Chapter Text
Magnus woke in the soft grass of the clearing. He had gotten more used to sleeping in a bed since he had been living in Valhalla but some nights he felt like he was falling into the bed. That's the one thing they don't tell you about being homeless. You never get used to beds again. Thankfully his room comes equipped with his own park so he could sleep in a grassy knoll whenever he chose. Which is where he was sleeping when a massive elephant trumpeted in his ear. He wasn't sure what was louder, his girlish shriek or Alex's laughter. Alex stood over him, transformed back to human in bright green ripped skinny jeans and pink tee-shirt that read in tiny glittered letters 'If you can read this you are already dead'.
"Nice shirt" he managed his heart hammering out of control.
"Thanks" Alex grinned offering a hand.
"I didn't hear you knock" Magnus said knowingly as he got pulled to his feet.
She turned. "I'm Alex I don't knock" she called over her shoulder. She walked to his bed and handed him a coffee from the takeout tray.
"Fierro delivers" he teased taking a sip surprised it was just how he liked his coffee.
"Be thankful it's not poison" she retorted.
"So why the morning break-in?" he asked ruffling his hair and hoping he doesn't have bedhead.
Alex stepped forward her heterochromatic eyes glittering with mischief. "So I need a reason to come see you?" she taunted.
"N-No you can visit...any time I just wasn't sure...if Ragnarok...or a battle or..." he stammered.
"Easy dork breathe. Want to go the Boston library?" Alex sighed sipping at her own coffee.
"Sure but why? The library here has far more information on most topics" Magnus asked.
Magnus studied Alex in surprise as a light pink blush rose to her cheeks even as she straightened her face. "I...I'm not the best student and learning to the death is pretty much my entire schooling experience so I thought we would head into town" Alex said shortly scuffing her pink converse to avoid his gaze.
"Neither of us managed to finish school. Is that what you are working towards?" Magnus asked.
"Nope you are going to teach me to speak ASL" Alex said simply sitting cross-legged on his bed. Magnus in turn choked on his coffee.
"You wanna what?" he spluttered.
Alex grit her teeth. "Our last mission was really annoying not being able to understand the conversation. I don't enjoy being out of the loop unless I don't care enough to be in the loop. I am going to learn ASL before our next mission and because you are fun to annoy and you speak ASL you are going to teach me" Alex concluded.
Magnus tried to form a coherent thought. "Gods Magnus go shower and change. Clearly the coffee isn't working yet" Alex sighed waving a hand towards his bathroom. Magnus nodded placing his coffee on the mantel and shook his head ruefully.
~
Alex chugged the last of her coffee before throwing it in the wastebasket. She lay down on Magnus's bed. She lay down on his pillow and inhaled a very familiar scent. Then she realized what she was doing and metaphorically slapped herself. She looked over at his nightstand piled with books. She plucked one off the top 'Carrie' by Stephen King. She was a big fan of Stephen King books, the horror often appealing to her as a great escape from her own life. The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her. She glanced up and blanched. Magnus stood before her looking sheepish in a towel and all his rippling muscles on full display. Alex's einherjar body had become leaner and more toned. She had been too busy being royally ticked off to think about the fact that others looked like this too.
"Sorry I thought you were waiting in the lobby" Magnus muttered rushing to his dresser. She noticed his neck and ears were a vivid red and this allowed her blood pressure to settle.
"Yeah whatever just get changed Maggie" Alex tossed over her shoulder as she made a speedy exit from the room.
~
After finding the most secluded section of the library, Magnus laid down a stack of books on American Sign Language. Alex glanced around their little study nook raising an eyebrow at Magnus. "Is there a reason you chose a very hidden part of the library? I don't know what you've seen on television but I asked you here to teach me ASL. You aren't that lucky" Alex asked reveling in the bright colors Magnus was changing and the spluttering sound he was making.
"I...that's not...not that...I" Magnus stammered.
Alex laughed loudly sitting down across from him. Magnus took a shaky breath and chuckled still blushing. "I picked this corner because you know the rules about being outside the hotel especially you who's death is still rather recent. There is a chance one of us could be recognized so I thought we would go low profile" Magnus told her. Alex's mind spun with this news.
"I don't really know if anyone would remember me" Alex said with a small snort taking a book from the stack.
Magnus scoffed loudly. "You carry a garrote, can change form at will, and are constantly dressed in bright green and pink. I don't think anyone could forget you" Magnus told her.
It was Alex's turn to blush. "Where should we start?" Alex asked gruffly. Magnus had a look on his face like he wasn't sure if he said something wrong.
"The basics? I thought we would start with the alphabet?" Magnus suggested.
"Well I learned my ABCs real quick" Alex retorted.
~
"Is this right?" Alex asked holding up her hands in the p formation. Magnus leaned forward and then hesitated his hand reached forward, his eyes alert. "I give you permission just this once" Alex teased.
"It's like this" Magnus said leaning forward and putting his warm hand around hers and manipulating her fingers so they were in the right position. Magnus glanced up and held her gaze. For one long minute, their eyes collided. For sixty seconds, Alex held her breath. For sixty seconds, soft gray eyes pierced her soul spreading warmth through her chest. For sixty seconds, she endured warmth trickling up her arm. For sixty seconds, she considered intertwining their fingers.
