#yes this is how i burst back onto tumblr with feelings about stupid secretive lawyers

[jaggedwolf]

ok like, aa5 is not a Good TM game (it's possibly the worst structured aa game I've played so far, ignoring whatever the fuck the crossover was!) but i keep thinking about athena and simon and pondering whether they're my favorite protagonist-prosecutor dynamic since phoenix and edgeworth. bc it's like.

you're seventeen years old. you walk into your mentor's lab and find her bloody corpse on the robot disassembly setup, her equally bloody kid daughter next to her saying she tried to fix her mom and you just. you can't let this kid go to prison. so you frame yourself and smuggle her out and probably clean all the blood off of her. you don't say a word in your defense, even when it means you're going to death row, even when your older sister begs you to. you spend the next seven years in a cell realizing there's a real killer and trying and failing to find them.

you're eleven years old. your mother is murdered and everyone's convinced her student did it but you know he didn't, you know, but no one listens to you because you're a kid who doesn't remember anything and can't explain the emotions you're hearing (your mother would've been able to). his older sister who loved your mom, the adult closest to her - turns out she hates you, she thinks of you as a spoiled brat who did your own mom in and doomed her brother. you spend the next seven years speedrunning your adolescence to become a lawyer, because that's the only way to save this guy you know didn't hurt anyone.

obsessed with this.

I think what gets me is that this is not a Phoenix and Edgeworth situation. At no point are we told that Athena and Simon were close before the incident, and in fact I prefer the reading that they weren't. Obviously there is a baseline politeness, given Metis, but one was a withdrawn and often overwhelmed preteen and the other a bright older teenager at the beginning of his career.

It's that, when it all goes down, they both look at each other and go, I can't let this person take the blame, it's not fair. And this is key: During those seven years, they have no idea that's what the other person is thinking!

[malex-overlord-believe]

Fully Aware

Iz accidentally did something and Alex thinks they need to talk about it.

-part 2 of A Peek Inside-

They watch the truck drive away until it's out of site. There's only one thing Alex feels like saying.

“That was odd.”

He watches as Michael sighs with his hands on his hips and tips his head towards the sky.

“Things are always odd now Alex.”

Alex rolls his eyes at that, preoccupied with Isobel's panicked words still running through his head.

He knows right? He- you can't feel like that and not-

Alex has an idea of what she was talking about, the idea like a leaky drip from a sink but instead of a tap it's talk, talk, talk.

“Well things have always been odd for me Guerin now are you going to come inside or continue being a drama queen."

Michael twirls around with a hand against his chest in mock hurt. “But darling it's my god given bisexual right to be dramatic!”

Alex doesn't hide his smile as Michael starts walking over.

“How long have you been waiting to use that one?”

A happy flutter in his chest comes alive at the grin Michael is sporting.

“I actually only found that one last week. Tumblr is weird but cool.”

“I still have no proof you actually have one of those."

They're both settled back on the couch, a few inches of space between them that they try to ignore.

“I get my tumblr. You get you classified missions. Now we were going over the layout of the old prison you and Valenti want to sneak into.”

Alex stares at the blueprints and lists they've made but can't really focus on them. He keeps looking at Michael and there's a buzzing under his skin, one he usually only feels when Michael is actually touching him. He has no idea what Isobel did but it's like something's been fully opened in him and everything; his feelings, thoughts, and reactions towards Michael have been bumped up to the max.

Before it was a trickle, but now it's like the floodgates have been opened and the water has raised up to his waits before he knows it.

He doesn't think what happened was intentional, but he's thankful for it because it's like he was given that small extra push to just do instead of overthinking.

“Actually I want to talk. About what happened.”

Michael turns his full attention on him and they both blink at each other.

“You feel it too.” Alex reaches a hand out but Michael shys away, widening the space between them until he's squished against the arm of the small couch.

“Dammit Isobel.” He curses and quickly stands to move and put the table between them.

“She said she wouldn't-”

“I don't think she did it intentionally. I think- it just feels like how I've always felt about you but… now it's like I'm fully aware of it.”

Alex stands from the couch and takes a step around the table, Michael countering it with a step of his own.

