🌀Byler variants: a guide🌟 (edition 2.0)
Hello! This guide is an updated version from my previous one, which comprises all the byler variants mentioned in the first one in a more organised way, as well as some links to some fanfics/hcs/moodboards that created certain variants. Enjoy and happy inspiration bylers! 🩵💛
Byler: OG term, but can also refer to teens & up Will and Mike
Miwi: s1-s2/pre-canon Will and Mike (some fic recs here)
Lesbyler: genderbend byler, but can also work as an umbrella term (fic recs here)
WillMike: platonic Will & Mike
Lawless byler: adult byler in +18 scenarios (fic recs here and here)
Evil byler: the actors' variant, also known as Foah
Cleradin: cleric!Will x paladin!Mike (fic recs here)
Lescleradin: genderbend cleradin
Clewadin/Miwiseheart: miwi cleradin
WiseHeart: byler with the (tentative, in Mike's case until s5) names of their D&D characters
BraveWise: updated version of WiseHeart
Bravebyers: paladin!Mike x Will (fic recs here)
Wisewheeler: cleric!Will x Mike (fic recs here)
Eyeheart: cleradin/sorcadin variant where Will has one eye missing
Sorcadin/Sorcererbrave: sorcerer!Will x paladin!Mike
Sorcererwheeler: sorcerer!Will x Mike
Sorcererheart: sorcerer!Will x s4 Mike
Wheelerwise: reverse au created by @sayu-nari in which Will is the paladin of The Party, instead of Mike (other iterations can also include Mike being a magic user, like a cleric or a sorcerer)
ArmouredHeart: another way to call Wheelerwise, with the added layer of Will's D&D name not being Will the Wise, but one that alludes at his paladin class and his position as leader
CursedHeart: cleradin au created by @rikyberryohyea where Will gets cursed as a kid and Mike is deadset on helping him
Clerfrog: cleric!Will x frog prince!Mike (fic here)
🌀 Monsters / Mythical creatures variants 🌟
Angelbrave: angel!Will x human!Mike
Angelbyler: angel!Will x angel!Mike
Angelwise: angel!Mike x human!Will
Bloodlust: incubus!Will x vampire!Mike (fic here)
Clericorn: cleric!Will x unicorn!Mike. Created by @loserrsquad (fanart here)
Demonbrave: demon!Will x human!Mike
Demonbyler: demon!Will x demon!Mike
Demonwise: demon!Mike x human!Will
FireHalo*: angel!Will x devil!Mike or viceversa
Ghostbyler*: s1 au were both Will and Mike are ghosts, with Will dying in the UD and Mike committing at the quarry. Often depicted roaming the UD together (fanart here)
Ghostwheeler: ghost!Will x (ghostbuster) Mike
Ghostwise: (ghostbuster) Will x ghost!Mike
Loserlover: cupid!Will x loser!Mike (fic here)
Merbrave/Bravesiren: siren/mermaid!Will x Mike (fic recs here)
Merwise: mermaid!Mike x Will
Sirenbyler: siren!Will x siren!Mike
Vampbyers: vampire!Mike x human!Will
Vampgoth: vampire!Mike x goth!Will (fic here)
Vamphare: bunny hybrid!Will x vampire!Mike
Vampwheeler: vampire!Will x human!Mike
Vampwise: vampire!Mike x cleric!Will
Werebrave: werewolf!Will x human!Mike
Werebyler: werewolf!Mike x werewolf!Will
Werehare: wolf hybrid! Mike x bunny/hare hybrid!Will
Werevamp: werewolf!Will x vampire!Mike
Werewise: werewolf!Mike x cleric!Will
Werezombie: werewolf!Mike x zombie!Will
Witchiliar: witch!Will x familiar!Mike (fanart here)
Zombieboys: zombie!Will x zombie!Mike
Zombvamp/Deathbite: zombie!Will x vampire!Mike (fanart here)
Zombyler: zombie!Will x human!Mike (fanart here)
Zombwise: zombie!Mike x human!Will
🌟 Media-related variants 🌀
ArtThrief*: Tangled x cleradin byler au with Will as Rapunzel and Mike as Eugene (fic here)
Bloodyheart*: Ghostface!Will x Mike (fic here)
Bloodyphone*: Ghostface!Mike x Ghostface!Will (fic here)
Bravefire: The Hunger Games! byler au
Bylarcane: Arcane! byler au
Bylering: LOTR! byler au, with Will as Frodo and Mike as Sam
Bylerpunk: Cyberpunk 2077! byler au
Bylerton: Bridgerton! byler au (fic rec here and fanart here and here)
Bylerstopper: Heartstopper! byler au
