This is Michael and Jeremy but they are not dating. They never get together in my post 3.0 headcanons. They are like siblings. Please don't read this as though they are dating or will be dating. Thank you.

Warning: swearing, mentions of Jeremy being abused(nothing specific, it's just mentioned)

Jeremy sighed as he looked up at Michael's house. It felt so long since he'd been there, and he knew Michael probably wouldn't be happy to see him even if they were speaking again.

"You really think he'll forgive you Jeremy?" The Squip asked, it's voice glitching slightly as it spoke.

'No, but I'm not gonna let you persuade me into thinking he hates me...this is my mind. Not. Yours.' Jeremy knocked on the door and awaited for one of Michael's family members to answer. When the door opened, he was surprised to see Michael himself standing there, not in his hoodie for once.

"H-Hey Michael, sorry I invited m-myself over but we r-really need to talk a-about the last month..."

"It's...It's okay. We do need to talk." Jeremy came into the house and Michael closed the door. "We can talk in my room. I don't wanna be in the basement right now anyways..."

"Oh uh...o-okay." Jeremy knew something was off with Michael. He couldn't tell what but he noticed he wasn't acting as relaxed as usual. He shook it off as just his nerves bothering him and followed Michael to his room.

The two sat down on the bed and Jeremy refused to make eye contact with Michael.

"Michael I'm s-so sorry about everything that happened. I-"

"Don't...I'm the one who should be apologizing." Michael mumbled, his voice so soft that Jeremy almost didn't hear him.

"Michael what a-are you talking a-about? I l-left you..."

"Yeah you did. And I'm pissed about it...but I mean...you had every right to. I was an asshole to you."

"Y-You can't be s-serio-"

"I never regarded your problems once...I was so caught up in my own comfortable nature I never realized how you felt." Michael began fiddling with the end of his jacket, and Jeremy realized his anxiety must have been acting up. That was odd. Usually Michael was so high it didn't bother him. "Hell I...almost got you killed...the Squip could've killed you b-but I was so high out of my ass that I...I didn't realize it...and only when you were in the hospital did it hit me...that had I maybe...been nicer...and not constantly high...you might have never gotten that stupid pill."

"Michael you can't possibly blame yourself f-for this. I was being selfish and unreasonable and I left you! You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one w-who screwed up."

"That might be true but you only took the damn thing because I told you it wasn't dangerous. I was wrong as hell. Anything like that can be dangerous, technology or not..." Michael looked away from Jeremy, but not before the slightly taller male noticed Michael's eyes weren't red as they usually were.

"M-Michael...are you...are you high right now?"

"N-No..." Jeremy's eyes widened when he realized that this whole thought process must have been brought about by Michael's anxiety. "I...I realized the weed made me act just as selfish as you did with the Squip...I was a selfish prick to you and I wish I'd noticed sooner that I was hurting you..."

"Michael I...I dunno what to say..." Jeremy whispered, and Michael finally looked him in the eyes.

"I do... We both screwed up. We're both to blame for the shit that happened last month. Not just one of us. So don't completely blame yourself, because you...were somewhat justified...especially considering you were abused."

"How did y-you-"

"Rich told me in the hospital. That the Squips abused their hosts, that is...I... I really should've noticed sooner or later you were being hurt."

"You c-couldn't have known Michael." Jeremy put his hand on Michael's shoulder and looked at him sympathetically. "There w-was no way you would've known..."

"But...I know now. And I feel like shit for letting you go through that..." Michael was taken off guard but Jeremy hugging him.

"You d-don't need to feel bad for it Michael...I could've t-told you and I d-didn't..." Jeremy was shaking and Michael could tell. He gently put a hand on his back and held him tightly into the hug.

"You were scared...I get it...I realize that now...I understand why you did it..."

"Michael...I'm never g-gonna leave you again, o-okay?" Michael pushed back and looked into Jeremy's multicolored eyes and smiled softly.

"Okay but, don't feel obligated to be around me twenty-four seven. You have other friends now. I'm not gonna stop you from talking to them. And...I'm gonna start taking you into consideration more. Okay?"

"W-What did I do to deserve a friend like y-you, Michael?" Jeremy asked calmly, wiping away his tears and adjusting his glasses.

"I dunno honestly, but that doesn't matter now. What matters is we fix things...because I don't wanna lose you again."

"I-I don't wanna l-lose you either..." Jeremy bit his lip a bit, tapping his foot on the floor and glancing at Michael every so often.

"Well I'm not goin anywhere so you don't gotta worry bout that." Michael ruffled Jeremy's hair playfully, causing Jeremy to laugh. "Ey there's the laugh I learned to love."

"S-Shut up, my laugh is ridiculous. And u-uncontrollable."

"Yeah but that doesn't make it any less amazing or special." Jeremy felt a wider smile form on his face at that comment. He'd missed this so much. "Now c'mon, let's actually do something now, I don't wanna just sit here doing nothing."

"O-Okay. What are we g-gonna do?" Michael pulled out his NES and smiled wide.

"Apocalypse of the Damned."

"L-Level 9?"

"You know it!" Michael sat down on the edge of his bed, Jeremy sitting next to him with a smile on his face, and while he knew that Michael didn't fully forgive him, he didn't mind. Because his best friend didn't hate him, which was what he needed.

I'm still so attached to these two. So much. Even if not shipping them.