“Isobel wanted to know if I could be trusted.” He takes a step to get closer and Michael takes one to keep the space between them. “And what she saw or learned made her believe I could.”

Another sidestep.

“I know why I can be trusted especially after she started asking me those things.”

Another step.

“Do you want to know how I know Guerin?”

Michael has circled back so he's standing between the couch and the table with Alex across from him, right where Alex wanted him. Alex quickly steps onto the table and over, causing Michaels confused brain to fall back onto the couch as Alex stands before him, trapping him.

“You.”

“Me?” He squeaks.

Alex nods and leaves the small space between them.

“How I feel about you.”

“Alex I think we should-” Michaels starting to sweat and he looks overwhelmed.

“It's gotten more intense, hasn't it?”

Alex can see Michael trying to breathe and calm down but he nods. Alex shuffles a little closer, his legs nearly cnb Michaels and things start to float.

“We said we'd talk Guerin and so far we've barely done that.” His voice is steady as he stares Michael down, waiting.

Swallowing, Michael starts to regain a bit of his usual composure and meets Alex's gaze.

“If I touch you… we're not going to be friends Alex.”

A laugh bursts from Alex and, with a quick thought for his leg, drops down onto Michael's lap and bracket him in with both his arms and knees.

Does Michael really think- Alex pauses as he reads the new look on Michael's face.

There's concern and heat and… fear.

“Hey what's-” Alex brings one hand to cup against Michael's cheek but instead of this reaction they're having becoming even stronger, that both believe skin on skin contact will do, that intensity calms back down to what it was before.

Michael lets out a shaky breath and his eyes close as he sags into the couch, his hands come to rest feather light on Alex's waist, everything that started to float falling back down. Neither of them really take notice, only that the other is so close.

“You okay?” Alex asks. He can still feel this thing between them, it's kind of crazy how much he can't not think about it. Feel it. Want it. Need it.

Michael doesn't answer him after a very long minute, making Alex a little worried.

He can feel Michael breathing, his heart beating where his hand is pressed against Michael's face, the almost too subtle movement of the hands on his waist slightly shaking. Alex brings his other hand to Michael's face so that he's holding it in both hands.

“Michael.” He whispers. The hands on his waist tighten and Michael's eyes scrunch up tighter.

“Don't-” he chokes out then takes a breath. “Say my name. Like that.”

Alex tilts the man's head up. “Stop being stupid then.”

“I'm being responsible.”

“Nah you're being dumb.”

Michael finally looks at him and that fears still there but now there's hope and frustration.

“Alex you said-” a thumb smooths over his cheek and stops at Michael's lips to quiet him.

“I said I wanted to be friends yes but that was just so I could get to know you again, actual real things since now neither of us have your alien secret stopping us or my monster of a dad messing with my head. He's gone and his little spy turned on him. I know you can move stuff with your mind and hatched from a pod.” Alex shrugs. “I never said no to being more than friends, if anything I don't think we could ever just be friends. Isobel's visit pretty much confirmed that.”

The stubborn furrow on Michael's face starts to soften letting Alex know the man under him is actually listening to what he's saying.

“I'm done being terrified of messing this up and not trying. Now it's my turn to reach out to you.”

Their foreheads are pressed together, Alex's voice softening near the end as he finishes what he wants to say.

They stay like that for a while, Alex giving Michael the time he needs to say whatever he needs, knowing how hard it is to open up especially after all the times he's been burned by Alex for voicing what he wants in the past.

“I'm terrified of messing up.” Michael finally says. “That this is our last chance and I'm going to do something that'll make you leave again. It would break me and I wouldn't want to stay here so I'll finally have a reason to use my ship and go back to the stars, leave everyone behind because they'd just be reminders no matter how much they'd try to help me through it.”

Michael is looking at Alex with everything, all the emotions swimming in Michael's eyes.

He told Alex when he finally finished reconstructing the console. It was a almost 2 weeks after Alex swallowed his fear and gave Michael the remaining piece he needed. That was one of the few times they talked, that Alex told him he didn't want Michael to leave but that he wouldn't stop Michael if he wanted to or needed to in a worse case scenario.

