Alec glances around. No roommate to be seen. He looks around the room, mouth twisting into a grimace. It's about the size of a closet back home, with two beds somehow squeezed onto each side and a desk next to each one. Under the desks are cabinets, ostensibly for clothing. At least Alec didn't bring much, but his sister would never survive once she got into her room. It was her first year of college, and thankfully she had gotten into a good one that was even in the city. As if on cue, his cell phone rings. He digs it out of his back and sees the name. Jace. A thrill runs through him, but he tamps it down. There isn't anything to be excited about anyway.

"Alec, my man!" Alec rolls his eyes, thankful that Jace can't actually see him.

"Hey, Jace."

"Yo, are you in your dorm yet?" Alec nods, remembers Jace can't see him again, and then responds with a yes. "Then open your bag. Yeah, the blue one. The one that had all of your stuff in it!" Jace sounds mildly exasperated. Alec digs into his back. "Okay, you have it? Good. There should be a brown box in there, and-" the voice goes fuzzy and scratchy, and then Jace is back. "Sorry, one of my friends asked me if I wanted KFC for dinner. Just so you know, I said yes." Alec rolls his eyes again, and for a second he worries that the position is going to be permanent. Jace continues, pleased with himself. "Okay, you have the box?" Alec maneuvers the phone between his ear and shoulder and holds the box between his two pale hands.

"I have it," he says suspiciously.

"Open it," Jace says, sounding even MORE pleased with himself. Alec does and almost drops it. It's filled to the brim with condoms, of all size and kind. Jace, evidently, can tell that Alec opened it and says, "What do you think? I thought, for your third year of college, you might FINALLY need them-"

"Ahem," an unfamiliar voice coughs from the door. Alec spins around, dropping the phone and the box of- ugh, condoms- on the floor before seeing the person in the door. It's a tall Asian boy- well, man. His hair is gelled and his eyes sparkle from underneath long lashes dusted with something, glittery makeup probably. He's wearing sinfully tight jeans and a white ribbed tank top with a light brown, shrunken leather jacket on top. He glances at the floor, seeing the condoms, and his lips part a bit before looking back up at Alec. "Um." Alec's face must be bright red, because that's how it feels.

"Alec?" Jace's voice comes from the phone, sounding tinny. "You still there, man?" Alec grabs the phone and sweeps the condoms behind him in one swoop.

"Jace, I gotta go. Bye," he says, disconnecting and shoving the phone in his pocket. "Okay. Who are you?" he demands of the Asian boy.

"Magnus Bane. I believe you're my roommate?" The boy- Magnus- holds out a hand with nails that look professionally done. Not that Alec would know. "Nice to meet you, too." Alec shakes his hand limply and retreats to the floor picking up the condoms and willing his blush to go away. He doesn't expect help, which is why he falls over when he feels a bump to his shoulder. "Oh God. Sorry!" Magnus says, running a hand through his hair and picking up a few more. His brow wrinkles. "Not to pry or anything, but why do you have condoms all over the floor?" Alec sighs.

"The guy I was chatting with? On the phone? My adopted brother. I'm a junior- he's a sophomore- and he thought it'd be hilarious to give me condoms as a gift for my third year of college. And then I was surprised when you came in, so… I dropped them." Magnus nods as if this is an everyday occurrence.

"What's your name, by the way? You never actually said." Alec's eyebrows shoot up.

"Ah, God, sorry. I'm Alexander Lightwood, but everyone calls me Alec." Magnus assesses Alec in a way that makes him feel the slightest bit uncomfortable, but he supposes that's only fair because the way Magnus stands up and bends over to put the condoms back in the box is uncomfortable for Alec too. "What time is it?" Magnus checks a glittery watch on his wrist.

"Five thirty. I'm going to get some dinner- you want?" Alec scrambles up from the floor and dusts himself off.

