So. I have decided to not write smut.
BUT I think I'm going to publish the smut scene separately, along with other deleted smut scenes (*cough* the shower scene from Royalty 101 *cough*)

So stay tuned for aaaallllllllll the smut scenes that didn't make the cut
(For a while I became uncomfortable writing smut but I'm coming around to it again)

Right before we begin, I have another interactive series waiting in my drafts. Would you guys be interested in that or have we done enough interactive series already?

(This is very long and unedited btw)
•••

Jeremy wakes up to two things the next morning.
The first is a pounding headache unlike any he has ever experienced. That headache is an after effect of his hangover. Shame hits him immediately. He knew he was going to drink to get through the wedding, but he promised himself he was only going to get a light buzz. It was a stupid idea considering he's a lightweight.

The second thing is a little more earth shattering. He rolls himself over in the hotel bed, swinging his legs over the edge with a groan. Shower. He needs to shower. He's already naked, so that helps- wait a minute.
Jeremy doesn't sleep naked. Why is Jeremy naked? Why do his knees hurt? Why is he too scared to look back at the disheveled bed? Why are fuzzy memories of tearing off Micheal's jacket and socks hitting him like a wrecking ball?

Jeremy wakes up to his roommate naked next to him. There's no need for subtlety here, you know what happened. After all, you can't spell subtext without buttsex.

To save you the literal headache, Jeremy starts screeching. This wakes up Micheal. He starts screeching too. They scream at each other in pure shock, both too surprised to cover their junk.

Micheal manages to snap out of the shock, shushing Jeremy aggressively. He reminds him that there are other people in the hotel and they can't just scream at one in the afternoon.

"So what do we do?" Jeremy presses a pillow over his crotch as if Micheal hasn't seen it all already.

"I say . . ." Micheal, on the other hand, makes no effort to cover himself. Jeremy isn't complaining. ". . . I say we get breakfast"

All Jeremy can do is stand there and make indistinguishable noises while Micheal gets dressed.
"Not to shit on your breakfast plans but are we going to address this?"

"Nope" Micheal responds, pulling his discarded shirt over his head. "We had sex- big whoop. People have sex all the time it's no big deal"

He stops, turning to Jeremy.
"That wasn't your first time, was it?"

"Wh- no. No! I had a boyfriend before you, remember?" Jeremy clarifies.

Micheal raises an eyebrow with a smirk.
"You callin' me your boyfriend?"

"Oh my go- can we go to breakfast and talk this whole thing out? Can we just do that?"

"I guess" Micheal throws Jeremy his boxers, managing to hit him directly in the face.

♔

This hotel has good breakfast. The lavish vast hall is filled with buffet stands, each stand filled with containers of hot food. There's even a waiter in the corner serving pancakes and omelettes.
Next to all of the steaming food are circular tables. At one of the smaller tables next to the window, Micheal shovels food in his face as Jeremy watches in disgust.

After devouring half a plate of sausages, bacon and beans, Micheal looks up to Jeremy mid chew. He pulls a face.
"Why does your face look like that?" he deadpans, mouth full.

Jeremy nearly gags. "Ugh stop, that's disgusting" he shudders, nursing his cup of black coffee. "And excuse me if you eating like an animal doesn't bring a smile to my face"

Michael takes the opportunity to grin, pushing food through his teeth at the boy opposite him. This time Jeremy does gag.
Micheal swallows his mouthful of food, dabbing his lips with his laced napkin. He clears his throat and leans back.

"So" he folds his hands in his lap. "You wanted to talk. Let's talk"

"Finally" Jeremy looks down unto the swirling darkness of his coffee. "So we had sex. What are we going to do about it?"

"Well what can we do about it?" Michael says. "We already did the deed, you're not pregnant- there's nothing else to do"

Jeremy sips his coffee, eyeing the beach outside the window. Damn, this hall has a nice view.
"So that's it. No . . . no follow up, no awkwardness, just two friends who happened to have sex?" He places his mug on the table.

