Behind The Screens (Mikey X Reader)

Loveable Condition

   Back up on the surface, you stayed away from your parents as much as you could. Most of your time away from school was spent in the lair or at Grampy's antique shop, which was really a glorified thrift store. Gramps always seemed to appreciate your help and your company. Only a few times he'd mention that your mother —his daughter— would never visit him anymore, but it wasn't a regular comment. He didn't want to make it seem like it was your responsibility to convince her to visit...

   ...And you appreciated that, because she always seemed too annoyed to talk.

   Saturday morning, you made Grampy breakfast and told him about your newfound love for the Revenge of the Swamp Monster comic. You didn't bring up your new relationship in fear he would tell your mother —on the off chance she would finally decide to visit him. Although, he loved to poke fun and ask if you were interested in anyone because you were so beautiful.

   When you finished eating breakfast with him, you helped him open his store. Every Saturday, he would pick a quarter of his store to look through and see if anything was worth donating.

   -Oh Grampy, generous as always,- you thought.

   Today, he wanted to go through the book collection and see which ones picked up the most dust. You joined him, but kept an eye on the till for customers because you weren't very interested in the dusty encyclopedias. You both slowly scooted along the aisles of bookselves with a triple-shelf trolley.

   "After we go through these books, we should give them a good dusting. Oh, maybe these books should be recycled... this is all old information. Princess, would you mind putting these on the bottom?" Grampy quietly said with two books in his hand.

   "Yeah, of course!" You said, taking the books and putting them on the bottom shelf of the trolley.

   "I don't mean to order you around, princess. It's just that I get dizzy when I bend down and my back isn't what it used to be,"

   "It's no problem, Grampy. It gives me an excuse to use my super buff arms," you joked, earning a sweet laugh from him.

   -I swear, Grampy's laugh can cure depression,- you thought to yourself jokingly.

   At the end of the aisle, you noticed a magazine shelf half-filled with magazines from the 70's, and half assorted comic books.

   "Wait, Grampy... have we always had comic books here??" You asked enthusiastically before jogging over to the shelf.

   "A few weeks ago a man came in and brought his old comic books in a big box. The only ones I know are the Tales of the Crypt and the Archie comics. You're more than welcome to take a gander and take some home. I know you mentioned you like comic books, isn't that right?" He strolled along and placed a book on the trolley.

   "Really?? Thank you!"

   Grampy smiled at your sudden glow of happiness and continued with his sorting. It was like you were a child again, looking at toys in a toy shop. The more gruesome and explicit comics were put on the higher shelves while the funnier and sweet comics were on the bottom for kids to look at.

   You scanned top to bottom for anything you'd like to read with Mikey. Reading comics together became a new favourite passtime, so you were very excited. It was around the middle shelf area where you found it...

   "Attack of the Swamp Monster volumes 1 - 3! Oh my gosh! It's here! Mikey's favourite from his childhood!" You took the comic from the shelf excitedly and flipped through the book, not to look, but to get the paper smell.

   "Oh you like that one?"

   "Yes! Can I keep it? It's not like a crazy collectible, is it? I'm not costing you?"