Max Mayfield - Blog Posts

Random Incorrect Stranger Things Quotes,

𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀: Guess what I’m about to get!!

𝗠𝗮𝘅: On my nerves.

Mike: Shut up, You’re messing with my train of thought!

Max: I thought you didn’t have a brain, And now you tell me you have thoughts?

Will: You have to apologize to them Mike.

Mike: Fine! But I will warn you, this might make me a better, nicer person and that is NOT the person you fell in love with.

Steve: You guys don’t know about my knife stick. It’s a knife taped to a stick and it’s the ultimate weapon.

Eddie: Spear?

Steve: BLOCKED

Nancy: I owe you one.

Steve: That’s okay. You can just date me and we’ll call it even.

Steve: If I punch myself and it hurts, am I strong, Or weak?

Max: Strong

Robin: Weak

Nancy: An idiot, is what you are.

Mike: Can I bother you for a second?

Will: You're always bothering me, but go ahead.

Max: You have an impressive pain tolerance.

Will: Thanks, it's the trauma.

Max: Your future self is talking shit about you right now.

Will: Jokes on them. I'll ruin their fucking life.

AHHHH MY FAVOURITE KETCHUP AND MUSTARD DUO

My name is Ketchup!

And my name is Mustard!

Together we’re Ketchup and Mustard!

Freddie Krueger 🤝 Vecna

burn victims who hunt and murder teens in their dreams

maya hawke playing in the background, and my st brainrot, lets rant about my expectations for st s5!!

Stancy

Can we agree that their relationship was never meant to last? Literally every Stancy scene this season was ooc and made me want to puke. The only think I want in their relationship is for them to realize their happier off as friends, and to be happy with their past memories. I want Steve and Nancy to realize that they want each other in their future as someone to rely on, someone who's been there from the start, in different forms and positions.

Mileven

Now, I've never really liked this ship. Sure they're cute, but the fact that Eleven was in a relationship with Mike even before she could properly speak just makes me uncomfortable. El needs to figure out who she truly is, and come to terms with her past and her powers. And Mike? Well,

#MikeWheelerIKnowWhatYouAre

Max Mayfield

Forever angry at the Duffers for hurting my child like this, how could you do this to her.

But I have a lot of expectations for her next season!

I really like the idea of her waking up and being kind of a host for vecna(like will was in s2), but helping in turning the tide around and being an active part of defeating Vecna because do you really believe that Max Mayfield is going to sit there comatose for the entire season?

Elmax

I fully and truly believe that El is going to get Max back and then beat the shit out of Vecna for hurting her gf. Can't wait for El to keep her promise and kill Vecna again!!!

I also want more memories of them, maybe scenes we didn't see, or maybe El wrote Max letters? Also El and Lucas bonding in the hospital as they wait for Max to wake up.

Byler

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The Arcade Queen Pt. 2 (Billy Hargrove X Reader)

It didn’t take me too long to think of a whole bunch of ideas for this series, and this was the one I thought was fitting for the 2nd part! I promise as this continues there is going to be more involvement with Billy!

Also a note; If you didn’t already guess, this is set a little ways into Season 2. 

Summary: A few days after your first encounter with Billy Hargrove, Max asks you to help him out, together the two of you successfully break your car, nearly wake the neighbors and you manage to break down a couple of Billy’s emotional walls.

Part 1

The next couple of nights you had off from the Arcade. It gave you a chance to catch up on homework, spend some time with your family, and dream about a certain Camaro driving boy.

But time flies especially when your busy daydreaming, and soon enough it was time for your next shift at The Palace. Unfortunately, it was another late closing shift. Packing your bag once more with perfume in case of emergencies, you grabbed a jacket and drove off to work.

The night had gone by quick, with you spending most of the time in the back taking inventory and unpacking new prizes, leaving Keith to work the front of the arcade. Roughly half an hour to the end of your shift, Keith popped his head into the back asking you to come out to the front.

You finished putting the empty boxes by the recycling bins and stepped out into the front.

“What do you need?” You asked walking over to your co-worker standing behind the counter.

“Little Red is out on the bench looking for you,” Keith replied.

Out into the chill of the Hawkins air, you felt a sense of déjà vu, you walked around the corner of The Palace, finding a certain red-haired girl sitting on the bench.

“Max? What are you doing here?” You called out to her, moving to sit beside the younger girl. You noticed the small shakes of her shoulders, and how her hair was currently hiding her face away from your view, but you knew none-the-less the girl was clearly upset.

“Hey, it’s okay…” You said softly, wrapping an arm around her. Max gave a soft hiccup before her shoulders began to shake harder. “You can talk to me, you know that right?”

You saw her head give a small nod, but you didn’t press further, waiting for her to open up to you, not wanting to push her away more.

“I got Billy in trouble.” She finally spoke, her voice wavering as she sucked some air in between silent sobs.

“Big trouble,” She quickly added, “I’ve never seen his dad so mad at him…ever!”

“Okay, alright…and then what?” You asked, urging her to keep going.

“His Dad and him got in a fight…a big fight, he hurt Billy and then he left, dad did, And Billy was really upset, and he left and drove off, and I panicked…” Max looked at you finally, her eyes leaking tears, red and puffy. “He shouldn’t be driving, I mean he’s really upset…so I ran off and I didn’t know where to go or who to go to and I figured that you would be here, so I came here.”

It was a lot to process at once, let alone for Max to experience it, but you sat quietly piecing her story together slowly in your mind once more.

“Okay, it’s alright.” You said, rubbing her back, “No more tears.”

“So, your dad hurt Billy,” You started, seeing her nod quickly, “Okay and then they both left, and now Billy’s out driving around Hawkins?”

“Yes!” Max said.

“Okay, what about your mom Max? Where’s she?” You asked.

“Out of town, she went to visit a friend for the week, I thought that his dad wouldn’t get mad if he had to watch out for me, but it’s never been this bad! I’m worried about him!” Max said, fresh tears beginning to well in her eyes.

