some light-hearted cute fics where where everyone already figured out what is actually going on between Will and Mike, before the two of them say anything.
Mike Wheeler and the G-Word
by lunii_vii
A coming-of-age fic in which everyone realizes at their own times that Mike Wheeler is queer, but leave him to figure it out himself. (Each chapter is from a different character's POV.)
14k words
13/13 chapters
Note: very cute fic, especially chapter 11 and 12, they had me giggling and kicking my feet.
almost but not quite
by Marigold_Flowers
“Lucas you have to tell me —” she pats his arm vigorously— “is Mike blushing?” Lucas takes a moment to process this but Max can tell the moment he understands what she’s been trying to say all along when he starts patting her arm back. “Oh my God, he totally is,” he says, and he sounds awed, like he’s just made a world-changing discovery. “Is this what you meant?”. “That they’re totally crushing on each other?” Screw subtlety. “Duh.”
Or -- 5 times people agree that Will and Mike have a crush on each other + the time they discover the truth
20k words
2/2 chapters
Note: y’all have to read this one it’s just so awesome. i looove happy slice of life fics, so when i read this it became one of my favorites.
this secret language that we’re speaking
by afterglowssss
“I can’t see,” Will announces, and immediately—and when Lucas says immediately, he means the second the sentence left his mouth—he jumps onto Mike’s back, and Mike has absolutely zero reaction, he just grabs onto Will’s legs so he doesn’t, like, fall off.
OR lucas doesn’t quite understand will and mike, until he does
1k words
1/1 chapter
Note: this is a private work, so you need an account to read it. this one is really nice and well written, so if you have ten minutes i would give it a quick read
mama said you can’t hurry love
by andiwriteordie
this fic is the first part of the 9 part serie “let’s hear it from the boys”, that i strongly recommend, and the first parts are all in theme with this post, but i’ll only put the two fics i liked the most. You can read both of them without reading the other parts.
Before Mike is out of an earshot, she calls, “Mike!”The young teenager turns back around. “Yeah?”“Thank you,” Joyce says, suddenly feeling choked up. “For being Will’s best friend.” Mike’s expression softens, and a familiar sort of fondness—something she’s seen more than once on Will’s face—forms on his face. “Like I said,” he says quietly, “it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Or: Will and Mike over the years, as seen through the eyes of Joyce Byers.
8k words
1/1 chapters
Note: also private, it goes from when Will and Mike are little babies to… well you have to read to find out ;)
the winner takes it all
by andiwriteordie
also part of the serie “let’s hear it from the boys”, you don’t have to read the other parts to understand this one
“Honestly, I bet they’ll end up dating at one point or another. I’ve just got a feeling.” “I’ll take that bet,” Steve says, voice filled with certainty. “Bet you ten bucks Wheeler and Byers are just friends and don’t get together.”
Or: Robin and Steve make a bet on whether Will and Mike will end up together. Naturally, chaos ensues.
9k words
1/1 chapters
Note: another private, when the description says “Naturally, chaos ensues” believe it. I’m not sure if it is a slice of life, but it sure did feel like one lol. It’s a pretty chaotic and fun fic, and i loved reading byler on robin’s POV
i think there is someone (you love)
by fireflywitch
El thinks Will’s been acting weird. But he’s not the only one. Featuring excessive 80s pop synth, secret dance parties, the sick, ruinous embarrassment of existence, blue paint spills, motel room realizations, dictionary definitions, and that four letter word.
22k words
4/4 chapters
Note: this fic is one of my faves! the author understands El so well (this is one of the best interpretations of her character I've seen) and Will is awesome here. Follows s4 and beyond.
Dustin Henderson, the Scientific Method, and Homosexuality
by crow_of_crimes (Theyna_Shipper)
Dustin Henderson is, if nothing else, a firm believer in the scientific method. As a bug collector since age 4, an aspiring computer scientist since 5th grade, a member of Hawkins A/V since 6th grade, a science camp attendee since 7th grade, and a boy with a lifelong passion for science, he recognizes its principles: careful observation, study, and peer review. So when strange things begin to happen in Hawkins, that fall outside the usual nature of strange things that happen in Hawkins, he returns to his roots to find the answers. After all, the scientific method applies to social science, too. And if any observation ever needed careful dissection, it was this one.
