"Keep up, Chase!" she shouted over her shoulder with a smile.
She saw Magnus roll his eyes before rushing up the incline after her. She heard the scraping of loose rocks, and managed to whip around in time to grab his hand, so he only fell to his knees.
"Easy there," she teased, pulling him to his feet. She didn't fail to notice how he paused a few beats too long before letting go to dust off his jeans.
She couldn't remember the last time she had gone on a hike like this. When Magnus had offered, she had accepted with no hesitation; the fresh air would help clear her head.
For several minutes, the two walked along the trail in comfortable silence, listening to the birds chittering in the trees. Alex was the first to break it, aiming for small talk. "When was the last time you went hiking?"
"A few years ago, with my mom." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I can't remember where the trail was; it was through the side of the mountain. I picked some flowers for her; she said it looked like a wedding bouquet."
Alex smiled at the mental image of little Magnus with flowers. "That's so sweet."
He smiled. "I was terrified I would fall off the mountain the whole time." She laughed. "When was the last time you did this, as well?"
"It wasn't hiking," Alex said, the murky memories surfacing. "My friend was on the cross country team, and I decided to try it out for a bit. I went at the worst time--they were doing hill training. One mile up the hill, one mile back down."
It was Magnus's turn to laugh. "Ouch!"
They reached a creek carving through the trail. Magnus pointed out some rocks that can be used as stepping stones and began to make his way across, bounding from stone to stone with deer-like grace. He reached the other side and waved to her. "Come on. You'll be fine."
Alex was tempted to shift into a bird just to be an ass, but decided against it. She stepped to the edge of the creek, the wet earth sucking at her boots, then jumped to the first stone, then the next. She was fine until she reached the last one, slipping on the wet surface. She staggered forward with a yelp, arms outstretched. She was surprised when Magnus reached forward and grabbed her, steadying her before she plummeted into the water.
"Easy there," he teased. She gave him a half-hearted glare before letting go, hopping onto the grass next to him.
They stopped for a break at the summit of the mountain. Alex watched as the setting sun washed the forst below in warm colors. She turned to look at Magnus, her breath catching: the sunlight glittered in his hair, his expression far away. With the backdrop of the flowers and the forest, he looked beautiful.
She wanted to reach out and take his hand, but she hesitated; would he be comfortable with it? Instead, she turned away, studying the flowers around them. An idea came to her; she crouched down and began to pick them. When she had a decent amount, she turned and gave them to him without a word.
His eyes widened in surprise at the gift. She saw his face, and fear seized her; had she reminded him of his mom? The last thing she wanted to do was bring back memories that could cause him pain.
Alex opened her mouth to apologize, but the words could barely come out. She forced herself to look away. "I'm--"
She paused at his voice, gentle and soft, without a trace of anger or sorrow. She looked back to him. His expression was kind, full of something that she couldn't quite place. He reached out and gently took the flowers from her, his hands brushing against hers, making her heart skip a beat.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "They're beautiful."
Alex felt a burst of warmth in her chest. She reached forward and touched his face, before slowly leaning in to kiss him, giving him enough time to pull away if he wished. But he didn't, and returned her kiss with a tenderness that made her heart race. When she pulled back, he gave her a warm smile.
Impuslvely, she plucked a flower from his hand and tucked it into his hair. "I can make you a vase for these, if you want."
His smile widened, his gaze meeting hers. "I would love that."
She couldn't remember how long they were on the mountaintop, talking as the sun went down. When they began to make their way back, Magnus took her hand in his free one. They crossed the creek as one, keeping the other balanced, and didn't let go until they reached the bottom of the trail.
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