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azusaluvclub · 2 months ago

Note

Hello it’s me again uwu because I have no sense of boundaries and I love your writing for The Boys ™️ 😔🤠 [sad yeehaw]

can I please request the eungang + ranking union stinkers: how they would act if their crush made the first bold move?

hi!! thank you for the request! it means a lot that you like my writing, i really appreciate it <3

this was really interesting to write, especially for the union boys lol- also, some headcanons are longer than others, just based on how many ideas i had for each character. regardless, hope you enjoy :D

gender neutral as always~

weak hero reactions; you make the first move

eunjang —

gray yeon / yeon sieun

⋆ Sieun had liked you for weeks now. You sat in front of him at cram school, yet he hadn't noticed you until recently when you'd asked him to help with a question you didn't fully understand. The smile you wore made his heart flutter. Since then, he's looked forward to seeing you each day — more eager to attend school than he'd been

⋆ In some ways, Sieun is still reserved, so while he wants to reach out, not knowing if you feel the same holds him back. Unbeknownst to him, you've noticed Sieun, too, much sooner than he did you

⋆ He was smart and cute and you liked that about him, but you were tired of keeping it to yourself. Trying to grab his attention by asking for help wasn't getting you anywhere, either. Now you'd have to take a real initiative

⋆ After cram school, you stop him on his way out the building. "Do you want to study together?" you ask, hoping he'll say yes. It was a simple request, yet subtly Sieun's face lights up. He agrees and you slip him a note with your number on it. The whole way home he smiles, for the first time in a while~

ben park / park humin

⋆ Humin is such an outgoing and confident guy that it's a total suprise if you make the first move- He would absolutely love it, though

⋆ You're part-timing at the pool hall Humin and Hyuntak frequent, and it's obvious from the start that Humin is into you. He'll often throw cheesy compliments your way or watch you work — smiling when he catches your gaze. But, he still won't approach you, no matter how much acknowledge him. You thought it was pretty obvious that you liked him too, yet he kept acting so coy- It was really aggravating you

⋆ The next time he came in, Humin greeted you as usual ("Are you a fart? 'Cause you blew me away~"). You stopped him before he could escape to the pool table, grabbing his wrist gently. "I like you," you say, and it's a relief to get it out. Humin stares at you in shock, though he wasn't oblivious to your crush; hearing it from you was a whole new experience

⋆ You wait for a response and, for a second, you think you got overenthusiastic. But all that fear vanishes with a few simple words from Humin: "Do you know how to play Tekken?"

alex go / go hyuntak

⋆ You went to the same boxing ring as Hyuntak, where you'd initially met. When he first started boxing, Hyuntak struggled more than he'd like to admit; it surprised him to see that you were much stronger despite your appearance

⋆ He was content admiring you from afar, but you're bold and you see potential in him, so your connection starts as small as you showing him how to fix his form and hand placements

⋆ From then, Hyuntak and you start hanging out often so you can give more pointers. Your personalities mesh well, plus he's super cute~ But he's too shy to make a move on you, wanting to be a stronger, cooler Hyuntak first (even though you already think he is-). He won't say it, but he can be pretty insecure at times; he really wants to impress you, regardless of whether he needs to

⋆ During your next boxing session, you're helping him with a move he can't quite perfect. Hyuntak is frustrated and you think he'll give up, but he has you in the corner encouraging him. In a few more tries, he gets it right and you rush over, kissing his cheek before you can even think — "That was amazing! I knew you could do it!"

⋆ He blushes, the tips of his ears a cherry red; your excitement boosts his confidence. While he wished he'd gotten a chance to confess first (and he may still get the chance), it's a relief to know you feel the same~

gerard jin / jin gayool

⋆ Gayool met you at one of Slam's first concerts. You were one of few middle-schoolers in the crowd, so you stood out — especially when you were waving a sparkly fan sign over your head. You were enamored by his voice, having discovered the band when they were just busking. They inspired your love for music, but, more importantly, your crush on Jin Gayool

⋆ You spoke a few times after shows, mostly interview them for your blog. Gayool liked your charm, however, and found himself drawn to you. Many of the girls at Slam's shows were older women who'd stalk him out of the building, or ask to take him home; though you were a fan, you were normal in comparison, and treated the members as people — not objects

⋆ Still, approaching you was difficult. You live in a different town, so it's not as easy as running into you on the street; and Hyeonjin doesn't give him much room to socialize before or after concerts (your interviews the only exception). Gayool's stuck on what to do- But you want him too, and aren't letting it go. The next time they perform, you have a sign with you, as usual. Instead of your normal encouraging words, however, the sign says something a lot bolder: Jin Gayool, will you go out with me?

