Maggie had planned everything out to the perfect detail. Alex always wanted this moment to be about them, not about anyone else. Supergirl was sent away on a single's cruise to be focused on alien dating, after a fight with their latest boyfriend. Nobody was in the hospital or any danger. There was no drama spurring this. Maggie just decided today was the time. It was April 23rd.
There would be no dramatic buildup. The setting would be just over at her place. No flowers, no special lights that spell it out. Just straight up asking her if it's where she was. They both seemed to want it. It just felt right. The time to fight was over. They were partners.
Maggie knocked on the door. The tiny audible creak took ages. Her foot was tapping uncontrollably. She wanted this done. Her mind was questioning if Alex would not want this. Of course she would. Just get it done.
Maggie pulled at her collar. It felt hot, in the middle of December. The heating unit was out at both their places. She'd ask for a drink to warm up normally, but she wanted no reason to say no. Alex offered a drink, or at least she did with those lips. Yet, Maggie was hardly able to listen. She was caught into her own head.
"Ok, what's up?" Alex had a hand on her hips, as she signaled Maggie in. "You never refuse a drink with me." The tremor in Alex's voice reflected fear. Was Alex afraid Maggie might do something crazy? Did she read this wrong? Or was she just annoyed that Maggie said no for a drink? Or did she figure it out and this wasn't good enough? What is it? Did Alex have a bad day or something?
Maggie lied. "Nothing." The moment the words came out of Maggie's mouth, it might as well put a neon sign in the sky she was full of shit. "I think I'll make the chicken parmesan you like. It's so us to do that."
The cooking was a terrible deflection. By now, Maggie was hoping for the tears. Now, Maggie understood why couples went through the preparations of trying to make everything perfect. It was about having a sense of control over what happened. If everything was perfect, nothing Maggie did was the reason. It just wasn't meant to be. Now, if Alex said no, Maggie would wonder whether it was her.
"Nah, I ordered pizza and figured we'd watch those "movies we watched at Quantico"." It was a reflexive joke, complete with air quotes. They both know Alex never went to Quantico now, but that conflict when they first met was still Alex. Even when things went wrong around her and she got egg on her face, she listened. It was adorable. Maggie had to stop herself from just kissing Alex there. Just needed the right moment.
"Stitton's Pizza? Love their pepperoni." The silence indicated yes. The food was good too. "Perfect for a hard-headed obsessed with work person like myself." Maggie cursed herself in her head. She was hoping to get Alex to be in a good mood and like her enough. Mentioning your down qualities isn't effective at that.
Alex sighed. "Self-deprication isn't usually your thing. You sure everything's ok?" Alex ran her caressing, tender hand along Maggie's arm. "I know you're not breaking up with me because you're wearing my shirt from when you stayed over but you seriously feel off."
It was time. The speech Maggie had prepared left Maggie's head. Instead, Maggie went back to when they met. "You know when you said the coming out was about living your life. I want that to be wrong. I still don't want to imagine my life without you in it."
"Me too." Alex mumbled, or at least it sounded like mumbling with the sounds in Maggie's brain. Her own mind was running away, thinking this would be a failure.
Maggie and Alex both began to kneel at the same time. The boxes in their hands fell down, to the ground. The pair pulled themselves up.
"This is a good new normal." Alex said.
"Anytime," Maggie smirked.