Chapter 7
"Alec, you still don't have any Manga in your collection. You've got to be kidding me right! I've been asking you to read one forever." Alec shrugged at his youngest sibling. He had just gotten them home from the airport an hour ago, and Max, obviously, ran first to the bookshelf in the living room. Max, Jace and him were always avid readers. He still remembered how excited Jace was when he saw Max pick up a book.
"I tried reading a manga in the library once, the whole reading the book last page to first gives me a headache." He attempted. Manga simply wasn't his cup of tea.
"Excuses Alec, excuses." Izzy prompted.
"You don't get to talk. Name me the last book you ever completed." Alec retorted.
"Uhh… I think mom's calling me." She mutters before walking into one of the rooms. Max and Alec both stifled a laugh.
"You never told me what it's like working for Magnus Bane!" Max exclaimed when they'd settled placing his bad on one side of the bed. Max and Alec were sharing a room.
"What's to tell bud?"
"Um. Everything. Is there any gossip I'm not aware of? How many parties and interviews have you been to, are they like they show it on TV? And please, please tell me you've got spoilers for season 4!"
Alec snorted. "I'm not at liberty to discuss." He said, putting on his best 'bodyguard' voice.
"Oh, come on." Max prods.
"I do know some details. I'll give you one. But you got to keep this a secret. If Izzy finds out I told you, and not her, she will kill me! We both know to take her threats seriously."
Max giggled excitedly and nodded. He was always everyone's favourite and for good reasons. He was the youngest of the Lightwood siblings, and so innocent to everything that happened in their lives. That alone was enough for all of them to save a soft spot for him and protect him.
Alec leaned in closer, "Micah is getting a new love interest," he whispered.
"What! No way! Really?" He just short of screamed. "What about Calliope? Is she still in the show? Who is playing the new love interest? Oh my god! Do you know who it is? When are they announcing it?"
"They are announcing it today or tomorrow, I think. At least that's what Magnus told me. And I can't tell you anything else."
"But…" Max began, putting on his best whining voice when Jace walked in and covered his eyes.
"Guess who?" He smiled.
"Jace! Hi!" He let those two alone as they seemed to divulge into their own series of conversations to check on the rest of them. Clary, Izzy, and his mother seemed to be engrossed in their own gossip.
"Hi, Fray!"
"Hey, Alec. We were just telling Maryse about you and Magnus."
"Oh God with this again. There is no 'me and Magnus'. Let it go! Really,"
"Oh yeah? Is that why you went to the archery range with him 2 weeks ago?"
"And the bowling alley last week?" Izzy pitched in.
"And ordered take out with him again just yesterday," Clary added.
"I'm his bodyguard. I'm literally paid to follow him around wherever he goes. You people just seem to want to make a deal out of everything." He said, exasperated at having to repeat this same concept to them yet again. But what tired him more was the fact that he was barely able to convince himself that it was just his job. He wasn't blind! Anyone who saw Magnus Bane would know that the man was beautiful, but then once you get to know him, you begin to understand just how much. But that just meant he admired the star, right? And there still wasn't a 'him and Magnus'. He told himself that wasn't something that should concern him, and it shouldn't.
"Whatever you say, Alec," Izzy said. "Clary, let's go see Max. He probably needs someone to talk about manga." She dragged Clary with her to his room. His mom, however, remained slouched on the kitchen counter eyeing him.
"What?" He asked. Maryse simply smiled.
"I may not be the 'Mother of the Year' Alec, but I still know my son." Alec blinked. "So, what is it with this Magnus guy? Tell me about him."
