"You Jerk..." Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 37. Michael the Softie

It was a hot summer evening, Y/N was staying the night at the Afton's house. Dinner was about to commence, everybody was finishing up their plate and cleaning up.
"Evan dear, please do the dishes," Vera pats her youngest on the head, "Mummy would really appreciate that."

Evan nodded and promptly hops out of his chair. He walks to the kitchen and grabs a small stool nearby, standing on it. He couldn't reach the sink without assistance from the stool. The sight made Y/N smile, it was cute.

"Dinner was great, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Afton," Y/N thanks them and stands up, pushing her chair in. Michael does the same, "Yeah thanks mum, it tasted good."
Mrs. Afton smiles and pulls Michael into a side hug, "Oh Michael, what a sweetheart," she says sarcastically, "You are your father's son, you can't say a genuine thank you if you tried."
Mrs. Afton gave him a dramatic kiss on the forehead, making Michael blush.

"Mum!" he tries wriggling away from her grasp. Y/N laughed and covers her mouth at the sight. Mrs. Afton lets him go and chuckles quietly, "What happened to the Michael that would cling to my hip? Remember what a mummy's boy you were?"
"Of course I do," William chuckles, "You never wanted to sleep in your own room, you'd snuggle up to mum all the time. You did that until you were 6."

Michael was beet red, "Oh my god mum, dad!" his voice cracks slightly in embarrassment. Elizabeth was cracking up laughing at his humiliation, especially in front of Y/N.
"Bubby! You really slept with mum until you were 6?!" Elizabeth giggles and points her finger at him teasingly.

"This conversation is over, it should've been over before it started." Michael grabs Y/N's hand and basically pulls her upstairs with him before his family embarrassed him even more. Y/N was quietly giggling. "Shut up shithead, it wasn't that funny," Michael cracks a smile behind his facade of anger. It was true he was embarrassed, but he wasn't mad at Y/N, and she knew it.

"You're right Michael, it wasn't funny, it was downright hilarious."
The two make it up to his room, Y/N was calming down from her laughter. "I think the story was cute though," Y/N gives him a teasing smile, "You're really cute Michael, even if you won't admit it."

Michael blushed again, he would never disclose this, but when Y/N teases him it makes him melt. He's not easily flustered, but when she talks to him in that voice and teases him, it makes his legs feel like mush. Michael's a huge baby at heart.

"I am not cute, oh my god shut up." he groans and plops on the bed, trying to hide his burning face. "Michael you shut up. You know you're cute."
"What in the world would make me cute? I'm Michael Afton, nobody thinks I'm cute." He gestures to the cuts and scrapes on his knuckles that never seem to go away or the scars up his arms from fights he's been in. It was true, Michael wasn't particularly the cute type, but it goes more than surface deep. The way he acts when nobody is around is the true Michael. He was cute.

"Cute doesn't have to mean small and weak," Y/N smiles softly, "cute doesn't make you less of a man." she sits on the bed next to him. Michael whines and throws his head back dramatically, "Oh shove a sock in it, would ya?" he playfully throws a pillow at her.

"I don't have a sock, is there anything else I could put in my mouth?" she raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, "I'm taking suggestions." she winks.
Michael swallows hard, "You know what you're doing, shithead," Y/N laughs at him, "Perhaps I do. It's not my fault seeing you red is entertaining, and it's cute."

"I am not cute!" He covers his face and buries it in the blankets.