#cowboy - michael guerin

[the-carlos-cow-eyes]

Man, Idk why y'all are hating on Carlos’ hat. He looks sexy af In It and that's all that matters

[alovelyhorror]

✨Roswell, New Mexico ✨

2x09 || The Diner

[bisexualalienss]

MICHAEL GUERIN

Roswell, New Mexico | 4.08

[rnmbingo]

👽2023 RNM Comment Bingo is here!🥰

Jan 14 - Feb 14 2023

Comment on fics - Fill out a Bingo board - Win prizes!

[Link to all bingo boards] by @bean-me-up

[Comment Bingo Rules]

[lovecolibri]

Hung on the tree with care

[nightwhispcrs]

"well you told me you're an open book, and you just met me, so you can't be that selective," michael pointed out the conflicting statements he'd received, at least from his own perspective. "maybe i just come across super trustworthy," the alien offered sarcastically, knowing it not to be the case.

Clasping his hands behind his back as he walked alongside Michael, he shrugged when he heard the question. "It's pretty damn good if I have to be honest. Being an open book however is something I'm selective with. I have been hurt and left disappointed one too many times"

[pastelwitchling]

Hi

Thanks for all the amazing Malex stories.

Could you possibly write about Michael and Kyle being worried about that Alex is taking too many painkillers? Thanks.

This prompt actually inspired me to do a two-parter, so that's what I'm going to do 🫣

Part 1/2

***

“I don’t how comfortable I am with this,” Michael said, arms crossed and shoulder leaning against the archway into the kitchen.

Alex had his back to him as he fixed up the plate of snacks for movie night, but Michael could hear the amusement in his voice when he said, “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

His shoulders fell. “I’m serious, Alex. This is our movie night, why does Valenti have to be here?”

“Uh, technically,” Kyle called from the living room, “Alex and I were doing movie night way before you guys got together, so you’re the only trespasser here, Guerin!”

Michael pointed into the hallway, eyes narrowed at Alex. “In my own home.”

“Oh, brother,” Alex chuckled, glancing at Michael over his shoulder. “Baby, why don’t you go pick the movie, okay? It could be whatever you want.”

“You’re just trying to get rid of me, aren’t you?”

“Never,” he said easily with a shrug. “You’re my heart and soul. My lifeline.”

“Okay –”

“My never-ending fairytale.”

“I get it,” he said, trying not to smile.

“My hunky alien hubby.”

“I’m going!”

Alex was still calling adoring nicknames after him as he entered the living room, shaking his head and fighting his own laugh, when he saw Kyle sorting through the DVDs, and he sighed, all joy in the world gone.

“Alex said I can pick what movie we’re watching.”

“Oh?” Kyle said without turning around. “Is that what it took to get you to stop moping?”

Michael mimicked him with a much whinier voice, and Kyle slowly looked over his shoulder at him. “Real mature there, cowboy.”

Michael mimicked that too, and snatched the DVDs out of Kyle’s hands.

“We should watch A New Hope,” Kyle said.

“Should we?” Michael said innocently. “Too bad I’m picking then, huh?”

Kyle shook his head, eyes shut like he was making a gallant effort not to throttle his best friend’s husband. “You know Alex’s leg has been killing him lately, and Star Wars makes him feel better.”

Michael softened. He hated when Kyle was right, he hated when Alex was in pain, but most of all, he hated that Kyle had brought it up at all when it should’ve been Michael who’d suggested it first.

“I was going to choose Star Wars anyway,” he sulked, and Kyle looked like he was counting to ten. Now that he was thinking of Alex’s leg though . . . “I’m going to give him his medication. It’s around that time anyway.”

“I can grab ‘em,” Kyle offered, “you get the movie started. Where are his painkillers?”

“How ‘bout I get my husband his painkillers, and you start the movie?”

“Just tell me where they are, Michael!”

Michael took his time setting the DVD player down and waltzing over to the little drawer beside the couch. He heard Kyle stand behind him, heard him sigh as he stretched, and then –

“What the hell are those?”

Michael raised a brow. “Alex’s painkillers?”

Kyle nudged Michael aside, picking up orange bottle after orange bottle. To Michael’s surprise, he was frowning.

“Why are there so many?”

Michael’s brows furrowed. “Because he’s in pain a lot?” When Kyle didn’t respond, instead checking every bottle and its expiration date, he faltered. “What’s wrong?”

