#insecure michael

Pairing: Michael Langdon x fem!Reader

Words: 2.2K

Summary: Gallant has spread a nasty rumour about you during his interview with Michael to try and jeopardise your place at the Sanctuary. Now Michael has summoned you to his office to find out more.

Warning: Mild SMUT (I guess), a little fluffy at times.

A/N - I tried to keep Michael as to character as possible. My first ever oneshot so I’d love some feedback :D) 

(Gif from fycodyfern)

When I enter our bedroom Michael’s typing away at his macbook, the screen’s brightness illuminating the crease in his forehead from concentrating. The fire hums in the corner of his room, but there’s a frostiness in the air I didn’t expect. I close the door with more emphasis than I normally would, but Michael continues to ignore me. 

The silent treatment, really? 

I just wait for him to call me over, he is the one in charge after all, but Michael continues to show no inclination that he’s aware I ever entered his room. Finally my nerves get the better of me and I deposit myself in the seat before him.

Still nothing. Michael’s eyes flick all over the screen and I want to know who he is communicating with that makes him think he can get away with being rude to me. 

The cooperative? Or someone else? 

I’m trying to be patient, knowing he doesn’t like to be disturbed when focused. We have that in common, but to not acknowledge me? My ankle has been tapping away against the bottom of the desk, but Michael works through it, the only sign of his growing irritation being the crease that’s getting bigger and bigger as I taunt him into looking at me. 

His restraint would be admirable, if it wasn’t fuelled by his innate pettiness. That was Michael all over, trying to prove a point just because he could or doing anything he can think of to win an argument. I’ve never seen him draw something out for so long before though. A sliver of genuine concern runs up the back of my spine. 

There’s something very wrong here. 

“Clearly you want me here considering you were the one to summon me, Michael.” 

His eyes flick up to me and then back down to the keyboard. I try to reign my temper in and sit back in my chair waiting once more for him. If he wants to act like a child the I’ll take the high road. I let my mind wander away to dinner, the hunger rising back viciously till my desire to find those apples Venable’s trying to keep hidden starts overtake sitting here waiting for the inevitable argument that must be brewing. 

How decadent it would be to take one, giant bite. 

“Will you shut up your thoughts?” 

Michael speaks through clenched teeth, his fingers halting on the keys and I look up, catching him watching me. He returns to his laptop at once, as if I didn’t catch him blatantly staring at me. 

He’s hitting below the belt to get a rise out of me and as usual, it works. “If you don’t want to hear my thoughts then don’t go poking in my head.” I fire back, “Or actually share some of the food haul you brought with you because you must be eating something.” 

My attempt to get him to engage fails though, he ignores me typing away again and I’ve had enough. I reach over and still his hand against the keys, “Talk to me.” I urge, “What’s happened? Was it the interviews?” 

He looks back at me, eyes vulnerable and I’m seriously beginning to worry now. Michael shakes some of his long hair out of his eyes and pulls his hand into his lap, dropping eye contact. “If you aren’t happy with me you should have made that clear Y/N.” 

That is not what I expected at all, “What?” I blurt, “What gave you that impression?” 

Michael closes the macbook’s lid, the light disappearing from his face and plunging the room further into darkness. “I don’t think I ask for much in this relationship.” He begins, “I made it crystal clear what you were getting yourself into the first time I took you, what would be involved and what would be expected of you from then on. You agreed to everything. If you are having second thoughts you should have come straight to me.” 

In my mind it’s an odd way to phrase things, he must be guilt tripping me to try and get me to tell him his methods are fine, to tell him he has my blessing. 

“Who else am I going to speak to?” I demand, “You wiped Mead’s memory and you were the one who said Venable has to remain clueless-” 

“You speak to me and only to me about issues involving us.” Michael repeats, “Any doubts, any concerns involving my…performance should come to me.”

“I just don’t think it’s right to murder them.” I insist, “I know you can execute it, I saw you slaughter the witches. But let them take their survival into their own hands like the others. Let it be the damn Hunger Games and see what they do. Murdering them based on your small minded opinion isn’t right. They’re most likely going to die once we’re gone so why make it so gruesome and sudden?”  

Michael blinks, “I am not referring to the apples, Y/N.” A scowl crawls onto his face, as if he’s smelled something vile. “But I don’t appreciate your comments. I am the one leading this operation and I will take to the Sanctuary who I see fit and leave whoever I want to die.” 

I realise my mistake, but you don’t just roll over when it comes to the Antichrist. I stand up and make my way round Michael’s desk, “What is going on?” I ask, perching on the end as close as he’ll let me, “We were fine this morning.”

I dare to reach out, to tuck some of his hair behind his ear, caressing his cheek as I go. Michael catches my arm in his grip, “Are you dissatisfied with me, Y/N? Do I bore you so completely here that you seek out the others companionship to make up for what I’m lacking?”

