WILL POV-

---- Saturday 1:51 PM ----

Will was ready for his 'anniversary date' wearing a flannel hoodie atop of a white t-shirt, and black jeans. He smiled waiting at the bench in the centre of town square; sitting down crossing his legs scanning the people that passed but disturbed by his phone dinging in his pocket alerting him to the text message sent from Max telling him to enjoy his 'date'.

He rolled his eyes, slightly chuckling under his breath. Max always has been Will's number one supporter urging him to get a boyfriend so she and El could double date with him. Seeing the familiar ravenette in front of him he stood up following him to his car, but it was different than normal, the car was bigger with a black coating surrounding it appearing straight out of a magazine. He stepped inside not yet exchanging any words except for a small greeting, Will felt a strange feeling

"Umm, did you steal someone's car?" Will joked attempting to release the awkwardness inside him.

"My mum wanted this to be a special day, so she gave me her car to use" Mike answered

"It's surprising cause she never lets anyone use her car" He rolled his eyes

"I must be really special then, huh?" Will smiled sarcastically patting himself on the back

"For some reason she really likes you" Mike threw his hands in the air

"Haha! Who wouldn't" Will chuckled

Will shuffled in his seat; a small smile on his face struggling with the seatbelt. The ravenette averted his gaze away, clicking his own buckle turning the key in the ignition, driving far from Hawkins passing the graffitied welcome sign to the countryside as Will gandered out the window confused, scrunching his face

"Where are we going?" Will mustered the courage to ask at last

"That's a secret! Aren't anniversary dates supposed to be a secret?" He joked

Will shrugged his shoulders holding both hands in the air "I have no clue. I've never been on a date before, remember?"

"Oh Yeah... I forgot" Mike chuckled under his breath,

Will retaliated "Are you laughing at me?" crossing both arms across his chest

"Maybe I am" The taller boy smugly smirked

"Hmph" Slumping his seat staring out the window again, Will pouted. Their destination grew close, already having driven for over thirty minutes, Will scrunched his face confused as Mike swerved his car into the parking lot.

"A farm?" Will furrowed his eyebrows reading the sign towering over them

"Haha! You'll see" Mike carefully parked on the dirt track taking the keys out, opening the door. Will did the same, following Mikes every move advancing to the front desk scanning the area being handed a bucket walking through the trail

"Strawberry Picking?" Will blurted

"Happy anniversary!!" Mike cheerfully grinned, waving his arms about. A smile crept onto his face blushing ear to ear always wanting to go strawberry picking, but his father always thought it was a 'girl activity', Will shook his head not thinking about his father at this point in time rather surveying the farm noticing that only couples and families surround them

"Let's go before all the good ones are gone!" The smaller boy joked interlocking arms with the ravenette, stumbling from the sudden movements; being dragged to the vines. Will let go examining the best berries placing them in the basket analysing each of them like his life depended on it, Mike kept his eyes on Will and Will alone, seeing the enthusiasm of the smaller boy he felt certain feelings inside of him, a way that filled his body to its full. And his mother said that he was no good at planning a date

Will tilted his head up to face Mike "How's this one?" Smiling bright holding an abnormally large berry into the air

"Cute" Mike blurted

"What?" Will asked

"Cool, I said cool" the ravenette awkwardly chuckled, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness. Will nodded turning his head back squinting with total concentration staying close to Mike picking the best berries throwing them in the basket instructing Mike to pick the ones from the tallest vines

---- 5:43 PM ----

His legs pained and after multiple hours of strawberry picking he needed to sit down.

"Can we sit down now?" Will whined wiping sweat off his forehead as the wig made his head itch.

"Okay! I know the best place to sit" The ravenette threw a finger in the air, grabbing the hand of the smaller boy dragging him to a secluded area of the farm through the bushes, Will stumbled; picking himself up dusting off his knees continuing the secret path shoving foliage out their way revealing a picnic blanket atop of a clearing, the grass was short overlooking a quaint lake that stretched over a fair distance making trees on the other side barely visible.

"Ta-da!" Mike excitedly cheered sitting the chestnut-haired boy down on the comforting red blanket

"Woah! This is amazing" The younger boy's eyes widened swaying side to side, analysing the view perfect for a painting; soaking in the scenery that surrounded him knowing he may not get a chance like this again; he smiled tenderly. Mike popped up from his seat abruptly

"Where are you going?" Will tugged the shirt of the taller male

"I'll be right back" Was all he said before vanishing back through the bushes. The hazel eyed boy felt all alone in that moment, a gnawing feeling encroached while absorbing the nature surrounding him, he didn't move in fear of getting lost or hurt, sitting stationary waiting for Mike

---- 5:58 PM ----

Will glanced as his watch again, honestly, he was feeling a slight perturbed loving the scenery but hated being by himself in a foreign area, it filled him with unease. He fidgeted with his fingers shuffling attempting to find the optimum position. Disturbed by rustling from the bushes, he heightened his guard; still affected by the random attacker in the park the other day, the noise approached closer. Will clenched the bucket close to his chest prepared to throw.

