Chapter 6

CHRISTMAS BREAK 2019

It was the week before Christmas.

The basketball players were pretty close, and every year, they would have a friendsmas–friends Christmas.

This year it was at an arcade they rented out for the night. The boys were also playing Secret Santa, so they had to give another player a gift.

Micah had gotten Taylor. Jeremiah, of course, had gotten Micah.

They could give their gifts anytime—Jeremiah decided to wait until they were back in dorm room 303…

“You niggas can’t play ball fareal!” Micah joked as he shot the basketball into the net.

Obviously, the basketball players were having a shooting contest amongst each other in the basketball arcade game.

“C’mon, big Micah!” James patted Micah’s back, looking back at Jeremiah who had his arms folded, eyes locked in on Micah, causing James to feel a sense of irritation. He just looked back at the game.

Jeremiah bit down on his lip, smirking, keeping his eyes locked in on Micah’s form. He couldn’t help but to smile, “Who you got, Miah?” Taylor asked, passing around the arcade coins bucket, so they could make bets.

Digging in his pocket, Jeremiah pulled out a twenty dollar bill, “My money on light-bright,” he chuckled.

“Hurd et, bitch!” Micah spat as he continued to shoot the balls, one after the other. Jeremiah just shook his head, seeing the way his arms looked, the way he had his lip between his teeth, and his eyes remained laser-focused.

“Man,” Jeremiah shook his head.

“Man what?” James asked in his ear, pulling him away from the crowd.

Jeremiah finally turned his attention towards James, “Nun. Wassup, James,” he chuckled. “Whatchu pull me away fa?”

“A nigga can’t want sum alone time witchu?” he asked, looking up at Jeremiah as they walked through the arcade.

Jeremiah just smirked, letting out a low chuckle, “I mean… you can,” he smiled, glancing over at him, making James giggle a bit.

Ever since their moment in the locker room, Jeremiah and James have been a little closer. Sometimes, James would lend Jeremiah his throat whenever he was feeling a little horny and experimental.

Of course, half the time, Jeremiah only imagined it was Micah below him instead, but after a while, Jeremiah grew to like James.

He didn’t see himself being with him, but he was a vibe, and he knew how to swallow a dick… That’s what Jeremiah thought at least.

“You wanna get a drink from da bah. I’a buy. Imma gentleman,” Jeremiah chuckled, throwing his arm over James who was just giggling as he put his hands in his pocket, so they wouldn’t seem suspect.

Just two homeboys.

“Yeah, let’s get a drink,” Jeremiah nodded as they found the bar. “Whatchu want?” he asked, looking over to James as the two sat at the bar next to each other.

“I’a jus’ get whateva you havin’,” James nodded.

Jeremiah then ordered them both a double shot of Hennessy.

After the bartender served them their shots, Jeremiah passed James his and raised his own. “Cheers,”

James clinked his glass against Jeremiah’s and then tossed back their shots. “Fuck,” James gasped, chuckling a bit.

“Shit hitcho chest, huh?” Jeremiah laughed. “Pussy,” he trolled, making James push his shoulder a bit.

“Fuck you,” James smacked his lips.

“You want to, huh?” Jeremiah asked, tilting his head down with a smirk as he looked Jeremiah in the eyes.

James couldn’t help his face from turning red, “I might–Ion know if I can take allet tho,” he looked down at Jeremiah’s crotch. “Et mufucka big as shit,”

“You gassin’ a nigga up, now,” Jeremiah chuckled, feeling the liquor start to flow through him a bit.

“Nah, nah, you be hurin’ how a nigga already be gaggin’,” James nodded, then leaned in close to Jeremiah, getting close to his ear. “N Ian really a nigga that gag too much,” he pulled back, winking at him, making Jeremiah bite down on his lip.

“I betchu can learn how ta take all es dick tho. Imma good teacha,” Jeremiah offered, making James smirk.

He just shook his head, “Anotha shot, please,” James shouted to the bartender.

“Anotha one fa me too,” Jeremiah felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see it was Taylor.

