#I just don’t feel like Max who knows that Alex is Michael’s Liz would do that
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unpopular opinion apparently- but I’d be genuinely shocked (and consider it out of character) if Max is keeping Alex being missing from Michael, it’s definitely an alien thing, maybe even power related or something equivalent
#I just don’t feel like Max who knows that Alex is Michael’s Liz would do that#especially not after the entire 1x05 scene when he figures out they made Liz leave town without a hood bye#it’s just not him#but then again some of these writers really just like Max and Michael to fight for stupid reasons half the time#rnm spoilers#rnm speculation#rnm#max evans#michael guerin
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Best Friend's Boyfriend's Cousin - A RNM Malex Fanfic
Happy Holidays @bloggingbisexually!
Here is your @rnm-secret-santa gift, I hope you enjoy it.
It's a canon divergent AU where Michael never went back to Roswell and didn't meet Max and Isobel again until after High School. So Michael and Alex never met and when Alex plans to move to New York to pursue his music, Liz and Max think it would be a great idea to move in with Michael, who is in New York to go to NYU.
As far as Alex knows, Michael is a cousin of Max and Isobel who they found through one of those DNA test kits and databank.
I hope this fluffy roommate AU is to your liking, I certainly enjoyed writing it.
Read it on AO3 (The formatting doesn't really translate onto Tumblr, so I recommend reading it on AO3)
“This is a terrible idea. I don’t even know this guy.”
“You don’t know anyone in New York. At least you know someone who knows him.”
“To be honest I barely know Max and Isobel, so it's more that I know someone who knows someone who knows him." Alex argued. "And what if I don’t get along with him? Then that will be much more awkward than if he was a random stranger with no connection to me or anyone I know.”
Liz rolled her eyes, “Oh come on, give him a chance. Where else are you going to find a roommate that already has an apartment lined up?”
Alex sighed, he didn’t like the idea of living with some relative of Liz’ boyfriend. It seemed too complicated and there was just something off about the whole situation. This Michael guy Liz wanted him to live with was supposedly a long lost cousin that Max and his sister had found through one of those online DNA test kits a few months ago and that they were just getting to know each other now. Michael was about to move to NewYork because he had a scholarship for an engineering program and was looking for a roommate. Alex was planning to move to New York as well to pursue his music and Liz, Isobel and Max had gotten it in their heads that that was the perfect coincidence and meant Alex and Michael should be roommates. Alex was not convinced and he had no idea what Michael thought about the whole idea.
“What if he turns out to be a homophobic dick?” Alex asked in an attempt to convince Liz that this wasn’t the perfect idea she thought it was.
“Iz and Max know you’re gay. They wouldn’t recommend him as your roommate if he’s gonna have a problem with your sexuality.”
"Do they even know him well enough to know how he feels about queer people?"
Liz looked a little uncomfortable, "I think so."
Alex just raised an eyebrow at her in response and she rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on, as if you would know if a complete stranger you found on the internet was homophobic or not."
Alex was about to reply, but Maria, who had been silently following their conversation for a while interrupted him. "Stop arguing you two. You both have good points, but honestly Alex, Liz is right, your chances in finding a good roommate in New York from a distance aren't any better than taking a chance on Max' cousin. Just ask for his contact info and set up a meeting or a call or something before you agree to live with him."
With a sigh Alex agreed, “I guess, but I’m blaming you two if this goes wrong. You four, actually.”
Liz grinned and pulled out her phone to get the contact details from Max. “I have a good feeling about this, so I’ll take that risk.”
“Nope, stop. One of you with psychic feelings is enough,” Alex said with a groan which Liz and Maria only laughed at.
Max replied with Michael’s contact information soon after and even though it took Alex a few days, he eventually reached out to Michael. They didn’t end up meeting, but they texted back and forth for a bit and had a short conversation over the phone. The convenience of it all won out in the end and Alex agreed to share the small two bedroom apartment that Michael had lined up in New York.
A little less than a month later Alex arrived in New York. He'd been there only once before when Mimi had agreed to take him, Liz and Maria after they had saved up for it for months when they had been 15. They had gone to an open mic thing at a small coffee shop/bar place that Alex still wasn't sure three 15 year olds should have been allowed in, but Mimi had known someone there and gotten them in. It was that night that Alex' dream to someday be a musician in New York had been born and now it would finally become a reality. Hopefully.
He pulled out the key that Max had given him on behalf of Michael and opened the door to the apartment building. Michael had texted earlier that he was out and that Alex should just make himself at home, he would be back later and bring pizza.
Alex was actually pretty relieved that he had the first few hours to himself. He walked up the multiple flights of stairs to the apartment, glad that he only had a backpack, a duffel bag and a suitcase. Apparently there were perks to having so little stuff to call his own.
He unlocked the apartment door and stepped inside of his new home.
After exploring the apartment and unpacking his things, Alex ended up sitting on the couch, aimlessly scrolling through his phone and feeling awkward. He didn't have the wifi password yet, so he couldn't get any of his work for the remote programming course he was taking done, he didn't feel up to working on his music and he didn't want to miss Michael coming back, so exploring the neighborhood was out as well.
Half an eternity of boredom later - or at least it felt like that -, Alex was just about to go out after all, when he heard keys in the lock and quickly sat up straighter to make a good first impression.
The door opened and Alex' mouth went dry because, damn Michael Guerin was hot.
He had expected someone who looked like Max or Isobel, who were, in Alex' opinion, good looking but not his type at all. Their cousin on the other hand... Alex took in the grease stained jeans that looked well-worn and hung low on Michael's hips. He was wearing a slightly frayed but soft looking button up shirt that had more buttons undone than strictly appropriate for just coming back from work. To round out the look he was wearing a cowboy hat. In New York. And it didn't look pretentious at all, he just looked like a cowboy, which Alex supposed, he was. He was from New Mexico after all.
Michael set down the pizza box he was carrying, took off his hat and revealed messy, slightly sweaty curls that made Alex consider sitting on his hands to keep himself from reaching out to run them through Michael's hair. Fuck that guy was hot. This had been a spectacularly bad idea. He was in New York to become a musician, not to develop a crush on his roommate who also happened to be related to his best friend's boyfriend.
Michael smiled at Alex and pushed his curls back before extending a hand to Alex. "Hi, you must be Alex. I hope you found everything ok."
Alex stood up quickly and shook Michael's hand. "Yeah, it was no problem. Thanks for setting everything up."
"No problem, it wasn't much. Just some cleaning and a few general repairs. The previous tenant was a bit… optimistic in his assessment of the furniture they left behind."
"Don't worry about it, we'll figure it out," Alex said with a shrug and realized he was still holding Michael's hand.
He quickly pulled his hand back and cleared his throat. "Uhm, I brought some beer to go with the pizza. I'll go get it."
"Oh sure, thanks. Let me just go wash up, I'll be right back."
Alex grabbed some napkins and a beer for each of them and then pulled out his phone to text Maria and Liz.
05:43 pm
This was a terrible idea
Why did no one tell me he's hot?
Michael came out of his room a few moments later and sat next to Alex on the couch and Alex handed him a beer.
"Thanks, I went with plain cheese pizza, I hope that's ok. I wasn't sure what you like."
"Cheese is always good, thanks for getting it."
"No problem, Isobel probably would have had my head if she found out I didn't do anything to welcome you."
Alex laughed, he didn't know Isobel Evans that well, but that sounded like her.
"Sounds like you three have gotten pretty close in a short time."
Michael shifted slightly uncomfortably and Alex regretted bringing it up instantly. It was way too personal a question for someone you met less than half an hour ago. He was about to take it back when Michale answered.
"Yeah well, they're the only family I've ever met, so…"
Alex took a swig of his beer to get a second to come up with an answer. "Well, it's really good you guys found each other through that DNA thing then."
"Yeah…" Michael nodded and took a swig as well, "What about you, are you close to your family?"
Alex couldn't help but laugh. "No. Not at all. That's part of the reason why I'm here. But let's not get into that tonight, ok?"
"Yeah, of course. Sorry to bring it up."
Alex just shrugged and they both ate their pizza in silence for a moment. Alex felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, probably with answers from Liz and Maria, but he chose to ignore them for now.
The silence was starting to become awkward and Alex was racking his brain to come up with a good topic, when Michael spoke again:
"So, Max said you're here to make music? What kind of music?"
That proved to be a shared interest as Michael played guitar as well and they fell into an easy conversation of their favorite music and bands. Alex told Michael about his plans for getting into the New York music scene and soon the pizza and beer was gone.
Once they both went to their respective rooms, Alex had a chance to check his phone.
Liz Ortecho
05:57 pm
Is he? I haven’t met him yet.
Maria DeLuca
05:59 pm
Send us a picture!
07:19 pm
I can’t just take a picture of him, that’s weird. Ask Max or Isobel if they have one.
Liz Ortecho
07:21 pm
Hold on, I’ll text Max.
Marie DeLuca
07:22 pm
How’s the apartment besides the hot roommate?
07:22 pm
Pretty good It’s nothing fancy obviously. I definitely need a new mattress but it has everything I need.
Michael and I just had pizza and beer and talked for a while. I think we’ll get along fine.
As soon as I get over how hot he is.
Liz Ortecho
07:24 pm
Max sent me this picture of the three of them. He’s cute
07:25 pm
Okay, now picture him in grease stained work clothes and a cowboy hat.
Marie DeLuca
07:27 pm
I can see that I just didn’t know that was your type. I thought you were more into the brooding musician guy
07:28 pm
Yeah well I didn’t either. Maybe it’s just really early homesickness or something
Also he does play guitar.
Maria DeLuca
07:29 pm
😂
Liz Ortecho
07:29 pm
😂
Good luck with that! Do you want me to find out if Max knows if he’s into guys?
07:31 pm
No! Don’t you dare!
He’s just hot, I’m not starting anything with him. He’s my roommate and related to your boyfriend. That’s just way too much drama.
I’m sure I’ll find other hot guys to hook up with in New York
Liz Ortecho
07:34 pm
Oh sure Still… the convenience… ;)
07:35 pm
LIZ!
Maria DeLuca
07:36 pm
😂
07:38 pm
I miss you already.
Liz Ortecho
07:39 pm
❤️
Maria DeLuca
07:40 pm
We miss you too! ❤️
07:42 pm
I should get some work done though so I can explore tomorrow. Talk to you soon!
Alex put away his phone and pulled his laptop out. Michael had given him the Wifi password, so he could get started on his programming homework.
Their life as roommates went pretty smoothly. Michael wen't to class and to his job, and Alex did his remote course work, worked on his music (so far none of the neighbors had complained), and he had also found a part time job at a little record shop. In his spare time he checked out as many bars, coffee shops and clubs that were known for letting newcomers play there as he could find. So far he hadn’t been brave enough to sign up for any open mics or anything similar, but he was starting to make some connections. The networking was his least favorite part about the entire thing, but it was necessary.
Since they were both busy and their schedules didn’t always line up, they didn’t actually see each other that much, but when they did, they got along great. From time to time they played music together, Alex had been able to organize Michael a cheap guitar from the record shop, and that really helped when Alex was hit with music block. It was also just a lot of fun, he hadn’t had many people to just jam with back in Roswell.
Sometimes they tried to cook together. Neither of them had really had the chance to learn growing up, so now they were trying to teach each other. The kitchen usually looked a mess after they finished, but so far they had only managed one truly inedible thing, to both their surprises.
Tonight they were attempting to make soup and since lots of sources on the internet had said they could basically just throw in vegetables and broth, cook it and then puree it, they weren’t using a recipe for the first time.
“Okay, we have potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, peas, tomatoes and broccoli. Do you think it matters what we start with?” Alex asked, looking over all the produce that was spread out in their kitchen, which was too small to hold it all.
Michael shrugged, “I don’t think so, I mean we’re cooking and pureeing it all together, so we don’t have to keep the different cook times in mind, right?”
“Probably not. Okay, I’ll start peeling the potatoes.”
“Good, I’ll tackle the broccoli.”
They both got to work, luckily they had invested in some decent knives but even with those they were both cursing. Who knew it was so hard to peel sweet potatoes and cut broccoli?
“How do these little green bits get everywhere? I’m pretty sure we’ll still be finding them by the time we move out.”
“Eh, I’m sure ants or something will get them. Maybe mice.”
“Don’t even joke about that.”
Alex laughed and then somehow launched the sweet potato he was battling across the room. That stopped him short until both he and Michael doubled over laughing.
“How the hell did you manage that?”, wheezed Michael.
“I have no idea. That thing is surprisingly slippery.” Alex went to retrieve the sweet potato, rinsed it off and removed the last bit of skin before starting to cut it.
“How can something that turns to basically mush when you cook it, be so hard when it’s raw?”, he grunted as he leaned his weight onto the knife to cut the thing.
Michael chuckled, “We could probably find some pretentious life lesson in that, if we wanted.” He had finished with the broccoli and deposited the pieces into the big pot. “What next?”
“You could do the bell peppers.”
“On it. How is your sweet potato battle going?”
Alex dumped a batch of orange cubes into the pot. “I think I’m winning.”
After the sweet potatoes, the regular potatoes were a piece of cake and Alex had them peeled and diced in no time.
When they were finished with all the vegetables, the pot was much fuller than expected.
"Uhh… how are we going to puree this when it’s done cooking?”
“I don’t know, it might shrink some during cooking?”
“Yeah… maybe.”
Michael got the broth they had bought from the fridge and dumped it into the pot with a little too much force and some of it spilled. “Oops…”
Alex laughed and got a cloth to wipe it up, before peering in the pot. I don’t think that’s enough liquid. Maybe we should add some water?”
“You’re probably right”, Michael got the water and poured it in more carefully. Then he lit the stove and stepped back.
“I think we earned a beer.”
“Good plan, but we should use the cooking time to clean up some of this mess”, Alex gestured at all the peels and vegetal bits on every kitchen surface and even the floor.
Michael sighed, “I guess… But beer first.”
Alex laughed and handed Michael a beer who took a healthy swig before starting to get rid of the mess.
The vegetables did not shrink significantly and they had nothing they could put over the pot and still have space for the stick blender they had borrowed from one of their neighbors. They looked at each other at a loss.
“I guess we’ll just have to be really careful and clean up everything that spills after”, Michael said with a shrug and handed Alex the blender.
“Why me? Admit it, you just don’t want to be responsible for the mess”, Alex complained but took the blender anyways. Michael just winked at him, which was severely unfair. Alex had managed to build up some defenses against the way Michael looked, but not against winks and smirks. He sighed silently and carefully put the blender in the pot. For some reason Michael hovered right behind him and watched the pot in concentration as Alex started to blend. It made him nervous.
“Are you trying to telepathically keep the soup from splashing out?”
For some reason that question startled Michael, which in turn startled Alex and made soup splash out of the pot and all over their shirts.
“Fuck!”, they cursed at the same time, thats stuff was hot. Alex quickly turned off the blender.
“You ok?”, they asked, again in unison and then laughed.
“Yeah, I think so.” Michael pulled open his shirt to check for burns and Alex’ mouth went a little dry.
“Doesn’t look like an actual burn. You?” Michael looked up at Alex who quickly averted his eyes and pulled up his own shirt. There was a slight red spot, but nothing serious.
“I’m good too.” He looked up just in time to see Michael quickly look away just as he had done. Huh. Was he maybe not the only one appreciating the view? Sometimes it seemed like Michael was flirting with him. He still didn’t know if Michael was into guys. The few times he had brought someone over, it had been women, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be into guys too, right? He definitely didn’t seem to mind that Alex was gay. Alex had come out to him a couple of days after he had moved in, to avoid any ugly homophobic scenes later and Michael had been cool with it. He also hadn’t seemed to mind the one time Alex had brought someone home.
“Good,” Michael’s voice pulled Alex out of his thoughts “let’s try again. Maybe without talking this time.”
Alex nodded and they got back in position. For some reason again with Michael hovering behind Alex and focusing on the pot. Alex did his best to ignore it and carefully blended the soup. Surprisingly, nothing more splashed out. It looked like it would a couple of times, but then somehow it didn’t. Alex decided not to question it.
When they were done blending, they added in a little heavy cream, since Alex had read somewhere that it made the soup creamier. Then they started with the seasoning. Very carefully, because they had added too much or too little to their first few attempts at cooking. They took turns trying the soup, asking what was missing, adding a little and repeating the process over and over. Eventually they were happy with the result and looked at the finished soup.
“Okay… that’s much more than expected. I think we might be eating soup for the next week straight”, Michael said.
“Yeah… Maybe we can bring Mrs. Welly some when we return her stick blender?”
“Good idea. Let’s eat some first, though. Who knows if it’s actually good if you have a full bowl.”
It was surprisingly good and once they cleaned up, they went over to Mrs. Welly who was very grateful for the soup. She told them they could borrow her kitchen appliances any time, made them take two huge pieces of a delicious cake she had apparently baked earlier and promised she would have them over for dinner soon. All in all a successful evening.
Michael was a good roommate, but there were some things that were… a little strange about him.
For one thing, he always kind of smelled like rain. Even when it hadn’t rained in a few days. Alex was pretty sure it wasn’t some sort of aftershave or lotion or something, they shared a bathroom after all.
And somehow, it was a specific rain smell, one that kind of reminded him of going to the Reservation with his mom when he was a child. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why, he didn’t have a clear memory of it smelling like rain there, but sometimes, when Michael was standing close to him, he breathed in a whiff of that smell and it was like being back at the Res. Memories linked to smell were weird like that.
Besides the rain smell, Michael sometimes smelled like nail polish remover, which was even stranger. Alex had never seen him wear any nail polish. Alex did sometimes, and he had bought a bottle of remover when he’d first moved in. The bottle was still standing in the little cabinet over the sink in the bathroom, but Alex could swear that the fluid level changed constantly. It was never empty, but sometimes it was fuller than other times. And he had seen an empty bottle of nail polish remover in the trash a couple of times. What was Michael doing with it? Did he need it for school, or for work? Alex had no idea why though, there had to be better solvents at a fancy science lab and a mechanics shop than regular nail polish remover.
In the end he mostly chose not to question it. Michael was already distracting enough without analyzing strange smells.
It felt like Michael became more distracting every day. The more comfortable they became with each other, the worse it got. Michael would tease Alex in an almost flirtatious way, which was a little unfair, if you asked Alex.
Sometimes he brought whatever he was tinkering on into the living room and worked on it while Alex did his course work, or messed with his music. Alex loved watching Michael tinker, he was so focused and he would mumble things under his breath that Alex couldn’t make out, but enjoyed hearing anyways. It wasn’t like he would understand a word Michael said, even if he could hear it properly. Michael was a lot smarter than him and really talented with his hands. Sometimes it seemed like the parts Michael was putting together slotted perfectly into place without him even touching them.
Alex had to be careful that he didn’t watch too long, because eventually he would start to wonder what else those hands could do…
And, if he stopped playing music, or clack away on his computer, Michael would eventually look up with a questioning look and a smile and ask him if he was stuck on something. If it was music, he’d offer to help and if it was programming, he would suggest that they take a break and go out for a bit, or watch an episode of whatever show they were watching currently. Because yeah, they had become the kind of roommates that always had a TV show project they were slowly watching together and one person was not allowed to watch a single minute of the show without the other one there. Alex had never thought he could ever be someone who did that, but it was nice. It was time they spent together and a great way to wind down after a long day.
Had they fallen asleep on the couch once or twice and woken up leaning against each other with a crick in their necks? Maybe. Did Alex secretly wish that would happen more often. Yeah, well… He was only human after all.
A few times he had dosed of on Michael's shoulder and had woken up to Michael watching him with a look on his face that made Alex wonder if maybe starting something with Michael was worth the risk after all. Alex' slight oh-fuck-my-roommate-is-hot-crush had certainly grown into something more serious lately.
There were moments when Alex thought Michael might feel the same way. When they were watching TV together, when they played music together, when they vented to each other after long days, when they stayed up too late because neither really wanted to go into their respective bedroom alone and leave the comfortable togetherness of the living room. Neither of them ever made a move though and so their lives just went on.
Alex' music was coming along pretty well actually, with Michael cheering him on. He had enough original songs for a small set now. Not that he was ready to perform an entire set of original songs yet, but he was considering signing up for his first open night. It was at a little coffee shop called Sip & Sing that he and Michael hung out at sometimes. He knew most of the regulars there and had become friends with one of the baristas. They had open mics once a month and the next one was coming up in two weeks.
“You should do it Alex. Come on, you know you’re good enough. And you’ll know almost everyone there, it’s low risk”, Michael encouraged him one night when Alex had opened and closed the sign up page on their website for the fourth time that day.
“Yeah but what if I tank and then I can never go there again?”
“First of all, you won’t. And second of all, Lucy forgot the text twice last month and everyone still welcomed her back there the next day. Everyone there will be supportive no matter how you do.”
“Isn’t that cheating then?”
Michale snorted. “Now you’re making excuses. Finding a friendly audience for your first live performance is not cheating.”
Alex sighed, Michael was probably right. “Okay, I guess… But only if you promise to come.”
Michael put an arm around him. “Of course I’m coming! You couldn’t keep me away.”
Alex smiled and leaned into him just a little. “Okay, I’ll sign up. And then you’re helping me pick out which song to perform.”
“Which you will then change fifteen times until the actual night.”
“Yeah well, everyone needs a system”, Alex said with a huff and pulled up the sign up for the fifth time. This time he actually filled it out though and even submitted it. Even though Michael had to threaten to do it for him before he finally hit enter.
