“You’re doing so good, baby” She breathed, the praise making him go deeper “Just a little more, I’m almost there”

Just a few seconds after that, the knot in the pit of her stomach became tighter and tighter, her soft moans flowing out of her mouth even more as the pressure sent her into complete bliss. Her entire body twitched against his, her head rolled back in pleasure. 

His second orgasm followed shortly after, this time his cum staining her walls as his thrust became sloppy. He fucked himself through his overwhelming orgasm, prolonging hers.

When they were both done, he let her down gently, pinning her against the wall with one arm above her shoulder and his head pressed against the wall as he looked down at her body. 

“Good job” She whispered into his ear.

#mike schmidt #mike schmidt x reader #mike schmidt fic #mike schmidt fanfic #mike schmidt imagine #mike schmidt x you #mike schmidt smut #fnaf #fnaf movie #fnaf movie x reader #josh hutcherson

[bylerschmyler]

Mike - Vecna's 4th victim

I know that many people believe that Mike was a tool for Vecna to get Will and El back or that he waited for Mike to be gone to California. I have a pretty different perspective on this and I want to share my thoughts about this. I just gonna warn you that this post will be quite long but I would appreciate it if you take your time to read it.

For the tool-theory and waiting to be gone-theory I have two simple reasons why I don't think that they are correct.

When Vecna kills Chrissy Mike is still in Hawkins. He doesn't wait for Mike to be gone/sitting in the car/plane and traveling to California. Vecna kills her mere hours before Mike had no possibility to interfere with him. It's not only that Vecna kills Chrissy, no he kills her in close proximity to Max who could have been more suspicious about Eddie, Chrissy and the lights and could have called a CODE RED, which would have led to Mike not going to California. So if he wanted Mike to go to California (either for him to be gone or to get El/Will back) why would he jeopardize this mission by being too impatient?

If Vecna wanted Mike out of the way why didn't he just kill him? I mean we can all agree that pre S4 Mike already has a massive amount of trauma. So if he needs Mike out of the way he could have just cursed him too, couldn't he? There was nobody to stop him from doing it. El? Out of the picture. No powers and too far away. Mike? Wouldn't be able to help himself during a trance. The Party? If they don't know what is coming, how would they prevent it?

So I think Mike wasn't a tool for Vecna. He was a perfect fit for a far more important role.

He was the Chosen one, the fourth, the final sacrifice.

But before we are going to discuss Mike's role in Vecna's plan in detail, let's take a step back and take a look in the things that actually happened in S4.

Specifically everything that has to do with Patrick and his curse. Because there are so many things wrong with Patricks curse.

First of all Patrick doesn't fit the other victims. Timing wise as well as in his trauma and our connection to him and his connection to other characters on the show.

Timing

Patrick is the only victim that we see getting cursed. This happens on the March 23rd (sunday) at some point during the day (morning or noon I guess). (here the scene where he gets cursed)

This is in direct contrast to the timeline which is presented by Max. For further explanation this is also March 23rd but late in the evening.

So let me get this straight.

Chrissy's curse started a week ago (approximately week = seven days. I made this post where I found a specific date when Chrissy's symptoms started and they are not adding up. But I think it's because it's meant to be not the curse itself that's coursing these symptoms but something else which I will talk about in another post)

Fred's started six days ago

Max's five days ago

And Patrick just that morning (basically one day ago)?

In no way this is supposed to happen. What was the reason? Did Vecna forget to curse Patrick four days ago? Or couldn't he decide who to curse 4 days prior?

Well the most logical reason (imo) is that his actual target can't be targeted. And we do know one character who was in Hawkins and left during the season. And that's Mike. But this is not the only reason Patricks timing is off.

With Patrick being cursed there is a change in the way the curse works for Max and him in comparison to Fred and Chrissy. I won't go too much in to the details but here are some observations.

Chrissy and Fred both have 3 visions that are heavily paralleling each other.

Their 1. vision is related to the people around them. Chrissy thinks that Max is still in the room when the pounding on the bathroom stall starts. Then she hears her mothers voice and Vecna's feed come into vision. Her mothers voice get distorted soon after and Vecna's voice fades in.

Freds first vision is also directly connected to a conversations he is having with Officer Daniels. Daniels also fades in to Vecna. His face and his voice.

The second vision is the grandfather clock. But a very creepy version.

With Chrissy it's spiders with Fred it's people turning into Vecna calling him murderer.

The third vision is there death and relieving their nightmare.

Both die on the end of their 5th day of being cursed. Their visions start during the day and the day ends with their death.

In contrast to this Max curse is put off this timing. Max visions start on the end of her 5th day of being cursed and she has 3 visions with different themes than Fred and Chrissy.

Max's 1. vision is the grandfather clock. But it's only the creepy grandfather clock. No spiders and no link to Max's trauma.

Her 2nd vision is like Fred’s and Chrissy’s 1st vision a person who fades into Vecna.

her 3rd vision is supposed to be her death which she can escape from.

She has a 4th vision where she actually dies.

Patrick only has one vision we see and one that is implied but we don’t see at all. His first vision is the clock during Chrissy’s funeral.

the other would have been when he dies but we don’t see the vision.

Timing wise this implicates the scenario that Patricks’s cursing throws the timeline off schedule because we see a clear pattern before he was cursed which is thrown off the second Vecna targets him. So likely the original schedule would have targeted Max on the 23rd and the 4th victim on the 24th.

Lack of imagery and missing build up

His trauma, connection to other characters and the connection we build to him is also off. While most of it is due to the lack of imagery regarding him but also to the fact that we have a build up in this topics that Patrick is reversing.

I don’t really want to order the trauma of Vecna’s victims in terms of severity because I firmly believe that any trauma should be addressed and recognised and you shouldn’t compare trauma (unless you’re a therapist) because this kind of invalidates the people with “less severe” trauma. But when we talk about Patrick’s trauma we only have two clues about what it is because we don’t see visions that are related to his trauma. The first one is when he gets cursed (here). A man, likely his father, calls him a disgrace. Lucas also tells us that Patrick came to practice with a black eye once.

This implicates that Patrick is also a victim of domestic abuse (like Chrissy) What I find interesting is that this creates a circle of trauma themes.

(I want to emphasize that between Fred and Max there is a build up because Fred has survivors guilt and Max has survivors guilt but also wanted the person that died to die before he died. This is obviously meant for us to notice because it’s an addition to the same theme)

Ignoring the potential build up in the trauma and going into Patrick’s relationships we see that he doesn’t make sense as 4th victim narratively speaking. We have a clear build up in the victims relationships with other characters:

Chrissy has no known relationship to our main characters 

Fred is Nancy’s colleague and apprentice (Fred asking Nancy how she did this with Jonathan). They are close enough (Nancy trusts him enough) to take him to the Trailer Park. 

Max is a main character of the show. She has many close relationships to other main characters

And then Patrick comes around and he is just Lucas’ team mate who he can’t even trust because they are hunting for his friends. 

The connections to other characters get closer and closer until Max only to go rapidly down with Patrick. Narratively this doesn’t make sense because Patrick is supposed to be the 4th victim. He should have close ties to our favorite characters and they should care deeply about him because of the needed rise in tension. They get around it with Max escaping the death vision and being the actual 4th victim but for the original plan this would have been very weird.

