19 Bookmarks by ElephantShoe
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“You’re not boning, though, right?” he says, suddenly. He doesn’t know why he feels such an urge to bring it up again, as if the thought of Mike boning is not something that is CODE RED #1 at the top of Will's list of things to absolutely never think about. But also. Look–
“What? No, of course I’m not boning,” Mike splutters, turning a violent shade of scarlet, “how would I even hide that from you, I’m with you all the time–”
And then he falls silent, so fast that Will gets tonal whiplash from how fast Mike just went from saying boning over and over again to just clamping his mouth shut and staring at the wall across from them.
Will's trying his hardest to make it through fall semester in one piece. Unfortunately for his degree, he's being haunted by maybe-feelings for his best friend (metaphorically), and also a maybe-ghost with rather abysmal fashion sense (literally).
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 53,522
- Chapters:
- 4/4
- Comments:
- 294
- Kudos:
- 4,063
- Bookmarks:
- 986
- Hits:
- 59,970
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
19 May 2025
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A N D - H E R E - I - T H O U G H T - U ‘ D - F O R G E T - M E
N E V E R
N E V E R - E V E R - ?
N E V E R - E V E R
He thought about the way Will had looked at him all those years ago, lying in the hospital bed, eyes not his own. Even through the fog of possession, something behind Will’s gaze had clicked and recognized Mike for who he was. Even without anything else left, Will had still remembered the connection he had to his mom - and... to Mike. His trembling fingers hesitated for an infinite moment, before typing faster than his brain could hope to process,
P R M S E - ?
Y E S
- - -
A miles-apart, oblivious mutual pining, emotional summer vacation disaster-fest starring Mike, Will, and one incredibly unreliable radio connection.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 62,701
- Chapters:
- 6/6
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 139
- Kudos:
- 837
- Bookmarks:
- 200
- Hits:
- 16,405
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
11 May 2025
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“I need you.”
Will’s expression grows more stunned. “What?” he breathes, voice barely above a whisper.
His instincts tell him to take it all back, but the way that Will’s looking at him with those sorrowful, questioning eyes weakens him. And he’s been stupid for many, many years, so what’s a little more stupidity?
aka a s5 speculatory mike wheeler-centric fic about his internalised homophobia and a lot of moments where he's not so clever about his feelings with will
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 46,457
- Chapters:
- 10/10
- Comments:
- 466
- Kudos:
- 7,548
- Bookmarks:
- 1,505
- Hits:
- 157,759
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
16 Feb 2025
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“Well, it was nice meeting you two,” David said. He leaned forward towards Will, and gave him a single, light pat on his head.
“And I’ll see you around,” he said softly.
Will blinked up at him in a daze, eyes wide and cheeks gaining a tint of pink again.
Mike stared, stunned. Did he just touch Will’s hair? Mike was the only one that ever did that!
Mike's semester takes a serious turn when—
A) He realizes he's in love with his best friend
B) A popular handsome senior takes interest in said best friend, and he can't stand it- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 81,373
- Chapters:
- 12/12
- Comments:
- 468
- Kudos:
- 4,688
- Bookmarks:
- 953
- Hits:
- 114,548
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
07 Jan 2025
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He recognized the buzz immediately as a text message- Will rarely got those. They were expensive, which meant he didn’t exactly send many. He flipped open his Nokia, expecting it to be his mom, or El or Max or maybe even Justin from that club last week. But it wasn’t a number he recognized. He clicked on the message to get a fuller view, and his breath caught.
hey will its mike
you know like mike from hakwins
like your best friend
The first thing he noticed was that Hawkins was spelled wrong. The second thing he noticed was the word Mike. That was Mike. His entire body had gone so cold so fast, he couldn’t think straight.
i’m getting married
i want you to come
Will almost dropped his Nokia.
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Mike and Will haven't spoken in seven years. Apparently Mike's getting married, and, of course, he wants Will to come.Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
12 Sep 2024
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xam dam: mike what the fuck
mikal: Wmldem
mentally wILL: are you okay?
mikal: Peachy
ranger danger: wtf?
El Enchanted: If you need help, blink twice
mikal: 😐😑😐😑
mikal: Has this not already been established?—
Unserious texting fic because I need professional mental help- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 83,846
- Chapters:
- 35/35
- Comments:
- 380
- Kudos:
- 1,382
- Bookmarks:
- 196
- Hits:
- 29,283
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
05 Aug 2024
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Summary
A collection of one-shots in a canon-compliant Byler universe, updated approximately whenever I feel like it.
YES, this is still canon-compliant Byler endgame after ST5! (Mike's coming out and their relationship has not been written yet, but it's coming.)
Stories will be listed here by in-universe chronology, not posting order.
- Words:
- 240,695
- Works:
- 30
- Bookmarks:
- 194
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
02 Aug 2024
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Will has had to watch Mike and Eleven for years, and as much as it kills him, he's learned to accept it.
He's also accepted that for the time being, no one has really shown much interest in him. And he's fine with that.
Until they pull off at a gas station and a random guy hits on Will.
or
The one where Mike finally gets jealous.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 11,330
- Chapters:
- 2/2
- Collections:
- 6
- Comments:
- 436
- Kudos:
- 16,268
- Bookmarks:
- 2,104
- Hits:
- 196,288
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
02 Aug 2024
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It's the summer before the Party are all set to move on to the rest of their lives: college, jobs, leaving Hawkins for good.
Will isn't sure if it's the record-high heat or his own self-torture, but one night, what starts off as a joke after they smoke too much weed, Will agrees to pretend to be El so Mike can practice the hopeless "get her back" speech he has planned.
