Title: Stranger Things

Author: Vix

Email: vix_chic@hotmail.com

Category: Friendship Alex/Michael

Dedication: To those who asked.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, but if they’re for sale… ;)

Author’s Notes: I think my stories are getting worse but I am very
optimistic for the up coming Kyle/Tess fic, and the Isabel/Maria/Liz one I’m
toying with in my head.

Feed Back: GIMME GIMME GIMME =0)


Alex walked inside the art room. There sat Michael Guerrin.
Michael whipped his head up and ripped off his earphones.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you, I didn’t think anyone was here.” Alex
said; he could feel the tips of his ears start to burn and he knew that soon
the rest of his face would too.

“Don’t worry about it Whitman, what were you doing here anyway?” Michael
asked as he turned around and started painting again after he turned off his
tape player.

“I didn’t finish my picture. It’s due Monday so I wanted to finish it.” Alex
said explaining why he was there after school had let out. “Why are you here
and where is the teacher?”

“He went home, and I didn’t finish either.” Michael said as he sat back a
little on the stool and looked back at his painting.

Alex said as he started to drag another easel across the room and towards
where Michael sat.

Their easels sat back to back as both the young men worked and concentrated
hard on each and every stroke.

“Whitman,” Michael called catching Alex’s attention. “What is yours of?”

“A goddess.” Alex answered, “Yours?”

“Same.” Michael mumbled; suddenly he was sorry he had asked him, but he
couldn’t stand not knowing what the other boy was doing. It made him
uncomfortable, but these questions were making him even more so.

Alex had to smile, they’re taste were so similar with such great
indifference’s. Isabel was blonde and strong yet weak and lonely, as was
Maria, but their appearances were so different it was hard to believe the
same kinds of traits lay within them both. They were over protective and
thoughtful, they both had the same twisted sense of humor. They both
believed in the same things and they both loved Max and Michael, and maybe
even himself.

“What?” Michael’s gruff voice brought him out of his trance.

Alex’s goofy grin was beginning to concern him. Alex had been sitting there
and starring into space for the past eight minutes he was beginning to worry
Michael.

“What do you mean what?” Alex asked as he looked back down at his painting.

“You’ve been sitting there grinning like Max, what’s up?” Michael asked and
mentally criticized himself now Alex would want to talk, and the only thing
Michael wanted to know was why he was smiling like an idiot.

“They’re so similar, but so different I find it kind of comical.” Alex
answered as he got up and went over to his art locker and started to rummage
through it trying to find the perfect shade of gold.

“Who?” Michael was now more confused than anything.

Alex stopped and turned to look at him, “Our goddesses.” Alex said in a
straight clear voice while barely nodding his head.

“Yeah, but they’d never admit it.” Michael said smirking slightly.

“There are a lot of things people won’t admit.” Alex said cautiously as he
started to blend colors together to get the perfect shade.

“What?” Michael asked caught off guard.

Alex didn’t want to scare him into silence, and he definitely didn’t want to
make him mad. He liked his body fully functioning and intact. So he said the
next line out of loyalty to one of his oldest friends. If he got hurt or
worse oh well, he owed it to Maria. “You won’t admit that you’re scared.”

Michael starred dumbfounded up at the other boy who was now finally looking
at him. “I never said I wasn’t scarred and I never said I was.”

“Yeah, but isn’t that why you’re avoiding Maria?” Alex was now confused if
he wasn’t scarred he’d hurt her what was the problem.

“I’d rather not have this conversation.” Michael said off-handily.

“I understand.” Alex said quietly.

Michael was a bit angry not at Alex but in the manner and tone in which Alex
had spoken.

“Yeah right.” Michael said with a small snort that resembled bitter
laughter.

“What you think I don’t understand, well you’re right, I don’t get why you
and Isabel do this.” Alex said raising his voice slightly, but Michael knew
it wasn’t in anger but frustration.

“Do what exactly?” Michael asked even thought he already knew the answer.

“You two play tug-o-war. I mean one day it’s all going fine, and the next
it’s back to square one.” Alex said as he laid down his paintbrush and
leaned back on his stool.


“Fine, you know what? If it will shut up, what we’re both scared of is
getting you two into trouble and hurting you both in the long run. Happy?”
Michael asked as he threw the paintbrush down forcefully on the table to his
left.

“Happy? You expect that to make me happy? Knowing that the only girl I have
ever loved can’t be with me because she is scared that I’m going to get
hurt? Well, you know something Guerrin? It doesn’t exactly make me want to
jump for joy.” Alex bellowed.

“And what? You think it makes either of us happy, to know that the people we
care about can’t get too close cause if they did they might accidentally get
killed?” Michael said with just as much conviction.

“Too close? Too close, Michael open your eyes, we have gotten as close as we
can. If you haven’t noticed that’s the reason you two are pushing us away.
Isn’t it?” Alex replied.

“We can’t have you all as a liability. If they, the skins, whatever the hell
they are, wanted to hurt us, all they would have to do is take or hurt one
of you. Anyone of you, and we’d come peaceably. That’s why we can’t have you
all so close.” Michael said standing up and walking towards Alex.

“Think about this Michael, if they do take us would it hurt any less?” Alex
was meet with silence so he continued, “If they did take Maria would you
beat yourself up over not spending as much time as possible with her, or
would you say ‘I’m glad I called things off with Maria, cause it makes me so
much more regretful’?” Alex asked that with such sarcasm it sent chills down
Michael spine.

“You don’t understand.” Michael said

Alex looked Michael in the eye, “I never will.” With that he went back to
his picture as did Michael every once in a while gazing up at each other at
different times.

Soon they were done and silence fell over them as they put their things
away.

“We don’t mean to hurt you both, it’s just…” Michael trailed off as he tried
to find the words, but they didn’t come.

“I know.” Alex said calmly, he had accepted it even though he didn’t
understand completely. He turned to look at Michael.

And Michael only nodded his head before exiting the room.

Alex stood for a little while wondering how he and Michael had become
friends. Wondering if the small strange bond they shared could rightfully be
called friendship. Maybe it was more, like family; maybe it was less, who
knew? All he knew is that it was strange.

Then again stranger things had happened in Roswell, Michael Guerrin and
Maria DeLuca for instance. Alex thought as he glanced once more at the art
room before he flipped the light switch, and shut the door.


THE END