“Oh fuck, I’m gonna regret this, aren’t I?”, he said with a groan and buried his face in Michael’s shoulder, who was still sitting next to him.
Michael laughed softly. “Yeah, multiple times probably. But you’ll be glad you did it in the end.”
Alex regretted it that night in bed and even more the next day when he stopped at the Sip & Sing to get a coffee before heading to work and Rema, the owner, spotted him.
“Alex! I saw you signed up for the next open mic! That’s great, I can’t wait to hear your song!”
They insisted on giving him a coffee on the house and gushed about how great it was that he’d be performing. Alex kind of wanted to sink into the ground in shame. Especially when Lucy, one of the regulars, came in and heard Rema. She started to reassure him that he’d be great and that he definitely wouldn’t forget any lines.
Alex was very glad when he managed to get his coffee and escape with the excuse that he was running late.
Alex had decided not to tell Maria and Liz about the open mic. He knew they would try to come and honestly, that was too much for him for the first time. Maybe the second or third. He would text them the day of and risk their wrath. Michael would be there and a few friends from the coffee shop. That would be nerve-racking enough.
He spend every free second working on the song (and just as predicted by Michael, changing his mind which song to perform almost every other day), which was finally too much for their very patient neighbors and they got a noise complaint. Alex was forced to not play between 11pm and 6am and to avoid playing around noon, which was probably for the best, he was starting to be a bit obsessive. Michael threatened to hide his guitar and music sheets regularly.
When the day of the open mic finally came, Alex was a nervous wreck.
6:36pm
Don’t be mad at me, but I’m performing at my first open mic tonight at 8.
Liz Ortecho
6:38 pm
And you didn’t tell us?!?! Rude!
6:39 pm
I’m sorry! I’m nervous enough as it is, I promise I’ll tell you next time so you can come.
MariaAwww DeLuca
6:40 pm
It’s ok Alex, we understand. Good luck tonight! You’ll kill it!
Liz Ortecho
6:41 pm
Of course we understand. But I will ask Max for Michael’s number and pester him into recording it of us.
He is coming right?
6:42 pm
He is, I wouldn’t have made it without him.
Marie DeLuca
6:43
Aww, aren’t you glad we forced you into moving in with him?
6:44
Shut up!
… Yes, thank you.
The alarm that Alex had set to get ready went off and Alex nervously rushed to the bathroom. He was already dressed and his nails were painted, he just needed to do his hair and put on his eyeliner.
When he was done, way too early of course, he stepped out of the bathroom to find Michael waiting for him. He gave him once over and let out a low whistle.
“Damn, you clean up nice Manes.”
Alex hoped his blush wasn’t too noticeable. “Shut up Guerin.”
Michael laughed and slung his arm around Alex’ shoulder. “You’ll do great. Come on, I know it’s early, but if you sit around here, you’ll just drive yourself crazy. We’ll take the long way there and maybe get a milkshake on the way or something.”
Alex was really glad to have Michael to support him today. Something about him was very calming and maybe his crush on him distracted him a bit from his nerves.
They got their milkshakes and an order of fries to dip in them. Michael always complained that it was weird, but he did dip his fries as well, so Alex had stopped listening months ago.
By the time they arrived at the Sip & Sing, Alex was much more relaxed. Michael had kept him distracted the entire way there by telling him funny things that happened in class or at work, or quoting things from the group chat with Isobel and Max.
Alex' phone dinged with good luck messages from Liz, Maria, Arturo, Mimi and surprisingly even from Max and Isobel. He smiled at his phone and put it back into his pocket. It was nice to know they were all thinking of him.
“Hey, did Liz convince you to record my performance?”
Michael laughed, "She wanted me to livestream it for what felt like half of Roswell. You're popular."
Alex groaned, "Please tell me you won't."
"No, don't worry. I'll record it and send it to her and then she can distribute it to whomever she wants."
"That's only slightly better", Alex said with a sigh and went over to greet Rema and find out when his turn was. He was number three of six performers tonight, which suited him fine.
Rema told him where to put his guitar and to give any needed details to Luke, who handled the technical side of the performances.
When he got back to Michael he had gotten them drinks and found a table. Alex sat down and took a sip from his drink, his nerves were starting to come back. Michael seemed to notice and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Alex smiled at him thankfully.
Rema came onto the little stage area and introduced the first performer. She was good, Alex had heard her here a few times before and two months ago there had been a flyer on the pin board advertising that she was part of the lineup for a mini pop-up concert in a nearby park.
He didn't catch much of the second performance, it was a duo, but that was about all that stuck. When they were done, Michael squeezed his shoulder and whispered a quick "Good Luck!" to him as Alex stood up and made his way to the stage.
"Our first first-timer for tonight is Alex Manes, who most of you know, I think. He's performing an original song. Give him a hand!", Rema introduced him and Alex nervously sat on the little stool and adjusted the mic and his guitar.
He focused on Michael for the entire song, who was smiling widely and encouragingly while holding his phone up that represented all the other people in his life that loved and supported him through this. Suddenly he almost regretted not inviting Liz and Maria and swore to himself he would invite them next time.
He got through the song without any problem and got a satisfying amount of applause and cheering from the audience, topped by Michael's best, earsplitting cowboy whistle. Alex couldn't help but grin from ear to ear on his way back to the table and when Michael greeted him with an equally wide grin and a hug, something in him clicked and he pulled Michael in for a kiss instead. Which was met by an enthusiastic response both by Michael kissing him back and the audience cheering.
They were interrupted by Rema "Okay you two, there's time for that after the show. Now let's move on to our next performer…"
Alex blushed and sat back down, a little closer to Michael than before. Michael smiled at him in a way that gave him butterflies and he couldn't wait for after the show.
For now he settled in to listen to the rest of the performers, but not until he pulled out his phone.
8:23 pm
I kissed him.
He kissed me back
8: 25 pm
The open mic thing went great, btw.
He was met by a ton of celebratory emojis from Liz and Maria and put his phone back into his pocket with a grin.
#rnmsecretsanta23#fanfiction#secret santa#malex#malex fic#roswell new mexico#rnm#rnm fic#michael guerin#alex manes#Michael Guerin/Alex Manes#liz Alex Maria friendship#liz ortecho#maria deluca#my writing
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Better order one last Little Green Men milkshake at the Crashdown Cafe, and get ready for a final close encounter with the "Pod Squad" during tonight's (Sept 5) series finale of Roswell, New Mexico.
From the very first episode, Roswell, New Mexico has featured queer characters. Even though the central relationship between Liz (Jeanine Masters) and Max (Nathan Parsons) was featured on the show's posters and billboards, #Malex is the couple the fans fervently tweet about when a new episode airs.
Ever since Michael Guerin [Michael Vlamis] and Alex Manes [Tyler Blackburn] shared a passionate kiss in the pilot, viewers have been shipping Malex, but fans were disappointed during this season when Alex sank into the liminal space dimension and disappeared for multiple episodes — leaving fans to wonder if the couple would blast off happily ever after.
Alex remained missing for most of Season 4 before finally reuniting with Michael in Episode 11, with Alex proposing to Michael and the two almost getting married in a makeshift ceremony in the alien alternate universe.
Now with the series finale about to air, Michael and Tyler spoke with Logo about their characters' cosmic love story, what it was like filming their epic reunion, how they never visited Roswell's gay bar, and if they would be up for a Malex spinoff.
The Malex reunion scene in Episode 11, what was it like filming that after all your time apart?
Michael: It was a long, long time coming. We picked up right where we left off. Tyler's just so open as a performer. So, there's never any rust when you show up to play off and work off him. It literally was just like, "About time you're back" and we just got right to it. I don't know, it was easy.
Tyler: Yeah. We really do just have a natural ability to snap each other into where we need to be. I mean, truly, it's one of my favorite people to do scenes with in my entire life. So, I agree. Super easy, and it felt momentous Also, Heather Hemmens [who plays Maria] was directing, and that was also very special. I remember we did one take of that scene, and Heather came over with a tear in her eye and she was like, "It's so good, it's so good." And I was just like, this feels good, this feels right.
I wanted to ask about Heather directing. That must have been nice to have someone you're so familiar with behind the camera when you were doing that scene.
Tyler: Yeah, absolutely. The thing with TV is a lot of times you don't get too many of the same directors more than once, but Heather had been part of the show as an actress throughout the entire series. So she really does know the story and the characters, and it just really did make it feel a little bit more grounded, in my opinion. Plus, I just found her energy to be so calm. She's such a calm person. She just is really good at being a human being, I would say actually.
Michael: And you want to do good work for her. You want to do your best for her.
You two have such good chemistry together. Was that always there from the beginning? Or was that from hanging out for these past few years?
Tyler: I think it was always there, you know? It's funny because I feel like the chemistry that we have on screen is actually more so because of how we allow each other to explore during scenes. When we're just hanging out or talking as friends, we're kind of just idiots together. I mean we get along really well, but the chemistry, I think, is just something that we can turn on because we're on the same page as far as what we want to do for our characters, and for each other as the characters. I think we both just knew exactly what needed to happen from day one. I feel like you [Michael] showed up knowing exactly what you needed to do and where you needed to go, and so did I. We had just made a decision. We barely even got to talk about it as two actors, we just showed up and it was like, here we go. And it was innate.
Michael: I always feel like chemistry just comes from people being open. When you have insecurities, when you're worried about how you look on screen or something like that in the moment, sure, we all want to look good, but once the camera is rolling, all that matters is you are here to act, you're here to receive what happens, doesn't matter how you look. It matters how truthful the scene is. So when two people who operate that way, Tyler and myself are together, no matter who the actors are, if they both operate that way, then they're going to be basically one. And that's when people do their best work. And Tyler's just, if I do something different, if I hit his shoulder, he's going to do something back to me like that. And he's just always ready, always on his toes. And I try to do the same thing, whatever you put up, or put down, I'm picking up, no matter what.
So Tyler, the night of the episode where Alex returns, you tweeted out about your health issues that kept you from being in a majority of Season 4. What was it like sharing that? And what was the reaction from the fans like?
Tyler: So really, I guess the reason I wanted to just be transparent was, obviously I was missing from much of this season, and I had just caught wind that a lot of fans were coming in pretty hard on the creators and the writers and stuff. And I found that to be pretty unfair, because this wasn't a choice that they made. They actually were trying to figure out how to create this season without my character, because I needed time. So, I wanted to just tweet out because I felt the need to absorb, I guess, a little bit of that responsibility, and it wasn't anyone else's decision. That was the main intention. And I'm not someone who looks at a lot of my comments and stuff, but I saw some really nice things, and that felt really great for me to feel supported, just like I did throughout the filming.
I also wanted to ask you about your tweet that said you're forever grateful to "the human beings who made this show." Why did you tweet that? I thought it was such a nice thing to say.
Tyler: Well, just because I was going through a tough time, and I never felt like I was not supported. And that really says a lot, to have people show up and be there for you. A lot of what I was dealing with was physical issues. I had to show up in pain a lot of the time and to have people accommodate me, or help me, or literally holding onto Vlamis' shoulder while walking to set to shoot. Those little things just make you feel... I'm going to get emotional. They make you feel safe. Because at the end of the day I wanted to uphold my responsibility and the agreement that I made on this show. And I had to fight through some shit, but I felt supported. And that was so important for me to validate, and let people know that what goes on behind the scenes is also really important too. And the humans on that show, I say humans almost jokingly, since this is a show about aliens, but seriously though, everyone was so great on that show.
And Michael, I'm guessing your social media for most of the season was just people asking, "Where's Alex, where's Alex?"
Michael: The whole time.
What's that been like for you?
Michael: Well, I felt bad because I knew that they were going to continue to ask, and they weren't going to get what they wanted. Just like I wanted more Alex. But I care about Tyler more than I care about Michael Guerin and Alex. And we end up having a great ending to this season and I think it all worked out the way it was supposed to and everything came together. I could just go on and on about how much I love working with Tyler. So I wanted it too. I was there feeling the same, "Oh, it'd be good to do a scene with Tyler today. Haven't done one with Tyler in a while." I honestly just felt bad for him, because I knew how long it was going to be. And I couldn't say anything and people have been asking for, they asked for eight or nine episodes straight, but that's what happens.
In last week's episode where you had the makeshift wedding ceremony with the "Malex Forever" banner behind you, what was it like filming that scene?
Michael: That scene was really cool. It was just fun being in that barn. It was fun to be at a wedding that you really want, but at the same time you have to deny. I was like, man, he's so close to this finally happening, and now I just got to do this. So, it was cool just to have [co-stars] Zoe [Cipres] and Quentin [Plair] there. I became close with both of them. And having Tyler back, it was a fun scene. It's fun to play in the turmoil of it all. I enjoy those scenes more sometimes than the really lighthearted ones.
And without giving much away or anything, can you tease what's ahead for the series finale?
Michael: Oh. What could we say to tease?
Tyler: I would say it's a happy ending. Let's just say that.
Michael: Yeah, I think that's a great thing to say. It's a happy ending. Finally.
When you were filming these episodes, did it feel like this could be the end? What was it like on set?
Michael: People weren't really acting that way, but I had this strange feeling. It was so weird, because every season you say bye to everyone. Some people give wrap gifts to each other. The actors, we usually get the cast and crew something. And when we were giving those out and saying our goodbyes, it felt like goodbye, goodbye. And I didn't really understand that. But part of me was like, well, the way the season ends, a lot of storylines... Yeah, there are some cliffhangers, but a lot of the storylines get to a place that people are going to be really happy about, and they're going to be comfortable with where we're leaving characters. So yeah, I felt like it was time. It was time that it was going to be done. I was still a little surprised when the cancellation happened, but I also wasn't. But once it happened, I thought back to those feelings I had on that last week of shooting. It was like, "Oh, I think this is it."
Tyler: But I think also too, one big difference was between [seasons] two and three, we knew before we've wrapped that we were going to be coming back. So then this was like, we didn't know. And we didn't know when we were going to know. It did feel a little bit ominous, but I'm a strong believer in ending something on a high note. I think for me, even if I was just viewing this show, I'd be like, I think this is the right time. I feel like it just felt right. I don't know if the writers wrote with that in mind. I think they had to, in case we didn't get picked up, they were like, we have to end this in some way that's really great. But I agree, I think everything is kind of wrapped up in a nice bow.
And Tyler, I'm guessing we aren't going to hear you sing on the show again?
Tyler: No, but it's great because I feel we each get our moment with music. You're [Michael] playing guitar in this last episode. I think it's fun that we shared that commonality as well as characters.
I was also sad that we didn't go back to the gay bar, Planet 7
Tyler: I never got to go there.
Michael: I was going to say, why didn't we get to go there?
Tyler: The two out, outwardly gay characters don't even go to the gay bar!
Michael: Ridiculous.
That should have been in Season 5.
Michael: We'll go with Kyle Valenti.
Tyler: Guerin could have been wearing only chaps and a cowboy hat. You have a nice ass.
Michael: Thanks, man. Appreciate that, you too.
When the show began, Liz and Max's relationship was the central love story, but as the seasons went on it seems like it became Malex. Was that talked about on set or between you and the other actors?
Michael: That's interesting. People on set did not talk about it. Of course, you get Liz and Max on the billboards around town and all that stuff. So you just think about that being the couple, that's the relationship. But from the beginning, social media has been going crazy [for Malex] in a way that was so surprising, and it was so fun for us. I don't know if it was surprising for Tyler, but for me, I had never experienced anything like this before. It has felt like we were always loved by the fans, and not that we were the number one ship on the show or anything like that, but that we were loved and supported. That has never felt like it's changed at all. Every year it just feels the same, and maybe it is growing and becoming more intense, but it's always been that way since the beginning. It is amazing how hard the fans came out immediately.
Tyler: I think that's just indicative of how times have changed too. The fact that a gay relationship is something to celebrate, and talk about, and root for. I think it came at the right time in television. So I think that has a lot to do with it. I think, how many times have you heard older actors say, "I wish there were more people out when I was growing up and had someone to look up to, it's like, now that exists." So you have a platform where all of these younger people, who are queer, can watch and celebrate. Then you have people who are not queer, who are watching and celebrating even, because they realize how valid it is, and how important it is. At the end of the day, you have two human beings who are so deeply in love. And if you're at all a normal human being, you know that feeling. So you watch two people on screen, and you feel that.
Michael: Yeah, no matter who they are.
Tyler: So I think there's a lot to it. But I was surprised. It was just celebratory, and sort of soothing for me, once I realized it was a really big deal. But you know what's funny, is in the pilot when we shot the scene where we kiss, do you remember all the people at video village were just like, cheering, literally cheering?
Michael: Yeah, I do remember that.
Tyler: As if they had already been watching this relationship, and it was like they were celebrating it already. This was the pilot.
Michael: That's a good point. Everybody was there because it was the last thing we shot I think.
Tyler: Yeah, yeah. So it was an interesting moment because I felt like, I don't know, maybe it was a little foreshadowing.
That chemistry.
Michael: That was the beginning, dude. That's crazy to think about.
Tyler: I know, I know.
Well, it must be cool because I think Malex is one of the great queer relationships on TV in recent years.
Tyler: I know. And I wonder sometimes too, and this is in no way a dig at all towards anyone, but I just wonder if this was a more, I don't know, adult network or show, would it have been a bigger deal even? I feel like a lot of people turn their nose up at the CW, or a show about aliens, and it's like, at the end of the day, we're pulling out some dope shit. We're fucking bringing it hardcore.
Michael: We did. There were times where I was just like, man, this scene is so fucking real. So truthful. This is happening on shows that are getting Emmy noms, and the scenes between us, the acting that we were doing, the chemistry that we had, the stuff that we were representing, I can only hope that more people find the show as it progresses, because it deserves that. Our scenes man, we put some stuff down where we were exhausted, we were sick, we were depressed. We felt... We made it real dude. We made it real, and I believe that deserves to be watched. But if it's never watched, we put it out there for us, and that's all that matters. So we'll see what happens.
Tyler: It lives on in this day and age though.
Michael: It lives on.
Tyler: It's somewhere. Yeah. But no, I mean, I agree with that so much. I think... And it's also a testament to the writers, and how they were able to really tap into the foundation of what the relationship was. I mean I just, I hope that people feel the importance of it for sure.
Michael: Shout out to [creator and former showrunner] Carina MacKenzie... Malex is her baby.
Well, hopefully, she likes how it ends, however it ends.
Michael: I think Carina will be happy too. We can tease that.
So is there a Roswell group chat going on, or are there any plans for a Roswell real-life reunion? Have you all been keeping in touch?
Michael: A bunch of the castmates are actually teaming up with us on our next Vlambase merch launch actually, which is cool. But other than that, there's still a fantasy football league that's going around. I don't know if you're in that Tyler, but I got that email.
Tyler: I literally don't know one thing about football.
My last question is: Is there anything that you want to say to these Malex fans now that the series is ending?
Tyler: I think that they should know they were pivotal in the way that we played the characters too because I think that we listened to what they were saying. I think the writers did as well. I think that they love the ship, they celebrate the ship, but the ship became what it is in large part to their support. So it's this cyclical dynamic that I hope they understand how important they were in that.
Michael: Yeah, I think straight up, the fans in a way, changed my life. That sounds pretty dramatic, but truly, over four years, you're going to change regardless, right? But they were always there supporting, pushing us, driving us in a way with love and care, and compassion to do the best work we can. So we just continued. I couldn't wait to see what people thought about scenes that I knew meant a lot to both of us. It was such a joy to know that I can go on Twitter, whether stuff is bad or good. I remember when the first trailer came out for Comic Con, and it was so funny. I got stoned and read all the comments. I had never been on TV before, and I'm just getting trashed as the new Michael Guerin. I thought it was awesome. I'm not offended by any of that stuff. Just bring it, I'm still going to do my thing. But the fact that you could go on Twitter and see what is resonating, see what they're turning into gifs and special moments. That was so cool, and so propelling for me specifically as a younger actor, new to the game, coming up. So it's just a big thank you to them.
I love that. Well, Michael, Tyler, I always love talking to you, and I guess this will probably be the last time, until there's a Roswell revival or something in 10 years.
Tyler: The Malex spinoff!
Michael: Yes, yes!
#tyler blackburn#michael vlamis#vlamburn#malex#alex manes#michael guerin#tjb interviews#mgv interviews#rnm 4x13#rnm spoilers
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Not enough discussion about how Max spent an entire decade thinking Michael was gay and was just casually waiting for him to come out. I actually find it kinda sweet in a "Max you are kinda dumb" way. Would you do a fic where he also spent that time performing idiotic but well meaning gestures to encourage him. Michael thinking he's overcompensating for their broken friendship, but also extremely confused. Max arriving at the air stream with, like, a tray of rainbow cookies, "they made me think of you because, you know..." and Michael’s just "???"
***
It was June 1st when Michael woke to a knock on his airstream door, and opened it to find none other than Max on the other side. It wasn’t that he and his brother didn’t talk, but they weren’t exactly friends. The way Max fidgeted uncomfortably showed he more than understood the way their relationship worked. So the question was why he was there at all.
Michael stepped down the few steps slowly, eyes narrowed. “Am I being arrested for something? Again?”
Max blinked, startled, and shook and his head. Like he’d forgotten he was wearing his uniform. “No,” he murmured, cleared his throat, and looked over his shoulder. “Uh—I just wanted to say hi.”