"Did you miss me?" Mike smiled holding two cones of ice-cream in his hands, one vanilla the other strawberry

"Why did you take so long?" Will huffed pouting, placing the bucket back down waiting for an answer

"I was getting ice-cream" Mike shrugged handing the strawberry cone to Will

"Oh, thank you!" He smiled bright accepting the ice-cream with open arms, messily licking the strawberry as the ravenette flopped to his side, both cross-legged, knees touching not daring to speak out of shyness, Mike grabbed a tissue from his pocket using it to wipe the excess ice-cream around the younger boy's mouth.

"So why did you get vanilla?" Will blushed bashfully grinning

"Oh umm... I don't like sweet things" He explained

"But strawberries are sweet" the chestnut-haired boy responded

"Yeah, I don't really like them either" Mike deadpaned

"...But we're on a strawberry farm?" Will squinted his eyes confused by the tall male proceeding to only answer by shrugging at him

The pair continue eating the ice-creams. Mike laying his body down on the blanket as Will watched him debating to do the same, eating the wafer of the cone. Swallowing it down damping his mouth with the tissue, Mike chuckled just admiring the boy

"Let's look at the clouds" Mike stated, grabbing Will's arm pulling him down to his side now staring up at the clouds in the sky, their heads only inches apart feeling Mike's raven locks tickle the cheek of the younger boy.

"You remember when we were talking the other day?" Mike started in a soft tone

"We talk about a lot of things Mike" Will chuckled

"The one about dating someone" Mike said

"Umm yeah?" The chestnut-haired boy stretched his words, happy to help Mike if need be

"I think- I think I've found them. The person I want to date" Mike proclaimed

"Well, that sounds awesome... Why the sudden change of heart?" Will furrowed his brows

"After talking the other day, I realised you were right" Mike admitted

"I told you" Will confidently replying

"It's weird because I've never felt like this no matter how many people I've been set up with" Mike grinned against his words

"They must be special, huh?" Will retorted

"Yeah... really special. Even my mother approves and she's like the most judgmental woman on Earth" He chuckled under his breath. The answer gave a strange taste to Will feeling an uneasy gut feeling about the outcome of this conversation

"But it's funny because the person I like is someone who I wouldn't have even approached under normal circumstances, maybe it's because they dress like they are part of a cult or because they seem scary. But actually, they are really harmless, more like a cuddly teddy" Mike spoke clearing his voice at a steady volume unwavering,

"Why do you even like this person?" Will questioned with a sombre tone

"Honestly, they are so amazing even if they are a bit crazy; I mean the first time I met them, he literally ran away screaming. But since then, I've learned that he is also sensitive and contentious and all that was just a mask for who he really was because he wanted to protect a friend. Which I guess is also a positive, he's so loyal especially to the people he cares about and that's why I like him" Mike continued. Will knowing exactly who the ravenette was talking about, it was obvious, but he couldn't fall for Mike, not his teacher

"And what if he is still putting on a front?"

"I trust him. I don't think he would do that" Mike announced,

"Trust?" Will mumbled staring off into the sky, tears threatening to fall

...

...

"Will?" Mike questioned nudging the shoulder of the smaller boy

"Yeah?" He replied quietly

"What do you think?" He questioned tilting his head

"About?" The hazel eyed boy questioned

"Do you think I should ask him out?" Mike inquired

"I- I don't know" Will sighed

"I thought you said you'd give me advice?" Mike joked, leaving Will speechless

"Well, I guess I'm a liar" Will chuckled sitting up feeling the blood rush to his head making him feel woozy

"I didn't mean it like that" Mike answered

"I know" Will plainly replied, painting a small frown on his face remaining silent for a while, bringing his knees to his chest staring into the distance. Mike noticed, sitting up stretching his arm tucking a tuft of Will's hair behind his ear. Causing the boy to turn his head, eyes widening. Mike retracted remaining tight lipped as his figure locked sitting up straight

"What are you doing?" Will flinched feeling the bright blush on his face, shuffling to copy the ravenette's posture

"Oh umm... You had leaves in your hair" He stuttered finding an excuse, Mike felt himself lost in thought, he needed to do it now, the adrenaline was filling him, he needed to confess, or he'd never say what he wanted to

"Will... I want to date you, like for real, not just pretend" Mike blurted, ripping off the Band-Aid. Hearing this confirmed Will's gut feeling, trying to push the thoughts down digging his nails to his skin, needing to let him down one way or another but the thought of breaking his heart crushed Will, would he be so ruthless after the ravenette had planned this whole day for him.