⋆ When Gayool sees it, he stops singing, eyes wide in shock — the good kind, of course. Some of the aunties in the crowd glare at you, and you consider putting the sign away before you regret it; besides, Gayool couldn't exactly say 'yes' mid-performance without it causing a scene. But any concern you have about his feelings washes away when he begins to speak: "This next song is dedicated to someone very special~"

union —

jimmy bae / bae jihoon

⋆ You and Jihoon knew each other since middle school, having followed him to Yoosun as well. Though you wouldn't say you were the closest, you considered him a friend. Often, you'd hang out with him and Jeongyeon or bum cigs off Jihoon between classes; you'd buy extra snacks at the convenience store to share with him, so your relationship was mutually beneficial

⋆ Still, you always felt like you wanted more. Jihoon was rough, yes, but with you the wall he'd put up came down, just a bit. He would tease you, but it was different to how he'd tease Jeongyeon, as though he were cautious of your feelings (though Jihoon has never been one to care for them before). Still, Jihoon is too busy with his own melodrama that he doesn't think he can pursue you — at least not in his current state

⋆ However, you've devised a plan. The three of you had plans to see a movie together, but Jeongyeon has "mysteriously" gotten sick. So now it's just you and Jihoon, side-by-side in the theater, watching some sleazy horror movie that you're regretting buying a ticket for

⋆ Afterwards, Jihoon walks you home. "He's not actually sick, is he?" Jihoon asks, and you pause, embarrassed that he caught your lie. You shake your head, but this is your chance and you can't waste it. "I wanted to be alone with you," you explain, and he cocks his head in confusion. "Bae Jihoon, I really like you."

⋆ Jihoon is taken by surprise, but a feeling of excitement bubbles within him. He won't say it back, yet, but the smile he wears the rest of the night is all you need to see~

jake ji / ji hakho

⋆ You and Hakho met at an anime con. You had a small Two Piece cosplay account, and he was a bit starstruck to see you running a booth at the convention selling fan zines

⋆ Hakho bought one, immediately falling in love with your creativity. He reached out to your account to lend his praises, and it wasn’t long before a friendship sparked between you two. Not only were you the same age, with similar interests, you shared Hakho’s sense of humor. Plus, you were very attractive (of course)~

⋆ It was easy for him to fall in love, but the Union always seemed to get in the way. Hakho didn't want to burden you with his life, because you were the most peaceful and constant part of it; despite this, you'd fallen just as hard for him

⋆ The two of you were binge-watching Two Piece, bowls of popcorn and sweets scattered on the couch beside you, and a few bottles of soju you'd stolen from your mom's closet. The sun had long since gone down, and you could feel your eyes grow heavy with sleep. Hakho shifts beside you, preparing to leave, but you grab his shirt to stop him

⋆ "Please stay," you beg, "just a little longer." There's a sparkle in your eyes that makes it hard to say no, so he doesn't, even when you doze off on his shoulder, drunkenly whispering a confession against his skin. You'd forget it in the morning, but Hakho would hold onto that memory forever~

wolf keum / keum seongje

⋆ Seongje was interested in you from the start. You'd met through your childhood friend, Hwangmo. You were wary of Seongje at first, as you hadn't heard much good about him. His personality was brash and wild — even his smile sent a shiver down your spine. But it intrigued you, just as your quiet demeanor intrigued him, too

⋆ He was in your class, though you never spoke to him when Hwangmo wasn't there. You were smart, often getting top scores in the class; not only that, but you were kind, always offering help to others. Many people liked you, and that popularity made you stand out more to Seongje, as most popular people he knew used that power as a weapon, unlike you, who used it to lift up those around you

⋆ Maybe your humility was why he fell for you. And he was everything you weren't (bold, honest, and exciting), so you felt drawn to him, too. However, Seongje is romantically inept, so he doesn't know how to confess. Plus, he thinks you might be too good for him, and that leaves him hesitant; what if you truly change him? Or hold him back from his duties as Ganghak's leader?

⋆ After class, Seongje is assigned to cleaning duties with you. The light hits your face just right and he finds himself mesmerized, not realizing he's staring until you flash him a smile. "For a Union leader, you're pretty weak around me," you tease, and his ears redden, trying to shake off the remark. "You're seeing things," he shoots back

⋆ "Maybe. Or maybe I like you, too," you say, and Seongje really turns red. You exchange numbers on the walk to your bus stop; it's a strange feeling, but Seongje is hopeful to see what being with you does for him

forrest lee / lee sehan

⋆ Though he's a Union leader and can be as much of a dick as the rest of them, Sehan (when it comes to romance) is a man of tradition who was raised to be gentlemanly- So when you made the move on him? It threw him for a loop

⋆ He'd been crushing on you for ages. You're working part-time at the convenience store he frequents, so you two often chat during your breaktime. Though it was small talk, he'd look forward to it every day and visit you even if he didn't have money for snacks

⋆ While Sehan wants to confess, or get your number at least, he struggles- Partly because he's worried about you getting too close to the Union, and partly because of his own insecurity. Talking with you was easy when you made him feel so normal, even in the short moments you shared, so he grew afraid to ruin your friendship if you didn't feel the same