Taylor looked between the two for a moment, noticing the way James looked away from Jeremiah with his face slightly reddened.

He just brushed it off though.

The bartender then passed the three of them shots. “Fuck y’all was chattin’ about?” Taylor asked.

“Nun much–who da fuck won?” Jeremiah asked, turning around with his shot in his hand.

Taylor smiled, pulling out the money he had collected. “You cashed out, nigga,” Taylor handed him fifty dollars, meaning he profited thirty. “Niggas ain’t have faif in my nigga,” he pointed to Micah who was walking towards the bar with the rest of their teammates.

“Fuck the niggas that doubted a king,” Micah shouted as they approached the bar. “Thank you,” Micah snatched Jeremiah’s shot from his hand, downing it. “Actually, you welcome. Nigga came up offa big dawg,” Micah giggled, flexing his muscles.

Jeremiah only stared at him for a second, choosing option two in his head that said act accordingly.

“Jeremiah,” James called out to him once he saw Jeremiah’s attention being captured by Micah.

“Wassup?” Jeremiah turned his attention back to James.

Micah raised a brow at their interaction, especially being as though James hardly acknowledged him the whole night. “Since when you two niggas buddy-buddy?” Micah asked, standing between the two as they sat at the bar. “Buy me a shot, Miah,”

“Niggas been coo’, Micah–stop bein’ possesive ova me,” James teased.

“Bitch, you wish,” Micah smacked his lips.

“I guess I can getchu sum since a nigga came up,” Jeremiah smirked, ordering him and Micah another round of shots.

James furrowed his brows. “So a nigga can’t get anotha one?” he asked, making Micah look down at him.

“I’a getchu one, nigga–quit beggin’ broke niggas fa shit,” Micah trolled.

“I’a buy es whole team a mufuckin’ shot, hoe,” Jeremiah spat back.

“Who’s a hoe?” Micah folded his arms, looking down at Jeremiah who looked up at him, smiling.

“You right iss me,” Jeremiah winked at him, making Micah blink and feel his face heat up. He just looked away, grabbing his shot and walking away without saying thank you.

James just shook his head, “You know Micah straight right?” he whispered into Jeremiah’s ear.

Jeremiah smacked his lips, “Who said I wasn’t?” he asked, pulling back to look back at him with a raised brow. “You lookin’ too deep inta shit. What we got is cuz you know how ta use et throat–not cuz you no nigga, don’t get it fucked up, Jamey,” Jeremiah patted his cheek.

James just felt his chest tighten from Jeremiah’s words as he stood up, taking his final shot, then rejoining the group.

He just shook his head. He was starting to like Jeremiah, so his feelings were a bit hurt. He still only focused on Micah.

“What we rey do now?” Jeremiah asked them as he put his arms around Taylor and Chase.

The group of athletes then went into the private room they collectively rented out. They were onto the second phase of their night, exchanging gifts and getting wasted.

“Set up the beer pong,” Chase directed Jordan and Jeremiah. “You get the alcohol,” he pointed at Micah.

Micah smacked his lips, “Nigga so bossy,” he shook his head before walking back to the bar.

As he was heading there, he saw James, almost bumping into him. “Whur you been at, nigga?” he asked. “You damn nur ain’t said a word ta a nigga all night,” he chuckled, putting his arm around his neck.

James just chuckled a bit, “Uhh, I been hur–what aboutchu, Micah. Why a nigga always gotta come up ta you?” he asked, making Micah raise a brow.

“Fuck is yo prolum?” Micah asked.

“Ion got no problem, Micah. Why you gettin’ so hostile fa?” he asked, stepping back. “Maybe I should jus’ go with Miah n ’em…”

Micah just stared at him, thinking of how James had been glued to Jeremiah recently. “Go be wit et gay ass nigga then,” he told him, scoffing before turning to go to the bar.

“I needa bottle of Hennesy,” Micah told the bartender.

He felt his foot tapping quickly, a sensation of agitation running through his body. His mind kept going back to James and Jeremiah. “Am I tweakin’?” he asked himself. “I gotta be,”

But why I saw Miah lookin’ at James like he looked at me before?