Michael raised a brow. “Hi.”
Max nodded, pressing his lips together. “And, you know . . . Happy . . . um—June.”
Michael stared. “Are you drunk?”
“No,” Max shut his eyes, clearly getting more and more uncomfortable. Michael couldn’t even say the same because he had no idea what was going on. He rarely saw Max this flustered around him.
“I just wanted you to know,” Max finished, patting Michael’s arm like he’d just made some heartfelt confession. “That . . . I’m here for you. For anything.”
Michael looked around. Was Isobel watching from somewhere? Her pushing Max to come here was the only explanation Michael could think of. This wasn’t how they usually talked or interacted. But no, his sister was nowhere to be found. So Michael could only nod slowly, lost and a little embarrassed.
“Thanks?”
“Sure,” Max said, his lips pressed together, and turned to leave Michael wondering what the hell had just happened.
Michael stormed into Max’s house, the cold of the outside no match for the anger coursing through him, heating him up and making him want to hit something.
“Sometimes the world ends in a whisper, Guerin.”
How could Alex say that to him? After Michael had tried to stop him? Didn’t he realize how hard something like that was for Michael to do? He never stopped anyone who wanted to leave, but Alex . . . Alex . . .
Michael screamed, kicking aside a chair that soared across Max’s living room.
“Whoa, whoa!” Max came in, buttoning up his shirt. “What’re you doing, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Michael huffed, running his hands through his curls. “Nothing.”
Max studied the knocked over chair, then looked back to Michael, considering his unruly curls, his blush, then he looked away, awkward.
“Something happen with Alex?”
Michael’s shoulders fell, tongue in his cheek. “How’d you know that?”
He sighed. “You only get like this when it’s about him. No one gets under your skin like he does.”
Michael clenched his jaw, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You know I totally support you, right?”
He dropped his hand, still agitated. “What?”
“The thing,” he said, uncomfortable, “you know, with Alex. Totally got you.”
Michael had no idea what his brother was saying. He supported Michael . . . in his struggle with a new relationship? Getting to talk about his feelings? Being in love with someone who might not love him back?
“Don’t you have bigger things to worry about?” he asked. “Like, you know, being alive again?”
“Well,” Max tapped his chest. “I feel fine. Besides, worrying about it now won’t do much, you know? My girlfriend’s that good, I guess.” His eyes widened, worried like he’d said something wrong. “N-Not that I think Liz is any better than Alex because she’s . . . you know, my girlfriend? She’s great, I mean, of course she is, but so’s Alex. The important thing for you to know is that you and Alex are the same as me and Liz.”
Michael stared. Were they sure Max was healed? “I—uh—don’t think we’re the same thing—”
“No,” Max insisted, taking Michael’s shoulders. “Whatever anybody tells you, whatever doubts you have, don’t buy into any of that crap. You and Alex are exactly like me and Liz. You’re like any couple!”
Michael was a little startled, but he supposed his brother was telling him that despite their obstacles, Alex and Michael were meant to be together like he and Liz were. Like any loving couple was.
He nodded. “Uh . . . thanks, Max.”
Max nodded once, steady. “Of course.”
And he patted Michael’s arm one more time before he went back into his bedroom, leaving Michael to wonder, once again, what the hell was going on.
Michael didn’t usually visit the sheriff’s station of his own free will, but ever since Max had come back to life, Michael had had this recurring anxious dream that his brother would die if someone wasn’t constantly checking in on him.
Max seemed just about as sick of these dreams as Michael was because the second he saw him, his shoulders slumped and he held out his hands which had been holding files.
“Dude, for the hundredth time, I’m fine!”
Michael smirked, sitting on the edge of his desk. “Liz has been calling a lot?”
Max opened his mouth to answer when the phone rang, and Max sighed, rubbing his eyes. He held up a finger for Michael to wait and answered the call with a resigned, “Yes, honey, I’m still okay since you called five minutes ago.”
Michael chuckled, shaking his head as Max turned away to deal with his girlfriend’s concerns. Michael thoughtlessly played with a sticky note pad, tossed aside a pen, and spotted a cupcake on a small paper plate with rainbow frosting. He picked it up, his stomach growling. He’d been so busy with work he’d skipped breakfast. He’d have to head to the Crashdown after this.
Max finished the call and came back, and Michael held up the cupcake. “Didn’t really think this was your style, bro.”
Max blushed. “Oh, yeah, Isobel brought them in from her last gala thing. I—I wasn’t trying to be offensive though, she just said they’d spoil if she took them home. B-But I think she might be figuring some stuff out, too, so—so, you know, she’s not trying to be offensive either.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“It’s just a support thing,” Max assured him, and Michael looked around, lost.
“Did I . . . miss some part of this conversation?’
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean?”
Max considered him, apparently searching for something, though Michael couldn’t for the life of him figure out what. Then Max shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Forget it, I’m—I’m really no good at this kind of thing,” he said. “Take the cupcake.”
Michael had never been so confused in his life. “Okay?”
“Figured it,” he gestured at the frosting, a little helpless, “you know, suited you better because . . . you know.”
“I really, really don’t.”
“That’s okay,” Max said. “We don’t have to talk about it yet. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here for you.” And he squeezed Michael’s shoulder once, his expression assuring and sincere, before he grabbed his hat and walked out.
Michael ran a finger through the rainbow frosting, and murmured, “Seriously, what the hell just happened?”
“You’re kidding!” Alex laughed, head on Michael’s lap.
“How’s it funny?” Michael demanded, running a hand through Alex’s hair. “I have no idea what was going on with him!”
“That’s so cute,” he said, the back of his hand against his brow, his gold band glittering off his finger. “Guerin, he thought you were gay! All the rainbow crap? Gay.”
Michael was a little startled at first, then a chuckle tugged at the corners of his lips. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Alex said, taking Michael’s hand and pressing thoughtless little kisses to his fingers. “Greg used to do the same thing back in high school. He’d sneak me little rainbow ribbons or pins and stuff. I never wanted it, but he was trying so hard I never had the heart to turn him down. I’m pretty sure I still have some of that stuff buried in an airtight box in our backyard.”
Michael scoffed. “Damn military training, of course you do. But god,” he shook his head, “all of it makes so much sense now. He’d always talk about how me and you were the same as him and Liz, and I thought he was just saying we were forever.”
“Well, we are,” Alex winked, grinning at Michael and making his heart melt.
“You trying to get me to kiss you, Private?”
“Do I ever have to get you to kiss me?”
“Fair enough,” Michael smiled, leaning down to taste Alex’s tongue when the doorbell rang.
“Oh, hang on a second,” Alex said, pushing himself off Michael’s lap and making Michael groan. He went to answer the door and came back with his smile wider. Max followed him in, watching Alex with a raised brow.
“Hey, brother,” Michael said, smiling. Alex sat down next to him, scratching the back of his head and trying not to laugh. “What’s up?”
Max was still looking at Alex, then his shoulders fell, and to Michael he said, “You told him about the rainbow stuff, didn’t you?”
***
Happy Malex Monday ❤🌻 I loved this prompt. For the record I don’t think this is how Max would’ve dealt with it, I think he’s a lot cooler, but this was just fun to do 💕
#alex manes#michael guerin#malex#malex fic#roswell new mexico#roswell nm#tyler blackburn#michael vlamis
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Malex Fic - Thanks that was fun
I decided to try the 2023 Year of the OTP Event and of course I am late on the first month. In my defense this is the longest Malex fic I’ve written. For January, I choose the mission fic prompt.
This is canon divergent fic that takes place at the same time as S1. Alex and Michael were never together in high school. Michael didn't take the blame for the murders so while the cover up still happened, Isobel believes she killed Rosa, Kate and Jasmine. She isn't married to Noah and is just starting to date him. There are reference to canon genocide and past Miluca (although it happens before Malex in this universe).
The mission is a honeypot mission where Michael is sent in to find out what Alex knows about his father. Guess who falls in love?
Title is from the Barenaked Ladies song of the same name.
Thanks that was fun on AO3
“Alex Manes is back in town,” Isobel corners Michael between the bathrooms at the Wild Pony.
“I know,” he replies with a roll of his eyes. “It was kind of hard to miss with the whole parade and all.”
“I found out he’s looking for someone to do some maintenance around his house, and you need to get the job.”
“Why? I’m not that hard up for cash.” He kind of is, but he doesn’t want to admit that to Isobel. Also, seeing Alex for the first time since graduation brought back memories of the crush he’d had on him in high school. He tried flirting a few times back then, but Alex never responded. When Alex enlisted the spring before graduation, Michael had backed off. Then everything happened with Isobel, and staging an accident to cover up the murders and helping Isobel deal with what she had done had driven any thoughts of Alex right out of his head. It wasn’t a time he wanted to remember.
“Look, we all know his father’s up to something,” Isobel reminds him.
Michael nods because Jesse Manes is suspicious as hell-his career in the Air Force which somehow never takes him out of Roswell, the strange way he speaks about the rumors surrounding the 1947 crash and the way he throws his weight around raises a lot of red flags. He’s been worse the last few years, lurking around and asking questions.
“Well, he and Alex weren’t exactly buddy-buddy during the whole planning process and parade, but there was some weird tension between them. I think Alex knows what his father’s up to, and this is our best chance to find out. You,” Isobel points to him and smiles in a way that makes Michael very nervous, “are going to our honeypot.”
“Come on, Iz, you can’t be serious,” Michael groans.
“Well, it can’t be me,” Isobel waves a hand up and down her body. “I am definitely not his type. And Max is too uptight to explore his options so that leaves you, my ruggedly handsome, bisexual brother.”
“What makes you think Alex Manes is my type?” Michael protests, grasping at straws.
“Please,” Isobel snorts. “I saw the way you stared at his ass in high school, trust me it’s only gotten better with age.”
“It’s still a bad idea. Can’t you just see what he knows,” Michael gestures to Isobel’s head. Her face falls, and he immediately feels like an dick.
“You know I don’t do that anymore,” Isobel whispers, looking away from Michael.
“I know,” Michael takes her hand and squeezes it in reassurance. Isobel used to use her powers for silly, harmless things-getting an A on paper she never turned in, making her parents forget she was grounded. But as the years went on and Max still haunted the Crashdown, hoping Liz would come visit, the guilt of sending Liz away became a heavier and heavier burden.
And finding out someone’s secrets isn’t as easy as pushing them into doing something. Isobel wouldn’t be able to just persuade them to tell her what she wants to know, she’d have to take them into the mindscape. They might not be able to lie, but she would be just as vulnerable. It’s why they agreed she would never try it on Jesse Manes.
“Last resort, okay,” Isobel squeezes his hand back before dropping it. “Let’s try it the human way first.”
“Fine, but I am warning you ahead of time this plan is doomed to failure. Alex Manes is not going to fall for me and confess all his father’s deep dark secrets.”
“You're not a nerdy teenager who doesn’t know how to flirt anymore, Michael. Everyone wants a piece of the sexy handyman in the cowboy hat. Just wear your jeans low, bend over a lot and find excuses to take off your shirt. Like this,” Isobel plucks the beer bottles from Michael’s hand and slowly rolls it across her forehead and fans herself. “Sure is hot in here,” she says in a falsely deep voice. She tilts her head back and takes a slow sip from the bottle. She lets a little beer trickle from her mouth and chases it slowly with her tongue before winking at Michael.
“Never do that again. I’m scarred for life,” Michael grabs his beer back and immediately throws it away.
“Don’t pretend you haven’t seen those same pornos. Alex will be putty in your hands. Dammit,” Isobel looks at her watch, then quickly smooths her hair and straightens her clothes. “I’ve got to run, or I’ll be late for my date.”
“Be safe,” Michael calls out as she hurries away.
Isobel blows him a kiss, “Love you, too.”
Michael sighs and shakes his head. Isobel isn’t going to let this go so he might as well get started. He walks out of the hallway to the bar and catches Maria’s eye. It’s a quiet night so it’s not long before she comes over, his favorite beer already in her hand.
“Hey, DeLuca,” he stops her before she can walk away.
She eyes him warily, and he doesn’t blame her. They had a thing a few years ago and while it didn’t end badly, they never quite found their footing with each other-settling for less than friends but more than exes.
“Guerin,” she takes a step back in his direction.
“You’re still friends with Alex Manes, right,” he asks as casually as he can.
“Why,” Maria crosses her arms and stares at him.
“Stop trying to read me, it’s nothing bad,” he gives his best innocent smile. “I heard he was looking for someone to do some work around his house, and I was hoping you’d put in a good word for me.”
“Give me one good reason.”
He drops the innocent act, knowing he can be honest with Maria about this even if he wasn’t with Isobel. “Business has been slow at Sanders so I could really use the money. You know I’ll do a good job.”
“Fine,” she softens her stance slightly. “But,” she leans across the bar so they are face to face, “if you screw him over, I’ll mount your balls above the bar for everyone to see.”
“Fair,” Michael swallows audibly knowing it’s not an idle threat.
“He’ll be here tomorrow night so come early because he’ll leave before it gets crowded. I’ll let him know you’re interested.”
“Thanks, Maria, really,” Michael stands up to leave.
“Don’t make me regret this, Guerin,” Maria turns to another customer before he can respond.
Michael waits until he catches her eye, nodding and tipping his hat, before heading out, heart heavy. He hopes whatever he gets from Alex is worth it because if this goes the way he thinks it will, Maria will never speak to him again.
Michael shows up at the Pony the next night in his cleanest jeans and with his shirt buttoned most of the way up. He keeps the hat because this isn’t actually a job interview. Alex Manes is easy to spot-he’s sitting at a table not far from the bar, turning a beer bottle in his hands.
He’s alone, and Michael takes a deep breath before approaching him. “Manes,” he says, stopping to stand in front of the table.
Alex looks up from the bottle. “Guerin,” he replies, almost a question.
Michael hadn’t really thought this through. It’s not like they were friends, he doesn’t have a real reason to approach Alex. Not sure what to say, he just stands there awkwardly watching Alex.
Alex’s mouth twists in annoyance. “If you’re going to thank me for my service, don’t.”
“Fuck, no,” Michael can’t hold back a brief laugh. That’s the last thing he would ever do.
Instead of being offended, Alex seems to relax a bit at Michael’s reaction. “So what do you want?”
Alex’s eyes flick up and down as he looks Michael over, and maybe Isobel knew what she was talking about when she picked Michael to be the honeypot. He’s tempted to look back, flirt just enough to get Alex to follow him into the bathroom, but that won’t accomplish anything except scratching an itch.
Michael takes a step back and squares his shoulders. “Heard you were looking for a handyman. Thought I’d throw my hat in the ring, metaphorically of course.” Michael runs his hand along the rim of his hat and winks at Alex. A little flirting can’t hurt.
Alex looks toward the bar where Maria is watching them. “Maria told me you’ve done some of the repairs at the bar. Said you do good work.”
Michael shrugs and sends Maria a little wave. He wasn’t sure she would follow through on recommending him to Alex. Maria rolls her eyes at Michael and goes back to drying glasses.
“Give me your email,” Alex pulls Michael’s attention back. “I’ll send you the list of what I need done, and you can give me a quote.”
Michael gives Alex his information then excuses himself, figuring it’s best not to push just yet. He heads to the bar for his own drink. Maria’s in the back so he chats with the bartender for a while, and when he looks back Alex is gone.
The email is waiting in his inbox when he gets up the next morning. It looks like Alex sent it around 3 am so he’s either way more of a partier than Michael thought or an insomniac. He reads over the list between cars at Sanders. He can easily do everything on the list, and there is enough there to keep him busy for a good month. If Michael bid the way he wanted to, the job would be nice money, enough to carry him through the winter.
But the goal isn’t to make money, it’s to make sure Alex hires him so he sends it back with a ridiculously low price. It will cover materials, barely, but he won’t make any money and if anything goes wrong, he might end up in the red when it’s all done.
Michael waits until the end of the day to check his email. Alex’s response isn’t at all what he was expecting.
“I don’t need you pity. I can afford to pay for the work. Send me a real quote so you are paid fairly instead of losing money. If you can’t do that, I’m hiring Simmons and Sons.”
Michael makes a face. Simmons and Sons are complete assholes who overcharge for substandard work. But they’re big names in Roswell so they get all the city contracts and no one is willing to complain about them. Old man Simmons was good friends with Jim Valenti, is still close with the mayor, the Longs and probably Alex’s dad. He never hesitates to abuse those connections. His sons are a little older than Michael, and he remembers how Jim Valenti always looked the other way when they were caught speeding through town drunk or selling weed. Michelle’s not as soft, but the major still bails them out any trouble they find themselves in. Even if Michael didn’t have an ulterior motive, he wouldn’t want to subject Alex to them.
It doesn't take long to come up with a realistic bid, one that will give him some financial breathing room as well as getting him closer to Alex. Before he calls it a night Alex accepts his bid. He reluctantly texts Isobel to let her know their plan is in motion. He already feels guilty for taking advantage of Alex like this, but he knows their safety has to be his priority. They can’t protect themselves if they don’t know how much of a threat Jesse Mane-and possibly his son-are.
Michael and Alex spend the next few days emailing back and forth to work out the details. Alex will provide any materials related to the accessibility upgrades, and Michael will purchase everything else. Alex sends him several documents outlining exactly what needs to be done in terms of accessibility-primarily to the bathrooms and entryways. Alex also lets him know what tools he has at the house so Michael knows what he needs to bring with him. They also decide on a work schedule-Michael will work a few evenings a week once he’s done at the junkyard and Saturday afternoons. Although Alex assures him he can change that if needed since Alex works from home.
A few days before he is planning to start, the money needed for the initial supplies is deposited into his back account. Michael knows Iz would be pissed if she knew Alex had his bank account information, but it’s not like he uses an “extraterrestrials only” branch of Roswell’s First Federated Credit Union. He notices Alex also pays him the first half of his labor charges which is ahead of the schedule they set up.
Michael’s nervous when he finally knocks on Alex’s door. He lives in a quiet neighborhood, not as fancy as the Evans, but nicer than anywhere Michael can imagine ending up. Alex opens the door and waves him in. He doesn’t say much beyond an initial hello, and Michael finds himself standing awkwardly in the living room when Alex sits back down in front of a laptop.
“So I thought I’d start in the second bath, get that up and running before I start the demo on the master,” Michael says, hoping for some directions from Alex as to what he wants.
“That’s fine,” Alex looks up with a frown, like he’s surprised Michael is asking. “Whatever you think is best. The bars are in the bathroom if that’s what you want to do first.”
“Well since your new shower installation isn’t here yet, and it will probably take a few weeks to get the master bath done once I start on it, I thought you’d appreciate having a functionally accessible bathroom in the meantime.”
“Sure,” Alex shrugged before turning his attention to the computer. “Whatever you think.”
“Whatever I think,” Michael mumbles under his breath as he makes his way to the bathroom. He’s more used to people micromanaging him, and following him around to make sure he doesn’t steal anything rather than basically telling him to do what he wants. For some reason, he feels dismissed rather than trusted.
It takes a few hours to get the bars mounted. The ones for the toilet are easy, but since this is a small bathroom, the shower is a small corner unit and getting the grab bars in the recommended formation proves to be a bit of a challenge.
When he’s done, he finds Alex right where he left him. “Hey, you want to check out the bathroom before I go?”
“Is something wrong?” Alex doesn’t look up from what he’s typing.
“No,” Michael replies, bristling slightly. “I followed the schematics you gave me, but I want to make sure the height and spacing work for you before I go. That way I can adjust it now if you need me to.”
When Alex gets up, Michael notices he’s using a metal crutch that fits near his elbow. It’s the first physical reminder he’s seen that there’s a reason Alex needs grab bars in his bathroom. Alex walks away without a word. Michael doesn’t follow him, he thinks they would both be uncomfortable watching Alex check the placement of the bars.
Michael knows he made the right call when Alex comes back and thanks him without meeting his eyes. “Everything’s perfect, you did a good job.”
“I aim to please,” Michael tips his hat just to make Alex relax and smile. “See you tomorrow.”
When Alex nods, he gives a quick wave and heads out.
He’s almost back to the airstream when Isobel calls.
“Wel, how did it go?” she asks impatiently.
“He hasn’t fired me yet”
“Michael be serious,” she scolds him. “Did you find anything out?”
“Iz, I was only there for a few hours. Did you think he would confess his father’s a serial killer because I unclogged his drain?”
“A girl can dream,” Isobel sighs. “Just be charming or at least sexy. Pants too tight, shirt unbuttoned or, even better, shirt off.”
“Goodbye, Isobel,” Michael hangs up the phone before she can say anything else.
Alex doesn’t exactly give him a chance to show off. He doesn’t even open the door for Michael the next day, just yells for him to come in. He never budges from his computer the whole time Michael is there, and gives him an absent minded thanks when Michael leaves.
Michael spends Saturday working in the kitchen replacing the oven and range top. It’s not difficult work, but it’s time consuming and awkward. Once he’s wrangled the oven into place and hooked it up, he heads to the garage to bring in the new range top.
“You want a beer?” Alex asks when he comes back into the kitchen.
“Uh, sure,” Michael tries not to act surprised. He opens the fridge, gets a beer for himself and hands Alex one as well.
“Thanks,” Alex accepts the bottle with a small smile. “Maria told me to be nice to you.”
Michael laughs because that sounds like Maria. “So you and Maria?” he asks, hoping to get Alex talking.
