[TW]

Jeremy sat with Michael on the edge of his bed, looking down at his feet.

"I guess that's why I'm a guardian angel, huh? Second-Chance kind of thing?" Michael gave a weak smile.

"...But why?" Jeremy looked at Michael sadly.

Michael looked up with a sigh, "I guess...I thought nobody cared so I just..." He stoked his finger down the length of his arm.

Jeremy nodded slowly, "Th-that's not true though- n-not anymore that is." Jeremy grinned.

Michael looked up, "Oh yeah- that's right! You said you-" Michael paused to smirk as he saw Jeremy covering his face in his hands, Michael outstretched his wing to put over Jeremy's shoulder, "What is it Jeremy, what did you exactly say?" Michael pressed on.

"Y-You heard!" Jeremy squeaked.

"I don't know if I did." Michael scooted closer to him, "Maybe...say it again?"

"You're one to change moods." Jeremy huffed.

"Well, honestly the living me is...different from this me so...I just see it as...like an alternate universe?" Michael blinked.

"I-I suppose..." Jeremy nodded.

Michael pressed his cheek to Jeremy's, "Now say i~it!"

Jeremy shook his head, "I know you heard me now m-move on!"

"Aw, Jerbear is blushing!" Michael giggled.

Jeremy squeaked once again.

"Come o~n, you looo..." Michael motioned for Jeremy to continue.

"I've only known you for a day, Michael!" Jeremy squeaked.

"Yeah, but I've known you my whole life- you must feel some of that, huh?" Michael smiled.

Jeremy forced himself to meet Michael's eyes, "I-I...yeah...?" Jeremy shrunk down.

"I just want to know someone cares." Michael's smile seemed to falter a moment.

"Of course I care! You saved my life!" Jeremy sighed, "So maybe I have a small...crush...on...my angel..." Jeremy murmured the last part.

"Whoah!" Michael laughed, "I didn't ask you to say that! But alright!"

"Michael! You jerk!" Jeremy's voice was pitched.

Michael ruffled Jeremy's hair with the tip of his wing, "Aw, it's cute."

"Oh shut up." Jeremy huffed, "Not my fault I've never had a friend- or anyone for that matter- who actually cares for me."

Michael frowned, "Dude, that's not true."

Jeremy chuckled, "Yeah it is, my mom obviously didn't want to stay around- and have you ever seen a friend come over here more than once?"

Michael sighed, "Jeremy, you're looking at the negative side."

"And what positive sign is there?" Jeremy rested his chin on his arms as he collected his knees to his chest.

"Your dad loves you, that's one person-"

"Yeah but he hardly tries to even be a dad anymore! He's just waiting for mom to come back- and she never will!" Jeremy hissed bitterly.

"That Christine chick seems to dig you." Michael gave a small smile.

"Pft, as if, she doesn't even know I exist."

"Jeremy." Michael turned to him, tilting his head up by the chin, "So many people care for you...you just don't realize that because you always have your head down...sometimes it's better to just take the risk and look up."

Jeremy's eyes met Michael's and he felt something of realization ignite inside of him "Y-yeah..." His voice came out as a whisper, then closing his eyes.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

Jeremy's pursed his lips together, "N-nothing I-"

Michael smirked, "You dork." he giggled, pressing his lips to Jeremy's.

Jeremy paused a moment in surprise before he kissed back, then falling forward onto Michael with a squeal as his face lit up red.

Michael shook his head, "I'm not an idiot, I know what a kiss is." Michael snickered as he hugged Jeremy with both sets of arm and wing.

"Can I just not go to school anymore and stay with you?" Jeremy murmured against his shoulder.

"First off, I would love that-"

"Yay!" Jeremy squeaked.

"But-"

"But..."

"Jer, you need to get a good education for one and it'll help improve your life, you can't stay here forever and rot away like some hermit." Michael pressed his cheek to Jeremy's head.

"But I wouldn't be a hermit!" Jeremy leaned back to look up at Michael, "I'd have you!"

Michael frowned, glancing, "This is...this is why..."

"Why what?" Jeremy frowned.

Michael shook his head, "N-nothing, it's fine- now, it's nearly six, you'd better get ready for school." He smiled.

