WILL POV-

The kiss was soft and tender; different to what Will had received in the past, filled with longing and release. It was a culmination of months of repressed emotions and breaking free from his past... or so he hoped. The brunette poured his whole heart into the kiss, hoping he could try love again.

As their lips parted, they found themselves gazing into each other's eyes: a mix of surprise and glee. The room suspended in time, almost as though it was holding its breath for the pair; the moment captured as a picturesque moment.

A small smile tugged on Mike's lips, his expression bright; if he was able to say anything he would. He was shocked, surprised by what just happened.

"Mike? I... I need to be honest with you!" Will began, his voice filled with vulnerability, "When you confessed to me the other day; I was scared... I had this really bad boyfriend a few years back, and I didn't want that to happen again!" He said as much as he could without going into detail of his ex, or the other reason he couldn't accept...

"I- I didn't know! I'm so sorry- if I knew I-" The tall boy listened intently; his eyes filled with understanding and concern.

"I think... I want this!" The brunette cut off, his voice gaining strength, "I want to give us a chance... when I was in the hospital, I met my friend, and he reminded me of all my hopes and dreams for college and... I- I still want that!"

"I understand your fears, and I appreciate your honesty," The ravenette replied, a smile forming as he interlocked a singular pinkie with Will, "I want you to know I'm here for you, and I'll do anything to make you happy. We can take it slow; at your own pace and if you feel uncomfortable or scared at any time, just let me know so we can resolve it together!"

The brunette nodded, a wave of relief washing over him. It was a small step forward, but an important one. He knew that healing from his past would take time, but having the boy who's loved him for over two years gave him hope. And with those words, Will leaned in again, planting a small peck on the ravenette's cheek; a pinkie promise kiss.

"Thank you Mike..." Will whispered filling with gratitude. Gently resting his head back on the ravenette's shoulder, placing the earplugs back in both their ears, closing his eyes; the small boy drifted off, a peaceful sleep he yearned for a long time.

---- Friday 6:32 PM ----

As the next day rolled around, Mike and Will walked side by side; after watching a movie in the cinema, their fingers caressing one another threatening to interlock as they approached Scoops Ahoy. The sweet aromas filling the air; Will would come here almost every day, but today was different. The smell sweeter, and the neon lights seemed brighter as the 80's nostalgia popped, bringing a smile to his face, never able to soak in its ambiance.

As they waited in line to order, they heard the playful melody from the speakers, they finally reached the front spotting Robin manning the counter. "Hey Will! Hey... Mike?" she stretched her words hoping she got the right name.

The ravenette raised a hand to the air, a smile on his face, "Hey Robin!"

Will returned a smile, ordering their frozen treats but his expression carried a hint of concern. "Hey Robin... can we talk for a bit? Maybe in the store-room?" He suggested, "I need to discuss something with you, Steve and Erica."

The blue-eyed girl furrowed her brows curiously, but she nodded. "Sure, lets head back when I finish with these customers."

The brunette sat down at one of the booths with Mike by his side; excitedly, they engaged in chit-chat. The ravenette had the biggest grin he could ever have on his face, waiting for their ice-creams.

After a few minutes Robin walked over, placing a banana-split and waffle on the table, tapping Will on the shoulder, "Let's go!" she chirped.

The brunette fumbled in his seat, looking at the taller boy, "I'm soo sorry Mike, I'll be back in like two minutes!" the brunette pleaded

"Oh... it's fine, take your time!" Mike smiled

Robin led Will behind the counter, the customers dawdling as the rush hour ceased. Erica and Steve sat in the back of the store, discussing the next heist they were planning; a woman stealing from a well-respected charity, swindling money from thousands, but the brunette closed the door behind him, taking a deep breath.

"Oh, hey Will!" The youthful girl smiled as Steve raised a hand to wave.

"Will needs to tell us something..." Robin announced

"Oh, okay!" The funky boy crossed his arms showing utmost attention.

The brunette prepared to speak, his voice steady but with a hint of apprehension. "I've been thinking a lot, and I've come to a decision... I want to take a break from catching bad guys..." His breathing sharp, afraid of the reaction, keeping his gaze fixed to the floor.

Steve, Erica and Robin exchanged surprised glances, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. The blue-eyed girl spoke first, "I don't get it... Are you sure about this? We've been working together ever since day one to get rid of these vile people... is everything alright?"

The brunette nodded, his eyes meeting theirs, "Yeah, I'm sure. It's not that I don't care about making the world better but... I want to be a normal teenager for a while!"

Erica crossed her arms, her tone laced with scepticism, "So, what? You're just gonna quit? We're a team, you can't quit!" she wasn't angry or annoyed, she just wanted to know the real truth behind the situation.

Will shook his head, understanding their concerns. "I'm not quitting. I'm just taking a little break; I would never abandon you guys" He spoke firm sighing, "I just want to learn to be myself for a while..."

Steve, who had been abnormally quiet, finally spoke up. "Okay. We respect your decision. It's important to prioritise your mental health. We'll continue fighting, and if you ever feel ready to join us again, we'll always be here!"

The brunette squealed with gratitude. "Thank you guys. It means a lot to me. I'm not disappearing completely... I'll still be visiting frequently."

The room fell into silence, taking in the words that filled the air. They were a team, and their bond would always stay strong. The youthful girl broke the void uncrossing her arms, to smack her lips, "Fine, we'll let you have a break. But don't think we won't bug you every now and then."

"I didn't expect anything less!" Will chuckled, a sense of relief washing over him.

"So, what are you gonna do with all your free time?" Robin joked, a bright smile on her face as she leaned on the counter.