"I'll come with." The two make their way outside of the dorm room, not speaking. Alec suddenly wishes he is wearing something a bit thicker than a button down and jeans. Magnus looks comfortable, much more so than Alec. They walk along the stone path for a few minutes silently, Alec's feet crunching on leaves and Magnus stepping gracefully around them. Alec is perfectly content with the silence; in fact, it's a welcome refuge from the barrage of texts he'd been exchanging and receiving with their little group of five. He misses some of them already. Of course, he won't miss Simon, Clary's idiot friend, or Clary herself. She could go ahead being a bimbo girlfriend of Jace's.

"So, Alexander. What are you doing here at the New School?" Magnus inquires. It's a perfectly friendly question, but Alec gets mentally hit by a truck.

"Uh… I write. I'm majoring in some type of writing. I've been writing for awhile," he spits out, wishing he were anywhere else but there. Magnus doesn't laugh, of course, that would be impolite, but Alec can see him tilt his head down and hide a smile.

"I'm doing fashion design," Magnus says excitedly. "I've always been interested in fashion, and I consider myself quite good. Camille and I were going to start a consulting business together about outfits, but that was in junior high. We were crazy in junior high," he says wistfully. "Anyway, Tessa smartened us up, and sent me here and Cam to school in, like Rhode Island." Alec isn't sure if Camille is a friend or something more, but he's not about to ask. "Tessa and her boyfriends go to somewhere in the city too. I'll have to ask where."

"Boyfriends?" asks Alec, too confused to say nothing.

"Oh, yeah. She's always dating one of them, and when she's not, they basically date each other," says Magnus indifferently. Alec's mouth gapes, but he closes it quickly. Magnus moves faster now, trying to get somewhere, and Alec follows the best he can. They leave campus, and Alec fingers his cell phone in his back pocket. What if his new roommate is a murderer? What if he uses his cute looks to lure men and women out to dark alleys to kill them? Alec starts slowing down. Magnus glances at him impatiently. "Come on, keep up. It's not going to close, but it's popular and fills up really fast," he tells Alec. Alec doesn't want to ask where they're going, but he's curious all the same. They cross the street, and suddenly this part of the city is looking really familiar. He's about to say something when they stop outside of a restaurant. But it's not any restaurant- it's Taki's. Taki's! Alec breathes in deeply, taking in the smell of fresh pancakes, coffee, and meat. Magnus looks at him strangely, and Alec blushes. Again.

"I've been here. This is… my restaurant. Our restaurant," he's quick to correct, because it's Jace's and Izzy's and Clary's and Simon's as much as his. Magnus blinks at him, specks of glitter raining down over his tan cheeks before he shrugs and goes inside, pushing the door for Alec. The unexpected kindness from this man he barely knows warms him until he sees Magnus embracing Kaelie- their waitress. No one else's. Alec knows it's dumb, knows that of course Kaelie should and would have other patrons, but it feels like an invasion just the same. It's a bit better once she sees him and her face lights up, and she comes to embrace him and pulls his head into her breasts. Alec has an acute expression of uncomfortableness on when she lets him go, but he's much happier once she starts talking instead of moving.

"The usual, sweetheart?" she says to Alec. Alec nods. "Black with two sugars and a cheeseburger with nothing but onions, mhm." Alec nods again. Magnus looks between the two, curiosity evident on his face, but he doesn't say anything and instead gives his order to Kaelie as well. They slide into a booth on opposite sides. Magnus taps the table rhythmically.

"So, you have a girlfriend?" he asks flippantly. Alec's eyes widen, and three thoughts run through his head at once. One: Magnus really thinks he has a girlfriend? Wow, way to go Alec. Two: well, at least he isn't looking at Alec and thinking straight as a board. Three: how has he not picked up on Alec's feelings yet? God, Alec, not everyone is as perceptive as your younger sister, and you've only known him for a half an hour. "… Alec?" Alec starts and looks up at Magnus.

"Ah, sorry. And no, I don't have a girlfriend," he says, neglecting to mention that he never will. Magnus nods.

"Okay. Just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be someone coming into the room and me having to become friends with them on your behalf," Magnus teases. Alec blushes a little. Blushing happens a lot when Magnus is around, for some reason. It's not like he likes Magnus or anything, they've only known each other for a half an hour. Magnus just has the extraordinary ability to make his face go red as a tomato.

