Going Away to College
Title: Going Away to College
Pairing:Kevin/Mike
Summary: If Kevin heard the word 'college' one more time today he was pretty sure he was going to puke.
Words:4500
“Okay, that’s everything.” Bill said, slamming the trunk to his station wagon closed.
Mike was currently leaning against said station wagon, smoking a cigarette, and generally looking gorgeous and Mikelike.
Bill was the one to walk over to Kevin first. He wrapped his spindly arms around Kevin and attempted to lift him off the ground. “You better come visit us young Jonas.”
Kevin wrapped his arms around Bill in return and buried his head in William’s bony shoulder. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. Nodding against Bill’s shoulder instead, because Kevin was pretty sure if he opened his mouth that he would start to cry.
William squeezed Kevin one last time before pulling back. “All right, then. I’ll give you two lovebirds a second.” And with that he was stepping away and hopping into the driver’s seat.
Kevin didn’t move, just stood still, his head facing down. He didn’t know what to do, and he definitely couldn’t look up, not into Mike’s blue-green eyes. That he wouldn’t see again for months. Fuck.
But he didn’t have to move because he saw a cigarette being tossed onto the sidewalk and seconds later felt a calloused hand at his wrist.
“Hey.”
Kevin let out a breath and practically flung himself at Mike.
“Whoa,” Mike laughed a little, but it quickly died in his throat. Instead he wrapped a hand around the back of Kevin’s neck, the other rubbing circles into Kevin’s hip.
Kevin mumbled a, “Can’t you just not go?” into Mike’s shoulder.
Mike let out a little mirthless laugh. “Sorry, kid, but it’s college. Kinda’ have to go. It’s all paid for already.”
Kevin whined a little and rubbed his nose along Mike’s neck.
“Fuck, Kev, if you keep doing that then I might have to stay.”
Kevin started sucking on Mike’s neck in earnest. His lips moving over Mike’s pulse point as he said, “Good, then you won’t have to go.”
“Fuck, c’mere,” Mike tugged Kevin forward until he was crowding him against the back of Bill’s car.
Mike cupped Kevin’s face in both hands just as Kevin tangled his fingers in Mike’s hair and tugged. Mike’s tongue surged into Kevin’s mouth, taking almost all of Kevin’s breath. Kevin willed himself not to cry, but couldn’t help it because he knew this would be the last time he got to kiss Mike for a while.
“Kevin, stop it,” Mike swiped his thumb over the tear tracks on his boyfriend’s face. And Kevin was surprised at how gentle Mike’s voice sounded, normally when Kevin got emotional Mike just grunted and tried to avert his attention elsewhere. “Please.”
Kevin took a breath and nodded, attempting to smile up at Mike even if the smile was a little watery.
“You should go,” Kevin said, tugging on Mike’s sleeve a little.
Mike sighed, shouldering his backpack. “Okay. I’ll call you when I get there though.”
“Whatever, don’t worry about it,” Kevin needed Mike to leave now before he started sobbing in earnest.
Mike’s hands were back to cupping Kevin’s face. “I will call, Kevin.”
Kevin shrugged. “Well, if you’re busy don’t worry about it. Just call when you can.”
Mike sighed again before tugging Kevin’s chin up and sliding his tongue along Kevin’s bottom lip. Kevin stepped onto his tiptoes, gripped Mike’s shoulders as hard as he could, and sucked Mike’s tongue into his mouth. After a good few minutes Bill finally honked the horn, causing the two to jump apart.
Mike took Kevin’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “See ya, kid.”
Kevin nodded, not being able to talk due to the large lump that had settled in his throat. Mike squeezed his hand one last time, dropped a closemouthed kiss to Kevin’s lips, and then strode over to the passenger door.
Kevin let the tears fall freely as the car drove away.
Kevin walked through the halls of his school and heaved a heavy sigh, his feet dragging listlessly as he walked towards Spanish class. Normally he loved the first day of school. He got to buy all new books and find all of his classes and normally his parents bought him a new pair of shoes if he was lucky. But the first day of junior year meant every teacher mentioning how important this year was because it was the year college searching began. College. Where Mike was. If Kevin heard the word ‘college’ one more time today he was pretty sure he was going to puke.
