Thanatophobia| MICHAEL AFTON x READER

32| spunky

1st person Michael POV

might have typos, being done on a phone because my partner had taken the computer for work. 🧍‍♀️
will fix
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It's a great feeling waking up next to someone you love, truly.

The night ended with soft kisses and kind words. after a few days of disagreements and conflict, it gives high hope of things being better, and relationships turning normal.

I woke at 3 am, which gave me only 2 hours of sleep. this doesn't matter, I'm an employed man, which means if I make bad decisions, like staying up late watching Opera, I get to face the consequences of being tired when I wake up for work.

"love, you don't have to go in until 5..." Y/N mumbles sleepily as I slowly try to inch out of bed. I was trying not to wake them, but I obviously failed.

"Darling, go back to sleep," I said, my hand landing gently on their cheek, my thumb rubbing their cheekbone. they hummed softly, seeing to doze off almost instantly.

They were right. I didn't have to be up until 5, however, I actually have a home this morning. I have a shower, clean clothes, a kitchen, and a delightful partner that will insist on coming with me when I leave at 5.

now, I would make them breakfast, however, they don't like my cooking, so that's a definite no...I get into the freezer and take out the pitcher of blue slushy and poke a straw down into it, breaking up the top thin layer of ice that formed. due to it being 90% sugar, it doesn't freeze all the way. I take a long sip of it, cringing as my head began to hurt. I wasn't used to my head freezing like that.

I sat on the loveseat and got on my phone. If I ordered take-out, I would have enough time to get a shower before it would get here...

so I ordered a Doordash of one of Y/N's favorite breakfast places, then strode back to the bedroom, where I stripped and went into the washroom. I was out almost as soon as a knock at the door rang.

Being door dash, I didn't have to answer when they knocked. I already tipped online, ao they would just leave it at the door. they are very true to word. door dash.

I had the decency of wrapping a towel around my waist before leaving the room. I'm always paranoid that some random person will always be there when I leave the room...I'm not sure why- but it makes it hard to walk around in the dark. I'm scared something will jump out at me and est my face and chew my bones!

I heard the bedroom door open as I closed the front door, bag in hand.

"Y/N?" I said, coming to the front of the hallway to see if they came out. They were standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, rubbing their eyes with the ball of their fist.

"was' that?" They slurred, yawning as they shuffled their feet towards me. they walked right into me, leaning forward and resting their head on my shoulder when they stopped. I wrapped my arm around them, then held up the bag.

"Breaky, love." I said, cringing at the use of 'breaky' no one says that anymore.

"aw, gnarly." They said, their voice cracking as they took the bag from my hands.

"It's just for you. I'll be sick if I eat in the morning." I pulled them to me by their arm and kissed their temple. "I'll be getting dressed. I didn't expect you to get up this early."

"was lonely..." Their voice whined as they sat on the loveseat, propping their feet up onto the arm of the sofa while they dug into the bag.

"I see...I'll be back, darling, in a moment." I gave a thumbs up and they responded with a hum, their mouth full of food.

I strode to the bedroom, pushing the door closed behind me, but it bounced off the frame, remaining just slightly ajar. this didn't bother me, however.

My work uniforms were kept in the top drawer. Y/N always hid my mask from me since they hated when I wore it, but then got mad whenever other women would see my face. I assume they thought all women would fall madly in love with me, despite my horrid appearance.

"Y/N, my mask?" I said, my tone slightly annoyed as I came out of the room, my shirt unbuttoned and my vent slung over my shoulder. My tie hung untied around my neck.

"Noooo" They groaned, kicking their feet as I came into the sitting room. "not yet, we still have like, forever- Mikey! Your wound!"

"what about it? It's closed up, love." I narrowed my eyes at them, startled by the sudden change in conversation. I realized that they hadn't seen the wound since I 'fixed' it the other night.

"it looks painful, Mikey, are you sure it's okay?" They stood up quickly, approaching me rapidly. they didn't touch it, but they examined it carefully. "it looks better, I guess...just uncomfortable."

"sometimes." I shrugged. "But it's alright. im tough, yeh?"

"I suppose..." They frowned. Their hands came up and to my shirt, where they started buttoning it from the top down.

"I can dress myself, dear," I said with a grin, which they returned.

"Just being helpful. you don't have to remark about it." They chuckled shortly, backing up until they found the loveseat once more. "I've always liked how you look in uniform."

"oh really?"

"except for the mask. I could do without it." They shrugged.

I just shook my head, taking the bottom of my shirt and tucking it into my trousers. I fastened my belt afterward, then put on the vest.

"I need the mask, you know that."

"you don't NEED it. you just want to wear it. I see nothing wrong with how you look." They huffed.

"yes, well, I don't have your eyes, darling." I raised my eyebrows, turning away from them and finding a large wall mirror, where I tied my tie and fixed my uniform.

"You could if you were psychotic enough." They shrugged, making me cringe. "Again. A joke." They rolled their eyes, crumbling up the paper bag and tossing it to me. "Can you toss it? The bin is so...so far away..." they lazily reached for the rubbish bin, which was about a foot away from them. I just sighed and tossed it into the bin, throwing one of the pillows at them in return. 

"Truly, Darling, Truly inconvenient, yes?" I shook my head, smooshing the pillow onto their face. They gave me an uncomfortable look when they pushed the pillow off of them. 

"Why are you even getting dressed? You're leaving too early..."  Their voice wined once more. I didn't like that tone. 

"Im not leaving yet." I shook my head. "I just don't like sleeping late..."

"It's 4 am..." They scoffed "You're crazy" 

"I could leave right now if you keep that attitude." I waved them off, shaking my head as I went into the kitchen. I heard them groan. 

"You're so mean..." They grumbled. 

"I guess Im leaving now?" I went into the mudroom and got my shoes on, grinning slightly when I saw their devastated expression. "Call me when you're on the way. I want to make sure you get there safely." 

"Nooooo!" Their voice carried as they flung themselves off of the sofa and quickly shuffled over to where I was standing. "Don't leave yet!"   

I kissed them on their temple, then opened the door. "Don't catch the place on fire. I'll see you soon." 

And I left. 

Im breaking my own heart here. 

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