“There shouldn’t be this many,” he murmured. “He doesn’t need more than one or two, I’m counting six here.” He shook his head, and Michael had the feeling he was talking to himself when he said, “What the hell’s he doing, taking all of these?”

“C’mon,” Michael chuckled, uncertain. “They’re probably all for different things –”

“Michael, I’m a doctor,” he reminded him. The fact that he was using Michael’s first name was a little more than concerning. “These are all the same prescriptions. He shouldn’t have this many.” He bit his lower lip as he examined the bottles again. “And we have a bigger problem.”

“Which is what?” Michael scanned the bottles again, trying to see what Kyle was seeing.

“They’ve all been opened,” he said grimly. “So –”

“He’s been taking all this medication at once,” Michael finished, and slumped to the ground. He picked up a bottle, examining it. He’d handed Alex these pills himself, and often. He’d never given the number of bottles a second thought. “What the hell?”

“Okay,” a voice sounded inside, and Alex came walking out with a tray of popcorn, pretzels, sandwiches, and chips. “What’re we watching?”

Michael had half a mind to hold up Alex’s bottle and demand an explanation, but Kyle was already shutting the drawer and pushing himself to his feet.

“A New Hope,” he cleared his throat, and smiled. “Your husband knows you better than I thought he did.”

“Really?” Alex smiled, excited. “Not gonna lie, I was hoping for Star Wars. Thanks, baby,” he kissed the top of Michael’s head. “I’m so lucky to have you.” He faltered at the look on Michael’s face. “Michael? What’s wrong?”

Michael opened his mouth to tell Alex what was wrong, to beg to know why he hadn’t told him how many pills he’d been taking, to look him up and down for injuries and make sure that medication hadn’t been leaving a permanent mark on him. But Kyle was standing right behind Alex, subtly shaking his head, and damn it all, he knew more about this stuff than Michael did. Something was clearly wrong with Alex, how could he not listen?

“I get to sit between you guys,” he finally said. “You’re not cuddling up to anybody else.”

Alex chuckled, relieved. “You got it, baby, I’ll cuddle up to you all night. Let me just get the drinks, and we can start the movie.”

He set the tray down on the coffee table and went inside. The second he was out of earshot, Michael demanded, “Why’d you stop me?”

“I’ve seen this before, okay?” Kyle said in a rushed whisper. “The second you confront someone about abusing their medication, they get defensive and start to lie. We have to know what’s really going on here, Guerin, we can’t risk Alex shutting us out, not on this.”

Michael swallowed, starting to get nervous. If Alex had a problem with pills, and he hadn’t noticed this whole time . . . if Alex had been slowly killing himself, and Michael had willingly put the damn things in his hands . . .

“Hey, hey,” Kyle put a hand on his shoulder, eyes intent. “It’s going to be okay, okay? Alex is the strongest person I know, I’m sure there’s more to this story. But whatever it is, we have to approach it carefully. For Alex.”

“For Alex,” he repeated, hands balled into fists and trying not to panic. Not until Alex was back in the living room with three bottles of beer, not until he was in Michael’s line of sight and smiling and seemingly fine did the knot of tension in Michael’s stomach loosen. He sat on the couch while Kyle took the armchair, and held out his arms.

“C’mere,” he said, and Alex complied easily, taking off his prosthetic and wincing despite himself.

Michael shouldn’t have said it, but he wanted to see how Alex would react. “You need your pills?”

Alex looked like he was going to say he did, but he glanced at Kyle and plastered a smile and shook his head. “N-No, I’m okay, I already had them,” and he curled up on Michael’s chest, hugging his waist tightly.

Michael looked to Kyle who met his eyes. See? Alex had known Kyle would spot the number of bottles and start asking questions, and he’d decided to hide the truth. Michael’s arms tightened around him.

“Baby?” Alex looked up with concern, his breath warm against Michael’s collarbone. “You’re shaking.”

Michael forced a chuckle. “I’m a little cold.”

“Oh, well just tell me,” Alex smiled and unfolded the blanket they usually kept on the couch, covering them both. He tucked Michael in and snuggled in close to keep him as warm as possible. “Is that better?”

He nodded, kissing Alex’s brow. “Better. Thanks, baby.”