Bylertown*: Hadestown! byler au
Bystucky: Captain America!Will x Winter Soldier!Mike
Deadbyler*: The Walking Dead! byler au (hcs here)
EldritchHeart*: TSHD! byler au with Will as Hikaru and Mike as Yoshiki. Created by @rikyberryohyea
Frankenwise: Frankenstein! byler au
Ghostbyers: Ghostface!Mike x Will (fic rec here)
Goldbyler: Outsiders! byler au
Hijackbyler: byler au that parallels the crackship of Jack Frost and Hiccup Haddok
Hollabyler/Rivalbyler: Heated Rivalry! byler au
Loyalwit: Hogwarts byler au where Will is a Hufflepuff and a muggleborn, while Mike is a Ravenclaw and a pureblood (© strawberryhas3rs & gxne_g1rl on tiktok)
Lucabyler: Luca! byler au with Will as Luca and Mike as Alberto
MasonCovey: another The Hunger Games au, specifically with career tribute!Mike x covey tribute!Will (© jjmeiotii on tiktok)
Mazebyler: The Maze Runner! byler au with Will as Newt and Mike as Thomas
Medbyler: House MD! byler (+ the party) au (© wheeleria on tiktok)
Monsterbyler: Monsters Inc! byler au (fanart here)
NeuroPulse: another medical au, but this time based on Grey's Anatomy, with aspiring neurosurgeon!Will x aspiring cardiologist!Mike (© jjmeiotii on tiktok)
Officebyler: The Office! byler au. Created by @kaliprasad (drabble here)
Phyler: Dan & Phil! byler au, with Will as Phil and Mike as Dan
Royalrags: Cinderella au! with prince!Will x Cinderella!Mike or viceversa. Created by @zeuscansuckmydic
Spellbyers: Hogwarts byler au without house and bloodline specified
Spiderbyler: Spiderman!Will x Mike "MJ" Wheeler (fic recs here)
StormHeart: HTTYD! byler au (fic here and fanart here)
Wolfdragon*: Game of Thrones! byler au (hcs here)
🌀 Subculture-related variants 🌟
Gothbrave: goth!Will x Mike
Losergoth: goth!Will x loser!Mike
Gothwise: goth!Mike x Will
Gothbyler: goth!Will x goth!Mike
Punkwise: punk!Mike x Will
Punkbrave: punk!Will x Mike
Punkbyler: punk!Will x punk!Mike
Gothpunk: goth!Will x punk!Mike
🌟 Season & Lore-oriented / Canon divergence variants 🌀
HellCali: s4 byler (Hellfire!Mike x California!Will) (fic rec here)
Partyler: alternate epilogue where byler (+ the party) attends Stacey's party (fic rec here)
TravelerHeart*: post-s4 canon divergence fix-it with time traveler!Mike (fic here)
Vanbyler: byler au that focuses on the days Mike and Will spent on the back of the pizza van. Alternatively, a canon divergence fix-it where the painting scene ends with a mutual confession
Wheelby: TFS but with byler instead of creelby
Zombiefrog: specifically school/s2 Byler
ZombieHeart: Will-never-gets-found au where Will survives in the UD for years, usually by being half-possesed/flayed, and with his memories partially/fully tampered by either Vecna or the Mind Flayer (fic recs here and here)
Bearler: Care Bears! byler au
BloodFlower*: hanahaki disease! byler au (fic here)
Bylarchive: fanfic writer!Mike x fanartist!Will meeting and collaborating on the same fandom community on Ao3. Created by @stitchworker
Bylex: fanfic writer!Mike x fanartist!Will meeting and collaborating on the same fandom community on Twitter/X. Created by @stitchworker
Bylr: fanfic writer!Mike x fanartist!Will meeting and collaborating on the same fandom community on Tumblr. Created by @stitchworker
Byslash*: slasher horror! byler au (fic here)
Cannibyler: cannibal byler, which can pair with a Hannibal or a Yellow Jackets au, but not necessarily (fic rec here)
Citytown: city boy!Will x small town boy!Mike
ColorBook: English teacher!Mike x Art teacher!Will (fic recs here)
Cowboyler: cowboy!Will x cowboy!Mike (fic here and fanart here)
Dramabyler*: theatre kid!Will x theatre kid!Mike
Ghosthunterbyler: Ghosthunter!Will x Ghosthunter!Mike
Glamwise: makeup artist!Mike x model/actor!Will (moodboard here)
Glitterpaint: makeup influencer!Mike x artist!Will (moodboard here)
