Disclaimer: As much as I might wish to own Magnus Bane and/or his makeup collection and sheets, I don't. Also I own nothing and am not affiliated with Cassandra Claire or anything she made up.
A/N: Hey, this is my first fic, I like criticism so yeah… enjoy!
Invitations
"So what ARE we going to do about it?" Luke slammed his hand down on the table, an action that had already been repeated by most of the group sitting around the table.
"Look, people, why am I here again?" asked Magnus Bane in a voice that was getting closer and closer to drunk with each sip of tea. No one had touched the cream he had thoughtfully brought, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Because," said Isabelle, for the umpteenth time, "I said so. Plus, we need your help tracking down this demon."
"I thought you were shadowhunters. Doesn't that mean that's what you do? I'm just a humble High Warlock of Brooklyn." Jace just rolled his eyes. Getting up from his sprawling, catlike position in his green armchair, he stretched and said, "We've had this argument. And I'm bored with it. I'm going to get leftover Chinese food from the fridge."
Several people blinked at this, but no one said anything. They didn't want any of Isabelle's after-meeting dinner either.
"But surely you could just track the demon down Magnus," Clary pleaded. "It wouldn't be THAT hard."
"Look, I don't follow demons." He hiccupped. "I follow tall blond men. Preferably with a first name beginning with 'J'. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like some Chinese as well."
Everyone looked at him for a long moment, until he finally noticed and said "kidding, kidding." He got up a stumbled out of the room. Alec got up as well. "I'd better make sure he makes it to the kitchen," he mumbled to no one in particular.
Alec followed both in the general direction of the kitchen. He caught up with Magnus quickly, just as he walked into a nearby wall.
"Ow," the warlock said distantly, placing a hand where his head had been to steady himself.
"Um, Magnus?" Alec hesitated.
"What? Always a moment for you, old chum." He hiccupped again.
"What were you going after Jace for?"
"To give him this." He shakily held out an invitation. "Tell him to bring a couple friends too."
Alec took it and stared blankly at the envelope of black paper, complete with gold lettering. Well, this was Magnus Bane. "All right."
"I guess I should go now. I've heard stories about your *hic* twin sister's *hic* cooking." He staggered off in the opposite direction of the door.
"It's that way," Alec pointed with a resigned expression.
Alec sighed vaguely and walked into the kitchen and followed Jace into the kitchen. He stared at his only friend for a moment.
"I have an invitation. To a party."
"Really?" Jace looked up from shoveling noodles into his face for a moment. "For me?"
"You and some friends."
"Well…aren't you going to tell me where it is?" He rolled his eyes. "What does a guy have to do to find out what girl's house he's going to next?"
"Um, we've been there before, if that tells you anything." Alec was now staring intently at the wall.
"Is it that one you followed me to because you thought I needed 'protection against the demons' and we ended up getting so drunk that…"
"No." Alec cut him off hurriedly. "Its nothing like that. Just a small get-together."
"Alec, if it's that place that I tried to set you up with some werewolf who never showed up…"
"You were trying to set….never mind." He took a breath. "It's Magnus Bane."
"Um, what? You mean Magnus invited me to his party?" He blinked distantly and took another bite.
"Actually, yeah." Alec looked down at it. "Its tomorrow." He handed over the envelope to Jace, who tore it open. A strange mixture of more black paper and white lined, hastily-torn-out notebook paper flitted to the ground. Jace picked it up and scanned it quickly, frowning briefly. He gave a quick smile when he finished, shoving the paper into his jean's pocket and tossing the invite to Alec.
"Valentine's Day, eh? Well, are you coming with me then or not?" Jace said, disappearing into the still-open refrigerator to get some rice.
Alec followed him. "Coming? You mean…"
"He said bring a friend. You're my friggin parabatai." He shoved chicken into his mouth, gracefully as usual. "I'll just let you entertain Magnus and I'll go have fun. He does have some pretty sick parties." He smiled devilishly and winked.
"True, true" He looked faintly surprised and pretty grateful.
