Chapter Text
Chapter Four
Dull pain woke Michael Guerin up slowly with a groan, reminding him of too many times waking up after a night of too much Tequila; only this pain seemed to be an all over kind that had him fighting to put the pieces back together as to what the hell had hit him.
Deciding to just stay still, to let the pain ease along with the throbbing in his head, Michael was struggling with his memories when like a switch was thrown it all seemed to come back in a rush of memory, sound, and emotion.
It like a scene fast-forwarding through his mind, Michael remembered entering the portal to find Alex. He remembered the joy and relief of finding him, of just being with him and the thrill when Alex proposed. Then he recalled the gut churning terror he’d fought to hide when Alex told him that he thought he was dying to finally getting back home only to be told that even all the big brains at Deep Sky couldn’t whip up a cure to save the man he was in love with.
The guilt, the fear, the grief all had hit, but Michael recalled giving in to Alex’s request to at least die on his terms and that meant bringing him home to the house they now shared.
That’s when Michael’s memories began coming back faster as he recalled holding Alex on their bed after it became clear that they wouldn’t be able to give the man his one wish to make love together one more time.
Michael still felt the tightness in his chest as he remembered the grief hitting when Alex began drifting away from him. He also recalled his brief moment of being certain he was hallucinating when he saw his mother’s image and her words that he could heal…
Heal Alex. Those words snapped Michael’s mind back past any lingering pain he was feeling with the sudden urgency to open his eyes, to see where he was because the last thing he was clear on was that he had found the spark he needed to make his healing powers work thanks to Alex’s encouragement and had seen the black fractures on Alex’s chest start to fade when it felt like they were both in pain.
The last thing Michael heard before passing out was Alex shouting his name, catching his hand and then there was blackness.
“… Alex…” he winced when his own voice made his head hurt worse, but Michael didn’t care. He’d passed out, leaving Alex alone. He had no idea what might have happened after he had.
Michael didn’t know if the healing had even worked, much less worked enough to make Alex better or keep him from dying. He didn’t know if there were side effects or if he’d gotten scared after Michael passed out and might have tried to get out of bed only to fall or hurt himself more or…
The sudden feel of gentle fingers combing back through his hair before trailing over his jaw started to draw Michael’s thoughts back fully to consciousness. Though what did it completely and what had his eyes struggling to open was the voice speaking from beside him.
“You coming back to me yet, Michael? I really need you to wake up for me.”
Alex’s voice, to Michael’s ears, still sounded weak, shaky but close. It also was the absolute best sound in Michael Guerin’s world right that second.
Lifting a hand to try to rub at his gritty feeling eyes before opening them, Michael felt his hand instantly caught and held tightly. It was in that second that he realized Alex’s hand was warm and his grip tighter.
Slowly he began to force his eyes to open. Not sure what he might be waking up to, all Michael knew was that Alex said he needed him to wake up, so that’s what he would do.
Deciding that waking up with a hangover might actually hurt less, Michael winced but slowly pried his eyes open to just slits at first before forcing them to open fully and immediately felt his heart lodge in his throat the second his eyes cleared and found himself staring into tired, shadowed, but clear dark brown eyes.
“Alex.”
Alex Manes’ slow smile matched the relief, the love in his eyes as he held Michael’s eyes from where he laid beside him and had been from the second Michael passed out.
Quickly realizing the pain he’d felt toward the end hadn’t been all his but some of it had been the pain Michael was in from pushing powers he wasn’t used to and didn’t have full strength to use yet, Alex had managed to work past the pain but not before seeing Michael pass out.
There had been plenty of times recently that Alex had felt fear. He’d felt it the night in the desert when he realized the ground was pulling him under and he had no way to save himself much less reach out to Michael.
He’d felt it in that other place, especially when it dawned on him why he was sick almost constantly from the first time he’d opened his eyes. He’d felt it toward the end even knowing Michael, Dallas, and Bonnie were with him. And he’d felt it as death began creeping closer once he was home and Alex knew he’d be forced to leave Michael.
All of those times scared the crap out of the former Air Force officer. Though watching Michael’s eyes roll back in his head, seeing his tanned, handsome face go a pasty white, and seeing him pass out and stay still, would also top Alex’s list of Top 10 terrifying moments.
Full consciousness wasn’t Alex’s friend when it happened since he’d been struggling to wake up; to ignore any nagging worries or fears that the healing, that Michael risking using too much power to heal him, either wouldn’t work or might hurt Michael.
Alex had thought he’d felt Michael’s fear over leaving him alone if he passed out, but Alex’s biggest concern was making sure he stayed awake to care for Michael in case anything happened. But he realized soon after managing to get Michael laid beside him, that staying conscious was not going to happen and after fighting to keep his eyes open, Alex had given up and let his head on Michael’s shoulder, still gripping his hand.
Waking up to find nearly five hours had passed, Michael was still unconscious, but his phone was blowing up on the nightstand had Alex debating on throwing the thing with as much strength as he’d gained back.
He had finally struggled to reach back for it since moving to roll over to get it was ruled out when Michael’s arms, that had wrapped around Alex sometime, tightened as if not wanting him to move.
Managing to grab Michael’s phone, Alex didn’t bother trying to see who it was since his vision was still too blurry to see the screen. He merely hit the answer button and gave a short answer even before whoever it was could speak. “He’s passed out. I’m… still alive thanks to Michael. Stop blowing his phone up. He’ll call you when he wakes up or I’ll hit redial if he or I need someone. Bye.”
The phone had gotten tossed to the bottom of the bed and Alex spent the next few hours alone with his thoughts, his concerns, listening to the strong beat of Michael’s heart under his ear while trying to talk to Michael in hopes that maybe hearing his voice, regardless of how weak, how shaky it still sounded to Alex, might start to wake Michael up as he let his fingers card back through curly dark hair in a way that usually soothed them both.
Alex had been relieved when he felt Michael start to stir. He stayed where he was so he could still be close to him as he encouraged him to wake up for him.
Finally watching long lashes start to flutter as Michael fought to open his eyes, Alex caught the hand that had moved and held it as tightly as he could right then until finally, after what seemed like forever to him, he saw the first sign of light brown starting to peek from under Michael’s lashes and finally felt like he could breathe again once Michael’s eyes opened fully and their eyes locked.
“Alex.”
“Welcome back,” Alex’s smile met his eyes while watching Michael slowly finish putting the pieces together on what had happened. He saw the first trace of a frown and was quick to shake his head, touching Michael’s face with his fingertips. “I’m okay. I’m better now that you’re awake and looking at me since I will admit to being worried when you didn’t wake up right away,” he went on, mouth curving up more when Michael turned his face just enough to let his lips kiss Alex’s palm. “Michael…”
Catching Alex’s hand, Michael folded it in his to just hold it against his chest while their eyes just held for a long moment. No words were needed between them right then until slowly Michael reached up to gently curve his fingers around Alex’s neck so he could bring him closer, letting their foreheads touch in a way that had always been familiar between them.
This time though, Michael almost knew the emotions behind the simple touch were more. Holding Alex’s eyes, letting his fingers gently glide over Alex’s face, he watched the emotions shining there as well as the slightest way those dark eyes got just a little darker. Then he shifted his eyes down as if to look to see if any of those damn black lines had been left and felt his breath catch at the first thing his eyes did see.
