(A/N: smut warning! ...no wait calm down please stop sQUEALING -- )

Michael and Jeremy couldn't relax on the car ride home, and all the way down into the basement. Neither were aware of how the other felt about the date, so they hid their feelings behind butterfly kisses and fake smiles, talking how couples were supposed to.

They entered the basement, and Michael took off his coat before helping Jeremy with his. He pulled the coat from the boy's shoulders as Jeremy gazed up at him lovingly (though it was half-artificial) and his eyes widened at the sweater Jeremy was wearing.

"Jeremy, that sweater is rad," Michael smiled. "You should wear it more often."

"Oh, thanks," said Jeremy politely. "I forgot I had it, honestly." He couldn't ignore the fact that Michael was pretty obviously eyeing him up. He changed the subject. "I had lots of fun today. It was great."

Michael snapped out of it and nodded enthusiastically. "So great!"

There was a long pause. Michael took a moment to pull off his red hoodie and leave a tee shirt.

Jeremy decided he couldn't hold it in any longer. "I fucking hated that," he blurted, sinking into a bean bag chair. He immediately regretted it. "Wait, no, I'm sorry -- I'm sorry. That came out way harsher than I meant it to, but... Michael, that sucked."

Michael stared at Jeremy for a long moment, as Jeremy's anxiety grew with every second. I ruined everything oh my god I can't believe --

Michael burst into relieved laughter. "Thank God," he managed to get out, dropping down next to Jeremy. "You're right, it -- it was awful, man."

After getting over his initial shock, Jeremy cracked up too. "You -- haha -- you called me sweetie," he stressed.

"You kept talking about how pretty stuff was!" Michael was nearly doubling over at this point.

The two just sat there laughing too hard for several minutes, stopping for a moment a few times before starting up again.

Eventually, they were reduced to the occasional giggle and were able to breathe again.

Michael coughed and broke the silence, then spoke. His voice was serious. "Jeremy... what if we don't work?"

Jeremy sat up and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, all the romantic crap obviously didn't feel right. It felt like... it wasn't us. And we can't be 'us' if it's not us, you know?" Michael grasped for the words. "It's like that song... 'the beauty that I'm faking', and... 'and well, I find it hard to stay, with the words you say.'"

Jeremy nodded slowly. The entire date had felt as artificial as the new trees in the park. "Michael..." He looked over at the boy sitting beside him, both still red-faced from laughter although they were both near tears. "I like you a lot. A lot. But... maybe we're not cut out for this, ya know?"

"Maybe we're better best friends than -- than boyfriends," Michael filled in. He scooted closer to Jeremy and took his hand. "You okay, Jer?"

He squeezed Michael's hand. "Yeah, I just... I wanted to be with you for so long, and now it's not working, which sucks. But at the same time we can still be best friends if we're not together, right? And if that's what works best, then it's what we should both want... right?"

Michael didn't respond. Jeremy realized he'd completely zoned out looking at Jeremy, and poked him on the nose to get his attention. "Hey."

"Wh -- ? Oh, I... sorry," Michael stuttered. "I was just, uh -- I spaced out."

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing, uh, nothing important. What was the question? Before?" he asked the floor, face turning redder by the second.

"You were staring at me," Jeremy teased.

Michael heard the amusement in his voice and scowled, pulling his hand out of Jeremy's. "Look, it's not my fault you're so cute," he muttered, barely audible.

Jeremy scoffed. "What? No, you're the cute one," he laughed.

"Nah. I'm the hot one," Michael countered. "You're the cute one." He finally met Jeremy's gaze with a little smile.

Jeremy smiled back. "Can't argue with that."

They stared into each other's eyes, searching for any trace of doubt or hesitation, but finding none. This moment was genuine; there was nothing artificial about the way Michael reached out and pulled Jeremy closer. There was nothing forced about the way Jeremy leaned in. And there was nothing scripted about the way they kissed.

It would be impossible to script this kiss -- it was too full of emotion, full of everything they'd wanted to say to the other for years but never had the courage to. They kissed desperately; reckless, but careful.

Jeremy decided it was too careful and broke away for a moment. He shifted to be on Michael's lap and draped his arms over his shoulders. Michael's breath caught in his throat as Jeremy's heavy-lidded eyes swept over him, and he pulled him down for another kiss, fingers tangling in his hair.

Jeremy hummed into his lips as Michael's hands wandered down his back to his waist and played with the hem of his sweater. His warm hands dipped under the fabric to trail along Jeremy's cold skin, and Jeremy shivered with a muffled sigh.

Michael broke away. "Is that -- is this okay?" he said.

"Yeah, that's good," said Jeremy. He traced patterns on the back of Michael's neck and gazed at the bit of his collarbone that was peeking out from his tee shirt. He tried his best to sound sexy, but it came out awkward and rushed. "Can I, uh, kiss your neck?"

Michael nodded and Jeremy did, slowly pressing his lips to Michael's skin as Michael bit back a moan. He continued placing light open-mouthed kisses along his neck and jaw and collarbone until Michael couldn't contain himself anymore.

"Fuck, Jeremiah," he sighed.

The way Michael said his name went right through Jeremy like a flame, and he had to pause for a moment to catch his shaky breath.

Michael took the opportunity to flip them around so he was on top of Jeremy on the floor, straddling his hips, then gave Jeremy's neck the same treatment as his own, leaving a few hickeys right at the curve of his shoulder. Everything was too hot, so Michael pulled off his shirt and helped Jeremy with his sweater, then Jeremy sat up on his elbows and leaned up so they were kissing again.

Michael wasn't sure what he meant to do, but he ended up rolling his hips in just the right way against Jeremy's and they both groaned in unison.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't -- "

"Michael, no, don't -- don't be sorry, not for that, I -- " Jeremy stammered, then his face flushed even deeper. "Do it again?"

Michael nodded eagerly. "Okay." He rocked his hips again, this time holding back his noise, but Jeremy didn't bother. He grabbed onto Michael's hips, rocking his own hips up to meet them. Michael kept going, grinding against Jeremy slowly at first, then faster as he found a rhythm, encouraged by Jeremy's increasingly desperate moans.

He slowed way down for a moment, as he could tell Jeremy was already getting close. "Do you -- do you want me to stop -- before you -- ?"

Jeremy whined at the suddenly torturous pace. "No, please don't stop, M-Michael, please..."

Michael suddenly ground down against him, hard. "Like that?"

"Mmhm," Jeremy managed to respond.

He did that again and again, Jeremy crying his name louder and louder, Michael biting his lip harder and harder until they finished together, cursing, Michael's fingers curling against Jeremy's chest as Jeremy's back arched up off the carpet.

They collapsed into each other's arms and let their high fade for a moment before Michael slid sideways off of Jeremy and lay next to him. They stayed there, panting, for a while, each listening as the other's breathing slowed.

The two became aware that they would definitely need to change soon. Jeremy spoke first, voice hoarse. "Can I, uh, borrow some clothes?"

"Yeah," Michael laughed, "no problem." He stood and started toward the basement door, but stopped. "You know, I think we'll work as boyfriends."

"Yeah, I think we will," smiled Jeremy.

"We just... we can't force all the romance," Michael sighed. "We have to do this our own way, you know? Like, we don't have to go on fancy dates, we can do whatever makes us happy. And that's kind of the point, right?"

"Yeah," Jeremy quickly agreed, "but can we talk about this after I'm -- when I -- "

"At a time when you haven't just creamed your jeans?"

"Michael -- !"

But he was already out the door, laughing all the way up the stairs.