Work Text:
The First Month
Email from Michael to Alex:
A,
You’ll keep in touch when you can, right? We’re going to miss you around here.
M
ps I’m proud of you, sorry that’s cheesy.
—
Alex to Michael:
M,
I promise I’m coming back. This is just something I have to do. I’ll do my best not to fall entirely off the grid.
A
ps yeah, yeah, whatever. Thanks.
*****
The Second Month
Text Exchange:
Michael: Max is treating us to some karaoke atm. I’m not drunk enough for this. I’ve never been drunk enough for this in my life
Alex: Oh god what’s he singing?
Michael: It’s Britney, bitch!
Alex: Big yikes, take video pls
Michael: Oh, Isobel is on that shit, she’ll be sharing with the group chat
*****
The Third Month
Email from Alex to Michael:
M,
I found this whole satellite office. Can’t say a lot here obviously but I’m taking care of it. Getting info to you through secure channel via Kyle. Potentially some medical info, but I don’t know enough to tell if it’s useful. Anyone in touch with Liz? She’s shitty at texting me back.
A
—
Michael to Alex:
A,
I haven’t spoken to Liz, Max certainly hasn’t. Kyle’s been our go-between. Dude’s a saint, super annoying how hard it is to hate him these days.
Be careful, Manes. You’re worth more than the information.
M
*****
The Fourth Month
Text Exchange:
Michael: You know we all really miss you?
Alex: It’s nearly two in the morning in Roswell
Michael: You responded right away, so pot-kettle, mister
Alex: Well you don’t know what time it is where I am, do you?
Michael: I’m pretty sure you’re in the contiguous united states, Alex Manes, so don’t give me that shit
Alex: Go to sleep
Michael: I mean it. I fucking miss you. My chest hurts
Alex: Are you drunk?
Michael: What do you think? It’s two in the morning, genius
Alex: I’m sighing heavily rn
Michael: You’re cute when you’re rolling your eyes at me
Alex: Go to sleep, Guerin.
Michael: You have pretty eyes
Alex: This is not a good idea. Which you’ll remember in the morning.
Michael: What if I don’t care?
Alex: You will. Drink some water, okay?
Michael: You’re not the boss of me.
Alex: I know.
*****
The Fifth Month
Email from Alex to Michael:
Michael,
Do you remember that time in sophomore year when Mrs. Harris gave us group assignments where we had to act out scenes from Macbeth? You did the “is this a dagger I see before me” monologue and I think everyone had fully expected you to phone it in but you were like weirdly really good. Theatrical, captivating. Like you knew the weight and fear of your hands acting without conscious control. I couldn’t stop staring at those hands in class while you were speaking. You held them with such care, like you knew the harm they could do, like you were afraid of yourself. I swear you were the only one who understood what you were saying. You’d actually taken the assignment seriously. Didn’t peg you for someone who gave a shit about Shakespeare.
That curl at the front of your hair kept falling forward into your eye. Your jeans had a hole in them at the knee. I had such an embarrassing crush on you.
Alex
—
Additional Email from Alex to Michael:
M,
Ignore me, please.
A.
—
Michael to Alex:
There was this time in AP euro history, the seam of my backpack split just as I was leaving class. It had been falling apart for literal years, I hadn’t been able to get a new one. You were one of the last people there and you rushed forward to help me pick up all my shit before anyone else could see. I had my only change of clothes in there, and extra food I’d stolen from the cafeteria so I’d have something to eat that night. You didn’t say anything. You pulled your notebooks out of your backpack and shoved the bag at me.
I think I told you to fuck off.
After that it was just a matter of getting the nerve up to talk to you again. Sorry I went with guitar theft as my opening move. What can I say, I was just a dumb fucking kid and I wanted you to notice me.
Love,
Michael
*****
The Sixth Month
Text Exchange:
Alex: I have to go dark for a while.
Michael: What does that mean?
Alex: Just wanted to warn you, I told Maria too, and Greg. Radio silence for about a week, I’ll let you know when I’m back.
Michael: What are you doing?
Alex: Obviously can’t say in writing
Michael: You’re not doing this alone, are you?
Alex: I’ll be fine.
Michael: Promise?
Michael: Right, yeah, obviously no promises. Be careful. Be the carefulest careful you’ve ever been in your life
Michael: Seriously.
