Mind you please imagine an alternate scene that is actually well written that is something like:
Will—> Growing up I was so afraid of being different. I just wanted to belong— I wanted to be normal. But, now I know that I can't change who I am. I'm not normal. I don't fit in. And, that doesn't need to be a bad thing. Like maybe if I stop trying to force myself to be what I think others could accept, maybe if I stop lying and hiding and just face who I really am, then maybe I won't be afraid anymore
Joyce—> oh sweetie, you don't have to hide yourself away. Not from me.
Mike—> Not from me either! So what if you're not like anyone else. You're a sorcerer! I've always known that, that you're special.
Will—> Y-yeah, but it's not like that. It's not something cool like my... Powers (he frowns still not entirely comfortable thinking of himself as someone with powers). Most people would hate me for it, or maybe they already do (he trails off into a whisper)
Mike—> we could never hate you!
Joyce—> (she sends Mike a warm smile) of course not. You're my boy. There's nothing you could do or be that I wouldn't accept.
Mike—> Even if you really turned into a zombie tomorrow I would hide you in my basement and bring you food so you never go hungry (he nods enthusiastically while ignoring the two Byers bemused looks)
Will—> Well (he shakes his head deciding not to get caught up on that. This isn't about his crush. It's about him) yeah I think I know that. Or I want to believe it. It's just that maybe all this time it was actually me who hated it, this part of myself. I was in so much pain and I just wanted it to go away. But, even when (will sends Mike a nervous glance and the other boy is already staring back intensely with a small frown) when it felt far away, like when I didn't have any reason to think about it, I still felt wrong somehow. Like it's imprinted on my bones or something. It still felt like everyone else was distant somehow, like I couldn't connect fully. And, I think it's because I didn't really want anyone to know me b-because I didn't really want to know me. Idk it sounds selfish when I say it out loud like this.
Mike—> No of course not. You could never be selfish. You're probably the most selfless person I know.
Will—> idk about that (he smirks but it's lacking any real energy or enthusiasm) Jane is the one risking her life for everyone. I think she deserves that title more than me.
Mike—> (he just raises his eyebrows like his point had been proven) see you can't even accept a compliment without passing it to someone else— Selfless… too much. It drives me crazy sometimes because you deserve to expect things from us. You deserve everything. Everything. All you ever have to do is ask but you never do. Not until I do something stupid at least. You don't need to be distant or hide yourself away.
Will—> it will change things between us.
Will—> It will. I know it will. And, I'm just— it scares me because we've always been us. Our friendship— I don't even know who I would be if we never met. I learned about the world through you. Everything I love is something we shared. And maybe I won't lose you but things will be different.
Joyce—> (she looks between the two boys as they share uneasy frowns. Mike seems almost like he wants to back off, end the whole conversation there) oh sweetie, of course it will change. Things are always changing. And, it's scary. Of course it is. It always will be, but that doesn't mean that it will be a bad thing. That's why you need to tell us, isn't it? You aren't happy with the way things are. Never feeling truly comfortable with anyone, it's lonely. And, if you give us a chance to love you completely, we will show you how much better things could be.
Will—> you already know don't you? (Mike looks between the two with a frown set in his brow)
Joyce—> I'm your mother. I've known you your whole life. I've just been waiting to hear you say it to know for sure.
Will—> (he takes a shaky breath and whispers as if only for himself) okay
Mike—> what? What is it? Will, I know I can be oblivious sometimes, but please just—
Will—> I don't like girls. (He stares at his clenched fists on his lap) I- I'm gay
Joyce—> I'm proud of you sweetie (she pulls will into a hug and he locks eyes with Mike over her shoulder. Mike seems frozen for a minute, face full of too much to name any one emotion). Thank you for trusting us. (She pulls away and after a drawn out moment of silence she glances between the two boys) Maybe I should give you two a moment alone to talk (she sends will a look to confirm that that's okay before leaving and he sends her back a grateful smile in return)
When she leaves the room she finds Jane with tears in her eyes and pulls her into a hug asking what's wrong. Jane admits that she hadn't realized how will felt. All those things he said about feeling scared, alone, different, hating himself, trying to be what others wanted— it all resonated so closely to how she felt even if the reason was different (and she does manage to ask about what being gay means eventually but that means so little to her in the moment).
Eventually, she admits with tears in her eyes that she doesn't feel like she even knows who she is outside of her powers and the upside down. She was afraid that that's all she'd ever be, especially in the eyes of the men who defined who she is over the years. And, Joyce assures her that she doesn't need to BE anything. That once the upside down is gone, she'll make sure that Jane can just experience life and live. There's so much more to her than just what she can do for people. That Jane is so giving and curious and lively and that Joyce is so excited for her to finally meet herself the way she should have been allowed to long ago.
(I ran out of space for tags 😭 but Im sure you can imagine the rest)
