raven’s bylerverse
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Will climbs aboard, grabbing the dirty, splintered oars from their holds. He rows swiftly toward the middle of the lake— toward the gate— without hesitation. Now is not the time to hesitate. No; that was this morning, when he packed his bag. That was last night, when he memorized the bedtime routines of his housemates. That was last week, when the plan first formed in his mind. Not now. Now, he’s sure.
He doesn’t pause as he sees a rustling in the trees, nor when Mike’s form comes stumbling out. He doesn’t even pause as he calls out Will’s name.
—
Lovers Lake gate, but it’s that one scene from Fellowship of the Ring
Series
- Part 1 of raven’s bylerverse
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“You can keep flapping, or whatever it was you were doing when I came in,” Will says. “You don’t need to hide that from me. It’s not like I didn’t see it when we were kids.”
Oh. That. Mike doesn’t do that anymore. He’s not supposed to. It was childish even then, at the ripe age of eight. That’s what his mom and teachers said, at least. They’d make fun of him for all sorts of stuff— fidgeting, rocking, chewing on his fingers. He’s grown up now. He doesn’t need it.
Will must read the hesitation on his face, because he nudges his shoe again. “Come on. I know you want to. It always used to help when you were upset like this.”
—
Mike doesn’t understand why he’s suddenly lost all control over his thoughts and actions. Will seems to know Mike’s habits better than he himself does.
Series
- Part 2 of raven’s bylerverse
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i hate how you’re going through hell, when you’d never let anyone else by gaysforbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
29 Jun 2024
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As soon as they close the door to his room, Will wraps him in a hug. “Can you talk to me now?” he asks softly. “What’s the matter, love?”
“Nothing.” Okay, so they’re doing this the hard way.
Will lifts his chin to look up at him, displeased. He really does not want to get into another fight right now. “Mike, come on—“
“No, seriously,” he stresses, open and honest and pleading, like Will just isn’t getting something. “Nothing is wrong.”
—
Will notices that Mike is acting strange, which leads to a long overdue conversation about Mike’s depression.
Series
- Part 1 of my love, take care of yourself
- Part 3 of raven’s bylerverse
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it just sucks to try and explain why i feel like this every day by gaysforbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
06 Nov 2024
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Mike fucked up.
He knows he’s fucked up the second it happens. He knew he was fucking up even in the moments leading up to it, but honestly he couldn’t bring himself to care— not when the only thing he felt was self-hatred and ice-cold pain, freezing his heart until it numbed to nothingness. He feels nothing still, minutes past the point of no return.
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Mike left out one important detail when talking to Will about his depressive episodes— an ugly, horrible detail that should have stayed buried in the past. Mike just had to go dig it up.
Series
- Part 2 of my love, take care of yourself
- Part 4 of raven’s bylerverse
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Summary
“My nose tastes like dust,” Mike says. The statement catches Will so off guard that he can’t help but laugh. Somehow, he knows exactly what he means. He always does.
“How’s your throat?” he asks.
Mike gives a one-shouldered shrug. “Hurts.”
Will brushes his thumb along the side of his neck, frowning sympathetically. He’s being so tough about it. “Do you want me to get you a cough drop?”
—
Mike is sick. He’s also a big baby.
Series
- Part 5 of raven’s bylerverse
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Summary
“Do you think I’m a bad person?”
Will’s head snaps in Mike’s direction, a look of absolute confusion on his face. “What?”
Mike doesn’t elaborate. He’s too busy listening to the thoughts that are swirling around in his brain. He’s all too familiar with them by now, given how frequently they invade his consciousness. You’re a horrible brother. You’re an even worse friend. No one really likes you; you’ve just tricked everyone into putting up with you. You’re a manipulator like that.
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Mike opens up to Will about his feelings of self-hatred and jealousy. Will has some words to say about Mike’s treatment by his parents.
Series
- Part 6 of raven’s bylerverse
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i just don’t think that you like me that much anymore by gaysforbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
28 Feb 2026
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Summary
Mike stuffs his hands in his pockets as he waits for the door to swing open. When it finally does, his tense shoulders relax a little at the face that appears on the other side.
Joyce’s eyes widen in surprise when she sees him. Her inquisitive gaze makes him feel small, standing hunched over on her porch in the dim afternoon light. He must look pathetic— like a dog that’s been left out in the rain. “Mike,” she says, her voice laced with mock-cheer. He wishes she would just cut the act already. Kick him to the curb like she clearly wants to. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
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Mike seeks refuge at the Byers’ house during an emotional breakdown. He doesn’t feel very welcome there.
Series
- Part 3 of my love, take care of yourself
- Part 7 of raven’s bylerverse
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Summary
“You want us to foster a kid?” Mike finally asks, disbelieving. Will is half convinced that El will laugh in their faces, clearing up the misunderstanding with a, “No, silly. I want you to water my plants.”
“It doesn’t have to be forever,” El says. “Just until I can find another home for him. I can’t stand him living in the shelter anymore. Not right now. He needs emotional support. And don’t lie to me— I know you two have been wanting kids. This can be a trial run.”
—
Will and Mike are tasked with fostering an emotionally distant, judgmental, sassy twelve-year-old boy from El’s shelter. As hard as they try to win his heart, they seem to be making no progress. After all, how could two strangers earn the trust of a boy who’s been hurt time and time again?
Series
- Part 1 of Broken Mirror: a collection of us
- Part 8 of raven’s bylerverse
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Summary
Mason hates school.
He thinks that everyone must hate school a little bit; the other kids at the shelter complained about it enough. But Mason hates school more than the others. Sometimes it’s alright. Sometimes he even likes it, when his foster homes are particularly unbearable. It’s a nice escape.
Times like this though, where he doesn’t really mind going back to the house, it’s torture.
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Bonus scenes from ojea
Series
- Part 2 of Broken Mirror: a collection of us
- Part 9 of raven’s bylerverse
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Summary
Mike finally works up the nerve to ask Will how he feels about him. Through a note, of course.
Series
- Part 1 of dribble drabbles
- Part 10 of raven’s bylerverse
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“I have a what?” Mason exclaims, eyes widening dramatically as he leans forward on the couch.
Will, ever patient, lays a hand on one of the legs he’s currently kneeling between, settled on the living room rug. “A sister,” he repeats. His voice is a stark contrast to Mason’s, all gentle and calm.
“Yeah, I got that part,” Mason says, dangerously toeing the line into condescension. “What does that mean? Did you go out and adopt a kid while I was at school?”
——
Mason’s biological sister, newly entered into the foster system, comes to live with Mike and Will. Considering Mason’s jealous history with little girls, his transition into brotherhood is not bound to be pretty.
Series
- Part 3 of Broken Mirror: a collection of us
- Part 11 of raven’s bylerverse