#she sends me emoji faces cursing and she sends her emoji face then the alien and the bears and the poop emoji

[youremyonlyhope]

Just angrily killed a horsefly by smashing it against the ceiling with a swifter sweeper because it started loudly bumping and buzzing against my light which was interrupting me as I cried over My Love My Life from Mamma Mia 2.

I’m fine.

[stayextrafrosty]

All That I Want Is to Finally Be Honest

Summary: 3x09 coda. Michael creates a truth serum in an attempt to help Liz get information out of Jones. He has no one to test it on so he injects himself. Well, he doesn’t expect Alex to come visit. And while they’ve been talking about things more, there’s still stuff Michael needs to say.

A/N: When I say this is porn with feelings… I mean that in the most intense way. The emotions come out full force here. Title taken from the song "Back To U" by SLANDER. This was supposed to be done before 3x10 but alas.

Read on AO3 // Masterlist

-

“I told you, Ortecho. The serum is done but I need to test it. Are you a willing subject?” Michael said as he swirled the liquid in the beaker.

“I told you I’m busy making more of the alien suppressant. Call Isobel. She’s been itching for things to do.” Michael snorted and hung up the phone. He knew she was right. Isobel had been poking her nose into everything Michael and Liz had been working on. She offered to help but there wasn’t a whole lot she could do under the circumstances. But maybe it would be a good idea to put her under oath for a little bit.

He reached for the phone in his pocket, groaning when he saw the ‘no service’ message. This bunker was so hit or miss with it these days. He wished he could send actual thoughts to Isobel as opposed to just feelings over long distances.

Carefully setting the beaker in a holder, he stepped away from the table, wiping the sweat from his palms on his jeans. He climbed up the ladder, pushing the hatch open with his mind. The sun nearly blinded him as cool air whipped around him. He sat himself on the edge of the hole, waiting for his phone to connect again.

As soon as it did, it buzzed a few times as text messages came in. Three separate messages from Isobel spit balling theories and asking if he needed anything from her. He had tried to tell her to get some rest but she was determined to be the one to take Jones down. She had planned a date with some new girl in town but every time Michael asked about it she said there were other things to focus on.

Date.

He and Alex had made plans but of course they got interrupted. By a machine of all things. A machine that made him hallucinate Michael’s mom. Practically throwing every single doubt about them in his mind right back in his face. Alex didn’t want to tell him the full extent of the things she had said. The things he was thinking. Michael understood for the most part. He wasn’t keeping things from him to be cruel. Just the opposite. Alex was trying to protect him. Alex was always protecting him.

Michael sent a quick message back to Isobel about the serum and how he needed help testing it. The phone buzzed again in his hand and he couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face. He was only thankful Sanders wasn’t around to tease him about it. Alex’s name was at the top of the new message. He tapped the notification to re-open their conversation. He wanted to pretend he didn’t spend the time rereading their conversations since Michael had kissed him. Until then, Michael had thought Alex wasn’t the type to use emojis, but they were being sprinkled throughout more messages.

‘Hope your day is going well’ followed by a blushing smiley face. Michael laughed and shook his head.

‘It would be better if I could see you’ he sent back. He started to climb back down the ladder but his phone buzzed again. He opened the message, being greeted by Alex’s small smile and half lidded eyes as he rested his head on his arm on his desk. He wasn’t fully recovered and Michael could tell. But even with the dark circles, he was still the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

Michael had tried to get him to take a few days off but Alex was insistent. He swore that he would only work on the machine in the way they discussed from now on. And Michael was pretty sure Eduardo was now watching him.

The soft smile still made his heart flutter. This is real. They could casually send pictures of themselves and it wasn’t weird. Michael could see Alex whenever he wanted. And god he loved him. He loved him so much he could jump out of his skin every time he heard his name. There was a twitch in his fingers that told him only to touch Alex. Hold him close and never let go.

“You’re gunna fall if you keep standin’ on the ladder like that!” Michael jumped at Sanders voice. The old man had his eye brow raised and arms crossed as he stood outside of the office trailer.

“Just trying to get some fresh air,” Michael called back as a gust of cold wind whipped through the yard. Sanders shook his head and moved back into the trailer. Michael climbed down the ladder but left the cover off, hoping that would let his phone continue to get service.

He began filling syringes with the serum. His phone buzzed on the table and he briefly glanced at it to see Isobel’s response. She had found something to occupy her time apparently; investigating a lead about where the new alien had disappeared to.

Michael sighed and looked at the needles. He supposed he could just test it on himself. But if it worked properly (which it should) would Sanders really want to listen to all of the stories he had kept secret all this time?

“Guess I don’t have a choice,” he mumbled to himself. Picking up one of the syringes, he watched the green liquid shift. He slipped his flannel off his shoulders, tossing it onto the table. The black t-shirt he wore underneath didn’t do much to keep the cold from the open hatch from sinking in. He pushed a small amount of the serum out of the needle before slipping it into his arm.

“Mad scientists always test on themselves, right?” he asked nobody as he set the empty tube back on the table.

He felt nothing as he walked around the bunker, tapping a pen on the notebook in his hand. Had it really been a bust? Maybe he needed to use more of the powder. He used significantly less than Liz did in her alien killing poison but maybe he needed just a bit more to influence the prefrontal cortex.

He mumbled a curse as he made a note. He didn’t have time to remake this crap a million times. Jones was out there and who knew—

A wave of dizziness washed over him, sending him to his knees. He tried to pull himself up by grabbing the table but the room spun. He missed every attempt to grab the metal edge. Black creeped in at the edge of his vision. He let himself collapse to the floor and he rolled onto his back. Michael fought to keep his eyes open for as long as possible but the promise of sleep was too tempting.

-

“—rin! Guerin! Come on wake up. Don’t you dare leave me now… Michael!”

Alex’s voice was distant, like he was underwater. There was a feint pressure floating across his upper body, poking and prodding. His head radiated pain but it was slowly fading. He began to feel like he was floating as opposed to the hard surface he had been laying on. But at least feeling was starting to return to his body.

“Michael, please. I’m begging you to open your eyes. Twitch your fingers. Scrunch your nose. Anything.” Alex was louder now, as though coming from right above him. He finally oriented himself enough to recognize that his head was elevated. A trembling hand held his own, obviously trying to stop shaking by squeezing harder. Something wet dripped onto his cheek.

