littleorphanalien | (no subject)

Michael's been irritable since he woke up and saw the date. June 14th.

The day that he and Max and Isobel were found wandering in the desert by the trucker. The day, for lack of better information, they chose to celebrate their birthdays. The day that they killed a drifter and Isobel started having her blackouts. He kind of hates this day. He slams drawers a little too hard, is too curt, and eventually excuses himself to go to the library where he can sulk in peace and not break down his engagement or his relationship with anyone in the process.

When he finally calms down (and he had to stop for an afternoon beer to help with that), he drives home, but freezes when he sees a glint of metal as he approaches the bungalow.

Getting out, Michael staggers to a stop, feeling something like uneasiness rising.

His Airstream is outside of the bungalow, and his truck hooked up to it.

The truck he lived in for years, the one he and Alex used to make out in the back of. The home he had that led to Alex giving him a place and the home he'd moved into as soon as he'd scratched together the money. They're here, and on his birthday. He wipes at his cheek when he realizes he's started crying, and he's not sure if it's because he's so angry at this place for giving him this kind of birthday present or whether it's relief to have these things here.

Threaded | Flat

While Alex often thinks of those things that happened on this day, he doesn't often think about the date itself. So when Michael starts snapping and moving around like an angry bear, he has no idea what to do about it.

When he leaves though it's hard. It's hard to cope with the fact that he doesn't know what to do and the worry that settles on his shoulders like fifty pounds that leaves him feeling heavy and worn down and nervous all day.

He gives Michael his space, even if that space involves checking on his location from time to time. It's not spying on him in the grand scheme of not wanting to give him his space, but that he'd been kidnapped and tortured and so Alex is never ever going to let that happen again.

He lets him be though, until he realizes that he's been home, but outside, for a while, and eventually he swallows his fear and heads outside to try and ask Michael if there's anything he can do to help.

And he finds himself standing on the other side of the truck and trailer.

"What? Where did these come from?!"