“Where is this coming from?” I ask, inching closer to him. Michael’s grip on my arm is tight, his fingers white against my skin. Like always his eyes show how exposed he feels. 

It’s always been hard for Michael to express his true emotions, but he’s getting better at it. 

“I love you.” I say, my voice as firm and strong as it can be. “That hasn’t stopped just because I’m hungry, or a little bored from time to time.”

Michael thinks over my declaration, “I love you too.” He offers, but it sounds transactional. An instinctual reply from years of saying those words to each other.

I speak carefully, I don’t want to detonate his fuse if I can help it. “I’m sorry if I haven’t shown it, or did something to make you think otherwise.” 

He lets go of my arm, “I continued my interview with Gallant today.” He tells me, leaning back in his chair to get a better view of me. “It was revealing.”

I know what that means, “What did he try and say?” I demand, already planning to hunt the bastard down. Michael doesn’t answer me, he gets up and heads towards our bed. I follow him, tugging at his shoulder till he turns round. “Michael, what did he tell you?”  

It’s clear Michael doesn’t want to tell me, because the moment he does he’s going to show just how much it’s got to him and the Antichrist can’t show weakness. “He implied that you’ve been spending so much time with the occupants of this Outpost because you aren’t satisfied with me.” He mumbles. 

If it was anyone else I’m sure they would be able to see how flimsy that sounds. No our sex life hasn’t been as stirring since we got to Outpost 3, but it’s by no means non-existent or lacking. But seeing how even now Michael withholding himself from me, it’s apparent that Gallant has managed to zero right in on Michael’s insecurities, his need to know he’s important to someone. That he’s valued beyond his magic or connection to his father.  

Michael peeks into my eyes and on seeing my outrage he relaxes a little, “I assume that isn’t true?”

“I’m going to shove an apple down his throat myself.” I spit, wrapping my arms around Michael’s middle. My head rests against his chest and I’m relived when his hands fall on my back. “Like I said, I’m a little bored when you are conducting your interviews, but I know it’s part of your job here.” I press a kiss into his jugular, the spot he once told me makes him tingle. “I don’t regret anything, Michael and you’re certainly not lacking or less than you were before. I just don’t always agree with your ‘kill it before it becomes a problem’ approach.”

“I know,” He says. “I do listen to your opinions, Y/N.” I feel him dip down onto the bed, pulling me with him and I keep my arms round his neck as I straddle his lap. Michael’s hands support my bum as we just look at each other, “Are you really going to kill him?” He murmurs, eyes darkening at the thought.

“Sounds like he’s dying anyway.” 

“He was.” Michael confirms, “I shouldn’t have doubted you. I let him get to me.”

“It’s fine.” I rake my fingers through his hair and Michael hums low in his throat, “Perhaps you should reconsider.” I suggest and Michael eyes me with surprise waiting to hear my idea. “If he’s willing to make up rumours out of desperate lust for you, maybe he’s perfect for the Sanctuary after all?”

“We don’t need scum like Gallant in our new world.” Michael says, “It may be a world of sin, but I still get to choose who gets the chance to start anew. I will not start by being disrespected.”

I love it when his confidence blooms, his voice low and gravelly. I push him back on our bed, Michael’s hair splaying out behind him. He looks positively angelic as I run my hands up his chest, “What did you say when he told you this?” I ask.

“Nothing.” Michael replies, not doing anything to stop my actions as my hands reach his top button and start unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m going to let him rejoice thinking your position at the Sanctuary is in jeopardy.” 

“How cunning of you, Mr Langdon.” I tease, easing the buttons open and revealing more of his skin. “You wouldn’t have acted so rashly would you?”

Michael leans up onto his forearms, “Why do you think I called you here?” He asks, “I needed to hear the truth from your own lips.” 

“You can have more than my truth.” I pledge, surging down to kiss him. I feel Michael grin through the kiss, pulling me down and rolling over to take charge. My fingers work the buttons of his trousers while he fumbles to unlace my dress.

“Stupid purple contraption.” He breathes and I try my best to help him, heaving up the skirts when there’s a knock at Michael’s door. 

“Mr Langdon,” We both freeze at Mallory’s voice. I clamber off his bed, trying to be discreet as Michael heaves himself off me. “I’m here for my interview?” 

“I didn’t send for her.” Michael mutters, voice low so Mallory won’t hear us. I send him an apologetic look, Mallory’s timing was awful. 

Her voice is mousy as it travels through the door, “Should I come in?”

“No.” Michael’s voice is full of authority as he helps me pull the sleeve of my dress up and fixes my hair for me. He looks like a child who was told there are no more sweets left as I kiss his cheek and head for the door. I open it and the Grey jumps back, eyes darting from me to Michael. It’s then I realise Michael’s shirt is still unbuttoned, giving Mallory a good eyeful of his chest along with insight into what we’ve been up to.

