Chapter Text
2018, Los Angeles
Michael’s heart is racing. He checks the rearview mirror on his motorcycle, sees the car behind him. Getting closer. Good. He takes a deep breath to steady himself, accelerates. There’s a ramp up ahead.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots. Okay.
Ramp’s getting closer, and so’s the car behind him. He counts down in his head as he goes up the ramp: 5-4-3-2-1…
He’s airborne. Guys in the car behind him are gawking at him. The semi’s just a few feet away and…
He makes the landing.
“And cut!”
Applause breaks out. Michael gives a thumbs up, takes off his helmet.
“Michael!” Trey calls out. “That was amazing!” More laughter, applause.
“You got it?” Michael asks, hopeful.
“Sure did,” Trey says. He waves Michael over, behind the monitors. “Look,” he says, watching the footage.
“Damn,” Michael says, nodding approvingly.
“I wanna run it one more time,” says Trey. “But honestly, I think we’re good. We’ll have Luca do some close-up shots on top of the truck while we get things set up again, but that was great. Really good work.”
“Thanks,” Michael says, flashing a grin. And before he knows it, he’s getting clapped on the back, pulled into a hug.
“Damn, Michael, way to make me look good!” Luca says, laughing.
“You know it, man,” Michael says, smiling. It’s hard not to smile around Luca Barolo, newly-minted action star, heart throb… and the reason Michael is employed on the set of “Revenge of Time” in the first place. He’s been Luca’s stunt double for a few years now, has watched his ascent. They’re a good team. And with their wide grins, similar builds, and dark curls, they look nearly identical.
They’re both wearing head to toe black leather, matching black helmets in hand. The scene they’re filming today is an early pursuit scene that sets up the plot of the rest of the film.
“God it’s hot in this leather, isn’t it?” Luca says, and Michael nods. Luca gives him a little once over. “Looks good though, doesn’t it?”
Michael gives him a once over, too - it’s a running joke they have. “Sure does,” he says, a playful note in his voice. It would never happen. They’d actually discussed it, once they realized they were both bi...
Luca nods approvingly. “Good, good, I’ll take it, today of all days.”
Michael cocks an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Luca nods, gets a little closer. “I invited someone to set today. Guy I’ve been seeing.”
“Ahhh…”
“Yeah. It’s not, like, anything serious, but this guy…” He shakes his head. “Wow. Wanted to impress him, you know.”
“Well, I think it’ll be mission accomplished,” said Michael, gesturing to the leather.
“Luca, we’re ready for you!” someone calls.
Luca gives Michael a wink, pulls on the helmet, and trots away.
Michael gets some water and sits for a while, watches Luca’s takes. In this line of work, there is a lot of preparation, sure, but also a lot more sitting around than Michael had anticipated. Jenny from costuming comes over to him, makes sure his outfit still looks right.
She’s scrutinizing him, checking him against a photo they snapped of Luca before he started shooting his scenes. “You look good,” she says, finally. She adjusts the zipper of the jacket. “You nervous?”
“No,” Michael says, and it’s true. He isn’t. Because he has tricks up his sleeves.
Powers.
“Michael! We’re ready for you!”
He gives a quick nod of acknowledgement and walks to set. Jenny walks next to him, giving his costume another once over. She watches carefully as he puts the helmet on. “Honestly, with that helmet, I can’t tell you two apart,” she mutters.
“That’s the point,” Michael says. She shrugs and points him in the direction of the set.
The scene goes perfectly. Michael ticks through each element in his mind - car chase, gunshots, up the ramp, onto the semi. When Trey cuts the scene, Michael knows he’s delivered a good product.
He needs some water. He strolls off set and starts looking around, trying to remember where he left his water bottle. It’s either by his seat or the craft services table…
“Um, wow,” comes a voice behind him. “Luca, that was incredible!”
Michael laughs to himself a little. This must be the guy, Luca’s guy. Deciding to have a little fun, he dramatically takes his helmet off, shakes his curls, and turns around slowly.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but…”
His voice trails off as he finds himself face to face with Alex Manes.
