#this part does not have malex

[pastelwitchling]

Have you ever written about Isobel finding out Malex was going to get married in the pocket dimension, and she says something like "You were going to get married without me?" I love her and Alex's relationship, especially the way you write it <3

***

Isobel’s idea of a greeting was slamming Michael and Alex’s door open hard enough that the knob smashed into the wall. Michael had heard her car driving in, so he was already in the hallway to see her heaving like an angry bull on their threshold, ready to charge.

She had Alex’s sleeve gripped in one hand, and he was doubled-over, panting.

“You almost got married without me?!”

“Is!” Michael said angrily, catching his husband who had stumbled into the house after her, limping. “Did you make him run? His leg can’t handle that, he’s already been overworking himself at Deep Sky this week!”

“No, I’m – I’m okay,” Alex panted, red-faced as he leaned heavily against Michael’s chest. “Does anyone else hear a buzzing?”

Michael took Alex’s weight as he glared at his sister, but Isobel was glaring right back. “Is this what I get for giving Alex up for your stupid morning teas? Damn it, Isobel, he’s an airman, what’d you do?”

“What did you do?” she demanded, hands on her hips. “Alex told me, okay? He told me he proposed in the stupid liminal space, he told me that you stupidly said yes, and he said you almost had the stupid wedding there! Without me!”

Michael rolled his eyes, more preoccupied with leading Alex inside to rest on the couch and help him take his prosthetic off. “We almost got married there because Alex was dying,” he argued, and flinched at the memory. He set the prosthetic aside and kissed Alex’s knee before heading to the kitchen to get him an icepack. Isobel followed him.

“That’s no excuse! How could you consider, for even half a second, that you could get married without your family there?!”

“Is!” Michael covered his ear with one hand, shouldering her on his way past. “Your voice is reaching new frequencies again!”

“I’m hurt, I am hurt!”

“I don’t see Max complaining about this.”

“Max doesn’t know about this complete and utter betrayal!” she tossed her purse onto the coffee table as Michael knelt in front of Alex again and folded his jean leg up. “And I wouldn’t dream of telling him and breaking his already fragile heart! He’s a delicate soul, you know that, you know this would kill him.”

“I somehow doubt that,” Michael said, then murmured, “He’s not insane.”

“What was that?” she narrowed her eyes.

“I said you’re making Alex’s head hurt.”

“I’m okay,” he groaned, clutching his side, his face half-stuffed into the cushion. Michael imagined his sister finding out about their almost-wedding and dragging Alex out all the way from the café where they usually had their weekly morning tea. The place had a narrow, spiral staircase, and Michael winced at the idea of Alex taking those stairs that quickly.

“That is not what you said!”

Michael ran his hand through Alex’s hair, trying to control his temper for his husband’s sake at least. “I swear, Is . . .”

“I’m okay,” Alex reiterated, his words at odds with the way he clutched Michael’s wrist and kept Michael’s hand in his hair. “M’fine. The buzzing’s really gone down.” He squinted. “Who’s whistling?”

Michael growled at his sister.

“He’s fine,” Isobel dismissed. “Can you at least tell me what the décor looked like? Who took care of it? If you tell me you guys stuck some bedsheet between two beams and called it a day –”

“Did you miss the part about Alex . . . not doing well?” Damn it, this line of conversation was not helping Michael’s temper. And to think, he’d already been in a sour mood because Isobel had come to pick Alex up during their one morning off, when Michael had been sliding down between Alex’s legs, trailing kisses up the inside of his thighs.

Then they were interrupted, and now this.

“I only had an hour to get everything set up,” she said defensively. “If I’d had more notice, you know I would’ve given you the wedding of the century! With champagne fountains and – and chocolate éclairs with strawberry glaze! You would’ve loved the strawberry glaze!”

“What the hell was in your tea?” Michael demanded. “Unless you haven’t noticed, Isobel, we never actually got married in the liminal space!”

“What’s this really about, Is?” Alex said, his voice muffled. His eyes were half-lidded, but he was looking up at Isobel like he was the psychic one.

Held by Alex’s impenetrating eyes, Isobel deflated onto the armrest of the couch, her hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Michael’s going to think I’m annoying.”

Michael blinked. “Michael always thinks you’re annoying. Tell me anyway.”

She sighed, thoughtlessly poking Alex’s cheek for a whole minute before she said, “I hate that you didn’t get to grow up where we did.”

Well. Michael certainly hadn’t expected that.

“I hate that you didn’t get the same stuff,” Isobel went on, cheeks dusted pink. “I hate that you had to live out of your stupid truck. When I found out about your feelings for Alex, I thought . . . this is my chance, you know? I couldn’t give you luxury when we were kids, but I could give it to you now. I wanted to give you the best of everything, no expenses spared. I wanted to gift you the perfect car, but you wanted to keep that damn truck.”

“I love that truck,” Alex smiled into the cushion, which made warmth spread throughout Michael’s chest.

“I wanted to give you the perfect mansion, but you decided you would keep your airstream in Alex’s backyard and just live here. Then the perfect wedding, but you wanted to get married within the day, and it just always feels like I’m two steps behind. Every time I try to give you something, you’ve moved past it and I just . . . I don’t feel like I’m ever giving you anything important.”

Michael processed all of this, both touched and exasperated by how silly his sister could really be. He sighed, slumping against the side of the couch so that he could keep his hands on Alex.

“Sis, if you had to choose between being with Valenti and every piece of gold in the –”

“Kyle,” she said at once, like the question was silly. Michael chuckled.

“Then you do get it,” he said. “Everything I have in my life now is important to me because of the man I share it all with.” He met Alex’s warm gaze, his rosy cheeks, his soft smile, and everything in him settled into place. He felt home. “As long as I have him, I’m the richest guy in the world. As long as I have Alex, I have everything I could ever want.”

Alex wordlessly turned his head and pressed a soft kiss to Michael’s palm, closing his eyes as Michael brushed his cheek with his thumb. They sat there in silence for a while, Alex’s breaths steadying to Michael’s touch, Isobel looking on between them until –

“What about a wardrobe change?”

Michael shot to his feet as Alex chuckled under his breath. “That’s it, get out.”

“I’m just saying!” she tried yelling over her shoulder as Michael all but shoved her to the door, but she was too freakishly strong. “The dirty cowboy look is so out right now – what about a nice turtleneck? I’m thinking English scholar chic!”

“OUT!”

***

Happy malex Monday ❤️

[jule1122]

Malex Fic - Maybe you'll come back as someone that you like

My @rnm-secret-santa gift for @dayscrazed. Canon divergent S1 fic that tries to figure out what would happen if Alex and Michael never got together in high school. Instead they hook after the reunion - Michael's a high school teacher back for the summer and Alex joined Deep Sky after he was injured in the Air Force. They both have secrets to keep, but fall in love. Alien drama with Noah and sibling bonding with Isobel. I hope this makes your holidays a little brighter!

Title from the gorgeous song "Life's Gonna Kill You (If You Let It) by Man-Made Sunshine

Maybe you'll come back as someone that you like on AO3

Summary:

“I used to steal your guitar in high school,” he tells Alex. “I know.” Michael raises his brow but doesn’t say anything so Alex continues. “You always returned it and tuned it better than I could so I didn’t see a reason to make a big deal out of it.” Michael laughs and shakes his head, “I was trying to get your attention.” When Michael and Alex hook up after their 10 year reunion, it was supposed to be a one night stand. They are both back in Roswell with secrets to protect. Falling in love wasn't part of the plan.

Alex sips his drink and does one more visual sweep of the room before caving and pulling out his phone.  “Where are you?” he asks as soon as Liz picks up.

“Alex?  Oh my god, is the reunion today?”  Liz sounds surprised to hear from him.

“Liz,” Alex groans.

“I am so sorry.  I meant to come, I really did,” Liz apologizes frantically.  “It’s just the samples came in and the preliminary report is due next week.  I haven’t even left the lab in like three days.  I completely forgot.”

“I hate you,” Alex tells her, but there’s no heat behind it.  It's his fault for not insisting the drive back together.  He knows how easily Liz gets caught up in her work.

“You love me and you know it,” Liz laughs.  “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“You better,” Alex threatens before hanging up.  

Now what?  Alex only agreed to come to the reunion because Liz begged him to go with her.  The drinks are watered down, and the next person who thanks him for his service might not make it out alive.  Alex decides to cut his losses and leave, but he stops on his way out when he notices an open room off the main hallway.  Something is off with his prosthetic, and he should fix it before he starts the drive back to the cabin.

The room is bathed in blue light from a projector rotating through a slide show of high school pictures.  Alex ignores them, and props his foot up on an empty chair and rolls up his pant leg.  It doesn’t take time to find the problem and make an adjustment.  Alex pushes his foot against the chair and sighs in relief when nothing pinches or rubs uncomfortably.  He’s about to roll his pant leg back down when he hears footsteps behind him.

“Nostalgia’s a bitch.”

Alex turns and sees Michael Guerin standing in the doorway.  He knows him as well as he knew anyone in high school, maybe a little better since their social circles occasionally overlapped.  Michael was friends with Max Evans who has an obvious crush on Liz.  They hung out a few times, but weren’t close.  “I don’t know.  Other than a fully functional leg,” Alex taps his prosthetic because he refuses to be ashamed of it, “there’s nothing I miss about high school.”

Michael gives his leg a quick glance, but doesn’t linger on it.  “So why are you here?  It can’t be for the free drinks because they suck.”

Alex laughs, “I was supposed to meet Liz Ortecho here, but she bailed.  You?”

“Isobel organized the whole thing and threatened me with pain of death if I didn’t show up.”

Neither of them say anything for a minute, and Alex straightens up, ready to leave before things get awkward when Michael speaks again.

“I used to steal your guitar in high school,” he tells Alex.

“I know.”  Michael raises his brow but doesn’t say anything so Alex continues. “You always returned it and tuned it better than I could so I didn’t see a reason to make a big deal out of it.”

Michael laughs and shakes his head, “I was trying to get your attention.”

“Really?”  Alex asks.  It never occurred to him that Michael could have an ulterior motive for taking the guitar.

Michael shrugs, and Alex looks him over.  He’s grown into his features since high school - long legs and broad shoulders.  His tight jeans and light cream colored sweater look good on him.  It might be too warm for the sweater, but Alex can’t really justify his own leather jacket so he decides not to judge.  It’s Michael’s hair he can’t look away from - curly and wild, brushing the back of his neck - Alex wants to get his hands into it.  Alex hasn’t been with anyone since things with Forrest fizzled out and for the first time in a while, he wants.  “You have my attention now.”

“Do I?” Michael smirks and rocks back on his heels.  “You want to get out of here?”

“Desperately,”  Alex laughs.  They walk out to the parking lot together, pausing when it becomes time to go to their own vehicles.  “Do you still live in Roswell?” he asks Michael.

“Fuck, no,” Michael says, his face falling.  “I’m staying with Max Evans.”

Alex thinks quickly and realizes there is no reason he can’t take Michael to the cabin. “I’ve got a place if you don’t mind a bit of a drive.  You can follow me.”

Michael’s headlights remain steady behind Alex’s the whole time so he knows Michael hasn’t changed his mind.  He lets him in the cabin and watches the face Michael makes when he takes in the decor - all heavy furniture and dark would. “Doesn’t seem like your kind of place,” he finally remarks.

“It’s not,” Alex agrees.  “It’s Jim Valenti’s old cabin.  He left it to me when he died.  I’m only here for a short term assignment so I haven’t bothered redecorating.”

Michael nods, “Just tell me there won’t be any dead animals staring at us in the bedroom.”

“The only eyes on you will be mine,” Alex promises, holding out his hand.  Michael reaches back out and Alex leads him to the bedroom.

He immediately pulls Michael in for a kiss.  It’s heated from the start, Michael instantly opening his mouth for Alex.  When he gets his hands in Michel’s hair, it’s just as soft as he imagined - curling perfectly around his fingers.  Michael moans and tilts his head back when Alex tugs at his curls, and Alex turns his attention to Michael’s neck, sucking a mark just above his collarbone.

“I want to get my mouth all over you,” Alex tells him.

“Yeah?” Michael looks at him, eyes already heavy with desire, lips slick and shining.

Alex nods and nudges Michael onto the bed.  He strips Michael’s sweater off him quickly, and is moving toward his belt buckle when Michael laughs and starts to help him.

“All you had to do was ask,” Michael teases.  “Alex, please take your clothes off.   See how easy that was.”

Alex takes off everything but his underwear, Michael’s already seen his prosthetic so there’s no reason to hesitate.  Once Michael is naked, Alex lays down next to him.  He kisses him again, letting his hands roam over Michael’s body, learning the feel of him.  Michael’s more muscular than Alex expected, skim smooth and taut over his body.  It doesn’t take long before his mouth follows the path his hands had taken.  

Michael is beautifully responsive - moaning when Alex sucks on his nipples and grasping at Alex’s hair and shoulders when he licks and bites at the skin near Michael’s hips.  Alex licks his lips when he finally gets to Michael’s cock.  Michael is already hard and leaking, and Alex can’t wait to taste him.  He nudges Michael’s cock with his nose, breathing in his scent, but he stops at the last second, barely remembering to ask, “Do I need a condom?”

“No, I’m clean, tested and everything.” Michael assures him.

“Good,” Alex hates the taste of latex.  With nothing to delay him, he takes Michael’s cock into his mouth.  Michael hips twitch, not enough to choke Alex, but enough to push his cock in deeper.  Alex moans around him and licks at the shaft, pulling back until just the head is in his mouth.  He sucks at it then traces around it with his tongue.  When Michael gets restless, shifting on the bed and asking for more, Alex works his way back down.

As much as he wants to take his time, he’s hard himself and wants to get Michael off before he comes in his own underwear like a teenager.  He slides his hands under Michael’s ass and encourages him to move.  Michael takes the hint, thrusting carefully into Alex’s mouth.  It’s not long before Michael taps his shoulder, “Close,” he moans.

Alex nods but doesn’t pull back.  Instead he sucks harder, swallowing happily when Michael’s come floods his mouth.  He waits until Michael is still to release him from his mouth, resting his head on Michael’s thigh.

“Jesus,” Michael pants.  “You’re good at that.”

“Lots of practice,” Alex laughs.  He stretches out and moves high enough up the bed to kiss Michael.  He winces when his cock brushes against Michael’s hip.

Michael must notice, because he pulls back.  “Let me,” he gestures, reaching for Alex’s cock.  He waits for Alex to nod before pulling his underwear off, maneuvering it carefully around Alex’s prosthetic.  

“Lube?” Michael asks, moving away briefly when Alex points to the nightstand.

Alex sighs in relief when Michael wraps his hand around him.  He closes his eyes and moves to the rhythm Michael sets, thrusting up when Michael pulls back.

Michael’s other hand drifts to Alex’s ass, and Alex opens his eyes to see Michael biting his lip.

“Can I?”  Michael asks.

“Yeah,” Alex grants permission, spreading his legs to make it easier.  He shudders at the first brush of Michael’s finger over his hole.  He doesn’t do much more than that, stroking around his rim without pushing more than the tip of his finger inside.  Another time Alex would ask him to finger him, stretch him open while he jerks him off, but Alex is already on edge, and he just wants to come.  All it takes is the press of a second finger, and Alex is spilling over Michael’s hand.

By the time he catches his breath and opens his eyes, Michael is standing next to the bed, awkwardly gathering his clothes.  “I’m just gonna go.”

“Sure,” Alex shrugs.  He’s a little disappointed, but they both got what they came for.  “Bathrooms off to the left if you want to get cleaned up.”

“Thanks,” Michael gives him a quick wave and leaves the room.

Alex waits until he hears the front door close to get up himself.  He’s still tired from his orgasm, and all he wants to do is get his prosthetic off and take a shower.