Satisfied, Alex settled and went back to watching the movie. As the opening credits rolled in, Michael shared another look with Kyle. Kyle seemed to think it was a good thing that Alex wasn’t looking for excuses to take more pills, and made a calming gesture with his hand to Michael.

Relax, he seemed to tell him. He has us here, I’m not going anywhere, just relax.

Michael swallowed and nodded, settling into the couch, his grip on Alex tight. He would relax for now, he would take it calmly, he would stay strong because Alex needed him. For Alex, he thought over and over, whenever dark thoughts threatened to take him away. For Alex.

***

Happy Malex Monday ❤️

[websterss]

IF YOU HAD STAYED — MICHAEL GUERIN

SUMMARY: You run into Michael after you told yourself you wouldn't sleep with him.

WARNING(S): angsty, fluff

WORD COUNT: 1,804

PAIRING: Michael Guerin x fem!Reader

A/N: I hope you enjoy it!

MASTERLIST

“Shouldn’t you be aiding and abetting Max out on a stake or something?” You had been taken by Michael’s sudden voice.

“Shouldn’t you be drowning yourself in alcohol right about now?” You quip back, holding onto your weapon belt. Michael grins, appreciating the retort, and crosses his arms.

“You know I prefer the term self-medicating.”

“If that’s what you want to call getting shit-faced with tequila…”

“I call it a necessary evil.” His smirk widens, amused by your banter. “Besides, it helps me forget certain things.”

“If only alcohol were strong enough to make me forget a few things.” Your eyes take in Michael as he is perched on one of the bar stools. Your thoughts wander back to last Saturday, when your hands and eyes had wandered off and onto Michael at the bar.

Michael's facial expression drops, almost instantly, noticing the slight change in your demeanor. Nothing quite fit for a deputy on duty. He can see the timidness and embarrassment in your eyes, and it reminds him of the way you looked at him that day at the bar and after. He swallows, trying to drown the lump forming in his throat.

“What sort of things?” He clears his throat.

"I'm not doing this with you Guerin." You bite back a smirk as you get ready to turn and leave. A faint smirk on your lips as you try to avoid the big elephant in the room. More so what occurred between you and him.

“Hey, no. Stop. Hold on.” He grabs your wrist, holding you back from turning away. He looks from your eyes to his hand on your wrist, realizing that he’s holding onto you more gently than usual.

“I won’t push.” He finally says. “But we’ve got to talk about this eventually. You don’t get to come at me like that and then walk away. We had sex, the thing we told each other we wouldn't let happen...happened."

"Great, you've acknowledged it. I've acknowledged it. Good talk!" You give him a tight-lipped grin as you take his hand off your arm. But he doesn't quit while he can. “Gotta head back…”

“No, not good talk. I want to talk about it.” Michael pushes further, placing both of his hands on your shoulders to keep you from walking away again. He keeps his eyes locked on yours.

"Well, I don't, tough luck cowboy…" You dip his hat in front of his eyes, he groans as he lifts it and sees you seconds from leaving the diner. You halt in your exit when the deadbolt clicks into place. You turn in time to see Michael lower his hand. He had locked the front entrance with his mind. "Really?"

“Only way to get you to talk to me.” Michael says matter-of-factly.

"By locking me in and holding me against my will… yeah cause that's totally gonna sway me." You roll your eyes as you move across the diner.

“Where are you going?” Michael follows you, watching you pace around the diner.

"Away from you." You exclaim, but there's truly no other place to go.

“Too bad." Michael smirks, as he watches you sit in the furthest booth from him and turn your gaze to the windows.

He sits down in the booth in front of you, leaning forward and placing his arms on the table. He stares at you from across the table, studying you, and thinking about the best way to approach this conversation.

“How long do you plan on giving me the silent treatment for?” He asks you after a moment of silence. "Right? Hey, I have a question." He rests his back against the red cushion.

"No." You answer him curtly your gaze still turned.

“You didn’t even hear the question.” He chuckles a bit at your stubbornness. He’s trying to stay lighthearted about the situation so that he doesn’t screw this up. "Whatever I'm still asking?"

“Why did you leave so quickly that night? I woke up, you were gone, and I didn’t know if I had done something…” He shakes his head, as the memories come flooding back. “Do you regret it?” He finally asks, his serious tone bringing your gaze back to him. Your eyes are locked on his, and you can feel the heat rising up to your cheeks, remembering his lingering kisses and appraisals in his trailer.

