One Shots Book

As the Years Go On (Merome)

Well I'm sorry in advance. Imma hate myself after this. Bold is Jerome's speech. Normal is Flashbacks/Current Events.

I'm standing here to tell you the story of me and my best friend Mitch. It started out in the fourth grade.
"Jerome, could you be so kind as to show Mitch around? He has most of your classes and needs a tour guide. Can you do that for me?" The teacher asked the boy. He rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Sure. I'll show the new kid around."
I still can't believe how reluctant I was to show him around. It turned out so well for me. Except for recently our time together has been perfect.
"What cha up to Mitch?" Jerome asked his best friend as he found him that morning.
"I have to leave Jerome." Mitch said sadly.
"What do you mean leave? Where are you going?" Jerome asked, nervous and scared.
"I have to go back to Canada. It's really far away Jerome so I probably won't see you again." Mitch said quietly, tears forming again.
"Really? But I don't want you to go. Biggums-"
"B- biggums?" Mitch sobbed out. Jerome pulled him close and shushed him.
"Biggums is for someone really close and important to you. It's a family thing." Jerome squeezed Mitch harder as the news settled again. "Don't leave me Biggums."
I never got to tell him what Biggums actually meant. I still remember that sad day when we packed him up to leave.
"Do you really have to go?" Jerome sobbed out, hugging himself. Mitch nodded with tear-stained cheeks. Both their eyes were red and puffy from crying. Mitch's mother was watching this and felt bad.
"How about this Jerome. We'll write down your number and that way you can still talk to Mitch." The woman suggested.
"I won't be able to see him though." Jerome sighed quietly. Mitch heard this however and hugged the other.
"Goodbye Biggums. Don't forget me?"
"Of course not Biggums." Mitch waved and started to walk over to the truck but turned back around to give Jerome a peck on the cheek.
"I love you Biggums."
That was when we first admitted our love. His father hated it and so Mitch could rarely call me. Only when his father wasn't home would I get nervous and rushed calls from the other. He would tell me about how Canada was and tell me how much he missed me. If his dad would catch us on the phone together he'd hurt Mitch, threaten him to no end and always tell me it was my fault his son was gay. That went real far for him didn't it?
"Jerome. My dad's gone but not for long." Mitch whispered into the receiver. Jerome sighed as he sat beside the phone.
"Why did you call then?! I don't want you to get hurt again! I love you too much Biggums." Jerome said to his Canadian other half.
"I know Jerome. I just needed to hear your voice. I miss it so much. I miss your smile and laugh and stupid little jokes." Mitch said, his voice proving he was getting glossy-eyed. Jerome shushed and a loud slam was heard.
"How dare you still speak to that boy! What have I told you!" Mitch's father yelled as he slammed open Mitch's door. Jerome heard a loud thud of his Biggums getting thrown to the floor.
"I'm sorry! I miss my friend!" Mitch whimpered from the floor.
"Friend? You call that monster a friend? He turned you bad, turned you sinful!" The man yelled and Jerome had to listen to Mitch's whimpers and please for him to stop. "Don't speak to that sinner! Or you'll have to leave my house!" The man bellowed. Mitch whispered a yes sir as his father disappeared.
"Mitch? Mitchy love? I'm sorry Biggums. Are you okay?" Jerome called through the phone. Mitch whimpered as he stood up.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I have to go for now. Bye Jerome." Mitch answered as he hung up the phone.
It was constant, the beatings the man gave Mitch. And I'd have to listen to my best friend, and at the time lover, cry and beg and plea to be left alone. He had to beg for his father to stop beating him. And it never worked. Yet the stubborn boy kept calling me. He went against his father's wishes until he was kicked out. He called me from a different Canadian number that night, telling me his friend Mat was keeping him safe. I had to put trust and my love's life into the hands of a stranger. And boy did it pay off dude.
"What? Why are you giving me the phone?" Mat asked as Mitch handed off the phone.
"My boyfriend's worried for me. I figured you could reassure him." Mitch replied as he glanced at Mat. Mat nodded and listened to the phone.
"Hello?" Mat asked into the phone.
"Hey. I'm Jerome, Mitch's boyfriend. And you are?"
"Mat. Mitch's Canadian friend. You are totally American aren't you?" Mat asked, noticing the accent. Mitch slapped him and Mat looked at him sideways.
"Yeah. East coast in fact. Can you just promise me Mitch is safe? And you won't make any moves on him?" Jerome asked through the phone.
"1, Mitch is perfectly safe. My dad's a cop, this is the safest he'll ever be. 2, I wouldn't dare. He's taken dude, and quite happy so I won't mess that up. Mitch never used to be happy." Mat said into the phone. Mitch held his face in his hands and zoned out the other two until he was given the phone back.