Or: Dustin Henderson applies the scientific method to figure out why two of his best friends have been acting so strangely.
3k words
1/1 chapter
Note: Dustin in this fic really feels like season 2 Dustin and that was really cute
friend of my brother is my enemy (or something like that)
by rosesgf
Jonathan would never hear the end of it if Will found out what he’s doing, so he needs to be subtle. Just enough to get Mike to treat him better. Just enough to redirect things. He settles on a stern, “Mike, I think we need to have a talk.”
7k words
1/1 chapters
Note: I just loved so much how they characterized Mike. angst warning, but like it’s like very good angst
learn to coupon
what to do when you can’t afford therapy
cleaning your bathroom
what to do when you can’t pay your bills
stress management
quick fix meals
find out if you’re paying too much for your cell phone bill
resume workshop
organize your closet
how to take care of yourself when you’re sick
what you should bring to a doctor’s appointment
what’s a mortgage?
how to pick a health insurance plan
hotlines list
your first gynecology appointment
what to do if the cops pull you over
things to have in your car in case of emergency
my moving out masterpost
how to make friends as an adult (video)
how to do taxes (video)
recommended reads for surviving adulthood (video)
change a flat tire (video)
how to do laundry (video)
opening a bank account (video)
laundry cheat sheet
recipes masterpost
tricks to help you sleep more
what the fuck should you make for dinner?
where should you go for drinks?
alcohol: know your limits
easy makeup tips
find seat maps for your flight
self-defense tips
prevent hangovers
workout masterpost
how to write a check
career builder
browse careers
birth control information
financial management software & app (free)
my mental health masterpost
my college applications masterpost
how to jumpstart a car
sex ed masterpost
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We may still have 300 days to reach the “goal” that we do not yet know, but until then, we will continue to face the challenges of life with patience and strength, waiting for the day when safety and stability return to us and our loved ones. 🍉🌈🤲 Donate now: In these difficult times, every donation makes a difference. Your support can help alleviate the suffering of families living under siege in Gaza and facing the challenges of daily life. 🇵🇸❤️🍉🤚 Please put your hands in mine and support my children🙏🙏
https://gofund.me/504921a8
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YESSS MARCH 22ND GATE ISTG
hoping for the teaser on wills birthday !!
this is very important
First edit: Byler Angst (I Love You, I’m Sorry Gracie Abrams
I’m not sure if anyone has used this song for them but as soon as I heard it I got the vision immediately, lol. I apologize if this isn’t original, I can take it down!
it is 2am i cannot stop reading webtoons and byler fanfics, i have to get up at 6:45
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . Day 35: D&D Substitute Scene . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .
The D&D substitute scene, aka the scene where Mike and Dustin attempt to persuade random people into being Lucas's replacement, is packed full of queer coding for Mike -- alongside the small shot we get of his bedroom, this scene is supposed to be filled with subtle hints about Mike's character arc this season, particularly about him questioning his sexuality.
The first episode aims to show you what conflicts Mike has in his life before he goes to California, otherwise him acting weird in California would have little context (in a writing sense).
The first part is when Mike bursts in to find Nancy -- when I first watched this back in 2022, girl I thought he was SOOO weird for just standing there and looking around. I figured it was super unnecessary and awkward (maybe just a goofy thing to get a laugh), but they wouldn't have included that for no reason.
Like ^^?? There was no reason for the shot of other people and the whole room unless it for the purpose of showing little details. At first when I decided to examine the scene, I didn't really expect to find anything at all, but if u look closely in the first picture, there's literally a pride flag on one of the items on the table.
Of course, you can't only rely on this little detail for queer coding because there are also other aspects of this scene that we must consider:
At the beginning Mike looks completely frozen in place, like he hadn't been expecting this many people or he's embarrassed. They all look around at him which is supposed to symbolise (imo) his thoughts about the pressure he's feeling to figure himself out, or how seen he feels, in terms of his queerness. (bear with me it all links)
There is ticking in the background, which is supposed to emphasise how long Mike is taking to look around the room.
Nancy is literally in the middle of the room -- How did Mike not see her immediately?