This also ties to the connection we as an audience have to the victims.

Chrissy is a new character. We only see her in one episode and we barely know anything about her. Most of what we know is that she is a cheerleader and she has trauma. Although many people sympathize with her we can’t really get connected to her.

Fred is basically the same. But we get more information about him. We know he is a journalist. We also know that he does know about Jonathan and Nancy and their struggles in their relationship (which he kind of wants to take a chance in because he flirts with Nancy). We have two episodes with him.

We have known Max since season 2. We had a lot of time to get to know her and create a bond with her.

And yet again Patrick doesn’t make sense. Why do we get a new character which we don’t like because he is part of the antagonists, after a (beloved) main character? There was a subtle build up and then we flunk down in the negatives with our perspective on the character.

I wanna add that in an recent reblog of a post i discussed Mike's parallels to the other victims. You can find the post here.

But how does Mike fit in?

Most people on here are well aware of all the hints that connect Mike with Vecna. Therefore many people believe he is a target in S5. I believe so too. I still don’t think that so much has changed during S4 that made him more targetable than he already was. Yes his trauma increased through the shootout, the death of unknown hero agent man, lying to El and losing Eddie and Max, but his trauma was there before. And it was severe enough to make him struggle. It’s pointed out in the canon extending book “Lucas on the line” and it is also shown in his behavior in S4 (getting up too late, used clothes, dirty room/basement, he doesn’t eat on camera, and more). So Mike would be a perfect target for Vecna only considering his trauma. But there is way more stuff that make Mike a perfect last puzzle piece in this situation. First of all he is one of the few characters that are in Hawkins when the curses begin and have more/deeper connections than Max. Yes Max has a lot of deep connections (the Party and El specifically) but Mike has those connections too and he has deeper connections to the teens (Nancy and Jonathan especially), Will, Joyce and Hopper. So in a certain way he is more connected to the rest of the cast and would be perfect to be the final step of the build up we see with character relationships. He has also been part of the show since S1 and was one of THE main characters in S1 and S2. He has a very important role in figuring out important plot points and so for us he is obviously a very important character. And so while I don’t play favorites he is slightly more important for the audience (subjectively speaking). Timing wise (as I said before) he is the only character we know to travel out of Hawkins during the cursing. Him being cursed on March 20th (thursday) wouldn’t compromise the given timeline. It would also explain this scene where Mike clearly looks like he has a awful headache.

And this scene where Max has a nosebleed and the camera’s focus shifts to him

(some people believe that’s the moment he cursed Max. I doubt that. When Max explains the symptoms she said nosebleedS, plural [Insert Eddie’s comment on Nancy’s guns here].I believe that’s thursday morning and Mike was just cursed and had a nosebleed like Patrick and he looked like he looked because he found it suspicious that he had a nosebleed and now Max has a nosebleed.) Clearly two times where he was visibly shown in the context of the curses symptoms. Also his bedroom scene, when he reads Els' letter could connect to the symptoms (this is more of a reach than the other two).

Sleeping in underwear => He woke up an a cold sweat

The binder with Will’s drawings is in his room => having nightmares and needing comfort

(re-)reading the letter => having nightmares and needing reassurance that everything is okay

he is later than he usually is => trouble sleeping

Also I think @aemiron-main pointed that out: Mikes Reaction to Karen telling him that he need to be home by nine because it's an early flight suggests that he barely sleeps because he seems to not care of the early flight.

And last but not least the line Vecna uses for Max (You’ll be the chosen one, the fourth the final sacrifice) fits way better to Mike. Why? Well the main reason I only got on the Mike getting vecnaed’ train was while I was rewatching the show I saw this scene where El screams for Mike while she has a vision:

This scene reminded me of this scene where Will does the same:

And it made me think about how Vecna knows that both of his former targets heavily depend on Mike. He is the first they think about when needing help. He’s the first they find comfort in when upset. So Mike is obviously on Vecna’s radar. There is more…. These two scenes where Max and Mike help El and try to protect her and Billy sees it.

They stand out because it would make so much sense for Mike to be targeted too. Max does become a target because of her trauma but also because of her connection to El. So Mike would be a perfect target too. Him being the final sacrifice would be the peak of devastation for both Will and El and would make perfect sense for Vecna to do so. Also it would contrast Mike’s arc because he is usually the one interfering with Vecna’s plans in overtaking the real world. Mike being the last kill to open the gates to the UD would be very “poetic” from Vecna’s POV. Furthermore the line “You would be the chosen one” would be far more fitting for Mike. Mike is a fan of fantasy stories. The Chosen One Trope is a typical fantasy trope that has been used for ages. Mike can relate far more to this trope than Max (Max is a comic fan where this trope is used too, but Mike is pictured way more with classic fantasy where this trope is used very often).

But why did Vecna wait for Mike to go on vacation?

This is the only thing that really makes me struggle. Because I don’t have a good answer to this. The only possible explanation I see (without doubting the rest of this theory) is that Vecna didn’t look for his plans, his supposedly happy memories/thoughts and only took in the bad ones. Max tells us that she thinks Vecna only looks for the bad memories.

So if Max is right then Vecna didn’t look for the light in Mike’s mind and only for the darkness. (Therefore didn't see his hope of reconnecting to Will in Califronia) I also want to point out that Mike is not the only target Vecna needed. He needed four victims. So this is not solely about him. And you need to know that Vecna feeds off his victims fears, anxiety and guilt. So it makes sense for him to unleash his curse when all his victims are especially tense/anxious

Chrissy’s mother forced a beauty idea on her daughter that resulted in her being connected to bulimic tropes (Throwing up, rotten food). She is also a cheerleader in the 80s and she “needed to be pretty” because the championship games were coming up. So Chrissy would be more anxious than usually

Fred is less obvious than Chrissy. The only clues I got why he would be more anxious than usual are that Officer Daniels (Vecna Vision) tells us that the accident happened last year and he knows about Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship problems. The first could mean that the car crash happened somewhere in 1985 or it could actually mean that the anniversary is coming up which (knowing from S2) would affect Fred through the anniversary effect. The latter could make him anxious because he might see a chance with his crush (we see him multiple times openly flirting with Nancy)

Max would be more anxious because Billy’s birthday is coming up (March 29 - also anniversary effect)

Mike would be more anxious because he is traveling to California and he doesn’t know how Will feels about him and maybe he is a little jealous because of El’s letter and Will painting something for a girl

Additionaly the week before spring break could be full of tests which could make all victims more anxious.

