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Alex stares at the ceiling of his room.
It’s obviously, blatantly, clearly daytime; sunlight streams in from the windows casting pillars of gold with mesmerizing particles of dust that look exactly like microscopic fireflies. He doesn’t want to get out of bed, to get dressed, this moment being too precious and fragile, and Alex wishes he could hold it forever and have it not break. Being an einherji , he probably could… but he’s not eager to try.
Forever is a long time, but fifteen more minutes isn’t. Who would be eager to leave warm bed sheets and blankets? Alex wouldn’t, and he feels content with staying in his bubble of tranquility. The peace is rare in a hotel literally meant to host warriors and fighters.
But the haze of sleepiness that had previously held him so tenderly has been long gone, scattered into the wind like his childhood innocence.
Oh, to be six and out in the wilderness, Alex laments, a hand on his stomach and the other nearly hanging off the bed. He’s feeling really quite sentimental today, what with the perfectly chilled air and the sparkling sun that reminds him of the way creeks glimmer under the midday’s rays. Usually, Alex’s mind races with senseless, intrusive thoughts and constant observation of his surroundings, but out in the wild? Nothing really sparks that anxiety about existing .
Just as he considers climbing the tree and finding a nice forest somewhere to stay at for a day, a loud knock from his door jolts Alex awake into a state of hyper-vigilance. “Hang on!” he yells, pushing his blanket off and pulling up the fabric of his t-shirt that insists on slipping down his shoulder as Alex sits up.
He slides off the bed, feeling his bare feet touch the cold, smooth surface that is wood flooring, and runs to the door to open it. Alex scowls, rubbing his eyes. “I was sleeping, you better have a good explanation.”
“I—I just wanted to—” Magnus stammers, holding up a tray of something.
Wait .
“ Magnus? ” frowns Alex, blinking a few times to clear his blurry vision. “What are you doing here?”
His boyfriend laughs sheepishly, a small grin forming on his face. “Can’t I surprise my…” Magnus trails off, clearly asking for the proper word to refer to him.
Alex rolls his eyes and moves aside to let Magnus into his room, then closes the door behind him. “Boyfriend,” he completes the sentence, following Magnus into the middle of the room near the tree. “Seriously, though, is there a special occasion or something?” The contents of the tray definitely suggests that—chocolate-covered strawberries, falafel, truffles, everything Alex likes—and it is a large tray.
“I’m being serious, there’s no ulterior motive,” Magnus says, setting it down on the grassy floor of Alex’s room and then sitting beside the tray. “Sorry. This thing is really heavy.”
The apologetic expression on Magnus’s face looks so endearing, Alex can’t help but laugh as he, too, sits cross-legged on the soft grass. “No need to apologize,” he grins, picking up a strawberry and plucking out the leaves. “But if you want to make it up to me…”
Without being asked, Magnus opens his mouth and Alex feeds him the strawberry. The juices seep out of the corner of his lips and Alex wipes it away absent-mindedly, smiling all the while.
“Holy shit, you should try that,” he finally chokes out after swallowing the fruit. “It’s really good.”
Alex laughs, a real laugh he hasn’t let loose for so long. The sunlight turns Magnus’ grey eyes a gorgeous silver, and his long hair strands of gold, and with the slight red stain on his chin, he looks absolutely gorgeous . He can’t help but smile teasingly. “You got it without knowing how it tastes?”
The strawberry juice blends in perfectly with the crimson of Magnus’ cheeks now. “Hey, I knew it was good! I just didn’t know how good. I promise it’s worth trying.” he says, picking up another strawberry.
“I trust you,” Alex replies, the smile still on his lips, and he let Magnus feed him this time. It is delicious, the slight tartness of the fruit and the sweetness of the chocolate pairing perfectly. He brings a hand to his lips, feeling the smile grow wider. “Okay, holy fuck, that is seriously delicious.”
Magnus picks up a tiny sandwich and observes it carefully before eating it in one bite. He smirks at Alex. “Told ya.”
“I’m going to wipe that smirk off your face,” Alex retorts, sampling out the wide variety of tiny foods on the tray.
“I’d like to see you try!” says Magnus cheekily, picking up a falafel. The smirk is still firmly planted on his face, quirking one side of his perfectly pink lips up. He shifts his gaze from the food to Alex.
Alex considers a truffle, then finishes it in one bite. “Oh, I will,” he says, taking another truffle. “Right after I finish the entirety of this tray.”
The playful banter continues all the way until eventually the tray does get cleared of all its food and even drinks, and Alex pushes the tray away from between Magnus and he. Carefully, he lays down and stares at the ceiling again, this time basking in the warmth as Magnus follows and absorbs the sun’s rays like a photosynthesizing plant.
His promise hangs over the two of them even after Magnus relaxes and closes his eyes, clearly enjoying the silence.
“What are you thinking about?” Alex says abruptly, but not loudly, a hand on his stomach and the other intertwined with Magnus’.
He shifts his head to face his boyfriend’s, watching the rise and fall of Magnus’ chest and the flutter of his eyelids opening, though they droop still. “You,” Magnus replies immediately, without hesitating.
Alex doesn’t move his head. “Me?” he asks softly, observing Magnus with rapt attention. His eyelashes have turned a sparkling flaxen gold under sunlight, and Alex absolutely adores how they glimmer when they move.
“Yeah,” says Magnus, smiling slightly. “I always think about you.”
“Do you, now,” Alex muses, the words more of a thought than a question, He doesn’t know what game they’re playing, exactly, but it is definitely fun, and he’ll entertain Magnus until one of them caves in. “How are you thinking about me? In a wedding dress… or maybe something saucier?”
Instantly, Magnus’ cheek turns a deep shade of red. “N–No,” he stammers, eyes fluttering wildly. “I was just—I wasn’t thinking about you in any particular scenario, I—”
“I’m messing with you,” Alex murmurs quietly, brushing his thumb gently over Magnus’s knuckles. “And you know I love you just the same.”
Magnus finally opens his eyes, smiling. “I love you too.”