Alex knew the moment Michael saw the handprint over his heart because he’d both seen him go still and swore that he could almost feel a rush of varying raw emotions from his fiancé. He waited until widening eyes moved back up to watch his before shifting so he could lay on his back; not disappointed that as soon as he did Michael was pushing up more on an elbow so he could see the full, lightly glittering print that had been left by the healing.
“I’m okay, Michael.” Alex repeated the reassurance but understood that he had to allow Michael to work through whatever emotions or concerns this might give him by himself.
Michael knew deep down that by healing Alex like he had that the handprint might happen. He knew it still happened when Max healed people. But this was his first time seeing one up close as well as knowing that it was his handprint now residing on Alex.
Leaning over he slowly let his finger trace the print without touching Alex but a glance over showed him that Alex was chewing his bottom lip in the way that Michael secretly adored. “Does it… hurt?” he asked after another few seconds of silence and of noticing that it appeared as if every sign of the radiation poisoning was gone.
“The handprint? No. There was only pain during the healing, and I think that might have been a combination of your pain from doing it and removing the poison.” Alex replied, watching Michael’s face during this and smiling at the look of awe that he saw starting to come. “I… I feel you more now than I did just from when the pendants joined,” he went on but wasn’t sure how to explain the emotions he could feel that Alex knew weren’t just his alone now.
Michael had gone back to look at the handprint again only to move his gaze to meet Alex’s at his explanation of feeling him more.
Glancing at the softly glowing pendant Alex wore, Michael noticed the glow was steady now and suspected why that was. Taking Alex’s hand with his, he brought it up to his lips again to brush a kiss over the knuckles because he’d noticed earlier when he did this that Alex almost immediately either chewed on his bottom lip or made a soft sound that Michael recognized as pleasure.
Their gazes locked, he slowly pressed Alex’s hand over his heart while placing his back to cover the handprint. “My heart. Your heart.”
“Our heart.” Alex returned in a deeper voice filled with every emotion he could possibly feel for Michael reflected there and, on his face, as he reached up for Michael with his free hand. “I made you a promise, Michael, to always take care of your dreams and your heart,” he paused only long enough to lay his hand on the side of Michael’s face, content with feeling the steady beat of his lover’s heart under his other hand. “Now, I will promise to take care of our dreams and our hearts forever.”
Michael’s smile met the joy in his eyes, and he went with Alex’s sudden pull to bring him back down closer to him. “Our dreams. Our hearts. And our souls… forever, Alex. I will love you forever,” he promised, adoring the way Alex still dropped his chin slightly with an almost shy smile when the emotions between them got too much but also seeing that he was looking back quicker, and this time Michael knew what his fiancé wanted.
Moving his hand away from Alex’s chest, he slid it up so he could cradle Alex’s face before kissing him slowly, softly, without heat or a need to hurry.
Alex had been the first kiss that ever truly mattered to Michael. In truth, everything good with Alex had been a first for Michael. Now as he continued to kiss him, letting it deepen only once he felt Alex’s fingers begin to move over his chest, Michael knew in his heart that where Alex had been the first in so many ways in Michael’s life, that now he would also be the last as they could finally move on from this nightmare and face their future together.
“Hey, quick question,” Michael said in between kisses, trying to catch his breath and laughing when Alex just reached out as if to grab for him and pull him back in. “Slow down, Alex. Answer this first. Then I’ll kiss you again or… anything else you want but…”
“You pick the worst times to want to talk, Michael.” Alex muttered, catching Michael’s face between his hands to give a quick kiss before blowing out a breath. “What? Ask me what you want now ‘cause in ten seconds if you’re not making love with me, we might be having out first fight in our house,” he warned, laughing when he was suddenly grabbed and rolled so he was resting on Michael’s chest, hands supporting himself on either side of Michael’s head.
“Have I mentioned lately that I love it when you get bossy?” Michael teased, lips curving into a slow grin but stretched up to meet Alex’s kiss. “All I wanted to know was if you still want me to tell Dallas to come here or…” he trailed off even before dark eyes landed on his, suspecting he knew the answer already. “I refused to marry you down there because I wanted to do it right. Now I’m asking you, do you want to get married in our living room?”
“No. No. And hell, no.” Alex replied, feeling Michael’s legs move slightly at the same time as his fingers trailed down Alex’s back before coming to rest on the small of his back. “You were right, like I told you at the portal, not to marry me there, Michael. You were right to hold off marrying me here. Now that I think we’re both certain I’m not dying, we will get married in front of friends and family someplace that matters to us both,” he smiled while letting himself settle into the V made when Michael moved his legs, resting his head on Michael’s chest as they still held the other’s gaze. “Now, I have a question for you before I get your brain back on target.”
“I love when you start talking military to me.” Michael smiled, watching the way Alex almost shivered when he feathered his fingertips along his back while tracing his handprint with the index finger on his other hand. “Though if we’re being honest, it’s not my brain that you need to be on target,” he added just because he knew he could get Alex’s cheeks to go that adorable shade of pink when he said something totally outrageous.
Alex’s mouth opened only to snap shut with that teasing comment, laughing softly even though he figured he might have blushed a little. He loved that their relationship had finally reached the point where they both felt comfortable with teasing each other, and that Alex was able to counter when he wanted to. “True, but then this is also where I remind Plant Daddy that he mentioned something about us and a long hot shower.”
“That I did.” Michael murmured, thrilled that Alex remembered what he’d said back in that other place. However, noticing the subtle way Alex’s dark eyes were darkening more did tell Michael that maybe they’d played enough and while he was still concerned for Alex’s recovering health, he also knew what they both needed… wanted. “Ask, Alex?”
For a second, Alex almost forgot what he had wanted to ask since the image of them in a hot steamy shower was suddenly very appealing to him. Deciding to add that to the list of things to do soon, he brought his own focus back and glanced to the shoulder with Michael’s handprint. “Will this stay, or will it fade?” he wanted to know.
“Truthfully? I don’t know.” Michael admitted, going on while letting his hand touch the print and wondering if it was just him that swore that he felt a spark only to see Alex’s lips curve more and realized he had felt it too. “I know normally when Max heals, the print will fade after time but because we have this little soulmate thing going on it might either last longer or it might not fade at all,” he smoothed his fingers over a little to touch the scar Alex still had from being stabbed one time. “If it starts to fade, and if you’d want me to, then I could either put it back or try to figure out how to make it permanent.”
“That one.” Alex nodded to indicate which of those choices he’d prefer, placing his hand over Michael’s heart at the same time as Michael touched his again and both felt the connection. “Just like I don’t plan to ever lose you or let anyone, or anything come between us again, Michael. I also, if it’s something we can do, do not want your handprint to leave my body.”
Michael had a quick reply on the tip of his tongue when something about hearing Alex say those words in that tone just shut him up and he gave a tight nod, managing to get the lump out of his throat while bringing his free hand up to curve his fingers around the side of Alex’s neck so he could gently bring him down fully, lips brushing in a slow kiss.
“I will always give you what you need or want, Alex,” he promised in between kisses, rolling them so this time they were more on their sides; hands beginning to touch each other while their kisses began to heat. “Just tell me what you want, and I will always find a way to give it to you. Including shower sex… once you’re a little bit stronger.”
“We are for certain having shower sex, Michael.” Alex returned with a laugh, going with the light nudge that put him on his back. Reaching up for Michael since the one thing he wanted right then was to not lose the feel of Michael in any way after so long of either fearing never seeing him again or dying and losing him. “There is one thing I want to ask you to do right now for me,” he waited for Michael to look at him, seeing both concern and curiosity staring back at him.