Another good question regards the timing. Vecna did look for a replacement for Mike on March 23rd but Mike left early on March 22nd. So why did he wait an additional day for Mike? This is obviously a question I asked myself a lot. Why did Vecna wait for Mike to be gone for a whole day before looking for a replacement (Patrick)? Well this one is very hard to answer. But there is one scene in particular that makes me believe that Vecna starts his rampage usually early in the morning. You can take a look here in this post. I included the scenes right before and right after the scene on purpose because it gives us a better perspective on the timeline. So right before Vecna gets hooked up to the vines, El went to her bedroom crying. We know that this happened on the night of March 22nd. Then it cuts to the UD where Vecna gets hooked up but nothing happens afterwards. Instead we see how the sun rises/travels in the sky. Then it cuts to Lucas and the beginning of the hunt for Eddie. So what is the purpose of this whole scene? Vecna wanted to start the final stage of his curse (visions) for Max early on the 23rd. This is probably what he was doing with Chrissy and Fred the days before. He recognized that he couldn’t find Mike anywhere and then started to search for a replacement until he found Patrick. Very important for this theory, Vecna finds Patrick way later. There are almost 20 Minutes between this scene and the scene where Patrick gets cursed. Even more important: We see every group on screen before we get back to Vecna. There is literally a cut to every small group. First Lucas and the Jocks, then Max, Dustin, Robin and Steve with Eddie, then Nancy, the Cali Gang, Joyce and Murray, Hopper back to the Hawkins gang at the Trailer Park. I think Vecna didn’t recognize Mike’s absence because he was solely focused on Fred on the 22nd and started with Fred visions early in the morning before Mike got to the airport. So when he wanted to get started with Max the next day he realized that he couldn’t reach Mike anymore and decided to go for a replacement. That’s when the timings of the victims don’t add up anymore.

Besides everything I showed you here there is another theory that is connected to this. #possessiongate from @dinitride-art

This shows how my theory is supported visually in the show. It also explains why Mike isn't shown as cursed after the breakfast on the 23rd because his curse was shifted to Patrick.

#byler #mike wheeler #victimgate #mike gets vecna’d #mike getting vecna’d #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things analysis #st analysis #st theory #stranger things theory #mike wheeler analysis #vecna's curse

[starbylers]

Here’s 7 of my favourite Byler proofs just from season 4. Pretty sure we all know these but just a refresher if anyone is feeling doubtful <3

Camera focusing on men wrestling when in Mike’s POV

There is no other explanation for this shot: Mike was watching the boys. Hinting at his sexuality is the only reasoning here that has actual narrative purpose.

Symbolism in the final scene

The dying Mlvn flowers vs the blooming flowers edited between Mike and Will.

El walking away from the love triangle framing, alone. Mike and Will centred as a pair between the other endgame couples. This is not an accident, the way everyone is positioned in twos is incredibly staged and deliberate.

Mike’s bedroom walls

The shirtless male dragon on a literal rainbow poster (this one is so obvious I have to laugh). Other characters have pictures of the gender they’re shown to be attracted to on their walls, why is it any different for Mike? And of course the one way sign. Set design is a professional career, these things were not thrown in at random. A character’s room is supposed to give us insight into who they are and their story.

The narrative. The most basic but strong evidence that exists.

El lying to Mike for months. Mike avoiding touching Will and pretending not to look at him in the airport, after finding out he likes a girl. Mike and El fighting and Mike using gaslighting language and shifting blame. El leaving Mike behind with ‘from El’. Their relationship is on the rocks. Will and Mike having multiple interrupted heart to hearts. Borderline flirting and definite gazing into each other’s eyes in the Dear Billy talk. Mike feeling insecure and inferior in his relationship. Will’s secret love confession making Mike feel happy and better about himself. That same confession encouraging Mike to give the monologue. The monologue being completely impersonal and containing at least one 100% confirmed lie (love at first sight). El fails to achieve her goal (save Max) despite Mike’s words. El having no response to Mike’s long-awaited ‘I love you’ when it’s been days.

Suzie’s house foreshadowing episode 9

Mike & Suzie’s dad both hit by the arrow (to show he represents Mike)

‘It looked genuine’ do I need to say more?

Also this foreshadowing is backed up by one of Suzie’s sibling’s lines ‘too much salt’ (aka reference to the salt bath).

The Suzie’s house sequence has absolutely no purpose to the plot. It exists for parallel purposes.

Fruit on pizza metaphor interrupting Mike’s alleged ‘I love you’ attempt

Mike: ‘That’s blasphemous! Putting fruit on pizza?’

Argyle: ‘Try before you deny.’ El: ‘It’s good!’

I think this metaphor is pretty self-explanatory. (Trying the ‘fruit’ = exploring his sexuality, Mike thinks it’s wrong, specifically using the word ‘blasphemous’ (which in simple terms is defined as ‘to disrespect God or religion’, and we know Mike grew up in a homophobic small town in the 80s). There are more detailed explanations of this elsewhere on Tumblr, this is just a mini summary).

Also, Argyle calling Mike Romeo (reference to a doomed relationship).

Again, this scene had absolutely no purpose plotwise or character-wise (at least explicitly). It was pure symbolism.

‘Straight doesn’t make sense’ map joke

Mike: ‘Straight, straight, straight…right on the money, as I said.’

Jonathan: ‘It just doesn’t make sense.’

Yet again, no plot or character purpose for this dialogue, or at least not for wording it this way. This was clearly a joke alluding to Mike’s sexuality (and him possibly being in denial), similar to the telemarketing joke in s3 (‘El? Sorry, not interested’).

#byler #these things are only scratching the surface of all the evidence but just wanted to ease people’s minds :) #we are getting our endgame guys

[howtobecomeadragon]

A ton of credit for this post goes to @dinitride-art, who pointed out Mike's discomfort being at Suzie's house in Part 13 of their lighting analysis, I hadn't picked up on that previously at all. I wanted to expand on that a little, focusing more on just Mike (not Will as we've seen him accept himself and his sexuality a lot more and as such there's just not as much here to analyze with Will) instead of the lighting, but all props go to @dinitride-art!!! Check out their lighting analysis, it's been blowing my mind!

So we've all talked about how Mike's parents being Reagan supporters definitely could have impacted Mike's internalized homophobia. But as far as I remember, there aren't any religious symbols in the Wheeler house and religion hasn't played a part in the show much before.

Suzie being Mormon played a role in s3, as an explanation for why Dustin and Suzie needed to keep in touch via radio instead of via the phone. But in s4, we see Suzie's household being a field of landmines for Mike's internalized homophobia. That lens kind of puts into context this ridiculous sideplot that felt on the first watch through like a bit of a time suck: it showed Mike's discomfort and fear of being himself.

Walking up to the house, Jonathon warns them that they need to "be on their best behavior, with Mike pointing out "they're just really religious." This is played for laughs with respect to Argyle, but that line is there to highlight something else: internalized homophobia that makes Mike hesitant to admit his feelings towards Will. Argyle says he's super spiritual, and Mike says "I think they're spiritual too, just in a different way." With the implication being that while Argyle's spirituality is free and connected with nature, Suzie's family may be more likely to judge them... maybe just Argyle and so he shouldn't talk about smoking in front of them, but it's more than that, and Mike knows that. We'll come back to these lines later.

We see in the sequence before they find Suzie that there's a ton of imagery that, pre-vol2, a lot of people theorized were death clues towards Mike's, but seeing that he remained physically unharmed in vol2, I'm guessing that this imagery instead was meant to imply how unsafe Mike feels in this house. He is gay and struggling with feelings towards Will, and doesn't want to be found out and condemned by this super religious family. @dinitride-art mentioned that entering the house, Will is on Mike's LEFT side, with Mike's heart pocket facing away from Will, which rarely happens this season. Mike is trying to appear more straight.

