Live. Laugh. Love. Leave a good-looking corpse.

36 years later, 2022

Extra doodle and headcanon:

It’s the 22nd of march 2021, and Mike just threw Will an incredible one on one party. he’d organised a video call with the others, and he cooks Will an elaborate birthday dinner with all of Will’s favourite dishes. They’re just on the sofa after, relaxing with a glass of whiskey each, talking about fond memories from college, when Will looks at mike and goes “I want to marry you.” out of the blue and mike turns to him a little shocked. they’ve spoken about marriage before, of course they have. They spoke about marriage when they were younger and Mike was Lucas’ best man at his wedding. They spoke about getting married when they were so full of spite for the law that made them feel lesser for their love, but they obviously couldn’t marry then. And then by the time it was legalised, they’d gotten over marriage as a concept. they exchanged promise rings in 1997. Had a little get together with their loved ones and then never told anyone why they called them over. But to Mike and Will, it was their own private little union. To them, that was their wedding. Even though it was never documented or no one except them knew.

Skip to 2021 and Will looks at Mike, who had been planning the perfect 50th birthday for him for almost two weeks now. Mike, who has planned almost every single birthday of Will’s since they were 6. Mike, who has loved him and made him feel safe for 45 years now. And he’s just struck by how much he wants to be able to call Mike his husband, even if it’s just a matter of legal papers because they’re basically married. And as always, they’re obviously on the same page because as soon as mike gets over the shock, he suggests that they get married on the 31st. Their shared birthday. Will thinks he’s not being serious, so he lets him know that he actually meant what he said about wanting to marry Mike even though they decided that getting married wasn’t all that anyway. Mike says “And i’m serious about what I said as well. Let’s get married on the 31st. It can just be us and a few people we want there. What’s stopping us?” and now Will is the one shocked and a little excited.

The first people they call immediately is obviously Nancy and Jonathan to let them know they’re getting married in a week and they need their help. Nancy and Jonathan don’t hesitate to help one bit. they (especially Nancy) plan everything. the party and the Hawkins UD squad come together to celebrate Mike and Will’s wedding. Will cries for three whole minutes when he sees Mike at the altar. 15 year old Will would’ve never believed his 50 year old self’s fate. 15 year old Will wasn’t even sure he’d live longer than 17 or 18 because of how rotten his luck was. But he’s the luckiest man on earth that day. And that’s exactly what he tells Mike there in his vows.

In his vows, Mike says “imagine telling 12 year old Mike Wheeler that he’d be marrying an older man in the future” and everyone laughs. Will just goes “hey!” through tears because he’s still crying a little knowing that he’s marrying Mike Wheeler. This eventually becomes a joke that gets repeated every single year without fail on their anniversary. Nancy is so fucking stressed out that week leading up to the wedding because she basically plans the whole thing from scratch. When the wedding is done, she’s like “NEVER make me plan something so suddenly again. not even your funeral.” and Mike’s like “yes ma’am”. She even goes as far as ordering them custom gold wedding rings that look like the Ring of Power from the early 2000s Lord of the Rings trilogy because the party suggests it immediately after they find out about the sudden wedding. Mike and Will get very emotional about it and green light the idea. It’s the dorkiest thing ever, but it’s so, so Will and Mike.

Joyce is much older and sicker at this point from the number of years the UD basically took away from her but this is the loveliest day she’s had in a while. It takes her back to Hopper and her wedding in 1991. El and Jonathan stick with Hopper and Joyce all day and Will joins them after the festivities. The five of them have a heartwarming family reunion. Hopper tells mike “So you’re officially a part of my family, huh. It only took you 37 years.” Karen Wheeler and Holly with her partner and child are there as well. Ted died in 2007, but Karen had left him in 1995 anyway. When he found out Mike was queer, he was unsurprised, disappointed, and always made sure to let Mike know that. Mike wouldn’t have invited him to the wedding even if he were alive. Same as Will with Lonnie

"to date."

will didn't want to make out. he wanted to hold hands and snuggle during movies and write mike corny love notes. he wanted to laugh at nothing until they couldn't breathe and play dnd together and be obnoxiously flirty with mike and kiss him on the cheek and play with his hair. he wanted to draw mike and take care of him when he's sick and share a straw and tell him everything and love him.

💞Ships Week 2026: #1 – #20 💞

It's the big one! Welcome to the final day of ships week. Here are your top 20 ships of the last year, with the full list under the cut:

1. Byler +22 Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things

2. Spamtenna Spamton & Ant Tenna, Deltarune

3. Jayvik Jayce & Viktor, Arcane

4. Phan +4 Daniel Howell & Phil Lester, YouTubers

5. Sonadow +14 Sonic & Shadow, Sonic the Hedgehog

6. Hollanov Shane Hollander & Ilya Rozanov, Heated Rivalry

7. Polytrix Rumi & Zoey & Mira, KPop Demon Hunters

8. Buddie -1 Evan Buckley & Edmundo Diaz, 9-1-1

9. Destiel -4 Dean Winchester & Castiel, Supernatural

10. Krusie Kris Dreemurr & Susie, Deltarune

11. Caitvi +74 Caitlyn Kiramman & Vi, Arcane

12. Superbat +31 Superman & Batman, the DC Universe

13. Pureshadow* Pure Vanilla Cookie & Shadow Milk Cookie, the Cookie Run franchise

14. Stobotnik Agent Stone & Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog

15. Radiostatic Alastor & Vox, Hazbin Hotel

16. Gelphie Glinda Upland & Elphaba Thropp, Wicked

17. Pazzi Paige Bueckers & Azzi Fudd, WNBA players

18. Radioapple -12 Lucifer Morningstar & Alastor, Hazbin Hotel

19. Bucktommy -7 Evan Buckley & Tommy Kinard, 9-1-1

20. Hannigram -7 Hannibal Lecter & Will Graham, Hannibal