✧ ♥ ‘Do you remember the first day that we met? It was the first day of kindergarten. I knew nobody, I had no friends and I just felt so alone and so scared, but I saw you on the swings and you were alone, too. You were just swinging by yourself and I just walked up to you and I asked … I asked if you wanted to be my friend. And you said yes. You said yes. It was the best thing I’ve ever done… and Although I haven’t seen him in more than ten years I know I’ll miss him forever. I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anybody?’ ♥ ✧
Theory: El mentions Will has a crush to Mike and Mike gets irrationally jealous and that’s why he might be a bit of a dick to Will at first.
YES. MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY. I’m not sure why Mike would ignore him because of that, but he could be trying to prove to himself that he’s not jealous by focusing all of his attention on his actual girlfriend
I’m just saying, it would be very foolish of the writers to let potentially one of the best queer slowburns in a popular show slip through their fingers.
If they pull an unrequited love storyline for Will and Mike, it would be such a fumble on their part. They have such an intense relationship between these two characters cradled in their hands, and if they choose to drop them it would absolutely break my heart — not only as a queer person and byler shipper, but as someone who is a hopeless romantic as well.
You have these two boys who have known each other for nearly their entire lives, who value each other above nearly everyone else. One who believes meeting the other was the best thing he’s ever done, and the other loving him unconditionally,even after childish mistake after childish mistake.
Mike goes above and beyond for Will. Being the only person besides Will’s mother to believe Will is still alive even after seeing his fake body be pulled from the quarry — Staying with Will for days when he is possessed and tormented by the Mindflayer — Running to Will’s house during a thunderstorm to apologize when he knows he’s fucked up —
Will, meanwhile, has been almost bashfully obvious with his feelings for Mike. He outright admits to wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Mike, and reassures him that it’s not possible for him to fall for anyone else.
They fit together perfectly, and in the show it’s proven time and time again that they work better together. Ateam.Partners.
Now, they’re stuck in this awkward place where Mike is clearly conflicted and confused, and angry about it. He can’t tell his girlfriend he loves her, even on paper. This could be because they’re so young and he doesn’t know how to say it, or because he doesn’t want to admit to her or himself that he doesn’t love her in that way. Because Mike’s main motto is friends don’t lie. He’d be lying to her if he said he loved her.
Will on the other hand seems to be struggling to hold himself back from confessing to Mike. The pure yearning and hurt on his face each time he looks at Mike is heartbreaking, but it also just showcases how deeplyandcompletely Will loves Mike. It’s not just some childhood crush or puppy-love. This is the real deal! It’s undeniable.
It’s a common belief that the best and most long-lasting romantic relationships are built on a strong friendship. The phrase ‘marry your best friend’ is an agreed upon sentiment in both real life and most romance media. As an audience we already know Will and Mike are close friends, but this season they’ve reiterated that they are best friends. They work best together, they understand each other, they fight for each other, and I think we can all agree that Will and Mike both shine as characters best when they’re with each other. Mike even admits that he feels like he’s lost Will. He admits that Hawkins isn’t the same without him. He said he’d paid too much attention to El and that’s why he lost Will, which is such an odd thing to say. It makes it seem like Mike regrets spending all of his time in season 3 with El, and that he wishes he’d been with Will instead. That isn’t a platonic thing to say at all.
They are open and honest with each other, and in this season you can really tell how much it infuriates Will that El is blatantly lying to Mike. He takes it personally. It’s clear that he thinks Mike deserves nothing but the absolute truth, which we’ve seen Will give him time and time again. Opening up to him about the Mindflayer, the Crazy Together scene, and now he’s the one telling Mike that El’s not being truthful.
The writers have the set-up. They’ve set-up a childhood best friends to lovers storyline between these two boys.
They’ve made it clear that Will has painted something for Mike — Most likely something that will make his feelings obvious. He’s ready to put it all on the table. Yet they continue to leave Mike’s feelings ambiguous. Soft smiles, lingering looks, awkward hugs.
I’d be sad if they burned it all to the ground, yes. Most of all, though, I think I would mourn for theirloss.
Imagine having such an impactful and heartwarming romance just there in front of you, and then just letting it slip through your fingers.
If they follow through with it, though… it would honestly be huge. It would make history. I’m not even exaggerating.
It would be a total shock to me, even as I’m someone who loves them together so much. Because even though I’ve pointed out all the signs pointing to their mutual feelings, I’m still so reluctant to have hope.
Because queer people don’t get these kinds of love stories. We don’t get to see the same things as straight people do. We have to write our own romance storylines about the shows and books we love, because time and time again we are made to feel delusional for even thinking for a moment two people of the same sex will have a well-written onscreen romantic storyline.
