Rule #1: Keep it casual.
Maggie stood, hands on hips, and looked down at the body on the ground. At least she was pretty sure it was a body. At the moment it more resembled an amorphous jello blob. Maggie tilted her head. She was almost positive those were eyes.
Maggie's phone vibrated with an alert and she pulled it out of her pocket.
I hope your day is going better than mine. J'onn has had me filing DT-78O forms all morning.
Maggie smiled involuntarily when she saw that the text was from Alex. She had been unsuccessfully trying not to think about the other woman all morning. Maggie had felt like she was floating when she had left the agent's apartment the night before. As far as first kisses went, Maggie didn't count Alex's sneak attack at the alien bar, it was right up there at the top.
Maggie's thumbs were poised to type out a quick reply when she hesitated. She was supposed to be keeping things light and casual. Responding immediately did not say casual. It screamed overeager. Maggie sighed, letting her arm fall to her side.
"What's the matter Sawyer? She dump you already?"
"Fuck you, Reynolds," Maggie snapped, the barb hitting a little too close for comfort. She had worked with Reynolds long enough that he knew all about her less than stellar dating record.
Reynolds laughed, shaking his head. "Someone's cranky."
"I swear to god, if you say one word about PMS, I will handcuff you to that building and leave you for HR."
Reynolds help up his hands. "Wouldn't dream of it, Sawyer. Sitting through the harassment training once was more than enough." Maggie had to agree.
Maggie felt a little bad about yelling at Reynolds. She had worked with some real assholes in the past and he wasn't a bad guy, even if he did get on her nerves from time to time.
"Sorry," Maggie apologized, holding up her phone. "I just started seeing someone new and you know how that goes."
He craned his neck and tried to get a look at Maggie's screen. "She send you nudes?"
"Did she send me- No!" After shoving her phone into her pocket, Maggie smacked him in the chest with her fist and shoved him back. "Get your mind out of the gutter, you jackass. I just don't want to seem too eager."
Reynolds nodded knowingly. "Oh, yeah. You gotta keep 'em dangling. Chicks don't respect a guy that's too attentive. Gotta leave 'em wanting more. Let her chase you a bit."
Maggie narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "That's not- You know what, I'm not doing this. When was the last time you had a relationship last more than two dates?"
Reynolds looked wounded. "I'm just trying to help."
"Well I don't need it."
"Really? Cuz a moment ago you were looking at your phone with a sappy grin and worrying about texting too soon. You gotta up your game, Sawyer."
"My game is just fine." Maggie pointed at the body...blob...whatever. "I'll stay here and babysit. Why don't you go and collect the witness statement from the guy that called it in."
Reynolds looked at the jelly like mass on the ground and smirked knowingly at Maggie. "You owe me one, Sawyer."
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever. Just go!"
When she was sure that Reynolds was safely on his way, Maggie dug her phone back out of her pocket.
Trying to determine if the pile of goo I'm looking at used to be sentient, or just last night's leftovers.
Maggie had barely hit send, when Alex's reply came in.
Need a consult? I may know someone.
Maggie smirked, shaking her head. Now that they were in the middle of a conversation, Maggie figured it would be rude to keep Alex waiting for a response.
Dream on, Danvers. You're not taking over another one of my crime scenes.
Your memory is failing you, Sawyer. That was always my crime scene.
Maggie was surprised to find she was actually tempted to take Alex up on her offer of assistance. Typically she hated collaborating with federal agencies, secret or otherwise, because they had a nasty habit of taking over. Maggie had every faith that the NCPD was capable of handling just about any case that came their way.
Careful with that paperwork. Papercuts can be killer.
When Alex didn't respond right away, Maggie started to worry that Alex had taken her joke the wrong way. Maggie was halfway through typing an apology when Alex's next message came through.
You're all heart. I'll remember this the next time you're stuck on desk duty and I'm out in the field. Payback's a bitch.
The coroner's van pulled into the parking lot, signaling that Maggie was going to have to wrap up her chat with Alex. With a touch of regret Maggie sent her reply.
Gotta go. Coroner finally arrived.
Deliberately not waiting for a response, Maggie tucked her phone into her pocket. She had a job to do, and Maggie had never let a new relationship get in the way of that. She wasn't about to start now. Even if she had to consciously restrain herself from checking her phone every thirty seconds.
Maggie drummed her fingers restlessly on the table top. Even though it wasn't technically a date, Maggie was having a hard time telling her nerves that. After texting back and forth almost constantly for the past two days, she and Alex had arranged to meet up for a drink. This was the first time they would be seeing each other in person since the night at Alex's apartment.
Her original plan had been to wait for the weekend to get together. Work usually kept her busy enough that making time for dates, even something as casual as drinks, could be a challenge. It typically wasn't worth the effort, or the reproach if she got call and had to leave.
