Alec watched Tessa run out the door, but he couldn't get his hopes up. He remembered only too well those first few weeks after he'd met Magnus. Those weeks when Magnus had been hung up on Camille. Magnus hadn't said where he was going and Alec tried to hope Magnus hadn't gone to see her, but it was a weak hope. After all, Magnus had yet to give Alec even the slightest indication he loved Alec in return. Magnus had been acting weird for weeks and was now likely off somewhere with Camille at this very moment. Magnus was probably going to break up with Alec when he returned. No matter what Izzy said, he knew he could go searching for Magnus, flu or no flu, but what was the point? If Magnus didn't want to be with him there was nothing Alec could do about it.
"I hope Tessa punches him," Izzy said firmly.
"Go away," Alec grumbled. He'd been so happy to see his sister just moments ago, but now he felt rather the opposite. He couldn't help but think Magnus might still be here if she hadn't interfered. He knew if he and Magnus hadn't been on such thin ice, her interference wouldn't have mattered, but he still didn't want that reminder just now.
"But, I came to visit you," Izzy whined.
"And you're here for a week, right?" Alec continued. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Alec," Izzy said. "I was trying to help."
"And I didn't need your help, Iz," Alec complained, leaning back on the couch and pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers. He had a headache, but he couldn't tell if it was flu induced or sister induced.
"At least let me look after you while you're sick," Izzy said.
"I can look after myself," Alec replied. After all, he felt fine so long as he stayed on the couch. He wasn't as nauseous as he'd been before. It had been standing that had thrown him off balance.
"But-"
"No buts," Alec replied. "I want to be alone." And Izzy gave in. Alec supposed she must have finally developed some sense of when he was serious. After all, she was starting to back off a little, granted it was too late now, but Alec couldn't fix the damage that had already been done. Alec felt bad as she stood up, looking more guilty than Alec had ever seen her look before.
"Sorry," Izzy mumbled as she got up and left, closing Magnus's front door as she did so.
Alec took a deep breath. Alone in his soon-to-be ex-boyfriend's apartment. He'd grown quite fond of this apartment since he'd met Magnus. Sure, he'd spent more time here once they started dating, but he'd liked it even before then. There was something homey about the way Magnus and Tessa had laid it out. The furniture angled toward the tv in such a way as to still encourage conversation. The warm blanket that covered his legs was rather lovely as well, with bright colourful geometric patterns. Alec was going to miss this place. Chairman Meow and the Great Catsby chose this moment to jump up onto Alec's lap.
"I'll miss you guys too," Alec told the cats. They were both purring and seemed to know he needed the company. Cats really were the best pets, Alec thought as he stroked their soft fur. Alec knew his nostalgia was just masking the pain of losing Magnus. Alec also knew he should be mad at Magnus for everything that had happened, and he was, but not enough to matter. Mostly, Alec was just defeated. It was out of his control. Either Magnus would come back and break up with him or not. Alec wasn't sure how long he sat there with the cats in his lap. It was probably at least a half hour. His mind went over and over everything as he stroked the cats absently. He was so lost in his thoughts the sound of the door opening made him jump, startling both cats in his lap. When Alec had caught his breath, he turned to see who had walked in.
Magnus stood there. He was smiling, but Alec couldn't read the meaning behind the smile. Was he happy he'd finally be back with Camille after he dumped Alec? Was he just happy to be out of the rain? Was it raining? Wait, that didn't matter.
"Hi," Magnus said. He was standing in the still open doorway. A small part of Alec's mind tried to look past Magnus and check if it was raining. Of course, this was an apartment so all there was behind Magnus was a hallway. Alec could have looked out a window, but let's be honest, the rain was just a distraction, a way of avoiding a conversation that would cause him pain. Magnus moved forward, closing the door behind him, and walked into the living room. He soon stood in front of Alec, who turned back to face him.
"Hey," Alec replied. The blank TV screen was behind Magnus as the two men faced each other.
"I shouldn't have run off like that," Magnus said. "I'm sorry."
"Izzy shouldn't have yelled at you," Alec admitted. "But I shouldn't have told her enough to prompt her to either. It's just that you and I weren't talking and I needed so badly to talk to someone."
"I am so sorry for everything I put you through," Magnus said. "I should have talked to your sooner instead of keeping it all inside."
"Thanks," Alec sighed. He couldn't tell if Magnus was just trying to get all the apologies out of the way before breaking his heart, or if Magnus actually had more to say.
"If you're going to break up with me," Alec said, resigned to finding out one way or the other. Distractions weren't really helping anyway. "Please just do it quickly." He turned away from Magnus, unable to look him in the eye.
"Alexander, I-" Magnus started. Alec was still sitting on the couch with both cats in his lap. He was studying the colouring of Chairmen's fur to keep his head down and stop him from looking at Magnus.
"I got her text and it felt like a way out," Magnus said. "With your sister and everything, I freaked, but Alexander I-"
"You're done with me?" Alec said. He needed to say what he was afraid of. He needed to be blunt. It had been too long since they'd spoken frankly to each other. "You want her?" Alec was trying very hard not to picture Magnus kissing her, but he was failing. The image twisted his insides. He still wasn't looking at Magnus, but rather at the cats in his lap. Chairmen's head rested on Catsby's shoulder and they were purring.
