RIN RIN YOU KNOW THE SCENE IN THE NOTEBOOK WHERE THEY KISS IN THE RAIN? What about a one shot of that but itâs Malex? But Alex isnât engaged to another man?
Michael checked his phone again. No new messages or calls.
It was coming down heavy now, and Alex had yet to make an appearance. Michael paced the length of his airstream, since theyâd agreed Alex would spend the night, but now he was wondering if maybe it wouldâve been kinder to bring Alex back to his own house since there was less risk of it getting toppled over in the storm.
But what if Alex was already on his way? What if Michael turned five minutes into an hour because he had Alex take detour after detour. Not that it mattered anyway since Alex wasnât picking up his calls, and it was torturing him to wonder why. His body was vibrating. The last time Alex ignored his calls was because heâd lost sight of everything but his work on the Lockhart Machine and that insanity nearly got him killed.
âWhoa,â he murmured to himself, taking a seat at the edge of his bed, his foot tapping nervously on the floor. âCalm down.â There were a million possibilities for Alex being late, a million reasons that had nothing to do with death or injury.
Yeah, this wasnât working. Michael had had enough waiting. Had Eduardo Ramos given him a less than subtle threat about coming back to their headquarters for any reason the last time heâd broken in? Absolutely. But this was Alex. Ramos always seemed to make exceptions for Alex.
Michael grabbed his keys and stormed out of his airstream, not caring about getting soaked, and opened his truck door just as a pair of headlights made their appearance by the junkyard gate. Michaelâs shoulders slumped, and he ran a hand through his curls, pushing them back.
Heâd had no idea how hard his heart had been hammering until it calmed and his chest pinched. He breathed shakily.
Alex stepped out of his car, brows furrowed and expression concerned. At the sight of Michael, heâd left his umbrella behind.
âIâm so sorry,â he said at once.
âYou canât do that, Alex,â Michael told him, shaking his head. âYou canât scare me like that, not after the Lockhart Machine ââ
âI know, I know,â Alex said, meeting him halfway and letting Michael pull him into a crushing hug. He spoke into Michaelâs neck to be heard over the rain. âIâm sorry, as soon as I realized that my phone died, I tried to get back as quick as I could, I didnât want you to freak out. Iâm sorry, Guerin.â
Michael wished he could say it was okay, that he didnât really mind, but he did. He was so sick of not knowing whether or not Alex was safe. It felt like heâd spent every day since that moment in the toolshed not knowing, and it was torture.
In the end, he could only shake his head and hold Alex tighter. He didnât care that he was getting soaked, all he cared about was touching as much of Alex as he could, reassuring himself that his airman was alive and safe.
It was crazy to him, and so, sostupid, but heâd missed him. Heâd only been away from Alex a few hours, but he missedhim enough that it had kept him from breathing easy. It was just them in that storm, Michaelâs breaths loud and labored against the crook of Alexâs neck, Alex whispering reassurances and apologies into his ear.
âI love you so much,â Alex whispered into his ear, and Michael whimpered before he could help it. âI love you. Breathe, baby, Iâm okay.â
Michael loved him. He loved how well he understood him. Since that day heâd pulled Alex off the ledge, Alex had come out battered and bruised, but as strong as always a few days later. It was Michael who couldnât get the image of him on that ledge out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he imagined a life without Alex, and it threatened to kill him.
âKiss me,â he pleaded against Alexâs neck. âPlease, kiss ââ
Michaelâs words cut off with a gasp as Alex tilted his chin back enough to slot their mouths together. Michael groaned, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, grabbing onto Alexâs face tightly, refusing to let him move so much as an inch away.
Despite the heavy rain, Michaelâs skin burned. He wrapped his arms around Alexâs body to keep the cold away, slipping a hand beneath his shirt, and Alex moaned at the warmth. Michael was happy to swallow it.
âGuerin ââ he tried, and Michael crashed their mouths together again.
He opened and closed his mouth against Alexâs again and again, opening his mouth wider every time and tasting Alexâs tongue. Michael reached one hand into Alexâs wet hair, tugging at the roots and the other hand down to Alexâs thigh, pulling it up to his waist.
Alex winced and was forced to pull away, burying his face in Michaelâs shoulder. Michael too late realized that he was pulling on Alexâs one good leg, forcing him to stand on his prosthetic in the damp earth.
âIâm sorry,â he breathed against Alexâs lips. âIâm sorry, baby.â
âDonât stop,â Alex pleaded, hugging Michaelâs neck. âI want you to keep kissing me.â
Michael growled, sliding Alexâs shirt up to his chest and dragging his hands down Alexâs stomach. âCome on,â he breathed, pulling Alexâs shirt back down, though he knew it would do little to warm him since he was already soaked. âInside. I canât let my baby get sick.â
âI donât care,â Alex murmured, pulling Michael in again. He managed a brush of their lips that had Michael growling, but Michael pulled away, using his powers to pick Alex up and wrapping his legs around his own waist.
Alex gasped and bucked his hips into Michaelâs, making him groan.
âI got you, Private,â Michael told him, their brows pressed together. âJust hold on tight to me.â
Alex could only nod, wrapping his arms around Michaelâs shoulders in complete trust as Michael took him inside to burn the fear still clinging to his heart with every touch.
