Musical One-Shots

When Michael Wins

WARNING: mentions of smoking,

Michael Mell has a special smile for when he's really into a video game. He gets really focused, and right side of his mouth quirks, and his tounge pokes out just a little. His brow furrows, and his eyes seem like they glaze over, but he's looking at the entire screen at once. When he wins, which he always does, he jumps up off of his beanbag,  "smashes" his controller onto it (lightly,  so it won't break), and his entire face is covered with excitement and a little bit of I-Told-You-So. He'll offer Jere his hand and help his boyf stand up,  and then they just stand there for a moment.

Michael swears it's the most amazing and beautiful Jeremy ever looks. Not because he's just lost, but because he's gazing at Michael with something, and if Michael didn't know better he'd say it was respect, or admiration. But he does know better,  and he knows it's love. He knows it's love because the next thing Jeremy says, a knowing, wonderful half-smile on his face,  is always,  "God,  I love you, Michael."

It's why Jeremy always lets Michael win– sure most times Michael wins of his own accord, but on every game except Smash Bros,  Jeremy goes to extra lengths to put them in this position. Because Michael's looking at him like he's the most beautiful slushie the Philippino boy has ever seen. And that's always when Jeremy can't go another moment without saying it: "God, I love you Michael." And then Michael's eyes start glowing and he's grinning ear to ear, eyes scrunched up,  nose scrunches just a little.  "Jeremy, Mahal kita sa bawat segundo."*1 Jeremy, I love you more every second.

It's their little routine. And the next part is their favorite- and the reason they play competitive games last. Because now's the bit where Michael grabs Jeremy's collar and pulls him down so he can kiss him, long and true. Pulling back just a little he'll ask, "You wanna get stoned in my basement?" and Jeremy always says, "I'm free." before hiding his face in the crook of Michael's neck, ears burning, but grin eternal.

Jeremy when he's immersed in a video game is an equally beautiful thing. He barely moves, unlike Michael, who moves quite a bit. Except, of course, for his expression. He has a wild and carefree grin when he's winning at Smash Bros, and an expressionless poker face when he isn't. When he does something good, he smiles, small and quiet, whereas Michael's more likely to whoop and holler. When he does something wrong he furrows his brow, bites his lip, and sets his jaw, while Michael barely aknowleges the mistake.

Jeremy when he wins smiles wide, stands,  helps Michael up,  and stoops just a little bit to kiss his riends. It's a gentle, leisurely, soothing thing, with his hands on Michael's cheeks, because he knows Michael is much more competitive than he is. This fact is evidenced by what Michael does next: he'll twist his fists in Jeremy's auburn hair, running his tounge across the taller boy's lips, which will part instantly, because this is Jeremy making Michael happy.

Because when Michael looses,  he gets very frustrated, feels he isn't good enough any more at this game. So this kiss is Jeremy letting Michael kiss him as lightly or deeply as Michael wants and Jeremy is comfortable with,  so that Michael know that Jeremy still thinks he's the best player one there ever will be.

Michael worries a lot about that,  especially since last year.  He worries he isn't good enough,  isn't cool enough,  and it rips Jeremy to shreds.  When Michael pulls away from Jeremy's mouth and rests his head on the others chest,  Jeremy will ask,  "Do you wanna get stoned in your basement?" and Michael will relay, "You wanna shotgun?"

Jeremy will never say no to shotgunning. Shotgunning is his second favorite, because he can't take a hit to save his life.

The boys played cooperative games the most, probably. They would squeeze onto Michael's beanbag,  Michael sitting as usual, but now was even better because Jeremy was curled up next to him.  They always started out playing Apocalypse of the Damned,  and wound up with Jeremy practically in Michael's lap, as they used Micha's home phone to prank call their friends. This worked better for cuddles anyway. Michael usually instigated the cuddles, but once he had, Jeremy would go from leaning on him a little bit, to taking a nap with Michael's lap as his pillow,  and honestly, Michael loved it. He'd pet and stroke and play with Jeremy's light brown hair.

Sometimes, Jeremy tells a funny story about Michael. It's usually a little embarrassing, but long enough ago that it's mostly funny. Michael gets flustered when Jeremy does this. He gets darker than you'd think,  and he takes off his glasses and starts wiping them on his sweatshirt. He finds any excuse to not make eye contact as he laughs along,  sometimes downright burying his face in the crook between Jeremy's head and his neck. Jeremy has a very sensitive neck,  especially to light kissing. Which is exactly what Michael is doing.

Other times,  Jeremy looks down at his phone, and this happens:

Player1'sBoyf: ugghhhh I just failed the easiest math problem. On the board. After saying I knew it. Just let me die,  Micha, pleaseeee

Player2'sRiends: Babe.  You are gonna be fine.  You are so smart,  and so incredible– and did you know that the government recently did a survey, and you are the most. Perfect. Person. Like, ever. SO TELL ANYONE WHO THINKS OTHERWISE TO SUCK MY DICK.

Jeremy's smile at that is subtle. It's perfect, and it's real. Or so says Michael. Michael always thinks Jeremy is perfect though. But Jeremy flushes,  a lot, and when he reads it over at lunch,  he all but shoves his head inside of Michael's sweatshirt. It's adorable.

//AUTHOR'S NOTE//

*1 Fillipino—"I love every second"

hey!  So I'm actually writing this in advance, at 12:50ish AM Friday September 21, because tonight/tomorrow I'm gonna be extra uploading!  Why,  you ask?  Because my dad is dragging me to a wedding in another town Saturday night. We're driving up Saturday, and back Sunday, and I dunno if I'll be able to write and/or upload. Oh well,  *dramatic sigh*. Anyway,  yeah. I dunno how in-character it is but I tried. This was much easier the first timeeeeee.  Oh my God why is this so ducking shorrrtttttt?  I gotta go bed now

OK its 12:44 AM Saturday now and this had yet to be proofread. So. Yeah.

Later,  Cultured Cutlery,

Sincerely,

Me: River