Just a short fic I wrote tonight inspired by Lady Gaga's You and I. Hope you like it!
Five years. Five goddamn years since I last stepped foot in this place and it hasn't changed one bit. Even the single billboard in town has the same stupid add for Macy's that it did the day I left. They say some things never change and a small town in Nebraska must be one of those things. Not that I am truly that surprised. I lived in Herman, Nebraska for 18 years and it was always the same. The same people with their same lives and their same petty problems.
"There's just...something about this place," I say while staring out the car window as we drive through the town I used to call home.
"I think it's cute," Cat, my best friend, says from the driver's seat of my red Alfa Romeo spider. I had it shipped here a few days before we flew in from Los Angeles figuring I would need a car while here.
"That would be because you've only been here for a few minutes. Trust me, the cuteness wears off very quickly," I say, my tone dry. "The house is up on the left." Cat turns into one of the driveways and pulls up to the average sized house I grew up in. The entire place is swarmed with people running around carrying various things.
"Magnus!" I hear someone exclaim as I step out of the car and take my sunglasses off my face. I look to see my mother running towards me with her arms wide open. I smile as I place my arms around her waist and pull her to me.
"Hey, Mama. I've missed you," I say.
"I've missed you, too, Sweetie. I'm glad you could find time to make it," Mama says, pulling away and placing a hand on my cheek.
"I would never miss your big day. Even if it is your third," I say with a small smirk. My mom laughs and spins around when someone calls for her. She turns to me with a smile before rushing off to tend to wedding details. I stare at my house for a second before sighing.
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"I have to go. I have a curfew, Magnus," he says, a small laugh hidden behind his words. I latch onto his arm and pull him towards me with a small pout.
"But I'm going to miss you too much. Do you have to go to Florida?" I say while looking at him from under my mascara coated lashes.
"It's a family vacation. I'm not allowed to skip it. And it's only a week. I'll be back before you even realize I'm gone," he says. He rests his hand on my hip and rubs circles with his thumb.
"If you say so. Do I at least get a kiss before you go?" I ask. He glances towards my house before looking back at me.
"Your mom is watching us," he says.
"Let her. Why does it matter?" I say while rolling my eyes.
"I don't think she likes me very much," he says with an adorable blush coating his cheeks.
"It's not you, Darling. She doesn't like anyone I date. Don't worry. Once she gets to know you better she'll adore you just as much as I do," I say.
"Hopefully not exactly as much as you do. That would be a bit awkward don't you think?" he says, leaning a bit closer towards me. I tug on both sides of his open jacket.
"That's enough sass from you, Mister," I say. I lean in to catch his lips with my but he pulls back before I can.
"She's still watching!" he exclaims. I roll my eyes and pull him behind the large tree in the middle of my front yard. He lightly pushes me against it as his lips press against mine. I smile into the kiss, loving the feeling of his lips moving with mine.
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"Let's go drop our stuff off in my room and then I can bring you around my old stomping grounds," I say. I pull my Gucci bag out of the backseat and hold it over my shoulder. I walk towards my front steps with Cat following behind me. I walk in through the familiar door and make the path I have made so many times to my old room. I throw my bags onto the bed and look around.
Everything is in exactly the same place I left it. I doubt even my mother came in here ever. I walk over to my dresser and spot a picture frame turned down. I lift it up to see my favorite picture I have ever owned. It's of me with his arms wrapped around my torso and his head resting on my shoulder. I'm leaning forward slightly as we both smile brightly towards the camera. We look so young and happy.
"Is this your Nebraska guy?" Cat asks, coming up from behind me.
"He's not exactly my guy anymore. I'm sure he's moved on by now," I say while setting it back on my dresser.
"You say that as if you haven't," Cat says while raising an eyebrow at me. I laugh before turning and walking towards the door.
"Let's go, yeah?" I walk out without waiting for a response. I sigh as I pass through the living room. An image of the two of us on that very same couch flash into my head.
"Are you alright?" I ask. My hand runs though his thick black hair as we lie wrapped in each other's arms. He pulls the blanket up higher on our naked bodies. He hums lightly.
"Yes. I'm better than alright," he says softly.
"You're not hurt, are you?" I ask.
"It's nothing I can't handle. I am a football player, after all," he says with a large smile.
"How could I forget? What, with those delicious abs of yours," I say. I flip us over and start crawling down his body, never breaking eye contact.
"Where are we off to?" Cat asks as I drive the car out of the driveway and off towards town.
"The only pub in town. I need to eat something before sitting through the ceremony," I say. The ride to The Clove is only about five minutes from my house. Before I know it, we're parking the car and heading into my high school hang out spot.
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We sit in our corner booth that we go to every time we come here. I lean my head on his shoulder and play with the hand he isn't using while he does his homework with the other.
