GENRE: fluff, fake dating
WARNINGS: slight sexual themes (making out lmao), slight harassment
NOTES: iloveoctaviablake lcary65 both requested alex x reader and honestly same. he was very much one of the first characters i fell in love with. i'm also working on another one! idk what this is pls accept it i love alex so much.

- bella

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"Alex, I need your help." You admitted to him, biting your lip gently as your waited for his reply.

He furrowed his eyebrows at your nervous expression, taking both of your hands in his, and squeezing them lightly to reassure you. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

You chuckled at your best friend. That was so him, to jump at any opportunity to help you out. God, you were so grateful for him. "You haven't even heard what it is yet."

"I don't care what it is," Alex rolled his eyes, thinking that it was obvious before.

You took a deep breath in, eyes flickering away from him, instead looking at your conjoined hands. He tilted his head down to you, trying to capture your stare as strands of his long brown hair fell into his face. He did, his baby blues making your shoulders relax slightly. Alex always managed to make you feel a little bit better, even if he wasn't trying.

"It's John. He's been bothering me again," You admitted sheepishly, flinching before he could even reply, because you knew your friend hated him.

He groaned, retracting his hands from yours so that he could run them through his hair, pushing it back exasperatedly. "Again?"

"Yeah." You told him. "But please don't do anything irrational!" You added frantically, bracing him with your hands against his chest. "He's dangerous, and you know it, Alex."

He sighed, and you felt the way his chest fell. He took your wrists in his hands, moving you away from him in the hopes that you couldn't feel the way his heart beat faster when you touched him. When you showed concern for him.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Alex asked you, clearly upset that the pyromaniac wouldn't stop hitting on you. Especially when you didn't want him to.

"I don't know . . ." You admitted, thinking about it as you looked off to the side, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. An idea came to your mind, and it immediately made you cheeks tint a light pink colour. "Um . . . I think I know something that'll work, and not get you burnt up."

"What?" He enquired, almost eager. But then again, it made sense; he was your best friend, and wanted this guy away from you as much as you did.

"We could always . . . we could pretend to date?" Your statement came out as more of a question, your eyes peering up to read his expression. "Or I could do it with someone else," You rushed out.

The thought of you doing that with someone else left a bitter in his mouth, so that was definitely ruled out. His eyebrows were drawn together, before he quickly began to ponder the idea. This, of course, was for show. He'd jump at any opportunity to date you; fake or not. In fact, he was getting eager and anxious all over just thinking about it. He imagined holding your hand as you walked around the school, or you giving him cheek kisses between classes, and always being cuddled up together. He imagined you lying half on top of him in the common room, as everyone crowded around to watch a movie on the small television. But mostly, he imagined kissing you, your soft lips pressed against his own.

"Sure." He finally said, his usual deep voice hiding his excitement. "Let's fake-date."

"Yeah?" You asked, surprised that your stoic best friend was agreeing to it at all.

"Yeah." He confirmed, his head tilting sideways at you, as he looked down at your lips stretching into a smile.

"Thanks." Your tone was filled with genuine sincerity, and it made him quirk a small smile in reply to yours.

"No problem. What are boyfriends for?" He winked at you, and you began to laugh, rolling your eyes at him, like he'd done to you earlier.

__________

It only took a day of you and Alex pretending, for the rumour to fully cement itself around school. You'd told all your friends, too - so, as far as anyone knew; you were a couple.

Admittedly, he'd never been happier. You were wrapped around him all day, never once leaving his side as you showed him even more affection than usual. He'd constantly catch you staring at him, and squeeze your hand, or wink at you. By lunch, he'd made the bold move to peck you on your lips. All of your friends groaned at the public display, but seemed generally happy about your newfound romance - all of them saying that it added up completely. Their consensus had you blushing like crazy, knowing that other people thought you'd be as good together, as you constantly did. More like just wishing, than anything.

About half way through day two of pretending, was when you came upon Pyro for the first time since you'd begun your mission to keep him out of your hair.

Before John could even get a word out, you felt an arm wrap around your hip. Looking up, you saw Alex, bringing your body closer so that you were pressed into his side. He was warmer than suspected, and you leaned into him slightly, slipping your arm under his leather jacket so that it could coil around his back. A small, smug smile pulled out his face at your actions, although his jaw was clenched. When he spoke, it came out low, and steady, "Back off my girl." Your heart thumped at his name for you, falling from his lips like it was so natural to him.

"Your girl? God, I heard this was a thing." John looked between you and Alex with a curious look, "But I didn't believe it until now."

"Well, believe it, buddy." Alex told him, his tone oddly calm. But then again, if the situation was real, this is how you'd expect him to react, anyways. He'd always had a quick temper, but he didn't like to let someone as petty as John get the better of him (not when you were around, anyways). But how could he help it when this guy was being such a creep to you.

"I still kinda don't . . . Why, all of a sudden, would you two decided to go out? After being friends for, like, five years," He queried, arms crossed across his chest as he rested his weight on one foot, eyes narrowed slightly like he couldn't believe a word Alex said.