“Alex!” comes Luca’s familiar voice. “You’re here!” He looks between the two of them, claps Michael on the back. “I see you’ve met my double!” He grins. “Michael, Alex. Alex, Michael.”
Michael stares at Alex. He looks… well, he certainly looks good . Looks… looks like maybe he’s not in the military anymore? His hair is a little longer, he’s wearing an earring. A… a very tight shirt. Michael swallows. Is… is Alex going to say anything? The silence drags on, and Luca begins to frown. Fuck it.
Michael sticks his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Alex,” he says. His words seem to bring Alex back to the present. Michael watches as Alex swallows hard, frowns.
“Um, yeah. Yes. Nice to meet you Michael.”
Michael doesn’t think he’s imagining the little zing when they make contact, knows that the handshake lasts just a beat too long. He watches as Alex withdraws his hand first, curls it up next to his side.
“It’s weird, right?” says Luca, smiling mischievously. “Don’t feel bad. Even my mom has mixed us up before.”
“We were both wearing cowboy hats at the time,” says Michael, by way of explanation.
Alex doesn’t say anything, damn him. Is he really doing this right now? Pretending like he doesn’t know Michael?
“Want to join us for some lunch, Michael?”
“What?” Alex says quickly.
“Just here at craft services,” Luca explains. “We’re a little behind the shooting schedule, so Michael and I are probably going to keep getting called to shoot. You don’t mind, right?” he asks Alex. “I mean, we’ll still do dinner tonight,” he says, and Michael looks down as Luca leans in, presses a quick kiss to Alex’s temple.
“I don’t know…” Alex begins.
“Sure,” Michael says, honestly feeling a little bitter at this point. Alex doesn’t even want to fuckin’ acknowledge him? Fine. But he can at least make him squirm a little.
Alex eyes him, says nothing. “Come on,” Luca says, guiding him to craft services.
They put together some trays of food and sit down together at a long folding table. Michael grabs his water bottle, takes a long swig.
“Well look at you two. You look good together!” he says, keeping his tone light. Alex glares at him.
“Thanks, Mike,” Luca says with a wink. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Was I that obvious?” Michael says, looking at Alex. “So how did you two meet?”
“You remember last month, before production started, I went down to Mexico for some R&R?”
“Oh yeah. Where was that again?”
“Careyes,” Luca says.
“Careyes, right.”
Luca nods. “Yup. That’s where we met.” He gives Alex a big smile.
Michael forces himself to breathe, turns toward Alex. “So you ran into Mr. Movie Star on vacation, huh?”
Alex gives him an odd look. “I… well…”
“That’s the thing! He had no clue I was an actor. It… it was so refreshing...”
Michael looks at Alex, who is staring intently at his plate of food.
“...And we’ve been texting since, and he decided to come out to visit, and here we are!” Luca pats Alex affectionately on the leg.
Michael realizes he hasn’t been paying attention to what Luca has been saying. He picks up a cookie, takes a bite. “Where you visiting from, Alex?”
Alex’s mouth is a thin little line. “New Mexico.”
“No way! That’s where I’m from, too!” Michael says, overly bright. “Small world. What part?”
Alex takes a deep breath. “I’m living outside Roswell these days.”
“For real?” He wants to ask so many things. Is he still in the military? How serious are things with Luca? Does, does he ever see his dad?
“Luca!” comes Jenny’s voice. “I need you to stand up for me - they want you on set in 5.”
“Be right there,” Luca says. He looks at Alex, a little apologetic. “Well, this is that glamorous set life I was telling you about,” he says. “Feel free to stay here. Michael will tell you anything you need to know.”
“Sure will,” Michael says, flashing Alex and Luca a wide smile… that he holds until Luca is well out of earshot. Then he takes a deep breath, turns in his seat, and frowns. “Are you fucking serious right now, Alex?”
Alex blows out a frustrated breath. “Well hello to you too, Michael.”
“No, I mean it. You’re seriously just gonna pretend to your boyfriend that you have no idea who I am?”
