RichJake-Wingman

                                    

                                          
Requested by Vicginee 
                          
Appreciate Ben Platt in the pic I took from Sing to Me Instead
                          
Alsoooooo I hope y'all are doing good on your exams!!! Remember to take care of yourself! I know they're hard, but y'all will do amazing!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
                          
TW: mentions of suicide. If you ever need to talk/vent/rant, please pm me. 
                          
I'm always here for you. No matter what.
                          
Jeremy woke up with a start. Where was he? Not in his room. Not at school, not anywhere he recognized. 
                          
The hospital?
                          
He tried to recall the events leading up to everything. His SQUIP, Christine, something about Mt. Dew Code Red...what was that all about? Michael was there? Had he gotten drunk?
                          
And where was the SQUIP?
                          
"Feels like you're missing a part of yourself, doesn't it?" Someone beside him asked. Jeremy turned his head. A boy around his age was laying in a hospital bed next to him with a full body cast. It took Jeremy a moment to recognize Rich Goranski.
                          
"Rich?" He asked, just making sure it was him.
                          
"Hurts like a motherfucker too. Be honest: what are they saying about me at school?" He paused as Jeremy gave no answer. "That bad?"
                          
"Sorry..."
                          
"Sorry? I'm finally free of that shiny hive happy mind! When I get outta here, the ladies learn to love the real Rich Goranski." Rich seemed as if he had just realized something. "And the dudes. Oh my god! I'm totally bi!"
                          
"Your SQUIP is gone...how?" Jeremy asked.
                          
"Ask your buddy. Anti-Social headphones kid. He's been here, like, a ton by the way. What is he, your boyfriend or something? Just curious. No judgement! Totally bi now," Rich said to Jeremy, who wasn't taking in a word of what Rich was saying. Michael entered the room.
                          
"I'm sure someone would be lucky to have you, Rich," Michael said.
                          
"You think? What about Jake?" Rich said excitedly. Then his face fell. "No. He'd never want me."
                          
"Well, why not?" Jeremy said. "I mean, he'd be great for you."
                          
"I burned down his fucking house, Jeremy. There isn't anything you can do to make up for that. Even if he wanna bi or pan. Or even gay. I mean, I burnt down his house!" Rich sputtered. Jeremy noticed something in the way he said certain things. Did Rich have a lisp? Or was that just an effect of his brain?
                          
What the hell is this?
                          
Jake walked-wait. Not he didn't. Was he in a wheelchair?- in, holding some flowers in his hands. There were pink and orange flowers, and Jeremy thought they had a tag for someone on it. He parked his wheelchair near the hospital bed Rich was in.
                          
"So, uh..." Jake said, a blush creeping onto his dark face. "These are for you."
                          
Rich didn't say anything. Jeremy thought he saw his eyes welling up. Wait...was he crying? Shit. No. This. Couldn't. Be. Happening. Rich Goranski, one of the biggest bullies at his school was crying?
                          
Was this some sort of alternate universe or what?
                          
Rich noticed Jeremy looking at him. Jeremy braced himself for a glare to be shot at him, but nothing happened.
                          
What the fuuuuuuu-
                          
"Jake..." Rich said. Jake looked up from the flowers on Rich's nightstand. "I'm so sorry."
                          
"It's-"
                          
"I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't know what was going on inside my head, and I couldn't control anything. This stupid thing made my life a hell."
                          
"Hey, I was in hell too-"
                          
"So I just wanted to end it." Rich took a breath. Jake looked at him with pitiful eyes. Jake reached towards Rich's bandaged hand, holding it the best he could. Rich had tears streaming down his face at this point.
                          
"I know."
                          
"I-I just wan-wanted to end it..." Rich gasped. "And I t-took it out *sniff* on you. That was the worst thing I could have ever fucking done. I just fucked my life even more. And fucked yours up too. Just fucked everyone's life up."
                          
"You didn't." Jake was swirling circular patterns into Rich's bandages. 
                          
"And I don't even understand why you want to talk to me...I burned down your fucking house." Rich gasped for breath. 
                          
"Look at me," Jake said. "I know you're sorry. But I'm fine. I have a place to stay. Listen, after my parents left me, I stayed at Jenna Roland's. You know her?" Rich nodded. "Yeah. She offered me a place to stay until I got contact with an aunt of mine who moved to town."
                          
"Who?" Rich asked.
                          
"Her name...well ironically...is Jenna. She moved here from another town. Said she had to get away from her ex-husband. Hey, but it's all good. And you know what? I didn't like that house anyways." Jake laughed. Rich giggled, hiccuping.
                          
"I don't know what I did to deserve forgiveness. I love you, man," Rich said through tears. 
                          
"I love you too." Jake wiped his face. "Damn it, now you have me crying."
                          
All was silent except for the sniffles of Jake and Rich.
                          
"Your fire was a suicide attempt?" Jeremy said.
                          
"You're a little late, Jeremy," Michael whispered. 
                          
"My stupid computer made my life miserable." Rich tried to turn his head, but couldn't.
                          
"I'm sorry," Michael said. "But, at least it's out now, right?"
                          
"I think so," Rich's lisp was becoming more and more noticeable. "Oh yeah. The SQUIP made me talk differently."
                          
"I think it's kinda cute," Jake said. Rich turned redder than a tomato. "Oh. Sorry. I-uh-meant like..."
                          
He couldn't hide the fact any longer.
                          
"Okay. Fine." Jake laughed. "I kinda like you."
                          
Rich felt as if his heart was going to explode. He had to do almost everything he could to stop from squealing and bolting out of the room, despite his body cast. He swallowed, taking a deep breath.
                          
"I think I kinda like you too." Rich smiled.
                          
Stay snazzy!!! I'll have some kleinsen and Treebros soon!!!
                          
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️