It’s 99 times out of 100 unrequited or one half of the partnership is brutally killed off as soon as they confess.
I really want to believe Will and Mike will be different. I really hope nothing is half-assed with them.
(If you have any byler season 4 proofs or any byler proofs at all feel free to add on by reblogging)
Hmm Caleb calling lumax “real love” compared to mileven. SUS.
Here’s the interview:
Finn in a recent interview:
Millie in an interview about mileven facing serious relationship issues (Finn also teased a possible break up between Mike and el when asked about season 4 mileven at the premiere):
Also we know that both Finn and Noah have a monolog close to the end of the season which further hints to byler.
thedifference in how mike hugs will back is so telling
the time mike spent apart from will made him realize he missed him more than just a friend and that scares him, he can’t let will know so he puts distance between them
Oh my god Will is painting the day him and Mike first met on the swings. There’s two figures that can be made out and the chains of the swing. Everything, absolutely everything, is circling back to the beginning. Time won’t let Mike and Will forget about each other.
I think you’re right. That would be sweet.
But oh no… some movies have a nightmare trippy dream seq on swings. Vecna will probably mess with “the best thing they’ve ever done.” As a tactic.
El and Argyle both see through Mike’s phoniness by checking goddamn tags.
I’m deceased XD
So mike being fake with El (like his fake brands).
EL is faking be happy to mike at the airport - and is upset by the (flower) card saying “from mike” (like his letters).
And Mike,at the airport, is covering up the fact he was upset about Will’s painting (because he thought it was for a girl Will likes- because of his letter from El).
The airport scene (Mike & El hiding their hurt feelings)
El at the airport notices the card (for the flowers) says “from mike’ .She’s hurt but fakes she’s not upset. But later brings up all the letters he sent her that say ”from mike“ ( which imply he doesn’t romantically love her).
Meanwhile mike sees Will’s painting (supposedly for a girl Will "likes”). And mike’s secretly upset but then acts like he’s not and just says coldly “cool”. Later they makeup and stare longing at eachother and say “cool”. Then Will grabs the painting We’re getting a romantic painting scene.
El was upset a piece of paper showed mike didn’t romantically love her. And mike was upset a piece of paper implied Will didn’t romantically love him. The drama!!
Mike tells Will he exchanges letters with El cause she’s his gf. Later mikethrows El’s letter (about becoming a “superhero”) in the trash. Then Mike explains to Will, that he had a fight with El (and he probably can’t mend his romantic relationship with her).
during that prior fight: Mike says he “ cares” for El. And El responds that he “CARES” but doesn’t love her- and can’t even say it out loud to her or in his letters . Instead his letters say “from mike” . Even the flowers he got her had a card that says “from mike”. Mike then tries changing the subject (of him not loving her) by saying El is important to him and a “superhero”. El then says “not anymore” to mike’s offiscation. El later sends Mike the letter about re-becoming a “superhero” (she signs the letter “from el”- probably symbolically showing their relationship is probably over). Which is why mike then throws the superhero letter into the trash.
Mike wonders why he couldn’t say he loved El to her face (before she left). Will says to Mike it’s hard to “say how you really feel” about people you “CARE” about because they may not like the “TRUTH”. On one hand it could reflect Will’s fear. But it also reflects Mike’s fear of admitting to El he doesn’t romantically love her-because It’s something she wouldn’t like.
After mike threw out el’s letter , Mike states the “TRUTH” is he misses Will and was worrying too much about El.
Brenner later tells EL “superheroes’ are stuff of fairytales and the “TRUTH” is not that simple, and she cannot hide from the “truth” any longer (even if it freightens her). Aka - (symboliically) the “truth” El doesn’t want to face is that Mike doesn’t “love” her romantically and her trying to become a “superhero” again won’t change that “truth”. which was earlier illustrated by Mike throwing out her “superhero” letter . In s3 -4: we see mike/EL dating eachother but both are called out for lying to one another (their whole romance is the antithesis of “truth”-but instead lies.)
lumax and byler
Will asks if mike is angry at him, cause he stopped “talking” to him. Then Will mentions how mike and El shareletters(and mike barely talks to him). But Lucas says he’d rather “talk” to Max and doesn’t want a letter (paralleling how Mike threw El’s letter away so he could “talk” to Will). Mike literally throws the letter in the trash like a basketball (to parallel lucas further).
Both pairings had a falling out between seasons. lucas says to max “it’s like you’re not even here anymore”. And Mike says “I don’t know maybe I feel I lost you”. Max/Will take the blame for the fallingout. But Lucas/mike correct them and take responsibility.
After this Lucas says he didn’t loose Max ,but he just wasn’t using his eyes to see what was infront of him. dustin: the world is full of the most obvious things that no one by anychance ever observes. Lucas to max : “But i SEE YOU NOW” . cough oh look at byler staring at eachother.