Alex raises a brow at him, “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“She told you about me?” Michael preens a little. “We had a good thing for a while, then we didn’t. No harm no foul, we just wanted different things.”
“What did you want?” Alex asks with a slight edge to his voice.
“Someone to come home to, a picket fence, maybe a dog or two,” Michael shrugs. “And Maria. . .”
“Maria’s too independent for that,” Alex fills in.
“Too independent, the bar and her mom need her too much for her to put that kind of energy into a relationship. Timing was off for us, but that happens.”
“And here I thought you were the love them and leave them type.”
Michael groans because some rumors insist on following him. “It’s all consensual and everyone knows the deal up front. There’s nothing wrong with two adults having a good time together. Just because I’m looking for my soulmate doesn’t mean I can’t have fun along the way.”
“Soulmate, seriously,” Alex snorts.
“Yeah,” Michael can’t help being a romantic at heart. “You know the person the cosmos designed for you, the perfect fit, the one destined to be in your life. I know it’s unlikely, but I can hope. I take it you don’t believe in soulmates?”
“I’d feel sorry for anyone stuck with me,” Alex looks down at his bottle and frowns.
Michael takes a drink and tries to decide how to redirect the conversation. “What about Liz Ortecho, you still talk to her much?”
Alex shakes his head. Michael names a few other classmates, but gets the same response.
“I pretty much cut off all ties with Roswell once I left for basic,” Alex explains. “I sent Maria a few postcards, but that was it. We hadn’t really talked in years until she found out I was hurt and showed up at the rehab center. Then she basically demanded I stay in touch,” Alex smiles at the memory.
“She’s a force of nature when she wants to be,” Michael says fondly. He tosses his empty beer bottle in the recycling and decides it best to end this on a good night. “Well, I should get back to it, thanks for the beer.”
Alex nods and turns back to his computer.
The next few times he’s there, Alex offers Michael a beer before he leaves. Michael keeps the conversations light and short so he doesn’t raise Alex’s suspicions. He finds he likes talking to Alex. Once he understands Alex’s sense of humor he realizes what a sarcastic asshole he is, and Michael loves that. He’s also smart-smart enough to keep up with Michael when he goes off on a tangent. But Isobel has been bugging him about making progress so he carefully broaches the topic of Jesse Manes.
“Kind of surprised I haven’t seen your family around now that you’re back in town,” Michael says casually, not looking directly at Alex,
“My brothers are all still active military. None of them are stationed nearby,” Alex explains.
“What about your dad? He still lives in Roswell.”
“My father’s the last person you’ll ever see here,” Alex snorts. “Taking a medical discharge confirmed once and for all that I’m a coward and not worth his time.”
“I’m sorry,” it comes out almost like a question because Alex doesn’t seem at all bothered.
“I’m not,” Alex dismissed his concern. “I would be happy to never see him again.”
Michael fiddles with his beer bottle, not sure where to go from there. He remembers Jesse acting like a proud father at the parade and what Isobel said about their being tension between him and Alex. Maybe all that pride was an act.
“Sorry,” Alex grimaces when the silence drags on. “Didn’t mean to be a downer.”
“Probably my fault,” Michael shrugs. “Isobel always says I’m terrible at conversation.”
“Isobel Evans?” Alex looks up sharply. “You’re still close with her, and Max too?”
“Yeah,” Michael rubs the back of his neck. Normally he’d make a crude joke, lean into the assumption that he’s slept with Isobel or Max or both of them. But if he wants Alex to open up to him, he’s going to have to show he trusts him. “They’re my family, or at least as close as I get to one. Not a lot of people know this, but we were found together in the desert as kids, lived in a group home together until they were adopted. Then we lost touch for a long time.”
“I’m sorry you were separated.”
“It sucked,” Michael admits. “But we found our way back to each other. And I’m glad they had a family growing up, that they had it easier than I did.”
Alex nods, and Michael decides he’s had enough honesty for one night. “Anyway, now I’m the one dragging us down. It’s late so I’m going to head out. See you tomorrow.”
The next day, Michael brings a six pack in with him. Alex gives him a puzzled look when he passes him on his way to the kitchen.
“Can’t mooch off you forever,” Michael explains as he puts the beer in the fridge. “Should be cold by the time I’m done.”
He spends the next few hours working on the master bath. The shower won’t be in for a few weeks, but he needs to update the plumping and replace the tile. When he reaches a good stopping point, he grabs two beers and joins Alex at the table. Michael rocks back in his chair while Alex shuts down his lap top.
“So if your not here for your family,”
“Definitely not,” Alex interjects.
“Why did you come back?”
“What do you mean?” Alex asks.
“No one comes back to Roswell voluntarily. There has to be a reason you're here.” When Alex doesn’t respond, Michael narrows his eyes and hums. “So the first choice is usually to repair a broken relationship with a parent or sibling, but you ruled that out. How about wealthy relative you never met left you a huge inheritance on the condition you live in Roswell for a year and marry.”
Alex just shakes his head.
Michael sighs dramatically. “Then it must be for love. You found out your ex is getting married and you want to win them back. You always regretted the breakup so you’ve come to sweep them off their feet.”
Alex looks at Michael like he’s lost his mind. “I was the gay, emo kid in a cowboy town. How many exes do you think I have?” Alex holds up his hand before Michael can respond. “And if you say Kyle Valenti, you’re fired.”
“God, no,” Michael laughs. “Not that douche. Can you believe he’s a doctor?”
“Kyle always wanted to be the best at everything,” Alex says, looking a little wistful.
Michael remembers that Alex and Valenti used to be friends before Valenti became a raging dick. His chest hurts remembering how Valenti had taunted Alex at Prom, how he pushed him around at school. “You weren’t the only one,” Michael says, hoping it will be some kind of comfort. “The only queer kid in Roswell, I mean. Bisexual,” he points to himself. “And Emily Rathburn fell in love with some girl in college. They got married last year.”
“That’s nice, I guess,” Alex frowns a little. “I still felt like the only one then, still felt alone.”
Michael nods, because he gets it. Even after he found Isobel and Max, he felt alone. All three of them were aliens, but they had a place here that Michael didn’t. He was the one who longed to go home, wherever that was. “Well,” he says, deciding to change the subject. “Since you shot down all my rom com reasons for you to be in Roswell, why did you come back?”
“Had some loose ends to tie up. There’s a company nearby that hires a lot of veterans with my skill set so being here is a way to get my foot in the door.”
There’s a weight to his words that makes Michael nervous, reminds of why he’s here. But he decides not to push tonight. “Hope it works out for you,” he says as he makes his way to the door.
The next time Michael walks into Alex’s, the house is quiet. Alex isn’t at the table, his lap is closed and most of the lights are off. “Alex?” he calls. The door was unlocked so he assumes Alex is home, but Michael has never had to look for him.
“In here,” Alex calls.
Michael follows his voice to the living room where he finds Alex slumped in the corner of the couch. He looks-Michael can’t actually say he looks bad, he’s too handsome for that-but he’s pale and drawn. It’s also the first time he’s seen Alex without his prosthetic. Alex always wears jeans when Michael is here so it’s easy to forget what happened to him. But now Michael can see where the sweatpants he’s wearing are tied off-highlighting the empty space where the remainder of his right leg used to be.
“Are you ok?” Michael asks as he comes to stand in front of the couch. Up close he can see lines of tension on Alex’s face.
“Rough PT session,” Alex waves away his concern. “I’ll be fine.”
“You want a beer?” Michael asks, already walking toward the kitchen.
“Thanks, but I can’t with the meds I took.”
Michael nods even though he’s out of Alex’s line of sight. He rummages through the cupboards and doesn’t find any tea, but he does find a crumpled packet of hot chocolate. He makes it with warm milk so it will hopefully taste better than the watery versions they used to serve at school functions. When he goes back to the living room, Alex has his head tipped back against the couch and his eyes closed. Michael sets the mug down gently on the table, not wanting to disturb Alex if he’s asleep.
But Alex cracks an eye open. When he spots Michael, he picks up the mug, smiling when he smells what’s in it. “Thanks, I haven’t had hot chocolate since I was a kid.”
“Thought you could use something warm.” Michael was going to say comforting, but that sounded too personal. “I better leave you to it and get to work.”
Michael planned to work on the patio, but he’s reluctant to leave Alex alone so he decides to paint the spare room instead. Painting is quiet work and it makes the silence in the house all the more noticeable. When Michael’s working inside, he’s usually close enough to Alex that he can usually hear him typing on his laptop or at least hear the quiet music Alex always has playing in the background. He barely manages to get the primer on before he gives in and goes out to check on Alex.
He finds Alex sprawled out on the couch, sleeping. He doesn’t look particularly comfortable,and there’s a part of him that wants to carry him to bed. Instead, Michael settles for gently moving his left leg which was dangling toward the floor back on to the couch. Alex doesn’t stir or react at all to Michael’s touch, just keeps sleeping.
Michael’s debating if he should get Alex a blanket when a text from Isobel comes in. Suddenly he remembers why he’s there. It’s not to fuss over Alex, but to find out what his father is up to and if Alex is involved. With Alex as deeply asleep as he is, it’s Michael's best chance to look for evidence. He forces himself to walk away, ignoring the pang of regret he feels when he sees the mug of hot chocolate is empty.
Two hours later, Michael’s had enough. He knows what brand of underwear Alex likes, that he has surprisingly expensive taste in shower gel and his homeowner’s insurance is due in two weeks. Michael also knows how many medals and commendations he has from the Air Force, he knows Alex has exactly one picture of his mother, and if he dies, Maria DeLuca gets his pension and the rest of his assets are to be sold or liquidated and divided between four different charities.
Michael shouldn’t know any of these things, and he wishes he could erase them from his memory. He stops on his way out to put Alex’s empty mug in the dishwasher. Even though it feels wrong after what he’s just done, he covers Alex with the blanket from the armchair, whispering “sorry” before he leaves.
Guilt sits heavy in his stomach as he drives to the Wild Pony to meet Max and Isobel. “So I searched Alex Manes house tonight,” he begins as soon as they sit down.
“Breaking and entering,” Max says in an angry whisper. “Are you kidding me.”
“I was there to work on his house so no breaking involved.” Michael throws his hands up, not sure why Max is questioning him.
He sees Max wince and knows Isobel probably kicked him under the table.
“Sorry,” Max says sheepishly. “I forgot about that.”
“Seriously?” Michael rolls his eyes. “No wonder Iz picked me.”
“Boys, enough,” Isobel scolds them before turning to Michael. “What did you find?”
“Not a damn thing,” Michael replied. He doesn’t tell them about the replica of Roswell’s gazebo packed away carefully in a box he found on the top shelf of Alex’s closet or the journals filled with song lyrics he couldn’t bring himself to read. “Alex keeps saying he and Jesse hate each other, and I guess it’s true. There isn’t a single thing in the house that mentions him or anything about aliens either.”
“He’s not going to leave that kind of stuff out in the open. Are you sure you looked hard enough?” Isobel questions.
“Personal lockpick, remember,” Michael points to his head. “I went through every drawer, every safe, the garage and his car. Nothing,” he repeats.
“So now what?” Isobel slumps back against the booth.
“I finish the job, make some money and you find some other way to figure out what Jesse Manes is up to.”
“So helpful, Michael,” Isobel complains.
“Hey, I did my part. It’s not my fault Alex doesn't know anything,” Michael protests. Part of him feels like the words are untrue, just because it looks like Alex isn’t involved, he could still know something. But everything he did tonight feels like a betrayal, and he’s ready to be done.
They argue a bit longer about the best way to spy on Jesse Manes without getting caught. By the time Michael leaves, they still haven’t come up with any real options.
A little before noon the next day, Michael yells to Sanders that he is taking a break. He swings by the Crashdown before making his way to Alex’s house. Michael knocks on the door, something he hasn’t done in weeks, but Alex isn’t expecting him.
When Alex opens the door, he thrusts the bag at him. “I brought you lunch,” he explains. “I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
“Yeah, I’m good,” Alex ducks his head. “Come in.”
Michael follows him into the house. Alex sets the bag on the table before turning back to Michael. “Thanks.” He steps closer, frames Michael’s face with his hands and kisses him softly. “Thank you for lunch and last night. It’s been a long time since someone took care of me.” When Michael doesn’t pull away, he kisses him again, deeper this time, tongue teasing Michael’s mouth open.
The look in Alex’s eyes when they pull apart fills Michael with equal parts hope and guilt so he does his best to deflect. “You thank all your friends,” he almost says ‘employees’ but he knows that wouldn’t be accurate when talking about what they are doing now, “this way?”
“Only the ones I want to fuck,” Alex says with a wicked smile.
“That what we’re doing here, Alex?” Michael asks.
“I’m not your soulmate, Michael. I know the deal. Just two adults having fun, right.”
It’s less than Michael wants, but more than he deserves so he’ll take it. Michael surges forward, taking control of the kiss and backing Alex up against the wall. Once he has Alex pinned, Michael drops to his knees. He makes quick work of Alex’s pants, pushing them down to mid thigh.
Alex is already starting to get hard, and Michael smiles, licking his lips in anticipation. He grabs Alex’s ass to pull him closer. “God, your ass,” he groans when his fingers dig into the muscles there. Michael is tempted to spin Alex around, worship his ass with his eyes and mouth, but Alex’s dick is right here.
Michael takes him in his mouth, loving the way Alex immediately starts to get harder. He doesn’t bother with finesse, just takes Alex as deep as he can. It’s sloppy and fast and Michael loves it, not bothering to wipe away the mix of spit and precome that slips out of his mouth. Alex buries his hands in Michael’s hair, tugging just hard enough to sting as he thrusts into Michael’s mouth.
When Michael strokes his fingers down the crease of Alex’s ass, he comes with a muffled shout. His fingers tighten even more in Michael’s hair, and Michael’s cock throbs in response. He lets Alex’s cock slide out of his mouth. Michael rocks back on his heels and licks Alex clean until Alex whimpers and pushes his head away. Before he stands, he pulls Alex’s pants back up, because no one likes to stand around with their pants down once they’re soft and spent, but doesn’t bother to fasten them.
Alex reaches for him, pressing his thumb against Michael’s swollen lips. When his cock brushes against Alex’s leg, he can’t help but whine.
“I can’t” Alex gestures between the floor and his leg.
“Don’t care,” Michael mumbles. “Your hand is more than enough.”
Alex looks at him for a moment before nodding. He licks his palm while holding Michael’s gaze then sucks each finger slowly into his mouth. It’s a little mean and a lot sexy, and Michael knows he’s screwed in more ways than one.
Michael has his pants down before Alex gets to his thumb. Alex’s hand is cool in contrast to the heated skin of his dick, and he moans loudly when Alex wraps his hand around him. He doesn’t tease, and Michael’s grateful as Alex jerks him off, strokes sure and steady. It’s over quicker than he’d like, but Alex doesn’t seem to mind, kissing him deeply before he’s even caught his breath.
Michael licks the come off Alex’s palm, repeating Alex’s earlier action. Alex’s eye’s darken, and Michael can’t help preening a little under the intensity of his attention. “I should probably get back before Sanders starts to miss me,’ Michael says reluctantly, cleaning himself up as best he can with his shirttails before refastening his pants.
Alex doesn’t respond, just slumps against the wall and watches him leave.
“See you tomorrow,” Michael calls on his way out, getting a lazy wave from Alex in response.
Michael’s not sure what to expect when he shows up the next day. Alex gives him a quiet “hey” when he walks by, but never looks up from his laptop screen. Michael tips his hat in acknowledgement and heads straight to the patio.
Maybe he wasn’t expecting Alex to greet him with a kiss, but he was hoping to get some indication from Alex as to where they stand. If that was it, if Alex just wants to pretend nothing happened, Michael won’t be the one to bring it up.
He spends the next few hours outside, taking his frustration and confusion out on the last of the concrete that needs torn out. The work is physical enough to keep him focused so can’t think about how Alex felt in his mouth and how much he wants to feel that again and again.
The sun has set by the time he’s done, and once he stops working the night air makes him shiver when it hits him. He heads into the house-sweaty, dirty and exhausted. He hopes to get out without attracting Alex’s attention. All Michael wants to do is go home, shower and sleep. He can’t face awkward small talk with Alex over beers tonight.
He’s washing his hands at the sink in the kitchen when Alex comes up behind him. Michael feels Alex breath on his neck before his lips find the spot beneath his ear. Michael shudders and tries to shrug Alex away. “I’m sweaty and gross,” he explains.
“Don’t care,” Alex says as he continues licks a line along the side of Michael’s neck. “I like the way you smell. Like the ground after it rains. It’s sexy.”
“You think so?” Michael turns in Alex’s arms, shaking his hands dry as best he can.
Alex takes his hat off and sets it on the counter. He twirls one of the curls he freed on his finger and tugs Michael closer. “Let me show you.”
He leads Michael into the living room, pushing him gently onto the couch. Alex shoves Michael’s shirt up to his armpits, leaving Michael to struggle out of it while he nuzzles and mouths at Michael’s chest. It’s all teeth and tongue, and Michael’s hips buck up when Alex bites one of his nipples.
“Pants,” Alex demands.
Michael kicks his shoes off and tries to concentrate, but Alex is licking and sucking along his collarbone and that’s all he can focus on. He gets as far as unbuckling his belt before Alex takes over, pulling his pants off and tossing them aside.
As Alex makes his way down his body, Michael spreads his legs as wide as he can, dropping one leg off the couch, to give Alex more room. Michael sighs in anticipation when Alex pushes him further up the couch and settles between his legs.
Alex rests his head on Michael’s thigh, pressing his face into the crease of his groin. For a moment he just stays there, breathing into Michael’s skin. Then he turns his attention to Michael’s balls, licking around them and sucking on them while one his hands plays with the wiry curls above Michael’s dick.
“Come on, man,” Michael pleads.
Alex looks up and smiles. “You want something?”
“Your mouth on my dick would be ideal right now.”
Alex shrugs like it’s no big deal then sucks Michael down almost to the root. Michael can’t help but thrust up, harder than he means to. But Alex doesn’t hold him still, just rides it out. Then he slides his hand under Michael’s ass, encouraging him to set the pace.
Michael likes to think he gives a good blowjob, but Alex is on another level. Once again it's over quicker than he’s like it to be. But once he’s done, he barely gets a hand on Alex’s dick before Alex is coming all over his stomach so Michael calls it even.
Alex watches from the couch while Michael gathers his clothes. His jeans are already pulled up and zipped although the button is undone, and Michael still hasn’t found his own pants. “I really need to get you naked,” he says without thinking.
“Next time,” Alex answers with a smirk.
His hand is on the door when Alex calls him back.
“Hey, you forgot this,” he walks out of the kitchen holding Michael’s hat. When he gets to Michael, he plops it on his head before kissing him. Before Michael can respond, he reaches around Michael to open the door and nudges him out.
They settle into a routine after that. Michael shows and does whatever work he has scheduled for the day, and then they fuck. It’s been a long time since Michael had sex with the same person more than once, and he forgot how fun it can be. They get off grinding against each other on the couch like teenagers one night, and the next day Michael jerks Alex off while fucking his thighs. There’s an enthusiastic, but perhaps ill advised round of sixty-nine in Alex’s bed. Somehow Michael almost gets hit in the head by Alex’s prosthetic, but when he comes seeing stars, it’s from Alex’s mouth not a concussion so he’s not complaining.
Michael knows they have an expiration date. There’s not much left to do at the house, and once he doesn’t have an excuse to be at Alex’s house, they’ll go their separate ways. Alex has given no indication he’d make an effort to see Michael and considering Michael, Max and Isobel are still trying to figure out what Alex’s father is up to, ending this before that happens is a good idea.
Still coming home, smiling and satisfied after Alex fucked him against the kitchen table, he’s unprepared for Isobel to blow the whole thing up. She’s pacing outside his airstream when he pulls up.
“Liz Ortecho is back in town,” she says as soon as he’s out of the truck and close enough to hear her.
It’s an eerily familiar way to start a conversion, but he’s pretty sure she isn’t going to ask him to honeypot Liz Ortecho. “So,” he replies.
“Max was with her at the Crashdown last week when Wyatt Long and his pals shot it up. They hit Liz, and Max saved her.”
“He what!” Michael shouts. “Last week? Why am I just finding out now?”
“He just told me.”
“I assume she knows.”
“Kind of hard to hide the sparkly, glowing handprint.” Isobel holds up her own hand as if Michael doesn’t know what she means.
“That’s just great,” Michael throws up his hands. “All these years of telling us to be careful, and as soon as Liz waltzes back into town, Max throws it all away.”
“It’s worse than that,” Isobel winces.
“He didn’t tell her about Rosa, did he?” Now Michael is pacing. “Wouldn’t that be the icing on the fucking cake. After everything we did to protect you, Max tells Liz not only did we kill her sister, we framed her for Kate and Jasmine’s deaths.”
“No, he didn’t tell her about that,” Isobel rushes to assure him. “But the reason he finally told me about Liz is that Jesse Manes showed up at the station today. He was asking the Sheriff about where Jim Valenti’s old files were stored. Said he needed them to clear up some Air Force case.”
“Shit,” Michael swears.
“I followed him from the station, and he met up with Kyle Valenti. I couldn’t hear everything they were saying, but I definitely heard ‘handprint’ and ‘Alex.’”
“You don’t know,” Michael starts.
“Alex knows something, Michael. Something big or at least more than we know. I have to find out what it is,” Isobel squares her shoulders.
