Now
Heavy raindrops where falling from the dark clouds above, it seemed that the sky was crying. Wind, with its icy cold fingers was unmercifully trying to rip umbrellas away from people and let them dance in the black sky, together with the wind. It was a cold day for an autumn but not really unusual.
That was unusual, was a slouched man in a black leather jacket, with a banquet of aqua-blue hyacinth, standing in front of the door and raising his hand, and then letting it drop down. The man sighted and pressed his forehead against the door. He stayed like that for several moments, not caring about the rain what was pouring down on him since he didn't bother to bring umbrella with him.
He slowly pushed himself from the door and raised his hand one more time. This time he knocked, then stepped several steps back and waited.
The door slowly opened.
Then
Alec had been in London for less than a month. It was exiting to get out of his hometown and away from his family's looming shadow, of course it was, but London was so noisy and where were people who weren't intimidated by him because they just didn't know who he was, and goddamn those crowds.
He hated and loved crowds.
He hated them because it was full of people he didn't know and Alec, even in his childhood, had never been the most social or friendly person.
He loved them because no one cared who he was. Back in New York everyone knew who Lightwoods were, every little thing they did immediately went under the media microscope.
That had been one of the reasons why he chose London, to escape from everyone, especially his parents and find people who cared about getting to know him just as Alec. Not an oldest son of Lightwoods but Alec. Another reason was because there was so many things he wanted to do, to see and to feel. Now he knows what being a teenager feels like.
Jace had decided to stay in New York but Izzy went with him, she too wanted to escape from their father's fame and mother's all seeing eyes full of criticism. They talked with Jace and Max almost every day. As for his parents, well, they never had the best relationships but that didn't meant what he hadn't missed them. Because he did. It just felt so good to have a space to breathe without his mother criticising his every movement and trying to marry him to some faceless woman and his father telling him to behave like a real man.
Now, there was no one to tell him how he should behave. And he could let the rhythm of London swept him away.
But today wasn't one of these days.
Today sucked.
Firstly his alarm clock didn't wake him up then it supposed to and because of that he didn't have time to eat breakfast or take his lunch, and now he was hungry. He could only imagine how mother's face would look like, if she found out he had skipped breakfast. Good thing she wasn't here to nag him about it. He also had missed his bus and had to run to make it on time to the lecture. Of course, because today sucked he still hadn't made it on time.
Secondly it was raining and Alec rushed out of his apartment without taking his umbrella with him and then he realized he didn't have one, it was too late to go back and find it, so he now was completely drenched, with a runny nose and shivering from cold.
And he just wanted to go home, burry himself into his comfy, warm, dry bed, curl into a small ball and pretend that the rest of the world didn't exist. Maybe watch some crappy movie on Netflix and call it a night.
Thirdly he is standing in a bus full of people who kept bumping into him and smelled weirdly. He wasn't sure that was worse, the bumping or weird smell. In front of him, on the other side of the pole he was holding into, where was a woman who had a huge cat in her bag and smelled like a fish. And so he was standing with the fish lady, holding into the pole.
This wasn't how today should have went.
A bus jerked to stop in front of the red light and because the world hated him, and if there was God up here, he was an alcoholic, fat man who obviously hated him, (maybe he had done some horrible things in his past life?) out of nowhere a body collided with his back. Sending both of them into a pole he was holding into. He hit his teeth into it and damn, it hurt so much.
He opened his mouth to give an idiot, who couldn't stand still and who doesn't understand the meaning of personal space, a piece of his mind. But then he turned his head, his eyes met golden cat-like eyes who were trying (unsuccessful) to kill him with the all mighty glare.
"Alexander." Magnus said surprised, with confusion coloring his voice.
His voice still sounded the same way it did back in high school. The last time Alec had heard this voice, it was shouting what they were over and that he didn't want to see him again. And Magnus looked perfect, London suited him, Alec noted with a slight jealousy, and Alec's clothes were clinging to his body because they were wet, and his stomach was demanding food, and he was just so sad and confused, and he wanted to go home, to his beloved bed.
It was just not fair.
'Life isn't fair,' a voice, sounding suspiciously like his father's, was whispering in his head.
"Magnus," Alec's voice come out awkward and crocked, like he hadn't used it in days. "You look great."
And that was the problem at hand, Magnus looked great. No Magnus looked amazing, while he looked like a wet, starving puppy who had been kicked out of his house.
