Work Text
It didn’t matter that New York City and Boston were only separated by a little over two hundred miles, it might as well have been a different planet to Magnus Chase. The city itself felt and looked different, obviously, but the weather also made zero sense. Boston had four seasons. New York seemed to have five hundred. The late August heat that had greeted Magnus a week ago was now a rain reminiscent of early fall. Magnus was wearing a
jacket
. In
August
. It was ludicrous. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the vacation: it was nice to hang out with Annabeth before she and Percy went to school in a few weeks. Getting to know Percy better had also been a nice perk; despite his obsession with the worst color of the rainbow, he was a cool dude. All of that said, Magnus was ready to leave the unpredictable city behind him.
The universe, as usual, had other plans.
Magnus didn’t expect to see Alex Fierro when he stepped onto 34th street. The fact that Alex was in Manhattan at all didn’t really register correctly in his brain, truth be told. New York City had, what, five katrillion people living in it? A loose approximation, but it sounded correct. Whatever the number, the chances of Alex Fierro being the first person Magnus saw when he exited the M train station were slim to none.
Of course, it would have been hard to miss him, seeing as he was clad in an astoundingly vibrant rain coat covered in pink polka dots and lime green rain boots.
“Alex?”
Alex only smirked when Magnus yelped out his name. “’Sup?” He was leaning against the push-to-walk button that allowed pedestrians to cross to the west side of 34th, and didn’t seem to hear, or mind, the machine spitting out a sick beat of
wait, wait, wait to cross, wait, wait to cross
behind him. He also didn’t seem to notice the hipster side-eyeing him angrily at the noise, but it was more likely that Alex was ignoring her on purpose.
“Alex?” Annabeth repeated Magnus’ earlier question as she appeared to Magnus’ right. “What are you doing here?” Annabeth was always more pragmatic that Magnus was, asking the correct questions.
“Annabeth, I told you, you can’t use your hat to avoid paying the fare. I promise, I added money to my metrocard last—oh, hey Alex.” Percy stopped just behind Magnus, apparently the least nonplussed of the three at Alex’s sudden appearance. “What’s new?”
“Oh, you know,” Alex shrugged. “Confusing the Chase family.”
“It’s fun, right?” Annabeth and Magnus both whipped their heads towards Percy, aghast. “They’re both so easy to antagonize.”
Alex grinned at that. “Right? Like, it shouldn’t be as fun as it is, them being so easily flustered.”
“Okay,” Magnus, who had a terrifying sudden thought of the mischief Alex and Percy could get up to if left to their own devices for too long, walked towards Alex, as if moving would shift the balance back in his favor. A fruitless effort, but also an admirable one. “Seriously, though, why are you here?”
“Is it not obvious?” Alex struck a pose, gesturing grandly towards Penn Station across the street. “I’m here to escort you home, good sir.”
“And they say chivalry is dead.” Percy wrapped an arm around Annabeth’s shoulder. “What do you think, Wise Girl?”
“You think I’m
easy
to
antagonize
?”
Percy pursed his lips, trying not to laugh, so Alex and Magnus did it for him, which left Annabeth scowling. “I’m never inviting you here again, you fiend,” she said towards Magnus, before turning to Percy. “You, I guess I have to suffer with.”
“I get it, I don’t match Alex Fierro’s levels of chivalry, but I think I’m an alright guy.” Percy looked up, studying the cloud-shrouded buildings. “Who was it that got you the most powerful laptop in all history?”
“We both did that, dingus.”
“The
Greeks
have the most powerful laptop in all history?” Alex crossed his arms, raincoat making crackling sounds as he did. “And Valhalla gets shitty wifi.” He turned to Magnus. “We got the crappiest pantheon, Maggie, I’m sure of it now.”
“Would you like to defect?” Magnus asked drily.
“You know what? I would.” Alex let go of Magnus’ suitcase, which fell to the sidewalk. Hands on his hips, Alex looked towards the ground. “
Adios
, Loki, Hades is my new parent now.”
Percy finally did laugh. “Oh, gods, Nico would have a conniption if you two were related.”
Annabeth shook her head, and decided to finally be the voice of reason as she checked her watch. “You two better head on in, the next train leaves in fifteen.” She pulled Magnus into a quick hug. “Come visit us in California sometime, okay?”
“Oh,” Magnus leaned back. “I thought you were
never
inviting me to visit ever again?”
“Jury’s still out.” Annabeth was smiling, though.
