PB Ficlet: Routines

[out_there]

Title: Routines
Fandom: Prison Break
Pairing: Alex/Michael
Rating: PG
Word count: 1,156
Notes: carcinya said that Alex needed a backrub. Thanks to sdwolfpup for pointing out that keeping the guys in-character was kind of important. And, heh, given that this is my seventh PB fic or ficlet, I think it's time PB fics had their own tag.

Summary: Everyone has routines, little habits to fill in spare time, to keep them connected and grounded. Michael tends to stay inside, do something with his hands like fold origami or play cards.



Everyone has routines, little habits to fill in spare time, to keep them connected and grounded. Roland stays up past midnight chatting on ICQ and AIM; Bellick reads tabloid magazines and always takes out the trash before he goes to bed. Sara wanders by the waterfront when she needs to get out, but she's never far from sight. Michael tends to stay inside, do something with his hands like fold origami or play cards.

Sucre and Linc exercise – do push ups and pull ups, lift weights and spot each other, calling out an equal mix of encouragements and friendly insults – proving the makeshift gym Self provided was a good idea. It reminds Michael of the prison gym, reminds him Linc and Sucre are the only two in the team who've spent months in a cell, but he likes hearing the easy camaraderie, the start of a solid friendship between them.

Alex exercises too. Sometime the weights, but mostly he runs until he's sweaty and puffed, t-shirt damp and sticking to his back. This is the first time Michael's seen him in there with Linc and Sucre. Michael's used to seeing Alex silent and narrowly focused, gritting his teeth and making the exercise an endurance test. He's not used to seeing Alex smirk, and match Linc insult for insult.

"Come on, G-Man," Linc says when Alex pauses, as Sucre almost reaches to help Alex put the weight back up, "do the agency proud."

Michael hovers by the doorway, watches Alex on his back, raising the barbell over his chest. Arms working as he lowers it slowly and lifts it again. And again.

"This isn't agency training," Alex shoots back, hissing in a breath and starting again.

"Give up if it gets too hard?" Sucre grins, looking down at Alex from the head of the padded bench. "Seems like the government."

"Not my area of government." Alex drags in a breath, but Michael's paying more attention to the way his biceps move with the weight. To the sheen of sweat on Alex's skin.

"FBI are tough, huh?"

Alex's grin is sharp and proud. "Former Army Ranger."

"Oh, yeah?" Linc might not sound impressed, but Michael knows that tilt of his head, knows that Alex just became a little more worthwhile to Linc.

"Gets hard? We don't give up." And now, Michael can hear the effort in Alex's tone, the growl as he pushes his own limits. "We shoot the bastards."

Linc and Sucre laugh, nodding at each other in macho solidarity, but Michael's watching Alex's face. He sees Alex glance over and acknowledge Michael with an exaggerated look of desperation and distress. It's gone too quick for the others to notice.

Clearing his throat, Michael steps into the room. "Sorry to break this up, but I need to run through some things with Alex."

As Alex hefts the barbell back up on its stand, Linc says, "Saved by the bell, man," but he offers Alex a hand to help pull him up. There's a part of Michael that takes comfort in this signal of Linc's acceptance. "You'll have to make good on your bragging some other time."

"Not bragging if it's true," Alex calls out over his shoulder, following Michael out. As soon as they turn the corner and get out of sight, Alex collapses against the wall. He runs a hand across his forehead and groans. "Remind me never to do that again."

"Do what?"

"Forget I'm the oldest guy in the room."

"You forgot that?" It's kind of funny, because Michael forgets that too. He did his research -- he knows Alex's date of birth, knows Alex was in the FBI before Michael hit junior high -- but he doesn't think of Alex in terms of years and age. He thinks of Alex as experienced, sure, but not old. "At least you're not as old and domesticated as Bellick," Michael offers.

"No, I'm older."

"Really?" Michael's surprise must show, because something catches Alex's attention, makes his eyes narrow dangerously as he stares at Michael.

"Only a few years," Alex says, trying to sound intimidating. If Michael didn't know Alex, he might believe it; a few months back, he probably would have. Now he knows this is Alex being playful, Alex trying to hide a smile. "I prefer to think of myself as the senior member of the team."

"You don't look that old," Michael counters, as seriously as he can.

"That's because I'm the fittest," Alex murmurs, sliding a hand around Michael's hip and tugging at him. As Michael steps closer, Alex reaches his other hand to Michael's shoulder and then grimaces. He pulls his arm back and rolls his shoulder. "Or I was, before I tried to match your brother in the gym."

Michael almost chuckles. "That's like trying to outswim the tide. Never figured you as the quixotic type."

"I've never attacked a windmill," Alex replies, stretching uncomfortably, "but I'm still going to feel that tomorrow. Any chance the next plan could involve me not having to move?"

