MIKE POV -

Sliding the two quarters closer, a message popped up before the ravenette's eyes,

[Sub-Mission: Earn $3000 ($3000/$3000)]

[Sub-Mission Cleared]

[Reward: See What's Troubling Will Byers]

[Would You Like to Claim Your Reward?]

Softly, Mike nodded in acceptance. The notification faded, causing his mind to fill with memories, but it wasn't his, it was Will's; it was like a diary of the past month. He saw the hassle, the fighting, the arguments and Lonnie stealing money with not so much as a 'thank you'. Mike even got memories of Will working a job despite his bruises, working because he was worried he might starve.

The tall boy's memory updated, filling with the current events, as if he could smell the alcohol wafting in his nose, feel the pain Will was going through... Mike clenched the band-aid and coins... he wanted to fight Lonnie.

He felt guilty for not doing anything this whole month, he felt like he was disappointing Will, neglecting him just for the sake of the game; Will was suffering and he didn't know.

Mike unclenched his fist, seeing red marks implanted from the coins. He began picking up the remaining coins, collecting them for the brunette, sorting out the ceramic shards to fix later, "Let's clean this up,"

"No, I'll do it later." Will muttered

"It's faster if we do it together." The tall boy commented,

"Mike." The short boy's voice was authoritative, "Later," was all he said before he stood up, as if wanting the ravenette to follow him.

Mike sighed, knowing Will could be incredibly stubborn when he wanted to be. He hid the coins he collected in a safe place before dusting his hands, jumping up from his kneeling position and jogging over to the brunette,

The pair walked in silence with only the sounds of crunching leaves and cracking twigs beneath their feet. After a few minutes of walking, a familiar building came into view, the one Mike had seen in his vision; Castle Byers. It was more worn down than in the vision, the tarp was new and the sticks holding it up had been replaced, but it had its core essence attached to it.

"This is my..." The brunette stopped when he realised the words out his mouth would be childish; Mike would judge him.

"Castle?" the tall boy finished his sentence, "It's awesome,"

The small boy smiled at the compliment, glad he and Mike are on the same wavelength, leading Mike inside as if opening up himself to his most vulnerable side. The pair sat side by side, cross-legged on the floor, their knees touching, the atmosphere still heavy, but calmer.

Mike glanced over, thinking back to his visions of Will as a child; the only light illuminating them was a small lamp, about the size of Mike's fist. "Will... if you're pressed for money-"

"Mike." The brunette cut him off, shooting a sharp look, eyes narrowing.

"I was just asking because I thought you were struggling," The tall boy raised his hands in defence, realizing how it must've sounded, "It's not because I pity you,"

"I know," Will's glare softened into a smile, "You're just worried and don't want me to get hurt."

[Buff Triggered Due to Positive Fondness]

Mike's eyes widened, what would this buff be? If it was opposite to the debuffs he had gotten in the past, he hoped it would be good. Noticing the slight luminosity emitting from Will, as if he was a star in disguise, glowing softly.

"You're a nice guy, and you can't help but ignore someone in trouble." The brunette continued speaking, his emotions pouring to the surface, "You've done so much for me."

Love was seeping out his every pore.

"I want to be kind to you too," Will replied, his eyes deepening, "But at the same time, when I look at you... I can't help but feel like doing something bad."

His eyes flickered, if he was a cartoon, there would be hearts in his eyes.

Mike blinked, confused by the sudden shift in tone; he opened his mouth to respond but no words left his tongue as Will turned to him, making eye contact, edging closer, his movements slow and deliberate. He was giving Mike time to back out. The ravenette's heart raced, feeling as if his centre of gravity was shifting, pulling him closer, his breathing hot.

Mike felt like he was falling... He was kissing his favourite character.

Will's kiss was hesitant, clumsy and a tad too tense. He didn't deepen the kiss, merely keeping his lips on top of Mike's, pressing against in a surface level kiss; it was as if he was trying to imitate the kisses he had seen on TV. It wasn't the best kiss ever... but it was something,

The raven-haired boy's lips trembled but he didn't want to ruin this moment with a complaint, so instead he endured the awkward kiss... well, at least until Will was the first to pull away. And after a long time of not moving, the brunette did pull away, still holding onto Mike's collar, not knowing where to put his hands.

"I wondered how long you'd last..." the tall boy joked, trying to alleviate the apparent nervousness that was clouding the brunette's face.

Will's face was unreadable for a second, as if he had just realised what he had done, he was working on autopilot during the kiss, something flickering behind his eyes, perhaps regret, perhaps fear. He looked away, stammering, "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

The ravenette giggled soft, "It's okay Will... I'm just teasing. So, stop tensing your lips."

