A couple weeks passed since that day he promised to marry him.  And, much to Devin's surprise, Michael stuck to him, like glue. 

Even in school, when he was allowed to, he would be attached to Devin by the hip.  He made sure that Devin knew he was doing it not because he didn't trust him, but he just wanted to make sure he was alright. 

The conversation with the team was probably the second hardest interaction that happened. 

Michael took over, getting a bit protective over Devin, making sure the team knew not to ask questions.  He didn't need them to trigger something.

The only thing they told the team was that Devin wasn't gonna be able to play for a little while, and nothing else.

He made sure that whenever they were, Devin wasn't alone. 

Devin wasn't against it, in fact he kind of liked having Michael around him all of the time.  It was nice to have company.   He wished that it was always like this before, but Michael had stuck to what he said he was gonna do.

Tonight Devin asked Michael to watch a tv show with him, and Michael obliged. 

Devin perked up when he heard Michael sigh a yes. 
He yanked Michael down the stairs, away from his homework, a little bit of a bounce in his step. 

This made Michael smile, seeing Devin happy like this. 

Devin dragged Michael to the kitchen, and pulled a thing of popcorn out of the top cabinet, standing on his toes to reach into the back of the cabinet.  Michael made a small joke about that, and he looked over to him. 

"hey! I'm taller than you."

"Yeah, and? I'm gonna be taller than you one day," Michael scoffed, walking closer to him. 

"Ah, yeah?" Devin seemed to be challenged. 

Ironically, Michael was already almost the same height, a couple of centimeters difference.  They both we're aware that there was almost no way for Michael to outgrow Devin, despite joking and teasing about that. Devin smiled cheekily down at him before locking their lips. 

Michael took the initiative, pulling Devin down slightly by grabbing his waist.  He pulled away from Devin's face, giving him another peck on the cheek, then turning to grab the pancake from his hands. 
Devin was a bit annoyed that they never got much further than a few kisses.  He wanted more but Michael seemed against the idea at the moment, not wanting to hurt Devin.

Devin huffed walking back over to Michael.  He sulked a bit, laying his face down on the cool countertop. 

Michael placed the bag into the microwave, then walked back over to Devin.

Michael mimicked what Devin was doing, and grabbed his hand.  He saw Devin's face stretch into a smile, and Michael let his eyes close. 

They stayed in that comfortable silence for a bit until Devin was startled by the loud noise of the microwave finishing.

Devin looked over to the microwave, whining when he got up.  He walked to the microwave pulling the door open, and grabbing the steaming bag. 

"Careful, it's hot," Michael said, not even bothering to look over at Devin.  Devin nodded, but didn't mind the burning of the heat. 

He felt a bit guilty that he flinched as he let the butter drip down his hand, and suppressed any noise of pain.  After the heat numbed he wiped it off of his hand.  Guilt ran through his body, looking back over at Michael, he was all smiley and happy.

It was an accident. 

An accident is what he called it, at least.
Devin placed the bag on the counter, better off getting it out of his hands, and grabbed a bowl from a cabinet. It was a large, blue one, that had basically been designated to fit popcorn perfectly.

Michael grabbed a piece from the bag, and chewed on it carefully, willing the heat from the piece to go away.

Devin laughed at the way he was eating it, and Michael lightly nudged his shoulder. He couldn't help but laugh along.  He could imagine himself looking like a dog who was attempting to chew on something that was too big for its mouth.

The two of them then got everything put together–the butter and salt on the popcorn, the napkins, and the drinks–and walked to the living room.  They set everything up on the coffee table that was poised in the center of the large living room, with an abstract art piece sitting on top.  Devin made sure to use a coaster for the drinks, so their glasses wouldn't leave any water marks.

Michael paused what he was doing, though, because Devin had turned around to face Michael. Devin still had the bowl of popcorn in his hands, but he gave that to Michael, placing the bowl in his own hands.  With that, he turned to walk away, to a different room. 

Michael watched him walk away, silent for a moment to think about where he was going. It took him a moment to register what was happening.

"Hey, Devin? Where are you going?" Michael stood poised, in the middle of the living room, waiting for Devin to come back.  He placed the bowl down, after another few moments, walking towards the hallway to go search for Devin when he never got a response. 

He stepped into the hallway to see Devin lugging a large blanket–comforter, more or less–behind him.  All while, Devin had a large smile on his face as he threw it over the back of the couch.  He walked around it, meeting Michael.  Michael helped Devin lay the blanket out, so that it was even on both sides.