Mallory’s cheeks have gone scarlet and I know she’s thinking along the same lines as me. I say nothing to her, anything I say will make it all the more awkward. I make do with silence and slip past her just as Michael appears at the door, “Thank you for your cooperation, Y/N.” His voice smooth as he leans against the doorframe. 

My mouth falls open at his audacity. You’d have to be dense not to pick apart his meaning. Mallory could go running to Venable at any time, but Michael seems to have already forgotten about her, as if Mallory has melted into thin air. She’s meek and doesn’t dare speak, stood lamely in-between us as Michael buttons up his shirt and closes the bedroom door behind him, “We’ll have our interview in the library, Mallory. Come along.”

I let them pass, Mallory practically running for the stairs to get away from the situation. Michael’s as calm as ever and the look he sends me promises that he’ll make sure she doesn’t tell a soul. He kisses my cheek brazenly on his way, “I suggest you find Mr Gallant, darling.” 

HEADCANONS FOR MICHAEL LANGDON SUSPECTING HIS S/O IS CHEATING ON HIM

Hawthorne!Michael

For: @alexcornerblog

Warning: Deals with the concerns and fears about a partner cheating in a relationship! Sad!Michael, insecure!Michael, don’t kill me pls! 😭😩

Part 2 now available here

(Gif by @itsletalestrange)

-       Despite how his s/o shows him how much they love him, Michael always holds a deep dark fear that his s/o will finally see him how the rest of the world does and find someone better than him.

-       It starts when his s/o visits for a couple of days at Hawthorne and they easily make friends with the other warlocks. Michael bites down his jealousy as they start to take his s/o’s attention away from him, but he says nothing. They’re within their right to make friends, right?  

-       From then on he sees everyone as a huge threat, because they HAVE to be better for his s/o than he is and Michael’s trying not to spiral on seeing his s/o choose hang out with them and he starts looking for signs that his s/o is cheating on him. His insecurities play on his mind and let him jump to horrible conclusions.

-       But Michael’s gone through so much abandonment and his s/o’s become such an important part of his life that he cannot bear to confront them in case it ruins what they have. What if it’s true? What does he do then? So he keeps all his worries to himself terrified that his s/o too might walk out of his life.

-       One night his s/o tells him they won’t be able to visit the school as often because they’re swamped with a personal project. Michael accepts that but his mind is whirling that his s/o is using it as an excuse to see someone else. He can’t stop himself from texting his s/o more frequently than usual as his paranoia increases the more he thinks it over.

-       Then his s/o doesn’t answer his texts or calls as often and he tries to reason it’s because of their busy week, but his worries are FULLY taking over now. Is anyone so busy not to answer a simple ‘I miss you’ text?  

-       When his s/o does come to visit, Michael showers them with attention and his s/o apologises for being such a shitty partner lately. He’s quick to gloss over it now they’re here. He doesn’t want to fight, he’s just MISSED THEM LIKE FUCK and no one knows him like they do. But then his s/o’s friends are greeting them and Michael disappears to the back of the group, watching for every little touch, anything that could give his s/o away but there’s nothing. His s/o has already been pulled into a deep conversation about what they missed and they promise to spend the entire evening with him. Michael pushes out his cheek, expecting a kiss goodbye, but they just walk by too wrapped up in their conversation. Michael’s left all awkward, fighting down the bitter rejection as he watches his s/o be led away from him.

-       That evening Michael’s finally got his s/o to himself as they tell him all about the work they’re doing, but he’s hella panicked having convinced himself that it’s one of their mutual friends his s/o is seeing behind his back. As his s/o dotes on him, making up for their lost time Michael’s thoughts are poison - did they kiss someone else like that? Do they think of them right now while with him? Would his s/o rather be with them right now? Is he not enough?

-       Michael lets it go for a while. He tries to enjoy his time with his s/o and for a while he forgets all his doubts because things are SO GOOD, better than they’ve been in a long time. He’s progressing with his studies at Hawthorne and his s/o’s fully back in his life.

-       Then his s/o forgets date night and Michael has no idea where they are and who they could possibly be with so late at night. He lies awake all night, beside himself wondering what happened and whether his s/o had a better time with them. When his s/o arrives they turn the lights on saying they only just got his text. They were out with one of the witches for dinner and Michael just swallows down the pain. His s/o is STUNNING, hair styled and smartly dressed. Michael just goes to bed, the tears leaking onto his pillow as he weighs up whether the heartache is worth it when his s/o wraps their arms around him in bed and snuggles up close, no idea of the war going on in Michael’s head. For the first time since Michael left the Murder House he cries himself to sleep because he loves them so damn much, but it’s clear their feelings have changed.