The panic left Will's core, replaced with a soft expression as he sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around Mike into a tight embrace, almost tackling him, "Don't laugh," he frowned childishly, his voice muffled against Mike's shoulder.

"I'm not laughing," the tall boy replied, trying his best not to laugh out of surprise and cuteness, "But seriously though, you need to relax your lips."

Will pulled away from the hug, a pout on his face, like a puppy being taunted, "It's my first time, don't be mean," his lips curling down,

"For a beginner, you did... adequate." Mike gave an awkward thumbs-up, he couldn't even lie.

"You're my first everything, my first crush, my first kiss..." the brown-haired boy listed.

The tall boy's heart squeezed a little at the list, feeling the weight of the words being said. He didn't know what to say in response, so he smiled, petting the brunette on the head; the sincerity was something he wasn't fully prepared for.

"I can do better if I learn," Will whispered, his voice innocent, yet something about it was alluring, "I'll do good for you."

Mike gulped, becoming stiff from hearing Will's desperate tone, almost as if he was begging and promising at the same time. The words were chillingly pleasant to hear from someone with no experience; where has this Will been hiding?

Mike had to admit that he liked Will Byers: he really liked him. He liked that Will prioritised and cared for him, that he was his first love... it was oddly euphoric,

[249 Days Remaining]

But no matter how Mike thought about it... he was the worst possible first love.

---- Next Day: Saturday 1:22 PM ----

"'The Man Who Makes Me Dinner Is My Pet Squid'?, 'My Girlfriend Is A Werewolf Doctor 2'?, 'Good Luck Mrs Potato Head'?" The ravenette read aloud, distracting himself by reading the flickering screens displaying the movie titles. Maybe it was his nerves, or he was just plain misreading them, but the titles didn't make sense and they seemed to just get weirder.

He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, tapping his finger against his thighs rhythmically, trying to distract himself from his own nervousness. He was in the middle of the movie theatre waiting for the brunette. Despite not discussing the specifics of their 'relationship' after the kiss, Mike was sure this was supposed to be a date. He had agreed to it, of course, but now that the moment was actually here, he was panicking inside.

"I must be losing my mind," the ravenette groaned, "I'm on a date with a boy... was this the right thing to do?" second guessing himself, his mind buzzing,

Just then, a notification popped up before Mike's eyes, breaking through any thoughts he may have had.

[Entering The Love Supremacy Zone]

The ravenette turned his head toward the stairs, watching as a head popped up, turning the bend with a skip in his steps, "Mike!" Will smiled, his eyes sparkling as he put a hand in the air waving it around. His other hand was behind his back, hiding... something.

Will seemed to move in slow motion. Mike felt his heart beating in his ears; this was really happening; he was going on a date with this boy. He didn't even notice he was staring until Will rushed up to him with a bright enthusiastic smile, obviously excited.

"Were you waiting long?" the short boy questioned, his hands still behind his back with a smile.

"Huh?" the ravenette shook out his thoughts of awe; why was he so nervous? He'd been on dates before. "Oh, um, no."

And as if to make Mike even more confused and flustered, Will presented a massive sunflower wrapped with a bright blue bow; the sheer size caught Mike off guard. "For you," he said playfully, holding the flower out like a peace-offering or a prize.

"What's... this?" Mike looked up and down, his face scrunching despite his surprise.

"I'm told I must give you a sunflower on the first date."

"Why...?"

The brunette gave an innocent look; like a small puppy on a mission. Will thought back to the conversation he had with Max last night; they were up until late, with the redhead giving him advice on how to present himself on a first date; how to act at the movies, how to speak, how to eat... she gave him the whole rundown.

One of her points was to give Mike flowers. Will chose a sunflower, symbolising warmth and admiration, telling the person you liked that you only had eyes for them.

Clearing his throat, Will excitedly placed the sunflower in Mike's hands, his fingers brushing Mike's as he spoke, "This is my devotion and determination,"

The raven-haired boy stared at the flower, then at Will who had a gentle yet hopeful expression. Mike didn't even know how to respond, touched by the gesture, eventually mumbling the first words he thought of, "Oh, I see, um thanks."

"Shall we?" The confidence in Will's voice was new but not unwelcome. He grabbed Mike's hand, leading him to the concession stand.

The gesture caught the ravenette off guard- Will was being the bold one and it made his heart race even more. The brunette led them, his grip warm and sure, whilst Mike was the one who felt jittery and unsure.

They stopped at the concession stand where Will ordered a large bucket of popcorn to share, handing it over to Mike with a soft smile as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The ravenette accepted the bucket, still reeling from the ease at which Will was handling the situation. Normally, Mike was the one leading the way, but today... Will was fearless.

