#stranger things rambles

[purplerosesgalore]

Recently I've been doing this really quirky thing called writing for fun w/o giving a shit. Which is in comparison to me previously where I would write with the mindset of ✨️ perfection ✨️ and i would dissapoint myself every time because Nothing is perfect ever and it burnt me out for way too fucking long

Anyway here's a drabble done wayyy back when based off of Post by @gothmikewheeler::

///

“Actually go fuck yourself, Wheeler,” Max snarled, her hair slapping the wind as she spun on her heel to face him. Mike glared back at her. 

“Oh, like that's so fucking mature! Seriously, what is wrong with you?” He snapped back. His hand was balled into a fist as he watched Max's do the same. 

Max rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with me? How about you look at yourself, you dipshit!"

Mike gritted his teeth. “Eat shit and die, Max," he spat. 

To this, Max scoffed. She met his eyes and bit out, “eat shit and live, Mike.” 

For just a moment, Mike forgot about whatever fight they were in the middle of. "Hold on," he said, feeling the once boiling over rage fizzling out, "you've seen Sleepaway Camp before?"

Max stared back, reeling from the whiplash. She blinked then huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in a show of offense. "Yeah? So?"

Mike shook his head. "I just didn't think you'd like it."

"Why? 'Cause a girl can't like horror movies?" Max asked, eyebrows high in anticipation for whatever prejudiced nonsense that was about to be spewed at her.

"What?" Mike crinkled his nose, as though offended at the notion. "No. I didn’t think you'd like them 'cuase you're dating Lucas. He wet himself the first time he opened the DnD handbook."

At this, Max couldn't help but laugh. Lucas was supremely bad with the horror ganre. "Yeah, he's not... Great with that kinda stuff. The first time I sat him down for a movie night, he hid under the covers the whole time. And he had his hands over eyes like a big baby."

And maybe Mike was a bigger nerd than he thought because instead of huffing and walking off like the rational, self-preserving part of his brain suggested, he asked; "what movie?"

Fortunately, Max was equally willing to drop the arguement, or she was just as nerdy. "Exorcist," she says with a smirk, as though having watched the movie was some sort of bragging point.

Mike couldn’t let her one up him. "Oh yeah? That one wasn't even that scary," and he meant it mostly but there were moments that got to him in it. "Have you seen Eraserhead?"

Max nodded. "Jaws?"

"Duh. The Wicker Man?"

"Sure," Max said and thought for a moment. "It's Alive, '74?"

Mike scrunched his nose. "Didn’t it suck?"

"Yeah, so? It could still be worth a watch."

"Have you seen it then?"

Max averted her eyes, shrugging. "No, but I'm planning on it."

Maybe it was the nerd in Mike who didn’t know when to shut up or maybe it was his own secret desire to have a horror-movie enthusiast buddy to binge movies with. Or maybe it was neither and Mike was simply an idiot, because he ended up saying; "wanna watch it, together? Later?"

Max seemed just as weirded out by the offer as Mike was saying it. "What?"

"I mean," Mike shrugged. "I want to watch it and you want to watch it. And none of the others like this sorta stuff, so I just thought."

It was Max's turn to crinkle her nose. "You asking me out, Wheeler?"

"Ew," was Mike's immediate, visceral reaction. "I mean. Uh. No. You're dating Lucas, and Will---."

Then through miracle of all miracles Mike was sure, Max shrugged. "Okay. Let's watch some shitty horror movies, Wheeler."

Mike rolled his eyes. "Way to make it sound fun, Mayfield."

And they wound up binging a whole heap of horror movies Nancy had stored away in a box somewhere. They don't feel the need to mention it to the rest of the party and when they do find out thst Max and Mike don't actually hate each other's guts, its a surprise.

///

Its not Great but it is a completed drabble that I feel proud enough of to post!

The second I saw that first post i scribbled down the first couple lines of this on my phone's notepad and its been sitting there ever since. I went back and moved it to my gdocs a while ago and now I have like one whole doc dedicated to madwheeler drabbles. Also this is edited, in a very loose definition of the term

[doofusdilfus]

BYLER MIXTAPE GATE??????

Ik ik im like lowkey hella late to this, but I literally just realized the byler importance of the mixtape (if anyone else has had these thots b4 me (which is super likely), all the props and cred to them)

Okay! So we all know the possibley new will mixtape!

This lovely, lovely mix tape. It's shown a few different times. I've seen a few other posts featuring it in a Stranger Things charm bracelet or necklace/necklace thing as well as in the little frame graphics in the Stranger Things timeline, and in other promotional materials.