When the two of them get carried away, it leads both of them to places they never expected, leaving them eating their feelings with sneaking around and getting off. Mike and Will will have to accept the terrifying insights into who they are and what it is they truly want, and what it means for their friendship.
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
30 Jul 2024
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Mike doesn’t actually think Jonathan’s doing it on purpose, but he's starting to have his doubts.
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Or, 5 times Jonathan shatters the moment and one time he doesn't.
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
01 Jul 2024
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Will purses his lips, swallowing tightly as he pours himself a cup of coffee. “Yeah,” he croaks, “He’s back.”
“We will have to call everyone.”
“I know.”
“We will need to find Mike.”
He whips his head up at her from where he’s been examining his coffee, scowling.
“Will,” El sighs. “He is just as much a part of this as everyone else. He knew when he left that he would have to come back eventually.”
“Did he though?” Will snaps, “He left without telling anyone. Maybe he doesn’t want to come back.”
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
03 Jun 2024
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Mike walks in on his roommate making out with another guy and gets really upset about it. For all of the normal, straight reasons.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 44,277
- Chapters:
- 5/5
- Comments:
- 1,143
- Kudos:
- 19,841
- Bookmarks:
- 4,154
- Hits:
- 285,629
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
27 May 2024
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You're so gorgeous (I can't say anything to your face) by gaysforbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
10 Feb 2024
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Mike hates Valentine’s Day. It was fun as kids, when teachers would make every student decorate a little shoe box with pink and red heart stickers, that by the end of the day would be filled with cheesy Valentines and sweets.
But this isn’t kindergarten anymore— there are no school-enforced rules that his classmates have to give him a Valentine. He has to earn them. And he hasn’t.
———
Mike is (not) upset that he’s the only one of his friends that hasn’t received a Valentine. That is, until something just so happens to fall out of his locker the next day.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 15,615
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 258
- Kudos:
- 4,957
- Bookmarks:
- 1,126
- Hits:
- 41,898
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
16 Apr 2024
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Mike and Will deal with figuring out their feelings, each getting help from someone close to them, eventually leading them to tell each other the truth.
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
04 Mar 2024
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"Daniel came in this afternoon," Will starts, looking up at the painting of the party so he doesn't have to look in Mike's dark eyes.
"I remember," Mike interrupts in agitation. "I wish he'd try to burn the place down just so I could ban him."
"Right.." Will continues, with a great amount of hesitancy now. "Well, he asked me on a date. A movie date, tomorrow night, and we're going to get dinner. But I didn't think that was safe, so he suggested we bring someone so we look like a friend group, but it would have to be someone we trusted and I trust you, so I guess I'm asking if you'll go on a date with me?"
Will pauses his rambling, breathing unevenly and waiting on Mike's answer. The other boy sits up slowly, keeping his back to Will and looking contemplative, if a bit unreadable.
This was his chance for a real relationship, a chance for all those teen firsts he'd never had, and he knows he can like Danny. He's not going to blow his chance.
/OR/ Will gets asked out on a date, and asks Mike to come along to make it less obviously a date to outside people. Ft. Dramatic 17 year olds, rain fight parallels, jealous Mike Wheeler, and unrequited affection (but its not between byler)
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
29 Dec 2023
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It was easy for Will Byers to fall in love with Mike Wheeler.
The trouble came when he had to pretend it wasn't real.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 189,454
- Chapters:
- 24/24
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 1,617
- Kudos:
- 20,571
- Bookmarks:
- 4,510
- Hits:
- 724,900
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
04 Dec 2023
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a cruel summer with you by andiwriteordie, astrobi, wiseatom
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
15 Mar 2026
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“Oh, come on,” Will says, struggling to keep his voice neutral in a different way. His mouth is dry, and he hates Mike for it even more. “Is this what it’s going to be like this summer?”
Mike looks back at him, considering, lips pursed in an effort to shut down the smirk that Will knows is fighting to break free. Will doesn’t dare to let his gaze catch there, focusing instead on holding Mike’s stare, because this, too, is a game.
Five years into a rivalry with bittersweet origins, the only thing Mike and Will want is to beat each other at this summer’s camp counselor competition. But being back at camp is dredging up old memories, and as Mike and Will lose momentum and gain something else entirely, it becomes increasingly clear that one summer can change everything.
Series
- Part 5 of in the quiet of the night
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 371,633
- Chapters:
- 13/17
- Comments:
- 1,393
- Kudos:
- 9,472
- Bookmarks:
- 2,573
- Hits:
- 471,120
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
09 Nov 2023
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When Will had invited her — he still can’t remember her name, and he’s beginning to feel a little bad about it — over tonight, he’d hoped that he could calm the storm brewing within him, the longing that’s gotten so acute it’s painful to be around Mike, sometimes.
He’d hoped that she would help, but not — not because he was horny, or whatever. Will’s thought process — one he was maybe starting to regret a little, actually, but it was much too late now — had been that if he could kiss the same lips Mike had kissed, it would be like kissing Mike.
***
will's had a taste of mike, and it doesn't feel like enough anymore. if he kisses all the same girls mike does, though, it's just like kissing mike again. right?Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
22 Sep 2023
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Will has never had his first kiss. Mike is happy to lend a hand.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 11,889
- Chapters:
- 2/2
- Collections:
- 5
- Comments:
- 528
- Kudos:
- 29,589
- Bookmarks:
- 3,732
- Hits:
- 276,801
Bookmarked by ElephantShoe
12 Sep 2023