…
Michael: Hey so it’s been five days
Michael: Legally you have to tell me if you’re dead
Michael: Otherwise it’s entrapment
…
Michael: It’s been a week
Michael: You okay?
Michael: Everything go according to plan?
Michael: Because if you need anything, you should ask. You know any of us would drop what we’re doing and
Michael: Max is being weird. He seems happy but I think he’s still fucked up over Liz
Michael: I texted Liz today. She says she hasn’t heard from you either.
…
Michael: Put me out of my misery, please
Michael: Greg hasn’t heard anything. Nobody’s heard anything
Michael: i can’t fucking sleep
Michael: Alex, I swear to god
…
Call from Michael Guerin to Alex Manes: no answer
Call from Michael Guerin to Alex Manes: no answer
Call from Michael Guerin to Alex Manes: no answer
…
Alex: Hey, I’m back
Michael: jesus FUCKING christ
Alex: I’m fine
Michael: I hate you so much right now oh my god
Alex: I’m sorry.
Alex: Hey, I’m really sorry. Took a little longer than expected but everything’s good
Michael: call your brother, call Maria. you’re going to get yelled at
Alex: Yeah, yeah. I can take care of myself, you know
Michael: Yeah, I fucking know
*****
The Seventh Month
Text Exchange:
Alex: I got to see Forrest today. First time in almost two months
Michael: How is he?
Alex: I mean you might be seeing him more than I do, he’s still in Roswell most of the time
Michael: Funny enough, the two of us aren’t exactly pals these days
Alex: He’s a good person
Michael: Didn’t say he wasn’t
Alex: Sorry. This was my attempt at subtly telling you I’m still seeing him
Michael: Incredibly subtle. Kudos. And yeah, I knew that already
Alex: Okay
Michael: Okay
Alex: Don’t passive aggressive okay me
Michael: You did it first
Alex: I just don’t like the idea of you not knowing stuff about me
Michael: I know the stuff that matters, the rest is just details
Alex: I don’t know if Forrest is just a detail or not. Like I just don’t know. He’s a good guy, I really like him. I’m bad at knowing how you’re supposed to feel about someone you’re dating. I don’t have any real practice with it
Alex: How did you know Maria was worth it?
Michael: She’s Maria, she’s amazing. Come on.
Alex: Yeah, but how could you tell that with her it was more than just
Alex: you know
Michael: do me a favor and have this conversation with literally anybody else, Alex
Alex: sorry
Alex: you’re right
Alex: i’m a dick
Michael: well yeah, what else is new?
Michael: ❤
*****
The Eighth Month
Email from Michael to Alex:
There are so many things we can’t say in writing obviously, so bear with me here:
There’s this dilemma and I’m working on building a thing to deal with it. Max is all “hurry up we’ve got to deal with the Thing” but I kind of don’t want to. We’ve got it contained, and it’s something that can’t hurt us unless we try and fuss with it.
It’s so weird, after everything we’ve found out in the past couple of years I feel ready to let the past be the past. Max was always the one who didn’t want to do any digging, and now it’s like we’ve traded places.
I’m nervous that if I keep poking around, I won’t like what I find. But it’s not just about me. It never is. If Max and Isobel want something from me, I have to give it to them. Always.
Am I selfish for wishing it was different? I want to adopt a dog and like… join a book club. Is that insane?
When I used to think about leaving, I never imagined asking their permission. I never imagined taking them with me.
I would have broken their hearts, isn’t that wild to think about?
M
—
Alex to Michael:
Michael,
I think you should trust your gut. I certainly trust it more than I trust Max’s.
Maybe wait for me to get back in town before you start fucking with stuff that could hurt you. I don’t like the thought of not being there if you need me.
Alex
—
Michael to Alex:
Hypocrite.
—
Alex to Michael:
It’s my shit to clean up, I don’t have a choice. I’m being careful, I know you don’t believe me, but I am.
—
Michael to Alex:
But god forbid I want to be there for you too. When are you coming home?
—
Alex to Michael:
I don’t know. Soon. I want it to be soon.
*****
The Ninth Month
Text Exchange:
Michael: okay so Isobel’s been seeing this girl, right, and she’s keeping her away from us because she finds her brothers embarrassing which is like, hey, honestly wtf Isobel i am a delight
Michael: but anyway I defo just walked in on them grinding up on each other in the back hall of Planet 7, my eyeballs did not need to see that
Michael: but she’s super hot, Isobel’s not messing around w this whole queer awakening thing
Michael: the question is. am i being a supportive brother if i politely pretend not to have seen them. or should I be obnoxious and literally never ever let this go
Michael: Clock’s ticking.
