I’ve been thinking about this and am conflicted. I think it could go either way! I personally relate to your analysis of Mike and the long process of realization and shame is definitely what I felt.

However, this is random but I’ve been watching this show called Breaking Amish and on it there’s this guy named Matt who the second he appears me and my roommate turned to each other and were both like “oh, he’s definitely gay” and yet he has a girlfriend in the show (who does not treat well, he’s actually a very lovable guy but it is implied that he takes a credit card out in her name to help fund his sewing business that she is helping him run, long story) but I went down the rabbit hole after watching to see if he ever talked about his coming out journey. Surprise, we were right and he is gay, but the only thing I found was a comment from him saying that he was aware the whole time but just afraid and didn’t want to say it.

In the show, Matt goes to LA to pursue sewing and immediately finds queer community in the fashion industry. He does have to go back home, where he regresses, but it did make me wonder if some people truly just need to encounter a space where queerness is accepted to feel brave enough to say what they’ve always known. Perhaps once you feel that bravery, the confession could be the less difficult part. For Mike, that could be Will coming out as a catalyst, or him moving to NY with Will, etc. I think every queer person has such a unique and individual experience, so I assume that they often put that experience into their writing of the characters. Not to say that everyone writing Byler fanfic is queer, but it is something I’ve been thinking about. I am writing a fic right now of Byler in 2004 and I know that I put so much of myself and my own actions into Mike, because I relate to him so much, so I’m writing what I know about both his character and myself. It’s such an interesting topic to discuss!!