Mango, Boxers, and Soup

"Isabelle! HELP!"

"What the hell Jace?" In ran our sister with her makeup half done and a trail of black eyeliner running from the corner of her left to her hair line. She looked around the kitchen frantically like someone was dying, but it was just Jace and I. Max and mom gone already for some school meeting or gathering. I don't know I never pay attention.

"It's Alec." Jace said jumping behind her as he pointed an accusing finger at me. I stared at him from my stool at the kitchen island as he jokingly coward behind our sister's shoulder. "He's smiling too happily." He said shaking her whole frame.

Izzy squinted her eyes at him. "So?" She said flatly.

"And I heard him humming. It was quite the merry tune too. There is something very wrong with our brother." He said with wide eyes as he released her shoulders. "Goodness you're not going to school like that are you? You look ghastly."

Izzy punched him several times in the chest before looking to me while I munched away on my Captain Crunch. "Was yesterday that good?" She inquired with a knowing smirk.

"Uh-huh." I nodded with a pleased smile. Having Izzy know the truth is like the biggest relief ever. Having someone know my secret and being able to talk about it helps ease the burden.

She smiled back before Jace ruffled her already perfectly straight hair. Whirling around she kicked him in the shin with the toe of her heeled boot making him grunt in pain.

"Humph, serves you right." She said stalking out of the kitchen.

"Devil woman." Jace muttered making his way to the fridge.

My smile faded as I lowered my full spoon back into my bowl. "Is my being happy really that strange?" I asked Jace as I chased my cereal around the edge of the bowl.

Jace looked away from the fridge and around the door to me. "Not really, but you have been kinda depressed lately. I just don't know what changed so much to make you hummingly happy these days." He said matter-of-factly. Then he went back to rummaging through the contents of our well stocked fridge.

"Oh," Was my reply. The door closed and Jace stood across from me at the island with a mango yogurt in hand.

"So what's been going on Alec? Are you having a secret relationship at this modeling thing and you haven't told your dear brother?" He asked staring at me as he ripped the foil off the top of the container and licked it clean before dropping it carelessly on the counter.

I dropped my eyes back to my cereal knowing that I couldn't lie to Jace if I was looking at him. "No." It wasn't really a lie. Magnus and I were just friends that wasn't a secret.

"Then what? Have a three way back stage? Find a million dollars? Meet God? What has you so damn happy?" He demanded slightly annoyed.

My face grew hot and my cereal wasn't sitting right in my stomach anymore. Telling Isabelle was one thing but telling my girl loving, boob adoring, sex crazed brother that I was gay just wasn't on my list of top five things I was going to do on a whim. Dying my hair pink was on the list but not outing myself to Jace wasn't.

"I-I-I . . . I have a date with a person after the fashion show." I said slowly, choosing my words carefully. "I really like them, and I can't really tell people because they're pretty popular with the media. So it's a secret." I bit my lower lip as I peeked up at Jace, nervous that he didn't believe my half lie.

His mouth was a crooked grin making him look like a golden devil. He snickered happily, "Is that all? Well played bro, dating a celeb."

"Y-Yeah." I chuckled uncomfortably.

"So you can't say who it is, like at all? Even to me?" He asked sticking his finger in his yogurt. I don't get his dislike of spoons when it comes to yogurt and pudding, Simon says it's because Jace thinks he looks sexier licking things. I believe it's because Jace has really weird dislikes; such as Izzy's cooking, ducks, and the law we live by.

"No. I promised." I lied picking up my bowl. My stomach was too twisted for me to eat anymore and I still half of my breakfast left. I hate lying, not just because I'm bad at it, but because it physically hurts me.

I got off my stool and made my way to the sink while Jace said, "That's too bad. I really wanted to know which chick it was so I could judge her while on the runway and decide if she's good enough to date you. Oh well, I can wait." My stomach knotted more as I dumped my bowl out and sat it in the sink. He thinks I'm going on a date with a girl, of course he does. I could correct him, but I don't think I can handle that conversation right before school.

I didn't say anything as I left the kitchen. Today wasn't the day to tell Jace, maybe tomorrow. Or the day after that. Or after the fashion show. Maybe after the date. Maybe.