Percy shook both Magnus’ and Alex’s hands before he and Annabeth turned around, going down the steps towards the M train, and Magnus could hear them arguing animatedly about the ethics of using Annabeth’s invisibility cap again.
Magnus turned to Alex, who was still staring after the two Greek demigods descending into Manhattan’s depths. “You wanna get out of here?”
That seemed to shake Alex’s gaze as he finally turned to Magnus. “Already got the tickets.” He leaned down, picking up Magnus’ suitcase once more. “Let’s go home.”
They managed to find an unoccupied aisle on the train, and they sat across from each other, Magnus looking towards their destination, and Alex watching as rainy New York disappeared behind them. “You didn’t have to come get me.”
Alex turned away from the window, towards Magnus. “I know.”
“So why did you?”
Alex shrugged, leaning back into the stiff fabric of the train seat. “Someone has to make sure you don’t get into trouble.”
“I managed to hold my own just fine on my way here.”
Alex flushed, which was definitely not what Magnus had been expecting. “I wanted to see what all the hype was about The Big Apple.”
“Alex.”
“And I had to verify that Percy and Annabeth were taking good care of you. I would’ve been pissed if you’d been killed visiting Greeks, of all people.”
“Oh, my gods.” Magnus leaned forward, almost eagerly and with sudden clarity. He stared at Alex, who flushed even deeper. “You wanted to see
Percy
.”
Alex spluttered, which Magnus had definitely never seen before, and immediately started deflecting. “What are you talking about?”
“Holy shit, you think Percy’s hot.”
“Shut up, you think he’s hot, too!”
Magnus could feel his own blush blooming. “I do not.”
“Oh, please.” Alex managed to make the last word two syllables for emphasis. “You couldn’t get enough of him when he came to give you ‘swimming lessons’ back in June.” Alex added air quotes for even more emphasis. “And I can guarantee that you took any and all chances to talk to him while visiting. You can’t fool me, Magaroni.”
Magnus had to deflect, if only to not give Alex any more ammunition. Like that would ever work. “Right, at least I’m not the one who took a five hour train to get me just in case Percy showed up to drop me off.”
“You have no proof.”
“I have no proof that you came to New York?”
“Shut up.”
“So you don’t think he’s hot?”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “Percy Jackson is the most perfect specimen of man I have ever laid eyes on.” He paused, shifting his gaze back outside, and then towards Magnus again. “Present company excluded.”
Magnus covered his mouth, leaning back to gaze out the window lest he combust from sheer embarrassment. “Alex,” his mouth was suddenly very dry. “I can’t compete with Percy Jackson. Have you seen his hair? It’s perfect.”
“And the abs.” Alex pretended to swoon, falling back until he was lounging across both seats across from Magnus. “Swimmers always have the best bodies.” Alex looked up. “How did you contain yourself for two weeks in the presence of such perfection?”
“Somehow, I managed to keep my composure.” Magnus leaned forward until he was eye level with Alex. “Percy’s pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve got my eye on someone else.”
Alex’s blush hadn't gone away during this diatribe, but it did deepen at Magnus’ words. “Oh? Is it Halfborn? Mallory will be very jealous.”
“Nah, he's not my type.”
“What is your type then, Chase?”
Magnus looked out the window. The rain was coming down in full force now, but Alex was close enough that Magnus didn't have to speak up to be heard over the din. “Independent, a sense of humor, great fashion sense, good in a fight,” Magnus looked back at Alex. He’d faced down Loki, bared his soul to a demonic horde, and had nearly died on at least sixty occasions. Being honest with Alex Fierro was, at this point, a breeze. “And gorgeous.”
Alex’s earlier grin softened into something more fond. Honestly, Magnus had been expecting Alex to punch him and call him sap. Maybe distance did make the heart grow fonder? Magnus wouldn't dare say that out loud; he’d definitely be called soft then. “Well, I know for sure you’re not talking about Percy now. He's got
horrible
fashion sense. Dresses like a frat bro on steroids.”
“You’re wearing a polka dot raincoat.”
“Don’t lie, you’re
totally
into it.”
Alex had him there. “I missed you, Alex.”
Alex shrugged noncommittally, but his blush hadn’t died down. “Yeah, I guess I missed you, too.” He sat up then, and moved to sit beside Magnus. “Since I can’t have Percy Jackson, you’ll have to do.”
“Pinch me, I must be dreaming.”
Alex leaned into Magnus, shoulder to shoulder. “Whatever, you love me.”
Magnus was almost positive Alex had said that without thinking, and he wasn’t about to call attention to it. He contented himself, instead, with taking Alex’s hand in his and holding tightly.