You took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as you thought about the next steps in your head, you would have to take care of Max until you found Billy, and even then, you were positively sure you weren’t going to let either of them go back home tonight, not after what Max had shared with you…so the only thing to do next…

“Alright Max, we’ll go look for Billy, together…that sound good?” You gave the girl a reassuring smile, watching her expression change to relief.

You grabbed your bag and keys from The Palace, and after bargaining that you would clean the arcade for your next week’s worth of shifts, you left work early, entrusting Keith to lock up for the night.

And here you were, about an hour later driving around Hawkins, looking for any sign of Billy Hargrove or his Camaro. You had already driven by their house twice, in case he had returned, along with some frequent party locations, now you were just skimming some of the lesser roads of Hawkins.

Max had stopped crying but had been silent since the two of you had begun your search for her step-brother.

“So…this happens often?” You asked, breaking the silence, “With your dad and Billy?”

The girl in the passenger seat gave a small nod.

“And, does he always…hurt Billy?” You questioned.

Another nod.

You made a left turn, turning down a road lined with houses lined up on either side.

“Hey, he doesn’t…” You trailed off, not wanting to even ask this question.

“No. He’s never hurt me.” She answered, clearly understanding the nature of your question.

You both lapsed into another period of silence, checking out the driveways and anybody walking on the sidewalks as you made another turn, right this time.

However, shortly after your turn, your car gave a weird little sputter, a sharp little cough, and a horrible shake before ultimately shutting itself off leaving you to ease it over to the side of the road before it stopped entirely.

“That’s not supposed to happen.” Max chimed in from the passenger seat. You, on the other hand, let out a long groan at the timing of the entire situation.

You attempted to turn the key once more, hearing it turn over a few times before giving another sputter, this time a little steam rising up from under the hood.

You and Max got out together, her standing back a couple feet away from you as you lifted the hood up, waving your hand through the white steam flowing up from your engine.

“Yup. It’s dead.” You surmised. Max moved up next to you.

“What’s wrong with it?” She asked. You gave a sarcastic shrug of your shoulders.

“Your guess is good as mine kiddo. I’m not a mechanic. I use the equipment, I don’t fix the equipment.” You replied, shutting the hood down and leaning your back against it.

“So now what?” Max asked, moving once more to lean against the hood with you.

“No clue.” You said, raising your wrist to look at your watch. “It’s a little past midnight, and I don’t think that anybody around is going to be very cooperative helping out two kids in the middle of the night. How far away is your house.” 

It took Max a minute to retrace the last route you had taken from her house.

“Probably 20 minutes driving. We’re practically on the other side of town from my house” She replied. “What about you?”

“Couple of blocks from the last corner we took” You replied. “Guess you’re staying over at my place tonight.”

Thus, the two of you began your walk of shame, you giving your jacket to Max who once again had left her’s behind.

“I hope Billy’s okay.” Max said, “He’s so…mean but he said something the other day and it just kind of stuck. We might not like it, but we’re family…I don’t want to see him hurt.”

“I know Kiddo.” You said, not finding the right words to admit your own guilt in not being able to help him.

It felt like an hour had past when you finally made it to your house and had shoved your key into the door when the two of you heard the familiar purr of a certain Camaro coming up the road.

Max and you looked to each other, and then to the road before you both made a mad dash to the sidewalk for Max, and you not even thinking twice into the road.

Headlight’s danced in your eyes, as you heard Billy’s brakes squeal into the night, the two of you screaming for him to stop, not caring about the late hour or your neighbor’s sleeping.

Your hand touched the hood of his Camero as you and Max made your way to the driver’s side.

“Billy thank god!” You cried out, “We’ve been looking for you all night.”

Billy, on the other hand, had a mixed look of confusion, anger, and fear as he looked between you and Max, his cheek had a hint of discoloring on it in the dark, and you knew in the light it would be quite a shiner. His lip was also split, dried blood caked to it and trail of blood that had flowed down his chin.

                                                       ***

It took some convincing, but you had managed to get Billy to pull into your driveway, and you and Max had told him everything that had happened, from Max running to finding you, your car breaking down.

You set Max up in your guest bedroom finding some of your old pajama’s and closing the door behind you as you said goodnight to her, before you returned to Billy, grabbing a clean towel and some ice.

Now the two of you sat in silence upon your sofa, him staring anywheres except you, while you gently wiped down the blood and patched him up, holding an icepack to his cheek.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, Billy, wincing as you wiped away more dried blood.

He stayed silent.

“You know if you ever need to talk-”

“Talk!?” He suddenly exclaimed, making you jump at the loud tone. “You want me to talk to you about my daddy issues?”

“Billy, that’s not what I meant-” You tried to cut in, but your words had already ignited the fire within.

“You want me to tell you about everything…about how much I hate this stupid town, and how much I hate my old man for having me be the personal babysitter for a 13-year-old, who should be able to go out and do what she wants instead of being stuck with a piece of shit like me? How about the fact, that I’ve tried to hide for so long so that no one would ever see or know what happened with me and my father!” Billy slammed a hand down upon the coffee table in front of you as he stood, making you jump again.

“Billy-” You started, but he cut you off once more. His mouth opened once, before it shut itself, wordless as you saw a tear slip out from his eye as he turned away.

You had no words to say, so you stood up and lightly slipped your arms around his waist, hugging him softly from behind. One of his hands rose up to lay over yours, and you could feel him shaking.

“Billy. I don’t know what any of that is like, to have your father roughing you up all the time…but you can’t say that about yourself, your probably the only thing standing in between your father and Max, your protecting her…and it’s not fair that your getting hurt, but your doing it for her…” You laid your cheek upon his back, as you felt him take in shuddering breaths.

“I just want her safe. And I’ve spent all this time pushing her away because I’m afraid that I’ll act just like my dad, but the entire time the only person I have acted like is my dad. I can’t fix this, Y/N.” Billy spoke, his voice laced with honesty.