He sent a look of longing at the supply closet, the one that he and Mike had become very acquainted with last year. He sighed again and took out his phone. His finger automatically hitting the ‘M’ button before shutting his phone and putting it away. He hadn’t texted/called/e-mailed Mike in three days. Normally he texted Mike all throughout the day during school, but it was usually to talk about where they were going to meet up after class or what they were going to do that night. Now, Kevin didn’t want to be that clingy high school boyfriend that texted Mike about every trivial thing. Mike was in college now he was probably busy meeting new people that were older and cooler, and pretty soon he would dump his high school boyfriend.
Just as he was about to shove his phone back into his pocket it buzzed in his hand.
New Text Message:
From: Mike: Hav fun kid. Tell the supply closet I said hi.
He sent the supply closet one last look before booking it to Spanish class.
“Kevin, are you dead?!”
Joe’s voice carried all the way upstairs where Kevin was flopped on his bed, staring at the wall.
“What?” Kevin’s reply was muffled by the pillow pressed to his face.
And then there was a voice a lot closer. Nick’s.
“Your boyfriend wants to know if you’re still alive.”
That got Kevin pulling himself into a seated position and staring across at his younger brother who was leaning in the doorframe, his phone in hand.
“What?” Kevin said again.
“Mike. He just texted me and Joe too I guess.”
“And me!” Frankie’s voice rang out from the hallway as he walked by.
“Why? I mean, is he okay?”
“I think he wants to know if you are,” And with that Nick handed Kevin his phone.
Hey is your brother dead or something?
Kevin handed the phone back to Nick, huffed, and rolled over to face the wall. He felt the dip in the bed meaning that Nick had sat down rather than leave as Kevin had been attempting to will him to do with his brain.
“So, are you and Mike in a fight or something?”
Kevin rolled over at that. “No, why would we be in a fight? Did he say something?”
Nick sighed and shook his head. “Why don’t you just talk to him.”
Kevin huffed out a breath, “We’re not in a fight, okay.”
“Yeah but you will be soon if you don’t quit being an idiot. Just because he’s in college doesn’t mean he’s gonna’ do anything. I never thought I’d say this but Mike Carden is actually a good guy, Kev. I mean he’s worried about you.”
“Whatever, just go away.” Nick sighed again before stomping out of the room. Kevin took his phone out of his pocket and stared at it for a good five minutes. Mike had gone so far as to ask his brothers if he was okay, he was concerned. Kevin should probably just talk to him. But maybe he just wanted to see where Kevin was so he could call and tell him about how great college life was without him. Kevin looked at his phone for another two minutes before shutting it and returning to staring at the wall listlessly.
When Kevin woke up later in the middle of the night to Joe’s snores he had two missed calls at two a.m. from Mike. There was also a text sent at around four saying, “Wht the fuck kid. Luv yu.”
Mike was apparently drunk because well it was Mike. Plus it was also a Saturday night at four a.m. And normally Mike hated platonic “love yous” in text messages. All Kevin could really focus on was the fact that Mike was out and having a good time without him.
He sighed and snapped his phone shut. Joe snuffled in his sleep a little.
“You’re being an idiot,” Joe’s voice was muffled by the pillow pressed to his face.
Yeah, what else was new, Kevin thought.
Four days had passed and Kevin still hadn’t talked to Mike. Well, not really. He answered the text message asking if he was okay? With a short: Fine, as an answer. Really he was just trying to make it easier on himself. Ease him into not talking to Mike so much so that when Mike inevitably broke up with him for some older, hotter guy, it wouldn’t hurt as much.
And then Kevin received the e-mail. The subject simply said, “I don’t know what the fuck is going on but here.” And when he opened it there was a plane ticket for Chicago leaving that Friday afternoon.
Come Thursday night and Kevin couldn’t sleep. He didn’t know why Mike had mysteriously bought him a plane ticket to visit him but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. All he knew was that he was going. Joe and he had already worked at a plan that involved saying that Kevin was going to some school function this weekend. Something about joining the debate team because it would look good for college.
And maybe Mike just wanted to fly Kevin out and break up with him in person because he was a decent guy if anything else. Or maybe Mike wanted to show Kevin his new school and new life. But maybe, just maybe, he missed him and wanted to see him.
Kevin didn’t know but for the first night that week he went to bed with a smile on his face.
Kevin couldn’t stop moving as the plane touched down in Chicago. His fingers kept clenching and unclenching in his scarf. Going through baggage claim and locating the gate that Mike had told him to meet him at passed in a blur. And when he saw William’s station wagon, his heart stopped. But not because he was reunited with his boyfriend or because Mike was with some new college guy. But because it was William who was leaning against the back of the station wagon, his smile widening when his eyes landed on Kevin.
