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"So, yeah, El needs you, Mike." Will said, "And she always will."
Mike knew better. He was an idiot sometimes, but he knew that Will wasn't talking about El. Will wasn't necessarily lying, but he wasn't saying the full truth.
In truth, Will was the one who made the painting. He was the one saying all of those things.
Mike remembered El's letter: Will is painting a lot, but he won't show me what he's working on. Maybe it is for a girl? I think there is someone he likes.
When he first read those words, he felt hurt, for reasons that he couldn't explain at the time– or maybe just didn't want to admit. But now, after sitting in this van, having time to actually think, and process his breakup with El, he's sure that he's figured out that reason.
The painting that Will made was for someone he likes. He gave that painting to Mike. The painting that Will made was for Mike.
And that felt so... good. It made Mike's heart swell up. All he could think about was one thing; Will.
That's why, when Will turned to face the window, Mike carefully set the painting down and stretched himself across the backseat. He was leaning right over Will and used his free hand to turn Will's face towards him. Before Will could even say anything, Mike pressed his lips against Will's.
As surprised as Will was, he let himself enjoy the kiss for a moment, then pulled away, realizing a very crucial fact.
"Mike... what about El?" Will asked. "You can't just–"
"We broke up." Mike interrupted.
Will's face fell. "What? When? Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me?"
"She broke up with me. It was right after the rink-o-mania incident. She realized how bad of a boyfriend I am and we both realized it wasn't working out anymore. Our relationship had kind of been over for a while, and that sucks, but we just didn't want to let go because we didn't know what would happen." Mike explained, "I'm fine– well, I am now that I've processed it– and I think me and her are just better as friends. I... I didn't tell you because I didn't really know how."
They sat in awkward silence for a good moment, Mike just hovering over Will, the kiss lingering in the air.
Will swallowed. "Um, why did you, uh..." He averted his eyes from Mike's gaze. "Why did you kiss me?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Because I wanted to." Mike said, "And because I know damn well that painting wasn't from El."
Will looked back up at him, almost terrified. "How– how did you know?"
Mike sighed and sat down, probably tired of supporting himself with just one hand. He didn't return to his seat, he sat practically in Will's seat, completely pressed against him. "El, she, uh... she sent me a letter a few days ago, and she said you were working on a painting." He looked down at his lap, fidgeting with his fingers. "She said you wouldn't show anyone so she assumed it was for someone you... liked. And I– I could be wrong, and the one you gave me was a different painting, but..." He looked back up at Will, "I really don't want to be wrong."
Will couldn't believe it. Mike knew that the painting was for someone he liked. So that meant he knew that Will liked him. But also, Mike said he wasn't sure, yet... he didn't want to be wrong.
"Mike..." Will started, trying to be brave. "You're– you're not wrong."
Mike sighed a sigh of relief. "Thank god." He said, then leaned in again, before suddenly realizing something. "Uh, can I...?"
Will laughed, "Yes." He said, then met Mike halfway.
Jonathan just happened to look up at the rearview mirror at that moment. He couldn't hear anything from the backseat, since the radio was so loud, but he figured he should check on his brothers– Mike was basically his brother with how much time he spent with Will growing up.
Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.
Mike Wheeler was not sitting in his seat. He had moved so that he was completely pressed up against Will, and the two of them were...kissing.
This can't be real, Jonathan thought, I'm just high as fu–
"Holy shit, brochacho." Argyle interrupted his thoughts. "Your brother's got himself a lady back there."
Jonathan wanted to laugh– he didn't realize that he actually was laughing. He had realized that Mike had grown his hair out, but he didn't think that someone who didn't know him would mistake him for a girl.
"Sure, yeah." Jonathan said, not sure if he should correct Argyle. "You see it too?"
Argyle shrugged and turned down the volume of the radio. "Man, I've been told I see stuff, so I don't know."
"What's so funny?" Mike asked.
Jonathan looked back up from the road to look in the rearview mirror. Mike was back in his seat. Had he ever been out of his seat?
"Nothing." Jonathan answered, looking back at the road. He realized he was just hallucinating– should he even be allowed to drive?
"Doesn't sound like nothing." Will replied– Jesus, had he always been so snarky?
"Your lady doesn't sound like nothing." Argyle said.
This time, it was Will and Mike's turn to burst into laughter.