Mat kept my Biggums safe, kept him fed -which he was always picky about Mat. It wasn't just a you thing-, he kept him warm. I owe a lot to Mat. He kept my Biggums safe and gave him the family and home structure that he was lacking. I really do owe you. And as time went on, and technology advanced, I got to see my Biggums again. They created a way to talk to friends with your faces over computers and we ran with the idea. We would talk most every night. Mitch would fall asleep on me so often and Mat would bring him to his bed. It became a routine.
"Did he fall asleep again?" Mat asked as he walked into the room. Jerome nodded and sighed. "You two are absolutely adorable. I need a relationship like yours in my life, badly." Mat said as he brushed part of Mitch bangs out of his eyes.
"I have to say goodnight now don't I?" Jerome asked through a sigh. Mat looked up and nodded. "I don't want to keep leaving him. I want to be able to be with him." Jerome said as he stroked Mitch's cheek through the screen.
"Jerome." Mat said sadly. Jerome looked up confused. "Maybe you should end it with Mitch. The distance is putting a lot of stress on him. It'd be best if you let him fall in love with a girl in town." Mat said reluctantly. Jerome was going to retaliate but he realized it was true. Mitch wasn't doing too well with the distance. Jerome bit his lip and nodded weakly. "I can tell him in the morning Jerome. It'll help if I tell him." Mat said slowly. Jerome nodded again and let tears cloud his eyes.
"Keep me up to date Mat?" Jerome asked. Mat nodded and turned off the call before carrying Mitch to his bed.
The day Mat told me to break it off with Mitch I was a disaster. But I knew he'd be better with someone else, someone that could be there for him. Mitch had called me the next morning after Mat told him and began sobbing, telling me he couldn't do it. I promised him he could, and calmed him down. He said he'd try his best and hung up the call. I didn't expect to get a call only a week later with his great big news: he got a girlfriend.
"Biggums!" Mitch yelled through the call. Jerome smiled at the fact that he kept the nickname.
"What's up Mitch?" Jerome asked the hyper boy in front of him.
"I got a girlfriend! She's really pretty and nice." Mitch said excitedly. Jerome kept up a smile.
"Congrats dood! When can I meet her?" Jerome asked. Mitch smiled and signaled someone over. This beautiful girl entered the shot and Jerome smiled. She was exactly Mitch's type and he was glad. "Hi. I'm Mitch's best friend Jerome." Jerome said and waved. She waved back and giggled as she sat on Mitch's lap. He groaned at the weight on his legs.
"Get off. You're too heavy." Mitch groaned and Jerome chuckled.
She was the first of many girls who told Mitch to stop talking to me. They told him that I must have still loved him, and I still do. But, Mitch being happy was enough for me. We were teenagers back then, and we did some stupid things. I'm sure you'll all agree. He came to me one night to ask me a question about what, his third in a year? And I snapped because they all had hated me. In fact, I think Jess is the only one who didn't hate me. Congrats Jess.
"Hey Biggums. I need your opinion." Mitch said as Jerome answered the call.
"Yes dood?" Jerome replied.
"Hey. Do you think Max would like a necklace or a bracelet for our anniversary?" Mitch asked, looking at me with a nervous glance (don't judge meh, I'm obsessed with Life is Strange).
"Max? You mean your girlfriend Max?" Mitch nodded and rolled his eyes. "I don't know Biggums." Jerome answered seriously. Max hated Jerome from the start and so never spoke to him.
"At least guess! You know her too Jerome!" Mitch whined and stared at his friend.
"I don't know Mitch! You do realize she won't speak to me right?!" Jerome snapped. He hated not being able to help Mitch and hated his girlfriends so he lost his self-control.
"What do you mean? She loves you Jerome." Mitch asked, confused and slightly hurt.
"Loves me? Really Mitch? Are you that f*cking oblivious?! She hates me! She won't speak to me unless it's to deflate my self-esteem! She'd throw a party if I died! She hates my guts Mitch, because I threaten her ability to be with you! They all have Mitch!" Jerome snapped.
"What gives Jerome?" Mitch asked, pissed. "What gives you the right to bad mouth my girlfriends?! They haven't done anything to you!" Mitch shouted.
"Oh. They haven't done anything to me. Is that why they all tell you not to talk to me?! Is that why they all tease me and punish me for talking to you?! Is that why they're all evil and cruel and vicious to me?!" Jerome yelled. Mitch glared at the other.
"You're just jealous I've had girlfriends when you didn't. You're jealous of the fact that girls actually fall in love with me! If you can't respect my girlfriends, you can just leave me alone Jerome. Don't talk to me." Mitch growled as he hung up the call. Jerome collapsed back on his chair and let tears fall. He just ruined things with Mitch. Jerome sobbed and denied Mat's call that followed.
