#roswellweek19

Alex could tell everything about this scene Michael had stumbled upon left him dumbfounded and surprised. It's not like he was keeping this hobby a secret, but it wasn't like they had time for in depth conversations about extracurricular activities that didn't involve tracking down shady government alien secrets. 

At the suggestion of his therapist, Alex had started taking some art classes at the community centre. She said it would be a way to express his emotions in a physical way that he could reflect back upon, a catharsis, rather than beating the heavy bag to a pulp at the gym, which wasn't really getting him anywhere in the long run. At least not from an emotional standpoint.

If he had to do it all over again, knowing what he knows now, he might have tried to runaway with Michael like he had suggested all those years ago. But Alex had been stuck under years and years of mindfuckery at the hands of his father. 

So, part of the therapy was about coming to terms with the fact that teenage Alex was definitely not to blame, and that grown-ass man Alex could look to the future and try to right some wrongs, including an attempt to be happy.

Alex found happiness, joy even, in the process of painting. It was meditative and helped him get out of his head. These simple acts of creation, one brush stroke at a time, enabled him to work past the darkness that weighed him down. 

After a weekend away in Santa Fe, checking out some galleries and art fairs and flea markets, he became really inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of the New Mexican landscape. He'd been to more than a handful desert postings during his time in the Air Force - some places were beautiful, some expansively war-torn, but there was something about the red hues of home that stayed with him and captured his creative spirit.

Painting worked for him like the way music used to be able to. He could get lost in the mixing of colors of the palette and the way the textures created dynamic moments he could get lost in. These days music, both listening to and trying to maybe get back into writing, left him wallowing in the emotions he was trying to get past. Sometimes his anxiety got so elevated from certains songs he'd have to just sit out under the stars, only letting the buzz of insects fill the silence. Working with color and light on these blank canvases of possibility were his new release.

"What did you need, Guerin?"

Michael was still stuck in the same spot, his gaze taking it all in.

"Really doesn't matter anymore."

"Well, seeing as it must not have been an emergency, there's a cooler with beer next to the lounger," Alex pointed out, "so sit, relax, and give me a few minutes to finish this up?" He really didn't want to ruin his flow, but he also wanted Michael to stay. They were still working on figuring everything out, mapping out what being together might mean in the longer term.

Michael plopped down in the chair, chugging back nearly half of the bottle in one long pull, his eyes never leaving Alex and what he was doing.

Alex found it a little unsettling at first, allowing anyone but his dog and the birds into his creative space. But soon enough, they fell back into their comfortable rapport as he filled Michael in on how this whole thing got started while continued the painting. And honestly, he was loving this almost daring, teasing situation.

"So, can I see your other paintings sometime?" Michael asked, cracking open another beer.

"Maybe someday, but so many of them are pretty rudimentary since I'm really just learning," was his self-deprecating reply.

"I'm no art critic, but that," Michael said, pointing towards the canvas in front of Alex, "is fucking gorgeous."

***

Alex stepped back from the canvas, taking it all and trying to discern if anything was missing or if the painting was done. He felt pretty satisfied with the end result. And he was just glad he'd been home to take advantage of the great weather to paint outside. 

He started tidying everything to get ready to go back inside. The brushes were thoroughly rinsed and wiped clean, the paint tubes were put back in his painting tool kit, and he was wiping off his fingers when Michael called him over.

"Hey Alex, come here for a second, you missed a spot."

"Did I?" He questioned, eyebrows raised as he slowly made his way over to Michael. "Where?"

"Turn around and I'll get it for you." Michael's voice was low and gravelly, and it did things to Alex. So did the look in his face, the early evening summer sun playing off the golden tones of Michael's eyes and his curls. He was going to have to dedicate a whole lot of future paintings to capturing his favorite parts of Michael Guerin.

But Alex eventually turned around, just in front of where Michael was sitting. He knew there wasn't any paint on his ass, but he decided to play along anyway.

Michael gently caressed Alex's skin, running a finger from his lower back and followed the curves of muscle all the way to the back of his left knee. Then he placed a hand to Alex's hip and brought his lips in for a lingering kiss to Alex's right ass cheek.

Alex let out the breath he'd been holding. 

Micheal untied the apron held closed at Alex's back with a bow. Then he used his hands to guide Alex back around to face him. 

