*Suddenly returns from silent abyss*

*Writes ten pages* Oops

Hi, so I know it's been 80 million years since ASFR (I AM SO SORRY), buuut you should all know (if you're still there that is) that I have more than 80% of the next chapter done, but I just got back from DC where I had no down time like ever. However now that I'm back, I realized I left the device that I save my stories on in my car, which my mom took to the mechanics...so I can't post it yet, but I will...eventually - promise. Anyway, I've had a couple of these ideas floating around, and I really do have a soft spot for original one shots and first meetings, so introducing The Chronicles of Meeting You, a Malec one shot compilation.

This first chapter came to me because my mom and I were talking, and she told me that she's always seen me becoming an activist of some kind or joining the Peace Corps. I have tried to put in research to make things more plausible, but I don't have any first (or really second) hand knowledge of military or RPCV affairs, so forgive me if I'm wrong on anything, and feel free to correct me. (Like, seriously. I don't know shit.) Thanks! Enjoy - I hope.

I'm sorry if this sucks guys – it's literally passed 1a.m.

I can't be responsible for my writing now.

Paraguay really was beautiful in the summer. Magnus was loving the brightness of this summer in particular, aside from the heat of course. Having grown up in New York, Magnus was used to at least some chill, especially at this time of the year. He still couldn't quite adjust to the seasonal differences; he had been very intrigued (to say the least) when his pre-assignment research had told him that Paraguay's summers actually began in October and went through all of the typical winter and spring months. The weather didn't actually bother him too much considering he had traveled some before he started volunteering, and that he didn't find many days when he had enough time for his entire morning routine anyway; his usual face of makeup would never last under the sweat that was unavoidable when running errands for Catarina all day. Besides, he was constantly "advised" not to attract too much attention to that form of expression because of the public opinions of the communities they worked in.

Even with all his running, Magnus knew very well how lucky he was to be put under Cat's supervision on his first assignment after he was technically done with his 11 weeks of pre-training, which Cat helped him through immensely. Without her, he truly thought he would have done so terribly in his medical and basic first aid training that they would have thrown him on the fastest flight back to America. She also may have had a bit to do with helping the vocabulary from Magnus' high school Spanish classes see the light of day again.

Because neither of them had requested to serve with a partner, she had been able to pull some strings (courtesy of how respected her medical talents were even at her young age) and gain them shared housing. Magnus was desperate to learn more, desperate to be of valuable use, so living with the more experienced volunteer proved to be very beneficial for the both of them. Cat got an extra hand and a sassy new friend, while Magnus gained momentous knowledge and entertaining stories.

It had been painfully obvious to Magnus how well the two would get along from the moment he met the blue-haired nurse. She was strong and serious, while still managing to be funny and captivating. She also tolerated Magnus' antics and sarcasm, which spoke true testaments of her patience. She really was the only one that could easily keep Magnus in line (most of the time.)

They shared a small apartment in a complex that housed many of the other volunteers; friends, singles, and couples alike. It was adorable, in Magnus' opinion. Catarina was rarely there, save for the late hours Magnus was able to successfully drag her home for much needed sleep, and didn't seem to mind either way what the living arrangements were.

As it were, they were both away from the apartment for the day. There was a small hospital just outside the town they stayed, that tended to get overcrowded. Some of the volunteers would end their helping hands to the hospital staff, while others, like Catarina, set up outdoor pavilions and stands for people that didn't have reliable transportation to the hospital or couldn't get immediate help. Other volunteers also ran service calls to houses or picked patients up.

Magnus helped when he could, but he didn't trust himself with too much alone yet. He tended to watch over Cat's shoulder at the bench and make supply runs for anyone that asked. He also liked to keep people company, especially the kids that came in. He was told during his training to play to his strengths and enhance his existing skills, and Magnus was well aware that before much else, he was a people-person.

