Chapter Text
The water lapped gently at the steel beams below in a steady, relenting pattern. Michael had read once that water, given enough time, could cut through anything. So, it stood to reason that, eventually, this river would one day overtake the bridge that he now stood on. It was a comforting thought; the idea that every trace of Michael’s pitiful existence would be wiped clean by this water.
He climbed onto the ledge and stood up on shaking legs. The wind whipped around his face, causing him to stumble for a moment, before he caught himself. A hysterical chuckle bubbled from his throat. He was seconds away from jumping, and yet he still just tried to prevent himself from falling. What a joke. There was still a tiny part inside of him that was fighting to live, even though there was nothing left for him. There was no way out of this miserable existence except for the option that lay before him now.
Michael closed his eyes, and took in one last breath; savoring these last moments before oblivion. It was early, the sun barely brightening up the horizon, but there was a faint smell of baking bread from the bakeries as they prepared for their days. It made Michael’s stomach growl in protest, and he briefly wished he could wait long enough for one more meal.
He gritted his teeth. He was stalling. Still. Even knowing that the Ness Family was closing in on him, and every second he was alive meant more chance of them locking him up and throwing away the key. Or worse. When it came to the most powerful crime family in Germany, you should always expect worse. He needed to do this now.
He raised one foot, letting it dangle in the empty air above the water. He leaned forward, and then–
“Wait! Stop!”
Michael’s trajectory was halted. Someone had grabbed the back of his shirt, preventing him from completing his fall.
“Wha–”
Michael turned to look at his unwanted savior, but as he did, he lost his footing. He fell backwards, landing atop the mystery person with a heavy oof. Wide, bright magenta eyes stared up at Michael, holding nothing but concern.
“Are you okay?” The stranger asked. “I’m sorry for grabbing you, I just didn’t know what to do, and I was scared you were going to jump, I–”
“M’fine.” Michael breathed, his mind racing as it tried to process the chain of events.
Alive. He was alive thanks to this man.
Son of a bitch.
“I’m Alexis, by the way. But you could call me Lexi if you want.” The man, Alexis, shared with a smile. “What’s your name?”
Michael pulled himself up so he was no longer lying on top of Alexis and leaned heavily against the railing.
“None of your business.”
Despite the attitude, the other man seemed unfazed. “Right, yeah, that’s fair. Guess all I did was save your life, but, no big deal.” He joked.
Michael scanned the empty bridge, panic and fear churning in his stomach. He should have been dead by now. He was supposed to be dead.
“I didn’t ask for your help. Didn’t want your help.” Michael retorted.
Alexis snorted. “Well, yeah, that was obvious.”
He stood up, brushing himself off as he did so. Michael turned his attention back to the man in front of him. He was dressed like he had been running. Shorts, sneakers, headphones dangling from his neck. Dyed pink hair clung to a sweaty forehead, with light brown roots poking out from the top of his head. His arms were lean under his tank top, proof of a steady diet and enough free time to worry about staying fit. Michael didn’t know what that was like. His life had been about nothing but trying to stay alive, and he had finally reached his limit.
“Why did you help me?”
Alexis eyed him carefully, as if he knew the way he answered this would be incredibly important.
“I don’t know. I saw you, and, what was I supposed to do? Let you die?” He shrugged like anyone would have done the same.
But they wouldn’t have. At least, that had been Michael’s experience before. And now, in some bizarre twist of fate, this boy scout had just happened to be running by at the same time that Michael was at his lowest. If there really was a God, She had an incredibly sick sense of humor.
Michael tried to take a step away from the railing, but his legs were still jelly from the shock he had received earlier. He started to go down just as Alexis caught him firmly around the waist.
“Woah, easy.”
“What, do you have some kind of savior complex or…” The words died in Michael’s throat as a soft scent overwhelmed him.
Pomegranates, cranberries, apples. Michael’s body reacted instinctively. He leaned into Alexis, inhaling deeply before his brain finally caught up. He was smelling Alexis’ pheromones, and he was finding himself in a whole new danger.
“You’re an alpha,” Michael gasped, pushing himself back so hard he fell back onto the pavement.
