The first thing Magnus noticed when he met up with Clary and Simon for lunch was Alexander. It was almost as if Alec was waiting for Magnus to arrive, since no sooner had Magnus spotted Alec, than Alec had gotten up and walked straight over to some blonde guy from the volleyball team.
Magnus's gaze was glued to Alec as he talked with the blonde. Magnus could just tell from their body language this was no platonic conversation and he couldn't explain to himself why it bothered him. For some reason, Magnus suddenly disliked the blonde guy in the volleyball uniform, and when he said disliked he meant hated. He hated the blonde guy looking Alec up and down like a shallow window shopper scoping for sales. There was a lot more to Alec than his good looks! Alec angled his foot the way he always did when he was about to turn around. Quickly facing forward, Magnus bent his head down to make sure Alec hadn't known he'd been looking.
"Magnus," Clary said sadly. "What are you doing?"
Magnus suddenly remember he was sitting with Clary and Simon rather than in a world that consisted only of himself, Alec and the blonde who needed to die painfully.
"Nothing," Magnus said too quickly. "Just checking the lineup for food."
"Lair," Clary replied. "If you miss him so much just date him. He won't be your friend. Practically screamed that at us moments ago."
"He did what?" Magnus asked, shocked.
"He came over to say Jace wasn't horrible and then stormed off," Clary said. Simon put a hand on her arm.
"That isn't exactly what he said Clary," Simon spoke gently to her. "You got mad at him."
"I don't like him," Clary said stubbornly.
"Please don't say that's my fault," Magnus whined. How had things gotten so messed up?
"He made you miserable," Clary argued. Magnus didn't reply but he couldn't help thinking that Alec hadn't made him miserable. In fact, Alec had been the only one to make him really smile again after Camille. Magnus missed him, but he didn't want another lecture from Clary so he tried to avoid the topic for the rest of lunch.
In class a few hours later Magnus was doodling on his notebook when he suddenly noticed he was drawing that blonde guy with an arrow in his head. Shaking his head as if that could rewire his brain, Magnus quickly ripped out the offending piece of paper and crumpled it up. What was wrong with him?
Taking a deep breath Magnus checked his phone. No messages. He had been continuing his attempts to contact Will this last week, but the guy had either thrown his phone away or was very determined not to talk to anyone. Magnus had once or twice gone back to the cafe where he'd first met Will but it seemed Will was avoiding even that.
'If you do not answer me William,' Magnus tried texting him one last time. 'I am going to track you down, show up at your door at 2am and bang on it until you open up!'
Okay, maybe that was a bit extreme, but Magnus was trying to help his friend; he was annoyed that Alec was asking out blondes and he was annoyed that he was annoyed about. Will was just being stupid. A small voice in the back of Magnus's head tried to speak up and say Magnus was being just as stupid, but he shut it down mid-sentence. Tessa deserved to at least talk to Will one more time. The situations were totally different.
'Fine!' Will texted back a few moments later. Magnus was thrilled. It seemed threats did work.
'You need to talk to Tessa,' Magnus texted.
'No.'
'Yes,' Magnus replied.
'No,' Will texted.
Magnus sighed. 'Yes,' Magnus texted. 'And don't say no again! I know you love her and she needs to talk to you. You can't leave things between you like that.'
'She loves Jem,' Will replied. 'They have each other.'
'You've been avoiding Jem's phone calls too haven't you?'
'Yes.'
'If you just picked up your goddamn phone you'd know your best friend is worried about you! For some stupid reason Tessa and Jem love you and you cutting them out isn't helping anyone!' Magnus texted furiously. 'You are stupid! The two people who love you most in the world want to talk to you. Talk to them or I will do worse than bang on your door in the middle of the night.'
Magnus put his phone away, deciding the threat was better left to Will's imagination. Exams started next week and Magnus had many dates and presidents to memorize before then. He would not think about Alec dating blondes or Will being stupid. He was going to study.
The very next morning he decided to take his textbooks to the cafe on campus and get a latte while reading up on Russian politics. However, when Magnus walked in, he stopped dead in his tracks. Alec was sitting with that blonde and he was laughing. Magnus balked; turning in a flash, he run out of there like hell was chasing him. He went up the stairs and collapsed, panting on the stairwell. After a moment to compose himself, Magnus went to find a seat in the library where he could lay out his books and try his best not to think about Alexander.