"Doubtful. But this afternoon's could."

Alex's expression shifts from teasing to serious in the space of a heartbeat. "We have a plan for this afternoon?"

Even though he knows the others can't see, it's instinct for Michael to glance around before leaning in revealingly close, catching Alex between him and the wall. "I was thinking backrub. Sounds like you need one."

"Michael," Alex says, as if he can't think of anything better to say. There's something very flattering about the way Alex stares at Michael's mouth.

Michael smoothes his hands over Alex's shoulders, tilts his head to whisper right into Alex's ear. "I'm sure Sara wouldn't mind if we used the boat's bed for a few hours."

"Hmmm." Alex tangles fingers into the hem of Michael's t-shirt, scrapes nails low across Michael's stomach. "Close the door, stretch out in comfort and have your hands on my skin? I think that's my kind of plan. There might even be groaning involved."

Michael blinks. Pictures Alex face-down on the bed, imagines digging fingers into tight muscles, feeling Alex relax in stages. It's an appealing image, tempts Michael to edge forward, kiss Alex right here, catch Alex's lips with his.

There's a gentle pressure against his hips as Alex pushes him back. Michael steps away, and then hears the footsteps above them.

"Anyone seen my laptop?" Roland calls out. Michael guesses his location from the sound of his voice; he's pretty sure Roland can't see them. He glances at Alex, raising an eyebrow in question, and Alex shrugs back.

"The one you left by the stairway?" Alex yells back, sounding bored and disinterested as he smirks at Michael.

"I didn't leave it on the--" Roland says, and then adds, "Oh, hey, I did."

Alex rolls his eyes. He nudges Michael's shoulder with his as he pushes himself off the wall. "The boat?" Alex asks, and Michael nods and follows.

Comments

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

I think it's time PB fics had their own tag

\o/

I still love this!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I've hit the stage where I really can't pretend it's just going to be one story. (As I was writing... um, what was it... "Form, Not Meaning", I kept telling myself it was just this one story I wanted to get out of my system for these guys. That was it. And now... hmm. I don't think so.)

I still love this!

They really are so much fun to think about.

[isagel.livejournal.com]

I kept telling myself it was just this one story I wanted to get out of my system for these guys.

That's what I thought when I finished "Lost and Found". "That's that, I'm done with this," I thought. "Unavoidable prison sex story dealt with." But that's clearly not how the hat this pairing works.

This story is lovely and warm and so very hot, and I adore it. The small changes from the version you posted in SDWolfpup's comments the other night are great improvements, the whole thing flows much better like this.

I'd like to say something profound at this point about Alex bonding with Linc and Sucre, but my brain keeps whiting out on the image of Alex sliding a hand around Michael's hip and tugging him in. Just...aaksjaldjsdlkjalksjd!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

But that's clearly not how the hat this pairing works.

*giggles* See, this is how Alex has ended up with a collection of ugly hats in the top of his cupboard. He just wanted one, just one, it was sort of neceesary and useful and served a purpose. And then the second one seemed... well, not necessary, but useful. Practical, still. And then the third, well, he picked that up without really noticing, he was focusing on what Michael was doing on the other side of the street.

And the fourth and fifth ones... Alex really isn't sure when and why he bought them, but suddenly they're there. Suddenly, he's one of these people who collects ugly hats.

Writing for this pairing is exactly like that.

This story is lovely and warm and so very hot, and I adore it. The small changes from the version you posted in SDWolfpup's comments the other night are great improvements, the whole thing flows much better like this.

*beams* Thank you! It just... wasn't quite working, and sometimes it's the little changes that suddenly drag these guys back to in-character.

I'd like to say something profound at this point about Alex bonding with Linc and Sucre, but my brain keeps whiting out on the image of Alex sliding a hand around Michael's hip and tugging him in. Just...aaksjaldjsdlkjalksjd!

Mmmmmm. It really is a nice mental image.

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

Suddenly, he's one of these people who collects ugly hats.

♥ ♥ ♥

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Oh, you just know he does. He has a *collection* of ugly hats. Except they're all ugly hats that strangely look far better on Michael than they do on Alex.

(I'm at work and theoretically researching, and all I want to do is write PB drabbles. I'm torn between asking for prompt and just focusing myself for my last ten minutes.)

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

Alex is bizarrely a little proud of his ugly hat collection, it's something harmless and unique that defines him, instead of him being a murderer or an FBI agent.

I'm torn between asking for prompt and just focusing myself for my last ten minutes

Let me just say that I've been storing fic prompts for four months for this pairing. I was BORN for this moment. If you want any! If not, they can wait for a better day. *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Prompt me! (Because it's not ten minutes, it's an hour and ten minutes. *woe*) I will reply with a minimum of 100 words, maximum of... whatever I get down.