Alexis held up his hands apologetically.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. I didn’t know you were an omega, and you just–” He slammed his mouth shut fast like he was afraid he was about to say too much. “I won’t hurt you. I promise. Just let me help you.”
“I think you’ve helped enough.” Michael snarled. “Just leave me alone, I’m—”
Pain, sharp as a knife, sliced through his abdomen, and it bent Michael in half as he cried out. Heat rushed through his blood, and his heart pounded like a hammer in his head. The stress of the last few days, and the sudden onslaught of alpha pheromones, was making his body go into an early heat.
“Shit. Not now, not–gah!” The pain slashed through him again, it was duller this time, but it still took Michael’s breath away, leaving him panting from the exertion.
“Please, let me help you.” Alexis begged as he approached him carefully. The perfect picture of innocence, but Michael knew what alphas were capable of. There was always something darker lying just under the surface, waiting to rear its ugly head.
Alexis reached out a hand, and touched Michael’s gently. He hated the way his body reacted to it; how his skin cooled instantly at Alexis’ touch, how he wanted to curl towards him and beg to be filled. It was disgusting, pathetic, weak. He wished he was dead.
“Do you have any heat suppressants?” Alexis asked softly, before he stopped himself with a shake of his head. “No, sorry, that’s stupid. Of course someone about to commit suicide wouldn’t carry heat suppressants.”
Michael only whimpered in response.
The only indication that Alexis had heard was the soft blush that dusted the tips of his ears. Otherwise, he kept his face completely neutral as he leaned closer towards Michael.
“I need to help you stand up. I’m going to hook your arm around my shoulder so you can lean on me. My apartment is less than a kilometer from here. I have suppressants there, and I’m going to take you there so I can give them to you. Is that okay?” He spoke clearly and gently, as if Michael had any choice but to do what he said.
Michael didn’t trust himself to speak, so he just nodded. Alexis did as he said. He hooked Michael’s arm up around his shoulder, and tucked his arm tightly around the waist. They walked slowly and carefully back up towards the main street, and Alexis tried to reassure him the entire way.
“I won’t hurt you. I promise. You’re doing great, just a little bit longer.”
It took all of Michael’s energy to focus on walking forward. He desperately wanted to lean more on Alexis, to get another whiff of his scent. He wanted to wrap himself up in it, but he knew that was just the heat making him feel that way. He hated his heats. The way that they made him want to give up complete control to someone else, as if his wants and needs were no longer his own. Like he was just a tool to be used and discarded easily.
“Almost there. It’s all going to be okay. I promise. It’s just up these stairs.” Alexis spoke quickly, his own breath starting to come in short bursts.
Through his heat induced fog, Michael noticed that Alexis had begun breathing through his mouth. His pheromones must be all over the place, but he couldn’t contain them now no matter how hard he tried.
Alexis opened the door, and waddled in sideways so that the two of them could fit in together. Michael wanted to cry in relief when Alexis placed him carefully onto a green velvet couch.
“I’ll be right back. It’s all going to be okay.”
Michael merely grunted in response, curling in on himself. As promised, Alexis returned quickly with three small pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Michael took them gratefully, chasing them with the water he was given.
“Thank you,” Michael gasped, just as another wave of pain wrecked him. His body wanted the alpha in front of him, it needed him so badly, he didn’t think he could take it anymore.
He looked up at the worried man in front of him. “Lexi, was it?”
“Yes.” Alexis straightened at the use of his name. “What’s wrong?”
Michael grabbed the front of Alexis’ shirt and pulled him in close.
“It’s going to take too long…for these…to work…” He panted. “I need somewhere…to calm down…please.”
Alexis nodded. “I have a guest room. You can stay there.”
“Help me?” Michael asked, and Alexis reached around to half drag, half carry Michael down the hallway to one of the open rooms.
He set Michael down onto the bed, and turned to leave, hesitating for a moment in the doorway.
“I’m locking the door.” Alexis said, glancing back one last time again quickly before shutting the door firmly behind him.
