Work Text:
Jerome / Buggs
1700 Words
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[A/N: If you like my writing, feel free to write a comment or give me a request! I'll do any ship in the game as long as it isn't adultxchild, twinxtwin, nily, or any very explicit sexual content!]
"Oh god. I'm so sorry," Jerome mutters, head draped low as he sways slowly on the swing, an unsteady rhythm that made the old, rusty swing set creak loudly.
Jerome met Buggs on this same swingset nearly ten years ago. It was a week after the "Principal Incident" that the new kid and Lily couldn't shut up about. Within a couple of hours, kids who once were his friends, no, maybe they respected him, immediately began to associate him with monsters and kidnapping. Jerome tried not to let the gossip bother him, but he couldn't lie to himself about how lonely he felt. Gripping with the fact that his dad was gone and a supposed madman was another punch in the gut.
Even before this, Jerome was always one of those kids - the ones who were unknowingly introverted and aggressive, without even meaning to be. The gift of finding friends he once might had was gone with the wind, and it was all due to one incident he didn't even know about.
Buggs didn't have many friends himself, not because he couldn't make them, but rather because he had issues keeping them. Although being maybe six years old at the time, he never really considered his trivial selection unnatural for his age. If somebody didn't deserve his company, there was no point in keeping them around.
That day, Buggs saw him sitting alone on the red swing at recess. He didn't look bothered by the group of kids pointing at him and whispering, but he felt obliged to sit next to him anyways. As he started a conversation, the uncertainty and vulnerability in his voice didn't dishearten him. It might even have done the opposite. Despite Jerome’s eyes being red and wet, the determination in them made Buggs think that, just maybe, he could be fun to keep around.
Like always, Buggs was right, and by the end of that week alone they were inseparable, and ten years later their relationship had stayed the same. Despite their meeting being influenced by such a grim event, the two always had fun together. It was the first time in a while that they've been hanging around and not laughing.
"I'm so aggressive all the fucking time," Jerome continues, his voice slurred and his grip on the swingset tightening; his other hand was digging deeply at his knee, something he always does when he's frustrated. He shakes his head, and grumbles "Nobody deserves to be around me. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with me."
"Nah, wait. I'm not mad," Buggs calmly replies, hoping for Jerome to give him a reaction, continuing when he simply buries his hands in his face, "I don't know. You just surprised me, I didn't even know you was–"
Jerome shrugs, digging around aimlessly in the wood chips with his shoe. Buggs can obviously tell he's uncomfortable, and he knows that it's all his fault. He decides to try and reassure him.
"That's okay. I don't care," he whispers, softly yet casually, "That don't change anything." Jerome meets his eyes for the first time that night, and similarly to ten years ago, his eyes are laced with fear and confusion.
It reminds Buggs, more than before, that despite them both growing up together, despite all the things they shared, they're not at the same point in their lives. Buggs knows that he has himself figured out, but he knows that Jerome isn't quite there yet. He was a little more mature and collected than his vulnerable friend.
"Why didn't you say anything before then?" Jerome frowns. Tears return to his eyes, and he rests his head on the swing chain. "I think that Lily hoe heard us too. Can't wait for her and her boyfriend to find another reason to harass me." By now, his voice is completely slurred and cracking.
They'd had a similar conversation before, during their lunch period. "Of course the school's power couple doesn't fuck with queers. Just because my dad did something to her stupid brother ten years ago doesn't give her a reason to mention the color of my skin in every conversation."
Buggs sits defeated at Jerome's confession. He knew that to some extent, Lily had been giving Jerome a hard time simply because his dad was the principal at their old school, but he hadn't known how deep her words went, ten years later. Kids had given him a fair share of bullying too, of course, but he'd never been harassed about his skin color.
"Ion even know. I feel like the asshole now. I'm sorry," Buggs sighs, "it surprised me. I didn't know if you was trying to trick me into saying something you'd beat me for." he pauses, "You're valid. I'm in no position to critique you. I'll get that Nugget loser and Lily too."
Buggs chuckled to himself. "Just normal shit you'd expect from m—"
The kiss was the last thing Buggs could have expected, in all honesty.
