So many people followed this story last chapter thank you so much!
Hockeycrazy7 and TattleTales- Thank you so much for your reviews, I hope this goes how you wished!
Meet me on Thames Street, I'll take you out though I'm hardly worth your time.
Alec looked at Magnus in shock, and Magnus simply stared back, terrified that this was it, that he'd blown everything.
On cue, Elysia began to fuss, and then bawl.
"She's probably hungry," Magnus choked out, watching Alec's eyes travel from Magnus to Elysia and back. He wished the blue-eyed boy would say something. "I forgot to grab anything before I just had to get out of the flat my mum-" Magnus blinked, realising that he was saying too much, far far too much. He knew he looked terrified and weak and everything he'd spent years trying not to be. He'd been right to leave the flat, he couldn't have Elysia in the kind of mess it was now, or anywhere near his mother when she was like this, but that didn't mean that he had to tell Alec everything. They had barely even reached the point of saying that they were seeing each other, he couldn't just tell him his life story and scare him away forever.
"Magnus," Alec fell out of his shock, stepping forwards to touch his arm, "Magnus you're scaring her," Elysia was staring at her father with wide, scared eyes and Magnus almost fell. What was wrong with him? Even now, even after the shock of Magnus's words, Alec was most concerned about someone else. Kind, totally selfless Alec. Magnus knew that he would never really deserve this boy in a million years.
"C'mon, let's go and sit down, yeah?" Alec pulled the little boy he'd been swinging into his arms and reached for Magnus's hand. Magnus flinched but let Alec lead him to a bench. He sat down and watched helplessly as Alec curled his legs up onto the bench, baby in his arms.
"What happened?" Alec asked and Magnus looked at him confused. What happened when? Alec saw his expression and continued, "At home. This afternoon, how come you're out here with nothing for Elysia?"
After everything, after Magnus had lied to him, or at least been creative with the truth, Alec was most concerned that Magnus was okay. No one had ever been so concerned about him, and he'd remembered Elysia's name too, even though Magnus had only said it once. It was all suddenly too much for him, and Magnus felt tears build up in his eyes
No. He would not cry. Magnus Bane hadn't cried in five years and he wasn't about to start now.
"My Mum's.. ill," Magnus tried to explain, "She's... its just not the safest place for Elysia at the minute. Mum isn't herself, its not safe for a baby," He knew he was making little sense, but Alec nodded. He was quiet for a minute, peering into the bag he had and producing a packet of rusks, handing one to his little brother and looking at Magnus, clearly asking if Elysia wanted one.
"Please," Magnus whispered, hating how irresponsible he seemed. His mother had been throwing things though, he'd needed to get out. He watched in admiration as Alec spoke to Elysia. Most people, never mind boys, their age would have no idea how to approach a baby. Alec was so clearly different, so clearly better.
"Is it safe for you there?" Alec asked and Magnus blinked.
"Um," Magnus didn't know how to answer, "I'm fine?" He hated the uncertainty in his voice. Of course he was fine, he could take care of himself.
"We're walking down to get a takeaway after this, do you want to join us? I have to feed Joshua, we can feed Elysia too," Magnus wanted to say no, wanted to prove that he was fine and capable and everything else he had to be, but he knew that his mother was still at the flat, and either way he hadn't had time to buy Elysia any food, never mind food for himself.
"I don't have my wallet on me," He sighed sadly, knowing he'd left it in the flat and that there was a high possibility of it being emptied by his mother. She had to buy the alcohol somehow, and she was hardly earning her own money.
"Don't worry, it's on me," Alec promised, and Magnus had no arguments left. He was clear out of fights, and he suddenly felt tired to the bone, so completely exhausted. Alec stretched an arm out, curling Magnus into his side. Magnus accepted, cuddling into Alec and watching as his daughter happily sucked on the biscuit and babbled to Alec's brother.
"What's his name?" Magnus asked and Alec smiled.
"This is Joshua," Alec held the boy protectively close to him as he was doing to Magnus. Magnus didn't need protecting, he'd been doing it himself for long enough, but the gesture was comforting.
"You probably recognise Jace and Isabelle," Alec pointed them out and Magnus noticed the love in his voice, "Jace is over there with Max, and Isabelle has Eva," Magnus was awed at Alec's ability to keep tabs on all of his siblings at once, "I promised Max they could have a while in the park, then we'll grab something to eat on the way home,"
Magnus's stomach rumbled at the promise of food and he realised just how little he'd eaten since Friday, even compared to the small amount Magnus was used to living on.
Only a little while later, Alec stretched and considered he best way to try and round up his siblings.
"Do you look after Elysia all the time?" Alec asked, and Magnus could see him trying to work out how that would work. He shook his head, feeling a piece of hair fall loose.
"Her mother looks after her most of the time, I find it difficult because I spend so much time at school, I only usually get to see her on weekends or the occasional evening. Anna's picking her up tomorrow morning," Magnus explained.
"Do you get on with her?" Alec asked quietly and Magnus squeezed his hand gently.
"She's a good friend of mine, we were only together for one night, we were never a real thing,"
Alec nodded as if this news made sense, and was okay with him.
"Come on, let's go and get some food before it gets chilly, I didn't bring any coats," Alec let go of Magnus's hand to strap Joshua, who was beginning to fidget and whine, into his pushchair and grab the bag. He called over all his siblings who all looked exhausted, in Jace's case, or were protesting, in Max and Eva's cases.
"None of you mind if Magnus and Elysia join do you?" Alec asked, knowing that they wouldn't. As expected, his siblings all simply shook their heads, not asking any questions. They were all used to being looked after by Alec, so it didn't seem strange to any of them that Magnus would also be looking after a baby.
As they walked, the siblings bickered about what food they wanted but settled on Chinese. It was both Jace and Alec's favourite, and therefore also Max's, so all three were pleased, while Eva was pouting.
"I like pizza," She whined and Alec shot her a look, effectively silencing her, and began the battle of choosing what to order.
This is super short but I'm going to end it here because it feels right, sorry! I miss Jace so I might have a wee bit of Jace time next chapter, I'm feeling it.
I do have a little thing to ask y'all about though! I have an idea for a story that I just can't shake off. Before I went too far with it, I was wondering if anything reading this would be interested/if anyone had any advice on the subject. I'm toying with the idea of rival bands, Alec in one, Magnus in another, and writing 'their story' so to speak. If anyone would actually like me to go ahead and write some, drop me a review or a PM because I'd love to hear from you! I also suck at things like band names, so if anyone has any ideas please help me out!
Thank you all so much!
Much love, Xena x