“Damnit, Michael!” Alex choked out a sob. Michael summoned all the energy he could and squeezed his hand. He heard Alex gasp above him and then he was squeezing back. Another hand brushed hair off his forehead and traced down the side of his face. Michael would have shuddered at the feeling of his hands but he still didn’t have much movement in his body.

Instead he swallowed and tried to make some kid of sound. Any word that would sooth Alex. He just ended up with a clipped groan. Still Alex seemed to release a sigh of relief.

“Michael. Can you hear me? Are you ok?” Michael just made another strangled sound and gave a barely there squeeze to his hand. He focused his efforts to opening his eyes instead. He wanted to see Alex.

The dim lights above him still felt too bright and everything was blurry. He could vaguely make out the form of Alex’s head bent over him. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog in front of his eyes. As his focus sharpened, he met Alex’s wide eyes. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, and a small smile found its way to his lips.

“I’m ok,” Michael managed to croak out. Then Alex was bending down and pressing a gentle kiss to his mouth. Michael would have responded but he was pulling away too soon.

“Wait… do it again,” Michael mumbled. Alex shook his head.

“Let’s at least get you sitting up.” He groaned as Alex lifted his shoulders and helped him turn so he could lean against the counter. Michael noticed his position on his knees. How long had he been sitting like that with his head in his lap? It was probably uncomfortable at best, painful at worst. He moved sluggishly to grab Alex’s arm and pull him off his knees to a sitting position next to him.

“You don’t have to worry about me so much. But I love that you do.” Michael wanted to correct himself. Take back the second part. It was still too soon.

“What happened? Did someone come hurt you?” The new anger in his voice was barely contained. Michael blew extra air out of his nose in a laugh and shook his head.

“No. I stuck myself with a serum I’ve been working on for Liz. I needed a guinea pig and no other alien was around. I think I used too much of the yellow powder and knocked myself out. No big deal.” He reached over to rest a hand on Alex’s thigh and squeezed gently. “There’s no need to be angry. But the fact that you are makes me love you more.” Stop talking! He was screaming at himself.

Alex sucked in a breath and turned his face away, but Michael caught the blush that overtook his cheeks. He let himself slide to the side, resting his own head on Alex’s shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment and the fog in his head continued to clear.

“What kind of serum was it?” Alex asked quietly.

“Supposed to be a truth serum. The idea was that once we over power Jones, we stick him with it and he tells us all the secrets of the universe. How to swap Max and Jones back into their proper bodies. History of our home planet and the War. Stuff about us.” He knew that this was more information than he was asking for but he couldn’t stop talking. “Did you know I’m immune to fire? That was a hell of a discovery. Spent the better part of a day setting my hand on fire to see if it did anything. Never did. There really was an irony in you telling me that you’d burn the world down for me.”

“Michael…”

“Sure you’d burn the world but did you ever consider I would walk through fire for you? That maybe the world is already burning but it doesn’t matter because I can withstand it all. Just for you.”

Suddenly a hand was covering his mouth and Alex was staring at him so intently Michael thought he might be reading his mind. Tears pricked at the edges of his eyes and his breathing was shaky, as though Michael had overwhelmed him.

“I.. think the serum works,” Alex said quietly. Michael wrapped his fingers around his wrist gently, pulling his hand away from his mouth, but not too far.

“I love you, Alex.” He pulled his hand back to his lips, pressing them to his palm. “And I should have said that to you so much earlier.”

Michael could see the way Alex fought against the smile. He breathed out a half laugh and looked anywhere except him.

“Tell me that when you haven’t drugged yourself,” Alex teased gently.

“Alex, I can’t lie.”

“I know. But I want you to tell me when you’re ready.”

Michael kissed his palm again, then moved his hand slowly down his cheek and placed it on the back of his neck. Alex slipped his fingers into his curls, nails scratching lightly at his head.

“I want to kiss you,” Michael said softly, cupping Alex’s jaw and running his thumbs over his cheeks. He let one go just far enough to press against his bottom lip, pulling it down. Alex’s lips parted as his hand threaded through Michael’s hair tightened.

“You don’t have to ask, you know,” he responded, breathless.

Michael couldn’t help the shudder that ran down his spine. He leaned forward, resting his head against Alex, just breathing in the smell of him. He brushed their lips together and Alex gasped. The small sound sent a thrill through Michael. His heart fluttered and his stomach twisted with nerves.

“I want you,” Michael mumbled.

“You’ve got me. I’m not going anywhere.”

His body trembled as the words warmed every part of his body. Need settled between his legs as he rolled himself to straddle Alex’s thighs. His free hand landed on Michael’s hip as the hand in his hair tugged him closer, brushing their lips against each other again.

Michael hadn’t been this nervous about intimacy in years. This was Alex after all. They communicate with bodies and moans. It’s the way they understand each other. They always fit together so well. Filling in the cracks of each other and making something more beautiful than when they were apart.

Alex was the one who closed the distance between them, capturing Michael’s lips, stoking the fire under his skin. He moaned softly, pressing his hips against Alex.

They had kept their kisses chaste since the night at the Pony, neither wanting to rush into this before they knew where they were going. But Michael had been craving Alex for almost three years. To have him wrapped in his arms as sweat eased the movement of their bodies. He didn’t want to wait anymore. He couldn’t.

Alex tugged on his hair with one hand and his t-shirt with the other. Michael’s hands were moving down to the unbuttoned flannel. He shoved it off his shoulders to expose the white shirt underneath. Alex only released him to chuck the shirt somewhere to the side before he was grabbing at the hem of his shirt and pushing it up.

Michael separated for a moment as he gripped Alex’s shoulders, running his fingers over the collar of his shirt. He felt the cool press of metal and remembered the dog tags Alex had taken to wearing.

His mind wandered to the way they would move against Alex’s chest. The way they would intensify the feeling of Michael’s warm fingers as he traced the chain on his skin. He groaned as he also realized that it was something he couldhave.

Michael kissed Alex again, grinding down against him. He wanted to make sure he knew just how badly he wanted him. Alex shoved his hands under his shirt, fingers splayed over his stomach and then moving to his sides and eventually his back. Alex scratched him lightly as he pulled him closer, encouraging the movement of his hips more.

He shuddered and cursed against his lips. He felt like a teenager again. Like he might come undone without even getting their pants off.

