experience them hand in hand takes me back .

Strangers ThingsstarsGaten Matarazzoand Finn Wolfhard were spotted in the wild, and the reactions were priceless.

After years of speculation and waiting, Season 5 ofStranger Thingsis finally coming.

On July 15, Netflixreleaseda first look at the much-awaited fifth and final season, and I’m seated.

When I think about what I admire most about the hit Netflix series, one thing comes to mind — the friendships.

On and off the screen, the cast ofStranger Thingshas shown how close they are, and Finn and Gaten are great examples of this timeless bond.

Gaten has played Dustin Henderson on the series since he was 13. Here’s Gaten in 2016:

Here’s Gaten now:

And here’s Gaten side-by-side:

Finn portrayed Mike Wheeler on the series since he was 13. Here’s Finn in 2016:

Here’s Finn now:

And here’s Finn side-by-side:

Now they’re both 21 years old, and I’m left wondering where all the time went.

On Wednesday, theStranger Thingsstars werespottedwalking hand-in-hand aroundNew YorkCity alongsideMay Decemberactor Elizabeth Yu, and the photo was equally hilarious and downright sentimental.

Of course, it went viral, and the reactions were priceless:

Many people couldn’t get over the fact of how adorable their friendship looks in real life.

this kind of friendship > > > >

bestiespic.twitter.com/fQygh4UWwG

Nothing wrong here , just two friends hold mitt there ’s nothing wrong with that .

A group of 20 individuals, including Finn Wolfhard and Natalia Dyer, pose casually on furniture and the floor in a room with a large illuminated "5" sign

Some people joked that they were holding hands like they do with their homies after a wild night of shenanigans.

One user reminded us of another pair of adventurous bosom buddies with a similar bond to the actors and their characters inStranger Things.

Gaten Matarazzo and Finn Wolfhard in New York.pic.twitter.com/pSoG5BKM9 GiB

Another user pointed out how Gaten and Finn are “the two most unproblematic cast members” in the series.

I cogitate they are the two most simple roll member of strange thing

And for all the people who made tasteless speculation about their sexuality just because they were holding hands, fans definitely came to their defense.

But, if you were wondering where you might’ve seen that adorable celebrity friendship pose before, I ask you — are you a fan ofArrested Development?

Gaten and Finn are actually referencing a paparazzi photo ofArrested Developmentcostars, andSmartLesspodcast hosts Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. See the picturehere.

I’m super excited for Season 5 ofStranger Things,but based on what Gaten and Finn look like now, I have no idea what they’ll do about the age gap since Season 4 was released in 2022 when most of the cast were still teenagers.

Stranger Thingsis streaming on Netflix.

Finn Wolfhard in a hoodie and Gaten Matarazzo in a graphic t-shirt and name tag smiling and talking indoors

Gaten Matarazzo at a formal event in a black tuxedo with a plaid bow tie, smiling at the camera

Gaten Matarazzo at the 2021 NHL Awards, wearing a button-up shirt under a jacket with an abstract face design on the front

Finn Wolfhard smiles while wearing a suit jacket over an unbuttoned dress shirt at a promotional event

Finn Wolfhard posing in a grey buttoned-up shirt at a celebrity event

Gaten Matarazzo and Finn Wolfhard sitting together on stage at MegaCon, talking and holding microphones, both casually dressed

Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo hold hands; Finn wears a casual outfit with a baseball cap, and Gaten wears a casual outfit with a cap and holds a drink high

Tweet by Uncle Luke on the grill (@theluke): "Me holding my drunk homie's hand cus he cross faded pointing to some bullshit at 3am in West Hollywood."

Tweet by Jinx @JinxButcher: "When me and bro go to pick up rolling papers and gatorade."

Breeje_i's tweet discusses annoyance at comments, saying men should be allowed to show affection to friends without enforcing toxic norms

Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo, dressed casually, hold hands while walking outside. Gaten raises a drink cup and points upward

Finn Wolfhard, Charlie Heaton, Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, and Maya Hawke look upward in a forest scene from "Stranger Things."