A young girl was sitting with him on the bench today. Catarina was just a few feet away with the girl's older brother who had brought her and another younger brother to the volunteer post when the youngest had come down with a nasty fever.

Magnus learned that her name was Lillian, she was nine years old, and that her older brother, David, had to bring them there because of the many shifts her mother had started to take at her work, which Lillian didn't know much about. He laughed slightly when the nine year old had tried to explain it to him. His best guess was that her mother was a secretary of some sort. Lillian also seemed completely impressed by the many hops looped through his ears and the dark color painted on his nails. After digging through his bag, he was thankful that he was messy enough to not bother taking out things that weren't necessary to carry around, because he was able to procure a bottle of polish that was similar in color but fairly more suitable for a young girl. He swore he saw a cartoon-like sparkle on the girl's eyes when he assured her that, no really, you keep it. I have more.

"Okay," Cat announced as she wrote something final down on her orange clipboard and looked back up at the younger boy with a smile. She turned back to the older brother after getting a small giggle out of the first boy. "He did great. Now it does sound like that fever is not going to go down without a little help, so take this," She said as she ripped off the end of the paler attached to the clipboard, "To the desk over there with the blonde girl. Her name is Camille, and she should be able to give you the antibiotics that you need. She'll be able to explain anything more if you have questions about the medicine."

David thanked her, and she smiled, messing the littler boy's hair in response. The oldest brother took the hands of both his siblings then to lead them to the desk Cat had pointed out, after Lillian had given Magnus a hug and thanked him a few more times for the nail polish. Magnus smiled after them, waving to Lillian, who kept looking back.

Magnus turned back to his friend and going and arm over her shoulders, lower than his due to his habit of being the tallest one in the room. "So, roomie, what are we thinking for dinner tonight? I kind of think I am going into withdrawals for your stir fry to be quite honest."

Cat rolled her eyes, the laughter visible behind them. "If you weren't so freakishly lanky, I would just assume every time you weren't talking it was because you were stuffing food into your mouth," she teased as she pinched his side, causing his to squirm away with a short laugh.

"What can I say; I admire all of your talents. Cooking being high on that list."

She shook her head with a fond smile, not bothering to reply to his comment. "She sure was cute, the little boy too." Magnus followed her gaze to the small band of siblings in front of Camille some handful of yards away. The older brother was looking over some papers Camille had given him and was signing things as he read. The two younger children sat on the ground at his feet. Magnus laughed as he realized Lillian was attempting to paint the younger brother's fingers. He was looking down in amazement at his hand. "I hope she doesn't get it all over his clothes," Cat mused fondly.

They started to clear up some of the mess around their area and sanitize their station down for the next patient. Magnus kept finding himself looking back to the three children. Soon enough, the older boy was pulling his brother and sister up, stopping only momentarily to snort at the mess on the toddler's hand and roll his eyes affectionately. They stopped just a few feet away as David put the papers and a small bag of what Magnus guessed to be medicine away in the blue backpack he carried. He could see Lillian suddenly hiding behind her brother's legs and peeking around them while the younger boy looked at her strangely, his hand in hers. Magnus followed her gaze and saw that just a few steps away from the three were two men talking casually, there multicolored green jackets and pants hard to miss.

With the strategic alliance between the Paraguay and American governments, and the military aid that was sometimes supplied to the Peace Corps volunteers, US soldiers were not a new or surprising sight around posts or communities. One of the men, seemed to catch Lillian's gaze as she hid quickly behind David's legs completely, peaking out to see him smile and wave at her kindly. Magnus thought he could see the girl's face get just a tinge pinker as she waved back to the soldier, before she was once again being ushered home by her brother.