⋆ Still, it's worth a shot! During one of your meetings, he plans to get your number — key word: plans. Before he knows it, you're asking him on a date-

⋆ Sehan's pretty flustered, as he was hoping to ask you first, but seeing the gleam in your eye makes up for it. After stumbling over his words, face totally flushed, he gives you his number and the two of you make plans to catch a movie that weekend, Sehan blushing the rest of his walk home~

donald na / na baekjin

⋆ To Baekjin, you're something of an enigma. Not many people got as close to him as you were, and yet, without him realizing, you'd gone from being someone who he caught glances with in halls and the library, to a constant figure in his life

⋆ It's easy for him to fall for you. You're funny and easygoing, but reliable; even though you knew about his role in the Union, you never saw him as a villain or someone to fear. It was strange to him initially, because Baekjin was so comfortable holding power over those under him, yet you acted as though you were already his equal

⋆ Even so, he couldn't tell you about his feelings — until it was the right time, at least. Between school, the Union and business affairs, he never had time for crushes before, and he wouldn't let himself falter now. The Union needed a strong leader, not someone who could surrender to love so carelessly

⋆ When you burst into Baekjin's office and blurt out a confession, however, his composure slips- It's bold in a way he's not accustomed to, but he can't stop thinking about how cute you are, tumbling out every emotion you'd been holding onto between a few deep breaths. Honestly, he can't say no — nor does he really want to

⋆ Baekjin stops you with a hand on yours, looking at you with the softest smile. He wonders if he'll regret it someday, when the Union inevitably falls and all he has left is you; but a simple life may be what he needs, more than omnipotence and riches. "Don't worry, Y/N. I like you, too~"

#weak hero #weak hero webtoon #weak hero headcanons #jimmy bae #wolf keum #weak hero imagines #donald na #forrest lee #jake ji #gray yeon #ben park #gerard jin #alex go

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jule1122 · 2 years ago

Text

Malex Fic - Love will get you there

Made with a day to spare! This is my March fic for @alexguerinappreciation. I choose the spotlight of Alex’s canon relationships. I consider this a Malex fic because that is where we end up, but this is both pre canon and post canon so I write about Alex’s family, his relationship with Maria and Forrest on the way to Malex’s happy ending.

It’s a 5 +1 about 5 times Alex wanted to change his name before the one time he finally does it. Warnings for canon child abuse.

If you hate Maria or Forrest, please don’t read this. Also if you really like Jim Valenti, you may not like how I wrote him.

Love will get you there on AO3

Summary: Alex was never much of a Manes man or 5 times Alex thought about changing his name and 1 time he did

Title is from an Inhaler song.

I am going to put the whole fic behind the cut because it opens with Jesse being abusive. Nothing graphic but I wanted to give an extra warning.

“What did I tell you?” Jesse leans in close to Alex’s face. He doesn’t yell, he doesn’t need to.

“Don’t leave toys on the floor,” Alex sniffs. His dad tightens his hold on Alex’s shirt. “Sir,” Alex adds quickly before his dad can hit him again.

“I won’t warn you again, Alex. Next time there will be real consequences.”

Alex tries to wiggle out of Jesse’s hold. His back is sore from where his father used his belt. Just thinking what will happen if he forgets to clean up again makes him start crying again. He tries to hold back his tears, hoping his father won’t notice and ends up hiccuping.

“Manes men don’t cry,” Jesse shakes Alex roughly before pushing him away. “You're confined to your room for the rest of the evening. Maybe some time alone will help you remember how to behave.”

Alex runs to his room, he wants to slam the door but he knows if he does his father will follow him and punish him again. Instead, he hides between his bed and the wall and cries silently. Once he calms down, he takes his camping bag from his closet and begins filling it with clothes.

“What are you doing, dork,” Clay asks from the doorway.

Alex startles and wipes his eyes before turning to face his brother. Clay is almost as mean as his father, and he’s afraid to let him see him cry. “I’m leaving. I’m going to live with Mom.”

“Mom doesn’t want you, dummy. She doesn’t want any of us.”

“That’s not true,” Alex insists. He doesn’t yell even though he wants to because he doesn’t want his dad to hear him. “If I tell her Dad hurt me, she’ll come get me.”

“No, she won’t,” Clay tells him. “She’s been gone almost a year, and she hasn’t called once. She’s not going to help you. Even if she wanted to, Dad would find you and bring you back. Manes men stick together, remember.”

“I don’t want to be a Manes man,” Alex says miserably. He hates being a Manes, he hates all the rules. Manes men don’t cry or laugh too loud or sing. Manes men don’t waste their time watching cartoons or playing with girls. He hates all of it.

“Grandpa will hide me. I’ll change my name so people will know I belong with Grandpa, and Dad won’t find me because I won’t be a Manes,” Alex nods, confident he’s solved the problem.