"How about you make yourself useful and find the article Tessa wrote. I've been dying to read it," he says while passing me the town newspaper. I sigh and open it up, scanning through the pages to find the article. When I get to the fifth page, an add in the bottom corner catches my eye. It reads 'Magnus Bane, Will You Go To Prom With Me?'. I raise my eyebrows and turn to face my boyfriend.
"What's this?" I ask. He smiles at me and pulls a red rose from his backpack along with a small package.
"So? What do you say?" he asks. My shock turns into happiness as I nod my head. He laughs a little and hands me both of the things in his hands. I put the rose on the table and unwrap the package to find a little box. Inside of it is a thin gold ring with swirling patterns engraved on it. I look inside to see the words 'My Baby Doll' carved in. I look up to him with a huge smile on my face.
"Baby doll? Really?" I say with a laugh. Baby doll is what he started calling me as a joke to mock the pet names I called him. Much to my dismay, the nickname stuck.
"You're always going to be my baby doll. And it's not a engagement ring but more a promise that it will eventually be replaced by one," he says. His infamous blush starts creeping up his cheeks. I slip the ring onto my finger and pull his face to mine, bringing our lips together. We're both breathless when I pull away.
"I love you, oh so much," I say.
"And I will never stop loving you," he says, his beautiful blue eyes filled with emotion.
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The place looks a lot more modern as if someone renovated it. Cat mentions something about going to the bathroom before she walks away. I'm lost in examining the restaurant when a voice draws his attention towards the bar.
"Magnus?" the bartender asks, putting the drink he was pouring onto the bar. I look up to see a face I've only been able to see in my dreams.
"Alexa-Alec. How are you?" I say making sure to correct my mistake. I lost my right to call him Alexander years ago.
"I'm doing good. How about you take a seat at my bar and I'll make you something," Alec says while sliding a drink to a man sitting on the opposite side. I sit down as he starts to mix some things together.
"Your bar?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.
"I started working here out of high school. Once Mr. Fetter got too old, I took over and started running the place. You miss a lot when you're gone for half a decade," he says, his voice void of all bitterness. He says it more as a fact.
"That's good," I say. I take this time to study the man who was once mine. He's wearing a simple black t-shirt that shows off his muscle and dark wash jeans. He has a thin chain around his neck that falls under the collar of his shirt. Age treated him well. He's even more handsome then he was in high school.
"Apple martini," he says while placing a drink in front of me. I look up at him a little shocked.
"You remember my favorite," I say while taking a sip from the glass. It's delicious.
"Of course I do," he says matter-of-factly. Cat finally makes her way back to me and leans against the bar.
"Mags, I thought we were getting food and I really don't feel like dragging a drunk Magnus home tonight," Cat says with a laugh. I roll my eyes and set the drink down.
"Who's this?" Alec asks, his eyebrows raised slightly.
"I'm Cat! Magnus' date to his mom's wedding tonight,' Cat says. She reaches her hand out and shakes hands with Alec. His stature has become tense ever since Cat showed up.
"Alec," he says softly. "It was good to see you again. I should probably get back to work." He quickly walks off and starts tending to other customers sitting at the bar. I watch him for a second before heading over to one of the tables. Cat and I order our food and chat idly as we eat it.
I'm finding it hard to hold conversation with Alexander standing so close to me. I keep glancing over to him but he isn't paying me any attention. He hasn't looked at me since I left the bar. We eat our food quickly before we leave the pub to head back to the wedding. Alec's voice pauses me before I can leave.
"I'll see you at the wedding," he says, his blue eyes staring straight at me.
"You're coming?" I say in a shocked tone.
"The whole town is," he says with a small smile before heading into the back. I leave the pub with a large smile on my face. As I'm getting into my car, my eyes lock on the bus station that sits across the street from the pub.
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"Please, don't go," Alec pleads, his hands clutching my jacket sleeve tight.
"I don't want to leave you but I can't stay here. I'm going no where int his town. I want to be somebody, Alec," I say, desperately trying to make him understand.
"Don't leave me. You already have a life here. You have me here. We can be together. Isn't that enough for you?" Alec says with a small tear falling down his cheek.
"I want to be with you more than anything, but I need to be something myself first. You can always come with me to LA," I suggest for the millionth time. Alec shakes his head as he looks up at me.
"You know I can't," he says. I look at him with shining eyes before sliding the ring off my finger. I haven't taken it off since the day he gave it to me. I grab his hand and place the ring in it.
"What is this? Are you breaking it off?" he says. More tears start falling out of his eyes.
"No! That's not it," I say, placing my hands on his cheek. "You gave that to me as a promise and I'm returning it as the same. One day, I'm coming back for you. You're going to give me that ring for real and we're going to live happily ever after just like we planned. Do you hear me?"
"I love you," he says through his tears. He clutches tightly onto the ring I just handed him.
"I love you more than you would ever know," I say. I swoop down and place one last kiss on his cheek before walking over to the bus. I turn back to him right before I get on and say, "I'm going to marry you one day, Alexander Lightwood" before getting on the bus without looking back.
