for alex

[littleorphanalien]

Michael's in kind of a shitty mood, which is his own doing, but still.

He has the same ever-pulsing, ever-present headache that always nags at him because he hasn't been drinking acetone or booze, but on top of that is a layer of frustration borne of the fact that every day brings them closer to the holidays and he has no good ideas for what to get Luke. He feels like he did himself in last year by making him the drone. How the hell is he supposed to top that? On top of that, he moved them all into the house and made the garage and...well, he's kind of lost.

It feels like it'll be a letdown if he gives Luke nothing but books and clothes this year.

Hence, headache equals a scowling alien sitting over a mug of hot cider that's doing nothing for him, as he flips aggressively through the latest toy store catalogue, trying to will inspiration to just strike, but nothing is happening.

Comments

[unendurable]

Alex stares at him for a minute and then sighs, a long, drawn out sigh. "Damn. I was really hoping for cowbell," he admits, shaking his head and looking as sad as he can manage. "But I guess we can go with triangle. I mean, unless you want play both."

But now he's seriously considering what Michael could play. And now that he's off acetone, he can't even considering something yet that he could use his telekinesis to fine tune his playing.

"I think before would be a good idea," he says. "So we can give Luke all that time and us there with him."

[littleorphanalien]

"Yeah, I think so too," Michael admits, thinking about it a little more and realizing how much he wants to be here for the holidays with his family and their little bungalow, and Bopp, and the presents they'll be enjoying.

Brushing a kiss to Alex's temple, he nuzzles there for a long moment. "So what exactly does lizard care consist of? Are we gonna have to do anything weird?"

[unendurable]

"Michael, I want to tell you again how much I love you and I love our family," he says, his voice tightening even as he says it. Moving to cuddle in closer to Michael as he says it, wanting him to know how happy he is. "And I love we have our holidays together."

It's so amazing to him and so exciting still.

"Nothing weird, except it needs to eat crickets or meal worms. If he doesn't want to do it, I can do it for him." He knows that's not for everyone but it doesn't bother Alex."

[littleorphanalien]

"I mean, I drink acetone." Then, he pauses. "Drank," he corrects, still not used to that being in the past tense. He furrows his brow, wondering what it'll be like this year, not spiking his egg nog with either rum or acetone, but those kinds of changes are necessary for their life, right?

He just has to keep telling himself that.

"Maybe you should float the lizard thing by Luke. Or hint at the bug thing and see if he's freaked out by it," he suggests. "Maybe we're gonna end up getting a kitten."

[unendurable]

"Michael, have we ever thought to try and find out what it is in acetone that helps you? I mean, if we could find that out, maybe we could then help you with that instead of with the full acetone." He's not sure if it could help but it's worth thinking about. "Or learn ideas for something that isn't the same."

Alex nods, considering that. "I'll try and work it out with him and see what he says. Though lizards are a lot less work," he teases.

[littleorphanalien]

He hasn't, mainly because he doesn't want to think about the thing that's caused his addiction issue. He grimaces because, "And what? I don't want to have to trial it with taste tests. What happens if that sets me off, makes it worse again?"

He's an addict, after all. What happens if it knocks him off-kilter? He breathes out, wary, and gives Alex a smile, up at him. "Maybe he won't care about worms at all."

[unendurable]

"I don't know," he admits, wishing he had better answers to all of this and could offer Michael some true answers. "I just wish we could find a way for you to be able to use what is part of you. There has to be a way."

He isn't sure what to do for Michael, but he wishes he knew.

"We'll find out and check with him and we'll work it out. We want the best things for him and he knows it."

[littleorphanalien]

"Yeah," Michael agrees, voice hoarse and a little soft, because he wants there to be a way too, but there's not really a chance to test it on anyone else here, because no one else is an acetone-based life form. "Well, I'd rather be sober and have another kid with you than figure out that mystery."

And that's the truth.

"Yeah," he says, blissful and stupid to think of Luke. "He's been doing good with us, right?"

[unendurable]

Alex shifts, pulling Michael in close to him and stroking his hand over his back. He hears that tone, knows this is so hard for Michael and wishing there was something, anything, he could do about it. Anything he could do for him.

"I won't stop trying to find a way to help you though," he whispers. "I want you happy, Michael. I really do. And I want you to be yourself."

Which means fully as the alien he is, in Alex's mind.

Alex nods at that though. "I think he's doing great, and I think he's happy, Michael. That's what matters."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael gives Alex a weary smile, knowing that he's got so much going for him and he's happy, he just wishes that he'd been stronger before or something like that. Something that could prove that he could've done this without becoming the addict he was.

"Hey, if Isobel or Max ever turn up, you can use 'em as guinea pigs all day," he offers, giving Alex an encouraging smile, hoping it looks easier than it feels.

"I just want him to feel comfortable with us and I see that he is, but like, we've never raised a kid, right? So how the fuck are we supposed to know?"

[unendurable]

That does make Alex smile, leaning in and knocking his head tenderly against Michael's. "If you think I won't use Max as a test subject, you're sadly mistaken. Not so sure about Isobel though. I kind of fear her," he admits with a smile.

"Most people have never raised a kid, Michael. It's how you're raising them that matters and we're working hard on him being happy and taken care of. That's what being a parent is, and we're doing it. Look what you're doing for him, Michael. And he knows that."

[littleorphanalien]

"Hey, I'm all for making Max take tests for me." It's probably Isobel who'll be more willing to put herself out there, but that's because she's not exactly a stranger to acetone herself. It bodes thinking about, but maybe not right now.