“You’re so stupid. You’ll embarrass Grandpa just like you embarrass Dad. He’d bring you back himself just to get rid of you.” Clay shakes his head. “You’re a Manes, Alex, whether you like it or not. You need to start acting like one before you bring all of us down.”

Alex turns away from Clay and ignores him until he leaves. He takes everything out of his bag and puts it back, not bothering to wipe the tears from his face since there was no one to see him. Clay’s right. No one wants him so he’s stuck being a Manes.

Alex kicks his feet against the edge of the exam room table until his father glares at him, and he goes back to sitting perfectly still. He can hear the doctor explaining his restrictions and medication dosages to Jesse as the nurse adjusts his sling. Alex lets the words wash over him, his dad will probably make him take the sling off as soon as they get in the car, and he won’t be giving Alex any pain meds.

It wasn’t like this was the first time Jesse had separated Alex’s shoulder so he’s used to the pain. In the past, they’d always put it back in at home, but this time Jesse couldn’t get it to pop back into place. He kept trying until Alex was throwing up from the pain, and then he finally drove Alex to the emergency room.

“Now Mr. Manes, I need you to step out of the room for a few minutes.”

“Sergeant Manes,” Jesse corrects the doctor. “And if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to take my son home now. He’s fine, there’s no reason to keep fussing.”

“Sergeant Manes,” the doctor begins again. Alex almost smiles because he could hear the eye roll in the doctor’s voice. “It’s procedure, which I’m sure you understand. If you’ll just follow me, I can get you started on the discharge paperwork, and you’ll be on your way shortly.”

Jesse stops in front of Alex on his way out. “I’ll be right outside, Alex.”

Alex knows he’s pretending to be concerned, making sure the doctor thinks he cares. He tightens his hand on Alex’s good shoulder enough to hurt. It’s a warning to remind Alex that Jesse expects Alex to behave as if he’s in the room. Alex nods to let him know he understands.

“Alex,” the nurse directs his attention back to her once Jesse is gone. “There is someone we’d like you to talk to. Remember this is a safe space. It’s ok to tell the truth.”

Sheriff Valenti comes in through a door opposite of where Jesse had left. He follows the nurse into the corner, away from Alex, but the room is small, and Alex can still hear everything they say.

“He came in with a separated shoulder,” the nurse begins.

“Alex is from an active family. Four boys, lots of roughhousing,” Jim interrupts.

“His x-ray showed scar tissue in the joint. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and we also saw evidence of older untreated injuries. I’m sure you understand why we’re concerned, Sheriff.”

“I’ll talk to him. Alone please.”

“Of course,” the nurse replies before leaving.

Jim walks to the foot of Alex’s bed. “How are you feeling?

“Fine, sir.” Alex isn’t lying. They gave him a shot before they reset his shoulder, and he feels good. Tired but not in pain.

“You want to tell me what happened, son?”

Alex used to pretend Jim Valenti was his father. When Jesse really started hurting him, he imagined the Sheriff rescuing him and taking Alex home and promising Alex that he wouldn’t let Jesse hurt him anymore. Then he’d admit that he was Alex’s real father, that he’d kept it a secret, but he would tell the truth to protect Alex. He would let Alex live at his house, and Alex and Kyle would be brothers for real.

He would close his eyes and imagine Jesse showing up to take him back, and Jim stopping him. He would stand in the doorway with his hand on Alex’s shoulder and tell Jesse, “Alex is a Valenti now. You can’t hurt him anymore. Don’t ever come back here again or I’ll have to arrest you.”

It’s a stupid dream, Alex knows that, but maybe it’s because Jim called him son that he decides to tell the truth. “It was my dad,” he says. “He was mad at me and this was my punishment.”

The Sheriff looks sad for a minute, and Alex thinks this is it - Jim will take him home, and he’ll finally be safe. Maybe his dad will even go to jail, and he’ll be too afraid to even talk to Alex again.

Then he takes a step back and when he looks at Alex, he’s serious - not like Kyle’s dad, but like when Alex has seen him working.

“Alex, are you sure that’s what happened? That is a serious accusation, and if you tell me that is what happened, I’ll have to let your father know what you said,” he says it kindly, but Alex knows it’s as much of a threat as Jesse’s shoulder squeeze had been. “It’s easy to get confused when you are in pain,” the Sheriff continues. “Maybe you are mixing up the pain you felt when your dad tried to help you with when you were injured.”

“You’re right,” Alex says flatly, the last of his dreams of rescue vanishing. “I was fooling around with my brothers on the training course, and that’s how I hurt my shoulder. My dad tried to fix it, and that hurt too. I must have been confused.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jim sounds proud, and it makes Alex want to cry. “Thanks for clearing that up. You’ll be able to go home soon.”

Jim starts to leave, but he turns back to hug Alex carefully. “You’re strong, Alex,” he whispers. “And nothing lasts forever. Remember that.”