“Here you go, sir,” the bartender brought out a bottle of Hennesy, taking Micah’s card to pay for it.

Micah just sighed, shaking off his thoughts as he headed back to the room.

“Aight, bitches,” Micah walked back into the room, hearing a bunch of ‘Ayyyeee’s.

“C’mon, Micah, fill the cups up,” Chase directed him, and Micah did as told, seeing the set-up beer pong table.

•••

A while later, the boys were drunk and mingling in the recreation room in the arcade that was a couple of hours away from shutting down. “What should we do now?” Jordan slurred as he sat on the couch, face-palming himself. He was drunk as hell.

“Well, we still gotta do our Secret Santa shit,” Chase told everyone. He really acted as the group’s dad. “Errbody got they gifs?” he asked, looking around.

After he looked around, seeing some people nod, he just shrugged, “Whateva—exchange y’all shit. I’m rey invite some hoes innes mufucka,” he plopped down next to Jordan, clinking his cup full of alcohol against his.

“Sound like a betty,” Jordan dapped him up, chuckling.

“Shiddd, lemme invite somebody,” Jeremiah chuckled.

“Fuck allet—who got my gif’?” Micah asked.

“You jus’ mad you can bring no hoes!” Taylor joked.

“Man, whateva—at least, I gotta girl, Tay? Whatcho fruity ass rey do tanight?” Micah chuckled, and then the two started going back and forth in a drunk roasting session. “Oh, I forgot—you my person,” Micah told Taylor. “Hollon,” he told him.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah just watched their interaction, slightly jealous. He wished Micah was able to laugh and joke with him that easily.

“Hey,” James tapped Jeremiah on the shoulder, trying to divert his attention back to himself.

“Wassup?” Jeremiah looked at him.

“I was thinkin’ I could make up fa earliuh—meet me inna one-person bafroom in about ten minutes,” James spoke in his ear.

Jeremiah just smirked, shaking his head. “I’m good,” he told him, slightly turned off by him from their conversation earlier.

James just scoffed, walking away.

“Well, look like a nigga will be gettin’ sum play tanight,” Micah cheesed, standing up. “My BM onna way,” he drunkenly sang.

“Shiddd, lemme call up my shawties,” Chase cackled.

“Oh, a nigga said shawties—yous a dawg, Chase,” Micah dapped him up, feeling his phone ring. He pulled it from his pocket, swiping over on his phone screen to answer. “Wassup, baby. You hur already?” he asked.

“Yes, Micah. Come get me,” Kelia giggled through the phone.

Micah just chuckled and shook his head, “Aight, I’m on my way.”

The two have been decent, besides all the drama that surrounded the two, and the fact that he would be a father sooner than he anticipated.

Micah tried looking at things a little optimistically. At least, if he did marry her and have this baby, he’d be a little less in his parents’ grip.

“Hey, ma,” Micah bent down to hug after opening the door for her to walk through. 

“Hey, baby,” she kissed his cheek then his lips. “How’s your little friendsmas going?” she asked, grabbing his hand.

Micah then started leading her back to the room, seeing some other girls walk past them, probably from being called by the other boys in the group. “We fucked up. Ian rey lie,” he giggled.

“God,” Kelia shook her head. “I see a lot of females around,” she turned to look at Micah. “You been on your best behavior?” she asked, pointing to his chest.

“Of course,” Micah assured her.

Kelia then smiled, giving him another kiss. “Good,” she told him as they continued to head to the privacy room. “Hey, everyone!” she waved to everybody in the room.

“Wassup, Lia,” James greeted her, making Micah smack his lips, wanting to tell the nigga to back off from the way he’d been acting the entire night.

“Hey, James,” she smiled back.

On the other side of the room, you have Alana, Kelia’s friend, who someone in the group had contacted. She had shown up and been on Jeremiah’s lap ever since.

Jeremiah’s attention was elsewhere.

He was now laser-focused on Kelia and Micah. He felt his heart sting a bit when he saw Micah bend down to kiss her lips and belly.

