#NOW IM THINKING ABT RR!SHED SCENE!!!!

[clericbyers]

So, technically speaking in the role reversal AU the “we’re not kids anymore scene” is Will saying that to Mike, since he’s the one who lost his childhood. Or maybe Will doesn’t say that exactly but says something equally hurtful to Mike.

hmmm curious because a lot of build up to that scene is hinged on Will liking Mike and being jealous / upset Mike’s obsession is ruining things. In role reversal AU (which I will call RR), Will’s not “obsessed” with El, he’s not dating her so there’s a small possibility the Party isn’t split. Mike doesn’t know El at all by RR!ST3 given in RR!ST2 he was dealing with his possession. I also could see El returning for the Snowball and Mike ditching dancing with Will to thank her with a dance, but I don’t see the kiss happening or them dating so Mike has 0 connection to her and El isn’t being conditioned to want romance. We could still have Mike trying to project his feelings for Will onto her but again, he never truly met her at the point where she was androgynous for Mike to do so.

So anyway, RR!ST3 could still be Mike splitting up the party by spending lots of time with El, or Will doing so actually given they are like siblings. Mike having an obsession with D&D, knowing his D&D desires are tied to keeping his childhood and his lack of a girlfriend, can very much apply. His jealousy of Will and El being close gets constantly mistaken as him being jealous of Will and so Lucas spends time trying to set Mike up with El, to Will’s annoyance (“My sister doesn’t need a boyfriend right now,” he snaps back when Lucas teaches Mike how to do a smoulder. Lucas gives him a look, “She obviously likes Mike and he likes her, too, so why not?” And Mike kinda sinks into the cushions because he really doesn’t know what he feels but he knows that he’s not really that interested in El, he just misses Will at his side, holding his hand, being so sweet and kind the way he is with El now.)

And the mall breakup scene, would still be something between Mike and El maybe, but instead of “I dump your ass” it’s like “I don’t need your feelings” or “I don’t need a boyfriend.” If it’s between Will and El she could try to denounce him as her brother, which would hurt Will a lot actually since family is so important to him. (“What are you doing here?” Will asks hurriedly, panic filling his chest. El can’t get caught seen in public. He doesn’t even care that she caught them red handed after Mike built up that dumb story about his grandma. He can’t lose El again if she’s being reckless. [Then cue El claiming Will treats her more like a pet than a sister and the, “I don’t need you as my brother” line and Will just stands there eyes wide as Max and El giggle their way to the bus.]) Then we get El spying on Mike in the void, watching Will get upset about El’s words. Mike is just watching Will with sad eyes, wanting Will to spend time with his original brothers (the Party) and him and well...Mike has forgotten middle child problems at home and he never thought he would face them in the Party, too.

So Mike is trying to play D&D in the basement and Will isn’t paying attention because he’s worried for his sister and Lucas keeps telling Mike he should be focusing on how to snatch El’s heart while she’s denouncing Will, and Mike just snaps. (We could have, “is it, William? Is it really?”) He doesn’t want El like that (even though he doesn’t tell Lucas that), he’s tired of everyone obsessing over her, he just wants to be with his friends—his second family—and be kids the way he never got to be, to ignore where his feelings lie for Will because all El is for him is a reminder that he feels nothing for her but his heart races in his chest when Will smiles and he hates it.

Mike runs upstairs and Will calls after him, guilty as hell but knowing Mike had to be super upset to blow up as he did. He feels bad for focusing so much on how El nixed him that he didn’t realize how Mike felt. They stand in the garage, Mike panting with anger and tears in his eyes. He’s always very emotionally violent and Will isn’t sure what to say.

“Mike, I’m sorry, it’s a really good campaign,” Will starts with a hand to Mike’s shoulder, “but me and Lucas...we can’t concentrate on it right now. We can do it tomorrow, I promise.”

Mike yanks himself away from Will. “Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, it’s always tomorrow! I said ‘see you tomorrow’ before and then I never did! Tomorrow may never fucking come! But oh, that doesn’t matter, huh? Tomorrow always comes for you. Tomorrow is always gonna be better.”

“Mike,”

“No!” he yells and lightening crackles in the distance. “No, you don’t get to say anything! You keep spending time with El, forgetting about all of us! I doubt you even know where Dustin is!” Will stiffens and Mike scoffs. “You see? You don’t! And you don’t care! And he probably doesn’t either and I don’t blame him. You’re ruining the party, Will, and for what? So you can have a stupid younger sister to hole up in her room all day?”

Will’s nostrils flare. “El’s not stupid!” He snaps back with irritation. “It’s not my fault you can’t like El!”

Mike pauses, eyes widening just a fraction as his breath visibly hitches. Will wants to take it back immediately. Taking out his anger onto Mike isn’t fair at all and just because Mike has no interest in El—and Will can tell Mike isn’t very into her despite Lucas’ claims—or any girls really (but that’s a thought for another day), that doesn’t mean...doesn’t mean Will can throw the observation in his face.

“Look, I’m...I’m sorry, that came out wrong. So wrong.” He steps toward Mike, who tenses up more. “But, Mike, what did you think was gonna happen? That we wouldn’t have bigger issues to worry about than D&D? That we wouldn’t have other people in our lives? We’re not kids anymore; it’s not just us. Did you think we would sit in your basement all day playing games for the rest of our lives?”

And Will can see the heartbreak in real time, realize he said all the wrong things, as Mike takes a shaky breath. “Yeah,” he starts bitterly, eyes watery with unfallen tears. “You said crazy together, right? You and me. You and me. Guess that was a lie, too.”

Will doesn’t know what to say. He can feel his own heart hurting in his chest, regret taking hold as he watches the boy he loves in pain because of his careless words. “Mike, wait. Mike. That’s not—it’s not,” he can’t say it, too scared to admit he’s so in love even now as Mike believes otherwise.

Mike shakes his head and then grabs his bike from the garage. “I need to go.”

“Mike, it’s raining, you’ll get sick,” Will rushes toward him but Mike’s already on his bike riding through the rain. “Mike! Mike, come back!”

#yams answers #anon #thanks for the asks!! #role reversal au #bc not liking girls is a problem for mike i think that would still be an issue #will specifically points out el bc thats his sister and he sees mikes anger abt el being bc will has a new sister #not bc mike like will and wants the time mike/will used to spend tgt back #NOW IM THINKING ABT RR!SHED SCENE!!!! #going rest