Work Text:
”So.. would you like to do something today? Lunch? Coffee?”
”Magnus Chase, are you asking me out for a date?”
Blush. ”Uhh… yes?”
Smirk. ”I’ll pick you up when I wake up after the battle.”
That had been this morning and it was now after the said battle. Magnus paced back and fort in his atrium. There were clear tracks on the grass where he had walked. He didn’t know exactly how long it would take for Alex to wake up. He’d showered, brushed his teeth twice, brushed his hair, changed three times. He had never been on a date so he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to dress. Casual? Formal? Something in between? What would Alex like? In the end he’d settled to green-and-white collar shirt from which he rolled sleeves half way up, white t-shirt and his better pair of jeans.
It had been a couple of weeks since the Independence Day when he and Alex had been holding hands at the roof of Chase Space. A week since they officially started dating. They had been on a small quest, and Magnus somehow ended up saving Alex’s life. Later that day, after they got back home, Alex had come to his room, they had kissed, he’d asked if they were a thing now. Alex had laughed.
”If you want.” She said
”Yes!” He’d replied, maybe a bit too quickly. She just laughed and kissed him again.
That time everything had felt so natural. Like a piece of puzzle that had been lost finally found its place. Magnus hadn’t been nervous at all.
So why on Earth was he nervous now?!
Magnus jumped when there was a knock on the door. He took a deep breath and went to open it. Alex – male now - stood there hands on his hips. He was wearing a short sleeved collar shirt with light green and white stripes (at least they kinda matched in color, Magnus thought, though his green was more matcha colored and was checkered. So not at all in fact.) and pink skinny jeans that he had cuffed up above his ankles. He had pink sunglasses on his hair and small black back bag on his back. Magnus noticed he had some make up, including some fake freckles.
Alex visibly looked him through from head to toe and gave a small ”hm” as an approval. Or at least Magnus decided to take it as an approval.
”Did you just check me out?”
Alex raised an eyebrow at him. ”You’re my boyfriend. I’m allowed to check you out.”
Boyfriend. The word still felt very new and unfamiliar. He was Alex Fierro’s boyfriend. The thought made his stomach tingle.
Magnus held back a grin.
”Shall.. shall we go then?” He asked. Alex nodded.
Soon they made it out of Valhalla and started walking without really a goal. It was nice summer day, sunny but not too hot.
”So, what do you want to do?” Magnus asked since it was still a bit too early for lunch.
Alex shrugged. ”Didn’t you have a plan when you asked me?”
”No. I just kinda thought we’d go with the flow?”
Alex smirked. ”Well, what is your flow telling you?”
Magnus thought for a moment. ”You wanna visit a bookstore?”
”Sure.”
They found the nearest bookstore and strolled between the aisles. Magnus stopped at the horror section, Alex checked the mystery stories next to them.
”Have you read Darren Shan?” Magnus asked.
Alex, who was currently crouched to see the lower shelves, raised his head and grinned. ”I love his books!”
”Me too!” Magnus smiled, happy to find yet another connection between them. Alex turned back to books.
”I’m kinda itching for something new.”
”Do you have genre preference?”
”Not really.”
”Hmmm..” Magnus walked to the other side of the shelf to the fantasy books.
”Have you read this?” Magnus asked, picking a book. It was called Name of the Wind. He handed it over.
”No”, Alex replied as and took it. ”Is it good?”
”It’s really good.”
Alex flipped the book to read the back.
”Well, I guess I’ll trust your word for it”, he said and placed the book under his arm. ”In that case, for you I’d recommend…” He searched through the shelves. Soon he brought him a book called Into the water. Magnus checked the description. Mystery and detective stories weren’t usually his jam, but this one seemed interesting. He shrugged.
”Okay, then!”
They wandered to the comic section, and Alex wanted to check the manga selection. Finally they emerged the shop both carrying a paper bags. Alex wanted to go to the art store nearby so they made their way there. He looked through some pottery equipment, but ended up buying only a sketch book.
”I didn’t know you liked to draw”, Magnus said when they came out.
”I do, though I don’t do too much”, Alex told him. ”When I was at the streets, I obviously didn’t have access to pottery too often, so I had to come up with something else. It is much easier to come across to pen and paper. Plus, if I’m making a more detailed or complex piece, I like to plan it beforehand.”
They walked around again for some time, trying to find a good place to eat. They decided on a nice looking Italian restaurant. They sat outside, ordered pastas and just chatted and laughed. They talked about books first, but they both really lit up when they started talking about hiking. They shared stories, their favorite trails and spots. They were already planning places they could visit now that things were bit more calm with Valhalla.
Magnus was once again amazed, even though he sometimes got nervous around Alex, just how easy it was to always talk to him. No, actually, it was her now, Magnus noticed. They’d spent a lot time together these past few months, and Magnus felt there was always something to chat about, even the most random things. And if there weren’t, the silence between them was always comfortable.
Alex laughed. Magnus really liked her laugh. He’d also noticed she’d been laughing much more lately, which made him happy.
”Magnus?”
Magnus snapped out of his thoughts.
”What?”
”You’re staring again.” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, but she couldn’t exactly hide her smile even if she apparently attempted.