Back to the house being dangerous for Mike: he's hit in the head with a fake arrow, a girl drops in front of Mike, choking and bleeding from the neck (a reminder for Mike that he needs save El quickly, as well as imagery similar to El later on being choked by the vines, and this foreshadowing in this house while he's trying to appear straight also foreshadows that Mike's love confession doesn't work because it's not genuine, he can't save everyone with a lie), the knife chopping quickly with Mike emerging from the background, and then more subtly, the discomfort associated with being expected to be in love with El, reflected in Mike's annoyance at Argyle and Eden flirting: "falling in love at first sight" with a girl.

After that scene, we skip to other characters but it's important to note that directly preceding returning to Suzie's, we are once again shown religion being used against our characters: Jason basically preaches to the town about why they need to hunt the Hellfire club down because they're Satanic worshippers and murderers. Just an interesting parallel: they're really hammering home that religion is dangerous for our characters right now. These scenes are one after another to show that parallel: it's not just happening back in Hawkins, it's in Salt Lake City too.

In the next scene, we see Eden interrupt and mock Suzie's scolding about her language, saying "what, am I going to burn in hell now?" and then we see Mike looking after her, looking... on edge and holding himself stiffly. Eden's words are a reminder of punishments for sinning, including being gay. A forcible reminder that they're in a very religious house, to Mike and the audience. We then see him glancing back at Will right after that as Will speaks up to continue the conversation. Will helps him stay on track with what they need when he's distracted and Will's also there as someone to help Mike as he feels anxious in this house.

But when Suzie talks about how her dad took her computer, there's a big focus on her dating the wrong person, an Agnostic(!), and her father's anger towards her and punishment. When we cut back to our group, Mike is hanging his head, likely reflecting on how that punishment could apply to him as well, but soon after, he looks back to Will again. Just looking at Will provides comfort, maybe helps Mike feel like he's not a mistake??

Moving onto the next segment, we see Mike pressed against the wall before sneaking into Suzie's father's study, and Mike is the main focus of this shot. All the other characters hiding here are basically hidden in shadows, but we see Mike's face: he's afraid of Suzie's dad for more reasons than just the obvious.

Once inside, we see Mike censor himself from saying "holy shit," changing it to "holy heck." Going back to the opening lines at this house, Mike suggested that Argyle is the one that would have to change his behavior around Suzie's family, but no. We see Argyle act completely genuine with no suppression of how he always acts and he does perfectly okay inside the house. Mike, on the other hand, has to suppress his language, but what else? We see Mike shifting away from Will when he gets close. This is possibly the first and only time Mike moves away from Will like that in the entire show?? It would make sense that he would do this here, in the office of a man that gets angry at a kid for dating the wrong person according to his religion, with a religious painting right behind their heads.

Running down the stairs, as mentioned by @dinitride-art, Mike pushes himself as far away from Suzie's father as possible. Will on the other hand, looks him right in the face, going back to the idea that Will feels more comfortable with his sexuality now in the face of people that might disagree with it.

And then we see Will putting his hand on Mike's back, almost to comfort him, as if he knows Mike felt uncomfortable in that house.

In conclusion, being in Suzie's house with her big Mormon family was Mike's big "when you're different you feel like a mistake" moment, but he looked to Will for comfort, and Will provided it, making Mike feel like he's not a mistake at all.

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #mike wheeler is gay #suzie's house

[cptnbeefheart]

now that ABOM issue 1 is published, i can post my contribution :] please do not repost unless you clearly credit me!!

here’s an obnoxious explanation of all my choices that is probably way too much information :

I find the most interesting aspect of the monkees to be their era of deconstructing the image that TV & studio execs had so carefully crafted. in the process of preserving this image, these execs had created somewhat palatable characters, caricatur-izing (sorry.) elements of the casts’ real personalities. the artists themselves were given an illusion of control over their brand, rarely getting the opportunity to publish the art that they made themselves.

ANYWAY.. tying this all into my piece .. i wanted to make something dedicated to frustrations felt by all members of the monkees. Peter is in the front, making strides toward the edge of the chessboard; the monkeemobile flooring it to stand in his way. I wanted the image of a monkee crushing something that was a major symbol in the show itself. what’s more iconic than the monkee mobile itself ?! my hope is that this shows autonomy on peters part, his true self contradicting this false image created by execs-- no longer a pawn for them! of course peter was the first to quit, which is why he is taking the lead. Mike was next, buying himself out of his contract in order to publish his own music and take control of his artistic career. even throughout the brainstorming process for this, i knew i wanted to put mike in his flashy (but fabulous) nudie suit. to me its such a foreshadowing of what he would go on to do in his solo career and with the first national band. i had to CONTAIN MYSELF because i didnt want mike to have a whole bunch of detail and not fit in with the rest of the subjects.. Mike is looking straight toward the audience, realizing he would like to pursue creative projects that would not be possible working with the monkees™ and everything that they symbolize. Davy looks for the edge of the chessboard, contemplating whether or not he should leave. Micky, wearing his outfit from Head (1968), holds a remote control. This is all in reference to the imagery seen in the film; he finally has the option to change the channels for himself. I actually used a screenshot from the movie to get his face & hair right. I think in the 2 years filming the show micky started embracing his curls, but the only references from a upward angle were when he was straightening his hair !!!! I ended up using the scene where he blows up the Coke machine, a satisfied smirk on his face. what an appropriate scene. finally the chessboard, white rabbits & wind up toys. I don’t think I really need to explain that aside from mentioning that the image of the wind-ups is from 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (1969). I think this was the last official monkees thing Peter was in (outside of future reunion tours). The television special echos the themes already present in Head, so i felt like it would be a nice addition. And it shows the monkees as pawns versus having full autonomy. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT ONE MORE THING ITS QUICK I PROMMY okay perpective ! I wanted to do an upward shot because First of all its fun but more importantly . it shows the cast themselves have outgrown their characters :] now who knows if ive succeeded in any of the things i attempted but at least i had fun :] and feeling like charlie iasip pepe silvia is healthy every once in a while...

#OKAY THATS ALL IM SORRY... #ive been putting off posting this because i know id get way too into putting an explanation Sigh im off a coffee. #listen i draw pictures because im too wordy and i overexplain #i could talk about color too but well. i need to stop talking. #also had to size this down do that i could post on here so sorry if its blurry. blame tumblr #a barrel of monkees #barrel of monkees #ABOM #the monkees #head 1968 #33 1/3 revolutions per monkee #michael nesmith #my art #peter tork #davy jones #micky dolenz #fanart #ok to rb

[pinksmonkey]

In regards to why I think is byler endgame it’s more like… I went into season 4 without shipping them. Like at the most I suspected Will was gay but that was it. But then they quickly introduced Will liking someone and I immediately caught on it was Mike. They spent so much energy making me aware of Will’s pining stares but it’s the airport scene with the awkward hug that was a red flag. It didn’t make sense that they wouldn’t both be happy to see each other and be weird about it. But Will wasn’t the one being weird, it was Mike!!! Then their second fight was also a flag (at least after ending the previous season on better terms, what was the reason to create that drama again?) and then… the bedroom heart to heart where Mike says his hometown is not the same without Will. The scene read as romantic to me… like there was something more going on on Mike’s end (because I already knew Will had a thing for Mike from earlier scenes) and then the van scene was just plain heartbreaking to watch, like how can they make this kid so in love with a character, the depth alone!!! He was willing to sacrifice his own feelings for Mike to make sure Mike felt loved and needed. Like who writes that just to keep it unrequited as if they aren’t building up to the beautiful 5 season slow burn payoff?? I think people refuse to rewatch the show with season 4 in mind and look at all their previous interactions. Like the shed scene was beautifully shot and Mike’s monologue was so heartfelt and was the first thing that really got through to Will. And just so many little things seem like they were trying to tell this story all along but I think the existence of Mike’s relationship with El keeps people from seeing the story go a different direction than they expect. And too many feel it’s impossible for them to split this so-called iconic pairing up late in the show, but TV shows do that all the time so I’m not sure why it couldn’t still happen. But all this is to say, that I walked away from season 4 feeling like Will and Mike were more than just friends and that it’s hard to not see the love they have for each other. I’ll die on this hill even if they aren’t canon. People who deny what they mean to each other are not watching the same show as me.