After grabbing their drinks, the pair made their way into the dimly lit theatre. The lights were already dimmed, the sound consisted of shuffling and people settling in their seats whispering to each other; Mike could probably count all the people in the room on his fingers- that is to say: not many. The brunette chose the seat in the middle, the perfect view of the screen. Did he memorise the best seat for the movie?

The pair sat down, settling in, both feeling different from how the usually are. The dark theatre and soft lights of the screen only made it feel more intimate, leaving them in an enclosed space.

Now, they were both jittery.

"Why'd you chose this movie?" Will whispered into Mike's ear.

"Oh, um..." Mike looked down at the tickets, "I just like these types of movies."

"Zombie Gorillas in Space?" the brunette joked, his smile reaching his eyes,

Right... that was the movie they were here to watch; it was a complete contrast to what two lovebirds on their first day would watch, he didn't know why he chose this movie himself. Mike loved bad movies, it was an odd taste, but he enjoyed something dumb and cheesy to laugh at, rather than something so serious.

Maybe it would be good if Will found that off-putting.

"So? I like Zombie Gorillas... and space!" the ravenette shrugged with an awkward smile.

"Cute." Will smiled despite this film not being his first pick.

Mike's eyes widened at the comment; Will said this was all new to him, so why was he acting as if he had done this a million times before? The ravenette cleared his throat, placing the bucket of popcorn between them, trying to create some much needed distance. Immediately, Will's hand raced to the bucket, fumbling with the popcorn before pulling out a handful, scoffing it down.

"Slow down! You're gonna choke." The tall boy warned.

"Shh... the movie's starting!" Will pouted, pointing to the screen.

The opening credits played; the sinister letters appeared in fake blood across the screen; what was this movie even about? The theatre grew quiet although there wasn't many people in the room to begin with. Mike's kept his eyes fastened to the screen, knowing the moment he looked away he would be entranced by the brunette; what was happening to him today?

However, concentrating on the movie was his downfall, during the runtime, the movie took an unexpected turn, instead of a low-budget bloody battle between a Zombie Gorilla and Space-Warriors, it turned into a cheesy heartfelt romance; it was good... it moved Mike to tears.

As the movie reached its climax, the brunette turned his head, "Is the movie that sad?" he whispered with a grin,

"Eh! Who said I was sad?" The ravenette pouted, trying his best to not show his face, "The movie is just so good..."

"Sure, sure, just wipe your tears," Will smiled with a playful eyeroll, taking a tissue out his pocket, softly dabbing the ravenette's face, continuing to wipe the area until the movie was over.

They were the only two left in the theatre after the credits rolled, the few people that were in the room left the moment the credits appeared.

"Are you still sad?" Will questioned, wiping the last of the tears,

"How are you not affected?" The ravenette pouted,

"So who won anyway? The Gorilla or the humans?"

"What? Weren't you watching the movie?" Mike furrowed his brows, they just watched the whole thing... together!

"The guy next to me was crying," Will joked, "It's hard to concentrate,"

"Tsk!" the ravenette clicked his teeth playfully, Will was getting bold, "It was an emotional movie about a star-crossed love between a Zombie Gorilla and a Crocodile Space Warrior,"

"You definitely have weird taste," the brunette giggled,

"What's so weird about it?" the raven-haired boy crossed his arms, faking offence,

"Everything." Will teased, "But it's okay cause you're cute..."

Mike blushed, mentally telling his heart to behave; what was with him today? He couldn't control his thumping heart. He tried to change the subject, "Give me the popcorn," he said, taking the bucket back; they hadn't eaten much, probably because of Mike's crying and Will taking care of his tears. The tall boy pouted, shoving a handful into his mouth,

Will just stared at him, his eyes travelling the ravenette's face until he reached his lips, "Mike... can we do it again?"

"Huh?" Mike almost spat out his popcorn.

"Kissing." The brunette whispered despite the empty theatre, as if he was scared anyone would intrude on their moment, his eyes focused on Mike's lips.

The tall boy's eyes widened at the sudden boldness and the flirty look on Will's face, he picked up the popcorn bucket, using it to cover his mouth. Will eyes were hopeful as he put one hand on the bucket, trying to move it away playfully. His face being so close that Mike could hear Will's heart beating at the same rate as his.