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The ceremony was amazing. I'm the best man so I got to witness the ceremony from beside my new step-father's side. He's a good man and hopefully the last of my long list of step-father's. From what I can tell, he treats my mom right which is all I can ask for. The ceremony and the reception are both being held in the backyard of our house. The party is in full swing with a live DJ and an open bar. There's nothing more you could ask for really.
I was standing next to the bar when someone I haven't talked to in years comes up to me.
"Hey, you," she says.
"Isabelle Lightwood. How long has it been?" I say when I see the women standing next to me.
"Ever since you took this ring off to be exact," she says while grabbing my hand and running her thumb over the spot my ring used to be. Isabelle never was one for subtlety.
"You know I had to," I say. I take a sip out of my drink.
"I really did think you were going to be my future brother-in-law," Isabelle says, dropping the hand she was holding.
"Trust me, I did too," I say. I run my hands through my hair with a sigh. "How is he?"
"See for yourself," she says while nodding her head. I look in that direction to see Alec standing there in a tux, though the most noticeable thing is the arm draped around his waist. It's attached to a handsome man who looks to be in his late twenties.
"Who's that?" I ask after sucking in a quick breath. I manage to mask all the hurt I was feeling.
"Eric. He's a good guy," she responds. I can feel the tightening in my chest.
"That's good. Alexander deserves nothing less," I say. Our conversation is interrupted by a small girl running to Isabelle and latching onto her leg.
"Mommy! I can't find Daddy," the girl exclaims. Isabelle reaches down and brushes back her hair.
"Don't worry. I'll help you find him," she says. I raise my eyebrows at her. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later," she says before walking away, holding the hand of a tiny Isabelle look-a-like. I finish off my drink before grabbing another.
"Slow down there. You won't want people to think you're an alcoholic," someone says, making me snort into my drink. I look to see Alec standing next to me.
"It's too late for that," I say while setting down my drink. I smile at him, basking in the fact that Alexander Lightwood is actually in my presence right now.
"I never got the chance to ask how you have been these past years," he says. he leans on the table next to him.
"I've been...well, you could say I got almost everything I wanted in life," I say, unsure of how to answer his question.
"Well, I know that. I've seen you on all the gossip magazines Izzy leaves lying around. I mean, are you happy?" Leave it to Alec to ask the hardest question there is to answer.
"You could say it get's lonely out in LA," I respond with.
"Even with you're girlfriend, Cat, out there with you," Alec asks with a little strain to his voice. I look at him like he is crazy.
"Cat isn't my girlfriend. I brought her out here as a friend for support," I say, trying to keep the amusement from my voice.
"Oh."
"Alec, I haven't dated anyone since I left," I say while looking down towards my feet.
"What, why? You've been gone for five years. That's a long time," Alec says, trying to catch my eye.
"I wasn't in LA to start a relationship. I was there to make a name for myself so I could get back here. Get back to you," I say, finally looking up at him.
"I waited five years for you, Magnus," Alec says. Now he's the one diverting eye contact.
"I know. I wouldn't expect you to wait that long. If you're happy with Eric, that's all that matters to me," I say, practically chocking on my words.
"No, with Eric it's...Eric isn't..." Alec starts yet never finishing his sentences.
"What?" I ask, more than curios about the end of that statement. Alec sighs before letting his hair fall in front of his eyes.
"Eric isn't you," Alec says, barely above a whisper.
"I don't understand," I say while shaking my head a little.
"Eric is sweet and dependable and predictable and everything your not," Alec says.
"I'm not sure if I should be offended right now," I say, slightly hurt by Alec's words. He keeps talking as if he didn't hear what I said.
"And that's why I can never love him like I love you," Alec says suddenly. My eyebrows shoot into my hairline and my mouth opens slightly.
"You said love not loved," I say once I can form words. Alec pulls the chain out form under his shirt to reveal the ring I placed in his hand five years ago.
"I've never taken it off. I've never given up on you, Magnus. I made a promise and I intend to keep it," he states while pulling the ring over his head. He unclasps the chain and slides the ring into his palm.
"I know we may have changed over the last few years and are possibly no longer good together but I'm still in love with you. You told me to hold onto this ring until you came back, as a promise we would be together. Well, I'm willing to give it back, if you're willing to take it," he says, staring into my eyes the entire time.
I can't help myself when I grab him by the lapels of his suit jacket and pull his lips to him. We meet in a fiery kiss full of love and passion and longing and everything in between. It's messy yet at the same time it just feels right, like I've been missing something in my life and this is finally what I've been waiting for. We break apart and I hold my hand to him, allowing him to slip the ring on my finger. It fits just as well as it did the first time I was given it.
"I don't care what happens next. This time, I'm not leaving without you," I say, my fingers lacing with the love of my life's.
"Don't you worry, Baby Doll. I wouldn't let you leave without me," he replies.