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will byers’ guide to advanced concepts in painting by falloutboi
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
27 Dec 2025
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Summary
Dustin hums in agreement while he swallows his bite. “It’s like, against his factory settings to say no to you. What do you need him to do, model for you or something?”
Will shoves his face back into his hands. “I’m going to fail.”
Max rolls her eyes. “You’re not going to fail, you’re going to paint Mike.”
Will lifts his head up from his hands, eyes wide, and shakes his head. “You don’t understand.” He pleads with his awful, awful friends, voice low. “He’s been, he’s using my-he came out of my bathroom in just a towel last night.”
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Studio art major Will Byers has a study of the human body due before the semester ends, is in desperate need for a model, and has a huge, life-altering, heart wrenching crush on his best friend.
Enter: Mike Wheeler, his broken shower, and his collection of plaid-print boxers.
Series
- Part 1 of devotion | Indiana University
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 18,437
- Chapters:
- 6/6
- Comments:
- 373
- Kudos:
- 4,739
- Bookmarks:
- 1,224
- Hits:
- 40,671
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
14 Jan 2026
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bury me in metamorphoses (with galatea, my sweet) by hiscleric
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
10 Sep 2022
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It’s been seven years since Will Byers vanished from Hawkins for the second time; seven years since he picked up his life, moved across the globe, and finally settled. He had found himself in a small town outside of Dublin with no desire to be anyplace else. He was happy. Ireland was great — beautiful sights, decent weather, and it was far. So, so far.
But when past feelings bubble from under the surface and start to poison his creative endeavors, he doesn’t think things could get any worse.
Seeing Mike Wheeler at his local grocery store quickly proves him wrong.
OR: Running away and the reunion of a lifetime.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 32,333
- Chapters:
- 2/2
- Comments:
- 370
- Kudos:
- 3,154
- Bookmarks:
- 923
- Hits:
- 55,243
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
13 Jan 2026
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1989. Senior year.
It took nearly three years of growing apart, but Will Byers has finally gotten used to life without Mike Wheeler. He has El, he has Max, he has his art, and, as of two days ago, he has a full ride to art school in Chicago, so things are good. Right? So when Mike climbs through his window one night and stumbles back into his life, Will’s not prepared for the resurgence of old feelings—and even less prepared for the possibility that they might not be as hopeless as he always thought. With the expiration date of graduation looming, Will has to figure out not only his future, but what exactly he and Mike are to each other.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 33,017
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 152
- Kudos:
- 1,551
- Bookmarks:
- 539
- Hits:
- 34,493
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
11 Jan 2026
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“I can see just fine,” Will snaps. He doesn’t even want to have this conversation with Mike in the first place. If he did, it would’ve been a long time ago. “Why do you even care?”
“Why do I—” Mike splutters. “Because I care, Will! I care about you.”
Honestly — what was Mike expecting? That the past month didn’t happen? That they aren’t being weird again? The end of a literal apocalypse did more harm to their friendship than good, apparently, and it’s not something either of them can ignore.
Or,
The world is no longer ending. Half of them have moved into the WSQK. Max is learning how to walk again, Mike is hanging out with Robin Buckley, of all people, and Will—
—still hasn’t told anyone that he can’t see out of his eye.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
10 Jan 2026
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“... Will.”
“Okay, sure, yeah. What about him?”
“I’m a bad friend.” Mike admitted, breathing it out like a vomited confession, like something he was desperate to be rid of.
“Did something happen?” Steve asked.
“Yes.” He paused. “Well, no. It’s— it’s more like… more like… he got a boyfriend.” Mike huffed out a breath.
“I know.” Steve agreed slowly, brows raised. “Carlton. Will, Robin and I met up a while back and he introduced us. Seems like a good kid. What about him?”
Mike felt like a fucking idiot.
Of course Steve didn’t get it. Why would Steve get it?
“I… I just…” How was Mike even meant to begin to talk about this? “It’s driving me crazy, man. I hate the guy.”
