((I think this might already be the title of a chapter but— ah, it's alright))

***

Jeremy was completely obvious.
To Michael, at least.
After fifteen years of friendship, Michael could read Jeremy like a book.
And after fifteen years of friendship, Michael was ready to end it.
That being said, with valentine's day coming up he was completely going to cut off his friendship with Jeremy in hopes of getting something more.
That being said. He knew exactly how to do it.

"Love letters." Michael grinned at Rich and Jake who sat in a tangle of limbs on the couch of his basement, facing Michael who stood before them with an overjoyed look.

"Isn't that like...really old school?" Jake cocked his head.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm all for grand gestures and all-"

"A note isn't a grand gesture." Michael crossed his arms over his chest, "It's probably one of the smallest."

"Putting the time and effort into a hand written confession though seems like a lot of work- especially cos you'd have to make the card look snazzy to get their attention." Rich shrugged, "Just tell him in person or call him- heck, text him even."

"I despise our generation." Michael sighed deeply.

"Look, dude, all we're saying is...don't come off too strong? I'm sure whoever you're planning on asking is a dork, but nobody-"

"I mean, it's Jeremy, so.." Michael mumbled.

Rich let out a wheeze before leaping up and turning to Jake, holding out his hand, "PAY UP, BITCH"

Jake groaned and sat up, pulling a twenty out of his pocket and slapping it harshly into Rich's hand before turning to Michael, "Scrap what I said, that kid's a total lo-"

Michael's glare grew cold.

"L—over of dorky things." Jake clearly his throat.

"Nice save." Rich smirked before curling back up beside Jake who flicked him atop his head and then wrapped an arm around the gremlin.

"Anyway, what do you think?" Michael winced.

"I mean, you two are into retro shit like that." Jake shrugged.

"For one, don't use the word retro and shit in the same sentence ever again and, for two, leaving love letters and or notes for somebody is a classic provided popularity from the nineties kids and before, it's not retro, it's just classic- ya know what, here, look.-" Michael pulled out his phone and dialed Brooke's number, putting her on speaker.

"Hhhh?" A tired voice came from Brooke's end of the line.

"Brooke I'm thinking of giving Jeremy a love let-"

Screams and squeals ensued over the other end of the phone until all three boys were covering their ears. It was the sound of joyful death if one had to give it a name and Michael had to hang up.

"See?" Michael grinned.

"So what you're saying is..." Rich began, "Jeremy is essentially the male embodiment of a female teenager?"

"RICH!" Michael yelped.

"Am I wrong?" Rich cocked an eyebrow.

"...Well I mean, no."

****

Michael looked around anxiously in the nearly empty hallway he stood in before opening the locker that he and Jeremy shared, clutching a red and white note in his hand.
He'd asked to leave class early on account of a stomach ache and thankfully had gotten a teacher that actually respected the idea that oh geez, maybe kids actually do need to go to the restroom during class without needing a limited amount of bathroom time because bladders exist! No matter, his hand wavered above the top shelf of the locker before he released the note and slammed the locker door shut, running to the edge of the hall and darting around the corner just as soon as the bell rung.
This is where he anxiously waited, knowing Jeremy would be coming from the opposite end and wouldn't be able to see him unless he was purposefully looking for a hiding smell.

It seemed like ages before the lengthy brunette finally showed up to his locker and tiredly unlocked it, pulling some textbooks out and putting some others in before a decorated letter fell to the ground.

Michael bit his lip in anticipation as Jeremy whistled before shutting the locker, then turned to leave.

Michael's heart sunk and so did his shoulders.
It took him a few moments to realize his entire affections for the boy were laying on the ground for anyone to read and he swiftly lunged towards the letter- little too swiftly, one might add, as he slipped on his own shoelaces, craftily given to him by the president, and fell right in his face, hand slapped over the letter securely.

There were a few gasps in the hallway before Michael felt a hand on his back, "Oh my god- Michael! Wh-what the hell happened?"

Michael's face flushed red from where it was pressed against the floor and he was quick to scramble up into a sitting position, sitting on his knees and blushing profoundly as he looked at Jeremy who knelt, concerned, before him. Blushing at the fact that Jeremy had seen him so clumsily fall.
And the fact that Michael hadn't retrieved the Love note from where it currently lay on the floor.

"Oh, hey, dude, you dropped this." Jeremy picked the letter up.

"Yeah could you um- please hand it to m-?"

"Jeremy?" Jeremy stated, reading the big letters in red on the front that spelled out his name.

"uM COULD YA JUST- uM-" Michael's hands shook but he couldn't bring himself to do anything about taking the letter from Jeremy's hands.

Jeremy shuffled back a bit before opening the letter, squinting at its contents.

Michael took this time to slowly pull his hood over his head and tug the drawstrings until only his nose poked out.

A few moments later and Michael heard sniffling around from him. He paused, pulling at the hem of his hood to release the drawstrings enough for his eyes to see Jeremy with a hand held to his mouth and clouded eyes.

"Uh, um- J-Jer? Are you...okay?"

Jeremy shook his head.

"Oh dear...um...I'm sorry..." Michael mumbled, heart twisting in an embarrassed pain.

"O-oh my god, Michael no- I don't mean- aw geez," Jeremy took in a deep breath and wiped his eyes a final time, trying to regain his composure. He let out a deep sigh with a smile, aimed right at Michael, "Um, it's just, nobody's ever...given me a love letter before...or a letter implying any kind of romantic feelings at all for that matter." He laughed lightly.

"S-So, you're not mad?" Michael slowly took his hood off of his head.

"Mad? Dude, no!" Jeremy grinned.

"O-oh, okay." Michael chuckled.

"This is literally the sweetest thing someone has ever done for me." Jeremy scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"It's um, the sweetest thing I've done for someone so...thanks." Michael smiled.

Jeremy stood up, offering a hand to Michael.

Michael looked at the hand for a moment before grinning and grabbing it, pulling himself up despite Jeremy stumbling due to this.

Michel then drew his hand inwards, pulling Jeremy along with it.

Jeremy laughed at this gesture, "W-Well, I hope there are more love notes to home."

"Guess I'd better get to writing then."

****

////I literally have the biggest adoration for love letters/notes, even if they're written on crappy scratch paper like honestly notes in general even if they're just written as passing notes in class, I think they're adorable and I love them so much, oh my gosh, just letters in general of any type, they're my weakness <3
-Jay <3