Dreamline // Alex Lifeson

vi. smidget

"Told you."

"You didn't tell me anything."

"I told you it would be icy on the sidewalk, smartass." Susanna folded her arms over her chest wittingly as Alex prodded the ice patch with his foot.

"Actually, I told you first that it would be icy outside." Alex shrugged and offered his hand. "I'm feeling a little risky."

"It's just Toronto, Al." Susanna snorted. "The worst we'll do is embarrass ourselves in front of everyone."

"Can't say I've done that before." He rolled his eyes back and took a step closer to her.

Susanna took two steps forward and linked her arm with Alex's. "You're dramatic. We'll be fine."

Alex smiled to himself proudly as Susanna began to lead him in the direction of where she lived. The pitch black of night was lit up by street lights and snow, as well as the signage of the nightlife they would soon pass by. A gust of wind blew right at them as the stopped at a crosswalk, causing Susanna to clutch onto him tighter.

"Hey, Suse?"

"Hmm?"

"You never did tell me where you're from."

Susanna huffed, blowing out cold air from her mouth. "I grew up in Saskatoon. It's in Saskatchewan."

"What's it like?"

"There's not much there to vouch for." She shrugged, "But I grew up on the outskirts so my brother and I made up most of our own fun." Susanna pulled Alex along across the street as soon as the light changed to cross the street with the rest of the crowd. Silence fell over the two of them once again as they meandered through, trying their hardest to get where they wanted to go. Not once did Susanna let go of Alex. Not that he minded because Susanna slipped on ice as soon as they were at the corner of her apartment building.

Susanna let out a quick shriek as she could feel herself lose her footing, but Alex was quick to pull her right back up easily. Noticing how startled she was, Alex backed them in to the front wall of the building and hugged her close in attempts to bring her back down to earth. 

"Fucking shit..." Susanna mumbled into the collar of his jacket, laughing at her own clumsiness as she stuck her hands in his pockets. Alex ran a hand up and down her back before leaning down to her.

"I told you it was going to be risky." Alex mused in a sing-song voice. Susanna leaned back and tried to hide how embarrassed she was for almost falling in front of him, but they both broke into a fit of laughter.

"See you in the morning?" Alex squeezed her shoulders before letting his hands drop by his sides.

Susanna returned the question with a gratifying smile and nodded. "Thanks for walking me home, Alex."

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Alex smiled warmly down at her. "Goodnight, Suse."

"Night, Alex."

Her gaze trailed away as she turned away to walk inside the complex. Alex's own gaze followed Susanna, making sure she was safely inside before taking off in the direction of his own apartment. Sticking his hands in his pockets to warm them back up, he felt a small card in one of them that wasn't there before. He pulled it out and unfolded it, pausing in the middle of the sidewalk when he realized what it was. Her phone number.

Just in case.
-S. E. T.

"Wow." Alex bit his lip in excitement and stuffed the card back in his pocket. "You got me there."

—

"Tense up a little more, Alex. You look like you're melting."

Susanna spoke into the mic to get Alex's attention. The guitarist was having a fitful time with recording  "Anthem" all the way through. Though Susanna, Geddy, and Neil were feeling better about it each time, Alex was not. He looked up and sent a frustrated glance back at Susanna.

"It was better this time." Susanna offered up. "Come listen."

"Susie-"

"Come listen." Susanna repeated firmly. Alex rolled his eyes and took his guitar off from around his body, turning away to go set it down.

"You need a nickname." Geddy turned in his chair towards Susanna, eyes peeling from Alex coming to join them.

"I have nicknames." Susanna answered, a little bewildered.

"A new one. Still has to start with 'S'."

"I've got a lot to choose from, just saying." She sat back and crossed her legs neatly, jeans nearly covering her feet, as she had kicked her boots off hours earlier. Alex reached for the tapes to try and wind them back yet another time, but Susanna spun her chair around to the other side and blocked him with her legs. She would play it instead.

"Susie Q!" Geddy chirped.

Susanna gestured back at him. "Don't you dare with that one, Ged."

Neil looked up from his notebook. "Midge."

"We agreed on an S word."

"Smidge." Alex suggested crossing his arms.

Susanna raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Smidget." Neil's smile grew fonder at the conversation.

"Yes!" Geddy and Alex cheered in unison.

Susanna mouth hung agape as she turned to Neil, who shrugged innocently at her.

"You're our smidget now." Alex reached over and ruffled Susanna's hair as a distraction for climbing over her legs. Susanna grunted in displeasure as she sat back and moved back to where she was before, causing Alex to climb over nothing.

"Smidget." She repeated. "Fine by me."

--

Rush fact of the chapter: Yesterday was Geddy's 66th birthday!!