You give him a faint shake of your head, and then a faint. "No."

He lets out a small sigh of relief. He was hoping that you didn't regret it because God knows he didn't. “Then what was it?” He asks you, his tone still serious. “Why’d you leave?”

You don’t answer him, and he reaches out from across the table, taking hold of your hand. He runs his thumb over the back of it gently. He’s been craving to touch you again ever since the morning he woke up in his trailer and realized you were gone.

"It's stupid, really. I didn't- I talked with Maria and Alex when you walked into the bar. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I didn't want to get my hopes up. Didn't want to be lured by the Michael Guerin charm and only get to experience it for one night…" Your eyes fleet up to meet his then you look away again.

Michael’s lips parted, processing your words, shocked that you had felt that way. He swallows hard and gently squeezes your hand. “You think that that’s all that would’ve been to me? A meaningless one-night stand?”

"Can you blame a girl, Guerin?"

He lets out a quiet chuckle, mostly because he knows that he shouldn’t blame you for thinking that. After all, it’s not like his reputation precedes him, in the sense that he slept with a lot of women and rarely saw them again.

“No, I guess I can’t...” He says, gently rubbing the back of your hand with his thumb. “Is that what you think of me though? You think I’m that 'charm them into bed' type and ditch them the next?” He asks, his frown growing. "Because you'd be wrong…" He leans back in his seat again, keeping his eyes connected with yours. "You know I don't do relationships because I thought they'd be too complicated and messy. Too much to juggle with life. But lately…" His voice trails off, realizing that whatever was happening between you was a lot more than he anticipated.

"Lately…?" You press.

He smiles a little and shakes his head. “Lately I’m starting to realize that maybe it wouldn’t be so complicated and messy.” His eyes meet yours, and he doesn’t shy away from you. He keeps them there, holding your gaze, hoping that you’ll see the sincerity in them. “Lately, I'm starting to realize I've been cutting myself off from something good, just out of fear and selflessness and... a whole lot of other bullshit I won't get into right now." He breathes out a laugh. "Lately, I’m wondering what would happened if you hadn’t left that morning. That if I had woken up to you that morning and not an empty bed, nothing would have made me send you away.”

"Oh yeah…" You breathe out a faint laugh. Tears brimming your waterline.

His grip on your hand tightens. "Yeah..." He nods in reassurance. “Those are happy tears, right?” He teases, trying to keep a straight face, despite what he’s feeling stirup in his heart.

You muster a nod,

“I need to hear it.” He tells you. “Please.” He softly shakes his head. He needs you to confirm it because he doesn’t want you to be upset. He runs the pad of his thumb along your lower lip as he waits for your answer, wanting to wipe the tears away.

"Yes Michael...they're happy tears."

“Good.” He breathes out.

His fingers continue to trace your lower lip, and he swallows, trying to keep himself together. But being this close to you, looking down at you, and touching you again was making his heart pound violently in his chest, begging him to pull you up and into his arms.

He gently takes your chin between his thumb and forefinger so that he can tilt your head up as he moves in closer, his face inches away from yours. He can feel the heat of your breath and the way your chest rises and falls with every breath you take. He can feel the warmth of your skin and the racing of your heartbeat. It’s all so perfect, and he can’t help himself as he closes the gap, his lips pressing against yours.

You melt into the kiss with a big sigh.

Michael can feel you soften in his hold, and the sound of your sigh is like music to his ears. He deepens the kiss, his hand tilting your face so he can kiss you more fully. He can feel the need for you growing, and he has to mentally restrain himself from fully pulling you down onto the diner floor and taking you right there and then.

During your makeout session, you hear the click of the deadbolt inserting in and out of the strike plate causing you to let out a soft laugh. You pull back as Michael chases after you to continue your kiss. He had unmindedly locked and unlocked the door. "We should leave. I don't think Mr. Ortecho will take kindly to us christening his booths." Another giggle escapes you.

“I'll be extra quiet then…” Michael mutters out but reluctantly peels himself away from you. He grabs your hand, interlocking your fingers together, not wanting to lose the feeling of being close to you. As he helps you out of the booth. “Alright. Come on, we have somewhere to be anyway.” He leads you to the door, pushing the handle down to open it. Before he walks past the threshold, he turns to peck your lips once more.

"Go. Go." You grin as you push against his chest to get him and you out of the diner.

