||Priority|| (Michael Mell x Reader) [Be More Chill]

||Chapter Seventeen||

A huge wail came out of speakers; an alarm spread across the waves of sound that cut through the storm.

You needed to find cover, and fast.

As the ground stirred and growled, you scanned your surroundings.

Everything around you seemed very unreliable.

The ground shook more, and you had trouble staying on your feet.

You shakily ran forward, nonetheless.

After a couple minutes...

There it is.

You could spot the apartment building in the blurry distance.

You were soaked by now, but you still still had the bottle and pill in your grasp.

You struggled to advance; you heard cement start to crumble and crack in front of you.

You took a step, and your foot busted through the pavement and sunk.

You gasped as the surrounding ground fell through into a growing bottomless pit.

The ground spread apart even more, but your foot was stuck in between two chunks of the ground.

You struggled, and struggled, and struggled....

...To no prevail.

The ground behind you grew weak, and started cracking.

Was this it?

You started crying quietly. The sounds of rain and the rumbling of the earth drowned it out.

You couldn't even save Michael.

You sniffled, and just gave up.

You stopped struggling against the forces of nature, and laid on the ground.

You just breathed, as the drops of rain hit your cheek, and trickled down your face.

But, then....

You felt someone approach.

They grabbed you, and pulled you up.

They got your leg out.

They scooped you up, and ran.

You blink, and wipe the tears from your eyes.

Someone with a red hoodie, and the bright glint of glasses.

It... It's Michael!

Your leg hurt so bad, and you cried even harder into his chest out of guilt.

He saved you.
Again.

"Hang on! We're almost to shelter!" He shouted through the roaring sounds of disaster.

You held onto him as tight as you could, as he jumped through debris towards the building.

Tears flew from your eyes and drifted amongst the rain drops that fell to the ground with a splash.

Next thing you knew you were in Michael's apartment, where it was a little bit warmer than outside.

He set you down, and you uneasily held yourself up. You were a soaked, shivering mess.

He frowned in pity, and got a towel and came back. He handed it to you.

You barely leaned any weight on your damaged leg, and you hissed in pain.

He guided you to the couch and helped you sit down carefully.

You declared your leg broken. It matched the pain from when you first broke it, when you-

You pushed the thoughts away.

"T-Thanks..." You smiled slightly through your tears.

It seemed that the earthquake had stopped. The rain slowed to a steady sprinkle, and all seemed calm.

Michael smiled wide, and held out his hand. "My name's Michael Mell."

You reached out and shook his hand. His hand fit perfectly with yours; it was so comfortable.

"I know. Well- it's hard to explain. My name's (Y/n)." You still had tears going down your face, and it was now obvious since the rest of your face was dry.

"Uh, are you okay...?" Michael looked a lot more worried than before.

"Oh, god... it's.. a very long story. I know you - well, I knew you." You started.

Michael gazed at you with interest.

"Imagine time going in a loop. I've met you numerous times before. We were very close most times... others, I didn't see you enough." You bite your lip in slight guilt.

Michael seems perplexed by your words; he raises an eyebrow and then furrows both of them in deep thought.

"Close? How... how close?" He pushed up his glasses with his index finger.

"Closer than Jeremy ever was, I guess." You frowned.

He looked very taken aback.

"But he's my best bud! We have an arcade session planned in two days!" He scoffed. "There's no way that's true. Actually, how is any of it true? You could've just been stalking me!"

"I just landed here today from a flight. There's no way I could get that much information in a couple hours." You shiver again as you pull the towel tighter around you.

He pondered for a minute, then spoke softly. "Then... why is time repeating for you?"

"Apparently, I'm doing something completely wrong with my life, and my stupid Squip is making time rewind until I get it right." You rant on.

Michael glanced to what was in your hands. "You - you actually got one? It really works?"

"Unfortunately." You sigh.

"That means Jeremy's works too!" Michael grinned cheekily with pride.

"Oh... yeah. But his Squip is a threat." You shrug, and Michael looses his happy expression.

"-but that's not what is important right now. We can fix that later! It's not a huge threat until after we get this time loop fixed." You quickly try to calm him down.

"Do you even have an idea what could be going wrong?"
"Well... you."
"Me..?"
"Every time I mess up, something bad happens to you. It's... all my fault."

You grip the towel tighter, and try to refrain from getting upset.

"God, it's got to be something with you. All I've ever done is get close to you." You shakily sigh.

He puts a hand on your shoulder.

"Look- uh- I haven't really known you that long, or maybe I have - but that doesn't matter right now. We're gonna fix this. I'm gonna help you, okay? You're not alone. I'm right here." While Michael was talking, he pulled you into a gentle and reassuring embrace.

You started crying again. "T-Thanks."

You two pulled apart.

You wiped your eyes.

Michael's smile pulled at his lips slightly, and his hair was a little messier than usual. It was still dry, and a little fluffier from the jacket hood contact.

His concealer was smudged, but that seemed to be the least of his priorities right now.

As you looked at the Mountain Dew and pill, you smiled.

"Let's end this."