Title: Four Times Justin Was Totally In Charge (And Twice He Didn't Want To Be)

Fandom: Wizards of Waverly Place

Characters/Pairings: Justin/Alex

Summary: He just wanted a book.

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Through the movie.

Word Count: 2000

Author's Notes: This is so wrong, and I'm sorry.

*

fifteen months

He wanted a book.

He's pretty sure this isn't a book.

"You have to be a good big brother," his father says, hovering over the thing in his mother's arms.

"Book."

"No, Justin," his mother corrects, "Alex."

He can say Alex. He's a big boy. And he's smart. He can say a lot of things. "Book."

His parents ignore him, bent over this thing that isn't a book. "You're going to be in charge of her from now on, Justin," his dad tells him seriously, and Justin pauses a little.

He likes being in charge.

"Do you want to hold her?" his mom asks, and Justin really loves when she smiles at him like that.

But he can't hold this thing. It's heavy and loud and it moves around a lot. He could hold a book, though. He wanted a book.

"Oh, look, he's pouting, honey," his dad grins and picks him up, slings him over his shoulder, and brings Justin's face close to that thing. "Be good."

Justin is always good. So he gives in and awkwardly pats the thing's head and says, "Alex."

"Oh, honey, she's smiling," his mother squeals happily, and brings the thing closer to her chest.

"It's probably gas," his father says, but ruffles Justin's hair.

Well. It's not a book, but it's okay.

A book would never smile at him like that.

six years

"Don't wanna."

Exasperated, Justin tugs on her sleeve, dragging her along. "Dad put me in charge, so you do wanna."

She plants her feet firmly into the ground and crosses her arms and says, "Well, I'm still not gonna."

He scrunches up his face and spins around to look at her. "Alex, you have to pick out a wand today."

She sticks out her bottom lip, and scuffs her shoe on the ground. "I want yours."

Justin's not his father; the puppy dog eyes don't work on him. "You can't have it."

"Why not?"

There's a list, and it's long, but he's in charge of this, so she's going to listen to him, okay.

"Look, Alex, the store is right there," he tries again because maybe Dad's watching and because maybe he's going to miss his favorite show if Alex doesn't hurry up.

"Gimme yours."

He takes out his wand with a sigh and she snatches it right up.

"Only until you pick out your own, okay?" he warns, but she's already sliding the wand down her sock and grinning up at him.

Well, whatever.

He never liked that wand anyway.

twelve years

"You did a good thing, Alex."

"You take that back," she huffs, offended.

His lips curl. "You were nice to Gigi."

"I wasn't nice!" she whines, stomping her foot. "You made me be nice! Never do that again, Justin!"

"Yeah, see, that's exactly why the principal put me in charge," he lectures primly. "You can't use magic during a field trip, Alex." He lowers his wand, nodding at the invisible hands pulling her strings, "Spirits great and spirits small, feel free to end this spell... er... once and for all."

She unwinds, glaring at him. "But YOU can use magic?"

"Only to keep you from exposing our secret to, oh, the REST OF THE WORLD."

She pounces before he can blink, and points his wand at his chest. "I want revenge on one stupid girl, so make Justin help me before I hurl." She pauses, mumbling, "Ugh, why do these always have to rhyme?"

Justin's fingers tighten around his wand.

Ah.

Maybe one tiny prank wouldn't hurt.

seventeen years

He wants it.

He's wanted it his whole life.

He's trained for it and studied and given up a billion things that she never even considered. Plus, she doesn't even want it, not really.

So, he's not going to let Alex have this.

Even if they lose their memories, even if they disappear, he's not going to let her win.

Determined, he picks himself up, wipes away the mud, and goes for it.

But his feet won't listen. And his fingers hesitate. It's only for a second, of course, but it's enough for her to slide through and take it.

It kinda hurts and he can't exactly believe this, because there was an infallible equation—math and physics—in his head, so he should've won. He meant to win.

"Congratulations," he says and means it.

His shoulders relax.

Because, hey, if anyone can fix this, it's her.

Besides.

She'd do the same for him.

twenty years

"Needless to say," he begins self-importantly.

"Well, if there's no need to say it..."

"I'm going to win."

Alex scoffs, walking past him. "Oh, okay," she waves him off, "I wasn't aware we'd entered Not Gonna Happen Land."

