As Luck Would Have It

by FanGirlFreak16

The sidewalks weren't occupied by anyone else at all, obviously seeing with how early it was. Though, the occasional car passing by wasn't an uncommon sight to Michael the longer he walked. 'If I'm lucky, one of those cars will run me over', Michael thought dejectedly to himself. But everyone knows that Michael Mell isn't that lucky.

Warning: This fic handles the topic of suicide and has gay relationships, lesbian relationships, and talks about different sexualities. If any of these topics bother you, do not read.

The streets were cold that December 16th, a month and odd days after Jake's Halloween party. Anyone that knew Michael closely would think he had lost his mind considering he was walking when he had a perfectly working car. Although, a PT Cruiser isn't the most attractive car, that typically didn't bother the Filipino boy. It wasn't even bothering him now. He just couldn't handle being in that small of a space at the moment, besides he wanted to go for a late night stroll.

Well, maybe an early morning stroll, seeing as it was 12:15 in the morning. Though, the time didn't bother him at all. The likelihood of him even going to school tomorrow was slim. Granted, he had dismantled everyone's Squips, but that didn't stop the fact that Jeremy had other, much more popular friends. If you asked him, he would dismiss it, but deep in the pit of his stomach, he knew he was jealous. Jealous of how Jeremy was giving the others more attention. Other people that he barely knew. Jake, Rich, Jenna, Brooke, Chloe, and Christine, gosh, he couldn't compete against them! They were popular, cool, pretty, handsome, and funny.

Everything that Michael wasn't.

Shoving his hands in his pockets as he kept walking offered little to no comfort other than making his frigid hands a little more warm. The sky was dark with stars dotting across it in almost every area, so he couldn't say that it was completely dark, but not by any means was it light. The biggest sources of light that was provided to him was the occasional streetlamp and nothing more. He would be lying if he told you that he was better after the Squip incident and Jeremy's endless shrews of apologies. Sure, hearing his best friend of twelve years apologize constantly over the idiotic things he had done did help to some extent, but not fully. Especially since right after, not even a day, Jeremy began to hang out with his new friends again rather than Michael.

The more Michael thinks over his argument in his head, the more he believes that he sounds possessive over Jeremy, but that wasn't the case! He was extremely happy that Jeremy was able to break out of his comfort zone and make new friends, but that didn't mean that he wanted to be forgotten and left out in the background.

Just like his parents.

Michael loves his parents dearly, but calling them great parents would be incorrect. By no means did Michael have a terrible childhood, but it could have been much better had his parents been more invested in it. At the young age of ten is when his parents first began to leave for extensively long trips, and it continued to be that way. They'd come back for two weeks and leave for five months. Which wasn't necessarily too horrible, after all that meant Michael got to make a lot of the rules in the household which was fun to use against Jeremy whenever he stayed the night. That also meant that Jeremy could come over whenever they both so desired.

So long as it was ok among Jeremy's dad's terms (which nine times out of ten, it was).

But throughout his life, his parents always shoved him to the side and left him in the background.

Now the same was happening with Jeremy.

The thought made Michael shudder against the bitter winds that whipped at his face, attempting to chap his lips and skin. Upon coming up to Jeremy's house, Michael was heavily tempted to enter. Granted, it was a Thursday and midnight, but Mr. Heere had made it very clear ever since they were young that he was welcome over at any time, regardless of school. He even went out of his way to have Michael a house key for the Heere residence.

The living room lights were on, meaning that one of the two family members were up. Michael stood outside the house, wind messing up his already messy, dark hair with his fists still shoved in his hoodie's pockets. I'm not sure what I'm even doing outside this late. Even saying that to himself felt like a lie. He knew exactly why he was out.

Or at least he would know once he came across the very near bridge.

That was a thought at the very back of his mind that urged him even more to step up on the porch, wake up both of the Heere's and beg them to tie him a chair and lock him in a room. Or at least be in the presence of Jeremy. He had always been comforting when these assortment of thoughts plagued at his fragile mind.

