How to Survive - Be More Chill fic

Level 1

Michael tapped his hand against the remote, trying hard to suppress his paranoid thoughts and failing miserably.

Weeks had passed but the fear of losing Jeremy again lingered every time he stopped doing something. The Play still haunted his dreams, their hollow eyes and coordinated movements making him spend less and less time sleeping.

Things weren't going well.

The distraction cost him. An all too familiar minor tune played from his speakers. Even games were hard. He just wanted for it to go back to how it used to be.

'Michael?'

His head spins around to Jeremy standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs, the light from the upstairs hall making him seem even more untouchable, like the dream he had become when the Squip had stolen him.

'Well hello there esteemed guest and what will you be having?' Michael said with a confident wink, pushing his thoughts to the back of his head.

Jeremy smiled at him as he walked forward, tossing his bag into the corner and throwing himself into the free beanbag next to Michael's.

'Well kind sir I would like one Crystal Pepsi and a singular Reese's peanut butter cup if you may.'

'A classic pairing,' Michael called over his shoulder as he opened his mini-fridge but he faltered before grabbing the drink. Along the bottom row lay around 20 mountain dew red bottles he'd panic bought during The Incident. His paranoia meant he'd kept all of them.

He continued forward, restraining his thoughts, as he brought Jeremy his request.

'Anything else you desire sir?'

Jeremy smiled up at him and Michael felt his heart stutter. The look almost felt like the word you. But maybe he was just seeing that.

Jeremy took his drink and shook his head, his thoughts in reality on his current girlfriend, yes girlfriend, he could still hardly comprehend the word.

'No I'm good for now but stay on your toes because who knows what could happen in the future. Oh and Michael real talk. Christine wants to go to this ice cream place tomorrow and I'm lost. I've worn every combination of my clothes I own.'

Michael shook his head smiling slightly and looked down at his player 2. 'Borrow something of mine if you want dude and BEFORE you suggest my wardrobe is not cool enough for your hot- no sorry cold,' he said winking, 'date I would like to remind you that I was with you when you bought the majority of your clothes and insulting me is just insulting yourself.

Jeremy opened his mouth to protest. And closed it again. 

'You may be right but that joke was bad enough that I can pretend that you weren't' Jeremy said shaking his head in mock disappointment.  Michael began to open his mouth in retaliation already preparing a witty yet obviously classy comeback before he was interrupted 'I'll raid your wardrobe later, if I'm not mistaken you invited me here to playyyy....'

Michael threw himself onto the seat filing the reply for future use and began spamming buttons on his controller in an attempt to revive the darkened screen.

'May I present....'

A cheerful tune played from the speakers as two brightly coloured vintage looking characters began dancing from side to side on screen. The game was perfect for them, it required two people in perfect harmony to battle boss after boss without getting frustrated with each other. Jeremy slowly began swaying to the music closing his eyes gently not realising Michael was looking over at him about to say...

His mouth dried up. Whatever nugget of wisdom he had been thinking had been lost to the waterfall of emotion caused by realising that he was here, Jeremy was actually with him in his basement playing games again and he would do so much to protect that.

'Press play or I swear to whatever you believe in I will enter your house at night and play the Mario theme song at maximum volume,' Jeremy says laughing through the words as the audio looped for the third time, 'I don't want to start hating the song before I even get the chance to love it.'

They start playing the game together, the difficulty refreshing from what they were used to. The punishing health system, incredibly unique bosses, the puns after each frustrating failure, everything added up until they both had forgotten about their worries, each bright blue bullet burying bottled up emotions.

There was something about the serenity that made both boys feel sentimental. The way they would run down here to play any game regardless of quality -gosh they played some awful games- but anything just to distract them from a world full of people who lurked around the corners with their legs out waiting to drag them down. They were all they needed. Jeremy thought back to that time. The comfort of knowing that Michael had his back had kept him satisfied for so long. The only thing that changed was...

Christine.

'Dude if you get us killed after we get into the final phase the things I will do to you are so graphic and violent, that if they were shown on TV, it would have to be after 11.'

Jeremy dragged his attention back to the game but part of him couldn't stop thinking about the fact that before Christine he had never wanted to be with anyone but Michael. And now he had Michael again. And somehow thinking about Christine with him in the room felt like cheating?

No he had spoken to Michael about Christine the moment he began to suspect he liked her, clearly he was overthinking it. Christine must been his first crush. Which is the only explanation he had. But that didn't explain-

'Jeremy! Your phone!'

Michael fumbled for the volume and suddenly the basement was silent save for the Pokemon theme song emanating from Jeremy's front left pocket.

'Rich?'

Michael looked on in confusion as Jeremy seemed to have a very brief, very awkward conversation that ended with 'don't worry I'll force him if I have to.'

Silence filled the basement again and Jeremy looked over at Michael who had his head tilted to one side in a exaggerated 'what the heck?' kinda way .

'Rich?'

'He wants to meet with us today. In the mall. To talk.'

'Is he alright? Is it something to do with-' Michael couldn't say the word.

Both of them appreciated Rich; he was't perfect by any standards and the years of bullying were hard to overlook at first. But neither of them could hold it against him when they first spoke to him without his Squip. He was flirty and cheerful and the nerdiest jock they had ever met. He was so genuinely open about his thoughts. In reality after the play a lot of the school became unlikely friends. There was something about suddenly being aware of everyone's emotions, everyone becoming one all at once that brought them closer. Apart from Michael. But they accepted him pretty quickly considering he technically saved them all.

Both boys took less than 5 minutes to get ready to leave and were already at the door when Charlotte called out from the kitchen.

'And where are you kids going huh? Don't think you can just run off without telling me don't make me use the mum voice.'

A quiet conversation quickly took place in the kitchen followed by Cordelia giving them the all clear to go out as long as Michael was home before eleven.

'You may think I'm less strict but Michael if you're a minute late no Jeremy for a week you hear me?' she called down the corridor. Jeremy smirked at Michael as he buried his head into his hoodie. 'I'm your punishment?'

'Shut up' came the muffled reply.

Mkay so I would first like to say that yes I've made the lesbian aunties from Falsettos Michael's parents because his real parents sucked and yes I'm trash I know. So this is the first chapter of my story and I'm kinda in love with this Musical and Michael Mell is my child. That is all thanks for reading.