Alex took one of Michael’s hands, placing it on his right thigh and slowly moving it down his jeans until coming to rest just below his right knee, where his prothesis now was.
“Shit! It never even dawned on me that you probably would have preferred losing the jeans for your sweats earlier and this needed to come off. It should have been off as soon as… mmhm.” Michael hadn’t even thought of those things once he got Alex home.
Now he was kicking himself until Alex kissed him deeply and Michael had to be fast not to become distracted since he recalled Alex saying something about wanting him to do something.
“You were a little distracted with me dying to think of changing clothes, Michael.” Alex reminded him, smiling to reassure Michael that it was okay. “I considered it when I woke up but since I wasn’t sure how weak I was, I didn’t want to fall getting out of bed to go to the dresser and have you wake up to that. I decided to wait. Though I guess I could’ve lost the jeans anyway,” he added with a teasing smile and loving the sound Michael made as that image sank in.
“That would have woken me up.” Michael smiled back, letting his mouth settle on Alex’s neck but feeling him squeeze the hand that he’d placed on his prothesis. “Other than both of us need to lose denim, what do you need me or want me to do, Alex?” he asked, wondering when a good time would be to tell Alex he really did enjoy the little bit of scruff he’d gotten over their time apart and what he’d have to do in order to convince him to keep it.
“Take off my prothesis.” Alex replied, and then waited but not long for Michael to ease back from where he’d been kissing a line down Alex’s throat to stare at him, eyes wide with surprise but then concern. “No. Michael, I am tired, but I feel fine. I just… I…” he hesitated, unsure how to explain his reasons or why this was suddenly so important to him. “I know I haven’t ever let you. That when we’ve made love that I’ve always removed it, but this time… this time I… I want you to do it. Okay?”
Michael understood that Alex asking him this was a very huge step for them. He’d known from the first time in his trailer when they’d had sex shortly after Alex’s return home and there’d been a moment after fervent kisses had turned into clothes being tossed that Alex’s worry over how Michael would react to his injury had nearly caused a panic attack.
Alex had always been fine with Michael touching him once the prothesis was removed and once Michael had reassured him that he didn’t view the injury as making Alex anything less than he ever had been to him. This, however, would be the first time he’d ever asked him to remove it.
Michael slowly nodded as he held Alex’s eyes because he wasn’t sure any words could come close to expressing what he felt at this moment.
Leaning up, he kissed Alex deeply for several minutes but kept his hand resting lightly on Alex’s leg before slowly sliding it up to his waist to reach for the button and zipper of his jeans. Michael’s lips curved more when he both felt and saw Alex relax again at this as if concerned his request had been a mistake.
“You might have to talk me through it this time so I remove it correctly and not hurt you doing it.” Michael said, breaking the kiss with a groan that he wasn’t sure came more from him or Alex.
“You can’t hurt me just by taking my leg off, Michael.” Alex assured him but loved Michael even more for his concern that he might.
“Yeah, I think we both know that I can because you’ve had the prothesis on way longer than you should have and you’re going to be sore so yes, Alex, I can hurt you by removing it and that’s not something I’ll ever do.” Michael returned seriously, still angry with himself that he hadn’t thought to remove it and get Alex into more comfortable clothes as soon as he got him home but chose to deal with those thoughts later.
Now he had other things to focus on and the biggest one of those was peeling denim off his fiancé. “By the way, how much patience do you think you have right now?” he asked suddenly, fingers steady as they slowly pulled the zipper on Alex’s jeans down after moving Alex’s hands away when he decided to do the deed himself.
Alex was debating a comment when that question took him by surprise and he frowned a little, watching Michael focus on just the zipper of his jeans. “Depends on why you’re asking,” he replied cautiously, reaching up to trail his fingers over a scar Michael had from when Jones had stabbed him. “Patience is not normally a thing I’m required to have when we make love. Usually, it’s not something either one of us have to have.”
“Yep, totally agree with you there.” Michael nodded, beginning to pull the jeans down Alex’s legs while silently considering the sudden idea in his head.
He did know that patience, slowness hadn’t really been a thing between them most of the times they’d either made love or even fooled around recently. And that was something he decided to change.
“Do you remember what you said to me the day we made love for the first time back when we were seventeen?” Michael asked, looking up at Alex after he’d finally removed his jeans and let them drop on the floor and feeling his breath still catch like it did every time when he had a chance to look at Alex fully. “The comment about speed not always being a good thing even though we had no clue when your dad would be home?”
Alex did recall saying something along those lines to Michael back then. Nodding, he considered the reason for the question now even as he went to move to help with the removal of his boxers only to be stopped by Michael’s hand over his heart and humming low in his throat at the sudden rush of feeling he could feel now.
“You are laying still and letting me do everything, Alex.” Michael told him quietly, using his other hand to reach for Alex’s and letting their palms touch before lacing their fingers and seeing Alex’s smile was soft. “By asking me to remove your prothesis, you are giving me the chance to take care of you. To take care of you the way I should have done that first day in my trailer,” he went on, meeting Alex’s smile with his own while leaning closer to kiss him again. “From this day on, Alexander Manes, I promise to always love you and take care of you.”
“Michael, you’ve always taken care of me when we’ve made love.” Alex replied, reaching his other hand up to gently move the one stray curl that was almost always in Michael’s face aside so he could see his face fully. “Hell, there hasn’t been a time if I’ve needed you that you haven’t take care of me including in that other place when I was ready to give up, so I know you will but… just how slow do you plan to go?” he asked, letting his eyes drop slightly before lifting back up to raise his eyebrows at a smirking Michael.
Michael had followed Alex’s gaze down to the damp spot already forming on his boxers, so he knew just what little they’d done in the way of kissing and touching already had Alex’s body reacting. In truth, Michael’s own body wasn’t happy with his plan to slow things down, but he did at least want to try to go slower than they normally did.
“Trust me.” Michael said with a teasing wink, kissing Alex’s hand again before taking a deep breath to settle the nerves that he suddenly felt building as he turned his focus onto Alex’s right leg, and wondering if his hands were really shaking like he thought they were over doing something that might seem casual or simple to others but to Michael this was huge and a part of him was still scared of screwing up.
“Hey, Michael. Look at me.” Alex waited for Michael to look back up at him, pushing up on his elbows before sitting up fully but made no move to remove his prothesis himself since Alex knew he had to let Michael do this now if for no other reason than to prove to the young alien that he did trust him to do the one thing that Alex had never allowed anyone else to do. “What about this is making you shake like this?” he asked, reaching out to take one of Michael’s trembling hands. “I’ve already told you that you can’t hurt me doing it so…”
“And I said that yes, I can but that’s not the only thing that’s making my nervous.” Michael spread his fingers over Alex’s knee, just above where the prothesis covered the result of Alex’s injury. “This leg is a part of you, Alex. That’s why I’ve always said that to me, injury or not, you were still whole to me because this is a part of you and if I screw it up the first time you ask me to remove it then all the doubts come back that I can’t… huh?” he stopped at the feel of strong fingers wrapping around the back of his neck in order to draw him back closer to Alex, their foreheads touching and Michael felt himself slowly calming back down.