Michael wasn’t sure if that was for his or Alexis’ benefit, but he was grateful for it either way. As soon as the door was closed, he was yanking off his pants and pulling down his boxers. They were completely soaked through, absolutely ruined, but he didn’t care. His only thought was of release, and he didn’t hesitate to plunge two fingers straight into his cunt. He kept a steady rhythm going with one hand, and began stroking his cock in time with the other.
“Ah…ah—” Michael moaned loudly as the tight heat in his stomach finally, mercifully, loosened. It exploded out of him, leaking out onto both hands and coating him in sticky white cum. He hadn’t even tried to be quiet about it, had been completely unable to. The sick, twisted omega inside of him hoped that Alexis had heard it. Hoped that he wanted to break down the door and take Michael for himself.
Just as soon as the ecstasy subsided, his body was begging for more, and he could do nothing but comply. His shirt had a lingering scent from the alpha, and he yanked it off, holding it over his face as he began touching himself anew. He closed his eyes, breathing in the sweet scent as he stroked his dick, harder and faster than before. He pictured the alpha, pretending that that pretty mouth was sucking him off, those wide eyes staring him down, imagining the way his name might sound on his lips.
“Michael…”
The orgasm hit harder this time. Michael could only twitch and groan as it rushed through him, leaving him gasping and spent.
He rolled over in the bed, not caring that he was only making more of a mess. The orgasms had helped him relax, and the suppressants could actually start doing their job now. He stared at the blank white wall, finally beginning to process how tired he really was. The stress, the adrenaline, his heat, he could finally feel all of it, and he desperately wanted a break. His eyelids became heavier and heavier, until he couldn’t keep them open anymore.
****
The beep from the door alerted Michael that there was a customer, and he poked around the shelf he had been stocking in order to get a good look. Two men, large and burly, stood talking in front of the beer coolers. They looked like they would be there for a while, so Michael decided to finish the box he had been working on. He was just about done, when one of the men approached him. He was about the same height as Michael, though nearly twice his size. He was built like a body builder; broad, with muscles that were the size of Michael’s head, and he wore a bright wide smile, showing all of his teeth.
“Michael,” The man said, reading from the nametag. “Why does that name sound familiar, Eren?”
“I don’t know, Bernie.” Another voice sounded behind Michael. This man was just as big as the first, and they looked almost completely alike, except he had a head full of curly brown hair whereas the other had no hair at all.
The first man snapped his fingers like he’d just solved a great mystery.
“Oh! You know why? That’s the same name as Gabe’s son.”
Michael froze. Gabriel Kaiser. He hadn’t thought about his father in years.
“No shit.” The second guy replied. “What a coincidence, Bernie. Weren’t we just looking for Michael Kaiser?”
“We were, Eren.” The bald one grinned wider. “Say, that wouldn’t happen to be you, would it?”
Before Michael could even come up with a decent lie, Eren was already talking again.
“Wait, Bernie, I thought Michael Kaiser was an omega? This guy here looks too tall to be an omega.”
Bernie tilted his head as if in thought. “You’re right. The omegas I see are usually smaller. Though,” He leaned in so close that Michael could smell day old tuna on his breath. “He sure is pretty enough to be an omega.”
Michael decided to try and make a run for it. He dropped the box he had been holding, and slipped underneath Eren’s arm as he made a grab for him.
“He sure is fast!”
Eren laughed as Michael barrelled down the next aisle. He was almost to the door, almost free, but Bernie beat him to it. Michael was slammed into the front counter as Bernie grabbed him tightly around the back of his neck, pinning his face down so he couldn’t move.
“Your old man owes us a lot of money, pretty boy.” Bernie hissed.
“250,000€ to be precise.” Eren said.
“What’s that got to do with me?” Michael asked, and Bernie pressed his hand down harder.
“Gabe disappeared on us. Left us high and dry, but luckily, we got you listed as his successor.”
Eren laughed again. “That means you’re responsible for it now.”
“What?! I wasn’t the one who borrowed the money from you! I don’t even know who you are!” Michael scrambled, trying to break free, but Bernie only gripped him tighter.