The brunette nervously giggled, a shy smile tugging his lips as he looked pass the sliding window toward where he left the ravenette. Immediately the blue-eyed girl caught on, smirking, "Oh, I see, Mike!" watching Will's cheeks turn a shade of crimson.

Steve stood up from his seat patting the brunette on the back; mischievously grinning, "Finally Byers! We were wondering if your only boyfriend was your baseball bat... no pun intended!"

"STEVE!" Will's eyes widened, realising the double meaning.

"What? I'm happy for you! It's like my son is all grown up!" The funky boy dramatically shed a tear

Erica playfully nudged the brunette's side with her elbow. "Yeah! How did you know the perfect guy was your roommate? This is a whole ass Romcom!" she excitedly chuckled.

Robin smirked leaning against the wall, "You owe us big time! We expect a full report!"

"As much as I would love to, I am busy... I am on a date right now!" The brunette casually joked

The group stood frozen, "YOU'RE ON YOUR DATE RIGHT NOW?" The trio shouted in unison, exchanging looks with various states of shock.

"So why the Hell are you here then?" Erica placed a hand on her hips

"To tell you I was taking a break!" Will defended.

"You absolute dingus!" Robin mocked, "You could have done that any time!"

"Go now!" Steve urged. The trio pushed the brunette out the store-room and back to his booth before leaving to watch from afar.

As Will and Mike finally settled into their date, the ambience took an unexpected turn; perhaps it was unwise to bring a date where your friends will be? Steve, Robin and Erica watched from the sliding window, a mischievous grin on their faces, passing a glance with one another. They decided to help the small boy on his date; planning a series of romantic gestures to make the scene more fitting for the occasion.

Steve with a sly smile, skilfully manipulated the parlour's speaker system, changing the usually chirpy, bubbly music to a soft, romantic melody allowing it to fill the air. Will's eyes widened, realising what his friends were up to, while Mike seemed unfazed, his gaze solely fixed on his date.

Robin was next skipping over. She approached the table with a milkshake adorned with little heart candies. With a grin she cooed, "It's on the house..." Playfully winking at the small boy as she poked two straws into the drink. "For the lovebirds!"

Will's cheeks flushed with a mix of amusement and embarrassment; he swore never to tell his friends anything about his love life ever again. "You're really going all out, aren't you?" The brunette grit through his teeth.

"No need to thank me dingus!" The blue-eyed girl casually uttered, attempting to stifle her laugh before rushing behind the counter.

Erica however took a different approach, discreetly texting Will under the table to offer unsolicited advice on how to flirt with Mike. The brunette sighed, the vibrations of notifications making him squirm. He looked over, sending death threats to the youthful girl, but this did nothing to deter her overwhelming texts.

But this wasn't the worst of it as Robin plied them with an assortment of different romantic or valentine themed desserts: even though they were nowhere near that holiday. Steve passed the table, serenading them with a rendition of 'Kiss The Girl' from The Little Mermaid... it was absolutely mortifying. The brunette placed his head in his hands; this was a horrible date...

As the evening progressed, the brunette found himself torn between laughter and mortification. On one hand, he appreciated his friends' antics to genuinely see him happy, but on the other, he couldn't help feel a little overwhelmed by the attention and public displays of affection.

But amidst everything, Mike remained blissfully unaware; he leaned close to the milkshake taking a little sip, but hesitating, "Aren't we going to be drinking them together?" he asked, turning to Will with genuine adoration in his eyes.

"What?" The small boy mumbled

"There's two straws... don't you want to? You know? Share?" The ravenette asked flustered; this type of sharing only occurs in sappy romcoms and comic books.

"Okay..." the brunette blushed, unable to hide his delight; the small action was something his Ex wouldn't dare of doing with him... Will playfully leaned in, his lips gently touching the straw as they both took a sip. It was a sweet and innocent moment shared between them.

---- 10:32 PM ----

As Will and Mike walked to the dorms from the date, the city lights bathed them in a soft glow. The brunette couldn't shake the lingering sense of self-doubt as he repeatedly stole glances from the ravenette. The playful antics of his friends made the night memorable, but he couldn't help but feel guilty for their over-the-top nature.

But Will shook his head, "Hey Mike?" the brunette spoke soft filling with remorse, "Sorry about my friends... they get carried away sometimes!"

The ravenette turned to face Will, a surprised look morphing into a gentle smile, "No... I liked it. I had an amazing time because you were there... and I was also happy you have such great friends who care about you!"

The brunette felt his anxiety fading as they comfortably walked along the path; each lost in their own thoughts. Mike knew of Will's previous relationship and decided to take things slow, allowing the small boy to set the boundaries. In Will's mind however, the thoughts of one particular question circled around: Should he take Mike's hand?

As they strolled along, their footsteps aligning perfectly, the small boy could feel his thoughts overwhelming him, wanting to grab the ravenette's hand but opposing questions popped in; would Mike even want to hold his hand? Was Mike fine with PDA? His fear held him back as insecurities from his previous relationship casted doubts in him. If he ever held his Ex's hand in public, all Hell would break loose.

The brunette tried to reach-out on multiple occasions but hesitated, withdrawing his hand each time; the conflict even visible to Mike who noticed under the dim streetlamps, but didn't dare to mention it.

Finally, in a moment of pure courage, Will reached out, interlacing fingers with Mike; holding hands firmly, awaiting a reaction. The ravenette looked down at the entwined hands, a mix of surprise and tenderness crossing his features allowing him to squeeze Will's hand gently. His touch conveying positive reinforcement to the small boy without any words needing to be addressed.

Will genuinely smiled, their hands swaying while clasped together... perhaps this relationship would be good for him. 

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2285 Words

Stay Safe <3