#mike and will

[babybluebae-933]

okay but hang on does mike not know that will is lying about the painting? It’s one of the first things eleven tells him in s4; Will is painting something special and she thinks he must like a girl and that’s who it’s for. whyyyyyy would she tell him that if it’s a painting she commissioned for him?

I don’t think the disappointment in the van scene is because he thinks the painting was actually commissioned by el, I think he knows it’s from will, for him. And his wildest dreams have told him that it meant something special. That he means something special to will. It would be crazy for him to say it out loud because they’re best friends. They’re just friends. And he has a girlfriend, who he… cares about.

But somewhere deep inside of him, he was hoping that will would be the brave one. That he would be the one to do it, to say what’s unsaid, to make mike feel better like he always does. Find a way to explain what’s been happening between them the last two years. He wants to talk to him so bad; he calls all the time, but the line is always busy. Is it normal to be this upset over a best friend? He doesn’t know but he can’t think about it, not really.

He thought will would be brave, the one to admit it. I’m not joking, unless you are. I would be with you forever if you just asked, but if you don’t then I never will either and we’ll just stay like this. The only thing worse than loving you would be losing your friendship. Have you ever felt guilty about how much you cared about a friend that was actually just a friend?

He has just realized what he wanted. It came the closest to the surface that it ever has, he was as hopeful as he ever has been. But it turns out its from el. Or at least that’s what will wants him to think, and why would he lie about that? Friends don’t lie. Will won’t say anything; it was stupid to think that he would anyways.

If mike wheeler had one fucking brain cell to spare, he would figure out that will lied about the painting because he loves him. He made it for him because he loves him, and he lied about who it’s from because he loves him. But that sounds too good to be true, so he concedes within himself and says okay, maybe will made this for me because he cares about me but more important than that, he wants me to be with eleven. It doesn’t even occur to him that will could want to be with him but would rather mike stay with el and never find out the truth if that’s what would make him happiest.

He’s smart enough to figure out what’s really going on in the van scene, he’s just not confident enough to believe that it could be real. It is too good to be true, so it must not be.

Mike is realizing in this moment that he is upset that the painting is from his girlfriend not will. It’s obvious if he did have any feelings for mike, he doesn’t want to share them. And he wants mike to be with el. And because mike cares about will more than anything, that’s what he’ll do. Will told him to say the thing to el? He’ll say it. Will told him el loves him and needs him? That’s where he’ll be.

It’s the same look at the end of s3 after el kissed him and said she loves him back.

Wasn’t that exactly what I wanted?

Why does it feel like this?

Why doesn’t it feel good?

Why am I thinking about will?

There are some desires held so deep within us, you can’t even acknowledge the possibility of it until it’s actually physically happening, it would be too devastating otherwise. To admit even to yourself, that you want this thing that is so stupid and so impossible and so weird and so unacceptable. It’s better to never acknowledge what you want than it is to really really want something that you can’t have. Especially about this stuff. Because it doesn’t end at feelings for will, if this happens it means the entire rest of his life is different. And that sounds dramatic but really it’s not, what if I acknowledge my feelings for this person and what they really are, and what if I can’t have it? My world is shattered, the bubble is burst. And I don’t even get what I wanted. Especially in the 80s. he would be ostracized, judged. Different for life, weird for life. If he can’t have what he really truly wants, why shouldn’t he have the next best thing? A normal easy uncomplicated life with eleven. With a girl.

Mike is smart we’ve seen that. I think he knows el didn’t commission the painting. He's upset that will said the painting is from el, and he’s upset that deep down he really wanted it to be from will. But he doesn’t know what this kind of upset means, and he doesn’t know what to do with it.

mark my words s5 will be PACKED full of anxious overthinking overanalyzing mike wheeler and i cannot fucking wait.

[i-eat-homeless-people]

Claim your "I was a Byler before s5 came out" here

[faelorelia]

Them: “Will Byers will have a new love interest in ST5.”

Will Byers in ST5:

[literallymikewheeler]

can we PLEASE just talk about how confused joyce probably was during season 3 whenever hopper would shit talk mike

hes over here literally calling mike the spawn of satan and joyce is probably thinking "mike wheeler...? wills mike wheeler...?? the mike that stayed with will for a week straight while he was possessed and in the hospital??? the mike that never gave up on trying to find him even ONCE while he was missing?? the mike that quite literally said befriending my son was the 'best thing he has ever done'????"

[everbyers]

Rink O' Mania / The Airport Scene™ is the biggest byler proof.

Okay, that title was little dramatic, but It's not too far from the truth.

It's such an amazing piece of evidence because It's one of the proofs that melvins can't make about their ship. A good example of evidence like this is the end of s4. It either means something for byler or nothing, no in between.

There is yet to be an argument against WHY Mike wasn't being himself. (Of course, melvins deny that he wasn't being himself when it is obvious. Even if you don't ship byler, Mike was NOT being himself.)

An argument I've seen some melvins use is how Mike was just trying to impress El. Which could be true, but:

Why did he fake his smile? In here you can literally see that he's faking his smile AT THE SAME TIME AS EL. WHO WE KNOW IS LYING. I mean, okay the outfit was him not being himself, but does he also hate being with his girlfriend?

2. I am sure Mike not being himself around El for this reason would be brought up at some point, no? Why would Mike open up to Will about everything BUT that. He would definitely say something about not feeling like he can be his true self around El.

3. This was never really an issue in previous seasons? I am overdue a rewatch, but if my memory serves me right, Mike never had a problem with being himself around El. Season 3 was more about not being himself in general.

Obviously, he isn't being himself around El - but not to seem cool, but because he is actually in love with Wi- *GUNSHOT*

[bootsysblog15]

These r so fun to make ☺️

[byler-alarmist]

[omgbyleromg]

SEASON 5 BYLER IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS PLEASE SAVE US🙏🙏

I’m having withdrawals

[babybluebae-933]

mike when eleven gets her s1 makeover: yea you look pretty. i mean pretty good ha. for a gross girl or whatever.

mike when eleven ditches the wig and looks like a BOY and WILL according to multiple other characters: woahhhh pretty. yea REALLY pretty. u wanna like kiss? maybe? idk.

[pinkerthings]

“Mileven endgame”

finn wolfhard described eleven and mike’s relationship as a “leech you have to f*cking pull off”

[faelorelia]

Just a reminder 👇🏻‼️

[nekrya]

I like it😭

[queen-of-hawkins-why-ler]

The “Mike breaking up with El out of nowhere and dating her brother” jokes are going to get so stale and unfunny… EXCEPT for the SNL skit we’re going to get of out of it, where Mike and Will prevent the apocalypse from happening by making out with each other. I will be seated for that and it will be hilarious lmao.

[pinksmonkey]

Mike Wheeler, is that you?