“Oh, no. Where are our manners? I’m Bernard Ness, and this is my brother, Eren Ness.”
“Pleased to meet you!”
Michael swallowed hard. Everyone knew about the Ness’. Loan sharks, mafia, crooked business owners, they did it all and more. If his father really was stupid enough to borrow money from them…well, it was no wonder he disappeared.
“I don’t have that kind of money.” Michael admitted.
“Well we don’t expect it all now, of course. We aren’t monsters.” Bernie said. “We’ll give you until the end of the month to come up with the first payment. That seems reasonable, right Eren?”
“Uh huh.” Eren replied. “But, if you can’t do that either, we do offer a few ways to lower your payment. That interest can be really tough. I know we have an especially good deal for omegas.”
Michael swallowed. He knew what they were insinuating. Sex clubs. The type that desperate omegas went into, and rarely ever came out of.
“What’d you think, pretty boy?”
He stayed very still. “I’ll get you your money.”
“Good.”
Bernie loosened his grip, and Michael carefully stood back up, rubbing his neck as he did. The two men began walking out of the convenience store.
“And whatever you do, don’t try to leave, Michael.” Bernie called back. “We’ve got you set on high alert, and our men are everywhere. We expect our investments to be returned.”
****
Michael gasped awake, and for a brief second, he couldn’t remember where he was. He had never slept in a room this nice before, and the shock of it made him wonder if maybe he really had died and this was just his final hallucination before everything went black. But then, the memories came back, and he realized where he was.
He sat up groggily. He had no idea how long he had slept, or what time it was. The only hint he was given was the sunlight that streamed in through the blinds on the window. Now that his head was clearer, he finally took a moment to fully examine the room he was in. Everything in it was white. White walls, white sheets, white carpet, it was as obvious a display of wealth as Michael had ever seen one. Anyone who could afford to keep numerous white surfaces not only clean, but perfectly pristine, was someone who had a lot of disposable income. Come to think of it, Alexis had mentioned that this was the “guest” bedroom. Meaning that he lived in a two bedroom apartment in the heart of Munich, presumably, alone.
Had Michael somehow managed to get picked up by some rich alpha stranger? How the fuck was this his life right now?
He crawled out of the bed, wincing as his muscles screamed in protest. Dried sweat and cum clung to his skin, and he glanced frantically at the bedroom door to find it was still firmly closed and locked. He breathed a sigh of relief.
There was a door on the other side of the room left slightly ajar, and Michael poked his head in curiously. A bathroom, as equally bright and white as the bedroom, greeted him. It was already stocked with fresh towels, shampoo, anything that someone would need. Michael caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He looked like a wreck. His long blonde hair was just a matted mess atop his head. He was still naked, covered in his own mess, his clothes a forgotten heap on the floor. He didn’t want to use the shower without asking, but he also didn’t want to look like this in front of Alexis, either.
That thought sobered him up. Why should he care what that soft eyed, rich boy thinks of him? But, he’d already humiliated himself enough, and he also really, really wanted to take a shower. He turned it on, and nearly cried as hot water hit his sore body. It had been months since Michael had taken a hot shower. He didn’t touch the soaps, didn’t want to further impose more than he already had, and just worked on scrubbing his body off as best as he could. When he was finally satisfied, he grabbed one of the towels to dry off. He figured it was better to use a towel, rather than drip water all over the tiled floor.
Just as he was rinsing off his rancid clothes in the shower, a knock came from the bedroom door.
“Hey, uh…sorry, you still haven’t told me your name.” There was a soft chuckle. “But, I was thinking you might need a change of clothes or something, so I’m leaving a shirt and pants outside of the door for you. And I’m gonna walk away so you can grab them. Okay? I hope they fit. We look about the same size…Okay, sorry, I’m walking away now.”
Michael hesitated, listening to the creaks in the floor that meant Alexis really was walking away. He had the towel wrapped tightly around his waist, and he tentatively unlocked the door.
The hallway was empty, as promised, and a pair of blue sweatpants and a sweatshirt lay in a neat pile on the floor. Michael grabbed them quickly, and shut the door behind him.
