♥ Alex and Magnus ♥

“Look, some people prefer they. They’re non-binary or mid-spectrum or whatever. If they want you to use they, then that’s what you should do. But for me, personally, I don’t want to use the same pronouns all the time, because that’s not me. I change a lot. That’s sort of the point. When I’m she, I’m she. When I’m he, I’m he. I’m not they. Get it?”

"As we paired up, somebody's arm curled around my waist. Alex Fierro wedged herself next to me, wrapping a blanket around our heads and shoulders. I looked at her in amazement. A pink wool scarf covered her head and mouth, so all I could see were her two-toned eyes and some wisps of green hair."
"Sh-shut up," she stammered. "You're w-warm and s-summery."

“Blitz and Hearth were almost at the shore when Alex stopped abruptly.
I didn't have any energy left either, but I thought I should try to sound encouraging. "We - we have to k-keep going." I looked over. We were nose-to-nose under the blankets. Her eyes glinted, amber and brown. Her scarf had dipped below her chin. Her breath was like limes.
Then, before I even knew what was happening, she kissed me. She could have bitten off my mouth and I would have been less surprised. Her lips were cracked and rough from the cold. Her nose fitted perfectly next to mine. Our faces aligned, our breath mixed. Then she pulled away.
"I wasn't going to die without doing that," she said.
The world of primordial ice must not have frozen me completely, because my chest burned like a coal furnace.
"Well?" She frowned. "Stop gaping and let's move."
We trudged towards the shore. My mind wasn't working properly. I wondered if Alex had kissed me just to inspire me to keep going, or to distract me from our imminent deaths. It didn't seem possible she'd actually wanted to kiss me. Whatever the case, that kiss was the only reason I made it to shore.”

"Uh."
"I don't just date any einherji with a pretty face and a nice haircut."
"No. Yeah. Pretty face?"
"I appreciate the offer. Really. But let's put this on hold and I'll get back to you," She held up her hands. "A little space, Chase."
She strode off, glancing back once with a smirk that made my toes curl up in my woolen socks.

“He turned to leave, then hesitated. 'One more thing.'"
He walked up to me. "I've also been thinking about your declaration of undying love or whatever."
"I didn't - it wasn't -"
He clamped his hands on the sides of my gooey face and kissed me.
I had to wonder: was it possible to dissolve into chocolate on a molecular level and melt into a puddle on the carpet? Because that's how I felt. I'm pretty sure Valhalla had to resurrect me several times during the course of that kiss. Otherwise, I don't know how I was still in one piece when Alex finally pulled away."

"I'll be honest. A small part of my brain thought, Alex is male right now. I have just been kissed by a dude. How do I feel about that?
The rest of my brain answered: I have just been kissed by Alex Fierro. I am absolutely great with that."

Alex and I reclined next to each other in the lounge chairs, where we'd sat after killing the wolf in Randolph's library weeks before.
She reached over and took my hand.
She hadn't done that since we were marching invisibly toward the Ship of the Dead. I didn't question the gesture. I didn't take it for granted. I decided just to enjoy it. You have to do that with Alex. She is all about change. Moments don't last. You've got to enjoy each one for what it is.
"this is good," she said.
I didn't know if she meant what we'd accomplished with Chase Space, or the fireworks, or holding hands, but I agreed.
"Yeah. It is."

“We einherjar know we are destined to die. The world will end. The big picture cannot be changed. But in the meantime, as Loki once said, we can choose to alter the details. That's how we take control of our destiny.
Sometimes even Loki can be right.”