A/N: Unbeta'd.
Thanks so much for reading! And extra love for those who had commented, kudos, and subscribes!
"Everybody, out!" Magnus shouted from the high platform but nobody moved.
Magnus grunted. He shoved the DJ harshly together with his equipment and the music stopped instantly. The clubgoers went still and silence filled the club. "Get the fuck out! Out!"
People scattered toward the exit as Raphael rushed toward the swaying Magnus. "Magnus!"
"Fuck off, Raphael!" Magnus pushed his friend.
"Magnus, what are you doing?!" Raphael yelled.
"Leave me alone!" Magnus gulped down the remaining liquor inside the bottle he was holding.
"Magnus!" Raphael shook Magnus' shoulders. "How much have you been drinking?!"
"Not enough!" Magnus pushed Raphael again and stumbled drunkenly to the bar. "I need more to forget all of this pain!"
"You've had enough!" Raphael stood in front of the liquor shelf to prevent Magnus from grabbing another bottle. "What the hell happened?! You haven't gotten this drunk since— don't tell me that bitch is back in town?!"
"It's not her! It's Alec! Alec's gone!" Magnus screamed loudly. "Alexander left me! He's gone and I don't know where to find him!"
"Drink." Raphael instructed.
"What's that?" Magnus squinted. His head was pounding.
"Coconut water." Raphael replied heartlessly. "Drink up or I'll pour it down your throat."
"Geez, no need to get aggressive." Magnus took a small sip before putting the glass down. "Ugh, that taste horrible!"
"Well, tough. You're going to finish it whether you like it or not." Raphael said.
"Don't talk so loud." Magnus grumbled. "And besides, you can't make me drink that nasty stuff."
"I can and I will." Raphael's tone was uncompromising. "I'm out of remedies to give you for your hangover, Magnus! Water, fruit juice, caffeinated drinks…I've tried them all! This is the second week in a row I found you pass out in the club, alone! You're going to tank your liver if you keep doing this!"
Magnus gritted his teeth. Raphael's piercing voice made his headache worse. "Why do you care? Just leave me be!"
"You're my best friend, Magnus. You're like a brother to me. I can't let you waste your life like this because of a man." Raphael seemed sad.
"How I live my life is none of your business!" Magnus growled. "I don't need your sympathy! Just leave me the fuck alone!"
"You know what?" Raphael got off the stool. "Alec did the right choice by leaving you."
"Hodge Starkweather?" Magnus approached the man holding the bow and quiver cautiously. He looked intimidating.
"Who's asking?" The man glanced at Magnus.
Magnus awkwardly stood in the middle of the archery range. "I'm looking for Alec. Alec Lightwood? Do you know where I can find him?"
Hodge seemed offended. "You didn't answer my question, boy."
"Sorry." Magnus quickly said. "I'm Magnus Bane, a friend of Ale—"
"Magnus Bane." Hodge whistled. "The owner of that Pandemonium nightclub, am I right?"
"That's me." Magnus laughed humorlessly.
"Brooklyn's notorious playboy and Alec's baby daddy." Hodge sounded condescending. "Of all people in New York he had to fall for you."
"Look, what had happened between Alexander and I is our problem, not yours so I suggest you shut it." Magnus became defensive.
"I know where Alec is but I'm not gonna tell you. That boy deserves better." Hodge seethed. "Although it pained me, I'm glad he had gotten rid that bad seed of yours from his womb."
"Alexander…" Magnus moaned. His eyes were closed, thrusting harder and deeper into the man.
"Alexander…" Magnus groaned in pleasure once more.
"The fuck?!" The man cussed and shoved Magnus hard.
Magnus lost his balance and fell down to the floor. "Hey! What the fuck is your problem?!"
The man got off the bed and gathered all of his clothes on the floor. "My name's Matt! Matt, not Alexander! You're in bed with me, having sex with me, not him, asshole!"
"I'm…I'm sorry." Magnus said genuinely.
"Once is quite acceptable but if you keep bringing another man's name while we're fucking…absolutely no! I deserve some respect too!" Matt exclaimed, putting on his clothes angrily.
"I'm sorry…" Magnus repeated warily.
"Don't call me anymore!" Matt bellowed and left the loft.
Magnus went to the nightstand and took out a picture inside its drawer. "Tall with messy, dark hair and stunning eyes but they're not the same. They're not you. Nobody can replace you."
"You still have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in my life." Magnus gushed.
"Three years, Alexander…" Magnus stared fondly at the picture. "Three years had passed and I still can't stop thinking of you."
I know I can't survive another night away from you…
You're the reason I go on and now I need to live the truth…
Right now, there's no better time…
From this fear I will break free and I'll live again with love…
And no they can't take that away from me…
And they will see.