Alex looks legitimately chastened at that. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I… I honestly thought you were him, and then it was you , of all people, and he was there, and… I just froze up, okay? I didn’t know what to do.” He looks at Michael, really looks, and must see the hurt there. “I’m sorry,” he says again.
Michael stares at him. “Did… did you really not know who he was? In Careyes?”
Alex shakes his head. “I really didn’t. I, I just saw him, okay? And I thought… I thought he looked…” Alex sighs. “God, you know what he looks like. What do you want me to say, Michael?”
Michael arches an eyebrow, blows out a breath. “Well, how do you want to play this? Like, I work with Luca, he’s a friend. We talk.” He bites his lip a little. “If you really want me to keep acting like I don’t know you, I will, but…”
Alex rubs a hand tiredly over his face. “I don’t know what I want, Michael. I…” he trails off. “We’re here, you know. It’s been… god, it’s been years.”
“Since San Antonio,” Michael says matter-of-factly. “Since you reupped.”
Alex scoffs a little. “Yeah. Since then.”
They’re quiet for a moment. “You out now?” Michael finally asks, and Alex looks at him. “I mean, the hair, the clothes, the… the jewelry. Doesn’t seem very Air Force, you know?”
“Yeah,” Alex says quietly. “I’m out. Been… been out for a while, actually.” He’s quiet, seems to be debating something. “Since I got injured.”
“Injured?” Michael says.
Alex nods tightly. Reaches down and knocks on his lower leg. Michael’s jaw clenches as he registers the metallic sound. “Amputated. Um, it was a long recovery. But here I am.”
Michael shakes his head a little. “Here you are,” he says quietly. It’s hard… hard to know what to say right now. There’s a lot he wants to say… doesn’t trust himself with it. Alex is watching him carefully.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he says. “You, you said earlier you were back in Roswell. No one’s given you trouble there?”
Alex looks at him a little strangely. “Trouble?”
“Yeah… I dunno.” Michael notices that he’s been nervously shredding his paper napkin - forces himself to put it down. “Like, like your dad?”
“My… my dad?” Alex’s eyes have gone wide. “Michael, my father’s been dead a few years now.” He must register Michael’s shock. “Cancer. Really… really aggressive. He was gone within weeks.”
“Thank god.”
At Michael’s words, something in Alex relaxes - Michael sees it happen. “Yeah, yeah Michael.” They sit quietly, just absorbing the revelations. Finally, Alex leans back in his chair a little, looks him up and down. “You, you doing alright? Out here?”
“I am,” Michael says. “It… it pays the bills.”
“That’s what you said about the rodeo, too,” Alex says.
Michael frowns. “You gonna lecture me about how careless this is, too?” he says, edge to his voice. “Because I don’t want to hear it, Alex. You can look around - these stunts are, like, meticulously planned, there are choreographers and - “
“No, no, Michael,” Alex holds up a hand. “I… no. No lectures. I’m sorry. I… I am really sorry for how I was, back in San Antonio. What I said.” He licks his lips. “You can do what you want. Seriously. And…” Alex looks down, gets really quiet.
“Alex?”
“I… shit, I don’t know if I should even say this, Michael. But…” he glances around, seemingly to make sure he wouldn’t be overheard. He leans in close. “I know things now, that I didn’t before.”
Michael frowns. “What does that mean?”
“I… god, I know , Michael. About you. About why these… these things you do - the rodeo, the stunts - why they’re not… not the same risk for you. The same risk they’d be for other… other people .”
Michael’s stunned. Stunned speechless. Literally just staring at Alex, open-mouthed, trying to figure out if Alex is saying what Michael thinks he’s saying when he hears footsteps.
“Whew, glad that scene’s over!” Luca says. “Trey says I’m done for the day, but they want to review some of tomorrow’s stunt choreography with you, Michael.” He looks at Alex. “You ready to head out?”
“Um, sure,” Alex says. He stands up, looks back at Michael. “l, I’ll see you, okay?”
“You want to come to set tomorrow, too?” Luca says, obviously pleased and surprised as he leads Alex off set.. “That’s great!”