Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jeremy woke up a bit later than he planned - leaving him with basically no time to think. He wore his usual cardigan over a random shirt he found - making sure it isn’t too embarrassing, first - and jeans, running to wash his face. He had precisely 15 minutes before Michael should arrive to pick him up, and he didn’t want to make his friend wait, which is how he found himself running around the house, trying his best to not trip over all the mess in his way.

“Boker!” he half-yelled towards his dad as he hurried towards the kitchen, 5 minutes left to prepare food and eat it before Michael arrived.

Yeah, he knew Michael wouldn’t come by exactly when he said he would - traffic is a thing, after all, and Michael also needed to get ready - but Jeremy wanted to be ready anyway. He poured himself a glass of milk and some oreos, eating two of the four cookies and chugging the milk. He closed the cookie pack, shoving it in his pocket and making a mental note to give it to his friend. He felt his phone buzz.

[7:35am] C: Hey <3 You’re coming today?

Jeremy smiled, typing out a reply.

[7:35am] J: yeah! michael’s picking me up in a few minutes actually

[7:35am] C: Sweet! We all share the first lesson, right?

[7:36am] J: yeah

[7:36am] J: meet you next to the classroom? i’ll tell you when we’re close to the school

[7:36am] C: Sure, I’ll see you soon <3 Say hi to Michael from me!

Chris, a local motek

Last seen today at 7:36am

He grinned, putting his phone back in his pocket as he went to the living room, waiting for Michael to arrive, bag already on shoulders. A few minutes later he heard a knock and jumped up, going to the door and opening it, seeing a grinning Michael. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Jeremy grinned. “Let’s go?”

Michael nodded. “Hell yeah. Passing through 7\11 first, though.”

Jeremy laughed. “Alright, whatever. You’re the one who’s gonna freeze. Lemme just tell my dad I’m leaving.”

Michael nodded and leaned on the door, waiting for Jeremy as he went to his dad’s room and told him he’s heading out. When he returned, he took out the cookies from his pocket and threw them at Michael. “Think fast!”

Without even thinking, Michael caught the cookies.

He chuckled. “Impressive, Mell. C’mon, let’s go.”

Michael grinned, heading out of the door and getting into his car. Jeremy locked the door and got into the passenger seat. “Alright, 7\11 and then school.”

“Okay. Christine will meet us before class, by the way. Oh! And she said hi.”

He smiled a bit. “Nice. We should hang out more. Like, the three of us.”

“We really should.”

Michael started the car. “Yo, Jer, turn on some song, yeah? You know my phone password.”

Jeremy did as he was asked, scrolling through Michael’s music library until he decided to turn on Alex Lahey’s music. The other boy grinned when he heard the familiar guitar intro, beginning to bop his head to the rhythm.

“All I want is to have cleanskin wine and watch Mullholand with you..”

Jeremy sang quietly under his breath, a soft smile on his face. He looked at Michael, seeing the other boy was humming as well, smile wide. As they reached the chorus, both of them were singing audibly, horribly out of key.

“You don’t think you like people like me, I know I’ve heard this one before. Maybe I’m the one exception that can last forever, but that can only happen if you let us be together-”

“You don’t think you like people like me!” Michael sang loudly, cheeks slightly pink and smile even wider than before. Jeremy knew he loved this song, and definitely managed to relate to it more than Jeremy did. He smiled too, looking at Michael who returned the glance and started laughing.

“We’re terrible at this.”

“It’s because it’s still early, Mikha. I blame the morning. We can sing!”

“Kinda.”

“..Kinda.”

Michael laughed again, pulling into the driveway of the 7\11. “Alright, just wait in the car. I’ll get you something.”

“No, c’mon, you don’t have to-”

“Shut up, I’m doing it.”

Jeremy groaned. “Fine. Get me some coke or something like that.”

Michael nodded and exited the car, leaving Jeremy alone with the music. He hummed softly, smiling as the song continued and moved on to the next one.

“I stayed in the shower to avoid doing some useful shit..”