So well said, thank you so much! Yes, this is exactly my thoughts too! :D

Like why couldn't Mike hug Will at the airport??? XD

I'm planning on showing my friend some Gayer Things videos on YouTube about Byler as well as other analysis videos, because they really go so in-depth and into the intricate details of Mike and Will's queercoding as well as hints/symbolism of them ending up together.

So thank you again, this is a great explanation and I agree Mike was acting so not straight in all the seasons, but especially season 4.

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #stranger things #gay mike wheeler #byler is real #mike and will #mike x will #byler endgame #byler nation #byler confirmed #byler analysis #byler is canon #byler is endgame #byler proof #byler s5 #byler tumblr #gay #lgbt #lgbt characters #lgbtq characters

[gayofthefae]

Wait so if Mike was just apologizing for the stuff since their fight and setting the record straight that he did miss Will then they haven't talked about any of the bullet points in the actual fight AT ALL, primarily the calls.

I really thought he had given a reason all this time but they weren't even talking about that, they still haven't even brought it up.

Mike said sorry for pushing you away I thought our fight meant we were done and got scared. And Will (cryptically) said sorry I did the same thing to you in our fight and got defensive, I was just scared of losing you too.

But they apologized FOR FIGHTING. Not what the fight was about. I don't even need an apology! Just an explanation! Even a flimsy confusing one like I thought they had! They haven't even acknowledged it! IT IS STILL AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. OOOH IT IS STILL HANGING OVER THEM THEN OOOH.

I really thought all this goddamn time that Mike wasn't calling Will bc of reasons I still believe but that he also lied about in the apology and that that's why the reason was super confusing and flimsy just like his "I didn't keep in touch bc we're not dating" excuse. Because he was lying/talking around the truth. But he actually just did not mention it at all.

#byler scene #byler room scene #byler apology #byler fight #stranger things #mike wheeler analysis #OHHHHHH #i wrote analyses with this shit in mind you don't understand #like this whole goddamn time i was just sitting here thinking he knew he had to apologize but couldn't say the reason so he pulled somethin #out of his ass #byler

[sugarcubetikki]

I don’t usually post for this fandom but let’s just say I’m way too invested and before Vol 2 comes out I really really needed to compile a long list of explanations to why requited Byler being confirmed on Friday would be REVOLUTIONARY. The long-term signifance of this narrative move is just going to be truly amazing and so so meaningful no matter what reaction we get immediately after (and even now it’ll be a big reaction because the gen audience won’t be ready for it).

Stranger Things is a mainstream show, one of the most popular on Netflix, and it’s really rare for us to get a main queer couple on mainstream shows as most of them are fueled by the pure existance and hyping up of straight ships to appeal to a wider audience. It would open up a gateway for more queer representation between main characters on mainstream shows in general because like if a big show like Stranger Things can take such a big step forward, it makes it possible for more shows to do this in the future. It’s like what happened with more lgbtq representation within animation and how it expanded throughout shows as more creators took the initiative. 

Byler is such a nuanced queer ship and subverts so many tropes as well as fighting some of those gay stereotypes. Both Mike and Will as characters are different in their journeys to discovering themselves and their sexualities. The show also incorporates a wide range of queer themes and it’s much more than the obvious ones but also ones that we don’t really see portrayed on tv enough like internalised homophobia and comphet. 

More on Byler being nuanced as a ship in general! It’s a ship that heavily relies on emotional chemistry between characters and the love they share between them is something so pure and realistic, they aren’t dramatised in any way. The buildup between them would feel so natural: childhood best friends to lovers. They already share a very intimate level of comfort and I think later on in S5 when you’d get to see their relationship dynamic it’ll truly be so heartwarming. I know it may come as a surprise to casual viewers after Vol 2 and we might get some very annoying reactions but I think after it being blatantly confirmed once we get to see their relationship dynamic in S5 a lot more of them will warm up to it because I mean these two are adorable and if you’re really looking you can see it!

The time period is something to note: show set in the 80s having one of their main couples being gay! It’s quite iconic because a lot of people use the time period as an argument against to why the show might not make it canon which is just heteronormative and ugh because gay people did exist in the 80s! Their struggles were quite different then however as society was more heteronormative and less accepting so them just casually normalising depicting gay characters even in a show set in the 80s goes against that problematic idea of why it would be unrealistic for shows set in the past to have lgbtq characters. We also really get some interesting storylines about being lgbtq in the 80s as well. Besides, the existance of Robin Buckley already refutes that idea (I love her she’s amazing and iconic) and having two more confirmed gay characters within the main cast IN A RELATIONSHIP would be so amazing in terms of queer representation. Plus, it wouldn’t be unrealistic at all because as a show that focuses on social outcasts and rebelling against social expectations it would make so much sense for them to be depicting exactly that through their range of characters.

The problematic pattern of gay ships being sunk in the favour of the “ultimate straight ship” would be challenged and subverted. People go in expecting that this one ship would become canon because it makes sense on a surface level and fans are just used to being fed the straight ship they’ve rooted for since day one becoming canon eventually. This has been a pattern that media has created that feeds into fanservice and heteronormativity that’s why majority of the general audience are under the assumption that the they won’t go through with Byler and that Mike and El will have to end up together because it makes sense according to conventional storytelling patterns of the past. However, ST making Byler canon is just a complete subversion of those conventional storytelling patterns and heteronormative expectations, it’ll make media history for sure when the gay ship is given preference and made endgame over the highly hyped up straight ship, it’s just so revolutionary and also breaks so any problematic tropes of gay characters and ships being easily disregarded to favour the straights because so many people right now assume that Will is just going to be rejected and this is just all forced representation because Mike and El are endgame, right?