“Wait,” Michael mumbled, breathless. Alex pulled away immediately, looking almost scared that he had done something wrong. Michael smiled warmly at him before crushing their lips together one last time. He only held it for a couple seconds before he was pushing himself off the floor. He grabbed Alex’s hands on the way up, using his telekinesis to help lift him to his feet also. Alex looked around, shocked in a way. Michael was a bit startled too. The pollen was supposed to suppress their powers. Maybe the amount he used was too small to have a real effect. Instead of pointing this out, Michael just chuckled and pushed Alex back against the edge of the counter, head dipping to place wet kisses over his neck.

“Come to my trailer,” he said against his throat. “If I’m going to show you just how much I love you, I’ll at least do it in a proper bed.” Alex’s head fell back as Michael’s mouth moved. But he nodded quickly.

Michael forced himself away from Alex, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the ladder. He let Alex climb out first, following closely behind. He shut the cover to the bunker with hardly a glance behind him. He flung the trailer door open next and all but shoved Alex inside, though still cautious of his leg.

Not that Alex was any more patient than he was. Alex grabbed him by his shirt, pulling their bodies flush against each other as Michael locked the door with his mind. Michael’s arms wrapped around his waist as their lips came together again. Alex whimpered as his tongue teased his lip. Michael tugged it between his teeth, groaning at the way it made Alex melt against him.

Alex’s hands dragged down his chest to the hem of his shirt again, yanking it up. They only separated for a moment as Michael finished removing the garment. Michael shoved him backwards onto his bed. He smiled down at him and watched hungrily as he rushed to undo the button on his jeans. All of this the same path they had taken three years ago. But it was different now. Neither was going to run away.

Michael crawled onto the bed, settling between Alex’s thighs as he pushed his shirt up and over his head before capturing his mouth again. They sighed against each other’s lips as their skin moved together effortlessly. The cool metal of the dog tags Alex was wearing shocked Michael, but that only made him want to press closer.

Fingers pulled at his hair and then scratched down his back until they reached the top of his jeans. Michael’s mouth fell open in a silent moan as Alex traced the hem around to the belt buckle. He fumbled with the strap for a moment before he yanked it free and immediately popped the button on his jeans.

Michael shifted back to his knees to admire the beautiful man below him. His face was red, lips swollen and wet as he tugged his bottom lip between his teeth. His eyes were half lidded as he ran his fingers over Michael’s abs and tried to pull him back down by the hem of his jeans. As much as he wanted to go with whatever Alex wanted, he wanted to take it slow. The temptation to just throw all their clothing off and get Alex moaning taunted him. But they could do that any time. No. Michael was determined to show him exactly what he thought of him.

He took Alex’s hands in his, threading their fingers together and pressing them down next to his head. Leaning down again, he kissed Alex slowly, only just barely running his tongue over the seem of his lips. A small whine bubbled up from Alex’s throat as his fingers squeezed Michael’s. Michael rubbed his hips against Alex and they both gasped at the friction.

“I need you,” Alex panted out. Michael hushed him gently as he trailed his lips over his jaw to his neck. Alex’s body arched against him as he sucked at his pulse point. Once he was satisfied with the mark, he moved down past his collarbone and hovered over his heart, breathing over the skin before pressing his mouth against him softly.

He slipped his hands out of Alex’s, letting his fingers just ghost over his arms. Michael continued his movement down his body, leaving small, wet kisses in his wake. His hands followed the same path through the hair on his chest as his mouth worked over his stomach to the trail of hair leading down from his belly button.

“I can never come up with the words to tell you how perfect you are,” Michael breathed against his skin. He pressed his forehead against the bottom of Alex’s ribs as he dragged his fingers down to the hem of his jeans. He felt Alex’s hands run through his hair, scratching and tugging. Michael slipped his fingers into the waistband and began pulling the fabric down.

“Michael, wait,” Alex said. He froze and looked up at him, waiting for further instructions. “Let me take off the prosthesis first.” He pushed himself up to his elbows before Michael stopped him.

“If you’ll let me, I can take it off for you.” Alex’s shoulders sagged as a small smile found it’s way to his face. He nodded slowly and took Michael’s hand, pulling it to his mouth to press a couple chaste kisses to his fingers.

Michael slipped to his knees on the floor. He rolled Alex’s pant leg up, exposing the metal and plastic. He worked quickly with Alex watching him, undoing straps and tugging gently. He set the leg to the side carefully, leaning it against the wall.

He looked back up at Alex and hoped that he didn’t blush from the soft look he was getting from him. He rolled the sock off his stump and set it to the side with the prosthesis. He watched Alex through his eye lashes as he pressed kisses to his knee.

Alex gasped softly and pushed himself up completely so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He took Michael’s face in his hands tenderly, brushing his thumbs over his cheekbones. Michael ran his hands up his legs to his waist and over his stomach. His fingers brushed against the metal of the dog tags when he got to his chest.

He dragged one hand back down to Alex’s hip. The other he let catch on the metal chain. He met Alex’s gaze as their heavy breathing mingled between them. Then Michael tugged on the chain, firmly pulling Alex down toward him.

He pushed himself up at the same time, mouths coming together with a chorus of moans and gasps. Their tongues tasted each other as Michael pushed himself up and Alex back on the bed. Alex’s hands were tangled in his hair, pulling him as close as their bodies would allow.

Michael braced himself with one hand while the other ran down Alex’s body to the waist of his pants again. He grabbed and tugged both the jeans and underwear over his hips. Alex, lifted himself so he could bring them down to his thighs.

He pulled away from Alex to finish removing his clothes, tossing them somewhere to the side. Michael licked his lips as he took in every beautiful inch of him. The firm muscles barely hidden beneath the soft skin. He touched his thighs, the hair tickling his hands. He moved slowly up his thighs and to his hips where his hardness rested between his legs.

Michael avoided touching his cock, instead focusing on massaging everything else around it. He dug his fingers into the soft spot on his hips. Alex rolled toward his touch, sighing blissfully. And he couldn’t help himself, leaning down to press featherlight kisses to the v just below his abs. Alex made a small whimpering sound as he pulled at his own hair.

“So amazing…” Michael mumbled as he continued his line of kisses up over his abs. “Beautiful and strong…” Alex gasped out his name when his hands scratched up his sides and to his arms to hold them above his head. “You were made for me, Alex. I was made to touch you, to kiss you, to live for you, to love you.”

Michael kissed his way back up to his chest, inhaling his scent and hoping that it would be left on his own skin for days. He pressed his tongue over Alex’s nipple briefly before kissing across his chest to the other one. Alex arched his back, pressing his member against Michael’s abs and rubbing. He chuckled.