"No," Magnus exclaimed passionately.
Alec wasn't looking at the cats anymore, or rather he wasn't seeing them. His head down, Alec froze. Then Magnus's hand touched Alec's chin, gently encouraging him to look up. Alec gazed into Magnus's eyes just as Magnus pulled Alec into his arms, dislodging two unhappy cats.
"I love you," Magnus whispered into Alec's ear. Alec could not form a thought before Magnus pulled out of the hug to kiss Alec. It was like their first kiss, heated and desperate. It had been weeks since they'd kissed like this and Alec melted instantly, his hands weaving through Magnus's hair. The combination of hearing his love returned and feeling Magnus's lips on his were enough to completely relax the anxiety that had been constricting Alec's chest.
"I think I was looking for a reason we wouldn't work," Magnus explained when they broke apart. "I don't think I realized how much a relationship that could actually have a future scared me."
"What about the money thing?" Alec asked, though he was inwardly grinning and Magnus's use of the word future. For when Alec thought about Magnus, all he could see was the future.
"I think what I really can't stand is money coming between up," Magnus said. "It feels like another thing separating us. Like a part of you I can't reach. But if we talked about it… I think that would help. I want to know what that it was like for you. I want to hear about your family… if they don't all hate me, that is. And, maybe we could talk about what it's like to go without." Magnus paused before looking hopefully at Alec and adding, "That is, if you still want me after everything… I wouldn't blame you… I haven't been kind to you recently…"
"I forgive you," Alec smiled, touching Magnus's face sweetly. It was easy to forgive him now that he understood why, but more than that, forgiving Magnus was the only thing he could do. Alec had never loved another person so completely before.
"And I love you," Alec said smiling. It felt so good to finally say it out loud, in this way. Not by accident, not because he'd messed up, but because he knew the other person would say it back.
"I love you too," Magnus said. Alec smiled and kissed his boyfriend softly, his heart singing in his chest at those words. Alec pulled Magnus down on the couch with him and kissed his boyfriend again, a little more enthusiastically this time. Their passionate kiss slowly shifted to a more lazy, warm, romantic kiss as they settled down together on the couch. Alec still wasn't feeling totally himself, otherwise he thought with a smile, they'd have probably made it to Magnus's bedroom by now. Given how Alec was feeling, the warm comforting arms of his boyfriend was all he wanted.
"How did seeing Camille bring you to this conclusion?" Alec asked after they'd been silent for a while. It was a new silence though, one without something ominous hanging over them. Alec was lying with his back against Magnus's chest and they were on the couch, curled up under the brightly coloured blanket.
"She reminded me of you and me," Magnus replied, and Alec heard something there in Magnus's voice to back up his words, an honest affection in his tone. Alec almost turned to read his boyfriend's face, but he was so very comfortable. "When we were friends and you were always by my side."
"When I arrived," Magnus continued. "And she was sobbing, but for the first time I recognized her tears for what they were. It was so surreal. I couldn't remember why I used to love her. Then I thought of you and…"
"You came back," Alec added, smiling.
"I came back," Magnus confirmed.
"When you went to see Camille," Alec started. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I need to ask..." He didn't want to accuse Magnus of anything, but at the same time he really needed to know if he was ever going to get the image of Magnus kissing Camille out of his head.
"I have been cheated on," Magnus said softly, seeming to understand Alec's unfinished question. "I know what that feels like. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
"So, the image in my head of you kissing her is entirely fictional?" Alec teased feeling so much better.
"Entirely," Magnus replied as he leaned forward and kissed Alec's temple.
"Thank you," Alec whispered. He wasn't thanking Magnus for not kissing Camille, but rather for not judging him for needing to ask.
"So, you had rich people questions for me," Alec said cheerfully.
"Do you eat at one of those super long tables where you can't talk to the person at the other end?" Magnus asked. Alec couldn't contain his laughter.
"No," Alec chuckled. "We have a cook, but our table only seats eight."
"A cook?" Magnus asked. Alec nodded. "You employ a person full time to make all your meals?"
"Well, my parents do," Alec said. "Though mom does her own cooking at Christmas."
"That's crazy," Magnus said, but Alec just shrugged.
"It seemed normal to me," Alec said.
"I grew up shopping with coupons and learning how to find something to eat when we hadn't bought groceries for two weeks," Magnus said.
"Now that's crazy," Alec replied. "How would there be anything to eat after two weeks without groceries?"
"The first week, we used all the fresh vegetables and perishables," Magnus said. "But once they were gone, we move on to canned, frozen and nonperishable foods until payday."
"That's hard to imagine," Alec said.
"A personal family chef is hard to imagine," Magnus laughed. "My aunt is very good at creating a meal out of bare cupboards, or almost bare anyway."
"Did you ever go out to eat?" Alec asked.
"Sometimes," Magnus replied. "Chinese take-out mostly."
"We went to restaurants," Alec said. "More than we ordered in."
"Well why would you order in when you have a cook at your beck and call," Magnus laughed.