"Magnus is, um… quite magical." He mused. His mother continued to glare at him with a smile. "He's… Uh… Very… very good at acting?" He offered lamely. He wanted to bang his head against the wall. It was weird to think that this was the same person who had tried to get him to marry someone for pure business purposes just a few years ago. Thankfully for him, she understood the choices he had made and was still constantly trying to make amends for it. He never hated her for her decisions then, but she probably still felt guilty.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, he decided that there was no way to salvage what he had just said, so he decided to go with. "I should probably go get ready for work." Maryse nodded, the grin still plastered on her face.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Magnus was sitting in makeup. Getting ready for the day's shoot. Tessa was making another wound on Magnus's arms, meticulously adding more shades of red, purple, and black.
"So, Max and my mom are here for a few days, and I might have, sort of given Max a tiny little spoiler," Alec confessed biting his lips. Magnus's lips curled at the action.
"And what exactly did you tell him, Alexander?"
"About the new love interest." Magnus raised his brows, that wasn't that big a detail to leak. In fact, he was supposed to announce tomorrow who was going to be playing the new love interest. It wasn't even supposed to be kept under wraps, it just never came up in any of the panels. Camille had landed a role in some hotshot movie, and the schedules clashed so she had decided to focus on the movie. She still had a contract so was forced to come and shoot a few days with them to wrap up her storyline, which is why the show didn't announce her departure either.
"How much did you tell him?" Magnus questioned.
"Just that there is going to be one. Sorry."
Magnus shook his head. "Oh, how am I ever going to forgive you for this! Do you know how important that news was! If this were in wrong hands we'd all be dead Alec. Dead."
Alec narrowed his eyes. "Really?" Magnus began laughing, which prompted a gentle punch from Tessa.
"Can you keep still. I'm trying to make you look like you're hurt here." She complained.
"Sorry." Magnus and Alec said in unison. Magnus felt a phone buzz on the dressing table.
"Alec, this one is yours." Tessa pointed. Alec picked the phone and his jaw tightened as he saw the screen. Magnus watched as his expression went from carefree to something in the vicinity of anger. He cut the call. Magnus felt the brush off his arm the second time the phone rang. Alec declined it again. Tessa was also intently watching him now. The third time, Alec groaned.
"I have to take this." He said through his teeth placing the phone near his ear. "What do you want-" was all the conversation that Magnus managed to hear before Alec's voice was replaced with silence. Tessa continued to brush up on the slash. Who was that? Magnus didn't know there could be a person who could extract that kind of a reaction from Alec.
"It's probably nothing. Stop looking so worried." She spoke.
"Worried about what?"
"Alec." Magnus blinked in confusion. "Oh please. You know, for an actor you really aren't that subtle."
"Subtle about what?" He asked. But he knew exactly what Tessa was talking about. One look, and he knew she did as well. He was probably screwed.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"You want to meet Max?" Alec scoffed, "That is not happening."
"Come on son, I have the right to see him too." Robert Lightwood knew how to get him worked up. Alec was pretty good when it came to keeping his cool, but he could not even think about his father without wanting to burn something.
"You had the right to see him. You lost that a long time ago. Now if that's all you had to say then your call is pointless."
"You still owe me." Of course, he'd bring that up.
"I owe you money and nothing else." He finished abruptly touching the red circle on the screen and shoving the phone in his pocket. He exhaled sharply rubbing his forehead with his thumb and index finger.
"Everything good?" He had not heard Magnus walk up to him. His expressions were soft.
A smile forced itself onto Alec's face. "It's nothing."
"Alec,-" Magnus started.
"Magnus, we're ready for you." A girl with an earpiece and notepad in her hand interrupted. Magnus looked unsure.
"Go, seriously, I'm okay," Alec reassured him
"Okay… But don't think this conversation is over." He said walking with the girl to the set.
He walked over to the snack bar, hoping some coffee would help wash out the conversation with his father. He turned around, barely catching himself from crashing into a woman in a bright red dress. The coffee, on the other hand, splattered a little off the cup due to the sudden stop, falling on the woman's shoes.
"Oh, God! Are you kidding me? Do you not notice other people walking?" Alec finally got a chance to look at who was talking to him. "Self-absorbed twit," Camille mumbled.
