Work Text:
So here’s the thing.
Alex wasn’t an idiot. They knew they had no shot, not really. First of all, Morgan clearly wasn’t interested, and even on the off chance Alex’s feelings were returned, it probably wouldn’t work too well out anyway. Morgan was just, too good for them, even if they are a villian. Not to mention the amount of danger Morgan would be put in if the heroes found out how much Alex cared for them.
Who were they kidding. Alex was an idiot.
Because no matter how much their thoughts screamed at them to stop, to move on, to let Morgan go, Alex couldn’t. Morgan was just, it for them. Their other half. It was as if Alex’s heart reached out and found home.
So Alex resigned to pining. Hopeless, Hopeless pining.
Morgan wasn’t making it any easier.
“You good, man?” Speak of the devil.
Morgan was staring at them across the table, a hint of casual concern in their eyes, as if they were worried but didn’t know what to make of it.
“Hmm?” Alex blinked their internal dilemma away. “Oh. Yeah.” No. “Just tired, sorry.”
“Right,” They nodded, though they looked far from convinced. Which was fair, Alex had the worst poker face known to man. And literally didn’t get tired thanks to their god-like powers. If they were actually tired, that would be concerning.
They had mentioned they were an idiot, right?
Alex turned to the food in front of them, hoping that eating would stop Morgan from asking anymore questions.
Alex was well aware they were acting weird, okay? But what else could they do? After what happened last night, their brain was in shambles and it only got worse every time they so much as looked at their best friend.
Their best friend who kissed them last night. So yes, Alex was a little bit out of it right now. Hell, a little bit was an understatement.
It was because of one of Morgan’s stakeouts. They were sitting in Morgan’s car for several hours in the middle of the night waiting for.. Alex didn’t remember, someone. They couldn’t bother with the details at the moment. All they remembered was the moment said-someone spotted them.
Alex had panicked, not particularly wanting their cover blown and deal with that shitshow, and waited for Morgan to decide their next plan of action.
Turns out their ‘next plan of action’ was to apologize in advance, grab them by their shirt, and pull them into the kiss Alex had been fantasizing about for the last two years at least.
Alex had been frozen in place, their thoughts somehow nonexistent and everywhere at once, because Morgan’s lips were soft, and Alex had never been kissed before but Morgan was good at it, and Alex never wanted it to end because finally, finally-
And then Morgan had pulled away. And Alex was thrust back into reality.
Morgan had said something about the person leaving, relaxing into their chair with a “Woo!” of relief.
Woo indeed.
It meant nothing, obviously it meant nothing. Not to Morgan, not to Alex, not to anyone.
Except it meant everything. And Alex couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Oh fuck, Morgan was looking at them weird. Uh.
Alex finished their toast quickly- which was pretty fast, considering they could swallow it whole if they wanted-deciding that they needed to get out of the room before the awkwardness suffocated both of them. “I'll see you later. I have a meeting with my henchman.” technically true, but not for about six hours from now.
Morgan blinked in surprise- a rare thing with Morgan, fuking amazing poker face- and they scrambled out of their chair to follow Alex, catching up just as they had reached the door.
“Wait,” Morgan shouted from behind them, and when Alex turned around, they shifted around and looked anywhere but at Alex. “Is this about last night?”
Alex let their hand fall from the doorknob, resigned. “What do you mean?” They asked, as if they didn’t already know.
Morgan cleared their throat. Looked away. Inhaled. Looked back. “Look, I’m sorry if I made you,” They grimaced, teeth visibly clenched, “Uncomfortable. Last night.”
Alex blinked.
“With the kiss,”
“-You didn’t,” Alex said, a bit too quickly. “I mean, it’s fine. Really.”
Morgan flashed them a deadpan look. "I can tell when you’re upset, Alex.”
“I’m not-”
“Don’t you dare say you aren’t, you were staring at your toast for 20 minutes.” Morgan sighed, running their hands through their hair. “I'm sorry. Just let me apologize, okay? I shouldn’t have done that, I should have figured out some other way to get the guy off our backs.”
“It’s fine-” Alex cut themself off. “I forgive you, I suppose.”
It really was fine, it wasn’t the kiss itself they were upset about. And it’s not like they were upset. They were just a pining, lovesick mess. Totally different.
