WILL POV-

---- 12:43 PM ----

The hour stretched on; the car filled with an almost tangible excitement emitting from Mike. Practically buzzing with energy and bouncing around the walls of the car, unable to contain his excitement from the successful proposal.

Indeed, Will said yes.

However, beside him, the brunette remained quiet and distant, his expression a mix of surprise and contemplation. He didn't know why he said yes; he liked Mike, sure, but marriage? That was way too much. His eyes wandered to the silver ring with with dark green accents on his finger, it was barely able to fit his hand, somehow managing to slip onto his left ring finger. The ring glint bright, the intricate lines of a mythical dragon into it. It was the ring Mike had proposed to him with; his heart was touched by the gesture and... he felt bad and couldn't say no. His attention suddenly taken away by the ravenette's voice.

"Can you believe it, Will? I mean I know it's sudden, but when you kissed me back, I knew it was right." Mike exclaimed, his hand gesturing animatedly as he spoke, a bright grin on his face, "And when Eddie suggested that we were so close we should get married, I just thought, why not?"

The small boy remained silent, his gaze shooting to the passing scenery, he couldn't bear to look Mike in the eyes. The unexpected proposal caught him off-guard, leaving him in a state of mild shock. He listened to every one of the ravenette's words, though he wished he could drown out the noise, the whirlwind of emotions within, causing sharp pains in his stomach and nausea; far too complex for him.

"I know we haven't known each other for very long, but sometimes you just know, you know?" Mike glanced at Will with a grin, his enthusiasm infectious as he continued to share thoughts as if he couldn't contain them, "I probably should have talked to you first, but I was just following Eddie's plan."

Will's gaze shifted from the window to Mike's hopeful eyes, fidgeting with the ring, spinning it around slightly, each of Mike's words fitting like a puzzle piece. He felt the weight of the moment; this was real, this was really real! He knew he needed time to think.

He wanted to express his feelings in a way that wouldn't diminish the connection they had formed; he couldn't forget that Mike was still a criminal and by rejecting him, what if the ravenette simply keeps him as a prisoner forced to play the 'housewife'? How could he find the words to convey his uncertainty without breaking Mike's heart or having his own bones broken in the process?

Realising he was quiet for two long, the small boy managed a little smile, "Yeah... great idea!" he mumbled, hoping it was enough.

But the ravenette wasn't completely foolish, he could tell that the small boy was shocked, but the reason for it didn't click in his mind as he tried to ease the atmosphere, "It's okay to be stunned, I mean, most grooms are on their proposal day, right?"

"Groom?" the small boy mumbled under his breath, the word hanging heavy in the air, a stark reminder to the commitment that Mike believed they were making. Will's mind raced, trying to catch up with the whirlwind of emotions he was feeling. He wanted to interrupt, to explain that things were moving too fast, but he couldn't bring himself to utter a word.

"Don't stress Bunny!" Mike continued with an endearing nickname, his excitement evident in his animated gestures and the spark in his eyes, "We need to go pick up El, I can already imagine the look on her face when we tell her the news. She's going to be thrilled, just you wait!" He explained, wanting his best friend to be the first person to learn of his proposal.

There was obviously a glaring issue in Will's mind; this interaction was anything but conventional. Mike's lack of experience in relationships and his naïve view of 'love' were evident. The brunette knew the ravenette didn't understand, relationships aren't built on whirlwind romances over the span of a mere week. There's so much more to it.

He recalled the movies and stories he's read; the gradual build-up, the deepening connection, the moments of vulnerability and shared growth- these where things that truly mattered. Sure, they had some of these things; they were more comfortable and vulnerable with one another, but marriage couldn't be forged overnight.

Lost in his own thoughts, the car came to a stop, and before the brunette knew it, Mike gently shook his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. Blinking, he recognised the familiar house he had visited just a few hours ago- El's house.

As Mike got out the car, the brunette followed suit, his movements quiet and contemplative. He was shaking, his legs trembled as the ravenette grabbed his hand, intertwining fingers.

Knocking on the door, it swung open immediately, revealing El, a look of surprise as she took in the sight of Mike and Will on her doorstep once again, she jumped up and down casting them both in a hug, noticing their interlocked hands but not saying anything currently, "I'm so glad you guys are here again, and so soon!" she smiled, letting go.