"Excuse me? It was an accident. So, calm down."
"Yeah? You want me to calm down? Your entire salary couldn't pay for this pair." She pointed at the shoes stained with coffee.
Alec breathed in and out. It was pointless losing his temper over this, irrespective of how stupid the argument was. "I'm sorry." He said, composing himself, "To both you and your shoes." He joked.
"Are you making fun of me. Listen up you-" Camille pointed her finger to his chest, "-whoever you are. Learn to behave with respect, or I'll make it my damn goal to get you kicked out of whatever job you currently have here."
Woah, okay. Calm, Alec, calm. "Sorry, Ms. Belcourt."
"You better be. Watch where you walk next time boy." Magnus was right. Alec smiled, tight-lipped. He didn't need to stay for any more of this, so he turned around and walked away.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alec seemed to still be in a bad mood. Magnus didn't know how to help.
"Magnus. Magnus." He shifted his head a little to look at Raphael. "Were you listening to anything I just said?" Magnus tilted his head to a side. His friend sighed. "I said I saw Camille snap at someone today. God, I'm so glad she's leaving." Magnus couldn't agree more. She was a vicious snake, it was hard to believe he ever dated her without noticing that for a good year.
"Today is her last day of filming, right?" Raphael nodded. "Good riddens then." They both ate in silence for a while.
"Okay, I think I have to go change now. I'll catch up." Magnus raised his hand as Raphael walked away. His thoughts still lingering over Alec.
"What are you thinking about?" A voice interrupted.
"Nothing important. You ready to go?" Alec nodded. His hands were shoved in his pockets, which meant Alec was nervous about something. It was 10 pm, but the busy city was still bustling with energy. When the car neared Magnus's loft, there seemed to be some space to breathe again. They mostly drove in a comfortable silence, each wrapped in their own minds. "I kinda want to take a walk," Magnus waited for a reply.
"Okay, I can drop the car off near here somewhere and I'll come back for it later." Alec found an empty space near a bakery and the two of them got off the car.
"I ran into Camille Belcourt today. I think I preferred her character." Alec was walking by his side, their shoulders almost touching.
"I told you to steer clear of her." Magnus laughed, eyes still on the pavement.
"I tried." Alec protested and continued to walk when someone blocked their way.
"Woolsey?" Magnus said addressing the man. He could clearly see that he was pissed. "What are you doing here?"
"Not trying to run into you." Woolsey's tone delivered enough.
"Look. I'm really sorry fo-" He'd hardly registered the fist that was flying at him and the hand that stopped it. Magnus stepped back, taken by surprise. "Woah" His eyes widened.
"Back off." It was Alec who spoke this time. His hand was still holding onto Woolsey's. Woolsey grabbed onto Alec's hand twisting it. Alec was not facing Magnus, his trapped hand behind him.
"Listen up pretty boy. Stay out of this. What are you, his newest conquest?"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alec freed his hand with almost no effort. Today was not the best day to taunt him. That conversation with his father had milked his day, and the day just seemed to go downhill. "You don't want to do this." Alec tried. He saw Woolsey snort. The hit came a lot faster than he expected it to. He couldn't block it this time. He felt a sharp pain on his left cheek, probably because of the ring in his opponent's finger. He wiped off the blood that trickled down the side of his face with his thumb. As much as he would have liked to punch the man in his face, he knew he shouldn't. He tried talking him off once again. When that led to him having to prevent another blow to his face, he sighed. This was going to turn into a full-blown brawl, wasn't it?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Magnus stood there stunned as the two men in front of him wrestled each other. He registered none of it, except that Alec was trying his hardest just to play defence and not offence. He flinched every time either one landed a hit. It seemed to go on for too long, but Alec eventually managed to get Woolsey's cheek against the wall, and hands locked.