“That day in your trailer when I asked you if my injury made a difference to you or in how you looked at me and you were so confused, as if not understanding why I’d even ask you that. And you held my face like you do and said no. You said that it didn’t matter to you because it’s what still made me me to you, what made me whole wasn’t just a part of my leg but what was in here.” Alex held Michael’s eyes while he lightly tapped his chest.
“You’re still the only person to ever say that to me, Michael. You’re also the only person that looks at my prothesis as a part of me and that, Michael Guerin, is just another reason why I love you so damn much,” he added, giving the hand he still held a reassuring squeeze. “You’re not going to screw anything up. You’re not going to hurt me. I trust you, Michael. I love you.”
Michael took another moment to settle his nerves, closing his eyes and just allowing him to take in this moment with Alex; feeling him more now and using that and the gentle fingers rubbing his neck to help calm him before easing back and giving Alex a nod that he was okay.
“I love you too,” he murmured, meeting Alex’s kiss for a moment or two and then pulling back to return to what he’d been doing before nerves and doubts rushed him. “Alex? I think alien radiation didn’t do your leg any good either.” Michael frowned now that he took a closer look at the prothesis while trying to remember what he’d seen Alex do when he’d remove it. He began to see what looked like spots of rust or other damage that he suspected the same radiation that nearly killed Alex must have done to his leg.
Looking closer, Alex could also see what Michael was talking about and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll have to see how bad it is damaged… but not right now,” he guessed he’d be getting fitted for a new one since even a bit of damage was dangerous for him, but right that second his focus was on getting it off and trying to coax Michael out of his plan to go slow making love.
“No, not right now.” Michael agreed, refusing to show how much seeing this damage on Alex’s prothesis bothered him because it brought back how close to losing him that he’d been.
Focusing his full attention on the leg, Michael recalled watching Alex remove it, so he moved his hand down carefully until he saw the silver button. Making sure to keep his other hand up where the cap of the prothesis was, he pushed the button and then used both hands to carefully slide the leg off and lean it up against the nightstand before reaching slightly shaking hands up to roll the liner that covered Alex’s leg down to remove it.
Alex had watched Michael quietly during this. He could easily see his nerves but also his focus on going so slow, being careful with each touch as if afraid of hurting him, that Alex felt his love grow with each passing second.
He started to tell Michael to just lay the liner on the floor for the moment, that it could be picked up later but swore his heart moved into his throat when Michael carefully fixed the liner, placing it inside the cup of the prothesis until Alex was ready to use it again. Then he happened to glance down at the same time as Michael and bit his lip even as he saw Michael tense and heard the low curse when both saw the result of him wearing it for too long.
The scar tissue at the base of his injured leg seemed more pronounced. It also looked more leathery and dry which told Alex he might be leaving the prothesis off a day or so while applying the lotion he had in the bathroom.
He’d had time to understand how to care for his leg. He’d done the best he could while in that place by removing it when he thought he could but when his condition started to deteriorate faster, Alex had left it alone. That was also the same reason once back in Roswell, once back home that he hadn’t bothered to try to find the strength to remove it or ask Michael to since he figured dying was a bit bigger issue for him.
Now Alex knew he could handle the results, could treat the dryness and what look like some abrasions but first he needed to keep Michael from freaking out once he realized that this could cause him pain. “Michael… it’ll be okay in a few days. I just have to leave it off or not wear it as long for a bit,” he reassured his lover, reaching to catch Michael’s face between his palms so their eyes could lock. “I am okay. Breathe for me.”
“How much pain does this cause you?” Michael wanted to know. He still hated that he hadn’t thought to remove it as soon as he got Alex home but also suspected that this damage had probably been done already. “Can I do anything for it now or do you need to do anything for it now?” he asked, fingers longing to touch just to see if maybe he could heal the pain Alex was in but knowing touch right then might be more painful.
“There’s some but nothing like I have been in so I can wait. As for if you can do anything for me?” Alex smiled, letting the pad of his thumb caress down over Michael’s jaw and his smile widened when Michael moved his head just enough so he could press a light kiss to his thumb. “You can kiss me senseless before we make love.”
“Oh, kissing you senseless is easy and also never a problem for me.” Michael returned with a warm laugh before proceeding to do just that, loving the laugh that earned him and how bright Alex’s smile was as they began to kiss, hands caressing as if to refamiliarize each other with the other’s body after so long apart.
After several minutes of this, Michael eased back just enough to have Alex’s hands reaching for him as if not wanting to lose contact with him. “Hmm, slow down, soldier,” he laughed, catching Alex’s hands to gently hold them but loving the narrowed look he was getting. “I am making love to you, Alex. Though I also seem to recall mentioning something about patience being required this time because…” he paused to hold darkening eyes while kissing each finger before pressing one into the center of each of Alex’s palms and not missing the way Alex’s breathing had quickened along with his pulse. “I’m not just making love to you, but I am making love to every part of you this time.”
“Fuck.” Alex’s head fell back on the pillows. He’d already been certain Michael’s sudden desire to go slow might do him in. Now after watching Michael just now, to hearing the tone of voice that was nothing but pure, raw, honest love that was also reflected in Michael’s eyes, Alex was positive he might explode before they got to the actual sex part. “Michael… I…”
“Trust me.” Michael repeated with a grin. “You’ll enjoy this.”
“Michael, I know I’ll enjoy it. I enjoy everything we do together. It’s whether I’ll survive your lead-in to sex that I’m not sure about,” Alex returned but met Michael’s smile with a soft laugh. He loved seeing Michael this happy, especially after their recent days when Alex knew how hard Michael had struggled to keep his hope alive about not only surviving but getting home. “How slow are you planning to go? Just so I know if I have to talk you into compromising?”
“Not as slow as I’m planning for our honeymoon,” Michael returned, laughing fully at Alex’s eyeroll, but still heard his laugh and knew he’d never take for granted being able to hear Alex’s laugh or see his full smile ever again.
Michael wasn’t certain how slow he would be able to go this time given that he knew they were both already on edge, but he did want to at least try to give Alex this.
Leaning up, Michael brushed a soft kiss over Alex’s before repeating the gesture over the handprint on his heart and felt the emotions from Alex hit him. “I love you so much, Alex,” he murmured, feeling fingertips moving through his hair and raising his eyes to meet his.
“I love you too, Michael. With all my heart.” Alex returned, feeling Michael’s emotions during this as well as being able to read them so plainly on his face. “I just might not like you very much in the next few minutes if you don’t start doing something,” he added with a playful raise of his eyebrows that had Michael laughing and stretching up to kiss him again.
“Never say I didn’t give you what you wanted.” Michael winked, continuing to kiss Alex before he began slowly kissing his way down Alex’s throat to pause just below his collarbone.
“I do not care if you leave marks, Michael.” Alex reassured him as if suspecting what had caused the pause in being kissed. “I only care that your hands, your mouth are on my body in some way. And since your handprint is already on me, a few marks from where the man I love, the man I am marrying, is kissing me won’t matter as far as I’m concerned,” he added firmly. “Just make love to me.”
Michael’s hand had just been sliding over Alex’s shoulder to touch his print when those words were spoken, and he wondered if it was just him that felt a warmth but knew by the soft sound Alex made that he’d felt it too.
Something about hearing Alex say it didn’t matter to him if he left marks by kissing him made Michael emotional because he recalled times in the past when something like that would have mattered. He was happy that they’d moved past those days and that Alex had learned how to let himself be true to who he was.
