Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Michael, I don't want to go out." Jeremy repeated.

"Jeremy, you're the one who promised Jake we would go. Come on, it's only gonna be for an hour or two. Then we can come home and do whatever." Michael huffed from the doorway.

Jermey was starting to get on his nerves. Jermey had been talking up this party and convincing Michael to go with him for weeks. And now he's backing out.

"Jeremy, I know social interaction isn't your favorite but you wanted to do this not me. I'm not letting you get out of this that easy." Michael joked as he approached his boyfriend.

Jermey had been fidgety since he got there, he was dressed and ready, but something was off.

Jermey shook his head as he stared at the wall, listening to Michael but not watching him.

Once Michael reached him he set a hand on Jeremy's shoulder. 

It must have been the last thread because Jeremy went off at the small touch.

"I said I didn't want to go out!" Jermey jerked away and practically screamed at Michael, startling the other boy. "Can't you just respect me and just. Just..." Jeremy's yelling died down to as he stuttered, trying to form his thoughts.

He pushed at Michael who had moved closer, shoving him forcefully in a fit of anger.

"Just leave me alone!" He exclaimed, hands fisted at his side and his body tense.

Michael felt his own wave of anger wash over him. "If you're gonna be like that then yeah. I won't bother you again." He growled out. 

Michael's anger was different, it simmered and boiled in his gut. He held onto it and he pretended he wasn't mad though it was obvious he was.

Jeremy's was only a brief moment of his nerves getting the best of him that came across as mad. And as soon and Michael pivoted and stomped his way through Jeremy's door, Jermey realized his mistake.

"No," Jeremy's face fell. He rushed after Michael, calling out his name attempting to apologize. 

"No please don't go I...." but by the time he reached the bottom of the stairs Michael had slammed the door behind him.

Jeremy's mind began racing immediately. What had he done? Why didn't he just tell Michael? He probably wasn't going to talk to him again.

Jermey heard Micheal's car sputter and start.

There was no hope, he was already gone. Jake's party was the last of his worries as he rushed upstairs to get his phone.

He pulled up Michael's contact under 'Riends' and called the number. It rang for what felt like forever but he never picked up. Wait he was driving maybe he....

Who was Jermey kidding, he always picked up. 

He decided to try again. He hit the call button with a shaky finger, but this time it rang once then went to voicemail.

"Oh" Jeremy accidentally said out loud. His voice cracked and he stared at the phone in his hand. 

Michael wasn't just ignoring him, he purposefully hung up. He'd never done that before.

Jermey decided it would be best to wait til tomorrow, he was probably still mad. 

It was only 7:30 am when Jeremy broke. He tried so hard to sleep off the fight but no matter how much he tossed and turned last night he couldn't sleep. 

Around 5am he stopped trying and just threw on clothes and sat on the edge of his bed chewing nervously on his nails.

By the time he reached his left middle finger he decided to head over to Michael's.

He hadn't taken into account weather as the brisk morning wind caused a shiver through Jeremy's thin long sleeve but he continued his walk. 

By the time he got there it was only 7:45 but his anxiety kicked in and it wasn't until 8 that he rang the doorbell.

Michael's Moms weren't home so when the door swung open he knew he would be face to face with a grumpy Michael. And boy did he wish he was wrong about that.

Jermey stared at Michael for 5 minutes, as he fidgeted with the edge of his sleeves. Both stood in the doorway silently.

"What do you..."

"I'm really..."

Michael's voice was laced with malice while Jeremy's was pleading.

Jeremy cowered as he brought his left hand up to his mouth, chewing again on his middle finger. 

Micheal noticed the nervous tick but was still pissed at Jermey.

"Come in. You can explain when you're not standing in cold." Michael noted at the shivering and slight red tint of Jermey's cheeks.

Jermey shuffled behind Micheal's long strides and jumped at the sound of the door closing behind him. 

Just like last night. 

When Michael left. 