Alex took this as a cue to pull the apron over his head. He tossed it off behind him, not really caring where it ended up in the moment. He was half hard and really wanted Michael's mouth back on his body.

He didn't have to wait long as Michael took him in hand, gave his cock a few cursory strokes, and leaned in a little closer before dropping a kiss to the head. He then licked along the shaft, teasing Alex in all the right ways. 

Alex's fingers found their way into Michael's curls, holding on for dear life as Michael sank his mouth down around Alex's cock. He could feel it hit the back of his throat. 

"Miiichael," Alex groaned out. The way Michael's lips and tongue and hand worked his cock absolutely devastated him. He rocked his hips forward, barely able to control himself any further, and started fucking into Michael's mouth. 

Alex was close. 

And Michael apparently had ideas. 

Michael pulled his mouth off with the filthiest, wettest slurps Alex had ever heard.

"Fuuuck, why'd you stop?" Alex could barely contain his disappointment, as he really was about to come.

"I want you to come all over my chest, and then, while we're in the shower cooling off and cleaning up, I want to fuck you until you're hard again. Then we'll see what happens from there."

"Yeah. Okay. Sounds fucking great."

Michael pulled his shirt over his head. He got his hands and his mouth back on Alex, bringing him back to the edge of orgasm. 

Alex pulled back, bringing his own hand to work his cock until he was coming all over Michael's chest and shoulders, just like he'd wanted. Michael was beautiful, a gorgeous canvas painted with splashes of white contrasting against his tanned skin.

He plopped himself down onto Michael's lap, not fucking caring if the lawn chair gave out beneath them. He was exhausted, in the best way.

Alex licked a few errant drops of come from Michael's cheek and then pressed his tongue into Michael's mouth for a filthy open-mouthed kissed.

Before things got too heated again, he stopped abruptly, standing up, tugging Michael up with him. 

“Because I accidentally mentioned that he was single before I introduced him,” Liz admitted and winced, “I completely forgot he was Anthony’s type.”

“Great.  And I’m the logical choice because?”

Liz shrugged, “well it’s you or Kyle and they all know Kyle is my ex, but he is next on my list to ask.”

And that, that right there was not happening.  At all.  It was bad enough that Alex and Kyle were now friends -despite everything from high school- he was not about to deal with Kyle also pretending to be Alex’s ex boyfriend.

“What’s in it for me?”  He asked, because it would be suspicious not to.

“You’re literally going to be helping distract a group of three very intelligent biomedical doctors who will take one look at my lab and know that half the research here isn’t approved by the hospital.  Do you need something else?”  Liz’s tone was all sass and Michael grinned because despite everything else, he did enjoy working with her.  Most of the time.

“Well then, I guess I’m in.”  

“Great, I’ll text Alex and let him know his jealous ex is on his way to rescue him.  They’re at the pony but they’ll be heading over to the Crashdown for lunch.  Thanks for this Mikey, really.”  Liz’s smile was one of relief, “Maria can’t really leave The Pony during lunch hour and Alex is a few hours of socializing away from knocking them all out and disappearing for a few weeks.”

Michael nodded, as if this wasn’t going to be either an excruciatingly painful or incredibly amazing afternoon.  “As long as lunch and tonight's drinks are all on you then we’re good.”

-

The drive to Crashdown was shorter than he’d like.  An unfamiliar car was parked next to Alex’s jeep and Michael set his hat on his head, tugging it low over his brow and tapped at his steering wheel with his leg hand as he gathered his thoughts and emotions.  He doesn’t give a fuck about Liz’s friends  -beyond not wanting them to find out about him and Isobel and Maz- but this is Alex and he’s only just realizing that even if everyone else thinks it’s pretend, Alex will know it’s real.

-

Alex was looking at his phone when Michael entered, his face caught in a grimace that Michael recognized as one of annoyance and not pain.  If the irked glances he shot the man opposite him were any indicator, then that was Liz’s infatuated friend, Anthony.  

Michael didn’t even bother taking in his appearance.  Ten years hadn’t changed what Alex looked like when he was interested in someone and there wasn’t even a hint of it there.  Feeling more than a little smug he walked over, “Alex,” he said and from the startled look on Alex’s face as he looked up from his phone, Michael knew Liz hadn’t given any warning as to who was rescuing him.  