He made his way up the creaky steps that led to the porch he had grown so familiar with over the twelve years of his life he had known the Heere's. Many years of toys that evolved in complexity and age appropriateness. They had gone from big fire trucks manufactured by little kids' companies such as Fisher Price, to action figures of superheros, to video games. Michael nearly sobbed at the memories. Granted, he had been burning a good majority of the memories he had with Jeremy such as the Magic of the Gathering card Jeremy had given him on the birthday that no one seemed to remember. He would have gotten through all of the paper objects collected in the box that he saved them in had Mr. Heere not stopped him.

Michael turned the knob and opened the door, only slightly shocked that it was still unlocked. Almost immediately after he opened the door, he mentally cursed at himself. Sure, he never knocked before because of the closeness he had with the Heere's, but ever since his fallout with Jeremy he wondered if he still was allowed to enter without knocking. Although, the frame that was standing in the ever visible kitchen didn't object, nor turn around upon greeting the early morning visitor.

"How ya been, Michael? Haven't seen you around here much." Mr. Heere said, hands dipped into soapy dish water. Michael's mouth opened, whether in shock or to go to speak, he wasn't quite sure, but whatever the reason was no sound emitted from his mouth. Of course Mr. Heere knew it was Michael. After all, who else would barge into their home at nearly 12:30 in the morning?

"I'm...surviving." He finally answered after about a minute of silence. Jeremy always talked about how he wanted to do more than just survive, and Michael never thought he would understand that phrasing more than he did in that instance.

Mr. Heere laughed slightly at the boy's two words, probably since he had heard them so much from his own biological son. If this were a normal instance, Mr. Heere would have called Michael and Jeremy two peas in a pod, but he seemed to know better while both boys were in such a fragile state of friendship. "That's good at least, I suppose," He chuckled. Michael could faintly hear the clanking of dishes underneath the soapy water. A part of Michael felt like a real young kid again and wanted to offer Mr. Heere a hand with the dishes. It must be difficult taking care of a boy on your own. Exceptionally if he was staying up into the early hours of morning to do a simple task such as doing the dishes. "Jeremy is staying over at Rich's at the moment, but you're more than welcome to stay the night if you'd like. You know where your extra clothes are here."

Ever since the boys were really young, Mr. Heere had gone out of his way to make sure that Michael had clothes at his own home since Michael had often come to stay the night when he was younger and would forget clothes. As the boys grew older, the cause changed to the fact that Michael was home alone a lot and didn't particularly enjoy being alone all the time. If Michael decided to stay over at real late or early hours, he would often forget clothes.

Michael felt a slight pang at his heart upon hearing that Jeremy was at some other friend's house on a school night. There was that stupid jealousy again. He wasn't oblivious to the closeness that was growing between Jeremy and the others that were involved in the Squip Squad. Not to mention the fact that Christine and he were dating now. He was happy for the both of them, really, he was! Jeremy looked much happier now that he was with Christine and that he had more friends than just himself. Though that stung, Michael tried not to let it burn into the back of his mind too much.

Again, he tried.

He wasn't very successful with his attempts, however.

"Michael, still there?" Michael shook himself out his thoughts, looking to where Mr. Heere was now turned to face him, hands still submerged in the water. "Are you ok, Mike?" For a moment, Michael was confused about Mr. Heere's sudden question. That was until he felt a substance drip from his cheek and onto the hardwood tiles beneath his feet. Placing an index finger against his cheek made it known to him that he had begun to cry. And once he realized such, he couldn't stop. The dam was breaking at a faster rate, and before he knew it a sob tore through his throat, all hopes of being able to play it off as something in his eye shattering. Michael placed a hand of his mouth to attempt to stop the sobbing sounds from breaking free from his throat, but that task proved to be frivolous. Mr. Heere took his hands out of the sudsy water, drying them briefly before jogging over to the currently breaking down Michael in his living room. "Michael, bud, what's wrong?"

The Filipino found that words were failing his trembling lips. Instead of giving Mr. Heere a verbal response, he ran into Mr. Heere's arms, desperately looking for some assortment of comfort. Almost on instinct, Mr. Heere wrapped his arms around the boy, fatherly instincts kicking in. Mr. Heere had helped Jeremy through many mental break downs, not only throughout his childhood, but through his teenage years as well, even if he wasn't as good at giving comfort through those years. But Mr. Heere honestly couldn't say that he had seen Michael have many break downs other than the occasional panic attack as a child that Jeremy always seemed to know how to deter or comfort him through.

