Lower your expectations

But as soon as Mike and Will are alone together in the cinema, Mike becomes soft, gentle and blushing. He notices Will's change in body language and checks in straight away. He glances at Will's lips. It's like a different person to the abrupt person we saw ride to the cinema, blowing off his gf, and greeting his friends with such attitude.

The cinema shows us that when there are no witnesses to perform to, Mike is very aware of Will's mood. Like s2, he makes Will feel cared for. Special. As soon as there are other people again, Mike can't be bothered to notice much to do with Will.

But that was never actually true!

S4, Rinkomania, shows us that despite how Mike is acting on the surface, it's not just when they are alone that Mike is very aware of Will. He proves he noticed Will's negative emotions to the point where he couldn't enjoy himself because of it. But he noticed absolutely nothing real about his own girlfriend. Nothing! Only Will.

So recontextualised, s3 Mike, absolutely knew he was hurting Will by pretending the intimacy they'd formed wasn't there (in front of their other friends). And he kept deprioritising Will while performing a heteronormative relationship and its woes in Will's face. Clearly signalling wherever he could that he was very straight (and also emulating the casual mysogyny he saw around him).

But why? S5 tells us that Mike had absolutely no idea Will was gay! He apologises for not seeing it.

I don't think I will ever be satisfied with having had no explanation for all of that.

I mean, we can obviously surmise that he partially blamed Will for being attracted to him, was trying to force distance and act like he wasn't invested until maybe that was true, even if it hurt Will.

Mike had no reason to react so strongly to finding out El needs him. He already knows that! They fought about it. Broke up. And he is eaten with the guilt of it.

When Mike is talking about what if SuperMAN doesn't need him anymore, he is talking about Will. Will, who didn't reach out after he left Mike in Hawkins. ("This past year.. has been weird." "It's been a year, Mike!" -No, boys. It was half a year).

Neither of them are able to say how they really feel directly because what if, what if the other doesn't like the truth?

When Will bares his heart with the painting, Mike goes from delighted to gulping, shuddered breath, lip glancing. He spends most of the reveal looking overwhelmed or like he's in a dreamy love haze. The only exception being when Will says the painting is from El! And then it's quickly so obvious to Mike that it isn't.

"EVEN EL. Especially El.."

Holy shit. Will was just handing him everything with that line. What Mike has to hear is: I painted this for you. You're The Heart. Without you I know we would all fall apart.

Hastily adding that "even El, especially El", would fall apart too, doesn't change that Will just directly told Mike that this is how he views him.

It makes it clear that 'The Heart' theme is primarily driven by Will, and Will just tacks El on at the end of it.... in the painting she commissioned, that she isn't in herself, in a game we never see her play, with a heart right there on his shield that has clearly never been discussed, and El never seemed at all interested in finally giving him his commissioned gift despite Will clearly carrying the painting around..

Mike is not brain-dead.

Mike's emotional reaction in the van is to Will. Just Will.

His painting. His feelings. And he thinks that this is a brave as Will can show himself to be right now. But it says everything, doesn't it?

The ball is in Mike's court. He is pretty sure *without being certain*, that he has read the situation correctly.

So when they find El, Mike looks between them like this triangle must be resolved. But there is never any time.

And then El is in trouble, and she needs him. And Will pushes him towards confessing his love to her. He has a sudden shock of being wrong. Visibly hurt, but with no time to process hope being ripped away from him while El is dying.

He purses his lips together and tries for El anyway, knowing the love for her isn't real. Not in the way she needs it to be. So instead, he bundles up his feelings for Will, and gives these to El:

"El? (Will), I don't know if you can hear this, but... but if you can, I want you to know I'm here, okay? I'm right here. And... I love you. El (Will), do you hear me?

I love you. (But it sounds insincere because it's directed to the wrong person)

I'm sorry I don't say it (show it) more. I... It's not because I'm scared of you (Will). I'm not. I've never felt that way. Never. (Even when you were possessed. Even though you STILL have a link to Vecna). But I am scared (terrified) that one day you'll realize you don't need me anymore. (Like when you moved away from me and didn't even call. What will you do when you know about this thing I am hiding?)

And I thought if I said how I felt (I'm in love with you, Will), it would somehow make that day HURT more.. But the truth is, El (Will), I don't know how to live without you. (It's Hawkin's. It's not the same without you. *I still haven't told you I jumped off the quarry*)

I feel like my life started that day we found you in the woods. (On the swing set. And I asked. I asked if you wanted to be my friend. It was the best thing I've ever done.)

You were wearing that yellow Benny's Burgers T-shirt. And it was so big, it almost swallowed you whole. *Rewritten to frame El. And it's the only thing she responds well to, because her oversized shirt was the only truth.*

And I knew right then and there, in that moment, that I loved you. (He was drawn to, and adored Will, immediately).

And I've loved you every day since. I love you on your good days. I love you on your bad days. I love you with your powers, I love you without your powers. (I loved you before the shadow monster, and after whatever that did to you. The trauma. The possession... The connection that never quite leaves you). I love you for exactly who you are.

You're my superhero. (TF 85: Can I tell you a secret? Will is bravest person I know). And... I can't lose you. Okay? Do you hear me? I can't lose you. You can do anything. You can fly. You can move mountains. I believe that. I really do." ("In real life your powers are innate.")

And this part is just for El-

"But right now, you just have to fight. Okay? El. Do you hear me? You need to fight! You have to fight. Fight! FIGHT!"

Poor El is constantly being used to redirect or hold Mike and Will's (terrified) feelings for each other.

And now that the hype is gone, and the thieving bullies have left the theory in disappointed embarassment, they point at us from afar in all their superiority, and say that only delusional bylers believe in that conformitygate shit.

And if we ever get another substantial drop of content, and it's not blatantly, explicitly, byler, it will happen again. They will wholly claim it for themselves, and push bylers out in any way they're able to.

Are we supposed to learn to trust the people that gaslight the fuck out of us when we have been burned by so many before?

Because eventually it won't be abusive, but instead a lovely chest that isnt a mimic this time?

The pain still happened. Being ostracised still happened/is happening.

Being humiliated for having faith in you isn't fun.

What are we learning exactly??? The generic dumbshits certainly won't be learning anything regardless of ST's outcome. Maybe you are more gracious with their ability to change than me, but you dumbshits dont even wear masks in an ongoing pandemic either, so..

Your cast is fawning it up at the MAGAt conformity Gala.

I think we are all pretty fucked.