#THE PAINTING

[chirpsythismorning]

I swear this was a fever dream

[zooperspy]

“What painting?” The two words that are going to break Mike Wheelers brain

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[gayofthefae]

I just realized something so sweet and personal about Will's painting.

Their DnD characters don't look like that. We saw him draw them plenty in season 1. Will the Wise has a long beard and Mike's character I think has straight blond hair.

Will didn't just draw their characters per usual, he drew them as their characters. He's drawn Mike's knight character a hundred times. But he's never drawn Mike as a knight. He was understanding that Mike's character is a projection of who he aims to be, like all of them, so he drew MIke as the knight this time. For the first time.

That's what this smile is. Mike has played a hero for years. But he's never been one. He saw a dragon and probably expected his character, overjoyed with more of Will's familiar art, but instead, he was met with a glorious knight in shining armor with black, wavy hair. He was the hero this time. *(you can even see his facial expression change from happy excitement to this broad smile)

In season 1, Mike initiates the search party because of Will's heroics in DnD meaning that he would do it for them. He acknowledges that Will's actions in character are still his own. This is the same. This is Will saying "To play a hero, you have to be one yourself. And you are. I see through your character disguise. I see you. This is just the hero you've always been without the mask."

THAT is why it's different. THAT is why it's so much more personal than all the others, not just the heart, MIKE. THAT is why it hurts so bad (Will too but I'm referring to me/us).

I've said in a previous post that it wasn't about the heart, the heart was kind of for us, it was more-so about the heroism. And that's exactly what I standby. The heart isn't the only new thing about this painting. The hero has never actually been Mike before. And Will responded "Yes it has been. It always has been."

[notlushi]

The Comic is here, yay!

Blood warning Part 2: Her Bow

I had more ideas for this little comic so now I’m making it into a AU of a AU and a little ask thing in case y’all want to question about the existence of this.

Carnival AU: @sm-baby

WARNING! THIS COMIC WILL HAVE BLOOD SO CONTINUE ON YOUR OWN RISK

Part 2: Her Bow,

[retrokittytakeover]

Not but guys will would definitely call Mike sweetheart. like he basically already did.

[tinitiny]

WHY ARE WE IN A ROOM?????

[byler-com]

“Will is painting a lot, but he won’t show me what he’s working on.”

It’s finally done !!

After 4 days of painting I finally have my own Byler Painting™

I love it so much it’s going up on my wall,

Everybody thank Will Byers for creating this masterpiece <3

[phonopsyche]

what do you see in your dreams, ophelia alina ariane?

(process under the cut)

[multifandom-gif]

HARVEY SPECTER & DONNA PAULSEN in SUITS, 6x12 “The Painting” ❤️

[rvspecter]

[chirpsythismorning]

Never getting over how accurate this meme was 😭

[evilbookworm]

good afternoon byler nation just a reminder that there’s only 2 more days till Stranger Things Day and El possibly saying “What painting?”

[gayofthefae]

Will didn't just give up his chance at happiness. He gave up his happiness. Mike had already reacted. He didn't give up the opportunity for Mike to love it. Mike loved it. He told him he loved and he told him he loved that it was from him. Will is smiling so easily when he says that he painted it. He's not nervous at all. He didn't give up his chance at happiness. He gave up his happiness. It was there. There was no losing it.

He didn't give it to Mike and say "this is from El" and avoid the risk of the whole thing. He felt the nerves, he watched the reaction, Mike smiled, he smiled. He added El after Mike had already reciprocated, even if all unspoken. Mike returned his enthusiasm. He got a taste before he gave it all up.

Even if he doesn't think it's real, or doesn't think that's why, or whatever, you can see that he knows. He knows there was something there. Something good. He was never so sad about things he never had in the first place. He hated it, but he never cried like he did. Will knew there was something there to lose. We've watched him grieve what could be all season. This is him grieving what was. No matter what level of awareness, the moment before he does this...it was real.

[notlushi]

Delusional: characterized by or holding false beliefs or judgments about external reality that are held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, typically as a symptom of a mental condition.

Irrelevant to Jax’s mind he throws it in the trash-

NONE OF THIS IS CANNON TO SM-BABY CARNIVAL AU

Just me having silly ideas

Carnival AU: @sm-baby