“It’s never too late to fix your relationship with your sister Billy. She was so worried about you tonight, she was a wreck, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, what matters now is what you can do to be better.” You said.

“And if you ever need a place to stay, my door will always be open for you. Both of you, I can help you, but you have to let me help.” You said as Billy turned around looking down at you.

He gave a small nod, and you gave him a warm smile.

“Good, now help me with the pull-out, Max gets the bed tonight for you worrying her all night.” You teased.

Together, the two of you set up the pull out bed on the couch and you brought down some pillows and blankets.

“Thanks, Y/N.” Billy said, taking a seat on the edge of the makeshift bed, you taking a place next to him

“Anytime. Seriously Hargrove, now get some rest, your driving us to school in the morning since my car died looking for you.” You teased, bumping his shoulder playfully. He gave you a cheesy smile in return, and you couldn’t help but thank that it was the most beautiful thing you’d ever see in your life.

The two of you stared into each other’s eyes, and you could feel your cheeks flush under his gaze.

Feeling your heart pound just like the moment you shoved your phone number into his pocket, you leaned in close and pressed a feather-light kiss to his bruised cheek. As you pulled away, Billy brought a hand up to cup your cheek, with the softest touch, he guided you back, your lips meeting his, before letting you slip away.

If your cheeks were red before, your face was probably a tomato now, and you quickly stood, bouncing a couple of steps away from him before giving him a shy smile.

“Goodnight Billy,” You whispered.

“Goodnight, Y/N” He replied, his eyes following you as you practically skipped in joy to your room, shutting the door behind you. You raised your fingers to your lips and realized that you were, utterly and undeniably in love with Billy Hargrove.

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Tag list: @acidrain707 @golddustwitches @imsupposedtobedoingcollege

YES!!!! I would love more

The Arcade Queen (Billy Hargrove X Reader)

Welp. I fell really hard into Stranger Things, and it resulted in this little fic. Bear with me as I normally don’t write things like this. This is meant to be a Billy Hargrove X Reader, and I might make it into a mini-series if anyone wants me to continue it, this is more like a small drabble and an attempt at writing for Stranger Things. In this fic, the reader is still in school but is the assistant manager for The Palace, the arcade.

Extra: After finishing this I am so sorry for the atrocity you’re about to read.

Summary: Being the assistant Arcade Manager means you have a lot of responsibilities; repairs, cleaning, and closing for the night. However, on this night, you have a small encounter with Billy Hargrove

Working at the Palace Arcade had its perks, especially working as the assistant manager. For the most part, you could stay behind the scenes working on paperwork and expenses, ordering in new prizes.

The downside was when your co-worker couldn’t make it in for their closing shift. For 2 hours tonight you had been in charge of anything, from malfunctioning machines to trading in prizes and anything in between, all the while trying to clean up so that you could get out of work shortly after the arcade closed for the night.

Ten minutes to 11:00 you began your warnings to the few remaining players lingering around, trying their hardest to beat previous scores and earn their places. For the most part, people heeded your warnings, finishing the games they departed, hearts filled with sorrows at another failed chance of beating their rivals.

5 minutes to 11:00 and the only people left in the arcade were your regulars, Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will along with the newcomer, Max.

“You guys have until the bathrooms are cleaned, to finish your games, and go home for the night!” You called to them, hearing them give cheers knowing full well that it would take another 15 minutes.

As you worked on the bathrooms, you could hear excited shouts from the small group you had left in the main part of the arcade, one of them was going above and beyond and by the sounds of it about to beat another high score.

When you finally finished cleaning and returned to the front of the arcade, you were greeted by fanfare and you smiled at the kids standing proudly in front of you.

“Alright, I’ll bite. Who was it this time?” You asked, referring to the happy faces in front of you.

Max shyly cleared her throat.

Despite seeing how confident the girl was in front of her friends, and in front of others…and witnessing the fights she had with her brother both at school and when she was dropped off at the arcade, the girl seemed to shut herself up into a little bundle of nerves when speaking to you.

“Well, congrats for that Max.” You praised the young girl, “We’ll have to think about finding some sort of championship arcade event for you to compete in.”

The boys instantly started echoing your statement, and as you ushered them out the door, you could hear their voices fade away into the night, all of them on their way home.

As you finished your last-minute chores before you too locked up and went home for the night, you heard scuffling from outside.

The events from the past year and the disappearances of Will and Barb had put many on edge, and despite Will being back and the police announcing that there was no reason to worry any longer, you still carried some stuff in your bag just in case of emergencies.

So here you were, all by you’re lonesome, tiptoeing around to look beside the arcade, perfume in one hand and a broom in the other. Right as you went to turn the corner, you heard more scuffling and shifting.

You leapt around the corner, letting out a loud shout as you waved the broom handle and sprayed perfume.

As you opened your eyes, you saw Max, wide-eyed and standing a few feet away from where your broom handle had been whipped around.

“Max!?” You shouted, dropping the broom.

“Uh…hey Y/N.” Max greeted with a shy, nervous wave. Resting a hand over your racing heart you gave a loud sigh.

“God, you gave me a heart attack! What are you still doing here?” You exclaimed, your racing heart calming.

“Uh…no reason, just hanging around!” Max said. “What were you er…doing with the broom…and…?”

She pointed to the perfume bottle clasped tightly in your hand.

“Do you have to clean the parking lot too?” She jested.

“Very funny Maxine.” You teased, picking up the broom handle, “And no. I thought that instead of a kid ‘just hanging around’ That someone or something else might be lingering around. So the perfume was meant to be for whatever was here…thankfully it didn’t get into your eyes.”

“Eyes?” She questioned.

“Yeah? If you were actually in trouble you could spray it into your attackers’ eyes, and it would blind them for a moment, so then you can-”

“Beat them with a broom.” Max finished.