"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself." Magnus replied with a raised eyebrow and a cold voice.
It was obvious that Magnus was lying then he said that Alec looked good, but it's okay, he understands. It was good to see him again even if it wasn't how he imagined their first meeting. Actually he didn't think he would see Magnus again. And he needed to pay attention because Magnus was opening his mouth to speak.
"What are you doing in London? I thought you'll go to West Point and be a little, perfect solider, just like your father wanted." Magnus voice was accusing.
"I realised that I didn't want to spend all my life dodging bullets and having blood of innocent people on my hands. So no West point for me."
His plans changed completely, he changed completely. For one he was no longer blindly doing what his father wanted and waiting for approval of a man who tried to make his son into a copy of himself. But that wasn't important, he really wanted to know about Magnus's life now, then he no longer is a part of it and if he had a boyfriend but that question would probably make this conversation even more awkward and uncomfortable.
"What about your plans?" That was one of the things Alec really wanted to know. Also it was easier to talk about other anyone but himself.
Magnus looked surprised and hurt at his confession, but he quickly masked his feelings behind the mask of indifference. After all Alec's inability to say "no" to his father was one of the reason they broke up and to find out what Alec learned to say no to his father probably felt like a blow.
"I'm studying fashion design." Magnus said proudly. He seemed to be very proud of this and his eyes shone with happiness.
Well, at least one of them made sure to stick to the plan.
"I knew what you would make it Magnus." They both knew it was a lie. Then they were in high school Alec always said that fashion design wasn't a real profession and that Magnus should find something else to do.
He wanted to keep talking to Magnus even if this conversation was getting more and more awkward. He wanted to try to get his best friend back, well he wanted to have his boyfriend back, but having Magnus back to him as his boyfriend seemed unrealistic even to him.
A bus slowly rolled in front of the bus stop and Magnus smiled, but the smile was faker then the magazines covers showing perfect women.
"Well, it's my stop. It was nice to see you again, Alexander."
Alec started moving before he thought about it and his fingers gripped Magnus's arm, who looked back at him with confusion clear in his eyes.
"Alexander?" Magnus asked and a frown appeared on his face.
Alec knew he had to do it or Magnus will vanish from his life again and he didn't want that. He wanted to fix a mistake he made in high school, he wanted to fix a mistake, a foolish boy who desperately wanted his father to be proud of him, had made.
"Would you like to have coffee with me this Saturday at six? In a café what recently opened? It has a very nice view of Tower Bridge, and they sell amazing cupcakes and coffee." And now Alec was left waiting for Magnus's decision. Alec's heart was beating like a frightened bird, who didn't know how to get out.
Magnus laughed and his eyes were sparkling, and he leaned near him. And Alec swore his heart almost jumped out of his chest then he felt soft lips pressing against his cheek. "I'll see you there, Alexander." Magnus said with a small smile playing on his lips.
"I'll text you details about it!" Alec replied.
Alec's heartbeat was the only sound he could hear and he was sure his cheeks were bright red. He felt like a kid at the Christmas party who just stole a cookie from his sister.
And only then Magnus left, with the bright smile, real one, on his lips, he realized one little insignificant detail. He wouldn't be texting details about their date (was it a date?).
He didn't have Magnus's number.
His head collided with the metal pole and all he could do was pitifully groan, the fish lady looked scandalised with his behaviour and he could feel her judging look burning his forehead, even her cat turned its furry head to hiss at him. It was official, today sucked.
He hated Mondays.
And then he thought that today couldn't be worse, he dropped his phone and it shattered all across the wet, muddy sidewalk. He lowered his eyes to the ground, to look at his now completely ruined phone, and felt like he could start crying any second. Maybe if he will stomp his foot and start wailing someone will pity him?
But Lightwood's don't cry, ever, they just pretend what their contact lenses were irritating their eyes and that's why they were red and puffy.
He learned that lesson very well from his father who said that only girls cry.
He picked his, now utterly useless, phone and continued to walk with his head held high, because he was a Lightwood and they never gave up without a fight and even then they lose they still had their chins up, because they were better than everyone else.
He walked until he felt the tip of his left shoe sinking into something. When he looked down to see what was wrong with his shoe, he was met with the sight of his shoe in a dog's poop.
Alec raised his eyes towards the sky and said to that alcoholic fat man who was obviously having some strong, cosmic drugs.
"You think you are so funny, don't you?"