#russian bylerina here sorry for possible grammar mistakes

[jazz-penguin]

After today's post of @theonebyler about Mike not being able to say that thing to El I was finally inspired to write my opinion about how Mike feels about his girlfriend.

I believe he fully realized that he was not in love with her between S3 and S4.

Maybe he even realized something about Will too, that would explain his awkward behavior in the airport, but this post is not about it.

I think Mike realized that he is not in love with El and that he was thinking about breaking up with her during spring break.

The first reason why I think so is because of his expression when Ted reminded him about the "sweetie pie". Looks like Mike was not particularly happy about their future meeting.

Look at his face. To me Mike's impression here didn't look like he was just rolling his eyes at Ted. I think he imagined what an unpleasant conversation with El he was going to have.

The second reason why I think he was going to break up with her is his suspicious desire to please El in everything. Like this is your favorite color, these are your favorite flowers, blablabla. Wait, don't kiss me for too long. You're squishing your present. Like he was feeling guilty and therefore was trying to be extremely nice to her. Mike from s3 was different.

After the whole situation with Angela happened Mike was not only disappointed with the fact that El lied to him, but he also realized how unhappy she was and that a possible break up would destroy her. To break up with El while she lived happily in Cali is one thing, but at that moment it just wasn't the right time. Mike didn't lie to her and didn't say "I love you" only to please her anyway.

He has principles, y'know.

Mike indeed is afraid to lose El. What if she doesn't like the truth and doesn't want to be his friend anymore?

That also explains why Mike's smile faded when Will said that El commissioned the painting for him.

And after all that these cruel Duffers still make Mike lie to her only to save her life. I hope El realized he was not telling the truth, otherwise he's screwed. At least until they talk about the painting.

Many people feel sorry for El for not being loved by her boyfriend and for not having enough emotional support from him. And I deeply sympathize with Mike, because he tried to do everything right, tried not to hurt El, not to lie to her. But he had to do this anyway.

[jazz-penguin]

Yesterday I had a quick encounter with a melvin stan and wow, they're so sure in their ship being endgame. That was a traveling day for me so I had plenty of time to sit and look out the train window and think about why Byler is gonna be endgame. And I still think it's inevitable.

I think one of the reasons why Will and Mike are much better compatible than Mike and El is their... archetypes? OK I don't know how to name it correctly but the thing is that Mike is a Protector, the Paladin, the Leader of the party. He used to have that role in the first two seasons and that's where he was in the right place. He was the protagonist and we all loved him for being in the center of the search party and then by Will's side in the lab.

Through all the seasons Will has been a "damsel in distress". He's not a coward though, in the very beginning of the show we see him trying to shoot demogorgon / Vecna / whatever that was with a gun. Despite being bullied his whole life Will was ready to stand up for himself but the events happening to him were just too terrifying for a little boy. And Mike was there for him, never being overprotective.

In S3 Mike lost his position as a protector. He started to date El and she is not a damsel in distress. She needs some help so she could learn how the society works and how she can fit in, but she doesn't need protection, she's very much the knight of her own. And when Mike tries to get back to his position trying to stop her from searching for the Mindflayer, his efforts are found being annoying. El is her own person Mike, go away. He sees it over and over until in S4 Mike confesses to Will that he doesn't believe El needs him anymore. And when at the end of the season Mike tries to help El by telling her what he thought she wanted to hear, we see him being unconvincing, because sitting there holding her hand saying "baby you can do it" is not his position. He is the one who fights but not this time. Actually Mike will never be a protector or a knight while he's in relationship with El because she is a fighter. And he is a side-kick and that affects his self-confidence.

While it's Will who will always need Mike. It seems so obvious what's the best outcome of this love triangle that I can't imagine the end being different than Byler endgame.