“No,” Michael objects too fast. “I’ll get him to tell me. You don’t need to get into his head.”
Isobel narrows her eyes and stares at him. “Oh my god, you slept with him.”
“Wasn’t that kind of the point,” Michael says defensively.
“Not now, not after you said he was a dead end. If you’re sleeping with him now,” Isobel cocks her head. “Oh, Michael, you’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
Michael shuffles his feet and looks away. “Doesn’t matter. It’s over as soon as I finish his house so we might as well get something out of it.”
“It does matter,” Isobel looks at him with something too close to pity. “You don’t have to do this. If there’s a chance for you and Alex,”
“There isn’t,” he cuts her off. “And even if there were, this is more important. Protecting our secret, protecting our family is always going to be the first priority. I won’t risk that for Alex Manes, no matter how good the sex is.”
“So the sex is good, huh,” Isobel teases, willingly going along with his need to change the topic from his impending broken heart..
“It’s fucking epic,” Michael gloats just a bit.
“I’m sorry you have to do this, but you’re not alone.” Isobel stands up straighter. “I’m going to cozy up to Kyle Valenti, see if I can figure out what he knows.”
“Eww,” Michael makes a face. “What about the lawyer you’ve been seeing?”
“No real sparks there. I’ll just throw the lawyer over for a doctor. Mom will still be thrilled.”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful,” Michael says, resigned to Isobel doing what she wants.
“I will,” she promises, giving him a hug before leaving.
The next time Michael is at Alex’s he finishes the shower, the last of the renovations to the master bath.. It’s good work, something to be proud of. It’s also the last big project he has at the house. There’s a few days of work left in finishing up the patio, but that’s it. Time is ticking on both his time with Alex and his opportunity to get answers.
Once the bathroom’s clean, he heads to the kitchen to find Alex. “Shower’s done. You should try it out,” he suggests.
“You going to join me?” Alex asks as he stands up from the table.
“Thought you liked me all sweaty?” Michael asks.
“I do,” Alex looks him up and down, leering just a bit. “Just don’t leave, ok?” he reaches out and grips Michael’s wrist.
“I won’t,” Michael promises. Then to change the mood, he adds with a wink, “Want to see how much you enjoy all my hard work.”
Alex rolls his eyes, but lets go of Michael and disappears into the bedroom. Once he hears the water running, he strips and waits for Alex in his bed. When Alex comes out of the bathroom, he looks like one of Michael’s fantasies come to life. Steam billows around him, his skin is flushed and slightly damp, his hair slicked back from his forehead.
Once he makes his way to the bed, Alex sets his crutches aside and kisses Michael. “The shower head is a little fancier than I remember.”
“Thought you deserved an upgrade,” Michael shrugs. “You like it?”
“The massage setting was amazing,” Alex tells him, stretching out next to him and kissing his neck.
“I may have also adjusted your water pressure,” Michael admits.
“Thank you,” Alex whispers into his skin. “I think you deserve a reward.”
Michael’s not going to pass that up so he thinks about what he wants. “Turn over for me,” he finally tells Alex.
Alex looks up at Michael and studies his face, trying to determine how serious he is. When Michael holds his gaze, he smiles and turns over.
Once Alex is on his stomach, Michael moves to sit between his legs and pushes a pillow under his hips. He takes a moment to just look because Alex’s ass is as magnificent as he always thought it would be. He settles into a more comfortable position and parts Alex’s cheeks. “Can I?” he asks, making sure his breath hits Alex’s hole so Alex knows what he wants.
“Please,” Alex replies, already shifting to get closer to Michael.
Michael doesn’t hesitate, just presses his tongue against Alex’s hole. When Alex shudders and moans, he licks a stripe along the crease of his ass before returning to push inside him. They’ve never done this before, and Michael wishes they had, wishes they’d done this everyday because Alex loves it.
Alex is never still, he alternates between grinding against the pillow and pushing his ass closer to Michael’s face. And the noises he makes are indescribable.
“God, you were made for this,” Michael says in awe when he takes a break.
Alex whines at the loss of his tongue, and Michael gives his ass a playful smack before diving back in. Michael drags it out as long as he can, but sooner than he’d like Alex is coming into his own fist with Michael’s tongue buried as deep as he can get it in Alex’s hole.
It’s tempting when Alex’s is spent, sprawled face down on the mattress to fuck him right then while he’s still slick and open. But he wants to take his time, wants to make Alex come again so he eases the pillow from under Alex’s hips and tosses it on the floor before urging Alex to turn over.
Alex stretches and gives Michael a blissed out smile before reaching lazily towards Michael’s cock. “Want some help with that?”
“Not yet,” Michael swats his hand away because if Alex touches him it will be over before it starts. “Going to get you hard again first.”
“Ambitious,” Alex teases.
“Just watch me,” Michael promises, then proceeds to devote himself to Alex’s pleasure. He uses everything he’s learned about Alex’s body over the last few weeks-the places he likes to be kissed and stroked, the places he wants Michael to use his teeth and press deep into his skin. Michael knows how to make Alex bite his lip and shiver, how to make him arch his back and buck his hips. He makes him moan and curse, plead and demand, and that’s just the beginning.
When Alex is hard and weeping again, he uses his fingers to stretch him, getting him more open then he already was. He ignores Alex’s insistence that he’s ready as long as he can and when Michael finally pushes inside, it’s overwhelming.
Michael fucks him slowly, almost slower than he can stand. But it’s worth it to watch Alex come apart beneath him, to watch the sweat bead on his body, to watch him become more restless the closer he gets until he grabs his own dick and strokes himself to orgasm in time with Michael’s thrusts.
Watching Alex, feeling him tighten around him, pushes Michael over the edge. His own release washes over him, his rhythm stutters until he finally stills inside Alex. Michael collapses next to Alex on the bed, pulling out of him reluctantly. Alex gives him a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss before closing his eyes.
By the time Michael gets back from the bathroom with a washcloth, Alex is asleep. He cleans him gently before returning to bed. It’s tempting to fall asleep as well, but Michael doesn’t want to waste the time he has left with Alex. He settles close to him and watches him, pretending while he can that this is something he can have.
When Alex starts to stir, Michael watches the way his eyes flutter before finally opening. He turns toward Michael smiling when he sees him still there. “It’s nice waking up to you,” he says in a way that lets Michael know he isn’t quite awake enough to filter what he says.
Michael’s heart shatters because he knows this is the time to ask. He brushes the hair off Alex’s forehead and kisses him softly before going in for the kill. “If you hate your father so much, why did you follow in his footsteps?” Michael aims for casual and misses badly.
“Is that what you think I did?” Alex laughs harshly and pushes the heels of hands into his eyes. Then he turns to face Michael, all the softness, all the sleepy haziness is gone from his eyes. “My father has secrets, Michael, dangerous ones. Joining the Air Force was the best way to find out what they were.”
Michael makes a noise of inquiry, hoping Alex will keep talking.
“Being a legacy recruit in the Air Force, especially with a family like mine, opens doors. People talk, around you, to you, assuming you joined for the same reason they did, to carry on your family’s legacy. I took advantage of every opportunity the Air Force gave me, for the exact opposite reason, to destroy my family’s legacy.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Some of it, most of it. Got closer enough for this,” Alex gestures at his leg.
Michael stiffens at the insinuation. “You think your father,” he can’t even finish the thought.
“I can’t prove it. Yet,” Alex amends. “Friendly fire happens, more often than people think, but this wasn’t a normal accident. And he did a piss poor job at hiding how disappointed he was that I survived.”
“Jesus,” Michael swears under his breath. If Jesse Manes was willing to kill his own kid, he’s way more dangerous than they thought.
“When I left the Air Force, he wrote me off as a coward. He thinks he scared me off, that I came home to hide out and lick my wounds.”
“So why are you here,” Michael asks, echoing his question from weeks ago.
“To finish what I started,” Alex answers. He leans back, putting space between them that wasn’t there before. “Any other questions?”
Michael swallows hard because this isn’t his lover asking, this is the Air Force captain Michael likes to pretend Alex never was. He should push, find out just how much Alex is willing to tell him, but he sees the betrayal hiding behind the hardness in Alex’s eyes, and he can’t. “I should get going,” he says instead.
Alex nods and shifts so he is sitting against the headboard no longer touching Michael at all. He watches Micheal get dressed, watches as he walks out, without saying another word.
When Michael gets back to his truck, he pounds his fists against the steering wheel before taking a deep breath and driving away. He knows he hurt Alex, knows he ruined any slim chance they had at being something, and he still doesn’t have solid answers because he was too chicken shit twist the knife in Alex’s back. Michael’s tempted to drive straight to the Wild Pony and hand his balls over to Maria right then.
The next time he goes to Alex’s, the door is open, but Alex isn’t waiting for him. Instead he finds a note on the table explaining that Alex had some errands to run, and Michael should lock up when he’s done.
“Errands,” Michael snorts. He can’t blame Alex for wanting to avoid him.
After a few hours working on the patio, Michael’s ready to call it a night. There’s almost nothing left to do, and being here without Alex is uncomfortable.
Alex is missing again the next night, not even bothering to with a note this time. Michael drags out what little he has to finish, hoping Alex will show up before he’s done. He’s making some final adjustments to the gate when Isobel calls.
“Why is Alex Manes at the Wild Pony getting drunk and looking like he plans to stay that way?”
“Cause I fucked up Iz,” Michael sighs. “He knows I want something from him, something to do with his father.”
“Did he tell you?” Isobel asks, a hint of hope in her voice.
“No, and why would he? He doesn’t trust me, but he knows. He’s not involved.” Michael hastens to add. “I think he’s been investigating his father for a long time. So whatever Jesse’s up to, Alex knows what it is.”
“So I guess it’s my turn,” Isobel signs, hope turned to resignation.
“Not tonight,” Michael interjects. “Not when he’s been drinking.” He doesn’t want to think about what it means that he’s as worried about Alex as he is Isobel when he thinks about Isobel forcing him into a mindscape.
“Not tonight, but soon,” Isobel warns. “Now that Liz knows, we have to figure out who our enemies are before she turns on us.”
Michael hopes that won’t happen, that somehow Max can keep Liz on their side, but he knows Isobel is right. “Just give me a day or two to say goodbye.”
“Michael,” Isobel says sadly. “I’m sorry I made you do this.”
Even though she can’t see him, Michael shrugs. What’s done is done. “So how’s it going with Valenti?” he asks, ready to change the subject.
“Pointless,” Isobel huffs out a frustrated breath. “He’s as hopelessly hung up on Liz Ortecho as Max. I don’t know what they see in her. She’s.”
“Brilliant and gorgeous,” Michael interrupts.
“A self-righteous know-it-all,” Isobel continues as if Michael hadn’t spoken. “Looks like my date is here. Talk to you later.”
“Bye Iz, be careful,” Michael reminds her before hanging up.
Now that he knows Alex won’t be coming home, Michael quickly finishes the rest of his work. When he’s done, he’s tempted to leave Alex a note. Instead he leaves a copy of the itemized job list Alex originally sent him-with every item checked off-on the table. He locks up when he leaves, the click of the lock audible in the silence around him.
When Michael wakes up the next morning, there is a notification of a deposit in his bank account-almost twice what they agreed on. Michael tosses his phone aside with a sigh, it’s not like Alex can’t afford it, which is something Michael shouldn’t know, but he’s seen Alex’s bank statements. He’ll deal with it later.
It’s dark by the time Michael works up the courage to go to Alex’s. He rings the doorbell for the first time since this all started. When Alex opens the door on crutches, prosthetic off, guilt twists in Michael’s stomach. He shouldn’t get to see Alex like this-relaxed and vulnerable-anymore.
“I have something for you. Can you meet me out back?” Michael asks.
Alex just nods and shuts the door. By the time Michael stops by the truck and makes it to the patio, Alex is waiting for him.
Michael sets the firepit in the middle of the brick he laid. “I made that for you,” he says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thought it would look nice out here.”
“Thanks,” Alex sounds confused by the gesture. But he smiles as he studies the polished metal and the constellations Michael had punched out.
“You overpaid me,” Michael blurts out.
“You did good work, and it’s still less than I would have paid Simmons,” Alex explains.
“Yeah, well thanks.” Michael turns to go.
“Michael,” Alex’s voice stops him. “Did you get what you wanted out of this?”
“A paycheck and a good fuck? Yeah no complaints on either one.” Not prepared to be put on the spot, Michael reverts to sarcasm.
Alex looks frustrated, and for a moment Michael thinks he’s going to let him walk away.
“That’s not why you took this job.”
“What makes you say that?” Michael stays on the defensive.
“Maybe the third time you asked about my father. Or maybe it was when you searched my house.” Now Alex is the one relying on sarcasm.
Michael doesn’t say anything. He should have had an excuse ready, should have been prepared, but he never expected Alex to confront him.
“I know who you are Michael,” Alex continues. “Or should I say I know what you are.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Michael denies, but he knows his panic is showing.
“Come on,” Alex opens the french doors-the ones Michael installed-and gestures for Michael to follow. “We should have this conversation inside.”
Michael wants to run, wants to get in his truck and drive as far away from Roswell as he can. But if Alex really knows the truth, running won’t help. He needs to find out exactly what Alex knows.
“Can you grab a few beers from the fridge,” Alex calls out from the living room.
“Sure,” Michael says faintly. He takes it as a good sign. Alex wouldn’t offer him a beer if he was planning to ship him off somewhere to be experimented on.
Once they are both seated,-Alex on the couch, Michael on the chair closest to the door-Alex looks at him and sighs. “I know you and Max and Isobel Evans are aliens. I’ve known since high school.”
“How,” Michael breathes, too shocked to hear someone-Alex-say it out loud to deny it.
“It’s a long story,” Alex picks up his beer bottle, fiddles with it then sets it back down. “Before my mom left, she used to take us to the Reservation every weekend. She would go see this woman named Louise. She was old, seemed ancient to me, was in a wheelchair and didn’t speak. But she was a healer. My brothers were always running around, playing with the other kids, but I wanted to stay with my mom so I spent a lot of time with Louise. She used to tell me stories, in my head.”
“In your head?” Michael says skeptically.
“Like I said she didn’t talk. I asked my mom how she could do that and how she could help people because she wasn’t Native. My mother told me her powers were special, that they didn’t come from the earth.”
“You think she was an alien?” Michael tries to sound more skeptical than hopeful.
“Not then, but yes I believe she was an alien. The stories she told me were all about another planet, a war and people fleeing. I used to think she was just telling her own version of Star Wars, but now,” Alex shrugs.
Michael wants to ask for detail, wants to know everything she told Alex in hopes of finding himself in the stories. But he knows this isn’t the time so he remains silent.
“One day my mom was on the phone and she said ‘the children have come’ and then she told me Louise had died. One story Louise told me more than once was about the three sleeping children who were destined to save her world and how her job was to be their guardian until they woke up.”
Shivers run down Michael’s spine. It seems like too much to believe, but she had to have been talking about the three of them.
“My mom left soon after that, and I forgot about Louise and her stories. My main focus was avoiding my father. He was always cruel, but once he figured out I was gay he became more and more violent. I used to hide out in this shed behind the house that my grandfather built. When I was about fourteen or fifteen, I was looking for a place to hide stuff from my dad. I pulled up one of the floorboards and found a skeleton.”
“There was a body buried under your family shed?” Michael doesn’t understand what this has to do with him.
“It was my father’s uncle, Tripp. My father always talked about what a hero he was, how he died fighting for his country. But it turns out my grandfather killed him because he was in love with an alien.”
“Louise?”
“No, another woman named Nora. There was a journal buried with them. It said Tripp and my grandfather were at the original crash in 1947. Tripp helped Nora and Louise escape along with three children held in some sort of stasis pods. They hid in Roswell for a year, and Tripp and Nora fell in love. They were going to take the children and run, but my grandfather found out and raided the farm they were staying on. He captured Nora and shot Louise. Tripp got Louise to the Reservation, but he couldn’t save Nora.”
“What happened to her?” Michael was almost afraid to find out.
“There was a prison built by the military after the crash for the survivors. My grandfather ran it along with the Valentis. She was taken there. My grandfather suspected Tripp wasn’t loyal so he kept him away. Because he and my father were close, Tripp tried to get him on his side before my grandfather corrupted him. Tripp was trying to convince my father that the aliens weren’t a threat and get his help in freeing Nora and the other prisoners. My grandfather found out, and I assume that’s when he killed him.”
“I didn’t find the journal when I,” Michael gestures to the room. He’s not sure he believes Alex.
“I don’t keep it in Roswell. I have a safety deposit box my father can’t find.”
“Even if all that is true and great uncle Tripp wasn’t some sort of Grant Green crackpot, it doesn’t have anything to do with me.”
“Tripp said if they didn’t take the children out of the pods, they would open in fifty years. Louise died fifty years after the crash. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.”
“And the pieces led you to me?” Michael’s have a hard enough time connecting the dots in Alex’s story. He can’t see how Alex figured out the truth on his own.
“Not a first,” Alex shakes his head. “You know I don’t think I even knew Max and Isobel were adopted. But once I started investigating and found the article about the children found in the desert I recognized them.”
“So being adopted makes them aliens,” Michael snaps, crossing his arms. His instinct is always to protect Max and Isobel.
Alex gives him a look that lets him know he realizes Michael is deflecting. “Once I started paying attention, I saw how the lights flickered around Max, how Isobel always got her way. You were a bit harder. But I remembered you were in foster care, and I saw how close you were to Max and Isobel so I figured you might be the third child. I followed you around for a while and saw you moving things without touching them.”
Michael’s breath speeds up as he realizes how easy it was for Alex to discover their secret. The illusion of safety they’d clung to all these years was fading. “Did you, did you tell anyone?”
“No, never” Alex reaches across the distance between them and briefly touches his hand. “And once I figured out what my father was doing, I altered all the records on the three of you. It would be virtually impossible to connect any of you to the three kids found in the desert.”
“So why did you hire me? Why bring me into your house believing all this?” Maybe Michael wasn’t the only one with an agenda. What if Alex’s job was a trap all along?
“You may find this hard to believe, but you being an alien isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when I see you. Maybe I’ve known long enough to forget most of the time,” Alex seemed unconcerned. “Maria recommended you, and I figured if she trusted you, so could I.”
Michael shifts uncomfortably when Alex mentions trust.
“And like I said outside,” Alex continues, “I didn’t realize right away that you had other reasons for wanting this job.”
Michael realizes it’s his turn to explain. “We’ve thought your father might know about us for a while, but we didn’t know how to find out without tipping him off. When you came back to town, Isobel saw an opportunity. It seemed safer to try and get information from you rather than your father. Then she found out you needed someone to work on the house, and asked me to do it.”
“She asked you to seduce me,” Alex says flatly.
“Not like that,” Michael tells him hastily. He doesn’t want Alex to think sex was part of the plan, but he knows how it must look. “She just wanted me to get close to you, try and figure out what you knew.”
“And what did you find out,” Alex’s tone is cold. Michael can feel him pulling away, can feel the doubts about every interaction creeping in.
“Nothing more than you told me,” Michael admits.
He can see Alex running through their conversations in his head. He looks at Michael then sighs, “I wasn’t joking when I told you my father’s secrets were dangerous. But if anyone deserves to know them, it’s you.”
“Are you sure?” Michael shouldn’t ask, getting Alex to tell him the truth about Jesse has always been the goal, but he can’t help but want Alex to have a choice.
“The prison I mentioned earlier became a family project,” Alex continues, ignoring Michael’s question. “My father took it over from my grandfather. It was as horrible as you can imagine-experiments, torture, isolation. It’s a miracle any of the aliens survived at all let alone for as long as they did. Working there was its own kind of evil. It turned my father into the worst kind of zealot-one who truly believes what he’s doing is right, that he is standing between humanity and our destruction. That prison consumed him.”
“Is it still there?” Michael’s afraid of the answer. He longs to discover more of his species, but not if it means they’re still being imprisoned and tortured..
Alex shakes his head. “Several years ago, the Air Force pulled the funding and told my father to end the project. He didn’t, instead he funded it with his own money. But eventually he was caught. He should have been court martialed but the Air Force couldn’t risk a trial. Instead they destroyed the prison with all the remaining prisoners, all records and research inside of it.”
Michael can feel the blood drain from his face. It’s a horrible end to a horrible fate, and his last hopes of finding a family are destroyed with it. “Are you sure?” he can’t help but ask.
“I've seen the footage. When I got back to Roswell, I visited the site. There were no survivors. I’m sorry.”
Michael nods, lips pressed tightly together. There is nothing left to say.
“They made my father watch, but they should have left him in the prison to burn along with it. Let that be the legacy he always dreamed of,” Alex says bitterly.
Michael can’t help but laugh although it’s humorless.
“So that’s it?” Michael says. One stroke of a bureaucrats pen, and his whole species is gone. The secret they uncovered is nothing more than a story now, all the players dead. Michael wished he’d told Isobel no, that he’d never learned this truth.
“It should have been. I think my father would have given up after everything was destroyed, but he knows there are other aliens in Roswell.”
“You said,” Michael stands up, fear propelling him to his feet.
“Not you, not Max or Isobel,” Alex reassures him, holding up his hand to keep Michael there.
“How?” Michael asks, sitting back down. “If there was another alien, wouldn’t we know?”
“I don’t know,” Alex admits. “Nothing in all the records I’ve hacked indicated there were other survivors or how they could still be alive. But no one knew about Louise either. What I do know is over the last few years over a dozen people have been murdered-homeless people, vagrants, prostitutes. All the bodies have a glowing handprint on them.”
