#unrequited byler

[gayofthefae]

It's so silly to me how Will is played as romantic and Mike is played as platonic cinematically because while Will's feelings are romantic most of his reactions that are played that way aren't and situationally make sense.

Like this. Will looking at Will is prompted by Argyle's comment causing him to worry about him and the fact that he looks sad and deep in thought. Mike looking at Will is prompted only by his own thoughts. Tell me which is more romantic and which can be explained away by other circumstances.

[fromdarzaitoleeza]

You can suffer nostalgia in the presence of beloved if you glimpse a future where beloved is no more

{Quotes: Balance varela /I Loved You Before I Was Born Li-Young Lee /jhon grisham/Geoffrey hill /A poem for a moment with you by Eisha Tandon/emery allen /anais nin/Can't Help Falling in Love Song by Elvis Presley/Milan Kundera, Identity}

[flaringgoosebumps]

If Byler isn't mutual, they'd have the most angst filled rejection we will ever see because Mike doesn't like the idea of living without Will. The thought of losing Will literally makes him lose himself. He didn't like people being homophobic to Will and he certainly wouldn't be cruel.

If he doesn't feel the same way, I could see him feeling guilty about it enough to almost cry.

[shoomoosoup]

Unrequited love

[prettyboybyers]

drinking his pain away part 2.

Tw

Mentions of underage drinking.

Offensive name.

Wills pov

I woke up and I felt horrible. I had a horrible headache and I was nauseous. My muscles ached. God why did I drink, I'm such a fucking idiot. Suddenly I noticed that I wasn't alone in my bed. I roll over and see my brother laying next to me. "J-Jonathan?" "Yeah buddy?" He says, half asleep. "Why are you in my bed…?" He sits up and looks at me. "Because I walked into your room and saw you passed out next to an empty whiskey bottle." He says. "I- don't tell mom please " I look at with pleading eyes. Last thing i need is my mom on my ass because i was stupid and drank once. "Why did you do it..?" He asks. "I was hurting and I saw mom drinking when she was stressed so i thought…" I trailed off. Jonathan's eyes softened. He hugged me tight. "If you ever feel like that again, come to me. If I'm at work, you know my work number, I'll come home immediately…i have one question." "What is it…?" I ask. "What...was making you hurt?" Jonathan asks me with a concerned look on his face. Should I tell him? Would he understand? I clear my throat as I start talking. "Y-You know how Jane...is dating Mike right?" Jonathan nods as I continue talking. "Well I...like Mike and it's hard seeing him with Jane. I know I'll never get a chance he's too perfect for me, he would never like a dirry queer like me-" Jonathan cut me off by grabbing my hand. He had a stern expression as he began speaking. "Will, you're speaking nonsense! I never want to hear you call yourself that again, you hear me!? You're sweet, caring and the nicest person I know! There's nothing wrong with you. If people can't see that, it's their problem." At this point we both had tears in our eyes. "Thank you Jonathan." He just got up and walked to the door. "You should go get something to eat, that's what I'm doing." I let out a wet laugh. "There is no way I'm getting up anytime soon. I feel like shit." Jonathan laughed. "That's a hangover for ya." "I Love you Jonathan, thank you for helping." Jonathan smiled. " I love you too." He walked out of the room and I smiled. I have the best brother ever. My stomach turns and my head starts to hurt more. I close my eyes and think of the most important people in my life.

             At school the next day

                3rd person limited

Will walks down the hallway, he's tired as ever but his hangover is gone. He opens his locker and gets his math books out and puts his English ones back in. Something slams into the locker right next to him. He jumps and looks over and sees Troy Walsh and Sarah Valo making out. His nose scrunches up in disgust. He sees Mike and Lucas talking by Lucas's locker. Mike is wearing a very flattering outfit. He is wearing a nice button up and khakis and his hair is slicked back. Today is spring picture day and Mike's mom makes him take them every year. Will walks up to Lucas and Mike. "Hey man! We were just talking about you! Did you hear that Jennifer Hayes still has a crush on you? It's crazy!" Wills eyes grow wide. He notices Mike looks kind of...jealous? No, that can't be right. "Really? That's weird." Will laughs slightly. "Well, do you like her or not?" Lucas asks. "No, I don't. I mean she's nice and all but she's not really...my type." Lucas groans. "Then what is your type? You've never even dated a girl, man!" Will looked at Mike, he seemed very interested in the situation. "I don't know man…Not her?" Mike snorts which causes Will to laugh as well. At that moment the bell rings for recess. (Where I live, there is no recess in middle or high school but I need a moment where they can talk lol).

"Sorry guys, I gotta go. I have basketball tryouts for next year." With that Lucas walked away, leaving Will and Mike alone. "You look nice Mike." Will smiled slightly. Mike's face flushed pink. "Thank you. You look good too." Will laughs and looks at his outfit. "How? I'm wearing hand-me -downs from Jonathan." Mike smiles. "I think you look nice in anything." Will turns redder than a tomato and smiles at Mike. "Thank You. You do too." They just stood there smiling at eachother. Suddenly Jane bursts through the door. She has been doing a class that is for catching people up that haven't learned everything yet and need to be ready for the next year. Mike looks away immediately and his genuine smile falters as Jane places a kiss on his lips. "Hey El." "Hi Mikey." She hugs him. Will can't help but be jealous. He loves his sister, he really does. He wants her to be happy. So he walks away with a small smile. He is willing to sacrifice his own happiness for his sisters. He hopes Mike and her are going to be happy forever.