Magnus's focus stayed on the soldiers as the kids made their way home. Both men looked to be about the same age as each other as well as Magnus himself. They were both attractive, Magnus noticed, but the similarities pretty much halted there. One was all golden light and blond hair. He was clearly the type to hold attention in any room with ease. Strangely, it was the taller of the two that seemed to have a lock on Magnus. He was like a photo negative of the first man. Where the first had unblemished, tan skin and blond everything, the other man had black hair that was shaggy in the most pleasant way and with pale skin like paper to match the ink of his hair. His cheekbones were sharp and his jaw just the same. The way his face fell could lead some to assume that he was perpetually grumpy, or at least monotone, but Magnus had seen his face light up slightly and change altogether drastically when he caught the little girl's eye.

He just had an air about him, a kind but almost stoic and serious vibe that radiated from his impressive posture and sharp angles. Magnus didn't quite know why he felt that one look at the man could tell him that much, but he prided himself on being good at reading people, and this man made him very curious. It probably helped that the black haired man in particular was gorgeous, but Magnus never claimed to be completely above shallow attraction.

"Are you going to help me here, Spacey?" Catarina asked, sadly pulling his focus away from the hot, hot military man. He found her with raised eyebrows, the corner of her mouth twitching, and he could practically feel her eyes struggling not to roll at him. "Would you quit gazing and help me get ready for my next patient?"

He smiled only marginally guiltily and finished changing the paper that lay across the padded bench the toddler had been sat on. He looked back over at the men, still in conversation as Cat left to get more patient information papers. Magnus took a few steps closer to lean against one of the support poles in front of Cat's station. As if the man could feel an itch of Magnus' stare on the side of his face, he looked around, making a nonchalant sweeping glance before quickly doing a double-take when he recognized Magnus had been looking back at him. Magnus knew enough to smile a small, guilty smile, but didn't bother looking away. He had been caught blatantly staring already.

The blond had been in the middle of saying something to his black-haired friend, and the latter turned back as he talked, but Magnus was happy to note that he kept letting his eyes stray back to Magnus. The blond said something else before rolling his eyes at Magnus' mystery military man and saying something that had said man turning bright red (a marvelous sight, really) and letting out, what Magnus would guess based on his facial expression was, nervous laughter. He scratched the back of his head and turned to meet Magnus' gaze head on. He gave Magnus one close-lipped smile before following a step behind his comrade, throwing a glance or two back over his shoulder.

Cat was, to say the least, unimpressed with his progress of cleaning up the station when she returned.

The next day, both of the volunteers were more desperate than usual to get out of the house, though probably for different reasons. Magnus was truly dying to see if Military Man would make another appearance, and he guessed that Cat just wanted to get far enough away from him that she wouldn't have to hear any more gushing about the man Magnus didn't even have a name for. Though, Magnus tried to assure her that he didn't have the name yet. He would get it.

"Magnus, you'll have no idea why or if he would he back again. Who even knows why he was here yesterday, or how long he'll be here for. Just help me today, and go back to man-hunting when we don't have a line, okay? You know, actually, as much as I love you, why don't you switch with Camille today? You'll get to put your social skills to better use there. Sophie will be floating around if you don't know something about the medicine you're giving out."

Magnus agreed, happy to have a change of pace and possibly get to talk to the quieter brunette volunteer. Sophie really was a lovely girl, and Magnus enjoyed talking to her. She was also much less likely to hit him over the head for talking about Military Man than Cat.

Magnus had been doodling on the patient medical forms with no one to talk to for too long. Sophie had gone with a group to a house call, Cat was still slightly annoyed with him, and he much rather preferred to avoid Camille than seek her out for a conversation. He decided to switch tactics to keep himself entertained, and started to see how many pens he could balance on his face at once. Clearly, he was a valuable resource here.

A pen fell when he tilted his head at the sound of an amused chuckle. His responding grin caused the rest to fall as he straightened up to look at the familiar man in camouflage. "Military Man," he greeted as his grin turned into a smirk.

The man smiled just slightly and reached a hand behind his head to scratch at his hair. Magnus didn't bother pretending not to check out the way the muscle of his arm moved under the pushed-up, green sleeve. "Hi - um, Alec, actually."