However, when Alex had floated the idea of meeting up at the bar Maggie had barely hesitated before agreeing. Sure, it was midweek, but she figured since it was the dive bar they had hung out at countless times before, it balanced out. Just a casual hangout. No big deal.
Maggie raised her bottle to take another sip and grimaced when she got nothing but dregs and foam. Sliding out of the booth she made her way to the bar and set the bottle down with a bit more force than necessary.
"I need a refill, Darla."
"Drowning your sorrows, Mags?"
"No, I'm waiting for someone actually," Maggie said, annoyed. She knew she didn't have the best track record when it came to relationships, but everyone assuming that she had already been dumped was starting to get on her nerves.
Darla gave her a measured look as she set a fresh bottle in front of Maggie. "That redhead from a few weeks ago?"
Maggie snatched the bottle and took a sip. "Yes, and her name is Alex."
Darla looked skeptical. "She didn't seem that into it. She kissed you and then practically ran out of here." Darla reached out and trailed a finger down the condensation on Maggie's bottle, her finger tip grazing the back of Maggie's hand. Maggie jerked back, breaking the contact.
"We just had to work out a few things." Maggie didn't know why she was explaining any of this to Darla. She didn't owe her anything, but she felt the need to defend her relationship with Alex.
"Well, when it runs its course, give me a call. I've missed you."
When Maggie felt the hand slide across her lower back, and land possessively on her hip, she almost sent an elbow into the person's midsection. Luckily, her mind registered the familiar scent of Alex's perfume, a split second before she could make a total ass out of herself.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," Alex apologized, leaning in to kiss Maggie on the cheek. Maggie hoped she sufficiently hid her surprise at the action from the intently watching Darla.
"No worries. I hope you don't mind. I got a little thirsty." Maggie turned her body slightly to face Alex. Alex left her hand on Maggie's hip and as a result Maggie found herself with a face full of cleavage. She quickly averted her gaze upward, and met Alex's knowing smirk.
"I'll have what she's having," Alex said to Darla, nodding at Maggie's bottle. Maggie thought she detected a hint of challenge in Alex's voice, but decided she was probably imagining things.
Darla popped the top on a fresh bottle, and placed it in front of Alex.
"Add it to my tab," Maggie instructed before Alex could reach into her pocket to pay.
"You don't have to do that," Alex protested.
"It's a beer. Even on my salary, I can afford it."
"I'll get the next round."
Maggie shrugged. "Whatever you want." Still feeling Darla's eyes on them, Maggie nodded her head toward the booth. "Let's move somewhere more private." Alex agreed, grabbing her beer and trailing after Maggie. Alex let her hand slide from her hip to the small of Maggie's back, but she maintained physical contact for the duration of their short walk.
Maggie slid into the booth, unable to hide her surprise when Alex slid in beside her, instead of on the other side of the booth.
Alex caught Maggie's look. "Sorry, is this weird? I'll move to the other side." Alex was already starting to slide back down the seat when Maggie halted her with a hand on her knee.
"It's not weird. You just caught me off guard. You're fine."
Alex halted her retreat. "You're sure? I just thought, with the noise, it would be easier to talk."
Maggie glanced around the half-empty bar with a knowing grin. "The noise? Really? That's what you're going to go with?"
"Shut up," Alex mumbled, bumping her shoulder into Maggie, a faint blush staining her cheeks. There was something about seeing Special Agent Alex Danvers blushing like a schoolgirl that Maggie found ridiculously charming. Especially knowing that the woman was capable of taking down an alien twice her size. The dichotomy was fascinating.
Maggie decided to take pity on Alex and not continue to tease her. Maggie meant it all in good fun, but she remembered those early days when she had been brimming over with new discoveries and self doubt. The last thing she wanted to do was to make Alex feel self-conscious about her actions.
"I'm glad you called." Sitting here, beside Alex, Maggie couldn't quite remember why she had been so determined to wait for the weekend.
"I'm glad you agreed to meet me." Alex picked absently at the label on her bottle. "I was starting to wonder if you were avoiding me."
"Why would you think that?" Maggie asked.
Alex shrugged. "I dropped a few hints that I wanted to meet up, but you didn't seem all that interested." The uncertainty in Alex's voice gave Maggie a pang of regret. It had never been Maggie's intention to make Alex feel like she was being blown off.
"Sorry, I must not have picked up on it." It wasn't entirely true, but Maggie didn't want to get into all of her reasons for deflecting Alex's soft invites. Maggie wasn't stupid. She knew that Alex offering to consult on cases was more than wanting to get out of paperwork. "You'll just have to be more obvious next time," Maggie teased gently.
