Chapter Text
Alex had been having a good day, really. He also was surprisingly enjoying Magnus's Greek cousin's company, and it helped that the sun was a relief after weeks in Valhalla with not much natural sunlight. The dock was mostly empty, the water glittering in the sun from where it made waves against the dock. The railing that kept people from falling or diving into the dock hot with the burning sun. If Alex focused enough, he could see the red on Magnus's cheeks from having spent far too much time in the sun.
Honestly, he hadn't really been much paying attention to Annabeth Chase from where they watched from the deck. He only really offered the occasional joke or throwaway comment. He was a bit too worried about Magnus for that. They had, however, just finished a conversation about a dude called 'Will Solace' who was a bit like Magnus considering he could heal, glow and was summery.
Annabeth was blonde- her hair glowing in the sun. Alex could see where Magnus got his lovely golden locks from. Magnus's shade of blonde was different to Annabeth's, a difference he guessed was in Frey's genes versus Athena's genes. Her grey eyes seemed to study his very soul analytically. Their personalities were jarringly different, but they had the same kind and bright soul.
Still, Alex's favourite Chase would be Magnus. Not that he's biased or anything.
Percy had said something earlier about 'jumping off a ship' practice, which was almost enough to send him into anaphylactic shock had he been allergic to Magnus being in danger. He had spent most of the morning worrying Annabeth's boyfriend was serious, and waiting for it to occur. Not that he was worried for Magnus's sake, of course.
And also Alex had promised Blitzen he'd return Magnus in one piece, too...
Obviously, as Alex was accustomed to from a society which insisted on being mostly cisgender, he had originally been worried about being misgendered by Magnus's greek-side family; but it thankfully hadn't been a problem.
Either way, Alex was straining his neck a lot looking up at the deck of the ship, glancing up at least every now and then if not most of the time, to ensure Magnus had not died yet.
"So, how's Valhalla then?" Annabeth asked, trying to make nice.
Alex glanced at her. "It's alright. Pretty normal everyday dying type of thing." He joked. Annabeth laughed.
"Magnus said you guys do everything to the death, right?" she asked politely.
Alex laughed amiably in reply. Something in his chest sighed in frustration. He didn't like the whole 'do things to the death' thing in Valhalla, it was painful, but he had long since accepted that it was supposed to be a test of fighting skill. "Yes, we do. It can be really annoying, because sometimes I'll be in the middle of pottery and get killed." he complained.
The conversation abruptly ended when Magnus stepped right off the edge of the ship.
"Shit-" Alex swore, shocked and looking at Annabeth.
Annabeth was tense, but casual. It was obvious she trusted Percy with her cousin.
Alex, however did not.
For a moment, Alex relaxed, thinking 'oh, well I'll see him at dinner. It'll be fine.' and then he realised that this was not Valhalla and this death would be permanent.
"Magnus!" he shouted, practically climbing the railing.
Magnus disappeared under the waves with a loud crack.
Alex counted the seconds between breaths, trying to keep himself from scrambling over the rail if he could help it.
1... He'll be fine. Maggie has a thick skull.
2...
3... He's fine. He has to be. He's going to swim up here, cocky and all, and I'll bash his head in for scaring me like that.
4...
Then he snapped, his body shaking from the restraint of his worry. Percy was looking more concerned by the minute and Annabeth had only slightly realised this may be a problem.
Alex was the first to move, considering the happy couple were a bit shocked. He shape-shifted into a dolphin mid way on his leap into the waves below, panic coursing through his very veins.
Please not be dead, please not be dead, please not be dead, please not be dead-
Alex searched the waves, wishing Magnus could do that glowing thing because this damn sea is like a coffin in itself-
'I didn't get to tell him' A small voice in Alex's mind supplied helpfully, and a new level of distraught washed over him as he searched more frantically.
No. That idiot isn't allowed to die without me telling him how I-
Finally, a light in the deeper end caught Alex's eye.
Got you, Beantown.
Alex shifted into a manta ray, hoping that would help shoulder Magnus's now weak body to the surface.
He found that the manta ray was a good idea, but he made special care not to let Magnus near his barbed tail as he shouldered Magnus and pushed him to the surface with all his might.
Oh Odin, I hope he hasn't run out of air-
Alex knew that CPR must be the first thing they did on the surface when he stopped being able to feel Magnus's pulse. His own pulse was thudding in his chest in panic.
Percy made himself known by diving down to help lift Magnus to the surface after getting over his shock, changing the currents and relieving the water pressure as they didn't want Magnus to deal with busted lungs on top of whatever injuries the fall had given him.
When they got the surface, Alex shape-shifted back to his human form and glared as Annabeth tried to crowd Magnus's space.
"His pulse is weak." Alex announced, after frantically checking. "He probably has a gallon of water stuck in his lungs." Alex was no healer, but this much was obvious to him.
"Let me deal with it." Percy offered immediately, stepping towards where Alex was knelt next to Magnus's head.