Magnus let his smirk fall into a more easy-going smile at the man's - Alec's - obviously flustered introduction. "Alec," Magnus acknowledged. "I'm Magnus."

Alec nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking down at Magnus' doodles. He chuckled again. It really was a lovely sound. His voice was moderately deep, still somewhat reflecting his obvious young age, but his chuckle was lower, and Magnus would even say sexy. He wondered what that voice sounded like in a laugh. "Stuck on desk duty, huh?"

Magnus' smile twitched at the corner before sighing and attempting to look forlorn. "Sadly, yes. If only I had some decent and, quite honestly, gorgeous company," Magnus added as his smirk spread across his face slowly.

Alec coughed out a surprised laugh as his cheeks actually blushed, and that was simply too utterly adorable for Magnus to even handle. Alec looked up at him. "Well I don't know if I meet all of your qualifications," he started as Magnus leaned on his hand, looking up at the standing man. "But I could…" he trailed off with a small smile, clearly a little embarrassed.

"As a matter of fact, I think you're the best one for the job," Magnus answered as he gestured to the seat behind the table next to him.

Magnus' favorite piece of knowledge he learned that day happened to be that the blond man the day before was Alec's best friend since his very first deployment, right after his graduation - four years ago. It might've been a little high school of Magnus, but that made him feel just a little more secure about his crush's current Single Potential. Especially when Alec admitted that he was now continually being dragged to the medical post because of Jace's infatuation with the small, ginger volunteer Magnus knew as Clary Fairchild.

They talked about their favorite parts of the country; about their favorite books and movies; and about the things they missed from home. If Magnus believed in fate, maybe he would be more than pleasantly surprised when they realized their homes were just four or so hours apart.

They talked about family. Mainly about Alec's, because he clearly had an intense older-brother love for his two younger siblings. They also bonded just slightly over rocky father relationships.

"To put it mildly, my father is...well off. I am lucky enough not to have to worry about my future while I'm here, and can instead focus on experiencing things and helping people in whatever ways I can. He gave me that at least."

"Wow, absent, rich fathers. Huh, must be a trend."

They talked a little about how they got to be where they are now.

"I got my bachelor's in Social Science, actually. A professor, truly the best one you could ever get, has friends that have done work for this organization. He turned me on to the idea, and here I am I guess. I love it."

"Everyone always tells me I'm protective. I mean, Izzy kind of forced me to become that kind of brother to be honest. This, to me, is just the best way I can think of helping others. I know what it feels like to be weaker in some way. I want to keep others from facing that."

It was a slower day, but talking to Alec actually made time seem to fly by. Before Magnus knew it, Cat was waving him over as the others started clearing out the pavilion, and Mr. Blond best friend showed up to drag Alec off to some bar with a few more muscled men. Magnus was satisfied with a wave and happy grin from Alec once he was told they'd probably be back tomorrow; Clary did have a shift after all.

Their housing wasn't far at all from the medical outpost, and between them was a small park. Magnus was feeling good - feeling like a teenager with a crush, which was funny when he realized he had just one conversation with said crush, but hey, sue him. A crush could be flimsy; it was just a crush after all. Besides, crushes were fun. He felt too close to giddy to sleep, and too much like he valued his life to keep Cat up to chat, so he found himself on the swings at the dark park.

From his place at the swings, and with the illuminated help of the street light, the medical post could be seen easily. He could just make out a figure, a figure that seemed to be slightly swaying, breaking away from a small group that paused to watch after him, before Magnus could just barely hear a laugh and another figure broke away to follow the first.

Magnus laughed himself when he recognized Alec's tall, lanky figure as the first and an amused Jace as the second, throwing his arm around Alec as they got closer and he'd caught up to his long-legged friend.

"Hello boys," Magnus greeted from his place in the swing as he twisted around. He was used to a fast paced city, but this park at night seemed to be too quiet and serene to be real. He also wasn't used to the small town habits of running into the same people so often. Not that he was complaining right now.