Mike gleamed with excitement as he flashed a toothy grin; a grin he normally never has, "We've got some big news for you!"

Will's gaze shifted between the ravenette and El, his nerves only getting worse. His stomach twisted and he wanted to throw up. He needed to tell someone and needs help with rejecting Mike; maybe he should get El's help?

El smiled bright, "Oh yay! Come on in!" stepping back to allow them to enter and leading them to the living room.

Will followed Mike into the house, his mind racing and the conversation was inevitable. He needed to be open and tell the truth despite the turmoil and shame he felt for being scared.

Mike and Will sat down on the couch while El sat down on the cushioned chair on the side, not wanting to intrude on the pair as she began, "So what's this news?"

"I need to use the bathroom." the tall boy abruptly answered.

"Well, that's not very interesting news." The doe-eyed girl mocked sarcastically.

Mike playfully rolled his eyes, "I mean, it's a long story and I need to use the toilet first."

"Fine!" she playfully sighed with the same jocular manner, "Go before you leave a trail behind you." she flew a hand whisking him away.

The ravenette left down the hall, leaving El and Will alone in the room. The tension was palpable, and the doe-eyed girl couldn't help but notice that something was off, turning to him with a concern expression, "Hey, is everything okay?"

The brunette's response was almost automatic, a soft smile masking his inner turmoil, "Yeah, just fine."

El scrunched her face, not convinced, her intuition telling her there was something deep beneath the surface; something really troubling him. As she glanced over his form, her eyes caught on the glint of the ring on his finger. With her curiosity piqued, she couldn't resist asking, "What's that?" she pointed at the ring.

Will's eyes widened slightly, clearly caught off guard by the question, "Oh, uh, it's nothing... just something Mike gave me." he said, hiding his hands.

Her eyebrows raised, unable to contain her smirk as she inched closer shifting from the seat to the couch, taking his hand in hers. She observed the ring, her fingers brushed against the ring with a soft laugh, "This is Mike's favourite ring!" She chuckled, not thinking much of it. "You know, it's on your ring finger. Are you secretly engaged?" she cooed.

El's laughter filled the room as Will joined in, managing a nervous laughter avoiding direct eye-contact with the doe-eyed girl but abruptly stopping as his demeanour seemed more guarded. She looked at him more intently, the piece clicking into place, "Will? What happened?" she asked stern, her smile dropping.

"I... I don't even know how it happened, we were just dancing in the sunrise and then he got down on one knee and I- I didn't know what to do. He was so excited and happy, and I couldn't ruin it and I think he asked me to marry him!"

El's eyes widened, taking in the words, "You THINK he asked you to marry him?" she questioned, wanting to know how clear the confession was.

"No, no, he asked, he definitely asked." Will panicked

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh." El's voice was stern, almost a maternal figure, "So Mike actually asked you to marry him, and you said yes?" she said, emphasizing every word.

The brunette nodded with a small panicked exchange, "It just got so confusing, because he got me ice-cream and he said he was my sugar daddy, and.... and I felt so bad because I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so yeah, even though I know it's crazy and we just met, I went along with it cause I didn't know what else to say! It just happened so quickly, and I..."

El held her hands to stop Will's rapid stream of words, unable to decipher the chain of events but getting the general idea of it; her face twinged with shock and disbelief, "Wait, wait, slow down."

But the small boy didn't, the flood of his words rambling from his tongue didn't cease, "I'm so, so sorry! I don't know how any of this happened."

El's shock gave way to frustration and concern, her tone firm as she addressed, "Well you have to know Will! You're not a little boy playing with Barbies'. A man is asking you to marry him! You understand the severity of the situation, right?" She emphasized, her voice becoming more heated.

Will's voice wavered as he nervously offered, "Maybe it would just be easier to get married! I mean, I could just go along with it, you know? I could learn to love him; he's been so kind to me recently, and we could make it work... somehow."

El's eyes widened in disbelief and frustration, his voice rose, "Are you nuts! You can't marry him because you think it might work! There are levels to this Will!"

"I... I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry," he flinched at her reaction, impulsively apologising upon hearing her voice; he wanted to cry, "I'm just so confused and scared of hurting him, and I don't want him to hurt me either. I thought that if I tried my best, I could learn to love him, and it would eventually be fine."