Alex frowned, not moving. "Dude, you've got a girlfriend."
Percy looked very confused. "I can move water."
Oh.
"Well, get on with it then." Alex berated, moving aside. He had half a mind to growl at Percy, as this was all his fault, but he couldn't give into the protective urge that was gripping him to his bones without being unhelpful to Magnus so he set it aside.
Percy raised his arms and the water flew out of Magnus's mouth. Magnus coughed violently, clearly still alive. Alex definitely didn't have to cover up his relief. Absolutely not.
"Owwwwwww-" Magnus complained. Alex was sure he would've been shouting in pain, but at this point Magnus was numb. "I think-" Magnus paused with a long grimace. "I've broken all my bones."
"Can you heal them?" Alex asked, praying that it wasn't as bad as Alex could tell it was. While Annabeth and Percy hadn't been around Magnus that long, Alex had seen him die on the battlefield many times in Valhalla. He had become attuned to the way the flashes of pain sparkled in his eyes and the tight, clenched lines around his mouth indicated extreme pain.
There was a moment of silence, and a slight film of glowing light from Magnus that lit hope in Alex before Magnus replied. "Nope. Fairly sure I'm," Magnus took a rattling breath to steady himself from the waves of extreme pain. "bleeding out internally."
Alex didn't really care at this point what Magnus's greek cousins had to say, they talked at him as he scooped up Magnus, who was now very delirious from pain, into his arms, Magnus's legs hooked over his right elbow and his head cradled against his left shoulder. Although Alex knew it was ridiculous, he gave Percy a cold look before shapeshifting into a dragon and taking off.
He wasn't as panicked now, considering he knew Magnus's state of health and what he had to do to help. Alex just focused on bringing Magnus back to Valhalla, eyes focused on the horizon where the hotel's roof of golden shields was now slowly coming into view.
"You're really warm." Magnus babbled deliriously from his spot cradled in Alex's dragon arms.
Despite it all, that brought a small smile onto his face.
"Well, how the tables have turned." he replied gently.
"Hmph." Magnus huffed petulantly. Alex felt slightly warm from how Magnus was cute when he was delirious, but it was overridden and snuffed out by his worry and concern.
Those were not going to be Magnus's last words. Not if Alex could help it.
It was a relief when Alex managed to set Magnus down in his bed on floor nineteen in Valhalla- Alex had felt Magnus's pulse and life drifting away like the clouds slowly drifting around them on the flight back.
Still, Alex was frazzled. Despite knowing Magnus would be back- resurrected due to Valhalla's magic, Alex had already worked himself up into a frenzy of worry.
What if because he was injured outside Valhalla he won't get resurrected?
Alex paced anxiously outside Magnus's room, tearing up the carpet waiting for the resurrection until Mallory had gently directed him back to his own room. Mallory seemed to know that he needed someone to tear him away from Magnus's room or he'd worry himself to death or make a fool of himself.
Mallory, bless her, had let him hug her as tightly as he could. Alex was shaking violently, but he wasn't sure what from. Residual panic? Worry ? The fact he had felt so helpless there for a while? His wet clothes?
Alex didn't know why this was hitting him so badly, usually he just laughed it off. This kind of thing had happened to him before, where he had nearly died and was dragged back to Valhalla by Sam where then he was fine.
It was mostly the force of Mallory's calming motherly gestures that he managed to stop shaking for the most part. Alex was still shaky, but it wasn't the same as the shakes that wracked his body earlier.
Only after Alex had calmed down thirty minutes later did Magnus stroll into Alex's room uninvited, looking frustrated with himself. Alex had to fight the urge to run over and hug him.
He did, however, punch Magnus in the arm.
"Ow!" Magnus complained, scrunching his face up in pain. "What was that for?!"
"Almost fucking dying." Alex retorted grumpily. "Did your mother ever tell you that if your friend jumps off a cliff you shouldn't too?"
Magnus pouted. "Percy was just trying to teach me how to fall correctly."
"No, he was teaching you how to die correctly. There's a difference." Alex sighed, keeping himself from growling at Magnus. He didn't want to show how much he was worried to Magnus, because he would tease him relentlessly about it. Also because that would tell Magnus how he felt about him and he wasn't ready for that discussion.
"Anyway, Annabeth and Percy are probably expecting us and worried." Magnus put out there uncomfortably, obviously trying to change the subject.
Alex almost wanted to say No, we're not going back there, Magnus. You better stay here where I hauled your ass so you wouldn't die or I'll send you to Helheim my-fucking-self.
But he knew that they had to go back, and he didn't want to test whether Annabeth was willing to kill him for hiding her cousin away when he could be dead for a second time.
Alex sighed. "Alright. Let's go back and see them again."
Mallory sent a conspiratorial wink his way as they left. Alex didn't want to think about what conclusions Annabeth and Percy had come to about his feelings towards Magnus after his display over overprotective behaviour back there, but he forced himself to pretend he didn't care.