The next morning, Alex begins reviewing the files for his assignment.  Reunion aside, he’s not in Roswell to socialize.  Since Deep Sky recruited him after his injury, his primary assignment has been decoding the alien artifacts and devices Deep Sky has acquitted over the years.  He’s only been told the bare bones of his family’s involvement with aliens and his own personal investigations have been stonewalled.  Director Ramos insisting on not allowing him to work on an assignment with personal ties.

But all that had changed with the discovery of an alien serial killer in Roswell.  Deep Sky needed to find the killer and neutralize the threat before Jesse Manes did.  Roswell is a tight knit community, and a stranger coming into town would draw too much attention.  With the reunion as the perfect excuse to bring Alex back, he was assigned the case.  Alex intends to leverage it for information on exactly what his father is up to.  No matter what Director Ramos plans, Alex will be the one to bring his father down.

Alex spends the day meticulously studying the files on each of the ten murder victims.  He needs to find something to establish a pattern, but so far he hasn’t found anything.  Due to how the alien kills the victims, establishing an exact time of death is impossible, and since the victims are vagrants, prostitutes and drug addicts with little or no family ties, there is no reliable information on when they were last seen alive.

Alex has given up for the day and is putting away his laundry when he spots the hat. Michael’s cowboy hat is sitting in the corner of the bedroom where it must have landed when Alex pushed it off his head.  The hat is black, and the bedroom doesn’t have the best lighting so he’s not surprised neither of them noticed it before Michael left.  He snaps a quick picture and looks for Michael’s name in his contacts, grateful they had exchanged numbers before leaving the reunion as a precaution in case they got separated on the way to the cabin.

“Forget something,” he tests Michael along with the picture.

There’s no response, but about an hour later, someone knocks on the cabin door.  Alex isn't surprised to find Michael on the other side.  It’s not like anyone else knows where he is.  “Hey,” he greets Michael, waving him inside.

“Sorry for just showing up, but I was out driving when I got your text and the signal’s not the best out here.” Michael explains.

“No problem,” Alex shrugs.  The hat is clearly visible on the coffee table, but neither of them move toward it.  “Are you hungry?  I could heat something up.”

Michael shakes his head.  “No, I’m good.”

“Is there something you do want?”  Alex moves closer to Michael, not quite touching him.

“You could fuck me,” Michael says boldly, closing the remaining distance between them.

Alex kisses him roughly, grabbing his shirt and pulling Michael along as he walks backward toward the bedroom, only stopping when he backs into the wall, startling a laugh out of Michael.

“Sorry,” Alex apologizes.  “Still getting used to the layout.”

“It’s fine,” Michael kisses him again, quick and bruising before taking Alex’s hand and leading this time.  “Just come on.”

Alex sits on the edge of the bed and pulls Michael into his lap.  They keep kissing, rough and eager, pulling back occasionally to catch their breath.  Alex works Michael’s shirt out of his pants, sliding his hands underneath and urging him out of it.  

“I want to get you hard,” Michael pants while Alex thumbs at his nipples.  

“Yeah,” Alex agrees breathlessly.  Michael gets up and strips out of his pants while Alex works on getting his own clothes off.  He won’t need much help getting hard, cock twitching as soon Michael gets down on his knees.

Michael strokes Alex’s thighs, pushing his legs apart and settling between them.  Michael takes him in his mouth, sucking gently, hands still rubbing his thighs, just brushing against his balls.  Alex braces himself with one hand, dropping the other on Michael’s head.  He finds himself playing with Michael’s hair again, combing his fingers through it and wrapping the curls around his fingers.  

When he’s had enough of Michael’s teasing, he gives his hair a sharp tug, and Michael releases him with a drawn out moan.  “You like that,” Alex teases.

“Not hard to figure out,” Michael counters.  Michael takes the lube and a condom from the drawer while Alex settles against the headboard.  He pulls at Michael until he’s straddling his lap, grabbing the lube before Michel can open it.

“Let me,” he tells Michael, coating his fingers with the lube.  Michael starts to move away, but Alex shakes his head.  “Want to ride me?”

“Hell, yeah,” Michael rises up on his knees and leans forward, bracing himself on Alex’s chest.

It’s not the best angle, but Alex doesn’t mind.  He likes that he can still kiss Michael like this.  Alex reaches behind him and circles his hole with his finger.  He waits for Michael to push back against him before he presses inside. Michael opens beautifully, meeting every thrust of his fingers, it doesn’t take long before he adds a second then a third finger.

Michael’s movements become more frantic and his cock drags along Alex’s, causing both of them to shudder.  Michael pulls away from Alex’s mouth, “Come on, you said you’d fuck me.”

Alex nods, pulling his fingers free.  He barely gets the condom on before Michael is sinking onto his cock.  As soon as he settles, Alex holds his hips steady and thrusts up as far as he can.  

“Yeah,” Michael moans, throwing his head back.  “Just like that.”

Michael’s tight and warm around him, and Alex wants it to last forever, but he’s already close.  He tries to slow things down, but Michael pinches his nipple and whines, “Come on, harder,” when Alex relaxes the pace.

Alex gives in, fucking Michael as hard as he can from this angle.  It’s all he can do to keep his eyes open and watch as Michael starts to stroke his own cock.  He tightens around Alex, and Alex holds on as long as he can, but finds his own release as soon as Michael’s come hits his chest.

“Thanks,” Michael says breathlessly as he slides off Alex, both of them wincing slightly at the separation.

“Any time,” Alex laughs, meaning it more than he should.

Michael stands up, “I’m just gonna,” he gestures toward the bathroom.

Alex waits until he leaves and takes care of the condom.  After a few minutes, he makes his own way to the bathroom, passing Michael in the hallway.  “Hey,” he stops Michael with a hand on his arm.  “You can stay if you want.”

Michael doesn’t say anything, just nods and keeps walking, but he’s in the bed when Alex comes back to the bedroom.  He’s on his phone, but he sets it aside when he notices Alex.  “Just letting Max know I won’t be back tonight.”

“It’s not a problem is it?”  Alex isn’t sure why he’s asking.  He knows Michael isn’t involved with Max, but he feels like he should check.

“Nah, he doesn’t care, just likes to know I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth,” Michael says easily.

“Ok,” Alex sits on the bed and taps his prosthetic, “I’m going to take this off now.”  He doesn’t ask, it’s not like leaving it on is an option, but he wants Michael to know what he’s doing.  Michael watches, eyes curious but not judgemental, as Alex removes it and takes care of the liner.

Alex turns out the light and gets into bed.  It’s awkward, and he remembers why he never spent the night with Forrest.  Then Michael sighs dramatically and moves closer, still not quite touching, but closing the distance between them.  Alex rolls onto his side, throwing his arm around Michael’s waist, and slowly relaxes until he falls asleep.

When Alex wakes up he’s alone, he’s not surprised, but he is disappointed.  He waits a few minutes for the feeling to fade before he gets out of bed.  Alex grabs his crutches, shorts and  Tshirt and heads to the bathroom.  He takes a quick shower, letting the hot water wake him the rest of the way up.  Once he’s dressed, he heads to the living room to start on the files again, but detours to the kitchen when he smells coffee.

Michael’s standing at the stove, jeans on but barefoot and shirtless.  “Hey,” Michael turns and smiles when he hears Alex come in.  “I was just about to wake you.  Omelettes will be ready in a minute.  Coffee’s done, but I didn’t know how you liked it.”

“Hot,” Alex jokes as he fixes his coffee.  He sets it on the table, and gets some forks and napkins before sitting down.  Michael already has plates waiting, and he fills them, setting them on the table before getting his own coffee and joining Alex.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Michael points to the omelettes. “I couldn’t fall back to sleep and thought I’d make myself useful.”

“You didn’t have to,” Alex reassures him, “but I appreciate it.  I’m not much of a cook.”

“I noticed you didn’t have much stocked, but I thought maybe you were just settling in?”

“Not sure how long I’ll be here,” Alex admits with a shrug.  “I’m only here for a job, and the faster it’s done the better, but it might be more complicated than I hoped.”

“What do you do?” Michael asks.  “I assume you’re out the service.”

“Yeah, I took a medical discharge after this,” Alex taps his prosthetic.  “I’ve been in cyber security ever since.  I have a local client who’s experiencing some pretty serious breaches so I need to figure out what’s going on,” Alex lies easily, following the cover story Deep Sky gave him.  “What about you?  How long are you staying in Roswell?”

“I’m here for the summer,” Michael tells him.  “I teach science at a high school outside Albuquerque.  Since I was coming for the reunion, I decided to stay awhile.”

“You do that every summer?”  

“No,” Michael laughs.  “This will be the first time I’ve been back for more than a weekend.”

“Well, this is the first time I’ve been back at all,” Alex admits.  “But I’m based out of Albuquerque so maybe we would have crossed paths eventually.”

“Maybe.”  Before he can say anything else, Michael’s phone alerts.  His eyes go wide when he reads what’s on the screen.  “I’ve got to go.  Shit, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to leave.”

He stands up and immediately heads to the door.  “Wait,” Alex yells to stop him.  “Michael, you need to get dressed.” 

“Jesus, sorry,” Michael apologizes again.  

Alex follows him to the living room, where he throws on the clothes he’d left folded neatly on the back of the couch.  “Keys,” Alex reminds him.

Michael pats his jean’s pocket and pulls them out.  “Sorry about leaving you with a mess, but I can’t stay.”

“It’s alright, just be safe,” Alex tells him.  Michael leans forward, and for a moment Alex thinks he’s going to kiss him, but then he turns and leaves.  Alex stands in the doorway while he drives away, wondering just what has Michael panicking, and if it’s something he needs to know about.

Michael calls Max as soon as he gets on the road.  “What do you mean Isobel’s missing?” he demands.

“Noah called this morning looking for her. I guess she never came home last night.  I covered the best I could, but I don’t know where she is,” Max sounds as stressed as Michael feels.

“We have to find her.”  Michael didn’t tell Max where he spent the night, and he’d rather not get into it, but he can’t exactly hide that he’s not in town.  “I’ll head out to the caves and check the pods. I’m not that far from there.  You check around town.”

Isobel isn’t in the caves or anywhere Michael can see her.  He’s not sure where to go next when Max calls him.  “I found her,” he tells Michael.

“Where?  Is she ok?” Michael demands.

“She’s fine, just confused.  I found her in a clearing past the junkyard you worked at in high school.”

“What was she doing there?” Michael can’t think of any reason for Isobel to be there.

“No idea.  I’m taking her back to my house if you want to meet us.”

Max meets Michael on the porch, dressed in his Sheriff’s uniform.  “I have to get to work.  Can you stay with her?”  he asks.

“Of course,” Michael agrees.  “How is she?”

“Upset.  She doesn’t remember anything about last night.  She was just sitting in the grass in the same clothes she wore yesterday.  I made her take a shower, and she’s sleeping now.  I just don't want to leave her alone.”

“I got her,” Michael reassures him.  “I’ll call if we need anything.”

“Thanks,” Max hugs him gratefully before leaving.

Michael enters the house quietly.  Isobel is asleep on the couch, she’s frowning even in her sleep, and Michael just wants to fix everything for her.  He settles for adjusting her blanket and settling in the armchair across from the couch.  He plays on his phone for a bit, opens an email from his principal about curriculum updates, but he can’t concentrate - too busy looking at Isobel every few minutes to see if she’s awake.  Michael ends up flipping through the books on Max’s coffee table, desperate for a distraction.

“I didn’t think ‘War and Peace’ was your thing,” Isobel says, startling Michael.

“It’s not,” Michael makes a face and sets the book down.  “You’re awake,” he adds as if it wasn’t obvious.

“Unfortunately,” Isobel sits up, pushing off the blanket and rubbing her face with her hands.  “Michael, what’s wrong with me?”

“I don’t know,” he admits, joining her on the couch and wrapping his arm around her.  “But we’ll figure it out, and it will be ok.”

“Will it?” Isobel asks, sadly.  “Because last time this happened, I killed three people.  I can’t let that happen again.”

“It won’t,”  Michael says, horrified at her distress.  “Max and I won’t let that happen again.  I promise.”

“How?  Are you going to follow me around every minute of the day?”

“We will if we have to,” Michael promises.

“You don’t even know where I was last night.  I don’t know where I was.  I could already have killed someone, and how would I even know?”  Isobel asks, her eyes filled with tears.

“Iz, I don’t know, but will figure it out,” Michael hates feeling helpless, but all he can do is hold her while she cries.

Once Isobel finishes crying, Michael makes her a cup of tea.  They sit in silence for a while - Michael unwilling to offer more empty promises and reassurances.  They don’t know what’s happening to her, and they don’t know how to fix it.  Eventually Isobel sets her cup down, and looks at Michael, determination on her face, “Alright, talk to me about something else.  Anything else.”

“I hooked up with Alex Manes,” he tells her without meaning to.

“Ohh, your high school crush, nice,” Isobel high fives him.

“I think it was a mistake,” Michael shakes his head.

“Why?  Is he bad in bed?” Isobel asks, making a face.

“No, that is definitely not the problem.” 

“Then what is?”

“I think I like him,” Michael admits. “And it can’t mean anything, but I think I want it to.”

“Then let it,” Isobel tells him, taking his hand.  “You don’t have to be alone.”

“I can’t do it, Iz.  I don’t know how you stand it - loving someone and lying to them all the time.”  Both Michael and Max thought marrying Noah was a mistake.  But he made Isobel happy, and that’s all they ever wanted for her.  Michael knew he wasn’t meant for that kind of happiness.

“I’m not lying to him.  I’m not!” Isobel insists when Michael makes a face at her.  “He’s never actually asked me if I was an alien.  I know I’m keeping something from him, but it doesn’t change the way I feel about him.”

“You don’t think he’s going to figure it out?”  Michael asks, not convinced she can hide this forever.

“I don’t use my powers like you do,” she reminds him.  “He’ll never know.”

“What about kids?  It would be hard to hide a baby with powers,” Michael reminds her.

“I told Noah I couldn’t have children.  Don’t,” she stops Michael before he can protest.  “We don’t know if I can, if we can have babies with humans, and I don’t want to be an experiment.  We were just starting to talk about adoption when this happened,” Isobel gestures to her head.

“It seems like a big risk to me,” Michael tells her.

“He’s worth it,” Isobel shrugs and smiles. “But enough about me.  When are you going to see Alex again?”

“I don’t know that I am.  I shouldn’t,” Michael admits.

“Yes, you should.  Look, it doesn’t have to be serious.  You’re only here for the summer so have a fling.  Enjoy yourself. Alex is hot, you said he’s good in bed so spend a few months getting laid.”

“Ok, that is officially too much talking about my sex life.  I’m going to make you some lunch,” Michael stands up and puts an end to the conversation.

Isobel leaves a few hours later, insisting she needs to be home before Noah gets back from work.  Michael doesn’t want to let her go, but they can’t keep her prisoner.  Max calls after work and tells Michael he’s going to hang around Isobel’s for a while to make sure she doesn’t wander off.  At loose ends and with Isobel’s voice still in his head, he decides to reach out to Alex.

“Sorry for running out on you this morning.  Buy you a drink to make it up to you?” he texts.

It’s almost ten minutes before Alex replies, “Love to but not up to the drive tonight.  Rain check?”

Michael’s disappointed, but he understands.  Alex’s cabin isn’t that close to town, and it’s a bit of a drive just for a drink with a guy you slept with a few times.  He could still hit up the Wild Pony or Saturn’s Rings, but he’s not in the mood to be surrounded by strangers.  And Michael doesn’t want to spend the night sitting around Max’s house, worrying about Isobel.  So he sends another text, “Have you had dinner yet?”

This time Alex answers right away, “No.”

Michael smiles, “Go to Crashdown order.”

His phone alerts right away with another text.

Alex is happy to hear from Michael, but sighs when he reads the offer for a drink.  After Michael left, he’d spent the day researching, not bothering to put his prosthetic on.  As much as he wants to see Michael, the thought of putting on now and driving into Roswell is not appealing.  He debates with himself for a while, but eventually declines the offer - hoping Michael will read his interest in a rain check as genuine.