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

\o/ (aurora_84 is going to be so pleased about this; this is our joint list.)

Ok, I'll give you a couple, and you can pick the one that hits you best right now:

- Michael & Alex stargazing
- Michael, Linc, and Alex as cop strippers (Arrested Development crossover or for Sara's birthday - or BOTH) (Linc optional)
- Alex sees Michael's tattoo-free body for the first time (I feel like there should be a ton of fic about this)

Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

The last glow of dusk is fading from the horizon when Michael finds Alex out on the warehouse roof. Alex has his arms folded against the cool breeze, and the pale blue of his shirt cuffs are pushed up to his elbows.

Michael walks up beside him, but Alex doesn't look over, doesn't say a thing. Eventually, Michael asks, "You okay?"

Alex hugs his arms closer to his chest, but he keeps watching the violet-bruised sky. "Close enough."

Michael nods. It's been a long day for all of them, but Alex is the one who spent hours in a cell, who faced Wyatt from the other side of a courtroom. Michael doesn't really expect him to be okay. "Any way I can help?"

Alex shakes his head. Still doesn't look at Michael, doesn't acknowledge him, but also he doesn't ask Michael to leave.

Zipping up his jacket, Michael thinks of something to say. He knows from his childhood, from Linc, that words aren't always important. It's not about saying the right thing, it's about saying something, anything, so he says, "You know, I never learned the constellations."

Alex drags in a shaky breath and Michael wonders if he should have said something else, something not linked to his son, not connected to loss and grief. Then Alex shrugs and says, "Most of them are pretty easy."

"Not too hard to learn?"

"Nah."

Possibly, Michael shouldn't ask, but he can't resist the opportunity. "What was the first one you learned? The first one you remembered?"

There's a pause as Alex looks away, across the dark, moving water, and then Alex takes a shuffling step backwards. Michael stays still, waits to see if Alex will leave, and he's surprised by Alex's hand landing on his shoulder.

"Look up," Alex says, behind and to the side of Michael. He keeps one hand on Michael's shoulder, uses the other to point to first glimmering stars in the sky. "There's a line of three blue stars. See it?"

Michael nods and keeps his eyes fixed on the spot.

"If you follow the line straight down, there's bright white star," Alex says, leaning a little closer. "That's the centre of Orion. The row of stars is his belt, the white star is the edge of his sword. He's supposed to be a hunter."

It's like a kid's activity book, playing follow the dots with the stars. If Michael imagines the stars as reference points, imagines the lines linking them. "The two stars lower down, there and there," Michael says, pointing, "those are his feet?"

"His knees. And his shoulders are up the top." Alex moves Michael's hands to point to them, adding, "The red one is Betelgeuse. And between them, a little higher, is Meissa, Orion's head, but it's not dark enough to see it yet."

"Okay."

"It's one of the clearest constellations in the sky, so it's an easy one to find. It's the first one I taught--" Alex goes silent, but Michael hears him swallow. Alex pulls his hands back, crosses them over his chest again, muttering, "It's the easiest one to spot."

Michael turns, reaches out for Alex's hand. He doesn't pull Alex's wrist free but settles his palm over the hard curves of knuckles, brushes his thumb across skin. He leaves the foot of space between them, doesn't want to crowd Alex, but Michael needs Alex to know he's holding on. No matter what happens or how bad it gets, he's not letting go.

Alex says, "Some other time," and then frowns, meets Michael's gaze. "I'll take you stargazing some other time. Somewhere dark enough to see them."

Michael wants to say that where they are right now seems dark enough, but he's pretty sure Alex already knows. Instead, he gives Alex's hand one last squeeze and pulls his hand back. "I'll look forward to it."

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

*clutches ficlet to chest in wordless joy*

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Heh. *bows*

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

Ok I feel like I need to find some words because this is gorgeous. I love how it's set up, I love Alex giving Michael the little piece that he can, and the promise that he'll give more when he's able, and, of course, Michael understanding all that.

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Hee! You found words!

I love how it's set up, I love Alex giving Michael the little piece that he can, and the promise that he'll give more when he's able, and, of course, Michael understanding all that.

How much of a doofus does it make me that I hadn't stopped and thought about it like that? Because I honestly hadn't thought about those things as I wrote. But, yeah, that's totally what Alex is signalling, what he's trying to give.

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[isagel.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. How do you pull these things together so quickly? This is gorgeous and perfect. *squishes story close*

Michael turns, reaches out for Alex's hand. He doesn't pull Alex's wrist free but settles his palm over the hard curves of knuckles, brushes his thumb across skin. He leaves the foot of space between them, doesn't want to crowd Alex, but Michael needs Alex to know he's holding on. No matter what happens or how bad it gets, he's not letting go.

