Michael Afton x Reader (The Return/Stay By My Side 2)

Chapter 3: Bargaining for the Job

    "Hey, Michael!" she greeted once I walked up to her.

    "Hey y/n. How was work?"

    "It was alright. The same as usual." She gave me a kiss. "How about you? Did you come home early again?"

    "Well..." I stopped myself. Should I tell her? Should I wait?

    "Well... what?" she prodded.

    "I didn't go to work today."

    "Why not?"

    "I... I don't exactly know how to say this, but you were right."

    "I was right? About what?" she asked.

    "Come on. Let's go sit down."

    She followed me to the couch and sat down next to me. At first I sat there in silence.

    "Is everything alright, Michael?"

    I sighed. "No. No, it's not," I admitted. "You were right about my boss getting upset with me for missing so much work. She fired me yesterday."

    "Oh..." she muttered. "So you didn't leave work early yesterday?"

    I shook my head. "No. I didn't. I didn't go at all. I'm sorry, y/n."

    "It's alright; everyone makes mistakes," she reassured me.

    "But losing my job? That's not just some small mistake."

    "Well, you can start looking for another one," she said. "It's not like you're going to be jobless forever. My job can make us enough money for the time being."

    "Yeah, I know. I guess a week isn't that long of a wait anyway."

    "What do you mean? Why in a week?" she questioned.

    Dang it. I instantly regretted saying that.

    "Well... I went in for a job interview today, and I'll be finding out if I get the job in a week!"

    "You already got a job interview?" she asked, not seeming to believe me.

    "Yeah! Convenient, right?"

    "Where's the job at?"

    "Just at some diner."

    "Which diner?"

    "That's... that's not important."

    "Michael... you didn't apply for the job I'm thinking of, did you?" she queried.

    "What are you talking about?" I asked with a nervous chuckle.

    "You got a job at the pizzeria, didn't you?"

    I didn't answer, trying to think of a response.

    "You did!"

    "Okay, okay, maybe I went to the pizzeria to talk to Henry today..." I admitted.

    "Michael, are you insane?!" She exclaimed. "Don't you remember what happened last time we went through this?"

    "Listen, we need money!" I protested. "This job pays so well! I don't even know if I'll get the job yet."

    "Well, chances are he's gonna give it to you," she said. "You're family. Of course he's gonna give it to you."

    "No, he might not," I said. "When I was talking to him about it, he seemed pretty hesitant."

    "Well if he's hesitant about it, then you really shouldn't take the job."

    "Y/n, we need the money," I insisted.

    "But I need you!"

    "This job isn't going to take me away from you," I said. "Why would you think that?"

    "Because who the hell knows what could happen to you if things go bad?" she argued. "We died last time we took a job like this!"

    "So I can't die again!"

    "Something bad could still happen to you," she said. "We promised we'd never do stuff like this again, remember? This is one of those things."

    I frowned. "This isn't the time to bring this up, y/n. You broke that promise."

    "And that's my point!" she added.. "Look where that got me. I nearly got springlocked; I nearly suffered one of the most painful things anyone could experience! If you do the same thing you might just go through something horrible!"

    "Y/n, please," I begged, softening my voice. "We need the money."

    "That's why I have a job."

    "But we still need more money," I protested.

    She sighed. "I don't know, Michael. I don't think you understand how devastated I'd be if anything happened to you."

    "Nothing is going to happen to me," I promised.

    "But what if you're not in control of that?" she asked. "I can't let you do this. It's too dangerous."

    "Just think about it, alright?" I asked. "I've got a week before Henry makes up his mind."

    "I..." she paused. "Alright. To make you happy, I'll think about it."

    "Great!" I exclaimed. "Thank you, y/n!"

    "Don't thank me," she said. "You shouldn't be. Even just thinking about it is too dangerous."