681. Chapter 681

They bite down a groan the moment they open their eyes.

It’s going to be one of those days, and it’s the worst timing it could possibly be.

Because everyone’s coming over for brunch today, and everyone wants to have fun today, and everyone just wants to be normal today.

“Morning, sweetie,” Maggie’s groggy voice and soft lips on their shoulder jolts them out of their rapidly spiraling thoughts. Somewhat.

Alex just grunts, and they see Maggie tilt her head out of the corner of their eye.

“How’d you sleep?” Maggie asks, and Alex suppresses an irritated groan, because they know that’s not what Maggie’s asking.

She’s asking how Alex’s pain is; she’s asking if she needs anything; she’s asking if badass secret agent Alex Danvers is going to be weak as all hell today.

“Fine,” Alex forces themself to turn their face to their fiancee, forces their lips up into a smile. “What about you?”

“Good,” Maggie nods slowly, letting Alex have their wall, for now.

It doesn’t stop her from watching Alex carefully as they shift in bed, as they start to sit up.

“You know, I was thinking we could ask everyone to come by later. More like a late lunch than brunch. I kind of wanted to cuddle this morning. If you wanna skip your run and keep me company?” Maggie invites, biting her lip and arching an eyebrow suggestively.

Alex glares for a moment and hesitates before letting themself lay back down. Before letting themself sink back into their mattress, into Maggie’s open arms.

“Do you really want to postpone brunch?” Alex asks, and they feel Maggie swallow, practically hear Maggie thinking.

“I thought it might be nice to order pizza for everyone, instead of you and me cooking and all that. It’ll be better for the fire department, that’s for sure,” she grins.

“I’m fine, you know,” Alex protests, but they flinch when they try to shift in Maggie’s arms too quickly.

“I know you are, babe,” Maggie presses an open-mouthed kiss to Alex’s shoulder. “That doesn’t mean you have to pretend you’re not in pain.”

“I’m not – “

“Alex. Remember when Cadmus kidnapped me?”

Alex shudders and gathers Maggie closer to them involuntarily, ignoring the shooting pain that accompanies the sudden movement. “How can I forget?”

“Remember I tried to tell you that I wasn’t suffering, after? That I didn’t suffer, during?”

“Mags – “

“Your pain is no less real than that.”

Their eyes lock and Alex swallows hard. A long silence. Still bodies, shallow breaths. Unblinking eyes.

“Everyone was looking forward to brunch.”

There are tears trapped in Alex’s throat, and Maggie smooths their hair out of their face with soft fingers and even softer lips.

“No. Everyone was looking forward to spending time with someone they love.”

“Also me,” Alex jokes, and Maggie preens teasingly.

“They do love me, don’t they?” she smirks, and Alex kisses her with a soft smile.

“I certainly do.”

“Limits are alright, babe. Postponing and just resting this morning so you can enjoy yourself later? Ordering in so we don’t have to cook? There’s nothing wrong with any of that, sweetie. There’s nothing weak about any of that.”

Alex squints and grits their teeth and sighs heavily.

“Fine. Wanna text them?”

Maggie smiles and kisses her fiancee lightly. “Yes please,” she rolls over to grab her phone from the nightstand.

And, hours later, when their friends come over, they come armed with pizza and potstickers and six packs and bright, bright eyes.

James hugs them lighter than he normally does, and he thanks them for postponing. “I’m proud of you, Al,” he punches his fist lightly on their shoulder.

“Lookin’ fly, Danvers,” Winn tells them, knowing they can’t bind today. Knowing they’re wearing one of his old sweaters that’s baggy on them to minimize the visibility of their chest. “An excellent wardrobe choice, if I do say so myself.”

“Hey sib,” Kara says through a mouthful of potstickers.

“Kar, did you crack open the box of potstickers on the way here?” Lena asks over her shoulder, winking at Alex and Maggie as Kara takes an enormous gulp.

“No,” she stammers, and Alex laughs. Hard.

Because no one is mad at them. No one is disappointed in them.

Everyone’s just digging into pizza and teasing each other and teasing Alex and tossing popcorn at each other and loving, loving, loving, all crowded on Alex and Maggie’s bed like it’s exactly where they’d all planned to be.

Because it’s exactly where they all want to be.