I think a lot of people would go over and re-watch the show if Mike and Will were made canon to look for signs and hints especially because I’m sure the writers/the cast would do so many interviews explaining how it’s been built up for sometime now. I mean Noah, David Harbour and the Duffers have already said that in regards to Will’s feelings for Mike. And watching the show through “romantic Byler lens” there are a lot of things people will pick up for sure like everything about the crazy together scene, the tragedy of the Byler fight and a lot of queercoding too. Mike’s eccentric behaviour in S3/4 would also be viewed in a much different light if you take him being gay into consideration and people would just really understand his character more. Also, a lot of people would go over the many byler proofs the fanbase has collected over the years and that will definitely gear people in! This would just tell people to look deeper into details that shows place as well instead of what’s surface level obvious. Plus, encouraging stranger things fans to look deeper is a good mindset to have going into S5, I feel like with the last season coming, they want us to find as many Easter eggs as possible! As for concerns about people just being negative and ignorant of everything in relation to Byler, it doesn’t matter, I think S5 would truly build up Byler more blatantly as most of the audience would be in on it at this point and fans who may not want to look into deeper details may change their mind after more blatant depiction of Byler.

Ultimately, the ship being made canon is just so so good for queer fans in general. Queer fans who see two characters of the same sex having as much chemistry as two of the opposite and having great reasons for why they should become canon/them becoming canon being a possibility. We have to compile proofs after proofs, explanations after explanations and people who don’t understand see it as delusional behaviour which is not the case. We live in a world where we’re marginalised and deprived of representation. Characters of the opposite sex can intimately look at each other and that’s enough for the fanbase to be rooting for them and for the show to make them canon because heteronormativity is a drug. However, the same isn’t true for same-sex characters, we have to compile reasons and make lists and constantly try to prove queerness and we never know whether we’re going to get the good end of the bargain or not. We can get so much queercoding at times and at times even get queerbaited with the creators actually having no intention to make our ship canon because staying heteronormative is the safe option but rather feeding off of our support which is so frustrating time and time again. (The biggest reason to why I don’t believe the Duffers are tricking us is because of their decision to not only confirm Will as gay and involve a narrative about it this season but also have it center around him having feelings for Mike which is just crazy to think about how that’s confirmed and directly shown after years and years of subtext). 

I do believe based on what we’ve gotten so far from all the narrative evidence, the reactions from the cast, details matching up with Byler so perfectly and them confirming Will as gay after so much queercoding in previous seasons that they are going down the requited Byler route and for all the reasons I’ve stated it will truly be so wonderful and revolutionary and a huge win. If they don’t, I genuinely will be disappointed as it would be so much wasted potential and queerbaiting due to all the promo they’ve done especially this pride month but I am keeping my fingers crossed here and as of now based on all the signs I’m sure we’re heading towards a win! 

#stranger things #st4 #stranger things 4 #mike wheeler #will byers #byler #will byers is gay #mike wheeler is gay #reasons why #mine #sugar analyses #lgbtq #queer representation

[mwheelerz]

stranger things sexuality hcs :)

mike: i do see bi mike, but personally i’m a gay/unlabeled mike truther. i’m not sure which, all i know is mike kisses boys

will: gay, obviously. but i love him being demi so that too 🫶

el: she’s definitely fruity don’t even try to fight me on that 💀 i think she’s pan tho :) edit: i’m torn between this and lesbian el help

max: bi. no explanation needed. maybe no preference?

lucas: also bi, with a pref to women

dustin: i love when people hc him on the aroace spectrum. i also think he’s straight? maybe?

steve: bi with a pref to women

eddie: pan and/or aroace spectrum

nancy: bi pref to men?

robin: lesbian, obviously

jonathan: “the token straight” shut your goofy ahh up 💀 /j hc him however you want but i see him as pan

argyle: bi maybe. i haven’t really thought about it that much

vickie: bi? it was half confirmed though

chrissy: straight ally dhshd maybe bi curious?

joyce: bi? at least bi curious

hopper: straight ally 🫶

murray: too cool to he straight /j maybe gay ? i’m not sure

karen: bi curious

ted: i saw that one post about him being gay and i can never go back now

#byler #steddie #rockie #ronance #jancy #elmax #nobody asked but enjoy ig

[strangeswift]

So I was doing some thinking (bad idea I know)

I tried to put myself into a GA heteronormative mindset. If I believed Mike was straight (first watch through of s1-3 I did tbh) would I still dislike Mi/even? More importantly, would I still be of the opinion that their relationship is beyond repair and they would both be better off broken up?

Now I'm not claiming to be unbiased here, but I really tried to take Mike's queerness and Byler completely out of the equation. And the conclusion I came to is that I still wouldn't like Mi/even, and I still would think they'd be better off broken up.

Obviously. But let's break down all the reasons why.

Reasons I wouldn't personally ship Mi/even:

In season three, it feels like it is moving way too fast, both for their ages and for the fact that El is developmentally stunted from growing up in the lab. Seasons one and two felt like a puppy love first crush, and nothing about their relationship in those seasons felt uncomfortable to me. But in season three, between the frequent kissing and the indirect love confessions from Mike, it all felt too fast in a way that did make me slightly uncomfortable.

The juxtaposition of Mi/even with Lumax. We see Lucas and Max, who are the same age, having a much more realistic and comfortable relationship. This makes the codependency and general uncomfortableness of Mike and El more noticeable.

The fact that Mike was neglecting his friendships in favor of hanging out with El. Mike and El leave rather than helping Dustin set up cerebro when Dustin just got back from camp and wants to spend time with his friends. Dustin vocalizes the fact that this upsets him by calling it, "Bullshit." Mike also obviously neglects his friendship with Will. Even taking Will's romantic feelings completely out of the equation as well, watching Will season three paints Mike and his relationship with El in a bad light, especially if you take Mike's queerness out of the equation. Watching Will destroy Castle Byers is devastating even if he was only feeling betrayed by a friend and not by someone he has feelings for. Feeling sympathy for Will makes the audience upset with Mike and by extension further dislike his relationship with El which is the cause of all of the conflict in the first place. (Again, if we ignore Mike's queerness as a factor in the conflict.) Midleven even negatively affects Mike's relationship with Max! Yes they weren't especially close, but all of their conflict season three has to do with Mike and El's relationship, so if Mike and El weren't dating perhaps Max and Mike would have gotten along more.

Their turbulent relationship in season three. Through a GA lense, I feel that the purpose of their relationship issues and breakup was for some light hearted drama and comedy, and also to give El and Max an opportunity to bond which they otherwise wouldn't have gotten. And it accomplished those things well in my opinion, but it made me start to dislike their relationship further. Because I had already started to become uncomfortable with it, and then they are having issues on top of that.

The fact that El didn't feel comfortable telling Mike about the issues she was having combined with the fact that Mike couldn't say I love you in his letters. If season three hadn't left me with a bad taste in my mouth regarding their relationship I would be able to move past these issues if they were properly resolved, but as it stands, I cannot.

Their fight. Mike gaslit her for one, and called her a Superhero when that was clearly the last thing she needed to hear, both of these things demonstrating that he is not especially sensitive to her feelings. Furthermore, even as she was standing there devastated, he still couldn't give her what she needed, he still couldn't say that he loved her. The only explanation for that in my mind at that point is that he doesn't love her. And while they are only 15 and not being able to say "I love you" quite yet doesn't have to be the end of a relationship 1) It is clear that El wants and expects it, and 2) Mike had two indirect love confessions in season three, so backtracking on that feels weird. It feels like it means something more than "He's just not ready" because he already said it, so how can he "not be ready"? That wouldn't make sense narratively in my opinion.