"That's what Kara said. I think I was driving her a little bit crazy."
"I guess I still have some work to do on the whole detecting thing," Maggie joked, guilt and regret swirling in her stomach.
"Part of it's on me. If I wanted to see you, I just should have said. I'm still getting used to all this. Men, bless them, were nothing if not persistent."
Maggie managed a weak smile. "Well, we're here now, and that's what counts." Maggie's gaze landed on the empty pool table. "Wanna play a game?"
"Are you sure that's how you want to spend the night?"
Maggie looked at Alex appraisingly. "I don't put out before the first date." Which, wasn't exactly true, but Maggie decided it didn't count if dating wasn't involved in the first place. Plus, she found that she didn't want to rush things with Alex, even if her libido disagreed.
Alex spluttered, wiping away a droplet of beer from her chin. "I meant getting your ass kicked at pool. Does this not count as a date then?"
Maggie looked deliberately around the bar before meeting Alex's gaze. "Do you want this to count as our first date?"
"You make a good point." Alex slid out of the booth, grabbing her beer with one hand, and extending the other to Maggie. Maggie hesitated a brief moment before grasping it and allowing Alex to tug her from the booth. "Fair warning. I'm not going easy on you this time."
"What do you mean this time?" Maggie protested.
Alex glanced at her with a smirk. "You'll see."
"Well...that was humbling. Next time we're playing something else. How are you at darts?" Maggie knew she wasn't the best at pool but Alex had just summarily kicked her ass four straight games. It hadn't even been close. Walking slowly side by side, Maggie let her hand graze against Alex's; not quite holding hands, but close.
"I aced my last marksmanship qualification, so…"
Maggie rolled her eyes playfully. "Figures. Give me time, I'll find something where I'm better than you."
"You're welcome to try," Alex quipped. Instead of finding Alex's confidence annoying she was amused. She had seen Alex's swagger on the job, but this was something more playful.
"Challenge accepted, Danvers."
"I look forward to it." Alex stopped beside her bike. "This is me."
Maggie ran her eyes over the bike. It really was a gorgeous machine. It matched Alex perfectly. "We really should go for a ride sometime. Get out of the city."
"How about this weekend?" Alex suggested quickly with an eager smile.
Maggie hesitated, caught a little off guard. It had been an offhand comment. A suggestion of someday, but not necessarily right away. Not seeing each other more than once a week was another one of Maggie's unspoken rules to keeping things between them casual.
Maggie knew all too well how easy it was to lose yourself in a new relationship. To want to spend every spare moment with each other when things were still exciting and new. Even while they had still been only friends, Maggie had found herself wanting to see or talk to Alex all the time. The temptation now that they were starting to date was even harder to resist.
"Unless you're working," Alex said, filling the gap left by Maggie's silence. Maggie saw the shadow of doubt from earlier in the evening return to Alex's eyes. She knew it would be easy to lie, and that Alex wouldn't question it. She had done it before, when she just didn't have the energy to deal with whoever she was currently dating, or towards the end, when it was clear it was over, and they were both just killing time until the inevitable. She didn't want it to be like that with Alex.
"No, I have the weekend off."
"What? Do you have a hot date or something?" Alex tried to pass it off as a joke, but Maggie could hear the honest curiosity in the question.
Maggie shook her head. "But we should probably talk about that sometime soon."
"About going on a date?"
"That...but more dating in general." Alex just looked at her, expression conveying mild confusion. Maggie resisted the urge to fidget uncomfortably under Alex's gaze.
"Are we dating other people?" Maggie finally clarified. She knew they needed to have this conversation, but now, faced with it, Maggie wished she had waited to bring it up. They had had a good time tonight, and she felt like she was on the verge of ruining it.
Alex frowned, a look of hurt flashing across her face before she smoothed her expression to neutral. Alex took a step back, putting some space between them. "Oh."
"I just think we need to be on the same page," Maggie hurried to explain.
"No. Yeah." Alex nodded her head jerkily, before running a hand through her hair. Alex was flustered, but not in the cutely unsure way from earlier in the evening. This restless energy had a sharper edge to it. "We should absolutely do that." Alex paused, finally meeting Maggie's gaze. "Is that what you want to do? Date other people?"
Maggie knew what she should say. If her goal was to keep the relationship with Alex from getting too serious, nothing would ensure that as easily as continuing to see other people. It wasn't what Maggie wanted though. And if the stress lines bracketing Alex's eyes and mouth were anything to go by, it wasn't what she wanted either.
"No," Maggie answered honestly.
The tension on Alex's face melted and she smiled. "Good. I don't either."
Maggie found herself smiling in return, and nodded her head. "Glad we cleared that up."
Alex nodded her head. "Definitely. So...about this weekend?"