Heartstrings*: socmed au created by @zazzazyy where both Mike and Will are set to tour together with their respective bands, but they're not exactly on good terms after an incident years ago
InkFlower*: tattoo artist!Will x florist!Mike. Created by @kidovna (fanart here)
LeaderArt: rockstar!Mike x tattoo artist!Will (© juneclouds7 on tiktok)
NerdJock*: nerd!Will x jock!Mike (fic here)
OffScript*: actor!Mike x actor!Will
One Wheat Mark: a famous byler parody fancomic, originally posted by Truckstoptiger05 on Instagram on 2022. Now an orphaned series, you can read the full re-uploaded comic here
Princeknight/Royalheart: au created by @and-you-said-yes and @hafuckthis with prince!Will x knight!Mike
Racketbeam: tennis player!Will x gymnast!Mike
Renaissancebyler*: set in the Renaissance era. Rich writer!Mike x poor artist!Will. Created by @lindseyjane864
RoyalCrown*: prince!Mike x prince!Will (often a non-magic royal au + can be modern or not)
Royaljest: prince!Will x jester!Mike. Created by @itsartbybea (fanart here)
Sevenspins/IceBlade*: figure skater!Will x hockey player!Mike, with IceBlade being its reversed version (@cleraviv / lacedrecord on tiktok) (fic rec here)
Sharknilla: socmed au with streamer!Mike and youtuber!Will (© inhunnedd on twitter)
Showbyler: indie artist!Mike x theatre kid!Will (© bruisedneezz on tiktok)
Stageshot: popstar!Will x photographer!Mike (fic here)
Stagewheeler: theatre kid!Will x backstage techlight!Mike. Created by @hit-my-peak-at-seven-13 (hc here)
Wisewheels/Hotwheels: F1! byler au (© peanxtpie on tiktok)
Yansimbyler: yandere!Mike x Will (fic here)
» CMBYN byler: umbrella-like au where Mike and Will get lost in each other's existence. Can be metaphorical (Will turning Will the Brave, Mike turning Mike the Wise) or literal, with bodyswaps a la Freaky Friday. Created by @permanentlyinspired
» Blustar: au that proposes the existence of two universes— one where they became a couple in between s4 & s5 (universe #1), and the canon, where Mike and Will aren't together (universe #2). Mike from #2 gets paired with Will from #1. Created by @beavininabean (fic rec here)
» Goldstar: reversed Blustar, with Will #1 x Mike #2, with all other byler variations also possible. Also created by @beavininabean
🌟 Slice-of-life variants 🌀
College byler: byler in college
Cheating byler: byler cheating on their significant other with each other. Often used in the context of Will cheating on Carlton/Epilogue boyfriend with Mike
Dadler*: byler as dads, either by adoption or one of them being the biological father of the kid(s). Omegaverse/mpreg elements can be included, but they're not a must (fic rec here)
GLB Byler: adult byler au where Mike listens to 'Good Luck, Babe!' by Chappel Roan and has a revelation towards his feelings for Will and/or finally confronts his internalized homophobia (fic rec here)
Arcadebyler/Bylercade: byler working at Palace Arcade together
Arcadomania/Palacemania: au created by madvvise on twitter where Mike works at Palace Arcade and Will works at Rink-O-Mania (moodboard here)
ArcadeScoops: Palace Arcade!Will x Scoops Ahoy!Mike or viceversa
BoyScoops/SurfsAhoy: Surfer Boy!Will x Scoops Ahoy!Mike. Sometimes in the context of (post) s3, with them aged up (+ platonic MadWheeler working together in Scoops Ahoy)
Bylermania: byler working at Rink-O-Mania together
Bylervalds: byler working at Melvald's together
Byvideo: byler working together at Family Video. Created by @paladinsdiary
Generalmania: Melvald's!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Moviebyler: byler working at Hawkins' Movie Theatre together (fic here)
Moviecade: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Palace Arcade!Will or viceversa
Moviegeneral: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Melvald's!Will or viceversa