Kevin pasted a fake smile on his face and walked over to Bill.
“Hello there, young Jonas,” Bill said wrapping his arms around Kevin’s, much like he had two months ago.
“Hey, Bill,” Kevin said hugging back, trying to stop a sigh from escaping him. If Mike was trying to send a message by having his best friend to come pick Kevin up, then Kevin was definitely getting the message.
As if he could read Kevin’s thoughts Bill pulled back and said, “Mike’s asshole of a lit professor made them stay after to do a midterm review.”
Kevin nodded, happy that his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses because Mike always told him that anyone could read Kevin’s facial expressions like a book.
William ended up heaving the sigh that Kevin had been holding in and threw an arm around Kevin’s shoulders.
“C’mon, kid. Your man awaits you.”
The ride over to Mike’s dorm did nothing to abate Kevin’s nerves. In fact he couldn’t even bring himself to respond to whatever nervous conversation that William had started. And why did William sound nervous? He never sounded nervous.
“Well, here we are,” William finally said pulling up outside of some house.
“What is this? I thought you guys lived in Hayden Hall or whatever?” Kevin turned to William with confused eyes.
“Yeah, but there’s a party here. Mike’s meeting us.”
Kevin rolled his eyes. It figured, it was a Friday night of course Mike had a party all lined up. Instead of getting mad that Mike didn’t have some big plans for them Kevin felt relieved, at least Mike hadn’t completely changed.
Except when Bill walked into the party with Kevin in tow, Kevin couldn’t spot Mike anywhere. He scanned the entire room twice.
He felt a soft hand at the small of his back. Bill. “He’ll be here soon, I promise.”
Kevin huffed. If Mike was going to break up with him couldn’t he get it over with? He turned around and saw a red cup in William’s hand. Ignoring Bill’s protests he plucked the cup out of the older boy’s long, spindly fingers and downed half of whatever was in it.
Kevin automatically grimaced and Bill laughed at his expression, already pulling two more red cups seemingly out of nowhere.
William handed over one of the cups letting Kevin down this one as well. “Welcome to college, Jonas.”
Forty minutes and two or three more cups later and Kevin was most definitely drunk. Apparently it had gotten around that he’d never really drank before so people kept chanting “chug! chug! chug!” over and over while he drank as fast as he could.
Also, guys kept coming up to him and saying “Shit! You’re Carden’s Kevin?” And buying him shots.
Kevin liked the sound of being called Carden’s and also that Mike had told people about him. So he accepted the shots. But only to be polite.
Right now a one Jon Walker who Kevin had met fifteen minutes ago and was apparently Mike’s friend from elementary school was attempting to pull a shot out of Kevin’s hand. Kevin thought this was very unfair seeing as how Jon had given him his first shot of the night. Or was that the Butcher? Oh well, he couldn’t remember so he just slumped against Jon, too tired to fight.
He closed his eyes and was content to just stay there because Jon Walker was nice, he would make sure that nothing happened to Kevin. But then Kevin felt a possessive hand settling on his hip turning him around a little.
Without opening his eyes he mumbled against Jon, “Whoa, Jon Walker I mean you’re nice and everything, but…”
“Are you drunk?”
That voice. Kevin knew that voice. He opened his eyes and there was Mike all but glaring at Jon Walker and with his hand on Kevin’s hip.
“Mike!” Kevin yelled jumping forward and throwing his arms around Mike’s neck. Or at least that’s what he tried to do but he ended up stumbling a little. But that was okay because Mike’s strong arm was lifting Kevin and pulling his body flush against Mike’s.
But his eyes were still glaring at poor Jon Walker.
“Listen, man, I was just trying to help him out. People kept buying him shots and wouldn’t leave him alone. And he just looked like a sad puppy I couldn’t leave him-”Jon started but when Mike all out growled at him, he quickly walked across the room towards Tom.
“That wasn’t nice,” Kevin mumbled against Mike’s chest. “And Jon Walker is very, very nice. Now that Tom Conrad. He’s mean. He will make you drink whiskey. Gross.”
Mike snorted a little in what Kevin guessed was disbelief and turned his gaze downward to the boy slumped against him. “I can’t believe you’re drunk.”
“Me neither.” Kevin said and that’s when he noticed, even in his drunken stupor, that Mike seemed more tense than usual. So Kevin stretched up on his tip toes and pushed his tongue into Mike’s mouth. It tasted clean, like toothpaste. “Hey, hey. You’re not drunk. Why aren’t you drunk, Michael Carden, why?”