"Will..." she whispered,

Tears welled in the brunette's eyes as he tried to express his feelings, "I know! I know!" he sniffled, "I'm just too young for this but what if he hurts me? I don't wanna get hurt because I said no. I'm so stupid!"

El's anger softened slightly as she saw fear in his eyes, "Will..." She repeated, grabbing either side of his tear-stained face, "I get it, he seems like a scary person and yes, he is a criminal, but Mike would never hurt you, and I will protect you with my life!"

The small boy nodded, "Yeah?" he muttered as El's arms wrapped around him in a comforting embrace, offering him solace and support he so desperately needed in that moment; Will clung to her, a hug filled with understanding and unconditional friendship. The gesture conveyed more than words ever could.

As the hug continued, Mike entered the room again with a curious expression noticing the pair hugging and seeing the shaking form of the brunette. A puzzled expression graced his face, looking between them, he asked, "Why are you two hugging?" his smile immediately morphing to a pout as he questioned, "Did you tell her without me?"

Will quickly shook his head, wiping his teary eyes in attempt to compose himself, "Can we talk in private for a minute, Mike?" he stood up from the couch standing respectfully

The ravenette's concern deepened and he nodded, "Yeah, yeah of course!"

El passed Will an encouraging smile, proud of him from voicing his concerns as she supported him the whole way. Mike followed the brunette to the kitchen, confused as to what was going on.

Once in the kitchen, Will paused for a brief moment; it was now or never, like ripping off a band-aid. "Mike, I don't wanna marry you!" he added quickly, not taking a moment to breathe.

The tall boy's hopeful expression began to fade, the once bright grin that painted his face now non-existent, "Oh..." he said softly, his shoulders slumping, "I see,"

Will's heart ached at the sight, but he knew he had to be truthful to himself, "It's not that I don't care about you, surprisingly I do have feelings for you, but this engagement thing came totally out of the blue."

Clearing his throat, the tall boy searched the brunette's face before he spoke, "I understand, but I thought... I really thought we had something special. I mean we've been getting along so well and like you said, you have feelings for me too; we can make this work."

Will's resolve flaked slightly as he saw genuine emotion in Mike's eyes. He knew the ravenette's feelings were sincere and it made the act of breaking off the engagement more difficult, "I just turned 21 and we only met one week ago; Hell, I've had flu's longer than we've known each other!"

Mike furrowed his brows taking a step closer, "But what if we take our time? We can get married and deal with everything after that!"

The small boy felt torn, known that Mike was being sincere and genuine in his feelings, but the idea of marriage was overwhelming, he needed to nip this in the bud, NOW. "I'm not ready for marriage Mike."

"But you seemed so happy; did I- did I do something wrong? Is it that we are gonna tell El? Because we can tell her later if you want-" Mike's tone was gentle, yet something in his voice was begging him.

"This has nothing to do with you, or anyone else; I'm obviously not in the right state of mind to get married. I don't know who I am yet; who is Will Byers? Who knows?" he paused for a second, "Please Mike... I beg you; I don't want to get married,"

The words hung heavy in the air. Mike's hopefulness now fully dissipated as he took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts wanting to ask more questions in an attempt to persuade Will but he sighed taking a step toward the brunette.

Will's heart raced and he instinctively moved back, his movements tense and jerky. His eyes widened as they darted around the room, yet the positioning only allowed him to go backwards until his back hit the wall.

Panic coursed through his veins and his breathing quickened, he was trapped, and fear consumed him. He heard stories from Mike of what he was capable of doing to his victims. His stomach swirled, worrying he might be next on the chopping block and get the worst punishment as this was personal.

Will's voice quivered as he spoke, the terror evident, his breath came out in shallowed gasps as his head shook and he stammered apologies, "I'm so sorry, Mike, I- I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to hurt you, I... I can't... please, please don't hurt me."

But then something unexpected happened. Instead of the aggression and violence he feared, the ravenette's arms wrapped around him, enveloping him into a gentle, comforting embrace. Will's breath hitched, his body tensing for a strike that never came. Confusion replaced the fear upon realising Mike wasn't going to hurt him.