He does leave then, and Alex gets up to follow him, to ask him why he acts like he cares, but won’t help him, but he hears his father’s voice outside the door.

“What are you doing here, Jim?” Jesse asks.

“The hospital called in a suspicious injury. You’re lucky I got the call and not one of my deputies.”

“How I discipline my son is no one’s business. I don’t care what some bleeding heart doctor thinks.”

“I know that, Jesse,” Jim tries to calm him. “But I can’t always be around to cover for you.”

“I’m not going to coddle him like you do your son. Alex is a Manes. He needs to toughen up. Until he figures that out, he can take whatever punishment he deserves.”

“Just keep him out of the hospital and there won’t be a problem.”

Alex hears Jim walk away, and he’s back on the table, expression blank by the time his father opens the door.

Alex doesn’t see Maria the day after Haley Moore’s party. His penalty for taking part in Battle of the Bands is a day at his father’s mercy. Alex cleans out the garage and runs through his father’s training course three times just to prove music doesn’t make him weak. By the time the sun sets he is sore and exhausted and wants to die, but he’s been uncharacteristically cooperative all day so Jesse doesn’t object when Alex says he wants to shower and go to bed.

Back in his room, he picks up his phone and wonders if he should call Maria. He knows what happens during ‘seven minutes in heaven’ doesn’t count once you leave the closet, and Maria hadn’t acted any different the rest of the night, but Alex can’t help but think about it.

It felt nice - kissing Maria, letting his hand brush across her chest. He thinks he could do it again, and Alex never really imagined kissing a girl before. Maybe if he could kiss Maria, be her boyfriend, his dad would back off. Jesse doesn’t really like Maria, says she’s from bad stock - a father no one remembers and a mother who acts stranger every year. But she’s a girl, and if Alex could love her, he wouldn’t be gay, wouldn’t be a sissy disgrace like Jesse says he is.

Alex thinks about it the rest of the night. He tries to imagine his future with Maria. Maybe they would stay in Roswell together, and they’d still have their band and they could play at the Wild Pony once they were old enough. Alex never thought much about having a family, but he thinks Maria would be a good mother - the kind who smiled and laughed and made kids feel loved. He loves Maria, Alex knows that, so if he could learn to be in love with her, he could be happy, and it would be safe.

He’s still thinking about when he meets Maria at the Crashdown the next night to work on a science project. Maria smiles at him like she always does, but she doesn’t try to hold his hand or anything. They get their actual work done quickly, but Alex told his dad they had a lot to do so they have plenty of time to just hang out.

“Kate Long stopped by before you got here,” Maria tells him.

“I’m sorry,” Alex wrinkles his nose. Kate is a bitch and she always gives Maria a hard time.

“Me too. But she dropped her notebook, and I could see where she was writing ‘Kate Bernhardt’ over and over again.”

“Gross,” Alex and Maria both pretend to gag.

“No offense, Alex, but if we get married, I am not changing my name to Manes,” Maria says casually, almost like a joke.

Alex wrinkles his nose, “I’d rather be a DeLuca.”

“Alex Deluca,” Maria hums around the name as if considering it. “Mom would like that.”

“Yeah?” Mimi is the closest person to a mother Alex has had in years. He likes the idea of being her family officially. “I’ll help you, you know, take care of her.” Alex doesn’t mean only in this fantasy world where they get married, and he can tell by the way Maria’s expression softens that she understands.

“I know you will.” She reaches across the table and squeezes his hand. It’s not romantic but it still feels good.

Flint’s waiting for him when he gets home. “Didn’t know girls were allowed in your kind of closet, Alex.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He tries to shoulder past Flint, but Flint boxes him into the corner of the room.

“Heard you spent seven minutes of heaven with Maria DeLuca. Didn’t know you had it in you. She put out?” Flint asks with a leer.

Alex pushes him, hard. “Don’t talk about Maria like that.”

“Chill out,” Flint rolls his eyes and follows Alex into the bedroom. “I just never thought I’d get to talk about girls with my sissy little brother.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Alex glares at Flint.

“Then you can shut up and listen and maybe you’ll get it right next time.” Flint lays back in the bed, crossing his arms under his head. “First time I did seven minutes in heaven it was with Missy Osborne. Everyone knows she’s easy so I figured I hit the jackpot. She let me touch her boobs, under her bra. And God, I almost shot my load right there. Walked around hard the rest of the night.”

Flint keeps talking but Alex tunes him out. It hadn’t felt like that with Maria. Kissing her felt good and safe, he would do it again, but it wasn’t like that. Alex wonders if maybe there is something wrong with him after all.

(He feels like that with Michael. Just brushing their hands together makes Alex’s skin tingle where they touched.. When Michael kisses him for the first time, Alex feels like his whole body is on fire. That feeling never goes away.)