But just as the ravenette was about to lower the bucket, something buzzed in his pocket- his phone, now as clean as ever, was beeping like crazy; what the hell? The texts on screen didn't make sense, they were random letters and symbols from a private number... he furrowed his brows,

Mike watched as Will pulled back, turning his head away slightly disappointed but not pushing it as he retreated into his seat. The ravenette felt a hint of guilt as he cleared his throat standing up, offering a hand to his date,

Will blinked surprised, but didn't complain as he accepted the hand to be escorted out the theatre. They stepped out into the cool evening air, the sun already set after their time in the movie theatre, leaving behind the noise as they found a quiet spot outside on the park bench,

The ravenette glanced at the brunette after taking their spots, the air was calm and, in that moment, they were the only two in the world. To avoid the questions of kisses, Mike changed the topic, the one that had been on his mind since last night, "Did your father come back home?"

Will sighed, his expression a tad serious, "Nope. I haven't seen him since, and I doubt I will for a while,"

"Huh, why's that?" The tall boy tilted his head,

"He always wrecks the house for money before he leaves, so I have some time until he comes back," The brunette laughed at his own words to alleviate the pressure,

Mike was relieved by the words but the thought of Will being all alone in that house made him worry; what if his dad suddenly returned? What if he got sick? What if someone broke in? Without thinking, the tall boy offered, "Will, by chance do you wanna live-"

"'-Do I want to live at your house?'" the brown-haired boy cut him off, finishing the sentence for him, "No, I would not, I'm fine."

Damn. The ravenette was flat-out rejected before he could even finish his sentence, although, he should have expected this, "Are you going to keep living alone?"

"Well I can't live at your place forever, now can I?" Will argued almost instantly,

"But for now-" Mike tried,

"Why, you're always trying to solve my problems as if they are yours... it gets tiring." The short-boy pointed out, yet his face was still soft as he tried to explain himself, "I mean, thank you... but sometimes, let me deal with my problems myself."

The ravenette was at a loss for words, he couldn't just say the truth; that he was transported here for the sole reason to make him happy. So instead, he thought of an answer, "I just worry, you know that." Coming off more as a 'worry-wort' than a nosy guy.

"I know," Will paused for mere seconds before continuing, focused on his words, "Besides, I don't think I'd be confident enough living in your house."

"But you've stayed at my house before." Mike furrowed his brows, what does that have to do with anything? "Is it because I snore or something? Was I really that bad last time?" he chuckled,

"That's not it." the brunette whispered under his breath, tense, "You don't understand the implication of your words."

"What?" Mike questioned, face scrunched.

"Sleeping together... waking up in the same bed... sharing a space..." Will let out a breath, digging his nails into his palm, the grasp tight enough to leave dark marks as if he was trying to contain himself and his thoughts,

Sleeping together? What an overactive imagination. Mike's question was resolved instantly seeing the red hue tinting Will's face, understanding the underlying meaning... the dirty mind of an eighteen-year-old boy. Did sleeping next to someone you like be that stimulating?

Mike flicked his head playfully, "Tsk, stop thinking like that." He joked, his voice then becoming soft, "Just give it some thought... okay?"

The brunette looked down at his lap, slightly embarrassed but also happy, as if he was glad Mike had flicked him on the head like that, "Now it finally feels real!" Will joked, rubbing his forehead, "I couldn't sleep at night, and I thought I dreamt up this date and I was too scared I'd wake up... but now I know it's real. Phew!"

The tall boy laughed audibly, while, in front of his eyes popped-up the message he was waiting for, covering Will's delicate features,

[Calculating Fondness...]

[Fondness: 48]

Woah! Mike was pleasantly surprised, the number had jumped an entire thirteen points, did Will really like the date that much? It was almost at fifty points; it made his ego skyrocket.

But then, another message replaced the fondness counter, the one he dreaded, always bringing his mood down:

[Make Will Byers Happy]

[248 Days Remaining]

[Penalty: Death]

The ravenette's face fell. It didn't make sense to him; what does he have to do? All these playful moments kept getting clouded by these heavy thoughts creeping into his mind; he had a very limited time until he was sent back to the real world, the day counter served as his reminder that he had an expiration date, he would be forced to leave everything, including Will behind.

When the message faded, he was still staring at the empty space it left, seeing Will's messy hair, hopeful eyes and gentle smile, blissfully unaware of the dilemma festering within him.

The tall boy made up his mind; he would make these days count. He'd be the best date Will could ask for; a mere high school sweetheart filling him with memories, laughter and food until the last moments...

But he knew how it would end... eventually, he has to break it off, he couldn't let Will hurt more than necessary. It was the only way of protecting him from the inevitable heartbreak, even if it meant hurting him in a different way.

He had to weigh his options, what was worse: your first-everything boyfriend disappears off the face of the Earth one random day to never be seen again? Or getting broken up with?

Either way, Mike knew they couldn't last...

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3633 Words

Stay Safe <3