"I– I don't–know–what–you're–talking a–about." Will said between laughs.
"Yeah, it's just us back here." Mike added, trying very hard not to laugh.
Argyle gasped. "Ah, cooooool, we got some gayyyyys back there."
"What?!" Mike and Will asked at the same time.
"You guys were kissin'! I saw in the...the thing." Argyle pointed to the mirror.
"That's crazy." Mike said.
"Yeah, you guys really need to stop with that Purple Palm Tree stuff." Will agreed.
That shut up Jonathan and Argyle for a while.
Later on, they stopped at a gas station for gas and snacks. Jonathan had gone into the store to buy snacks, since he knew what everyone liked, meanwhile Argyle stayed at the pump to put the gas into the van. Mike and Will had decided to stay in the car.
Jonathan grabbed a pack of Reece's Pieces for Will, a KitKat for Mike, and potato chips for himself and Argyle.
After he payed and returned to the pump, he peeked inside the back window, about to open the door to give the snacks to the teenagers, but quickly scrapped that idea when he saw Mike sitting in Will's lap, pressing slow kisses to his neck.
"What the fuck?" Jonathan whispered under his breath, stepping away and leaning against the pump.
"Those two really hit it off." Argyle commented.
"I don't trust Mike." Jonathan said, "I thought he was dating Jane."
Argyle laughed, a little too loudly. "I don't think he's gonna stop until–"
"Dude," Jonathan interrupted. "They're freshmen."
"Ah, shit, my bad brochacho."
Jonathan shrugged and looked around his surroundings. His eyes landed on the screen of the gas pump. "SHIT SHIT SHIT YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH GAS! WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT!"
"SHIT!" Argyle gasped, reaching for the nozzle and pulling it out of the car. He quickly put it back in the pump, then they jumped back in the car.
Jonathan quickly buckled and stepped on the petal, zooming out of the gas station. (Yes, this is illegal, but then again, what have they ever done that was legal?)
"HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK?!" Mike screamed.
"Shut up Michael, you were just kissing my brother, so it's not my fault you're not buckled."
"Number one, NO THE FUCK I WASN'T, and number two, THERE ARE LITERALLY NO SEATBELTS BACK HERE!" Mike argued.
"SERIOUSLY, JONATHAN, WHY ARE YOU DRIVING SO FAST?!" Will asked.
"We couldn't afford the gas. Also, by the way, here are your snacks!" Argyle explained, and tossed the chocolates to the backseat.
Eventually, the day turned to night, but there was no time to stop at a motel. Jonathan looked into the rearview mirror and saw that Will had fallen asleep leaning against Mike, and Mike was already snoring, having one arm around Will.
"Okay, there's no way that they didn't kiss." Jonathan decided.
Argyle nodded, looking as though he could fall asleep at any moment.
Jonathan focused back on the road, but the Will and Mike situation was still bothering him. "I mean, you saw that too, right? And the Purple Palm Tree Delight has to have worn off by now."
"Yeah, totally, broski."
He couldn't believe it. Mike and Will knew eachother since kindergarten. They were best friends since they met! Sure, there were signs that they might end up like this, but wasn't Mike dating Eleven? What happened to that? Did he even want to know?
Whatever happened, Jonathan was happy for them, even if he didn't fully trust Mike. He was glad that Will found someone.
Will woke up cuddling with Mike in the backseat of the Surfer Boys Pizza van. It took him a moment to remember everything that had happened, but he smiled once he did.
"You're so cute." Mike whispered.
Will felt himself blush, then let Mike kiss him.
Later, Jonathan parked the car somewhere in the middle of the desert so that they could stretch their legs. While Jonathan and Argyle took a smoke break, Will and Mike went on a little walk together.
"I can't believe that they actually believed us when we said we weren't kissing." Mike said.
"Good thing they did, or else we would have been caught." Will teased, elbowing Mike in his side. "You're a little too brave."
"Yeah? Well, you're... you're..." Mike struggled to think of a comeback.
Part of the reason he couldn't think could have been the fact that Will kissed his cheek, but he also genuinely had nothing to tease Will about.
"You're too perfect." Mike decided.
Will chuckled, "You're a dork."
"Shut up." Mike said, shutting him up with a kiss.
"I KNEW IT!" Jonathan shouted from where he was leaning against the car. "AND EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS LOSING MY MIND!"