So I wanted to do something fluffy for Valentine's day... and it ended up being over a week late (as usual). So sorry 'bout that but here it is anyway!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the incredible, (and super lucky) Cassandra Clare. Even Magnus. *sniffs* But this plot is mine, obviously.
Magnus flipped the January page over to stick up the February page with a sigh.
February was one of the most boring months in the year. The fun after the Christmas season had been replaced with jobs and waking up early and February gloom. He scanned the days, looking for something - anything - to look forward to.
Then Magnus noticed the text in the February 14th box.
Valentine's day.
Magnus tapped the box, a slow grin spreading across his face. "It's been a while since our last party, hasn't it?" he asked. Chairman Meow, lounging on the carpet beside him, rolled over with an exasperated meow.
"Don't be like that." Magnus chided, reaching down to stroke the cat's stomach. "It'll be fine."
Another disgruntled meow.
"Besides," Magnus said with a smirk, "I've seen those looks you gave to Church."
The cat widened his eyes innocently, as if to ask, who?
"Church. The fat cat from the Shadowhunter Institute. Don't lie, Chairman Meow."
Chairman meow rolled over and looked at Magnus like here we go again.
Magnus sprawled back into a custom-designed armchair and tapped his finger on his chin. "I'll invite the werewolves, warlocks and maybe some of the less annoying vampires. I suppose that includes Raphael, but barely."
Chairman Meow judged Magnus in silence while he rambled.
"I'd better not invite many faeries, but there's a few sprites who I know need help getting together..." He paused at Chairman Meow's silent question. "Let's not pretend, Chairman Meow. Everyone seems to be having a lot of relationship problems."
Magnus ticked them off on his fingers. "Jace and Clary are driving everyone mad avoiding each other… And Isabelle - Alec's sister, you know - refuses to admit she's falling for that poor Sheldon boy…"
Chairman Meow flicked his tail in exasperation.
"Simon." Magnus corrected. "And I also heard that Tessa's having trouble settling in with Jem - James Carstairs - because she's worried he's having second thoughts about staying with her or something. What a load of rubbish. You should see his face when she's talking to him, Chairman Meow."
Magnus paused. Chairman Meow waited patiently.
"And of course, Alexander Lightwood." he said, in a voice very different from before. Chairman Meow watched as Magnus' eyes softened, and he leaned back in his chair. "He's texted me a few times since our… you know. I should really talk to him."
Why him? Chairman Meow's eyes seemed to say. Magnus sighed. "I… don't know. He's just different from all the other stuck up Nephilim, I guess. When he chooses to open up… he makes me laugh - with… with his honesty. And the way he looks at you like he's savouring every word you say…"
Chairman got up from his spot on the floor and made as if to walk off. Magnus was brought sharply back to Earth. "Very funny." he said, reaching out to pull his cat back. "I hadn't even got started on his eyes yet!"
Chairman Meow rolled his eyes in a very human gesture that he had picked up from Magnus.
"Anyway," said the warlock, rubbing his cat until it purred. "I'll send out a message." he pulled out his phone, smiling at the brand-new glittery case.
Chairman Meow was the only witness when Magnus hit the send button. If the party went terribly, Magnus could just blame it on his cat.
Meanwhile, in a dark coffee shop not so far away, Alec sat hunched over his phone, waiting for a message. A message from a certain glittery-haired warlock, with golden cat eyes that could pin Alec to the spot.
He turned his phone off with a sigh, leaning his head down onto the cool table. I am an idiot. I, Alec Lightwood, am a total idiot.
Alec hadn't really known Magnus that long. They'd fought against Valentine together, and had gone out to dinner quite a few times. They weren't exactly dates, because neither of the two were sure that that they should be.
And in fact, it had been one of those not-dates at this very coffee shop that had ruined everything.
Alec wasn't terribly good at small talk, but luckily Magnus had been practicing for centuries. Alec couldn't remember what they were talking about, but he clearly remembered Magnus saying, "You want to come back to my place after this? You need my cat's approval before I can see you again." He grinned at Alec.
