TheHawkinsArchives

Hi! You've reached The Hawkins Archives! This is a place where I'll be posting (mostly) byler fic lists, finding your lost fics, and letting you reccomend your own! Any type of fic goes here! Based on https://thederrylibrary.tumblr.com/ which helped me find all my fave loser fics :)

[thehawkinsarchives]

Byler fic Masterpost

Going to start compiling lists so there easier to find. Will update as this blog continues. Enjoy <3

byler gets hollyd fic list

The party (or will) finds out about the quarry fic list

byler gets murrayed fic list

Mike gets vecna’d

Will has powers fic list

Byler from other people’s POV’s fic list

birthdaygate fic list

byler summer fic list

byler mystery (plot heavy) fics

lettergate fic list

byler drunken confession fic list

FAQ post

[petrerpkr]

Mike wheeler centric byler fanfic rec

My faves 💓

slip through the spaces in between

Just for a second, I remembered myself

Love From the Other Side (I Guess You Can Say Things Are Getting Pretty Serious)

Another Roll of the Dice

Tempest

Mike gets vecna’d

Before I Sleep

okay so are the curtains blue for a reason or what (this is a metaphor)

i could be your lover (and you could be my heartache)

Over our Heads

Angst

cosmonaut

Something is Wrong with Mike Wheeler

Mike's crush on Eddie

how can cupid, ( how can cupid be so cruel. )

catching up with my head in your lap

You See (it meant everything to me)

Pwp🔞

Homecoming

Writer mike

I Wrote the Words (Before Knowing What They Meant)

i sing the body electric

showbiz, baby

Hours (of telling you about)

something better than these broken parts

I Wrote the Words (Before Knowing What They Meant)

gen/teen

its so hard to stop the rain.

If Not for You

don't delete the kisses

Matters of the Heart

(touch) like we never could before

You Never Cried to Them, Just to Your Soul

it takes a fool to remain sane

to stay alive, that would be enough

Do-Overs Are a Bitch for The Impatient

[thehawkinsarchives]

byler drunken confession fic list

ft. steddie

probably my favorite trope, I’ve read so many of them that it was difficult to find only my favorites

Natural Progression by BerityBaker

When Steve Harrington gets his first shot at a dramatic role, there's one problem: the rock star brought on as a consultant for the film is a total asshole - even if he is the hottest guy Steve has ever laid eyes on.

A famous!Steddie AU

67k words

6/6 chapters

Note: this is a private work, so you need an AO3 account to read it. technically not a drunken confession but I can’t really explain why without spoiling, but it’s still VERY good

mirror-to-mirror (face-to-face)

by passerine_in_jade

Dustin reaches the explosive pack, and lights it. The colors go up into the sky, flashes of bright green and white and pale purple against the encroaching, dark, red-and-black sky. A beacon of hope. A promise of tomorrow. Will watches the fireworks go off, the sparks raining down on a world that ended for him years and years ago.

The night before the end of the world, Mike and Will find a way to meet in the middle.

11k words

1/1 chapters

Notes: PLEASE i beg you, read this one. this is literally my favorite fic ever. it’s just way too good.

Found’ya!

by CollyWobbles1066

Eddie’s drunk. Eddie’s sooooo drunk. Eddie’s thinking about himself in third person, that’s how drunk he is, he snorts to himself.

After Vecna's dead and dealt with, everything is settled and Steve hosts the older teens for a night of drinking. Eddie gets a bit carried away, and well, you know what they say - drunken mouths speak sober thoughts.

2k words

1/1 chapters

Notes: basically steve takes care of eddie when he’s drunk

unexpected confessions-- byler one shot

by egrettable

Will could feel his heart pounding out of his chest, the cold air conditioning replaced by the heat between him and his best friend. He could hear Mike's breath hitch as the space between them was slowly being closed. Mike's eyes flicker between Will's and his lips. "I.. Will?" Mike mutters, looking up at Will's eyes. "Mhm?" The brunette breathes out, returning the look. "What... did you wanna tell me?" He asks, his ears becoming hot as he sees the other man's face flush. Will feels his face becoming hotter, if that was even possible, upon looking into Mike's enlarged pupils. His heart is pumping faster than he's ever experienced and he can barely think straight. He swallows, feeling his throat becoming dry. Will looks down at his palms. Should he tell Mike? Right now? Will looks back into Mike's brown eyes once more. He grabs Mike's hand.

Or, Will and Mike celebrate Mike's 18th birthday alone with a couple of drinks, causing some truths to come out.

2k words

1/1 chapters

Notes: bold and flirty will byers!!!!!!!! do i need to say more??????

The Morning After The Night Before

by BlackUnicorn

It was too warm when he woke up. Too warm and too quiet and too bright even through his closed eyelids, and the burgeoning headache lurking around the edges of his brain didn't feel particularly promising either. Eddie shifted slightly, trying to cling onto those last wisps of sleep but the hair sticking to his forehead and the sweat trickling down his skin were enough to drag his mind, kicking and screaming, into consciousness. He was naked. Well. Maybe not naked naked, but he most definitely wasn't wearing a shirt, and the bedsheets felt unfamiliarly soft against his bare legs, along with something else, something solid and hot and hairy, and Eddie stilled, resolutely keeping his eyes closed. He knew he wasn't home, vaguely remembered the graduation party at Harrington's and Robin roping him into doing shots. There was a reason why Eddie usually stuck to beer and weed. The hard stuff just didn't agree with him, made him reckless, made him forgetful too, since he had no fucking clue what had happened after the vodka, or how he had ended up in one of Harrington's many guest bedrooms with what felt like another person. Fuck.

5k words

1/1 chapters

Notes: more than a drunken confession this is the consequences of said drunken confession, but it’s still amazing. If you want to read about what happened the day before you can read the second part of the serie that is a prequel: Night Before The Morning After.

spilled drinks

by kagtaffy

Will learns something he didn't know about Mike. He's a talkative drunk. Or so he comes to find out. “I love you too.” Mike groans, “Ugh, no-t like that.” He sways and Will drops the bike. “Just. I love you more. Thanthat.” The ticking of the bicycle and the loud beat of his heart. A prelude to something. And he shouldn’t ask. “More than what?”

4k words

1/1 chapters

Notes: we have the byler counterpart of Found’ya, but it’s longer so it means that more… stuff happens

i told you i liked you, you said “sober up”

by sillylittlerock

Mike had never been drunk before. He’d always been pretty afraid of the stuff - he’d seen his mother giddy, stumbling and tipsy a few times as a kid, after a girls’ night out, and his dad always shouted the loudest at her when he’d been drinking - but it wasn’t all that bad, really. Once you got used to the taste, which he had to admit was as foul as the smell of it, the cheap beer was alright. And it did a great job of making you forget your problems, which had been exactly what Mike wanted.

or: on Mike's 18th birthday, he gets drunk and decides he wants to kiss someone.

