#irrelevant*

Always facing each other.

This brings the question, why?

I think this is to demonstrate the differences of their relationships. Mike and Will are always side by side because they are always on the same page, which is why they are facing the same direction. Mike and El on the other hand, most of the time they are not on the same page, which is why they sit opposite to each other.

I’ll just explain some scenes for examples.

Byler:

(Mike and Will are sitting beside each other (on the same page) in all of these scenes)

-Crazy together scene: Mike and Will both agree to go crazy together.

-“We won’t let him”: Emphasis on we

-The scene where they get out of the car (when Joyce told them to stay in it) and they both agree that something is up

- Movie theater scene: they both agree that Will is okay (even though he isn’t but, still counts)

These are just some examples!

Do you want to know when they aren’t on the same page?

This scene, when they face in front of each other because they aren’t on the same page.

They even face each other in the car, Mike says “seriously?” and Will says “welcome to my world”, because Mike doesn’t want to sit in the back but Will wants to.

Mileven:

(Mike and El are facing each other (not on the same page) in all of these scenes)

- “What makes you crazy?”: El struggles to understand what makes you crazy, while Mike has a clear understanding, he just refuses to say he loves her

- First kiss: “Will you be like my brother?” “What? No!” - Self explanatory

- Makeover scene: El pushed back when Mike tries to put makeup on her, El is confused but Mike knows what he’s doing

- When El goes to find Billy, Mike doesn’t trust her, and El says “I need you to trust me”

- Last s3 kiss: El remembering when Mike said “because I love her and I can’t lose her again” and Mike not remembering a single thing he said in that conversation

- El and Mike talk after their break-up in the sauna, Mike says that Hopper’s wrong about wanting to end their relationship and El says Hopper could be right

- Mileven break-up: Mike doesn’t want to break up, El wants to break up because Mike is treating her like garbage

- Makeout scenes: Mike sings, El doesn’t want him too

I’ve even managed to find some scenes for when they are on the same page.

- They both agree El is pretty

- Both agree El’s “species” like’s M&M’s

I’m sure theres also plenty more.

But what I’ve also managed to notice, is that having couples face opposite of each other ends in them not working out. For example, Stancy.

In all of these scenes, Nancy and Steve aren’t on the same page, whether it be through subtext or it’s just blatantly obvious. 

Even in this scene of Steve and Robin, they are sitting opposite to each other because they also aren’t on the same page, Steve is in love with Robin, Robin is not because she is gay.

While Mileven and Byler do have their moments when they aren’t on the same page/on the same page, the majority of their relationship status through their scenes count. Byler mostly has scenes where they are on the same page/facing in the same direction, whereas Mileven mostly has scenes when they are facing opposite of each other/not on the same page. You can see the endgame here.

With the example given of Stancy, their relationship did not end up working out, mainly because one of them loved one another and the other one didn’t = not on the same page. Their relationship was considered unhealthy amongst most fans. Stancy is shown opposite of each other in majority of their scenes, as is Mileven. Mileven is even considered unhealthy by Hopper, lol. I think you can see where Mileven is ending up- not endgame.