f a m i l i a r i t y. - [fierrochase]

ten 🐍

ALEX ;

"So, Maggie—"

"Magnus." Magnus corrected, while Alex just let out a squeaky laugh. She had put in another movie, and Magnus thanked it wasn't a horror movie. Instead, it was love. All about that tender loving and affection—Alex had asked herself why she let Magnus choose a movie for her. She doesn't really know why she had let him choose, it's just that maybe—MAYBE—she wanted to know what his tastes in cinematography was.

"Yeah, why did you choose this again?" She asked with a smile on her face. Magnus just cringed as he saw the two main characters kissing, he swore to whoever god he could think of, it was so cheesy that he had to avert his eyes.

"I don't know, because I don't want myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking somebody is in my house and is about to kill me." Magnus said in a matter-o-factly with a shrug of confidence. Alex rolled her eyes and continued watching the movie. "You do know that that movie is suitable for basically 15 years and above—we're 19, Magnus. 19 years old, and a 15-year-old can handle those extremities better than you."

"Shh. Shhh." Magnus said as he put a finger on his lip. "My age does not vary my strategical wisdom on how to prevent fear striking my psyche." He said as Alex rolled her eyes.

"Nerd." Alex said and snorted, she then focused her eyes on the movie—heterochromatic brown eyes skimmed through the way two bodies merged together in a heated kiss. She groaned, not really enjoying the display of love and affection, specially when she was with someone she was not entirely comfortable with—and may or may not have a certain crush on, but then again she wouldn't say that to herself now would she.

     She never really thought of Magnus as someone she would spend all her lifetime with. A scraggly, old couple wearing vintage clothing as the both sat on rocking chairs that were situated on a countryside terrace—or even a couple that would hold hands as they looked outside their window during the first snowfall with their possibly adopted child as they tell him or her stories of how the two of them officially started talking about how Alex threw a mug at Magnus on a winter day.

     Yeah, she actually did imagine. But that wasn't the main subject here. Alex was never sure of what she felt about people—about Magnus. She had never been in a relationship. Everyone she would like would either be homophobic (and she ends up detesting them or punching them in the face, whichever came first) or you know—nonexistent. And she was always certain about those feelings, not caring if the person would actually like her back because 1.) She was used to not being loved back and 2.) She doesn't really give a shit or is interested to be in a relationship.

     But for Magnus, it was different. She never thought of Magnus like the way she thought of him now. At first, he was just this gray-eyed schmuck who had shoulder-length blond hair who knew how to write brilliant poems that had her sister scream and rant on about her any day she would come and visit. She just knew him as that literature student who aced any writing contests in their college, even collaborated with a few book writers who appreciated his works—and yeah, just a poetic blond who had this really nice smile.

     Alex had always seen him hanging out with two people at most—a short, black guy that was always dressed as properly as one would dress, as she met him a day ago—Blitzen. And a tall, deaf guy with blond hair that almost passed as white—Hearthstone. Apart from those two which Alex only met yesterday, there was nobody else Magnus hangs out with. Alex always saw him in the library stacking books and sometimes reading them, or in the faculty helping out Professor Chiron with some historical literature stuff or even at the Dean's office taking care of some paperwork—yeah, he was a teacher's pet. And he always seemed to be someone who was responsible and had a way with his words and duties as a person who had been put a lot of burden on.

      "This is so cheesy." Magnus said as he stifled a laugh because of the cheesy lines—Alex was eager to push that laughter out of him. So she thought of the greatest way possible. What that is? Tickling, of course. She drew her hands towards Magnus' sides and instantly the laughter barraged out of him as his cheeks stretched causing the smile to waver, his laugh echoing about Alex's ears. And with a contented laugh, she attacked him with all her might.

     "Alex!" He laughed. "Ahaha! Stop it!" He said as he struggled away from the green-haired minx who was now hovering over him, her agile hands on his sides as her fingers pressed buttons that made his laughter eject out of him. And there he thought only one thing was a possible exit—to fight back. Instantly, his hands swayed to Alex's neck as his fingers gracefully traced it to the back of her ear—she wavered on top of him as she laughed and trashed around as much as she could.

     "How dare you?!" She said, raising a finger over to Magnus' nose and continuing her tickles as Magnus only laughed and laughed. Whether or not the laughter was genuine, Alex was really satisfied to see Magnus smiling—much more laughing. She loved how his eyes were shut tight, and his mouth ajar as his gentle laugh ejected. It was a melody, a symphony being played by either the gentle black and white keys of a piano, or the agile strings of a violin. She loved listening to it, feeling the laughter course through her sense of hearing—it was one of the best things.

     And Alex was determined to make that sound come out of Magnus every time. She wanted him to smile more, to laugh more, to be himself and find happiness. And much more? She wanted to be the reason. The reason a smile was to be put on his face, or even the reason for his laughter—a faint giggle even, even the sly smirks and playful grins a hyena would possess. She wanted Magnus to have emotions—to feel the euphoria coursing through his anatomy, to make him feel the ecstasy of life and living. She wanted him to feel something she also felt.

     Yeah, Alex. Do that. Confuse him as he confused you.