3k chapters

1/1 words

Notes: mike projecting his feelings for el onto will

slipped my mind, spilled my heart

by aviannabuckley

Mike couldn’t breathe.

The world around them kept moving—street lights flickered, a dog barked somewhere in the distance, and the trees danced in the wind like nothing had changed. But something had changed. Because Will had said it. Said those words. Said them with his eyes directly meeting Mike’s, his eyes half-lidded, his voice so unguarded that Mike felt something inside him splinter. "I'm in love with you."

Or where Will accidentally lets a few words slip, spilling his heart, and ultimately changing the direction of his and Mike's relationship forever.

6k words

1/1 chapters

Note: it’s actually more rare to find fics we’re will is the one confessing first, so it’s refreshing. also in the tags it says “neurodivergent mike if you squint” but honestly i don’t think you have to squint, it’s pretty obvious, and i love it.

you spin me all around and ask me not to spin

by astralis_cosmos

it’s sunday and we’re drunk in your bed, you’re telling me you love me. i’m telling you that you don’t and you’ll forget about this in the morning. i don’t look at you because i know as soon as i make eye contact i’ll cave in and secrets will spill pass my lips. there’s only the two of us, and i have nothing left to lose. now i’m in my mid-thirties and have a thousand regrets. there is a feeling growing in the pit of my stomach every time i remember your voice. my sister’s your wife. you have a golden family with a white picket fence.

3k words

1/1 chapter

Note: you probably didn’t understad shit from the summary, but i promise it’s really good. will and mike share a bottle of wine and they start to feel the need they have for each other more than ever.

Drunk in Love

by jimhoppersfloralshirt

"Drunk too much." Mike mumbles snapping Will out of his daze, communication stumped a little by the facts his head is nearly engulfed by the toilet. "Understatement." A hand contorts and just about slaps Will's face, he laughs at Mike's weak attempt, only his fingers manage to trace the edge of his cheek. The touch is too soft to feel like playful slap and under different circumstances Will would probably turn this tiny caress into something it is most likely not. Mike groans beneath him.

Or: Mike is drunk and Will looks after him.

3k words

1/1 chapters

Note: i looooooove this one, and i know i just need to quote the fic quickly to convince you to read it. "If you say Mike one more time I'm going to kiss you again." peak fan fiction writing right there.

Everything comes back to you

by wasabi8000

The world is ending, which means for the time being, Will is living at the Wheeler’s house with Mike and El. Which means his life is once again a third-wheeling roller rink nightmare, and he’s basically invisible to Mike. Until Jonathan gives him $20 to go to an art sale, and he meets Tobias, a guy just as into art as he is. It’s not long before him and Tobias start dating. And then suddenly, Mike’s paying attention to him after all.

Or: Will gets a boyfriend. Mike doesn’t like it

121k words

26/26 chapters

Note: i personally haven’t read this but my best friend forced me to put this here, and i’m suggesting it only because after she read this she was cured and now she’s not a mileven anymore so it must be good.

Love To Hate Me

by bangingbiddies

"I don't think you hate me at all, Mike," Will says. His back is to the door and he keeps a steady gaze on Mike, who leans stiffly against the closet's back wall. It's hard to see but Will can still make out the glare of Mike's deep brown eyes thanks to whoever decided to put a fluorescent purple lightbulb in here. "Oh yeah? What do you think then?" Mike walks up to him and he stops so close that Will swears he can feel Mike's shoe touch his. Mike's voice practically drips with sarcasm. "Since I so desperately want to know." Will watches, as he has been for years. Will smirks and he doesn't miss the way Mike's eyes dart toward his lips, even in the dark of this cramped closet. "I think there's something about me that you like too much, and that scares you." Will steps forward and Mike takes a step back. He continues to stalk forward until Mike's back is pressed against the wall. Despite the blaring music outside the closet door, Will can hear the hitch of Mike's breath as he takes a step closer.

Or: Mike and Will never really got along. Will never had any idea why until they get locked in a closet at a party and Will comes to a very interesting conclusion.

5k words

1/1 chapters

Note: enemies to lovers AU !! they get fisically stuck in a closet !!

Trading Spaces

by Undistractible

After Steve inhales the dust from the upside down tunnels in Season 2, a chance encounter with Eddie "the freak" Munson leads to them walking in each other's shoes. And pants. And shirts. And Bruises. And hearts? That's right folks, it's a bodyswap. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Jesus Christ, get up Eddie. You’re in my body.” “Pssht, I can always get it up for your body.” Eddie turns his head to look at Steve finally. He blinks, then blinks again. “Wow, I got a lot higher than I thought. We didn't do mushrooms right? It wouldn't be the first time I forgot. Mrs. Click’s face is insane on shrooms.” “This isn’t a joke, you’re not high. Actually I probably am still high, but I'm not me, you are, so you’re still high. But is your body high or your brain? I don't know but we didn't do mushrooms. Focus!” Eddie sits up and rubs his eyes then flinches. Yeah that eye bruise is a bitch. Eddie looks confused and touches his nose and flinches again. He looks at Steve and then looks down at his hands. Those hurt too. “Holy shit." “Yeah." “Holy shit!" “Yeah!"

46k words

9/12 chapters

Note: me? creating this fic list only because i need to shoutout this fix to more people so that the author will feel motivated to write more? pfft that could never happen

[iamanlazyartist]

And what if I say let's meet up,break into the duffers house,steal the USB with the episodes and make a watch Party in one of our basements what then

We are what?Nearly 300k?What are they gonna do huh?

[willfreakbyers]

300k lesbians and transmascs against two middle aged men

[e4n0f4]

this could work guys

we could also bring drugs and hide them in the duffer’s brother homes so we could also frame them if they press charges

i mean if anyone puts 1€ we could have 300k€ of drugs

[iamanlazyartist]

A bit crazy but we can make it work....

Let us just take the scripts too yk?

[e4n0f4]

yes yes guys @thehawkinsarchives will bring the fics to read during the road trip to the duffer’s house

also i propose an alliance with milevens, because even if we’re enemies, we have a bigger enemy in front of us and the enemy of our enemy are our friends.

[thehawkinsarchives]

not a fic rec and idk if the issue is happening for anyone else but the masterpost link for “mike gets vecna’d” brings you to the byler gets murray’d list. thanks

so sorry with the issue we just fixed it <3

[thehawkinsarchives]

Could you do Lettergate recs please

your wish is my (pretty late, sorry about that) command!

Lettergate fics

If you don’t know what Lettergate is, it’s a theory that says that Mike wrote letters to Will while he was in Lenora, signed “Love, Mike” but never actually sent them.

