Gerrymichael and anger:

Michael Shelley has a temper. He does his best to hide it under warm smiles and soft-spoken words, but there are so many things that can set him off. Injustice, not being believed, incorrectly filed statements, Emma not refilling the coffee machine after she takes the last cup, all of those things can make his blood boil. But he keeps that his secret. He doesn’t want to become “that guy” that no one wants to talk to at the water cooler because he loses his mind every five minutes.

When he starts dating Gerard he becomes even more determined to keep that part of himself hidden. He knows how much Gerry has gone through, and his worst fear is being someone he doesn’t feel comfortable around. So he promises himself to keep all his emotions hidden inside him forever until he dies. And for about six months that works fine.

Then one day Gerard is…a lot. He comes back from hunting a Leitner with mud all over his boots and tracks it all over the floor. He grabs a bite to eat and leaves behind a trail of crumbs as he goes to take his seat on the couch. He flips on the tv and turns it up way too loud for a small apartment where sound echoes off the walls.

Michael tries to keep his opinion on Gerard’s bad habits himself as to not let even a teaspoon’s worth anger out, but he just mopped the floors and he’s always found loud noises overstimulating. So he can’t really help it when he turns to Gerard and snappishly says “Will you turn that down?”

He immediately regrets it. His mind jumps to the worst case scenario. He can already imagine the betrayed look on Gerard’s face and the ensuing argument as the relationship he loves crumbles through his fingers like he’s trying to hold onto sand. This is the worst thing he’s ever done. He’s unforgivable. There is no going back to what they were. He might as well flee society and live in solitude the woods.

He can barely look over to see Gerard’s face, even when he hears the tv lower to a softer volume. He glances over expecting a look of shock or, worse, discomfort, but instead he’s just met with a shit-eating grin and the words:

“That was hot.”

It takes Michael at least five business day’s to recover.