"How about you?" Alec can't resist asking. "Someone special going to disturb my beauty sleep?" He doesn't know where this flirty Alec is coming from, but Magnus certainly likes it. A pleased smile comes onto his face, but he shakes his head.

"Nope, no holds on my heart," he says, almost daring Alec to make one. "Etta and I broke up a long time ago. I'm over it," he says with a smile. "I'm ready and out there. And, you know, Etta was a girl. But I'm over girls. Boys are much better." Magnus's expression dares Alec to say something. Alec swallows.

"Guess I won't be worrying about a bra strewn around our man cave," he jokes weakly. "At least not for awhile," he says quickly, covering himself. He hasn't come out to anyone except to Isabelle and Clary, and Clary was… an accident. He wasn't about to come out to his hot roommate who would obviously not be into guys like him. Who was?

"Boys, your food!" Kaelie says brightly, startling Alec so much he almost falls out of his chair. Magnus gives him an odd look and takes their food, setting Alec's stuff in front of him. Alec gives him a grateful nod and starts eating, sipping his coffee and taking a bite of his burger. Magnus picks his kabob up delicately and takes a bit of the chicken on one end.

Alec sees him glance at the coffee, and Alec blurts out, swallowing, "Do you want some?" Magnus looks at him, surprised, and shakes his head.

"No, thank you." They eat in silence for a bit, but Alec knows it's not going to last long based on the track record Magnus has now. In fact, just as Alec thinks that, Magnus asks, "So. Tell me about yourself, Alexander." The name rolls off of Magnus's tongue as if it had been for years, and a warm feeling is born in Alec's stomach.

"Well. I'm the oldest of four- three siblings," he corrects himself, biting his lip. "There's me, then Jace- though he's adopted. Then there's Isabelle, Izzy, who's a freshman at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Max… he died last year." A lump comes to life in his throat. "Anyway, Jace plays baseball for the New York Giants. I… assume you've heard of them?" Magnus almost chokes, and Alec's eyes go wide. "Magnus, are you alright?" Magnus nods, his face red, and wipes his mouth.

"Yes, Alexander, I'm fine. You… just, well, surprised me. Who HASN'T heard of the Giants?" It's obviously a rhetorical question, but Alec sighs, mentally slapping himself. Magnus grins at him and sips his water. He glances around, looking secretive, but Alec refrains from asking why. Just barely. His question is answered when Magnus pulls out a glittery looking flask and dumps some clear liquid into his water glass. Now Alec can't resist.

"Is that alcohol?" he asks in a hushed voice. Magnus nods, eyes wide, and then bursts out laughing.

"Yes, Alec, it is alcohol. Vodka, to be more specific. The good kind, a friend sent it down." Magnus takes a long sip and smacks his lips. Alec is mesmerized for a second and then has the good sense to ask another question.

"Camille?" Magnus nods and takes another sip. Alec concentrates on his food, face burning. Of course someone like Magnus would have alcohol that he puts in his water, he thinks. And of course I'm the kind of person that wouldn't recognize it.

"Alec, you almost done?" Alec looks down with a start and realizes that he's actually eaten a lot. He takes two more bites of his burger and gulps down his coffee. He's been drinking his coffee black with two sugars for years now, so one would think he'd be used to it, but no. Still bitter. He rises, preparing to put his new debit card on the table, but Magnus has already paid and is waiting by the door.

"You didn't have to do that," Alec mumbles. "I would have paid. This isn't a… date." Not that I would know what one looks like, he thinks to himself.

