"What are you wearing?" Alec said, stretching his legs out in front of him on the bed and staring in horror at his boyfriend, standing across the room from him. Magnus simply twirled around and smiled.
"Like what you see, darling?" Alec considered the question, taking in Magnus's white dresslike overgarment and gold sash that hugged his body tightly. He wore leather bands around his arms as well as leather straps crossed over in x's around his legs, moving down to extend into his brown suade sandals. He looked like a Greek God. Alec played with the hems of his own worn sweater and sighed, looking down at his plain jeans.
"Mags, I, uh, I think it's too much." His blue eyes averted Magnus's gaze, hoping that he hadn't offended him too badly. It was only their first day abroad- they had both crashed right away after they got up to their room- and Alec wanted to make sure that they both had a good time. Magnus took Alec's chin in his ringed fingers and pulled up his face until their eyes met.
"Oh, darling," Magnus sounded somber. "There's no such thing as too much. Stick with me long enough, and you'll learn that."
::P::P
After getting over his initial embarrassment over Magnus's outfit, Alec actually let him explain why he was wearing the strange garment over their morning coffee. He told him that it was a traditional Greek outfit- apparently, many years ago when he had visited Greece, this was something that many men outside would be wearing to represent their high status. Alec simpy nodded. It was very strange to him that Magnus had been in so many different times, seen so many people do so many different things. He knew that if he could hear about it all day, every day, for the rest of his life, he still wouldn't be sick of listening to the warlock talk about times past and places changed. Alec had always been a fan of history, going out of his way to learn about great Shadowhunters and Downworlders throughout time, from Jonathan Shadowhunter to David the Silent to Henry Branwell, the Nephilim inventor who had invented the portal. Learning about Mundane history was somehow so different, though, so amazing, especially when he was learning it through Magnus's beautiful voice.
That first day went by fairly quickly. They wandered the streets, chatting, looking at all the beautiful sights, Alec's hand resting firmly in Magnus's. It was still strange to hold hands with his boyfriend in public, but here, in Greece, he was beginning to get used to it. They ate lunch at a tiny Greek restauraunt, trying the authentic kabobs and gyros that were a trademark of Greece. They were delicious, Alec thought, and he was happy to be sharing them with Magnus. For dinner, they had both had Greek salad at the small café near the hotel- Magnus had told him that "it was to die for," and he was very right. Alec could eat it every meal for the rest of his life and he was fairly sure that he would not even be capable of tiring of it. The Shadowhunter and the Warlock spent that evening talking and laughing under the stars in the park, carrying their voices though the abandoned space. That night when they curled up against each other to sleep, both were peaceful.
::P::P
The next day, however, did not keep that same peace. Magnus woke Alec up bright and early, already adorned in the same outfit as yesterday except his sash was red today rather than gold, and told him that they were going to try something fun today so he had to get moving. Alec swore and rolled over. It had to be a crime to wake up this early, which, judging by the numbers on the clock, was the ungodly hour of 6 AM. Magnus persisted, eventually hitting him repeatedly with a pillow until he rose, glaring, but excited to begin the day anyway.
"Where are we?" Alec asked, looking around himself. He was in a circular area, a place that kind of reminded him a bit of an older version of Alicante's Accords hall where he and Magnus had shared their first public kiss- he smiled at the memory- and looked slightly more ominous. There were stone pillars everywhere, and a small stone box overhead. He sat on a marble bench, like the many overlooking the central area. Alec didn't know much about football, but he supposed this was probably the old Greek version of their stadium.
Magnus blanched. "Do tell me you have heard of the Collusseum, love."
Alec stared at him blankly. He had, in fact, never heard of such a thing.
"Gladiators?" Magnus tried again. Alec just sat looking confused. "No?"
Alec shook his head wildly, clearly having no idea what his boyfriend was talking about. Magnus sighed and smiled. "That's right, I forgot," he said wistfully, "Shadowhunters only learn about their own history. Right. Well, I have a feeling you'll find this fascinating. Alec smiled, putting his hand on his boyfriend's.