“Yes, boss.” He chuckles but lets himself be pushed out of the diner. His hand raises the top of your head and ruffles your strands playfully as you both step out into the evening air.

He keeps on walking while his hand grips you as if to anchor you to his side. He's not taking any chances this time.

[nightwhispcrs]

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ — here's my post-hiatus/new season starter call for my muses that could use more threads! at least some of these will have a fall/autumn theme and for my sanity many of them will probably be set at my muses' place of work.

adam newman, 33, senator & coffee shop owner — ( 1/3 ) drusilla

arnold novak, 28, socially awkward landscaper — ( 1/3 ) helaena targaryen

craig manning, 23, musician & photographer — ( 2/3 ) emily junk, nettles

gael martinez, 29, artist — (2/2 ) nie huaisang, kauul hilo

irina denali, 28, vampire esthetician law school student — ( 2/3 ) nettles, lucy westenra

dr. jack shephard, 35, spinal surgeon — ( 2/3 ) carlisle, pildo

jim hopper, 45, private investigator — ( 2/3 ) jihyo, joel miller

lenny pierce, appears 25, twilight oc hybrid — ( 1/2 ) astrid hofferson

michael guerin, appears 31, space alien cowboy — ( 2/3 ) jake wheeler, martin blackwood

monica geller — ( 1/1 ) dain aetos

naomi pierce, 34, luxuy smuggler socialite — ( 1/2 ) kenna

ramona flowers, 25, vintage store manager — ( 2/3 ) helaena targaryen, evie grimhilde

dr. reid oliver, 37, asshole neurosurgeon — ( 0/3 )

roman roy, 36, bar owner — ( 0/2 )

sarah walker, 29, cia agent — ( 3/3 ) mia winters, dale cooper, will graham

sue storm, 31, meterologist — (2/3 ) kate carter, yoon jisoo

violet baudelaire, 24, mechanical engineer — ( 1/3 ) archie kennedy

zoe rivas, 24, actress & wine bar host — ( 2/2 ) gina porter, jeremiah fisher

[burntotears]

MICHAEL GUERIN ➳ hat series Roswell, New Mexico | 1.04 Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

[aydann-runs]

Alex Manes parked his Explorer in the dusty parking lot of the Wild Pony and hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake. He usually played small, intimate venues in big cities, not small town cowboy bars. From the outside, it looked like this place had left the alien theme that the rest of Roswell embraced behind. Small favors, he thought.

Alex pulled out his phone and reviewed the gig details Liz had sent him yesterday. He’d met Dr. Liz Ortecho during the six months or so he’d been in Colorado, and when she heard he’d be passing through her hometown, she hadn’t wasted any time in reaching out to her best friend and owner of the Wild Pony to set him up with a show. Liz was scary-smart when it came to science, but surveying his surroundings, he thought it might have been a mistake to trust her judgment on playing a set at this venue. But, he was here, so he might as well go inside and see what he was working with.

It was still too early for the post-work crowd when Alex stepped into the Wild Pony, and there were only a handful of people in the whole place, including an honest-to-god cowboy, complete with Stetson hat, sitting at the bar. He almost bailed then and there. The last thing Alex wanted to do was play for a crowd whose musical tastes were firmly in the Luke Bryan camp.

As he hesitated on the threshold, still undecided, the jukebox in the corner started playing an old Third Eye Blind song–seemingly of its own volition–at the same time the cowboy turned. Honey-brown eyes locked with his, and the jolt it sent through Alex’s body was unexpected. He didn’t have time to consider what that might mean before the man grinned and pushed away from the bar.

“Alex Manes?” he called as he actually swaggered across the space between them.

The guy had either gone all-in on the cowboy aesthetic, or he was an actual rancher, because he was dressed the part from head-to-toe: black hat, plaid shirt, dark-wash jeans, huge fucking belt buckle, and a pair of well-worn boots. Either way, it was a good look on him.

“Alex? You’re Liz’s friend?” The question was more tentative this time, and Alex realized he’d been too busy staring and hadn’t actually responded.

“Uh, yeah. Um, hi,” he stammered. Oh god, get it together. “Is Maria DeLuca here?”

“Maria’s in the back, she’ll be out in a minute. I’m Michael. Michael Guerin,” he said, extending his hand.