Michael said he wasn't going to leave yet because he still had things keeping him here, the look in his eyes a heavy weight on Alex and the meaning clear.

Alex pulls back just enough so he can look into Michael's eyes.

“I know it's going to take time for both of us to heal and break down all these fucked up habits we've made, but I know I'm ready to do the work if you are Michael. You don't need to be, you can take all the time you need and I'll be here waiting.”

There are tears in Michael's eyes but he's smiling and there's so much hope and love in the look he's giving Alex, he can feel his eyes start to water.

“Don't make me cry cowboy.” Alex says with a weak laugh.

“Fuck you who wouldn't after a speech like that.” Michaels arms fully wrap around his waist and pulls Alex in closer.

“We need to talk to Iz about what happened. See if she can do it again.”

Michael gives him a look. “You actually want that? It was really intense.”

It might be too much is what he's trying to say but Alex just rolls his eyes at that. “It's how I always felt whenever we touched.” his hands stroke along Michael's jaw proving his point.

“And since I'm being all honest and mushy, might as well say one more thing.” Alex's hands get a firm hold of Michaels face. “I want to kiss you. Will you let me?”

“Always.”

They're smiling as Alex leans back down and Michael hands move to his hips. Alex leaves an inch between their mouths, letting out a content sigh as their noses gently bump together before pressing a soft kiss to Michael's mouth.

“Does this mean we can go on dates now?”

Alex just gives him a look.

“Guerin we've practically been dating but I'd like more dates with you. When we can get one because if you recall the last few times we did something with just us, there was an emergency meeting or issue halfway through.”

Grinning Michael just pulls Alex closer to press his face into Alex's neck.

“I think we'll be given more time now. This is good."

Alex's hand combs through Michael's wild curls and fully relaxes into him.

“Ya it is.”

They spend the remaining few hours just like that, shifting positions of course when Alex's leg starts to ache and Michael's legs going numb, holding each other and soaking in this small moment of simple calm and peace.

---

As a lawyer Noah is able to read people pretty well. You kinda need to because you're dealing with people who are trying to either prove their not guilty or make sure they are. He thinks its why he and Isobel work so well, the big Alien secret aside.

Now he was all for scheming and going along with what his wife thought would help bring their brother and Alex Manes closer together to actually be together. She didn't tell him anything but Noah's seen how the two men interact. He's not blind.

He's seen them ‘hang out’ way more, look generally more happy, gotten to a good place. Him and Iz have helped find ways to give the two more time as well as time for themselves. Noah is still unsure about Cameron and the only reason Valenti is alright is because he's a doctor. If anyone was to be the most worrying person to be in the know, you'd think it would be Alex Manes: Military, has a family history of going after Aliens, whose own father is still trying to do it.

The thing is if anything, Noah knows it would be Alex Manes who would tear down the world just to make sure Michael Guerin was safe.

Noah loves Isobel, she's his person, but they don't have what Alex and Michael do, this insane connection that's apparently lasted ten years of time and distance yet still so strong.

Then there was the thing at Alex's cabin which was two weeks ago. Isobel had that look of relief and gratitude most of his clients give him when they've won their case and that his clients give to the person who stuck with them during really intense and insane cases.

So now that he's standing here in this current situation, he's a bit unsure what to do because there was a plan but now said plan is long gone, like most of the clothes on Michael and Alex. Noah's happy for them, truly and glad they're reconnecting on a physical level… but he would prefer not to see or hear any of it.

“So I'm gonna- ya sorry guys I'll just be not here.” Noah turns around to leave quickly.

Michael is still his brother though.

“Use protection!” He yells over his shoulder with a grin as he makes it to his car.

Well now this makes his job so much easier.

Seeing as he has the afternoon free, Noah decides to work on some cases he could get ahead on. It's a few hours after he gets a text from Michael.

Cowboy Guerin: Please don't tell Iz yet. We still need to talk to her about what happened when she did her thing.

Noah thinks about it before replying.

Noah B: If she asks i'm telling her but until then I won't. Glad you guys are good?

Cowboy Guerin: Thanks man. I'm glad too.

Noah gets back to work with a smile.