This paragraph is so... I can see this so vividly, and it's so right, and so moving. And the following last two paragraphs are equally brilliant, with the double meaning and the promise of a future and... Amazing.

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. How do you pull these things together so quickly?

I have a new job,a nd lots of hours in fron tof a computer without tasks to fill it in and good level of background personal stress of the "oh, god, was the new job a good idea" and "what if I screw this up?" variety. Hence, nervous energy and fannish stuff is my best form of escapism.

On the other hand, at least it's giving other people squee.

This paragraph is so... I can see this so vividly, and it's so right, and so moving. And the following last two paragraphs are equally brilliant, with the double meaning and the promise of a future and... Amazing.

Awww! I wasn't sure if it was overstating it (had a mental note in the back of my mind to come back this morning and double-check for cheesy over-the-top-ness) so I'm glad it worked!

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[flurblewig.livejournal.com]

So very, very good. I can *see* this, so completely and perfectly.

Michael needs Alex to know he's holding on. No matter what happens or how bad it gets, he's not letting go.

Yes. Just -- yes.

You are so immensely awesome ::worships::

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks!

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[aurora]

Oh, oh, oh Alex!

This was heartbreakingly good.

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

For a gun-toting badass former FBI agent, Alex really is such a woobie. Such a complete and utter woobie.

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

I love this premise so much, I don't even have words. Stargazing!

Re: Michael & Alex stargazing (I'll clean it up and post it properly tomorrow)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

The premise wasn't mine -- sdwolfpup's idea, not mine! -- but it's a perfect idea for the pair of them.

Also, I have a special brand of love for your icon. Mmmm.

[isagel.livejournal.com]

- Alex sees Michael's tattoo-free body for the first time (I feel like there should be a ton of fic about this)

There should. I have no clue why there isn't; it was practically the first thing I wanted to write this season, so I'd imagine others might feel the same.

(I can tell you that I'm not writing it because I'm saving it for the first PI-verse sex scene. I don't think I have more than one good version of it in me.)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

There should. I have no clue why there isn't; it was practically the first thing I wanted to write this season, so I'd imagine others might feel the same.

It's not the first thing I wanted to write, but it's definitely got potential. However, it's naked potential and that's not the type of story I can pull together at work.

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

And then the third, well, he picked that up without really noticing, he was focusing on what Michael was doing on the other side of the street.

Um, I kinda love you guys and this fandom a lot. ♥

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, I could blame you and your icon. Not only did the icon make me giggle, but it suddenly made me pay such attention to the hats.

[shaitanah.livejournal.com]

That's cute and nice and funny - and simply brilliant! It's short and simple, but at the same time it conveys so much))) Lovely story!
And LOL @ Bellick [...] always takes out the trash before he goes to bed - I sense the shadow of Bellick's everpresent mother in this))))) She taught him well)))

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Bellick [...] always takes out the trash before he goes to bed - I sense the shadow of Bellick's everpresent mother in this))))) She taught him well)))

That's exactly what I was thinking! Because Bellick is cowardly and power-hungry (or, more accurately, power-abusing) but he's still a nice boy who lives with his mom and takes care of her. He probably mows the lawn twice a month, too.

[bentrumors.livejournal.com]

Nice, but where's the naked? *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

No naked. *pout* That's something slightly beyond me while sneakily writing at work.

On the other hand, the image of Linc, Sucre and Alex all sweaty and working out? Really isn't a bad mental place for me.

[flurblewig.livejournal.com]

Eeee! Love love love the Linc/Alex bonding, and Michael stepping in to save him is adorable :-)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Watching the Manly Macho Men bond makes me very happy, too.

Michael stepping in to save him is adorable

Even former special-ops, scary FBI agents occasionally need saving from themselves. *g*

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

I love this!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[aurora]

Michael blinks. Pictures Alex face-down on the bed, imagines digging fingers into tight muscles, feeling Alex relax in stages. It's an appealing image, tempts Michael to edge forward, kiss Alex right here, catch Alex's lips with his.
Mmmmmm! It's definitely an appealing image. :x

And ha, Roland is such a dork!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

And ha, Roland is such a dork!

Roland totally is! He couldn't be cool if he tried.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*purrs softly* I am going ot end up watching this show just to get visual.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

That might be the best reason for watching Prison Break. *g*

After watching "Like a Stone", you know Alex Mahone is hot, but watching him in action is even better. Mmmmm.

[nemonclature]

Mmm very yummy little snippet. Love the playfulness in this.

[out_there]

I think that was on eof the things I loved most about s4 -- the entire idea of everyone all living together in the warehouse. I'm certain these sorts of shenanigans must have happened.