Alec waved in greeting before hiccupping in the most adorable way and then proceeding to frown as if he were confused by his own sounds. Magnus attempted to hide a laugh behind his hand, which gained Alec's attention, and the frown changed into a drowsy smile.

Magnus took away his hand to rest his elbow on his bent knee so he could rest his chin in his hand while leaning a little up towards Alec, flicking his eyes to Jace who sat back, watching Alec with a small and amused, happy grin. "Been drinking, have you, soldiers?"

Alec's answering smile was one part mischievous and two parts guilty, but 100 percent cute all the same. Magnus didn't think he'd ever met a military man as innocent or sweet as the one standing in front of him now. "Yeah, um - Jace and the guys. We all went, I mean. To the bar."

Magnus raised his eyebrows in amusement and looked to Jace. "Magnus," he said, remembering he hasn't actually spoken with the man yet.

"I know," Jace said with a smirk. He rolled his eyes as Alec swatted at him a little, a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Jace."

"I know," Magnus parrotted, returning his gaze to Alec.

"Jace said he'd kick my ass if I didn't see you I again," Alec suddenly admitted, face flushing as soon as he heard his own admission.

Jace laughed and pat his friend on the back. "Alright Casanova, well while you flirt, I've gotta make sure Gabe doesn't steal my room and leave me stuck sharing with Simon." He turned his attention to Magnus. "Do me a favor, and make sure this dolt doesn't walk into the street?" Magnus simply nodded, thrilled to get to talk to Alec again, especially after Alec's comment.

Alec ended up sheepishly taking the swing next to him. Magnus surveyed him over once he was closer. He was still wearing the discolored green and grey pants, but the top had been changed into a plain black t-shirt. One that Magnus appreciated for many reasons, the biggest being Alec's visible arms and with them, the thick, dark ink that covered them. The sweet boy was still a fighter at heart, so Magnus didn't know quite why the loud, permanent marks surprised him.

Alec told him some of the meanings - apparently they were part of some dead, hieroglyphic language that Alec had come across in high school. Magnus even got to trace some with his fingers. It was still warm out, so Magnus thought he was allowed to take some credit in the goose bumps that popped up on Alec's arms. The night soon progressed into contests of who could get the highest the fast and who could jump the farthest off the swing. One attempt landed Magnus on the ground in a laughing, disoriented heap that worried Alec until he saw Magnus' childish glee.

He was having fun. Sure, he loved, loved the volunteer work he had been accepted for, but it was responsible work. Tonight felt freeing, and Magnus didn't even think it had everything to do with the guy next to him. (Most of it, yeah probably, but not all of it.) When Magnus had to check his phone at the ringtone of Cat's call, he felt like a high school kid having to check in for curfew. Basically, it was a total bummer.

They reached the front door to the lobby of his building, Alec insisting to walk him home. Most of the windows were still lit up orange and the front light was still lit outside above them. "Are you sure you're okay to walk home?" Magnus checked as he took a step up towards the door, turning back to lean against the frame and look at Alec.

Alec laughed a little, scratching at his head as he seemed to squint. Must be a habit, Magnus thought. "Yeah, I'm good now, walking helped. I was just a little tipsy, sorry about that."

"Please don't apologize, or you'll lead me to think I won't ever get to witness that again," Magnus teased. "What?" he asked softly after a few solid seconds of Alec simply looking at him.

Alec seemed to shake himself just a little, but the look on his face remained where it was. Magnus didn't know how to describe it, and he begun to think describing any of Alec's features with words just didn't work like it should have. "I don't know. I've never met someone like you. You're just so...inherently you." The blush was catching up to his cheeks, more since the alcohol-induced blush had begun to subside. "You're...you kind of fascinate me to be honest."