After they were situated, sitting down, Michael turned to Devin. He was holding the remote, although they still hadn't decided what they wanted to watch.

"What should we watch?" Michael quiered, looking up at him, then to the TV, conveniently placed in the perfect place for viewing, just above a large fireplace.

"Ooh can we watch Young Royals?! I heard it was really good!" Devin's face was filled with a light joy, and he was leaning close against Michael's side.  The bowl of popcorn was now perfectly fit in between them, and already halfway gone.

"Sure,"  Michael smiled, glad to see that Devin was in a more positive mood. 

Devin perked up again, changing the channel to Netflix. He had to search for the show, and eventually it came up.

He clicked episode one, giddy with pure happiness.
The whole night would've been absolutely perfect, only they weren't expecting for Devin's parents to come home this night. 

Devin felt stupid, when they walked into the living room and found Michael and Devin sitting together on the couch.  Devin in between Michael's legs, cuddled under a blanket, watching Tv together in a very 'couple-like' way.  How had he not heard the car pull up to the driveway, or the front door open?
Granted, he was half asleep, and they were already five episodes into the show, but he was so wide awake now.

Devin started to shake madly as his mind started working through thoughts of what-ifs.  It was pretty dark in the living room, and he just knew that his mother was hoping that her eyes deceived her. 
Of course, they didn't. 

Michael's arms released Devin, hesitant at first, letting Devin shift out of his grasp.  Michael wanted nothing more than to pull him closer in a situation like this, but that would land them in a worse position than they already were in. 

His parents still had no idea about the non-platonic relationship between the two of them.  And Michael didn't know how Devin's parents would react to it. 
"M-mom, hey! I didn't know you and dad would be home this early! Do you need my help bringing bags into the house?"

"No.  No, no, no, what the hell? I didn't raise you this way.  You... no.  I need your father." She left the dim lit living room.  Michael thought that he could see tears brimming in her eyes.  She turned to leave the room. 

Devin brought his hands up to his hair, tugging at it. 
Michael looked at him, slightly worried.  He wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around the shaking boy, and comfort him.  But that would make the situation worse. 

Instead, Michael quickly grabbed Devin's hand from his head, and hid it under the blanket with his own. 
They were alone for not a minute more, and when Devin's dad walked into the room, all the calming down Michael was able to do went to waste.

Devin started shaking violently as his father walked forwards towards him.  Michael felt Devin squeeze his hand, a lot tighter.  He pushed himself back into the couch, trying to get himself as far away from his dad as possible.

Michael wasn't going to let him get too close, for Devin's sake.   Just a couple more steps, Michael was going to step in between the two, just a couple more steps from Devin's dad...

That's all that it was gonna take.

But Devin's father stopped, just a few steps short of the couch.

Michael tightened his own hand on Devin's.

The older Walters started at Devin.  He clenched his fists at both of his sides, then released them.
"Devin."

"Y-yes?  Yes father?"  Michael hated how much this interaction was hurting Devin.  

  "Is it true? What your mother said?" He dead panned, staring Devin in his eyes.

Devin yanked his hand and Michael's hand out from underneath the blanket with his own.  "Y-yes, it is."
Devin's dad stepped closer, it looked like he was ready to strike his cheek.  He brought his hand dangerously close to Devin's delicate face. 

Michael flinched at this, and yanked Devin over to him, causing the older Walters to swing at nothing but the air. 

Devin made a small yelping sound as he was pulled into Michael's lap, surprised when the hand didn't make contact with his face. 

Michael quickly stood up, pulling Devin with him.  "Don't you dare lay a fucking finger on him." Michael whispered intimidatingly to Devin's father. 

Devin's mom walked into the room, gasping at the sight before her.  She pulled her eyebrows inwards, angry with the way that Michael was speaking to her husband. 

The small woman walked forwards a bit.  Her long nails clicked against each other as she flexed and unflexed her fingers.

"Get your filthy hands off of my son.  Now." She reached forwards to curl her long nails around Devin's hurt wrist.

He gasped at the pain of the nails pressing to his cuts.
"Stop it! Stop! Get off of me! Mom!" Devin pleaded.  He tried to get out of her grip, but her hand only tightened around his wrist. 

"He said to fucking get off!" Michael shouted, grabbing Devin's mother's wrist and pulling it off of Devin's. 

"Get your own filthy hands on me!" She shrieked, slapping Michael's hand hard.  Michael stared at her, protectively securing his arms around Devin's waist. 
Devin was still shaking violently, hands wrapped around Michael's arms tightly, trying to stabilize the shaking in them. 