From what I've seen, there are two theories to this tape. 1. It's Johnathan's mixtape or 2. It's a mixtape, Mike.

NO. 1 Johnathan

I would have no quams with this being a playlist Johnathan made for Will, but personally, it's not the old playlist.

In S1, when Lonnie and Joyce are fighting, Johnathan introduces Will to "real music." This is when he first hears "Should I Stay or Should I Go," the song that saves him in the Upside Down. This playlist made by Johnathan is specifically called "will playlist of real music" or something along those lines. (I swear in the Stranger Things 2026 annual, there's a reference to this scene in the timeline where they have a tape graphic with that name on it. I just don't own that book, and I lost the original post I found about it. So just take my word for it. At the end of S1, Johnathan gives a new mixtape in the hospital.

This is not the playlist of real music, im not entirely sure the original source or if this is canon, but I believe that this playlist is probably the "We Will Rock You" mix depicted in this photo

(If you know where this image is from or if it's canon, please let me know!) There is also, to my knowledge, another playlist Johnathan made, but I think it is unrelated, called Johnathan's end of the world mix

While I love Jonathan and Will's little playlists, and it's definitely likely that this could be the same playlist, I don't think that would be the most emotionally intense choice. And it raises many questions. Which playlist is it? It's not titled any of the other playlist names that Johnathan has used previously. Is it a new mix? Why does this new mix hold so much emotional depth? While I im sure that Will is still very fond of his old playlists and music taste he developed from Jonathan, hes not twelve anymore; hes probably 16-18 in Season Five. How many of us are listening to the exact same songs now as we did when we were twelve?

I think that this is a good opportunity for the show to depict that Will has grown up and changed, so I cannot be convinced that this playlist, which is probably played to save Will from getting vecna'ed or from being possessed, is gonna be the same exact one from when he was a kid. As Max said in season four, can listening to the same thing over and over really protect you? Will isn't that little twelve-year-old kid anymore. While that song remains nostalgic, the period of his life when that music saved him was genuinely one of the most traumatic times of his life. I don't see how that time will save him from Vecna.

NO.2 MIKE

It starts with the backpack, I think most bylers know a little about backpack gate.

In this beautiful shot of Will, a black backpack is visible in front of him. Inside, notice the odd arched shape of the headphones and the boxy shape of what may be a radio or a Walkman. The idea is that this bag is a kit of survival things that you may need. The party likely thinks that Will is a target, so they (MIKE (and maybe Lucas)) put together a bag kinda like Max's that has their music, tapes, a first aid kit (perhaps an extra jacket or smth cause Will hates to be cold) that is supposed to keep Will safe.

This tape is illustrated explicitly as blue, with accents of yellow and green (BYLER COLORS). Even if the mixtape isn't blue in the show, the graphic being designed as blue is very much so; Mike coding it as blue is often shown to be Mike's color. (only ever switching when they are in conflict or fighting)

My idea is that Mike (with some help from Lucas) puts together a bag for Will, and in the bag with the headphones and tapes is a new tape, one possibly paired with a letter.

The tape could be something that Mike started working on when he moved to California. Because he wants to hide and ignore his feelings, he never sends the letter or finishes the mix to send to Will. Mike's tape letter will probably parallel Will's letter about the clouds.

I know my own self-indulgent theory is that 'Boys Don't Cry' will be on the tape, why?

The " This Boy Doesn't Cry" poster appeared in Will's bedroom in Season 4, and because Mike literally notices everything surrounding Will, he probably notices this poster, listens to some of the Cure's stuff, and adds the song.

But no, imagine it: Mike puts together the bag, gives it to Will, and they have a sweet, intimate moment. Later, we get the "switch scene, they're going out to do smth, Will's cold, Mike gives him his vest. (shhhhhhh im ignoring the vest debunked posts, let a man be happy)

Protective Mike, noticing Will is cold, takes off his vest and gives it to him. Will, who was carrying his backpack, took it off, handing it to Mike to hold for a moment. But once he put the vest on, Mike had already slung the bag over his back, deciding to carry it for Will.

UGH AND IMAGINE IT, wills possessed, but what saves him his the playlist Mike made, and thinking of all the moments, good and bad, they have had together. Or even better!