"Can I do the letter u next because p.u" Alex teased drawing back her hand swiftly. Magnus ducked his head and nodded shakily.
~
"Hey Magnus finally gracing us with your presence" Mallory teased.
"Young love can be distracting" Halfborn mumbled his mouth full of bagel.
"What would you know about love you great oaf?" Mallory scolded.
"Oaf? I have several PhDs" Halfborn replied gruffly.
"Woah woah I don't know what you guys think but we aren't...Alex and I have been going to the library. I've been teaching her ASL" Magnus chimed in mostly to clear the air but also to end the argument.
"That's blarney. You have been leaving the hotel to go to the library? Nothing else?" Mallory asked.
Magnus opened his mouth to answer when a familiar voice answered behind him making his ears go red. "What else did you have in mind? Mallory Keen you vixen" Alex teased plopping down next to Magnus, who avoided her gaze and tucked into his breakfast.
"Why the need for a new language?" TJ asked.
To insult you losers Alex signed grinning. Magnus rolled his eyes but repeated the gesture to correct her positions.
Alex repeated it correctly this time.
~
"I am not teaching you more insults for you to use on me. Insulting me in English is enough" Magnus declared.
Alex laughed. "Oh Magnus I can also insult you in Spanish. I'm bilingual you fool. Eres un tonto" she teased.
Magnus grinned mischievously. He pointed at Alex then made a claw with his hand and twisted his wrist next to his ear, made an x with his pointer fingers and flicked them away, and then a claw again dragging towards him.
Alex's face slackened and her eyes narrowed. "What did you just say about me?" she demanded.
Magnus smirked but remained silent.
Alex changed into a German Shepherd and snarled at him. Magnus jumped slightly but considered her. "We are outside the hotel. I think I haven't pissed you off enough to warrant you killing me this morning. And mostly I think you and I both know you can't go on our upcoming mission if I'm dead...well dead again" Magnus replied while signing each word. The dog stopped snarling as it concentrated on his hands.
"I still need a tutor. No death for you today" Alex sighed back in her handmade pink and green tie died tee-shirt.
"I knew it" Magnus grinned victoriously.
Alex tried not to smile but it pulled her face anyways. Magnus's face lit up at the sight.
~
This stupid Alex said glaring at Magnus while signing.
The best way to learn is through using it. I learned through trying to talk to Hearth Magnus answered.
What was that last word? Alex asked struggling to remember. Magnus leaned over automatically and adjusted her hands.
This is for Hearth. Every deaf person gets a name sign. Mine is Magnus. Blitz Magnus told her speaking and signing simultaneously.
What's my name sign? she asked eagerly. Magnus considered thoughtfully.
"What about?" Magnus said signing a fist and then with his pointer finger pointed to his lip, then twisting his wrist he drew a straight line with his pinkies.
"What's that?" she asked smiling.
"A combined with the sign for wire" Magnus told her demonstrating with his hands again.
Like it. My name Alex. Can kill Alex said.
Will kill. Very dangerous Magnus answered grinning.
"Are....you...ready...to...order?" their waitress asked loudly saying each word incredibly slowly.
Magnus grit his teeth. This wasn't the first time he had come across this interaction when with Hearth. He glanced over to Alex who’s hands moved in a flurry of insults that he knew he didn't teach her. "We can hear you we are learning ASL to become educated as all should. We will split a pizza" Magnus said trying not to laugh at the insults Alex was signing. The waitress nodded glaring at Alex as she strode off. Magnus burst out laughing.
"You have been learning on your own. I did not teach you those" Magnus said signing fast.
Alex smirked knowingly. "I bought a book on Amazon" she said mysteriously then frowned. Magnus signed it for he and she mimicked it.
"Any book that taught you that should be burned" Magnus said.
"Burning books? Very Fahrenheit 451 of you. Isn't that basically a nerd sin?" Alex scolded teasingly knowing the effect a literacy joke would have on Magnus.
The waitress came by and unceremoniously dropped a pie of pizza in front of them glaring at Alex.
"You know you have spent two weeks with me in the library , learning, and now you are getting books out to research without me. That screams nerd" Magnus told her.
Alex grabbed a slice from the tray. "I got that book so I can finally figure out the insult you called me" Alex sighed.
"And?" Magnus asked softly.
"I figured out you called me crazy but I scoured my insults books and I haven't been able to figure out the other term" Alex hissed.
Magnus chuckled. "You are looking in the wrong book" Magnus said taking a slice for himself.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked quickly. Magnus glanced up a light blush coloring his cheeks.
"It wasn't an insult" Alex realized. "Tell me" she said quickly. Magnus sighed heavily.
Looking over at the pizza counter he signed quickly. "You are crazy but amazing" Magnus mumbled still looking pointedly away from him.
Alex felt an explosion of warm butterflies. "Eres un tonto pero un poco dulce" Alex replied softly.
"What's that mean?" Magnus asked.
Alex smiled taking a large bite of pizza.
"Time to learn Spanish" Magnus muttered.