It took all of his remaining courage to emerge from the safety of the bedroom, and when he did, he found Alexis seated quaintly on the couch with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. He smiled when he saw Michael.
“How are you feeling? You look better.”
“I am. Thanks.” Michael answered.
He felt awkward, unsure of himself. Alexis had seen all of the worst parts of him today, and yet he was still just sitting there smiling like everything was right in the world. What the fuck was wrong with this guy? It was really starting to get under his skin.
“Are you hungry? I just made some tea. I’m happy to make something if you–”
That broke him.
“Stop! Okay?! Just fucking…” Michael buried his head in his hands, wishing he wasn’t there, wishing he was almost anywhere else. “You’re so fucking nice, and it’s freaking me out. I can’t—I can’t handle this. First you save my life, then you take me into your home, you take care of me. You didn’t even try to take advantage of my heat, when any other alpha would have, and it’s just—who are you?!”
Alexis set his stuff down onto the coffee table in front of him, his face pulling together into a pained expression.
“I’m sorry. I was trying not to overwhelm you,” He said.
Michael snorted. “Everything about you is overwhelming.”
“I’m sor–”
“And stop apologizing!”
Alexis opened his mouth, then closed it again. He nodded. Some of the tension left Michael’s body, guilt quickly replacing it.
“Sorry for yelling. It’s—it’s been a long day.”
“You don’t need to apologize, either.” Alexis said. “And anyway, you’re right. I was pushing too hard. I can go slower.”
Michael shook his head. “But why? You’ve already done more than anyone else would do, and you’re still trying to do more? I don’t have anything of—of value or…”
“I’m not doing this to get something out of you. I’m doing it because I want to.” Alexis stood up. “Because when I pulled you off the ledge, you looked so scared. I know what that’s like. To feel burdened and trapped, like there’s no way out. And I know how nice it is to have one person show that they care.”
Michael swallowed hard. The words buried themselves deep inside of his chest. He wasn’t sure what would grow from them, but he felt them take root nonetheless.
“Michael. My name is Michael.”
Alexis smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Michael.”
“I am…a little hungry.”
The smile widened, and Alexis practically bounded into the kitchen with excitement. Michael stared after him with mild amusement. He’d never seen anyone so happy to make someone else food before. Alexis started pulling things out of the cupboards, talking nonstop as he did.
“Are you allergic to anything? Have any taste preferences? I’ve got some veggies, I could make a soup? It’ll take me some time if you don’t mind waiting. But, if you’re hungry now I can cut up some fruit, and—”
“I’m not picky. Soup sounds good.” Michael interrupted before Alexis could get too far gone in his ramblings.
Alexis got to work. Michael, feeling obligated to help but suspecting the offer would be refuted, settled instead on sitting at the stool by the counter. He watched as Alexis expertly sliced and diced an onion in less than a minute.
“Has anyone ever told you, you’re pretty good with a knife?” Michael said, half jokingly, half genuine.
Alexis blushed at the attention.
“Lots of practice. With cooking, that is.” He added hastily. “I like cooking, so I do it a lot. What about you? Do you cook?”
Michael shrugged. “If a microwaved cup of noodles counts as cooking.”
“Did your parents make a lot of homemade meals when you were a kid?”
“My mom ran out when I was still a baby, and my dad…” Michael frowned deeply. “He wasn’t good for anything except for making my life harder.”
“Family’s are tough. Mine is also…” Alexis waved the knife around like he was searching for the right word. “Complicated.”
“Looks like you turned out okay, though.”
He chuckled. “Money can hide a lot of things. But it can’t change who you are, or what you’ve done. Those are things you just have to learn to live with.”
Curiosity sparked inside of Michael. Alexis had shown him nothing but selflessness and kindness to the point that Michael still wasn’t fully convinced he was real, but he had looked so sad all of a sudden. Like he knew what it really meant to regret. What could he have possibly done in his past to make him look like that? Michael wanted to ask, but he decided against it. It wasn’t any of his business, and Alexis was entitled to keep his secrets.
“Your guest bedroom is really nice,” Michael said, changing the subject. “Do you often have people over, or do you just make it a habit of picking up strays?”
