Hi everyone! So this is my first Malec fic, always wanted to do one! The summary's kind of vague just because I have ideas but I don't want to chain myself to something by including it in the summary. :P This was pretty fun to write, so I hope it'll be fun to read! :)

Disclaimer: Much as I would love to say otherwise, I own nadda!

Alec's POV

"Where is that damn coffee maker," Alec grumbled to himself as he dug through yet another box.

It was 5:30 in the morning, early enough that his brain was groggy, his mind was foggy and all he wanted was a nice hot cup of coffee. It seemed that he found everything but the machine; from expired ketchup packets (that he probably should have thrown out in the move) to an endless array of plastic containers, each missing lids (of course.)

Alec glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath. If he didn't leave soon he was going to miss his bus and he didn't want to be known as the candidate that was late for his first day. In a last ditch effort he rummaged through the nearest box, praying that the universe would take some pity on him and just let him find the dumb machine.

Well it seemed like the universe was still asleep.

What Alec's eyes settled on was something pink at the bottom of the box. This made him curious because Alec knew for certain that this wasn't his; he made it his life's mission not to buy anything pink. He pulled it out of the box.

"What the…" Alec stared slack-jawed at the specimen (because really there was no other word for it).

It was an apron, which was nothing bad, it's practical, but this thing was anything but practical. On it there was a picture of a handsome man in a chef's hat bent over a cauldron on the stove. He was winking and the speech bubble above him said, "My cooking is magical." That was okay, not wearable but tolerable. It was the rest of the apron that had Alec raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

It was glittery.

Not a touch of glitter here and there, no, it looked like a unicorn ate a sparkles factory and then threw up all over it. And the amount of ruffles, well it would make a bridesmaid faint from horror.

This has to be Isabelle's doing.

Alec recalled how Isabelle eyes had pretty much danced with mischief as she packed the box. When he asked she simply smirked and said, "Nothing."

Nothing my ass…

Alec shoved the apron back into the box and gave up his hunt for the elusive coffee maker. He grabbed the piece of cold toast out of the toaster, slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and headed towards the door. Another glance at his watch proved that he was cutting it really close. He slipped on his runners and dashed out the door.

Luckily the bus stop wasn't too far away; just around the corner and a little ways up the street. Alec was just breathing a mental sigh of relief that he hadn't missed the bus when he heard the familiar rumblings of a diesel engine from up ahead.

Please let it be just an early garbage truck, Alec prayed as he ran to the corner. The tricky thing with this particular bus stop was that the bus turned onto this road from another road that was just beyond the corner. He ran around the corner, his duffel bag thumping against his hip, and saw that the bus had just slowed down at the empty bus stop. Alec waved his hands wildly above his head, he didn't care if he looked like a lunatic hitchhiker with a duffel bag and a piece of toast still in his mouth.

By some miracle the bus driver saw him in the early morning light and slowed to a stop. When Alec finally caught up with the bus, the doors were already open and a silver haired man behind the wheel was looking at him with a slight smile.

"Ach now, that was a wee bit close, now wasn't it?"

The man's kind blue eyes twinkled and his Scottish accent was somehow just right for the misty dawn.

Alec took the piece of toast from his mouth (for he felt like an idiot) and gave the man his own small smile, dipping his head in appreciation. He dug through his bag to find his pass.

"I'm lucky you saw me. Thanks," Alec said as he held up his pass in the hand that wasn't holding his toast.

The driver glanced at the pass and nodded, "Ah well why don' ye go on and take a seat and finish yer breakfast." The man graced Alec with one more kind glance before he closed the door and turned his attention back to the road.

Alec turned to the rest of the bus and realized that he must be one of the first stops because the bus was empty. He sat down at a window seat, shoved his bag onto his lap and ate the rest of his toast as he watched the houses doused in a few rays of sunlight go by. He was still fairly unfamiliar with the neighbourhood, having just finished the move yesterday.

He shifted and settled and it wasn't before long before that the soft rumbles and tumbles of the bus hypnotised his eyelids into drooping, seemingly of their own accord. Alec chastised himself again for not finding the coffee maker the night before.

His head jerked up when the muscles in his neck completely relaxed. It took him a moment to blink away the confusion and reality had him scrambling to look out the window.