"No" Micheal is quick to disagree, catching Jeremy's eyes. "We're not friends"

"Right. Just two . . . not-friends people who had sex and won't have sex again"

"Exactly. It was a one time thing"

It was not a one time thing.
After breakfast, the two boys stayed out of their way to not go near each other. Jeremy went for a run on the beach while Micheal stayed in their room and read a book. Let's be honest, he wasn't even reading. He stared at the pages as the words blurred, his brain to occupied to focus.

Eventually, the sun begins to set. Jeremy, who has been running up and down the beach for hours, has no choice but to return to the hotel room.
Michael's eyes flit up from his book. His steely gaze follows Jeremy as he enters the room, out of breath from his run. His sweaty tank top sticks to his lanky body as his running shorts rise up a little too high.

Michael looks back to his book as if he wasn't just checking out Jeremy.
"How was your run?" He asks politely, not caring about the answer.

"Long" Jeremy pants, rubbing the damp hair stuck to his neck. He opens the mini bar and pulls out an overpriced bottle of water. Head thrown back, he chugs the cold drink.
Micheal watches closely. His eyes trace every bead of sweat running down his face and fixates on each movement of his Adam's apple. What a creep.

Needless to say, this water-drinking display led to Jeremy being thrusted against a wall as Micheal shoves his tongue down his throat.

One condom and sticky-sheet-session later and Micheal and Jeremy are panting while staring at the ceiling. Their eyes are wide, looking up as they're too scared to look at each other.

Michael breaks the silence.
"I have an idea" his voice is an octave higher than usual. "We clearly have a lot of . . . i don't know . . . not urges but something along those lines. If doing this helps these desires or whatever, then why don't we keep doing it?"

"Are you suggesting that we keep fucking?" Jeremy turns his head to Micheal, who keeps looking up.

"I guess so" Micheal admits. He turns to Jeremy. "Strictly no strings attached, of course. I still despise your fucking guts but if I'm going to live with you I might as well get something out of it"

Jeremy can't help but snort. "So you want us to keep having sex?"

"Yeah- if you're down. It's not a relationship or anything, we just occasionally fuck. Nothing more"

"And that won't get messy?"

Micheal sighs with a little smile. "Hopefully not"

♔

Micheal and Jeremy return to apartment 26a the next night. As soon as their bags hit the floor, they're 'christening' the apartment with their new lust. They fall asleep entangled in each other arms. Jeremy stirs during the night, face pressed against Micheal's bare chest. He groggily moves to rubs his eyes but is stopped by the sleeping Micheal instinctively pulling him closer.

When he properly wakes up, his arms stretch across empty sheets for his source of warmth. He slowly opens his eyes and realises that Micheal isn't there.
"Micheal?"

His long arms wrap the duvet around his naked (and now cold) body. Jeremy creeps out of Micheal's bedroom, sticking his head out the door into the living room.
"Micheal?"

At the end of the short living room, is the kitchen where Micheal is hunched over the oven. It's not really a kitchen to be perfectly honest; it's just a fridge and oven separated by a short counter and a table with two chairs.
Michael turns at the mention of his name, spatula in hand.

He smiles a little. "Good morning"

"Morning. What are you doing?" Jeremy's usually cold and hard attitude has eased.

"I figured you might be hungry after I rearranged your insides yesterday" Micheal replies nonchalantly.

"Fair enough" Jeremy shuffles over to him, peeking over his shoulder to the sizzling pan. "Oh my god I love bacon and mushrooms"

"I know you do" Micheal side eyes Jeremy. "You can drop the duvet, you know. I've already seen whats underneath it"

"Fuck you I'm cold" Jeremy mutters, making his roommate chuckle.

Jeremy is cold the next morning too. He and Micheal have fallen asleep in Jeremy's bed this time, which is once again empty. Instead of making breakfast, Micheal has gotten up early to make them both coffee, claiming "I'm much too lazy to cook. We should go out for breakfast".

And so they did. What started as 'just going out for breakfast' turned into spending the whole day out. Every time they turned to go home, they got distracted by a dog or a store or a cool bike or a flyer. By the time they're done, it's already 11pm.

"Now that we're home" Micheal hooks his fingers into Jeremy's belt loops. "How about we go back to my room?"