He doesn't even want you here right now.

Jermey stood still in his place as his thoughts raced again. He was pulled out of it by a snapping sound in his face.

"Jermey! Hey you still with me?" Michael asked annoyed. He had come over to his house when he knew Michael would be asleep. 

"Oh I uh. I came to say, I wanted to say, I'm really. I'm really."

"Really what Jermey, you woke me up at 8am to tell me what?" Michael's annoyance grew as Jermey stuttered. He tapped his foot impatiently.

Jermey whimpered softly at Michael's tone. He never liked arguing, and he definitely didn't like Michael being angry with him.

"I'll just, I'm gonna..." Jermey's flight reflex's kicked in and decided he was gonna leave.

Michael was mad, but Jermey wouldn't make it home the way he was, plus it was too cold.

"No you're not. It's too cold and you don't have a jacket." Michael sternly reasoned, and gestured towards the couch.

Jermey shook his head no.

"Jermey." Michael said anger rising.

"Look I just..."

"Sit."

"Micheal I need to..."

"I swear to god Jermey just sit down."

"I have to tell you..."

"Tell me what Jermey? You've been trying to tell me what for last 15 minutes! You want to tell me how you don't want me anymore is that it? You want me to leave just like last night? Just tell me god damn it!"

Jermey watched in shock as his boyfriend shouted, unknowing of the insecurities he had. 

"I came to say I'm sorry!" Jeremy yelled back at the angry Michael. He felt tears prickle his eyes.

"I came to say I can't stand to live with out you." Jermey pointed at him as tears clouded his vision. "I came to say I need you, I don't function with out you around! Even the thought of not having you or you not wanting me..." Jeremy choked back a sob. "I didn't sleep last night cause I thought...."

"I thought you didn't want me." He whispered as he finally fell onto the couch. He buried his face in his hands only now noticing tears had been pouring down his face.

He felt a shift in weight beside him and looked up from his hand to see a sympathetic look from Michael.

Micheal held his arm out and Jermey immediately clambered into his arms, nuzzling into his boyfriends warm chest. 

Micheal held them close, cradling Jermey's head with one hand and the other running up and down his back.

"We're both idiots aren't we?" Michael broke the silence.

"Yeah," Jermey mumbled, sleep catching up to him.

"Sleep, we can talk more later." Michael whispered as he grabbed a blanket on the back of the couch and draped it over the both of them.

Chapter Text

Michael woke up around 11 with Jermey nuzzled against him.

At one point they both ended up laying down on their sides, Jermey closer to the edge of the couch but still cuddled into Micheal's side.

Michael looked down at the soft expression his boyfriend wore, but frowned as he realized the dried tear tracks still staining Jeremy's cheeks.

He struggled to maneuver around Jeremy but eventually got onto the ground. Jermey rolled further into the couch searching for the lost heat Michael had been providing.

Michael watched as Jermey mumbled against the cushions of the couch and turned so he was looking towards Michael. 

Michael chuckled and fixed the blanket that was tangled in Jeremy's legs so it covered him completely.

He pet Jeremy's hair softly as Jeremy leaned into the touch. He could have stayed content there until Jeremy woke up, but coffee was calling his name from the kitchen.

Michael sluggishly made a pot of coffee and some toast. He was on his 3rd cup when Jeremy bleary eyed walked past him to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"Sleep good?" Michael chuckled at the tired Jeremy. Jermey simply hummed back as he nursed the cup of coffee. He moved over to Michael, unceremoniously sitting himself in Michael's lap.

"I think the chairs too small for the both of us Jer."

"I'm not moving," Jeremy mumbled through sips."

Michael's heart warmed at the adorableness that was his boyfriend, before deciding the position was still uncomfortable.

"You don't have to," Michael said as he scooped his light weight boyfriend into his arms, carrying him back to the nest the couch had become.

