Thanatophobia| MICHAEL AFTON x READER

36| Spirits

1st person Michael POV

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I spent the rest of the day in the bedroom. Y/N spent their time in the sitting room watching whatever it was they were watching. they didn't seem interested in my company, so I thought it was best that I gave them distance.

I was on my phone- not like there was much to do on it anyway- but still. I scroll through old messages, the ones with Y/N are exceptionally boring...they're mostly just location updates, good mornings from me with the occasional heart emoji sent from Y/N's end. We spoke more verbally than we texted.

I had my mother's old messages saved. No one ever took her number after she passed, so the messages never disappeared. The last message was sent...well, a long while ago. There wasn't a timestamp, but the message was, "We'll talk later" sent from my mother. I didn't respond because there wasn't a later that happened.

As I scrolled through the old messages, conversations about my little sister popped up, then something about my father, which wasn't very happy between either of us. Then my brother popped up.

'your father is furious' was one of the messages exchanged.

my mother was a very formal person. Of course, she was motherly and friendly, but incredibly strict after my brother's death. She was never told how he died. I'm sure If she was, she would have hated me just like my father.

I clicked my tongue, scoffing and tossing my phone to the other side of the bed. It bounced off of the edge and landed on the floor. I groaned.

"Bloody hell..." I mumbled, rubbing my cheeks with my hands. I wasn't allowed to be the emotional one today. "bloody...bloody." I grumbled, crawling to the edge to try and find my phone. I bent over the side, looking under the bed to see where it slid to.

the complete another side.

"gah!" I groaned, letting my body slide off the side of the bed and onto the floor. I laid there for a moment, groaning into the floor. I really got off work early for this. to be ignored by my partner and to lose my phone under the bed.

I curled up on my side, staring at the face-down phone on the other side of the bed.

"come!" I said, holding my hand out to the phone. Nothing happened obviously... "aw man..." I sigh as I stand back up and walk around the bed to pick up my phone. the screen had cracked slightly SOMEHOW. "what..." I mumbled, cringing when I ran my finger across it. I just shook my head and left the room.

Y/N didn't notice when I came into the room.

"Darling, I'm going out to get a new cover for my screen. I'll be back, yeah?" I said as I put my shoes on. They replied with a hum, waving their hand dismissively from the sofa. I just frowned and left. it was disappointing, but I can't do anything about it.

I took the medical mask from my pocket and hooked it only to my face. It was something Y/N suggested to me so I don't have to wear that big bulky mask out in public. it only covered my fave from the nose down, but Y/N always said they liked my eyes, so I wasn't as uncomfortable with them anymore.

A lady pushing a stroller passed by me as I walked down the street. The stroller rolled over my foot, making me gasp...the lady just gave me a dirty look.

"he's asleep! don't scream in his face!" the Lady yelled, making me give her an odd look.

"Wha? you're the one yelling, mate.."

"I have a boyfriend! don't talk to me!" She scoffed, looking at me like I just killed her damn baby.

"I wouldn't want you even if you didn't!" I groaned...the baby had started crying, and she looked at me with an even uglier expression.

"I can't believe some men around here...all of them are the same.." She scoffed as she began walking away. "lucky I didn't call the cops for harassment!"

I stood there dumbfounded for a moment. I hadn't had a single clue what I did wrong. SHE ran over my foot. I wasn't even going to bother confronting her because it wasn't her fault, but NO, me reacting to my foot hurting is against the law all of a sudden.

I just shake my head and continue down the street. someone passed by on a bike, ringing their bell and waving as they saw me. I didn't react. Another lady passed by, who waved at smiled at me as well. I just kind of looked at her funny. she scoffed...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH WOMEN. I swear I didn't even say anything.

As I get to the electronic store and a man stops me at the door. I back up immediately, holding my hands up.

"I didn't do anything!" I gasp.

"I was just going to ask what you needed-" the man said, looking confused.

"oh...er..." I hesitate. "just a new screen cover. My other broke somehow from falling like...a foot off the bed..." I took my phone out of my pocket to show the man. He pointed me over to one of the other employees, who waved me over. It was a mean-looking lady. She greeted me just fine, however.

"Why do you wear that mask? are you sick? you shouldn't be out if you're sick," she said weirdly, making me cringe. she couldn't see, however.

"just more comfortable that way." I said slowly. "now what kind of cover should I get-"

"It's a poor fashion choice. makes you look weird."

"well good thing I'm not trying to look good, right? now, where can i-"

"it's a poor choice really-"

"hey! I just want a screen cover! good lord..." I groaned. The lady looked at me Like I was crazy.

"Over by the right corner...by the Television." She said lowly, rolling her eyes as I snatched my phone back.

"thank you." I scoffed. Of course, I had to come back to her to pay for it, but I didn't stick around long after...the walk home was exceptionally short. Y/N didn't appreciate my whining when I got in the door.

"Your shoes!" They repeated, pointing at the shoes I forgot to take off.

"yes, but these people are absolutely loons!"

"you're the loon!" They scoffed, snatching my shoes and throwing them into the mudroom. "Did you get the screen cover at least?"

"yes, look, see?" I lifted the bag for them to look at. They took out the cover box, their expression looking horrid.

"Who is Christina?" They scoffed.

"whom?" I looked at them weirdly. They showed me the recipe, which had a phone number and a name that belonged to some lady. in assuming it was that rude lady I was talking to.

"Judging by your look, she's no one important..." They laughed, turning the recipe to look at it again. "can I send her a message and scare her? please?"

"isn't that sort of mean?" I huffed. "but I guess-"

"cool cool." They said, pushing me away by my face as they stood up and went down the hall. "don't follow me I'm taking a shower!" They said loudly, slamming the door behind them. I frowned.

"Right right." I sighed, sitting back against the sofa. The cover for my phone screen was easy to replace, however, I ended up getting a single dust particle under it, causing a tiny bubble to form in the top corner...this was fine...it's whatever, I've had a lot worse than a single dust particle under my screen cover.

I tossed the phone to the side of the sofa, sitting crisscrossed. I felt lonely, all of a sudden.

Y/N was just in the other room, but I heard the door lock, and they said not to follow, so I'm left to my own thoughts, alone, for another...who knows how long.

this is fine.

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