Alec skipped down the street. This would be the last time he went to his parents house and called it home and he couldn't believe how freeing that thought was.
When Alec saw his little brother his conviction wavered but only for a moment. Max was getting out of the car that was parked in his parents driveway.
"Alec!" Max yelled as he approached. Since the hospital Alec has been at Magnus's so much he hadn't seen his brother very often which he felt horribly guilty about. Leaving his siblings was the big dark storm cloud raining on the parade that was living with Magnus.
Izzy wouldn't be shy about coming to see him. She was after all at Magnus's right now, probably telling more embarrassing Alec as a kid stories no less. But Max was a different matter. Keeping in touch with his little brother was going to be tricky. Alec vowed then that he would keep in touch with Max no matter how hard it became.
Ma turned and thanked the person in the car then waved and the car started to drive away.
"Hey Max," Alec said as Max walked up the now empty driveway. "Where have you been?"
"My friend Brian's," Max said. "I asked his mom to drop me off because they were having liver for dinner." He pulled a face at the very idea and Alec had to agree.
"Good call," Alec laughed pulling his little brother into half a hug as they walked, side by side. "Glad you got a ride though." Ever since Max had been in the hospital Alec worried more than before about him being out on his own. Though since Max had been attached in their home while both his parents were there he didn't really know the best way to keep his brother safe.
"Brian lives way too far away for me to walk," Max explained.
"Why didn't you call mom or dad to drive you?" Alec asked.
"Brain's mom offered," Max said. "So I just texted mom I was headed home."
"How's your summer vacation going?"
"Okay," Max said. "But I haven't seen you in ages."
"Sorry. I've been spending time with Magnus," Alec said.
"Who is Magnus?" Max asked.
"He's my boyfriend," Alec said calmly. He wasn't sure how Max would take this; he waiting holding his breath.
"Is that like when Izzy has a boyfriend?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Alec said, relaxing. "Just like that."
"I didn't know a guy could have a boyfriend too," Max said.
"Neither did mom and dad," Alec muttered under his breath.
"Max," Alec said. He stopped walking toward the house and leaned down to speak eye to eye with his little brother. "I have decided to move out and go live with Magnus. So I won't be here very often anymore but that doesn't mean I won't see you."
"You promise?"
"I promise," Alec said pulling his little brother into a hug. "I love you Max." It was always true but Alec didn't often say it. Max hugged him a little tighter knowing the words said aloud meant something more.
"Do you want to help me pack?" Alec asked as they pulled out of the hug and Alec held out his hand. Max took it and together they walked quietly into the house and up the stairs to Alec's room. Alec was hoping to finish packing and be gone before parents knew he was home. He really didn't have a lot of stuff. There were some knick knacks on his bookshelf, clothes in his dresser, and old school books on his desk. Alec knew he didn't need the furniture. He would be sharing a bed with Magnus after all and he wasn't in school anymore so would need any of that stuff. Alec pulled a backpack out of his closet and started to fill it with clothes.
"It's going to be so weird without you here," Max told Alec as he helped fold clothes.
"I know," Alec said. "But maybe when your school starts again I can come walk home with you?"
"But you won't be in school silly," Max said. "Why come all the way there just to walk me home?"
"To see you of course," Alec said but Max shook his head and called his brother silly again. "We will find something to do together."
Silence fell as Alec decided which of his trinkets mattered enough to take. They were small, worthless things technically but had been been given to him by people he loved so were therefore priceless.
"I remember that!" Max said pointing to the small clay hand print Alec was packing. "That's my hand." Alec smiled at his brother then decided that wasn't enough and gave him a huge bear hug.
"Yep," Alec said, still holding Max tightly. "Your hands are a little bigger now though." Max mumbled something about not being able to breathe and Alec let him go. The two of them both had huge grins on their faces. Alec ruffled Max's hair and they both started laughing.
The knock on the door killed the moment. Alec's laughter died as the muscles in his body tensed as if for a fight. He knew even before they spoke who was there.
"Alec," Robert's voice came through the door. "Can we come in?"
"Please," Maryse's voice joined his.
"Why ask," Alec yelled across the room. "It's your house. Your roof your rules remember?!" His parents opened the door slowly then stepped in more cautiously than usual. Alec tried to remember this would be the last time. He would get through this quickly then go back to Magnus and never feel like this again.
"We didn't hear you come in," Maryse said looking at him with the oddest expression. Alec couldn't place it.
"That was the idea," Alec muttered.