Mr. Heere had always seen Michael as the strong willed one throughout Jeremy's and his friendship.

Mr. Heere rubbed small circles into Michael's back in a fatherly manner, something Michael had been missing out on for nearly a year now. He whispered quiet words such as it's alright and everything's going to be ok with the unavoidable, yet soothing shushes. Michael felt like he was a baby, being comforted by an adult, much less one that wasn't one of his parents. Though, he could safely say that Mr. Heere was more of a parenting figure than what his actual parents were. "Does this have to do with what's been going on between you and Jeremy?"

The question nearly threw Michael for a roundabout. But his grip on the elder didn't falter as he allowed his head to nod meekly. He was already crying into his shoulder, what would the good be in lying to him?

"Y'know, I can call him up and ask him to come back so you guys can talk about it? I can help if you'd like." Michael nearly pushed Mr. Heere away from him in a violent manner out of shock and disagreement. He'd rather be hung than call Jeremy over. Especially when he was having fun at a friend's house. Or...probably sleeping. Rather than it being violent, Michael shoved Mr. Heere away from him in a non-forceful way, shaking his head.

"No, Mr. Heere, p-please don't call Jeremy! It...It would make things so much worse if prevented him from hanging at another friend's house!" Michael all but begged. The desperateness in his voice even shocked himself. Before Mr. Heere could even get an answer out, Michael ran back to the front door, fumbling clumsily with the brass doorknob before throwing the damned thing open. He took the stairs down the porch three at a time, a distance that did not bode well on his legs, not being as tall as Jeremy. Granted, there were only four steps, so that made only one step left to go, but the impact of skipping so many steps with his height made him nearly stumble and fall down the rest of the way. His ankle twisted slightly, causing a sound of pain to lodge itself in his throat, but he didn't dare to let it slip out. He still somehow managed to run from the warm house and back out into the coolness of the dark morning, the clock ticking away.

It was now probably around 12:45, if it wasn't already one. Either way, Michael didn't care as he continued to bolt away from the household he used to call his second home, if not his first, as the seemingly only fatherly figure stood at the door frame, yelling his name out into the crisp autumn air. He had to get away from everyone. He couldn't be inside, and there was no one around that he felt even remotely comfortable with. Ever since Mr. Heere had brought up Jeremy, he felt the biggest urge to get the hell out of that house.

As he got further and further from Jeremy's house, he began to slow down his pace, only then realizing that all the running plus the thin, crisp air made his lungs ache and burn, screaming for oxygen that wasn't pumping in fast enough, nor was it thick enough.

The sidewalks weren't occupied by anyone else at all, obviously seeing with how early it was. Though, the occasional car passing by wasn't an uncommon sight to Michael the longer he walked. If I'm lucky, one of those cars will run me over, Michael thought dejectedly to himself.

But everyone knows that Michael Mell isn't that lucky.

Of course, he had had unwanted thoughts before the whole Squip incident had occurred, but afterwards, they had been so much more vivid and plentiful that he was surprised he was still alive. Especially after his and Jeremy's exchange in the bathroom at Jake's Halloween party. He tried to tell himself that he was over it, that it wasn't Jeremy talking, that it was the Squip, that Jeremy would never call him a loser. But Jeremy had even told him that the Squip had been turned off. Therefore, it was Jeremy talking, not the Squip.

Jeremy had actually called him a loser.

A lone sob escaped from Michael's throat, and he mentally cursed himself for it. He had been doing fairly well with keeping his composure ever since he had left Jeremy's house. He wasn't sure why he was even attempting to keep his composure up at this point. He turned the corner of the sidewalk and made his way toward his original destination. He didn't want to admit that that was the place he wanted to go to the entirety of the night. He wanted to run back to Jeremy's house and have Mr. Heere call Jeremy up so that they could talk and so that Jeremy could talk him out of what he was planning.

How foolish he was for thinking that was even remotely possible.

The note had already been written, after all.

Going to Jeremy's house on its own had been a stupid thing to do, despite Jeremy not being home. He should have known Jeremy wasn't going to be there for him, even if he didn't know anything was wrong. Perhaps that was a bit unfair to Jeremy, but for Christ's sake it had been a month and several days after the Squip incident had been resolved, and Jeremy still ignored Michael in a manner that seemed to be deliberate. He hadn't texted him, hadn't talked to him in class (too occupied with one of the other people who were involved with the Squip Squad), and didn't even ask for rides anymore. Jake gave him rides to and from school now.

