|| ᴍᴜʟᴛɪ-ꜰᴀɴᴅᴏᴍ ᴏɴᴇ-ꜱʜᴏᴛꜱ ||

|| ɢᴇʀʀʏᴍɪᴄʜᴇᴀʟ // ᴛᴍᴀ ||

Micheal had been an outcast for as long as he could remember, really. And after a while, he'd started preferring it to actually socializing. So much to the point where he'd become an observer, someone merely on the sidelines of life, watching as other people live it before their eyes. And he was okay with this. Would he prefer to be included? Sometimes, sure, but not usually. This is how he'd noticed Gerard Keay. 

Micheal worked as an intern at the Magnus Institute and had for quite some time now, the people there either liked him or simply didn't notice him, and he was okay with this. But every day he'd accidentally catch Gerard Keay sneaking in through a window in the head archivist's office, and as the days grew he started looking forward to it. It started as accidental glances, but he started going out of his way to stand in the perfect spot in order to see him. He liked this boy. So once he'd found out his name and his reason for sneaking around through some eavesdropping, he'd started to ask Gertrude questions about him.

Gertrude didn't offer up much information, you see, as she was usually rather busy. But this is what Micheal did  know:  Gerard was around the same age as he was, he snuck around because he wasn't supposed to be on the property, and he was helping Gertrude with a private project.

One day Micheal had been doing his work, running around, making coffees, sorting papers, the usual. He looked at the clock and noticed that Gerard would be arriving soon, so he started to draw on a loose paper while he waited. Eventually, he heard rustling outside, and went to peer in through Gertrude's door. He watched Gerard throw himself onto the window seal, and Gertrude was on as he pulled himself through and onto the floor. He stood up and dusted himself off before fixing his hair, rolling up his sleeves, and getting to work. Micheal sighed with adoration and walked away as per his usual routine. Though, this time he deviated and went to the restrooms.

After finishing up, he made his way over to the sink when he saw Gerard sitting atop them, swinging his feet back and forth while peering in the mirror. "Oh! You scared me - sorry I'm just.. washing my hands." Micheal commented and turned on the sink water. "Oh, hey. You uh, aren't gonna tell anyone I'm here, right?" Micheal shook his head. "Nice. Thanks, man." Micheal leaned over to look at what he was doing, but couldn't quite make it out. "What're you doing?" Gerard turned so Micheal could see the bottles laid out beside him, "Dying my hair." Micheal laughed a little at this, "Why?" Gerard smiled as he heard Micheal laugh beside him, "Because I can't do it at my house." Micheal propped himself up on the sink beside him, "Well you're doing it wrong." Gerard smiled on with a challenging look, "Oh?" Micheal nodded. "Okay, Mr. Hot shot, I'd like to see you try." Micheal laughed again, "You're going to let a stranger dye your hair in an archive bathroom?" Gerard shrugged and stuck his hand out, "Gerry." Micheal, confused, shook his hand. "Micheal." Gerry smiled, "See, now we're not strangers, now let's see what you can do." Micheal smiled and grabbed the hair dye from beside him, he applied gloves, and began running his tinted fingers through Gerry's brown strands of hair. 

"You have such light hands, man." Gerry commented. Micheal's cheeks turned with pigment as he thanked him and finished dying the last strand. "Okay, now you just have to let it sit for a little while." Gerry nodded, "Wanna keep me company while I wait?" Micheal looked from Gerry to the door and bit his lip. "I don't know .. I mean, I'm at work." Gerry dismissed it, "Pfft, c'mon, I doubt they even pay you. It couldn't hurt, and I'm fun, I promise!" Micheal didn't want to turn down that opportunity so eventually he just sighed and acquiesced. "So, what're you doing here?" Micheal asked, full well already knowing the answer, but that's creepy so he just acted though as if he didn't. "Okay, you can't tell anyone, alright?" Micheal nodded, "But I'm helping the archivist prevent the apocalypse." Micheal laughed, and Gerry scoffed, "What're you laughing about, big man?" Micheal caught his breath, "You're kidding!" Gerry smacked him on the knee, "I'm not!" Micheal sighed and leaned up against the wall, "Sure." Gerry rolled his eyes and smiled while doing the same. "You know, you're pretty cool, Micheal." Gerry commented after a few seconds, sending Micheal into a fit of butterflies.

Even if he wasn't dating him, Micheal thought, hanging out with Gerry would be the best way to get through his job at the Magnus Institute.