He closed his eyes, pulling his legs up as he continued singing quietly, his voice growing louder and more confident as he kept singing. He may have been alone, but it’s a thing he couldn’t stop - he always started singing quiet. Always a bit nervous. Never wanting to be caught.

“You’re on my mind, and you’re all mine, you’re the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had…”

He didn’t notice Michael looking at him from one of the windows in the back. Didn’t notice the way his cheeks heated up, how his smile looked a bit sad. The look in his eyes, longing for something he was sure he’d never get. How he took a deep breath before going to the front of the car, opening the door.

“Nice voice. But you already know that.”

Jeremy jumped up, almost hitting his head as he did. “I- Uh- I mean- Gyuh-!”

Michael started laughing, getting into the car. “Oh my God, dude, relax. It’s just me.” He passed Jeremy a can of cherry coke. “And you know I love how you sing.”

Jeremy’s face was completely red. “I- uh- thanks, man. Both for the compliment and the drink.”

Michael grinned, sipping from his slushie before he started driving, glancing at his friend who was still blushing. He hummed, moving his head with the song as he drove.

“Tell Christine we’re on our way,” he said at one point. “She wanted to meet us, right?”

Jeremy nodded, taking out his phone and texting Christine, smiling as he did.

“Okay, she’s gonna wait for us outside in the parking lot,” he said eventually, putting his phone aside. “So we could walk together to class.”

Michael smiled slightly and nodded, concentrating on the road. “Alright.”

Jeremy looked at him for a short moment before sipping from his drink, glancing forwards. “We’re getting close.”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t want that.” Jeremy’s voice dropped almost to a whisper, more frustrated than upset. “I could really use a break.”

“God, same. But it’s the winter holidays soon, so.. At least there’s that?” Michael tried to cheer him up. “And if I remember correctly, Hanukkah and Christmas don’t clash this year, so I’m free to celebrate with you and your dad.”

Jeremy smiled, nodding. “Yeah! God, I can’t wait.” The anxiety seemed to fade away at the mention of the holidays, excitement replacing it almost immediately. “I want to try and make my own sufganiot this year, actually.”

“Oh my God. Let me guess - you’re gonna test them on me?”

“Of course, man. I mean, if you want to, of course-”

Michael laughed, slowing down a bit as they approached the school. “Dude, of course I want to. I mean, yeah, you once made those really salty chocolate pancakes-”

“Let me live that down!” Jeremy whined.

“-But you’re not that bad with baking, Jer.”

“I accidentally put salt into the pancake batter one time and no one ever forgets it.”

Michael started laughing, pulling into the parking lot. “Yeah, no, I’m not letting you live this down.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

Jeremy flipped Michael off, making the other boy laugh again. “Whatever you say, Mikhael. Where’s Christine?”

Michael shoved him slightly, grabbing his slushie from the cup holder and opening the door. “I dunno. Should be-”

“Here!” Christine jumped forward, seemingly out of nowhere, laughing when Michael lost balance and fell into the car again.

“Jesus fucking Christ-!”

Jeremy laughed, getting out of the car and high-fiving Christine as Michael muttered some quiet curses - and yet, he was unable to stop the smile that crept to his face. Jeremy grinned as Christine laughed and hugged him.

“You’re lucky you didn’t spill my slushie,” Michael said as he got up, closing the car door. “That would be an unforgivable crime.”

“Damn, I sure am glad I didn’t do that,” Christine answered, smiling as Michael pulled her into a quick hug. Jeremy smiled, looking at them quietly. School was horrible, but it felt way better with those two by his side. Life felt way better with those two by his side.

“Anyway, let’s get to class!” Christine said, grabbing Jeremy’s hand. “We can talk more after we sit down.”

“Except I sit in the front,” Michael commented.

“Crap, right.”

He chuckled softly. “It’s no big, I’ll just stand next to you guys until the lesson starts.”

She nodded, beginning to walk. “Good idea.”

Jeremy intertwined their fingers, smiling softly to himself as Michael began walking too, letting Jeremy walk in the middle as they headed to class.