"You know where I started that year. Coming back. Leaving the Air Force. Forrest. Do you want to know where I ended it?" He reached up with his free hand and cupped the back of Michael's neck. "With you. Walking hand-in-hand down Main Street. Because you weren't the only one who had some growing to do."
Alex's heart was pounding a little. Losing Michael because Alex was in love with Kyle was not something that Alex would have expected. But then, before it had been Michael who'd slept with Kyle first. More or less. Michael who had come to terms with loving multiple people first. Michael who had been patient with Alex while he had his existential crisis. So Alex could be patient now.
But first there were a few things they had to get straight and his fingers shifted and curled in Michael's hair.
"First of all, no. I don't think it means what you're thinking. I think it means that neither of us had good role models for love when we were young and then my father happened and I left for ten years. And it was kind of like we hit pause on figuring out what adult relationships were supposed to look like. Do I think it'll be easy? No. Do I think it'll be worth it? Always.
Second, I'm not trying to push anything on you. I know the first few days, weeks can be a mess and I'm not doing any favors with the information rush. I just need you to know where I am. I haven't fallen into the weeds the way Kyle has, but I'm not the same person I was back in Roswell. Probably for the best, because if I hadn't had Kyle when you disappeared..." His voice caught and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Even with Kyle, he'd broken. Badly.
"But I think that year you were dating Maria proved that we can be friends if nothing else. And I'm fine with being that while you get your feet under you and figure out what you want." A beat. "Or with benefits if you need help with quota."
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Alex's heart was pounding a little. Losing Michael because Alex was in love with Kyle was not something that Alex would have expected. But then, before it had been Michael who'd slept with Kyle first. More or less. Michael who had come to terms with loving multiple people first. Michael who had been patient with Alex while he had his existential crisis. So Alex could be patient now.
But first there were a few things they had to get straight and his fingers shifted and curled in Michael's hair.
"First of all, no. I don't think it means what you're thinking. I think it means that neither of us had good role models for love when we were young and then my father happened and I left for ten years. And it was kind of like we hit pause on figuring out what adult relationships were supposed to look like. Do I think it'll be easy? No. Do I think it'll be worth it? Always.
Second, I'm not trying to push anything on you. I know the first few days, weeks can be a mess and I'm not doing any favors with the information rush. I just need you to know where I am. I haven't fallen into the weeds the way Kyle has, but I'm not the same person I was back in Roswell. Probably for the best, because if I hadn't had Kyle when you disappeared..." His voice caught and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Even with Kyle, he'd broken. Badly.
"But I think that year you were dating Maria proved that we can be friends if nothing else. And I'm fine with being that while you get your feet under you and figure out what you want." A beat. "Or with benefits if you need help with quota."