Alec was pretty sure he'd been stood up.
Which was pretty sad, since this was the first date he'd ever been on, and it hadn't even happened. He took another sip from the glass of water in front of him, trying not to make eye contact with the wait staff and other customers who kept glancing over at him.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" one of the waitresses asked. Her nametag read Kaelie. Alec was fairly certain she'd slept with his brother at some point.
"No thanks. Just a few more minutes," he said. Kaelie cast him a pitying glance and left.
Behind Alec, the door to Taki's diner swung open, rattling the bell hanging over the doorframe. Alec spun around, but it was only a group of three people about his age- a dark-skinned girl with blue hair, a grumpy-looking boy with white hair, and a guy in skinny jeans with spikey black hair. He was kind of hot, if Alec was being honest, but he figured he shouldn't be looking at other guys and thinking they were hot when he was on a date. Even if his date had stood him up.
It was clear Jaxson wasn't going to show. Alec reached into the pocket of his jeans for his wallet.
"Sorry I'm late, babe!"
Alec's head snapped up. It was the hot guy, sliding into the chair opposite Alec. "Traffic was hell." He lowered his voice. "Just go with it, alright?"
Alec was too stunned to say anything. He just nodded.
"I'm Magnus," the guy said.
"Oh- uh. Alec," Alec said.
Kaelie materialized next to them, beaming. "What can I get for you guys?"
Magnus ordered something fancy and expensive. Alec ordered a burger and fries.
"So," Magnus said, once Kaelie had left. "Since we seem to have found ourselves on a date." He placed his hands on the table; he was wearing a ring on every finger. "Tell me about yourself."
"You don't have to do this," Alec said, glancing around the restaurant. "Your friends-"
"Will have more fun laughing about this behind my back than they ever would talking to me," Magnus said. "They're terrible. Unless I misread this? Are you straight? Please don't tell me you're straight, that would just be a crime."
"I'm, um. I'm not," Alec said. "But you still don't have to-"
"Nonsense," Magnus said. He smiled, and Alec's heart stopped.
o-o-o-o-o
"Sorry, you have how many siblings?" Magnus arched his eyebrows.
"Three," Alec said. "Two brothers and a sister."
"Must be nice," Magnus said. "I'm an only child."
Magnus and Alec had been sitting at this same table for over an hour. Alec was usually almost too protective of his siblings, so he wasn't sure why he was telling someone he'd only just met about them. But he wanted to.
"Maybe," he said. "There has to be less drama, though."
"I like to think I'm dramatic enough on my own." Magnus winked. Alec knew he was blushing. Again.
"No one's that dramatic."
"You underestimate me, Alec."
Alec laughed. "My sister breaks at least two boys' hearts every week, my brother's been useless since he started dating this girl Clary, and my other brother- well, actually, he might be too young for drama."
"Clary Fairchild?" Magnus asked. "I know her. I help out at the Jade Wolf on weekends. Her stepfather owns the place.
Alec knew about the Jade Wolf; he didn't much care for the food. He said as much, and Magnus shook his head with a smile.
"Neither do I, honestly."
Kaelie appeared at their table again. "All done, boys?"
Magnus insisted on paying the bill, and they walked out of Taki's, hand in hand. Crossing the street directly opposite the diner was Jaxson, flanked on either side by guys in varsity letter jackets. He stopped when he saw Alec.
"Hey, man," he said. "I didn't expect you to actually show."
Behind him, his two friends snickered and muttered to each other.
Magnus started to let go of Alec's hand and step away. At first, Alec let him. He had no idea what to say.
Then he reached out and grabbed Magnus's hand again.
"Don't worry about it," he told Jaxson. "It worked out."
"Oh." Jaxson nodded. "Well. Cool."
He and his friends continued on. Alec turned to face Magnus.
"Sorry," he said. "I hope that wasn't- I mean, I know you were only doing me a favor in there. You don't have to-"
"Alec," Magnus said. "Would it be alright if I shut you up by kissing you?"
Alec was sure he'd been able to speak English at one point, but he seemed to have lost that ability. He nodded.
Magnus kissed him.
Alec had never kissed anyone before, but he was sure this was something special. He didn't even care who saw, or what they thought. All he cared about was Magnus.
Magnus pulled away, and Alec thought he may have gasped or made some other embarrassing sound.
"So, if it wasn't clear," Magnus said. "That was me asking you out."
Alec leaned forward and kissed him again.
"Okay," he said.
o-o-o-o-o
Three Months Later
"I can't wait to finally meet this mystery man in your life," Izzy said. She was perched in Simon's lap; Simon looked both confused and ecstatic about it.
"You'll like him," Clary said. She and Jace were on the sofa opposite Isabelle and Simon's armchair. "He won't shut up about Alec."
"No?" Izzy asked. "Good."
"You guys," Alec moaned, but secretly, he was kind of thrilled.
The doorbell rang.
Jace grinned over at Alec. "What are you waiting for? Go get your man."
Alec punched his brother lightly on the shoulder and moved to get the door.
"Alexander," Magnus said. Alec smiled.
"Hi," he said. "Come in." He stood back, holding the door open. Magnus stopped to kiss him on the threshold.
"Hey, Magnus," Clary said, when they finally made it to the family room.
"Hello, Biscuit," Magnus said. Clary stood to give him a hug, and dragged Jace over so there was room for Alec on the sofa. Magnus sat on the arm, his legs thrown over Alec's lap.
"Nice to meet you, man," Jace said, leaning across Clary for a fist bump. Magnus obliged.
"I'm Isabelle," Izzy said. "That's Jace, and this is my boyfriend, Simon."
Simon's eyebrows flew up, but he was smiling.
"Anyway," Isabelle continued. "Who's hungry? I made-"
"Alright," Clary interrupted, fishing her phone out of her pocket. "I'm ordering takeout. What do you guys want?"
Everyone started moving towards the kitchen, Izzy complaining while the others debated Taki's versus the Jade Wolf. Alec and Magnus hung back.
"Thanks for coming," Alec said. "I know they can be a little…" he trailed off.
Magnus reached up to trail his fingers along the side of Alec's face. "I wouldn't miss it," he said.
They stood in the Lightwood's family room, watching each other, until something in the kitchen crashed, and Jace cursed, and Isabelle started yelling. Alec sighed.
"Give me a second. I'll go… deal with that."
"Oh, no. I want to see the famous Lightwood family drama firsthand."
Together, they walked down the hall to the kitchen. Despite whatever was going on, Alec couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this content.