Zalex

Zalex is the slash ship between Zach Dempsey and Alex Standall from the 13 Reasons Why fandom.

Canon
Alex and Zach have been friends since the first season, although their interactions aren't as visibly present in the first season, in further seasons their relationship is shown more.

Season 1
The two are subjects on the thirteen reasons why Hannah Baker killed herself, with Alex and Zach also hanging with Bryce Walker, Clay asks Alex why is he still hanging out with them. Alex tells Clay that he only hangs out with them as a way to avoid suspicion and his friendship with Zach is the only reason why he hangs out with them.

In the final episode of the season, Alex attempts to commit suicide, and what's assumed to be Alex's father is that he told Zach about Alex's condition.

Season 2
It's revealed that Alex survives, however, the gunshot made it much harder for Alex to move around. When coming back to Liberty High after months of recovery, Zach greets Alex and offers to take his bag but Alex declines even though he still lets Zach carry his bag. Alex blatantly asks Zach and Jessica about his suicide note but is turned down quickly due to Liberty’s new protocols on the discussion of suicide, more specifically about Hannah and Alex.

Throughout the season Zach is teased by his friends, more specifically by Monty as he tells Zach to watch his ‘boyfriend’ and making mocking remarks on Alex’s conditions. He ignores these types of comments and continues to help Alex, such as helping him with his physical therapy at a swimming pool.

During one of Alex’s PT sessions, their conversions become more personal as Alex begins to date Jessica again. Alex explains how when he kissed Jessica he didn’t feel anything which Zach explains that he might’ve not found the “right” girl as of yet. The following session Alex wasn’t present and was found in the locker room to the swimming pool. Visibility upset, Alex ranted how he felt like he was never going to get better and was preparing to leave the premises, with still being unable to walk well Zach helps him which upsets Alex even more. Things began to get physical as Alex fights Zach while Zach tries to calm Alex down. With close contact, Alex gets an erection which makes matters awkward.

With the Hannah Baker trial still going on an anonymous person threatens the group by sending or vandalizing objects to the person, Alex was sent a gun by the mysterious person and he lets Zach know. During their texts, Alex gets sleepy and falls asleep leaving the message of how he figured things, in the morning Zach and Alex’s mother worriedly wake Alex up to see if he was still alive, Alex wakes up confuse and to Zach’s fury he explains how Alex shouldn’t text such things to someone and then fall asleep as Alex already attempted suicide once. These texts worried Zach as he thought Alex might’ve attempted again.

Season 4
In order to help Alex forget things, Zach and Alex go to a rooftop and walk against the edge. Alex loses balance and nearly falls but Zach catches him on time, the two laugh for a moment to where Alex kisses Zach. Alex apologizes to Zach which doesn’t concern him at all but he explains to Alex that he isn’t gay. In later episodes, Alex reminds Zach of the kiss and to his surprise, Zach tells Alex that the kiss was nice.

Fanon
It's currently the most popular ship in the fandom, beating earlier on popular ships such as Clannah and Jesstin. With their relationship fans believed it would've been better if Zalex was endgame rather than Charlie and Alex. Even those who didn't ship the two romantically, they believe their friendship was one of the best ones in the series. Some fans did believe at some point Zach did develop romantic feelings for Alex by studying his reaction when Alex kissed him, if Zach did have a crush on Alex and didn't admit to it, it's most likely that he didn't want to be in between Alex and Charlie's relationship.

Fandom
FAN FICTION