Without waiting for an invitation Michael slid into the both, sprawling across the seat until his thigh was obviously pressed up against Alex’s.  

“Michael Guerin,” he offered across the table, “Liz sent me down to say hello and grab her some lunch since it’s my turn to leave the lab.”  He said the last bit with a smirk and a wink, tipping his hat playfully before letting his arm rest casually behind Alex.  

He was sent a very pissy side-eye that he ignored, letting his thumb brush against Alex’s stiff shoulder as the three introduced themselves.  He’d been right about which one was Anthony and he nodded politely at the other two when they introduced themselves as Sam and Parker.  

“Oh you work with Liz?”  

“Here and there,” he offered, “she calls me in sometimes.  She’d in the middle of a pretty sensitive experiment though.  Since I was coming over anyway she told me to introduce myself.”  He grinned then, noticing immediately how Anthony’s eyes were stuck on where his arm rested around Alex.

“So you know Alex as well?”  Anthony asked, “he’s been very helpful in showing us around while Liz was busy.”

“It’s Roswell,” Michael said casually enough and Alex relaxed minutely, “seems I’m always running into either old classmates or an ex.  Normally I’d say that’s what's rough about living in such a small town but, well, it’s never a hardship to run into Alex.”  He put just enough of a leer into his voice that it left little interpretation as to which of the two categories Alex fell into.

There was a moment of awkward silence that was thankfully broken by plates of food and milkshakes.  Liz had already texted Arturo both her order and Michael’s, which meant a milkshake and piece of chocolate cake was placed in front of him.  

A milkshake with two straws.

Michael may have been slightly amused by the turn of events but Alex definitely wasn’t, if the way his gaze turned slightly murderous as he stared at the milkshake that was practically taunting them.

“Aw, he remembered our order,” Michael said.  It was more of a bittersweet statement than anything, he and Alex had never been able to really share anything in public.  All their moments were stolen away in his truck or the emporium or the shed.  This was all Liz and they both knew it.  Just like they both knew that this is what they had always wanted to share, a hope that had been lost in the aftermath of a decade of heartbreak and hope.

Alex just sighed and inched his fries towards Michael before viciously stabbing the shake with one.

“They’re better with a milkshake,” was all he told Liz’s friends, ignoring Anthony’s put upon frown.  Michael waited a few minutes, making polite talk about science before he pulled the shake closer to him for a sip.  He left it there, which meant that the next time Alex reached over to dip a fry he had to lean, practically draping himself over Michael’s lap.

“Asshole,” he muttered under his breath.  Michael would have been worried but Alex was more relaxed now, not so rigid and when he settled back into the booth, it was with his body firmly pressed against Michael’s.

Lunch was close to ending by the time Michael moved his arm, let it drop between them and his hand found a resting space on Alex’s thigh.  There was a hesitant moment before Alex leaned just a little bit closer and Michael tightened his grip, unwilling to let go and knowing that soon enough he would have to.  

A few minutes went by, a cautiously awkward lull in the conversation when all of their phones went off.  Michael read his and let a small smile tug at the corners of his lips.  “I’m guessing we all got similar texts, looks like Liz won’t be needing me to drop of her food anymore.  She’s done for the day and will be heading over pretty soon.”  

“Will you be coming out with us tonight?”  Sam asked and Michael wasn’t really sure who it was addressed to but was pleasantly surprised when both he and Alex replied in the negative.

“Long day tomorrow,” was his excuse while Alex just shrugged and mumbled something about having plans.  

“Maybe tomorrow then,” Anthony said hopefully.

Alex just tilted his head and with a deadpan expression said, “maybe.”  He wasn’t limping when he eased out of the booth but he did grit his teeth at the first step and while Michael didn’t do to help him, he stayed close enough that if Alex needed to, he could reach out.

“You alright?”  He asked once they were clear of the Crashdown and unwanted ears.  Alex had his phone out, looking at some new message he’d received and Michael had to bite down on his tongue.  Wondering just what kind of plans Alex had for the night.

Alex turned to him for a moment, looking wary and on the verge of shutting down, which meant shutting Michael out and then a weary smile tugged at his lips.  “I’m good, just been a long day.”  

Something almost like hope unfurled in Michael’s chest, this was the most time they’d spent together in months and it felt good.