The question did the trick, and Alexis smiled in the same way Michael was quickly growing used to.
“No, I don’t typically pick up strangers and bring them home. You, Michael, just happen to be an exception.” He said teasingly before continuing. “My sister, Mathilda, used to come and stay with me a lot, so I always kept it ready for her whenever she decided to drop by. But she’s been busy ever since she took on a bigger role in the family business, and I don’t see much of her anymore.”
“What kind of business does your family do?”
Alexis carefully placed the chopped vegetables into a pot, and adjusted the temperature on the stove.
“Waste management.”
“Oh. Didn’t think there would be a lot of money in that.” Michael responded.
Alexis hummed, keeping his attention on the soup in front of him. “My father used to say, ‘there’s a lot of waste in this city, and someone’s gotta clean it up. May as well be us.’”
“He must be so much fun at parties.”
Alexis laughed once, placing a lid on top of the pot.
“Okay, that’ll be done in about an hour, but if you want something to snack on…” He opened up his fridge, pulling out a small plastic bag. “Do you like apples?”
The memory of Alexis’ pheromones flashed through Michael’s mind, and he felt his face grow hot. The suppressants he had taken were, thankfully, doing their job, but he could still feel the ache of want that had pounded through his body. How tortuous it had been to be touching Alexis, but not really touching him…
He gulped, forcing those memories out of his head, and praying that his face was still in a neutral expression.
“I love apples.”
“Great!”
If Alexis had noticed anything strange about Michael, he kept it to himself. He expertly sliced up the apples, and presented them on a small plate. Michael took one into his mouth, and couldn’t stop the sigh of relief from escaping. He hadn’t eaten anything in…two days? Three days? He had lost count. The apples had that perfect balance between sweet and tart, and Michael felt like he had never had a better meal in his life. He looked up, and caught Alexis watching him with interest. He looked embarrassed at being caught staring, and began making himself busy by cleaning up the dishes in front of him.
“You can ask.” Michael said. “I know you want to.”
“Ask what?”
Michael gave him a look. “Ask why I was about to kill myself this morning.”
“Oh. Well, I didn’t want to pry, but…” He hesitated briefly. “Why were you out there?”
Michael finished the last of the fruit as he worked to get his thoughts in order. He needed to tell Alexis, if only just to give him a warning that there was a terrifying crime syndicate after him, and there was a chance that they’d track him down here. He had no idea what the Ness’ were capable of, how many people they had keeping tabs on their ‘investments’, and he didn’t want Alexis to get caught up in all of this, too.
“My father had three joys in life. Drinking, gambling, and making my life fucking miserable. He blamed me for my mother leaving him, and he never let me forget it. When I was fifteen, I finally managed to steal enough money so that I could escape, and I didn’t hear anything about him for about ten years. After a while, I kind of assumed that he had drunk himself to death, but a couple of weeks ago some guys tracked me down.
“Turns out, my father had managed to borrow a shit ton of money from the fucking Godfather of Germany, and he dipped on them. He faked my signature on the contract, and now I’m left to deal with the debt and the consequences. His last great revenge against me.”
Michael kept his attention away from Alexis as he talked. He needed to get it all out, and looking into that innocent, naive face would only make it harder.
“My first payment is in two days. And I—I tried everything. I picked up as many shifts as I could at the convenience store, I sold all of my furniture, I sublet my apartment, and it still wasn’t enough. I didn’t get enough to pay the principal, much less the interest.” He swallowed. “And I know what they’ll do to me. They’ll throw me into one of their clubs, force me to whore myself out, and…honestly I’d rather be fucking dead. So, I decided to jump off the bridge.”
When Michael was finished, he finally got the courage to look up at Alexis, expecting a face full of pity. What he got instead was anger. Alexis, clutching the counter so hard his knuckles were white, and jaw clenched so tightly Michael could see all of the individual muscles in his neck.
Shit. Of course Alexis was angry. He should have expected this, but instead, Michael had let his guard down. Alexis had been so kind, so patient, but of course he was reacting just like anyone else would if they found out they were harboring a potential danger; a threat to Alexis’ perfect, happy little life.