Not to mention Will getting the courage to eventually show the painting to mike… is almost a loose parallel to the letters. So for byler the painting may spur a “talk” about the “truth” of their feelings. A piece of paper can only mean so much. But if the painting said “love Will” that would be a nice touch too.
It seems like mike and Will are almost contrasting. Mike can’t say he loves El even in letters. And Will seems like he’s about to confess any minute to mike (and his painting may symbolize his romantic love for mike).
Also another very obvious byler hint:
They fight in an arcade (cough a place they used to hangout together). Will says “what about us?” Which initially alarms Mike. Then when Will brings up how they haven’t been talking ,but mike sends el letters . Mike uses the excuse that she’s his girlfriend. And again Will says “and us?” . And mike quickly states they’re “friends”. Will is this close to calling out their relationship. I swear. And Mike protested too much. XD
Also don’t get me started on how robin mentions a movie (dr zhigiago) and says its about “doomed love” - and then we see the m*leven fight. The film has a subplot about 2 siblings having the same love interest. Heck Yuri even yells about his brother taking his wife. Like ok. Suspish. And no I don’t think the “doomed love ” is the queer ship -like it usually is.
why? well robin mentions vickie and not being able to confess. Then right after robin shows the “doomed love” video to Steve. But Steve said earlier to robin. She doesn’t have to worry about confessing to Vickie cause she’s clearly queer like robin. So does Will have nothing to worry about cause mike’s also lgbt?hmm
My opinion:
Mike is still processing his complex feelings but … my oblivious son will eventually get there eventually. Honestly wouldn’t surprise me if Will confessing to mike is what makes mike finally realize his feelings for Will.
also “cool” parallel.
Plus, the fact El (in s4) calls Hopper her “hero”. But mike just calls El a “superhero” who “saved the world” is interesting. Because both the first and 2nd phrase - are mike’s arguments for M*leven . it’s not a good sign ,Mike really sees El for who she is . But that it’s borderline “hero worship”/familial love ). It also goes back to how,in s1-3, m*leven has paralleled hopper/El (and siblings). mike’s “care” for her isn’t romantic. He “cares” (for her like family), but if anything he more idolizes her as a hero. Rather than seeing her as a normal girl, he should date based on romantic compatibility.
Reblogs appreciated since it never showed up in the tags XD
Mike misses Will just as much as Will misses Mike.
They’re both just too afraid of finding out the other has moved on, so neither has made much effort to stay in contact. They were both waiting for the other to do so, hopingthe other would do so.
To clarify, I think people spend too much time focusing on Will being upset that Mike hasn’t stayed in touch.
Will hasn’t, either, hence Mike’s “maybe you should have reached out more.”
Mike is just as hurt as Will is, but, since he can distract himself with El, it’s not as evident. It ends up looking like it’s a one-sided problem on Will’s part. But we can remember their goodbye in season 3. “What if you want to find another Party?” This was Mike’s big fear about Will moving away, and, to him, it looked like it came true.
Especially when he asked about the painting. Mike was probably hoping it was for him, even if he was possibly afraid of the implication. Mike looked verynervous when he asked Will about it. He then looked like he was trying to be nonchalant when Will said it was nothing, just a painting he was working on. To Mike, that meant it was exactly what El mentioned in the letter, but it wasn’t for him. Cue “Cool” and quick head turn away from Will.
I don’t know how they’ll set up the reveal of the painting, but it has so much potential to be an overwhelmingly emotional scene that they better not screw it up.
For me, Mike in the airport was completely jealous. As Finn said Mike was clueless, there’s no way our boy would think Will might have a crush on him. He would be like “Oh… Will is holding a painting and it could be for his crush as El wrote in letter. Maybe it is very important for him that he couldn’t just leave it at home and brings all the way here”
That’s why his face was fucking weird when he asked about it
You mean the Mike who disobeyed the chief of police’s orders to not look for his missing friend, who he’s totally not in love with?
You mean the Mike who told his friend, who he’s not in love with, that meeting him was the best thing he’s ever done?
Maybe you mean the Mike who chased his friend, who he’s not in love with, in the pouring rain just to apologize and treating that far more seriously than when he was broken up with the day prior?
Perhaps you meant the Mike who couldn’t hug his friend, who he’s not in love with, because his girlfriend, the girlfriend he can’t say “I love you” to, told him he might have a crush even though he was perfectly fine hugging his other friend who does have a girlfriend the day prior?
![[tender, emotional music playing]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/c7a96ae98a0a47f590d6bcb88be742cb/f54ec9b631539052-1f/s30x30u_c1/9ab4887fc2c7044aded225f247b2cfdb9a59cda1.png){kind=small}