“Well. In this case yes…but your just a kid, so you shouldn’t have to worry about any of that stuff.” You said softly, “But…it still doesn’t explain what you’re still doing here at…11:20. Arcades closed, you all got extra time too.”

Max stood in front of you, her arms crossed and face turned away from you.

“Waiting.” She finally said, however, she said it so quickly you almost missed it.

“Waiting.” You echoed. “For who?”

“My brother,” Max said quickly again.

Seeing that she clearly didn’t want to talk about it, and also seeing that she was without a sweatshirt, and even with one you were shivering from the cold Hawkins air, you finally decided that any chance of you going home early tonight would have to wait.

“Alright, well you can wait for him inside instead of wandering around out here by your self.”

“What?” She said, face snapping to yours, “I thought the arcade was closed.”

“Well I forgot that I had some paperwork to finish and my boss would lose it if I didn’t, so you mise well wait inside with me.”

The two of you made your way back inside and you grabbed some paperwork you had originally left for your next shift from the back.

Max stood with her hands in her pockets, standing by the door, watching as every car, albeit few, passed by the arcade.

“So. Your brother this late all the time?” You spoke to Max.

“Never.” She said softly.

You picked your head up, looking to the younger girl.

“Well, that’s nice…at least not tonight…but it’s awfully nice of Billy to drive you around.” You said, thinking about her older brother. He was in your grade, but the two of you hadn’t really talked, not having any periods together in school.

Max stayed quiet.

“Well, you know I could give you a ride if you want? I don’t mind if you don’t want to keep waiting.”

“I have to wait,” Max said quietly. “Billy will get in trouble if he doesn’t bring me home.”

“Well…alright.” You replied, going back to the paperwork. “Got any quarters left?”

“Huh?”

“I’m just saying if you got any quarters left, you can play a couple rounds of whatever you like. I can keep an eye on the door.”

It took Max a minute, but a little while after your final statement, she wandered away and you heard the familiar noise of a quarter slipping into a machine, and the game come alive.

You kept an eye on the clock, not willing to be here past midnight, you decided that you would just take her home, either way, a little before midnight.

A little after 11:45 you heard the purr of Billy’s Camaro roar into the parking lot. You looked up, seeing Max had once again immersed herself in a game her back turned to you, and she clearly hadn’t heard her brother pull in.

You set your pen down and walked to the door, opening it and taking a step outside, seeing Billy running his hands through his hair as he stepped out, turning every which way clearly searching for his sister.

“Hey, Hargrove.” You called out, hoping to give him a jump, however, he turned around always playing it cool.

“Y/N Right?” He said. “I’m looking for…”

“Max. I know she’s in here finishing up a game…why don’t you come in?” You said, holding the door open. Billy stood by his car for a second, clearly thinking about what you said, and you half expected him to just walk in and drag his sister out, however, he threw out his cigarette and came up to you, stepping into the arcade.

“Don’t worry Hargrove, I won’t tell anyone that you’re hanging around in the arcade.” You teased as you followed behind him. You heard him give a small chuckle in front of you.

“It’s Y/N. Right?” He said, turning around.

“Wow. So Billy Hargrove does know my name.” You laughed, making your way back to the counter to grab the sheets of paper and tuck them in the manager’s office. However, seeing a scrap piece of paper on the desk you grabbed a pen scrawling something quickly and tucking it into your pocket.

Coming back you saw Billy leaning against the counter, his eyes on Max who somehow still hadn’t realized her brother was here.

“She’s a good kid you know.” You said, leaning next to Billy, “And a great gamer. You should find her some sort of championship or something to compete in.”

“Shes a little shit,” Billy said, but the usual angry and rough tone wasn’t with the statement, it sounded lost and distant, a whisper in the woods.

“Well. If you ever need any help with her or need me to give her a ride, I won’t mind. I know she was worried about it when I asked her about it…said you’d get in trouble, but really. If you need anything…I’m typically here” You gestured.

Just as you finished your minor speech, you heard the familiar chimes of ‘Game Over’ with a combined happy shout.

“Hey Y/N! I did it again, I just beat this record!” Max exclaimed, her happy face turning upside down when she caught sight of her brother.

“Billy.” She gulped.

“Alright, little shit. Get in the car.” Billy said. Max wasted no time, giving you a small thank you and departed the arcade.

“Thanks, for watching over her while I was late,” Billy said turning around to leave, and you had a silly grin on your face, hearing the Hargrove give you a genuine thank you.

“Anytime.” You replied. Your heart raced, but you hesitantly called out to Billy once more, his face turning.

You bounded up to him and slipped the paper into his pocket.

“My number, just in case you ever need someone to get Max.” You said.

Billy tucked the paper further into his pocket, in order for it to not slip away and he gave you a cheesy smile.

“Do I have to just use it for Max?” He asked, his voice dropping lower, growing huskier, and your heart was practically visible as it beat out of your chest.

“No, if you ever need me I’ll be there too.” You whispered. Billy’s smile grew larger, and he took your hand in his own, raising it up to his lips to press a kiss to it.

“Good to know, darling.” He chuckled, and like the wind, he slipped out the door, with a soft goodnight.

You stood frozen, shell shocked, heart, beating way too fast to be considered healthy as you heard and saw the Camaro pull away and drive off into the night.

Backing up, you slipped down sitting with your back against the counter, resting your gifted hand over your heart, willing for it to both calm down, yet never stop beating for the handsome Billy Hargrove. 

Stranger Things As Songs From Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

This is my magnum opus. Should I do 1989?

Castles Crumbling - Steve Harrington

"Once, I had an empire in a golden age I was held up so high, I used to be great They used to cheer when they saw my face Now, I fear I have fallen from grace

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground And you don't want to know me I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now"

The first time I heard Castles Crumbling I immediately thought of “King Steve” and Steve’s quiet identity crisis. Steve has undergone this simultaneously tragic and liberating fall from grace. He constantly wants to show people that he’s good and valuable despite him not claiming the title he once had. He’s burned bridges with Tommy and Carol and everyone from the part of his life he’s no longer proud of. While personally he may be fulfilled with his new life he is aware that he is perceived as a failure. He had the entire world gift wrapped for him and still found a way to tear it all down. 

