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Michael stands uneasy, twiddling his hands nervously, in the doorway of Alex's - maybe their - bedroom. Michael practically lives at the cabin now, but it's not official yet.
"Can I say something...?" he pipes up when he sees Alex move in a way that sleeping people don't.
"Yes," Alex croaks from the bed, "I've given up on sleep for now," he says as he throws his arm over his face to block the light. "Come lie down with me? You can't get sick, right?"
"Oh, uh, can I bring you more drinks or..."
"No, that's okay. I'm still working on the Gatorade."
"Okay, well, holler if you need me..." Michael trails off, slowly inching away from the doorway and into the hall. He wants to stay, but--
"Wait, what were you going to tell me?" Alex calls out to him, then coughs.
"Um..." Michael says, shuffling back into Alex's view, "Promise you won't be... irritated?"
Alex props himself up on his elbows to look at Michael properly. "What did you do...?"
"I didn't do anything, it's just a weird thing... at best, insensitive..." Michael admits quietly.
"Spill, Guerin," Alex says, resigned, as he flops back flush with the bed.
"Well... I'm kind of weirdly very, um, attracted to you right now-- I mean, I always am, but like, more than usual for when we're just, you know, hanging out. Feels more like you've been teasing me for hours, or somethin'. Like I need a cold shower. But you're sick, so that doesn't seem like the right thing for me to be feeling...?"
"I have quite a fever," Alex says casually, the verbal equivalent of a shrug.
"Yeah I know," Michael says sheepishly, focusing his attention at his feet, toeing at the carpet, "I'm sorry. I told you it was weird. I don't like to see you uncomfortable, so I shouldn't feel like this. And I shouldn't have mentioned it at all. I just didn't want to keep avoiding being near you because I feel funny, and you not knowing why, since I can't get sick."
"You don't have to explain," Alex says knowingly, tone gentle, "You're turned on because my body temperature is up. I know it's not because I'm sick and gross - don't worry about it. It's just your physiology. And," he chuckles a little, "I'm pretty used to it by now. It's usually endearing."
Michael looks up suddenly, totally perplexed. "What?"
Alex's face turns equally stunned at Michael's confusion.
"Aliens have higher body temperatures..." Alex says slowly, "...the fever makes me seem more alien... your body responds to that in someone you're already attracted to because it's comforting or exciting or... I don't know? Even though most of the time it's not my temperature actually up, just my skin being warm, but still, that seems to do it for you. At least that's how I always figured it. Didn't you?"
"No..." Michael says, crossing his arms and settling into a lean against the door frame.
"Well, what did you think the reason was?" Alex prods.
"You're talking about this like it happens all the time," Michael shakes his head, like the answer might come loose that way, "And I don't remember ever being around for you having a fever before."
Alex laughs softly. "Oh, Michael... Come sit here. It hurts to talk loud enough for you to hear me over there."
Michael eyes Alex cautiously.
"I won't get offended if you get excited. I'll take it as a compliment," Alex assures him. It's meant as a joke, but it's sincere.
Michael huffs and saunters over, sitting himself down on the other side of the bed.
Alex rolls onto his side and gets comfortable, but leaves Michael to have his space.
"It's not just about fevers," Alex starts.
"Go on...." Michael drawls.
"Have you given any thought to why morning snuggles are your favourite snuggles? When I'm all toasty and sleep-warm..."
"I don't know what you mean," Michael says a little defensively.
"I'm literally quoting you. Last week, I had to leave early, and as I tried to get out of bed, you whined at me, 'But Alex, morning snuggles are my favourite snuggles.'"
"I said that? Snuggles?" Michael looks mildly mortified.
"You were half asleep, but you said it."
Michael shakes his head, amusement playing across his face. "I can't believe you put that body heat theory together just from my cuddle habits..."
"I didn't - there's more..."
Michael raises an eyebrow.
"How many times have you nabbed me coming out of a hot shower? Told me I was irresistible like that?"
"You're always irresistible," Michael says, flashing a charming grin.
Alex smiles shyly, burying half his face into his pillow, thinking for a moment, and then--
"Or, how about this - when I've taken the heating pad off my lower back, after a bad leg day? You find all these ways to drape yourself over my back. And you're never interested in the heating pad itself - you couldn't care less about that. You always go for my warm skin."
Michael's brow furrows as he considers this.
"And, remember when we went to the beach in the summer, I'd been lying out in the sun and when you were helping me re-apply sunblock you got so riled up just putting it on my back? You dragged me off to the hotel basically plastered to me the whole way even though it was so hot out, and we didn't leave the bed for hours..."
"I dunno... I just thought it was the lotion and the touching?" Michael tries by way of explanation.
Alex shakes his head against the pillow, hiding a gleeful grin. "I've even used this knowledge on you on purpose!"
"What? When?"
"Most recently... a few weeks ago. I carried the sheets fresh out of the dryer in my arms, tossed them in a basket, then came up behind you in the kitchen and put my hot hands under your shirt, wrapped my warm arms around your waist... You practically purred." Alex adds slyly, "And you know what happened next."
Michael gulps, grabs a pillow from the bed, and hugs it to himself. "To be fair, sticking your hands under my shirt would have gotten a rise out of me even if they were at normal temperature."
"Sure," Alex concedes, "but in that case we might have actually made it into the bedroom..."
"True," Michael admits with a huff of a laugh.
"So, you really never put this together?" Alex asks.
"No! I'm an idiot. How did I not notice this about myself?" Michael exclaims, melodramatically putting his head in his hands.
"I thought you knew, or I would have brought it up," Alex says apologetically.
Michael sighs, "Nah, that's fair. I'm supposed to be a genius," he shrugs, "But, so, you definitely think it's an alien thing, not a me thing?"
"That's my guess. It's only natural to desire to be with your own species. Probably some evolutionary procreation thing," Alex says, wistfully, on Michael's behalf.
"Hey," Michael says tenderly, finally daring to reach out and touch Alex, electing to stroke his cheek, "Of course I wish I could meet other aliens, but it's not because I long to find an alien mate or something - or that you're not enough. You're everything, you know that, right?"
Alex smiles softly and nods into Michael's hand. The mood seems suddenly too heavy, but Michael can fix that.
"And so what if I like you a little better after you've had a hot shower?" Michael says with a smirk, "Pretty sure you prefer me after a shower too."
Alex grins warmly, and wiggles closer towards Michael. Michael gives in and slides down the propped up pillows onto the bed, rolling over on his side to face Alex, their noses nearly touching.
"I wouldn't trade you for anything or anyone in the universe," Michael hums lovingly, before placing a kiss on the very tip of Alex's nose, which scrunches involuntarily at the silly kitten lick Michael adds.
"Good," Alex sighs contently, "Because you may be an idiot, but you're my idiot."