Mwg-smoke (Welsh)


Moving On

Chapter 7: Mwg

Magnus' doorbell rang, again. He was going to have to have that thing disconnected. Swearing under his breath, he answered it, surprised to find Elowen on the other end.

"What do you want, Elowen? It's the middle of the night," he growled.

"I thought you asked to know if any Downworlders came through the hospital," she replied.

"I did. Fine, come up. I'm not changing," Magnus said.

Elowen was sitting at Magnus' kitchen table drinking a tea ten minutes later. He was sitting across from her, wearing a skin-tight tank top that proclaimed he was "Sir Fabulous" and what appeared to be bright pink lamé hot pants.

"So who came through?" he finally asked.

"Well we had three today. A pair of werewolves who had apparently gotten in a fight over a girl, who turned out to be sleeping with the brother of one of them. And a warlock who tried to raise a demon, but set his couch on fire in the process. And we had a Shadowhunter. They don't normally come to the hospital, since they have adequate facilities at the Institute, but this one was attacked with chloroform and it looked like someone took a bat to his head," Elowen said, sipping her tea.

"How is he?" Magnus asked, casually. Too casually, Elowen thought.

"He should be fine, provided his captor didn't inject him with anything else," she said.

"He's going to get in over his head one day and not be able to pull himself out. It's all my fault, you see," Magnus started.

Elowen suspected his cup held more than just tea. "How is it your fault?"

"I broke up with him, which caused him to be wandering the streets with what was probably a hangover layered over a concussion. And then this morning he shows up on my doorstep at three in the morning. They would've lied to you, because I asked Isabelle not to tell him that he came here first," Magnus said, drinking heavily of his "tea".

"Oh. Well, she's staying with him tonight. If you want to go see him in the morning…" Elowen said.

"NO! I can't see him. He must think I've moved on for him to heal. That's why I've decided I'm moving to Chicago. The High Warlock there is going to switch places with me. The movers are coming next week. I promise I'll write. Now you've just worked all day, since I know you did a double shift. Go home and get some sleep."

"I will, but do you mind if I call for a ride? My friend's in town, and he's cheaper than a cab," Elowen said.

"Sure, do you need a phone?" Magnus asked.

"Yes, please," Elowen said. Magnus handed her the cordless phone that resided next to his microwave, and she dialed a number.

"Yes, hello, Alastair? Can you do me a favour?" she said, her voice changing.

"Yes, it's Elowen. I was hoping you could give me a ride home. I just got off shift and visited a friend for a little bit, and I don't feel like walking."

"Thanks, Ali. I'm in Brooklyn."

"Yes, I'm at the magnificent Magnus Bane's residence." At this Magnus chuckled, and Elowen winked at him.

"Fifteen minutes? Thanks again Ali. See you then."

She returned the phone to Magnus, who raised an eyebrow. "What? You didn't know I wasn't a native born American?"

"It doesn't surprise me. I'm not, myself, but you've got no trace of another accent. I've been living here since the turn of the century, so I've had more than a hundred years to cultivate this fine Ah-meh-reekan accent. Where are you from?" Magnus asked.

"Three guesses. And I want specifics. I'll tell you my whole life story eventually," Elowen said.

"England obviously, but not London. Cardiff?" Magnus said.

"I do not shag sheep, thank you very much," Elowen said, seeming affronted.

"The only Welshman I ever spent much time with didn't seem to enjoy copulating with mutton. In fact, he seemed intent on American warlocks… Anyway, Yorkshire?" he said.

"Jumping all over the map, are you? You were closer with Wales," Elowen laughed.

"I spent a century in England and I can't— Cornwall. You're Cornish, aren't you?" Magnus realized.

"Yes, I was born in 1789. I look good for my age, I know," Elowen said, bouncing one of the dark curls that rested on her shoulders.

"You know Alastair?" Magnus asked, changing the subject to the other thing that intrigued him about the conversation he'd just heard.