"Only one problem, though." He swallowed thoughtfully, "Isabelle. She won't let us go after the rat incident with Simon."
"Oh yeah. That."
"But remember that time that I had to convince some chick from Idris that I really was good at heart? And that you could only see a good heart by the light of the moon in the park?" He smiled at apparently fond memories, then said "I had to sneak out for that. I'll show you how."
"Okay, then. I trust you." Alec looked at Jace, then the Chinese food, then Jace, then the Chinese food, and grabbed a plate.
It was evening and the sky had a bluish tinge when the two black-clad figures crept down the now-familiar alleyway to Magnus' house. They walked up to the grimy doorway and rang the bell, which was barely visible. The bare lightbulb had burned out and hadn't been replaced for the party. The door was answered with the usual actor's timing of the High Warlock of Brooklyn.
"Jace! You came! And brought your friend!" He looked with interest at both boys, then beckoned them in. His face was coated even more than usual in a tasteful pink and blue combination, and he had dyed the tips of his normally black spiky hair green. Jace shot him Magnus a wink that he didn't think Alec caught.
After a predictably creepy staircase, they came to the same party room as before. It looked even more packed than last time, the music nearly blasting the walls off. Jace whispered a quick goodbye and slipped away, going to do what he would normally do in this particular situation. Alec stood uncomfortably behind Magnus, who was now arguing amiably with a furious looking vampire. Alec watched until he was done, then tapped him on the shoulder.
"Wha--oh! It's THAT one! Alec, isn't it?" He grinned and winked.
"Um, yeah." Alec glanced around, looking everywhere but the wink he had seen out of the corner of his eye.
"Lovely, just lovely. You like the party?"
"Is it in honor of anything?"
"Well…." He seemed lost in thought for a moment, as if he had forgotten. "It might have something to so with my hamster. Or not." He wandered off in the general direction of the bar.
Alec hesitated, then followed him there. Magnus gestured with a many-ringed hand at the waitress, who rushed over with not one, but two pink pineapple smoothies with a major excess of whipped cream. He gestured towards the booth beside him, where Alec sat down tentatively.
"So what's new?" Magnus asked, ignoring the pounding music behind him.
"Nothing much." He shifted around, sipped his drink, then looked back at the expectant warlock. "You?"
"Terrible. I still don't have a valentine, and you know how much I hate being alone on nights like these... Yet somehow I NEVER manage to have a valentine. It always ends up being my cat, and he's just not creative enough to have very much fun..." He looked morosely at his smoothie, then hiccupped.
"That's too bad," Alec said, "I've never had a valentine, and my cat is guaranteed to be worse than yours... his name is Church. That never got you any."
Magnus looked up hopefully, his bad mood gone in an instant, though his broody (yet somehow sparkly) pop star pout remained. "You mean you don't have a valentine… that isn't your errrrr cat?" Alec suddenly noticed the slightly alcoholic flavor of the smoothie he had been sipping distractedly. He also noticed Magnus' almost-empty glass and his almost identical one.
"No… funny… the cat's not even really mine!"
"So, you're alone. And I'm alone." Magnus hooked a finger around Alec's hand, sliding it down the length of his pinky.
"Is that an invitation?" Alec purred, finding Magnus' hand once again. Magnus then leaned in to Alec, his glittered mouth inches from Alec's quickly pinking ear.
"It just might be…" He murmured, his tongue darting out to lick the small space behind Alec's earlobe. Alec shivered and Magnus needed no further proof.
Grabbing his elbow, Magnus dragged Alec out of his chair, pulling him right into his side. Swaying a bit, he said slyly "No one sleeps alone tonight." He began pulling Alec off in the direction of the deserted part of the apartment. More specifically, towards his bedroom and a set of well worn canary yellow sheets. Flinging open the door and flicking on the lights, he turned his body so it was completely flush with Alec's, he then used his leg to slam the door behind them.
"Happy Valentine's Day" the warlock declared and leaned down to make good on his earlier promise.
Review please!!!! I'm a young author who is starving! Your reviews will feeeed me. *puppy dog eyes* please?
- Em