Jeremiah scoffed, “Niggas be wantin’ attention bad,” he muttered.

“Huh, sexy?” Alana asked him. “Oh, right,” she looked over to Kelia and Micah. “Let me go speak to my friend,” she removed herself from his lap to go speak to the two.

Sighing from his annoyance, Jeremiah stood up and removed himself from the room. He felt a bit too lit, and he wanted to play a couple of games to sober himself up.

After wandering around a bit, he found himself near the pinball machines, getting stuck at a Dracula-themed one, for he’s obsessed with vampires. And after losing a few times, he sighed, looking up to see James alone by himself, near one of the other pinball machines.

He felt a little bad about the way he spoke to him earlier at the bar, but he felt like James was asking questions he had no business in knowing.

“So… is ya offer still onna table?” Jeremiah asked, making James jump a bit.

James turned around. He folded his arms, looking Jeremiah up and down, “You can get no head from Kelia fren?” he asked to be petty.

Jeremiah just chuckled, “You ain’t gotta be petty, James,” he licked over his lips, invoking an involuntary smile from James.

He just grabbed Jeremiah’s hand, taking him to the nearest single-bathroom.

•••

“Mmm, shit,” Jeremiah moaned as he gripped James’ hair, thrusting in and out of his mouth. “I luh da way yo mouf get so wet fa a nigga,” he praised him, making James’ eyes roll back a bit.

He was almost near. He felt his legs shaking. “I’m rey nut,” he told him, speeding up the pace of his thrust.

James just focused on his breathing, feeling his eyes sting and saliva spill from both sides of his mouth. He pulled off of him for a moment, “Nut down my throat, daddy,”

Jeremiah raised a brow at the name, and for some reason—he thinks the alcohol—James morphed into someone else… with blueish-green eyes, and pink, soft lips. “Oh,” he let out a softer moan when James wrapped his lips back around him.

“Jus’ like et, baby,” Jeremiah breathed.

A wave of shock went through James’ body, for Jeremiah never referred to him as baby before.

“Damn, I’m so close,” Jeremiah bit down on his lip hard to contain his noises; his fantasies had his dick almost exploding.

After a moment more, Jeremiah started to cum in James’s mouth. James only continued sucking, swallowing every drop of nut Jeremiah had to offer, pulling off his dick with a pop.

“You liked et?” he looked up at him, asking.

“Mmhmm,” Jeremiah nodded as he looked down at James who was on his knees, still viewing him as his roommate. “Et was the best so fah,” he nodded. “A nigga ready ta lay down,” he yawned, fixing himself up.

“The best?” James asked as he stood to his fix, wiping off his face.

Jeremiah smiled and nodded again, “Fasho—look, I’m rey go out first, aight?” he told James.

A small sigh escaped him, but James nodded his head, “Facts. Es is a one-person bafroom,”

“Aight, I’a hitchu later,” Jeremiah waved him bye, then exited the restroom.

He started heading back to their private room, feeling someone bump into him. “Oh, shit,” he slurred a bit, looking down to see it was Kelia. “Wassup, Lia—Ian even see yo luh ass,” he chuckled a bit.

“Ha, ha, ha,” she mocked him, crossing her arms. “Anyways, I was looking for you,” she told him, making him raise a brow.

“Wassup?” he asked suspiciously.

“I need you to take Micah home—you know, since you’re roommates and all. I’m not staying at the dorms anymore, so I’m going to be driving back to my parents,” Kelia told him.

Jeremiah sighed, “Well. I’m fucked up too, Lia,” he put a hand over his chest.

Kelia just sighed, “Soooo, none of you was gonna be the DD?” she asked, referring to someone in the group being the designated driver, since everyone would be drinking.

Jeremiah just laughed and shrugged. “Okay—well, you two come on,” she pointed to him. “I’ll take you two home since your my boyfriend’s roommate and all—go get him,” she instructed.

“So damn bossy,” Jeremiah chuckled before going back into the room, seeing Micah on the couch, laughing his ass off with Taylor, Chase, and Jordan. Then he saw Jordan shake his hands and throw some dice on the flow.