Giving Alex what he asked for in any way would never be a problem for Michael. He’d always find a way to give Alex anything he wanted. Hell, if he could he’d move the very stars for this man.
Slowly, Michael let his mouth move from the hollow of Alex’s throat over to his shoulder where he took his time tracing the softly glittering print with his tongue, feeling Alex’s fingers carding through his hair again and deciding one day soon he’d tell him that he was the only person that Michael ever felt comfortable letting do that.
He kissed his way down from the handprint to Alex’s chest where he still frowned slightly at the scar that reminded him of another time that he’d come too close to losing Alex. Shaking himself away from that memory, Michael continued his path down; making certain to keep his hands and mouth on Alex in some way.
A quick use of his powers retrieved a bottle from the nightstand drawer, hearing Alex’s amused comment that he could have gotten the lube out if he had just asked.
“Nope. You are not doing a thing during this except laying here and enjoying it.” Michael replied in between layering kisses down the center of Alex’s chest and paying closer attention to the hardening little nub closest to him by drawing it into his mouth to suck slowly and heard Alex’s sharp inhale when he did this.
“Shit!” Alex had been struggling not to move despite how on edge he could feel his body becoming just from watching Michael slide down his body, hands and mouth doing exactly what Michael had promised. He’d become fascinated watching the muscles in Michael’s back move as he did. He’d been managing just fine to use that distraction to stay still, stay patient until the second hot lips closed on his chest and Alex jumped. “Michael…”
Lifting his eyes just enough that he could peek at Alex from under his lashes, Michael’s lips curved teasingly and gave a wink before slowly continuing to kiss his way down the center of Alex’s chest.
He could feel his lover’s emotions, as well as see the physical reactions Alex was having. Michael could also tell by the larger damp spot on the front of Alex’s boxers that his body was enjoying the attention even while his own was reminding him that he still had jeans on.
“Are you going to lose those jeans, Michael?” Alex asked, taking advantage of Michael still being close to trail his fingertips along his shoulders. “Actually, can we just lose all the rest of the clothes?”
“I thought I was always the impatient one.” Michael retorted but did concede to unsnapping and unzipping his jeans before running his fingers under the waistband of Alex’s boxers; not missing the way Alex was chewing on his bottom lip and Michael had remind himself he had a plan and taking that well chewed on lip with his own to suck on it was not in the plan… yet.
“You are, so the fact that you’re being this patient and going this slow should really concern me.” Alex replied, smiling more as he lifted his hips to help with the removal of his boxers at the light tug he’d felt. “How much of this new patient side will I see once Isobel tells you that planning a wedding isn’t an overnight thing?” he asked, tongue in cheek when he saw Michael’s head lift, eyes narrowed as he took this news in.
“Probably not too much if I’m being honest. Can we elope to Vegas?” Michael asked, only half joking since he hadn’t considered that if he and Alex allowed Isobel to help plan their wedding that it might take months rather than weeks or even better, days.
“Not if you don’t want your sister to kill you. If we don’t give Isobel a chance to plan or help us plan our wedding, or you drop it on her about eloping, you will more than likely be marrying me with two broken legs, Michael.” Alex replied even while deciding how to try to keep the planning in the few weeks’ timeframe and not months since he knew he didn’t have the patience to wait that long when in his heart all he longed for was to marry Michael. “Speed this up and I’ll try to convince her not to go full out,” he put in with a teasing smile while also feeling the way his body continued to heat as Michael’s gaze moved down it after pulling the boxers off.
“Oh! Okay, so now you’re trying to bribe me!” Michael laughed more at the little eyebrow wiggle he was sent in return. “This is going to be one of those many compromises I can see happening in our future, Alex,” he said as they both realized just how far they had come since Alex’s return from the Air Force when something like a compromise hadn’t even been in Michael’s vocabulary. “I’ll see about speeding this up only to make you happy and because my jeans are starting to remind me why we don’t go slow making love.”
Alex debated on a comment but then forgot it in favor of not losing control the second Michael’s head dropped and he laid a line of hot kisses along the skin between Alex’s thigh and groin while lightly feathering his fingers down Alex’s hardening cock before following his fingers with his lips.
“Michael…” he gasped, hips arching up under Michael’s light touch and Alex had to work damn hard not to come just from that but what nearly did him in was the moment he watched the tip of Michael’s tongue lick over his lips before flicking over the slit in Alex’s cock. “Michael!”
Darkening light brown eyes shot up instantly. “Okay?” he asked, concerned that maybe Alex was still too weak for this much exertion. “Alex?”
“Do not stop. I just need a second.” Alex could see the concern on Michael’s face, could almost hear what was going through his head and quickly shook his. “No. No, Michael. I’m fine. It’s just been a damn long time since we’ve been together and I forgot how good you are with that tongue, so I just need a couple seconds,” he explained, reaching out to touch Michael’s hair after he’d moved up a little to rest his head on Alex’s stomach. “How weak or tired are you still since you technically just woke up?” Alex wanted to know.
“I’ll be fine.” Michael assured him, fingers caressing over Alex’s stomach while content to lay where he was in between Alex’s legs, head on his stomach with his fingers carding through his hair until he felt Alex had calmed down some. “I figure we’re both sleeping after this unless someone comes pounding on our door.”
“They’ve already blown up your phone. I told them you or I would call if we needed anything.” Alex replied, lips curving into a soft smile while watching Michael just lay where he was, fingers slowly moving over his stomach before moving it down to rest just above Alex’s right knee.
It was only when Michael felt Alex had calmed again did he return to what he’d been doing but knew he had to change the plan up some for both their sakes. He’d grabbed the bottle of lube but pressed a warm kiss below where his hand still was, able to see the abrasions left by wearing the prothesis better since he was closer.
“Alex, let me try to heal those or at least take the pain away from it,” he looked up to see Alex watching him but was making no move to stop him from touching his leg like he would have even a year earlier if this had happened. “I hate to know you’re in pain or won’t be able to wear your leg because I was careless with taking care of you and it.”
Now Alex did reach out to him, knowing touch in certain circumstances would always be needed by them both. “Michael, if you’d been careless with taking care of me, I’d be dead,” he told him seriously. “I knew that should’ve come off sooner but possibly dying seemed a bigger issue. My leg will be sore, but it’ll be okay. I don’t want you wasting strength you still don’t have to try to heal…”
Michael’s eyes moved from Alex’s to the rough skin with deep abrasions but made no move to slide his hand lower, glancing back up. “Can I try?” he asked, going on after a heartbeat of hesitation and seeing the way Alex chewed his lip like he did when unsure. “I know with how dry it is, with how deep those abrasions are, that it’ll hurt and that’s the last thing I would ever do but Alex, can I touch you there to at least try to ease the pain?”
“Only you could go from hot foreplay to being concerned about my leg.” Alex said after another moment of silence, reaching to touch Michael’s face. “Michael, there is not a part of my body that I would never allow you to touch,” he added, emotions building in his voice again as soon as he saw the look shining back at him. “Just do not hurt yourself doing this or I will kick your ass.”
“Been awhile since you’ve threatened to kick my ass, Mr. Manes,” Michael countered with a warm smile, catching the hand that had just touched his jaw to kiss the back of Alex’s hand and not missing how that simple gesture now made Alex smile and his already dark eyes go even darker. “It’s also been a while since you’ve called me anything but my name. Are we both mellowing, Alex?”