A Vow (We’ll Both Uphold Somehow?)

by cloudyskye1529

“I could - show you…if you want.” What the fuck. Will guesses the shock must be obvious enough on his face that Mike feels he has to explain himself. “So, you know, like - when you find someone you actually want to kiss, you'll know what it's like and you won't have to be as scared.” Mike’s eyes are frantic again and he’s slowly retracting the hand anchoring Will to the bed. With panic coursing through his body, desperate not to screw his chance up, he catches Mike’s retreating hand with his own. Mike stares at their interlaced fingers, his eyebrows disappearing behind his bangs in shock. ”I-,” Will gets cut off. Mike was never really the patient one. “You can just pretend I’m a girl, if you want.” His voice comes out strangled, nervous.

OR: Mike kisses Will, Will kisses Mike, and they don't talk about it. Queue a secret situationship and pointless fighting.

9k words

1/1 chapters

Note: honestly I was not expecting to enjoy a byler situationship fic so much but this one 100% changed my mind, also love how this is technically all Robin’s fault

It’s Our Time Now Down Here

by LadyLillyGray

What if Mike had a letter for Will in his shirt pocket the entire time he was in California? And what if he let Will read it when they were back in Hawkins?

2k words

1/1 chapters

Note: this as short as it is well written. really. if you have 10 minutes give it a read

Love, Mike

by hayloftt

Love, Mike. Love. Love. Love. Love. Will’s head felt like it was spinning just by reading that letter. Mike missed him. Like crazy. And LOVE. Love, Mike. He signed it ‘Love, Mike’...

2k words

1/1 chapters

Note: another short fic (something tells me there will be a lot of them). I love how in this one you can feel Mike’s love for writing and literature in general

Cognitive Dissonance

by Ace3xp

He knows what this means. Has known what it means for a while now, if he’s finally honest with himself. Ever since that early autumn day where the rug was pulled out from under him, again, and he lost Will, again.

512 words

1/1 chapters

Note: this is a private work, so you need an AO3 account. probably the shortest fic I have ever read, but for some reason the shortest ones are also the best most well written stories ever. it’s like the L rule. if something is short on something it has to compensate with something else.

i’m looking inward, i’m lashing out ‘cause i’m so sad

by Particle_man_particle_man

“He watched Will read through each ‘I miss you’ and ‘everything feels wrong without you’ and even an occasional ‘I love you’ from when Mike couldn’t keep it in anymore. Mike couldn’t read his expression when his eyes fell on the Love, Mike written at the bottom of every letter.”

OR: Mike finds out the truth about some things and it fuels him to tell Will the truth about him.

2k words

1/1 chapters

Note: this fic has pretty much everything I want in s5. Mileven breakup, “painting? what painting?”, byler movie date, them being so freaking oblivious… also this is another private work

Swooping, Sloping, Cursive Letters

by love_kurdt

Mike's letters to Will. All twenty-six of them, plus the fourteen others he wrote after August 1989.

21k words

40/40 chapters

Note: consider this fic a little extra since it’s not technically a lettergate fic, because the letters Mike wrote weren’t written when Will was in Lenora, but later. Also this is the third part of a serie (that I do 100% reccomend if you like angst and aged up byler), and even if the author says that you can’t read this one if you haven’t read the first part of the serie (This Is Me Trying), I didn’t listen and read it anyway, with that being said, I don’t think that it’s necessary reading it, because you’ll still understand what’s going on. Also, this one gets really angsty. TW for mentioned rape

[thehawkinsarchives]

byler mystery fic recs

fics that kept me on my toes! canon divergence or aus that don't fall under s5 speculation, but have a really good plot and elements of mystery.

The Crossover by nbfutureboy

“Didja hear about all that stuff with The Ringbearers? Apparently the frontman’s totally gone off the grid! Nobody knows where he is!” The frontman for The Ringbearers is Mike Wheeler.

Will Byers, a comic book author and illustrator at the very beginning of his career, initially turns down the invitation to Hawkins ‘HorrorCon’. But after hearing that a certain musician has gone missing - and despite the fact that Mike and Will haven’t spoken since their high school graduation - he can’t seem to shake the feeling something’s seriously wrong. Now complete!

28.5k words, 9/9 chapters Notes: One of my all-time favorite fics!! super interesting premise and features audio clips. intriguing relationship dynamic and absolutely gorgeous prose that makes you feel things. I lost count of how many times I've reread the ending and sometimes I think of a random line from this fic and start to get emotional :')

there's something wrong with michael by willelworld

“Hungry,” is all Mike manages to get out. Will can hear each ragged breath scuttle up and down his chest. He squints at Mike, the boy refusing to break eye contact, staring intently at Will. The emptiness from this morning is back. Will scoots up in bed and shimmies out of his blanket cocoon, placing his hands on the sides of Mike’s arms. “Are you feeling sick?” he questions gently. Something’s not right. Mike shakes his head and once again, opens his mouth with a brief pause before speaking. “I’m so hungry, Will.”

Mike gets a little too into the occult. After a ritual-gone-wrong, Will has to piece together a decades-old mystery to save his best friend's life.

84.4k words, 18/18 chapters Notes: AMAZING. Bro. I'm not going to say too much because I don't want to spoil but you have to read this. byler as boarding school roommates? will tries to solve a mystery with high stakes?? party friendship??? mutual pining???? this fic is everything.

Come Hell, High Water by naiesu

“It’s been months, Mike,” Lucas says, staring at Mike, hard. Mike can’t remember a time he didn’t look at him that way. “Will is a cold case. You need to accept that.” Mike is cold, and for one terrifying moment he feels the numbness wash over him. Everybody in the group is either looking at Mike, or at something that isn’t the two of them. Is that it then? Will Mike’s silenced protests be the last voice turning away from the boy that was Will Byers? Maybe he should.

26.7k words, 2/2 chapters Notes: college au after season 2! mike and will are put through the wringer :( but this is so worth it i promise. also features lots of flashbacks!! i love flashbacks that connect to and enhance the present narrative, especially in this mystery/missing persons setting. mike will do anything for will.

i've come home, i'm so cold by astrobi

“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).

53.5k words, 4/4 chapters

Notes: I LOVE this (as with any fic by astrobi). A little more low-stakes and lighthearted than the others on this list but an awesome college au with an interesting premise. will loves mike sm.

As the World Falls Down by olliecoddle

Mike saw him the second he entered the cafe, and the world stopped spinning. He was standing at the counter, a jean jacket over a faded band t-shirt and a polite smile plastered over his cheeks. Just the man he remembered. The man he had been looking for for the past five years. or, will doesn't remember anything, and something is very wrong

20.9k words, 8/15 chapters

Notes: unfinished but worth reading (as well as anything else from this author). i'm very picky with angst but will happily read anything from this author because they do it so so well. gut-wrenching, emotional writing.

