I Think About This Thread ... So Often - Tumblr Posts
★ — He's using all his weight to keep Michael at bay ; arms straight, elbows locked, his heels digging into the ground as he pushes back against the man. Head is bowed between his arms, partially a show of just how much effort he's putting into this little game, and partially due to the way it causes messy brown locks to fall into his face, effectively hiding the grin he can't bring himself to bite back. And if there's a warmth spreading through his chest at the sound of Michael's laugher, almost painfully happy in their ridiculous act, well — Gregory pretends he doesn't notice.
( he's never felt this comfortable — this safe and secure with a guardian before ).
"You're not!"
Shouted response, shaking his head wildly. There's poorly hidden laughter beneath his words.
"Come on! I had a bad day! I got in trouble for something I didn't do!" ( and it seems he's moved on from insulting to guilt tripping ). "Doesn't that give me a pass or something? You said you'd get me a brownie — and then we can go home and watch your shitty show!"
GREGORY ACTUALLY CATCHES HIM BY SURPRISE with the sudden shove— it isn't enough to do much, he's still a pretty small kid, but he puts everything he's got into it, and Michael still stumbles back a couple steps out of shock ( also, to Gregory's advantage, he's conveniently missing a few vital parts... ). It doesn't hurt ( not much physically does these days! ) or knock him back, though, only makes him stop stifling his own laughter. Blame it on Gregory's being contagious, or the hilarious realization that the kid probably COULD stand a chance holding him back if he really committed to it. Or the strange warmth that comes with Gregory expressing his amusement without shame.
As Michael's own laughter slows, he returns to the dramatic expression, playing along just as much as Gregory is.
"Yeah? You don't know that. I could be living an entire double life while you're at school and you'd never even know." He was a little shit of a kid once, two can play at this game. "Insulting me and disrespecting the art of The Immortal and The Restless, huh? You really don't want that brownie."