“Touching you was always the most rewarding part,” he said sweetly before running the tip of his tongue up over his chest and neck and back to his lips. He left only a few centimeters between them as he spoke, “You’re so responsive. I can’t help but want to take you apart.”

“Kiss me, Michael. Now,” Alex ordered. Michael would never deny him anything. Not unless that was the plan. It was about both of them this time. He could play with him in the future. Michael slid his mouth over Alex’s, not being able to stop the smile.

They had a future. And this was only the first of all the ways he would be allowed to love him.

Michael released Alex’s arms and ran his fingers back down his torso to his hips. He pressed the length of his body against him. Alex wrapped his arms around his neck, licking into his mouth and nipping at his lip. Michael moaned softly and rocked his hips against him.

He released Alex to push his own pants and underwear to his knees before kicking them off. He let most of his weight collapse on top of Alex, rolling his hips to rub them against each other. They moaned together as a shudder ran down Michael’s spine.

Alex untangled one of his arms to reach between them. He wrapped his hand around both of them, stroking slowly. Michel groaned into his mouth as his arms started to shake from the effort of holding himself up. He tore himself away from Alex, knowing that if he let this continue, he would finish before even getting inside him. He sat back on his knees, tracing a pattern through the hair on his chest and down to his cock.

He pushed Alex’s hand away from them gently. His panting only increased as Michael took his legs and bent them back slightly. Michael slid down his body so that his mouth hovered over Alex’s now twitching member. Every breath that brushed over him made it jump in anticipation.

He felt Alex’s hand in his hair and looked up at him through his eyelashes. His mouth hung open as his eyes begged for any sort of stimulation. A small bead of precum sat at the tip, threatening to roll down the side.

“You’re so perfect,” Michael said just before taking Alex into his mouth for the first time in years. The salty taste of him was better than he remembered as he slipped most of the way down his shaft. Alex jerked and gasped, tugging on his hair to pull him closer. Michael groaned around him, feeling the way Alex’s fingers tightened again.

Michael rubbed the back of his thighs as he bobbed his head up and down, pushing them open so he could have better access. He let his tongue tease around the head as he slipped further with every down stroke.

“Fuck, Michael,” Alex pleaded. He looked up at him to meet his eyes. He felt the shudder run through Alex’s body as he gasped and twisted his other hand into the sheets on the bed. Then Michael sank down again, taking him to the back of his throat and burying his nose in the short hair at the base.

Alex’s hips jerked up and Michael suppressed his gag reflex by gripping his thighs harder. Alex tugged his already swollen bottom lip between his teeth as his eyes fluttered closed and head fell back. Michael wanted to imprint the image of him blissed out into his brain.

He lifted his head until just the tip with in his mouth before sinking back down in one movement. Alex cried out in pleasure as his fingers pulled on Michael’s hair again. He continued the pattern a few more times before pulling off completely. Alex whined in protest. Michael chuckled and smirked up at him. Then he trailed the tip of his tongue down his length and over his balls, sucking one into his mouth briefly before moving to his ass.

Alex’s back arched again as he tried to press closer to Michael’s tongue. He mumbled something incomprehensible when he started teasing his rim. Michael shifted his hands down to his ass, spreading him open.

“Not… enough…” Alex panted out. Michael nipped at the skin of his ass lightly.

“Just be patient, darlin’,” he said sweetly before pressing a kiss to his skin. Then he pressed his tongue flat against his hole while his thumb pushed just past the rim. Alex’s hips rocked more as small moans slipped from his lips.

Michael worked his thumb in slowly, letting the tip of his tongue slip in alongside it. He pressed against Alex’s walls, urging him open. Alex groaned from above him and grabbed handfuls of his hair, yanking him back up his body to crush their mouths together. Michael didn’t exactly fight hard against it.

He kept his fingers at his hole, slipping his middle finger in and out of him teasingly. Alex bit at his lips and shoved his tongue into his mouth. It stole Michael’s breath away, feeling the desperation he poured into the kiss. He only hoped Alex could feel the same from him. He didn’t get the chance to reciprocate for long because Alex pulled away, instead pressing their foreheads together.

“Tell me you have lube,” he said, voice shaking and breathy.

“Of course.” Michael reached out with his mind to the lowest drawer under the sink. He floated the bottle toward them and dropped it on the bed. “You saying you didn’t like my attentions?” he teased with a smile.

“I liked it too much,” Alex said, brushing their lips together and rocking his hips against Michael’s fingers. “I need to feel you inside me again. To be as close to you as possible. To lose track of where I end and you begin.”

He couldn’t stop the smile that broke out on his face. Michael would do anything for Alex. Bend to his every whim and request.

So he removed his finger from Alex’s hole and instead wrapped his arm around his waist and the other around his back. He pulled him up so he was sitting on his thighs as Michael kneeled on the bed. Alex wrapped his arms around his shoulders, holding him close.

Michael kissed him again, soft and slow. He gripped Alex’s skin, digging his fingers into the muscle. Alex sighed and held him tighter in return. When he was sure he was balanced on his thighs, he reached for the bottle and flicked the cap open. Realizing he was going to need to hands, he pulled his lips away from Alex. There was a small noise of protest that Michael silenced with a quick peck.

“Hold on to me,” he breathed over his lips.

“I wouldn’t dream of letting go.”

He released Alex slowly as their lips slipped over each other again. Michael squeezed a small amount of lube on his fingers. He rubbed it around for a moment before finding Alex’s entrance again. Alex gasped as his fingers prodded the opening.

There was little resistance to the first finger from Michael’s earlier attention. The lube made the second finger slip in just as easily. Alex sighed his name as his hips started rocking slowly. The friction against Michael’s own cock was wholly welcome, making him moan.

Michael twisted and pressed his fingers inside him, looking for the sweet spot he knew would earn him more noises. Alex’s mouth fell open when he finally found it and he could only grin as he swallowed the moan that tumbled from his lips. He massaged his prostate. A few soft strokes followed by a firm press.

Alex’s cock twitched and throbbed against his with every movement. As much as Michael wanted to continue like this until Alex made a mess of them both, he didn’t want to wait anymore. He pulled his fingers out slowly, giving one more teasing press to the spot.

Michael grabbed the lube bottle again, pouring more onto his fingers. He snapped the lid closed and tossed it to the side, hardly registering the sound of it falling to the floor. He carefully shifted Alex back so he could cover his cock in the lube.

