Here you go, my minions – I mean readers. Another chapter.

I obviously own Alec and Magnus, so there's no need for a disclaimer. In other news, I have decided to participate in April Fool's Day a day early.


Last week, on ImagiNation:

Magnus: If you're that desperate to escape, you could always come out, darling. That would shock her long enough for you to make your escape.

"Mom, I'm never going to get my girlfriend pregnant. I'm never going to get a girlfriend. I'm gay."

Magnus: Kidding, Alec.


Alec: You know, Magnus, you don't have to always be right.

Magnus: Of course I do. What is my magnificent self right about this time?

Alec: Coming out letting me escape.

Alec smiled down at his phone, picturing the shock on Magnus's face. His phone vibrated again, the screen showing an incoming call from the one and only Magnus Bane. He answered, still grinning, elated to have his "secret" finally off his chest. Now all he had to worry about was his father.

Oh, by the Angel. His father.

His "Hello," coincided with the thoughts of telling he father he was gay, making his voice make an interesting change that probably sounded like his dying words.

"Darling, did you just do what I think you just did, or did you just make me think that you just did what I think you just did?"

"Yes," said Alec, laughing at the convoluted question.

"Yes; you just did what I think you just did? Or, yes; you just made me think you just did what I think you just did?"

"Mom was complaining about how some day, Jace was going to come home and say he got his girlfriend pregnant, and then she turned on me, and then I said it was never going to happen and I was never going to like girls."

There was silence for a few moments on the other end of the line. "How did she react?"

"Well, when I said 'I'm gay,' she sort of froze, and then Jace and Izzy came in, and I told them. Jace did a spit take," Alec grinned broadly, "but Izzy chased me and right now I'm kind of hiding in a tree in my backyard.

"Oh." There were a few more seconds of silence, and Alec began to get worried. What would Magnus see in this as being wrong? He'd never even been in a closet, except for his own rather spacious wardrobe. Then, out of nowhere, Magnus squealed. "Oh, Alec, you have no idea how proud of you I am! This is so great! Now you can be free to live your life!"

"Yeah, I guess," mumbled Alec, still dazed from the sudden exclamation. "There are probably more elegant and eloquent things I could have said, though. But she was going on and on about how college I a big responsibility and I'll be facing a lot of freedom…"

"Well, it certainly lacked tact, but you gave it a bit of panache none the less. Personally, I think it's better than my clueless ten-year-old bit, so congratulations on being able to one-up me. But, um, if you're hiding, should we be talking?"

Alec shrugged, and settled his back against the tree. "Nah, it's okay. If Iz finds me, I'll just tell her I'm talking to a hot guy."

"The hottest. So, what else is new?"

"Isn't that enough? I'm just packing for college."

He heard Magnus exhale loudly. "Ugh. Further schooling. You're majoring in English, right? Where are you going?"

That hadn't already come up? "Just the state school. Close, cheap, and has my major. Why anywhere else?"

"Aren't you like in the top of your class or something? I would have pegged you for something a little more, if not Ivy League." He sounded shocked.

"Well, they have a great English program and, okay, so the cheap thing may be because I got a full ride scholarship –"

Magnus interrupted him. "Anyway, my dad said that it's fine if I want to stay here all my life, but I need to get a degree so that he can feel like he raised me right in some way. And they have the best Performing Arts school in the state, so I decided I'd major in Theatre. And I start this semester, because apparently I've wasted enough of my life doing what I'll be doing for the rest of it."

Alec took a moment to process all of this. "You're going to my school."

There was a sight hesitation at this. "…Yes?"

What would this mean? Would they be friends? Magnus obviously wasn't the type to want something more, and Alec couldn't just be "that guy." Would they even meet? Would Magnus ignore him if they did meet?

That though hurt Alec. Much more than he wanted to admit to himself.

He really liked the glittery boy.

He had almost forgotten Magnus was at the other end of the call until he heard an even more hesitant, "Is that a problem?"

"No! Of course not! I was just wondering what would…"

Alec trailed off as Jace walked out of the house, Izzy hot on his tail. She was gesturing wildly.

"Alec? Hello?" Magnus called out through the phone.

Jace looked like he was rolling his eyes at her, and he walked over to the tree Alec was in, and looked up.

Alec swore. "My location has been compromised. The vengeful siblings have found me. Repeat, the vengeful siblings have found me. Abort mission."

Magnus burst out laughing. "Aye, aye, Hunter. Shall I terminate our communication for the present time?"

Seeing the identical look in his siblings' eyes, Alec was forced to agree that terminating the call was the best course of action at the moment.


"Alec! Why didn't you tell us?"

Alec groaned. This was not going to be fun.