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Maggie’s body is soft and warm against her back, her fingers tracing seemingly random patterns across Alex’s arm. They’re both relaxed, simply enjoying each others presence after the long night they’ve had together.
The night was perfect, the grandest and most romantic gesture Alex had ever received in her life and she’s left to wonder what exactly she did to deserve someone as good and kind as Maggie. They had danced through the night, foreheads pressed against each other and little kisses stolen here and there. They sipped at the wine Maggie brought, giggling as they spoke about every little thing under the sun, while feeding each other the chocolate covered strawberries that Alex loved so much. She’d been shocked when she first laid eyes her favourite treat, never expecting Maggie to remember such a small detail that she mentioned in passing weeks ago.
She thinks of the cab ride back to her apartment, how they’d barely kept their hands off each other, kissing like it’s their last chance. The journey up to Alex’s apartment was another feat. It took them ages to reach the door as they continuously backed the other up against the walls for quick kisses, greedy hands going everywhere but where they needed it most. And when they’d finally reached home? It didn’t take long for them to find their place on Alex’s bed, clothes strewn on the floor, working each other through countless orgasms as they slowly made love to each other.
The thoughts bring butterflies to her stomach and a smile on her face.
She doesn’t deserve Maggie Sawyer. Maggie was too good for her. But Maggie was also willing to stay, so stay she did. Even when Alex went against her wishes and set up an entire Valentine’s Day surprise for her.
Alex frowns, suddenly remembering why her girlfriend hated the holiday so much. They’d barely talked about it and Alex feels guilty now. Maggie had completely pushed aside her feelings to make her happy. To make her feel romanced and loved. Maggie had buried her ghosts away, had apologized for them. Alex sighs, mad at herself for not talking about this with Maggie earlier. Maggie deserved better than to allow Alex to let her bury her feelings away.
She feels a kiss pressed to her bare shoulder. “You alright?”
Alex turns around to face Maggie, propping herself up on an elbow. Maggie tilts her head at Alex. “I was just thinking. We never really talked about your… coming out?”
When Maggie frowns. Alex feels her heart ache. “Don’t worry about it. It’s something I got past a long time ago.” Alex can tell that Maggie isn’t really telling her the truth. She can see it in her eyes, the hurt that she’s been hiding deep down for most of her life.
“I meant it when I said that you don’t have to push your feelings down anymore.” She tucks a strand of hair behind Maggie’s ear and reaches forward to kiss her forehead. She can feel Maggie relenting. “You can always talk to me. Whenever you’re ready.”
Maggie sighs and she starts tapping her fingers on the bed. Alex grabs her hand, kisses her palm and waits for Maggie to gather up the courage to speak.
“I came home from school that day all hyped up cause I really thought she liked me back and that we could go to the dance together. I was so excited .” Maggie takes a deep. “Then I entered the house and my parents were waiting and god, Alex. My mom just had these blank eyes. Like she couldn’t believe what was happening.” Maggie starts to sniffle and Alex rubs the back of her hand for silent comfort. “And my dad, he looked so disappointed. He just shoved a suitcase at me and told me I had twenty minutes to pack. I… I barely knew what I taking cause I was crying too much. I haven’t heard from them since.”
Maggie is crying now, tearings falling down her face. She pulls Maggie against her, letting Maggie sob into her chest as she gently smoothes Maggie’s hair. Alex’s heart breaks for her. She knows not everyone is lucky enough to gain full support from their families after coming out but Maggie is just so wonderful, so amazing, that she can’t believe that Maggie had to go through all that. And yes, maybe Alex is new to all this, she’s still learning her history, but the knowledge that there are kids out there that go through this in their lives. It makes her livid . No one deserves such treatment. Especially from their parents.
The sobs from Maggie turn into quiet sniffles and she rolls off Alex, tears staining her cheeks. Alex rubs them off, leaving a kiss on both of Maggie’s cheeks. Maggie just looks at her with the brightest eyes, like Alex personally hung the stars in the sky for her. She leans into Alex’s touch and they stay like that for a while, not uttering a word. Alex searches Maggie’s eyes, checking if Maggie was willing to share more.
“I don’t know how I did it but I walked myself to my aunt’s house, it wasn’t too far away. When she saw me, she took me in immediately. She knew what happened. Everyone knew by then. Eliza’s parents weren’t quiet about it. They wanted to see me hurt.” Maggie pauses, looks at Alex again. “My aunt never got along with my family. My mom’s sister. She was married to some guy for a few years. Then he left her cause she didn’t want kids, but she took me in anyway. I’ve never felt more grateful for anyone.”
Alex leans their foreheads together. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. You never deserved it. No one deserves that.”
“It’s fine.” Maggie insists, forcing a smile. “It happens to a lot of us.”
“No, Maggie. It’s not fine.” Alex looks her in the eyes, sees into the watery depths of them and purses her lips. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry for anything.”
“Yeah, I do.” Alex rubs her thumb across Maggie’s cheek. “You were hurting . You were hurting yesterday and I didn’t realise and I threw you a surprise that hurt you even more.”
“Alex, you didn’t know.”
“But I didn’t see.” She takes a breath, feeling her heart clench. “You pushed aside your hurt to make me happy. You threw me a Valentine’s Day prom even when you said you hated Valentine's Day.”
Maggie smiles at her. “It’s like I said. You’re the one woman who could make me like Valentine’s Day.”
“No.” Alex shakes her head. “You don’t have to like it for me. There’s another three hundred and sixty-four days in the year, we can use any of them as our own little Valentine’s Day.”
“Our own Alex and Maggie Day?” Maggie’s eyes shine at her and her lips split into a smile that Alex mirrors.
She nods. “You deserve the world, Maggie. You went through all that and you came out kind and loving and thoughtful. You’re kind of amazing.”
Maggie blushes. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“What did I do to deserve you ?”
The laugh that Maggie let's out is contagious and Alex feels a weight lift off her shoulders. Seeing Maggie hurt doesn't do well for her. Seeing Maggie happy, though, is a sight she could endure for the rest of her life. “I don't know. I guess we just got lucky.” Maggie’s eyes soften and she pulls Alex in for a kiss.
Maggie pulls away, her eyes never leaving Alex’s. She swallows. “I love you.”
Alex’s heart soars and her world narrows to nothing but Maggie. She can tell her grin is too big for her face. The words that’s been swimming across her mind for so long but never had the courage to admit. Maggie beat her to it and she finds that she never had to worry in the first place.
She tucks a strand of hair behind Maggie’s ear. “I love you too. Like a lot.”
Maggie pulls her in again and Alex thinks that maybe, maybe they do deserve each other after all.