fight club. lh ; mc.

nueve. parte dos.

Ashley paces around the apartment slowly, pulling on her bottom lip as she concentrates.

She feels anxious about something. She has a horrible, gut feeling that something isn't right because her friend has been missing for almost a week and it's not like him to do this.

Ashton stopped her from going to Michael's house, refused to give her the address and told her that 'he's fine he just needs rest, leave him alone'. Ashley knows better and she just knows that the fun, bubbly, hyperactive Michael Clifford that she knows would not just vanish off the face of the earth like that.

Her jittery, anxious feeling gets the better of her and she calls up the only person she knows will answer her this early in the morning.

"Hals, do you know what time it is?" The voice groans, and Ashley can hear the ruffle of bedsheets as the person moves around.

"Lynn, listen, I need for you to do me a favour." Ashley's voice is hushed for fear of Ashton waking up and hearing who she's talking to and why.

"And this favour couldn't wait, like, two more hours?" Lynn asks, and Ashley can almost hear her rolling her eyes.

"No, it couldn't. Listen, Michael's been missing for five or so days now, and I'm worried about him. Like really worried," Ashley stops when she hears Lynn gasp, "I know, I know, I should have gone over and seen him but Ash wouldn't give me his new address and Luke's keeping his mouth shut, for Christ's sake they wouldn't even give me his phone number, I don't know what else to do."

"Fuck, okay. This is bad, I'll call him and if he doesn't answer I'll be there as fast as possible. Go to bed, get some sleep, I'll let you know what I find."

Ashley can't help the feeling in her gut that tells her Lynn isn't going to find Michael alive.

-----

"Mike, c'mon, open the door!" Lynn calls through the door, banging the palm of her hand flat against it, "I just want to know you're okay, c'mon Mikey, please!"

There's no reply and Lynn gives up, slumping down the doorframe and pulling her knees up to her chest, letting out a frustrated huff. She knows that Michael is fine, he's done this more often than she can count on both hands.

She's sitting there for a while before the door is pulled open and she falls back against the floor with a dull thud, blinking up and into Michael's tired looking, sunken in eyes.

"Can I help you?" Michael asks, voice deadpan as he looks down on the short, petite girl.

Lynn pulls herself up off the ground, dusting off her ass, "Hals asked me to come over and check that you weren't, like, dead or anything." 

"And she couldn't have come past herself why?" Michael rolls his eyes, stepping to the side to let Lynn inside.

"Ashton wouldn't give her your address or something, I dunno. Either way you've disappeared for five days and everyone thought you died."

"Well I'm living and Ashton can fuck off." Michael grins sarcastically, watching Lynn throw herself down on the sofa.

"This isn't to do with that Luke dude, is it?" Lynn asks after a moment, putting her arms under the pillow she's lying her head on, bunching it up.

"Not at all," Michael lies through his teeth, "I was given a one week suspension and I have nothing else to do other than waste my life away in this hellhole apartment. My friends all work eleven hour days down at the boxing club, and by the time they get home they're too tired to be social, so I've just holed myself up and binge watched Adventure Time for the past week." 

Every single word that leaves Michael's mouth is forced and a partial lie, and he's not sure if Lynn will believe any of the babble of bullshit that's just passed his lips, because she knows him better than that and he knows so.

Lynn squints her eyes at him, "Fuck off, you're a liar. Have you at least been taking your meds this time?" She asks, eyes big and worried now, knowing that the last time Michael was depressed he spiralled due to his lack of medication.

Michael nods, shuffling over with his blanket still wrapped around his body and plopping down on the sofa next to her, "Of course I have. I wouldn't do that again." 

Lynn kicks his thigh softly, "I know you wouldn't, but I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't check. Are you sure you're good?"

Michael nods again, not even having to think about it, "I'm as good as I can be in this state. I go back to work next week so I'll feel better then."

"That's good. Get your ass back in gear, get fighting again, get back to kicking butts. You do so good and I'm so damn proud of you, Mikey." Lynn speaks softly, pulling herself up and tackling him into a hug that Michael returns greatfully. 

He's just glad to have company. Someone who genuinely loves him and protects him and is there for him when he needs them.

Lynn continues to hug him for a little while longer, a comfortable silence overcoming them and then she's huffing, "I'm staying here tonight. You have Adventure Time and I'm so ready to watch it all night and eat ice cream until we puke."

Michael's face lights up into a genuine smile as laughter bubbles out of his mouth, "I'd love that, lets do it."