Chapter Text
The smell of herbs and slowly cooking chicken permeate the air, mixing with the smell of the pine trees that spread out for miles around them.
Alec sits on a fallen tree trunk, his side pressed against Magnus’, watching the embers where their aluminum foil-wrapped food is being warmed. He turns his gaze from the sparks and smoke to look up, miles above them. The stars are on full display with no light pollution to drown them out.
Alec doesn’t think he’s ever seen the stars look like this.
Magnus shifts beside him, standing to retrieve their dinners from what’s left of the fire before snapping his fingers and letting the fire roar back to life. Alec rolls his eyes as he takes the aluminum foil package, “What happened to doing things the mundane way?”
He’d been insisting on it since they’d arrived. From gathering the wood for the fire to pitching the tent, the afternoon had been filled with learning how to camp- the mundane way.
“I got hungry,” Magnus says easily, resuming his spot next to Alec, pressing their sides together. It’s a welcome warmth in the slowly-cooling air.
Alec carefully peels back the crinkly foil, his mouth watering when he sees the food they’d prepared before coming. He can’t blame Magnus for getting impatient when they’d had nothing but light snacks since arriving.
As he starts to eat, Alec asks, “Where did you learn to do all of this?”
“What? You don’t think I’m just a gifted outdoorsman?”
“Not for a second.” Alec knows how much Magnus loves his fancy clothes and access to running water and high thread-count sheets. This might be the most casual he’s ever seen Magnus dress intentionally- being in a near death situation doesn’t count.
Magnus is wearing a simple T-shirt, one of Alec’s, and a pair of dark jeans. He’s wearing boots, but they’re hiking boots, and his hair falls in waves over his forehead. His face is clear of makeup and the only jewelry he’s wearing is his wedding ring.
“Fine,” Magnus huffs, using his plastic fork to stab a potato from his foil. “I dated this guy- almost two centuries ago. He loved this kind of stuff. The relationship didn’t last long.”
Alec can’t help the small laugh that escapes him even as it earns him a glare from Magnus. “You didn’t like all the camping?”
“I don’t like dirt, Alexander.” But he hooks his ankle around Alec’s.
“Then why bring me here?”
Magnus glances at him, a soft smile tugging at his lips that never fails to melt Alec’s insides. “I thought you might like it. And, I wanted to see the stars with you. As long as you don’t expect this to become a regular thing-”
“I wouldn’t ask that of you,” Alec promises as he finishes his food. He crumples the leftover foil in his hand before crushing it under his foot. He’ll throw it away later. For now, he wants to enjoy the rare bit of vacation time with his husband.
He readjusts so he can lay his head against Magnus’ shoulder. “I do like it.”
“I’m glad.”
“I like being here with you, just the two of us. You know how gorgeous you look in candle-light? It’s even better with a large fire.”
He feels Magnus wrap an arm around his shoulder, holding him closer. “Thank you darling, you don’t look so bad yourself. Even if you do have dirt on your forehead.”