Maybe he was being possessive and clingy. It was only a month and a few days, after all. Still, as children, the longest they had gone without talking to each other was a full school period. Even after their petty squabbles that they'd have over which Pokemon was better, who had the most Magic the Gathering cards, and even more serious arguments such as why Jeremy hadn't been letting Michael over much anymore. That argument ended up with the both of them in tears of sadness, grief, and anger. Sadness and grief radiating off of Jeremy over the leaving of his mother, and Michael radiating with anger towards the things Jeremy's mother had done to him and put him through.

He knew what it was like to be in a place where all the parents did was scream and fight, although, Jeremy had admitted to his father never fueling the fire that was his mother's rage. He just stood there, taking the words that she threw at him. It was only when she began to direct her words towards Jeremy when Mr. Heere decided a change had to be made. For Michael, though, the child services in the Philippines had decided that the conditions his parents were putting him through were severe enough for him to be placed in an orphanage at such a young age.

And though he shouldn't remember what they did to him since he was so young, he remembered it as clear as day.

Some parts of him were glad that he did, remembering some of the traditions he'd see everyone celebrate on the streets, and the smell of the dishes that others had prepared and offered to his family. His parents would give him a very small portion of what they had received and keep the rest for themselves. Other parts of him were scarred from what had transpired, both physically and mentally, so parts of Jeremy's predicament could be empathized by Michael from his own experiences, which he was grateful for.

He shivered slightly as the bridge came into view, thinking about all the jagged rocks that were down in the shallow waters. How it would feel to jump from the ledge of the bridge, wind whipping through his dark, fluffy hair that had grown from just thick curls into straight, fluffy hair. How his skin would feel cooler than what it felt now with the breeze blowing harsher on it from the jump. How it would feel to his the shallow, freezing waters to the be impaled by the jagged, sharp rocks that Jeremy used to have to will him to stay away from.

The thoughts all felt riveting in the most morbid of ways.

He stepped up on the little step that was projected outwards upon the sidewalks. Perhaps it was there so by-passers could get a better view of the glorious sight ahead of them, a shallow stream accompanied by colorful-yet dangerous-rocks, trees blocking one's view from the other side of the town, but the trees looked so nice that no one cared if the other side of town was blocked. Besides, who wanted to see a sight of a town rather than one of just nature?

His hands rested atop the railing that separated him from sweet release of loneliness, taking in the cold feeling that the stone emitted. To some, it would feel refreshing. To him, it just added to the gnawing feeling that he had already been feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He shook his head. If he didn't do it now, he knew he'd chicken out. Besides, he wasn't here to drink in the beautiful view. He was here to taint it with his blood. He took a small jump, swinging his right leg over the stone banister before swinging his left over as well. He sat there on the banister for a moment, looking at the way the moon glistened over the stream's water. He and Jeremy would sometimes come here as children, looking out at the stream and talking about things they planned to have done by the time they were sixteen.

A bit too late for any of those dreams, Michael thought bitterly, swinging his legs back and forth slightly. He took in a deep breath, nodding slightly. He could do this. He stood up on the small ledge that was on the other side of the bridge, hands still clinging to the railing. He took in a deep breath through his nose before letting it out of his mouth in a trembling breath.

"Here we go."

He made a motion to lean forward, fingers beginning to lose their grip.

He felt a tight pressure holding his arm. And when he says tight, he means tight. As if you were a teenager trying to cram yourself into your clothes that you used to wear when you were five years old. He whipped his head around to see what on Earth was holding his arm in such a manner, mouth open wide, ready to speak in protest.

That was until he noticed the tear stained face of a boy.

"J-Jeremy?" The name left his lips in a tremulous breath, barely reaching above a whisper. Jeremy's eyes scrunched together as more tears began to pool in his eyes and run down his cheeks, just like the stream beneath them. His grip on Michael's arm only got tighter as he began to back up slowly, willing Michael's body to step off of the bridge's ledge. Michael, shockingly to himself, stepped off of the ledge, carefully bringing his leg over followed by his other. Before he was fully on the sidewalk, butt still placed on the railing of the bridge, Michael turned his head back out to the water, staring down at the rocks for too long, in Jeremy's book, explaining why Jeremy jerked Michael off of the bridge's banister.