"Fair enough," Alec conceded.
"So, next question, why does someone who can definitely afford new clothes wear sweaters with holes in them?" Magnus asked.
"I hate shopping," Alec laughed.
"That's it?" Magnus asked. "Because your sister looks like she would be more than happy to shop for you."
"Izzy would make me try everything on!" Alec whined. "Not going to happen." Magnus laughed and Alec reveled in the sound. "Besides she'd also dress me in something extremely uncomfortable I'm sure."
"You're probably right," Magnus agreed, then he added. "Where is Izzy anyway? She was here when I left."
"I kinda told her to go," Alec said sheepishly. "I'll see her tomorrow."
"I see," Magnus said and his arms tightened around Alec. The gesture was somewhere between apologetic and comforting.
"I know she can be a little intense," Alec continued. "I wish I'd never talked to her about us."
"What's done is done," Magnus said simply and Alec knew he was right, but he also knew that a bad first impression wasn't the end. If Alec and Jace could be friends, he was sure Magnus and Izzy could too.
"Do you think we could start over with Iz?" Alec asked. "Like, maybe we could go mini golfing while she's here or something? She could get to know you properly rather than through my biased whining."
"I'd like that," Magnus said.
"Oh, and you left your phone here by the way," Alec said, as he remembered. "It kept going off." Alec pointed to the dining room table where Magnus's small silver phone rested.
"I'm too comfy to move," Magnus said resting his cheek against Alec's head gently.
"You won't get any argument from me," Alec smiled, leaning back into Magnus, closing his eyes.
"Does your wifi ever go out?" Magnus asked after a moment of comfortable silence.
"We had a hard time getting wifi throughout the whole house," Alec explained. "So, we have two different wifi networks from two different providers. If one went out you just had to go to the other side of the house to use the other one."
"How big is your house?" Magnus asked, a little awed.
"Big enough that I didn't have to share a bathroom with Izzy," Alec replied. In reality there were three wings to the house, but he sensed that was a topic for another day.
"My aunt and I shared one," Magnus said. "Which is why she never let me get a cat."
"What does that have to do with a cat?" Alec asked.
"She didn't want cat litter in her bathroom," Magnus explained. "And there was nowhere else in the apartment to put it."
"Is that why you have two cats now?" Alec chuckled. "Because you can?"
"Yeah," Magnus said. "I rented this place because of the little room near the back since it's perfect for cat litter!"
"That's a very specific reason to rent a place," Alec grinned. "We never had cats or dogs when I was a kid, but my sister has a horse."
"Now that is an expensive pet!" Magnus exclaimed.
"The agreement was that she'd take care of it if they bought it, but somehow Izzy managed to get them to hire a stable worker to do that work," Alec said. "I'm not really sure how."
"I don't mean to be rude," Magnus said. "But your sister seems like a bit of a brat."
"I know," Alec sighed. "She's the only girl in the family. Even among my cousins. I think it went to her head."
"I think someone let it go to her head," Magnus said. "But, I will try to like her for your sake. Promise."
"Thanks," Alec replied. "She just takes some getting used to."
"I find it rather amazing," Magnus whispered against Alec's temple. "That you come from a family that has such an indulgent background, but you're still so humble, so honest." Magnus paused before continuing. "Usually rich people stick out. Usually I can spot them. Like with Isabelle. When she walks into a room, you can tell she believes all eyes should turn to her, but you are somehow different. It's quite remarkable to me."
"Is that why you love me?" Alec asked as he snuggled into Magnus's arms, so happy to be there.
"One of many reasons," Magnus replied with a kiss. Just then, both cats decided that it was time to reclaim their spot in Alec's lap. Chairmen purred as he settled on Alec's leg while Catsby wanted to be more of a nuisance before finally deciding to sleep near Alec's feet. With two cats purring and Magnus's arms around him, Alec felt no need to get up. They stayed right where they were while they talked about their lives, trying to understand the other's world.
I surprised by beta! She thought for sure I was gonna break Malec up. hehe.
Also... I started a new story! ^_^ It's called Royal Dilemma and its a Malec Fantasy AU.
The story summary is: Alec is the heir to the throne and that comes with responsibilities, but what do you do when your duty and your moral compass clash? The throne needs an heir, but the only person Alec has eyes for is not only a man but also cursed with a demon's mark.
Chapter one just went up yesterday! Please check it out and leave a review. I so want to know what you think. I've never written an AU Fantasy before. *is excited*
Sneak Peek Ch 45
Simon listened for the door. Everytime he heard the chime he turned to see who had entered the restaurant. With every old man, young family and couple who entered Simon became more worried he was going to be stood up. He checked the time. Okay so she wasn't technically late and maybe his arriving a half hour early hadn't been a good idea. The door chime went and Simon turned expectantly only to see a woman clearly three times his age enter the restaurant alone. That couldn't be Maia right? Simon turned away, hoping with all his might she didn't walk over here. Hadn't Eric said Maia was a student at his school? Then Simon remember how University wasn't like high school, people weren't all the same age. Simon had all but convinced himself this was just his luck when someone sat down in the seat across from him and it wasn't the women who just entered.