Magnus blushed as red as the tomatoes in his pasta. ”You’re my girlfriend, I’m allowed to stare you.”
Alex was surprised at the come back at first, probably partly because he used her own come back at her, partly for the use of the word ’girlfriend’ and partly because he’d noticed she’d changed genders. Then she laughed again.
”You’re an idiot!”
They finished their food, paid and went to the nearby mall and visited some shops. Alex tried to get Magnus to try on new clothes (”You can’t always dress up like you live in 90s!”). They put up a small fashion show for each others. Magnus wondered how Alex managed to look good in every single piece of clothing she wore.
Later on they headed to stroll around at the park. There was an ice cream stall there and Alex bought them both cones – strawberry for her and mango for Magnus. ”Because it matches your name”, Alex grinned when he frowned at her choice. They sat down on the grass to eat – the mango ice cream turned out to be actually pretty good, even though it wouldn’t have been his own first pick. Since it was a beautiful day, there were a lot of people having picnics around. Lots of families, couples, even just solos reading books or sunbathing. Magnus found himself looking at some of the couples, seeing how they interacted. There were kisses, hand holding, laughing. Magnus wondered if he and Alex looked so casual and comfortable. At least he wanted to believe so. They weren’t really doing much of couple-y stuff, so maybe they just looked like a pair of friends out for ice cream.
After ice creams they just sat at the park for some time until they decided it was probably time to head back to Valhalla for dinner.
Magnus suddenly started thinking if he could hold Alex’s hand. Would it be okay? Was it too soon? Either of them wasn’t really big fan of physical contact, but it was part of a relationship, eventually, wasn’t it? Would Alex like it or would she snap at him? Especially out in public? Magnus knew very well Alex was a girl, but for others she looked like a boy. Would other people look at them funny, make comments?
They stopped at the traffic lights, and Magnus decided to just go for it. He, casually, like it was no big deal, although his face was probably red, slid his hand into hers. From the corner of his eye he saw Alex smile as she locked her fingers on his hand. They crossed the road.
From the other side came an older couple, of which the woman seemed wrinkle her nose at them and turned to say something to her husband. Magnus immediately was going to chicken out and draw away his hand, but Alex squeezed it.
”Just ignore it.”
They found an entrance and appeared to the hotel corridors. Neither of them wasn’t exactly sure where they were, as the interior changes often, but eventually they found the elevators and arrived to the Feast hall just as people were flowing in. If any other einherjar noticed them holding hands, they didn’t show it (or were just scared to do so. Alex had a reputation). Alex spotted their hall mates and they joined their table. There were two new einherjar in Valhalla that evening. Other was son of Tyr. T.J cheered loudly for him. Another had mortal parents. They had both met glorious deaths and were welcomed with loud cheers and promised lots of honor and gory battles.
After the dinner their group made it back to Floor 19. Alex was chatting with Mallory ahead, and Magnus was walking with T.J and Halfborn. Latter suggested some party games, which they frequently had habit of doing, but others declined this time. T.J returned to his room and Halfborn and Mallory disappeared into hers. Magnus turned to look at Alex, who was still at the hall way.
”Do you.. wanna come inside? We can watch a movie or something?”
”Sure.”
Magnus made them popcorn and they plopped on the couch and kicked their feet on the coffee table. Alex surfed though streaming services.
”Feeling anything particular?”
”You pick”, Magnus replied. ”Nothing sad, please.”
She decided on Disney’s Treasure Planet and pressed play. Alex took a handful of popcorn form the bowl he was holding and threw some in her mouth. Then she pressed her head against Magnus’s shoulder.
He tensed for a moment, blushing violently. He slowly relaxed. Magnus again slid his hand into hers and laced their fingers together. Alex let out a content sigh. He smiled and rested his own head against hers.
Once the movie ended, Alex got up and stretched.
”I should head to bed.”
”Yeah...”
Magnus walked her to the door, where she turned around to face him.
”I see you tomorrow, then”, she said.
”Um, right, tomorrow.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. She placed her book bag on the floor.
”Listen, Magnus.” She took both of his hands into hers. ”You don’t need to be so nervous all the time, you know.”
Magnus was a little surprised by her comment and probably blushed again. Alex laughed at his face.
”I know this is new for both of us, but I like you, and I like spending time with you”, she continued. ”And you are allowed to touch me, you don’t need to be afraid. So, just relax, okay?”
She had a pause to let her words sink into him. He gave her a shy smile and small nod.
”I had fun today”, she said with warm smile that made Magnus’s stomach tingle again.
”Me too.”
Magnus leaned in and kissed her. Alex’s other hand left his and found its way on his cheek. Magnus’s free hand found her waist. When they parted, they remained in that position for a while. Alex gave a small laugh and nuzzled her nose against his, which made him laugh as well.
Then Alex finally let go and picked her bag again. ”Good night.”
”Night.” He held her hand to the last minute and it fell free when she opened the door. Alex turned to look at him one more time, smiled, and closed the door after her.
When she was gone, Magnus turned and slid down to sit against the door. He put his hands together and leaned them to his forehead and took a deep breath. He looked back up and started grinning widely. He got up and as he walked back to his atrium, he have might even done a little fist pump. Though he would never admit that if someone asked.