He strokes Alex's hair back from his temple, sighing contentedly as he leans into his touch. "You had a shitty Dad and I had none," he admits. "I just wanna be good for him, because it means I'll feel more confident about doing it for another one, especially if the next is younger."

[unendurable]

Alex knows he's not a chemist, but he's wondering if there's a way around it. Something that does less to Michael's emotional and mental system while helping him use his abilities. But right now they just have doing the best they can for Michael, and Alex knows he's going to keep trying. For Michael's sake.

"Ask him about it, Michael. Ask him how how he feels, but I would bet he says it's good. That he feels loved. You know why? Because we truly love him and do everything we can for him. Not just give him things but to make his life here happy as it can be."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael rubs his forehead against Alex's as he listens to him talk about how happy Luke is, which probably isn't meant to sound as sexy as it does, but hell, it's working for him. "You really turn me on when you talk about our family, you know that?" he murmurs, sliding his hands around Alex's waist to tighten a little.

He wants to lift him up, wants to take him into the bedroom, but he peers back to Luke's room. "Is the big guy here?" he checks. "Awake?"

[unendurable]

Alex grins at that, finding he likes it that it turns Michael's on. That they have this family and that they're happy together means everything to Alex. "I didn't know it did, but I could keep trying," he teases, shaking his head at that question.

"Nope, he spent the night with Saoirse. Why? You got something in mind?" He suspects he knows just what he has in mind, but he can't help but tease him as well. It's that ease between them, even now, that still means the world to him. It's so different than everything they had before and it's amazing to him that it's changed and they have this now.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael's hands tighten around Alex's waist as he lifts him up onto the table, then ducks in for a kiss, scraping his teeth over his lower lip as he grabs his ass once he stands, hauling him into his arms again, coaxing him to wrap his legs around his waist.

"I may not know what to get you for the holidays, but I've learned to take advantage of alone time," he vows, arching a brow. "Any objections?"

[unendurable]

Alex squeaks as he's moved up on the table, laughing as he loops his arms around Michael's neck. Kissing him as he leans into him, letting Michael manhandle him and honestly loving it. Loving how it all feels and how good Michael is to him.

Mirroring Michael's look back at him with almost a look of confusion. "Why would I ever, ever object to that?" He kisses him again, open mouthed and filthy. "Take advantage of me in every way you can."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael wishes they'd done more of this when they were idiot kids, but he's also okay with them being idiot adults who can't keep their hands off each other. It's a little delayed, but he also doesn't think that it's a bad thing. They still get to do it.

He grabs at Alex's ass as he stumbles to the bedroom, only pausing to indulge in those kisses. "Every way?" he echoes. "Even if an alien is about to probe you?" he teases.

[unendurable]

Their childhood was taken from both of them for some of the same reasons. They hadn't had that and were forced to grow up so quickly. Only once they came here did they start getting the chance to play again, to be the teens they should have had a chance to be before they came to Darrow.

He's just glad they can have it now. All they had thought they'd lost and now they have another chance at it all, and he's thankful for it.

Clinging to Michael as he carries Alex to the bedroom, kissing him with a groan as they move. Loving the way Michael carries him, the way it jostles them against one another.

Alex grins at that, resting his brow to Michael's as he kisses him almost chastely. "Probe away."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael's real careful when they get to the bedroom, gently easing Alex down onto the bed as he crawls over him, laughing for Alex's easy agreement. He cups his neck and rolls them over so that he's on his back for a long kiss, making out with Alex just long enough to roll them back one more time, getting them close to the nightstand with their stuff in it.

He sets the lube aside, easing up to stare at Alex for a long moment, like it's just hit him. "You married me this year," he says out loud, like it still shocks him. "We got married, Alex."

[unendurable]

It's amazing to Alex how Michael can make him feel so cherished and loved in the same breath of that kiss where he makes him feel wanted so deeply. Tangling his leg with his husband's, holding him tight as if he's afraid of letting him go.

Though when Michael pauses, staring at him, he blinks at him, curious what the look is for. When Michael says that though, he can't help but smile, cupping Michael's cheek and kissing him tenderly.

"We did, and this coming month will be starting our first full year as husbands," he says, grinning widely and sounding excited. "You said I do and I will always be thankful."

[littleorphanalien]

He's still boggling, not because of the marriage, but because they made it happen. The one thing he has never, not ever doubted, is how much he loves Alex Manes, and to have him marry him is out of this world. Or, at least, the partnership is thanks to one half of it being alien.

He reaches for the lube with one hand, snagging Alex's pants with the other to start working them off, slicking up his fingers as he gets ready to probe said husband. "Now," he whispers, "let's see how your species works."

[unendurable]

"We should renew our vows every five years," he says. "So you can remember that I want you and I love you and you're my husband," he offers.

But then Michael starts undressing him and getting ready and when he makes that comment, Alex laughs. God, he loves him so much and this is perfect.

Spreading his legs, offering himself to Michael. "Whatever you want. I'm yours."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael smirks at him, leaning down to steal a kiss, grinning at the idea of marrying him again and again and again. "That's the kind of time loop antics I'd be down for," he promises, even as he slides two fingers into Alex, taking his time to really slowly prepare him.

Honestly, whatever kinky human thought this up, Michael had to admit, it worked well for his sex life. "Alex Guerin," he agrees. "Mine."

[unendurable]

"Unless you know one of us is ten," he teases, smirking though as he thinks back to it and what Michael had been like then. "But we can have different themes every year," he adds, maybe teasing. Maybe not. He might just love the idea.

"Always yours," he says grinning at Michael. "And you can do anything to me you want."