"I'm so, so sorry Will." the tall boy's voice was soft and full of regret. "I didn't mean to scare you. I- I promise I would never hurt you."

A mix of relief and disbelief flooded Will's senses, he couldn't comprehend the stark contrast between his expectation and reality unfolding. Mike's voice resonated in his mind; his first thought to when anyone was angry at him, whether that be his father, his father's friends or even his boss, was to get beat.

"I... I thought..." Will's voice trembled as he tried to find the words to express his overwhelming emotions.

"You're safe, Bowlcut." the ravenette's voice was calm and soothing, "I never should have pushed you like that." he whispered, his voice carrying genuine remorse, "I got so caught up in my own feelings I never thought how it could affect you."

Will's breathing calmed, becoming steady as Mike's words sank in. He allowed himself to relax as his muscles were no longer tense with fear, "I... I was so scared,"

The tall boy pulled back slightly, keeping his hands on Will's shoulders; his expression sincere and apologetic, "I never want you to feel scared around me. I do really care about you, and I would never hurt you. I'm really sorry,"

The small boy wiped away a tear, still a tad emotional, "I... I know you care," he admitted. Mike was probably the closest person Will had in his life right now, and honestly that was a sad sentiment, "It's just... I get scared when people get angry; my dad..."

"I get it, it's okay. Take your time. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." Mike nodded, his gaze filled with understanding, though a little anger and resentment went to Will's father; he knew who his next victim was...

"I appreciate that, I really do." Will took a shaky breath, his heartbeat calming.

"Since you like me... and I obviously like you too." Mike said with a smile tugging his lips, "How about we take things slow? We don't have to jump into marriage or anything like that. We could try dating and see where it goes. No pressure." he paused for a moment, "Only if you want to that is." he clarified.

Will's lips twitched into a hesitant smile, was he really liking the man who kidnapped him? Possibly, but weirdly he didn't care, "Dating sounds... nice."

Mike smile brightened, "Yeah? Don't worry though, no grand gestures, no proposals, just getting to know each other,"

The small boy's smile grew a little more genuine as his arms went around Mike this time, "I think I'd like that!"

Startled by the sudden hug, the ravenette gave a little squeeze, "I am really sorry again for how I acted, and I promise I'll do my best to be patient and understanding."

A few seconds later, the pair finally let go of one another, both with tentative smiles, mirroring the others expression. Will felt a glimmer of hope.

"Will," Mike began softly, his eyes locking onto the brunette's, "I want you to know that you can say 'no' to dating at any time, and if you wanna keep dating but there is something you don't like, please tell me."

"Thanks Mike, it means a lot." the brunette appreciated the consideration. "Oh..." he immediately realised, lifting his hand up to wiggle the ring off his finger, but Mike stopped him, brushing his hand over the skin in a soothing motion.

"Wait, Mike, I..." the small boy's heart skipped a beat, his voice trailing off at the ravenette's expression.

"No, Will." the tall boy interrupted gently, a soft smile on his lips, "I want you to keep it."

"But..." the brunette protested.

"Please? I want you to have it; a gift from me and plus it suits you,"

Will's breath caught in his throat as he met Mike's gaze; the sincerity in his eyes unmistakable. He was torn between his own fears and the warmth emitting from the ravenette; almost melting under his touch.

"You really think it suits me?" Will questioned, his voice barely above a whisper,

A soft smile tugged at the corner of Mike's lips, "Yeah, I do. It compliments your eyes."

The brunette's heart skipped a beat, feeling a mixture of vulnerability and a growing connection. He looked at the ring then back at Mike, a clumsy smile forming on his own lips. "Okay, I'll keep it!"

Without any response, Mike closed the distance between them, but instead of a peck on the lips, the ravenette's lips brushed against Will's forehead in a soft, lingering kiss. It was a gesture that meant more than any kiss on the lips could; it was reassuring, affectionate and understanding.

"Take your time Will." the tall boy whispered against his forehead, his breath warm against the brunette's skin, "I'll be here for you,"

And then, as quietly as he had come, Mike pulled away, leaving the kitchen and the brunette to head back to the living room where El was waiting,

A euphoric sense of heat rushed through Will, a heat emitting from his every pore and spreading to his chest; What the Hell just happened? 

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3527 Words

Stay Safe <3