Stay With Me (Merome)

Chapter 12

Mitch's POV

"Mom?" I called tentatively, stepping through the door, and was greeted by both of my parents. "Mitch, good to see you again!" Dad smiled, and welcomed me into his arms for a hug, which I readily accepted. "Hey Mom and Dad, how are you? And Connor? Are Kayleigh and Marley okay? Is Marley still dating that idiot?" I asked, and Dad shook his head. "Ten seconds in the door and already asking millions of questions!"

"What your father means to say is that we are all okay, Marley is not dating that boy anymore, and Connor would really love to see you, but he's at training at the moment, and won't be home for another hour or so."

"Oh," I drooped at the news, missing my brother. My parents looked behind me, reminding me Jerome was here. "Jerome!"

"Hey Mr and Mrs Hughes. How have you all been?" He asked, shaking my dad's hand and allowing my mom to hug him tight. "You need to visit more Jerome! We haven't see you in a long time!"

"Ah, but I've been stealing your boy away from home, keeping him all to myself!"

"You keep him in line though!"

"Ahh, you don't give him enough credit for being a good little boy!" Jerome laughed, and my dad thumped him warmly on the back. Jerome smiled at them, then looked at me. "Mitch, we still going to do a livestream?" Oh yeah. A livestream. "Sure Biggums! Let's head down the basement. Nice to see you, tell Connor to come down if he wants to, or tell him to just text me when he's back. We'll be doing a three hour Hunger Games livestream downstairs," my parents nodded, and I grabbed my suitcase and went to my room, Jerome following. "Haven't been here in a long time."

"Yeah, nor have I been back to yours for a while."

"How do you wanna do this livestream? Both do seperate ones or both play on my monitors?"

"Seperate computers, but same livestream. I'm the lazy butt who doesn't want to bother setting up their equipment."

"Typical," I muttered, and Jerome scowled at me. "Hey, it's not like I brought it anyway."

"Even more typical."

"Am I just here to be insulted?" Jerome burst out, and I finally cracked a sly grin. "Probably," I returned, and he just rolled his eyes. "Why do I even bother?" He asked, and I replied teasingly, "Jerome, it's because you love me..."

"...no," Jerome stammered, blushing, and I watched him turn away now, and while I watched him set up, a thought erupted from my head. All the questions, the blushing, the way he had seemed disappointed with me when I had pulled away from the kiss...

Did Jerome love me?

I thought for a minute, puzzle pieces flying together. He had almost been crying to some extent when I admitted what I had about probably never being gay, stopped cutting per my request, didn't mind the kiss, and he hasn't really had many girlfriends, apart from Jasmine and Louise, but they always seemed to be casual things, like nothing serious was happening, not even kissing. Both relationships had been somewhat long-term, but I'd never been able to see a future for them, and Jerome had admitted the same. Was this because he loved me?

Jerome noticed my gazed latched onto him, and shifted uncomfortably, finishing setting up. "Uh. Mitch. You okay?"

"What?"

"Are you okay? Why are you looking at me like that?" I shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, uh, just daydreaming. Don't worry bud, I'm fine." I muttered, and Jerome looked at me before pulling out his laptop. He settled in a seat next to me, and I took my own spot, getting my live-streaming software, facecam and Minecraft client opened.

We threw out tweets, made a short v-log and posted a picture on Instagram promoting the stream, before both getting onto the server. "Hey doods! Welcome to the livestream!" I cheered, and Jerome grinned. "Can we play some Colour Runner first?" He asked, and I facepalmed. "You are kidding."

"... I am not."

"Really Jerome? It's a Hunger Games livestream!"

"But Miitttcchhh! Not even for your main Bac?" He whimpered, and I relented. "Ugh. Fine. But just because you're a dirty stinking Bacca!" I quickly got into server 8, then Jerome copied, and I grinned. "Jerome, do /team blue so we're in the same team!" Due to the livestream lag, we could get in before any fans got to beat us, and I smiled at Jerome when the game started. "Now, remember, no PvP okay! Do not pick any fights!"

"Awwww! Why Mitch? Why you gotta do that?"

"Because..." I smiled evilly. "It's my job." Jerome rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you." He suddenly yelped, and I heard a bark in reply from Toby. "Someone is spanking this Bacca booty!"

"No! That's my job!" I yelled back, and in the exact second when Jerome looked at me, I felt a little rush of something towards him. Maybe things wouldn't be bad if he did love me. Maybe they'd be better.

Heads up for anyone who wants to know, I'm going to be doing Chapter 14 (the fifteenth chapter) as a long one, hopefully filled with plots and a little action you like, but I maintain it is smutless. Sorry.

Anyway, this means I'll be doing Chapter 13 as a filler, just with randomness. Heads up!

Amber