“Nice to meet you.” Guerin’s hand was warm and solid when Alex took it in his own, and Alex could feel the calluses on his palm. Maybe a real cowboy, then, he thought. Or at least used to working with his hands.

Alex realized he still had Michael’s hand in his own, had been holding it much longer than a conventional handshake would dictate, and dropped it abruptly. He rubbed his hand on the seam of his jeans in a futile attempt to erase the lingering tingle in his palm.

Michael clocked the motion and gave him an assessing look. “You go on in what, an hour?” When Alex nodded, he continued, “Then let me buy you a drink. I think I’d like to get to know you, Alex Manes.”

Alex smiled and gestured for Michael to lead the way. “As long as you let me pick up the second round.”

He hadn’t planned on staying in Roswell long, but he thought that might change, if drinks with the handsome cowboy went the way he hoped.

[userseveride]

@first-kanaphan

MICHAEL GUERIN

Roswell, New Mexico | 4.09 "Wild Wild West"

[bloodydeanwinchester]

Ok jenna I’m watching Roswell (original) for the first time and the handprint from him saving her life marking the beginning of their connection/relationship is soooo destiel.. i was like hmm what does that remind me of skfkskfksf (also this isn’t part of the anon ask thing u can answer this lol)

omg yesssss you're so right that IS so destiel coded of that show!!! i never watched the original, but i LOVED the remake so much!!!! michael guerin is so beloved to me. my favorite bisexual angry cowboy alien<3333

[shadow-likethehedgehog]

Intro Post

═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╗ ❧ name: Payton 🪲🐞 ➺pronouns: She/Her ❧ orientation: Not straigh ❧ pets: 2 Dogs(Enzo and Porter) *:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:* ❧ hobbies: guitar, listing to music, drawing, making bracelets, skateboarding, hockey, reading ➺ likes: FOOD, Music, art, Matthew Daddario, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, youtube, video essays, Adventure time, Ludwig, shlatt, sharks, video games, Midwest emo, Dad rock, jen lindly, Alec lightwood, michael guerin,cowgirls,cowboys, Garfeild, *:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*

❧ Favorite Movies: Lego batman, brokeback mountain, fight club, dead poets society,

➺ favorite artists: The front bottoms, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Pierce the veil, La Dispute, Shauna Dean Cokeland, Jeff Buckley, Pavement, Creed, Zach Bryan, Pearl Jam, MCR, seether, Merchant ships, bob dylan, descendents, queen, frank ocean, blur, car seat headrest, twenty one pilots, nana grizol, static-X, frank turner, taking back sunday

❧ favorite color: GREEN ➺ favorite foods: Chicken pot pie, popcorn ❧ favorite drink: Dr pepper, Apple juice, root beer ➺ favorite show: ShadowHunters, Adventure Time, everything sucks, shameless, Stranger things, South park ❧ favorite book: On This Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous By Ocean Vuong, Shadow Hunters TMI ➺ favorite game: stardew valley, minecraft and skate 3

[onward--upward]

build my kingdom in the dark

Michael/Alex, 23.9k, rated E // ao3

Michael meets Alex Manes on a Tuesday.

After everything, after all their chaos and sex and pain and love, that detail sticks with him, for some reason. It’s a Tuesday night, their college-town bar is still packed, and Michael looks up from the beer he’d ordered with his shitty fake ID to find big brown eyes watching him from behind long lashes. A sharp impulse digs into his ribs, and Michael has always been a big fan of following impulses.

The UNM student dorms are a cinder block hellscape, but Michael Guerin has lived in worse places. At least here there are no violent addicts or religious freaks, and Michael has at least this modicum of space all to himself. It’s nice, really – Michael has never needed much room, and he can put any shit he wants up on the walls, schematics and formulas and stupid pictures of things that he just likes. A stupid doodle of a horse in a cowboy hat that Isobel drew him during her short-lived artsy phase takes pride of place above his desk, alongside all the nerdy genius shit he wants. Does the end result kind of look like a mad scientist’s lair mixed with that meme from Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Yeah, but Michael kind of digs the aesthetics of it all. Makes him feel like he’s living up to the genius label that was slapped onto him long ago. 

The room mostly doesn’t look crazy enough that it dissuades any of the lovely guys and gals he brings home – he likes to think that it all looks just eccentric enough to be interesting, but honestly if he’s doing his job right, it’s not like any of them are really there for the décor. 