"Ah shit I still have to do that don't I?" Jeremy groaned, falling onto his back, "I barely got any sleep though!" He pouted, "Can't I just skip today?"

"Nope." Michael shook his head.

"Uhg...fi~ine." Jeremy hoisted himself to his feet, "Want anything for breakfast?" He turned his head towards Michael as he headed out the door of his room.

Michael fluttered after him, "Nope. I can't eat- I don't get hungry."

"Oh...Well, alright." Jeremy bounded downstairs, swinging into the kitchen to grab some cereal for himself, then sitting down at the table with his bowl, Michael floating above him. Jeremy took in his mouth a big spoonful of the sugary cereal, then swallowing, "You can sit ya' know?"

Michael nodded, "Yeah, but flying is funner."

"...It's more fun, Michael."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

Jeremy shook his head with a smile, "Whatever."

Michael came to a swoop to sit on the table, "Happy?"

Jeremy sighed, "I meant on a cha- ya' know what? Sure, yeah." He shook his head dismissingly.

"So, remember you have your history homework due on Friday- don't push it off, and today your math homework is due." Michael nodded.

"Shoot, I forgot." Jeremy groaned, "Oh well, it's in fifth period so I'll just do it during snack and lunch."

"Classic Jeremy." Michael snickered.

"Oh shut up." Jeremy smiled as he headed for the sink, pushing his chair in before placing the bowl in the left side to rinse it and then shutting off the faucet, putting the bowl in the right side for it to be put in the dishwasher later- though currently, the dishes were really piling up, considering his dad had basically given up on trying to be a decent person in general, meaning keeping an indecent house apparently.

Jeremy frowned but shook the vibes away, heading over to Michael who had the boy's backpack in hand, packed and ready to go. Jeremy grabbed it, "Thanks." He grinned, swinging it over his shoulders and skipping towards the door, Michael quick behind him as he closed the door behind them and began down the street, the school at the very end of it, though the street itself was about three blocks to the school.

"So, what's your plan for today?" Michael questioned, flying circles around Jeremy and nearly tripping him a couple times.

"What do you mean plan?"

"Well, Rich and his crew got beat up by me and they'll probably think it's you who did it- I was in my physical form then so it's possible they saw me, but even so they're still going to blame it on you." Michael frowned.

Jeremy winced in horror as they began their second block, "Shit...you're right..." He whimpered as they approached the nearing school, Jeremy stopping a few houses down, "I-I don't know if we should do this."

"What? Go to school?"

"Yeah! If they wanted to kill me yesterday just for tripping Rich, imagine what they'll do now!" Jeremy swallowed nervously.

"Hey, I'll protect you." Michael came to a halt in front of Jeremy, "Alright?"

Jeremy sighed, "I suppose...th-thanks..." He murmured, proceeding forward, taking a deep breath before entering school.

Almost immediately, Jeremy was bombarded by a crowd of people, Christine giving him a big hug, Jeremy blinked in surprise, his face flushing up, "Wh-what?" He squeaked.

Christine looked up at him, "You beat the hell out of Rich! Dustin said he saw it happen!" She squealed.

"I-I-" Jeremy stuttered, glancing towards Michael who was unseen to the crowd, "Y-yeah, I did!"

"Wait to go and stick it up, Jer!" Christine shrilled.

Michael watched with a smile, "My work here is done." He whispered, placing a gentle kiss atop Jeremy's head, though the boy didn't notice. His form began to dwindle into nothingness until it was gone completely.

***

When Jeremy got home, he called out for Michael, searching all over the house for the boy, but he never showed. And he never did again. So, over the years, Jeremy decided he must have just dreamed him up, Michael was but a fragment of his imagination. Him and Christine had gotten together, they'd spent the last twenty years of their lives together and now bore a child, now the age of a seventh grader, going by the name of Connor.

***

Connor sniffled in the corner of the classroom as he pouted to himself, watching as the teacher yelled at him for throwing the printer, calling the office, he didn't mean to, he hadn't wanted to, it just happened. There was a sudden beam of light in front of the boy and he winced, squinting to see a small boy in front of him, "Wh-who are you?" He sniffled.

"E-Evan Hansen a-at your service. Your Angel."