starceline
Recent bookmarks
-
Tags
Summary
Mike's life is split in three categories; the life he should have, the life he wants to have, and the life he has to have. Currently, he's living in limbo between all three; he'll never have that white-picket fence and suburban wife, not when the only girl he could try to love has left him, and while he's finding it harder to live the life he has to have— the life where he hides himself so deep, not even the people he loves know who he is— he'll never get the life he wants, either.
Limbo sucks, to put it simply. He's so close to what he wants (which is Will, no matter how hard he tries to shove it down) but he just can't push past that barrier and talk to Will, not when everything he does always feels wrong.
But, maybe, Mike might come to learn that what he wants isn’t so bad, after all.
(Or; Mike's struggle with his internalized homophobia— among other things, including the concept of free will, Robin Buckley's mildly terrifying presence, and wanting things Mike's sure he doesn't deserve— structured around the five stages of grief. You can mourn a life you'll never live, and you can mourn someone you haven't actually lost.)
Bookmarked by starceline
25 Aug 2025
-
Tags
Summary
There's something wrong with Hawkins, and Will can feel it.
Yeah, okay— so there's always been something wrong with Hawkins. But even this, Will thinks, is teetering on the edge between wrong and plain fucking crazy.
Holly’s found a new friend in an invisible man who gives her invisible toys. Nancy keeps looking at Will like she wants him dead, or maybe just out of her house. All the animals in Hawkins are acting more like possessed statues than actual animals, and Will keeps hearing a raspy, unsettling voice that seems to think he has some sort of power.
As for Mike, Will doesn't even want to think about him, because the guy is driving Will mad. And the bar for Mike making Will crazy is practically in hell, so that should say something.
Oh, right. Did he not mention the sleepwalking?
(Or; Will’s started hearing from a certain someone— think blonde hair, unnerving smile, limb-snapping tendencies— who thinks he has a certain power. Holly’s started hearing from a man who wants to take her to Wonderland.)
Bookmarked by starceline
25 Aug 2025
-
Tags
Summary
No one ever talks about what happens after.
No one told Will that the monsters would never really leave him. No one told Will how being taken and possessed would sit in his stomach like a coiled-up vine. No one told Will how he'd never feel like himself again.
No one told Will what to do, now that the worst is over and he doesn't feel any better. No one told Will how to handle the after, the in-between of not dying and still feeling dead.
No one told Will how to feel alive, so he figures it out for himself.
(Or; A study of how Will handles— or doesn't handle— the aftermath of what happens to him.)
Bookmarked by starceline
25 Aug 2025
-
Tags
Summary
“What? No! I mean — I just meant—“ said Mike, struggling with the words, “I… I mean… who is it?” he turned back to Hugo, “Can we know their name? It might be somebody we know already.”
Will frowned, “I hope it’s not,” he said, “I don’t like anybody we know enough to marry them — except our friends, obviously, but that’s different.”
Hugo, if it was even possible, looked somehow immensely more excited by these words, “I can’t tell you who it is,” he giggled, “That’s a really big spoiler.”
Mike Wheeler’s son arrives in Hawkins with no explanation, snapped back in time entirely by accident — and he latches on to none other than Will Byers. If only they all knew why.
Bookmarked by starceline
25 Aug 2025
-
Tags
Summary
The thing about prophetic dreams is that they’re not nearly as cool as they sound. Sure, it’s nice having a bit of forewarning for when shit’s about to go down, but it also gives you, like, twice as much time to stress about it.
If Nancy was the one dreaming they’d probably have the whole thing fixed in a week and then she’d be on track to being the first female president or something. Unfortunately for everyone, they’re stuck with Steve.
He’s dealing with it about as well as can be expected.
(Especially considering he’s juggling his new babysitting duties, the re-emergence of the Upside Down, whatever the fuck’s going on with Billy Hargrove, and his budding bisexual awakening-slash-crisis.)
(Thank god Robin will be there to help. Eventually.)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 46,873
- Chapters:
- 11/?
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 374
- Kudos:
- 928
- Bookmarks:
- 328
- Hits:
- 12,079
Bookmarked by starceline
24 Aug 2025