Michael’s offer of dinner is even more of a surprise, and one Alex eagerly accepts.  He straightens up while waiting for Michael - making sure everything related to Deep Sky is securely locked up.  He’s just finished wiping down the counter, when Michael knocks.

“Come in,” he yells. He takes the bag from Michael when he enters the kitchen, kissing him softly. “Thanks for this.”

“We should probably eat soon,” Michael tells him.  “I put the milkshakes in a cooler, and the food is still warm, but it won’t stay that way for mich longer.”

“Is that your way of letting me know you won’t put out before dinner?” Alex teases.  “I’m kidding,” Alex holds up his hands and laughs at the expression on Michael’s face.

“You can’t reheat fries, Alex.  It would be a crime to let these get cold,”  Michael says, barely keeping a straight face.

“You have a point,” Alex concedes  “Come on.”

It doesn’t take long to get everything set up so they can eat.  Alex moans after taking his first few bites, “Nobody makes enchiladas like Arturo.”

“I’ve always stuck with the classic,” Michael tells him, indicating his plate with a bacon jalapeno burger and what must be a double order of fries.  

“Here,” Alex cuts off a chunk of enchiladas and slides it onto Michael’s plate.  “I’ll trade you for some fries.”

“Help yourself,” Michael turns the side of his plate with the fires toward Alex.  “You’re right,” he says after trying the enchiladas. “These are amazing.”

“Told you,” Alex says smugly.  

They both go back to eating, not saying much until they are cleaning up.  “Oh, I almost forgot.  Arturo said to tell you hello, and you’d better come by in person before leaving.”

“You told him you were coming here?” Alex asks, surprised because he knows Michael didn’t tell Max where he was staying last night.

“No, he figured it out.  Told me he took the Banana Foster’s Ranch milkshake off the menu years ago because you were the only one who ever ordered it.  Said you were lucky he had the ingredients for other menu items and could still make it for you,” Michael tells him with a smile.

Alex freezes.  “And it’s ok that he knows?”  Alex isn’t sure what it was about him that had people questioning his sexuality long before he got his first piercing or even thought about wearing eyeliner to school, but it’s not like that for everyone.  He wouldn’t want to be responsible for accidentally outing Michael.

“Sure, why wouldn’t it be?” Michael asks, clearly confused.

“If he knows you're with me, he’ll assume,” Alex gestures between them.  “I don’t know if you're out or if it could be a problem with your job.”

“Oh, not it’s fine.”  Michael waits while Alex puts the last dish away then walks into the living room.  He sits down on the couch and motions for Alex to join him.  “It’s sweet that you’re concerned, but Roswell’s not my home anymore.  Max and Isobel already know, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks.  As far as my job, I work in a fairly liberal district.  I’ve never made any big announcement, but I don’t hide the fact that I’m bisexual.”

“I’m glad,” Alex says relieved.  Deciding a change of subject is in order, he asks Michael about his career.  “So teaching? As smart you are, I thought you’d end up like Liz Ortecho - multiple doctorates in some fields no one else ever heard of.”

“That was the plan,” Michael admits with a laugh.

“What happened?”

“I was on track with my engineering degree, and I started doing some tutoring on the side.  Fell in love with it and realized I liked teaching science more than I liked being a scientist.”

“And you don’t regret it?”  Alex asks.

Michael shakes his head, “Best decision I ever made.  What about you?  I know your family is all about the military, but I was pretty surprised when you enlisted.”

“So was I,” Alex admits with a laugh.  “That was never the plan.  I was going to be the one to break tradition, to get out.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“I never had a real plan.  I wanted to make music, but I was realistic enough to know that was a long shot.  Things got real intense with my dad senior year. I felt like I couldn’t win with him.  As much as I wanted to get away from him, I also wanted to prove him wrong.  I thought that if I joined the Air Force and did better than him, he would have to admit he was wrong about me, that I wasn’t weak or useless.  Stupid,” Alex shakes his head.

“I don’t think it was stupid,” Michael puts his hand on Alex’s knee.  “Families can fuck you up as much as not having one does.  You did the best you could.”

“Maybe,” Alex places his hand over Michaels, interlocking their fingers.

“Did it help?” Michael asks, “with your dad?”

“Fuck, no,” Alex laughs harshly.  “We haven’t spoken since I was hurt, and he reminded me of what a disappointment I am.  I think he would have preferred I was killed so he could have pretended I was a hero.”

Michael studies him for a moment, and Alex regrets being so honest. But then Michael stands up with letting go of Alex’s hand.  “I for one am very glad you are still alive.”

“Yeah?”  Alex asks, not really a question, as he stands up as well.

“Yeah,” Michael repeats.  “And since dinner is over, you should let me show you just how happy.”

Even though it’s Alex’s house, Michael is the one to lead the way to the bedroom.  Alex is more than happy to follow.

Michael stays the night and the next, on the third day he brings over his duffel bag from Max’s.  They don’t talk about it.  The closest they come is a brief discussion of past relationships.

“Nothing to report,” Michael says cheerfully.  “No one’s ever stuck around for more than a night or two.  Until now, I guess.”

Alex isn’t surprised, but he pretends to be.  “Seriously?  I’m not sure if I should be flattered or concerned you’ve become desperate.”  

“Good question.  I’ll let you know when I decide.  What about you Manes?”

Alex stiffens without meaning to.  No one’s called him that since he left the Air Force, and he hoped he would never hear it again.  He shakes his head, “Alex please.”

“Sorry,” Michael doesn’t push for more of an explanation.  “So Alex, have you left a string of broken hearts in your wake?”

“Hardly,” Alex laughs.  “You know what it was like here.  I never said I was gay, but everyone seemed to know.  But it was not like there was anything I could do about it.”  Michael starts to protest, but Alex cuts him off.  “I didn’t know you were an option.  When I joined the Air Force, I just wanted to fit it so I put anything personal aside.  I did date someone at work for a while last year.”

“Was it serious,” Michael asks.

“Not really, but I wanted it to be,” Alex admits.  “I met Forrest at a work function, and he was ex military like me, but he’s very comfortable in his sexuality, in who he is.  I envied that and also found it very attractive.  He hit on me right away, and I was so flattered, it was easy to go along.  It felt good, going on dates with a cute guy who liked me, I’d never had that before.”  Alex smiles at the memories.

“What happened?”

Michael rubs his leg.  It’s a gesture of comfort Alex doesn’t need, but he likes it when Michael touches him so he leans into it.  “I think I liked the idea of Forrest more than I liked Forrest. It fizzled out when we realized we wanted different things.  Forrest likes to push, to challenge people, to force a different world than the one we grew up in.  I admire that about him. But I didn’t want to make a statement.  The more comfortable I got with my sexuality, the more I realized I wanted the things that always seemed out of reach - marriage, a family.”

“I want that too, the whole picket fence.  A dad band,” Michael confesses.

“A dad band?” Alex laughs.  

“It didn’t steal your guitar just to get your attention.  Music has always been the best way to quiet my head,” Michael tells him.

“We should play together sometime.” Alex can picture it, making music with Michael.  He can picture a lot with Michael he’s not ready to admit to.  He leans back and pulls Michael on top of him.  “But not tonight.”

“No,” Michael agrees before he kisses Alex.  “Not tonight.”

“Tell me what you like about teaching,” Alex asks Michael one night after dinner.  Michael had shown up with groceries and made lasagna.  They’d fucked on the couch while it cooked.  It was perfect and natural like everything with Michael is.

Alex has spent his whole life alone, but Michael fits with him in ways he never imagined.  They aren’t together all the time - Michael leaves during the day so Alex can work in peace.  He spends time with Max and Isobel or visits some of the communities outside Roswell, but he comes back every night.  Michael accepts his disability in a way Alex hadn’t expected.  He doesn’t ignore, just treats it like every other part of their lives.  He hands Alex his crutches as easily as he hands him a cup of coffee.  Michael took one look at Alex’s shower chair, shook his head, and reinforced it so it could hold both their weight when they showered together.  Michael is brilliant and funny and kind, and even though he knows it’s destined to end in disaster, Alex is falling in love.

 “How long do you have?” Michael jokes.

“All night,” Alex is completely serious.  He’ll listen to Michael talk all night if that’s what he wants.

“Science is one of those love it or hate subjects you know.  Or that’s how people talk about it so kids are convinced they are good at it or have no hope of passing.  The kids who come in excited are a blast.  They are ready for every experiment and new theory.  But I really love showing the kids who come in afraid or already defeated how accessible science can be.  You just have to find a way in that works for them, and when they start to get it or at least stop fighting it, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

“I wish I had more teachers like you,” Alex says, smiling at Michael’s enthusiasm.  “What do you normally teach?”

“I’ve taught a little bit of everything.  I like chemistry better than biology.”

“You just like blowing things up,” Alex interrupts.

“Who doesn’t like blowing things up?” Michael agrees.  “This past year I had freshman for Earth science which is pretty cool and intro to biology.  Then I had seniors for advanced chemistry and physics.  Weird mix, but it was a fun year.”

Michael tells him more about his classes, and Alex listens, falling even more in love.

Almost a week into staying with Alex, Michael runs out again after getting a text.  They are in bed, trading stories about celebrity crushes when Michael’s phone goes off with a rapid series of texts.

His face drains of color as he reads them.  “Fuck, I have to go,” he says as he scrambles out of bed and throws on some clothes.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Alex offers.

“No, Michael says sharply.  “Sorry,” he apologies, running his hands through his hair.  “It’s just something I need to take care of.”

“You don’t have to explain,” Alex tells him gently.  He wants to push for answers, but he knows this isn’t the time.

“Thanks,” Michael hesitates before leaning in and kissing Alex goodbye.  “Don’t wait up.”

Alex tries to settle and go to sleep, but he can’t stop thinking.  He doesn’t know what is going on with Michael, but he has a  bad feeling it could be related to his assignment.  He knows Michael isn’t responsible for the murders, and he doesn’t believe he would cover them up, but if he’s in contact with the killer, he could be in danger without knowing it.  

Realizing he’s not getting anywhere running through worst case scenarios in his head, Alex gets up and decides to go back over the files.  There has to be something he’s missing, some connection between the victims that can lead him to the killer.  Until the murders began, Deep Sky had no idea there were any aliens in Roswell besides Michael, Max and Isobel, and they have all been eliminated as suspects.

Studying the files doesn’t yield any new information nor does reviewing the records he hacked from the Sheriff’s Department. The killer chose his victims well - no friends or family to push the investigation forward or demand justice.  The official reports contain little information beyond the victim’s name and where and when the body was found.  

None of the sites where the bodies were recovered have nearby security cameras Alex can access so that’s another dead end.  He can’t go around town asking questions without raising suspicion or alerting Jesse to his investigation.  Deep Sky believes Jesse is aware of the murders, but has made no more progress than they have in identifying the killer.  Alex needs to keep it that way.

The sun is just starting to come up when he hears Michael’s truck approaching the cabin.  He quickly logs out of all his files and shuts down the computer.  He’s laying on the couch by the time Michael comes in, a random cooking show playing on the television.

“Hey,” Michael frowns when he spots Alex.  “I told you not to wait up.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Alex shrugs.  “Thought I’d get some pointers,” he gestures to the television.

Michael snorts.  But he sits down when Alex lifts his legs, resting his hand on Alex’s ankle once they settle.  “Sorry to keep you up.”

“Michael, are you alright?”  Alex asks.

Michael doesn’t answer, just sighs and tilts his head back, resting it on the couch.  Alex shifts until he’s sitting up, giving himself a better view of Michael.  “Please,” he prompts.  He wants to help Michael if he can, but he also needs to know there is something going on that he should get involved in.

“Our senior year, Isobel, Isobel Evans,” he clarifies, “starting having migraines bad enough she would black out.  Freaked the hell out of Max, but they stopped just before graduation.  Now they’ve started up again and she’s gone missing a few times.”

“That must be scary,”  Alex places his hand over Michael’s.  There’s something in the timing that he can’t quite place, but he knows is important, but he puts that aside for the moment.  It’s more important to be there for Michael.

“The last few times, Max has found her out in a field.  She doesn’t remember leaving her house or how she got there.  I’m afraid she’s going to hurt herself,” Michael admits.

“I’m sorry.  What do her doctors say?”  Alex hates asking a question he knows the answer to, but it would be more suspicious if he didn’t ask.

“They, umm,” Michael stumbles over his response.  “They haven’t been able to figure out what’s causing them.”

“Is that why you decided to stay for the summer?”

“Yeah, it’s a lot for Max to handle on his own.”

“What about Isobel’s husband?”  Alex doesn’t know much about him, but he knows Isobel is married.

Michael shakes his head.  “Isobel doesn’t want him to know.  We’ve been covering for her, but I keep telling her, he’s going to find out.”

That probably means Isobel’s husband doesn’t know she’s an alien.  If he knew about the migraines, he might insist she see a doctor, something Alex is sure she wants to avoid.  “Well, she’s lucky to have you,” he says instead of asking more questions.

“Not many people know this, but Max and Isobel are my family.”  Michael leans into Alex, pressing closer when Alex wraps his arm around him.  “We were found together before they were adopted.  I’d do anything for them.”

Alex kisses the top of his head and takes a deep breath.  There isn’t much he wouldn’t do for Michael, but this isn’t the time to tell him that.  “Let’s go back to bed,” he says instead.  “You’ve had a long night.  Let me take care of you.”

Michael calls Alex the next day, a surprise because while they text occasionally, they never call each other.  Alex suppresses his instinct to ask Michael if anything is wrong, “Hey, what’s going on?” he asks instead.

“Isobel wants us to come to dinner tonight,” Michael tells him.

“Do you want to go?”  Alex is happy to defer to Michael’s preference. 

Michael hesitates.  “I’d like you to get to know Isobel, and Max,” he finally says.

“I’d like that too,” Alex says, a little surprised at how much he means it.  “Just so you know, this meeting the family thing is a one way street.  I have no intention of talking to mine again.”

“Your father always seemed pretty intense so I’m happy to avoid that situation,” Michael laughs.

“You have no idea,” Alex tells him.  He plans to keep it that way.

“I’ll be home, back,” Michael corrects himself, “in about an hour.  We can leave around six.”

Alex smiles at Michael’s slip, but doesn’t call him out on it.  He’s starting to think of this as Michael’s home too, but he needs to finish his investigation and let Michael in on what he knows before they can really move forward.  “See you then.”

“So what do I need to know?” Alex asks on the way over.

“Max is super over protective, more of Isobel than me, but he might be a little standoffish.  Isobel loves to tease me. She’ll probably make at least one bad joke about my sex life.”

“So she’s the one to get the embarrassing stories from,” Alex laughs.

“Absolutely not,” Michael objects.  “I know what I told you yesterday, but we really don’t talk about being family in front of other people.  We just say we are friends.”

“Ok,” Alex takes the hand Michael isn’t using to steer and squeezes it.  That’s something he’ll want to know more about another time.  “What about Isobel’s husband?  What’s he like?”

“Noah?” Michael shrugs.  “He’s nice. He’s a lawyer.  He moved to Roswell after I left so I don’t know him real well.  But he adores Isobel and that’s all that matters.”

Isobel’s house is exactly what Alex expected from an event planner married to a lawyer - showy and way too big for two people.  But she greets Alex warmly and leads them to the back patio for dinner which is a much more relaxed environment than the formal dining room they passed on the way out.

Noah Bracken’s manning the grill but he steps aside to introduce himself to Alex then hugs Michael which is more familiar than Alex would have anticipated based on how Michael talked about him.  

“Where’s Max?”  Michael asks when Isobel is getting their drinks.

“Oh, he had to cancel.”  Isobel and Noah share a look before she continues.  “They found a body in the Wild Pony’s parking lot.”