Smiling back felt as natural as breathing. "I would," Alec began, "but Jace doesn't know I'm out, and - "
Crap.
The thing Alec hated most about blushing was that there was no preventing it. Don't blush, don't blush, he told himself fiercely, but that just made him go even redder.
Magnus pretended not to notice. "That's fine, you can just text him. He won't mind…?"
Alec pulled out his phone. They both knew that Magnus was testing him.
"Um…" he mumbled, "I think he wanted me to get back early tonight in particular, for, uh… something."
Magnus raised an eyebrow, his gold eyes seeing right through Alec. "Does he know where you are right now?"
Alec swallowed. It would be so easy to lie. "No." he muttered finally, sinking back in his chair as if he could blend into the walls.
Magnus, on the other hand, sat up straighter. "Alec, I can't do this any more." his voice was steady, but it held a slight edge. Already Alec could feel the happy evening slipping away from him, and he could only watch as Magnus stood up from his chair with the grace of - well, an immortal warlock.
"It seems to me," Magnus drew out each word so there was no chance Alec would misunderstand him, "that you are the only one still denying what you feel, or think you feel, for Jace."
Alec opened his mouth.
"Don't bother." Magnus said, still in the unnervingly calm voice that was somehow worse than shouting. "Everyone knows except Jace himself. And you can't keep seeing me just to disprove it."
Alec got up too. The coffee shop was crowded, but it had gone unusually quiet. "Don't tell me what I feel and do." Alec said, his voice sharp and louder than he'd meant it to be.
Magnus's eyes were hooded. "I'm telling you what I see and think, actually. I like you, Alexander. I don't want to be nothing more than cleaning your conscience. I don't want to be your rebound from Jace."
"I don't love Jace!" Alec half-yelled. Except his chest was in knots, except a tiny voice in his head was whispering that Magnus was right.
"No, you don't." the warlock said. "You just think you do. And you'd better sort it out."
"Don't tell me what to do!"
Now the shop was definitely quiet. People were glancing at Alec and Magnus with raised eyebrows. One girl started whispering to her friend, who burst out laughing.
"Let's get out of here." Magnus said, throwing down money on the table. He turned and strode out the door without waiting, his shoulder muscles working under his tight black shirt.
Alec was left standing with everyone's eyes on him. He stumbled after Magnus, forgetting every balance drill he had ever worked on. Alec burst out into the fresh night air, running after the warlock. "It's not true!"
Magnus didn't turn round. "I know that, but you don't seem to." he snapped.
"Magnus!" Alec grabbed his arm. "Look, you're being stupid - "
"I'm being stupid?" Magnus turned round, livid. "Alec, if you won't admit your crush on Jace, I'll say it for you! I'm not getting caught up, to be just your back-up!"
And suddenly, Alec saw red. Magnus was lecturing him about Jace? "So that's what you think of me." he snapped. "Some child who wants a distraction from being hung up on his own parabatai! News flash: parabatai don't fall in love! Jace is my brother!"
Magnus swore in some demon language, the sound harsh and awful. "Don't come back into my life until you've sorted out your own." he said, and his eyes were not human at all. Then he turned and strode down the dark road. Alec stood, frozen to the spot, as Magnus slipped right through his fingers.
Why could Alec never hold onto anything?
He shook himself out of the memory and glared at his phone, knowing with a sudden certainty that Magnus had been right.
Alec had had a crush on his parabatai. But after almost a week of Magnus ignoring him, he had realised that his crush on Jace wasn't real. Merely a longing for things not to change, for his parabatai never to meet someone else, never to drift away.
Jace had changed, of course. But Alec knew now that he'd always be at Alec's side.
But Magnus was different.
Alec had been horrible to him, and the overwhelming guilt he'd felt couldn't just be his conscience. It was something more, something Alec hadn't felt before, something he couldn't let slip away.
This time, Alec had to try and hold on.
He'd made his decision just before his phone pinged. Alec fumbled for it, his heart missing a beat. Magnus -
It was Magnus, but it wasn't a direct text. It was… A party invitation?
Dun dun... so thanks chaps I'll update soon, watch this space to find out about your other ships/OTPs...