Alex is walking to the store after his shift at the museum when he sees Maria scrubbing graffiti from the brick outside the Crashdown.

“Need some help?” he asks, taking a sponge from the bucket.

“Thanks,” Maria looks up and gives him a watery smile. “Mr. Ortecho says to leave it. There’ll just be more tomorrow. But I can’t. It’s only been a few weeks, and they just won’t stop.”

Alex nods. He’s barely seen Maria, seen anyone since the funeral. But he’s heard about the harassment Mr. Ortecho has been dealing with and it makes him sick. “Sorry I haven’t been around to help. My dad’s been on me extra hard.”

“I think all our parents are,” Maria says sadly. “Mom only lets me come here for a few hours and wants me at home the rest of the time.”

It’s not the same at all with Jesse, but Alex just nods.

“I can’t believe I forgot,” Maria suddenly exclaims. “I never asked you about museum guy.”

“Museum guy?”

“You sent me this text, ‘On my break I had the best kiss of my life’ and then nothing. Come on Alex, you can’t leave me hanging.”

If it weren’t for her bloodshot eyes, she’d look like the Maria he’d always known. He wonders if Maia’s been happy about anything since Rosa died, and he can’t bring himself to tell her that moment led to a different tragedy. So he tries to remember how he felt when he sent that text, how he felt before his father destroyed it all.

Alex closes his eyes and it is easier than he expected to remember everything about that moment in the museum. How he’d been afraid Michael was there to tell him off or beat him up, but then Michael kissed him and everything changed. He knew, finally, who he was, knew there was someone who wanted him as he was. It was the best moment of his life.

When Alex opens his eyes, Maria gasps as the smile on his face. “It was the most amazing kiss,” he begins.

“How amazing?” Maria teases.

“So amazing I would stay in Roswell forever if he would just keep kissing me.”

Maria laughs, and it’s a happy sound even if they both know he’s lying. Alex can’t stay in Roswell - the town will kill him if his father doesn’t do it first. But it’s nice to imagine a world where Michael is enough to change all that.

“Who is it?” Maria asks.

“I can’t,” Alex’s smile dims. He already failed Michael by not keeping him a secret, he won’t do it again. “He’s not out. I can’t tell you.”

Maria nods. “But he’s good to you, right?”

“He’s perfect,” and Alex means it. When it’s just him and Michael, he’s happier than he ever imagined he could be. He already feels Michael slipping away when they’re apart, and he can’t blame him. Michael was hurt because of him, because Alex wasn’t careful, because he couldn’t protect him.

But Alex is clinging to the future he wants for them despite his father’s threats and pressure to enlist. Michael has a scholarship. If he gets out of Roswell, Alex can follow him. He’s been doing research for years, he knows how to hide. They can change their names so his father can’t find them. Not the same name, not now, but someday Alex thinks, when he knows they are safe, they can share a name, share a life for real. One his father can’t take away.

Alex doesn’t tell Maria all that. Right now they both need to pretend everything is like it was a few weeks ago. Alex is falling in love, and Rosa’s alive and nothing hurts.

Alex thinks about kissing Michael in the bed of his truck, the sun on their face, Michael’s hair soft in his hands. He thinks about how carefully Michael always presses his lips against Alex’s until Alex opens his mouth and then it’s like Michael can’t get enough. He thinks about how Michael’s skin feels under his hands, how he loves to feel the beat of Michael’s heart in his chest. He thinks about how tightly Michael holds him in sleep like he’s trying to hold Alex in place. And he thinks about how desperately he wants to stay in Michael’s arms forever.

“He’s perfect,” Alex tells Maria again. “He makes me happy.”

“He’d better or he’ll have to answer to me,” Maria makes a fist, and they both laugh. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this.”

Alex nods and turns back to the graffiti before Maria can see the way his smile falters.

Alex leans back against the headboard and watches as Forrest starts to get dressed. He’s enjoying the way Forrest’s briefs stretch across his ass as he stands up to look for his shirt when Forrest sits back on the bed, phone in hand.

“I envy you, getting out of Roswell for a while,” he tells Alex as he reads his message.

Alex is leaving the next morning to track down the remains of Project Shepherd, but told Forrest he was on a long term recruiting assignment. Forrest had come over with take out and a strip of condoms to ‘see Alex off.’

“Maybe if I’m in one place long enough, you can come visit,” Alex offers.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Forrest turns to Alex with a smile before going back to typing furiously on his phone. “I am definitely ready for a change of scenery.” Forrest tosses the phone on the bed before pulling on his pants.

“Everything ok?” Alex asks, surprised by the bitterness lacing Forrest’s voice. He’s never really seen him irritated before.

“Sorry, it’s just my uncle scolding me for offending one of his cronies. He likes to remind me that everything I do reflects on the Long name,” Forrest rolls his eyes.

“What happened?”