“Jesus,” Michael swears under his breath.  “Was it anyone you know?”

“No, Max said it was a vagrant.  Someone he’s picked up for loitering a few times. Probably an overdose,” Isobel adds.

Alex tries to keep his face neutral, to seem curious,but not too interested.  “Was anyone else hurt?”

This time it’s Noah who answers.  “Thankfully, no.  It looks like the body might have been dumped there overnight when no one was around.  I’m just hoping it doesn’t scare anyone off from Ranchero night.  The next one is later this week.”

“Maria’s still doing those?”  Alex asks.  He hasn’t thought about Ranchero night in years, but he remembers how proud Mimi had been when she was able to offer free meals and a night of laughter and music to anyone who needed it.

“Yes, she’s even expanded in recent years - adding medical services and legal advice.  She gets a great turnout,” Noah tells him.

“Don’t let my husband be too modest,” Isobel turns and beams at Noah.  “He started offering the legal advice and wrote up the contract for the medical services.”

“Isobel exaggerates.  My whole firm is involved in helping the community.  But enough about me.  Isobel, why don’t you tell them about the hospital fundraiser you’re planning.”

Alex can’t help but notice how quickly Noah shies away from attention. He does it all through dinner, deftly redirecting the conversation any time it starts to focus on him.  Like Michael said, he’s nice, pleasant even, but in the most generic and forgettable way.  

“So Alex,” Isobel turns to him once dinner is over and they are enjoying a glass of wine, “what are your intentions toward Michael?”

“Isobel, please,”  Michael groans.

“No intentions,” Alex tells her with a smile.  “I’m just enjoying getting to know him.”

“Well, Michael’s always been a bit of a playboy, but he’s getting too old to play the field.”

“Iz, stop, seriously,” Michael pleads.

“What?”  Isobel bats her eyelashes innocently. “I’m not scaring you off, am I, Alex?”

“Not at all,” Alex shakes his head and laughs.  “Please continue.”

“I hate you,” Michael mutters, kicking Alex under the table.

“Michael’s like a burnt marshmallow.  I’m serious!” Isobel protests when Alex bursts out laughing and Michael hides his face in his hands.  “He’s all rough on the outside but soft and gooey on the inside.”

“Ok enough wine for you,” Noah moves to take her glass away, but she holds it tightly.

“He’s so good with kids.  You should see him with his students,” Isobel tells Alex earnestly.  “They all adore him, even the grumpy, too cool to smile ones.  Michael’s meant to have a family.”

“We’re going to go now,”  Michael stands up and tugs on Alex’s hand until he gets up as well.  “Before you really do scare Alex away.  Noah, thanks for dinner, steaks were delicious.”

“Nice meeting you,” Alex shakes Noah’s hand as Michael tries to pull him away.  “Isobel, call me anytime you want to talk about Michael.”

“Not happening,” Michael shakes his head.

“Love you, too,” Isobel shouts as they are leaving.

“Dinner was nice,” Alex says when they are on the way back.

Michael snorts, “Easy for you to say.  I am never letting you and Isobel talk again.”

“Just try and stop us,” Alex kisses Michael on the cheek.  “It’s nice that she cares so much.”  Isobel talking about Michael having a family only confirmed what Alex already knew.  Michael wanted a future with someone - a dad band, he remembers Michael telling him.  More and more, Alex found himself hoping he could be that someone.

Michael grumbles, but doesn’t really say anything.  Alex is content with the silence.  It gives him time to think.  While it’s not confirmed, he’s sure the body they found will turn out to be another alien murder, making his investigation both more complicated and more urgent.  He needs to look into Ranchero night since there is a high likelihood the victims would have attended.

He is still mulling it over when they get back to the cabin, but there is nothing he can do until morning.  Once they’ve locked up for the night, Alex pulls Michael in for a kiss that quickly turns heated.

“I thought you didn’t have any intentions toward me,” Michael teases when Alex tugs at Michael’s belt.

“None that I wanted to share with your sister,” Alex retorts, turning and walking back to the bedroom, confident Michael will follow.

It doesn’t take long for Alex to get his answers.  He calls Maria and confirms all the victims had attended Ranchero night at least once.  The murders don’t line up with Ranchero night - that would have been a pattern too obvious to miss.  But Alex can only assume they are using Ranchero night as a hunting ground.  Of course there is no surveillance footage, but Maria is able to send him a list of volunteers.

“Fuck,” Alex swears when he reads through the text.  His worst suspicions are confirmed.  Alex opens another tab on his laptop and starts researching.

When Michael gets back to the cabin that evening, Alex is pacing the floor.

“We need to talk,” he says as soon as he sees Michael.

Michael’s stomach drops.  He thought things were going good with Alex, doesn’t know what he did to screw that up.  But it doesn’t really matter in the end.  Maybe it’s better this way before he ends up like Isobel, trying to manage a relationship built in lies.  “It’s alright,” he tells Alex, even though it’s the farthest thing from alright.  “I’m just going to go.”

“No,” Alex looks confused, then understanding dawns.  “That’s not what I meant.  I just need to talk to you.”

“About what?”  Michael moves away from the door, into the cabin.

“Sit, please,” Alex guides him to the couch.  He doesn’t speak again until Michael is sitting, but he doesn’t join him, just resumes his pacing.  “I’m going to ask you something and it’s very important that you tell me the truth even though you won’t want to.”

“Alex, I wasn’t lying when I told you I was clean,” Michael tries to joke, to break the tension, but it falls flat.

Alex starts to say something, but then snaps his mouth shut and does a circuit of the room.  He comes back to stand in front of Michael, but he still doesn’t say anything.

“What’s going on?”  Michael asks.  He has no idea what could have Alex so uncertain.  “You wanted to talk, so talk.”

“God, I don’t even know how to ask this,” Alex runs his hand through his hair.  “Please don’t lie to me.  Do you know that Noah is an alien?”

“Are you insane?”  All Michael can do is laugh.  Noah is the most human person he knows.  “You’re seriously asking me if Noah, Isobel’s husband, is an alien.  I think being in Roswell is messing with your head.”

“It’s not a joke.  I need you to tell me if you knew.”

“Noah’s not an alien,” Michael’s starting to get frustrated.  Alex is way off base, but he can’t let him continue on this path because it might lead him to the truth about Michael.  “I would,” Michael starts, then cuts himself off.  He can’t explain to Alex why he can be certain.  “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I’m not interested.”

He starts to get up, but Alex’s next words pin him in place.  “You would know, that’s what you were going to say.  You would know because you’re an alien.  You, Max and Isobel.”

“No.”  It’s all Michael can say.  He’s glad he didn’t get up because he’s not sure he could stand right now.  He’s lightheaded and his hands are shaking.  “No.  You’re wrong.  You can’t say that.”

“Michael.”

Alex crouches down in front of him.  Michael wants to tell him to get up, remind that staying in that position will hurt with his prosthetic.  But he can’t think about Alex now.  Not when the whole fabric of his life is being ripped apart.

“Michael,” Alex says again, waiting until Michael focuses back on him before speaking.  “I know about the three of you.  I’ve known for years.  I know it’s a shock, but you’re safe with me.”

“You’re wrong.  You can’t just say things like that.  I don’t know what’s going on with you, Alex but you need to stop.”  Michael doesn’t know what to do.  He wants to run, to get to Max and Isobel and warn them.  But he can’t leave until he convinces Alex that he is wrong.  He just doesn’t know how to do that.

“This isn’t how I wanted to tell you.  I wanted to ease into it, or hopefully wait until you were ready to tell me. But we’re out of time.  I asked you not to lie to me.  I’m being honest with you.  I know you and Max and Isobel are aliens.  I know you were found in the desert together exactly fifty years after the crash in Roswell.  I’ve seen the pods you spent those fifty years inside.  I know, Michael.  You need to understand that.”

The bottom drops out of Michael’s world.  No one can know, that was the truth he, Max, and Isobel lived by. Their secret had to be protected at all cost - from everyone, Max and Isobel’s parents, Isobel’s husband.  But Alex knows, Michael can’t deny it.  “How,” Michael almost sobs.

Alex stands, wincing slightly.  “Can I sit?” he asks, gesturing to the couch.  When Michael nods, he sit down, taking Michael’s hands in his.  “I know this is a lot to take in.  The short version is I don’t work in cyber security. I work for an organization called Deep Sky.  They’ve been studying aliens for decades, years before the 1947 crash.  I study alien artifacts - items that have been found or turned over to Deep Sky - trying to figure what they do, looking for patterns.  A few months ago I was given a new assignment.”

Michael sucks in a sharp breath.  “Is that what this is?” He pulls his hands away and points between the two of them.  “Am I your assignment?”

“No,” Alex looks horrified at that thought.  “Seeing you at the reunion, getting to know you, falling in love with you, none of that was planned.  I haven’t told anyone at Deep Sky about our relationship.  I wanted to keep you away from all this, but now I have no choice.”

“What are you doing here, Alex,” Michael asks, not sure he really wants the answer.

“Over the last few years there have been a series of murders in Roswell.  The victims have been prostitutes, drug addicts and homeless people so none of them have been investigated thoroughly.  Their bodies also had a glowing handprint on them.”

Michael reels back.  What if this is why Isobel’s blackouts started?  She asked Michael if she killed anyone, and he had been so sure the answer was no, but now?  “Isobel,” he says without meaning to, immediately wishing he could take it back.

“No, it’s not Isobel,” Alex reassures him.  “By the time I was given the investigation, you, Max and Isobel had already been cleared.  That meant there was another alien in Roswell Deep Sky doesn’t know about.  I was sent here to find out who it is so we can stop them.”

“You think Noah is the killer?  Alex, I still think that’s crazy.”

“Noah volunteers at the Wild Pony’s Ranchero Night. That’s where he finds his victims.  There is no record of Noah Bracken anywhere before he showed up in Roswell.  He doesn’t exist.  He works at a law firm, but has never tried a case or filed a brief.  His whole life is a facade.  The only reason he can maintain it is by using his powers to keep people from asking questions or even planting false memories.  I am not sure of exactly what he can do or how he does it, but it’s the only theory that makes sense,” Alex lays out his case.

“Maybe he’s in witness protection,” Michael tries to come up with a logical explanation for Alex’s discoveries.  “He couldn’t use powers on Isobel.  She would know.”

“He doesn’t have to.  I think Noah targeted Isobel, married  her, because he knows she’s an alien.  She won’t ask too many questions because she can’t answer them herself.  He knew if she was worried about protecting her own secret, she wouldn’t notice what he was keeping from her.”

It makes a twisted kind of sense.  Michael always wondered how Isobel kept her secret, wondered why Noah never asked more questions, especially recently when Isobel’s blackouts caused her to disappear.  But if Alex is telling the truth - about Noah being an alien and the rest of it, Isobel has been living with a killer.  “You’re sure?”  Michael has to ask.

“I am,” Alex nods.  “You really didn’t know?”

“No fucking clue,” Michael scrubs his face with his hands.  He doesn’t even know where to start.  “So you know about aliens.  You work for an organization that knows about aliens.  You figured out my sister’s husband is an alien before any of us did.  And he’s a serial killer.”

“I know it’s a lot,” Alex starts.

“And you’re falling in love with me,” Michael adds because he hasn’t forgotten that detail.  It might not be as big of revelation in the grand scheme of things, but it matters.

“And I love you,” Alex repeats solemnly. 

Michael doesn’t know what he feels.  Part of him wants to run, to go to Max’s and pretend this conversation never happened.  He’s been avoiding thinking about his feelings for Alex for the same reason he’s never been in a relationship before - fear of being discovered.  But Alex already knows what he is, and he’s looking at Michael the same way he did when they woke up this morning, the same way he did yesterday and the day before.  “I,” Michael starts, unable to finish.

“Don’t,” Alex places his hand on Michael’s knee.  “You need time to process all of this.  Then you can decide how you feel.  Just don’t shut me out.”

Michael shakes his head.  “Do you need anything from me?”

“If you didn’t know about Noah,” Alex begins, pausing to look at Michael for confirmation.

“I didn’t.”

“Then no.  He’ll be picked up discreetly in a few days, but until then there’s nothing to do.  As long as he believes his identity is still a secret no one is in danger,” Alex explains.

It seems too easy.  Just wait it out, and Noah will be gone.  How are they going to explain it to Isobel?  Michael pinches the bridge of his nose.  It’s too much to think about right now.  “Can we just set it aside for tonight?  I can’t deal with all this right now.”

“Of course,” Alex agrees easily, squeezing Michael’s hand.  “You should eat.  Come on, I’ll heat something up for dinner.”

Dinner, that’s why Michael came home - to have dinner with Alex and maybe fuck before bed.  Not to have his whole world turned upside down.  They both pick at their food, and Michael goes back to the living room while Alex cleans up.  He doesn’t turn on the television or even look at his phone, just sits there.  Alex is gentle with him the rest of the evening, guiding him through their nighttime routine.  It would piss Michael off if there wasn’t some part of him that needed it, needed to be led through the motions of life while he tried to figure out what to do.

Michael waits until they are in bed - a respectable distance apart instead of pressed together like normal - to broach the subject again.  “What did you believe them?

“What”  Alex asks, not expecting the question.

“Someone comes to recruit you out of the Air Force and tells you their company focus is aliens, why do you take the job?  Why didn’t you laugh in their face and go get some easy government job?  Why did you believe them?” Michael asks again because that’s another thing he can’t understand.  How did Alex get involved in this in the first place.

“Because I already knew.  Not about the three of you, but about aliens in general,” Alex tells him.

“How?”

“I told you my father was abusive, but he was also secretive and paranoid.  Right before my mother left, I heard them fighting.  She was yelling at him about spending all their money to fund his obsession.  I didn’t know what she meant, and when I got older I thought maybe he had a mistress.  But then I found my grandfather’s journal.  He wrote about being at the 1947 crash and how he found his purpose in protecting  humans from the invaders.  He helped to capture any survivors and imprison them.  My father always talked about the Manes legacy and protecting his father’s vision.  I think that’s what he meant.”

“We weren’t the only survivors?”  Michael always hoped there were more aliens like them, but he could never be sure.

“No, but I don’t know if anyone else is left.  It was over seventy years ago. But once this investigation is over, I should have the clearance to access the classified files on my family and find out what my father is up to so I can stop him.”

And it hits Michael that of all the people to fall in love with, he picked the guy who’s father and grandfather might have killed whatever family he had.  It’s so absurd he has to laugh.  “Your grandfather must be rolling over in his grave.”

“Probably.” Alex laughs with him.

Michael lets it go at that.  He turns off the light and tries to sleep.  When Alex reaches out for him, he doesn’t tune away.

When Michael wakes up, Alex is watching him.

“How are you doing?”  Alex asks him.

“Better,” Michael spent most of the night thinking.  His first priority has to be making sure Isobel is safe.  Once Noah is no longer a threat, he’ll have to tell Max and Isobel the truth about Alex.  “I don’t know how to act around you,” he admits.

“Nothing has to change,” Alex tells him with a frown.  “But you don’t have to lie about anything.  You can use your powers if you want to or talk to me about what it was like when you figured out you were an alien.  But that’s not why I am with you so if you don’t want to talk about it again, we don’t have to.”

“It’s that easy, huh.”

“It can be.  Maybe not easy,” Alex admits.  “I know it will take time for you to trust me, to believe your secret is safe with me, but we can get there.”

“It's not just my secret.”  It’s one thing to trust Alex with his own safety, but Max and Isobel should have a choice too.

“I know, and once this is over, we can talk to them together.  This can be a good thing, not being alone.”

“Maybe,” Michael shrugs.  He can’t think that far ahead.  “I should get up.”

“I think you should stay here today.”

“Can’t,” Michael sits up and stretches.  “Max is off today, and I’m supposed to help him with some stuff at the house.  He’ll be suspicious if I cancel.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” 

“Why,” Michael frowns at Alex.  “I thought you said it was safe.”