Left His Heart There in the Sea by Concerned_terrapin

“Mr. Byers! I was hoping to catch you. This is Dr. Owens, from Hawkins National Laboratory.” Will pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, already feeling a headache beginning to form in his temples. "I’m kind of in the middle of a lecture here, can this wait?” “I’m afraid it can’t. We need your assistance urgently.” “And why do you need me?” Will was unable to suppress the bitterness in his tone, “You’ve got plenty of experts and doctors on your staff. I’m just a grad student, and I’m halfway across the country. What could I possibly do that no one else could?” Dr. Owens cleared his throat on the other end of the line, “You’re the only one who’s been there and made it out alive. Honestly, we could use your expertise. We’ve caught a specimen. A live one. And you’re definitely going to want to see this.”

Or, it's 1998 and the Upside Down is still alive and kicking, and something new just came out.

133.9k words, 22/22 chapters

Notes: mermaid (kind of??) au with a twist! i LOVE scientist!will and the interactions from the ensemble cast. author is also hella knowledgeable about marine biology so def read the notes after reach chapter. i usually don't read mermaid/other nonhuman aus but i finished this fic in one sitting because i couldn't put it down.

[thehawkinsarchives]

byler summer fic recs

for byler fics set in the best season of the year! ft beaches and swimming pools, popsicles and sunburns (rip mike), chaotic camps and (somewhat) relaxing vacations

trusting things beyond mistake by passerine_in_jade

It feels impossible that it could even be like this — that two hours back in Will’s life after the longest and most tense separation they’ve ever braved, he would be getting this domestic fantasy, him and Will and a kid they’re looking after, lounging on a beach like they don’t have a care in the world. It reminds him of being kids, of falling so in love with Will Byers he couldn't think, of kissing his best friend one summer under the Indiana cover of stars. It is lovely. It is all Mike could dare to want.

4.4k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: post-canon adult byler! they hang out and reflect and flirt. i love this author sm and this is probably one of my all-time favorite oneshots. great characterization and the song that inspires this fic (the predatory wasp of the palisades is out to get us!) is AMAZING

Static Re-connection by IllogicalFallacy

AND - 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.

63k words, 6/6 chapters

Notes: I LOVE this fic! takes place post-s3ish, diverging from canon. their friendship feels super real and comfortable. if you like funny morse code conversations, mike going to the ends of the world for will, and miscommunication angst then you might want to check this one out

no end to this want by astrobi

Mike thinks back to the painting Will gave him, rolled up and placed carefully in his dresser drawer, because for some reason it felt too wrong to hang it up on the walls with everything else. Too intimate. Like Will had made it for his eyes only. Or, apparently as everyone else thought, some mystery lover in California. And then he thinks about Will dozing off on his bed, and saying I think I’m in love with you all soft and slowed down from the inertia of sleep, and that’s right about when Mike starts to feel seriously lightheaded. He leans back against his bed and focuses very hard on taking deep, even breaths.

Or: Mike contemplates his feelings for Will Byers, partakes in a concerning amount of swooning, and learns to drive. Sort of.

21k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: any work by astrobi is amazing, but this is probably one of my favorites! the summary is pretty self-explanatory but you guys definitely have to read this trust

a cruel summer with you by andiwriteordie, astrobi, wiseatom

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.

336k words, 12/17 chapters

Notes: you've probably heard of this fic but in case you haven't you definitely have to read this>>>> it's the st cast but in modern times and THE summer camp fic. Longest fic I've read (and still being updated) but definitely worth it

harness your hope by johnnyfucksup

Mike looks at Will, and he sees everything he is not supposed to want, and he doesn’t understand why he does.

7.7k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: the author has such a unique writing style that conveys the character's emotions so well (you should def check out the other work by them too)! just read the tags and you will understand why you should read

i think we're alone now by lumism

“Whatever," Lucas shrugs. "You’re just jealous that you aren’t getting any.” Mike raises an eyebrow, like he knows something the rest of them don't. Will looks like he wants to drown him. He probably deserves it.

In which Will has a love bite, the Party freaks out about it, and Mike is jealous of himself.

3.5k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: i say this with love, but mike is very lame. will still likes him though

the great big mystery of mike wheeler's no good, very bad, terrible feelings by smoosnoom (moonsooms)

It’s at that very moment that, for reasons completely and utterly unknown to anyone at all, every single possible word he has ever learned from any language ever has suddenly disappeared from his brain, and his throat feels relevant to the Sahara Desert. None of this, of course, has to do with the fact that Will is very, very, very – shirtless. Will blinks at him. “Are you okay?” “Shoulders,” Mike says, sounding vaguely chipmunk-like, and he hears Max barely choke down a snicker.

Will comes back for the summer, and Mike deals with it. Kind of. Not really.

13.6k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: their friendship is so comfortable and authentic! also mike is hella whipped

Mike Wheeler’s Foolproof Plan to Beat the Heat by kekw

Mike Wheeler’s air conditioning goes out during the hottest week of the year. He’s forced to find other ways to keep cool, and maybe address why being around Will Byers gets him so flustered.

4k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: fluffy oneshot, funny moments

a heart unknown by bcvcrly

Things aren't the same anymore in Hawkins, especially between Mike and Will. Something has changed, but neither of them have figured out quite what it is. A summer of secrets and self-discovery.

30k words, 20/20 chapters

Notes: both POVs, also features an intervention by byler #2 (jancy). idk what else to say but this is SO good please read

hold and hurt and kiss me by ultrasulk

In a universe where the only horrors that persist are strictly mortal, Will finds himself stuck at a standstill while everything that's been lurking finally comes to head for Mike. The world can be a lonely place, but as long as they have each other they'll never really be alone.

15k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: They know each other so well <3 this fic has amazing vibes and gorgeous prose. not completely during the summer but i love it so it's going on here anyways.

this must be the place by vipertooths

A year after Vecna's defeat, things have finally returned to normal. Well, aside from the lingering nightmares. And the fact that Mike is in love with his best friend and it's getting increasingly harder to keep that to himself. But it's all going to be fine. They're going to go to Steve's parent's heretofore undiscussed lakehouse, spend two weeks slow-roasting in the Indiana sun, and be normal teenagers for once. Really, the least they deserve at this point is a little summertime relaxation.

36.8k words, 20/20 chapters

Notes: I lowkey don't remember all of this fic but there are some cute kiss scenes and banter so check it out for a fun read

shape it up (get it straight) by fivecenturiesverse

Mike doesn't know when he started caring why Steve and Eddie are friends now, but Dustin has made him curious. Eddie and Steve were enemies before, sort of. So why are they now best friends? They've just got to do a bit of surveillance to work this puzzle out. If Mike accidentally finds out he has feelings for his best friend along the way then... well, shit.