Michael stumbled slightly upon the force that Jeremy used to jerk him off, almost falling on top of his friend of twelve years and crush of four. Jeremy caught Michael before either of them could fall onto the pavement, but barely. Before Michael could regain his stance, breath, or composure Jeremy had him brought into a tight hug. Jeremy had his face buried into the crook of Michael's neck, and if the wetness appearing on Michael's neck was anything to go by he knew that Jeremy was crying. Michael, although reluctantly, wrapped his arms around Jeremy's waist, returning the hug that was more than likely to only ensure that he didn't attempt to run back over to the ledge and jump.

How did he...Michael wondered if Mr. Heere had called Jeremy after all, and Jeremy somehow caught on to his behavior. Or did Jeremy just sense something? The two could read each other as if they were books and often knew when something was wrong. Sometimes before the other knew anything was wrong with themselves.

"W...Wh-Why? Why why why?" Jeremy was sobbing now, words only coming out in breaths that trembled faster than his hands while giving a presentation. With the repeated one worded question came a tighter hold on Michael that he wouldn't wish to admit actually offered some assortment of comfort in his suicide hazed mind. He didn't know how to answer. He was almost positive that Jeremy knew the answer on his own, but the question that plagued Jeremy's lips was only a begging of it to not be his fault Michael nearly took his own life.

Michael didn't want to answer. How would he? How could he say that he was being selfish and wanted Jeremy to hang out with him again when Jeremy had so many new friends and even a girlfriend that took up his priorities. If Michael got a boyfriend, he knew that he would want to spend time with them, and Jeremy might get left out a bit. But he'd still balance time out for the both of them. Although, he wouldn't have to if Jeremy felt the same way towards him that he did, but Jeremiah Heere was straight, as seen by his girlfriend, Christine.

Michael really wanted to hate Christine for taking his best friend, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't. Christine's ADD-ish personality was too innocent for him to ever feel angry with her. Especially since she would often offer to skip a date or two with Jeremy if it meant that Michael and Jeremy could hang out, but Michael would halfheartedly always say that it was fine, and he and Jeremy could hang out later.

That later hang out never happened.

"What do you care?" Michael finally found his voice, despite how small it sounded. Michael could faintly feel a falter in the grip Jeremy had around Michael's waist, keeping him pressed against the taller boy's chest.

"Wh-What?"

"I said, what do you care?" Michael said, louder than previously. This time, he shoved the pale boy away from him, his sad demeanor replaced with one of anger. "You've ignored me for how long? A month and some days? Sure, you apologized after the Squip left, yeah, that's fine and dandy, thanks for that, but after that you just blocked me out again!" Michael's fists clenched themselves in anger, eyes squinting shut as all of the pain that has been building up for the past month or so began to tumble out of his throat in mass quantities. "It's like you don't even care that it hurt! I forgave you the moment you began to treat me like shit, and I told you that once you apologized, but after that you turn around and recreate the mistake that you had 'felt bad about' as if it doesn't even matter?! Jeremy, I thought we were friends!"

"We are!" Jeremy interjected, eyes laced with worry that Michael hadn't seen since Michael had that panic attack of being alone, roughly a week before the Squip incident had taken place.

"Then why doesn't it feel like it?!" Michael yelled, nails digging into the palms of his hands. Jeremy was silent as Michael's breaths turned hot and heavy, glare strong enough to penetrate a wall made out of sheer titanium. "Why don't you care anymore?! Why is it that you only talk to me when something bad happens?! You haven't spoken to me nor texted me within the last month! I've had more interactions with your girlfriend, for Christ's sake! She seems to care about me more than you do!" Michael had tears running down his cheeks as he let out a small dark chuckle. "You're lucky I'm gay or I would have probably attempted to get with her. She told me that she felt bad she was taking up all of your time and that we never hang out anymore. You're always with her or the Squip Squad. Is it because I wasn't squipped? Or because I'm not cool? Or...Or...is it my sexuality? Is that it? Are you embarrassed about having a gay friend?"

"Michael, that's not true! I don't care that your gay, and neither would they! For fuck's sake, Rich is bi, Jake's pan, and Chloe and Brooke are in a relationship! No one would care that you're into dudes!"

