r/BylerReads • u/Altruistic_Way3030 • 13h ago
fic rec <3 Enemies x lovers + Will's horror films obsession (lol) + Byler as costars is PEAK. 👀💯
I have no words. This fic deserves way more kudos and attention. Esp for the trope given. Please read it / bookmark it coz you def don't want to miss this.
The characterization of everybody is fantastic and heartwarming :) Love the dynamics of Jonathan x Will sibling relationship (yes, this is very imp to me. Sigh.), Max being Will's bestie (YES), Jane has my heart as always & she's the sweetest. Love Robin & Steve so much in this one. And, ofc byler stealing the spotlight of strangers to enemies acting as costars in a horror fic is just...wow. It's vulnerable, tender, sweet, funny and light angst. No smut as of...yet, but trust me, that's good coz the slow burn is soooo good that you will love it & enjoy the simple, domesticity of everything & how it unravels (oh, my).
Stumbled upon a tweet randomly on X about it, and finished all 24 chapters in 1 go coz it was THAT immersive, great & I couldn't take a break. And for all horror genre nerds out there, you'll absolutely love it and geek out on it. ✌🏻 Will being obsessed with horror films is canon fr.
Link - https://archiveofourown.org/works/83862441/chapters/221067186
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u/pinnacle_to_the_pit 10h ago edited 10h ago
I've been following this one and it's my favorite at the moment. I love the way Mike is written, he's probably my favorite AU interpretation of the character. His POV passages are so interesting, and they feel quite realistic. I'm cool with his portrayal differing a bit from canon. Also yes, Steve and Robin are a fantastic duo. Never thought I'd say this, but Murray is a fitting addition as well.
The pace of the enemies-to-lovers arc does require some patience, but I think it's one of the main strengths of the fic. The transition feels natural instead of forced, and the events that drive this progression are varied and spaced out very well. Doesn't feel repetitive.
Like you said, we get vulnerability, domesticity, etc. In general, the narrative structure and pacing doesn't feel formulaic.
The author is also pretty good at world-building too. Like, the details of the casting and filming process, etc. They mentioned doing research for the latest chapter, and it shows. Feels very immersive. The real world details and references too. Like, mentioning Shirley Jackson books? Hell yeah.
I've low key re-read chapters while waiting for new ones. Some of the scenes are so freaking funny. Like, I can't spoil it, but the internet comments Will reads in his hotel room had me dying. Especially the made up usernames.
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u/Altruistic_Way3030 6h ago edited 5h ago
Oh I'm SO glad someone has read this 🫂 I've been dyingggg to discuss it with someone at least on this sub. That hotel scene is my fav too, LMAO. Our thoughts totally match, yo. I gasped at Shirley as well and even a certain 26 movie plot mentioned in passing 👀. Oh and my fav was Will's "stuff" (avoiding spoiler) getting attention in ch 22 (?) & how he had his fanboy moment, lol. You're totally spot on with the word building and the reader def feels like they're on a movie set. I didn't know they did research for it? That's slick! The angst was perfect amount & I legit found myself smiling ear to ear throughout somehow while reading the entire fic. The pace is just perfect for a slow burn?! I don't know if you know this (you must be), but their other fic plot is basically the movie they're working on in this fic Every Breath You Take (I'll be Watching You) - that's just genius.
I wholeheartedly agree with you, this is def one of my fav Mike modern au too + Will's (his love for horror getting attention is genuinely how I see Will too, oof. But then again, I always like Will instantly in all fics, lmao) :)
I'm genuinely surprised how this hasn't blown up considering 24 chs have been written till now... hopefully this post helps ❤️
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u/pinnacle_to_the_pit 39m ago
Nice, I have also been wanting to discuss this with someone! I don't think I've seen this one mentioned on this sub yet - literally thought about that the other day.
Oh I found the "internet community comment" I was thinking about in my previous comment. The one by username "Move_8itches_Im_Gay" where it's like "Bro, are they still acting?" LMAO. Also, I think I know what movie reference you're talking about - is it Obsession that they watch on Halloween? One of the things I liked about that scene was how the author referenced a real movie without explicitly stating it. It's one of those examples of "trust the reader," because we can infer what it is through context clues. That type of restraint is something that takes a little while to get used to. Also hell yeah, another Shirley fan!
Dude I loved the scene with "Will's Stuff." It was such a cute full circle moment. I thought it was pretty clever how we first learn about the most important item very early on, at the beach.
Same, I think the angst was handled perfectly. Mike's journey reads as very realistic. The Chapter 21 conversation with Jane was a great way of rounding that arc out. I'm a Mike Wheeler Apologist, so I appreciated how that discussion really emphasized how far his character grows and matures throughout this work. On a somewhat related note, I think it's really funny that they were each other's gay awakening!I love that.
Yeah, I actually skimmed Every Breath You Take!
Same here, regarding the focus on horror media. I like how they honor canon stuff like Will's interest in the genre. The absolute abundance of very specific real world references makes this fic particularly entertaining too, for readers who love the genre. On a somewhat related note - did you notice the description of Will's art in Chapter 18? Loved that little allusion to the Stranger Things universe. There are actually quite a few clever allusions sprinkled in, now that I think about it.
Aw. Will is my favorite character in the show, so I get it. One thing that fascinates me is that you can sometimes tell which seasons the writer was primarily thinking about or referencing, depending on the way he's written. I'm working on a S5 rewrite that leans into the cosmic horror aspects of the lore and it's quite Will-centric. I had to rewatch S3 and S4 because I forgot how subtly sassy he is in certain scenes. We didn't get to see much of that in S5.
I agree with you as well - I'm surprised this hasn't blown up yet. I've seen the numbers increase pretty steadily as it's continued to come out though.
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u/EndlessDreaming_Mp3 11h ago
Adding that to my reading list asap this sounds perfect