Nancy Wheeler & Jonathan Byers - Mine

"Do you remember, we were sittin' there by the water? You put your arm around me for the first time You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together And there's a drawer of my things at your place You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes"

Mine is their song! It’s Nancy and Jonathan at their best. Especially in the early seasons both of them are very emotionally guarded but learn to open up to each other. In season 1 they both talk about not wanting to become their parents, wanting to stop the cycle of resentment and conventionality. Their relationship is almost defined by hardship, growing more intimate and personal the more they take on together. In their relationship it's them against the world especially because they are an unconventional pairing. They both have insecurities and baggage but ultimately they are there for each other and are better people for it (You can pry Jancy out my cold, dead hands). 

Max Mayfield & Lucas Sinclair - Last Kiss

"I still remember the look on your face Lit through the darkness at 1:58 The words that you whispered for just us to know You told me you loved me So why did you go away?"

"Because I love your handshake, meeting my father I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets How you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions

And I'll go Sit on the floor wearing your clothes All that I know is I don't know How to be something you miss

I never thought we'd have a last kiss I never imagined we'd end like this Your name, forever the name on my lips

So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe And I'll keep up with our old friends just to ask them how you are Hope it's nice where you are"

This song can be read as two sided but I primarily see it from Lucas’ perspective, particularly in the time of his and Max’s breakup. This song is about being crushed by the sudden end of relationship while still having allegiance to the person that left. Lucas is very compassionate and still worried about Max ever after their breakup. He didn’t care if she ever was with him again, only that she was safe and happy again. On Max’s side it crushes her to keep the distance between them and she’s haunted by the memories of their love and the sheer fact that Lucas is a good person who still loves her. They both wonder how much of the others life they missed and if things could’ve been different.

Nancy Wheeler & Steve Harrington - Back to December

"So this is me swallowin' my pride Standin' in front of you sayin' I'm sorry for that night And I go back to December all the time It turns out freedom ain't nothin' but missin' you Wishin' I'd realized what I had when you were mine I'd go back to December, turn around and make it alright I go back to December all the time"

"And then the cold came, the dark days When fear crept into my mind You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye."

While I am not a fan of the weird Stancy revival plot in season 4, this song really captures Steve's feelings towards Nancy. He deeply regrets the person he was when they were together and tells her that he didn't know what he had when he had it. She fundamentally changed him (which is why we should ALL be thanking Nancy for creating the Steve we know and love), and Steve wishes he could redo their relationship. The last line could also reflect Nancy's potential guilt about the way their relationship ended and her inability to reciprocate Steve's love because of her trauma and Barb's death. Also "I'm sorry for that night" is the night of the Halloween party. I don't make the rules. (Also Also Steve and Nancy dated for A YEAR that is so unfathomable to me :I)

El Hopper & Mike Wheeler & Will Byers - Superman

"I wonder if he knows how much that I miss him I hang on every word that you say And you smile and say, "How are you?" I'll say, "Just fine" I always forget to tell you I love you, I love you forever"

"I watch superman fly away You've got a busy day today Go save the world, I'll be around And I watch superman fly away Come back, I'll be with you someday I'll be right here on the ground When you come back down"

Superman can be interpreted from three different perspectives. Mike to El,  El to Mike, and Will to Mike. In season 4 Mike reaffirms his love for El by saying that she is his superhero. Her strength is the thing that he admires most about her and he is constantly in awe at her power. The line “I’ve loved you from the very first day” parallels Mike saying that he loved her from the moment he saw her. He even voices his insecurities about her leaving him behind once she realizes that he’s not anything special.

El has the complete opposite perspective, seeing herself as the unworthy one. Because Mike is the first person who ever extended kindness to El, she believes that he is the best person alive and is incredibly lucky to have him. El and Mike see the other as their Superman. 

From Will’s perspective Mike is his Superman. He is the leader, the heart, the paladin, and the great hero. He idolizes Mike in way which is why is rejection hurts so much. He wishes the cards were from Mike. That Mike knew how much Will reveres him. In his case, “I’ve loved you from the very first day” could be about the first day he and Mike met in kindergarten.

Will Byers & Mike Wheeler - Foolish One

"Foolish one Stop checkin' your mailbox for confessions of love That ain't never gonna come You will take the long way, you will take the long way down Foolish one Stop checkin' your mailbox for confessions of love That ain't never gonna come You will learn the hard way instead of just walkin' out

Now I'm slidin' down the wall with my head in my hands Sayin', "How could I not see the signs?" Oh, you haven't written me or called But goodbye screamin' in the silence And the voices in my head are tellin' me why"

The accuracy of this one hurts. I think the lyrics are self explanatory but the song reflects the anguish Will feels over Mike’s friendship and love slipping away.

Joyce Byers & Jim Hopper - Timeless

"I would've read your love letters every single night And prayed to God you'd be comin' home all right And you would've been fine We would have been timeless 'Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine We would've been timeless"

"In a crowded room a few short years ago And sometimes there's no proof, you just know You're always gonna be mine We're gonna be I'm gonna love you when our hair is turnin' gray We'll have a cardboard box of photos of the life we've madeAnd you'll say, 'Oh my, we really were timeless'"

Timeless is an affirmation that no matter how many times they are separated and torn apart, Joyce and Hopper will find each other. It's also about them wanting to stop dealing with interdimensional threats to their families and have a normal life together and live to see the other get old.

okay but imagine dming a girls-only dnd campaign with Nancy, Robin, El, Max, and Erica

The D&D scene in Hawkins has always been kind of barren. A boys club if you will. Of course there was always the party and the Hellfire Club but you were always looking for a space where you could feel more comfortable playing with other girls. 