Ergo, he was distracted by something and looking at other people. Mike's literally questioning his sexuality at the beginning of the season anyway, carrying on from the end of S3. The people in the room are all staring at him as if to say -- "who are you going to choose" or something.
You might think this is a reach that Mike is looking at them carefully and considering, but the camerawork literally emphasises the fact that Mike is looking around at these people very purposefully:
Mike looks around first ^
The camera pans quickly like it's supposed to be from his perspective. This is one of the only scenes in which we get his pov in the whole season. And when we do, it's literally Mike panicking about questioning his sexuality. (And for all the bisexual Mike truthers out there, this is definitely proof on that front too, I mean look.)
Okay brace urself because the next part with Mike in it is the most classic 80s-referential queer coding I've seen in my life. Idk why I ever watched this scene without getting the feeling that something is gay about this boy, anyways:
Remember this random extra in the background of Will's solo shot? Super unnecessary to wear this shirt right?
This is supposed to be queercoding for Will, which makes sense because he is canonically confirmed gay in S4, but this hilariously links back to this scene in episode 1:
Wrestling is a contact sport - and this is the very first shot of the next Mike scene, rather than Mike himself. This is basically supposed to kind of highlight the uhhhh queer things that are going on in Mike's head, which is even more interesting when you look at the shot facing Mike:
Not them literally having pairs of men in the background of this shot - it's not even just men by themselves which would be queercoding in itself, but they're all in pairs, as in a M/M couple - i don't get how this was needed unless it's for the purpose of showing Mike questioning his sexuality. If you think about it, the writers and creators chose which parts of the school Dustin and Mike went to pick up a substitute, and it's not just random that they not only decided to put Mike in this situation but have men in tight wrestling gear in the background cmon--
If you think about Dustin being in this scene, it really doesn't make any sense anymore.
Oh yeah and this otherwise unnecessary 5 second POV shot of boys doing this (on the right) definitely doesn't mean anything for what Mike's sexuality is sure yeah yeah...
For the next part, Mike goes to a science lab, which...you might think I'm going to rattle off about this being a symbol for him wanting to 'experiment' with his thoughts and feelings (AND I COULD DO THAT) but this scene doesn't even need me to say much, especially when they have shots like this in it:
There are many things about this scene that imply queercoding:
On one side of Mike there are only boys (particularly two of them), and on the other side there are two girls. I again have to justify myself and say that this isn't just a coincidence. That should be queer coding for a questioning 15 year old boy enough but...
There is literally a sign in the background saying "Women in science" to further highlight the difference between the two opposing sides in Mike's head. This could be bisexual proof, but in my opinion...
The set designers set up a light coming in through the window for a reason. You could try and say it was to make the scene look nicer, but it's clearly lighting up which side Mike prefers, while the side he doesn't is in the shade.
Also there's something about him saying "That's just bullshit media propaganda" whilst being put in a very queer situation that gets me.
The boy at the science table also says "60 minutes begs to differ", which is a very specific line and typical of the time period. The date is 21st of March. Now, if you're well-versed in the lore I'm sure you know where this is going:
The last aired 60 minutes show according to the date - was about the AIDS crisis in America, particularly about the gay community in San Francisco. I'm sure I don't need to say anything more about this significance.
After the guy says that, the experiment goes up in like sparks and flames and I'm sorry to be so so on the nose (though that's kind of the show's fault) but....
I don't know why else they would have had those flames be so prominently in front of Mike's whole torso and head, revealing him to be there after the flames die down if not for this double meaning.
All in all, if we consider that this short scene has this much packed into it, I really can't question the capabilities of the directors and writers to subtly queercode a character (if he is canonically queer next season). Within a minute, Mike is shown to look frozen with pressure as he questions his sexuality, directly put in the pubescent context of gay thoughts (lol), and put in the middle of two options to show which one he has a preference for.
@myloverdior
wait bestie your onto something....😱
You're so real for shipping stonathan
yessssssss I have fortunately fallen down the stonathan rabbit hole and can’t seem to find my way out
I'm sitting down
Em, 18, stranger things, fanfiction, and stranger things fanfiction ★★★ random out of pocket thoughts (90% byler ofc)
192 posts