Mike is so concerned with being safe and prepared that he is the one who gets vecna'd, and no one knows what to do because no one expected this to happen to Mike, and maybe will sacrifice himself for Mike, or perhaps he, in a last-ditch effort, puts on his music and it works! Because Mike poured all his favorites into that playlist. Or maybe both! Mike is vecna'ed, but when he comes to, Will's music is playing in his ears, hes expecting to see Will with him, but when he looks, Will is gone.

(This may or may not be in my fic, who knows?)

[dumbasexual-slut]

one thing abt me is that i’ll ship steve with ANYONE but his canon love interest(s?). yes, i hc him as bi, no i don’t ship him with any women in the show (in my defense the only options there are limited as hell nancy [stancy is so mid no thanks] robin [hell no she’s gay] sooo).

i’d deadass read a harringgrove fic before a stancy one and i hate billy. stonathan was made for the girlies who read bully x nerd wattpad stories in 6th grade and unfortunately.. that was me so i understand the appeal. now, steddie… steddie has a special place in my heart even though i wasn’t the biggest eddie stan, (i feel his character was a little too underdeveloped for me to really be invested in him :/), he creates a great opposites attract vibe when paired w/ steve and i love it! i especially love how fic writers interpret his character and give him more depth.

i do also love when fic writers write him and robin as codependent besties that’d kill for each-other!

[mc-i-r]

Steve would totally dance around his kitchen to 50s and 60s classics like Chuck Berry and the Beach Boys while cooking

and if he drags Eddie along to dance with him and twirls him around then it's okay because they laugh until their stomachs hurt and kiss and sway to the sounds of plucky guitars while the food grows cold but it's okay bc as long as they're together there's no place they'd rather be

[starsarefire824]

I know not everyone is on the Will has powers train, but what if he has some control over time in the Upside Down. What if he can set it back?

[justanotherfanaccount]

I saw the six of crows fandom do this so I wanted to try it for ST

Stranger Things Characters As Lamps

1. Dustin

Dustin is so creative and we literally see him design a bunch of stuff in s3 so he would be this cute little lamp of many creative parts

2. Eddie

LOOK AT THIS MAN he is protecting his friends (aka fire ball) and he will die trying! (sorry...too soon) but actually though I saw this and was like... eddie

3. Jonathan

need I explain? the duffers may have forgotten Jonathan was a photographer in s4 but WE SURE DIDN'T just look how cute this is...very Jonathan

4. Nancy

Nancy gets 2 pictures because Nancy is special... she gets the top with a bunch of newspaper clipping and such because you know...journalist but deep down inside (the bottom of the lamp) she's a badass with her bullets

5. El

do i have a reasonable explanation for this? ...no

do I think that el is adorable and artsy and when she's happy really represents this adorable fruit lamp? yes. yes I do.

6. Max

need I explain? no. will I explain? yes... c'mon skateboarding AND arcade games!? Max... that's Max!

7. Lucas

ok...so originally I was just looking for arcade themed stuff for lucas...preferably neon because c'mon lucas' personality SCREAMS neon sign... and then once I found Max's... and this one? I had to do it... soulmates... even in lamp form

8 & 9. Steve & Robin

I know what you're thinking. "wtf did Steve & Robin get put together?" and you're right...except that I made them be those long-distance friendship lamps because really they are platonic soulmates and look at those cute little smiley faces at the bottom... you're telling me you haven't seen Steve and Robin make that EXACT smile! (yes I realize it's a smiley face and everyone smile but...still)

BUT I will distinguish that Robin is the house because... why wouldn't she want to be a cute colorful house. and Steve is the cylinder cuz he wants to pretend to be normal but really he's flashing crazy colors all the time

I got to here and realized you can only have 10 photos... sooo

Pt. 2 with Mike and Will in the reblogs!!

[mraize]

fucking last episode already... when's season 3?

[imaginexmeintheuniverse]

Stranger Things Season 2: A Potato’s Perspective

Part 2 - Episodes 3 & 4

Dustin has a tortoise like me so I’m screaming

Steve Harrington in short shorts let’s talk about that for a sec

Barb’s mom deserves closure

The Byers deserve happiness

Eleven and Hopper are getting pretty scary

WILL

Mr. Clarke is future me

“He likes it cold” — I’m sleeping with the lights on tonight

Is everyone at that high school an asshole??? (save for my faves and Barb may she be happy wherever she is)

WILL

Billy must be the world’s biggest douchebag

Max must be protected at all costs from said neanderthal

Will’s forearm is gonna be hella sore

Y’all give scientists a terrible name (Mr Clarke is the real MVP)

YASSS NANCY GET JUSTICE FOR BARB

MEW MEW NOOOOOO

WILL