“Seven, bitch!” Jordan cackled, snatching the dollars from the floor.

“Wait, lemme get in one round,” Jeremiah started rummaging through his pockets, but Kelia grabbed his wrist.

“Micah, let’s go,” she told him. “I’m driving you and Jeremiah home,”

Es hoe ain’t no fun, huh? Jeremiah thought to himself as he smacked his lips.

Micah just furrowed his brows, “Baby, I’m not even et fucked up,” he told her, but she just stared at him silently. “Aight,” he sighed, standing up. “Ian even get my mufuckin’ secret Santa gift—who got my shit?” Micah scoffed.

“Iss at da crib,” Jeremiah spoke up, making Micah whip his head towards him.

“You my secret Santa?” Micah asked him, and Jeremiah nodded. Micah just smirked, curious as to why he didn’t bring it her to give it to him. “Aight, let’s go—bye, broke ass niggas and boys,” Micah told everyone.

Jeremiah and Micah then spent a few minutes saying bye to everyone while Kelia waited patiently by the door.

“Bye, Miah,” James told Jeremiah as they were walking out of the party room.

“Bye, James,” Jeremiah told him, and Micah looked back, furrowing his brows.

“Bye, James,” Micah told him, gaining a fake smile and wave from James.

“Bye, Micah,” he told him, and then Jeremiah and Micah finally left the room, heading out of the building with Micah and Kelia walking hand-in-hand, towards her car.

Micah drunken thoughts were swirling around his mind, “Since when you n et nigga got so close, n why he actin’ like he not my mufuckin’ fren?” he blurted.

Jeremiah looked towards him for a moment, “We jus’ coo, Micah—n I can’t answa the otha question. Maybe iss some deep—We neva talked ’bout nun like et,” he shook his head.

Micah just remained silent. He decided to let it go for now.

The three then made their way to Kelia’s car with Jeremiah helping Micah in the front seat, then laying down in the back, hoping to sober up a little.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived back at their dorm building with Kelia parking close to the front door. “Y’all can make it?” she asked them as Micah opened his eyes.

He nodded, then leaned over into her seat, pecking her lips a couple of times. “Text me when you make it home, aight,” he told her. Kelia nodded, then Micah opened the car door, stepped out, opened the back seat, and yanked Jeremiah out of the car. “Wake up, bitch,” he slapped his cheek a few times.

“You mus’ want it rough es time, baby,” Jeremiah chuckled, his voice deep and low from being tipsy as he smiled at Micah while his eyes slowly opened.

Micah just stared at him, shaking his head, and obviously, his face was a light shade of pink, “Stop fuckin’ wit me, Jeremiah,” he told him. Jeremiah just laughed as he put an arm over his shoulder.

“Bye, Kelia. Thank fa drivin’ a nigga home,” Jeremiah told her.

“Just get your drunk asses upstairs, safely,” Kelia told them, then rolled up the window and pulled off.

Micah then led them inside, managing to get them both upstairs and into their dorms.

He damn near tossed Jeremiah on the couch, “Damn, Micah,” he giggled. “Gimme a bottle of water, please,” he told him with a deep, drunken sigh.

Micah also sighed, flicking on the lights before grabbing them both bottles of water and then he went into his own bathroom to grab them some ibuprofen.

He came back out, handing Jeremiah a bottle and some pills, sitting down next to him, eyeing the gift bag on the table. He just looked over at Jeremiah for a moment. Jeremiah felt Micah’s stare, returning it, “Wassup?” he looked into his eyes.

“Es mine?” Micah asked, looking at the table.

“Yeah, murray Christmas, Micah,” Jeremiah told him. “Open it,” he told him.

Micah grabbed the bag, rummaging through it. He started pulling out items, his eyes only widening when he saw all the items in the bag. There were multiple jars of clay, clay tools, wire, sandpaper, and paint. “I rememba you talkin’ ’bout you inta sculptin’, n es whatchu really wanna do, but I neva really see you do it, so…” Jeremiah spoke as he leaned on the back of the couch.