School couldn't go by fast enough. I had finished the book and had already planned out the final presentation, which involved a relationship chart, display of the runes they used, and a short paper with a theme of "Why friends are just as good as family." I was pleased with it and hopefully Magnus would be too, though I had taken over this project- he had his own to worry about at work. When the final bell rang I charged out of my classroom and made a mad dash for my locker and out the front doors eager to get to Magnus' place as soon as possible. I was nearly past the parking lot before I noticed the black Mercedes with familiar license plates.

"Zachariah?" I called tapping on the passenger window. It lowered and I leaned down to see inside the car.

"Mr. Bane sent me." It was indeed BZ. Black clothes with face hidden under a massive hood.

"Really?" I said thrilled. This might just be the best day ever. Even better than yesterday.

"Yes. Please get inside." BZ said politely in his gentle voice. It was still strange to think a bodyguard wouldn't have such a deep and scary voice.

"Right right." I replied hurrying for the back door then climbed inside.

Brother Zachariah took off out of the school parking lot and down the street. We were half way there when I remembered that Magnus wanted soup.

"Umm, Zachariah, Magnus wants soup from his local deli. Do you know where that is?" I asked.

"Yes, Alexander." He answered without looking back at me.

"Can we please stop there before heading to his place? And call me Alec."

"Not a problem, Alec."

"Thank you." I said as I relaxed against the seat. This was so weird, having a driver that wasn't a cabbie or a limo driver. Even though my family has money I've never experienced anything like this. It was really kind of cool.

The "local deli" Magnus mention was not really a deli. No definitely not a deli. It was a two floor huge ass restaurant with chandeliers and a greeter, who already had the chicken soup ready when BZ and I arrived. So I quickly paid for it with my credit card and we left. My stomach was full of spaztasic butterflies anxious to see Magnus and know how he was doing. I texted him several times today but he didn't answer any of them. I figured it was because he was asleep like he was suppose to be and not because he was avoiding me.

Before bursting from the car I thanked BZ for the ride and quadruple checked that I had the Magnus' home key in my pocket. My fingers shook slightly as I unlocked the door and dead bolt but I managed to make my way inside the flat. It was dead silent today. No yelling or cursing or foreign languages being blown about. My heart paused in my chest and my blood froze in my veins, but my legs moved perfectly on their own. I dropped my backpack by the sectional like yesterday as I ran to the kitchen to set the soup down then dashed down the hall to the den where Magnus had been yesterday.

It was empty.

Television off, curtains open, and no Magnus. Chairman Meow wasn't even lounging in the room. I gulped down my nerves and hurried back up the hall to Magnus' bedroom door and knocked with a shaky fist. I waited a moment.

No answer.

I knocked again, and nothing. I couldn't stop myself. What if he was past out on the floor or worse. I threw open the door and froze. . .

"Ahh, good morning?" Magnus said. I just stared. He was half dressed. Not the usual shirtless scene you see in movies, but pantsless and boxers just covering his bottom. The boxers -surprisingly were dull and average- plain plaided blue. He finished tugging on his oversized sweat pants that were creatively splattered with different colored paint and turned around to face me completely.

I was blushing. Horribly red, I just know it. With my mouth open about to call to Magnus, and my eyes impossibly wide. I was both embarrassed and pleased at the same time. Part of me knew I shouldn't have been so pleased to see Magnus in that sort of position when we just managed to become friends and he doesn't return my love-like feelings, but I was. Happy that is. He has a great body and I love it as much as him.

"Was it that good?" Magnus teased and I snapped back to reality and away from my wayward thoughts. His face was still bare of any makeup and I liked it. His natural look, even without the eyeliner his eyes looked impossibly big and bright. His skin really was flawless and a delicious carmel. The bags under his eyes had almost completely disappeared, so he must have actually slept after I let yesterday. I was relieved and also humiliated.

"Uh, no, I mean. . . I brought the soup." I said fighting to change the topic. My cheeks and ears burned with my blush and my stomach was doing summersaults.

"Good you remembered." Magnus smile as he stepped past me and patted my cheek like I was a child. "I thought I would have to send you out again." He chuckled turning for the kitchen. I composed myself enough to follow, the blush nowhere close to fading.