Once fully coated, he pulled back to rest his forehead against Alex’s. They both panted as they met each other’s eyes. Michael wrapped an arm around his waist.

“You want this?” he asked a final time. Alex just beamed at him before pulling him back in for a searing kiss.

“Yes. I need you, Michael.”

Michael could only groan in response, claiming his lips again. He lowered Alex back to the bed and he almost immediately wrapped his legs around his waist. With his free hand, Michael guided his cock to Alex’s hole. He pressed himself against the rim, slowly rolling his hips until the tip entered him.

Michael saw stars behind his eyes as he tried to keep his movements slow. The temptation to bury himself in the warmth of Alex was overwhelming. Their moans overlapped as he pushed farther in. He nearly fell forward, needing to brace himself using the arm that had been hold Alex.

“I love you, Michael,” Alex suddenly rushed out. Michael’s eyes opened to meet Alex’s. He had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen on his face. His eyes were half lidded but still completely focused on Michael. “I love you,” he repeated.

His heart soared higher than ever. He never thought he would know this kind of joy. But the man wrapped in his arms was offering it so openly and completely. No extra conditions. Just all the love he could possibly give.

A tear spilled down Michael’s face as he pushed himself completely into Alex. Their mouths fell open and Alex refused to look away from him. He pulled out slightly and pushed in again, this time hearing the moans fall from his own lips.

“God, Alex…” he sighed, letting his head fall to his shoulder as he continued the steady thrusting of his hips.

Michael pressed his lips to his shoulder before sucking on the spot, massaging a mark into his skin. Alex moaned softly as his hips came up to meet Michael’s next thrust. He scratched his nails up and down Michael’s back, distracting him from his rhythm. His hips jerked forward roughly once, making them both gasp at the feeling.

He picked up his rhythm again, moving faster, starting to chase the high that comes with orgasm. Alex clenched around him, moving his own hips in time with Michael. He stopped holding back his moans, instead letting them vibrate over Alex’s skin.

He could feel Alex’s heartbeat from where their chests were pressed together. It pounded just as hard as his own. Possibly threatening to burst from how full of love it was. Alex’s moans were music to his ears. Small plea’s begging for more finally registered in his brain. And he would never deny Alex.

“I’m so close, Michael,” he whined next to his ear. Michael was on the edge too. So he pulled his head from Alex’s shoulder and kissed him again as he sped up his hips again, trying to match the racing of his heartbeat.

He had lost track of his body. He could only feel Alex wrapped around him, fitting perfectly against his skin. Michael ground his hips against Alex’s ass, breaking his even pattern in an effort to feel more of him.

After that he didn’t know what came over him. His hand was pressing to Alex’s chest as his hips only got rougher and more erratic. He could feel the heat rippling out from his hand. Alex cried out and arched against him, one of his own hands moving to cover Michael’s.

“Alex, Alex, Alex,” he panted out.

“Michael!” He felt the spasm of his body against his own, then the warmth of the liquid running between them.

His own orgasm rushed up to him, no time to even consider pulling out. Not that he even wanted to. His hips thrust forward roughly, burying him inside of Alex as his cock emptied. A long moan accompanied each of his last thrusts until he was shaking from the overstimulation.

Michael collapsed against Alex, laying his head against his chest. Alex’s free hand pet his hair gently as their breathing started to even out. Michael dozed and Alex’s occasional snores let him know he wasn’t the only one. It couldn’t have been that long because the mess between them hadn’t dried.

He pulled his eyes open to see his hand placed firmly over Alex’s heart and his hand still covering Michael’s. He lifted his hand slowly and the bright pink, iridescent handprint seemed to ripple with Alex’s breathing.

“You could have warned me how intense it would be,” Alex said quietly, a light and content tone to his voice. Michael pushed himself up slightly to see his face. The sweet smile that always made his heart flutter was back and internally he sighed in relief.

“Had I known it was going to be I would have,” he said, lifting a finger brush over his cheek. “I’m sorry for the handprint. I didn’t—” Alex pulled him in and kissed him, stopping his apology.

“I’m so happy, Michael. About everything. I love you so much,” he said when he pulled away. Michael smiled at him and pressed another kiss to his lips, lingering just slightly when he pulled away.

“I love you, Alex.” Alex held his face gently with a fondness glittering in his eyes.

“I told you to wait until the serum had worn off,” he joked. The fog in his mind had completely vanished though he couldn’t quite remember when. He was still pouring his heart out to Alex but it was because he wanted to. He never wanted to hide anything from him. He never wanted to lie to him.

“It wore off already. I don’t feel the need to say everything I’m thinking,” he said, inching closer to Alex’s lips again. “But I still want to tell you everything. Because right now, all I can think about is you.”

[islndgurl777]

Two Princes

Length: ~2200

Tags: Michael and Liz, Michael and Kyle

A/N: Another from my series give michael guerin a friend 2k19 (make that friend maria deluca). Unbeta’d. Title from Spin Doctors, because I stan one (1) bi disaster alien cowboy and one (1) functional bi mcsexy doctor and I finally wrote an occasion in which they speak. On AO3.

///

He doesn’t get the series of texts until he exits the bunker in the late afternoon, and it’s probably good he gets them all at once because the first one might have given him a heart attack on its own.

[From: Liz] (1:24 pm): Can you come to the hospital?

[From: Liz] (1:28 pm): Sorry, it’s not an emergency. I have some questions I could use your help answering.

Which means they’re alien questions, and his body automatically tenses.

[From: Liz] (1:30 pm): Let me know if you can stop by after I get off at 5. Otherwise I’ll see you tonight at Max’s for dinner at 7.

He takes a breath and focuses on relaxing his muscles. She might be a scientist, but she’s worked so hard to protect his family, so there’s no reason for him to jump to an alien vivisection conclusion. “What do you think?” he asks Daisy. She sits down in front of him, eyes serious, and lets out a firm yip. He sighs and looks at the clock in the upper corner of his phone.

[To: Liz] (4:37 pm): I’ll be there in 30.

She sends him a thumbs-up emoji a minute later.

///

He drops Daisy off at Max’s and heads to the hospital. The door to her lab is closed, but the lights are on, so he knocks as he opens the door. “What’s up, Ortecho?”

Liz and Valenti are standing near a microscope and both look up as he walks in. Michael narrows his eyes, caught off guard. “What the fuck are you doing here, Valenti?”

