"You Jerk..." Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 24. All the Same Feeling

Michael was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast. His mom had already gone to work, Elizabeth was at their grandparent's house, and Evan was playing soccer with his friends at the park. The only person who was home besides Michael was William. And considering the heavy footsteps coming down the stairs, William was grabbing some breakfast too.

"Good morning son, how are you?" William walks around the corner. He was already dressed in his usual button-down shirt and slacks, he wears them to work every day. "I'm alright, you?" Michael takes a bite of his meal.
"I'm great, son. Can I talk to you about something?" William grabs the bread from the breadbox and places two slices in the toaster.

Michael tenses up and furrows his eyebrows, staring up at his father, "Sure?" he prepares himself for whatever question his father would ask, usually whenever William asks Michael a question it never turns out well. It usually ends with Michael being grounded.

William leans against the kitchen counter and waits for his toast to finish cooking, "It's nothing bad, don't get that look on your face." he chuckles, "I just wanted to ask how things are with Y/N." 
Michael sigh a breath of relief, he assumed the question would be more severe. "Things are great, why do you ask?"
William's toast pops out of the toaster, he grabs the two slices of bread and places them on a plate. "I was curious that's all, I thought you didn't like the L/N's."

Michael looks over at William quickly, "Hey..! I never said that," he was getting defensive, he may have acted like a jerk to them, but he technically never told his dad he didn't like them.
William was spreading butter on his toast with a silver butter knife in his left hand, "Yes, Yes, I know son. But actions speak louder than words. You acted as if you didn't like them."

Michael shakes his head, "I..." he trails off, trying to come up with anything in his defense. "Okay fine. I didn't like Y/N at first, but that doesn't mean I didn't- erm- want her, per say..."
William sits next to Michael at the table and sets down his small plate of toast. "What do you mean?"
"Well I-..." Michael stammers, "I wanted her...I wanted her to like me, and I thought she was pretty, and a great person..!" William looks into Michael's eyes, urging him to continue. "I guess I didn't like her because she's perfect, too perfect. It bothered me I couldn't be like that too."
William nodded in understanding, "I understand, don't worry. It just was such a sudden shift in attitude." he smiles and pats Michael's head, "You went from picking on her to asking her father if you could court her, in front of everybody too. That was bold of you son, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud."

Michael looks up at his father, his cheeks were starting to turn red. "I just couldn't wait any longer, I couldn't stand it. I knew there was no way I'd ever forgive myself if I let a perfect girl like that walk out of my life. If I feel this way about her there's bound to be other people who feel the same."
William smiles and takes a bite of his toast, "That's how I felt when I met your mum," he hums contently at himself as the memories of meeting Vera come back to him. "We were in university, both of us getting our engineer degrees. I saw her studying at the library, god your mother looked stunning..." he stares down at his toast and smiles to himself. "I wasn't the nicest to her in school, but I felt the exact same about her as you did Y/N."

Michael tilts his head slightly, "You did?" his dad chuckles and takes another bite of his toast, "Absolutely, your mother is beautiful, more beautiful than I ever was. In a way, I picked on her as a way to project my insecurities."
Michael looks down at his breakfast for a moment. He was silent.  As much as he can't stand his father, he felt the same. He was doing the exact same thing to Y/N that his dad did to his mum. It made his stomach churn.
After a few seconds, Michael finally speaks.
"Y/N is more beautiful than me that's for sure..." he picks up his now almost empty plate, his food has gone cold. "I don't think I could ever be as beautiful as her." he smiles to himself slightly.