He whispered lowly enough in Devin's ear, so the words only reached him, saying "It's alright, I got you ,"

Devin seemed to relax at those words. 

He repeated it in his mind.  He's got me.  He's got me.  He's got me. 

It's gonna be okay.  It's all okay. 

Devin let go of Michael, standing up to tower over his mother.  His father, on the other hand, stood taller than him. 

He went from looking in his mother's eyes to his fathers. 

"Mom, dad, I'm gay.  And Michael... he's my boyfriend."

Michael froze at the words.  Proud of Devin's words, in the circumstances.  But he was completely terrified of their reaction. 

"Michael..." Devin's father started.  But before he could finish his wife cut in.

"You filthy fucking faggot."

That was it.  The one word Michael had been hoping wouldn't slip from either of their mouths. 

Devin took a step backwards, but was stopped when he felt Michael behind him. 

"Don't talk to him like that."

"You're one too! So don't go running your mouth, talking back to me."

That was it.  That was completely it.  He called Devin one, and she was already done, but the level of disrespect she had to continue saying it. 

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but Devin isn't going to be staying with you for a while.  And I think that that's best." Michael deadpanned, staring her dead in the eye. 

He, at one point when he was talking, brought Devin around behind him, and was now standing over her. 
She didn't look phased by his height.

He didn't care. 

He never intended on scaring her. 

"And, for your fucking information, you've both been abusing your son.  A child you decided to fucking have, and take responsibility for." Michael felt Devin clench his shirt in his hands.  He wasn't telling Michael to stop, though. 

In fact, Devin wanted him to keep going.  To elaborate on everything they had done to lead up to this point.

"We've never laid a hand on him,"  Devin's mother scoffed.  "Right, honey?"

Her husband looked down to her and shook his head up and down.  "We would never lay a finger on him,"
"It doesn't have to be physical for it to be abused. Neglecting him already took a toll enough on him, but telling him things. 'You'll never be good enough'.  That's the shit that fucked with his head."

"Devin would have told us," his mother scoffed, again. 
Michael just looked at her, disgusted. 

Michael looked back, asking Devin a question through his eyes.  He slightly moved his hand up to the cuts, and Devin nodded slowly. 

Michael gently grabbed his arm, showing it to Devin's parents. 

They both stared at his arm.

Michael was expecting a different reaction than the one he had gotten.

"Your fucking sick," she spat.

"Shut the fuck up! You're the sick one! Jesus fucking Christ!" Michael screamed.  "This is because of you, because of other people.  He was happy... he was such a happy, fun kid! You took that away! You told him to be better when you weren't even there to see his improvement! He's the best setter and you still think he needs to do better! What the fuck to you want from him?!" Michael yelled, although trying to keep his voice from breaking. 

Devin, to Michael's surprise, wasn't crying.  Instead he was staring at his mother. 

"I hate you," he whispered.  "And Michael... he's right.  He's been right this entire time! I was happy! I was okay with everything that had happened! I didn't care that I wasn't at the top! But for you! You wanted me to be! So I tried! I tried really hard! And you still didn't see it! You never told me I did anything right, only what I did wrong.  'Don't walk around the house too loudly, your being disrespectful' 'Don't watch tv, go study or your gonna fail, Devin' 'you can do better than this Devin' 'Don't do that Devin' 'Devin this' and 'Devin that'! Nothing that ever slightly meant 'you did good, we're proud of you, Devin'. 

"Not once in my entire life!"

"Alright," his mother said. 

"Alright?! All of that and just alright!" Devin had moved back in front of Michael. 

"Alright, go with him.  Get out of my face, I don't want to hear from you again."

Devin stared at her.  Michael grabbed onto Devin's shoulder.  "Devin, let's go... okay? You can stay at my place, my mom won't mind,"

Devin nodded slightly.  He walked past his mom first, what she said finally hitting him. 

I'm... sick?

No, no, no, Michael would have told me if I were sick... yeah?

"Go rot in hell," Michael yelled back to them, getting the last word in before he slammed Devin's parents front door shut. 

"He, you're alright. I've got you everything is okay. I'm sorry that that happened, but you don't need to see them anymore unless you want to."

Devin nodded slightly as he ducked the rain.  He wanted to believe Micheal, but deep down his consciousness was arguing back. Telling him he was wrong, and it hurt. It hurt so much.

well this was a bit of a long one,
with love,
—aa