1 - 20 of 52 Bookmarks by a70sMatthew
Navigation
List of Bookmarks
-
Tags
Summary
"By the way, I got you something." Mike said in a whispered voice.
Will gave him a drunken smile, "But my birthday already passed."
"I know. It's my way of saying thank you for the painting."
- or -
Mike and Will sat in the grass in stacey's backyard, the party booming in the distance. Both of them buzzed off of liquid courage.
-
this takes place immediately after the epilogue in the finale!Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
01 Feb 2026
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Beautiful fix-it for the Finale. This takes things after that and wraps them up so much better than the queerbait bros did. I was crying through the last two chapters, but smiling, too.
-
Tags
Summary
Mike pushes into his hands, but Will keeps him still.
"Ask again," he says. Because he's greedy, and he wants Mike to want him.
He stares at Will's mouth. "Please."
"Again."
El is gone.
Will tries to figure out how to move on in New York, and Mike follows him. Their apartment is haunted not by ghosts, but by the two of them.
Or: Catastrophically traumatized boys cling to each other and accidentally figure out how to be close—too close—while moving through their grief.
Series
- Part 1 of Supervoid (& Will’s Letter to El)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 48,989
- Chapters:
- 4/4
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 1,791
- Kudos:
- 14,003
- Bookmarks:
- 4,139
- Hits:
- 259,948
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
27 Jan 2026
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Messy, angsty, spicy, and with a gentle, beautiful ending.
-
Tags
Summary
the final battle... didn't feel like a final battle. it was too easy. it shouldn't have been so easy. nothing ever comes easily.
or
post canon fix it fanfic. AND THE BYLER WE DESERVED
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
25 Jan 2026
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Mike gets Vecna'd. Will is not the princess! Loving the dynamic so far (angsty. So angsty) and very much looking forward to seeing what develops. Already better than the queerbait bros could write and it's only getting better!
-
Tags
Summary
Mike Wheeler has grown up to be a young English teacher at Hawkins Middle School, trapped in the stagnation of his hometown and drowning in the memories of a past love with Will Byers.
But when Lonnie Byers dies in a drunk driving accident, Will returns for the funeral.
And Mike and Will have to face each other in all of their grief, anger, trauma, and overwhelming love.
(Written while listening to "Ruined" by Adrianne Lenker on repeat... and I think that had a big impact on the general vibe)
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
19 Jan 2026
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Mike and Will as young adults, both feeling inadequate and like what happened to break them apart was their own fault, for which they still blame themselves. The spiral of them coming back together is agonising and delicate and so, so enjoyably ended.
-
Tags
Summary
“It’s been five years. Five years! That you have been ignoring me. And now you just what? Want me to tell you where I am? You’re just here now? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Will flinched, shutting his eyes as tears threatened to fall. Shit, shit, this was a bad idea, a terrible idea. What was he thinking? Mike was right. What was wrong with him? “I- I’m sorry, I-”
“You’re sorry? Will, you can’t seriously think I’m just going to-”
“77 Indigo Street. Meet me at 8,” Will interrupted, the words spilling out before he could chicken out. “I’m sorry. Love you.” And then he slammed the phone back down with so much force the entire booth rattled. Though not exactly how he planned, there. It was done.
---
After leaving Hawkins and refusing to look back, Will decides it's finally time to reconnect with the person who would always have his heart.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
01 Jan 2026
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Lovely angst build up, Will as an artist, somewhat more mature dealing with their choices.
-
Tags
Summary
Will Byers was eighteen when he left Hawkins and never looked back. He had left everything back in his hometown: his trauma, his friends, his first love, but his dreams. Now thirty-three, Will has just married his mentor and is living his best life in Boston, until he receives a letter from a certain William Jacob Wheeler from Hawkins.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
31 Dec 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Super sweet although the ending left me wanting more details (the epistolary format made aspects difficult to show).
-
Tags
Summary
It's not even like Will is some godlike specimen. His skin is olivey and a bit summer-tan, and he has floppy, honey-brown hair and a few moles smattered adorably across his face and arms, but he is very much just a boy. Average height, average build, symmetrical face. He's wearing jeans and a Zelda T-shirt and plain white Vans. But he gives Mike an awkward half-smile and a wave as he introduces himself at the box office, and Mike can actually feel himself get stupider.
Will and Mike meet working at their local movie theater, and Mike is so into Will — particularly his hands — that he almost gets fired.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
24 Oct 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Two boys meeting via their jobs at a local movie theatre. Alternate AU, no supernatural, first meeting as 15 year olds. Very light & flirty.
-
autumn air, jacket ‘round my shoulders is yours by gaysforbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
01 Oct 2024
Tags
Summary
The anniversary effect is very real; they’ve all felt it. Especially Will, as another shiver racks through him, stronger than the last. This time, Will takes a step closer to Mike and presses their shoulders together. Whether it’s for body heat or comfort, Mike doesn’t know, but he isn’t going to complain.