That was our first big fight. It lasted weeks, to the point where I thought he'd never speak to me again. But he came back crying when she broke up with him. He told me he had been stupid to believe her lies and that he was so sorry. I accepted his apology of course, he was still my Biggums despite what he said. And yet, he continues to go through girlfriends that hated me. After a while, me and him got into video games together. Him, Mat, me, and a friend named Zak (is that right? I wasn't there for the ASF days) played games together. After a while, in fact, I moved up to Canada to live with them. I got to spend more time with both of them and I was happy. His girlfriends still hated my guts and wanted me gone but Mat would interfere and tell them no. We became a group called ASF, or Awesome Sauce Films. I can't remember where the name came from right now. Probably Mitch though, knowing him. That group though eventually lead me to Team Crafted however. And I knew it would be a ride so I dragged Mitch along. Team Crafted ended up being a mistake however. It collapsed quickly and violently and left me and Mitch alone again. Then we met the members of The Pack.
"Hey guys it's Mitch or-"
"The other half of Merome!" Preston yelled, interrupting Mitch. Jerome chuckled.
"You sure are Biggums!" Jerome said, slurping afterwards. Lachlan began laughing in the background. Mitch and Jerome bantered about for a few minutes before Rob interjected.
"Dudes stop! Someone explain what we're doing?" Rob asked.
"Today we're playing a PvP Bridges type thing with the whole Pack!" Vikk explained as he began chopping down another tree.
"No mods or special things. Just straight banter!" Lachlan said as he punched Vikk.
"But as you may notice, we're doing it to two to an island. That makes it complicated but eh. We'll deal." Preston said as he started to mine down. "Fudging stop with the flowers Rob!" Preston yelled as Rob threw flowers at him. Rob chuckled and went to collect more flowers.
"But I'm the flower king and I need a queen Preston!" Rob whined as he picked more flowers.
"Oi fish! I'm no Rob-a-dob-flob's Queen!" Preston responded.
"Ooh baby a triple!" Jerome yelled as he mined up three iron.
"Nice dood." Mitch replied. They bantered about for another 10 minutes until PvP started as the bridges began to build.
"Have many lives? 3?" Vikk asked as he prepped his hot bar.
"Sounds good. How about you Merome?" Preston replied. Mitch hummed in okay as he continued smelting his iron. Jerome was still mining and had done a good job of blocking their path. "Alright. All deaths count starting now." Preston said as the last block of the bridges built. Vikk and Lachlan advanced towards Rob and Preston, Rob at first only seeming to have a flower as a weapon. Turns out he had enchanted the flower to have sharpness 3, knock-back 2, and flame. And it hurt bad. Lachlan was quickly out, Rob missing two lives and Preston missing one. Vikk hadn't lost a single life yet so was still fresh with three lives. Mitch and Jerome were finally geared up and climbed out. Jerome whispered something to Mitch, who sat beside him, and they both targeted Vikk. He lost a life then they got out Rob. Jerome lost a life and Preston was in the midst of fighting Mitch. Rob and Lachlan were spectating and commentating on the fight. Jerome smiled at a thought and climbed up a tree.
He jumped down swinging his axe yelling "Bacca from the trees!" He got the last hit on Preston and landed in the water. "Yes! It worked!"
"Good job Biggums." Mitch congratulated and turned to find Vikk.
We moved in together into a Florida house after a while, and boy was that amazing. The two of us and Ryan getting to spend as much time as we pleased together. The fans were all hyped about it too. It was probably the best thing that happened to the two of us. Especially since that's where Mitch met Jess. I could always tell Jess was special to him, since she enjoyed being around me. It was funny to me, that one of Mitch's girlfriends wasn't mad or jealous of me. She made the boy so happy, that's the only way he got through the Pack break-up. I tried to help but he just wouldn't listen to me. But she fixed Mitch, made him better again. She was a savior back then and still is. You were always there for him Jess, even when I couldn't be.
"What is wrong with you Mitch?!" Vikk had yelled at the other. "What has gotten into you?!"
"What do you mean?! I've always been like this Vikk. You were just too stuck up in the Sidemen and your Lachy to notice." Mitch hissed.
"Oi just wait a minute-" Lachlan cut into the conversation.
"Stop. Please." Jerome begged but they weren't listening. Jerome just sat there panicking at what was happening. This was what happened with TC. No, he couldn't let it happen again. "Stop. Stop. Please Stop. No." Jerome begged, unheard. "Stop it! All of you!" Jerome yelled, getting them to stop. "I won't stand for this. I'm not losing more friends because you're mad at each other in the heat of the moment! I won't f*cking deal with this again!" Jerome yelled, flashbacks of Team Crafted plaguing his thoughts.
"Well I'm not gonna stay here then. I'm done boys. I quit." Vikk said as he left the call.