Despite every bone, organ and cell in his body screaming at him to say yes, Jeremy slowly shakes his head.
"I am way too tired to move ever again. Although I'm down for a movie if you are"

They sit on the couch, a foot between them. Some Leonardo Di Caprio movie plays on the small TV but Jeremy is too tired to focus on it. His eyelids grow heavy and droop close. Michael can't help but notice Jeremy dozing off. He takes a blanket from the floor (because everyone keeps their blankets on the floor). He droops the cheap blanket gently over Jeremy's body. The now sleeping boy immediately nuzzles into the blanket, instinctively leaning into Micheal.

Jeremy is sleeping against Micheal's arm.
Micheal is frozen in panic.
He can't handle the responsibility of Jeremy sleeping on him. No- it's more than that. Jeremy is sleeping domestically next to him. Sure, Micheal has slept next to Jeremy before post coitus, but this is extremely different. This is a level of intimacy he just can't handle.

Micheal stays in this state of shock and panic until the credits roll. Jeremy is still asleep on his arm.
He decides to slowly stand up, lifting Jeremy's head and resting it against the couch. The sleepy boy doesn't react.

Should I leave him here? Do I move him to his bed? Do I move him to my bed? Do I risk waking him up?

A million thoughts race through Micheal's head. He shakes his hands to calm himself. Why should he need to calm himself? It's just his roommate sleeping on the couch.
He shouldn't move him- it might wake Jeremy up. Micheal decides to retreat to his bedroom and take the blanket that lies across his bed.

He drapes the blanket gently over Jeremy. The sleeping boy nuzzles under the blanket as it falls over his shoulders. He sighs in his sleep.
Micheal literally bites back a smile. Jesus Christ this shouldn't be adorable. It's just someone sleeping- it's just Jeremy sleeping! Who cares? Micheal doesn't care.
Micheal shakes his head clear and goes to bed, cold without the blanket draped over his duvet. Though his body shivers, his head stays warm as he sleeps to the thought of Jeremy on the couch.

♔

After that day, the hookups become less frequent. Instead of pouncing into bed each night and acting like it meant nothing the next day, they start to act more . . . domestic?

Domestic is the only word Jeremy can use to describe it. Every time they watch something on the couch, they end up cuddling. Every time one of them eats food, they end up sharing with the other (cutlery and all). Every time they see each other, butterflies storm in their stomachs.

Jeremy isn't the only person to notice the change in their dynamic. Their neighbours (and Jeremy's best friends) Christine and Brooke start coming over more and more as the boys grow closer and closer. They can't help but giggle at the boys tiptoe around their feeling while acting affectionately around each other.

After a week of coming over every day and watching Jeremy and Micheal, Brooke can't help but ask the question.
"You guys are dating, right?"

Jeremy, who is inconveniently sipping lemonade, chokes on his drink. Michael just splutters, ignoring his choking roommate.

"What? Why-why do you think that we're dating? We're not dating" He insists, blushing harder than a Stacy talking to a Chad.

Brooke chuckles apologetically.
"I just figured since you guys always act like a married couple-"

"We're not married!" Jeremy chokes hoarsely. "Or dating! We're not dating"

"Oh come on guys" Christine teases. "You can cut the romantic tension between you with a knife. You can be honest with us and tell us that you're dating"

"I'm dating someone else!"

Christine, Brooke and Jeremy stare at Micheal in shock. All this time, while he's been domestically fucking Jeremy in their shared apartment, he's been dating someone.

"What's his name?" Jeremy unconfident yet cold voice wavers.

"Uh- Jared Kleinman. I met him through work" Micheal explains, still extremely embarrassed and unable to meet Jeremy's eyes.

"You should've told me- cause that's great dude congrats" Jeremy replies quickly.

Christine and Brooke exchange glances as the scene unfolds in front of them. Any idiot can see that (even though they deny it) the roommates have caught feelings for each other; strong feelings at that.

♔

Jeremy meets Jared Kleinman a few days later. The first thing he notices is how similar they are. They both are tall with brown hair, they both have glasses (though Jeremy doesn't really wear his), their fashion sense is nearly identical and their faces are so alike that they could be related.

What a weird coincidence.

Jared only stops by the apartment for a few minutes since "He's got plans tonight and can't stay long".  
Jared seems . . . nice. As soon as he meets Jeremy, he shakes his hand and says "Hey, it's nice to meet you. I wanted to be polite and bring some wine but Micheal warned me that you might be an alcoholic".

