Byler- The Unwanted Return of Everything (And How It Finally Ends)

Matchbreaker

"Sounds like a plan," Brad growled.

The three boys said their goodbyes to the group and left, leaving the world saving plans for tomorrow.

Mike walked to the driver's side, pausing when he saw Brad try the passenger side door. "Ah, Will gets shotgun, sorry. Kind of a tradition."

Brad grumbled, climbing into the back of the car. Will shot Mike a look when he got in across from him. What are you doing? Mike pretended not to notice.

He backed the car out of the driveway, continuing to talk. "God, I hope you two didn't have plans tonight. I wouldn't want to be interrupting anything." When he didn't get a reaction he sighed. "So, how'd you two even meet?"

Will exhaled, calm. Maybe Mike really was just trying to make peace with Brad. "A post-football game party, actually. I went because I had nothing better to do that night and I'd never attended a single college party all of my freshman year, so I had to squeeze one in right at the end."

Brad continued the story, from his point of view. "I saw him standing in a corner with this cup of punch, and I thought he was the most beautiful thing in the world— You can bet I was surprised when the alcohol wore off. My own fucking roommate."

Will laughed. "Shut up!" He nudged Mike. "He wasn't even drunk."

Brad shook his head. "I was black-out drunk, Will, believe me. I don't think I woulda thought to talk to you otherwise." Ah, part of the story Will must've forgotten.

"Were you really?" he asked, the thought of it only hurt a little.

"I was," Brad said, almost proud. "Anyway, Mike, I saw him. And, you know, I like to set little challenges for myself, competitive nature and all. So that night's challenge was 'kiss that lonely boy leaning by the wall.' It wasn't all that hard."

Will gasped. "Nuh-uh. I was totally playing hard to get."

"Bullshit. Never had an easier time winning someone over. You're a walk in the park, Byers."

Will noticed Mike's knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel. He looked slightly angry at something. "Well, what a fun story."

Brad nodded. "You got any lovers, Mike?"

Mike nodded back, slowly. "Uh... yeah. Tons, actually. Past ones. Not. Currently. I'm... on the market." Will sighed. It made him relieved that Mike was off at college dating so many people. It gave him reason to think ' hey, you can't like that guy!'

Brad looked almost suspicious. A look he had a lot around Mike. "And... are you into girls, then?"

Mike sighed, closing his eyes for only a second. "Uhh... no, actually. I like guys. Surprise."

Will could've exploded right then and there. Mike liked guys and Will had never taken a chance with him? It almost made him angry. "You like guys?" He nearly yelled it.

Mike smiled. "Yeah, never actually told anyone that, but I do. Figured you two weren't ones to judge." Will wanted to rip this boy from limb to limb. He had gone through his entire high school life thinking Mike would hate him if he knew Will liked boys. And now he does too? It was too perfect.

Mike had actually only worked it out in the last thirty minutes. He was proud of himself, really, but it was all so much. At least everything finally made sense, for the most part. Why Mike was so unexplainably mad at Brad. Why he'd never really loved a girl like he should. Why he was always looking at Will. Why Will seemed like he was so much more than a best friend to him. Mike hadn't even considered homosexuality, but now that he did, everything was starting to make a little bit of sense.

The story was this: He was in love with Will. He had been for the longest time. The way he talked, his clothes, his god-awful haircut, his eyes, his drawings, his lips, his D&D character, his smirks, the way he held his wrist when standing casually. All of it. Mike loved every single bit of it. Mike couldn't believe he was only realizing this now. It seemed so obvious.

The bad thing about realizing he was in love with Will was that Will was dating no-good-jockey-bitch-Brad. And Mike really didn't like Brad. Even in the car when he was obscurely degrading Will's entire existence. Mike was so mad at the guy, and he could tell it was bothering Will too. The comment about Brad being drunk during his first meeting with Will had left the boy frowning and looking down at his feet for the remainder of the ride. And Brad didn't even notice what he'd done. Mike had to try his best not to speed, an angry habit. He couldn't kill anyone right now.

He wondered if there was a way he could strategically crash the car that would only kill Brad...

Mike had made his plan in the last thirty minutes too. It wasn't a very structured one, so he was playing it by ear, but the main goal was to essentially end Will and Brad's relationship somehow.

When Brad said he booked a motel room for himself and Will, Mike had figured it was the perfect opportunity. He wasn't exactly lying when he said he was in a bad spot with his parents. He truthfully didn't want to see them because he didn't want to talk about college. Plus, he was still mad at them for making him go to Harvard. It was ruining his life. So saying they weren't in a good spot wasn't lying. It was stating the truth in a way you wouldn't usually put it.

And now he was going to share a room with Will and Brad. He thought it was sort of amusing, acting as a barrier between the two. Preventing them from being all alone in a motel room together (the idea made Mike gag). He could tell Brad hated him. The feeling was mutual, but the guy's glares made him want to laugh. The best he could do was give an annoying smile. Something like I'm gonna destroy you, Brad. And you can't do anything about it.

When they got to the motel, Mike followed Will and Brad to the check-in desk. Brad had swiftly taken Will's arm and dragged him along before Mike could even talk to him. He stared back at Mike with a smile of his own. I'm just playing your game.

Mike huffed and followed the two inside, listening to the bell on the door ring as Brad aggressively pushed through it, not thinking to hold the door open for Mike. Perhaps it was on purpose.

Brad walked up to the table, where a lady waited for him to speak. "Hi. I have a room booked under the name Brad Hemmingway."

The lady looked through something. "Yeah, I've got you here. One bed?"

"That's the one." Brad sighed. "You think I could take a two-bed room instead? I have... unexpected company." He looked back at Mike, making sure he knew he was who that was referring to.

The lady looked at something else and wrote a couple of words down. "Yeah. Yeah, we can do that. Two beds are more expensive, of course."

"I know."

"Great, here's your key." The lady handed Brad a key from under the desk. "Enjoy your stay in Hawkins!"

The room was fairly sized. The beds were neatly made and comfortable looking. Pretty good quality for a cheap motel. Mike walked over to the bed closest to the window and threw his bag onto it before jumping onto it himself. It was very soft. He could lay there forever.

Mike followed Will with his eyes as he put his bags on the side of his own bed closest to Mike's. Brad walked up behind him with a disapproving look.

"Hey, can I have this side?"

Will raised an eyebrow. "Oh, well, I usually take this side of the bed, so I thought-"

"Yeah, I know. I just want this side tonight, okay? I like being closer to the window in hotel rooms. I told you that when we were in Washington, remember?" Brad, it seemed, was pretty good at making shit up on the spot too. But to Mike, it was an obvious lie. Brad was trying to keep Will as far away from Mike as possible.

Will looked like he was going to argue against Brad's preferred sleeping arrangements, but sighed and moved his stuff to the other side of the bed. He climbed over and plopped down on the white blanket.

Brad fluffed out the pillows on his side of the bed. "Thanks, babe. You're the best."

"Yeah," Will sighed. "No problem."