Stupid, So Stupid.

mike wheeler: 1983 v. 1986

S01E01; S01E04; S01E06 S04E03

mike wheeler realising that he's cared for and missed when he's gone and that his existence is a net positive by the way. if you even care

mike wheeler in season 4: head full, many thoughts (not telling you though)

I really disagree with the idea that Will would be ok with liking boys if he didn't love Mike and that Mike would be ok with loving Will if he wasn't a boy. Maybe it's a snappy sounding post but it's also just...not true? Acting like Mike is The One™ with internalised homophobia and that Will is completely chill with his sexuality completely goes against canon.

Did you guys forget the bullying and abuse Will experienced because people thought he was gay? The van scene? Canonically, the only thing stopping Will from feeling like a mistake is the fact that he loves Mike. Because Mike makes him feel like he's not a mistake. He makes Will feel like he's better for being different. If being gay is be unnatural and bad, how can his love for Mike be so beautiful?

Will is becoming ok with his sexuality because he loves Mike, not in spite of it.

Ngl I do like the headcanon that Will wouldn't like Eddie, just for the angst, u know??

Like in s3, you can see Will trying to make a DnD campaign to bring the party together

Whereas Eddie's DnD campaign in s4 tears the party apart

I think it's obvious that Will cared more about having time with his friends over actually playing DnD, the game just ended up being the thing he thought could bring them together and the thought of DnD being something to hurt their friendship would definitely hurt Will.

I also think Will would be on Lucas' side with the whole "I don't want to get bullied" thing, even if he wouldn't be too keen on trying to hang out with popular kids. I think he would prefer to stay in the background, which is what he does for like the whole of s4, especially at the start in Lenora High, it's like he was invisible to everyone but El and that one girl who liked him.

Whilst on the other hand, Eddie is all about being proud to be a freak (and whilst Jonathan is similar, he does it in a much more subtle way). Moreover, Will's comments about how he feels 'different' and a 'mistake' as well as his efforts to blend in whilst in California make me believe that he would be incredibly insecure and self conscious about being around someone like Eddie; he obviously doesn't want to be a target.

And so therefore, I think that if Will ever got the chance to meet Eddie, he would either dislike him or try to avoid him when he could. However, in time I do think he would admire Eddie's willingness to be himself.

noah schnapp bloopers are so important bc they’re pretty much my only shot at seeing will happy

quick sketch

for otp asks: byler 2, 3, 8, 12, 13 👉🏻👈🏻

hello anon!!!

2 - who giggles uncontrollably while the other picks them up?

100% will byers r u Kidding me. mike is canonically the Will Byers Protector™ and i think he would constantly be picking him up and swinging him around and will sometimes pretends to be annoyed by it but he always gives in and ends up giggling into mikes neck like an idiot

3 - who compliments the other in front of everyone?

ooh ok so i hc byler as a very (badly) flirty couple but in v different ways if that makes sense? i think they would both do this, but mike would do it jokingly to try to fluster will (it doesn't work) and will would look him dead in the eye and say something twice as sappy with a completely straight face and mike would fuckign melt

8 - in a coffee shop au, who'd be the worker and who would be the customer?

i love this one either way tbh!! mike is the obvious cringefail loser incompetent barista but they r cringe4cringe and will is equally capable of behaving like an absolute lunatic where a pretty customer is involved (see: thea wiseatom's you are sick (and you're married))

12 - when did they first fall in love with each other?

mmm ok there are lots and lots of different ways to interpret this and i don't particularly have an exact moment for when they actively fell in love w each other (i think it was too gradual and natural to have a specific starting point) but i would say will was the first to figure it out, probably prior to s1, while mike figured it out at the end of s3.

(i will add tho,, i do think there's smth to be said for the concept that mike actually knew his feelings for will when he was younger and made an active choice to ignore them and/or genuinely thought he liked el and convinced himself the will thing was a fluke. not usually the interpretation i go with for fics etc but maybe worth exploring??)

13 - who likes to give the other hugs from behind, followed by a kiss?

this is another either/or type of situation, but i do think once will knows he's Allowed he'd be the clingiest bf ever and do things like this all the time. However in re my previous statement abt mike being the Will Byers Protector™ i think mike would also need to constantly be hugging/clinging to will in some way bc That's His Job!! (it's maybe for his own reassurance too but. no one else needs to know that >:-()

will and mike in the “crazy together” context but in an apocalyptic hawkins au.

mike is a protective boyfriend.

California here we go 🗣️🗣️🗣️