"Then why am I left in the background?" Michael asked with a deadpanned look on his face.

Jeremy stood there speechless, unknowing of what to say. What was he supposed to say? His mouth hung open and since he seemed to not have an answer, Michael scoffed. "I'm sorry I'm not as cool as your new friends. I'm sorry I'm nothing more than a..." He swallowed, his next word said with so much venom, Jeremy wondered if he had grown fangs, "loser. But I won't bother you anymore." And with that, Michael turned around, knowing that Jeremy would just grab him again if he attempted to jump off of the bridge again. He started to walk down the street in the direction of his house, but before he could get far, he was whirled around and met with a pair of lips on his own.

Michael was shocked to say the least, something in the back of his mind telling him to push away, but there was a larger part of his mind telling him that he wanted and needed this. That larger part won out as he closed his own eyes and melted into the kiss. It wasn't as awkward as he had dreamed it to be, but on his end it was rather inexperienced, unlike Jeremy. Though, that is to be expected when one has a girlfriend.

Wait...

...a girlfriend...

Michael pushed away almost immediately once he realized that. Jeremy looked at Michael in a confused and flustered way, mouth opening to speak but cut off by Michael's voice. "I...I can't do that to Christine! Jeremy, why-"

"I broke up with Christine a week ago," Jeremy said sheepishly, his hand moving to the back of his neck. "It was a mutual thing, though. She, uh...she's realized that she's asexual, and she didn't feel romantically towards me anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still love her and vice versa, but...we don't really feel love towards each other in a...c-coupley way. I was...s-starting to realize somethings about my own sexuality during the entirety of our relationship anyway," Michael could see the blush dancing onto Jeremy's pale skin despite how dark it was. This observation made Michael's cheeks begin to burn as well, and he was slightly thankful that his skin was darker in comparison to Jeremy's so perhaps the taller boy couldn't see his growing blush. "I mean...I've always kinda had a hunch that I've been...i-into you, b-b-but middle school Jeremy wouldn't let me believe it, so he repressed it, but before I got the Squip it was getting so much harder to repress, so I pushed my feelings off onto some other person, Christine. I thought...maybe if I get into a relationship with her, I'll forget the feelings I have for...for you." He pointed at Michael.

Michael wasn't sure his heart could beat any faster without it flying out of his chest. God, he had waited...four-was it already four?-years to hear Jeremy say that. "So I got the Squip so I could get Christine, and...well, you know how all of that went, but...once it was gone and Christine and I were together, seeing you wasn't exactly helping me forget my ever growing feelings for you, and I just...I couldn't take it. But not talking to you or seeing you was making everything worse, and so...I broke up with her because I felt horrible for leading her on while I still liked you, and I was staying with Rich so I could figure out how to ask you out, and, God I'm rambling aren't I-"

Michael shut up the nervous boy with placing his lips on Jeremy's. This kiss, unlike the first one, went longer and much more smoother in Michael's book. His glasses weren't nearly as smashed as last time, and their teeth didn't clack together this time. Jeremy had taken little to no time to melt into this kiss, and Michael was so confused on how he did it. But he let his rushing thoughts cease as he realized the kiss was still transpiring, and now he didn't have to worry about Jeremy cheating on Christine with him.

He just realized how much he wanted and needed this and how he could have it.

Soon the need for air could be ignored no longer, and both boys broke the kiss. Michael's face lit with awe as he realized Jeremy was still savoring the feeling of the kiss as he slowly pulled away. When Jeremy's eyes reopened, a goofy grin illuminated his face. "Wh...What does this make us? What does this mean for us?"

Michael thought about that. What did it mean? He was still angry at Jeremy for the purposeful ignoring, despite his reasons. He still felt betrayed. But...if Jeremy liked him and he liked him back...that meant they had a chance. And Michael had been waiting far too long in his life to pass up an opportunity such as this. "I...I think we should go back home and...talk about this. I'm...I'm still angry at you for what you did, and I still feel betrayed, but...I really really like you, Jeremy, and...if you like me back, we just might have a shot. And I want to take it." Michael punctuated his sentence with a smile that Jeremy had missed for so long. He was such an idiot for ignoring Michael to try and block out his feelings.

