Okay gang, now with the whole "Mike would've explored if Will had confessed he was in love with him" (which we all knew), I am here to deliver how the Byler feelings realization plus Willelmike's relationships play out in my au, first in regard to Elmike, then with Byler and lastly with Willel. In this au, s1-3 plays out practically the same, with the exception being that Bob doesn't die, with Hopper dying in his place, leading to Joyce adopting Jane at the end of s2. There are changes to s4 and s5, with some things remaining the same, and others changing. One of the changes is that the 18 month time skip we got between s4 and s5 is gonna be when s5 takes place, with the town being in an apocalyptic state, and s6 taking place in canon s5 timeline, ending with the same timeskip. Oh, and the characters do be changing their name.
Elmike: Simulship, friends and exes. Tv tropes: Better as Friends and Romantic False Lead.
Jane "El" Hopper: Got kissed by Mike at the end of s1, developing a puppy crush on the idealized a version of him that could give her normality in s2 after watching soap operas, getting together because of amatonormativity after the snowball and dumping him at the start of s3 to figure herself out. She overhears Mike say he loves her, leading to them getting back together for the 2nd and last time at the end of s3 with her own love confession, with the return being a direct result of his confession and her desire to be "normal", hoping that he could make her feel loved and like she belonged.
They write less and less between s3-4, bc she realizes that she wants something like Boyce's relationship, which they never were like. They officialize the break-up at the start of s4, when he goes to talk to her the day after the rink-o-mania episode, with her bringing up the fact that he's unable to write or say he loves her to her face, with her stating that he cares but doesn't love nor treats her how she wants and needs someone to do, stating that they can start again as friends.
Michael "Mike" Newby-Maldonado: Had a puppy crush on the idealized superhero version of El, kissing her at the end of s1 due to amatonormativity and, after gaining survivors guilt due to her sacrifice at the end of s1, getting together after the snowball where they danced with each other bc he kept his promise, with them breaking up after she dumped his ass at the start of s3. During the break he said to others that he loved her in his panic over protecting her, being overheard and having it be misinterpreted as a romantic love confession, being unable to say it to her face on the mall since he had already grown out of his crush but was still trying to play the role by leaning into his insecurities, amatonormativity and comphet. They get back together for the 2nd and final time bc he did not know how to reject her after getting caught by surprise with Jane kissing and saying she loves him back at the end of s3, staying in it due to being unable to break things of cause of his need to feel needed, even though they write less and less to each other between s3-4.
They officialize the break-up at the start of s4, when he goes to talk to her the day after the rink-o-mania episode, with her bringing up the fact that he's unable to write or say he loves her to her face, stating that he cares but doesn't love nor treats her how she wants and needs someone to do, stating that they can start again as friends. Will does the veiled confession through the painting and saying the feelings where El's (after Mike mentions them breaking up and felling lesser then her), with him thanking her for the gift but asking for clarification due to the contradiction between what she and Will said, with her reminding him that she did not know who Will was painting for, leaving him confused about why Will would lie. Having restarted their friendship, Mike makes the monologue in the bathtub, saying he's sorry he couldn't give her romantic love, but that he and everyone else love her as their friends and that she needs to fight.
Byler: Husbands and best friends. Tv tropes: Childhood Friend Romance, Previously Overlooked Paramour and Unknowingly in Love.
Michael "Mike" Newby-Maldonado: Developed a crush on Will during s2, realized it and suppressed it at the end of s3, fell in love during the van speech, acknowledged it after Elmike officially break up during their talk where El says the painting was from Will - not her, confronts him at the start of s5, leading to them getting in a situationship during s5, with Will confronting him over whether or not his feelings are returned - this can happen in a church for my churgate fans - and them officially getting together by the end of that season, start openly dating - to their close friends - at the start of s6 and getting married in 2008.
William "Will" Newby-Maldonado: Developed a crush on Mike during s1, realized it during s2, was already in love at the end of s3, does a vailed confesses to him in the van scene, is confronted by Mike at the start of s5 - this time confessing in earnest, leading to them getting in a situationship during s5, confronting Mike over whether or not his feelings are returned - motivated by rebelwise friendship and willel's familial and platonic bond + this can happen in a church for my churgate fans - and them officially getting together by the end of that season, start openly dating - to their close friends - at the start of 6 and getting married in 2008.
Willel: Siblings and friends.
Jane Elle "El" Ives-Maldonado: Play by play s1-3 dynamics, s4 they start to become closer and form a siblings bond thanks to the Newby-Maldonado family dynamic. When she first learns of Will's love for Mike she ends in a mix of support over his identity, confusion over learning queerness is a thing (since neither the lab nor the soap operas showed it as an option), jealousy since she is prone to anger issues and sadness for him bc it seems to be unrequited. After observing Byler's dynamic during s5 and reflecting on how they were during the years, they finally become friends, with her taking to him about the difference in how Mike acted with her and how he acts with him, encouraging him to confront Mike on whether he shares his feelings or not, saying she'll beat his ass if he's just playing with her brother's heart, giving her approval after they tell the party that their dating - jokingly telling Mike she'll beat his ass if he fucks it up.
William "Will" Newby-Maldonado: Play by play s1-3 dynamics, s4 they start to become closer and form a siblings bond thanks to the Newby-Maldonado family dynamic. Their dynamic gets a little stiff after El finds out about his love for Mike, but after she observes them, they finally become friends, with her talking to him about the difference in how Mike acted with her and how he acts with him, encourages him to ask for clarity, adding more support and making him decide he does not want him and Mike to ever be like Robin and Tammy - yes rebelwise friendship does happen in s5 let's go!!! - with her giving their relationship an approval after they tell the party that they're dating.