(The next morning)
Alex: I wasn’t aware you had a choice about being obnoxious.
Michael: oh ha HA
Alex: have a nice time last night?
Michael: ended up leaving Isobel to her sexy lesbian lover without interference
Alex: how thoughtful. But i mean what about you? Find anything good?
Michael: are you asking me if i hooked up
Alex: maybe
Michael: is that weird
Alex: maybe
Michael: made out with a guy on the dance floor for a while but couldn’t seal the deal
Alex: why not?
Michael: don’t ask me that. I can do this whole friends thing, but not if you ask me that
Alex: fine
Michael: how’s Forrest?
Alex: he’s good. Fuck you
Michael: right back atcha
*****
The Tenth Month
Text Exchange:
Alex: Sorry, I think I’m the one who makes things weird. I don’t mean to. I’m bad at this
Michael: literally everyone’s bad at this
Michael: don’t sweat it, you and me are good
Michael: always
*****
The Eleventh Month
Email from Michael to Alex:
Alex,
Just had sort of an informal meeting with the whole squad, they elected me to fill you in on stuff which is funny because literally can’t say any of the real shit in an email, but the gist:
Maria’s still, you know, doing her thing and not wearing certain pieces of jewelry, and we’re all worried about her.
Liz is really only keeping up with Maria and Kyle, she’s trying to work on Maria’s thing, but she’s got this lab partner and she can’t fill him in entirely either, so that’s limiting.
Still super weird to have Greg in the loop. Just a couple years ago it was only the three of us and now there are so many people who know my business. You’d think it would freak me out but actually it’s kind of nice? Having friends who you don’t have to lie to all the time? Yeesh, who knew. Your brother’s actually pretty awesome, Alex, I’m glad you’re not the only Manes worth a damn. You deserve to have family worth knowing.
Rosalinda’s doing well, I guess. As well as can be expected. I think she and Liz are talking regularly which is good.
Max is a fucking freakshow these days, I swear he’s slept with every semi-available woman in town and most of the tourists to boot. Isobel and I are thinking of staging an intervention, but we disagree about whether we should be putting a stop to his slutty slutty ways, or whether we should encourage him to shake off the yoke of culturally dominant sexuality and try taking men for a spin.
I’ll leave you to determine which side of the argument I’m on.
But seriously I am a little worried about Max. Trying not to be pissed at Liz for leaving, I know she had her reasons. It’s been almost a year, it’s not actually her fault that he’s this pathetic.
(Obviously I’d be a hypocrite too, if I told him to get over it.)
I hear through the grapevine (my ex-girlfriend, who btw keeps making eyes at your brother? are you aware of this newest development?) that you might be coming home soon. I hope it’s true. I got used to having you around.
Michael
*****
The Twelfth Month
Text Exchange:
Alex: I’m back on the 16th!
Michael: Seriously? !!
Alex: yeah, just got flights, taking the bus in. gonna be so weird to be back.
Michael: The place hasn’t changed
Alex: people still talking about my dad all the time?
Michael: ugh I tend to leave the room if it comes up. But yeah, big ol’ hero dies in tragic accident, it’s going to be the talk of the town for a long time to come
Alex: Yipee
Michael: We should throw you a party or something
Alex: what? ew, don’t you dare
Michael: it’s been a YEAR, Manes, your friends are allowed to miss you
Alex: no party. we should have like, a debrief meeting though, i’ve got shit to fill you all in on. mostly good news, there’s a lot less to worry about than there was a year ago
Michael: thanks to you. You should be the one with the statue
Alex: aww you’re so full of shit
Michael: nuh uh. you’re the big damn hero in my book, and Max and Isobel say the same
Alex: i’m blushing? you asshole?
Michael: i’ve decided i’m going to be a guy who compliments people all the time now lol. you can’t stop me, I’ve evolved. I’m nice now. Nice and SINCERE. It’s freaking people out, I can tell.
Alex: I bet
Alex: seriously though. it’ll be good to see everyone
Michael: is ‘everyone’ code for ‘me’?
Alex: yeah
Alex: also no, I do have other friends
Alex: stop fishing
Michael: not until i catch something
Alex: see you in a week?
Michael: see you in a week