For a long moment, Micah just looked through the items. He felt all his emotions. He felt seen, and considered.

Someone got him a gift. A gift that they thought about from things they listened to him say, not what they wanted him to have.

Micah looked over at Jeremiah with wet eyes, “Thank you, fareal,” he told him, holding an arm out, so Jeremiah could hug him.

Jeremiah just smiled, feeling his chest get tight as he pulled Micah into him, wrapping his arms around his torso, “You welcome,” he told him, looking into his eyes. “No matta whatchu be thankin’, I cur aboutchu,”

Micah just remained silent as he felt his heart speeding up. Jeremiah just smiled as he held onto Micah tighter, resting his forehead on Micah’s. “I know you do,” Micah said quietly. “N no matta whatchu thank, I appreciate you,” he told him, resting his hands on Jeremiah’s shoulders.

“I know,” Jeremiah bit down on his lip. “Jus’ one, Micah,” he asked him for a kiss.

“No,” Micah told him, although he made no effort to move.

“Please,” Jeremiah grabbed his chin.

“Only one, Miah,” Micah told him, closing his eyes, feeling Jeremiah deeply peck his lips, slipping his tongue inside.

Jeremiah hummed, gripping Micah’s waist as they sucked on each other’s tongue for just a moment before Jeremiah pulled back to suck on his lips. “I said one, gay ass nigga,” Micah said between kisses, then pushed Jeremiah’s face back. “Enough,”

“Okay,” Jeremiah pulled back, and let Micah go, sitting back on the couch, feeling his heart throbbing for the boy sitting next to him.

•••

the next morning

Micah was the first to wake. He looked down, seeing Jeremiah’s arms wrapped around him.

They must have fallen asleep on the couch.

At least this time, they were clothed, so Micah shook his head and sighed a sigh of relief. “Quit movin’,” Jeremiah grumbled, burying his head into Micah’s back.

Micah just chuckled, “Fuck it. Only time I’m bein’ nice ta a nigga,” he said quietly. There was a smile on his face, and he hated how comfortable he felt in Jeremiah’s arms.

After a while, Jeremiah finally woke up, smiling when he saw Micah in his arms. “Good mornin’,” Jeremiah whispered in Micah’s ear to tease him, sending a chill up Micah’s spine.

Once releasing a shaky breath, Micah let his lip go from between his teeth, “Good mornin’, funky breaf ass nigga,” he roasted Jeremiah, making him laugh in Micah’s back.

“Fuck you, wait—”

“Et joke is lame after the first use, Jeremiah. Get sum new material,” Jeremiah just laughed, making Micah chuckle a bit too. “Move offa me, so I can showa, n make breakfast,”

“Fa bof of us?” Jeremiah asked.

Micah smacked his lips, “Ian no dawg ass nigga—of course, Imma feed the needy,” he trolled, making Jeremiah laugh even harder.

“Thank you,” Jeremiah kissed his cheek as he climbed over him to go to his own room. “I’a be waitin’, Gordon Ramsey lookin’ ahh,”

“Bitch, you’a be goin’ home fa break hongry!” Micah laughed as he stood up from the couch.

“Not listenin’!” Jeremiah said through his closed door, leaving Micah standing alone in their living room.

He just sighed, shaking his head as he looked at Jeremiah’s door. “I needa really move out es mufucka fa I get in trouble,” he said to himself before disappearing into his own room.

About thirty minutes later, Jeremiah was sitting on the couch, playing Mortal Kombat and screaming at the television while Micah laughed at him losing while he made them breakfast, consisting of eggs, bacon, french toast, sausage, and fries. Mostly for Micah, he preferred fried over hash browns.

“I’m almost done, Miah,” Micah told him as he turned off the stove, plating their eggs first, since he cooked those last.

Jeremiah had lost another match, so he found the perfect opportunity to stop. “Good, I was rey really lock in and beat niggas up,”

“Uh, huh,” Micah laughed, grabbing the rest of the food while Jeremiah just stood there watching him. He looked at Micah from head to toe, eyeing at the way he fixed both of them their plates, thinking how they looked like a little couple in their own apartment.