“And it is,” Alex insists, “as long as Noah doesn’t suspect anything.  Can you really spend the whole day with Max and not tell him?  And what if you run into Noah?  Could you act normally around him?  He might know with you saying anything, we don’t know how powerful he is.”

Michael’s frown deepens.  Alex isn't wrong to be concerned.  There are a lot of things that could go wrong, but he can’t spend the day cooped up in the cabin.  “I won’t run into Noah.  And Max and I don’t really talk that much about our feelings.  It’s just for a day.  I’ll be fine.”

“Michael,” Alex puts a hand on Michael’s shoulder.  “It’s not a chance you should take.  My father knows about the murders, but not who did it. If he somehow gets tipped off and gets to Noah first, he could find out about all of you.”

“I haven’t seen your father once since I’ve been in Roswell.”  My shrugs off Alex’s hand. “Are you forcing me to stay here?”

“Of course not,” Alex doesn’t hesitate.

“Then I’m going.  I’ll be careful, I promise.” He stands up before Alex can say anything else.  “I’ll see you later.”  Michael kisses Alex on the check and hurries to the bathroom.

Michael wasn’t lying about spending the day with Max, but he didn’t tell Alex that he was meeting Isobel for breakfast first.  He won’t tell her the truth, but he can’t do nothing.  He has to protect her.

“You should have brought Alex,” Isobel pretends to pout when Michael sits down alone.  “I have so many great stories to tell him.”

“I think you should stay with Max for a few days,” Michael says instead of responding to her.

“Why would I do that?”  Isobel makes a face at him.

“I think he’s lonely.  I was supposed to spend the summer with him and I’m spending most of my time with Alex.”  It’s not a great excuse, but Michael hopes she’ll buy it.

“Please, Max has lived alone for years.  He doesn’t care that you’re shacking up with your hot boyfriend,” Isobel rolls her eyes.  “I’m not leaving my lovely house when he doesn’t even have decent internet out there.”

“Ok, look, I”m not supposed to know about this, but Alex is investigating Noah’s law firm.  Insider trading or something like that,” Michael figures it’s closer to the truth.

“I knew the managing partners were shifty,” Isobel exclaims.  “But what does that have to do with me staying with Max.  Noah’s not involved in any of that.”

Michael hates how confident she sounds in Noah’s innocence.  The truth about him is going to devastate her.  “I know, but something’s going down in the next few days, and I think it would be better if you weren’t caught up in all of it.”

Isobel’s gaze softens.  “I know you worried about me, and it’s sweet.  But I’m not that fragile.”

“Iz, please,” Michael pleads.

“I’ll think about it,” Isobel compromises.

Michael knows he can’t push harder without making her suspicious so that has to be enough.  “And you can’t tell Noah. If he finds out ahead of time, it will look like he was in on it.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Isobel replies, a hint of bitterness twisting her expression.  “If there is one thing I am good at, it’s keeping secrets from my husband.”

Their food comes before Michael can think of a response.  He lets Isobel change the subject as they start to eat.  

His day with Max goes as expected.  He teases Michael a little about Alex based on Isobel’s recounting of their dinner, but he doesn’t press for details.  The long list of chores Max has been putting off keeps them busy enough that Michael can avoid blurting out that Alex knows their biggest secret.  Still he’s relieved when they wrap up for the day.  Michael showers at Max’s and changes into the last set of clothes he has left there.

Michael decides he’s going to tell Alex if they don’t deal with Noah tomorrow, he’s telling Isobel and Max the truth.  He can’t take another day of lying.  When he approaches the cabin, he sees Isobel’s car in the driveway.  He can’t think of any reason Isobel would have gone to see Alex without telling him unless she wanted to confront him about Noah.

“Shit,” Michael mutters as he gets out of the truck.  He promised Alex he wouldn’t say anything, and while he technically kept that promise, he knows Alex will be pissed. Michael just hopes Isobel didn’t tip Noah off.

He’s mentally practicing his explanation and apology when he sees the driver’s door of Isobel’s car is open and the engine is still running.  Michael’s concern quickly changes to fear and sprints up the porch stairs.

“Alex! Isobel!” he yells as he throws open the door.

No one responds, but he sees Alex backed up against the wall, hands out in front of him.  

Isobel advances on him, “You should have stayed out of this.  What I do doesn’t concern you or your kind.”

“Isobel!” Michael shouts again.  Isobel ignores him, but Alex catches his eye and shakes his head.  Then he nods toward the door.

Michael shakes his head back at Alex.  He doesn’t know what’s happening, but there is no way he’s leaving.  Even if he called for help, it would take too long for anyone to respond.  He’d never hurt Isobel, but he has to find a way to protect Alex.

“You aren’t the Manes I imagined killing,” Isobel taunts Alex.  “But you won’t be the last, so I might as well start with you.”

Michael moves closer and sees Isobel’s expression is completely blank.  The voice is hers, but it doesn’t sound right either - flat and mechanical.  He remembers what Isobel told them after they found her with Rosa’s body.  She couldn’t remember anything, said it was like she lost contact with her body and when she came back, Rosa’s body was in front of her.

Something clicks in Michael’s brain, and this time he yells, “Noah!”

Isobel turns toward him and he shudders under her emotionless gaze.

“You were always too smart for your own good.  Imagine how powerful you would be if you actually put that mind of yours to use.  I almost regret having to kill you as well.”

Isobel takes a step toward him, but before she can come any closer, Alex pulls a syringe out of his pocket and jams it into her shoulder.  Isobel’s eyes widen, and Michael sees them fill with confusion before she collapses.

“Isobel!” Michael lunges forward and manages to break her fall, easing her onto the ground.  He pulls her into his lap, relieved to see she is breathing.

He turns his attention to Alex. “Are you alright?” Michael asks.  “What did you do to her?” Alex sits heavily on the end of the couch and Michael looks between him and Isobel not sure where to focus his attention.

“I’m fine,” Alex waves Michael off when he starts to get up.  “The shot temporarily suppresses her powers, ending Noah’s control over her.  It will wear off in a few hours.  I’ve got to make some calls.  We need to get Noah into custody now.  Call Max, warn him.  Have him come out here, Isobel will need him.”  

The next few hours pass in a blur.  Alex spends most of them on the phone in the bedroom.  He steps out long enough to tell them when Noah is taken into custody, but quickly disappears again.  Michael has his hands full with Max who arrives panicked, and once he knows Isobel will be alright, he switches to interrogation mode - demanding answers Michael doesn’t have.

“I don’t know, Max,” Michael shouts, frustrated, after the fifth time Max asks him exactly how Alex found out about aliens.  “He just told me last night, and I was more concerned with Noah being a serial killer. It has to do with his family and the people he works with.  The details can wait until this shit with Noah is taken care of.”

Max eventually concedes that he’ll have to be satisfied with Michael’s bare bones explanation until Isobel has time to process what happened with Noah.  Isobel remembers nothing after she stopped at home to tell Noah she was staying with Max for the weekend.  Telling her the truth about what he saw is one of the hardest things Michael has ever done.  Isobel is understandably horrified, and Michael brings Alex out long enough to reassure Isobel that he isn’t hurt and that he doesn’t blame her for what happened.

“I love you,” Michael hugs Isobel tightly when she and Max are ready to leave.

“I’m so sorry,” Isobel begins.

“No, no,” Michael stops her, wiping the tears from her cheeks.  “You have nothing to be sorry for.  I just wish we had figured it out sooner before Noah hurt you.  We’re going to take care of you, ok.”

Isobel nods, returning Michael’s embrace before stepping back.

Max hugs Michael as well.  “I’m sorry about earlier. I was scared and frustrated that Noah could do this right under my nose, but I should have listened to you instead of yelling.”

“I get it,” Michael tells him. “We’ll talk more later.”  Michael looks back over at Isobel. “You’re good right?  I’ll be by in the morning.”

“Yeah, I got her,” Max says quietly.  “I’ll make sure she gets some sleep, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

Once they leave, Michael collapses onto the couch, the stress of the last few days catching up to him.

It’s after midnight before Alex wraps up his last phone call.  He’ll have several reports to file in the morning as well as beginning the logistical aspects of his transfer, but for now all he wants to do is sleep.  When he walks out into the living room, he’s surprised to find Michael asleep on the couch.

Michael’s curled up in the corner of the couch, head at an awkward angle that makes Alex wince.  He sits down next to him and gently shakes his shoulder.

“Hey,” he says when Michael opens his eyes.  “I thought you left with Max and Isobel.”

Michael shakes his head before sitting up and stretching.  “No,” he mumbles around a yawn.  “They need some time alone.  I’m going to see them in the morning before they leave.”

“So Isobel accepted the offer?” Alex confirms.  Deep Sky had offered treatment to Isobel - specialized doctors and therapists who could help determine exactly what Noah did to her and make sure there was no lasting damage as well as helping her deal with the emotional trauma.

“Yeah, Max is going to take a leave of absence, stay at my place so he can be nearby.”

“That’s good.”  When Michael yawns again, Alex stands up and holds out his hand.  “It’s been a long day.  Let’s go to bed.”

He convinces Michael to take a shower while goes through his own night time routine.  Even though it’s late, after the day he’s had, Alex knows he can’t afford to skip his stretches.  He still finishes before Michael, waiting in the bed when Michael comes back from the bathroom.  Alex expects he’ll want to go right to sleep, but Michael turns on the bedside lamp before turning off the main lights.

When he gets in the bed, Michael sits up facing Alex.  “I love you, you know,” he tells him, taking Alex’s hand.  “I thought I did before, but tonight, realizing how close I came to losing you, I knew.”

“I love you, too,” Alex minds him, his heart aching.  As happy as he is to know Michael returns his feelings, he hates the circumstances surrounding their relationship.  “I’m sorry it had to happen like this.  You deserve better than all the secrets and”

“Murders,” Michael finishes for him.

“You definitely deserve better than the murders,” Alex laughs.

“I won’t lie and say I’m not scared,” Michael admits.  “We always thought we were alone - me, Max, and Isobel - and the most important thing we could do was keep our secret.  And now everything’s changed.  It’s not just you, other people know about us, have known about us.  And we don’t know if Noah is the only other alien or if there are more.  But I’d rather figure it all out with you than alone.”  

“I’d like that,” Alex says, a little choked up at how much it means to him to have Michael trust him like this.

“So what’s next?” Michael asks.

“Now that Noah is in custody, I’ve been assigned to Roswell.  Once I’m briefed on what my father’s up to, I’m going to figure out how to bring him down,” Alex tells him.

“Roswell, huh,”  Michael shakes his head.

Alex hesitates just a moment before sharing this next part, “Roswell is looking for a new high school science teacher.”

“Seriously,” Michael side eyes him.

Alex shrugs, refusing to apologize for arranging it.  “This town is full of secrets, Michael.  When I find out what they are, I think the answers will belong to you - you, Max, and Isobel.  I don’t know how long it will take for me to find them, but I think you want to be part of it when I do.”

“You’re right,” Michael leans into Alex’s chest, yawning once again.

“Alright, time to sleep.”  Alex reaches over to turn off the light, but stops. “You want to go house hunting tomorrow?”

“House hunting?”  Michael asks.

“This place,” Alex gestures to encompass the cabin, “was always meant to be temporary.  It’s time to find something more permanent.”

Alex’s heart settles when Michael smiles and kisses him softly, “Sounds good to me.”

[eemamminy-art]

wip whenever ♥

Tagged by @allaganexarch !! She dutifully tags me every time she does one of these but I usually don't have any wips to share lol

This is one I've been working on for a while though! It's a tiny part of a malex sketch page I've been working on for myself for the past month and a half or so! I keep redrawing the faces or just not having any time to work on it :') I need them to be perfect, if it's art for me anyway, so it's just in wip hell forever

I actually have several fic wips right now too! About... 7?? I think? And 2 vague outlines! But sadly they are all nsfw except for the outlines, but those are literally just like, bullet points of ideas :') I skimmed one that's mostly done to see if there's anything I can share but I dooon't think so lol

I'm not sure who to tag specifically so if you see this, consider yourself tagged by me!! Go forth and share your wips! :D

[dr-lizortecho]

Malex fic masterlist

in chronological order <3

within series

gonna learn to love you right (Teen, 1.247 words) —pre-Michael Guerin/Alex Manes/Forrest along (Michael isn’t in this one)—

summary: It had been a difficult transition, learning to see a different side of Forrest, a more disciplined and structured side. Harsh edges that could have been forged in war, or rather from being a skeptic all too close to the truth.

content warnings: none

inner sanctum (Teen, 1.001 words) — Michael Guerin/Kyle Valenti/Alex Manes—

summary: It was strange, that settled feeling that came with becoming all too familiar with the inner workings of someone else’s house. The knowledge of where to find everything, at the same time that he felt out of place.

Something he was working on, not feeling like an intruder in Alex’s inner sanctum.

“Omelets?” Alex asks, holding up a carton of eggs.

content warnings: implied/referenced sexual content

au

did the love affair maime you too? (Explicit, 2.625 words) WIP

summary: Set in an alternate universe where Oatian refugees get their citizenship sponsored by wealthy humans and have to pay off their debts however they see fit.

In which the Manes and Valenti families start Caulfield an unsavory whore house essentially

content warnings: explicit sexual content, underage, indentured servitude, non-con

Swing Life Away (Explicit, 127.247 words)

summary: Kyle Valenti was part of one of those families. The ones in small towns that everyone knew. It made the pressure to be perfect even more heavy. So when three new (and very strange) teens move into town he does what his parents expect, invites them into his little friend group.

Until Liz and Alex pick up on the weird undertones that follow the Evans’ triplets around. Fires catching, lights exploding, and perfect grades.

Their old pact from elementary school biting Kyle in the ass, since once one of them invokes the code no one can back out, until they’ve investigated. Even if the last time they nearly ruined the Valenti’s marriage. And Liz Ortecho has fancied herself Nancy Drew since the third grade.

content warnings: rape/non-con, graphic depictions of violence, underage, religious content (both positive and negative), past child abuse, past sexual abuse, cults, homophobia

Treading Water (Explicit, 16.962 words) WIP

summary: Kyle Valenti’s life keeps getting more and more complicated, between working shifts as an ADN and kickstarting the private investigation business he’d pinky swore to in elementary school. All while Alex and Liz attempt to keep their own careers and finish their degrees.

The Evans triplets are struggling to find where they belong in their social circle, thanks to Max’s dumbass choices.

Anatsa Mufaro finds herself in Roswell chasing a story that will lead to the beating heart of the town and threaten to ensnare her own.

Bonnie Parker has been missing for almost a month when her case finds itself added to all of their plates.

content warnings: explicit sexual content, dubious consent, mentioned underage sex, statutory rape, past sexual abuse, past childhood abuse, implied/referenced self harm

If We’re Made of Stardust… (Teen, 15.781 words)

summary: On your twenty-first birthday, that was the government mandated date. Twenty-one they reasoned was mature enough to handle anything leveled your way, alcohol, wars, and the all elusive soul mate.

content warnings: Jesse Manes is a prick, implied sexual content

[wisteriagoesvroom]

8. Did you write for a new fandom or ship this year?

18. What was the hardest fic to title?

28. How did you recharge between fics?

8. Did you write for a new fandom or ship this year?

landoscar is actually new to me this year 😂 and i still don't know that i've settled on a dynamic for them, but that's part of the enjoyment.

also cracked open the seal on carcar. did some ficlets for frando, malex, tsulaw, gax... i'm a shameless multi shipper and it's very fun to jump between, because i think those dynamics are really fun to try across pairings/couples/throuples etc. i think of it like taking short rides down the river with different boats? and sometimes you'll spot ships you want to go on longer adventures with.

18. What was the hardest fic to title?

maybe the carcar one. it was originally a song title? then just random words. then i pulled "at a constant speed" from a sentence i scrapped from the fic:

because two moving objects could appear stationary to the outside world, if they were travelling towards each other at a constant enough speed.