"But... You barely even know me" he replied

"Exactly! I want to learn more about you" Mike eyes widened appearing hopeful

"Listen to me Mike! I do really like you, but I'm not this person you put me up to be" Will reasoned

"Maybe that's true, but I know I've never felt this way about anyone before, could we try dating like a real couple like going on real dates?" Mike spoke inching closer to Will, seeing him open his mouth to give an answer

"I'm not expecting you to become my boyfriend... I'm just asking for you to give me a chance" He added speaking slower than usual

"A chance?" Will furrowed his brows not knowing what Mike meant in this context

"Only 3 dates and I won't bring it up again" Mike proposed, placing a hand on Will's.

"And If you don't want to date me by the end of it and it's too awkward for you; I'll find someone else to fake date me" He added.

Will thought about the proposal, he did somewhat like Mike, well he thought he was attractive and thoughtful at the very least, but wouldn't call it a crush, he was always worried about Mike finding out his true self. But especially dating him? Would he always pretend to be Will Woodland? Lost in thought rocking back and forth.

"Okay" Will replied feeling bad for the taller boy, seeing no other way to navigate this deal and this way it would ensure only be three more dates between the two, then Mike would find someone else to date.

"Really?" Mikes eyes lit up

"Yeah, really. But don't get too excited, I haven't planned on being your real boyfriend yet"

"Haha! I'll make sure that you will say yes" Mike joked jumping up from the picnic blanket, holding a hand up to Will urging him to accept it, "If we don't go now, we'll miss our dinner reservations" he sternly said

"There's more?" Will raised his voice in surprise accepting the fair hand of the ravenette, Will chuckled bringing the basket of berries with him before it gently being snatched from his hands

"My mum would die if she heard I let my date carry such a heavy bag" He simply said dragging the smaller boy to the exit

"Heavy? Are you calling me weak? I could beat your ass" Will retaliated still being dragged through the bushes, analysing the aesthetics of the whole farm one last time before he left

"Try all you like" Mike rolled his eyes walking past the front desk to the parking lot, opening the door of the car prompting the smaller boy to get in, Will blushed entering the passenger's seat shutting the door. Time slowed; Will heard his heartbeat faster than ever, he couldn't keep lying to Mike especially when Mike was treating him like a prince. He didn't deserve it. Slumping in his seat digging his nails into his hand, hard enough to leave a mark in his porcelain skin; frowning, eyes fastened to the ceiling taking a deep breath

"Will? WILL!" Mike grabbed his shoulder shaking him around snapping back to reality

"Umm sorry" He apologised

"Are you okay?" the ravenette questioned with concern

"Yeah, yeah! I was just thinking of how great of a date this is" Will lied through his teeth about his thoughts, although the date was amazing Will felt extremely guilty, worried of it showing on his face

"It's not over yet remember!" Mike winked, face inches apart, Will jumped back in no way could he fall for Mike, he needed to resist it. No matter the cost; anyone else but not Mike; not his teacher. Only nodding to the statement eating a berry to cover his cheeks as the raven-haired boy jingled the keys into the ignition, turning and exiting the parking lot elated.

"Can I have a strawberry?" Mike blurted to Will

"I thought you didn't like it?" Will furrowed his brows

"Well, if my future boyfriend likes it, I should at least try to like it" That sentence was enough to make Will swoon, no one had ever said anything romantic to him before

"Oh, umm sure" Will replied in a quiet manner, still racing through his own thoughts, he knew that he couldn't tell Mike who he really was and removing the wig would obviously blow his cover. Shaking his head holding a strawberry close to the ravenette's pink lips complimenting the pale skin of the taller boy, Will stared at them placing the berry on his tongue. Will flushed seeing it, 'Shit, shit, dirty thoughts' he said in his mind trying to divert his attention away, but it captivated him.

"Thanks" Mike smiled, the setting sun creating an ethereal glow onto the ravenette appearing like some sort of angelic figure, shuffling in his seat Will glanced out the window seeing the Hawkins sign come into view. Remaining silent allowed him to be alone with his thoughts periodically leading a berry to his mouth until they stopped at one restaurant. Will looked down at the watch adorned on his wrist- '7:17' Have they really been in the car for that long? He questioned himself opening the door almost stumbling out,

"Shit" He cursed under his breath

"You okay?" Mike asked, rushing over ensuring Will was able to walk

"Yeah, just sitting in the car for too long" He answered collecting his bearings

"Okay" Mike chuckled

"Let's go in" 

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2833 Words

Stay Safe <3