Valenti’s eyebrows shoot up and Liz scowls. “Don’t even start, Michael. He’s here to help with my research.”

Michael takes an automatic step back, his breath coming in shorter bursts as his fists clench next to his sides. “No way.”

Liz sighs and moves around the counter to stand in front of him. “Michael,” she says softly, looking up into his eyes. She rests her hands gently on his forearms. “I need his help from a medical standpoint, and I need yours from an alien one. Can you work with him just this once without trying to murder him with your words?” After a moment of thought she tilts her head and adds, “Or with your fists?”

He crosses his arms over his chest and glances between her and Valenti, who is watching their interaction with a stupid smirk on his face. “What is it you need?”

She nods and squeezes his arms in thanks before moving back to the counter next to the microscope. “I want to officially confirm that you can’t catch, carry, or transmit human diseases.” Her eyes are very firmly pointed down at the lab sheets she seems to be unnecessarily rearranging.

They’re all silent a moment. Then, “Shouldn’t you have double-checked that before you hopped into bed with an alien?” Valenti says mildly.

Liz glares and curses at him in Spanish. “Maybe, but better late than never, right?”

Michael agrees with Valenti’s comment but refuses to say so on principle. He steps forward and says, “We’ve never displayed symptoms of human diseases, and I checked up on what I could using the bio lab back in high school, but it’s not a bad idea to take a closer look.”

Liz smiles and sends him a grateful nod and he immediately feels superior to Valenti for not stooping to his level and embarrassing her about this. “Thank you,” she says. “Kyle, can you pull a blood sample from him while I set this up?”

Michael’s eyebrows wrinkle. “What happened to my other samples?” he asks while he rolls up his sleeve. He thought he’d left plenty when they’d been working on the cure for Isobel together.

Liz is focused on the machine in front of her as she says, “I’ve been incinerating all alien samples immediately after I use them, so no one else can find them and use them against you.”

Michael’s eyes widen in surprise, touched that she’d done something so thoughtful, and angry at himself for not thinking of it first. It had been pretty dangerous to leave samples of his blood in her lab, even if she was using them to cure his sister. He shakes his head to clear it when Valenti moves in with his needle and asks, “You want to take a seat first?”

Michael nods and clears the unexpected lump in his throat. “Yeah.”

Valenti is gentle, cleaning the site and inserting the needle quickly. “How many do you think we need?” he asks them both.

“Just take two for now,” Michael answers for Liz, who is distracted setting up a program on her computer. “If you need any more, you can take it later.”

Valenti nods and takes the two vials, placing a round bandage adorned with Captain America’s shield on the puncture site when he’s done. “You seem the Cap type,” he says with a shrug and half smile.

Michael glowers at him but doesn’t say anything in return. What is he supposed to say to that anyway? What’s Valenti’s angle here? Valenti sighs and heads over to hand the samples to Liz.

They all work in a somewhat comfortable silence for over an hour before Liz’s phone buzzes with an incoming message and she looks at her watch. “That will be Max.” She reads the message and says, “I need to call him to tell him we’re going to be late. Are you coming tonight, Kyle?”

Michael looks at Valenti in confusion, which amplifies when Kyle fidgets and shakes his head. “No, not tonight. Thanks, though.”

Liz looks like she wants to say something, but she only shrugs. As she’s heading out the door she points between the two of them and says, “Don’t kill each other while I’m gone.”

“No promises!” Michael calls out as the door closes behind her. He turns back to the computer, where he’s looking over the side-by-side comparison of human and alien cells.

She’s only gone thirty seconds when Valenti breaks the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

Michael’s jaw clenches. “Go for it,” he says roughly, not looking away from the computer.

He can feel Valenti’s eyes studying him before he says, “I’m trying to remember what I did, but I honestly can’t. I mean, I know I was possibly the biggest dick of all time in high school, but I can’t remember ever interacting with you at all when we were kids.”

Michael turns away from the screen. Valenti is tapping his fingers on his thigh, looking at him quizzically. “We didn’t. Interact,” he clarifies when Valenti narrows his eyes in question.

Valenti looks even more confused. “Then what’s with the ‘rot in hell’ attitude? It’s not like I was a dick to Max or Isobel either.”

Michael opens his mouth to reply, but the words get caught in his chest. Even after all these years, he still can’t say it to someone who doesn’t already know. Not without Alex’s permission, because he had always been the one who insisted on secrecy. And oh, it burns Michael to know he can’t chew Valenti out for hurting Alex back then because it could expose their past relationship. But he really, really wishes he could.

Still, Valenti is looking for the reason Michael’s always such a dick to him, and he’s not quite sure what to say when the truth isn’t an option, especially when Valenti’s been nothing but helpful since Liz brought him in on the secret. He opens his mouth to try again, hoping the words will just come to him in the moment, but Valenti’s expression clears all of a sudden and he says softly, “Oh.”

Now Michael’s confused, because he truly can’t think of any reason Valenti might have thought up on his own. What he’d said had been true: Valenti had never bothered to target him in school, even though a homeless orphan would have been easy pickings for a bully like him. Then again, he’d had to be sneaky about his true nature lest Liz find out and dump him. Perhaps if he’d worried less about how Liz saw him, he would have targeted Michael as well.

Valenti clears his throat and says, “I’ve apologized to Alex for how I treated him in high school.”

Michael’s heart seizes in momentary panic before he swallows and says, as nonchalantly as he can, “Okay?” Why the hell would Valenti bring up Alex like that?

Valenti nods and explains, “Not that an apology makes everything all better, and not that I expect forgiveness for how I acted. I just wanted you to know, I’m a different person now, a better one, I like to think, and I am truly sorry for what a jackass I was when I was younger. I hope you can see that and forgive me eventually.”

Michael narrows his eyes, thoughts rushing a million miles an hour through his head. What did Valenti know? Had Alex told him? Why would he? Why did Valenti care if he hated him? Unable to voice any of these thoughts, he finally says, “What happened to not expecting my forgiveness?”

Valenti’s lips quirk and he shakes his head. “I said I didn’t expect your forgiveness, Guerin, not that I don’t want it.” They both digest that for a moment and Valenti waits for Michael’s shrug of acknowledgement before he continues. “We’re kind of in a closed group of friends right now, and it wouldn’t suck if we kept things as drama-free as possible.”

