imagine that the byers+el stay in hawkins just trying to live their lives and then the town thinks Jonathan just killed someone and they're like waaait why are the byers lowkey the problem because it's always one of them at the scene of the crime; Will died and came back, Jonathan just a weirdo and Joyce's last two boyfriends died in mysterious ways and now they also have this girl living with them who's supposedly Hopper's kid who's so very weird and maybe some people remember that they saw her when she was bald and things broke around her

and i think the town would ultimately blame joyce for everything cause first of all 80s misogyny in small town like let's get serious and she's just "letting" these things happen to her children

and then we could have triple byler dynamics with Nancy using her investigation skills to clear their name, Karen trying to make the town understand that the byers were not sent by the devil to punish the town and Mike being like s1 protective Mike

it would be so crazy the party having to fight vecna AND the whole town

Words: 1,443, Chapters: 1/1, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler

"Will Byers - code number 013"

and Bob is so kind, I know he and Joyce would've given her so much love. he could've homeschooled her in season 4, made her feel confident without powers, and made her laugh during the rough days

Sean Astin

Bob befriending the party, specifically Will and El bc they're his kids now, and Dustin would look up to him like he does Mr Clarke. He also supports Mike!

Bob comforts Will when Mike is pulling away, and vice versa Bob maybe giving Mike that fatherly support he doesn't have and makes him feel more comfortable with himself (bc byler is canon of course)

he would've supported them in the following seasons

have him and Mr Clarke help Joyce instead of Murray bc I don't like Murray

no season 4 Russian plot, bc hopper didn't get kidnapped, he died.

maybe no cali plot and they stay in Hawkins? I know Bob wanted to move away, but I also think that moving away removed the kids from their friends when they needed them the most. I can see them staying or moving, but for this au let's say that they stay

and to the henderhop fans, I could totally see Dustin helping Bob homeschool El (and just coming over bc he likes to hangout with them) this can be platonic or otherwise!

bob also shows Jonathan attention since they both like cameras and tech, and he makes Jonathan feel comfortable enough to follow his passions instead of staying to support his family

bob would also make the connection to the Creel house/Henry Creel bc of his sister Patty!