Morgan sighed, seemingly relieved. “Okay.” they let out a nervous laugh, rubbing their neck. “Okay. Sorry. You were acting really weirdly though. It kinda freaked me out a little.:
“Right,” Alex said, ready to move on from this conversation.
Apparently Morgan was not. “I honestly thought you had no romantic interest in people-”
“What?” Alex must have misheard that, right? They blinked, looked at Morgan, blinked again. “What?”
Morgan raised their arms in surrender. “I mean, I’ve never seen you show any interest in anyone before.”
Alex scoffed, eyebrows raised. Wasn’t Morgan supposed to be the smart one? “Thats because I-” They cut themselves off, no this was not the right time to confess your undying love Alex, what the fuck.
Morgan tilted their head, curious now, dammit. A curious Morgan was a persistent Morgan. “Because you what?”
Fuck. fuck fuck fuck. Don’t say something idiotic Alex, you can do it. “Because I’ve..” They hesitated. Swallowed. “Been in love with the same person for the past two years.” God dammit, Alex.
A myriad of emotions flickered across Morgan’s face before their s-tier poker face slammed down and covered them up.
“Really?” They asked, in the tone they used so you couldn’t tell if they were genuine or if they were pissed as hell. Alex hated that tone. “Who?”
“Um,”
“Do I know them?”
Fuck. Alex was such a shitty liar. “...yes? Technically.”
Morgan frowned. “Huh.” They paused for a moment, opened their mouth, then seemingly decided against it. Then, “Wait, I’m confused. Why haven’t you just asked them out? They’re not a hero or something, are they?”
“God no,” Morgan, a hero? That was almost laughable. “I just..”
“Did they reject you? If so I swear to God i’ll kill them-”
Oh, Morgan.
Honestly, It was no wonder Alex fell in love with Morgan so quickly. Never once did they treat Alex like they were more than equal. This adorably idiotic stubborn genius was the only person on the entire planet that would dare call Alex weak, and the only one that could get away with it. Morgan, who smiled at them like they meant it, like they weren't afraid. Who never asked anything from them, and showed them how much more rewarding and fun doing things the hard way could be. Who looked them in the eye and promised that they would protect them both. And Alex believed them.
Because it’s the truth.
And so that's why, as Alex watched Morgan continue to rant about everything they would do to the person that ‘broke their heart’, they made a decision that would either be the best or worst in their entire life.
Morgan stopped talking mid sentence as Alex walked up to them, a confused look lining their eyes. But before they could say anything, Alex reached for their face, thumb resting gently on their cheekbone.
Morgan gasped quietly, but didn’t pull away, just looking at them with an unreadable expression.
And Alex leaned in.
This kiss was very different from the other one. While last night was rushed and sudden, this one was slow. gentle.
Alex also had no idea what they were doing, but they were pretty sure Morgan was supposed to be kissing back.
They weren’t.
Alex pulled away, dropping their hand to their side. They stared at the ground, afraid to look at Morgan’s expression.
“I’m sorry,” They whispered, voice hoarse with pain they didn’t know they could feel. Their chest was aching and their stomach was twisting and Alex had never been nauseous before but they were sure this was what it felt like.
They thought last night was bad. That was nothing.
Alex started to turn around, ready to leave and never come back but wait- this was their lair? No, they wouldn’t kick Morgan out, this was Alex’s fault to begin with. They could get more lairs.
Their movement seemed to shake Morgan out of their apparent stupor. “Wait- Alex!” They grabbed their arm, turning Alex around to face them. “I- I don’t-” For the first time Alex could remember, Morgan was at a loss for words.
Alex looked away again. “It’s you. You’re the one I-” Their voice caught in their throat. “You know.”
“Oh,” Morgan said, and Alex risked a glance at their expression. For once their face was perfectly readable, too shocked to bother masking it. “Oh.”
Alex grimaced. “Like I said, I’m sorry. I’ll get my essentials and leave-”
“No! Wait!” Morgan’s sudden exclamation startled Alex badly enough that they jumped. “Sorry. Please don’t. I was just.. Surprised. I never thought that..” They trailed off, hesitant. “Never thought I had a chance with you.”
Wait. What? Alex blinked. Opened their mouth. Closed it. Blinked again. “What?”
Morgan, who seemed to be recovering from their earlier shock, grinned a little. “We’re both idiots.”
And then they reached up and pulled Alex in for their third kiss. Hopefully this one would sink in.
Woo indeed.