TFLN Continuations

[thenewnormal]

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I am! https://www.plurk.com/lovelyambition over there!

[littleorphanalien]

Michael frowned when Alex said he didn't need the crutch, but he didn't argue. Then, Alex had to go and add that incredible fact, which had Michael stunned. "Are you serious? Tell me there's footage," he begged, because he had a brand new lock screen if there was. It wouldn't even take long to make, but the thought of Alex clocking the old man with the crutch was...

Wow, yeah, he didn't even have words for how stupidly, petty happy that made him feel.

Stepping out onto his makeshift porch, he waited for Alex to join him. If he wasn't going to go get the crutch, that meant he was going to be watching this. Before he moved the trailer, he caught Alex's eye and tried to understand what words would make what was about to happen okay. "I wanted to tell you," he decided on, "but it's never been just my secret to tell."

With one last glance around the junkyard to make sure no one was there, he focused on his trailer, his powers shifting it to reveal the sealed fallout bunker entrance underneath. Raising his brows like he hadn't just used telekinesis in front of Alex, he gestured to it, hands in the air like that was that, before letting them fall.

[littleorphanalien]

Make some noise when you show up, maybe a signal.

Last thing I need is Long finding me with my jeans unbuttoned and teasing myself.

[thenewnormal]

Alex chuckled though it was little more than a soft huff of breath. If there'd been footage, he probably could have used it as blackmail in its own right. The manliest Manes man of them all taken down by his cripple, gay, disappointment of a son. He'd never get over the shame. But then he had something else to pay attention to and his own brows flew up.

"Damn," he muttered. "The old bastard was right after all." Not about Michael. Alex was pretty sure he'd never be able to believe that Michael was some kind of terrorist. But he'd said that Michael was an alien and even though he'd seen a lot of things the last couple of weeks, even though he'd already all but accused Michael of it, it was still one thing to suspect and another to see for yourself.

"I was hoping he wasn't."

Not because it changed what he thought of Michael or Max or Isobel, but because of what it would mean if his father was actually right and compiling evidence. If he'd been delusional, it would have been so much easier to deal with. Of course, if he'd really thought his father was delusional, he would have turned him in at the first talk of aliens.

[thenewnormal]

... Not something I want to think about, thanks.

[littleorphanalien]

Don't worry, he's not even close to my type.

[littleorphanalien]

"Right about what?" Michael didn't like the sound of that at all, but he kept going down the rabbit hole. Which was saying something, given that his next move was to pry off the cover with his powers, revealing the stairs down to the fallout bunker below.

He gave Alex a tired raise of his brows. "I warned you that you might need something," was all he said.

Michael felt so tired. Even with the secret out in the open, did that change anything? Now Alex knew, but he was here out of concern, not for any of the reasons Michael wanted him here. To avoid having to look at him or say anything else, he descended into the research lab, peering up as he waited if Alex planned on joining him.

[everything4him]

Bass ducked his head, laughing a little. "I think I might need to know what I did to move into it, first?" Though, yes, he'd admit it was good, if he was stuck there, that Alex liked strange.

He let the other part of the conversation go; it wasn't exactly the type of conversation he wanted to have when he was just getting to know someone. Later, maybe, once they'd gotten to know each other better.

He tilted his head in some. "To be fair, I'm still trying to figure out how to convince you I'm not an old man."

[thenewnormal]

Alex paused as the beer was heading to his lips. "I'm sure you'll figure out some way," he said, the grin returning. "You might even enjoy the challenge." He took the sip he'd been waiting on and then considered Bass.

"You were wondering what I did for fun and I'm a bit boring. What about you? Surfing doesn't count. You already mentioned that." Who knows. Maybe he'd give Alex a few ideas. To be fair, surfing did kind of sound fun. And it had been long enough that he should probably think about having fun again. He wasn't doing anyone any good by moping.

Although to be fair, his current 'for fun' entertainment was pretty good. Flirting with Bass should qualify as having fun.

[everything4him]

"I'll make it a priority for the evening." Bass watched Alex's beer, letting his gaze settle on his lips, on the way he took the sip, the moisture there afterward.

He smiled, focused on the question. "Beyond surfing? Hmmm...I box. Train or spar several times a week. If I'm somewhere there's a league set up on base, I usually play baseball or softball in the spring. I played in high school, had a scholarship, but then 9/11 happened, and I followed Miles into the Marines instead. But I still love to play." He traced a finger around the top of his beer bottle. "Music. I play piano well and guitar adequately. Miles plays guitar. We tried to have a band in high school, but drummers were in short supply in a town of 15000 people. But, we mess around with them when we find others who want to play. And I read a lot. History, military history in particular, mostly the Civil War."

He flashed Alex a grin. "And, this, of course. Spending time out on the town with pleasant company."

[thenewnormal]

"I used to be in the high school band. One of my older brothers used to play the guitar and he left his when he left home. I guess we both stopped playing when we joined up." Because of course his brothers had. They were the ones that his dad had wanted and it was Alex that was the freak. And yet here he was. "I guess that's why I like computers. They've always just been...mine, you know?"

And he found such interesting ways to use them. If his father knew half of what Alex was getting up to, he'd probably have an aneurysm. Sure, his learning was thanks to the U.S. Government, but he was pretty sure they wouldn't approve of some of the ways he was using what they were teaching him. He was also smart enough to know what not to attempt. Yet.

He pointed at Bass. "So you know? Old man alert. Who says 'pleasant company' anymore?"

[thenewnormal]

I'd have to question your taste if he were.

