#inspectorboxer

Which, okay, is fine – Maggie isserious about this, serious about Alex,and she has an abysmal track record when it comes to relationships but she kindof hopes that this will be the one that finally works out for her.

So it’s fine but it’s also terrifying, because of how much thismatters to her – she wants to make a good impression, not just on Kara but onAlex’s friends, too.

She doesn’t get a chance to knock beforethe door clicks open, Alex’s smiling face appearing in the gap.

“How did you know I was here?” Sheasks, suspiciously, glancing up at the ceiling and wondering if Kara has asecret camera hidden up there, somewhere.

“Lucky guess?” Alex replies, saysit like a question, and Maggie’s pretty sure she’s lying but she doesn’t pushher on it, steps close to kiss her instead. “Hey,” Alex grins when they part, alight flush on her cheeks and her eyes bright and god, she’s so fucking beautiful that Maggie can barely lookstraight at her, sometimes.

“Hey yourself, Danvers. I broughtbeer.” She hoists the six pack up and Alex smiles in approval before she takesher hand, interlacing their fingers as she tugs Maggie inside. She takes thebeers and shoves them into Kara’s refrigerator before leading Maggie over tothe couch where Kara waves at them from in-between two guys, who Maggieremembers from the bar.

James has a friendly smile that immediatelyputs her at ease, and Winn offers her a wave of his own as Alex reintroducesher – neither of them look surprised by their joined hands, which Maggie canonly assume means that Alex has told them they’re together, and for a momentshe’s flooded with warmth.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this,Maggie?” Winn asks her, when Alex abandons her briefly to go and help Karabring in the pizza that arrives only a few minutes after she does. “Those two,”he indicates the sisters with a stab of his thumb over his shoulder, “can getreal competitive.”

“I have already been warned,”Maggie grins, because Kara had delighted in telling Maggie the story of howAlex had lost at monopoly when they were teenagers and refused to talk to herfor a full week. “And I’ve seen Alex’s first-hand – I beat her at pool once andshe didn’t stop pouting until I agreed to play another game so she could beatme.”

“Hey!” Alex protests, overhearingthe end of Maggie’s sentence as she deposits an extra-large pizza on Kara’scoffee table. “I did not.”

“Yes, you did, and it wasadorable.” Alex narrows her eyes into a glare and Maggie grins, reaches for herhand and tugs until she falls into her lap, wraps an arm around Alex’s waistand rests her chin on her shoulder when Alex relaxes back against her. “It’sokay, though – I’ll probably never win again.”

“Good,” Alex says, with a smilethat’s both sweet and wicked, and Maggie rolls her eyes. “You can be on my teamtonight, anyway. We’ll crush them.”

“Are you going to pout at me if wedon’t?” She asks, because she doesn’t know if she can handle that kind ofdisappointment on Alex’s face. She purses her lips like she’s thinkingseriously about her answer, and Maggie nudges at her hip.

“I won’t,” Alex eventually concedes,and then she turns, slightly, in Maggie’s arms, presses her mouth close to herand whispers, “at least – not if you promise to make it up to me later.” Hervoice is low, suggestive, and Maggie isdistantly aware of Kara choking on a sip of her water, looking equal partsscandalised and horrified, frowns as she wonders how Kara possibly could’veheard that from across the room.

But then Alex is darting forwardto press a teasing, open-mouthed kiss just beneath her jaw, and Maggie is toobusy trying not to whimper to concentrate on anything other than the feeling ofAlex’s lips on her skin.

“I… I can do that,” she agrees,after several deep breaths to calm her racing heart, and Alex looks awfullysmug as Maggie’s voice comes out a little unsteady. “Am I allowed to lose onpurpose?” She asks, and Alex grins as she shakes her head. “I need a little incentive,Danvers.”

“The incentive is that you get to win,” Alex says, like it’s the mostobvious thing in the world. “And,” Alex lowers her voice again, turns her headand her eyes are hungry and Maggie shudders even before she hears the ending ofthat sentence, “if we win, I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

There’s an undercurrent to thewords, and to the dark look in Alex’s eyes, the way she shifts a little in Maggie’sarms, and Maggie’s throat goes dry as she lets herself imagine all the reasonswhat that could be.

