#alexis x reader

When you saw his name listed as your partner for the marriage simulation program, your first reaction was disbelief.

Your second reaction was anger.

Of all the people they could have paired you with, why him? Why Alexis?

But as much as you wanted to march to the program administrator’s office and demand a change, you didn’t. Instead, you gritted your teeth and resolved to survive the next few weeks.

It was just a simulation. Nothing more.

You could handle being around him again.

The first day was awkward, to say the least.

“Hey,” he greeted you at the door of the shared apartment, his voice careful, like he was afraid you’d bolt.

“Hey,” you replied flatly, stepping inside with your suitcase.

The apartment was small but cozy—a living room that flowed into a tiny kitchen, and two bedrooms tucked away in the back.

“Uh, I took the room on the left,” Alexis said, fidgeting with his shirt sleeve. “But if you want it, we can switch.”

“I don’t care,” you said, brushing past him.

The air between you was heavy, filled with all the words you hadn’t said to each other in a year.

The first few days were a study in avoidance.

You spoke when necessary—coordinating chores, reviewing assignments—but nothing more.

The points staring at the two of you in your living room, the bright red number of '2'...only because you'd split the chores. Other couples were already in the hundreds.

It was easy for them, they may have actually liked their partner.

Still, you couldn’t ignore the way your heart twisted every time he smiled, or the pang of longing when he casually said your name, like he hadn’t shattered your heart a year ago.

You told yourself it didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. Not anymore.

But then, one evening, everything changed.

The two of you were tasked with planning a mock anniversary celebration as part of the program.

“You always liked candlelight dinners,” Alexis said quietly, glancing at you from across the table.

The words caught you off guard. “You remember that?”

He smiled faintly. “I remember everything.”

You looked away, focusing on the flickering candle between you. “It doesn’t mean anything, Ness. It’s just a simulation.”

“Is it?” he asked, his voice laced with something you couldn’t quite name. Regret? Hope?

Your throat tightened, but you didn’t respond.

Later that night, as you cleaned up the mock dinner, he spoke again.

“I was wrong,” he said suddenly.

You froze, your hands stilling on the dish you were drying.

“About everything. About you,” he continued, his voice breaking slightly. “You weren’t a distraction. You were the only person who ever truly supported me, and I was too stupid to see it.”

Your chest ached as you turned to face him. “Why are you telling me this now, Ness? A year ago, I begged you to stay. I begged you to believe in us. And you walked away.”

“I know,” he whispered, his eyes glistening. “And I’ve regretted it every single day since.”

Tears welled in your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. “You can’t just say that and expect everything to be okay.”

“I’m not asking for everything to be okay,” he said, stepping closer. “I’m asking for another chance. To prove that I’m not the same person who let you go.”

For a moment, you considered walking away. Turning your back on him the way he had on you.

But then you saw the sincerity in his eyes—the same eyes that once looked at you like you were his whole world.

And maybe, just maybe, you could believe in him again.

The simulation ended a few weeks later, but your story with Alexis Ness didn’t.

This time, he stayed.

And for the first time in a long time, you felt whole again.

the ending is rlly crappy but my brain wasn't working

i hope you liked it!

You didn’t know what it was about Alexis Ness that drew you in.

Maybe it was the way he seemed untouchable—always calm, always composed, always one step behind Kaiser but never stepping forward himself. He was a shadow, and yet, you couldn’t stop watching him.

At first, you thought he didn’t notice. You thought he couldn’t, not with the way his attention was always fixed on Kaiser, following him like the moon follows the tide. It was almost painful to watch, the way he devoted himself so completely, like his whole existence was tied to someone else’s success.

But one day, he caught you staring.

“What are you looking at?” he asked, his tone light but his eyes sharp.

You hesitated, unsure if he was annoyed or genuinely curious. “You,” you admitted, because lying felt pointless under his scrutiny.

That surprised him. For a moment, his expression flickered—confusion, maybe, or disbelief—but then he smiled. It was small, almost shy, and it softened something in his face you hadn’t realized was so tense.

“Why?” he asked.

You shrugged, trying to play it off even though your heart was racing. “You just... you always seem so calm. Like nothing ever bothers you.”

Alexis laughed at that, a quiet, bitter sound that didn’t match the warmth of his smile. “You think I’m calm?”

You nodded, but something in his tone made you falter. “Aren’t you?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced past you, his eyes distant as if he were searching for something you couldn’t see. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, almost a whisper.

“I’m... patient.”

“Patient?”

“For him,” Alexis said simply, and you knew who he meant. Of course you did. Everyone knew.

Micheal Kaiser was a king and Ness was just a pawn who happily did as he was told.

Your chest ached at the way he said it, so matter-of-factly, like it was the only answer that made sense.

“What about you?” you asked before you could stop yourself. “What do you want?”

He blinked, caught off guard by the question. “What do I want?”

You nodded, holding his gaze even as something sharp and unspoken passed between you.

“I want to be useful,” he said finally, his voice steady but his hands fidgeting at his sides. “I want to matter.”

“You already matter,” you said, the words leaving your lips before you could think better of them.

Alexis’s eyes widened, just for a moment, and then he looked away, a small, sad smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Not the way you think.”

His words hung in the air between you, heavy and unyielding, and for the first time, you saw the cracks in his carefully crafted facade. You saw the weight he carried, the quiet desperation he tried so hard to hide.

But you also saw the resolve in his eyes, the unwavering devotion that tethered him to a man who would never look at him the way you did.

Because Alexis Ness had already made his bet.

And it wasn’t on himself.

unfortunately for him, i love ness. and if i love him, it means he can't be happy :)

i hope you liked this!

Alexis skipped after him, tyring to hold his excitement back. "Uh, I was wondering if you needed help with anything?" He pushed his hands behind his back, fiddling with them.

The manager looked up and smiled at Alexis. "Just stand there and look pretty for me. That's all I need you to do."

Alexis couldn't help the blush that ran up his cheeks. "Ah..."

The manager was a flirter. He was a flirter and he was flirting with Alexis right now. The manager was flirting with Alexis.

"Ness, are you okay?"

He turned and saw Kaiser was suddenly next to him.

"Yes! I am okay!"

Alexis walked to his bag and Kaiser gave a look to the manager. He stood and turned to Kaiser.

"Something wrong, my Liege?"

"What did Ness say to you?"

"What are you, his father?"

"No-"

"Then why do you need to know? He asked me if there was any way to help, and I told him there wasn't. Is that sufficient?"

Kaiser gave you a glance. "It’s acceptable."

"Yay..." He rolled your eyes.

---

After the practice finished up, the manager saw Alexis approach you.

"Do... do you need any help?"

He smirked at Alexis, making him blush again, and look down. Slow steps stalked over to Alexis.

"You know, Ness... if I didn't know any better... I would say you really..."

Ness' blush got impossibly brighter and the manager's face got impossibly smugger.

"...want to help me."

Alexis' eyes widenend and he was suddenly looking up at the manager.

"Huh..."

"Could you grab the cones that were used today, cutie?"

An arm snaked around his waist, and the manager got close to his face. Alexis dumbly nodded, and the manager released him.

"Well, get to it, Cutie."

Alexis began to pick up the cones, and when he brought them over to the manager, he watched him put them up.

"Thank you-"

"Can I go on a date with you?"

He turned to look at Alexis, who was staring at the ground. A small chuckle came from the manager amd he patted Alexis' head.

"You know what. I would be delighted to go on a date with you."

Alexis looked up and he handed him a slip of paper.

"My number."