Ever since // Michael Afton x Reader

"I miss you..." - Chapter 1 -

y/n = your name
n/n = your nick name

tw: Sexism, Fighting (not detailed)

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1973

"Michael Afton! That's not how a man should behave, boys do not cry!"

You watched as your friend's mother scolded him for shedding a tear after getting his knee scraped from falling.

As soon as the woman walked away into her home, you went to comfort him. He frowned and his lip quivered, signaling he was about to cry again. Though he didn't.

"Mike, are you okay?" you asked, hugging him.

He flinched, not expecting it, but hugged back almost immediately. He nodded his head, hiding his face in your shoulder.

"yeah, i'm fine N/n!" he said stuttering slightly.
He broke the hug and got up from the ground, placing his hands on his hips.
"I am a big boy, I'm always okay!"

You smiled at his sudden happiness and jumped up, copying his position before an idea popped up in your young mind.

You reached out to him, lightly touching his shoulder and smiling softly at him.
He just looked at you confused yet beaming.

That was before you screamed "TAG!" and ran away chuckling.
His eyes widened and he was shocked by this sudden betrayal but ran after you, catching up to you in few minutes.

You both were running around, laughing like crazy, as your minds were filled with the only worry of being tagged by the other.

After a while, you both had enough of this and decided to go to Michael's house to rest for awhile and get something to drink.

As you entered the structure, you were greeted by your parents and Michael's father; William.

You waved at William, as he waved back smiling warmly at you, and you then went to hug your parents' legs smiling before skipping to the kitchen with your best friend.

The kitchen was a quite small room, the floor had black and white tiles and the walls were painted a boring white.

The furniture was dark grey or black, you couldn't tell but you didn't care much.

The fridge was full of yours and michael's drawing, all attached to the piece of furniture by his dad, with colorful magnets.

"N/n, here's your juice!" Michael had brought you your drink and you thanked him.

You skipped to his room and sat down on the bed.

"What do you wanna do now?" he asked tiredly.

You shrugged and yawned. "I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired. Today was a pretty warm day!"

He giggled and nodded, agreeing with you. You laid down on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he did the same.

You began drawing figures in the air with your fingers bored, until your parents called you.

"Y/n, we have to go now honey!"

You whined but still went to them.

As soon as you reached the room, with Michael by your side, you both noticed his mother was there which meant no good.

"Mean lady is here..." you mumbled to Michael as he agreed chuckling
"Daddy is definitely better." he whispered to you.

You were about to leave until Michael run up to you, hugging you tightly - maybe even too tight - not letting you breathe.

Your mother awed and your dad...

...He glared at Michael but kept a smile on his face.

After a while, Your parents had to separate you and your best friend as neither of you would let go.

You kindly bid your goodbyes to them all and went on your way home, holding your mother's hand, tired but content of the day.

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"No William! You can't keep on defending him! He is a boy, he can't cry especially in front of a young lady!" Mrs.Afton yelled at the man standing opposite to her.

"He is a child! How even dare you say those things to him!? I do not tolerate that behavior, I thought we have already discussed about this." His father replied with the same tone, except a hint of deep anger could be heard.

His father was a really nice and good-looking man to everyone. He treated Michael so nicely, as well as he did with y/n.

He was glad his son met someone like her, he was a pretty lonely and antisocial boy for a kid his age.

His mother wasn't so nice as William was. She constantly told the poor child to act like a man, regardless his age, she was obsessed with appearance and with gender roles.

Something her husband always despised.
-

Michael sat on his bed, his knees pressed to his chest as he was curled up in a ball like position.

He listened to his parents fight because of him.

It was always like that in his household, yet his mother and father seemed to be always all lovey-dovey the days after their fights, as if nothing happened.

As a 5 years old, he couldn't and didn't understand much about it or as to why they were throwing insults at each other.

He sighed and laid down muttering a 'goodnight' as he was already drifting to sleep with a small smile appearing on his face, thinking about his best friend.