Getting Over Jeremy Heere | Expensive Headphones (Michael x Rich)

Fourteen

A/N I would just like to make it known that I wrote this chapter from 12-1 am in a hotel room, on my iphone. And then edited it this morning without my glasses on. But it's here, it's queer, and prolly filled with existential fear. 

Rich's POV

I didn't sleep at all last night and I know I look like it. I was up until the sunrise writing and rewriting a text to Michael that I never sent. Brooke fell asleep on FaceTime with me listening to me blubber on and on. Hours were spent imagining Michael at his desk Michael on his basement floor Michael at his kitchen table writing the letter in his gentle looping cursivse. My eyes are lined with shadows and my heart aches to be in the company of one Michael Mell.

I clearly was never meant to read that letter, but I did, and my first thought was to lay my heart on the line yet again. And I know I will, even though I got hurt last time. Because there's hope now and even a little bit of hope is all I need to give everything I have to Michael, over and over and over.

Richsetafire: Meet me at the elementary playground after school. Please.

Player1: ok

Richsetafire: Ok

Read 7:15 AM

-------------------------time skip sponsored by piiiiiiiiiink berry-------------------------

By the time the final bell rings I'm a shaking mess.

"Breathe, love." Brooke hugs me gently. "Speak from the heart. And luckily for you, you have the biggest heart." I just nod, trying to come up with something to say to Michael.

The elementary is right across the parking lot from the high school but the walk over is the longest two minutes of my life. When I make it behind the elementary to the playground, Michael is already sitting on top of one of the play structures. I take a deep breath. Then another. And another. Then I cross the mulch and crawl up the ladder, sitting cross legged across from him.

"Hi."

"Hi" His voice is so faint, I'm so nervous. It feels like it's been forever since I've been close enough to just admire him. The deep pools of his eyes that are always sparkling, even covered by the thick frames of his glasses. The way his fluffy brown hair tufts up when he runs his fingers through it. The gentle curve of his full lips. I've kissed those lips. I'd like to kiss them again.

"I read your letter." He inhales sharply. Opens his mouth to speak. I cut him off.

"I'm glad I did. I'm thure you've noticed, I'm tho in love with you. From the moment I thaw you, I mean really thaw you, I knew I wanted you to be mine. Becauth you thee me too. And I know you don't want to hurt me. And you're right, I'm fragile, but thath what love it isn't it? Heartbreak, and fighth, and tearth, and pain, tho much pain, but the pain ith what makth it worth it. It's the heartbreak that makes you treasure what you have. And I'd let you break my heart as many timth as you need to thow you that I'm here for the long run. I'm so hopelethly in love with you. Pleath. Give me a chance. Give uth a chance."

I know I'm crying, I can't help myself. He's crying too.

"Rich. I love you. I didn't want to at first but I do. But you don't want me. My biological mother didn't want me. You're going to wake up in the middle of the night one day and realize that I'm not what you want."

"I don't juth want you Michael. I need you." I reach out and cup his cheeks in my hands. "I need you, and you need me, I know you do, and we're going to make this work becauth I'm never going to thay goodbye to you. I can't. All I can ever think of ith you. I want you, I need you, I chooth you, I love you."

The tears are streaming steadily now, collecting in my lashes. I'm holding Michael Mell's face, and I love him so much, and my heart is raw and bleeding and I've laid it out in front of him for him to do with it what he pleases. And I can only hope he doesn't break it.

He looks up. Looks directly into my eyes, his are watering too. And I'm so terrified I can barely breathe because I haven't felt like this since before my SQUIP, haven't let my guard down in so long, and then before I can understand what's happening Michael leans forward and he's kissing me like he's drowning and I'm the only thing that's keeping him afloat.

Michael's POV

Rich is cupping my face in his hands and his face is rosy, and he's lisping like crazy and I'm so in love I feel sick to my stomach because he's here, Rich is here, looking at me with those eyes and suddenly I believe all his promises and if I don't kiss him right now...

So I kiss him. Just lean forward, and there that wasn't so hard was it, and he tastes like lemon sour patch kids, and suddenly I'm lost in him, I'm drowning in all the emotions I've been pushing down, and his lips on mine are keeping me centered, keeping me afloat. And it feels so good.

I pull him forward so his chest is pressed against mine but it's still not enough.

I tug both of us up into a standing position, my hands finding his waist instantly, pushing him against the side of the playground platform, and his hands are raking at my hair, and I have just enough time to think that Rich is really good at this before his tongue begs for entrance to my mouth, desperate and hungry.

I let him have it, focusing on pulling his hips closer to mine. Always closer, closer, closer.

I can't get enough, I'm drunk on pleasure, high just being in the company of the man I love. My hands travel up and down his arms, I knew they were strong. His hands are up my hoodie, and the skin on skin makes me shiver with need.

When we finally separate for air his lips are swollen, and I feel pleasure knowing that I did that. That my lips are probably in the same state.

"Rich I think I'm in love with you." I grin stupidly.

"Michael I think I'm in love with you too." He smiles and I pull him back into me, his head just coming to my neck, which he uses to his advantage, kissing and sucking gently at my neck, just below my collar bone where he knows I can hide the marks he's leaving. I hum contentedly, and kiss the top of his head.

"Hey Rich?"

"Yeth darling?"

"Do you want to go to prom with me?"

"Brooke might kill me. But yeth." And his grin is so crooked, and I'm young and in love, and I have all the time in the world, so I pick him up, curling his legs around my waist, and his hands are on my shoulders, my neck, in my hair, and my tongue is exploring his mouth, and everything finally feels right.