On the whole, Michael likes college. He really does. His classes feel a little basic right now, but he’s been talking to his academic advisor about skipping some prerequisites and getting right into some more advanced courses next semester. Isobel and Max are based close enough that he still gets to see them pretty often. And there are plenty of co-eds on campus that he can sway towards and coax easy kisses out of. It’s a great life.

continue on ao3

[pastelwitchling]

Michael tries to bake. Again.

***

Alex opened his front door to the smell of something burning. Daffodil and Po were zooming through the halls, Daffodil occasionally stumbling over her three legs, which only made Po run into her, and then they’d both tumble a second before regaining their footing. Daffodil, who’d always preferred Alex, ran right at him and sank her claws into his pant leg, attempting to climb (thank God she’d launched herself at his prosthetic), while Po, lover of all people, ran in circles around them, barking madly through his smushed face.

Alex’s eyes were wide, his brows furrowed. “What . . . the hell? Guerin?” he called out, but there was no response. Frowning, Alex picked up Daffodil with one hand and set her on his shoulder, and picked up Po with his other hand, holding him against his chest. “Michael!”

He was about to try again when he came into the kitchen and found his husband bent over the oven, thick mittens on. In his hands was a tray . . . on which rested another black brick. Alex’s shoulders fell.

“You tried to bake again, didn’t you?” he said, and Michael jumped. He whirled around and the black brick jumped several feet before landing in the sink.

Michael looked between Alex, the cake, and back at Alex again, breathing hard. “It was chocolate,” he said, apologetic, “I thought something was going to explode and it was chocolate. I had to get mean, they just weren’t leaving!”

Daffodil hissed and swiped her paw at the evil burnt log. Alex pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. When he thought he could finally speak without his voice trembling, he said, “I thought we agreed that you’d only bake when I was in the house. So I could, you know, put out any fires?”

“You’ve been having a tough week!” Michael defended. “I was sure I got that triple fudge cake recipe down this time!” Then, as if the truth had been on the tip of his tongue since his last baking venture when he’d nearly burned their house down, he blurted, “Damn it, I never thought a freaking dish would get to me, but I can make beef bourguignon better than a Frenchman, for God’s sake! How do I suck at pastries?!”

Alex watched him pace back and forth, his shoulders shaking with the force of his concealed laughter. Before he could make some poor attempt at comfort, Michael pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “You know, I think there’s something in the flour or the sugar – the vanilla, that’s what it is – it’s gotta be something reacting to my alien biology. I’m serious, Alex. I think it’s, like, a chemical thing at this point – it’s not funny!”

He'd finally snapped when Alex bent over, laughing so hard that his stomach hurt and it got hard to breathe. Daffodil sank her claws into his shoulder to keep herself upright, and Po, too happy about seeing someone else happy, barked and waved his curly little tail. His barks nearly drowned out Michael’s groans, the cowboy putting his head in his hands.

“I just wanted to make you something nice,” he whined, even as Alex pulled him into his arms.

“Aww, baby,” Alex cooed. “I love you trying to bake for me. You make us amazing meals all the time, that’s more than I could ask for.”

“You shouldn’t have to ask at all,” Michael grumbled, shoving his face into Alex’s shoulder as though hoping to merge their bodies together with sheer force alone. “You deserve every amazing thing you could dream of when you come home, and I want to be the one to give that to you.” He shuddered, heaving a long exhale. “But that damn cake . . .”

Alex snorted, and squeezed Michael tight. He felt Daffodil crawl off his shoulder to settle on Michael’s, saw Po looking up at them with his tongue out and his tail still wagging, the burned brick in his sink. He smiled against the crook of Michael’s neck.

“Oh baby,” he said softly, his heart full, “it doesn’t get any more amazing than you.”

After a long minute, Michael’s arms came around his waist, hugging him back tightly. Michael nuzzled his shoulder, his jaw, snuggling deeper into him, and he sighed. “Hubby?” he said.

“Hm?”

Michael huffed. “I can’t let this cake beat me.”

Alex’s smile widened. He kissed the side of Michael’s neck, and was rewarded with the cowboy melting further into him. “I know,” he said. “And the next time you try, I’ll be right here.” Then whispered, “With a fire extinguisher.”

Michael dug his nails into Alex’s ribs, and Alex had no hope of holding in his laughter this time.

***

Happy Malex Monday ❤️