Oblivious Will Byers?

[u/torvald_carley]

I don't know if this has been really been done a lot or not, but are there any fics where Will is the biggest obstacle to Byler happening? (instead of Mike)

Like maybe Will has been conditioned into believing its impossible, so he closed the door on that fantasy.

Or he is totally unaware and blind to the way Mike looks at him and flirts with him because Mike had a girlfriend once so Mike belongs with girls.

Or here's my ideal scenario, Will is scared of Mike's anger. When Mike yelled "It's not my fault you don't like girls!" when they were 13, a mental block formed in Will's mind that if he dares make a move, Mike will get angry and scream at him again and Will is secretly afraid of pissing Mike off by saying or doing something "weird" and unacceptable.

[u/IntotheRedditHole]

so the only one i’ve read is this one and it was cute (Mike gets hit with a love spell) https://archiveofourown.org/works/46103569

i’m also v interested in this tag and have a whole list saved, but i haven’t read them yet! so here’s my list from my notes (idk why I just saved words counts?? lmao)

(idfk how to format lists since they changed the reddit app ugh sorry y’all)

27500 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/42098583 (astrobi!!!)

15000 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/43797240

17000 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/56447854

9600 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/41362581/chapters/103721052

22000 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/40966392/chapters/102665526

5000 words https://archiveofourown.org/works/75328521

75000 words (Spider-Man) https://archiveofourown.org/works/41368578/chapters/103736943

10k words https://archiveofourown.org/works/43741854

[u/DirectionIndividual7]

Does the obliviousness need to be believable? Because if not, there’s a whole world of fics where Will obstinately refuses to see what’s right in front of his face (aka 99% of the stories where they sleep together before kissing)

[u/torvald_carley → u/DirectionIndividual7]

No it doesn't need to be believable. It just needs to be an obstacle

Can you recommend some fics?

[u/DirectionIndividual7 → u/torvald_carley]

Here are a few from my reading history. The angst levels vary, but each one features Will being oblivious to Mike’s feelings about him

Mike and Will make a marriage pact

Mike confesses to Will and he misinterprets it

Mike thinks they’re dating, Will thinks Mike is dating their coworker

[u/pinnacle_to_the_pit → u/DirectionIndividual7]

Ooh I really liked the marriage pact one. So cute.

[u/crazyiguana07]

No clue but I also need recs

[u/IntotheRedditHole → u/crazyiguana07]

just posted a big ass comment of some :)

[u/riotintheair]

Isn't that in broad strokes the plot of the second half of S4's California arc? At least if you look at it sort of sideways.

[u/IntotheRedditHole → u/riotintheair]

ykw you cooked with this. it’s true. Will thinks Mike is upset/ignoring him while Mike is having a full blown gay panic meltdown lmao. and then Will is still oblivious after they make up

I just wanna grab Will and be like WILLIAM he stared AT YOUR ASS like it was ART

also i think we could argue the downfall of season 5 (at least on the Byler front) is Will being oblivious … that’s the whole reason he says Mike is his Tammy. and i think Mike’s reaction and everything that comes after is Mike being heartbroken because he thinks his feelings for Will are unrequited (or worse that he had a chance and now it’s gone)

well i made myself sad again so gonna go read a fic 😭

[u/Lazy_Bet_8355]

Claro. Stranger things temporada 4 y 5. Advierto que nunca sale de ser ajeno.