The thought made him smile a bit. He just wanted to go behind him and leave a trail of kisses on his shoulder and neck—then his lips, to thank him for the meal, but Jeremiah knew he couldn’t.

“Sit down,” Micah told him, and Jeremiah sat at their small dining table. Micah placed his plate in front of Jeremiah. “You want syrup?” he asked, and Jeremiah looked up at him nodding. “You ugly as fuck,” he trolled, making Jeremiah laugh, and him too as he went back to the kitchen to grab the syrup bottle to pour them both some.

“Thank you, Micah. I appreciate you,” Jeremiah told him, saying a silent prayer before taking his first bite. “Gah damn,” he shook his head.

I wanna marry this nigga. He thought.

“You fuck wit it?” Micah asked, standing up to grab some paper towels.

“Hell, yeah—shits fah. You can really cook yo ass off, Micah,” Jeremiah complimented him, making Micah smirk and blush a bit.

“Thank you,” he replied before hearing a knock at the door. “Who is et?” he asked, approaching the door.

Jeremiah raised a brow, “Ion know…” he said, then whipped his head towards his phone, hearing it ring. He looked at the ID on the screen, seeing it saying Dad.

Jeremiah then popped up from his seat. “I know et ain’t my daddy,” he smiled wide.

He ran to the door, and Micah moved to the side, watching Jeremiah open the door, “Daddy!” he called out, pulling his father into the dorm, and giving him a bear hug.

“Surprise, son. I thought I’a come getchu fa Christmas,” Jeremy aggressively patted Jeremiah’s back.

“You rey make a nigga cry,” Jeremiah shook his head as they pulled apart from each other.

Jeremy then looked over, and his smile got wider when he saw Micah, “Wassup, Michelangelo,” he laughed, calling him the nickname he gave him a long while ago.

He held his hand out, and Micah grabbed it, “Wassup, Big Jerm,” he smiled as Jeremy grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug.

“It’s been a long time, young nigga,” Jeremy patted Micah’s back. “How you been? I mean I know a little from what Miah tell me,” he pulled back, holding Micah’s shoulders.

Micah just raised a brow. This nigga be talking about me to his daddy? He thought.

“I been good,” Micah answered. “You want sum breakfast, Mr Jeremy?” he asked, pointing to the stove of food he cooked.

“Aww, shit. Nigga, you be in hur cookin’ like es?” Jeremy walked over to the stove while Jeremiah walked up next to Micah.

“Aye, don’t listen ta et nigga. I jus’ be talkin’ ’bout our games n shit,” Jeremiah whispered to Micah.

“Uh, huh,” Micah smirked, not believing a word he said. “Get whateva, Mr Jeremy,” Micah told him as the other two sat back down at the table to continue eating.

Once Jeremiah’s father sat down, the three started talking, with Jeremy reminiscing on the two boys’ time as children.

“You know, I always thought of you two as brothas,” Jeremy told them, making Jeremiah smirk and avert his eyes.

Brothers don’t do what we be doing, Daddy. He thought to himself.

“Y’all always fight and compete, but y’all always had each othas back–rememba when ’em niggas from down the block tried ta jump Jeremiah at the park, by y’all schoo’, n I rememba comin’ ta get him, seeing boffa y’all straight dukin’ niggas. Wham! Wham! Wham!” Jeremy playfully boxed the air, making the two smile.

“I rememba et. I was shocked,” Jeremiah laughed. “When I first saw Micah approachin’, I thought he was rey help the niggas jump me, but nah,” Jeremiah shook his head, looking over to him. “Nigga had my mufuckin’ back,” he put his arm around Micah. “I was still like I hate es nigga, but es my nigga,” Jeremiah got louder, dapping Micah up.

Micah just laughed, smacking his lips, “Man… I mean, I felt like only I can beat es nigga up,” he playfully elbowed Jeremiah. “Nah, but I couldn’t jus’ watch him get jumped, plus I seen everything go down, n it was some hatin’ ass shit. Me n Miah always beefed, but it was neva hateful. I think in a way our competition made each otha betta at certain shit,” he spoke honestly, making Jeremiah unintentionally smile big at him.