Opening the night with a bad joke. Nice.
Jeremy doesn't say anything back. He just lets Jared shake his limp hand as he stares him down. Jared can't help but squint his eyes in confusion, smiling awkwardly.
Clearing his throat to clear the air, Micheal swoops in and says "Alright so now that you're acquainted, Jared should probably get going-"

"What?! No! He just got here" Jeremy objects coldly. "Sit down Jared, tell me about yourself"

Jeremy practically slams his butt down at the kitchen table. He gestures for Jared to sit opposite him.
Jared looks to Micheal, who makes a face that reads "Don't sit don't sit down get out while you can this is a bad idea". He ignores him and sits down anyways.

"So. Jared" Jeremy says in a sickeningly sweet voice. "How did you meet Micheal?"

"It's a funny story actually. We both work at the same place right-"

"Oh you're coworkers!" Jeremy interrupts. "How long have you been dating?"

Jared shrugs, kind of on edge. "Not long"

"Wow you don't even know how long you've been dating your boyfriend. Make a guess then"

"Just over a week, I guess? I wouldn't really call us boyfriends, we've been on like three dates"

Jeremy laughs sharply, unable to keep his bitterness in check. He's been sleeping with Micheal for months and Jared has only dated him for a week?

"Jared, you're gonna be late" Micheal stares Jeremy down, catching onto his petty and bitchy game.

"Who cares if he loses a few minutes? I just want to get to know him" Jeremy spits, glaring back at Micheal.

Jared looks at each of them. The tension in the room is so thicc that you could cut it with a knife. He stands up, very fed up with the bullshit.

"Yeah I'm gonna go. I don't want to be caught in the middle of your domestic dispute"

"I'll walk you out" Micheal breaks eye contact with Jeremy with a shake of his head, walking his boyfriend four meters to the door.

Micheal goes to say goodbye or I'm sorry to Jared, but he just disappears into the hallway. Micheal watches him walk away, not emotionally ready to confront Jeremy yet.

He presses the door closed. His flat palms rest against the wood for a moment as he takes a breath. Straightening up, Micheal turns to Jeremy with a frustrated glare. It sends shivers down Jeremy's spine.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I don't know what you mean" Jeremy folds his arms across his chest in a feeble attempt to close Micheal off.

"Oh you know exactly what I mean- you were grilling him like a fucking asshole. You may be a dick, Jeremy Heere, but you are no asshole"

"I'm not a fan of him, alright? You happy now?"

"No. No I'm not" Micheal steps forward angrily, restraining himself from full on punching Jeremy. "You decided that you hate him before he even stepped through the door"

'What's it to you?"

"I want to know why you're acting like a total pissbaby"

Jeremy scoffs. "A pissbaby?"

"You're being a fucking toddler- and I know it's not just about Jared"

"Wow- can't stop talking about Jared can you?"

"What is your deal man?!"

"I hate that you're dating Jared, okay?! Satisfied?"

"Why do you care that I'm dating him?"

"'Cause I wish that you were dating me!"

Just like that, it all becomes clear. Weeks of stringless sex and denying feeling lead to an outburst over a random coworker.

Jeremy laughs breathlessly and maniacally. He throws his hands in the air, ready to throw all of his cards on the table like ninja stars.

"Is that what you want to hear, huh? That I want to be your boyfriend? That for every night since the wedding I've just want to tell you that I love you? Cause guess what asshole, I love you; but in this second, I've never hated you more"

When Micheal doesn't respond, Jeremy shoves past him and out of the apartment. The bang of the door closing makes Micheal flinch. He stares at where Jeremy previously stood in disbelief. That didn't just happen. There's no way that happened.

Except that totally happened.

•••
I swear, this was supposed to be a one part series. It was supposed to be a quick enemies to lovers chapter to celebrate 100 chapters.
TURNS OUT WE'RE GONNA NEED THREE PARTS-

I apologise for the long chapters and multiple parts but I really want to do this series right and throats gonna require another part.

Anyways! Stay tuned for part three and, hey, in case no one told you already, your sexuality, gender and problems are all valid. You deserve all the love in the world <3

- Avery