“Maybe.” Alex conceded after a pause but then moved his hand back to let his thumb rest on Michael’s chin as their eyes met and he smiled. “However, if you don’t make love to me soon, I will be calling you a lot more names than just your last name, Michael.”
Michael’s smile met his eyes, this time catching Alex’s thumb with his lips to kiss it while watching Alex’s eyes. “I plan to multitask a little here,” he admitted, stretching up to kiss Alex before letting the hand still resting above Alex’s knee moved down slowly, carefully as Michael was very aware he had to be careful.
He knew he still had no clue how this healing stuff worked and while he wanted to take all the damage away, he mainly focused on easing any pain Alex might be in, now and later, so with the barest touch of his hand curved down over where a bullet years earlier had cost Alex his lower leg, he deepened their kisses to help distract his lover from any pain this might cause at the same time as he felt the same warmth tingling through his fingers.
Kissing him, Michael laid back beside Alex so their tongues could begin to play again; teasing, touching before Michael gave control of their kisses to Alex by opening his mouth to allow Alex’s tongue to enter and explore while Michael began to split his focus on the soft lights, he could see in his mind spreading over Alex’s leg as his fingers barely brushed the skin there.
Only once did Michael feel Alex tense and knew he’d brushed over a much deeper abrasion that would likely turn into a bruise if he could heal it enough.
“You can’t heal everything, Michael.” Alex said in between lingering kisses as their tongues played hide and seek in each other’s mouths. “You’ve done enough healing. Now, make love with me,” he said, sliding his hand down to give a tug on one of the belt loops of the jeans Michael still wore. “Lose these first.”
Michael had to agree that his jeans were now painfully uncomfortable. Easily rolling off the bed, he quickly shed both his jeans and his boxer briefs before rejoining Alex on the bed, loving the look Alex gave him as he did so but had to be quick to catch roaming hands in his and moving them up to his shoulders.
“At ease, soldier. I still have prep work to do,” he said and laughed at the groan Alex gave at that. “I promise. It will be worth this little bit more patience.”
Alex didn’t doubt that. He knew Michael had always and would always make their lovemaking enjoyable. It was finding this last bit of patience that usually Alex had in abundance that he wasn’t sure about. He was about to point that out only to lose that train of thought the moment Michael’s mouth found his again; this time for a heat searing kiss that took Alex a couple seconds to catch up and return fully.
Losing himself in this kiss, Alex’s hands moved from strong shoulders up to frame Michael’s face before slipping into thick curls that had never, from the first moment they kissed in the museum, failed to be a turn on for Alex.
Choosing to ignore the muffled laugh or how he knew Michael’s lips had curved up more as they kissed, Alex made a brief mental note to ask Michael if that handprint might allow them to share more than emotions. Then he pushed all of that to the side to give into the need that had been commanding attention back in that other place, in the back of an old pick-up and this time Alex wasn’t letting anything interrupt them.
Deciding it best to avoid that question whenever it was brought up at least until he had a better grasp on just how the handprint did work, Michael changed the angle of the kiss which allowed him to deepen it but not lose the feel of Alex’s fingers in his hair; a little something that he now decided held even more appeal to him than it had from the day in the museum after he’d finally worked up the nerve to kiss Alex for the first time.
Michael shifted them more to their sides so he could have Alex in his arms, continuing to kiss him while also managing to get the bottle of lube open and hoping he could keep Alex distracted for the time it took to open him enough so there’d be very little or better yet no pain when they made love.
It had been Alex that had taught Michael the importance of not only pre-sex care, as it settled in Michael’s brain as, but afterwards as well. He would admit that with Alex he was more determined in both areas even if sometimes they were in too big of a hurry so his prep work wasn’t always as thorough as Michael would have liked but he’d always made up for that afterwards.
That was still his plan for this time too… assuming he could convince Alex to go along with it.
“When you can move two fingers reasonably loosely, you better be inside me a minute later or else I might let Isobel take six months to plan our wedding.” Alex muttered in between kisses, body now fully on fire from Michael’s kisses to feeling Michael’s knee slip just enough between his that Alex’s cock was able to find some friction that helped take some of the edge off to feeling the lube finally be squeezed along the crease of his ass, followed by the tip of Michael’s index finger.
Michael was quick to hide his smile at that version of a threat because he knew Alex didn’t plan on waiting any longer than he had to for them to get married. Letting his mouth begin a slow line of kisses back down Alex’s throat while beginning to let his fingertip find where it needed to be. “Do you remember saying to me one day outside of my truck something about strategy over emotion?” he asked quietly, using his teeth to gently tease the skin over Alex’s collarbone, tongue following as if to smooth over the skin.
“Crap!” Alex groaned, moving his head enough to give Michael better access while recalling the moment in question. “Do not throw my words back at me right now, Guerin!” he gasped, body arching in Michael’s arms the second hot lips locked on the pulse point in his neck to begin sucking and feeling Michael’s fingertip swirl around the rim of his hole before easing in slowly.
“There’s my boy.” Michael chuckled, wondering how long it would be before Alex slipped and used his surname since he had noticed Alex hadn’t been doing that recently, unless he was stressed or annoyed with him, and Michael guessed by this point that his fiancé was both.
In truth, so was Michael, so while he would’ve preferred to stretch Alex to where he could move three fingers inside him, he figured neither of them would last that long. Right that second, Michael wasn’t sure if he’d last long enough to even get Alex stretched with two fingers but ignored his own very needy cock in favor of making himself do this.
The glittering warmth of their joined pendants that Alex still wore touched Michael’s chest where he was continuing to kiss and suck his way along Alex’s throat, back up his neck to just below his ear and wincing as strong fingers curled into his hair more as Alex slowly began to lose himself to too many emotions hitting him.
Michael slid his free hand up Alex’s back to curve his fingers along the back of his neck to begin to gently squeeze tight muscles while continuing to kiss him as he finally felt his finger slip past the first ring of muscle that reminded Michael of just how long it had been since he and Alex had made love.
“It will never be this long again, Alex,” he promised, voice deeper with emotions that he hadn’t allowed to come out yet. “A day will not pass that I will not make love with you. A day will not pass now that I will not tell you that I love you.”
“I’ve always known you’ve loved me, Michael.” Alex was quick to say, willing himself to calm down to loosen his grip on Michael’s curls and keeping one hand in them while using his other to brush his fingers down Michael’s face after he’d lifted his so their eyes could meet.
“Even without the words, you have always shown me in other ways that you’ve loved me. You and I, words were never really needed between us because touches, looks always seemed to be how we communicated our love.” He bit his lip at the slight burn he felt when a second finger joined the first, quick to shake his head to reassure Michael that he was fine. “I know there were times when I wanted to say them to you, should have said them to you but…”
“Alex, you sang to me in a cowboy bar. If that didn’t scream love than I don’t know what else would have,” Michael replied with a smile, eyes dropping to watch Alex’s lips before finally giving into the urge and drawing his bottom lip into his own mouth to suck on it gently, hearing the soft moan of pleasure from Alex at the same time as he felt Alex’s body adjust to his two fingers as he was able to finally, after what seemed like hours rather than minutes, scissor them without too much tightness.
All the time that Michael had been prepping Alex, he’d also been thinking about the best way for him to give his soon to be husband what they both wanted without causing Alex more pain or risking him being too weak.