                           The end

A/n

I'm sorry it sucks i can't write for shit but here u go @0rph1cv4mp1r3

[your-mums-nuts]

Stop why do I feel like this is from will, I'm worried he'll die or end up in the upside down again and this is a letter he writes to Mike. "Anyway I think you'll like the painting, sorry I couldn't get it done in time, but you mean so much to me and it's been so weird without us being close. Hope this is-" I can't think of the rest but COME ON.

[nnay-naee]

"I mean, what did you think, really? That we were never gonna get girlfriends? That we were just going to sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives?

"I thought we were gonna get boyfriends, I guess I thought so, I really did. But I guess I was wrong."

[gloomyhails13]

I don't believe in love anymore.

[venturismcdonald]

Being told all of the friendship was in the past, that being the center of Mike's universe was never happening again was the most hurtful part. Apparently, that's El now. Hopefully, Mike thought Will hated him. That'll show him.

[monomoss]

romanticpreraphaelite // stranger things season 4 vol. 2 // monomoss // never love an anchor - the crane wives // house m.d. // ? // starpeace // dead poets society

[gayofthefae]

You can tell me what direction this love story is unrequited a million times and I will never believe you. And I will never move on from this moment. Because this is a boy who is trying to find a way to look away, recoiling in attempt, and a boy who desperately doesn't want him to.

[muppetbyers]

doing wayyy too much for it to be unrequited

[flaringgoosebumps]

let's stop pretending that Mike Wheeler wouldn't be exactly like Steve Harrington if he didn't have romantic feelings for Will Byers.

There is no way he'd be hateful, he'd accept it, support it, and actively try to get Will a boyfriend while doing his best to keep his secret. He'd also dial up his PROTECC THE BOI 1000000%

You can't tell me he wouldn't

[macaulaytwins]

idk what you guys are talking about, giving your best friend that you’re in love with relationship advice and then crying in the car right next to them afterwards IS flawless representation

[butterflysonnets]

yes i'm rooting for m*leven breakup because byler is neat but mostly? i'm rooting for m*leven breakup for the sake of el and mike.

to me, their romance was always a puppy love born out of a combination of social pressures, naïve curiosity, and a lack of true understanding regarding intimacy and romantic love and what it really is. it was real in that they do truly, deeply care about each other and they are close friends, maybe even shared an attraction, but a maturing romance is so much more than that. they've grown up and out of being boyfriend/girlfriend, and that's okay! i think television/film needs to show more often that most of us don't have definite "soulmates" or first childhood loves that we spend our whole lives with. it doesn't mean these relationships meant nothing and didn't impact us, it just means they've run their course and that something else is in the cards, and this is part of life!

i've always felt el was at her best and most confident self when broken up with mike, discovering who she was and what she liked alongside another girl her age instead of just relying on mike for mentorship on how to live in the real world. she deserves more of an opportunity to find herself, her autonomy, and her independence, and to love who she is, and she's made it clear she's felt insecure in the relationship with mike because she isn't being loved and understood the way she wants, needs, and deserves from someone who is her partner.

also, it's okay if mike doesn't love her in "the way he should". he is not obligated to love her romantically and stay in a relationship with her just because she's a girl, because she "needed someone", or because he cares about her a lot. he shouldn't be pressured into a romance if it's not truly coming from his heart. he deserves freedom to find out and honour who he is, too, instead of just staying in his non-functional first relationship — one he got into as a child, essentially — and defining himself that way because it's what's expected when a boy and a girl are close. he loves her in some way, yes, but it's okay if he doesn't feel comfortable or secure being her boyfriend anymore, for whatever reason that is. he's felt insecure too, and that's valid and it matters.

they are their own people and are steadily growing and changing every day. they need time to figure out who those people are, and it's become clear (at least in my opinion) that those people aren't meant to be a couple at this stage.

they deserve freedom. they deserve to grow up and be authentic to themselves and not feel like they need to lie for the sake of a relationship. they deserve to move on from this version of their relationship that isn't making them happy and rekindle the best part of their bond: their strong, beautiful friendship. they don't have to be a couple if it doesn't make them stronger and better and happier people.

i think it would be healthy and wonderful for a show, especially one consumed frequently by young adults, to show a relationship starting, progressing, and ending on good terms in this way. sometimes things don't work out, and that is okay.

[cricket-approved]

it hurts me an unimaginable amount that the summer reminds me of you

Against Silence - Frank Bidart // original photography // notcool5836 on tiktok // 'he loves me, he loves me not enough' - Cammie Dennis // @chloeinletters // Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude - Ross Gay // original writing // literally me // original photography // @ryebreadgf