Senior year Boyfs angst
TW: swearing, mentions of past self harm, past panic attacks, basically mentioning MitB a year later.

"Michael! Jeremy! Guys, you coming to my party this weekend?" Jake yelled, running over to the two boys and handing them a sheet of black paper with orange wording. "I promise it'll be different than last year."

"Oh cool! I'll probably be coming, hey Mikey we could wear matching costu- Michael?" The taller male had began walking towards the exit, throwing his hood up. "Michael?" Jeremy made his way over to his boyfriend and put a hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"

"Tell Jake I'm not gonna be at the party. I'll wait for you outside in my PT Cruiser..." Michael put his headphones on and left the building.

"What was that about?" Jake asked and Jeremy sighed.

"He...He isn't coming to the party."

"What!? I need somebody to bring weed since Dustin is sick! Plus Michael is actually pretty cool."

"I'll talk to him about it."

***

Jeremy closed the door behind him and watched as Michael plopped on the couch and turned on the TV, knowing exactly what he was watching.

"Michael, why aren't you going to the party?"

"I'm...not going...that's all there is to it." Jeremy knew he was lying through his teeth.

"Michael don't lie to me. There is more to it. I know there is."

"I just don't wanna go to the party Jeremy that's all it is!" Jeremy was getting frustrated at how stubborn Michael was being.

"Michael plea-"

"I don't wanna talk about it!! I just...don't want to." Michael slumped around on the couch, pulling his hood up and trying to sleep.

"Michael I'm sorry...but you need to talk about it or it's gonna hurt you. Remember how long you bottled up your love for me. How did it feel to tell me?"

"It felt relieving..." Michael mumbled from the couch.

"Exactly. So sit up, and tell me. Alright?" Jeremy got down on his knees and put a hand on Michael's back. "Please...if it upsets you this much...I need to know."

"O-Okay..." Michael sat up slowly and kicked his shoes off. Jeremy got on the couch and held Michael close.

"Now...why don't you wanna go to the party. Any other time you would go I mean, we love Halloween."

"I don't...don't really like it anymore..." Michael mumbled under his breath and Jeremy grabbed his hand softly.

"Why not?"

"L-Last year...The Halloween party... that's... that's why..." Jeremy realized exactly what Michael meant and quickly wrapped his arms around him, gently manuevering his hand up and down the curve of Michael's neck.

"Michael... God I ruined your favorite holiday...I feel even worse now..." Jeremy mumbled, knowing how much he'd hurt Michael.

"That...and my s-social anxiety...doesn't help...but...I just...don't wanna be alone in a bathroom again, Jeremy. I-I can't do another panic attack like t-that..." Michael mumbled into Jeremy's shoulder and Jeremy gently shushed him.

"Calm down Micha...I'm not gonna do that again...I'm never ever gonna do that again...I was stupid. I was very stupid... incredibly stupid...and I feel so bad for hurting you the way I did and I just...didn't mean to ruin the day for you..." Jeremy was starting to cry, and Michael was too.

Michael looked down and Jeremy pushed his hood off, moving his hands to Michael's cheeks and kissing his forehead in the calmest demeanor he could muster, since he WAS crying.

Michael moved his hands to Jeremy's waist and pulled himself into the brinette, and he was shaking.

"Shit Micha, please stop thinking about it I don't wanna see you crying again...I can't see you cry again..." Jeremy whispered but Michael was already crying heavily. "Please don't be having a panic attack...please..."

Michael, to Jeremy's relief, was not having a panic attack. He was just upset.

"Hey, calm down. I'll call Jake and tell him we aren't gonna go to the party. We can stay home and watch movies, I'm sure Rich would let us borrow his collection of Tim Burton movies to watch. You'd like that wouldn't you?" Michael nodded and Jeremy held him in his arms. "Okay I'm gonna call him now."

Jeremy pulled his phone out and dialed Jake's newest number, since he'd lost his old phone in the fire the year prior. Thinking about that made Jeremy glance at Michael's wrist...seeing the burn scars and cuts hurt his heart.

"Yo, homeslice, what did Michael say?" Jake's voice blasted through the phone and Jeremy looked down at his boyfriend.

"I don't think we'll be able to make it...drama...and stuff. But we hope you guys have fun, oh, send us pictures please, and can we borrow Rich's Tim Burton movie collection?"

"Oh okay. And I'll try, also I'll ask him."

"Thanks...bye."

***

Jeremy and Michael were currently sitting on Michael's bed, cuddled under a Pac-man blanket, in their matching pajamas, with their matching plushied, and a bowl of popcorn, turning on tje first movie.

And since Michael picked first, he picked Paranorman. Because of zombies and the one gay dude.

At some point Jeremy's laptop went off and he was surprised to be receiving a video call.

"Hey dorkth. We didn't want you bein lonely tho I thuggethted we call you and let you experienthe the party from the comfort of each other." Rich had been the one calling.

"Hi Jeremy!! Hi Michael!" Christine yelled from the background. She was dressed like...of course she was dressed as Alexander Hamilton. Jenna waved at them, holding Christine's hand. She was dressed as Eliza.

Rich was dressed up as Jack Skellington, because he hadn't got to be himself in almost two years. They spotted Jake in the background, Rich must've convinced him to dress as Sally so they could match.

They hadn't seen Brooke and Chloe yet but they were probably upstairs making out.

"Rich you didn't have to do this." Jeremy smiled thankfully and Rich chuckled.

"Yeth I did. I wanted to thee how gay you two could be when we weren't around."

"Of course that's why you called." Michael laughed and Rich walked away from his still recording laptop that was in Jake's living room.

Jeremy and Michael talked to all their friends that night, the movie still playing softly in the background.

That had been the best way to celebrate Halloween and attend Jake's party.

And they didn't even have to go.