It wasn’t until Alex went to move, to shift his body more to his knees like they normally made love that it clicked with Michael and his hands immediately moved to Alex’s waist to stop him from moving. “No.”
Alex’s dark eyes shot back down, a confused frown forming on his handsome face as if not understanding what Michael was doing until he felt his back hit the bed after Michael rolled them. “Michael?”
“Not knowing how weak you are or how tired you might get. On top of that leg being sore despite what healing I did, I will not put you on your knees this time, Alex.” Michael explained, easily levering himself over Alex and supporting himself with one arm while his other hand went to smooth hair out of Alex’s dark eyes.
"Besides, this time… our first time in too long, I want to watch you. I want to see your face, Alex. I want to be able to see your eyes as we make love this time,” he went on, moving his fingers down over Alex’s cheek and seeing the soft smile starting to form like it did when emotions were hitting but Alex wasn’t sure of the words he wanted to say.
“I want to be able to kiss you, to touch you as we make love. I want to be able to touch this,” he paused to move his hand over the handprint and knowing when Alex’s eyes snapped to his that he wasn’t the only one that felt the warmth between them or that their hearts still seemed to be beating in sync. “I want to feel your heart when you fall over that edge that this time probably won’t take either of us long to hit. Can I make love to you like this, Alex?” he asked softly, leaning closer so their lips touched teasingly at first before beginning to deepen again.
“Yes. God, yes!” Alex groaned into the next kiss, catching Michael’s face between his hands to hold it as their kisses began to heat until soon both men were losing themselves in the other. “Michael…”
“I’ve got you, Alex.” Michael said while reaching for the lube again and recalling another time he’d said those words to Alex. “I’ll always have you and I will always take care of you,” he promised, placing soft kisses along Alex’s face just because he knew they’d make Alex smile and wasn’t disappointed.
Grabbing a pillow, Michael slipped it under the small of Alex’s back after he’d raised his hips some to make it little more comfortable for him. This wasn’t the first time they’d made love like this so Alex knew what to do as well as what Michael would insist on to make it easier on him.
Alex’s fingers itched to touch his now well past ready cock, seeing it was dripping a steady stream of precome but refused to touch himself yet. He’d managed to hold off this long and was determined not to climax until he had Michael where he wanted and needed him to be.
He watched Michael pour more lube into his hands before coating his red, angry looking cock with it. Alex suspected this time wouldn’t take either of them long, and that was fine with him. He still had plans for later to talk Michael into that shower sex he mentioned.
“Like what you see?” Michael asked once he noticed Alex’s gaze was on him and loving the little smirk being aimed his way.
“Always have, Michael. Always will,” Alex replied, spreading his legs as Michael knelt between them. He still saw the concern when Michael’s eyes dropped to his injured leg but just as he started to say something to bring his focus back to him, Alex could almost tell that Michael was making himself step away from those worries in order to get back to this moment. “I love you,” he said suddenly, seeing and loving the almost in awe look Michael got when those words were spoken.
“I love you too,” Michael replied, letting his hands rest on Alex’s face as they kissed before slowly moving them down his arms until he got to his hips. “My heart. My soul. Always, Alex,” he added.
“Always, Michael,” Alex returned quietly, feeling strong hands slide under him and guessing what Michael wanted, lifting his hips a bit more. “I’m okay. Please. Just let me feel you inside me.”
Michael had to be quick not to come just on those words alone but managed to hold off, shooting Alex smile while positioning himself with the head of his cock just inside Alex’s well stretched hole. Taking restless hands off the bed, Michael placed one on his chest while letting Alex lace their fingers with his other. His other hand, he let rest on the handprint over Alex’s heart.
Eyes locked, Michael felt the hand on his chest slide over until it rested on his heart. He gave a slow roll of his hips that took his cock in a little deeper and with each thrust he watched Alex’s face to see raw emotion as pleasure quickly replaced the quick burst of pain that he’d felt from not being stretched as much as Michael would have liked.
“There were nights in that place that I was scared I’d never see you again much less feel you like this, Michael. The thought of dying without making love to you one more time hurt me so a little pain, a little burning from being too impatient to let you prep me like I know you wanted to are things I’ll gladly accept,” Alex told him, fingers spreading over Michael’s heart.
“I grew up knowing mostly only pain, Michael. You were the only pleasure in my life and even when I thought my dad had ruined that, you were the only person to try to stand up for me when I needed it… when I needed you,” he added in a voice thick with emotion, feeling his eyes burn but fighting those back. “Heart and soul, Michael. Always.”
“And always something cosmic, Alex.” Michael smiled, loving Alex’s bright smile as he nodded; words no longer needed as Michael caught Alex’s mouth in a deep kiss at the same time as he gave another, deeper thrust and knew by the muffled cry of pleasure, of need that he’d hit that spot inside his lover that would give him the pleasure Michael always tried to give Alex.
Making sure that each time he moved, his cock hit Alex’s prostate, Michael also made sure to give Alex pleasure in other ways such as kissing or touching him. If they weren’t kissing then Michael’s mouth was kissing Alex’s throat, his neck, down his chest. He knew after all this time where Alex was sensitive and made certain to kiss there or trail his fingers up along his arm, down his side.
Alex, on his part, did the same for Michael. He had learned from their first times together where Michael was especially sensitive to touch and made sure if he couldn’t kiss him there that his hands made love to Michael’s body.
Soon both men were lost in the other and neither were really aware of the softly glittering pendant or how the glow from Michael’s hand covering the handprint shimmered again. No words were spoken but Alex knew in his heart that he could hear Michael as they made love.
They’d found a rhythm that suited them both and soon Alex was fighting his body’s desire to find release. “Michael…” he groaned, drawing his bottom lip in with his teeth as he turned his head enough to give Michael access to the spot just above his collarbone. “I…I need to feel you now!”
It took a couple seconds for Michael to understand what Alex meant. Then he took in the wide with lust blown pupils staring back at him, could feel how tight Alex’s hand gripped his while his other had curled into Michael’s hair again.
A glance down at the red, weeping cock now dripping steadily told Michael that Alex needed to climax. He could sense not only tension now but also pain and pain was not something he’d ever allow Alex to feel while they made love.
Easing his hand away from Alex’s white knuckled grip while willing his body not to move, to try to stay still until he got Alex taken care of, Michael carefully wrapped his fingers around Alex’s cock to begin a smooth, steady stroke while finding his mouth again to offer soothing kisses.
“Come when you’re ready, Alex,” he murmured against Alex’s mouth, letting his tongue playfully touch Alex’s and slowly feeling some of the edge easing away with each move of his hand.
“I… I don’t wanna come ‘til you do, Michael.” Alex gasped, hips moving up faster as if to keep in time with Michael’s hand on his cock. “I need to feel…”
“Baby, you will feel me,” Michael reassured him, feeling the way Alex’s heart seemed to jump under his hand at the endearment and not missing the softer smile Alex gave him to indicate he was okay with its use. “I will be following you over that cliff as soon as you come. But Alex, let go now. Let go and come for me,” he added, quickening the motion of his hand at the same time as he gave his wrist a twist and let his nail rake up the underside of Alex’s cock to stroke the sensitive nerve there. “Let go, Alex. I promise. I will be right behind you.”