“At least I’m not using binoculars.” Mike shoots a derisive look over at Dustin. “Like we’re not in the middle of the high street, if they spot us how are you going to explain away those, huh?” “Bird watching,” says Dustin. “My new hobby.” Lucas punches him on the arm. “God you’re so fucking stupid.” “You gave them to me!”

6k words, 1/1 chapters

Notes: Mike's POV! This fic heavily features steddie as well (which I don't really read) but it's hilarious and includes a ton of interactions between the entire party so I def recommend

[thehawkinsarchives]

do you have any birthdaygate fic recs?

Hi anon! Yes, here we go!

Exactly who I’m supposed to be

by willthelies_ceasefire_links_in_profile

"This isn't the first time you've left me behind, Mike," Will told him. "I think we both know that. And at this point...I don't expect that much." Mike looked hurt beyond belief. He didn't defend himself, he just stared at Will, and, in the silence, Will was reminded of his words that day at the rink. "Why is this on me? Why am I the bad guy?" Mike didn't deserve this. Being made to think he was the only one to forget, when really, he was the only one to remember. The only one to remember. And maybe it wasn't that surprising. Will thought he could explain it-his mother forgetting because of Hopper, Jonathan because of weed, El because it was their first year as siblings. Will himself had been focused on Mike's birthday, as he always was. They'd spent so many years celebrating their birthdays together. And Mike had forgotten the exact day, sure, but at least it was starting to feel like he still cared. Had still cared.

30k words

14/26 chapters

The Music From The Other Room

by august_weary

One day, everyone forgot about Will Byers. Without their memories, he became static and radio waves, but they couldn’t let go of him that easily. They pulled him back. Now they have to put all the memories of him back, piece by piece, but Vecna won’t make it easy for them.

11k words

3/3 chapters

I know they said the end is near

by organ_donor

"And when I kill the boy you love, I will tell him how much you wanted him to save you in this very moment" When Will Byers gets Vecna'd it sets into motion a series of events like dreams about repressed memories and truths to be revealed. With Hawkins feeling as if its slowly being swallowed up, can Will stop the path of destruction before it finally catches up to him? Or is this just another losing game? Set immediately after season 4.

30k words

10/10 chapters

At least I got you in my head (in my head)

by alby97

There was a post that went "Mike has his own sexuality journey separate from realizing he's in love with Will" so I took that and ran with it Starts right after s3 -> Mike has his "oh shit im gay" moment -> pines after Will -> major miscommunication and gay stupidness ensues 😄

52k words

18/18 chapters

Note: Obviously this is more Mike centered, but it still has birthdaygate and it’s a great fic so yeahhh

Static and Radio Waves

by august_weary

Will Byers is missing, but no one's noticed yet. In fact, no one seems to know who Will Byers is at all. He went from being a best friend to a friend to some kid they went to school with. Now he is only static and radio waves.

19k words

6/6 chapters

maybe it’s a cruel joke on me (whatever, whatever)

by zappy_byers45

“What?” Mike asked, confused, his eyebrows pulling together. “You have known me for eight years Mike,” Will told him. “When is my birthday?” Or: Will's been noticing that Mike's been forgetting things about him and it's only getting worse.

5k words

1/1 chapters

though I can’t recall your face (i’ve still got love for you)

by andiwriteordie

“You’re not Will,” Mike says fiercely, and he glares at the person standing in front of him. “You’re not Will.” A smile forms on not-Will’s face, and he tilts his head curiously. “How would you know?” he whispers back, and Mike can’t help but flinch. “You don’t even remember me.” Or: As his memories of Will begin to return, Mike travels to the Upside Down in hopes of rescuing his best friend.

14k words

1/1 chapters

and do you feel like you should

by tellthatbrokebitch

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

105k words

10/10 chapters

hope you enjoy anon <3

[nymphus-fan-account]

BYLER FIC RECS

based on your favourite tropes

| part 1 | part 2

– You just finished vol. 2 and don't know what to do with yourself? Nymphy's got you.

🏡 Will stays at Wheelers' house

i'll find myself in the moonlight by beansie | 16.7k words | 1/1 chapters

He looks up at him, eyebrows drawn together. “Do you not love her?”

Mike shrinks back. “What?”

He hadn’t meant to say it. He wouldn’t have, if he’d stopped to think about it for half a second. But it’s too late to take it back, and he can’t breathe until he knows the answer, and he looks at him resolutely and says, “Do you only love her because of what I said?”

Something darkens on Mike’s face, twisting it into a shape Will’s never seen. “Get out.”

It’s not a no.

OR

Mike and Will share a room, and Mike finds out the truth about the painting.

cursing my name, wishing I stayed (look at how my tears ricochet) by mikeslawyer | 32.5k words | 5/7 chapters, updating

"Tell me a secret?"

Mike asks, like he's come to do every day, late at night, when the darkness can swallow the guilt and the regret rushing out of their hearts, when their sides press together, the floor long forgotten, ever since the first Will, please, come up here.

Will is a terrible person.

I'm in love with you. I'm having visions. I'm in love with you. I'm not really having nightmares, Vecna is tempting me with a version of you that loves me back. I'm in love with you.

"I think my death is the easiest solution to everything. The Upside Down will die with me."

Will can hear Mike swallow next to him.

"Will, I would let the world burn down to ashes if it meant keeping you in it."

OR

They're back in Hawkins, everything is the way it's always been, except - yeah, it's still the middle of an apocalypse, Will is having nosebleeds and Mike would sacrifice the world for his best friend but is still losing him.

NOTE: Will had a nightmare and he cried so hard he threw up ☹️ my baby.

(appreciation note) I love mikeslawyer so damn much. She was the first byler blog I followed and till this day this blog takes a special place in my heart. Sky, if you see this, I'm so grateful you're here. You're genuinely such a poetic, sweet and effortlessly funny person.

let me steal this moment from you by smoosnoom (moonsooms) | 13.7k words | 1/1 chapters

Mike moves in his bed, and Will's eyes stay firmly on the ceiling. "I feel like we barely know each other anymore."

And Will can't argue with that, so he replies, "What do you want to know?"

There’s a long lapse of silence, and then –

“Can you come up here?”

OR

In the wreckage, Mike and Will spend a series of nights together.

🖼 "What painting?..."

there is thunder in our hearts by smoosnoom (moonsooms) | 9k words | 1/1 chapters

Mike confronts Will about the painting, and lets a few confessions slip.

running up that road by smoosnoom (moonsooms) | 17.6 k words | 1/1 chapters

“I didn’t want to lie to you.” Will’s voice is quiet and breakable, so different from the defensive, factual tone it should be. He should be meaner. Harsher. Crueler. “I just – I didn’t think it’d matter.”

It feels like Mike’s entire body trembles, shakes like it’s about to burst. “You didn’t think it’d matter if you lied to me?” He hisses, and his voice cracks, just the littlest bit.