Michael sighs and grudgingly agrees. “I guess, for the time being, I could call a cease-fire on the blatant hostilities.” Valenti starts to smile, so Michael shakes his head and adds, “That doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

Valenti suppresses his grin and shakes his head, hands held up in surrender. “I get it, no worries. I’d probably hate you too, if you were an asshole to Liz in high school.”

Michael opens his mouth to point out that it’s different because he still has feelings for Alex, but rethinks that because he’s still not acknowledging his feelings for Alex to someone not officially in the know, let alone to Valenti. But then, he sees the way Valenti’s eyes light up when Liz comes back into the room and he thinks it might not be that different.

“Good, you’re both still alive,” she says. “Dinner should be ready around 7:30, so that gives us about a half hour to wrap up here. Are you sure you don’t want to come?” she asks Valenti, tilting her head as she looks up at him. “Max says he’s making more than enough and you’re welcome to join us.”

Michael watches the tips of Valenti’s ears turn red as he shakes his head . “No, no. I’ll be alright. I’ve got plenty of leftovers at home.”

“Are you sure?” Liz asks, concern furrowing her brow as she steps closer to him.

Valenti sways backwards and Michael lets out a chuckle, both at the situation and at having finally figured out what’s going on with him. Valenti flips off Michael out of Liz’s sightline and says, “I’m sure, Liz. Tell Max thanks for the invitation though.”

“Okay,” she says, tone low and a little suspicious.

Valenti pulls out his phone and says, “Damn, it’s getting late. I’d better go. Let me know what your results are tomorrow?” And he barely gives Liz enough time to say goodbye before he leaves.

She walks over to Michael and says, hands on her hips, “What did you say to him?”

He shrugs, trying his best to control the grin that wants to break free. “Nothing, Ortecho. We actually cleared some air. Pretty sure that suave exit was all on you.”

She shakes her head and elbows him as she looks over the data they’ve collected over the past hour. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not ready for it, Liz, and trust me, neither is Max,” he says sagely, still unable to suppress his grin. He’s actually curious to find out what Max’s input to the situation will be, but his brother’s always been repressed, so he thinks it will take a while before he comes to him about it.

“You’re being weirdly evasive,” she complains, printing out their results and then deleting all the records from her computer.

“When you’ve figured out what’s going on, I’d be happy to have that conversation with you, but I am not getting involved when it will be so much more entertaining to watch it unfold organically.”

She glares and huffs out a breath. “Fine. Don’t tell me.” She fumes all the way out to his truck, where she gets in with the explanation, “My car’s at Max’s, he dropped me off this morning.” She continues to give him the silent treatment while she looks over the data they’d collected, muttering questions and answers to herself as they drive.

At one point she mutters something about ‘alien sperm’. He brakes hard, startled, but she just throws out a hand on the dash to brace herself and keeps reading, oblivious. He decides if she wants a sample of that one, she’s going to have to ask Max.

[irish-luthor]

it’s christmas eve, and kara danvers and lena luthor are snuggled together on a couch, watching a movie and sharing a bottle of wine.

kara is about to point out the mistletoe they’re sitting under—about to kiss her, their first kiss, oh rao—when her phone rings. her DEO phone, specifically.

damn it.

she answers the call, mutters in hushed tones for a minute or two before hanging up and turning to face lena with a sheepish smile.

“up up and away?” lena asks with a grin. she’s disappointed, perhaps, but to the very mildest extent—this is a regular occurrence, after all. mostly she’s disappointed because she’d noticed the mistletoe that kara has been nervously glancing up at for the past couple minutes, but it’s not christmas yet, not ‘til midnight, and there will still be plenty of mistletoe to kiss kara danvers under tomorrow.

“yeah. i’m so sorry, i really can’t stay,” kara says, hastily pulling off her clothes to reveal the blue spandex underneath, “gosh, i sound like that ‘baby it’s cold outside’ song.” she laughs, “but, i do have to go. text me?”

she’s practically out the window by now, halfway hovering as she smiles apologetically. lena almost wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all—nothing in her life will ever go smoothly, it seems; she finds herself alone under a mistletoe on christmas eve, smiling at the crime-fighting alien whom she has fallen in love with.

“sure. be safe, supergirl.”

another smile, a wink, and then lena luthor is left alone in her best friend’s apartment, with only the wine and her own wistful sighs to accompany her.

———

it’s about two hours before her phone lights up with a text. it chimes again, twice, before she even has a chance to pick it up.

kara: christmas is saved!!!

kara: and i’m all in one piece, obviously.

kara: [sent a photo]

lena taps on the notification, and laughs at the picture of kara, holding the disgruntled alien menace in midair by the leg���or is it a tentacle?—wearing a santa hat and flashing a thumbs up at the camera. she laughs even harder at the thought of kara pouting to convince alex, probably, to take the picture in the first place.

lena: my hero 😉😉

she sets her phone down only to pick it right back up when it chimes a minute later.

kara: i miss you.

lena is blushing instantly. she had been expecting a cheeky reply, or a cute emoji, so she softens completely at the sincerity before another text comes through:

kara: send a selfie?

she rolls her eyes. this is a common request of kara’s, to send selfies, because you can’t just send pictures of your office all the time, lena, that’s not what snapchat’s for.

lena sighs. she roots around for a piece of paper and a sharpie, and reapplies her lipstick. she checks the time to make sure it’s past midnight—officially christmas—before scrawling out a message and pressing a kiss to the top of the paper.

kara has asked for something, after all, and lena, because it is christmas, and because she is a nice person, and possibly also because she is hopelessly in love with kara danvers, is happy to give it to her.

———

lena: [sent a photo]

kara taps on the attachment, and curses the alien that kept her from kissing the girl she loves.

soon, she thinks with a smile. very soon.

alone at her apartment, with a similar smile on her face, lena luthor is thinking the exact same thing.

[sagemoderocklee]

how do you feel abt boruto?

ugh anon... ugh....like i don’t... talk about it because I hate it and there are ppl who follow me who are actually invested in this series... but honestly i really hate it and for a lot of reasons all of which boil down to very personal and emotional things: since i sometimes get random asks about Boruto that really just... aren’t what I care about, maybe this is as good a time as any to break it down that I’m here for Naruto and Shippuden, not for Boruto because... well, it’s a laundry list: 

1) CH700 and Boruto was character assassination at its finest. Naruto as a series has many flaws, but I loved the characters in this series, and Boruto took the characters we know and love and shat all over them. Like that’s not to say Kishimoto never did because he certainly did that at times just fine on his own. But Boruto? No. These characters are not the characters I loved. At all. They are so blatantly out of character it’s laughable to even call this thing a spinoff. It’s a pathetic attempt at cashing in on the success of Naruto and honestly does the series, its characters, and its fans a huge disservice. It’s a slap in the face. 