Alex wasn’t sure if it was Michael’s deeper tone of voice, the way his hand was stroking him or the emotions he could feel from his lover now or when he felt Michael’s fingers warmed where they laid over the handprint, Alex felt his balls tighten and listening to Michael, he let himself come with a shout of Michael’s name.
Watching Alex as he got closer to his climax, Michael’s focus was on him, on keeping his hand stroking Alex until he felt him jerk in his arms, heard the shout of his name and felt white hot come hit his hand, their stomachs as Alex’s climax hit him hard and fast.
Keeping his hand over the handprint, Michael wasn’t even aware of the glow right then or how he could hear and feel Alex more than he had even an hour ago. His focus was continuing to stroke his cock, helping Alex to get as much pleasure from this climax as he could before he heard a sound that told him that now the touch was more pain than pleasure.
He eased his hand away or started to before he felt it grabbed and held onto with as much strength as Alex still had right then because Michael could also feel how exhausted Alex was but knew he was fighting sleep.
Michael figured he knew what Alex was waiting for and smiled. Holding his hand, he leaned up so their foreheads could touch before letting his body move again. Michael could tell his own climax was close and wouldn’t take much to send him over that same ledge just like he promised Alex.
Sharing softer kisses this time, he gave another roll of his hips and felt his own body tightening a second before Michael felt himself hit the peak. He lost himself in Alex’s kiss, in the way he still moved against him as Alex felt warmth filling him and wrapped his arms around Michael as if needing to feel him closer than they already were.
“In case I pass out and don’t wake up before you, I love you, Alexander Manes,” Michael murmured, seeing Alex’s sleepy smile and knowing he needed to move in case his body did give out on him but didn’t feel ready to lose the connection with Alex yet so he moved enough so he could rest his head on Alex’s chest for a second. “Hmm, need to move, Alex.”
“No. You need to stay where you are, Michael,” Alex replied, carding his fingers back through Michael’s sweat-soaked dark curly hair as he felt his body start to cool and was content to lay there with Michael’s weight on him. “Wanna hold…” he murmured, eyes starting to get heavy now but still struggled to stay awake as if needing to watch Michael.
Lifting his head, Michael’s lips curved at the sleepy voice and heavy eyes he saw. He hated to move but he also hated the consequences if he didn’t.
Slowly easing out, he immediately felt Alex’s hands reaching for him and let himself be tugged up until they were laying facing one another to share slower, softer kisses until he rolled to his back with his arms wrapped around Alex as he moved closer to lay his head on Michael’s chest.
“Happy?” Michael asked, fingers lightly stroking down Alex’s arm and hearing the soft, contented sound before Alex raised his head enough to meet his smile.
“Very much so,” Alex replied, fighting sleep still because he had missed just lying in bed with Michael after they’d made love but knew he was losing this battle and wanted to do one more thing before his now sexed-out brain and exhausted body fell to sleep. “Hey, I want you to wear your half now,” he said, lifting the pendant in his hand. “Will you?”
Michael blinked sleep from his eyes in order to focus on Alex. He saw him lift the pendant and knew what he was asking. Nodding, he started to reach for it so he could unjoin the halves only to blink in mild surprise when the alien glass pieces just came apart as easily as they’d joined before when he’d returned Alex’s half to him.
He separated the cords so Alex still had his own on but took his and hooked it back around his neck, feeling it settle back against his chest at the same time as Alex’s fingers touched it before his own.
“You were right.” Alex murmured, laying his head back down but this time resting it over Michael’s heart. “No matter how far apart we are, we will always find our way back to one another, Michael,” he paused for a second before looking up again to see Michael watching him. “Promise me though that we won’t ever be separated like this again.”
“No more pocket alien worlds filled with radiation that can kill you, that’s for damn sure,” Michael replied with an eye roll while also trying to remind himself to see if there was a way to be sure Theo or no one had created any other little hidden traps like that in Roswell.
“As for that other thing,” he hesitated briefly, not missing the slight tense of Alex’s body since he suspected he understood what he’d meant. “As much as I’d like to see the planet I came from, I meant it when I said my home was here with you, Alex. You are my home.”
Those words still made a lump come in his throat because Alex understood how much learning about his planet had always meant to Michael. Hearing him still stay that he was his home even while knowing that there could be a way back to Oasis never failed to choke him up. Alex also understood that he would never stand in the way of Michael finding those answers.
“I said there that I didn’t care if we were on Roswell or across the stars on Oasis. So long as we are looking at the same stars, I will never look away, Michael,” he said seriously, letting their hands touch at the same time as Michael’s lips kissed his. “I just don’t want to separated from you again.”
“You won’t be. That I will promise,” Michael assured him. “Until we could find a way to keep that portal open longer so tests on the atmosphere could be done to make sure Oasis’s atmosphere would be safe for humans, I would never take you across because I will never risk your health, your life like this again. Because while Oasians can breathe Earth air, handle this atmosphere, there is no way to know if humans can tolerate the air on Oasis.
“I would never risk crossing, something happening and getting trapped on the other side away from you,” he went on seriously, seeing when that thought sank in with Alex and smiling. “So long as I have breath in my body, you and I will never be apart like this again, Alex.” Michael promised, bringing their joined hands up to his lips for a final kiss when something suddenly else occurred to him. “Alex, where’s that shrinker sock you always put on when not wearing the prothesis?” he asked.
“Hmm, nightstand. Bottom drawer.” Alex replied after a second of making his sexed-out brain wake back up to think and loved Michael all the more for thinking about something that he’d completely forgotten about. “I’ll…”
Michael moved a hand to trigger his telekinesis to retrieve the item, sitting up after having to convince Alex he wasn’t going far and would hold him before they slept. “It just slides on, right?” he had seen Alex put the cover on his leg before and knew after asking that he used it so his leg didn’t swell while not wearing the prothesis.
“Yeah, but I can…” Alex started to say he could do that but found it harder to focus just on breathing as he watched Michael carefully roll the shrinker up after checking to see if the abrasions and rough skin still looked as bad as before his attempt to heal. “It’ll probably still be sore but it doesn’t look or feel as bad as before you touched it.”
“Then maybe I got an actual useful power from my so-called father after all.” Michael replied, lightly adjusting the sock to remove any wrinkles before laying back beside Alex and smiling as his fiancé moved back into his arms as soon as he had. “Sleep now?”
In truth, Alex would have preferred to just watch Michael sleep, but he knew given everything he’d been through, even with being healed, that he was still exhausted and needed sleep. He also knew Michael wouldn’t let himself sleep unless he did so with a nod, body fully relaxed for the first time in weeks as he felt Michael’s arms hold him tighter and slowly sleep began to overtake him.
“I love you, Michael,” he murmured, settling to the steady beating heart under his ear and the strong fingers laced with his to finally sleep.
“Love you always, Alex,” Michael returned softly, laying still to just let himself watch Alex fall into a restful sleep with his head on Michael’s chest and their hands joined.
Holding Alex after they’d made love always made Michael happy because it gave him a chance to see Alex at peace and to know that after so long they were finally at the place they needed to be.
Now as he started to let his own mind and body relax so sleep would come, Michael smiled more as he also considered in a few weeks he and Alex would take the next step in their lives and be married.
Michael still had plans to build Alex a gazebo like his model but right that second as he held Alex closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead, he was making plans that involved making a set of rings.
“My heart and soul, always and forever,” he whispered into the silent bedroom before falling to sleep happy and content that he had Alex back and nothing would ever tear them apart again.
The End