"Max," Robert said. "Could you give us a minute alone with Alec?"
"No Max," Alec said. "Stay." Max felt like a buffer. They couldn't yell so much if Alec's little brother was in the room.
"Max dear," Maryse said, smiling. "There are some donuts downstairs on the kitchen counter if you would like one." Max's face lit up in a grin as he quickly hugged Alec then ran down stairs.
"What do you want?" Alec asked defensively as his buffer vanished from sight. He felt penned in, trapped; they were both standing by the only door out of the room.
"You're packing," Maryse said, almost more as a statement of fact then a question.
Alec nodded, determined to give them as little information as possible. The less fuel they had to yell with the better. His parents exchanged a knowing look while Alec stood frozen, desperate to escape.
Then between one breath and the next it was like something snapped. The tension in the room changed as his mother flung herself across the room and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry Alec," Maryse sobbed into his shoulder. Alec stood stunned, arms at his sides, barely able to process what was happening. "I may not understand everything about you but you are still my son." Alec was shocked beyond belief but saw tears running down her face as she pulled out of the hug.
"The relationship I had with my father was one of obedience," Robert said calmly from where he still stood near the door. "I told him where I was and who I was with. I rarely tried to cross him but when I did my father would yell at me until his voice was hoarse. It is the only father son relationship I am familiar with and I am ashamed to admit it was my default reaction."
Robert, his big strong emotionless father, walked quickly through the room to wrap his arms around Alec as well. This soon became the longest hug Alec had ever received from his father.
"I know we can't stop you from leaving," Maryse said as Robert broke the hug. "But please don't go." They both stood beside Alec with the same pleading look on their face.
"I don't understand," Alec said. "What changed?"
"We met Magnus," Robert said, simply. "Please don't leave. Invite him over for dinner like we should have done all along."
Alec suddenly found words for his emotions other than shock, many many words that were all jumbled inside his head. He was shocked for sure but also somehow relieved. Alec was also anxious at the prospect of dinner with his parents and Magnus. He was surprised to find he was also a little disappointed. His big wonderful excuse to wake up next to Magnus every morning was gone. He had no right to be disappointed but there it was. He wished they hadn't waited so long to figure this all out.
They had taken too long, Alec thought suddenly, and he wanted to live with Magnus. Alec had just decided it was too little too late when Max's face appeared in his mind. How could he leave his little brother now? And Izzy, too.
"I'll stay," Alec said, calmly. The relief on his parents faces was almost tangible. Alec started unpacking his backpack in silence while his parents watched. It almost felt like they wanted to see the proof of him staying for themselves.
"What about Law school?" Robert asked breaking the long silence. Alec was pleased to hear a tentative note in his voice.
"No," Alec said firmly. "But we could look into other programs that I might like."
"I won't pretend that I am not disappointed," Robert said sadly. "But I would never want to have that be the reason I lose you."
"We love you Alec," Maryse said.
"Could have fooled me," Alec muttered under his breath. He assumed his parents hadn't heard him until he saw the grief stricken looks on their faces.
"Oh Alec," Maryse said, distressed and gesturing as if to hug him again. "We do love you. Don't forget that. We just didn't… we couldn't… see… what we were doing."
"Okay," Alec said taking a deep breath. "I am going to go back to Magnus's to tell him I am not moving out. In the interests of communication I am telling you I will probably sleep over there but I will come back tomorrow. Let me know when you want me to bring him over for dinner alright?" He needed time to process what had just happened and more importantly he needed Magnus.
"Alright," Robert said.
"One step at a time," Maryse whispered as Alec picked up his backpack, which he had left just one set of clothes in, and started to move past them toward the door. They let him pass without comment. Alec quickly collected his toothbrush from the bathroom and headed back downstairs. He saw Max in the kitchen, his face covered in sugar as he ate what was probably not his first donut. The sight brought a smile to Alec's face.
"You probably should have had dinner first?" Alec teased him.
"But this is so much better than liver!" Max grinned.
"I'm not moving out Max," Alec said smiling. The look of happiness on his little brother's face was enough to not only cement his decision but lessen his disappointment.
"Awesome!" Max said. "We can play that new game Izzy's friend keeps talking about. He said it was called ShadowQuest and there's werewolves and vampires and cool stuff to collect."
"I know that game," Alec said smiling. "Magnus's roommate plays it. I must warn you I am not good at it.
"What avatar were you playing?" Max asked.
"Warlock I think," Alec said. "But I almost got killed."