Mike laughed a little and shook his head. “Because I planned on having dinner with my boyfriend.” And that’s when Kevin noticed that not only was Mike tense but he seemed a little mad.
A dinner, Kevin thought, oh. Maybe Mike was going to break up wit him over dinner and he was mad because he’d postponed it by getting drunk? Or maybe because now that he was drunk Mike figured that he wouldn’t remember and he’d have to postpone the breakup?
Kevin shook his head, attempting to clear the stray thoughts out of his mind. He grabbed Mike’s hand and slumped a little. “Well, I guess, okay. Let’s go.” If Mike was going to do this then Kevin just wanted him to get it over with.
Mike shot Kevin a puzzled look but pulled him close and threw an arm around him, leading him out of the house they were in. Kevin was thankful for that arm because without it he’d most likely have fallen flat on his face. But then again, Mike was making this awfully hard because Kevin was going to miss that strong arm. In fact he was going to miss both of Mike’s arms.
“Bye, bye, arms,” He whispered against Mike’s side.
“What?” Mike asked, peering down at him and cocking an eyebrow, but Kevin just shook his head.
It turned out that Mike’s dorm was only two blocks away so they walked in silence and apparently Mike had already talked to the proctor at the front desk and Kevin was all signed in for the weekend.
On the way up the steps Kevin leaned heavily against Mike and closed his eyes, he really wanted to just give into the sleepiness tugging at him. Thankfully Mike just supported his weight at the same time as he fitted a key into the lock of his door.
Mike nudged Kevin with his arm and whispered low, “Kev, open your eyes.”
And when Kevin opened his eyes there was what appeared to be a picnic laid out on the floor. And there were candles everywhere. And if Kevin was not mistaken, rose petals. Mike Carden had purchased rose petals and then scattered them throughout his dorm room. Mike Carden.
Kevin turned to face Mike his mouth hanging open and nothing but a squeak coming out.
Mike laughed and turned a little red (Mike Carden, rose petal buying Mike Carden was blushing). He ran a hand up the back of his neck. “Yeah, so I made Bill pick you up at the airport and take you to the party so I could set this up. But now that you’re drunk I guess we can just go to bed and eat tomorrow. Unless you’re hungry now-”
Kevin stopped Mike’s nervous ramblings by bursting into tears. Mike looked completely horrified.
“Whoa, Kevin, don’t cry. Like I hoped you’d like it, but you don’t have to cry or anything.”
But that’s not why Kevin was crying. Yes, it was beautiful, but in his inebriated state of mind all he could think was Mike was still breaking up with him. This was his way of saying good-bye or something. But Kevin would not let that happen. He knew what he had to do.
“Mike?” He squeaked out, trying to calm his breathing.
Mike rubbed a hand down Kevin’s arm, trying to calm him down. “Yeah, babe?”
“Let’s,” Kevin gulped. “Let’s have sex.”
And with that he practically launched himself at Mike, not even giving Mike the chance to respond. Instead, he knocked Mike back into the door and forced his tongue into Mike’s mouth. He gripped Mike’s arms as hard as he could and basically attempted to climb him.
That’s when he noticed that Mike was being completely unresponsive. He didn’t even kiss Kevin back. As Kevin started to slow down his kissing, Mike pulled away.
“Whoa, whoa, kid what is wrong with you?” Even though Mike had pulled away from him, he still had a hand around Kevin’s wrist.
Kevin sighed, here it came. The breakup. Where Mike told him what was wrong with him and how much better college guys were. “Just, just do it.”
“Do what? Do what, Kevin? Do It? Because I’m not doing It like this, while you’re drunk. Like you know I’d love to, but I respect you and shit. And I know about the whole purity ring thing. I’m not just gonna’ do It with you because you’re drunk.”
Kevin couldn’t even hear what Mike was saying because he was crying again. His last attempt had just been rejected. “Just break up with me, I know you want to.”
Mike’s hand around Kevin’s wrist tightened a little. “Is that what you want? I mean, you’ve been acting so weird lately. You never want to talk to me anymore and now you come here and get drunk and try to have sex with me. This is not you, what the fuck is going on?”
Kevin sighed, he resisted stamping his foot because he knew he already looked like a petulant child. “I know you’re j-just gonna’ forget all about me and meet college guys. And party and stuff. So I’ve just been trying to let you go.”