When things become more stable in Hawkins you acquired a solid group of female friends. Nancy and Robin are your age, and while you definitely spend time with the boys, you’ve started to hang out just the three of you. 

El and Max are younger than you but you always enjoy their company. You serve as a kind of older sister figure to the party and the two of them kind of look up to you. 

You’ve only recently started hanging around Erica but you like her a lot and once she gets in to D&D you two start to bond. 

It’s actually Erica’s idea to start the campaign in the first place. 

All of the girls are coming in with different levels of experience. 

Nancy has observed D&D through Mike for a good chunk of her life and has occasionally participated so she knows the basic mechanics and other random facts about the game. 

Robin has never touched a 20 sided die in her life. The people that she’s hung out with before the summer of 85 were never the type to play D&D and she barley knew it existed before the whole Satanic Panic thing started to sweep Hawkins. 

Max has always been a bit put off by D&D. At first it was something that was used to exclude her from the group and once she became friends with the party she would be insecure that she wasn’t as good at it as the boys were. Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will had been playing forever and she feels like she doesn’t fit in.

When you pitch the idea to her you assure her that the majority of the participants are starting from square one and there's nothing to be worried about. That persuades her to give it a shot. 

El is just happy to be doing something with other girls. Of course she’s friends with Max but she longs for more female company. She also knows a little about D&D due to how much Mike has tried to explain it to her. 

Once Robin is introduced to D&D and learns the rules she’s super psyched about playing and creating her character. She also rolls her dice really weird (big Ally Beardsley ala Fantasy High energy). 

Robin is obsessed with languages so she quickly tries to learn Elvish and uses it during role play. Her experience in drama also leads her to commit especially hard (sometimes too much lol). 

As for classes and races: Robin plays as a teifling bard, Erica as a half-elf rouge, Max as a tabaxi barbarian (my first instinct was also rouge but Lady Applejack is already a rouge so gahhh), El as a half-elf mage, and Nancy as an elven duel class cleric and fighter.

Nancy is the resident note taker and jots down every detail, stat, and piece of inventory. 

She also probably unravels all of your planning with her great detective work. Like you’ll spend ten hours crafting a mystery that's supposed to be revealed in the very last session and she cracks it by the third.

Erica spends hours hand painting minis for each character. The detail is astounding.

"Did you paint a tiny star in her eye?" "I'm thorough."

El is that player who cannot do basic addition for the life of her (aka me). Max always has her back though.

"I rolled an eighteen. Eighteen plus seven is ....." "Twenty five." "Thank you."

El is also proficient in animal handling and constantly adopts wildly dangerous creatures to be her pets.

You might think that Erica is a head-straight-into-battle kind of player due to the absolute powerhouse that is Lady Applejack but she's actually incredibly tactical. Her and Nancy tend to alternate as party leader.

Max and Robin on the other hand are the kind of players who crave chaos.

You: "The villager seems to know something about the creature that lives in the woods. You can see however that he's apprehensive to answer any of your questions."

Max: "This guy is totally shady." Robin: "Yeah you're right ... we should punch him." Max: "Oh my god you're so right. If I roll a nat 20 can a tooth fly out?"

As a DM you are very attentive to your players. You craft scenarios for each girl to shine and show their growth as a player. You also make little dice boxes and customize. You make their favorite treats and have them in the middle of the table every session.

You notice they all seem to be getting closer and more comfortable with the game which warms your heart.

Sessions are hosted on Friday nights and usually conclude with movies, pizza, and sleeping over someone's house based on the availability of their living room.

Each girl also gets to make her own mixtape to play during sessions. The vibes of which are all over the place. Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Tiffany, Blondie. The works.

The environment of the campaign is so comfortable. Yes you're putting their characters through horrible danger and mental gymnastics but its out of love <3.

Your players are amazing. You feel so lucky that you're able to share something you love with the girls in your life and make it your own.

By the time you're nearing the end of your campaign Dustin and Lucas are begging to get in on the action for the next one, only to be disappointed when Robin slams the door in their faces clarifying that this party is "Ladies Only!".

Songs I Think Stranger Things Characters Would Listen To (The Party + Erica: Edition)

Note: For these lists, I tried to include songs that we haven't really seen in canon for the characters. We know that Max likes "Running Up That Hill", we know Mike likes "Small Town Boy", and we know Will likes "Boys Don't Cry". I love those songs and they are included in these playlists but I'm more interested in using music as a way to expand on and flesh out these characters.

I have also linked to Spotify playlists for each character. If you agree or disagree with any of my picks, please let me know!

Will Byers

Will has inherited a lot of his music taste from Jonathan but it's evolved in a way that's distinctly his own. Unlike his brother, Will's music tends to be more pop-focused. He likes new wave, post-punk, and moody songs that he can listen to while he paints. I think Will really pays attention to the lyrics of the music he listens to and it serves as a kind of therapy for him.

In Between Days by The Cure

Elegia by New Order

Mad World by Tears For Fears

Lost in the Supermarket by The Clash

It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys

Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling

Without You by David Bowie

This Charming Man by The Smiths

Mike Wheeler

Mike is always trying to appear slightly cooler than he is. He likes classic rock in a very Eric Forman way (if that makes any sense). By the time he joins Hellfire Club, he's trying to emulate Eddie's style and music taste because he just thinks Eddie's that cool. At his core, Mike enjoys sappy songs about love, life, and heartbreak because he's a dork who likes to jam out in his room.

Never Surrender by Corey Hart

Dream On by Aerosmith

Suburbia by Pet Shop Boys

Punishment For Love by Bronski Beat

Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins

Hells Bells by AC/DC

Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams

Eighteen by Alice Cooper

El "Jane" Hopper

El is just finding her own music taste. She’s only been shown music by her friends or Hopper so she picks and chooses what she likes. Mostly that’s a lot of pop music and ballads. She also watches a lot of MTV so her taste tends to skew pretty mainstream. When Max teaches her how to put together mixtapes her’s tend to be pretty upbeat or dramatic depending on her mood. While she’s contemplating her relationship with Mike she listens to a lot of gaudy break-up ballads. 