OR -
Mike spirals about his feelings, gets in his car, and somehow ends up going to Steve Harrington for help. He gets a much-needed pep talk and finally goes after what he wants.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
08 Jan 2026
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“There was a boy,” Izzy’s dad murmurs. “He… he was my first friend—my best friend. And I…”
His voice trails off. Tears well in her dad’s eyes, and Izzy reaches across the space between them, taking his free hand. She gives it an encouraging squeeze, and her dad laughs, soft and broken and free.
“I loved him, Izzy,” her dad whispers, meeting her eyes. “I loved him. I really, really did.”
Or:
The one in which Mike Wheeler has a crash out of epic proportions when listening to ’Good Luck, Babe!’ and his daughter, Izzy, decides to do something about it.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 14,041
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 239
- Kudos:
- 3,111
- Bookmarks:
- 687
- Hits:
- 17,421
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
08 Jan 2026
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Mike is sitting at the desk that technically belongs to both of them but has, by unspoken agreement, become his. His typewriter is centered in front of him, a stack of slightly wrinkled paper to the left, a mug with cold coffee to the right, and his glasses sliding down his nose every few minutes.
The lamp is on low. Yellow light pools over the keys and his fingers.
He types carefully at first, then faster, then pauses, his fingers hovering over the keys shakily.
On the page, the name stares back at him.Will the Wise.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
08 Jan 2026
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Summary
Mike runs The Watchtower, the biggest RPG podcast in the world. He’s polished, confident, and everyone loves him.
Will runs Inside the Castle, from his kitchen. He's anonymous, deliberate, and sharp - and he hates Mike. He thinks Mike's podcast is performative, preachy, and has no soul.
Their fans argue, clip, obsess. Mike is obsessed too, though nobody knows it yet.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
05 Jan 2026
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Summary
mike and will are secretly dating in the epilogue and they're absolutely obsessed with each other.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
05 Jan 2026
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if there is a right time (chances are i’ll be here) by andiwriteordie
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
01 Jan 2026
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Summary
“And I guess… I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry,” Mike says, and he scoots closer to Will, knee brushing against Will’s own. “I’m sorry that I let you deal with all this shit alone, and I’m sorry I didn’t see what was happening or what I was doing, and I’m sorry I hurt you, Will. But… but most of all…
Will’s heart pounds, and he waits with nervous anticipation, hanging onto Mike’s every word. “I’m sorry I was too late,” Mike whispers, tears welling in his eyes. “That… that I was too late for us.”
Or:
The one in which Will and Mike fall apart before they fall back together.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
03 Jan 2026
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you've got this spell on me by andiwriteordie for messrsbyler
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
29 Mar 2023
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Summary
“And you,” Will deadpans, trying to ignore the way his heart is racing in his chest, “are literally under a spell right now.”
Mike grins, wide and dopey and so stupidly lovestruck. “Yeah, I am,” he agrees, and it’s far too flirtatious for Will’s liking, “I’m under your spell.”
Or:
Mike gets hit by a spell that causes him to fall in love with Will. Naturally, chaos ensues.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 14,313
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 140
- Kudos:
- 5,880
- Bookmarks:
- 1,028
- Hits:
- 43,099
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
29 Dec 2025
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an ode to hope (and other funny things) by pyschologicalrocketgirl
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
18 Dec 2022
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Summary
“Everything's going to be fine, please don't freak out.” Nancy starts to say, which causes Will’s eyes to widen.
“That’s…not really reassuring, you know that right?”
Nancy huffs a laugh, “Yeah, it isn’t, sorry.” He hears shifting through the receiver, and he thinks maybe that's all she's planned to say.
“Mike’s in the hospital.”
Will sucks in an involuntary breath, letting the air back out, shaky. He nods repetitively, a little numb as he tries to process, before realizing Nancy can’t see him.
“Okay.” He aims for level but his voice cracks mid-way. He’s almost whispering, “Is- he okay?”
Mike's in the hospital, which kickstarts a drive to Boston and a worried Will as he thinks about Mike, the past, and love, all while conveniently held up by New York traffic.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
25 Dec 2025
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the longer burn, the sweeter that you smell by aviannabuckley
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
11 Nov 2025
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Summary
The words Spiderman said surprised even him, but Will didn’t laugh or brush them aside. He just sat there, sketchbook resting loosely on his knees, eyes fixed on the glow of the skyline as if listening in awe. “You really have a way with words, huh? Reminds me of someone.”