They both were a little drunk, Jerome more so, (which was why he was venting his problems so openly) and it had just come out of nowhere, Buggs was mid-sentence ranting, and suddenly he had been shut up by Jerome, with his lips.
Buggs was far too startled to react; he didn't push his friend away, rather he just sat there until Jerome pulled away from him, which was only a few seconds at max, but it felt much longer to his intoxicated mind.
Their eyes met again. Buggs opened his mouth to say something, but Jerome must have sensed he'd say something awful, so in his state of afterglow the crying boy took off into the night. Buggs thought about running after him but decided against it.
-
So, Buggs returned home too. His mother didn't bother greeting him; she was probably more wasted than he was. He sighed in defeat, and slammed the door to his room, immediately texting Jerome. When he got no answer after a couple of minutes, he gave up and went to sleep.
When he woke up the next morning, all he could think about was going back to the school park.
-
"I thought you hated me for real. You couldn't text back?" Buggs sighs.
"Shit. I was going to," Jerome defends, feeling guilty, mostly because he could never hate Buggs, especially in a time like this, "but I wanted to have this chat in person. What else would you do besides being here?"
"Huh. Whatever…," Buggs groans in defeat, looking at the ground again.
"No, fuck, I meant…I'm sorry," Jerome pushes himself back and forth on the swing nervously. "I'm never gonna hate you. I'll put that on your dad ever coming back. And if I was into guys like you I'd be all over you, trust." He delivers the last part with a small chuckle.
Buggs laughs, of course Jerome would bring up perhaps the first thing they ever had in common now; a missing father. He notices that when he laughs, Jerome's smile grows. "Goofy," Jerome teases. "Ion even like your ugly ass like that. Your belt be crying from the pure strain you put on it. You know how alcohol makes me horny and shit."
"Aye dude, relax.." Buggs laughs, reaching to shove Jerome's shoulder, making him swing to the right. "My belt's the problem? Nah, you should try hiding your big ass forehead. You worse than Danner."
Jerome bites his tongue, intertwining his seat chain with Buggs's, "that's bold of you to speak that bout me when you look like that dodo nigga from Ice Age. At least I can wear hats and shit. You can't hide your dopey ass face."
He lifts his feet from the ground, causing his swing to spin back in place as the chains untwist; his legs cut through the air, and Buggs can't help but smile at the dumbass.
Buggs watches him as he comes to stop and clutch his head. He feels proud that their friendship has stayed so strong throughout all this time. He knows good and well that he's the only friend that Jerome would try any of this with.
"Shit, it's cold. Wanna get something to eat?" Jerome changes the topic, standing up from his swing.
"You're paying, right?" Buggs asks, "I'm broke as a goddamn joke right now."
"Nigga, when ain't you broke?" Jerome rolls his eyes, stepping away to avoid the kick that Buggs sends his direction. "I'm playing. I got you. Always."
"Thanks." Buggs smiles. He stands up as well. "For that, and not hating me either."
"Nah, don't thank me for that," Jerome shakes his head before opening his arms. "come on nigga, this isn't over til we hug this shit out."
Buggs rolls his eyes, but he grins as he steps forth and embraces his friend. The feeling is warm and comforting, and as corny as it sounds, he's glad that they're such good friends.
They've shared this bond that truly nothing could break, and if he didn't know before, he certainly does now.
"You have to get better taste in dudes, also," Buggs winks, slapping his ass, "Losers like me will just suck and dump you. You pretty, you can do much better."
Jerome chuckles, shoving Buggs away. "Slow down, all I did was kiss your ugly ass. I thought I was the gay one?"
"You always on my nerves and shit.." Buggs smirks, pushing Jerome back again before staring at the walls of the old school that they attended so long ago. The grass separated the playground from the lot with convenient sidewalks that bordered the school.
Jerome follows him, and the two soon embark on their journey down the sidewalks surrounding the kindergarten. They make easy conversation about how much of a bitch Ozzy was and how the janitor ate and sold Cindy's dog.
Everything felt normal, like those last 24 hours didn't even happen.
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