"We're both from the UK. Of course we know each other," Elowen said.

"That's bullshit, and you know it," Magnus said.

"I was kidding, Maggie. Take it down a few notches," Elowen said, holding up her hands defensively.

"Sorry, I'm still a little on edge," Magnus said.

"Yes, I do know Alastair. We met in London about 10 years ago. He was still a child then. But he saw me the day after he arrived in New York, when he came to the hospital with a nasty gash, that apparently he sustained in a gang fight, defending none other than your own magnificent carcass," Elowen said.

Magnus' snappy reply was cut off by a ringing of the doorbell. "That would be your Scottish ride, wouldn't it?"

"Oh probably. I guess I'll go now. Thanks for the coffee," Elowen said, standing.

"No problem. Don't get hit by a bus on your way out, El," Magnus said.

"I'll try. Oh, and Magnus?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck in Chicago."

"Thanks, El."

She nodded and left, leaving Magnus alone again to contemplate the dark tunnel that was the rest of his endless life. Chairman Meow jumped up on the table and took a sip out of Magnus' tea, which was liberally laced with whatever alcohol had been in that bottle. Apparently it was enough to get the cat drunk in the little that he had drunk, because the next thing Magnus knew, his pink fluffball was keeled over on the table, mewing pathetically.

It was so comical that Magnus felt the laughter bubbling out of him, even at the same time he didn't wish to have it come. He started laughing hysterically, and fell out of his chair, to begin rolling on the kitchen floor. And there he fell asleep, the quietest sleep he'd had in weeks.


Elowen got into Alastair's car and closed the door behind her.

"He is well?" Alastair asked.

"Yes. Magnus will get over it, eventually," Elowen replied as Alastair pulled the car away from the curb.

"And the Lightwood boy?"

"He should be fine. He's not to know that you know me, is that clear?" Elowen said.

"Yes ma'am," Alastair replied with a mock salute.

"Good."

A few minutes later, Alastair deposited Elowen outside her Manhattan apartment, and she thanked him before going inside. She unlocked the door and climbed the stairs, as the elevator was perpetually out of service, and went into her home. As the door closed behind her, the wards on the room sealed, and she relaxed. She never did feel safe when she wasn't home or shielded, but she couldn't very well remain shielded all the time, anyone who could See would see her lit up like a flashlight.

Throwing off her clothes, she grabbed the nearest dress she could find and unbound what appeared to be a furry snake from her waist. She placed it on the ground, and it slithered off to rest on top of her couch, where it assumed the form of a cat. Elowen pulled on the dress, and sat on the couch, grabbing a book that lay on the end table.

"You know, you really shouldn't claim to be Cornish. It's getting old, and there are stories of the pixies getting angry that you're using their home turf," the cat remarked.

"It's easier to explain being a Cornish warlock than what I actually am, Ailill, and you know it," Elowen said, not looking up from her book.

"Whatever. It's not my fault when you find yourself marauded by pixies," Ailill said, licking his forepaw.

"Tell you what, after Magnus leaves, we'll get up and move on. To the West Coast or something. You'd better start coming up with better name suggestions than the ones you had this time. Wenna and Tecca my ass. And I will be Irish this time, dammit! This American accent is hard to maintain sometimes. Get a move on, kitty! I'm going to bed if you need me," Elowen said, rising.

"Fine. And by the way, re'th kyjyewgh hwi. Night!" Ailill said, disappearing.

"I never want to know where he said that. I really don't," Elowen muttered as she went to bed.


DUNDUNDUN! Or something. Yes, Magnus dyed Chairman Meow pink. He's starting to regret getting rid of the glitter, I think. Oh I have things I really should be doing instead of writing fanfiction, like sleeping. But I took a nap from 11 to 5 today, so I'm really not tired. :D

If you're wondering, Ailill says "Go fuck yourself" in Cornish. (Unless anyone has a better translation...). Because he's sassy like that. Elowen is not all she appears, BY the way.

~Firefly