Magnus focused on history with all his might. Who had been prime minister when? What had each one accomplished in their term? He forced the facts to run through his head over and over again until the image of Alexander laughing on his date faded into the background.
Magnus wasn't totally sure what happened over the next week unless it had happened decades ago. Magnus had never studied so diligently before. He lived and breathed his exams until the last one was over. In his mind the solution was simple, get through the week, go home for Christmas and everything would be fine.
Magnus was packed and on a bus home only hours after his last exam. Aleida would have the house done up with Christmas decorations by now and Magnus thought nothing but that sight could make him smile. He tried to keep his mind blank on the trip home. Clary and Tessa texted him but Magnus's replies weren't enough to keep them answering for long. He did learn that Will still hadn't talked to Tessa, which annoyed him. Magnus made a note to punish Will for that after the holidays, make good on his threat. He suspected Tessa and Clary were worried about him and his strange behaviour recently, but right now he didn't care. His roommate and best friends were wonderful, but he just wanted a hug from his auntie.
When Magnus got off the train, Aleida was there to greet him and he ran into her arms without further thought.
"Magnus!" Aleida exclaimed as they broke apart. "What's wrong?"
"I just needed a hug," Magnus said, shrugging. He refused to give her a better answer as they walked to her car and drove home. Magnus watched her as the car passed by all the familiar sights of his childhood. His aunt had pale skin, but her dark brown, almost black, hair was similar enough to his. He'd always liked this fact; no matter how different they looked there were some physical characteristics about them that matched.
He was home and everything was going to be fine.
When they entered the house, Magnus saw the same beautifully decorated living room he'd seen every year for as long as he could remember. A warm, well-lit Christmas tree covered in homemade decorations, some of which Magnus could remember making. Stockings hung over the fireplace and there were twinkling lights around all the frames art on the walls. The usual year round art on the walls had been switched for Christmas prints. Magnus looked sadly at his favorite print of a rustic santa with his sleigh full of gifts, but Magnus didn't find the same joy in the festive image he usually did. Instead, the dark blue velvet of the wrapping paper only reminded Magnus of Alec's eyes. It was the sight he'd believed would snap him out of his numb pain but instead of smiling Magnus burst into tears.
"Sweetheart!" Aleida said stunned. She hadn't called him that for years.
"When did everything get so messed up?" Magnus whispered.
"Is this about Camille?" Aleida asked. Magnus laughed but without humour. In a way it was about Camille. It was about everyone who had every broken his heart. Magnus hadn't let himself feel anything since seeing Alec laughing on his date, but now that exams were over and the relief he'd been expecting had turned to ash in his mouth, Magnus felt it all: jealousy, envy, regret.
Aleida made them hot tea and he confessed to her everything that had happened since he'd learned of Camille's cheating while they sat together on the sofa surrounded by her decorations. She listened carefully, but without interrupting. When Magnus was done she set her tea aside and pulled him in for a rib crushing hug.
"You can't give up," she whispered into his ear. "I know it hurts, but please don't give up."
"I'm so scared," Magnus whispered. It was the first time he'd said this out loud. Somehow it seemed to lighten his burden while simultaneously making everything worse.
"I know," she whispered. "But it seems to me that sparing yourself heartbreak is in fact breaking your heart." Magnus stared at her, unblinking. He was sitting here crying because he was trying to save himself pain? How ironic was that! She was right, of course.
"Oh god," Magnus whispered as he realized what he'd done. "I've been so cruel to Alec. How could he ever forgive me? Why would he even want to?"
"You won't know unless you tell him the truth," Aleida replied kindly.
"He's dating that blonde now," Magnus said unable to keep the dislike out of his voice.
"One date does not make them married," Aleida said smiling. "Just tell him and see what happens. Either he's over you and can be friends again or he still likes you."
"Or he hates me for being such a jerk," Magnus added. "And never wants to talk to me again."
"But you aren't talking now," his aunt reminded him. "So what have you got to lose?" Again, Magnus had to admit she had a point. "Besides, from what you've told me, I seriously doubt he hates you, sweetheart."