In the kitchen Magnus opened the white paper bag with the restaurant's logo and pulled out a plastic container. He popped the lid and out wafted the delicious aroma of homemade chicken noodle soup and stream. Good it was still warm for him. He pulled a spoon from a draw and perched himself on a stool at the counter stirring his soup.

"I didn't know that fancy place, Taki's, did take outs." I said as he blew on his first spoon full. I was leaning on the other side of the counter in the dinning room watching him.

"They don't." He replied then downed the spoon full and began cooling another. His lips looked as soft as ever, and I really wanted to kiss him. But I wouldn't. There were steps that had to be taken before we got there. . . again.

"But your soup?" I said confused.

He smirked at me over his spoon and winked. "I get what I want." He said arrogantly.

"I've come to see that." I said looking around his giant home. The tall ceilings, the gorgeous decor, the beautiful view of the living room windows over the city.

"Hungry?" He inquired holding out his spoon to me. It had a chunk of chicken and a noodle hanging off of it. A small amount of steam still rose from it cutting my view of Magnus in two.

"Not really." I said as my stomach did a triple back flip landing in the heels of my feet.

"You sure? Taki's has amazing food." He coaxed moving the spoon closer to me almost dropping the noodle.

My throat went dry and my heart pounded in my chest. We're just friends. We are just friends. I reminded myself. He is not flirting, just being friendly.

"It's just a taste, Alexander. It won't kill you." Magnus said, a cat like smile pulling at his lips.

I had to look away from him to speak, "Yeah, but just one taste of a drug is enough to get addicted. Just once." I was already addicted to Magnus, and I've tastes him twice. One was spicy, and the other was sweet. I wonder which was really him.

When I looked back up at him the spoon was back in the white foam container his face completely blank of expression. This was a first. Magnus Bane without an emotion. Had I offended him?

"You are right. Addiction is bad. All addictions are bad." He said lowering his head to look at the soup. His usually spiked black hair laid flat against the sides of his head, but when he lowered it the hair fell into his face like an ink curtain. The gesture reminded me a lot of myself.

You're not bad. I wanted to say, but I couldn't. I would only be admitting that I was obsessed with him. That I really liked him, but I couldn't ruin our friendship when we just established it. "Thirsty?" I said instead, pushing away from the counter.

"Yeah. Water's in the fridge. Help yourself if you want." He said stirring his soup without looking up at me.

"Thanks." I replied walking around the counter and into the kitchen. We were having another awkward moment, and I didn't know how to break it.

I opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Fiji water and handed it to Magnus who just nodded turning back to his food. There was no sarcastic remark, no smirk, no dashing gleam in his eyes. For a moment I didn't know who I was with because that wasn't Magnus' behavior. I let the fridge door swing close as I stared at the back of his head, my pulse pounding in my ears. I had no clue what to do. I didn't know what made Magnus so upset. Was it me? Should I leave?

I was saved from saying anything when he spoke. "Hope you like Harry Potter, because I plan to watch them until I pass out." He said pushing his hair back and getting up from the stool. When he turned me way I could see a rain smirk on his face. His soup was gone and he only held his water. "Though we're skipping to the third movie, the first two are dull." He said stepping out of the kitchen.

I snapped out of my nervous thinking and followed him down the hall to the den. "The third is my favorite."

"I like the sixth. Slughorn makes such a good chair don't you think." He chuckled. I laughed too.

I don't know what happened back in the kitchen but it seemed to work itself out. Magnus was back to normal, and he liked Harry Potter. With every new thing I learn about him it only makes him cooler and hotter. I didn't think I could fall more for him, but I was wrong. I really love him.

A wave of guilt overcame me as we began watching the Prisoner of Azkaban. I don't know what for or why, but I suddenly didn't want to be next to Magnus. I stayed though I was having fun with him.

Thank you for reading. As a warning next chapter will be from Woolsey's POV. It takes place at the same time as this chapter. I think it'll be funny and help you guys understand Woolsey's feelings of Malec, and yes he ships it, but for a special reason. ^^ heehee leave comments thank you