Magnus tilted his head and reached a hand out to pull a little at Alec's black shirt. Alec stepped forward, up a step, almost as if in a daze. Magnus' hand slowly fell down his chest, toying at the bottom of his hem. "Then stick around," he suggested. "I just get more and more interesting." Alec smiled, turning to the side and biting at the inside of his cheek before leaning his head down.

"I, uh- am.. Am I allowed to kiss you? Or is that, like, against the rules…?" Alec asked in a whisper. He didn't meet Magnus' eyes as he asked, choosing instead to pick at the low neckline of Magnus' t-shirt and train his eyes on the latter's taut collar bones.

Magnus tipped Alec's chin up with the pad of his index finger. He leaned in close, waiting until he heard a hitch in Alec's breath that wasn't because of the alcohol and asked, "Whose rules, exactly, are we supposed to be following, sweetheart?" Magnus smiled and dropped his finger as Alec just stared. His head didn't move, and now his eyes were locked on Magnus.

"I don't know…" Alec said, not raising his voice as he leaned into Magnus more. He seemed to be half unaware as he did it. "Maybe it interferes with your assignment or maybe you don't do that kind of thing or..um..something?"

Their noses were just a hair from touching, and Magnus turned his head enough to brush the tip of his against the paler nose, causing Alec to scrunch his adorably and show a small, shy (and seemingly nervous) smile. Surprisingly, it was Alec that decided to close the small remaining empty space as he got a little more secure grip on the front of Magnus' shirt and pulled just enough to bring the other down to his lips. His chest arched just slightly into Magnus', and his head tilted up and to the side to perfectly capture Magnus in the sweetest kiss he can ever remember receiving. It took mere seconds for Magnus' hands to find a perfect fit on Alec's hips, finding it just long enough to slip them together behind the small of his back.

Alec made a noise cross between a hum and a sigh that made Magnus involuntarily pull him closer and seemed to ease all of the week's tension left in his shoulders. Arms crawled up Magnus' shoulders and found purchase around his neck, one hand splayed on the top of his spine and the other woven into his dark hair; he could feel finger tips brushing subtly against the ridge of his ear.

He tried - gods did he try - to ignore the buzzing from his pocket, but because Alec's hip pressed up just under his, the younger man pulled away when he felt it too. He looked up at Magnus without raising his head, and bit his bottom lip without seeming to be conscious of doing so. Stupid phone… Magnus groaned very softly before chasing Alec's lips, but missed as the soldier tilted his head back to laugh softly, bending back slightly as Magnus' lips connected with his neck instead. Alec could probably feel the smile against his skin as he put a hand to Magnus' cheek and looked at him again. He still had a laugh in his voice when he said, again with the quiet voice Magnus is now going to always associate with Tipsy Alec, "It's late, right?"

Magnus shook his head and rested his head on Alec's shoulder, relishing in the feeling of dexterous fingers twirling the ends of hair at his neck. "No, of course not. It's practically lunch time." He smiled into Alec' shoulder when the latter chuckled. Magnus felt a slight pulling at his hair, so he looked back up at the slightly shorter man.

"I'll never hear the end of it if I don't head out soon," Alec said through a small laugh that sounded a little shocked for some reason. "I can see you again though, right? I'm here for at least the rest of the month and I - I would like to see you."

Magnus accepted that this is where the night would end, but still chose to go in for one more kiss. He could feel Alec's eyelashes (which were really too long and gorgeous to be fair - much like the rest of him.) against his cheeks and felt a little pressure against his lips as Alec let out a small sigh, smiling into the kiss. Magnus pulled away a few inches, feeling bubbly and like he'd never been kissed before. He went in to press just one more lingering kiss to Alec's cheek before pulling away entirely. "You know where to find me."

I'm rusty, but I wrote this in one sitting because I did enjoy it. Too lame? Anyway, I'm open to prompts if anyone is so inclined to drop some on here or my Tumblr: MyExistentialAffliction. Seriously guys, I'm getting to write so much more lately, and it feels great, so hit me up with more suggestions.