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

twelve 🐍

to @RanaWantsACracker
because you're a lovely reader xoxo

ALEX ;

"Alex Fierro, what the fuck are you doing?" She said in front of the mirror as she adjusted her hair pins—something she did out of sheer embarrassment. Why did you stare, you idiot? She asked herself when she recollected the memory of how cute Magnus was earlier. He was wearing his pajamas, an olive green color of checkered warmth tousled on his torso down his legs, the upper layer of his hair was in a small man bun. And Alex nearly flipped.

      She quickly scoffed at herself. "Why are you doing this?" She asked again as she put on a white flannel, smiling slightly as she studied her look. Is this cute enough? A part of her mind asked. You fucking idiot, why the fuck are you trying to look cute for a boy? And another contradicted. She rolled her eyes and scurried off to her living room, to find out her phone had been ringing.

     She quickly walked off to answer it, "Hey!" Mallory said instantly as Alex picked up the call. Alex had took her time and cleared her throat, her voice still raspy from the morning winter air. "Yeah, hi. Why did you call?"

     "Yeah, I missed ye too." The red-haired girl said with her Irish accent, which Alex thought was her signature characteristic. "Anywho, I wanted to check up on you. Plus, Halfborn's off with TJ today—they're both still finishing up their projects they didn't turn in before winter break started."

     "I'm doing good, really." She said as she fiddled with the paintbrushes on her desk. Dried paint splattered on the wooden surface of her work table, a bunch of sketches were scattered in a mess. "Just gonna be lonely for Christmas, but you know, that's usual."

     "I'm sorry, Alex." Mallory said in a low voice. "I promise, next Christmas I'll be there. You won't have to spend Christmas alone." Alex let out a silent laugh.

     This was supposedly Alex's first time spending Christmas in her own place—but it wasn't the first Christmas she'd spent on her own. Ever since her mother left them, ever since Sam was taken away from her, ever since she was exiled to live inside a house where her father would always come home drunk with exhaustion, or sometimes alcohol. She was kind of bitter with the event, but apart from that, she was excited.

     She was kind of looking forward on spending Christmas with Magnus. She was—in a way—hoping Magnus wasn't going to be out on that holiday. Yeah,  she wanted to spend Christmas with him so bad. She thought about Hearthstone and Blitzen, or any other relative Magnus had, and she imagined him spending time with those guys—but it wouldn't hurt to try to ask him to have a bite or two in Alex's house. Invite him over for some cake or cookies and hot chocolate. That sounded pleasant.

     "It's okay, Mal. And uh." She cut off herself to clear her throat, a blush evident on her face as she tried to sound as smug and carefree as she always was. "I kinda have someone to spend Christmas with." Mallory gasped.

     "Tell me!" She said, kind of louder than Alex's ears could've managed. Alex just laughed and shh-ed Mallory. "I'll tell you after winter break!" She said and quickly ending the call, not wanting Mallory to make her spill. She knew how her friend would be, she was kind of persuasive.

     And before Alex could relax or anything else, she quickly clapped and slapped herself slightly. She boosted herself up and walked out of her apartment, moving down the stairs as she grasped the steal rails. It was the middle of the day, minutes before lunch time. She went out of the apartment building and entered Magnus'.

     Upon reaching the doorway to the blond's apartment, she took in a deep breath and knocked. The sensation of euphoria and nerves merging together to send her a message—you'll regret this. But she didn't let that stop her from knocking, even when minutes have passed and nobody seemed to answer. She continued knocking and cursed when the door opened slightly and she peered her head inside to find out that yay—Magnus wasn't home, and he forgot to lock (property close, even) his apartment room.

     Alex wanted to scold him. To tell him how stupid he is for not locking his room, and maybe for getting her all nervous for no reason at all. But then again, Alex didn't want to say anything in front of Magnus at all. She wanted to just gobble him up and keep him forever—he was that soft that Alex just wanted to shower him with more softness.

     She walked down the staircase to the exit. I'll just talk to him later, she promised herself. And just as she was opening the door, someone opened it before her—Magnus Chase was standing outside, bags of groceries were in his hands and his scarf was wrapped around his neck, the tip of his nose had reddened because of the cold winter air, his blond hair had framed his face endearingly, and his slightly oversized jacket was swallowing him up in the cutest way possible.

     "Uhh." He said awkwardly. "Hi?"

     What the fuck. Her mind contorted. He looks so cute. She quickly put on a telltale smug smile and snatched a few of those plastic bags. "Need help? Yes. Now let's get to your place, I wanna tell you something." She quickly said and walked before him, leaving in her trail a confused Magnus—who looked cute as fuck.

     "So, what did you want to tell me?" He called out as he laid down the groceries inside his fridge. Alex sat down on the living room, she thought of the last time she'd been here. When a squirrel had took her scarf and wreaked havoc on the peaceful day Magnus was spending with Blitzen and Hearthstone. She'd almost laughed, those were good times.

     She cocked her head to the side, a strand of green hair from her clipped bangs landed on her forehead. "Yeah," she started. "I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for Christmas. I'm spending it alone so, why not?" She said, gaining all her confident just so she could put all those words together. Magnus didn't answer instantly, but he came out of the kitchen with a smile on his face—and that reassured Alex.

     "Yeah, why not?" He said and sat down adjacent to Alex. "I'm spending Christmas on my own too. Hearth and Blitz got me to buy those ingredients for a chocoberry cake, wanna bake one with me?" He asked with a low tone, seeming shy and cute and Alex wanted to slap him and at the same time cuddle him with all the love and support you could ever give to someone. And Alex thought of one thing, a thought that got her so bitter for all those years she spent being alone. All those years she'd hid from groups of families dining out because she didn't want anybody to see she was alone. Those years where she would just bid her friends happiness as they spent their Christmases with their families, and those years she had cursed at the winter air for being such a lovely thing to greet her in such an awful night.

     She hated being alone. But now she wasn't going to be alone. Magnus was there with her now, and she was happy to have him. To finally have someone.

     "I'd love that."

     "So..." Magnus said. "My place or yours?"

     "Seriously?"

     "Saw an opportunity." Magnus said with a sly smirk.

     "And you just had to fucking grab it." And Alex rolled her eyes as Magnus just laughed at her, a smile tugged from his cheeks. And Alex loved that sight.

     Alex just loved this.