OR

Mike Wheeler tries his best to navigate his way through the end of the world, with lots of maybes and misplaced anger.

no end to this want by astrobi | 21.4k | 1/1 chapters

Mike thinks back to the painting Will gave him, rolled up and placed carefully in his dresser drawer, because for some reason it felt too wrong to hang it up on the walls with everything else. Too intimate. Like Will had made it for his eyes only. Or, apparently as everyone else thought, some mystery lover in California. And then he thinks about Will dozing off on his bed, and saying I think I’m in love with you all soft and slowed down from the inertia of sleep, and that’s right about when Mike starts to feel seriously lightheaded. He leans back against his bed and focuses very hard on taking deep, even breaths.

OR

Mike contemplates his feelings for Will Byers, partakes in a concerning amount of swooning, and learns to drive. Sort of.

closeface by miketozier (smallcuts) | 13k words | 1/1 chapters

“You said I was bad at managing my time between my girlfriend and my best friend but you’re basically doing the same thing.”

“Girlfriend?!” Will spits out, thoroughly shell-shocked.

“I don’t get it! You could’ve told me you had a crush on someone, I would’ve—and when did you ever talk to Robin? You move to California and all of a sudden you’ve got all these girls hanging off of you and you’re interested in older girls—“ Mike’s voice embarrassingly cracks. He decides to quit while he’s ahead before he delves into the forbidden.

OR

In the wake of the apocalypse, Mike and Will find their way to each other.

NOTE: Robin and Will interaction + jealous Mike 😱

need, lie, mean, cry by willow_lark | 1k words | 1/1 chapters

Nobody needs Mike Wheeler. He probably wouldn't be so mad about it if Will hadn't lied and made him think otherwise.

/my take on the angsty byler rain fight!

it's a choice (getting swept away) by wiseatom | 9k words | 1/1 chapters

The problem is this: they’ve got a lot of problems right now, and every last one of them is more important than Will and his fragile, bruised heart.

OR

A Season 4 fix-it wherein Will has a lot of feelings, El is the best sister, and Mike Wheeler has emotional intelligence.

NOTE: No fight. Just a sweet and heartfelt dialogue 💕

fight or flight (i’d rather lie than tell you…) by StaticKissed | 5.8 k words | 1/1 chapters

“The painting, Will. The painting,” Mike stresses. He slides the painting across the desk so that it’s lying right in front of Will. “Why’d you do it?”

“Mike, I didn’t—”

“You lied,” he states blatantly. It’s not a question, it’s not something he’s unsure about. It’s a statement, a fact.

Or, Mike confronts Will about the painting.

Pulled him in tighter each time he was drifting away by Wally_Write | 5k words | 2/2 chapters

Mike felt exhausted. He turned his chair around, letting go of the blank page of his notebook, and glanced at Will’s painting, hung just above his bed. His thoughts drifted to his best friend, as they often did. It felt like he hadn’t seen him in ages even though it must have been only a few days, but for them ?

It was a lot. Will wasn't really avoiding him, but it was close, and Mike couldn't blame him. He had been a pretty terrible friend recently. He had been a pretty terrible friend for a long time, probably longer than he realized. As he watched the delicate paint strokes, he remembered Will’s words from that day.

“El, she commissioned it. She basically told me what to draw”

OR

Mike and El discussion about the painting, about their relationship.

🍖 Got Vecna'd 🍖

darling you got to let me know (should I stay or should I go) by andiwriteordie | 11k words | 1/1 chapter

Nobody expects it to be Mike.

Everyone is expecting it to be Max or Nancy, who both have already been targeted. Or maybe El, whose childhood in Hawkins Lab makes her the perfect target. Or Will, who has gone through more than enough trauma in the past three years alone for all of them.

Nobody expects it to be Mike.

OR

the one in which it's Mike, not Will, who Vecna targets.

oh can't you see you belong to me? by andiwriteordie | 6k words | 1/1 chapters

“The end is near, Michael,” One says again, but his voice sounds like Will’s this time. “You have already lost.”

“Get out, get out, get out!” Mike screams, sobbing roughly. His throat feels completely raw, and he covers his ears, desperate to block out the sound of Will’s screams mixed in with One’s distorted, maniacal laughter. “Get out of my head!”

OR

Two years after One's initial defeat, Mike has an encounter with the greatest evil of the Upside Down and learns far more about his plans for Hawkins, for the party, and for Will than he ever expected.

sleepless nights, losing ground, i'm reaching for you by andiwriteordie | 12k words | 1/1 chapters

A clock chimes in the background, and Mike stiffens.

“Shit,” Will whispers, and Mike turns to him, eyes wide.

“Did you hear that?” he demands.

Will nods, clenching his hands into fists nervously. “Yeah,” he says, voice quiet. “I heard it too.”

OR

the one in which Mike and Will both fall victim to Vecna's curse.

Love, Mike by Youngcreature28 | 31k words | 1/1 chapters

“Sorry, Cameron, I have to go,” Will says and Mike's frown increases.

Cameron?

Are you fucking kidding? Why did it have to be him?

“My brother just walked in,” Will rushes out.

Brother?

Brother?

What the fuck. Why would Will lie about that? Mike would never be Will’s brother, that’s just wrong.

OR

the one where Mike is a jealous, clingy, horny little shit the whole time, has to watch as Will is taken by Vecna, twice, and comes to realise that he may have been in love with his best friend the whole time. It sure would explain a few things.

without heart by aceoflanterns | 31.5 k words | 7/7 chapters

“Here we go again,” he murmurs, words pressed thin. Mike hears him, just barely, and bumps Will’s shoulder with his own reassuringly.

“Home, sweet home,” he whispers. “Bet you didn’t think you’d be back so soon, huh?”

Will chuckles. “You could say that.”

At twelve forty-seven, Will Byers makes it back to Hawkins. At twelve forty-eight, a clock chimes.

Welcome home, something sings, voice scraping low and familiar, and he shivers.

OR

will byers, the upside down, and teenage love... sort of.

NOTE: it was written before vol. 2, so it diverges from canon after vol. 1 a bit.

Crescent by disaster_energy | 8.6k words | 2/2 chapters

Blood pours from the gash on his side, the cuts on his legs, the scratches on his palms, the wounds on his chest - feels like the ground is sucking every drop out of him. William, it calls. It’s you.

You’re the-

OR

Vecna wants Will, but the Upside Down needs him.

NOTE: this one is also written before vol. 2

i know, i know, i know by aude_sapere | 32.8k words | 1/1 chapters

“We are more similar than you realize, Will. Both of us were...sensitive children. We were different. Seen as freaks. But we are special. You are special.”

Will takes a shallow breath, tries to swallow his nerves. He speaks flatly. “And?”

