ඞ sus ඞ

so, first of all, let’s remember that he didn’t know. sure, he might’ve suspected or heard about something but as far as he was concerned those were rumours. let’s remember that he actively fought people who called will queer, defending him. lets remember that he is the one who said “it’s not my fault you don’t like girls” to will and then proceeded to look the most guilty we’ve ever seen him, realising the way it came out. here, will is telling him a completely brand new information and mike is mulling all their interactions over in his head, realising why will reacted a certain way at certain times.

look at him, he’s thinking, you can almost see the little wheels turning in his head. hes piecing the puzzles together, which brings me to my second point.

he’s recognising the words will is using. this entire speech is full of parallels to their scenes together in previous seasons. moreover, when you add the painting, mike now knows there is no possible other painting that could’ve been for a girl as el told him in a letter. that his painting is the painting, that will was crying in the van because of it. look at him:

the scrunched eyebrows, the look in his eyes, this is recognition. will is looking him right in the eye, crying and saying he’s gay. will is crying because of mike, the one thing that’s made mike bike across the city to apologise before. mike is many, many things but he isn’t stupid. he doesn’t handle will being upset well, never has and now will is talking through his tears, looking right at him. mike knows. he’s just processing.

he has just realised he is the one will is talking about. will likes boys and mike has just realised he actually has a chance, but also maybe not, because will says had. not has, had. what if that was mike’s window and he has missed it completely now?

on top of it all, hes recognising the language will is using, those are the words hes thought and said before. he was the one pushing people away, the one hiding, literally wearing fucking camo in the scene. he’s finding himself in will’s speech. yeah, will feels like that but so does mike.

Will’s coming out scene & Mike’s body language.

‘I don’t like girls’ - Mike’s breath slightly catches in surprise and interest. His eyebrows raise showing surprise. His mouth slightly parts, this is more intimate and shows curious interest, something closer to home. He wants to know more and he’s feeling it. He also sits up, slightly leaning forward into it. You lean and direct your body towards the person you are the most interested in. (Especially romantically). This indicates that he’s focussed, he cares and it’s very important to him. It can be seen as romantic interest. It’s POSITIVE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT -

‘I had this crush on someone, even though I know they’re not like me.’ - Mike’s body is panicking in a positive way. Mike does a DOUBLE take, meaning he is wondering who the crush is and he’s probably wondering whether it’s him or could be him. He swallows, so his nerves are kicking up. If it’s romantic then this shows he is flustered. Then he looks Will up and down quickly. This signifies attraction. His attraction is spiked, he’s re-assessing, seeing things differently, thinking things through. It’s POSITIVE.

Next, ‘so I push you away and we drift apart more and more…’ - Mike swallows again, this time he slightly furrows his eyebrows, and his nostrils flare where his breathing slightly quickens. He is now STRESSED. This is a future he doesn’t want. Someone with no romantic interest is not likely to react this way. For Bylers this is POSITIVE.

If you pair those things together, Mike’s thought process is probably along the lines of, ‘you like boys?’ ‘Who do you like?’ ‘Could it be me?’ ‘you’re imagining a future without me in it, and that scares me. I don’t like that.’

Him getting up after a few of the others for the group hug is deliberate restraint! He can’t jump up first now, especially if he’s interested, but he also doesn’t want to distance and go last. He needs a minute to sit with this. It’s positive.

—

He does NOT show signs of awkwardness or negativity, so don’t worry about that. Don’t listen to any Milevens that try it.

Also, the Tammy stuff? He was (just hours before) comparing Mike to Vickie!!!!

I’m also still quite sure that Mileven either aren’t together anymore or are very close to breaking up. Please let her be safe and free!

We still have ‘what painting’ to go!! Hold on Bylers, I know it hurts. 🥺

I can't get over how fucking sad Mike looks here.

This isn't guilt, either. He's sad. He's literally swallowing a lump in his throat.