#ralex

Alex stared at the black rectangle on the table before him, scowling. Usually he liked his phone-it enabled him to play endless levels of Candy Crush during long road trips, supplied him with music and podcasts galore for the gym and study time, and it house innumerable pictures that portrayed a swath of happy memories.

But he hated using it for its intended purpose-making phone calls.

He had never liked making calls, often rehearsing what he was going to say beforehand, until his father had heard him doing so and admonished him for it-be a man was an oft quoted phrase whenever his anxiety reared up and froze him from completing simple tasks that wouldn't daunt anyone else.

Unfortunately it was due to said anxiety that he had to use this blasted contraption in the first place-he needed to see his doctor for a new prescription, and that involved calling to make an appointment-Alex's least favourite kind of call. It was stupid, he knew it was stupid, but he had always been bad about admitting he even needed the meds to cope, and felt judged asking for them.

He knew of course, that was his father talking, but it didn't overwrite things, and thus, still hated making this call.

"Hey babe, what did your phone ever do to you?" Reggie asked, kissing him on the cheek as he passed, setting the milk and other groceries he had gotten in the fridge. "Unsolicited dick pic from a fan? Lose your last level of whatever game you're way too invested in?"

"I have to call Dr. Kirkland," Alex grumbled.

Reggie paused at that-he had been there through the whole journey, through too many panic attacks to count, taking them out for a walk after the downstairs neighbours complained about the pacing. He got it, if anyone did. "Do you...do you want me to call them for you?"

Alex looked up at Reggie then, surprise and relief painting his face. "Would you really?"

He shrugged. "You know I don't mind."

"And you don't think I'm weird or crazy for being so scared of making a phone call?" Alex asked, his voice shrinking with each syllable.

"Nah, besides I love your crazy-it matches mine," Reggie replied, supplying him with another kiss before picking up the phone and dialing. "Hello, I'd like to make an appointment for Alex Mercer?"

Alex felt a warm glow as Reggie managed to get Alex an appointment that worked for him, all without breaking out into a sweat, or fumbling over his words as Alex often did. All without making him feel lesser than because of his anxiety like so many more had done before.

Being loved was wonderful sometimes.

"There, done and dusted," Reggie stated as he handed Alex back his phone. "Any other calls you've been putting off you need me to make?"

"No, that's all for now," Alex quipped. "But-thank you. For everything."

"Anything for you babe," Reggie shrugged. "Now I am going to make a salad for lunch and grudgingly enjoy it because I can't listen to another lecture about eating healthier from Victoria."

"She loves you and wants you around as long as possible. As do I."

"Fine," Reggie sighed, "But I'd still rather have a pizza."

~

Reggie had never liked bugs. Not scared of them per say, but he had never been a fan. He hadn't been able to avoid them growing up on a farm as he had, but he always preferred riding horses to catching fireflies.

He never killed the bugs though-he was too soft hearted for that, and thanks to reading Charlotte's Web far too young, he couldn't bear the thought of killing bugs.

He'd had people scoff at that in the past-hell, Luke still did whenever Reggie whimpered whenever he stomped on a bug or swatted at a fly.

"Dude you eat meat, where do you think it comes from?"

"I grew up on a farm," Reggie snarked. "I know where meat comes from. But for some reason...I dunno, bugs are different."

"You don't even like them!"

"I know, and while I don't want them anywhere near me, I still can't bring myself to squash them."

Alex was no real fan of bugs either, but he also hated how much killing them upset Reggie. They weren't together back then, but after he offered to release them outside, or kill them out of his view, well it wasn't long coming.

So today when he came home and found Reggie curled up on a kitchen chair, eyes wide and skittish, he could figure out why pretty quick.

"Spider?"

Reggie nodded, his bottom lip plush and red from how hard he had been biting it. He pointed a shaky finger towards the kitchen, letting out a shaky breath.

"I got it sweetie, no worries," Alex assured him, grabbing a cup and sheet of paper-he always had them handy for situations like this, and approached the floor by the fridge.

Fuck that is a huge spider.

"How the heck did you get in here buddy?" Alex asked, hoping his voice wasn't wavering-and really hoping this guy wasn't venomous-as he laid the paper down. "I really hope you aren't somebody's pet."

"Why would you ever have a spider as a pet?' Reggie asked, half a hysterical laugh came choking out as he did.

"You said if you could have a pet capybara you would."

"Capybaras are just really big guinea pigs. Spiders are eight legged arachnids that you can't cuddle or pet, or play fetch with."

Alex lowered the cup, giving a little cheer as it fit over the spider, carefully lifting the trap over to the window, and tossed the spider out onto the fire escape, watching it skitter away. Maybe he should have killed it-invasive species at all. But Reggie was at his back, breathing a sigh of relief as the bug went on his way, and Alex knew killing the spider would have made it all the worse.

"Me hero," Reggie said, hugging Alex around the waist. "What would I do without you?"

"Be stuck on the kitchen chair for one."

"Meanie."

"You love me."

"I really do. Wanna spend my life with you," Reggie confessed; vulnerable and sweet.

They had discussed the subject before, of course. Alex had never really cared about having a ceremony and a ring-commitment was enough for him, though they had never really made a move to solidify their relationship. Reggie was firmly against the institution, but given how miserable his parents had been, Alex couldn't blame him.

"I can do that," Alex said, turning in Reggie's arms. "We promise ourselves to each other, and then we're stuck with each other."

"Really?" Reggie asked, his spring green eyes almost verging on grey from how watery they were. "Well, then you have to promise me that you'll come to Comic Con with me in matching cosplay."

"Can I choose the costumes?"

"We can discuss it." Reggie was smiling now, that disarming smile that made Alex fall for him all those years ago. "Any other promises?"

"I promise to always kill the spiders if you promise to always make my doctor's appointments. Deal?"

"Deal," Reggie said, rising up on his tiptoes to seal the deal with a kiss. "I now pronounce us stuck together for life."

"We should get a cake, invite everyone over to celebrate."

Reggie grinned at that. "Sounds good to me. You can be the one to tell Victoria."

Opposites Attract

do you love the color of the sky jatp ships?

if one was to write ralex smut

in the bex verse

but context wasn't *really* necessary