Hey Mickey by Toni Basil

She Bop by Cyndi Lauper

The Promise by When In Rome

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler

Talk Talk by Talk Talk

Could've Been by Tiffany

Destination Unkown by Missing Persons

Two of Hearts by Stacey Q

Max Mayfield

Max’s music taste is kind of hard to pinpoint. It’s really a grab bag of pop, rock, experimental, and softer punk. The only way I can describe it is like “spunky”. There are also moments when the music she listens to becomes more introspective and brooding. In “Runaway Max” she mentions liking The Go-Go’s and The Beach Boys. 

Dreaming by Blondie 

We Got The Beat by The Go-Go’s 

Kids In America by Kim Wilde 

The Girl U Want by DEVO

Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes 

Hounds of Love by Kate Bush 

California Dreamin by The Beach Boys 

White Wedding - Pt.1 by Billy Idol 

Dustin Henderson

Dustin is the nerdiest of nerdiest teenage boys (we wore a "Weird Al" t-shirt on his first day of high school I mean come on). He thinks that "Weird Al" is a genius for his use of parody and critique of pop culture (which, he's not wrong). He's always liked metal but it's only become more prominent for him since hanging out with Eddie so much. Being in Hellfire though has caused him to be more stealthy about his love for novelty records and one-hit wonders. He makes mixtapes full of love songs and saves up his money to send them to Suzie in Utah.

She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby 

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen 

The Safety Dance by Men Without Hats 

Weird Science by Oingo Boingo 

I’m Gonna Be by The Proclaimers 

As The World Falls Down by David Bowie 

Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley 

I Lost On Jeopardy by “Weird Al” Yankovic

Lucas Sinclair

Lucas’ music taste is pretty diverse. He likes rock music but not as hard as Mike and Dustin’s taste. I imagine he’s picked up a lot of soul and r&b music from his parents, specifically his mom. In “Lucas On The Line” Lucas is introduced to Run-D.M.C. and really takes a shine to it so I imagine he’d be listening to some rap and hip hop. My qualifications for my picks were “would Lucas sing this infront of his bedroom mirror while using a hairbrush as a microphone?”. 

Another One Bites the Dust by Queen 

Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C. 

Dirty Diana by Micheal Jackson

Juke Box Hero by Foreigner 

Easy Lover by Philip Bailey & Phil Collins 

Everything She Wants by Wham!

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine by Lou Rawls 

Never Too Much by Luther Vandross

Erica Sinclair

Erica is eleven so she tends to gravitate towards music that's popular or that she hears on the radio. Pop and R&B make up most of her cassette collection. The music she likes tends to be very upbeat and kick-ass (these songs are all bangers so she has amazing taste). Like Lucas, she also does dorky lipsyncing in her bedroom but unlike him, she's never been caught.

Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam 

I Feel For You by Chaka Khan 

What Have You Done For Me Lately by Janet Jackson 

Got to Be Real by Cheryl Lynn 

Let’s Hear It For the Boy by Denise Williams

Rhythm of The Night by DeBarge 

Cool It Now by New Edition 

Swept Away by Diana Ross 

Being An Older Sister Figure to the Party

Headcanons for being an older sister to the party from seasons 1 to 3 (for now, I'll probably add more ideas that pop into my head, especially for season 4). I might even do a part two if someone requests it.

You’ve been babysitting Will since he was nine and as a result you’ve become very protective of him and his friends. 

You and Jonathan have always worked as a team to make Will feel accepted. You started coming over every weekend to watch movies or listen to music with the two of them, making sure that it was stuff that he liked. 

You listen carefully when Will tries to explain D&D to and you smile at the way he talks about “Will the Wise” and the adventures he goes on with his friends. Eventually Will’s party gives you a rundown of how to play and you participate sometimes (usually reading lines for an NPC Mike wrote beforehand).

Dustin and Lucas really like having you around. They always try to impress you with random references and facts that are pretty cringe-worthy but you find them charming. 

Even when Joyce couldn’t afford to pay you after Lonnie left you still stick around because you care about Will so much. It kills you to see how he and his friends get bullied and you try to help any way you can but it doesn’t always work. 

You and Joyce have always been really close and she treats you like a daughter. 

After Will came back from the upside down you visited him every day in the hospital and brought him a box full of his favorite things (art supplies, books, his favorite movies). 

You never really recover from what happened but you try to be a pillar of strength for him. 

When Max moves to Hawkins you quickly get wind of her home life. You make it your mission to make sure she has a place where she can feel comfortable, letting her stay over at your house whenever she needs a break from Billy or Niel. 

Max has never been traditionally “girly” but you help her feel comfortable in her femininity. Painting her nails, braiding her hair, taking her shopping for clothes because her mom is too overbearing, etc. 

She’s always struggled with finding positive female role models but you show her the strength in being vulnerable and tell her that she doesn’t have to act tough all the time.

When Steve Harrington enters the picture you’re a little skeptical. He never seemed like the kind of person who would spend his time worrying about anyone but himself and his asshole friends. You’re especially worried about Dustin trying to emulate him but soon enough you come around. He shows you that he cares about the kids just as much as you do even if its in a different way. You start to bond and anytime he worries about people still seeing him as “King Steve”, you assure him that he’s a great guy who’s doing his best. 

Eleven is your baby. After season two you make a point of treating her like a normal preteen girl. When she grows out her hair you buy her clips and look in every magazine to find hairstyles that she can wear. 

When Lucas and Max get together they break up constantly which leads to Lucas crying on your doorstep begging you to help him get her back. Lucas insists that he did it himself because he’s just that smooth (and he’s embarrassed about blubbering in your arms about missing Max). 