Henry blinks, seemingly surprised by Will’s coldness. “I chose you that day, you know.”

And Will sees himself, small and alone, riding his bike through the darkness. He sees the silhouette of something tall and not-human. He sees himself crashing his bike. Running home. But the creature unlocks the door. It follows him into the shed. It gets him.

“It was you,” Will whispers, a hand coming up to the back of his neck. The monster that took him. The possession. The visions. “It’s always been you.”

(or the one where will’s connection to the upside down is a crucial part of season 4 instead of him getting sidelined, and how it changes everything)

🌩️ In The Upside Down 🌩️

i’m caught up in you by wiseatom | 18k words | 1/1 chapters

Mike keeps losing Will, time and time again. Time and time again, he always gets him back.

Or, alternatively:

“Mike and Will’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night in the Upside Down: and Other Tales” by Mike Wheeler

NOTE: Miscommunication? Will with a gun?? Wound tending??? HELL YEAH! The part where Mike hit his head and started giggling like an idiot-😭 I love love loveeee wiseatom

on the other side by bbbeets | 4.4k words | 1/1 chapters

Mike gets hurt in the Upside Down. Will takes care of him.

💌

Have a good read!

my jealous Mike fic recs

people who broke into my house and stole my funko pop collection: @miwiromantics @bylercertainty @ode-to-berlermo @mikewheelerscleric @rainebasillovesbyler @luttyloot @soursquare68

[caitlinpillar]

i read a fic about this back when s4 came out, but it is my own personal head canon that Ted Wheeler has thought Mike and Will have already been dating for a while. When he says “and no sweetie pie” he’s talking about Will.

If byler happens and ted is somehow included in the narrative at all (not likely) i bet ted would just be like “….. yeah? you weren’t exactly hiding your relationship Michael.”

if anyone remembers the fic i mentioned someone drop me a link

[thehawkinsarchives]

this is the link but you have to put it in the way back machine cause it has been deleted

https://archiveofourown.org/works/41490333

[thehawkinsarchives]

Byler from other people POVs fic list

some light-hearted cute fics where everyone already figured out what is actually going on between Will and Mike, before the two of them say anything.

Mike Wheeler and the G-Word

by lunii_vii

A coming-of-age fic in which everyone realizes at their own times that Mike Wheeler is queer, but leave him to figure it out himself. (Each chapter is from a different character's POV.)

14k words

13/13 chapters

Note: very cute fic, especially chapter 11 and 12, they had me giggling and kicking my feet.

almost but not quite

by Marigold_Flowers

“Lucas you have to tell me —” she pats his arm vigorously— “is Mike blushing?” Lucas takes a moment to process this but Max can tell the moment he understands what she’s been trying to say all along when he starts patting her arm back. “Oh my God, he totally is,” he says, and he sounds awed, like he’s just made a world-changing discovery. “Is this what you meant?”. “That they’re totally crushing on each other?” Screw subtlety. “Duh.”

Or -- 5 times people agree that Will and Mike have a crush on each other + the time they discover the truth

20k words

2/2 chapters

Note: y’all have to read this one it’s just so awesome. i looove happy slice of life fics, so when i read this it became one of my favorites.

this secret language that we’re speaking

by afterglowssss

“I can’t see,” Will announces, and immediately—and when Lucas says immediately, he means the second the sentence left his mouth—he jumps onto Mike’s back, and Mike has absolutely zero reaction, he just grabs onto Will’s legs so he doesn’t, like, fall off.

OR lucas doesn’t quite understand will and mike, until he does

1k words

1/1 chapter

Note: this is a private work, so you need an account to read it. this one is really nice and well written, so if you have ten minutes i would give it a quick read

mama said you can’t hurry love

by andiwriteordie

this fic is the first part of the 9 part serie “let’s hear it from the boys”, that i strongly recommend, and the first parts are all in theme with this post, but i’ll only put the two fics i liked the most. You can read both of them without reading the other parts.

Before Mike is out of an earshot, she calls, “Mike!”The young teenager turns back around. “Yeah?”“Thank you,” Joyce says, suddenly feeling choked up. “For being Will’s best friend.” Mike’s expression softens, and a familiar sort of fondness—something she’s seen more than once on Will’s face—forms on his face. “Like I said,” he says quietly, “it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Or: Will and Mike over the years, as seen through the eyes of Joyce Byers.

8k words

1/1 chapters

Note: also private, it goes from when Will and Mike are little babies to… well you have to read to find out ;)

the winner takes it all

by andiwriteordie

also part of the serie “let’s hear it from the boys”, you don’t have to read the other parts to understand this one

“Honestly, I bet they’ll end up dating at one point or another. I’ve just got a feeling.” “I’ll take that bet,” Steve says, voice filled with certainty. “Bet you ten bucks Wheeler and Byers are just friends and don’t get together.”

Or: Robin and Steve make a bet on whether Will and Mike will end up together. Naturally, chaos ensues.

9k words

1/1 chapters

Note: another private, when the description says “Naturally, chaos ensues” believe it. I’m not sure if it is a slice of life, but it sure did feel like one lol. It’s a pretty chaotic and fun fic, and i loved reading byler on robin’s POV

i think there is someone (you love)

by fireflywitch

El thinks Will’s been acting weird. But he’s not the only one. Featuring excessive 80s pop synth, secret dance parties, the sick, ruinous embarrassment of existence, blue paint spills, motel room realizations, dictionary definitions, and that four letter word.

22k words

4/4 chapters

Note: this fic is one of my faves! the author understands El so well (this is one of the best interpretations of her character I've seen) and Will is awesome here. Follows s4 and beyond.

Dustin Henderson, the Scientific Method, and Homosexuality

by crow_of_crimes (Theyna_Shipper)

Dustin Henderson is, if nothing else, a firm believer in the scientific method. As a bug collector since age 4, an aspiring computer scientist since 5th grade, a member of Hawkins A/V since 6th grade, a science camp attendee since 7th grade, and a boy with a lifelong passion for science, he recognizes its principles: careful observation, study, and peer review. So when strange things begin to happen in Hawkins, that fall outside the usual nature of strange things that happen in Hawkins, he returns to his roots to find the answers. After all, the scientific method applies to social science, too. And if any observation ever needed careful dissection, it was this one.

Or: Dustin Henderson applies the scientific method to figure out why two of his best friends have been acting so strangely.

3k words

1/1 chapter

Note: Dustin in this fic really feels like season 2 Dustin and that was really cute

friend of my brother is my enemy (or something like that)

by rosesgf

Jonathan would never hear the end of it if Will found out what he’s doing, so he needs to be subtle. Just enough to get Mike to treat him better. Just enough to redirect things. He settles on a stern, “Mike, I think we need to have a talk.”