"I get that you're drunk and need to pick a fight. But I'm going to say this just once. You. Need. To. Go." Alec enunciated each word. Magnus was glad that the alley was empty, and that there were no paps or just people taking pictures of the scene they were creating. He was still staring. Awe-struck.
"Are you okay?" Alec asked when he's finally managed to find his composure.
"I'm sorry, did you just ask me if I'm okay?" Magnus looked at him disapprovingly. "Alec, you are the one bleeding." His hand moved slowly to Alec's arm, examining the wound. He'd probably scratched it at some point during the fight. "You are not supposed to ask me if I'm okay. Also, what were you thinking?" Magnus couldn't explain if he was angry or worried. He searched Alec's eyes for an explanation. "Let's get you home, so we can see exactly how stupid your decision was."
Alec could still walk, so that was a good sign, but he was still clearly hurt. Neither of them said a word till they reached Magnus's loft.
"Sit down. Don't move. I'll get the first aid box." Alec took a seat on the couch. Magnus set the box next to him, took a cotton ball, and started cleaning his wounds. There weren't many, mostly just scratches. No swelling. Thank god for that. Magnus lingered longer than he needed to at each injury.
"I'm okay," Alec whispered softly. "I really am." Magnus looked up from where he was kneeling next to Alec.
"He would have probably just slapped me and let it go. You didn't have to do that."
"Well, I honestly wasn't expecting a fight. I didn't know you had managed to piss off ninjas. I swear he had claws." Alec gave a low laugh. "Who exactly is this Woolsey."
"An ex." Alec shook his head.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Are you okay," Magnus asked again, handing him a glass of water.
"Magnus, you literally just band aided me. And again, I'm great."
"Not that. You've been a little off since that call. Who was it?"
Alec wasn't sure why he answered. "It was my father. He wanted to come see Max"
"And you didn't want him to?"
"No. My father and I… we aren't in the best terms." He paused. A little hesitant to continue, but he did. "He runs a business here, he wanted me to take over. Well, he wanted me to marry this girl, but then I came out, and stuff just went crazy from there. My mom found out that he was cheating on her, and he still wanted me to marry Lydia. Soon mom, Jace, Izzy and I had already cut ties with him, but he called me once to talk. He threatened to cut us off." He snorted pathetically. Magnus listened. "None of us wanted his money, but he basically wanted us to pay him back for what he 'gave us'. I don't know what he was attempting but I told him I'd give him the money if he'd leave us alone." Magnus placed a comforting hand on Alec's back. "Max was still too young when all this happened. So, no, I don't want him anywhere near my family."
"So, you still owe him."
Alec nodded. "It's not easy to pay off the amount spent in the education and nurturing of 3 very needy kids, unfortunately." He laughed nervously. His family didn't know that. They thought was paying off his college debts that Robert Lightwood had paid for. He wanted it to stay that way. He took a sip of the water in his hand. Magnus was still looking at him.
"This a pathetically stupid story you didn't need to waste your time with. Sorry for boring you," Alec said finally meeting his gaze.
"No, it's not pathetic. And it was quite entertaining really. You don't have to tell me about crappy dads. Mine is practically a prince of hell," He said frivolously. Alec smiled.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"I didn't thank you," Magnus remembered, trying to divert Alec's thoughts from spiralling into whatever hole it was trying to crawl through.
"What for?"
"Being my knight in a leather jacket, of course."
"I just did my job," Alec shrugged.
"Oh, that's right! You should be thanking me then. You finally got to do what you were trained to do." Alec laughed heartily. The sound filled the room. His eyes crinkled when he laughed. And Magnus wanted to click a picture and frame the moment.
"One time!" He complained. Magnus's heart started dancing.
Oh, he was positively screwed.
A/N: Hey! Hope you liked the chapter. I was struggling to write this chapter, just a little bit. So, I really hope you like how it turned out. If you did, then Fav, Follow, leave a Review. Let me know what you thought, let me know what you want more of, and I'll try to deliver. :)
