Chapter Text
Michael woke up to the sounds of his phone going off.
Most of the time, he just ignored it, but he had an ever special ringtone for one Alex Manes that he couldn’t ignore. He groggily reached for it and answered it without even opening his eyes. The first thing he heard was loud music that made his eyes pop open.
“Hello? Alex?”
“Guerin!” he said loudly into his end, “Guerin!”
“Where are you?” Michael asked, more out of annoyance than anything else. The music was unbearable.
“I’m at Dickie’s!” Alex shouted and Michael furrowed his eyebrows. A club? “Can you- pi-?”
“What? Alex, you’re cutting out,” Michael said, though he was already fumbling to his feet, “You’re at a club?”
“Yes, I'm at a club on New Year’s! Please just come pick me up!” Alex shouted over the music, a level of desperation in his voice that was familiar in the worst way. Michael’s stomach dropped.
“Yeah, absolutely, I’ll be right there. Wait outside for me.”
The 25-minute drive to Dickie’s took less than 15 with Michael’s speeding, trying to minimize the time dedicated to what could possibly be wrong. Alex was waiting outside like he’d told him to, arms wrapped tightly around himself. Michael didn’t realize it was starting to snow until he saw little flakes in Alex’s hair. The passenger side door swung open without anyone touching it.
“Get in,” Michael urged. Alex got inside without question and curled up in the seat, trying really hard not to shiver. Michael reached behind the seat and grabbed a blanket for him before putting the heat on high.
He stared for a moment, seeing that Alex was dressed up quite nicely. He had on tight black jeans and a navy button-up. His cheekbones seemed to have something glittery on them and his eyes had neat liner and mascara on it. His hair had been tossuled in an intentional way now that it was long again. He became even more picturesque as he curled the blanket around him, pulling it up beneath his nose and his eyes closing. Michael started driving much slower than he had to get there.
“Can I ask why you were stranded at a club?” Michael asked softly. While he and Alex we’re on speaking terms, they hadn’t quite reached the “it’s 1 in the morning and I need you” stage. This seemed like a job for Liz or Kyle. Yet, here he was.
“I had a date,” Alex said softly, “He left with someone else.”
“What?” Michael asked, his eyebrows furrowed as anger started to build in him. How could someone leave him for someone else? How could someone look at him and then chose to date someone that wasn’t Alex Manes?
He said nothing because he had done that himself.
“I don’t really want to talk about it. It’s why I called you and not Kyle,” Alex grumbled, balling up even tighter. Michael let out a slow breath.
“Okay.”
The long drive back to the cabin was quiet outside of the sound of the heater. Alex didn’t move much. Michael tried not to be worried. He couldn’t help but be infuriated that someone had left him stranded, though. That was just a new level of mean.
“Thank you,” Alex said as they pulled into the driveway, reluctantly letting go of the blanket.
“Keep it,” Michael insisted. While he didn’t personally have much experience with deep-seeded chills, he’d been around Alex long enough to know that once he found a warm spot, it would take forever to find another one.
“Can I ask you a question?” Alex said, eyes on the floorboard as he tightened the blanket around him again.
“Anything.”
“Why did you like me?” he asked softly. Michael almost scoffed. “I keep getting stood up or ghosted or just rejected and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I don’t know why I’m not likable.”
Michael shook his head. “Alex, those guys are idiots.”
“Not everyone is an idiot,” Alex whispered, “I’m the common denominator.”
“Alex, I love you because you’re brave and you’re caring when you have every reason to be scared and cruel. You’re kind and selfless and a total badass and, sometimes, you’re even funny,” Michael teased, earning the smallest smile from him, “You’re gorgeous and you are strong and you are usually so assured that it actually scares me you feel like this. Fuck those guys, they just can’t handle the full package of a man that you are. You are likable and you’re lovable and I know this because I love you. And so many other people love you. Stop going for guys who go to clubs and party because you’re not that type of person and you’re not going to find someone that way. You’re looking in the wrong places.”
Alex stared at him for a moment, eyes soft and looking painfully gorgeous in the snow-covered moonlight that shined in through the window. It was unfair and inhuman. He couldn’t understand how the guy who had picked him up that night saw and still chose someone else. Who was more beautiful than him?
“Do you wanna come inside?” Alex wondered.
Michael’s stomach churned, his whole body yearning to say ‘yes, please’. It physically hurt him to know that he couldn’t. He let out a long, melodramatic sigh.
“Literally more than anything in the world, but I can’t,” he said. Alex’s face fell again. “You’re upset and I’m not trying to be someone you regret. So I can’t.”
Alex nodded slowly. “But you want to?”
“Alex, I don’t think there is anything in this world that could make me not want to,” he said earnestly, “But please don’t let that be your validation. You’re amazing and no man wanting to sleep with you has anything to do with it, not even me.”
“Okay,” Alex agreed, “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Goodnight, Michael,” Alex said, managing a smile as he held the blanket tight and opening the door. Michael hoped his words actually helped.
“Goodnight, Alex.”
He watched him walk away until he disappeared behind the cabin door.