Title: and whole days turn into holes in my mind
Fandom: the magicians
Rating: teen
Length: ~600 words
Author notes: spoilers through season one, also for ladiesbingo, title from k.flay's giver
Summary: In the eighth universe, the shortest reiteration, Dean Fogg encourages Alice to apply to Brakebills.

Margo would rather be anywhere but here. The days before classes start are for drinking and debauchery, not waiting at the end of the garden path for Brakebills’ latest prodigy.

Alice Quinn.

Her family name practically reeks of magic, and Margo wonders how much they taught her. If her late brother had a hand in her tutoring, or if they sent for tutors from abroad- maybe even other worlds. Margo straightens out her bright white shorts, if she has to waste her time with this, she is going to make the best first impression.

.

Alice Quinn is a bitch.

And not the fun kind like herself, more like the fun-sucking kind like her history professor. Needless to say that first impression doesn’t go over so well. Alice doesn’t appreciate Margo asking after her family, which fair enough- most of them have soft spots there. Margo just thought it might be better to have parents that understand. Alice also doesn’t care for small talk or any of her attempts to befriend her over the first few days. She insists that she got into Brakebills alone, and will succeed through it alone. Which is fine- Margo has Eliot, has fostered plenty of connections with the alumni and professors. It isn’t like she needs Alice.

(That might make it worse. To want something, without any rational basis.)

.

Eliot and her seduce another new student, a gorgeous telepath with talented fingers. Margo enjoys herself, threesomes and orgies with her better half are always an amusing rarity, but when Penny returns she finds herself going to the library of all places.

Eliot raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “I cannot believe we finally have the perfect reoccurring booty call and you’re ditching us to pine over the ice princess.”

(And yeah, Margo can’t believe it either.)

.

Alice comes back from Brakebills South different. They all do. But Margo doesn’t care about their drama, about Eliot’s boytoy hooking up with the fair Juliet next door, about little Q being crushed, or the few that fail out.

There’s a new lightness in Alice’s step, and this time, Alice sits next to her in the library.

This time, Alice asks her about herself. This time, Alice nearly courts her- making her glass flowers as they trade stories. Weaving a set of roses into a beautiful tiara, so much more elegant and perfect than the daisy chain she'd jokingly requested.

It isn’t until they’re truly comfortable, a few weeks later, that Margo asks. “What changed your mind? Down there?”

Alice swallows a sip of her cocktail- a strawberry daiquiri with just the faintest splash of rum- before answering. “Mayakovsky. I just realized if I kept pushing everyone away, I’d end up like him one day. And I can’t- Charlie wouldn’t want that for me, I know that.”

“Oh girl, I’ll never let you get like that old hermit.”

Alice laughs, a little too loud, but fond. “No, you wouldn’t.”

She leans in, and Margo leans in too, following her wide eyes. Then Alice is kissing her, all wonder and curiosity. A reminder of one of their late night talks, that Alice hasn’t done this much, and Margo is all too ready to remedy that. Margo’s fingers run through her smooth hair, fantasies that aren’t so fantastic springing to mind.

“Margo, you’re the-”

.

Margo wakes up, a faint dream of a pretty blonde fading away, Eliot passed out on the couch across from her. She eyes a nearby empty bottle of enchanted tequila distastefully, that stuff always gave the weirdest hangovers. Her jaw cracks with a yawn, and she tosses a pillow at Eliot to wake him. Today they have to greet the wanna-be students, time to knock all their socks off.