Jeremy nodded. "Let's go back to your house so we can talk without Dad bombarding us with questions," He said softly, intertwining his fingers with Michael's. Michael nodded in response, knowing that if they went back to the Heere household, Mr. Heere would be asking questions as if questioning someone was going out of style. On top of that, both boys would find it much easier to skip school going to Michael's residence rather than Jeremy's. While both boys would agree that education is important, they would argue that sleep is, too. Since it was two in the morning, more than likely pushing three, the likelihood that they would learn anything at school the next morning in their sleep deprived states was slim to none. Not only that, but the two were going to stay up much later talking about recent past events involving the Squip, Jeremy's stupidity, and Michael's feelings and mental health. "Can you promise me something real quick?"

"Hm?" Michael hummed in question as the two embarked on their way to Michael's abode.

Jeremy stopped walking and looked Michael in the eyes. Michael wanted to stop himself from losing himself in those beautiful gray-blue eyes of Jeremy's, but he found that to be one hell of a difficult task. Jeremy placed a gentle hand on the side of Michael's cheek, thumb gently stroking the underside of his jawbone. "Please...promise me you'll never ever pull a stunt like that again." His voice sounded desperate, more desperate than Michael had ever heard it before, even when he had witnessed Jeremy screaming out to his mom to not leave the house. Michael placed his hand around Jeremy's wrist that was still contributing to the thumb stroking his cheek.

"I promise I won't try to pull a stunt like that again." He spoke, knowing fully well that that wasn't a promise that he could keep, and Jeremy seemed to know it. His eyes still looked into Michael's brown ones with a sad demeanor before his lips caught Michael's in a brief kiss once more.

"I love you a lot, Michael. If you died...I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Michael could practically hear the tears that were pooling in Jeremy's eyes. The last thing he wanted right now as for Jeremy to cry.

"Miah," He chuckled sadly, "no more tears ok? Let's just go home, I'll make hot chocolate and we can talk. I don't wanna see my boyf upset anymore." Although the last sentence had an underlying joking tone, poking fun at the still vandalized backpacks that contained the broken up letters of the word boyf and riends, Jeremy couldn't help but blush at the nickname.

"Right. And I don't wanna see my riend upset anymore, either. And I'll do anything in my power to help him," Jeremy said before the trek was continued in silence for a few moments. But that was outlived after a comfortable silence of five minutes. "So..." He began with a dragged out o, "since I'm the one who initiated confessions and asked you out...does this mean I get to be player one?"

"In your dreams, babe." Michael was quick to retaliate. Jeremy's face flushed even more at the nickname.

"But I initiated the relationship." Jeremy whined.

"But I own the video games, consoles, and controllers, therefore I am player one," Michael said with a smirk. Jeremy groaned causing Michael to laugh, much to Jeremy's delight. Jeremy missed Michael beyond comprehension. He couldn't stop kicking himself in the ass for being as stupid as to try to forget his feelings for the charming Filipino boy. "Not to sound dark or anything," Michael started, "but why did you come to the bridge in the first place?"

"Got a call from Dad," Jeremy answered, eyes staring up at the sky. "He said that you came by and started crying and then left. I...kinda had a hunch that there was something more sinister to your plans than just going to my house and crying into my dad's shoulder. Once I got that phone call, there was just this...bad feeling that lined the pit of my stomach." Jeremy admitted, a single car bypassing them while their fingers were still interlocked. Without a doubt, many people who would see this would criticize them, but many would also applaud them on being themselves.

Michael felt conflicted. Of course, he wanted this relationship. For the entire ten or fifteen minutes that the two had been boyfriends, Michael felt as if he was on cloud nine. But he also still felt the scars of betrayal line his mind. He looked up into Jeremy's face, the taller boy distracted by the beautiful stars that dotted the dark sky. Now that he knew that Jeremy truly felt romantic feelings for him, and was only trying to figure things out, he felt somewhat better. After their talk tonight, he hoped to feel much better. He gave Jeremy's hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll get through this." He whispered, but Jeremy heard it.

As Jeremy and Michael walked up Michael's porch and into his house, Michael looked back at one last car passing by before entering his house to talk to Jeremy.

If I'm unlucky, one of those cars would have run me over.

But everyone knows that Michael Mell isn't that unlucky.