"I'm leaving too. Goodbye forever." Lachlan growled as he left. Jerome collapsed backwards and left tears begin to fall. No no no. He couldn't- he didn't- it couldn't have just. The Pack, gone. Vikk and Lachlan, gone. Sure Preston and Rob were still there but they'd leave soon too. They were planning so much. They were going to add Brandon and get a house together. It was all gone now. The Pack was gone now. Mitch came to Jerome and began apologizing.
"If I had just shut up- had I just stopped and not said those things- I'm so sorry to put you through that again Jerome." Mitch said, trying to comfort his friend when he wasn't okay yet.
"It's not your fault Mitch. Just- please don't leave me." Jerome begged.
"Oh course Biggums. I won't ever leave you." Mitch said as he sat in Jerome's lap, holding the other close.
Knowing Mitch was okay was what made me make it through. So I guess you could say that Jess saved both of us. She was and still is the perfect girl for Mitch. I had never seen him happier, not even when he was with me. And despite it all, I ended up destroying you two. I never got to tell you, Jess, but I'm the reason he went out driving that night. I started an argument over nothing and it escalated quickly. To the point where he slapped me and I sent him away. I told him to go to you since he obviously wanted to be with you more. I'm so sorry for that Jess. I never meant for this.
"I hate you Mitch!" Jerome yelled as he pushed Mitch away. Mitch growled and advanced closer.
"Good! I hope you f*cking hate me! Because I hate you! You and your big-nosed, lying, fake self!" Mitch shouted back as he pushed Jerome back over and over again.
"At least I'm not a money wh*re like you." Jerome hissed and that caused Mitch to snap. He smacked Jerome across the face, leaving a red, raised handprint. Jerome bit his lip from the stinging sensation. Mitch's eyes cleared of his anger as he looked at the man he once, and still, loved. A red handprint, his handprint, painted his cheek and hurt flooded his eyes.
"Biggums. I'm sorry it's just-" Mitch stammered but was interrupted.
"Out." Jerome growled.
"What?" Mitch whimpered, hoping he hadn't heard him right.
"I want you out. Go to Jess. You love her more, care for her more. I bet you wouldn't smack Jess no matter what she did. So go, be with the one you want to be with." Jerome said, looking away from Mitch and pointing towards the door. If he looked at Mitch he'd change his mind and he wouldn't allow that. Mitch complied, walking out and slamming the door closed.
The second that door slammed shut I knew he'd never be back. I should have stopped him then, told him I hadn't meant any of it. He'd still be here, none of this would be happening. Had I just swallowed my d*mn pride and listened to my gut we'd be at home recording another Hunger Games. He'd get married to the love of his life, Jess, and I'd get to be his best man. He'd get to have those children and that family he'd always wanted. But instead he's gone. He's lying beside me, forever sleeping. I just didn't believe that my worries would be true. And then I got that phone call. I fell apart once I hung up Jess. I spent an hour sobbing because it was my fault. My Biggums is dead because of me. Jess's lover is dead because of me. The idol of millions is dead because of me. The best friend of many is dead because of me. It's all my fault, and I have to live with that feeling forever. And, after killing him, the least I can do is tell him what Biggums means. A Biggums is someone you could never be without. A soulmate that's more than a soulmate. A best friend, sibling, lover, and number 1 fan all rolled into one. I never deserved to be called your Biggums, Mitch.
The paramedics tried to revive the boy but he was a lost cause. Jess sat crying in the background but not fighting it. She hoped they wouldn't save him. He'd keep trying until he was gone. It wasn't worth it. She held the note close in her fist and remembered the words perfectly. "I needed my Biggums, Jess. I'm sorry for leaving you to mourn two deaths. But, I'm just selfish and wanted my Mitch in my arms again. I'm sorry I took him from you, and I'm sorry I loved him." And she knew that they deserved each other. Because as the years went on, and as time passed by, they always had each other. They deserved some peace and time alone. She'd move on, find someone new, but she'd never forget those two. For the rest of her life, around her neck she'd wear Mitch's dog tags and Jerome's charm of an axe and sword crossed, with the phrase "Benja-Bac Duo" engraved on the back.

Welp. I did do that. Yep. Hate me all you want. Just know I am going through a rough time and I'd rather have support. Not only am I mad at one of the more important SideChicks (not that some are not important it's just obvious that some are more of the leader type while others just go with it), but I'm also in really shitty shape mentally. My mental issues are getting worse and so is my Vertigo/POTS. Therefore I constantly feel like crap and can't sleep without nightmares I don't control and can't escape. I'm in terrible shape and so I'm sorry if certain things aren't updated because of that. Requests would be nice though, seeing as I'm running off my list of song one shot ideas. This wasn't part of it but my mind came up with this in one of its not-as-dark thoughts. Anywho, I'm sorry. I hope you enjoy the long one shot. I love you all. Until next time, Peace my cheeses! <3