“Shit,” Michael buries his face in his hands. “If you know there is an alien murderer out there, why risk letting me get close to you?”
“The handprint is too big to be yours or Isobel’s, and it doesn’t match Max’s,” Alex says matter of factly. “My father and Jim Valenti covered up the murders for years. Now he has my brother Flint helping, insisting the murders are part of a military investigation and claiming the bodies. He won’t stop until he figures out who it is.”
“Liz Ortecho knows,” Michael blurts out. “At least about Max which means she knows about Isobel, I don’t know how much he’s actually told her. But she may have told Kyle Valenti who has been talking to your father.”
Alex’s face goes blank for a second. “Well, that changes things. My plan was to find out who this alien is before my father does and figure out how to stop them without resorting to genocidal prisons. But if he suspects any of you are aliens, he’ll assume you are involved in the murders, and I don’t know how quickly he will act.”
The theoretical danger of discovery Michael always feared was becoming very real. “I can’t let him hurt Max or Isobel.”
“He won’t,” Alex says with certainty. “I know what kind of monster my father is and exactly what he is capable of. I won’t let him hurt anyone else, including you.”
“You can’t promise that,” Michael shakes his head.
“This is what I’ve been working toward for years. It’s why I joined the Air Force. Not because I ever wanted to be in the military, but because I wanted to learn how to defeat him, how to take everything from him without him ever seeing me coming. I’ve kept your identity from him for years, that’s not going to change.”
“I can’t ask that of you.” Michael won’t trust his family’s safety to anyone else. He’s been alone his whole life, he doesn't know how to rely on someone else to watch out for him.
“You’re not asking. I’m doing this for me. I’m going to take my father down, and I’ll protect your secret while I do it. You don’t owe me anything. You don’t need to pretend,” Alex gestures between them.
“Alex,” Michael gets up and moves to sit next to him on the couch. Alex flinches, but waves Michael to the cushion next to him. “What happened between us wasn’t part of any plan. I wanted everything we did together, I wanted you.”
“And now?” Alex asks cautiously.
“I don’t know,” Michael looks down at his hands. “Even though what I felt was-is-real, it was built on a lie. I came here under false pretenses, I tried to manipulate you. I searched your house,” Michael forces himself to look back up. “And because of that, I know things about you-things that helped me fall in love with you-that aren’t mine to know. Maybe things you would never want me to know, but I do. How do we move past that?”
“I’ve been hiding my whole life,” Alex says quietly. “From my father, my brothers, my friends, everyone I ever served with. When enough of the people who are supposed to love and support you turn away, you have to believe the problem is you.”
“Alex,” Michael can’t help but interrupt, taking his hand. He knows that kind of pain and doubt. It had taken years of Max and Isobel refusing to be pushed away, and building relationships with people like Sanders and Maria for Michael to realize he could be loved. “It’s not you.”
“Maybe not, but that’s how I’ve lived my life. Keeping anything I valued, anything that made me different hidden. I’d like to think I would have learned to share those parts of me with you, but I don’t know how long it would have taken. It’s comforting to realize you know most of my secrets, and you haven’t run away. I’ve always been too afraid of letting someone know me to have a relationship. But I’m not afraid to be with you.”
Michael lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He was prepared for anger, for Alex to say the betrayal was too big to come back from. Alex’s acceptance feels unearned, but Michael is grateful they still have a chance.
Because Alex still looks nervous and uncertain, Michael squeezes his hand and leans forward for a kiss. Alex meets his lips eagerly, his free hand coming up to tangle in Michael’s hair. It’s easy to get lost in the kiss, to push forward for more. But Alex pulls back, stroking Michael’s hair a few times before dropping his hand.
“You’re not the only one with an advantage,” Alex says. When Michael just looks at him, he continues. “Have you ever told anyone that you are an alien?”
“No,” Michael’s blood runs cold just thinking about it. It’s the number one rule drilled into his head-by Max, by his own fear of the consequences-no one can know. No matter how much he’d cared about Maria, he never considered telling her, never wanted to.
“I didn’t think so. And you didn’t choose to tell me either. And I can tell you again and again that you can trust me with this secret, that I won’t use it against you, but you are the one who has to be willing to believe me.”
Michael should be scared, but he’s not. Alex has known for over a decade. If Alex wanted to turn him in or hurt him, he’d had years to do it. But that brings up other questions. “Is that why you’re with me?”
“I don’t have ‘fuck an alien’ on my bucket list if that is what you are asking.” They both laugh.
“I don’t know what I’m asking,” Michael admits. “I’ve never been with anyone who knows what I am so I guess I’m wondering how it affects your feelings for me.”
“I don’t think it does. I won’t say it doesn’t matter because it’s part of who you are, and you matter. You being an alien isn’t something we can just ignore, but it’s not what I think of first when I think of you. It matters in that it’s one of the things that makes you the man I’m attracted to, the man I’m falling in love with.”
“I like the sound of that,” Michael admits. “You falling in love with me.”
This time it’s Alex who makes the first move, pulling Michael into the circle of his arms. He kisses Michael’s forehead and wraps his arm around him. Michael turns to nuzzle into his neck then surprises them both by yawning.
“Sorry,” Michael apologizes and rubs his eyes. “Now what?”
Alex looks at the table where their untouched beers are sweating into the coasters beneath them. “How about we get some fresh beers and sit by the firepit you built me. We can forget all this serious stuff for the night and talk about normal things.”
“Normal things?” Michael asks with a laugh.
“I don’t know,” Alex shrugs. “Music, movies, work. I’m sure you have a million questions about what I told you, and I have questions to, but”
“We aren’t going to solve the problem of your father or how whatever Liz and Kyle might know complicates that in one night,” Michael finishes.
“And we deserve a night to be together without secrets or hidden agendas. To start figuring out who we are together,” Alex adds.
“That sounds nice,” Michael admits. “But I don’t know how much I have in me.” He yawns again.
“So we’ll talk for a bit then see if that fancy shower you built me really is big enough for two, and you can stay here if you want.”
Michael definitely wants, and the way he kisses Alex leaves no doubt to his interest. “And tomorrow?” he asks almost breathlessly once the kiss ends.
“Tomorrow, we figure out how to destroy my father,” Alex holds out his hand, “together.”
Michael laces their fingers together. “Together sounds perfect.”
#malex fic#rnm fic#my fic#yotp 2023#honeypot mission#falling in love#happy ending#Michael and Alex will always fall in love#angst with a happy ending#secrets#maria deluca friendly
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and i hope i never lose you
summary: dealing with the aftermath of finding Alex in the pocket dimension.
a/n: just a quick little 4x11 coda because who knows how this is all gonna resolve itself in two episodes and i have a lot of ideas rolling around.
[AO3 Link]
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The handprint shimmers across the skin of his chest, above his heart. He watches as Michael’s fingertips trace around it, igniting the connection with each movement. Lingering feelings of regret, determination, fear, and love all mix together, and Alex doesn’t think he’s ever going to get used to the feeling.
He’s never felt like he’s needed to know Michael in this way, that they needed to share emotions through some alien connection. Even through everything they’ve been through, all their miscommunication and misunderstandings, he’s preferred that everything that has happened to them has been because they’ve put the work in. Neither of them has ever needed to rely on anything otherworldly to know they love each other.
Even as cosmic is the word they’ve always fallen back on to describe how they feel, Alex believes it’s still rooted in reality - in the way his entire body instantly calms when Michael puts his hands on his face, or when they interlace their fingers together. Words were never his strong suit, that was always Michael’s thing, but he’s been trying, day by day, to do better. It’d been his slow realization that he needed to be more open with Michael, to stop shutting him out from the thoughts in his head, that has even allowed them to get here to this point.
He’d heard about the handprint from Liz, the difference in the one that Max has left on her to the one he’d first been introduced to in the folder Jenna Cameron had dropped in front of him years ago. But it didn’t make understanding it any easier.
Not until Michael had pressed his palm against his chest, the place he remembered the black fractals had been while trapped in the mindscape of the pocket dimension, the energy needed to sustain it feeding off his body. He wishes it had been as simple as leaving that liminal space and everything would be fine, but that’s never been how his story goes. Kyle had done a full workup, demanding to ensure he was healthy, and ending up discovering the irregular heartbeat he’d never possessed before.
As it turned out, he hadn’t been wrong when he’d told Michael he was dying.
“What do you mean he’s still dying?”
Michael had looked somewhere between furious and devastated, and all Alex could do was take his hand in his own and interlace their fingers together while Kyle explained.
“There was too much stress on his heart, it started interfering with the electrical signals that maintain the heartbeat. A week ago, it was just a little slower than normal, I thought it was just residual from the pocket dimension, that it’d bounce back. But it didn’t.”
It’d made sense. The shortness of breath, how easily he was tiring out from normal activity, the lightheadedness that followed. In the beginning it’d been easier to hide it from Michael, to act like it was just a side effect of being back in their reality, in their world.
“So what’s the cure, doc? We’ve been here before-”
Kyle had nodded, clearly running the scenarios in his head. “Like Max, it’s not caused by a normal human cause, so I don’t know if a normal human solution will work.”
“So I build another pacemaker? That you can-”
“We can try, but it might only be a temporary solution.”
He hadn’t even realized they’d been in a mindscape. That it had in fact just been feeding off his own energy, slowly killing him day by day. He’d watched as Dallas had explained the mechanics and the science to everyone in the days afterward, Michael withdrawing bit by bit, and Alex knew it was because of that guilt he still felt. How he’d shared about the time he’d been tempted by the idea of returning to Oasis, beating himself up for not noticing something was wrong sooner.
Liz should have been there to explain what had happened in her own mindscape, when he’d learned about the alien mist Liz had crafted after Michael had lost his alien powers. Max had reluctantly admitted that black fractals had slowly spider-webbed across Liz’s arms and chest the longer she had remained in the mindscape. Her absence is noted by the somber tone in everyone’s voices and actions as they bring him up to speed on the things he’d missed that there hadn’t been time recently to discuss.
Mimi’s death hits him the hardest.
With Maria on his arm, they visit the little memorial she’d built high in the hills near the Wild Pony. Together, they sit there for hours, a blanket pulled over their shoulders, tears flowing down their cheeks. The moment he’d begun to beat himself up about not being there for her when she needed him, she reminded him that it was Mimi’s death that allowed her to connect with him when he needed to be found.
None of it feels fair.
Without Liz’s brilliance, they are at a standstill in regards to his heart. It had been Liz’s own decision, when faced with the choice of losing her memories of the aliens, or losing her mind completely, to forget the otherworldly origins of the most important people in her life. Their new friend Bonnie, once a follower of Jones and Clyde’s partner in crime, seemingly choosing Earth over whatever had been promised her before, wiping Liz’s mind so that no one close to her had to. It hadn’t been hard for Liz to slip back into teaching, to give her something outside of being a scientist.
“We don’t even know if it’ll work,” he’d argued, Kyle’s prognosis still fresh in his mind.
Michael had sighed, that fully body thing he does when he’s frustrated, turning away from him, and Alex has to grab hold of his hand, pull him back around.
“I’ve been dreaming of marrying you since we were seventeen,” Michael had begun, looking down and gently pressing his palm against his chest. “And when you asked, you gave me that glimmer of hope, of that happiness I believed was too far out of reach.”
He takes a deep breath, reaching up and wrapping his own hand around Michael’s, holding it against his chest.
“You’ve always been my choice, Michael. Everything I’ve done, every decision I’ve made has always been with you on my mind.” He feels the tears start to form in his eyes, threatening to quickly spill over. “Whether it’s running into a building about to explode or dismantling a secret government project - protecting you, making the world a better, safer, place for you, has been my constant since we were seventeen.”
A tear rolls down Michael’s cheek at his words, and Alex reaches up with his free hand to wipe it away, before taking a quick swipe at his own eyes.
“So let me burn the world down for you now.”
Each time Michael heals him, each time he feels the connections between them roar to life, he also watches as Michael falls into a deep sleep for several hours, his body needing to recover from the energy it’s dispelled. And every time it happens, despite the smile Michael has on his face, and the love that shines through in his eyes, Alex can’t help but feel guilty for needing this. It lasts for a week, a ritual they develop each morning and even Michael holding his hand above his heart, listening to the beats as he counts them, checking to see how it’s doing.
Max had warned against it, the toll the repeated healing would eventually take on Michael’s body as well. But Alex doesn’t know how to tell him to stop. He’d seen the heartbreak in Michael’s eyes when he’d revealed he was dying. There was no stopping Michael Guerin when he was set on doing something.
“How are you feeling?” He asks, thinking about the three hour nap Michael has just woken up from.
Michael scoffs, slipping his hand from the mark on his chest, up to cup his face, carefully drawing their faces close enough so they can kiss.
“Like I have the love of my life in my arms and nothing else in the universe matters.”
#roswell new mexico#malex#malex fic#notso writes fanfic#cannot wait for monday to toss all my speculation out the window
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Really? You can’t think of ANYTHING? Don’t worry worstie, I got you
A non-comprehensive list of bad things m*ria has done:
Made snide comments about the way Michael looked and smelled and constantly derides him to his face and to others, when she is supposed to be empathetic and “intuitive” about the true nature of people not just what they appear on the surface, as well as knowing him in high school and surely heard the roomers about him being homeless so comments about him smelling like a river are particularly meanspirited
Continued to go after Michel even when she knew Alex was still in love with him AND hopeful about things working out, and after she promised Alex she wouldn’t
Admits that she’s pursuing Michael to be selfish which she thinks she deserves, even though she knows she’s not just being selfish but she’s actively hurting someone she claims to care about while also using someone else as a way to boost her ego
Got huffy when Michael didn’t respond to her advances at his brother-in-law’s funeral when he showed up drunk and was clearly not doing okay
Told Michael they were in a non-exclusive, trial basis “thing” for her but he had to be exclusive and play dutiful boyfriend
Made comments about being surprised Michael was “housetrained” and having zero reaction or empathy when he tried to open up about his rough teen years, only saying she’d never heard him talk that much
Constantly talked down to Michael and reminded him he was never going to be good enough to meet her mom
Made Michael not telling her a secret that was not just his to tell and literally a matter of life or death into being all about her and refused to speak to him because of it
Drug Alex into doing all the emotional labor for her in her relationship with Michael because she couldn’t be bothered to use her “intuition” to see Michael is more than her worst assumptions, while ALSO knowing that Alex was still in love with Michael
Nearly gets Alex, Michael, and herself killed because she refused to listen to Alex the military strategist
The whole of That Scene
Also that episode and her talk in the truck with Alex which was bad enough in itself but knowing she went after Michael who was important to Alex followed by the next season with her going after Alex’s brother and now going after someone close to Michel it’s certainly a disturbing pattern
Made rude comments to Michael about being lazy and drinking his time away when we were just told that a) he hadn’t been around the Pony and b) it was already said he’d been working really hard and trying to better himself and his relationship with Max and Isobel
Made rude comments to Michael about if him and Alex were getting married yet and acted hurt about it like THEY did something wrong when she was the one who broke up with Michael (after ruining the “hope” she knew Alex was having about Michael) and she knew full well Alex had been gone all year and was seeing Forrest
Jumped off a roof to try and see a vision to make herself feel better knowing full well that a) someone could see Max using his powers because it was the middle of the day and b) that using his powers to save her would very likely kill Max as both he and his doctor stated as she was getting ready to do it, and she did it anyway because addressing her possible guilt was more important than Max being killed and Kyle having to stand by and watch it happen
Was incredibly rude to Michael who also risked their secret being exposed in broad daylight to save her
Got Kyle to risk his job at the hospital, his medical license, career, and reputation to steal her adrenaline just so she wouldn’t try to kill Max again, even though apparently being mildly startled by a spider super common to the NM desert she has lived in all her life was enough to do the trick
Continued patterns of self-harm putting her life, the lives of others and the alien secret in jeopardy and allowing Kyle, Michael, and Liz to run themselves ragged with worry over her and working on a “cure” when Michael had already made her something to stop the brain damaging effects, all she had to do was wear it and not use her powers UNTIL they could come up with something. But she refused and her condition got worse forcing them all to work harder to find a cure
Which was also disrespectful to her mom who gave up her own brain-protecting necklace to help save m*ria’s mind and she gave all that up to keep using her powers which ended up not actually doing anything to help anyone with any of the major plot points since the vision plot ultimately went nowhere and Michael was already being looked for and was in his own bunker at his own home so he wasn’t hard to track down
She drug other people into staying in her mind to fight Jones so she could get information which they already had access to inside the Lockhart Machine, and the files on that project that Alex was currently working on
She was only stuck in her mind because she went after Jones with no backup even though her boyfriend was with her and had military training and could have helped or kept her from doing something dangerous and getting caught by Jones
LITERALLY JUST THIS EPISODE, lied to Kyle and stole an EpiPen from his go-bag which a) could be an issue if he needs it and it’s not there because SHE STOLE IT, and b) by lying about her side effects and making new ones up, she is compromising the work Liz and Kyle are doing because they now have incomplete and inaccurate data
#roswell nm#roswell spoilers#anti maria deluca#since apparently the writers couldn't think of anything??#babes we have receipts!#someone PLEASE save my boy dallas from this nonsense#we already lost greg we can't lose another one to this mess
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Roswell New Mexico - Season 4, Episode 10
I just...really miss Alex. I know they couldn’t hold things up for just one person or whatever but I wish they’d waited on filming some of this stuff until he was available. Sigh.
Like okay at the very least, half the episode was about making some kind of progress to getting to where Alex is. I appreciate that. And Michael FINALLY GOT TO BE PROACTIVE AND GO THROUGH THE PORTAL TO GET HIM BACK. THANK GOD!!!
I also appreciate Kyle Valenti, current Captain of the Malex ship, showing up to help Michael. I feel like we haven’t really acknowledged Alex and Kyle’s friendship since like early season three before Alex joined Deep Sky and I’ve missed it. So at least we had Kyle and Michael working together to find Alex. That’s nice and needed.
I still can’t say I really care much about Maria’s part in all of this unless it is going to actually lead to her finding out that Theo is somehow her dad and Dallas her brother or something because otherwise she’s kind of once again a spare part/plot device in the Malex story and she as a character has always deserved better than that. So I hope there’s more for her in this than just that. Like...Bonnie can be a plot device but Maria really shouldn’t be.
I’m glad Michael is with Dallas now though because I have really liked the bits of their growing relationship that we’ve gotten to see this season so hopefully the last three episodes can deliver on that as well as a Malex reunion...for the love of god give me the Malex reunion. But also I hope Dallas really gets some closure about his father out of all of this too.
I liked the couple of Kybel crumbs we got in there and their awkward hug. But I need the show to really get back to that.
Still glad to have Rosa around in whatever capacity we have her in and that she’s the one who gets to give out all the sage advice this season. That’s fun for her.
But oh my god do I not care about Liz and her conflict anymore. I’m so tired of it. I’m so tired of her and Max and this nonsense. This all or nothing Liz is killing me. I wasn’t a big fan of “Just a girl from Roswell” Liz and I’m not a fan of “Alien Mist Addict Evil Science” Liz either. Just find some balance girl. Maybe Isobel should be helping her at Woman is Warrior because I’m just super over it. I miss season one Liz.
Now...plot stuff...I mean...who even knows at this point.
Now we’ve got portals. This really has turned into the final season of the 100. I swear if they all ascend into glowy balls of light at the end of the season, I will riot. But also...we still don’t know what the Alighting is. Is it this portal? I’m so confused. Also, if they want to get to Oasis, wouldn’t there have to be a partial console and a rock circle there too? Is there? I just don’t understand what Jones/Clyde etc are trying to actually do. And Tesca is being absolutely useless and giving us no answers. I mean what? Does she now not know what the Alighting is? I just want someone to tell me what the fuck the Alighting is. This is worse than fucking Deep Sky.
I mean I’m glad we’ve finally brought the console full circle. We’ve seen what it was meant for. That’s cool. But I need the rest of the answers. What was the blue flame for. What did Tesca/Jones need Max and Liz for? For that matter, was Alex really part of some contingency plan or was it just a convenient way to get rid of him for the whole season? Will they even attempt to make it make sense? Have they drafted Alex in the fucking Pocket Dimension/costco Upside Down to do some alien computer hacking/engineering to try and trigger the Alighting somehow??!?!! I don’t know anymore.
I JUST NEED SOME ANSWERS AT THIS POINT!
And the entire promo for next week was about fucking Liz and her mist addiction. More Rosa...yay...but uhh...I would like to know what’s going on with Michael and Dallas trying to find Alex through the looking glass okay. GIVE ME THAT!
I really just need Alex to be in more than just like...the last episode. They’re literally killing me. Could they not have thrown us a goddamn bone and filmed some extra scenes with Alex in the costco Upside Down to slot into the season so we would have some fucking idea of how he was doing? Ugh.
Also...I really need them to stop with the fucking Harry Potter references. Enough already!
Oh, and Tesca being all “the ones you call Louise, Nora and Theo”....You all call them Louise, Nora and Theo! You were in the stupid pods all that time, how did you even know? Did they all just like sit around Oasis before getting on that ship and decide what their Earth!Names were going to be before they went or something? I just...I can’t.
Sigh...I need someone to like...give me a count of how many minutes Alex will be in the final episodes of this season just so I can appropriately set my expectations. Because at this point, I don’t even expect to see Michael and Dallas etc next week, let alone Alex.