“I’m sorry.” Michael stood up quickly. “I’ve—I’ve caused you enough problems already, and I know that was…it was too much. I get that. I’ll go and—and you’ll never see me again, I promise. I—”
Alexis came around the counter and threw his arms around Michael’s neck. The action knocked the wind right out of Michael’s lungs, and he could only stand in shock at the sudden turn of events.
“I won’t let them hurt you, Micha.”
Michael returned the hug, his arms fitting easily around Alexis’ center, and he let himself entertain the thought for a moment.
“I’m not sure you could do much against the Ness family, Lexi.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Michael chuckled at that, and dipped his head to rest on Alexis’ shoulder. He inhaled deeply, and he could smell the faint scent of the alpha’s pheromones. Apples and pomegranates.
Alexis pulled back, placing his hands on either side of Michael’s face. “How much is the debt? I could—”
“No.” Michael said immediately. “Absolutely not. I will not have you paying my asshole father’s debt.”
“And it’s so much better having you do it?” Alexis asked.
He was quiet at that.
“What if you find your father? If you hand him over then—”
“I wouldn’t even begin to know where to look for him.” Michael sighed. “I don’t know any of his friends, if he has any friends. And if a powerful crime organization couldn’t find him, there’s no way I’d be able to.”
Alexis scoffed. “I doubt they tried very hard.”
“Maybe.” Michael relented. “But either way, this is my problem. And I can’t ask you to solve it for me. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Truly. I just wanted to warn you in case someone comes knocking on your door.”
Alexis untangled himself, and started pacing across the kitchen. Michael could practically see the steam coming out of his ears as he tried to work out a solution. The fact that he was even trying this hard was enough to make Michael’s chest feel tight.
“What if I gave you a job?” He asked, finally stopping his pacing.
“What?” Michael blinked. “Like, with your family?”
“No, with me.”
“I…what?”
Alexis’ eyes shined with determination and focus. “I own a bookstore. It isn’t very big, and I typically run the place myself. I’ve been wanting to hire someone part time for a while, so…”
“A job? Really?” The corners of Michael’s mouth creeped up into a small smile. He couldn’t believe the nerve on this guy.
“You can start immediately. Oh, and it also includes room and board, too.” Alexis thrust out his chin. “I don’t want to hear any arguments. You already told me you have nowhere else to go.”
“I…”
Michael weighed his options carefully. Technically, if he worked at the bookstore during the day, and the convenience store at night, he would be able to actually make the payments. He’d almost never have a day off, but he’d been through worse.
“Okay.” He said. “But, I’ll only stay with you temporarily until I can find another place again. And I’ll pay for my portion of rent.”
“There is no rent. I own this apartment.”
“Then I’ll pay for my portion of groceries.” Michael argued.
Alexis pursed his lips. “Fine. But, I’m going to give you an advancement on your first paycheck.”
“Lexi—”
“Just enough to help cover your first payment.” Alexis shook his head in exasperation. “So those fucking twats don’t come after you.”
Michael snorted. He couldn’t help it. Something about hearing the word “twats” come out of Alexis’ mouth so seriously, was the funniest thing he’d ever heard in his life. His body shook, and he doubled over as the hysteria gripped him. It spread over to Alexis as he tried to keep a serious expression, then failed as he watched Michael completely lose control. The two laughed, loudly and obnoxiously, until they were gripping their sides and tears were pouring down their cheeks.
As the subsiding giggles calmed down, Michael wiped his hand across his face.
“I haven’t laughed that hard in…I don’t know how long.”
“Me…either.” Alexis confessed as he tried to catch his breath. “Fuck, that felt good.”
Michael looked at Alexis, really looked at him. This strange man who wore everything he was thinking on his face for all to see, who had this seemingly bottomless well of kindness to share as he pleased. His face was flushed from laughing, his eyes radiating joy. A glimmer of hope sparked in Michael’s chest as he realized that maybe, just maybe, he’d actually be lucky this time.
And for the first time in his life, he found himself stepping out from the darkness, and into the sunlight.