Your friends grip was tightening around you as the other man continued to speak, his chest rising and falling slightly with irritation.

"Took you long enough though . . . I thought you were going to stay in the friend-zone forever," John snorted, and you couldn't help but flush in embarrassment at the implications of his words. Alex wasn't taking it, because he was suddenly letting you go, and taking a threatening step towards the other man despite your grip on his arm that tried to pull him back. The other man didn't budge from his spot, "So tell me, what's it like to finally score? Was she worth the wait?"

Without a moments beat, Alex was swinging at the other man's head with full force. Before he could make contact, he blinked, and was in his room.

"What the Hell, (Y/n)?" He asked, breaking away from you, running his hands through his hair once he'd realized you used your mutation to get both of you out of the situation.

"I couldn't let you get in trouble for him being a dick," You shook your head, crossing your arms across your chest defensively as he paced the room in front of you, seemingly still filled with energy from his argument.

"Why do we have to control ourselves, when he's the fucking creep!" Alex seethed, but upon seeing your expression, he softened. You seemed tired by the anger, sitting on the edge of his bed with a slight frown. "I'm sorry," He immediately said, sighing as he rubbed his temples, walking over to you.

"It's okay. You were defending me," You told him, and he could see in your eyes that you were genuine, holding out your hands for him to take. He immediately felt his shoulders drop, unable to be mad as he took your hands in his touch, kneeling down in front of you so that he could meet your gaze properly.

"Hey . . ." You heard a lilt of humour in his tone, "What are boyfriends for?" He asked with small, content smile.

You couldn't help but laugh slightly, shaking your head at his words. "The way he was attacking you . . . he said you were in the 'friend-zone' . . ." You trailed off, not daring to say more because you'd be absolutely mortified if you turned out to be wrong on your hunch.

Alex sighed slightly, his blue eyes filled with kindness, and adoration. He tilted your hands in his, brushing his lips against your knuckles in as he avoided your gaze. Your cheeks were hued pink, and when he looked back up, you seemed almost as flustered as he felt. "I . . . really like you. I guess it's obvious to everyone else . . . just not you," He admitted finally, "When you suggested fake dating . . . I don't know . . . it felt like the perfect opportunity to have an outlet for those feelings . . . but it kind of made it harder in the end."

You were speechless, and Alex seemed to take this badly. He was resigned to hearing what you were going to say with baited breath. "I think I know what you mean," You admitted in a whisper.

He raised an eyebrow at your words, not quite sure what you meant, but a smile filling his face nonetheless.

"I like you too. Really really like you . . ." You told him bashfully, and he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at your demeanor. It wasn't like you to be so shy around him, and he found it cute.

"Is that so?" He squeezed your hands, seemingly shocked, but also equally elated by your admittance, incapable of dropping the grin on his face that you were sure was going to become permanent by the looks of it.

"Yeah . . . I'd be your girl any day," You admitted, averting yours eyes from him because it was all just too much. Your stomach was exploding with butterflies, and you didn't know how you weren't imploding with the way his gaze felt so heavy on you.

You could hear him rumble with a laugh, and you hid an embarrassed but happy smile. He tried to get you to look at him, tugging your hands slightly so that you'd lean closer to him. When you finally were, you regarded him with a twinkling eyes, and his couldn't help but match yours.

"Would you be?" He asked gently, voice not louder than a murmur as his eyes flickered down to your lips, then back up to meet your gaze.

"Be what?" You replied, not quite understanding as you became distracted by how close you were.

His lips quirked at the side, but his expression was kind and adoring as he moved to hold either side of your face in his grasp delicately, "Be my girl . . ." His thumb brushed across your bottom lips slightly, subconsciously.

You were sure you could hear your heart beating in yours ears, and all you could see was him, as you leaned in an captured his lips in yours. You didn't know if you could say what you felt, or if it would make sense - and you were sure that one thing could portray more than you could ever really express out loud. And honestly, you'd wanted to do it for a while. He held you steady, kissing you back in a way that you'd somehow expected it to be; slow, and tender, and achingly loving. Your hands knotted in his hair, and he couldn't help but sigh into you at the pleasant feeling, his kisses just as desperate as you felt on the inside.

When you pulled apart, you seemed to realize that Alex was still kneeling in front of you. You tugged him toward you, lying back so that he was hovering over you, arms either side of your head to prop himself up. He looked down at you curiously, following your movements with a goofy smile that was only cut off by him kissing you again, and again. You giggled against his lips, returning the love equally.

"Yes, by the way," You told him between breaths, and he could only laugh.

"You didn't think I got the memo before?" He questioned, referring to the predicament you were in with humour in his blue eyes: laying underneath him with flushed cheeks, arms wrapped around his neck, your lips swollen from kissing him already.

"Shut up," Your face flushed, the bridge of your nose turning pink, which he observed fondly, leaning in for another smooch with an amused smile.

"It's a good thing I was never good at kissing and talking, then."