2) it’s a fucking cash cow. it’s like watching the HP franchise continue to produce more unasked for content. I love HP, but I do not care about CC or FBaWtFT. I don’t care about Pottermore and all of JK’s bullshit. It’s the same with Naruto. I never asked for Boruto. I never asked for all those fucking dumbass novels that came after the end of the series. I never asked for the blatant homophobia of 700 or fucking Cursed Child. But people can make money off these things, so they keep rehashing the same shit in new unoriginal ways to steal money from ppl with an emotional investment in this series. Hence why it’s a fucking slap in the face as per my first point. 

3) Probably my most important point: 700 and Boruto are blatantly homophobic. You can’t pretend that Kishimoto and everyone behind Naruto don’t know about SasuNaru, that they aren’t WELL AWARE of its popularity based on the CANON. I mean holy shit the Naruto and Sasuke seiyuu literally made a drama CD based on a SasuNaru fic. They fucking shipped Sasuke and Naruto together so hard. They wanted that shit to be canon. THE FUCKING VOICE ACTORS!!! 700/Boruto shoehorned every character into a heterosexual relationship so that all these characters can produce offspring that I largely have no emotional investment in for various and sundry reasons. A huge part of the character assassination that was committed was literally tied to the blatant homophobia in 700. You literally have a plot that is setting us up to believe that Boruto and Sarada are gonna be like a romantic thing????? that fucking KISS??!?! THE EXACT SAME KISS THAT NARUTO AND SASUKE HAD??? TO THE POINT IT LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE JUST FUCKING TRACED OVER NARUTO AND SASUKE?!?! HOW FUCKING DARE! LIKE THEY SPAT IN THE FACE OF EVERY GAY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN NARUTO! Like not only is it fucking lazy ass writing, but it’s fucking homophobic. We get it! YOU HATE THE GAYS! But sure do love our money. 

4) Every fucking woman is a house wife? Really? REALLY? Temari and Karui just...up and left their villages? because marriage? and babies? like that’s such a fucking load of shit. Sakura. Ino. Tenten. All of them are just... house wives. Like I could accept Hinata--MAYBE, if and ONLY IF, she’d had any growth and been able to discover herself outside of Naruto and actually been allowed to like address any of the issues of her fucked up clan. But like she didn’t. Neji died so she could be a housewife with a man who barely knows her and a man she barely fucking knows. God. The misogyny of the writing continues in how its presented the female characters we love--from all of them being housewives (or in Tenten’s case having a failing weapons business?) to them being fucking abusive mothers/wives. Character assassination wrapped up in sweet misogyny AND homophobia. 

5) None of these characters are good anymore. None of the important points of the series matter. The Uchiha clan massacre? That literal state sanctioned genocide? Who cares. No one needs to know the truth. Caste system of the Hyuuga clan? Bah! It’s fine. Hinata’s horrible fucking abusive ass dad is so happy to have his grandbabies. Never mind the literal hell he put his daughter and nephew through. All’s forgiven! Naruto is a bad fucking Hokage who has done NOTHING to bring the crimes Konoha has committed to light, done nothing to change this horrible fucking militaristic system they live in that’s abused and killed countless CHILDREN. Like Naruto is just flat out bad at everything. He and Sasuke are bad fucking dads. Like he and Sasuke were these kids who were orphaned, who were abused, who were neglected--and they’re not just struggling as parents they are actively bad and awful. It’s like why? What was the point of that? Why even make these ppl parents if they don’t even seem to care about their kids? 

6) Rehashing the same fucking shit. Boruto’s got some prophecy about him, he’s probably gonna defect and destroy everything he loves or what-the-fuck-ever. He and Salad kiss the same way fucking Naruto and Sasuke kissed. Metal Lee and Shinki fight during the Chuunin exams. Like I don’t fucking watch or read this. This is what I know of the rehashing, and it’s like so dull. I don’t care. at all. 

Like I won’t pretend that I’m reading or watching this series, so I can’t really say much more about the actual plot (which I literally don’t care about) or any other possible bad rehashing of things that have been done or will be done. Truthfully I know far more about this series than I ever wanted to by default of being involved in fandom, but that being said it’s just a fucking unoriginal rehash in a lot of ways to get more money. And even if it wasn’t I don’t care! It could have the most interesting plot, the most complex and masterfully woven story and I would not give two shits about it. It could be more politically charged than Naruto and I’d still rather burn it all to the ground and spend my time writing fix-it fics. 

Like if ppl have an emotional investment in Boruto and these new kids and the story, that’s fine! Good for them, do you, be happy. But quite frankly I don’t care and it’s exhausting thinking about this series that makes me so fucking angry because of how fucking dirty it did characters I love, and how fucking homophobic and misogynistic its entire existence is. Like I’m nice to ppl who send me asks about it because w/e, it’s not worth being like an asshole to someone who just wants to talk about it, but ultimately sending me asks about Boruto is just... I don’t care about the series, I don’t know about the series, and it does nothing for me to talk about this series but make me angry. Like I have friends who like it, and like good for them but I honestly don’t want to talk about it much because of all the above things. And I don’t want someone coming to me tryna convince me that I’m wrong, or that I should give it a chance. I do NOT care. I do not. You cannot make me look at 700 and say there’s potential. You cannot make me look at the characters I love being done this dirty. And you cannot make me get over the blatant homophobia. Like y’all go right ahead and enjoy it. I don’t care. I’m not gonna sit around and rain on your parade, but honestly I just... don’t want to talk about Boruto at all if I can help it. 

My opinions and feelings on it go this far. I will say I like some of the kids in like a distant way. As if they were cute fandom OCs--Chouchou is wonderful, Shikadai has done nothing wrong by nature of his existence because ShikaTema is good and wonderful and was always gonna be canon (literally the only good endgame), Metal is a pure child who deserves the world and two dads who love him, Inojin has kinda grown on me that fugly lookin alien child. Like I really do sort of just divorce these children from the series as a whole so I can still enjoy making fun posts about Metal being Lee and Gaara’s son, or appreciate the existence of Choucou or Shikadai. But... that’s like the extent of my positive feelings on this series. I will never have positive feelings about it beyond that. So like /shrug emoji/