Jeremy smiled at the two, “I love ta hur et,” he nodded. “So, I assume since y’all moved in, y’all got coo’ all the way,”

“I mean…” Micah teased. “He aight,” he shrugged.

Jeremiah just smacked his lips. “Es nigga know he love me, Daddy. Niggas is cappers,” he told his father making him laugh as he ate his food.

“Stop, y’all fa I choke. Shit,” Jeremy chuckled, grabbing his drink to swallow some of his food.

Micah laughed, hearing his phone ring in his pocket. He answered it, hearing his father’s voice through the speaker. “Micah, when will you be home?” he asked. “There’s a dinner I want you and your brother to attend. They could be potential partners in the future—especially if you go pro,”

“I’m not sure—soon,” Micah answered, looking back at the diner table, and seeing Jeremiah and his father laugh and joke with one another. He smiled, sighing, feeling his chest tighten, for he envied that.

So many people tell him that they wish they had his life, but little do they know.

The most important things in life are really the connections you have with one another—the good ones.

“C’mon back n join us, Micah,” Jeremy yelled.

“Who is that?” Michael Sr asked.

“I gotta go, Dad. Imma be home soon,” Micah said quickly, then hung up the phone.

Micah put his phone back in his pocket, sitting back down next to Jeremiah. “Why don’tchu come ova wit Jeremiah sometime, patnah,” Jeremy told him. “We can go ta da strip club or stay home and watch the game wit a couple burs—bring ova Lamar n Dreya, n we can shoot dice, like real niggas,” Jeremy did the motion of shooting dice, making Micah chuckle, and Jeremiah shake his head, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Micah prolly got way more fancy get ta gethas ta be at, then at our house, doin’ hoodrat shit,” Jeremih scoffed, putting his hand on the back of Micah’s chair to which his father noticed as well.

“Shid, et sound way more fun than anything my peoples drag me to,” Micah nodded. “Imma take you up on it inna futcha, pops,” he held his hand out to dap Jeremy up.

Jeremy just smiled, looking between the two, “I’m glad my son got a nigga like you,” he began, making both Jeremiah and Micah raise a brow. “He needs et real support—I know how places in the higher ups can be—fake, phony. From da bitches—ta ya friends, so I’m glad he gotta nigga he been knowin’, that he know gon’ be thur wit ’em regardless of bein’ Woody Kent or Jeremiah Kentwood the star basketball player,” he nodded.

Micah just looked at him confused. He felt like he hasn’t been that great to Jeremiah, and that he could have been better towards him.

He looked towards Jeremiah, who was already looking at him, smiling, “I agree,” he nodded. “You know, you my nigga always, Micah,” he told him, holding out his hand to dap him up.

Micah took his hand, almost fighting the urge to kiss him. He just shook off his thoughts, looking back at Jeremy. “Thank you,” he told him.

He then sighed, “I’m rey head out tho,” Micah stood up from the table. “I’a wash fa I leave,”

“Nah,” Jeremiah stood up. “I got it. Go home,” he told him.

“Aight,” Micah smiled, walking towards their front door with Jeremiah behind him. “Bye, Mr Jeremy. Happy Holidays,”

“Happy Holidays, young nigga. Tell ya parents I said hi,” he told him and Micah nodded, then looked towards Jeremiah, pulling him through the threshold into a hug, hearing the door slam behind them.

“Have a good break, Jeremiah,” Micah told him as he looked up into his eyes.

“One more?” Jeremiah asked as his eyes never left Micah’s.

“No,” Micah told him, but again made no effort to move as Jeremiah closed the gap between them, giving him a deep peck, pulling back. “I said no. You don’t fuckin’ listen,”

Jeremiah just chuckled. “Whateva you talkin’ ’bout,” he kissed Micah again before letting him go. “Bye, Micah,” he waved to him.

“Bye,”

christmas break to be continued…

•••

Thoughts on the chapter? Predictions?

Favorite part?

•••

hey,

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