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Mike Wheeler
An oblivious, frustrating, confusing, lovable boy.
Will loved him.
Will hated him.
Will was a mess.
Will was in the back of Argyle’s pizza van in the middle of the desert.
Will was in the back of Argyle’s pizza van in the middle of the desert with Mike.
Will was going to die.
Driving down a dirt road in the middle of Nevada, Will’s hands twitched, and his legs started to bounce.
Will has had a really bad week.
His best friend/love of his life visited him and his sister, arriving on Will’s birthday, and he was ignored the whole time. He third-wheeled and was left lonely at a stupid roller rink. Oh. And then his best friend/love of his life called him a douche , as if he weren’t the one completely dismissing him. His sister was bullied infront of her boyfriend/Will’s best friend/the love of both their lives. She was arrested the next day and taken to a place or person named NINA. There was a shooting in his house, he had to bury a dead man. And now, the absolute worst thing so far this week; Will has to sit thigh-to-thigh in a smelly pizza van next to Mike Fucking Wheeler.
Will was more than tired. Will was a lot more than exhausted.
Will was sitting as close to the window as possible, strictly keeping his eyes on the scenery. Will wished we had brought his watercolors, because the flat land was surprisingly kind of eye-catching. Some minutes later, the sun was out of sight and the sky was getting progressively darker as the moments passed.
Mike and Will hadn’t said a word to each other since Will had gathered the courage to hand his painting to the ravenette. Will hadn’t stopped thinking about it, even if he had stopped crying hours ago.
Thoughts had come and gone continuously for what seemed like eternity. Both of the boys had tuned out the drunken rambling of the older pair infront of them.
It felt like Will had only blinked once and the sky was already filled with visible stars.
Jonathan pulled over into a notably small motel parking lot, and announced that they’d stay there for the night.
“Okay, guys. Let’s rest here for the night.”
Mike, seeming to have just snapped out from a daze, pushed, “What? What about El? We need to find her as soon a possible! Remember?”
Jonathan replied frustrated, but calmly, “I get it, kid, I’m worried about her too, but we need rest too,” and Jon opened his car door, stepping out onto the dusty ground.
Mike sighed, opening his own door and stepping out.
The four went to the main desk and situated two rooms for them to sleep in.
Will went ahead of the rest to the doors outside, leading into the rooms. He glanced at the number on the key, and then began searching for their room.
“B22… B22… Ah! B22!” He mumbled, as Mike began following closely behind.
“Will! We have to share a room! Jonathan just told me!” Mike panted, running up to Will as he was unlocking the door. Will just groaned, cursing his brother for making him share with Mike.
“Will? You okay?” Mike asked innocently.
That earned a scoff. “Yeah, Micheal , I’m great!” Will replied sarcastically.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Yes!” Will snapped, opening the door, walking inside. “Yes! You did!!”
“What did I do?!”
“Where do I even start?!” Will gasped. “You dismissed me, you ignored me, you called me a douche, you made yourself the victim, you didn’t own up to the fact that you never tried to stay in touch with me! And you did that all on my birthday!”
“I-”
“You’ve been acting like we haven’t been best friends for 9 fucking years!”
Will swore. WIll never swears. Mike really messed up.
“ You didn’t call!” Mike defended.
“Yeah, okay, maybe I should’ve tried to stay in touch too, but I was in a whole new state, I was still new! I needed time to get used to it.” Will raised his arms up in the air like he always does during arguments. “I just wanted to talk to my best friend.”
“I called.” Mike said blankly.
“What?”
“I called everyday. But the line was always busy.” Mike started to finally speak. “I tried to write to you. I could never get it right. Like– with El, it’s easy, just a quick catch-up and I’m done– But with you, I wanted the whole letter to be perfect. It never was, and I couldn’t send them.”
Will was utterly speechless.
“I- I brought the letters with me. I was hoping you could read them now.”
Mike reached down to wear he had dropped his bag, and pulled out a stack of maybe 15 or so papers, and handed them to Will.