28. How did you recharge between fics?

i'm the wrong person to ask cus i think i went through burnout between august to november. but i've been around fandom writing in general enough now to know it generally does pass, so i just kinda. chill for a bit. don't bash yourself - that's important!

live life! absorb different art and creative things! and/or, read totally different stuff! if you feel like it. i think it's a bit like being a chef. if you're cooking for other people all the time you can get taste blind and you need to step away and enrich other parts of your life in order to get the passion fired up again. it is also so easy in the algorithms age to get stuck in numbers or likes or the productivity hamster wheel especially once there's social media involved (a blessing and a curse at the same time).

fandom is what you make of it. never forget to enjoy it and have fun.

that's probably cliché, but that's my answer.

from writer asks

[insidious-intent]

Brother Lover, Lover Brother

Instead of working on Wrong Trousers, here I am with the beginning of another long fic. This is the idea where instead of a clone, Michael instead has an identical twin. Shoutout to @larenoz for helping me with Michael’s twin’s name :)

The first phone call Alex made after receiving the job offer email was Jim Valenti. It’s been almost a decade since he officially became a Valenti, burying the Manes name, and legacy, and fear all with it. The day Jesse Manes was taken away from the house in handcuffs, Jim had promised Alex he would have a better life, and Alex has made damn sure of it. 

At age twelve Alex had promised himself he would have a better life, and sitting there in his first office, for his first real job a single week after graduation; Alex almost felt a sense of accomplishment. He was well on his way to achieving that goal of a better life. He turned around to look outside the window of his moderate sized office and let himself feel a moment of contentment. 

His phone rang where it was sat on his desk, and Alex glanced over to see Kyle’s drunk smile staring at him. Smiling, Alex picked up the phone. “Hey bro,” he greeted his adoptive brother.

“Bruh! You situated in your new digs? How does it feel to be working at Antar?” Kyle greeted him with his usual exuberance. 

“I’ve got a plushie chair and floor to ceiling windows. I think I finally made it,” Alex laughed his response. 

“So you’re like a big shot coder dude now?”

“Kyle, man, I explained this to you. I’m not a coder, I’m a Securities Design Engineer. Do I call you a kiddie doctor?” 

Kyle’s laugh filled him with joy, just like it always did. When he went from best friend to adopted brother, Alex wasn’t sure how Kyle would handle the change. The brief period when they were fourteen and Alex came out to his family were the toughest, and he was sure Kyle’s anger was going to turn into hate. But Jim and Michelle never let that happen, and by the time Alex left for MIT, he was happy to have his brother back. His real brother. 

Kyle was still talking on the other end. “Fine dude, but now that you’re back in Roswell, and have a cushy job, it’s time for us to get you a man! You’re too hot to be so tragically single, and I have a moral duty to find you the hottest guy now that we’re back home.” 

Alex sighed at Kyle’s enthusiasm. He had made the mistake of sharing his life plans with Kyle right before they went off to college, and Kyle has not forgotten how Alex planned to be in a steady relationship by the age of twenty-five. And now he was going to use all his brotherly knowledge to embarrass Alex. 

“Kyle seriously, I do not need your help with getting dates. Do not even think about it, I’m warning you.”

“I’m just being a good brother.”

“I won’t hesitate to get mom involved. You know how she feels about you not not dating,” Alex shot back. 

“Alex! I thought we talked about this!” Kyle’s shocked response was almost a squeal. 

Alex grinned and turned towards the door. And suddenly felt all the breath leaving his body in a whoosh. The most gorgeous man Alex had ever laid eyes on was standing at his office door, and Alex felt like he was dreaming. The man had the most gorgeous amber eyes, honey blond curls cropped short on the sides, long on top. A tempting curl hung over an eye. The man wore a well cut, well-fitted navy suit, and seeing him leaning there with a smirk on his face felt like the beginning of the best kind of dream. 

“Kyle, I’ll call you back,” Alex whispered and hung up before he could hear a response. 

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” the handsome stranger said, sauntering inside the office. 

“Oh no,” Alex stuttered, “my brother was just calling to check in.” 

“How very family oriented of you,” the man smirks. “I just wanted to come introduce myself to the newest addition to the Securities team. I’m Chris,” he said with an extended hand. 

If Alex was a little too enthusiastic handshake, no one had to know. He couldn’t help but notice how smooth Chris’ clearly manicured hand was, smooth and soft. 

“I would love to take you out,” Chris said, “to lunch of course.”

Alex couldn’t believe his luck. He had a degree, a great job, and now the man of his dreams just asked him out. Life was really good.

***

“Wow dude, if I’d known you were on such a lucky streak I’d have made you buy a lottery ticket,” Kyle yelled wrapping an arm around Alex’s shoulder as soon as they walked in through the doors of their favorite bar and restaurant, The Wild Pony. Hopefully Maria was there tonight to save Alex from the onslaught of brotherly love. 

Speaking of the woman. “Alex has always been the luckiest one,” came Maria’s voice from behind the bar. Alex gave her a grateful smile, knowing his friend wouldn’t let his brother get too overzealous. 

“Deluca, you don’t even know the half of it. This guy here starts at the biggest defense contract firm in New Mexico and already has a date with a hot guy!” Kyle announced with a flourish, taking a seat right next to Alex at the bar. 

“Ok it isn’t like I’m dating the guy,” Alex clarified. “Yet.”

Maria laughed. “Who is this man who stole your heart so quickly? Give us some details here, Alex.”

“Ok, so. His name is Chris, he works in my company, hot as hell, wears extremely well-tailored suits, and has curls that I want to push my fingers through all the time. So yeah basically the man of my dreams,” Alex said. 

“Chris? With curls? That seems very familiar,” Maria mused while pouring them a drink. 

Kyle looked at Maria, “you know this guy?” 

Maria pushed the drinks at them, “I think he might be this guy I’ve seen hanging out with the Evans twins.” 

“Isobel and Max? Damn, Alex I think you bagged a rich dude,” Kyle answered. 

Alex was curious now, “you know the Evans twins? Aren’t they like Roswell royalty?” 

Maria’s response was laughter. “Yes they are. Their parents started the company you’re working for now, and combined they have more degrees than half the town. Isobel’s boyfriend is the one who got Liz’s dad through the whole citizenship ordeal, and Liz and Max dated for a while.” 

Alex had so much hometown gossip to catch up on, and from all the nodding Kyle was doing, he knew all this before Alex did. But tonight was about celebrating life moving in the right direction for him, and Alex didn’t want his family and friends forgetting him for gossip. 

“You guys are here to celebrate with me, not update me on the lifestyles of the rich and the famous. Let’s get back to drinking,” he said, slapping his hands on the bar counter. 

“And what about your rich hottie?” Kyle jokingly asked. 

“That’s definitely the kindest way you’ve described me so far, Kyle,” came a new voice from behind Alex, and he whirled around to see Chris standing behind him. He looked just as delectable in dark skinny jeans and a plaid shirt under a leather jacket, as he did with a suit. 

“Guerin? You’re my brother’s object of desire?” Kyle asked, bewildered. He turned to look at Alex with a faint sense of hurt, as if Alex did something wrong here by finding an attractive man, attractive. 

Shit. So the handsome guy Alex was lusting after was none other than the son of Rath Guerin, one of the two founders of Antar Inc. the company he started working at. Today. The potential for disaster was high, but one look at Chris in those tight jeans made Alex forget all about the risks of wanting the son of the company’s president. 

“Hello to you too, Kyle. Maria, how are you?” Chris asked, throwing a smile at Maria that had her blushing in return. He sat on the other side of Alex with a brush of his fingers on Alex’s shoulder, and then it was Alex’s turn to blush. 

The rest of the evening passed in a pleasant hazy blur for Alex. Despite the less than stellar start, Kyle managed to warm up to Chris, who was all around charming and funny. And at the end of the night, he placed a hand low on Alex’s back to ask him if Alex could walk him back to his car. 

Standing in the parking lot’s semi-darkness, surrounded only by the dark landscape of the New Mexico desert and the loud noises of the Pony, Alex felt like he was walking on sunshine. Even though he hadn’t expected to run into Chris that night, he was glad at how well he fit with his friends, and now he hoped to end the night with a kiss. 

Chris played with his sleeves for a moment, before looking up and smiling at Alex. “I had a good time tonight. I think your brother finally likes me.” 

Alex laughed, “yeah he doesn’t always trust the guys I want to date.” 

“Oh? Are you saying you want to date me, Alex?” 

Alex stumbled, trying to recover quick. “Uh, I mean, I don’t have- we don’t need -”

Chris kept smiling as he got a hold of Alex’s jacket lapel and pulled him close. “I guess this counts as the first date then,” he said softly, his eyes moving down to Alex’s lips. 

Alex’s heart was thudding in his chest. He like he was on fire everywhere his body touched Chris’ body, and his eyes couldn’t move away from his lips. Alex wanted to kiss him so bad. 

“If this is a date,” Chris starts, “can it end with a kiss?” 

Instead of responding, Alex grabs his face and kisses him. The kiss was everything Alex wanted, and yes he may not have any idea what he was going to do the next day when reality dumped ice water on his head, but tonight, in the arms of the handsomest man he’d seen, Alex felt like all his dreams were coming true.

[meneatyoghurt]

OK vlamis, you're safe for one more week. I will not, as I promised to do if you were hyping for nothing, "get you".

[gra-sonas]

Better order one last Little Green Men milkshake at the Crashdown Cafe, and get ready for a final close encounter with the "Pod Squad" during tonight's (Sept 5) series finale of Roswell, New Mexico.

From the very first episode, Roswell, New Mexico has featured queer characters. Even though the central relationship between Liz (Jeanine Masters) and Max (Nathan Parsons) was featured on the show's posters and billboards, #Malex is the couple the fans fervently tweet about when a new episode airs.

Ever since Michael Guerin [Michael Vlamis] and Alex Manes [Tyler Blackburn] shared a passionate kiss in the pilot, viewers have been shipping Malex, but fans were disappointed during this season when Alex sank into the liminal space dimension and disappeared for multiple episodes — leaving fans to wonder if the couple would blast off happily ever after.

Alex remained missing for most of Season 4 before finally reuniting with Michael in Episode 11, with Alex proposing to Michael and the two almost getting married in a makeshift ceremony in the alien alternate universe.

Now with the series finale about to air, Michael and Tyler spoke with Logo about their characters' cosmic love story, what it was like filming their epic reunion, how they never visited Roswell's gay bar, and if they would be up for a Malex spinoff.

The Malex reunion scene in Episode 11, what was it like filming that after all your time apart?

Michael: It was a long, long time coming. We picked up right where we left off. Tyler's just so open as a performer. So, there's never any rust when you show up to play off and work off him. It literally was just like, "About time you're back" and we just got right to it. I don't know, it was easy.

Tyler: Yeah. We really do just have a natural ability to snap each other into where we need to be. I mean, truly, it's one of my favorite people to do scenes with in my entire life. So, I agree. Super easy, and it felt momentous Also, Heather Hemmens [who plays Maria] was directing, and that was also very special. I remember we did one take of that scene, and Heather came over with a tear in her eye and she was like, "It's so good, it's so good." And I was just like, this feels good, this feels right.

I wanted to ask about Heather directing. That must have been nice to have someone you're so familiar with behind the camera when you were doing that scene.

Tyler: Yeah, absolutely. The thing with TV is a lot of times you don't get too many of the same directors more than once, but Heather had been part of the show as an actress throughout the entire series. So she really does know the story and the characters, and it just really did make it feel a little bit more grounded, in my opinion. Plus, I just found her energy to be so calm. She's such a calm person. She just is really good at being a human being, I would say actually.

Michael: And you want to do good work for her. You want to do your best for her.

You two have such good chemistry together. Was that always there from the beginning? Or was that from hanging out for these past few years?

Tyler: I think it was always there, you know? It's funny because I feel like the chemistry that we have on screen is actually more so because of how we allow each other to explore during scenes. When we're just hanging out or talking as friends, we're kind of just idiots together. I mean we get along really well, but the chemistry, I think, is just something that we can turn on because we're on the same page as far as what we want to do for our characters, and for each other as the characters. I think we both just knew exactly what needed to happen from day one. I feel like you [Michael] showed up knowing exactly what you needed to do and where you needed to go, and so did I. We had just made a decision. We barely even got to talk about it as two actors, we just showed up and it was like, here we go. And it was innate.

Michael: I always feel like chemistry just comes from people being open. When you have insecurities, when you're worried about how you look on screen or something like that in the moment, sure, we all want to look good, but once the camera is rolling, all that matters is you are here to act, you're here to receive what happens, doesn't matter how you look. It matters how truthful the scene is. So when two people who operate that way, Tyler and myself are together, no matter who the actors are, if they both operate that way, then they're going to be basically one. And that's when people do their best work. And Tyler's just, if I do something different, if I hit his shoulder, he's going to do something back to me like that. And he's just always ready, always on his toes. And I try to do the same thing, whatever you put up, or put down, I'm picking up, no matter what.

So Tyler, the night of the episode where Alex returns, you tweeted out about your health issues that kept you from being in a majority of Season 4. What was it like sharing that? And what was the reaction from the fans like?

Tyler: So really, I guess the reason I wanted to just be transparent was, obviously I was missing from much of this season, and I had just caught wind that a lot of fans were coming in pretty hard on the creators and the writers and stuff. And I found that to be pretty unfair, because this wasn't a choice that they made. They actually were trying to figure out how to create this season without my character, because I needed time. So, I wanted to just tweet out because I felt the need to absorb, I guess, a little bit of that responsibility, and it wasn't anyone else's decision. That was the main intention. And I'm not someone who looks at a lot of my comments and stuff, but I saw some really nice things, and that felt really great for me to feel supported, just like I did throughout the filming.

I also wanted to ask you about your tweet that said you're forever grateful to "the human beings who made this show." Why did you tweet that? I thought it was such a nice thing to say.

Tyler: Well, just because I was going through a tough time, and I never felt like I was not supported. And that really says a lot, to have people show up and be there for you. A lot of what I was dealing with was physical issues. I had to show up in pain a lot of the time and to have people accommodate me, or help me, or literally holding onto Vlamis' shoulder while walking to set to shoot. Those little things just make you feel... I'm going to get emotional. They make you feel safe. Because at the end of the day I wanted to uphold my responsibility and the agreement that I made on this show. And I had to fight through some shit, but I felt supported. And that was so important for me to validate, and let people know that what goes on behind the scenes is also really important too. And the humans on that show, I say humans almost jokingly, since this is a show about aliens, but seriously though, everyone was so great on that show.

And Michael, I'm guessing your social media for most of the season was just people asking, "Where's Alex, where's Alex?"

Michael: The whole time.

What's that been like for you?

Michael: Well, I felt bad because I knew that they were going to continue to ask, and they weren't going to get what they wanted. Just like I wanted more Alex. But I care about Tyler more than I care about Michael Guerin and Alex. And we end up having a great ending to this season and I think it all worked out the way it was supposed to and everything came together. I could just go on and on about how much I love working with Tyler. So I wanted it too. I was there feeling the same, "Oh, it'd be good to do a scene with Tyler today. Haven't done one with Tyler in a while." I honestly just felt bad for him, because I knew how long it was going to be. And I couldn't say anything and people have been asking for, they asked for eight or nine episodes straight, but that's what happens.

In last week's episode where you had the makeshift wedding ceremony with the "Malex Forever" banner behind you, what was it like filming that scene?

Michael: That scene was really cool. It was just fun being in that barn. It was fun to be at a wedding that you really want, but at the same time you have to deny. I was like, man, he's so close to this finally happening, and now I just got to do this. So, it was cool just to have [co-stars] Zoe [Cipres] and Quentin [Plair] there. I became close with both of them. And having Tyler back, it was a fun scene. It's fun to play in the turmoil of it all. I enjoy those scenes more sometimes than the really lighthearted ones.

