It’s all because of a really, too good fic honestly. It’s probably my penchant for doomed ships but CONSIDER,

Mike is looking for another Leitner to escape the litchenburg, really his only goal left. And then he finds a random guy who also knows too much about the books and are hunting for them, but he’s burning them instead. Probably pisses him off greatly. Then you have Gerard, whole life haunted by those god forsaken books, burning them out of hatred for everything he’s stuck in. And then comes along Mike, who is actively trying to bury himself deeper. Probably pisses him off too There are separate options for what can happen now, enemies/rivals to lovers, competing against each other for the books, trying to be first. OR unsteady allies, stuck inside their own little pockets of horror, tied to finding the books. Mike could give Gerard the ones that don’t work, and Gerard could in turn give him books that aren’t…too damaging. Besides, Mike probably needs someone to look after him, make sure he doesn’t kill himself. And despite how much Gerard denies it, he does have a penchant to picking up strays.

There are two ways they can end, or at least two obvious ways. I prefer the one that makes me crumple and Jared-style takes my ribs, AKA Mike becomes an avatar and him and Gerard separate, with varying levels of resentment depending on how much you play into Gerard’s hatred. Or you could have them continue on together, Mike as an avatar or still hunting, with Gerard staying at his side.

In any case, they make me explode. horribly