“Some guy came up to me at the diner and wanted to know why I hadn’t been at the last few meetings of the Roswell Regiment. He told me my family had a long standing tradition of standing between Roswell and undesirable elements, and it was time for my generation to step up.”

“Ouch,” Alex commiserated. He knew more than most about the weight of unwanted family legacies.

“I told him I was too busy sucking cock to play cowboys and Indians with the people on the wrong side of history.

Alex laughs because he can hear Forrest saying that. “Well if they had a meeting in the last hour,” Alex pretends to look at a watch he’s not wearing, “I can vouch for your story.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate the first hand account.” Forrest sighs and runs his hand through his hair. “You’d think between my hair and the general aurora of gay, they would understand that white supremacy and racism aren’t really my thing. But they think all Longs are the same.”

“Being a Long sounds as bad as being a Manes,” Alex tells him.

“Does that mean you won’t take my name when we get married?” Forrest asks, all smiles again.

“Absolutely not,” Alex says without even needing to think about it.

Forrest clutches his hands over his heart and gasps dramatically, pretending to be hurt.

It’s cute; Forrest is cute so Alex leans forward and kisses him. He ignores the twist of wrongness in his stomach at the thought of marrying someone other than Michael. He knows he and Michael are over for good, but he isn’t ready to start thinking about anyone else with the same seriousness.

When Forrest kisses him back, Alex moves so he is straddling Forrest’s lap. “Besides,” he whispers against his lips, “I’m not the marrying type.”

“Oh?” Forrest asks, sliding his hands under Alex’s ass and pulling him closer. “What type are you?”

Alex bites back his instinctive response of ‘not the type who gets a happy ending.’ Things with Forrest are fun and easy, and Alex wants to keep them that way. He pushes Forrest onto his back and tells him, “I guess you’ll just have to find out,” before kissing him again and making sure talking is the last thing on either of their minds.

Michael isn’t the first person he tells or even the second. Alex doesn’t think anything of it because to him it’s obvious, and it never occurs to him that Michael just won’t know.

He tells Greg when Greg calls to confirm he can’t make the wedding.

“I’m so sorry, Alex. I have an oral exam and an observation that can’t be rescheduled,” Greg says with obvious regret.

“It’s ok,” Alex reassures him. He’d love to have Greg there - he’s the only real family Alex has. But they didn’t really give him any notice. “If we were planning ahead we would pick a date that works for everyone, but.” Alex trails off, not sure how to articulate the urgency he and Michael feel. Why waiting just isn’t an option.

“I get it, Alex, I really do. After everything you and Michael have been through, you want to grab your happiness as soon as you can. I am just so happy for you, for both of you. And I’ll be back in a few months so you can show me all the pictures, videos, everything.”

“I think Isobel has an Oscar worthy production planned,” Alex laughs.

“I can’t wait,” Greg replies warmly.

“There’s one more thing,” Alex begins hesitantly. “I’m taking Michael’s name.”

Greg doesn’t respond and the silence stretches out. Alex hopes Greg doesn’t object. It won’t change anything, Alex has made his decision. But he’d like to have Greg’s support.

“Greg?” Alex prompts.

“Alex,” Greg says, voice thick before he clears his throat. “I’m so proud of you. I know how hard it’s been for you to let go of all the bullshit Dad shoved down your throat, to forget about the Manes legacy. I’ve been afraid for a long time that you would never be able to put it behind you. And now you're marrying the love of your life and starting a whole new life. I don’t even know what to say.”

“You’re not upset?” Alex can’t stop himself from asking.

“You’re my brother, Alex. I love you, and I want you to be happy. That’s it.”

“Thanks,” Alex says, his own throat tight. He wants to tell Greg he loves him too, but those aren’t words that were ever said in his house. It’s been hard enough learning to say them to Michael, to stop feeling like it was safer to hold them inside. But there’s something else he can say that Greg will understand. “I want that for you too - happiness. I’m free now, Greg, and I want you to be too.”

Alex stops by Eduardo’s office the next day.

“What are you doing here,” Eduardo asks when he spots Alex in the doorway. “Don’t you have a wedding in less than twenty four hours?”

“Kyle wanted a final checkup,” Alex shrugs.

“And?” Eduardo asks, eyes narrowing in concern.

“Clean bill of health,” Alex reassures him. “And speaking of the wedding, I was hoping I could ask you for a favor.”

“Of course.”

“You know Michael and I have a honeymoon planned,” he begins.

“Yes, a month, I believe,” Eduardo fills in. “That can be extended if you want more time.”

“I’m learning I’ll always want more time with Michael,” Alex laughs. “But I think a month away is a good start. Once we’re married, I want to change my name to Guerin. I know the process can take time, and I don’t want to wait until we get back from our honeymoon to get started. I was wondering if there is anything Deep Sky can do to speed things up?”

Eduardo leans back in his chair and smiles. “Just leave everything to me.”