7k words

1/1 chapters

Note: I just loved so much how they characterized Mike. angst warning, but like it’s like very good angst

[thehawkinsarchives]

I’m looking for a fic that featured post-s4 Mike transporting to Will at various ages.

Some specific details I remember:

- Mike transports to Will while he was stuck in the Upside down. He enters Castle Byers and comforts/reassures s1 Will

- Mike transports to California pre-s4 and comforts Will who is upset over not receiving any letters from Mike

General details I remember:

- Will only remembers all of the details about older Mike’s visits when older Mike is actually there. After he leaves his memory of it fades.

- The fic was multi-chaptered (maybe 4/5 chapters long?) and completed.

- I read it around 2 years ago.

Hello! Sorry for the delay. I believe I may have found this fic, but it has been deleted.

Using the link, I was able to recover the first chapter on the Wayback Machine, but it may be difficult to get the rest of the fic.

broken hearts can always mend by sarol03

"The Road to Madness really wasn’t just a grayscale painting. It had colors scarcely hidden along the way- they were tiny patches in size, yet they felt bigger than life itself, the darkness making them even more vibrant as they called out to the eyes with their beauty. Their presence made the journey feel all the more sorrowful." Or: While growing up, Will is being visited by a tall, 15-year-old boy with dark hair and dark eyes, who looks just like his best friend, Mike if he were a little bit older. Will thinks he might be a ghost; he always disappears without a trace after all.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44178982

[thehawkinsarchives]

Hey, did you manage to find mods to help with the blog?

Yes, i did! But anyone’s welcome to join! Just shoot another ask if you want to be a mod, and I’ll even answer it privately or dm you if you want me to :)

[thehawkinsarchives]

hiii! im looking for a fic in which only will's voice breaks mike out of vecna's trance. ik its an overdone trope but weirdly its never done right(??)

you’re right ngl…this one maybe?

i need you, mike, and i always will

by escapinglife

“Will!” He called. “Will!” ”Face it, Michael.” Said a voice from behind him. Mike turned around. It was a horribly disfigured man. The ground squished beneath him with every single step he took. Henry Creel. “He doesn’t need you.” - mike gets vecnad

4k words

1/1 chapters

enjoy <3

[thehawkinsarchives]

Will has powers fic list (pt 1?)

in celebration of will's birthday, here's some of my favorite fics where he has powers! a lot of these fall under s5 speculation (and all of them have byler). Also this is a pretty popular category so there may be future parts coming later!

i'm gonna wade out past the shadows by bluebears

There were vines growing underneath his bed and no one else could see them. It sounded crazy, he’d been to enough therapy to know that. But there was no other explanation. Just last Tuesday, Dustin had climbed under there to reach his pen and when he popped back out he was completely oblivious to it. Almost as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

3/3 chapters

43k words

Notes: this fic has amazing prose! and very in-character dialogue. Highly recommend this fic as well as the other longer one by this author. The plot takes a bit of effort to decipher but it's definitely worth it! This is a super interesting interpretation of will's powers and fits him very much.

There Is A Season by ghostlin

After Vecna's curse is unleashed onto Hawkins, the town has been placed under government lockdown as the contagion continues to spread. Everyone’s been forced to the margins as they try to pick up the pieces. Maybe it's the swirling spores in the atmosphere or the grief that seems to linger everywhere, but it feels like everyone's haunted by something. Everyone except Mike, that is. He's the heart, right? He's keeping it together. He's the only one acting normal.

25/25 chapters

68k words

Notes: One of the only Mike POV fics in this list! Mike and Will's relationship is so well done here. Featuring reconnection, dramatics, and perhaps a rain fight.

without heart by aceoflanterns

“Here we go again,” he murmurs, words pressed thin. Mike hears him, just barely, and bumps Will’s shoulder with his own reassuringly. “Home, sweet home,” he whispers. “Bet you didn’t think you’d be back so soon, huh?” Will chuckles. “You could say that.” At twelve forty-seven, Will Byers makes it back to Hawkins. At twelve forty-eight, a clock chimes. Welcome home, something sings, voice scraping low and familiar, and he shivers. or, will byers, the upside down, and teenage love... sort of.

7/7 chapters

31k words

Notes: This author writes so beautifully! some of the lines from this fic are still stuck in my head because it's so well-done. I LOVE fics that explore will's relationship with the Mind Flayer and the author does this perfectly.

You are the Heart by TouchTheSky

It's two weeks after the fall of Hawkins and the Party are trying to figure out how to move on, find Max and stop Vecna. Will's heart is still breaking over Mike and El, but when those emotions awaken something decidedly more otherworldly and powerful he, and a strange new friend, have to confront what really happened in Hawkins on November 6th 1983 and what side Will himself is really on.

Notes: I would be so happy if s5 was like this! The author has a super unique (and probably my favorite) take on Will's powers and the Mind Flayer. Plus there's great moments from the entire cast. I stayed up all night when I read this it was so good!

27/27 chapters

140k words

riders on the storm by orphan_account

Will brings his fingertips to his nose and sniffs deeply. That tangy, metallic smell… so familiar by now. He can practically feel the sharks circling him, except they’re not sharks, they’re beasts with clammy, cold limbs and flower-shaped faces and far, far too many rows of teeth. There is blood dripping from his nose.

3/3 chapters

22k words

Notes: this had a super interesting exploration into will's mind powers. this is a little sad and will's relationships are very complicated (especially with mike) but i really liked willel's friendship in this!

i know the end by bookinit

Stranger Things re-telling, but make it byler.

5/5 fics (entire series completed)

500k words

Notes: this is super duper long but 100% worth it!! Especially the last fic in the series (season 5), where the author also has written a script. Super great writing and interpretation of the show.

just know that if you hide, it doesn't go away by fizzseed

Mike doesn’t like this. He doesn’t like this at all. “What’s wrong?” he asks. Will takes a deep breath. “You’re not going to like it,” he says wryly. El’s hand closes around Mike’s wrist, and Will’s eyes flicker quickly to it before he looks back up at them. He glances over to Jonathan, too. Joyce brings her arm up around his shoulders. “I think I know how to get him,” Will says. “Vecna, I mean.”

OR Mike breaks up with his girlfriend, helps save the world, and comes out. Not necessarily in that order.

1/1 chapters

7k words

Notes: Mike POV! Will has light powers

you were bigger than the whole sky by delusionaltogether (Whyyyyy)

on march 29th, 1986, will byers vanishes for a second time. 366 days later, he reappears.

1/1 chapters

28k words

Notes: this is one of the first stranger things fics i've read, and still one of my favorites!

[thehawkinsarchives]

Not a fic but a suggestion. If possible, you could add the link to the fics you're recommending so it gets easier for us to find. You totally don't have to if it makes you're life too hard, though

Ahhh thanks for that actually! I said I was gonna do that for my next list and completely forgot… I’ll make sure to do it!