“I don’t really know why I brought them, I just… did, I guess.” Mike trailed off.
Will took the papers gently and gazed at them, his jaw hanging open.
Mike closed the door and they both moved to sit down on the bed.
Will started to read the first letter.
Dear Will,
You left last week. I really miss you. I don’t know how to describe it. I’ve tried calling you, but your mom’s stupid tele-marketing job hogs up the phone.
I know that all summer I was a jerk to you. I’m really sorry. You were right about me ruining the party and stuff. I guess I’m just scared. Like, we lost our whole childhood, and now we’re expected to grow up. But you especially didn’t get a real childhood with your dad, and then the upside-down. It was really stupid of me to assume you wanted to do “Manly” things like having a girlfriend, and I should have just let you go at your own pace.
I’m so sorry, Will.
Love, Mike.
Will started to tear up. He didn’t know what to say. He flipped to the next page.
Dear Will,
It’s been about 3 weeks since you left, and I don’t really know what to do.
Is it weird that I miss you more than El?
I think so.
Maybe something’s wrong with me.
Maybe it’s just that you’re not here. That’s why I feel weird.
Love, Mike
That one was much shorter than the previous.
Dear Will,
I know what’s wrong with me.
I am a faggot.
I like you.
I miss you like hell, I don’t miss El.
That giddy feeling I had during our campaigns for sleepovers, was because I like you.
The reason I have a different smile I reserve just for you, is because I like you.
The reason why’d I’d rather just spend the rest of my life with you more than anyone else.
It’s all because I like you.
I’m disgusting. I like my best friend.
But when I think about liking you it feels so right.
I’m sorry.
Love, Mike
At this point Will was gushing tears, and water was streaming down his cheeks endlessly. Will could barely believe that his best friend/love of his life liked him back. Honestly, he wouldn’t have believed it if it weren’t for Mike sitting right next to him, studying his reaction with the same watery-expression on his own face.
“Don’t be sorry for that.” Will said, responding to the letter. “I– god– I like you too.”
They both broke out into smiles, and Will looked back down to continue reading.
Will read most of the other letters, smiling and tearily chuckling at the memories that Mike had recorded on the pages. Some of the letters were sadder than others, and after reading those, Will would look up at Mike, frowning, mumbling something in response.
After reading all of the letters, Will set them down, and just hugged Mike.
He wrapped his arms around the lanky boy and just cried. They both did. Mike let out a sob and hesitantly hooked his arms around Will.
They sat there for a couple minutes, Will stroking Mike’s hair, breathing in his scent, before Mike pulled back.
“I love you so much, Mike,” Will said, smiling, crying, and with hesitation.
“I love you too, Will,” Mike said with just as much passion.
They both leaned in and connected their lips in a soft, tender kiss.
Their lips overlapped and fit together perfectly.
The feeling in Will wasn’t like how the books he read described it. It felt like you just finished a school project that took weeks, or like fitting the last piece of a puzzle together, or like rolling a d20. It felt like that same feeling of accomplishment, or relief, or content, like after so long, it all is just right.
You know, the day started with Will despising Mike, but now he’s kissing him.
Will chuckled at the thought.
Mike pulled away, still smiling, “What?”
“Oh nothing!” Will replied with a huge grin.
And for the first time, Will looked around the motel room.
And that’s when it hit him;
There’s only one bed.
“Oh shit!” Will gasped, “This is the only bed!”
“Oh, whoops.” Mike turned to look around, plastering a knowing grin on his face, “I guess there’s only one solution then.”
“Oh yeah.” Will nodded, “I guess you’re sleeping on the floor.”
Will lightly pushed Mike off the bed, “Wait! No! Not what I was thinking!!” Mike protested.
“I’m kidding! Get over here!” Will joked, undoing the covers to get into bed.
The two snuggled up in the bed, Will’s head resting on Mike’s chest, and their arms completely enveloping each other.
Yeah, okay. Maybe Will doesn’t
hate
Mike Wheeler.