A/N: Just a cute lil one shot i wrote for the new OTP Fierrochase. All of the fluff. Probably post ship of the dead, but could maybe be anywhere idk? Hope you enjoy!
Magnus Chase wasn't someone who usually sought out human contact. In fact, too much touching, or too many hugs had a tendency to give him minor panic attacks, especially the ones that lasted a long time. He'd definitely gotten better about it though. Most of his friends were pretty "touchy" people, often clapping him on the back or hugging him for no reason other than they felt like it. Still, he wasn't a fan.
Yet there was always one person who he found himself wanting physical contact from. Alex Fierro. At meals, he made an effort to sit next to her (or him, depending on the day), "accidentally" bumping arms with her. Even if it could cost him his limb, or his life, which it often did.
In battle, he always tried to stand next to her as they charged in. Even when it meant tripping, or getting trampled over.
During free time he found himself seeking her out. Usually resulting in a glare or eye-roll that he interpreted as "give me space, loverboy." Okay, so maybe he tacked on the loverboy but he couldn't help it! There was just something about Alex that drew him to her.
Her touch was addicting to him, it felt different from everyone else. It wasn't suffocating in the least. He only got comfort and warmth from her - even when it resulted in his death.
Magnus lay on his bed the heel of his hands digging into his eye sockets, he couldn't sleep. His head hurt, he was exhausted from healing, but he couldn't sleep. He knew what the issue was, it wasn't something that often kept him up. Every once in a while he just got this desperate craving, a cuddle, a hug, even a handshake would do. Anything, the only downside was it had to be Alex. Which, of course, wasn't a complete downside in his opinion, other than the fact that he couldn't do anything about. He could go to her room and ask for a handshake or something, she already thought he was a weirdo. However, the idea of having his head bashed in twice in one day didn't particularly interest him. So, he decided to forgo that plan and instead stay in bed and suffer.
There was a knock at his door.
He didn't really feel like getting up to get it.
Whoever it was kept knocking.
At last, he dragged himself out of bed to answer whoever was on the other side. Before they woke the whole rest of the floor. Also, Jack was beginning to hum with annoyance at the disturbance and he didn't want to deal with the sword too.
He swung the door open. Alex, the reason he was having trouble sleeping, stood on the other side. He stood up straighter. "Good you're awake," she said grinning. She'd been he all day, but she was definitely her now, Magnus could tell in that way he somehow always could.
"I wonder what woke me," he responded sarcastically. She didn't need to know he'd been awake the whole time.
"I couldn't sleep," Alex said as if that explained why she was knocking on his door, not that he was complaining.
Magnus opened the door wider allowing her to enter, she happily did so, like she owned the place of course. Comfortably plopping herself down on his bed as he shut the door behind her.
Normally, he would have at least tried to say some witty comment. But his brain was to busy trying to compute the fact that ALEX FIERRO WAS SITTING ON HIS BED. Looking quite cozy there if he did say so himself.
"So - uh - what brings you to my room?" he finally spit out oh-so-eloquently.
"I thought teasing you might help put me to sleep," she responded easily.
Magnus couldn't tell if she was joking or not. "Right. Okay…"
"I'm kidding," she deadpanned raising an eyebrow "mostly at least. Why are you awake?"
"Other than your non-stop knocking?" he finally got some snark back.
Alex shrugged her shoulders, no look of shame or embarrassment crossing her sharp and beautiful features.
He didn't want to tell her the reason he was awake, instead letting a short silence encompass them.
"Well don't just stand there all night like an idiot, c'mere." Alex patted the spot next to her on his bed.
Magnus hoped his swallow wasn't too audible as he moved to do as he was told. Alex had laid back on his bed, sprawled out like a starfish and taking up as much room as she possibly could. Which meant that he couldn't get on without at least brushing up against her a little. He wasn't fond of the idea of sacrificing a limb, so he tried his best to find a spot to curl up into and make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible at the very edge of the bed. Even though he was still very much craving a cuddle.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Alex scoffed, gesturing with her hand that he could move in further.
"You've taken my head off before." Magnus edged in closer, still a little nervous. For some reason, Alex seemed to shrink at the reminder.
She rolled her eyes "yeah yeah Beantown, just get over here."
He must have imagined the small quiver in her voice.
Alex adjusted so that she could curl into, Magnus her petite form fitting snugly into his now (definitely not forced) open arms. Not that he was complaining. She tucked her head against his chest and he rested his chin gently on top of her head. Normally he wouldn't be able to do that. Alex wasn't actually that much shorter than him but she had her knees bent and tangled up with his legs making her smaller than normal.
They stayed in comfortable silence for who knows how long. Magnus, having his craving to cuddle with Alex sufficiently satisfied, began to feel his eyes droop, sleep calling for him at long last.
"Magnus," her voice was unusually small and unsure, softly breaking the silent spell that had taken over the room.
"Yeah," he hummed.