"Yes, Raphael…I'll come for dinner tonight." Magnus crouched in front of the dessert counter to ogle at the éclairs inside. He was too tall and his favorite éclairs were unfortunately were placed at the bottom of the counter.
"You're not going to back out at the last minute, are you?" Raphael said over the phone, skeptical.
"I'm not. If it makes Salmon happy, I'll—" There was a light push and Magnus' head hit the display glass. "Ouch! Damn it!"
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" The man swiftly apologized. "The space is too narrow and my legs are too long! I'm really, really sorry!"
Magnus pulled himself up, ready to yell at the stranger. The moment he came face to face with the man who had knocked him over however, he froze. His mouth went dry instantly. "Alexander?"
"Mag-Magnus…" Alec paled as if he had seen a ghost but he quickly recovered.
"It's…It's you." Magnus instinctively smiled. "You're here. You're back."
"Yeah, I'm back for good." Alec said firmly. He didn't look as spooked as he did prior. "I wish I could say it's nice to see you but it's really not."
"Alexander, wait!" Magnus jogged after Alec when the man walked away only to be stopped dead on his track when he saw his former lover left with a handsome blonde man.
"Alexander…" Magnus called out weakly.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Raphael raged as silently as he could. The club was full of people and he didn't want to make a scene. "Have you been drinking again? Are you drunk right now?!"
"I'm not drunk and I wasn't imagining things." Magnus replied. "I saw him. It was him."
"So you decided to stalk him?!" Raphael asked heatedly. "Last time I checked, stalking is illegal in New York."
"I'm not stalking him." Magnus threw a glare.
"You're tracking his movements, his locations…you are stalking him." Raphael retaliated. "Stalking is a misdemeanor, Magnus. You can be charged."
Magnus sighed, yielded. "Then what am I supposed to do? I…I need to see him."
"You met him by chance the other day so maybe you'll see him again." Raphael said.
"I don't believe in fate." Magnus disclosed.
Raphael stared at Magnus. "You said he was with a guy, right? A handsome blonde at that. He obviously had moved on and so should you."
Magnus smiled sadly at his best friend. "I don't think I ever could unloved him. I don't think I ever could move on either."
"Hey, Magnus!" A familiar voice greeted Magnus.
"Alexander?" Magnus was incredibly shocked. Alec was dressed differently, his hair was styled differently, and the man himself looked absolutely different. "Wh-What are you doing here?"
"I'm on a date." Alec easily reacted. "My date here love going clubbing. And your club is the best in town, right?"
"But you hate clubbing." Magnus said, eyeing the man next to Alec. He wasn't the blonde Magnus had seen before.
"Things changed." Alec remained nonchalant.
"Alexander…" Magnus started.
"It's Alec." Alec replied. "Well, do you wanna join us, Magnus? I heard you and my date had a history together."
"True." Alec's alleged date chuckled. "We have a lot to talk about, Mags. Maybe we can do an encore performance too. Or a threesome if you're up to it?"
Magnus frowned. "Who the fuck are you? I don't know you."
Alec threw his head back and laughed stridently. "Sure you do. He's the guy you had fucked in your office the day after you manipulated me to kill our child. Don't you remember, Mags?"
"Thanks for agreeing to have dinner with me." Magnus offered a smile.
"I only agreed to this because you kept harassing my secretary at the office." Alec appeared unhappy. "You should be thankful I didn't press charges on you."
"Right." Magnus said. "So, um…I heard you're an architect now, taking over your father's company."
"I had to." Alec replied uninterestedly. "Can we get this over with? Just say whatever you think you need to say. I'm not here for a friendly chat so don't waste my time. I have somewhere else better to go to."
"Alexan—" Magnus halted, realizing his mistake. "Alec, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what, exactly? You need to be specific." Alec sneered. "Sorry for cheating on me over and over again? Sorry for repeatedly lying to me? Sorry for making me kill an innocent life? Which one is it?"
"I'm sorry for everything, Alec. For all the things you've said and many more." Magnus said sorrowfully. "I can apologize thousands of times but I know it can't undo what I had done and it won't ease the pain I had caused and I know I don't have the right to ask anything from you, not even a forgiveness when I had betrayed your trust so foolishly. But I—"
"Alec!" A blonde man approached their table, causing Magnus to scowl. It was the man from the bakery and he had a little girl with him.
"Jace, hey!" Alec who was brooding prior was now smiling brightly.
"I'm not interrupting something, am I?" Jace smirked, handing the equally smiling girl to Alec.
"Maybe I should go…" Magnus began to excuse himself. It hurt too much for him to stay.
"Oh, sorry. Where are my manners? Magnus, this is my brother Jace." Alec gestured at the blonde. He then lovingly kissed the girl on his lap. "And this gorgeous princess is my daughter…the baby you want me to abort three years ago."
A/N: If you were Magnus, would you be horrified by Alec's sudden revelation? Or would you feel betrayed? Hmmm...