Alex feels Michael stumble just a bit when he tells him he’ll be signing his checks ‘Alex Guerin” from now on. He accepts Alex’s explanation without any further questions, and then there’s so much going on - well wishes and goodbyes, Max leaving, finally putting Roswell behind them even if it’s only for a month - that they don’t talk about it again.

Three days into their honeymoon, when they return to their hotel after dinner, the concierge hands them an envelope he says was delivered for them earlier.

The outside just has their room number, no indication of who it’s from. It’s the right size for weight for pictures. Alex turns it over in his hands before holding it out to Michael.

“Maybe Isobel dropped off wedding pictures,” Michael speculates, coming to the same conclusion, when holding it up to the light doesn’t yield anymore information.

“I doubt Isobel drove six hours to drop off wedding pictures.”

“Only one way to find out,” Michael shrugs and hands the envelope back to Alex.

Alex sits at the small table in what passes for a dining area in their suite and waits for Michael to join him before he opens it. He pulls out the contents and lets out a small gasp. Alex holds his driver’s license, now labeled ‘Alex Guerin” in his hands, lets his updated passport and credit cards fall to the table.

Michael leans closer to see what he’s holding. “That was fast,” he comments, picking up and skimming the note Eduardo left. He congratulates them again and lets Alex know the rest of his updated documents - employee ID, bank accounts, social security card - are locked in the safe in his office.

Alex’s hands shake as he stares at the ID. He doesn’t realize he’s crying until Michael wipes a tear from his cheek.

“Hey, we can change it back,” he tells Alex, looking at him with concern. “It’s ok if you changed your mind.” Michael leaves his chair and turns Alex away from the table so he can crouch in front of him.

“No,” Alex pulls Michael up and kisses him. “No,” he repeats,finally dropping the license so he can cradle Michael’s face in his hands and kiss him again. He hopes Michael can feel his happiness, his joy because he finds himself fumbling for words to explain what it means to see his name in writing.

“I want to rent a car,” he says when Michael pulls back and goes back to his own chair, holding Alex’s hands in his.

“What?” Michael asks, concern returning to his face. “I know the truck’s old, but she’ll get us where we need to go.”

“No, I mean,” Alex shakes his head, frustrated with himself for communicating so poorly. “Sorry, it was just the first thing I thought of that would require an ID. I want to show off my new name.”

“Proud of it, huh?” Michael laughs, but Alex can hear the underlying hesitation.

“Michael, you have no idea. I want to tell everyone. I wish I was young enough to get carded.”

“I’m glad,” Michael says quietly, squeezing Alex’s hands. “I’m glad it feels good to let that part of your past go.”

“It is, but it’s not just about the past. When I saw this - saw ‘Alex Guerin’ in writing - I realized it’s less about letting something go than it is about moving forward. Being a Manes meant something, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never escape it completely,” Alex takes a breath, relieved to feel that burden gone. “But I’m not Alex Manes anymore. I’m Alex Guerin, and I get to decide what that means. That’s what I care about, who I am now, learning how to be your husband, building our life together.” He pulled Michael’s left hand to his mouth and kissed his wedding ring.

Michael picks up Alex’s discarded license and studies. He strokes his thumb over the picture before setting it down. “I never cared about my name. It wasn’t mine, it was just something they gave me because they had to. I can’t tell you what it means or if there are Guerin family traditions, and even if there are, it wouldn’t matter because they aren’t mine. Funny isn’t it, your name came with the worst family baggage imaginable and mine came with nothing, and we both suffered for it.”

“Michael,” Alex says helplessly, seeing the tears in Michael’s eyes. He reaches for him - to offer comfort, to fix what can’t be fixed - he doesn’t know. “Your name means something, it had a history that you gave it - omelet breakfasts and secret lairs and music and undying devotion.”

“I’m not upset, Alex,” Michael leans back and tangles their feet together. “I’m just so,” his eyes drift back to the table, covered in documents bearing the name ‘Alex Guerin.’ He turns back to Alex, and while the tears are still there, his smile outshines them. “Thank you for wanting to share my name, for making it ours, for wanting to start traditions with me that we can share with our family one day - however that looks.”

Alex shakes his head, too overwhelmed to speak.

“And I promise we can rent cars and join every gym and grocery store and casino membership plan we can find just so we can show off our name. But first I want to take my husband to bed and make love to him.”

Michael stands up and holds out his hand to Alex. He lets Michael pull him up, then walks toward the bed unbuttoning his shirt as he goes. “I love you, Michael Guerin,” he says as Michael pushes him onto bed and begins to undo his pants.

Michael’s answering smile is both wicked and sweet. “I love you, too, Alex Guerin.”

#alexguerinmonthly #malex fic #rnm fic #my fic #alec centric #malex happy ending #forlex but ends malex #maria deluca friendly #forrest long friendly #alex and maria friendship #alex is always trying to escape being a manes #jesse manes is a monster

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