OH oh oh! Right. ANOTHER THING!! Wasn’t Kyle going on some road trip with Eduardo to find Ally Meyers?!?!? So are we really only going to see OG Liz in Liz’s mindscape coma mist dream?! Like...did Kyle meet her? Did she give him that box? What?! Tell me! Is she going to show up randomly at the end of the season to stop her insane wife and contribute something to this story? Also...the way I do not care about Shivani and her daughter at this point. None of this is relevant to the alien story at this stage and I don’t know why it’s still a story being told.
Sigh....I just want Alex back and for someone to tell me what the Alighting is and for no one to ascend into balls of light leaving behind glowy groot statues. Can I just have that please?!
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Do You Dream About Me?
I can't believe my first RNM Post Finale Fic is Echo, but… this is for all my mutuals who are Echo Shippers. ❤️ (Mentions of Malex & Kybel)
At first Liz didn't know where she was. She was standing by a cliff face from which a small waterfall emerged to fill a pool of water at her feet. Despite that, all around her, unfamiliar vegetation was dying. There was a tall tree by the pool that looked familiar, though it was suffering as well - leaves spotted and decaying.
Then a wave of blue energy suddenly emerged from the distance, and as it passed through the area around her the landscape changed. The vegetation transformed, growing healthy - though still unrecognizable. It was when the blue wave healed the tree and it filled with familiar looking fruit that it finally hit her.
This was a dream. She was dreaming about Oasis.
There were three similar trees in Michael and Alex's backyard - she recognized the leaves now. Those were only saplings though. Spindly little things that had produced flowers, but no fruit yet. While Walt had told them what Nora and Louise had been capable of with plants, Michael had forbidden power use on the little trees. Loudly proclaimed they could try with a few of the remaining seeds if they wanted, but his carefully grown saplings were not to be touched.
There was one attempt by the other aliens to make a tree grow instantly from the carefully harvested seeds of the fruit that had allowed Dallas and Max to go to Oasis. It had been a spectacular failure. That had been a year ago, on the anniversary of their departure.
Two years. The Liz from all those years ago who had returned to Roswell would have run six months after Max left. She wasn't the same person anymore. The universe could pry her faith in Max from her cold dead hands.
In the dream she let herself wander around the pool of water; glanced up at the alien sky above.
“This is a sight for sore eyes.”
Liz turned at the voice, heart full and broken all at once. Of course, her mind wouldn't conjure up Oasis without conjuring up Max right alongside it. “Max.”
Max crossed the space between them to pull her into his arms. “I've missed you. Feels a bit like dying every day, being away from you.”
“Yeah, it does.” Liz felt tears fill her eyes. Wondered if she was crying in her sleep. “Stay away much longer, and I'm gonna have to hunt down my runaway groom.”
Max laughed, stepping back. “Yeah?”
“Michael says some trees produce fruit in their third year, so one more year and we might just have fruit.”
“Michael is growing fuel trees?” Max seemed amused. He would be, she thought. This conversation felt so real.
“Michael has a whole garden. He grows vegetables, Max. And he cans them. Rosa makes me send her jars of his tomatoes.”
“I'm going to give him so much shit for getting all domestic while I was gone.”
“You better.” She was waiting for the dream to fade. Max took her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingers. “This feels so real.”
Max froze, and then a small teasing smile crept up his face. “Do you dream about me a lot?”
“Are you telling me you don't dream about me, Max Evans?”
“Constantly.”
The words made her smile. Best dream ever. “I'm not going to want to wake up.”
“Well, I need you to. Cuz I'm coming back. Tonight.”
Liz groaned. “Now this dream is being mean.”
“Liz, this isn't a dream.” Max told her.
“Of course, you'd say that - you're part of the dream.”
“No, I mean… this is a dream - obviously. But I'm not.”
The dream wasn't fading, and Liz took a moment to look around - the Oasis landscape had that dreamy quality she might expect from a dream. But Max seemed clearer. “How is that possible?”
“It's a mix of astral projection, lucid dreaming, and entering someone's mindscape.” Max explained. “It takes a lot of energy to do at this distance. And I didn't have the energy to spare for a long time. There's been so much going on. I have so much to tell you.”
Her mind races through the possibilities. “How do I know this is real?”
“Ask me something.”
“But if this is a dream, anything I know - you know.”
“Ask me something you don't know.”
“But how-”
“Ask me something Iz would know. Call her when you wake up.”
“You're really putting me on the spot here.” Liz wracked her brain. “Wait, freshman year. Did Kyle and her really play Seven Minutes of Heaven at Hanna Morgan’s party?”
“What? Did they? I don't know!”
“Well, darn, I really wanted to tease them if it was true.”
“Of all the questions, that's what you pick? Why would I know?”
“She's your sister. Shouldn't you know?”
“I can tell you the reason we were at Hanna Morgan’s party was because it was our birthday, and it was Isobel’s turn to choose what we did.” Max offered instead.
“Nowhere near as much fun, but something I didn't know. If this is real.”
“It is real.”
“You'd say that even if this was just a dream.”
“I can't wait to marry you.”
Liz felt herself smile. “You'd definitely say that in a dream, too.”
Max laughed. “Call Iz. I'll see you tonight.”
He released her hand and stepped back. Liz resisted the urge to snatch the hand back. “I love you, Max.”
Dream or not, she wanted to say it. A thousand times over.
“I love you, Liz.”
Liz woke up to the sound of her alarm. She groaned, burying her head in her pillow for a minute. It was just a dream, she reminded herself. It was Bonnie and Heath’s turn to play portal watcher today. They had a rotating schedule. Alex had set up a parameter alarm that would go off if anyone entered or exited the direct area at night.
She hit the off button on the alarm.
It was just a dream.
She dialed Isobel’s number.
“If there isn't an emergency, I am hanging up.”
“Ah, so Kyle's there. Hi, Kyle!” Liz grinned. Two years had taught her the only time Isobel wasn't a morning person was when Kyle spent the night and gave her a reason to stay in bed.
“He’s hiding under the pillow.” Isobel told her. She heard a murmur she couldn't catch through the phone.
“No, he's not.”
“Mentally he is. Anyhow, what makes you call-”
“Freshman year, did you, Michael, and Max attend Hanna Morgan’s party because it was your birthday and it was your turn to pick what you three did?”
“Wait, what?” Isobel sounded confused.
Liz felt her heart fall. She’d really thought... “Sorry, Isobel, I thought it was real. Stupid, I know.”
“Thought what was real? Liz, how did you know that?”
The words made her heart speed up. “Wait, it's true?”
“Yes, it's true. But what the hell brought it up at 7:30 in the morning?”
“It was real. Shit, Isobel. It was really Max.”
“Max? What about Max?”
Liz felt a smile light her face. “Max is coming home.”
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SANDERS AND SON! SON! I FEEL VINDICATED. DAD SANDERS FOR THE WIN! Ok, sorry for screaming, but this could at least give you the idea of the inhuman squeal I let out when I read it. My dog ran to me all worried and when I reassured him I was alright, he was *not convinced* and decided it was cuddle time! So picture this: big adorkable furball cuddling me while I read Sanders thinking /idiot/ at Alex and Michael freaking out in the back. Isn't this perfect. My dog and I stan dad!Sanders. Always <3
Dad!Sanders for the win indeed- best part of season 2, and he's only gotten better and better in season 3 and 4. Anyway, this story just hit 20k this morning, and in honor of such a sweet ask here's a peak at the end of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2.
[make sure your dog is prepared] 💖 Previously here with links to the other parts
****
He flipped the sign on the door to ‘Sorry We’re Closed’ and scowled at Michael. “What the hell was that, kid?”
Michael used his telekinesis to flip it back to ‘We’re Open’ out of desperation to avoid the conversation. It was probably pointless, but he had to try. For a genius, he was a real dumbass. “I don’t know what you’re talking about-”
Walt glared and flipped it back, and then slapped his hand against the sign to keep it in place. “Do not make me get creative with that pollen. Or worse, I’ll call Miss Isobel here. Bet she’d be real interested in that whole scene. I got no qualms lettin’ her poke around my head and see for herself-”
“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you, but I’m not doing it without a drink, and we finished off the bourbon here after that dumbass militia tried to commission us to make them super-special badges.” That had been a real shitshow, and while Michael wasn’t a snitch, he did pick up the phone to report that attempt to Max and the new Sheriff. Their shop windows were spray-painted for a few nights in retaliation, but it was a small price to pay for having a bunch of entitled rednecks playing at being police. The police themselves were already bad enough.
“You’ll buy, but I’ll drive.”
****
The sun was just beginning to set as Walt drove them home from the Wild Pony. The story of Alex had taken only two shots of whiskey, laid out over the battered green felt of the pool table and a game of nine-ball. Michael had kept his voice low to discourage eavesdroppers as he told Sanders every ugly detail, still mindful of Alex’s wishes for secrecy.
He had spilled the story of the guitar and living in Alex’s shed as a senior in high school, brushing off Walt’s insistence he could have stayed more nights at the junkyard. Every night even. Then he had finally explained his hand, a story that he had only told once before. Max had tried over the years, and had actually gotten close to getting Michael to explain one night after Noah had trapped them both in his bunker, but Kyle and Liz had rescued them before the truth had come out.
Sanders had gripped his own pool cue tightly, as he watched Michael balance his stick with his ruined grip and touch of telekinesis, all thanks to Jesse Manes, before making a successful shot at the solid 3 ball. For a moment, Michael had thought the man would break his own cue, but he had just cussed creatively before pounding a shot of Jim Beam down and gesturing for Michael to continue. And Michael had.
The summer of loss, of fights, of learning that university wasn’t going to be in the cards for him if he had any hope of keeping what had happened to Isobel from happening again.
“We’re aliens, Walt, I thought maybe my species murdered when we got triggered out of some sort of biological defense system, like there are ants who explode with poison when threatened, or like this toad spits blood out of its eyes. I had no one to ask! I just felt like if I went away to school, she’d get triggered again- and people would die.”
“What are you, a zoologist?”
Michael had rolled his eyes before Sanders had finished with a scathing observation, “That’s clearly horseshit because wouldn’t you have killed that sonuvabitch Manes a whole lot sooner if it were true?”
Hindsight about Noah was of course 20-20, but that hadn’t stopped the years of fear for Michael. The bitterness had rich, fertile ground to seed itself in after a life of being passed from one foster home to another and in between the pain in his hand and the difficulty of making ends meet after the financial crash of 2008, he acknowledged that he had done too much drinking and fighting back then. Enough to worry a boy from a house where ‘things sucked’ and had spoken fondly of homelessness in return. With shame in his eyes, Michael had explained how he had engineered his arrest the day Alex was due to leave for Basic Training. One last push to ensure Alex never looked back. He hadn’t felt worthy of love, of any soft touch, and he hadn’t trusted that it would last. He still had a hard time trusting it currently.
Walt had made a humming noise, and sank his target neatly, despite the eye patch. His next shot would have won, ending the game and maybe the story. Without even trying, he had scratched the cue ball and had turned over the table to Michael with ease. “So you wanted to make sure he left, but you also didn’t want him to leave? Yeah, that sounds like stupid teenager logic.”
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I suggested the tipsy Alex fic and LOVED it! Thank you!!
Any chance you would write a tipsy Michael story? I just love when they are carefree and openly loving one another, and thought this could be a fun companion piece to your other fic 💛
Thank you so much nonny! This was a lot of fun!
Series: To Make You Feel My Love
Title: I Could Hold You For A Million Years
Rating: Teen
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Relationship: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Summary: Alex wanted a double bachelor's party, but Michael didn't. At least not in the beginning.
It was Alex’s idea to have a double bachelor’s party, but Michael had insisted that would defeat the purpose. This was supposed to be their last single night. They ought to spend it being single. Within reason, of course. So Alex was at the Wild Pony with Maria, Liz, Rosa, Kyle, Gregory, Mimi, and a couple of his buddies from the Air Force singing karaoke.
Michael, on the other hand, was losing badly at poker at Max and Liz’s place with Max, Isobel, Dallas, Heath, Sanders, and Arturo. And he was bored. He’d had a couple of glasses of whiskey and a couple of beers, but this night wasn’t exactly going the way he’d hoped. In fact, it looked like only Sanders and Arturo were having fun because they were the ones who kept winning.
“Hey, what’s on your mind, you don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself.” Isobel leaned over to ask as they both made their way to the bar that was set up in the kitchen. They’d just finished another sad round and Arturo was telling everyone about upgrading his payment system at the diner thanks to them.
“I miss Alex, and I’m losing, and I’m bored. And I miss Alex.” He told her.
She was pouring them shots of tequila, which worked for him, and as she handed his off to him she said, “Well, it’s your party, we can do whatever you want.”
Bless her, she was right. “You Isobel, are a gentleman and a scholar. A lady and a scholar.” He took his shot and then headed for the living room on a mission.
“Guys, let’s go sing karaoke!”
Sanders and Arturo decided to go to their respective homes with their winnings, but not before telling Michael they would see him at the wedding the next weekend. Max, Isobel, Heath, and Dallas were all game though and so they headed to the Pony in an Uber because none of them were sober enough to drive.
Michael did sober up a bit on the ride over thanks to Isobel’s sage advice about everyone taking a water bottle with them, but he was still pretty tipsy when they got there. Liz was singing Kiss Me and Maria was up on a chair with a lighter. Everyone was singing along so they all joined in when they walked up.
“Michael Guerin as I live and breathe!” Alex said afterward. He threw his arms around Michael’s neck and laughed. “What happened to your one last night of being a bachelor without me?”
“It sucked,” Michael told him and then he laughed because Alex had been right to suggest a joint party after all.
“Well, we’re just getting warmed up, so why don’t you sing us something?” Alex asked.
Michael immediately took a seat. “I haven’t had quite enough to drink yet.” He said with a sideways grin.
“Here you go!” Maria said as she brought everyone a round of shots. “This should help.”
Thankfully Rosa got up next and sang Bitch so he didn’t have to yet.
“So Mikey, is this better than losing all your money to my dad?” Liz asked as she took a seat next to him.
Michael swiped a hand over the back of his neck in embarrassment. “How do you know about that?”
“He almost always wins.” She shrugged.
“Sanders does too apparently, the two of them were taking everyone for all they had,” he told her.
Liz laughed. “Well, I’m glad you’re here now and I know Alex is, though I feel a little bad about it, I probably should have warned you.”
Michael raised his eyebrows at her. “Ya think?” He just laughed though because it had been his dumb idea and no one else’s.
They clapped for Rosa and Maria and Mimi got up and sang Desperado which Michael thought felt a little pointed, especially since Maria pointed at him twice, but he laughed it off. It was all in good fun, he knew. Alex was laughing his ass off so that’s what mattered anyway.
More tequila and it was time for Max and Liz to sing I Got You, Babe. Which was almost too cute for Michael’s taste, but he figured he had a lot of nerve thinking that considering what he was thinking of singing for Alex.
Alex’s airmen buddies sang Livin’ on a Prayer with Gregory and everyone took more shots while Kyle sang Can't Help Falling in Love. Isobel brought her shot to Michael and made him take it while she plotted what she was going to sing for Kyle.
“It’s gotta be good, ya know?” She said flipping through the little booklet.
“I know exactly what you mean,” Michael said as he sat the shot glass down.
“You still trying to impress a certain soldier? I think he’s pretty smitten, don’t you?” She asked.
Michael shrugged. “I could say the same about your doctor.”
“Fine, help me out then. I’ve got it down to two, but I don’t know which is better.” She admitted.
Michael leaned forward. “Which two?”
“Take My Breath Away or Something to Talk About.” She huffed a sigh.
“Oh, it has to be Something to Talk About,” Michael said with a laugh.
Isobel narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. “Why exactly?”
“With our group? You know there’s so much gossip, our group would cease to exist without it.” He laughed again and this time Isobel joined in. Alex came over having heard their laughter asked what was so funny.
“Just the way news travels in our group,” Michael told him, pulling him down for a swift kiss.
Everyone loved Isobel’s song which pleased Michael and she and Kyle even kissed afterward which warmed his heart. Then it was time for Alex to get up and sing. He chose Hey Ho by The Lumineers and Michael was riveted. Isobel even said something to him, but he couldn’t hear her, he only heard Alex. How was he supposed to get up and follow that performance, he wondered.
Thankfully Dallas and Heath got up to sing Don’t Stop Believing which pretty much had everyone on their feet, but then it really and truly was Michael’s turn.
He took one last shot of tequila, for courage, he told Isobel, and then he headed for the stage. Maria typed in his song’s number for him since he’d never used a karaoke machine before, and then she passed him the microphone. It was silly to be nervous, but he’d never sung for a group before, never really sung anything important in front of Alex, and well, now he was singing what he considered their song.
When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love
The first thing he noticed was that all of the talking died down immediately and then he locked eyes with Alex and no one else mattered.
When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love
Michael sang his heart out, quite literally, and if his eyes welled up a bit before the end of the song, well so did Alex’s so it didn’t matter. Everyone clapped when the song ended, but it only mattered to him that Alex had heard it, and Alex knew what it meant to both of them.
The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. He knew he and Alex hung onto each other like the lovesick fools they were. There was food at one point, pizza with plenty of cheese and carbs to help soak up the liquor, and Maria cut them all off sometime around one in the morning. Most everyone decided to stay and sleep in the booths but they called the one nearby Uber driver back and had him take Alex and Michael home.
Back at the apartment, they stumbled in together and flopped back on their bed. “Did you really sing Adele to me?” Alex asked with a yawn.
“I did,” Michael told him, and he leaned over and kissed Alex’s cheek.
“I think that’s our song now. We should dance to it at the reception.” Alex told him.
Michael sat up and tried his best to get his boots off before he passed out. “I think you’re right.”
“I love you, Michael Guerin, my soon-to-be husband,” Alex said softly, his eyes already closed.
“I love you too Alex Manes my soon-to-be husband, but you have to wake up and get undressed so we can go to bed.” Michael nudged him, but he didn’t budge.
Michael undressed him and carefully removed his prosthetic leaving it close to the bed and then coaxed Alex in under the covers before killing the lights and climbing in after him.
In one week, they would be married, he thought happily. Husbands, his mind supplied. And then he was drifting off to the soft sounds of Alex snoring lightly beside him.
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RNM SALT (like it’s a lot of salt. Don’t read if you are feeling good about the finale). Also fair warning it’s not that coherent.
I am disappointed. As a malex fan, it seems like I should be happy and I am happy for everyone that got the ending they were looking for. And if you asked me at the end of season 1 if I would be happy with a malex wedding I would have been so thrilled. But it just…hasn’t worked for me for a long time. The second half of season 3 and the malex aspects of season 4 felt like fan service. And giving a queer couple a happy ending is great, I just wish it felt earned and like a trajectory that made any sense. I am really sad that we never saw Michael and Alex truly be friends. I wish season 2 and the first half of season 3 were about them getting to know each other as adults, building trust and working together, even as they explored other relationships and pined for each other. Instead we got a lot of antagonism between them and then inexplicably they kissed midway through season 3. The lead up to that was odd. Michael supposedly thinks that at the start of season 3 it’s “their time”, but we have no idea why he feels that way and what happened over the year gap since Alex was apparently casually hooking up with Forrest for a year. Then they either didn’t interact or sort of yelled at each other. Then they were together and spouting various versions of their greatest hits at each other. Season 4, I get. They did what they could with the circumstances but because to me the season 3 reunion was so lackluster, it just didn’t hit for me the way I wanted it to.
And then echo. I’m not even an echo fan really. I love Liz and am like, echo neutral. But I have no fucking idea what the trajectory of echo is supposed to be. The central conflict in their relationship since season 2 has been about Liz’s ambition and reckless use of science, putting max and the other aliens at risk. And they kept like, sort of going there and then not having any consequences for her actions really, and then they turned it into this ill advised addiction thing, and then ??? Idk did nothing with it. And then max is leaving to go save an alien planet or whatever and Liz is staying behind and doing…what? Teaching a GED class? Doing more science? Working at the crashdown? But they are engaged? How is this a trajectory that makes any sense? They didn’t resolve anything. They didn’t really even lean into max accepting his alien powers when he’s always resisted them, he just like, did it out of obligation like he does everything else. Like many rnm plots it seems like they just threw a bunch of plots at the wall and the worst ones stuck.
I’ve complained about Kyle and isobel before. But like why would isobel not go to oasis with max? What is she gonna do now? Hang out with Kyle? Continue cringely appropriating other cultures by being a “sensei”?
And Maria is gonna what? Wait for Dallas? Stay with Greg? (Greg who?) Actually get to grieve her mom at some point? Liz AND Maria could’ve gone to oasis. Maria has been wanting to connect more to her powers and the alien aspects of herself. Liz could do more alien science. It wouldn’t have been a perfect ending, but better than this. Isobel could’ve gone too. Throw Kyle in as well for good measure if you must, since he didn’t get to do anything but pine after isobel this season anyways.
Ok so much salt. I am annoyed. But I will still be entirely grateful for this show for being a distraction in a bad time in my life and for bringing so many wonderful people into my life. I will write something later that is more positive. ❤️
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All I'll never know is if you want me
Michael is in love with his roommate and Isobel does some meddling. for @alexmanesappreciation
Warnings for mild sexual thoughts, but, otherwise, it’s pretty PG.
***
Michael is certain his roommate is going to be the death of him.