Oh God, if I missed the stop I'm going to look like a fool — ridiculously late and desperately lost. I'm not even sure where the bus leads, only that it conveniently passes right by the firehouse that is on the outskirts of the city.

Alec almost sang with relief as he took in the trees, shrubs and gardens. They were still in the country. He relaxed back into his seat and breathed a sigh of relief.

That was when Alec noticed, just from the corner of his eye, that the seat beside him wasn't as empty as it once was.

The person's scarf spilled over onto Alec's seat.

Emerald.

It clashed with the abused blue of the seats. Emerald was regal, otherworldly — magical almost — and it didn't belong among the dust and grime.

He shifted in his thoughts and shifted in his seat and that was when that very special place at the corner of his eye took in more than just the scarf.

That was when he noticed that the person, the man, sitting next to him was turned to him.

Staring at him.

Completely unabashed.

Oh don't be crazy, why would he be looking at me for? He's probably looking out the window. That or I have crumbs all over my face.

Alec rubbed at his mouth and as he did so he heard a breath of laughter from beside him.

Slightly irritated, Alec turned his head towards the man but whatever he was about to say flew out of his mind and joined the mist.

Alec's gaze ran down the man's face and tripped when it landed on his eyes. The man had eyes like he'd never seen before; swirls of green and light brown mixed together, with flakes of gold sprinkled here and there. They were arresting.

Alec was vaguely aware that the corners of the man's mouth were slowly turning up.

"You know, I heard it's rude to stare."

The man's voice brought him out of his reverie and Alec tore his eyes away from the man's eyes, but not from his face. He could already feel the embarrassed flush spreading up from his neck.

"I uhh, I was ahhh," flustered, he tried to think of an excuse, one that would validate why he was staring at the man for Lord only knows how long. What was it about this man that made him feel frazzled, like he had gotten a small electric shock.

Oh for crap's sake, stop acting like a teenage school girl. I am a grown man and I can think of a grown man reason for staring at the stranger beside me.

Alec felt like groaning.

The man was still watching him, amusement etched all over his face, challenging Alec to come up with an impossible excuse. The elegant emerald scarf shouldn't have coupled well with his hair that stuck up but somehow they just complemented each other.

"I was just um, zoned out a bit," Alec faked a yawn, "just a little tiered."

By the way the man's eyes sparkled Alec knew he wasn't buying any of it.

Alec turned his head to face the front once more and prayed that his stop would be soon. Embarrassment sat between Alec and the man and grinned wickedly over at Alec.

'You drool, darling," the man drawled out, still looking at Alec.

Alec sputtered and the man laughed under his breath. He looked past Alec, out the window.

"Wouldn't want to miss your stop," the man jerked his chin at the window.

Alec looked out the window and sure enough, there was the firehouse just a couple meters in from the road. He quickly pushed the button to request the stop.

Wait, how did he know?

Alec turned to the man and he must have seen the question on Alec's face because he just rolled his eyes in response.

"Wild guess," he said while he stared pointedly at the Firehousehouse 17 emblem on his shirt.

The bus was slowing and Alec wondered how he was going to get out. Should he try and bend his way around the man, or was he going to move?

With my luck the bus will probably come to an abrupt stop just as I'm skirting around this guy and I'll end up on his lap.

The man might have tuned into his train of thought because he stood up and moved to stand in the aisle, giving Alec a clear path. The bus had almost stopped so Alec grabbed his bag and stood up. He moved out into the aisle and chanced a glance at the man, who was smiling at him as though he held the world's greatest secret.

"Until tomorrow then." He just smiled at Alec's horrified look.

Alec walked to the front of the bus and waited for the doors to open.

He thanked the bus driver, who looked at him and smiled.

"Be sure ye enjoy the nice weather we're havin, won't last long."

Alec smiled in agreement. The doors swished open and just before he stepped off, he took one more look back and found the man still standing, the all-knowing smile still plastered on his face.

It's been a while since I've managed to so acutely embarrass myself. God I hope I never have to see this man again.

But every atom in his body laughed at the lie.

So, what did you think? I'm thinking the next chapter will be from Magnus's POV. I'll try and update every week but it'll probably be every weekish...emphasis on the 'ish.' :P I'd love to hear from you so please review if you have a moment! :D