"Uh, hey," Max calls out, "does no one think I'll win? Even a little?"

Justin and Alex exchange glances.

"No."

"Now, kids..." their father starts uncomfortably, then clears his throat. "I believe in you, Max."

Max pats down his flashy purple jumpsuit and brings frantic eyes to his father's face. "Oh. Um. I think I lost my wand."

"...that's... okay, son. Just, um... focus on getting to that circle over there, okay? Do your best, all of you—"

Justin's muscles tighten.

Alex tenses beside him.

"—aaaand, go!"

Max shoots off across the field, hurling toward the flickering ball of light.

Alex hasn't moved an inch.

Neither has Justin.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"Dunno. What are you doing?"

Justin's wand brushes against Alex's. His knuckles touch hers. "I'm letting him win. Obviously."

She watches Max stop dead in his tracks, completely lost. "Yeah, so am I. And I'm doing it better."

Slowly, Justin glances at her.

Her lips curl into a wicked grin. "I can get him there faster," she challenges.

He bites back a smile, and points his wand at the field. "Don't think you can."

A fire spell traps the power from bolting, and a burst of water drops Max right atop the altar.

It feels weird for a moment, but Justin's felt this emptiness before, so he gives his wand one last look, and turns to smile at his father.

"What did you do? Alex! Justin! ALEX." There is a frustrated pause, and then: "You have to compete!"

"We did," Alex says, discarding her wand. "We competed over who'd be a better loser."

"I won," Justin adds calmly, but his eyes are probably a little too bright.

"Pfft, yeah," she snorts. "Loser."

"Takes one to know one."

Their father gives them a look, equal parts exasperated and proud. "Well. Good. As long as it was... competitive." Under his breath, he adds, "...and now I owe your mother fifty bucks."

Max sails above their heads with an excited whoop. "You guys, this feels amazing! Better than cake!"

Their father steps away, batting at Max's feet. "Max, no, come back here, you can't just—no—stop—aaagh—MAX—"

Justin glances at Alex.

Her features soften. "I like it when you break rules," she says. "For me."

And he sort of likes breaking rules for her. Well. Not likes. Is okay with. Occasionally.

"I didn't do it for you," he replies with a huff, but he's grinning.

She gives him a smile. One that makes him think it's okay not to be a wizard.

Eh.

WizTech probably would've had a problem with him wanting to marry his sister anyway.

almost twenty-one

"So, I saw this," she tells him awkwardly, bursting into the lair and tossing a book at the couch.

He extends an arm and slides the book closer. His fingers catch on the cover. "And?"

"And I thought, you know," she gestures vaguely, not meeting his eyes, "you'd want to read it. Or something. Oh, whatever, just give it back."

His heart is racing. Only a little, though. "You touched a book?"

"Yeah, I know," she gags, wiping her hands on her pants. "I'm gonna go disinfect myself now."

"Alex. Wait."

She does. "Justin," she heaves a deep, suffering sigh, "don't make a big deal out of this."

"But it's a book," he enunciates, rising from the couch. "Are you dying? Am I?"

She looks torn between setting him on fire and selling him to gypsies. "I just thought you wanted one. God! Why are you being so—I mean, it's your birthday tomorrow, so shut up and read the stupid book, would you?"

He takes one, incredulous, look at the book in his hands, then chucks it behind him. "You thought I wanted a book?"

She hesitates. "Uh, yeah? It's all you ever want, you massive gork. That's a cross between a geek and a dork, by the way. Patent pending."

He stares at her for a long time.

Yes. He wanted a book. Once. But now, now he'd rather have Alex.

"No," he says, taking a step closer.

Suspicious, she observes him for a moment. "No, what?"

He takes another step. "No, it's not all I want."

She gives him a cocky grin, crossing her arms and tilting her head. "Oh, okay, two books. Fine. I'll get you another one tomorrow," she smirks, amused. "What else could you possibly ask for, Justin?"

"You."

Her smirk fades instantly.

"And maybe a new microscope."

Her eyes settle on his lips. "Sorry, Justin..." she tells him slowly, and his chest tightens, "...I'm all out of microscopes."

Yeah, he thinks as she presses against him, a book would never smile at him like this.