When distance grows between him and Will, Mike finds a new way to be near him, even if it's from behind a mask.
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
25 Dec 2025
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Summary
“Are you free tonight?”
Will blinks and gapes a few times. “What?”
“I’m going out with my sister and her best friend tonight. We’re going to a pub.” Mike moves forward, and Will’s breath hitches. “You could join us. It…could be fun.”or
Mike follows his sister to England to write articles about the celebration of the Silver Jubilee.
There, under the pale British sun, he meets Will.Day 5 of Byler Week 2023: Secret Identities
Series
- Part 5 of Byler Week 2023
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
24 Dec 2025
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where is my mind? by ciders
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Stranger Things - Fandom
03 Apr 2018
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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:
- 264
- Kudos:
- 2,608
- Bookmarks:
- 488
- Hits:
- 52,733
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
23 Dec 2025
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Summary
“Why haven’t we kissed yet?”
And – strike that, maybe Will is dead.
“You,” Will says dumbly. “I – what?”
“Us,” Mike specifies, like we could have meant anyone else, although the clarification is still appreciated, because Will’s brain feels a little useless, right now. “Kiss. You and me.”A summer afternoon in Mike's room and Will's mess of a brain.
Series
- Part 4 of one-scene
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
23 Dec 2025
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mike wheeler's guide to falling in love with a superhero by smoosnoom (moonsooms)
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
05 Dec 2022
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Summary
“Uh-huh,” Mike says faintly, and he yelps when they narrowly avoid the edge of a shining skyscraper, and his hands clutch onto Spiderman instinctively. “Oh – my fucking God, that –”
Spiderman’s fingers press a little firmly into Mike’s shirt. "Just – hang on!"
"What do you mean just hang – was that a pun," Mike sputters, clutching onto Spiderman for dear life as they swing through the city, and he can hear the superhero laugh through the racing wind in his ears, the rumble of it under Mike’s arm wrapped around his middle.
In a city of superheroes, Mike keeps running into Spiderman, much to his dismay.
On a completely different and unrelated note, Mike also attempts to woo and charm his neighbor into a date.- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 24,832
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 270
- Kudos:
- 7,007
- Bookmarks:
- 1,845
- Hits:
- 71,827
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
22 Dec 2025
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nobody's ever loved me like you do by unidentifiedblackthorn
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
13 Sep 2022
- Words:
- 18,990
- Works:
- 2
- Bookmarks:
- 376
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
22 Dec 2025
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Summary
“Did I do something wrong?” Mike questions, mouth twisted in a frown, eyes less wide than they were a few moments ago, sleepiness gone. His arms stay at his sides, although his fingers fiddle with his sleeves. “What did I do wrong?”
Will frowns back. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Mike doesn’t look like he believes him. Will doesn’t blame him. “Then why do you keep leaving?”
The world ends, and then some. Mike and Will find each other again, amidst the debris and distance.
Series
- Part 1 of fix-its
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 21,203
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 727
- Kudos:
- 15,234
- Bookmarks:
- 3,543
- Hits:
- 218,711
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
22 Dec 2025
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Going Too Far Just to Have You Near by borealisaurora
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
27 Oct 2022
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Summary
Mike Wheeler always seems to gravitate toward Will Byers, like they’re connected by an invisible string; Will could be on the opposite end of any room and Mike would somehow find his way over to stand next to him. When Robin points this out to Will, Will thinks she’s crazy, and they strike a deal; if Will stays away from Mike for a week and notices how Mike will always find him, Will has to consider that maybe, just maybe, Mike has a crush on him too.
A deal which Will agrees to because, why not? There’s no way this can be true.
Can it?
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 11,531
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 115
- Kudos:
- 3,129
- Bookmarks:
- 596
- Hits:
- 22,600
Bookmarked by negativeoptimist
20 Dec 2025