If he can’t protect Will from the horrible memories and sleepless nights, he can at least protect him from the autumn breeze. He quickly tugs off his leather jacket and holds it out for Will to take, who looks down at it in surprise.
“What?” he asks, glancing between it and Mike, like he doesn’t know what to do with it.
“You’re cold,” Mike states, no room for question. He knows that Will would lie about it if he could.
—
Mike and Will attempt to navigate Halloween together while struggling with the anniversary effect.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
24 Oct 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Absolutely delightful little Autumn/Halloween fluffy fic. Lots of flirtiness, great mom Joyce Byers, and the Party (of course) being an amazing group of friends.
-
answers you seek will never be found at home by miwiheroes
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
19 Jan 2026
Tags
Summary
Will’s not supposed to be hiding in corners, forcing a fake smile when Mike asks him if he’s okay. He’s not supposed to brush off insults like they're jokes. He’s not supposed to vanish for six hours during a school day, leaving Mike feeling like he’s slipping away all over again.
Whoever said that beating Vecna’s going to fix Hawkins’ problems, Will’s problems, Mike’s problems—they deserve an earful. They deserve to feel this weird, hollow dissatisfaction chewing away at their chests.
aka mike begs will to escape their small town after too many run-ins with homophobic small-town bs. he knows will's meant to find himself elsewhere, but he never expects to find an answer to the age-old question of his own fate. prom, gay bars, sleazy hotels, train stations, two lesbians and their not-so-legal marriage - they aren't the traditional sources of wisdom, but he can't complain.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 196,702
- Chapters:
- 20/20
- Comments:
- 793
- Kudos:
- 2,721
- Bookmarks:
- 992
- Hits:
- 121,804
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
24 Sep 2025
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Just packed with angst to begin with, but it pays off. Love the basic concept having come from Smalltown Boy. Love the older gay mentors being kind to Mike. Really, really like Will & Mike's interactions in this one and their conversation in chapter 14 is full of absolutely beautiful lines.
-
Tags
Summary
In that book a character was named Alec; that didn’t say much though. Maybe the person who had left it there was named Alec, or maybe the person it was actually destined for had that name. Will felt like he was intruding on some sort of private conversation. He had nothing to do with that whole deal but still, he was dying of curiosity, so he flipped the box over.
And then, suddenly, he had everything to do with that box.
On the bottom, in very big letters, somehow perfectly even for being such a giant writing, his name was written in all capital letters.
WILL
In which Will has a secret admirer.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
28 Aug 2025
Bookmarker's Notes
Lovely and so far pretty angst-free AU with Will receiving a mysterious package to start the story. Whole party is here, plus Steve & Robin. Fun characterisation and absolutely gorgeous writing, very rich descriptions with tons of sensorial details. Beautifully lush.
-
Tags
Summary
Eleven breaks up with Mike. Will comforts him.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
21 Jul 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
El-Mike breakup and Will-Mike comforting. One of the most delightful descriptions of a kiss in all the Byler I've read.
-
Tags
Summary
A certain scene from the movie popped up, causing Will’s mouth to drop open and for his eyes to widen as he soaked in what was on the TV.
Of all the scenes in the movie, Mike had returned The Outsiders paused during the few, brief seconds when Sodapop was getting out of the shower in the background of the shot. Sodapop haphazardly covered himself with a towel, and then wrapped the towel just, like, stupidly low around his hips, his chest still wet and bare from the shower.
Or:
3 times that Mike Wheeler doesn’t rewind his rental movie before returning it to Family Video + 1 time that he does.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 15,579
- Chapters:
- 4/4
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 306
- Kudos:
- 2,412
- Bookmarks:
- 546
- Hits:
- 18,697
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
08 Jul 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
SUPER fluffy, one of the most well crafted short AU fics I've read. References to 80s films are 100% on point and totally integrated into the plot. With almost no angst in the story, it still had me tearing up at the climax due to how tender and touching it is.
-
where is my mind? by ciders
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Stranger Things - Fandom
03 Apr 2018
Tags
Summary
On November 6th, 1985, Will Byers crashed his bicycle while riding home from the Wheeler household, damaging his head and waking up two days later with no recollection of who he was.
Plagued with the absence of his memories and a dark haired boy who refuses to tell Will his name, all Will Byers has to do is remember. That's the hard part.
Series
- Part 1 of losing will, and other fatalities
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 66,295
- Chapters:
- 14/14
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 272
- Kudos:
- 2,829
- Bookmarks:
- 547
- Hits:
- 58,041
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
08 Jul 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Excellent Will angst and Mike wanting to fix things. This fic takes the Yellow and Blue symbolism to an entirely new level. The climax of the story had me sobbing with a single word.
-
Tags
Summary
After the exorcism of the Mind Flayer, everything goes back to normal for the residents of Hawkins. Even the ever-troubled Will Byers seems to be okay. But that's all a facade. He's still struggling, maybe more than ever, and Mike is the only one that sees it. What lengths is Mike willing to go to in order to help? You'd be surprised.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 41,342
- Chapters:
- 6/6
- Comments:
- 163
- Kudos:
- 2,918
- Bookmarks:
- 365
- Hits:
- 86,936
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
08 Jul 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Smut with a plot that actually centres it and makes sense. Lovely fluff between Mike and Will although a lot of it involves smut. Mid-level arousing.