Kara clears her throat, loudly,snapping them both out of their daze, and Alex’s cheeks tinge pink as Karaglances over at them, almost with disapproval.

“Can we get started now?” Sheasks, and Maggie listens very intently as the rules of Taboo are explained toher, because suddenly winning seems like the most important thing in the world.

James sits out the first game,agreeing to keep score, and Kara pouts which Maggie assumes means she and Winndon’t make the best of teams – and she’s right, because in-between bites ofpizza and sips of beer, she and Alex win with ease.

It earns her a kiss that brushesthe border of appropriate, and Maggie smiles against Alex’s lips as she pullsaway.

Kara and James team up againstthem next, and make a more formidable team – they win by the smallest ofmargins, and for one moment Maggie is concerned that Alex is about to tip herbeer over her sister’s head as Kara rubs it in.

Maggie grabs her wrist just intime, though, soothes her with a kiss against her cheek and whispers in her earthat they’ll be victorious after the final round.

Which they are.

James and Winn are – well, marginally better than Winn and Kara,but not by much, and the round that follows leaves Alex’s little sister withher head in her hands, her pout almost as disarming as Alex’s.

Maggie wonders how Alex is goingto make it worth her while as her girlfriend excuses herself to the bathroom,and when she comes back she’s doing the world’s worst exaggerated yawn andMaggie struggles not to laugh as she tells her sister that she’s feeling a littletired and maybe she should call it a night.

Kara throws her a look, and the ‘you’re welcome to stay aslong as you like’ she gives to Maggie is a little heavy on the sarcasm, butMaggie brushes it off easily as she hops to her feet and takes Alex’s hand.

“I’ve got an early start in themorning,” she lies, “so I should probably be heading home too.”

“What a coincidence,” Karareplies, and Alex shoves at her shoulder until she rolls her eyes and throwsthem both a lopsided grin. “Thank you for coming,” she continues, eyes warm asher gaze lands on Maggie, and for the first time she thinks that Kara mightactually think she’s a suitable girlfriend for her sister. “We’ll beat you nexttime.”

“Yeah, we’ll see, Little Danvers.”Maggie’s heart feels light as she smiles back at Kara. “We’ll see.” She andAlex bid goodbye to James and Winn, and Kara walks them to the door, throwsAlex a wink that, judging from the way Alex’s cheeks flame red, Maggie was notsupposed to see.

“Do you really have to work earlytomorrow?” Alex asks as the door shuts behind them, something hopeful in hereyes as they meet Maggie’s before skittering away.

“Nope, I actually have the nightshift,” Maggie tells her, rubbing a thumb over the back of Alex’s knuckles. “Sotell me, Alex Danvers,” she steps close to Alex, until their hips bumptogether, slides her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and squeezeslightly, eyes on her lips, “what’s my reward for helping you win?”

Alex’s response comes in the formof a kiss, hot and needy, tongue licking into Maggie’s mouth and she groans,using her hands, still buried in Alex’s pockets, to drag her backwards, so thatMaggie’s back is against the wall and Alex is pressed tight against her front.

“Come home with me,” Alex murmurswhen their lips part, her cheeks flushed and her eyes dark and a little wild,and Maggie’s heart pounds loud in her ears as she thinks about what thatrequest means.

They’ve been taking things slow –Alex is new at this, after all, and Maggie doesn’t want to rush this, isenjoying taking her time, the teasing touches and the lingering kisses, inspite of the many cold showers she’s had to duck into since this thing betweenthem began.

But at Alex’s words Maggie isflooded with a mixture of heat and anticipation, swallows thickly and dragsAlex down into another hungry kiss.

“Are you sure?” She breathesagainst Alex’s lips, and Alex’s nod is immediate, her hands a little desperateas they grip Maggie’s hips tightly. “Okay then, Danvers. Take me home.”