"Thanks," Magnus said. Taking a deep breath, he rested his head on her shoulder. They stayed like that, his aunt stroking his face in a motherly way, for several long moments. Magnus began to feel better as the only parent he had ever known held him close. How she managed to make everything okay again Magnus didn't know. It must be a parent thing, he thought as she made him sit up and face the spirit of Christmas.
Magnus spent most of his holidays trying to think of something to say to Alec when they were both back at school. It wasn't until Christmas morning that Magnus started panicking, fearing that Alec might not be willing to let Magnus explain. In a moment of fright, Magnus got out his phone and texted Alec.
'When we get back to school after the holidays,' Magnus texted. 'Would it be alright if we talked?'
Once Magnus had hit send he'd tried to keep the worry at bay. There was nothing more he could do now. He pushed the text out of his mind as the smell of his aunt's cinnamon apple pancakes wafted through the room. Magnus followed his nose and sat down to eat with Aleida.
"What did you do?" she accused him.
"Why do you think I did something?" Magnus replied while they ate.
"You have that look," Aleida told him. "Like the time you wouldn't tell me you smashed the screen on my phone."
"Oh please!" Magnus said. "What was I, like five?"
"You were seven actually," Aleida corrected. "And it's the same look, so what did you do?"
"I texted him," Magnus admitted sheepishly.
"This is not a conversation to have over text," Aleida told him sternly.
"I know!" Magnus said. "I just told him I wanted to talk. I'm worried he won't talk to me so, maybe telling him over text will… I don't know… help?"
"Well how did he respond?"
"He hasn't answered."
"When did you send it?"
"Two minutes ago," Magnus said and she laughed lightly at him.
"Give Alec more than a minute to check his phone," Aleida said. "It's Christmas after all. He's probably busy."
"I know," Magnus said shaking his head a little.
"Why don't you tell me about him?" his aunt suggested.
"Alec has the most beautiful eyes," Magnus said without hesitation. "He's gorgeous, but he doesn't really believe it when people point it out to him. He's loyal and kind. He loves his siblings dearly. He is also funnier than he thinks he is, though he could have a better appreciation for history puns."
"Oh god!" Aleida said. "You didn't inflict your puns on him did you?"
"I might have," Magnus said grinning.
"And he didn't run for the hills?" Aleida was shaking her head. "Impressive."
"He even tried to make a pun himself!" Magnus exclaimed. "Though it did need some polishing."
"I can't wait to meet him," Aleida said, and the image suddenly popped into his head, of Alec coming here to have Christmas with him. Alec meeting his aunt. It made Magnus smile. Magnus's phone went off and he jumped up instantly.
Alec had replied with one word, 'okay.'
Of course as soon as I say the next chapter will be uploaded quickly I get totally wrapped up in writing my other Malec story (the yet to be published one) and forget to edit this chapter. Oh well. At least you only waited a few days right? Not sure what else to say here except Magnus has finally come to his sense! Took long enough right? ;) Its not like I have dragged his out for 50,000 words without a single kiss or anything. lol Yes I totally have! hehe!
Oh and we are SO close to 100 follows! Woot! Need 6 more guys! Please! That would be SO cool!
And yes I did finally change the name. Technically it won by one vote but really it was fate (aka the coin toss). Sigh. At least this story has a name now! And with this name I could continue the story after University while with the other one that wouldn't be possible though I have no idea if I plan to continue this story after university yet so... yeah...
Sneak Peek:
It was Christmas morning and Jem had slept over last night, and the night before. Jem had basically been here every night since Magnus had left for his aunt's; Tessa didn't like being all alone. She had been raised by her aunt Harriet ever since her parents died and usually returned home for the holidays but this year she hadn't felt up to the long trip and, anyway, someone had to stay behind to feed the cats, right? Though she knew this was just an excuse. In the previous years they had always managed to find a cat sitter. Jem was here and Tessa craved his company in Will's absence more than her aunt's. Jem knew and shared her pain, shared the loss of Will. Short of forcing their company on someone who obviously didn't want to see them, neither Jem nor Tessa had any ideas how to bring Will back into their lives.
"Should we open presents?" Jem asked her. She had just opened her mouth to agree when there was a knock on the door. Without thinking Tessa got up and answered it. And there she stood face to face with the person she'd longed for but hadn't seen for a month.
Wouldn't you have preferred it if the next chapter was Alec POV? Hehe But you guys like Tessa right? :)