"Wasn't it?" says Magnus promptly, and strides out of the restaurant, boot heels clicking against the stone pathway. Alec's jaw drops and he rushes after Magnus, quite aware that his expression makes him look like a fish. He's about to say something when Magnus peals into laughter. "Only joking, Alexander. You're not even my type!" he laughs, hooking Alec's arm through his and starting to run. Alec is completely sure that he looks as confused as Isabelle did when she wandered into the khaki section. "No colors?" she'd exclaimed. "No fashion!" she'd cried into the store, causing Alec to pull her out in a hurry. They run up the stairs to their dorm, Magnus whipping out his key card and swiping it before collapsing on his unmade bed. "Alec, I did not expect to enjoy that so much. Now, do you prefer the right side or the left side?"

~~~~~~~~One Month Later (beginning of Oct.)~~~~~~~~

"ALEC, HAVE YOU SEEN MY RED LEATHER JACKET?" Magnus yells. Alec covers his ears.

"You don't have to yell, we're in the same room, and yeah. This one or this one?" he asks, holding up two almost identical red jackets. Magnus grabs them both in a huff.

"Alexander, this one is leather. The other one is nylon." He holds them up respectively. "Know your materials. What if it's an emergency?" Alec rolls his eyes and pulls up his too-big jeans. Magnus eyes them with distaste, and then his eyes light up. "Tomorrow, we're going to go shopping. You have a ten o'clock class and a seven o'clock class, and I have an eleven o'clock and four o'clock. We'll find time. You need clothes," he says, and his tone leaves no room for argument. Alec slides down in his chair.

"Fine," he says sulkily. Magnus grins at him. Alec's phone lights up and buzzes with a text. They both turn towards it at the same time, but Alec grabs it first.

"Who is it?" Magnus demands.

"Simon," he says with a sigh. The text reads, hey alec sry to bother u at college and shit but my band and I need a car. can we borrow ur family van thing? imma assume its yes thx bro! Alec rolls his eyes and Magnus grabs his cell. Alec watches with amusement as Magnus's expression changes with each word. "Sorry, just Jace's girlfriend's best friend. Oh, and he's dating my sister. He has this crappy band that he plays with and none of them have cars." He takes his phone back and plugs it in, watching it glow with charging light for a second before grabbing his laptop and thumping down on his bed. Magnus glances at him, but doesn't say anything. Alec furrows his eyebrows. "You coming? Thought we were going to do a Netflix marathon. Even got chips and stuff," he says, gesturing to one of his desk cabinets vaguely. Alec feels comfortable with Magnus now for some reason, comfortable enough to watch Netflix with him and buy him food with asking what he wants, or just assuming that Magnus has nothing going on. Granted, Magnus generally goes to parties, but if he was going to one he would have been gone by now. It's already seven thirty. Magnus looks supremely uncomfortable and is about to speak when a knock comes at the door.

"Hey!" Magnus cries, springing up to open the door. For the first time, Alec notices that Magnus is dressed quite nicely- or as nice constitutes for Magnus. More fashionably. He has on the skinniest dark gold pants, which would look bad on everyone except him, a black shirt with ONE MILLION DOLLARS picked out on it in sequins and the red leather jacket. He has red high tops on as well, and Alec sees a gold hoop in one of his ears. Speaking of ears, Alec's go red at the tips. "Alec, this is Imasu. Imasu, this is my roomie, Alec. Alec, Imasu. We met in Fashions of Other Cultures," Magnus says quickly. Alec gives Imasu a perfunctory once over. Imasu is cute, he realizes, with thick dark hair and dark gray eyes. He's tall, taller than Magnus even, and wearing jeans and a nice T-Shirt. Alec swallows. Imasu holds out a hand.

"Nice to meet you, Alec," he says. Alec shakes his hand, finding it difficult to make sense of the situation. Magnus looks between the two.

"Imasu and I are going out to dinner. Don't wait up for me, Alexander," Magnus says, clapping him on the shoulder and stepping out the door. Imasu nods and Magnus smiles, and then they're both gone, door shutting behind them. Alec slumps against the pillows, binge-watching Teen Wolf and admiring Derek's abs forgotten. Magnus has a date. A date, he thinks, hysteria rising. And it's with a cute guy that he doesn't like or even know.

"GODDAMMIT," Alec roars suddenly, upsetting the laptop and hurting his throat mildly. "G- Goddammit."