when Mike and Will are in first grade, they attempt to run away. This is spurred by two things: Lonnie Byers’ general presence, and the boys’ current favorite book series, the Boxcar Children. The thought of living in a train car seems super cool to them, and since they live so near to train tracks, they figure that there must be an abandoned train car or two somewhere nearby. They begin trying to gather supplies—as discreetly as two six year olds are able to, which isn’t very discrete. Jonathan, age 11, finds out almost immediately. When he tries to convince them why it’s a bad idea, they—with their little kid logic—actually convince him to go along with it, at least for a little bit. With the condition that he goes with (after all, there’s an older sibling taking care of the kids in BCC, right?). He helps them pack a little better, maybe talks to Joyce about the kids going on a camping trip (to get away from Lonnie for the weekend), maybe implying (lying) that there will be Actual Adults there with them. And there’s no need to make excuses to Mike’s parents—Karen is pregnant with Holly and the whole house is focused on getting ready for the new baby. Karen will likely just think he’s at the Byers’ house. So over a weekend (starting on a Friday after school), Mike, Will, and Jonathan go exploring— looking for a boxcar or any abandoned train car—mostly looking along the train tracks. They eventually find the Junkyard—which the kiddos get excited about anyway (even Jon bc Boxcar Children was his book first shut up), so they proceed to search for hidden gems. They find a bunch of little treasures (a cracked but useable magnifying glass, an old working radio, and even a set of slightly cracked dishes in the trunk of one of the cars), but their biggest discovery is an old Bus. Jonathan tells them that, at least for tonight, it’s almost as good as a boxcar. Mike and Will immediately agree and the trio set out to make the space livable (to kid standards, at least). Set up their blankets and sleeping bags, etc. Jonathan reads to them (from the Boxcar children ofc). And the weekend goes along in a similar vein. The younger boys get homesick by Sunday morning, ofc, so they agree that the Bus can be Their secret place that they go to sometimes. Like the boxcar in the Children’s backyard. (And then Jonathan forgets about it after a while bc I completely forgot about the whole bit in S1E7 where they’re trying to find the kids—won’t remember til they go to pick up the Party and then Jon will want to hit himself for forgetting. The rest of the Party (once they become friends) don’t know about it. It stays a Mike and Will thing—until the Bus is p much destroyed in S2 RIP Bus). Joyce never finds out. (At least not for a v long time—maybe it’s one of the memories Mike uses when Will is possessed by the MF) Not about This run away attempt anyway.
Will tries to run away the second time when they’re in fourth grade. Again, mostly bc Lonnie Byers and his A+ parenting. And plus Will thinks one less child might make things easier on his mom. By this time, Lucas and Dustin are their friends too (and thus voices of reason, bc Mike is an enabler who probably immediately offered up his basement). So they’re talking about it—going over the pros and cons (Mike is still advocating for his basement), but Karen happens to overhear and it’s immediately Game Over: Joyce is told. She is, ofc, devastated. And they have a long talk about how much she would miss him if he were gone (ouch I hurt myself😃). So that’s the last time he actually tries to run away (Joyce gives brief thought that that might be what’s happened at the beginning of S1, but with the confirmation that Mike is Not in the Know, she thinks it’s v unlikely).
(And then during/after the divorce, if Will wants to run away, he either runs to Mike’s house to spend the night, or he runs to Castle Byers… He runs to it in the Upside Down. He runs to it after his possession has been lifted—as his friends (Mike) begin to pull away. And, after a Fight with Mike, he runs to it one last time…then there’s no longer any place in Hawkins Will can run away to.)
When they move to Lenora, Will thinks about running away back to Hawkins. He doesn’t go through with it though, because Mike hasn’t really been responding to his letters, and thus there’s no one to conspire with. Plus, with El, he doesn’t want to leave her alone. She’s quickly become a sister to him, and he knows (even tho school sucks for her), she likely wouldn’t want to run away from Joyce and Jonathan—considering she already lost Hop.
Once Will and Mike get together post-whatever happens in s5, Will tells him about almost running away to Hawkins (to Mike), and, it turns out, Mike had almost the exact same thought (esp when he couldn’t come for Christmas). Like he told Will during SB, Hawkins isn’t the same without Will there. They talk about ‘running away’ from Hawkins after they graduate high school—basically going to college out of state. “It’s not really running away if I’m with you, though. You’re home.” Michael Wheeler is full of cheese.
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sorry for creeping on your tags, but - please i must know what the tenets of properly characterized Benji Dunn and Ethan Hunt are
oh no worries at all friend i love when people creep on my tags! and that was really more of a general gripe without any thought behind it than an essay in the waiting, but i think i’m just tired of seeing benthan written as the same idealized fantastical daydream of what i imagine dating a superhero would be like. i’d like to see a benthan fic that’s a little more grounded, a little more real—something that doesn’t fall prey to the fallacy of ethan hunt by idolizing him or putting him up on a pedestal from benji’s point of view. it just really diminishes the mutual respect they have for each other in my mind.
and i wish people would stop making benji an incompetent, blushing damsel in distress who falls into ethan's arms and needs ethan to save him from everything because that's all ethan does apparently. ethan is not the perfect unknowable savior that everyone in the films makes him out to be, and benji can have a crush on him without being an extremely uwuified baby cinnamon roll.
but you know, this is just my opinion—all i really want to see is benthan that’s a little more down to earth. and i think that’s why i prefer ilsa x ethan so much as a ship.
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yes my art is explicit but that’s not the point. the point here is vulnerability and love. i think a lot about clark kent and navigating a world that isn’t made for you. a world that’s hostile towards the very idea of you existing (being other, alien) imagine living your whole life locked up inside of yourself, constantly having to exercise restraint (not just physical) being constantly aware of every action you do when you’re not alone (bc you’re not “normal” and wouldn’t want anyone to suspect that you aren’t) never being able to say anything about what’s going on inside you you become almost incapable of speaking about your emotions, of opening up. you always have to keep people at a distance. the toll it takes on you, the way it eats away at you to the bone. then comes this woman who turns everything you knew completely upside down. and you realize you have feelings for her but like… are you allowed? are you allowed to nurture the thought of a life together? could you ever have a chance? could she ever love someone like you? /something/ like you? do you even belong here in the first place? you who feel so much, so deeply, could you open yourself up and risk your heart being broken? and when she takes it, when she’s so gentle with it you just about break down and cry. with joy, relief, exhilaration. emotions you can’t name. yes, yes i deserve to be loved and here she holds me in her arms and im seen. im seen.
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