CAN WE PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE HOW GOOD WITH KIDS MIKE IS????
LIKE
Will too, and honestly pretty much everyone! But MIKE?? Oh that boy is GOOD with kids!!
"Eyes on me, okay?"
"Guys, guys, guys! Get behind me! Get behind me!" and he bends down to make himself shorter, to the kids' height. Please end me THAT'S SO
"Stay behind me! Stay behind me!" AND HE SHIELDS THE KIDS WITH HIS WHOLE BODY, I
Someone said Mike the protector and he took that VERY SERIOUSLY
Pulling the kids away so gently 😭
"Hey, we're getting out of here, eyes on me! Stay close!" And he only ever leaves the kids briefly to go rescue Will. I'm gonna cry
Why are they a married couple already
It's the fucking hope he gives the kids even though you know he's scared shitless and doesn't know if they'll get out of there, doesn't know if he even believes himself. It's the self-sacrifice that's in that
He checks in with them, once again bending down from his skyscraper height to be at the same level as the kids' eyes - and he could very much not do this, he could just go with them
But no, he is so loving, he takes the time to turn to them and go "is everybody okay? Are you guys okay?" AND NOT SOUND SCARED?? He actually manages to sound like he's okay for them??
He nods to them encouragingly, manages to not show the pain and anxiety of knowing Will is not okay and not being able to be right by his side
Only once they nod to him does he turn around, evaluate the situation, think of what to do and turn back to the kids to explain it to them
"Okay. The Radioshack. I think if we move quick enough, we can make it. Get into the tunnels and get the hell out of here."
He looks at them with the biggest most expressive eyes ever
He uses his hands so much, like with the V fingers towards his eyes - he's doing purposely theatrical gestures because they're expressive, that's how you captivate and talk to kids. He's not just saying things, he's showing them with his whole body and being extremely reassuring
He looks at all of them and stares deep into their eyes - again, extremely reassuring! One kid goes "okay" in the most frightened, thin voice and he responds, "okay? Eyes on me, remember?" And when the kids finally go "yeah..." he nods more before turning
AND THEN
THIS FUCKING KILLED ME. STOMPED ON MY HEART
HE MANAGES. TO FUCKING SMILE???? FOR THE KIDS??
WHAT??? JUST HOW PROTECTIVE AND NURTURING AND REASSURING CAN HE BE
And this is what I mean when I say that Mike shines and thrives in these situations because this is who he is! He is, by nature, a leader. He is, by nature, extremely protective. He rescues and saves people, he likes people leaning on him and looking to him for support.
Not just that - he's creative. He has a brilliant mind, he has a wild imagination and he has WONDER in his eyes, which he's amazingly able to channel here even in a situation like this. There may be fire and face-eating monsters behind him, but you know what? Those kids can nearly only see him right now.
He is absolutely incredible, he's amazing to watch when he can just be himself.
He uses such a soft voice when he speaks to them
Even just the way he speaks to them, "Hey- sorry, bit of a plumbing problem here. Are you by chance looking for mr. whatsit? [...] Right through there!" and he smiles 😭
It's that playful-ish way of talking that's so endearing
Here in this scene he throws himself under Derek to shield him and hurts his right arm as a result. Mike the protector™️
When the officer hits Derek, he gets SO PROTECTIVE. "Hey! Hey! Get off him! He's just a kid, man! What's wrong with you?!"
He doesn't want the kids to go through what they went through
He's terrified and in pain but he still finds the strength to smile and speak more softly and reassuringly to the kids I cannot do this
Mike Wheeler, I have heart eyes. And Will might too
Update: I got byler baby fever from this so here's a post about it