"We should try playing as Angel Warriors," Max said his eyes shining with anticipation. "I hear they are the best."
"I will be back tomorrow. We can play then."
"Awesome," Max said. "Can't wait! Hurry home okay?"
"Okay," Alec said. After giving Max a quick hug Alec headed out the door.
On the walk back, Alec's conversation with his parents went around and around in his head. Robert said they had met Magnus but Magnus hadn't mentioned anything. What could Magnus have possibly said to his parents that would get this reaction out of them?
"I'm back," Alec said as he walked into Magnus's flat. It was very similar to the way he had left it. Catarina, Magnus and Izzy were still sitting on the couch though it seemed now they were looking at their phones than actually having a conversation. Ragnor was, of course, still plugged into his game. Magnus was the only one who looked up at Alec's arrival.
"Do you really not own any clothes Alexander?" Magnus said as he took in Alec's small backpack.
"You talked to my parents," Alec said bluntly. Magnus's face froze. He stood quickly and walked across the room to Alec.
"I did," Magnus whispered, taking both Alec's hands in his. "Are you mad?"
"No," Alec said. "They asked me to stay and said they were sorry. They invited you to come for dinner."
"That explains the light packing," Magnus smiled. "I assume you said you would stay."
"Is that okay?" Alec asked.
"Of course," Magnus said. "I never wanted you to be driven from your home Alexander."
"I almost told them no," Alec said. "I really do want to live with you Magnus."
"I know you do," Magnus said softly tilting Alec's head up to look him in the eyes. "But all in good time, my love." And Magnus kissed him. Alec's hands flew up to hold his boyfriend as he lost himself in the kiss. The anxiety in his chest was suddenly gone.
"It sounds like mom and dad have finally figured out they are stupid," Izzy said though she hadn't looked up from her phone. "Took them long enough."
"You know Magnus," Catarina said. "That was a very risky thing you did. It could have ended much worse."
"I can be very persuasive," Magnus defended himself as the two of them went back into the living space. "Besides it worked!"
"I wish Simon wasn't busy tonight," Izzy whined.
"Way to keep up with the conversation Iz," Alec teased her. Alec leaned over his sister's shoulder and saw what she was doing.
"He isn't answering your texts and you are pining?" Alec laughed. "What has his guy done to you?"
"I don't know," Izzy said. "It is annoying. Make it go away." Magnus started laughing and holding his sides. He looked as if he might might fall over.
"Izzy darling," Magnus said once he could draw breath to speak. "If I knew how to do that my life would have been far easier let me assure you." Alec wasn't sure what Magnus meant and found himself instantly curious.
"Being able to forget you care about people would have made your life easier?" Alec asked him. Magnus sobered instantly as if just now realizing what he had said.
"Alexander," Magnus started, looking Alec right in the eyes where they stood facing each other behind the couch. "Don't misunderstand me. I was in no way talking about you."
"Who were you talking about?"
"Camille," Magnus said softly. Alec suspected no one else in the room heard him. "I told you no one else ever said it back to me before you." And Alec suddenly understood the gravity of that. He locked eyes with Magnus and tried to convey without words what he was feeling.
"Why do I want to see Simon?" Izzy asked. Her voice bursting Alec and Magnus's moment. "I just saw him a few hours ago."
"Izzy has a crush," Alec teased, turning from his boyfriend to his sister.
"Shut up!" Izzy yelled back. "You can't talk, with the lovey dovey crap over there!"
"If you miss him," Catarina said wisely. "Go see him."
"He's having dinner with his family," Izzy said.
"Then surprise him," Catarina suggested. "Besides they might be done dinner by now." Izzy had a strange expression Alec had never before seen on her face. Alec identified determination in it but there was something else as well.
"You are right," Izzy said as she stood up. "I am going to go see Simon." And with that she headed straight for the door and vanished.
"Oh man!" Alec said walking around the couch and slumping into his sister's empty seat. "Now I am going to have to remember his name."
"It's Simon, love," Magnus said as he sat down beside Alec.
"Well I have never seen her like this before," Alec said. "And frankly its freaking me out."
"I recall Jace freaked you out as well when he met Clary," Magnus said.
"Yeah I guess," Alec conceded. He snuggled in closer to Magnus on the couch and closed his eyes. "Oh I told mom and dad I was sleeping here tonight by the way."
"So that's the reason for the almost empty backpack," Magnus said but Alec could hear a smile in his voice. Alec nodded into Magnus's chest. He felt his boyfriend's arms wrap around him, and he was home.
Beta read by Rosycat