"Just checking if you're up."
That raised some questions. Well okay, the whole situation had raised some questions, but he had learned long ago that to go with the flow with Alex was usually the best option. Still, he felt like he should ask "Is everything okay?"
Alex looked up at him, their faces inches apart so their bodies could stay comfortably tangled. She bit her lip in a very endearing and distracting way, but her eyes wouldn't meet his.
"You don't have to talk about it, but I'm here if you want or need to," Magnus informed. Hoping to comfort her at least with that knowledge.
"I know." Alex smiled, sending a warm fuzzy feeling coursing through him. "I just had a stupid nightmare is all" she admitted at last.
Even though she had tried to say it as nonchalant as possible, he could tell there was more to it than that. He'd had his fair share of 'stupid nightmares' and was well aware of how much they could mess you up. "What happened?"
She took a deep, shaky breath, and he patiently waited until she was ready to recount whatever had her so rattled. "My dad was there yelling at me, but I couldn't hear him over the sound of Loki's laughter that was coming from everywhere." Magnus watched her closely as she talked, she stared at his chest.
"Then everyone circled around me, Mallory, Halfborn, T.J., Sam, Hearth, Blitz, you." she had rushed through the other names, but paused at his. She glanced up meeting his eyes for a split second before staring straight back at his chest.
Everything about her in that moment was so un-Alex-like, from the quivering in her voice to the way she wouldn't meet his eyes. Magnus felt the urge to pull her closer in an attempt to offer as much comfort as he could.
She continued, "And you were all pointing at me and laughing moms laugh, and-and I lashed out. I hurt everyone but-" another deep watery breath, "but I killed you and we weren't in Valhalla and you were really dead because of me." tears began to well up in her eyes, a few strays escaping and streaming down her cheeks. He could tell she was holding back sobs "and everyone left me, I was alone again and you were dead." she finished, voice barely above a whisper.
It probably proved how messed up he was that he found it kind of nice that part of the reason she was so worked up was because she had killed him in a dream. Yeah, that was definitely something to tell a therapist.
"Well, I'm not dead," Magnus responded at last with that very smart comment, as he was in fact dead. But the point got across.
Alex let out a short watery laugh, "I can tell." she poked his chest as if to prove the point.
"And none of your friends are going to leave you," He continued, trying to relay that this was a non-negotiable fact.
She looked up at him, holding his gaze at last, she nodded almost unsure.
"And you never have to face your father or mother alone ever."
"Thank you, Magnus."
Alex didn't say thank you often, especially to him, which assured him that he hadn't messed up spectacularly in comforting her.
"Of course, what are friends for?"
She pouted, and he immediately mentally reviewed what he had said to suddenly mess things up.
Before he had much time to overthink it she tugged at his shirt and used it to wipe her face clean. Under different circumstances, he would have said something about it but now didn't seem like a good time so he let it happen. It was good that she seemed to be getting back to normal after letting all that off her chest.
She looked up at him when she finished, a small smirk gracing her lips that sent chills through his body. He didn't dare move. They were so close their noses were touching and their breath mingled. He didn't want to accidentally do something stupid and mess it all up, he was just so comfortable with her in that moment. Any movement seemed like it could ruin it.
He didn't need to worry it seemed, Alex leaned closer her lips meeting his. His eyes blew wide in surprise fluttering shut as soon as his brain processed what was happening. ALEX FIERRO WAS KISSING HIM. And he was very much enjoying it. She pulled back far too soon for his liking. He kept his eyes shut a few moments longer trying to store everything he could. From the softness of her lips to the slight hint of lime that he now subtly tasted. He opened his eyes slowly to the see Alex looking curiously at him. Obviously pleased with herself a light dusting of pink donning her cheeks.
He blinked stupidly and she grinned wide.
"You are such a dork."
"A dork you just kissed," Magnus responded his fried brain gradually restoring itself.
"Don't get used to it Maggie," she teased and began to pull away, he pouted.
"Wouldn't dream of it." he maybe, definitely, had dreamt about it.
She pulled away with a smirk. Separating all contact of their bodies and immediately making him miss her warmth. "Sure Mango," she singsonged obviously not believing.
His arms were still outstretched in a 'let me hold you' position as she scooted off his bed.
"You could stay ya'know," Magnus heard himself say before mentally slapping himself. She literally just told you this wasn't going to be a usual thing, he chided.
To his surprise, however, she paused and with a noticeable frown, she crawled back over to him. Before long they had re-tangled their legs and he once again held the curled-up upper body of Alex in his arms a surprised but very pleased smile on his lips.
"Don't you go getting used to this either," she muttered, but when he looked down he could see the corner of her mouth tilted up with a content smile.
"I won't," he said pulling her in closer. With that, they both finally fell into very deep, comfortable sleep.
A/N: Gahhhh i love these kids! I hope you enjoyed please leave a review!
Or come find me on tumblr Justanotherurl-not