And without giving much away or anything, can you tease what's ahead for the series finale?

Michael: Oh. What could we say to tease?

Tyler: I would say it's a happy ending. Let's just say that.

Michael: Yeah, I think that's a great thing to say. It's a happy ending. Finally.

When you were filming these episodes, did it feel like this could be the end? What was it like on set?

Michael: People weren't really acting that way, but I had this strange feeling. It was so weird, because every season you say bye to everyone. Some people give wrap gifts to each other. The actors, we usually get the cast and crew something. And when we were giving those out and saying our goodbyes, it felt like goodbye, goodbye. And I didn't really understand that. But part of me was like, well, the way the season ends, a lot of storylines... Yeah, there are some cliffhangers, but a lot of the storylines get to a place that people are going to be really happy about, and they're going to be comfortable with where we're leaving characters. So yeah, I felt like it was time. It was time that it was going to be done. I was still a little surprised when the cancellation happened, but I also wasn't. But once it happened, I thought back to those feelings I had on that last week of shooting. It was like, "Oh, I think this is it."

Tyler: But I think also too, one big difference was between [seasons] two and three, we knew before we've wrapped that we were going to be coming back. So then this was like, we didn't know. And we didn't know when we were going to know. It did feel a little bit ominous, but I'm a strong believer in ending something on a high note. I think for me, even if I was just viewing this show, I'd be like, I think this is the right time. I feel like it just felt right. I don't know if the writers wrote with that in mind. I think they had to, in case we didn't get picked up, they were like, we have to end this in some way that's really great. But I agree, I think everything is kind of wrapped up in a nice bow.

And Tyler, I'm guessing we aren't going to hear you sing on the show again?

Tyler: No, but it's great because I feel we each get our moment with music. You're [Michael] playing guitar in this last episode. I think it's fun that we shared that commonality as well as characters.

I was also sad that we didn't go back to the gay bar, Planet 7

Tyler: I never got to go there.

Michael: I was going to say, why didn't we get to go there?

Tyler: The two out, outwardly gay characters don't even go to the gay bar!

Michael: Ridiculous.

That should have been in Season 5.

Michael: We'll go with Kyle Valenti.

Tyler: Guerin could have been wearing only chaps and a cowboy hat. You have a nice ass.

Michael: Thanks, man. Appreciate that, you too.

When the show began, Liz and Max's relationship was the central love story, but as the seasons went on it seems like it became Malex. Was that talked about on set or between you and the other actors?

Michael: That's interesting. People on set did not talk about it. Of course, you get Liz and Max on the billboards around town and all that stuff. So you just think about that being the couple, that's the relationship. But from the beginning, social media has been going crazy [for Malex] in a way that was so surprising, and it was so fun for us. I don't know if it was surprising for Tyler, but for me, I had never experienced anything like this before. It has felt like we were always loved by the fans, and not that we were the number one ship on the show or anything like that, but that we were loved and supported. That has never felt like it's changed at all. Every year it just feels the same, and maybe it is growing and becoming more intense, but it's always been that way since the beginning. It is amazing how hard the fans came out immediately.

Tyler: I think that's just indicative of how times have changed too. The fact that a gay relationship is something to celebrate, and talk about, and root for. I think it came at the right time in television. So I think that has a lot to do with it. I think, how many times have you heard older actors say, "I wish there were more people out when I was growing up and had someone to look up to, it's like, now that exists." So you have a platform where all of these younger people, who are queer, can watch and celebrate. Then you have people who are not queer, who are watching and celebrating even, because they realize how valid it is, and how important it is. At the end of the day, you have two human beings who are so deeply in love. And if you're at all a normal human being, you know that feeling. So you watch two people on screen, and you feel that.

Michael: Yeah, no matter who they are.

Tyler: So I think there's a lot to it. But I was surprised. It was just celebratory, and sort of soothing for me, once I realized it was a really big deal. But you know what's funny, is in the pilot when we shot the scene where we kiss, do you remember all the people at video village were just like, cheering, literally cheering?

Michael: Yeah, I do remember that.

Tyler: As if they had already been watching this relationship, and it was like they were celebrating it already. This was the pilot.

Michael: That's a good point. Everybody was there because it was the last thing we shot I think.

Tyler: Yeah, yeah. So it was an interesting moment because I felt like, I don't know, maybe it was a little foreshadowing.

That chemistry.

Michael: That was the beginning, dude. That's crazy to think about.

Tyler: I know, I know.

Well, it must be cool because I think Malex is one of the great queer relationships on TV in recent years.

Tyler: I know. And I wonder sometimes too, and this is in no way a dig at all towards anyone, but I just wonder if this was a more, I don't know, adult network or show, would it have been a bigger deal even? I feel like a lot of people turn their nose up at the CW, or a show about aliens, and it's like, at the end of the day, we're pulling out some dope shit. We're fucking bringing it hardcore.

Michael: We did. There were times where I was just like, man, this scene is so fucking real. So truthful. This is happening on shows that are getting Emmy noms, and the scenes between us, the acting that we were doing, the chemistry that we had, the stuff that we were representing, I can only hope that more people find the show as it progresses, because it deserves that. Our scenes man, we put some stuff down where we were exhausted, we were sick, we were depressed. We felt... We made it real dude. We made it real, and I believe that deserves to be watched. But if it's never watched, we put it out there for us, and that's all that matters. So we'll see what happens.

Tyler: It lives on in this day and age though.

Michael: It lives on.

Tyler: It's somewhere. Yeah. But no, I mean, I agree with that so much. I think... And it's also a testament to the writers, and how they were able to really tap into the foundation of what the relationship was. I mean I just, I hope that people feel the importance of it for sure.

Michael: Shout out to [creator and former showrunner] Carina MacKenzie... Malex is her baby.

Well, hopefully, she likes how it ends, however it ends.

Michael: I think Carina will be happy too. We can tease that.

So is there a Roswell group chat going on, or are there any plans for a Roswell real-life reunion? Have you all been keeping in touch?

Michael: A bunch of the castmates are actually teaming up with us on our next Vlambase merch launch actually, which is cool. But other than that, there's still a fantasy football league that's going around. I don't know if you're in that Tyler, but I got that email.

Tyler: I literally don't know one thing about football.

My last question is: Is there anything that you want to say to these Malex fans now that the series is ending?

Tyler: I think that they should know they were pivotal in the way that we played the characters too because I think that we listened to what they were saying. I think the writers did as well. I think that they love the ship, they celebrate the ship, but the ship became what it is in large part to their support. So it's this cyclical dynamic that I hope they understand how important they were in that.

Michael: Yeah, I think straight up, the fans in a way, changed my life. That sounds pretty dramatic, but truly, over four years, you're going to change regardless, right? But they were always there supporting, pushing us, driving us in a way with love and care, and compassion to do the best work we can. So we just continued. I couldn't wait to see what people thought about scenes that I knew meant a lot to both of us. It was such a joy to know that I can go on Twitter, whether stuff is bad or good. I remember when the first trailer came out for Comic Con, and it was so funny. I got stoned and read all the comments. I had never been on TV before, and I'm just getting trashed as the new Michael Guerin. I thought it was awesome. I'm not offended by any of that stuff. Just bring it, I'm still going to do my thing. But the fact that you could go on Twitter and see what is resonating, see what they're turning into gifs and special moments. That was so cool, and so propelling for me specifically as a younger actor, new to the game, coming up. So it's just a big thank you to them.

I love that. Well, Michael, Tyler, I always love talking to you, and I guess this will probably be the last time, until there's a Roswell revival or something in 10 years.

Tyler: The Malex spinoff!

Michael: Yes, yes!

[bekkachaos]

♧ malex?

♧: One character playing with the other’s hair

Alex sat up in the cheap motel sheets in a post-sex daze, the TV playing softly in the background.

Michael lay with his head in Alex's lap, arm draped over his thighs and his body covered from the waist down by the thin white blanket. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't sleeping, he was just enjoying the lazy way that Alex was stroking his fingers through his hair and gently rubbing his head.

It was such a small thing, and yet it felt more intimate than anything else. He wasn't worried about anything around them, the whole world could be on fire outside the motel door and he wouldn't care, so long as he was lying in his husband's loving touch.

Alex let his fingers pull at his golden curls, stretching them out and letting them fall back, landing over Michael's brow before he was pushing them away again. His fingertips were soft, and warm. It was like the rest of Michael's body faded away and all he could think of was how Alex's hands felt on his skin.

read on AO3, or

He hummed appreciatively, turning his head only slightly to squint up at Alex. He looked down with a loving smile, letting his thumb graze Michael's cheek.

"Why does it feel so good when you do that?" he mumbled, squeezing Alex's thigh with one hand and dragging the other until it was behind his back, hooking on his hip.

"Because no one's ever taken care of you like this," Alex said, brushing a ringlet behind his ear. "Like I get to."

Michael held him tighter, shifting in closer so that he could kiss Alex's bare stomach.

"I've got to say though," Alex said, his lip turning up teasingly. "This is much nicer now that you've learnt how to use conditioner."

"I'll have you know," Michael said, narrowing his eyes up at him. "I've been using regular conditioner for a good seven years now, at least."

"Oh, am I going to get the same story from Isobel?" Alex grinned.

"You know, I don't like this little friendship the two of you have going," Michael said. "You're teaming up, it's not fair."

Alex chuckled, his stomach vibrating against Michael's chin.

"You're welcome to recruit Kyle to the dark side," he said, letting his fingers still and dropping his hand to Michael's shoulder.

Michael reached up to grab his wrist, pulling it back to his hair until Alex rolled his eyes with a smile and went back to caressing it.

"I don't think that's a fair fight," he said.

"You're right, it's probably not," Alex said, watching the way Michael closed his eyes with a sigh and shuffled down until he was comfortable. "Tired?"

"No," Michael said softly. "But I do wish we could just stay like this, never have to move or get up. I know it's not the most glamorous place, but I don't think I've ever been this..."

He trailed off and Alex smiled, knowing exactly what he meant even if he didn't finish the thought.

"It's perfect," Alex whispered.

Michael's eyes opened again, lips stretched in a delirious smile and he looked up at his husband. He wouldn't trade this moment for anything, in any world.

"Close your eyes babe," Alex said.

Michael obeyed, letting himself get lost in the tenderness of Alex's hands and settling in against his body like his own had been cut from it, finally piecing together with the part of him that had been missing.

Send me a prompt and a ship and I'll write a drabble

[manesalex]

(kiss you) three times 'cause you waited your whole life

Some friends asked for Malex’s vows that we didn’t get from the show. So here’s one potential take on them. Enjoy!

Also available on ao3.

***

It’s like the rest of the world fades away the moment Alex steps into view. He looks so incredibly handsome, all in black, a grin on his face. And Michael gets to have this thing he only ever dreamed of.

It feels like a blur and then, suddenly, he’s holding Alex’s hands and saying his vows. “When I was seventeen, I stole your guitar from the music room just looking for an excuse to talk to you. And then I did and you showed more kindness toward me than I knew anyone, human or alien, was capable of. And I fell in love with you. I had spent ten years looking for a home in the stars and you gave me one here, on this planet. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want to build a home with you. I promise to spend every day of the rest of my life fighting for you and for your happiness like you’ve done for me since the moment we met. I love you, Alexander Manes. And I promise I always will.”

Alex’s dark eyes are filled with tears and he’s biting his lip. Michael wants nothing more than to kiss him right now. So he does, whispering an “I love you,” quiet enough that only Alex can hear as he pulls away.

Judging by what he hears, their friends and family seem amused by his break in tradition, but he couldn’t look away from the smile on Alex’s face even if he wanted to.

Alex squeezes his hands for a moment before he starts to speak, “When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to leave Roswell and never look back. But then I met you. And, back then, I swore that I’d stay in Roswell as long as you kept kissing me. I was just a kid, but my home is still wherever you are. So, if you want to build our home here in Roswell, I’ll happily stay here with you for the rest of my life. But, if you want to explore Oasis, I’ll happily go with you. Michael, I promise to fight for your dreams like they are my own. Before I met you, I didn’t know what it was like to be loved. But I know you love me. And I promise to spend the rest of my life fighting to keep you safe and to make sure you know that I love you more than I knew was possible to love another person.”

Michael wants to tell Alex that he already knows how much Alex loves him, that it’s in everything he does. He wants to add a vow to what he’s already said, to promise Alex he’ll keep kissing him for the rest of his life. But most of all, he wants to tell Alex that he already has all his most important dreams. He’s going to spend the rest of his life with Alex, build a home with him, and maybe, someday, they’ll even have kids.

But Dallas is speaking and it’s not long before he’s pronouncing them husbands and telling Michael to go ahead and kiss Alex again.

As if Michael ever needed to be encouraged to kiss Alex. His husband. He closes the distance between them and presses his lips against Alex’s again. He can hear their friends cheering, but all that matters is the little gasp from Alex’s lips when they part and the way Alex moves forward for one more kiss, like he can’t get enough. And Michael? Well, he can’t wait to spend the rest of his life kissing Alex Manes. Or, as Alex will tell him in a few hours, Alex Guerin.

[mazzystar24]

Wanna listen to my validating Michael’s mental health rant?

Warning it does get anti max

Can we pause and recognise for a minute that Hope or rather a false sense of security is a long established fear of Michael’s so much so that he used his mutilated hand as a reminder that “hope is a dangerous thing”

Not only that but he ESTABLISHED THIS TO MAX and yet throughout the show time and time again every good thing he experiences is consecutively followed by disaster and in multiple cases this false sense of security is caused deliberately by max (im gonna mini rant about him so bear with me)

So here is a list of everytime the writers pulled this good followed by bad shit and acted like it wouldn’t be deeply triggering for someone with his trauma and imma point out when max was at fault

1. Attempted to celebrate his birthday with his siblings (despite having recently been fucking exorcised -see traumatised) only to then have to cover up a murder of a guy who attacked his sister

2. Set to go to UNM and Malex toolshed moments followed CONSECUTIVELY with not only getting full blown hate crimed but then witnessing a triple homicide perpetrated by someone wearing his sister’s face and then having to lie and say HE did it and cover up more murders and then give up a scholarship to the college he wanted to go to now this all by itself is a lot right? But max is relatively free of blame right? Wrong this guy saw his brother with a severely injured hand and knew the truth of the murders but chose to wallow in self pity and AVOID HIM OUT OF GUILT!?!?? WHAT THE FUCK?? WHO LETS SOMEONE THEY CALL FAMILY DEAL WITN THAT ON THEIR OWN??? WHO THEN GOES 10 YEARS PRETENDING LIKE SPIRALING ISNT A COMPLETELY VALID RESPONSE???

Anyways 3. Thinks everything is settled with Noah dead (don’t get me started on the other traumatising shit that happened rn I’m just talking about hope being fucking burnt out in front of this poor guy and him never knowing when his world is gonna implode) but then max goes and kills himself saving rosa -mini max is failing as a brother rant part 2- THIS GUY SAW MICHAEL AFTER CAUFIELD WILLING TO LET NOAH GO RATHER THAN HAVE ANOTHER ALIEN DIE HE SAW THE FUCKING UNHINGED EMOTIONAL STATE HE WAS IN AND WHAT DOES HE DO?? Heal his hand without his consent after killing Noah anyway and then once everyone thinks the dust has settled he goes and he gets himself killed making Michael deal with ANOTHER death (again CONSECUTIVELY HIS BAD SHIT HAPPENS IN THREES ISTG)

4. Season 3 he knows he’s dying and then decides to again create a false sense of hope and reform their relationship only to then reveal TADA HEART FAILURE

5. Ofc we have the latest example of the Alex debacle now I know he didn’t make people not tell him but holy shit he shouldn’t have gone along with it due to RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS literally what the actual fuck

[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 ❤️

[facelessfrey]

Roswell New Mexico - Season 4, Episode 11

Okay...aside from OH MY GOD ALEX IS BACK AND HAD ACTUAL SCREEN TIME WITH MICHAEL AND IT WASN’T JUST THE LAST TWO MINUTES OF THE EPISODE HOORAY!

