Alex (F)

I was truly feeling hundreds of feelings, disappointment, curiosity, self hatred, sad, happy, and also a strange warm feeling. I didn't know how to answer him truthfully so I simply stated "I don't know."

"It's alright to not know, I hardly ever know. It's good that you can admit that though, some people will fake an answer and it doesn't do any good."

We talked like that for a while, learning about each other and figuring ourselves out at the same time.

Magnus' phone eventually rang and he had to run, we exchanged numbers and agreed to get together that week.

I went through most of Tuesday without him saying anything, eventually I got a call from his number.

"Magnus! You're okay!" I said upon answering.

"I'm sorry, uh, it's not Magnus. I'm one of his adoptive dads, Blitz. Magnus was in an accident, shot at the shelter. He's been saying your name for a while now, could you come to the Boston General Hospital?"

I almost dropped my phone into my sink, Magnus had been shot? Why? Who would do that?

"Yeah, uh, I'm on my way," I said, grabbing my keys and heading out.

In the car I got stuck behind literally every slow person, had to stop at every light, and found the route with the most stop signs. I eventually made it there and ran to the front desk. I had no idea why I was so desperate.

"Magnus Chase is in room 204, just on the second floor to your right," the man instructed me.

I bolted up there, almost tripping multiple times and accidentally running into a wall.

I knocked at Magnus' door once I got there, it was opened by a short older guy, probably Blitz.

"Alex?" He asked.

I nodded and he let me in. Inside the room was a man sleeping on the couch, he was very tall and skinny with white hair with a red and white scarf, his eyes were closed and he seemed to be having a troubling dream.

Magnus was a sight, he was pale instead of his summery tan, his hair was sweaty and pushed out of his face, and he wasn't wearing a shirt but in its place was layers of bandages. His arms had IVs in them, he didn't seem well.

"Alex," he murmured.

"He's been doing that for about an hour. He's also not in any danger of death at this point."

Blitz seemed exhausted.

"Thanks," I said, heading to the seat by Magnus' bed.

"Alex," he said again.

"Magnus, I'm right here," that seemed to calm him down.

I sat there for a while and he eventually stirred, looking at me with half opened eyelids and giving me a weak smile.

"Alex, you're here," he muttered.

"Well yeah I'm here, why wouldn't I come?"

That seemed amusing to him "We just formally met this weekend, all be it we've been through a lot in that time."

"Yeah, I guess it's only been a few days," it felt like years of knowing Magnus.

"Magnus, who even is this lady?"

Lady, oh that felt so nice to hear instead man.

"This is Alex, she and I met first at the shelter downtown, then at the grocery store this week, and on the bridge, I think."

Blitz moved his hands, sign language probably. Whatever he said seemed to frustrate Magnus, making him sign back even quicker with more violent gestures. Blitz signed back and Magnus just sighed in response.

"Ha, so it is true!" Blitz celebrated.

"What's true?" I asked.

"N-nothing, don't pay attention to himmmm," Magnus murmured.

Blitz signed a small phrase, to which Magnus groggily responded to in the only sign language I knew, fuck you.

Blitz smiled again.

There was another knock at the door, Blitz shouted "Come in!"

It was Magnus' doctor "We were able to do all of the repairs needed, and we extracted the bullet without problems. The only thing that you'll have from this is a tiny little scar. There's still possibility for infection though."

Magnus nodded "I've been through this a few times, thanks Dr. Abernathy."

The man nodded.

Magnus had been shot before? How many times? When? Where? Why? I wanted to ask him all of those questions but the doctor began doing basic check up things, heart rate, IV dripping, and breathing.

Just before the doctor left Magnus started coughing, when he drew his hand away it was spattered with blood.

The doctor yelled something out the door about an OR and came back in.

"There may be blood in the airway due to a stitch being faulty, if I leave it it could be fatal so I just booked an OR. We just need to make sure you are perfectly healthy," the doctor said.

I looked at Magnus in worry, he slowly grabbed my hand with the hand without blood and squeezed it "Alright, Blitz can you wake Hearth?"

Blitz worriedly went over to the sleeping man and flashed a small green light by his eye, the man woke.

He stood up and signed to Magnus, who seemed to try and explain the situation, only to make Hearth more worried.

"I'll be fine," he said audibly.

Hearth signed something that was probably something along the lines of "You'd better be."

Some nurses came to take Magnus, he paused them to talk with me.

"Alex, how about after all this is over we go get some coffee or something? Maybe go out to dinner?"

I nodded, giving him a soft kiss, much cleaner than my drunken attempt, though it still felt warm and almost electric.

"Be right back," he laughed, kissing me again.

He definitely wasn't right back, it took six hours for his surgery to be over, and it was an additional three hours until he woke up. Blitz and Hearth had both fallen asleep on the couch, all snuggled against each other, hugging and breathing in time.

"You're still here?" He whispered.

My head snapped up from the side of his bed "Huh? Yeah, um, yeah."

We chatted for a moment until Magnus asked "How are you feeling now?"

I thought for a while. I had kissed Magnus again, we were gonna go out, I didn't feel like I didn't fit in anymore. I felt loved.

"Much better actually."

That made him smile, I'd do anything to make him smile.