"Do tell."
::P::P
Alec listened intently as Magnus told him the story of the Gladiators, low-class warriors who had fought to the death in this colluseum many years ago, all for the entertainment of the rich. Alec found the history to be fascinating, as well as being able to relate to the warriors who died in battle. He was shocked and horrified, though, to learn that people actually died for the entertainment of others, that anyone could be so heartless to take joy in another person's death.
"So basically," Alec said when Magnus was finished, "we're sitting here staring at a mass graveyard." Something in Magnus's eyes shifted, until he looked at Alec with a tortured expression. "I guess so, love. I guess so."
"Were you in Greece during the time of the gladiators?"
Magnus nodded, and Alec looked at him with horrified and judgemental eyes. Magnus, anticipating Alec's next question, burst out laughing. "Of course, I never came here when any of the actual fighting was taking place. I was far too disgusted by it. I did, however, come here on the days that there were no killings, to mourn the dead." Noting Alec's expression, he continued.
"The people that died here, most of them were slaves. They had no families, no one to mourn for them. Everyone, no matter their crime or their sin, deserves to be mourned." Magnus's cat eyes were thoughtful. Alec snuggled in closer to his warlock, weaving their arms together in a pattern of inseparability.
"I love you," he whispered, before he had a chance to realize that this was the first time he had ever used the l-word in front of Magnus. If Magnus was shocked, though, he didn't say so. He simply placed his hand into Alec's ebony hair, and holding him close, mirrored the phrase,
"I love you too, my Alexander."
The rest of the day went by quietly, the two men in the playground that was a graveyard having hushed conversations, holding each other, and mourning the dead.
::P::P
Alec knew that the third day was going to be the last that he and Magnus spent in Greece. Because there were so many places that they wanted to go, they had agreed that they would only spend three days in a given country so that they could move on and see the next place. Today, their morning was largely spent thumbing through pamphlets. There were so many attractions, and so little time. "It's up to you, darling," Magnus said for the umpteenth time. "We can go to the mythology museum, if you like, or see the statues in the square. Whatever you like-" he gestured grandly- "the entire country is at your fingertips. Alec had basically made up his mind, as someone who had always been interested in mythology, he was not going to lose this opportunity. "Mythology museum," he decided. Magnus smiled.
"So it shall be."
::P::P
"So," Magnus said, "basically, Zeus zapped him from the heavens, and he was like 'AH! NO! SAVE ME FRON YOUR CRUEL FATE!" Alec laughed as Magnus made a zapping motion with his fingers against his arm. By the Angel, did he love a joking Magnus.
"The question, though," Alec responded, "is did anyone on the Strait of Messina actually see Charybris? Because if not, that seems to be a whole lot of hassle over absolutely nothing."
"Oh Sweetness, can you imagine being in charge one of those ships back when they believed in it? Like, 'oh dear God, no, help me, the sea monster must be coming, I just saw the smallest of waves…"
"And what about when there was an actual storm? The cargo probably fell overboard and they were all, NOPE. CHARYBRIS WILL EAT IT. I DON'T WANT TO BE SEA MONSTER FOOD, SORRY."
"Yes, oh my God!"
Yeah, Alec thought, joking Magnus was the best.
::P::P
"So darling," Magnus asked as he packed his luggage up to get on the train to their next destination, "what did you think of the museum?"
"Awesome," Alec said. He conveniently pushed out all the stories about the immortals and their immortal lovers, the immortals and their mortal lovers, the immortals and their mortal… "awesome."
It didn't matter, he told himself. Magnus was here now, here with him now. He would have to content himself with that.
Hey! So, that's it for Greece. I hope that you liked it I'm thinking of doing one chapter = one destination, yeah? Please drop me a review letting me know how you felt about this! I am really enjoying writing it so far. Also, I will be going out of town this weekend, so I will almost certainly not have another update until at least Monday, probably Tuesday. Hopefully, this chapter can tide you over until then! Have a lovely weekend.