Three things first:

1. Did we really have to bring Alex back just to have him say “oh yeah by the way I’m totally dying from radiation poisoning”? Hahaha. What the fuck?! I mean, I’m gonna go ahead and assume that Vlamis and Tyler wouldn’t be happy with the Malex ending if Alex literally dies. So I’m going to assume that means he gets healed somehow. Perhaps everyone will finally get that handprint moment they’ve been begging for. But I’m just going to have to go with “he’s definitely not dying” or I’m going to lose my mind. 

2. If they fucking have Dallas marry them in that permanently twilight world with only Bonnie for a witness, I might also lose my mind. I’m sorry, I’m gonna need A) light and B) everyone else in attendance. 

3. Was there an actual explanation of what the Alighting is in Clyde’s ramblings? Because I don’t think there actually was beyond “I’m gonna go home” and like...is that it? Just going back to Oasis? Cause that’s boring. Anticlimactic. I mean, I expect nothing less from this show but still? Why have a fancy word for it if it’s just “point my star map home and walk through a portal”? That doesn’t sound like “THE ALIGHTING” to me. I mean honestly, I need someone to explain the show’s whole alien mythology to me because my god does it not make sense to me AT ALL. This show makes me feel so dumb sometimes and I’m pretty sure it’s just bad storytelling but also....maybe I’m missing something?? So I was rewatching bits of season one because I was having Malex feelings and I ended up watching Noah’s whole scene about “coming from a war torn planet blah blah blah the Alighting and when they come to take us home, I was going to trade you for leverage” and he talked about a stowaway??? So like...why did all these aliens come? They were trying to escape Oasis because of Jones the Dictator? But then Jones stowed away? But like...there were a bunch of his Ophiuchus disciples on that ship too? Noah, Bonnie, Clyde, Tesca etc? So wouldn’t that be more than one stowaway?? And then what were Nora, Louise and Theo actually trying to do? Were they trying to go home? Or were they just trying to save their kids and take Max from Jones so he couldn’t transfer into him? And Theo was undercover helping Jones but also creating pocket dimensions as decoys???? Like...what the fuck is any of this supposed to be?!?!? HELP! I have so many questions and I don’t feel like any of them have been answered. 

Aside from those three things....

I was very glad to see Alex in half the episode rather than just the last five minutes like I feared. Still annoyed at the “hey I’m dying part” but remember, we’re ignoring that cause he’s gonna be fine okay. But I like that we really are just full on paralleling Motherland and Raylla and Alex is immediately like “we found each other again let’s get married!” Which is very sweet. And you know...no hang ups there in saying yes...just the whole....dying part but anyway...moving on. 

PRESENT DAY, PRESENT TENSE I LOVE YOU!!! ABOUT DAMN TIME! Bless. 

They have incredibly cheesy lines but at least one of them isn’t “you’re my turquoise” because I swear if I have to hear Max say that one more time to Liz I’m going to lose it. Haha. 

I have to thank Bonnie at least for letting Malex have some alone time while she and Dallas went on their little fruitless errand. I may not really care about her arc but at least she gave us that. 

There were references in this episode but I don’t think there were any Harry Potter ones? Maybe I rage blocked it out immediately but I don’t think there were?!?

I continue to adore the Kybel awkwardness and also the fact that Rosa and Max totally know. I desperately wish they had just let Isobel date Anatsa all last season and started fresh with the Kybel slowburn this season so we could have had more time with this but alas. It is what it is. They’re super cute and I can’t wait till they make it official. 

I was very glad to see so many Kyle and Rosa scenes in this episode because despite Kyle finding out she was his sister in season one, I feel like their sibling scenes have been pretty nonexistent so yay for those. Especially him telling her how far she’s come and her being like “yeah so Isobel is totally in love with you too you idiot”. I really wish we had gotten so much more but this was great. 

I still just...don’t care about this Liz plot that, shocker...was solved in an episode. Well...at least the addiction part. There was that preview (that preview that had no Alex in it again ..ugh) where she said her brain is broken so I guess there’s consequences but still...obviously very rushed. 

I feel like Shivani wasn’t totally wrong about Echo because I don’t feel like they’ve really resolved any of their actual issues. But sure...I guess we’ll see. 

I suppose I should be happy that they’re all of a sudden now making an attempt to make Liz’s student relevant to the plot but uhhh...yeah...not so much. It all just feels kind of ridiculous to have that whole GED class plot and trying to be a mentor just so she could be used by Clyde like nine episodes later. 

I suppose I should also be glad that Clyde is trying to make Shivani and her cryo daughter relevant to the plot too but uhh...I’m sorry I still don’t care. Plus, I really can’t believe that Shiri Appleby was used just for that weird mindscape episode but I feel like they’ve just wasted her if she’s not going to suddenly be relevant at the end. But also...do I even care about her actual character beyond that she’s OG Liz? At this point? No. Although still the fact that she’s apparently related to the Valentis and we didn’t even see her when Kyle and Eduardo went to find her for...reasons? to get Alien console pieces? is just kind of also absurd. She was vaguely plot relevant and we didn’t even see her??? So strange. 

Speaking of Eduardo....why were we meant to care at all about him and his estranged daughter if it was literally a twelve second plot point that meant nothing?? Like literally...other than Kybel hooking up, that whole Mexico excursion was thoroughly pointless. 

Anyway....I would like Alex not to die now that we’ve got him back. I would like to actually get to see Sanders in that tux at their wedding outside the pocket dimension. That is coincidentally the only thing I still care about aside from Kybel and Rosa’s happiness. The plot is meaningless but I still would really like someone to explain it to me just cause I want to understand. To be honest, I’m not even sure the showrunners and writers could explain it if pressed. 

[salmonthestoryteller]

Science Bros Season 4 Parallels

For my previous posts about the parallels of Liz & Michael’s journey go here:

Part 1: Michael & Liz (Season 1)

Part 2: Liz & Michael (Seasons 2-3)

Michael and Liz start the season, once again, in the same place. They've been with their respective partners for half a year now, and have started to become settled for perhaps the first time in both their lives.  However, they are both thrown for some loops in that regards during the season, starting with the men they love deciding to take the next step in their relationships.

Before Season 4 begins, Alex asks Michael to move in with him. While he agreed, we begin the series with Michael feeling very unsettled about this.  Spiraling into old fears.  Surprisingly, it's Malex’s turn to solve their issues quickly.  A few conversations later, the two are settled and happy. In fact, Michael lays this part of their story to rest in episode 3.

Michael: "Well, my running man-days are over. Alex may be out chasing weather balloons, but my bags are unpacked.”

Max, meanwhile, has plans to ask Liz to marry him.  Their dance with this lasts the rest of the season.  With a combination of their own old fears and the new alien threat continuously getting in the way.

In the meanwhile, both Liz and Michael fall into old obsessions.

Liz meets Shivani and is quickly captivated once again with unlocking the secrets of alien science.  At first, the goal is simply to aid against the new threat.  However, as the season continues Liz obsession slowly grows into something far more dangerous.

Michael meets Clyde and is quickly captivated once again with discovering the secrets of their home world.  At first, his goal is also to be of aide against the new threat. Befriending Bonnie and attempting to save her from the cult of Ophiuchus. However, after realizing that Clyde is offering him a way home to Oasis, Michael's obsession also grows.

Meanwhile, their love interests both come under attack by Tezca.  Alex is kidnapped, taking him out of the fight for the time being.  While Max makes a dangerous decision to rid himself of his powers - lessening his ability to aid in the battle against the other aliens.

Michael realizes his obsession with Oasis has distracted him while Alex was in danger.

Liz almost comes to the same conclusion upon seeing Shivani’s obsession begin to spiral out of control, but her journey is interrupted when she's dosed with the alien mist.

In the final climax, Liz and Michael are both called upon to use their genius to find a way to save the group. Liz to stop Clyde from getting to Oasis, and Michael to save the group from the Pocket Dimension.

Malex, having found their balance, decides to hell with just living together and gets engaged and then married.  Their separation, and Alex almost dying, having been the final major hurdle in their relationship.

Echo had also found their balance, and they almost take the next step as well.  However, they are once again interrupted - this time by Max’s decision to go to Oasis.  They do get there, however - third time’s a charm - when they meet before the gate and finally get engaged.  In a sense, Max going to Oasis is much like Alex’s time in the pocket dimension - Echo’s final hurdle before their happily ever after.

Unfortunately, with the series not being renewed for a fifth season, that does leave us without Echo’s marriage to complete the parallels. (Though it may have spared us Max almost dying on Liz again.)

I am going to miss our Scientific Geniuses, their alien shenanigans, and matching journeys toward the happiness they deserve.

[saadiestuff]

4x13 pod squad scene extension & fix-it (short fic)

[This fic continues the last pod squad scene in 4x13, when Max tells them he is going to Oasis. After the fic there is a write up about why I felt compelled to write it.]

It seems like a long while before they release each other from their side hug.

Michael breaks the silence. “Max, we can’t let you go alone. You–”

Max interrupts him. “Look, this is something I need to do on my own.” He sighs. “Not in an I’m the almighty savior ego way, just… I gotta do it.”

“And you’re okay with this, Iz?” Michael asks.

“No,” Isobel says, “I keep thinking about what Tezca said, that you’re going to need the fiercest warrior by your side and–”

“You helped me defeat Clyde, you helped me prove to myself that I can control the blue flame, and you helped me accept my destiny. Tezca was right, I couldn’t have done any of it without you.” Max puts his hand on Isobel’s shoulder and gives it a soft squeeze. “But now it’s up to me.”

“You know what, this destiny shit is for the birds,” Michael says.

They all laugh, but the sound quickly fades into quiet, until Michael exhales sharply.

“I hope it's not heresy to say this on my wedding day but... when I was talkin’ destiny... you know, it's about more than Alex. I mean, it's a lot about him, but it's really about letting myself have the things that I want. And I still want to go to Oasis.”

“Your timing does suck, Max,” Isobel teases.

“Yeah, man, I had a whole decade that was wide open…” Michael says.

Max chuckles, but then his face turns serious. 

“You can visit Oasis when it’s been brought back to life,” Max says gently. “That’s part of why I have to do this: for you, Michael, so you can see where we came from, and not just a hollow shell of it.”

A chill runs down Michael’s spine as he thinks back to the last time he encountered a tortured version of his heritage – at Caulfield. Isobel instinctively reaches for Michael and gives him a comforting rub on the back.

Max turns to Isobel. “And for you. And all the other aliens here and there.”

Isobel smiles sadly, in acceptance.

“Show him,” Max says to Isobel. “It’s his mom. He should see.”

“My mom?”

Isobel nods and takes Michael’s hand. 

“Want to go again?” Isobel asks Max.

Max takes Isobel’s other hand, and Isobel brings the three of them into Tezca’s memory. 

When they are back in Max’s living room, Michael sighs.

“You better come back to us, Max. Because I was planning to write a lot of new pod squad chapters in my life too.” Michael playfully slaps Max on the arm. “I may be going off on my honeymoon, but I’ll be back in two weeks.”

Max smiles. “Well, with any luck, I’ll beat you home.”

Isobel pulls them both into a real group hug this time. And that feels like home too.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Why I wrote this fic

I wrote this fic to fix some issues I had with the finale: 

(a) Michael and Isobel not going with Max needed discussion on the show. 

(b) RNM is all about a large found family and how much they mean to each other, and what they want for their lives. Then the finale says that Alex is Michael’s destiny and whole life now. That really bothered me.

This is a big reason why in general I don’t like weddings in tv finales – they usually end up putting out a message of romantic love above all other relationships, hopes, and dreams.

Truly no offense meant to Alex or Malex. Alex is great, and Alex being Michael’s home is lovely! But I want Michael to have all the love and all the homes that bring him love and joy. (I want that for Alex too!)

I tried to reframe the bothersome bits from issue (b) in a way that still fit with canon:

Michael’s line about embracing his destiny was really about allowing himself to have what he wants. A big thing that he wants is Alex of course! But he has other wants too. I think this is a nice full circle from the pilot when Michael asks Alex “Is that what you want?”, and Alex says, “What I want doesn’t matter.”

Max’s line when gifting the typewriter to Michael: “...To remind you that as you start the new chapter in your life, it's gonna be written by you and Alex alone.” Max was referencing the new chapter called The Honeymoon, which will be written by Michael and Alex alone. There will be many more metaphorical chapters after that, which Michael can write alone, with Alex, or various other people.

Max’s line, “You, uh, said something earlier that made me realize that we all have a destiny to fulfill. Yours is with Alex.” Max is a dramatic hopeless romantic and the wedding made him emotional and he can’t help but have some tunnel vision about Michael today. 

[letstalkabouttvshows]

So here's my:

TOP 10 RNM Season 4 speculation

(based on almost nothing, really)

🙃

1. Malex's I love you

I think the first on-screen I love you will be a casual one, but no less meaningful. C'mon, any time those two say the words will be emotional.

Their first exchange of the three little words probably happened on their first date.

2. Malex living together

I'm pretty convinced they will be living together or about to when the season starts. I mean, when you say you are each other's home, living together feels natural.

And also, there's no way Alex or Michael would want to spend any nights away from each other now that they are finally back.

And, let's not even talk about the level of domesticity they were in less then a week of officially being boyfriends.

So, share a home? It's the most logical step.

3. Something happens to Alex

I still think Alex will be in danger or something along those lines. Maybe he'll be put in a pod even. Maybe he'll get abducted.

I don't know but Alex in danger seems like the way to bring tension to the season without breaking Malex up yet again.

We all know how Michael gets when Alex is in danger. Got to say, kind of love this type of angst.

4. A wedding? YES!

I will truly be disappointed if we don't get a wedding by the end of the season.

I think it fits pretty well with Malex's journey. Especially if Alex does end up in danger throughout season 4.

They love each other. They have gone through more than enough heartbreak already. Let them be happy!

5. Bonnie and Clyde are aliens

I think this is pretty obvious. I'll be surprised if they end up not being aliens.

But if they are, maybe they will start out as angry, seeking revenge for whatever aliens and then, they will become part of the pod squad.

I do think they will befriend Michael because they'll figure he's Nora's son and also an engineering genius and, the best bet to figure out a way off Earth back to Oasis.

6. The rain smell will be addressed

For three seasons we had all of these little connections hinting that maybe there's more than simply love uniting Alex, Liz and Kyle to Michael, Max and Isobel.

It's the cosmic thing, the way they seem to truly love just that one person, it's the rain smell and so on.

Now that Kyle and Isobel will be a couple, there's no better time to give some good mythology about all of their connections.

7. Stay or go

I think the aliens will have to choose between stay on Earth or go back to Oasis.

Maybe they won't have much of a choice. Maybe that's gonna be their fight, finding a way to stay.

It seems pretty obvious this season it's gonna dive into Oasis and more of the home, family theme.

Also it's a good story arc to move the story along.

8. Alex, Kyle and Liz working at Deep Sky

I mean, c'mon. THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN! If it doesn't, what a loss of opportunity.

It's the most logical thing. Liz can get the resources, Alex's already there and Kyle has the legacy thing too.

Them working there would make total sense. And also, add more to the story arcs throughout the season.

9. Max won't be in danger

I truly think this time around Max will be safe and will help save whoever is in danger.

It has been 3 seasons of Max dying, almost dying, being dead.

I hope the writers gave him a break.

10. Whoever Jones called

I think the girl that shows up at the end of season 3 is the one Jones called.

Now what she's up to? Probably something to do with Liz and Max. Maybe she's Jones partner and now she's on Earth, she's gonna go after Max?

I don't now. This is the only plot that I can't speculate. I have nothing. But I'm sure whoever he called, it's trouble.