Kevin was too scared to look up but he did hear the sigh Mike let out. And then unimaginably Mike let out a bark of laughter. Kevin looked up at that. But Mike just laughed harder his whole body shaking.
Kevin huffed, just a little. “What? It’s not funny. You know it’s true.”
“Shh,” Mike started and put a finger to Kevin’s lips. “You are such an idiot, Kevin Jonas.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?!”
“Because it’s true.” And then Mike was cupping Kevin’s face gently and leaning down for a kiss. It was just soft and pretty quick, with only a flash of tongue. But it made Kevin’s knees go weak. He just inhaled Mike and let out a happy little sound.
“I love you,” Mike said pulling back, keeping his hands on Kevin’s face so that Kevin had to look into Mike’s eyes. “Fuck, I bought rose petals and candles and a bunch of other girly shit just for you. To show you how much I appreciate you and miss you and stuff.”
Kevin couldn’t help it, he smiled. “Really?” He also couldn’t help but play with Mike a little. “Wow, how romantic. You even and stuff me, too?”
“Shut up,” Mike laughed and rolled his eyes. “But listen, I’m not gonna’ break up with you or find some other guy. Because I’m not looking for any other guy, okay?”
Kevin nodded, too afraid to disagree with Mike. He got pretty stubborn when it came to Kevin. Kevin just wrapped his arms around Mike’s neck and held onto him. “Sorry I was an idiot,” He whispered into Mike’s shirt.
Mike played with the hair at the back of Kevin’s neck and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “It’s okay, you idiot. My idiot,” He finished with a little softly.
“Mm, can we go to bed and forget this ever happened?” Kevin asked already feeling his eyes close. He was so flooded with relief.
“Sure thing,” Mike said, leading Kevin into his bedroom. Mike deposited Kevin onto his bed and went to crawl into bed next to him.
“Wait,” Kevin said putting a hand to Mike’s chest and causing Mike to raise an eyebrow again. “Go blow out the candles, it’s a fire hazard.”
Mike rolled his eyes, but got up. “Jesus, you’re a boy scout,” Kevin heard from the next room.
Kevin smiled and settled down, pressing his nose into the pillow next to his head that smelled so much like Mike. He was ready to pass out but he willed himself to wait until Mike had dropped down beside him.
Mike pulled Kevin’s back to his chest and threw an arm and leg over Kevin possessively. Kevin quickly kissed Mike’s arm before settling back down. For the first time in two months he went to sleep at peace.
The next two days of his visit passed by in a blur of lazy make out sessions in Mike’s bed, Bill interrupting said sessions for quality “Kevin time”, more parties that were less low key with everyone Kevin blushing when everyone recognized him as Mike’s drunken boyfriend. He settled for just taking sips out of whatever drinks Mike had. He also got Mike to apologize to Jon walker. But the days also passed with Mike walking hand in hand with Kevin leading him on a tour around his campus. Trips to the dining hall and other little spots around town that Mike liked. A trip to the house Mike had grown up in. And some more romantic candlelit dinners in Mike’s room.
When they were at the airport Kevin couldn’t bring himself to stop kissing Mike. Normally he was a stickler for PDA, but he just couldn’t bring himself to pull away from Mike.
“You know,” Mike said in between kisses. “It’s only two more years ‘til you can come out here with me. And Thanksgiving’s only three weeks away. And you can come visit again.”
Kevin finally pulled away but didn’t let his arms fall from their position around Mike’s neck.
Mike smirked a little. “That is, if you don’t get sick of me and go chasing after some other high school boys.”
The younger of the two reddened immediately. “Shut up,” He kicked at Mike’s shin.
When they called Kevin’s gate number, Mike kissed Kevin one last time, his hands tightening in Kevin’s curls before pulling away.
Wordlessly, he stripped his favorite olive green hoodie off of his shoulders and onto Kevin’s.
Kevin gasped, mouth agape. “I’ve been trying to steal this for years.”
Mike nodded wordlessly.
Kevin laughed, tugging the hoodie tighter around him. He hugged Mike as tight as he could and left a lingering kiss on Mike’s neck. “Thank you. I love you.”
Mike nodded and placed a kiss at Kevin’s temple. He shoved him playfully away. “Now get out of here.”
Kevin laughed and felt incredibly light as he boarded the flight. Once he had settled in his seat he pulled Mike’s hoodie to his nose, inhaling the scent. With the smell of Mike all around him he could breathe easy. He leaned against the window and started to drift to sleep, a smile on his face. Like Mike had said three weeks wasn’t that far away.
Fin.