The "From El" letter. It felt final, it felt like a breakup. Not a silly breakup like in season three, and not El purely being emotional. It felt like a decision she made, a decision she thought through.

"Like it was a fight we can't come back from." This sounds very final as well. Once Mike says that out loud, in my mind, they are done. If they weren't supposed to be over at this point, they shouldn't have had him say that. Nail in the coffin moment for me, given everything else thus far.

I intentionally left out anything that isn't glaringly obvious to the GA, and I left out things that I personally missed on first watch through.

For example, I am not mentioning El not talking to Mike in the cabin at the end of season four because the GA probably feels that she was just upset about Max, and possibly not talking to anyone after visiting Max in the hospital, not just Mike. (I have no interest in arguing about this, let's just say that in my opinion, this moment isn't as cut and dry as many Bylers like to claim.)

Now, of these reasons, there are a few that would convince me that not only is it a ship that I (GA version of me) personally don't like, but furthermore that El and Mike would objectively be better off broken up:

El's upbringing in the lab and the fact that she has not had an opportunity to be single and figure out the nuanced differences between romantic feelings.

Mike's inability to say I love you, the fight, and El's letter.

I'm conclusion, in the hypothetical world where Mike is straight, Mi/even still needs to break up. The fact that I was able to make such an extensive list while taking Mike's queerness and Will's feelings completely out of the equation says a lot.

Now add back in Mike's queercoding and Will's feelings for Mike which were make incredibly obvious in Season 4?

Mi/even bones methinks.

#byler #<- you get it #maybe this is obvious but i wanted to put my thoughts down and i figured i would post 🤷‍♀️ #abby rambles #anti mileven

[bylerforall]

SUPERACHE AS WILL

will byers from the hit show stranger things

MOVIES — this song is purely about wanting a romance like cliché movies. you love someone who doesn’t love you back and everything you thought was real was actually all just in your head. will and mike had the strongest connection but as they grew older, mike started to distance himself which left will realising that nothing will ever be the same as it used to be.

PEOPLE WATCHING — will is definitely a person who wonders what it’s like to be deeply in love with someone who reciprocates the feelings. he’s never dated anyone in his life, so he has probably spent so many years watching perfect couples sit in cafes and share coffee, or for example watching el and mike always running off together. he can’t help but fantasize about what it must be like to feel that emotion.

DISASTER — i personally think will feels that typical fear when you are not sure if your friendship going to work or not, specifically with mike since he is in love with him. he is full of doubts, he wishes he could just let himself go easily, without worrying too much about it, but the truth is that he doesn’t want to risk his feelings getting found out and for the friendship to be over, with the pain that it could bring.

BEST FRIEND — straightforward, mike and will are best friends. they love and care about each other very much. even if mike doesn’t reciprocate wills feelings (he definitely does) he would still support him in everything because that’s his fucking best friend.

ASTRONOMY — this song is about that slow, painful, often denial inducing process of growing apart from somebody, like how mike and will have drifted from each other. that particular moment when all of a sudden will looks at mike who he has loved for years and realise he no longer knows him, same the other way around too. that they exist on two different worlds now. no blowout fight and slamming doors and showing up on doorsteps while it’s raining, just a gradual decaying of love with nothing left to do to stop it from slipping away. there’s no explanation, nobody to blame.

YOURS — listening to the song, it’s pretty much self explanatory. will is in love and those feelings are ‘unrequited’ on mike’s half. he thinks he has absolutely zero chance with mike because it’s the 80’s and mike is ‘straight’.

JIGSAW — this song is about changing yourself to fit someone else’s expectations. will his entire life has been known as the ‘queer kid’ or ‘f*g’. even though he hates baseball, he still wanted to go to spend time with lonnie. when he moves to california, nobody knows him and he’s actually never picked on but he’s still not happy because now his sister is the one that’s getting bullied. he doesn’t try to stop them because what can he do? he’s obviously frozen in fear from the trauma of past bullying and abuse.

FAMILY LINE — lonnie was an awful father to will, most likely an alcoholic from what we saw in season 1 and definitely picked actual physical fights with jonathan. he called will ‘queer’ and ‘f*g’ which is probably traumatising for a young child, especially when that person is supposed to love and care for you. i feel like he still hasn’t healed from the trauma and hasn’t really had time to with all of the upside down shit turning his life literally upside down.

SUMMER CHILD — will has a tendency to hold his true feelings inside, as if he cannot express joy. He needs to open up his heart and dedicate more energy to his own happiness instead of focusing on other people.

FOOTNOTE — what we are actually met with here, most simply premised, is a case of ‘unreciprocated’ love. the song is actually about how conan gray is in a relationship but the partner does not take him seriously because it’s more of a sexual relationship which would definitely not be the case for will and mike.. for obvious reasons.

MEMORIES — will is so in love but he wants to distance himself from mike because he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship because of his feelings. he is still giving him advice with el. he wants to stay away as there’s ‘no reason’ to give hope that they’ll be able to be together. mike and will’s relationship is so on and off that he’s just worn out and wants to seperate from mike for a while to try and move on and make sure mike doesn’t stick the band-aid back on.

THE EXIT — the person will is in love with has found another girl (obvious). the lyrics do read as if conan is taking on the role of a female, i.e. upset because his romantic interest, is “staring at a girl who is not (him)”. in other words, as illustrated in the first verse, just recently everything was all amazing between the two of them but then it’s as if mike suddenly lost interest or more specifically became more smitten with someone else (el).

i really enjoyed making this as i’m a massive conan gray fan and will byers kinnie. this also took me forever to write and i hope it was accurate enough 😭

#conan gray #will byers #byler #superache #superache is will byers coded #i love conan gray and will byers #stranger things #mike wheeler

[strawberrybyers]

wait omfg i just thought of something… will was going to give the painting to mike at the airport when el was standing right there. if mike didn’t react the way he did, then will would’ve given him the painting right there and then… what would will have said if he got to give the painting to mike at the airport? because in the van, will told mike el commissioned it. he wouldn’t have been able to say that at the airport in front of el because she’d be like “um what? no i i didn’t”, sooooo this proves the theory even further about mike and el having a discussion about the painting in s5. when the duffers said the painting is important, i believe them. first reason being, will was going to give the painting to mike at the airport but then he didn’t which means he never intended to tell mike el commissioned it. he straight up was going to give it to mike and i guess give an explanation of how mike is the heart of the group in front of everyone? dude is bold as hell i could never lol. but anyways that’s not what happens, will ends up giving the painting to mike as encouragement for mike and el’s relationship. then next thing you know, we see mike’s “i love you” monologue, but you have to ask yourself why is it after what will says mike can then say “i love you”. and wouldn’t it be shit writing to not have a continuation of the painting storyline if it’s supposed to be the plot device that begins the strengthening of mikeven? let’s say will wasn’t referencing himself in the van scene, and was talking about el, then wouldn’t mike bring up all those things will said about el later on? what was said was emotionally heavy and i feel like for any couple that was going to be moving forward and staying together, then the van scene convo would be talked about between mike and el to get a better idea of what they mean to each other. but that’s not how it’s going to go because will lied about el commissioning the painting and el never said any of those things that will said she felt. so what does that mean? mike and el are going to talk and the painting will be brought up, but the convo isn’t to strengthen their relationship—it’s to end it. then the second reason being, will didn’t need the painting to tell mike what he said in the van scene. he could’ve given mike the same speech without it, but if we need something to tie s4 byler to s5 byler then the painting is the puzzle piece to do that.

i’m just not letting go of this painting because i believe it played too much of an important role in s4 in regards to the dynamic of mike and will and mike and el. they’re not going to just zoom past that and act like we never saw the van scene or mike’s monologue. it’s coming back into the storyline in s5.

