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Michael has never had a reason to do the things he does, he's not sure if he ever had a need to either. Perhaps it was simple curiosity born from the whispers in his head. He knows it's not out of want-- Michael had never wanted anything.
Until Jake, anyway. He never wanted someone like this before; never even wanted someone in general. But Jake was different in a way, almost like him but without the suffering of hearing the incessant voice in his own head but even then, Jake was more.. normal. He feels. Michael does not. How they've gotten this far is confusing and strange.
"What're you thinking about?" Jake asks next to him, tucked to his side and sat against the wall of what was originally his room in Haddonfield. Michael doesn't dignify him with an answer, as usual, but Jake just hums and doesn't pry. And he likes that about him, he doesn't try to force him to speak or push him into doing anything. It's nice. Jake has a calming effect on him and his whirlpool of a mind.
The room stays quiet again, as it usually is, save for the occasional flutter of crows outside the fake household they've settled in. Jake calls it their downtime when the Entity and it's realm is quiet and still, leaving it's inhabitants to do as they please. Not that it ever stopped them before, but it's the one time him and Jake can really do anything they wanted-- like sitting down and enjoying each other's presence-- without Jake being too worried to do much with the Entity's constant presence looming over them.
It makes Michael wonder what it would be like if he was normal like Jake and both of them weren't stuck in some semi-omnipotent creature's realm doing the same thing over and over again. He'd be considered his boyfriend, maybe, and go on dates. Go to school together. Definitely fuck like normal people.
He must have made a noise because Jake looks up at him with a bemused look. "Did you laugh?"
His only response is to pull the smaller man into his lap and bury his face into the crook of his fragile neck. The texture of his mask springs a lovely laugh from Jake and a firm smack to his arm; but nevertheless he settles into his arms like a perfect little puzzle piece. It's nice and is exactly what Michael wants.
"Don't be embarrassed, no one would believe me if I told them you can laugh." Jake teases him, which he does a lot to get a rise out of him. It never works.. almost. He squeezes his hips tight and earns another laugh-- which was definitely not his intention, but he accepts it and settles his chin atop Jake's mess of a hair and relaxes a little.
Silence befalls them soon after, until he hears Jake mutter, "Love you", so soft and quiet that he's sure he could've missed it if he didn't pay attention to everything Jake does. It's that one word that comes out of his mouth that quiets all the noise in his mind at once, leaving just him in his own mind. And though he can't say it back-- and might never will--, he squeezes Jake's waist and thinks 'I want you' and that's enough for both of them.