Once back on the couch, Jeremy burrowed further into Michael until his coffee cup was empty. At which he proceeded to shove the empty mug at Michael's face, not wanting to move from his position.

"Jeremy, I swear."

"Mhhhhm" he mumbled pushing the mug against Micheal's cheek.

Micheal huffed and took the cup, placing it on the side table beside him.

Even though Jeremy was taller (by only 2 inches as Micheal always argued) he always ended up the little spoon when they cuddled. He's a very clingy person and Micheal is affectionate so they balance each other.

At the moment Jermey had his head tucked under Micheal's chin and his legs were tucked towards him, making a ball shape with his body.

"I'm sorry," Jeremy mumbled into Micheal's hoodie. 

"Don't be sorry Jer, I should be sorry. You were frustrated and I lost my temper." Micheal soothes as Jermey untucked himself to look up at Micheal.

"I lost my temper first though. I should have just told you." Jermey looked away in shame.

"Told me what Love?" Michael was curious now. He recalled how odd Jeremy was acting yesterday.

Jeremy held back but at the tender nickname he knew Micheal would still love him, he needed to tell him.

"It's about, about Jake's party." Jeremy said slowly, "I didn't want to go, because I," Jeremy winced at the memories in his head.

"You what Jer?" Micheal coaxed, rubbing up and down Jeremy's arms.

"I'm scared to see someone." Jeremy admitted.

"Who?" Micheal asked confused, "Did you get in an argument with someone. Did Chloe try to talk to you about gossip again? Then again I'm scared of Chloe in anyway-shape or form." Michael joked, but Jeremy's nervous face caused Micheal to become worried.

"Hey Jermey," Michael softly whispered. Jermey looked up at Micheal, his ring finger was in his mouth as he chewed the nails away.

Micheal gently pulled Jeremy's hand away and cupped Jeremy's face with his own hands.

"What's wrong? You can tell me."

"It's Dustin." Jermey whispered back.

"Dustin Kropp. What about him?"

Jermey squeezed his eyes shut. He felt his breathing pick up but pushed it away and grabbed onto Micheal for support.

"He umm. The other day at school, during 5th period. You uh, you went home early, and he came up to me in Chem and he. He," Jeremy's stutter became worse and he was close to crying again. 

"Jeremy what happened?" 

"Hey Jeremy," Dustin winked. "Seems you lab partner left, need a sub for today?" Dustin leaned against the counter. 

"Yeah sure," Jeremy replied busy writing down the notes from the board. 

He wasn't paying attention until he felt arms from behind him. He jumped in his seat and looked over his shoulder to only see a sly grin from Dustin. 

"Since your boyfriend isn't here maybe we can enjoy ourselves. If you want we can stop by the janitors closet after class." Dustin whispered into Jeremy's neck.

Jermey pulled and tugged away until he was out of Dustin's grasp and scurried off to the bathroom and stayed until class ended.

"He did what?" Micheal growled lowly, anger flaming behind his eyes.

"I knew Jake had in..invited him. And I didn't want him to, to."

Micheal's anger dissipated as he wiped a few stray tears from Jeremy's face.

"Hey shh. It's okay, I'm right here and I'll make sure Dustin never does anything like that again." Michael assured with a linger of hatred behind the name Dustin.

Jeremy sniffed and looked up at Micheal through his big glossy eyes, "P...pr...pr-omise?" Jeremy hiccuped, begging behind the single word.

"It's not a promise, it's a fact." Michael kissed away another stray tear and brushed his and Jeremy's noses together affectionately.

Micheal kissed his nose while he moved away, which stirred a giggle out of Jeremy since the small gesture tickled.

Micheal smiled wide as he listened to the soft sounds of his boyfriends giggle grow into his squeaky laugh.

Jeremy slowed his laughs in favor of nuzzling into Micheal again.

They both basked in each other's warmth until Jermey broke the silence,

"You're gonna kill Dustin Kropp aren't you?"

"You bet your ass I am."