Moviemania: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Moviescoops: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Will x Scoops Ahoy!Mike or viceversa
Moviepool: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Movieshack: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Radio Shack!Will or viceversa
Moviesquawk: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x WSQK!Will or viceversa
Moviesurfer: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Surfer Boy!Will or viceversa
Movievideo: Hawkins Movie Theatre!Mike x Family Video!Will or viceversa
Palaceshack: Palace Arcade!Mike x Radio Shack!Will or viceversa
Palacevalds: Palace Arcade!Mike x Melvald's!Will or viceversa
Pizzapalace: Surfer Boy!Will x Palace Arcade!Mike or viceversa
Pizzasquawk/Surfersquawk: WSQK!Mike x Surfer Boy!Will (+ platonic MadWheeler working together w/Max as the host and Mike as her operator and van driver, WonderTwins working at Surfer Boy, and Lucas as a loyal listener to Max's radioshow always requesting love songs). Created by @nightnut
Poolbyler: byler working at Hawkins Community Pool together
Poolpalace: Hawkins Community Pool!Will x Palace Arcade!Mike or viceversa
Poolsurfer/Wavesurfer: Surfer Boy!Will x Hawkins Community Pool!Mike or viceversa
Radiobyler: byler working at Radio Shack together
Radiogeneral: Melvald's!Will x Radio Shack!Mike, paralleling Bob and Joyce. Created by @mollyollypuddingpolly
Radiosplash: Radio Shack!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Radiosquawk: WSQK!Will x Radio Shack!Mike or viceversa
Scoopsaboy: reversed SurfsAhoy (+ Wonder Twins working at Scoops Ahoy & MadWheeler working at Surfer Boy)
Scoopsafloat/Splashahoy: Scoops Ahoy!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Scoopsbyler: byler working at Scoops Ahoy together
Scoopshack: Scoops Ahoy!Mike x Radio Shack!Will or viceversa
Scoopsomania: Scoops Ahoy!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Scoopsquawk: Scoops Ahoy!Mike x WSQK!Will or viceversa
Scoopsvalds: Melvald's!Will x Scoops Ahoy!Mike or viceversa
Shackomania: Radio Shack!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Splashomania: Rink-O-Mania!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Splashvalds: Melvald's!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Squawkbyler: byler working at WSQK together
Squawkomania: WSQK!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Squawksplash: WSQK!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Squawkvalds: WSQK!Will x Melvald's!Mike or viceversa
Surferbyler: byler working at Surfer Boy together
Surfermania: Surfer Boy!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Surfershack: Surfer Boy!Will x Radio Shack!Mike or viceversa
Surfervalds: Surfer Boy!Will x Melvald's!Mike or viceversa
Videocade: Family Video!Will x Palace Arcade!Mike or viceversa
Videogeneral: Family Video!Mike x Melvald's!Will or viceversa
Videomania: Family Video!Mike x Rink-O-Mania!Will or viceversa
Videoscoops: Family Video!Will x Scoops Ahoy!Mike or viceversa
Videoshack: Family Video!Mike x Radio Shack!Will or viceversa
Videosqwak: au created by byIersreddie on twitter where Will works at Family Video and Mike works at WSQK (socmed au rec here)
Videosurfer: Family Video!Mike x Surfer Boy!Will or viceversa
Videopool: Family Video!Mike x Hawkins Community Pool!Will or viceversa
Shout out to @kaliprasad for letting me borrow some variants for this guide, don't forget to check her guide too 💛🩵
*Personal suggestions to name this variants. If you know the "official" ones please let me know so I can edit it ^^
Please let me know which ones I'm missing! I'll keep editing this post to add more variants as I find them 💛🩵
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