When Dustin comes back from camp you’re the only one who believes him about Suzie being his girlfriend. You even talk with her on Cerebro and quickly become pen pals. 

After season 3 you like to keep tabs on Erica. Mostly just to check if she’s having any problems sleeping after what happened on the Fourth of July, or sometimes just to hear her rant about her D&D character. 

You and Mike have an interesting relationship. He’s been Will’s best friend for as long as you remember and has been one of the only people who’s ever made him feel normal but at the same time he’s put that boy through the emotional wringer. 

He annoys you a lot of the time but at the end of the day you know he’s a good kid and who doesn’t have a lot of love in his life. 

Sometimes Mike comes to you about stuff he doesn’t tell anyone else. He sees you as one of the only older people in his life who won’t scold him for his mistakes. You always tease him or set him straight but at the end of the day you let him know you care.

You're the first person Will ever comes out to, and you make sure to guard that secret with your life.

At the end of the day all the kids love you and feel like they can come to you for anything, especially end-of-the-world stuff <3.

Stranger things characters as things me and my friends have say

Steve : I want to be fucked so bad.

━

Robin : Steve, can you wear my breasts please?

━

Jonathan : Mike if you touch my brother we're going to fight.

━

Erica : I'd rather test a dick.

━

Argyle : Isn't your father a thief? 'Cause he took my virginity!

━

Max : Eat pussy as long as it's legal.

━

Eddie : I couldn't aim for the hole, that's why she left me.

━

Nancy : If you could moan silently.

━

Dustin : They put a phone in my ass.

━

Eleven : Pissing together strengthens the bonds!

━

Lucas : I have a video where he suck it.

━

Will : I drink my piss without hesitation.

Steve : While I'm gone, you're in charge Dustin, Erica.

Dustin pointing his fist in the air : Yes!

Erica : Nice.

Mike and Lucas : WHY THEM!?

Steve, whispering to Max and Will : You're secretly in charge, but I don't want them to throw a tantrum.

Max : Obviously.

Will : *nodding*

El : *giggling*

*The party sitting in jail together*

Max : So who should we call?

Mike : I’d call Steve, but I feel safer in jail.

Steve : What did you do?

The party :

Steve : You’re not in trouble, I just need to know if I have to lie to the police again or not.

Just thinking about non-binary Steve who wears skirts when he's home alone, because if he goes out in a skirt he's going to get punch. And imagine the party just walking into Steve's house for Dnd, and Steve is right there with his skirt and and her apron with "Best Mom" written on it, greeting the party as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

And everybody's just kind of : 😀?

Steve : I think i should adopt another kids.

Robin : No.

Steve : Why not?

Robin : Because by "kid", you mean traumatized teenagers, with who you were with was in life-or-death situations, and you already have 5 of them.

Steve holding up Will and El : 7!

girl violence & girl misdemeanor, a moodboard

stranger things rewatch; EDDIE + MAX PARALLELS insp. by @greenishghostey

Girls girls girls

– Pink Rover by Scene Queen

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield The Hellfire Club, Stranger Things

sometimes all i can think about is how max went looking for nancy after she looked for lucas and how nancy is literally like max’s emergency contact bc i KNOW max holds nancy at a high regard because nancy is so fucking cool and how the hell is she related to mike because when they needed help in s3 nancy was already looking into it all and nobody wanted to believe her. bc people are always thinking that nancy is just obsessive and paranoid at first when she’s literally FUCKING RIGHT all the time. and how in st4 when max thought that it might all be happening again her first thought after finding lucas - her on and off boyfriend - was to find nancy bc she knew that nancy would believe her and nancy would help bc nancy always knows what to do and if she doesn’t she’ll figure it out. like nancy wheeler really is max’s role model i’m sorry she just IS like. the way max looks at her when nancy is sawing off that gun she really is like god nancy wheeler is so fucking cool i dont know how she’s related to mike. bc u know that max always thinks like what would nancy do in this situation and she holds nancy’s opinions to high regards - like her asking nancy to settle her argument with mike over el in s3 and nancy immediately siding with max. and it’s not one sided bc nancy does care about max and she knows about the grief max is going through bc she has lived it and keeps living it and they’re both so haunted by people who were close to them - even though the relationships nancy had with barb and fred were different from the one max had with billy - and so they just. get each other. and all nancy wants to do is protect max because she knows what grief can do to someone and she doesn’t want that to happen to max. and i think that is just so neat…. and also they both pet stray dogs and bully mike and talk about their cute autistic lesbian gfs together bc i said so:) and mike is so annoyed bc he’s like u piss me off with ur lil obsession w my sister and robin is like shut up michael u don’t get it. el is like yeah mike. and max is like u will never break apart nancy wheeler stannies club founded by max mayfield sorry mike xoxo

Steve Harrington and Max Mayfield annoying each other for ten minutes straight

Sassy Queen

i’m a max mayfield stan first and human second.

Same Max, same

LUCAS SINCLAIR, MAX MAYFIELD and DUSTIN HENDERSON STRANGER THINGS 4.06 “Chapter Six: The Dive”

stranger things s4 vol 2 + text posts

💚

#He’s the big brother she deserved

ever since someone pointed out that they have the same smile and look a bit alike i can’t stop thinking about it i just wanna curl up and cry

New headcanon: As a way to make amends with Max for how he behaved at the Byers’, he would give her and the party rides to the arcade whenever needed 🥹

I'll never get over the fact the year book implies Billy used to drop off a bunch of the kids at the arcade

The anguish on El’s face just screams “Well shit, if this is how my best friend feels about her own BROTHER, what will she think of me if she hears about all horrible stuff I did?”

El knows she could have easily been a female version of Billy if she didn’t get an intervention in the form of the party, Hopper, and the Byers family. So to hear her best friend talk about another abused kid like that….it must have hurt deeply.

billy fans 🤝🏽 el: understanding billy's actions and sympathizing with his past