[thenewnormal]

Alex had already opened his mouth to answer when Michael nearly jumped into the damn hole. He sighed and followed Michael down the ladder. He'd clearly had practice with the same movements because he was down faster than he probably would have been otherwise. He had to make sure his prosthetic didn't get caught by the rails of the ladder, but because of the climbing he'd done in the cabin, he'd gotten used to the adjustment.

"And I told you," he said, rounding on Michael when he reached the bottom, "that I'm fine. You want to ask your question again or are you going to run away before I get to answer it?"

[littleorphanalien]

Nah, I like them pretty. Warm eyes. Kind heart. Great body and an even better ass.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael hesitated at the bottom of the ladder, an arm out for Alex just in case he needed the help, even if he kept his distance when Alex seemed fine. He wasn't forgetting the part where Alex put space between them and while Michael really didn't want it, he could respect that distance.

He tugged his lower lip into his mouth with a bite as he flicked the lights of the bunker on, leading Alex inside. "What's your Dad right about, Alex?" he asked, even if the bunker Alex was in was probably plenty of a confession to answer whatever accusation Jesse had leveled on him.

[thenewnormal]

You like my ass, huh?

[Cue a very loud honk from the car.]

[littleorphanalien]

Michael reached both hands up in the air, like he needed to prove, "Look Ma, no touching," he called back to Alex, even though he definitely had unbuttoned his jeans and the band of his boxers were peeking out. He was pinned against the cab of his truck, definitely tipsy, but with his head lolled to the side, he had a real nice view of Alex approaching.

"It's not a bad feature," he called over to Alex, while he was getting out of his car. "Definitely one of your best," he guaranteed, hand sneaking lower now that Alex was here.

[thenewnormal]

"He told me there were aliens in Roswell. He also said you've been using me for the last ten years and that you and Max and Isobel are terrorists, but I guess for him, one out of three is a good enough track record." Besides, knowing his father, he absolutely believed all three of them.

There wasn't really any surprise or confusion in Alex's face. Instead, there was just resignation. This only made everything more complicated.

[thenewnormal]

Alex all but vaulted over to and up on the truck. His eyes narrowed when he saw where Michael's hand was going and he grabbed it before it could go anywhere he wanted his to go. He let go after squeezing Michael's wrist and then tugged his shirt off, tossing it in the corner of the truth.

"You can feel free to appreciate it." Then came the shoes and socks. "After you hand over the hat."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael glanced over at Alex, not exactly heartened by the look on his face. His head fell and he tried not to feel that aching stab in his heart that always came right before Alex walked away. Heading inside, he figured in for a penny, might as well get that pound, gesturing to the papers, and moving to tug at the tarp.

"I'm pretty sure barfighting isn't exactly terrorist activity, but I'll alert the Pentagon," he mocked, revealing the ship that he's been trying to rebuild, running a hand through his hair as he gestured to it, feeling more exhausted than he'd ever been. "I've never done anything like use you. I couldn't. You mean too much to me."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael grinned at Alex as he let him take hold of his hand, reaching over for the hat with a waggle of his brows, tipping it back and forth before he set it on top of Alex's head when he was sure the shirt wasn't going back on.

"I'm getting much closer to appreciating," he guaranteed. "You got a few things in the way before I can do that, though," he pointed out. He was already starting to get ramped up, his energy brimming. "My mouth's looking forward to some appreciating."

[thenewnormal]

He leaned in and kissed Michael first, nibbling a little on his lower lip. "You don't get to argue about my timing." He reached for his jeans, working on undoing the button and fly. "Not when I had to practically steal the car to get out here." He definitely owed Liz and he had no idea how he was going to explain why he'd needed to use it.

He shoved the jeans and boxers both off and then went in for another kiss, deeper this time.

[thenewnormal]

Alex was drawn by the plans. He was in the air force. It wasn't his field, but he recognized aircraft blueprints. Only, judging by the piece he'd found at the cabin, whatever ship they'd been on hadn't been in one piece. There'd be no way for Michael to reverse engineer a ship from that. Which meant that the design was his own.

Alex found that his fingers were curling the corner of the blueprint into a ball.

"I never said you did," he snapped. "We were teenagers. The only grand conspiracy you might have had was getting into my pants."

[littleorphanalien]

Oh, good, so they were going to get in trouble. Michael tried really hard not to find that exciting, but the look on his face probably wasn't helping his case because he felt like he was finally getting to live a little.

He captured Alex's cheek with a hand, coaxing him deeper, wrapping his leg around him to dig his heel in and pull him in. "I made you a promise," he said breathlessly, even if he didn't want to let go. "You gonna let me keep it?"

[littleorphanalien]

"Hey, careful," Michael said, a touch urgent as he watched as Alex started to press on the blueprint in a way that might damage it. He didn't have that many and he wanted to make sure that Alex wasn't doing it harm.

His anger, though, was something he didn't know how to cope with.

"I didn't even realize I wanted to do that," Michael admitted, reaching over to try and slowly pry the blueprint away. "Until that day in your toolshed, I didn't know...I didn't know what I wanted, then I did. Then it wasn't about manipulating you, I just really, really liked you."

He loved Alex, but that part, he wasn't planning on sharing out loud.

[everything4him]

"Uh, people from midwestern farming towns do. So, that's more a culture thing than age," Bass protested with a laugh.

He nodded, though, at the comment about computers, about the needing something that was just yours, even though he didn't really understand that anymore than Alex did having a friendship like his and Miles. He'd never really had anything that was just his, because he'd always had things that were theirs, his and Miles. Maybe their relationship was his thing, but that was still theirs.

He tilted his head, giving Alex a curious look. "Why'd you stop playing? And what do you like doing most on computers?"