#i’m like still obsessed with the painting idk #i truly believe it plays an important role in ending mikeven and starting byler #this was probably written super chaotically but i was in a rush sorry #byler #will byers #mike wheeler #stranger things

[byler-4-life]

I can't focus TOO much on the leaks/cast interviews, or I'm not gonna make it to July 1st. Instead, I'll focus this post on actual content from the show.

I've seen a few different people complain about how obvious Will is making his staring at Mike etc. Like it's being rushed or forced at this point. (Honestly we can't win. It's too forced for some people, while others still can't even see it at all).

But for this post, we'll deal with the 'too obvious, feels forced' people. There are a couple reasons. First...they do have to make it a little obvious for the straights lol.

But, even more important, there are in-universe reasons for how Will is acting towards Mike in this season vs previous seasons. The first and most obvious one is, he hasn't seen Mike in nearly a year. And he doesn't know when the next time he's going to see him again is. So if he has to stare a little longer to lock in to his mind what this Mike looks like, give the boy a break.

The other explanation is a little more complex. Now you could argue that while there were definitely glances by Will in Mike's direction in previous seasons, it wasn't as obvious. The pining. The staring. But what needs to be realized is that Will's character has grown up as well throughout these seasons. Here's how I see his crush progressing. (Note, I workshopped most of this before Noah's latest "the feelings have always been there" interview. But that just leads to make the below stronger).

Season 1 - This is the Season I struggled defining the most (likely because Will is not in it for the majority), so would definitely take some critique on this. But Will likely doesn't know the feelings that he has for Mike are quite romantic. He just sees Mike as his best best friend. Even within the party. He knows that he's drawn to Mike more than anyone else in the Party and that's okay.

Season 2 - He's starting to realize that there is something different about the way he feels about Mike vs the way he feels about his other friends. He's beginning to realize the truth here. He likes Mike more than he should. Or at least more than society says he should. He might think that he can change it though, if he tries hard enough. Or he'll grow out of it (beginning of internalized homophobia).

Season 3 - It has really crystallized now, for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is seeing Mike in a romantic relationship with El. Will now knows this is what he wants for himself. Still might be dealing with internalized homophobia here though. Hates himself for thinking these things could even be possible, or even thinking them at all. The fact that even if he has feelings for Mike, there's no way they could be reciprocated. That Castle Byers scene, the "stupid. so stupid" line is obviously directed at himself. Puberty is also likely a factor here in confirming how he feels. All his friends now have girlfriends, and Will is not the least bit interested.

Season 4 - He's accepted it now. He's in a much more solid place in his own mind. Not only has he accepted himself for who he is, he's decided that he's now going to put himself out there and tell Mike how he feels, through words, a painting, or both. Yes, he's going to take the plunge...just as soon as he can bring himself to stop staring.

#byler #byler proof #stranger things spoilers #i'm not the best with longform stuff #so i'm open to constructive criticism here

[byler-forever-7]

So... I've been thinking for a while if I should be doing this because I know some people will not agree with me and I don't want to start a fight or to upset someone so... If ur reading this, I'm going to talk about why I think Mike being gay is better for the bisexual community than being bisexual. If your not comfortable with this, U can skip it. ITS FINE!

I know it sounds weird, but, if we think about it, the problems against bisexual people nowadays (without mentioning the homophobia bcs ofc it is) are practically led to being """"in the middle of it all""""":

— Ur not Straight but ur not gay, so, when for example a bisexual girl starts dating with a guy, people usually tend to erase bisexuality and think she is straight and vice versa, but, does it sounds familiar to you?

Mike has dated a girl, and therefore a lot of people think he can't be gay. They are ignoring the fact that dating someone doesn't define ur sexuality, neither for your hole life, and if Mike was cannonly gay, he would not only be representing gay people with interiorized homophobia who dates a person to avoid the truth, but the fact that dating someone doesn't (again) define ur sexuality, which is something bisexual people do struggle with.

— Another important argument is heteronormativity.

This is a bit of a story but, I have two bisexual friends (we're three LMAO), one is a girl, and the other one is a guy. One day my girl friend heard someone thought my friend and her were dating because they skipped together a random class. Still she and I have done it before and no one really thought that, that's how heteronormativity affects bisexual people too.

Showing how Mike struggled with the expectations of being straight is really healthy for bisexual and, presenting a character that explored his sexuality ON a heteronormative society is actually healing me, because, in my case, even if I'm bisexual and I know it, heteronormativity shows up doing things to me like not getting used to say I could have a bf or gf or x and stuff like that. Due to homophobia and bifobia I get surprised when someone ask me if I like someone, mentioning the all genders (I love how my mom unexpectedly get used to it).

Those are a few problems I've struggled with for being bisexual in a heteronormative society.

And I actually could do a hole post about why I think seeing Mike as bi or straight is actually due to the heteronorm but, I think it would be better if you read analysis on Tumblr, because I wouldn't say anything that hasn't been pointed out yet.

Still I wanted to tell you the most important ones for me.

The only explanation for Mike hating so much Max in S2 and 3 are just that he's gay, I'm not going to elaborate, again, people has pointed this out. In S1 every party member doesn't like Eleven and aren't interested in her at all, meanwhile, in S2 everyone seems (to Mike)to be interested in Max but him. (Still so funny). In S3 he even says Max is conspiring against him, like?? For what?? For letting her know she can dress however she wants to and not only be with u??

The more Eleven finds herself and defines as a person and explore her feminine gender, the more Mike looses interest in her.

He hasn't been attracted to any other girl than El.

He hasn't reacted to any kind of girl or girl related stuff (like the sauna vs the lingerie scenes or the Daphne game)

Any of those were mine.

I wanted to tell you this because If we want to end this real bisexual's problem (heteronormativity) we shouldn't US be doing the exact same thing people do to homosexuals. So, in my opinion, it is kind of homophobic to see Mike as a bisexual boy, because, it is due to heteronorm statements (still I'm NOT BLAMING anyone because we need to understand that we are ALL homophobic, mysoginist, racist, capacists... It's all been learned and I don't want you to feel like you are doing sth wrong or it is your fault🥺).

With that being said that's my two arguments. Heteronormativity and how it affects LGBT+ community, and defining someone's sexuality based in who are they dating are common problems that Mike's gay ass fights :).

Again this is MY opinion, don't take it seriously because Mike is not canonly anything yet. The hints nowadays points to him being gay, but that does not mean that's what the he is because it is all a headcanon. I still insist I don't want people to get uncomfortable or feeling bad for wishing a character to be bi to have that representation because the important thing is that we all are a community that wants to have fun and watch our little Will be angsty but happy at the same time (yass)

11/06/2022

(the date is bcs u'll never know when will you change ur opinion, specially in this topics where everyday I keep learning).

#byler