They met thanks to Michael’s college lab partner (and also Michael’s brother’s girlfriend), Liz Ortecho. And only because Max was leaving the apartment to move in with Liz. He still remembers her insisting, “You’ll love him, Mikey!”
The problem is that she was a little too right.
Alex is thoughtful and kind, immediately offering to share his guitar with Michael when he learns that Michael plays but doesn’t have one. He’s organized, always cleaning up after himself far better than Michael or Max ever had. And his sass never ceases to make Michael smile.
He also smells amazing, in a way that makes Michael want to bury his face in Alex’s neck and inhale. His easy affection only serves to leave Michael longing for more. And his hands… Well, he’s always wearing black nail polish and stacks of silver rings that draw attention to those long fingers and strong palms that leave Michael with thoughts of being held down and taken apart by him.
It’s not like Michael’s attraction to men is new to him. But Alex is his roommate. And that makes him off limits.
It’s not just that though.
Coming home to Alex every night, curling up on the couch with him while they watch TV, playing music with him, trying to explain his latest project to Alex, trying to understand Alex’s latest coding puzzle… It’s the first time in his life that Michael has felt like he truly belonged somewhere. Outside of Max and Isobel, anyway.
So he’s happy to have Alex in his life, however he can.
***
He’s just unlocking the door to his apartment one day, phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear as Isobel tells him all about the Thanksgiving dinner she has planned for them. She’s insisted that both Max and Michael travel to visit her, rather than her coming to visit them and, well, neither one of them has managed to figure out how to say no to her.
“And bring that boyfriend you’ve been hiding from me!” she demands just as he’s opened the door.
In his shock (and attempts to juggle everything), he drops the phone. So it’s a few seconds before he picks it back up again and manages to say, intelligently, “Huh?”
“Come on, Michael. Both Max and Liz have met him. You don’t have to keep hiding him from me!”
Michael is well aware that maybe it’s a problem that he knows exactly who she’s referring to. “I’m not-- We aren’t--”
“Please. You’ve been half in love with him since you met him. Oh, Isobel, he’s so funny. Oh, Isobel, he has the voice of an angel. Oh, Isobel, his smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Michael would argue, but the only thing she’s said that he could argue with is that he’s only half in love with Alex Manes.
“If you’re not dating, you need to put yourself out of your misery and ask him out. That’s all I’m saying,” she continues. “And invite him to come with you! We do have two guest bedrooms, after all. Plenty of room in one of them for you and Alex.”
Before he can say anything, she’s hung up.
“Was that Isobel?” Alex asks, from the kitchen, oblivious to Michael’s panic. “I bet she’s got a long list of things she expects you to bring.”
“Yeah, she wanted me to bring you,” Michael blurts out before he thinks.
“Really?” Alex looks surprised and, if Michael didn’t know any better, hopeful.
“Yeah, um, I know you’re probably busy and don’t want to--”
“I wouldn’t want to impose, but--”
“Wait, you’d want to go?” Michael asks.
“It’s not like I was planning on going to spend the long weekend with my family. And,” Alex blushes, ducks his head, “I don’t know, this place feels really empty when you’re not here.” He pauses before continuing, “I mean, I'm not exactly fond of Thanksgiving, and I know you were looking forward to some time with your siblings, but--”
“I’d love it if you came with me!”
“Really?” Alex looks unsure.
“Yeah. Will you be ready to leave after work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’ll get started packing after dinner.”
***
It's late when they reach Isobel's and she's quick to push drinks into their hands.
So it's only when Michael is staring across the far too small bed at Alex, whose t-shirt is stretched tightly over his obscenely muscular chest, that Michael realizes what a huge mistake he's made.
Apparently, he’s staring too long, because Alex offers, “I can sleep on the floor if it’s a problem.”
He looks like he’s trying to hide his hurt, and Michael can’t handle that, so he instantly reassures Alex, “It’s not a problem. I just…” He tries to think of a way to explain, a way that doesn’t involve him explaining that he’s been in love with Alex for a long time. “Isobel thinks we’re dating,” he admits instead.
Alex laughs as he climbs under the covers, “Yeah, Liz thinks the same thing.”
Michael joins him, forcing a laugh, “Apparently, two queer dudes can’t be friends.”
Alex’s expression is soft and warm when he says, “Or not just friends, anyway.”
Michael takes a breath, takes a chance, “What if I don’t want to be just friends?”
“You don’t?”
“I mean, I’m good with just being friends if that’s what you want and I’d rather just be friends than lose your friendship, but--”
Alex silences him by placing a hand on his jaw, waiting until Michael is silent, is paying attention, to lean in and press a kiss against his lips, a kiss that Michael enthusiastically returns.
***
The next morning, Isobel winks at Michael when she hands him his coffee. It’s only then when he notices that Max won’t look up from his own cup of coffee, that he’s not even looking at Liz as she’s talking about something new she’s working on.
To Michael’s surprise, Kyle pats him on the shoulder and says, “I’m happy for you, man.”
Alex comes into the room a moment later and grabs Michael’s coffee from him, taking a sip of it and, well, if it were anyone else, Michael would object, but then Alex is pressing a kiss to his cheek and he’s pretty sure the grin on his face is even bigger than the grin on Isobel’s. He’ll have to thank her for her meddling later. For now, he’s just going to enjoy having all his favorite people around him.
#alexweek21#alexappreciation21#roswell fic#rnm fic#malex fic#malex#roswell new mexico#michael guerin#i love (1) actual disaster#alex manes#actual cinnamon roll#protect him at all costs#michael x alex#otp: home can be a person#malex fanfiction#*myfic
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For the kisses prompts - #27 for Malex please 😘😘
27. desperate kisses
Michael is too busy feeling pure and unadulterated relief as he stares at Liz and Max and Isobel and even Kyle, all in a massive group hug, celebrating their success at finally getting rid of Jones, to notice that Alex is staring at him intently.
Michael tries to push all the happiness he feels at this moment at the forefront of his mind, trying to forget the price that he still hasn't paid, but the moment his eyes flicker over to Alex, to see that Alex is looking at him intently, he knows he's fucked.
Alex inhales sharply, eyes going wide at whatever look flashes across Michael's face before he looks away.
"What did you do, Guerin?" Alex's voice cuts through the happy chatter and demands attention and Michael is helpless against it.
He looks from Alex to everyone who seem to realize collectively there is something that they're missing.
"Alex-" he starts taking a step towards him, wanting to steer this conversation outside and away from prying eyes.
"No," Alex says, and he's still staring at Michael like he can divine the answer to his question if he looks hard enough. "You're going to tell me what you did so that I can fix it."
"There's nothing to fix," Michael says, moving closer, and feeling a stab of despair when Alex takes a matching step backwards. "I did what I had to do."
It's almost as though a wall falls over Alex's face, and Michael's despair gets even more potent.
Jones-his father- had promised him a week to say goodbye, and he'd been thinking about how to break the news to everyone gently, especially to Alex.
They were in such a good place right now. It felt amazing. Michael doesn't think that he's ever been happier. He doesn't think that he'll ever be as happy.
And he'd wanted to hold on to it for as long as he could.
"Look," he says, and moves fast enough that Alex doesn't have time to move back, placing a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Jones is gone. He's never going to bother us again. So can't we just celebrate that and then worry about the rest tomorrow?"
Alex blinks several times, eyes darting all over Michael's face.
"Why can't you just tell me what you did?" Alex asks, eyes growing bright. "The way that you're acting tells me it's bad Michael. I just want to help you."
"You can't," Michael says on an exhale, letting his hand fall from Alex's shoulder, knowing that he's going to have to tell Alex the truth, right now.
"What did you do?" Alex asks again, voice shaking like he knows exactly what Michael is going to say.
Michael exhales roughly, and pushes down the pain and hurt he can feel stuck right in his throat.
"Jones is leaving the planet, and he needs an engineer."
It doesn't take long for Alex to understand. He inhales sharply and shakes his head in denial.
"No," he says and his voice cracks and reeks of heartbreak.
"Alex," Michael says, moving forward.
"No," Alex says again, in exactly the same way, and then he's leaving, walking out of the bar as fast as he can.
Michael looks at the door as it closes behind him, and jumps when Isobel's voice rings in his head, in tandem with Liz's voice in his ears.
"Go after him," they both say, making Michael jump.
In his haste to soothe Alex, he'd forgotten that they weren't alone.
Michael looks back at the others and he sees some knowing faces and some still confused faces, but he still has a week to deal with that, and the further that Alex gets, the more likely Michael won't see him again.
He runs out the door, letting it swing shut behind himself.
He looks around and doesn't have to look far to spot Alex, who is leaning against the back of Michael's truck, face in his hands, shoulders shaking.
Michael makes it to him in record time, but before he can touch him, Alex is moving.
"Don't touch me," he says, backing away from Michael, and his face is red, and his eyes are bloodshot and there tears dripping down from his chin.
Michael's heart shatters into millions of pieces that makes it difficult to breathe, to think.
"I'm sorry," he says, hands clenched to his sides, wanting to move closer, but knowing that Alex won't accept the comfort right now. "Alex, I am so sorry. But I had to save him."
"I know," he responds. "I know how important Max is to you Michael. I've been doing everything that I can to help. We all have. You're not fighting alone."
"I know," Michael says, taking a step closer and trying not to drown in relief when Alex doesn't move away. "I just-"
"Needed to be a self sacrificing idiot," Alex says, and his voice would be mocking if it wasn't for the fact that he was still crying.
Michael just looks away from him, wanting to find the right words to say, but Alex talks again.
"Why can't you just let yourself be happy?" He demands.
"Alex," Michael tries to speak, but Alex talks over him.
"You are happy with me, aren't you?"
"Of course I am," Michael says, taking several more steps closer.
"And our relationship is good, isn't it?"
"It's better than good," Michael assures him, stopping when he's within arm's length of Alex.
Alex doesn't move but he tracks his movements like a predator.
"Then why are you giving it up?" He asks, sounding desolate, the words hitting Michael right in the stomach. "Why are you tearing us apart?"
Michael shakes his head, reaching for Alex, but Alex blocks his hands, not moving backwards but not ready for Michael to touch him.
"I-" Michael starts but he can't finish.
There is no explanation that he could give that would satisfy him. Michael had been given the choice and he'd jumped on it because nothing else was working and more and more people were dying, and he could save Max and protect everyone else.
It had been an easy choice, until he'd seen Alex and realized exactly what it meant.
"I love you," Alex says, the words coming out of his mouth in a sharp painful gasp. "Does that even matter to you at all?"
Michael feels horror, sweeping through him and leaving him cold. And he acts as the words stay stuck in his mouth unwilling to come out.
He digs his fingers into Alex's shoulders and tugs him forward. Alex collapses into his arms, wrapping his fingers in Michael's jacket and pushing his face into Michael's neck, a sob falling out of his mouth.
Michael wraps his arms around him tightly, almost too tight he's sure, but Alex is shaking like he's about to fall into tiny pieces right in Michael's hands and the only thing holding him together is Michael's touch.
Michael presses his face to the side of Alex's face, and presses a kiss high up on his cheek, breathing out shakily and struggling not to cry.
Alex jolts at the touch like it hurts, and before Michael can ask what's wrong, Alex is moving, but instead of getting out of Michael's arms, he moves in closer.
He presses his hands to Michael's face, fingers shaky and damp, and then he kisses him, a shuddering touch, too hard, and then another, and another, and another, each one brief and shaky.
Michael slides his hands to either side of Alex's neck, and he tilts his head and kisses him back.
Alex surges into the touch, desperate and wild, almost like a live wire in Michael's hands, digging his fingers harder against Michael's face and biting against his lips hard enough to draw blood.
Michael hisses at the pain, but Alex just pushes closer, kissing him harder and deeper, like he's chasing the metallic taste of the blood into Michael's mouth.
Michael eases away from the kiss after a few long moments, and Alex makes a sound like Michael is killing him.
Michael drops his forehead to Alex's, and just breathes.
"Don't go," Alex says in a hoarse whisper that Michael hears like a gunshot going off in his ears.
"We still have a week," he says, and Alex pulls away from him, blinking like he's confused.
"We still have a week, and you won't let me help you fix it?"
"If I renege on my word, he said he'll come after you," Michael admits in a low voice.
"I don't care," Alex says immediately. "If I can find a way to get you out of this, I will do it."
"No," Michael says, shaking his head. "Not at the expense of your life."
"I don't care," Alex says again. "He can have my life if he wants it. If you're not going to be here, I'd rather be dead."
"Don't say things like that," Michael bites out, pushing in close again and looking Alex directly in the eyes.
"I can't live without you," Alex says, eyes shining bright but resolute. "I'm going to try and fix this, and if I die trying then at least I won't have to go on without you."
"Stop talking like that," Michael demands. "Stop talking as though your death wouldn't be the end of me too."
"Then stay with me, and we won't have any problems."
Michael closes his eyes, "Alex."
"It's one thing if you don't want me, Guerin. If you don't love me. If you leave because you're not happy. If you think our relationship was another mistake and we should've never tried again.
"But don't for one moment believe that I will let you go willingly if it's not what you really want."
And Michael, Michael can't. He can't.
He knew from the moment he made the deal that the hardest person to say goodbye to was going to be Alex. Because he knew that Alex wasn't going to let him go without a fight.
Michael sways forward, and Alex catches him easily, pressing their foreheads together as he breathes in shuddering breaths.
"Okay," he says in a low, low voice. "Help me fix this."
Alex wraps his arms around Michael's waist and holds him tight, "Always."
#malex fic#malexprompts2021#idk what this is but it jumped into my head and demanded to be written#hope you like it 🖤#slightly angsty but i make it better??
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Hi Rin! Love your fics! I just saw this and thought of Malex “Last night my boyfriend and I got into a fight and I told him to get what's his and leave. He picked me up and walked out the door.” Thought it would be a cute fic idea if you get inspired. Anyway, thanks for all you do for the fandom!
***
Michael had been drunk when he’d done it, but he was convinced that, drunk or not, he would’ve done it anyway.
They had just been having a few beers at Max’s house, Alex’s head on Michael’s shoulder and engulfing him in his flowery vanilla scent. Michael turned one too many times to press kisses to Alex’s forehead, and Max shook his head.
“That’s so weird,” he muttered.
Michael settled into the couch, carefully putting an arm around Alex’s shoulders to keep him warm. “What is?”
Max nudged his chin at Alex. “I didn’t really think he ever slept.”
“My tough Air Force captain,” Liz shook her head, her smile soft. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him blush around anyone but you either.”
“Which makes him my Air Force captain,” Michael said with a jealous edge, pulling Alex closer in against him.
“Yeah,” Max scoffed before finishing his drink, “that’s not possessive.”
“Never said I wasn’t,” Michael said airily, closing his eyes to the feel of Alex’s hair against his cheeks and jaw, breathing him in. So quietly that neither Max nor Liz could’ve heard, he breathed out, “I love you I love you I love you I love you.”
“Hm?” Alex opened his eyes, straightening. “Crap,” he murmured, rubbing his eyes, “did I fall asleep?”
“Hey, you’re fine,” Max said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder. “You guys want to take the guestroom tonight?”
“No, no, thanks,” Alex murmured, running a weary hand through his hair. “I have work early tomorrow, all my stuff’s back at home.”
“Come on, handsome,” Michael kissed his cheek, grabbing Alex’s jacket. “I’ll drive.”
“You’re drunk,” Alex sighed, holding his hand out for the keys. “I’ll drive.”
Michael grinned. “I love it when you take charge.”
Alex chuckled, shaking his head, and to Max and Liz, warned, “I love him, don’t say a word.”
Max scoffed, but patted Alex’s shoulder. To Michael, he just gestured at his keys with the alien keychain and said, “Michael, don’t forget your things like last time.”
Michael, who was staring at Alex with a slight haze, only smiled and said, “Okay.” And without another word, came up behind Alex, and picked him up in his arms.
“Whoa!” Alex gasped, wrapping his arms around Michael’s shoulders. “Guerin!”
“What?” Michael nuzzled his jaw. “I’m taking my things.”
Alex laughed, awake now and more than a little breathless. “Put me down, asshole!”
“I love your laugh so much,” Michael said dreamily, and kissed Alex’s neck. “Let me just carry you home. I don’t mind.”
“Put me down!”
“I like holding you.”
“Max!” Alex complained, even as he laughed, and Michael held him tighter, eager to bottle that sound and keep it forever.
“I’m puttin’ him down, don’t touch him,” Michael murmured with a glance at his exasperated brother and a cooing Liz. He did, however, also cling to Alex’s arm and kiss his shoulder, though in his defense, he really was too drunk to walk steadily. And also, Alex smelled really, really good, and felt even better.
“Okay,” Alex grabbed the keys, his cheeks still red, “now I know it’s time to leave. Come on, cowboy.”
Michael kissed his shoulder blade this time as he took his hand, throwing a wave over his shoulder to his brother and Liz, and somewhere behind him, Liz said, “See, that’s even weirder to me.”
“What is?” Max asked.
“Seeing Michael so . . . in love.”
***
I deviated a bit, hope it’s okay.
#alex manes#michael guerin#malex#malex fic#roswell new mexico#roswell nm#tyler blackburn#michael vlamis
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so......... i wrote something about malex after 3x07 like a total loser, pls take this as proof of me being the most untalented person alive ENJOY!!!
:////
Alex finally texted everyone to let them know he found Kyle and he was ok. "In a coma, but ok."
Michael and Liz showed up half an hour later to check on them. Liz rushed in to Kyle's bed carrying some medical tools she brought to try and run some tests. She had the usual worried expression on her face, but the relief in just seeing the sight of Kyle was apparent. Michael stood by the entrance of the barn, letting himself breathe in relief too.
Alex came closer, hesitant, his hands tucked inside the pockets of his jacket.
"Why is Kyle in a barn in the middle of the desert? And also, since we are on this topic, how the hell did you find him?" Michael asked, worry and fear disguised as anger, as usual.
Alex almost regretted texting him. He didn't want to put anyone in danger, specially Michael, who is known for running head in into danger. But he knew he needed help, and Michael had been offering it for a long time.
"Yeah, I know, we need to talk."
-----------------
"You're working on a machine that's killing you??" Michael yelled, standing up.
They are outside the barn, Alex sitting in a tree trunk. Liz still inside, talking to an unconscious Kyle.
Alex scoffed. "I just told you I'm working for yet another organization that may be targeting aliens and that's what got your attention?"
"Well, aparently there's always some organization targeting us. I honestly don't know how we managed to escape becoming lab rats for this long." Michael holds back the usual sarcastic smirk, and after a second, he looks down. "But yeah, of course I am worried about you, because you've been keeping all these secrets."
Now it's Alex's turn to look away, unable to hold Michael's stare and explain that if something were to happened to him, Alex would never forgive himself. He glances at Michael's covered left hand.
"I'm fine." Alex finally says. He looks over to the barn. "And I think I can find a way to help Kyle. But I need your help."
Michael doesn't say anything, the expression on his face implying that Alex didn't even need to ask.
------------
Alex is driving the car, forcibly grabbing the steering wheel, his knuckles pale white. Michael notices it but doesn't say anything.
The plan, or... something resembling a plan, is to get the Lockhart machine. Something in the files caught Alex's attention and he realized that with an alien engineer, they could find out something helpful.
Michael looked outside the window, thinking about too many things. The machine's dangerous radiation emission, Alex's evasive behaviour the other day, Max missing, his fucking dad, Kyle and Maria both in a coma and nothing he could do about it. He closed his eyes.
"You know, when I found out about you being an alien, I was so scared of what that could mean. There was already so much going on between us." Alex broke the silence, as if he could read Michael's cloudy mind. "Kyle was the one who convinced me to just... talk to you." pause. "He said I was treating it like a confrontation. War."
"Yeah, you do that a lot." Michael replied.
"I know... I just- I don't know how to talk to you." Alex kept his eyes on the road.
"I guess that makes two of us." Michael breathes in. "Stop the car." He says.
"What? No."
"Alex, stop the car or I will."
Having no other choice, Alex stepped on the brakes, getting off the road. Michael opened the door and got out, leaning on the side of the truck.
Alex sighs, still on the seat, hands on the wheel. "Why are we always running away from each other?" He says, mostly to himself.
"Just to be pulled back again." Michael adds. "Get out of the car, I need to say something."
He waits, unsure. Alex stands up in front of him, both separated by the car.
"I don't know how to make you understand. I have been in love with you for amost half my life now. And I'm here. You can talk to me. I want you to talk to me. It's not war."
Michael doesn't know what else to say, words don't come easy for him. But he thinks about everything he has lost and everything that's crumbling right now, and all he knows is that he doesn't want to lose Alex too.
Alex looks away and doesn't say anything for what feels like eternity for both of them. Just as Michael is about to give up and get back in the car, Alex shouts "I love you. Present tense. Never stopped. And I know this isn't enough but... I want to talk to you too." And as simples as that, that's a start. Their start.
Michael's look almost makes Alex forget every single thing that's been weighing on his back for years.
And for a moment, for both of them, there's no pain.
"So... let's save our friends?" Michael asks, the smirk back on his face.
Alex nods, his lips on a smile too. "Just get in the car, Guerin."
#bitch............. this sucks ass!!!!! have never written anything good in my entire life im so sorry beloved mutuals that are seeing this#anywayyyyyy#roswell new mexico#rnm fanfic#malex fic#malex#literally fuckkkk!!!!!! sighhhhh
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