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

The First Vision

Mike had gone out to grab something from his car, leaving Will and Brad alone in the motel room for a couple of minutes.

Will was just staring out at the wall across from him. It was tan-colored, slightly stained with something, but that was expected of a motel like this. He almost didn't notice when Brad scooted up next to him, bringing his arm around Will's shoulder.

"Hey," he said quietly. "You doing alright? You seem quiet."

Will closed his eyes. He was slightly bothered over the drunk thing still, although it probably wasn't a big deal. "I'm just... thinking about something."

Brad raised an eyebrow. "Thinking about what? Did I do something?" He did do something.

"I just..." Will tried to find a way to say it. "Were you really that drunk when we were at that party?"

Brad laughed. "You're seriously upset about that? Babe, it was, like, a year ago. It doesn't matter."

It did still matter. "Just answer my question. Please."

"Why are you so stuck on it? Is it really that important?" Brad rubbed Will's arm, perhaps trying to distract him.

"I just don't like to think that you wouldn't have even talked to me if you weren't completely intoxicated." Was their entire relationship really built off of that? Maybe Brad was right. Why did it matter?

Brad shook his head. "I didn't say that."

"You did."

He squeezed Will's arm now. "Well, if I did, you know it's not what I meant, obviously. Maybe I was just playing it up to entertain your friend, huh?"

Will sighed. Right. Worked up about nothing. "Yeah. I guess. Sorry I got upset."

Brad relaxed. "You're fine." He turned Will's head towards him. "You can make it up with a kiss, how about that?"

And so Will kissed him. He'd always had the feeling that Brad enjoyed kissing Will a lot more than Will enjoyed kissing Brad. Will didn't enjoy it as much as he needed it every so often. Brad sure got a kick out of it, though. His favorite hobbies included football and kissing people. Not Will in particular, probably, but Will liked to think that at least someone enjoyed kissing him. Being old made you want that kind of stuff, which was weird.

Brad finally pulled away, keeping Will's chin in his hands. "You love me, right?"

Sometimes Will doubted it, but he scolded himself for doing so. Of course he loved his boyfriend. "Mhm."

Brad tilted his head expectantly. "Can you say it, then? You never say it. You just agree to it."

The request caught Will slightly off guard. The phrase had always been hard to say to Brad without it feeling wrong for some reason. It wasn't like Will loved anyone else. It'd be selfish of him not to love Brad. And useless.

"Can you say it?" Brad said again, quieter, but somehow more commanding.

Will exhaled. What was he waiting for? It was just words. Words rarely meant anything anyway.

"Will, are you listening to me?"

It wasn't that deep. "Yeah. Sorry." Will couldn't help but tense his hands as he spoke. "I... I love-

Mike! You're finally back!" Will pulled away from Brad, somewhat self-conscious about Mike seeing them that close to each other.

Mike waved. "Yeah, sorry. I called my... friend back at Harvard. He needed some homework help. You know the drill. Did I miss anything?"