swirlstar
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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).
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Bookmarked by swirlstar
07 Aug 2026
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Mike didn’t have any plans for his future apart from following his best friend to college so that everything could stay exactly the same between them.
But when it doesn’t, when Will meets new people, or more specifically, a new person, Mike realises just how far from okay he is with that. And it may just lead to him realising some other things that he’s feeling too…
Or
Mike and Will move to College, Will gets a boyfriend, and Mike gets very, very jealousBookmarked by swirlstar
15 Jul 2026
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“We haven’t done this since middle school,” Will says, voice barely above a whisper.
“Huh,” Mike whispers back. “Yeah, guess not.”
A couple years ago, Mike read a National Geographic article about a phenomenon called the polar night. In the farthest north and south regions of the globe, there are weeks, sometimes months depending on how close you are to the poles, where the sun does not rise above the horizon, plunging the world into a perpetual nighttime. Living in such conditions, the article had explained, can affect one’s circadian rhythm, heighten issues with concentration and energy levels, and cause a spike in depressive symptoms among local populations. Some resort to using light therapy lamps to mimic the daylight.
It was only after the Byers moved away, all those years ago, that Mike began to understand what the prolonged absence of the sun can do to a person.
The Upside Down is gone, and everyone has made it out unscathed. In the aftermath of the not-so-end of the world, snowballs turn into avalanches. Sometimes it just takes time.
or: Mike gets into Brown, Will gets into RISD, and the friends-to-???-to-lovers slowburn that ensues.
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Bookmarked by swirlstar
03 Jul 2026
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Letters to Will (Live from New York) by sofishortcake
Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
02 May 2026
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“Thanks for taking care of me, Mike. I didn’t mean to drink this much.” Mike locks the dorm door behind him with a quiet click. “I could’ve had Carlton walk me back. If you wanted to stay at the party.”
Mike rolls his eyes, taking a deliberate step closer. “Yeah, I bet he would've loved that. And, please... stop saying his fucking name, okay?”
Will swallows. “Sorry, I just meant…I’m so happy you’re here, but I know you’re not just here to see me, and you probably want—”
Mike cuts him off without a second thought. He grabs Will’s arms, and shoves him lightly but firmly against the wall. Their chests collide. Will freezes—but Mike doesn’t back down. “Will…you have no idea what I want,” he whispers, eyes dropping to Will’s lips. Every shred of control he’s ever clung to around him melting.
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Bookmarked by swirlstar
19 Jun 2026
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One fateful October night in 1995, Will Byers is dragged by his step-sister, Jane, and her best friend to a rock concert. That was just the beginning...
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Or:
A much needed byler enemies to lovers 90s rock band au.
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Bookmarked by swirlstar
10 May 2026