ice and sugar dust (alex turner fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Are you sure she won't find this silly?" Chloe asked, looking from the box of cookies in her hands up at Alex. "Like, me bringing them."

Alex's eyes widened. "Wha'?" He shook his head determinedly, only momentarily distracted when their stop blared from the speaker above and he pressed the button at the pole he was holding onto. "Gotta get off 'ere," he explained. "Sheh'll luv them," he assured Chloe, slightly patting the box of cookies. "Y'kno they're me faves."

"Your faves," she nodded. "Grandmas are a whole different level. She probably has a much better recipe for cookies. Or anything."

Alex pouted. "Well, me nan's a great baker and cook, but sheh dun't make chocolate chip cookehs like yeh do, Chlo." He stole a quick peck before the doors opened and he took the box from her into one hand, her hand with the other. "C'mon."

She rolled her eyes, could tell he was excited, while at the same time also wanting to reassure her, leading the way down the street as they left the bus stop. "Is it far to walk?" she asked as she felt something wet on the tip of her nose, wiping it with the sleeve of her coat as she looked up at the sky.

"Snowin' again alreadeh?" Alex giggled, following her gaze. "'s joost 'round the corner. Can't wait until I get me license, eh? Weh can joost drive teh so maneh places. Gunna take yeh on a road trip 'round the countreh, weh can joost go teh the beach again if weh feel like it, like... imagine joost after school for a bit of a stroll. Or like... gigs tha' aren't tha' close, eh?"

Chloe listened, her smile at the sparkle in his eye growing wider when he turned his head to look back at her. "Less than a month away," she said, squeezing his hand gently.

His eyes widened. "Fook, yeh're rehyt," he said, grinning from ear to ear, looking up to take a turn, then his eyes were back on her. "Fookin' rehyt. Tha's so soon."

"I can't wait," she declared, swinging their arms back and forth between them, though then he already stopped in front of a small cottage, dense ivy climbing the red bricks of the exterior, the garden more colourful than the snowy season should've allowed.

She was nervous as they walked up the short path to the door, taking a deep breath when Alex knocked on the door. "You're sure you told her I'm coming?" she asked, concerned she would just intrude and come across impolite or rude somehow.

Alex raised an eyebrow, puzzled for a moment before nodding eagerly. "Yeh, yeh," he stated confidently, standing straighter when the door opened. "'ello," he sang. "'s us."

"Oh, not you," the elderly lady joked, smiling. "Where's your hat, Alexander? Get in here, you two or you'll catch yehr death out there." She stepped back and held the door open, ruffling her fingers through Alex's messy curls as he walked inside and kissed her cheek, then giving a warm smile to Chloe, holding her hand out for her once she'd closed the door. "You must be Chloe."

Chloe smiled, shaking her hand and nodding. "Yes, Chloe Flynn," she said. "Lovely to meet you, Mrs-..."

"Oh, no, none of that," she responded, waving it off. "You just call me Nana."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, taking off her coat as Alex held his hands out for it once he'd hung up his own.

"Absolutely," Alex's nan assured her. "Come in, you two. Before you leave, remind me to check if I've got a hat for this silly young man."

Alex grinned sheepishly as they followed her into the living room, leading Chloe to sit down on the sofa with him. "D'yeh not miss meh, nana?" he asked, a cheeky smirk plastered across his features as she watched her.

"Unfortunately," she laughed playfully. "Missed yeh so much I even made yeh ya favourite jam for the scones," she told him as she started making tea, then took a tray out of the oven.