-
Tags
Summary
Mike has been acting weird lately - making excuses, being evasive, smiling to himself when he thinks no one is looking. And the hickeys are the nail in the coffin. Will knows Mike has a new girlfriend that he hasn't told anyone about, and he's determined to dig up clues about this secret lady-love. Not because he's jealous. Will has moved on from Mike - really. He refuses to spend his whole life pining over someone who's never going to want him. He just wants to find out about this mystery girl, to make sure she's right for Mike and she's treating him well.
But when Mike invites his lab partner from biology along to a party, Will is a tad distracted from his mission. Because Emmett is pretty clearly gay.
(Spoiler alert: Mike isn't dating a girl.)(Note: I know not many people care about OCs (and I totally understand), but I promise this is very byeler-centered - it's much more about Mike and Will than it is about Mike's bf, and it is endgame byeler.) (Also: prompt from Tumblr. Thank you, sorry it took like a year oops!)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 76,500
- Chapters:
- 10/10
- Comments:
- 367
- Kudos:
- 2,724
- Bookmarks:
- 494
- Hits:
- 59,990
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
08 Jul 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Decent additional character, jealous Will Byers, well written smut, bit of a sudden ending but otherwise decent writing.
-
Still shaking in this tear room like a sick child-Byler by exorcixst_wxffles
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
29 Nov 2025
Tags
Summary
I guess we finally got a happily ever after.
But not exactly happy.Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
25 Jun 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Will with lots of internalised homophobia to work through.
> maybe is more than I’ve had in a long time.
Ooof! Tears but also hopeful -
Tags
Summary
Thus came the final question. It was arguably the easiest, though if anyone asked Will, it was the most anxiety-inducing of all.
Where the hell were the Byers supposed to go?
The answer, theoretically, was simple. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Joyce and El would take up residence at Hopper’s cabin. Due to the limited space, Jonathan was relegated to an air mattress in the living room. Of course, it was hardly ideal for a grown man like him, but he was hardly one to complain. Then, by all logic, Will should have wound up sharing the air mattress with him. But because things were never that easy, that wasn’t what ended up happening.
Because the universe absolutely hates Will, he ends up staying at the Wheelers’.
In the aftermath, Will finds the answer to his question.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
25 Jun 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Mike's angst is based on Will's inability to say the truth and Will won't lie to Mike, just withhold the truth. Protective Will wanting to shield Mike from any of what he's gone through. To the point, of course, of denying himself any opportunity for happiness. Or Mike. Ouch. NO HEA.
-
Tags
Summary
Lenora was supposed to be a fresh start. It’s away from Hawkins, away from the Upside Down and the painful memories that hung around the place. Lenora’s somewhere new. But Jonathan is struggling to find his place in the world, El is grappling with the loss of her powers and her identity, and Will is facing the unknown without the help of the party.
To make matters worse, it seems the powers his sister so desperately misses might be a family trait.
Series
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
25 Jun 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Will pov with plenty of angst leading up to jealous Will (very fun!) and a mutual confession after a surprise kiss. Delightful!
-
and do you feel like you should by tellthatbrokebitch
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
05 Dec 2022
Tags
Summary
Will Byers has a big heart, his mom always said. He loves and he loves and he loves. He gives it away because it’s too much to be contained inside one small human organ, too full to bursting. It’s always been this way, his whole life, giving away love; to crying girls in sandboxes, to loud boys on swing sets, to uncaring fathers who yell and break things and force him to change, only to leave anyway. By the time he realizes the love isn’t infinite, it’s too late to fight his nature, and his heart bleeds out, year by year, until he’s drained and tired and empty.
He cries into his hand and wonders what will happen to him when he’s truly empty. Wonders if that day is rapidly approaching. Wonders if it’s already here.
.
a hypothetical s5. they're back in hawkins now and will's friends and family are ignoring him. meanwhile he's having dreams he can't remember and everything feels like it's falling apart
Series
- Part 1 of remember, you lost me
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 105,481
- Chapters:
- 10/10
- Comments:
- 287
- Kudos:
- 2,484
- Bookmarks:
- 790
- Hits:
- 79,200
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
25 Jun 2025
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Amazing Will-has-powers story with one of the most creative explanations for why Will has powers that I've ever read. Really lovely ending. Solid plotting, really grounded characterisation that also takes each character on a journey of their own. Highly, highly recommended; this is on my list of top 5 Byler fic favorites.
-
Tags
Summary
Will is gay and Hopper's working through it, but he mostly just wants to know why the hell all of his kids are so damn obsessed with Mike Wheeler.
Bookmarked by a70sMatthew
20 Jun 2025
Bookmarker's Collections:
Bookmarker's Notes
Delightful little short story with just enough angst to give the fluff some teeth and make it really stick. Well crafted writing and very well chosen pov.