"Spill. Now."
"Hello to you too." Magnus chuckled into the phone, leaning back from his computer and grinning. His natural love of parties and habit of frankly, whoring around had everyone buzzing about his current relationship status. He wasn't friends with Alec on the site, nor did he even know if Alec had facebook, so he wasn't too worried about people finding the identity of his mystery beau. Raphael wouldn't tell anyone in fear that Magnus would destroy him socially -which he could.
"What the hell is this?" Camille continued, almost shouting over the faint din of music. "I find out you're in a relationship over-excuse me." Magnus raised an eyebrow, biting his lip to keep from laughing. She clearly wasn't talking to him. "Did I ask for you to openly ogle my breasts? No? Oh. Then please fuck off, I'm so far out of your league it is laughable." There was some shuffling on the other side and the music slowly faded. "Alright, listen. You're being a little bitch and not telling me that clearly something large happened. I find out over facebook? Not okay my friend, not okay."
"Calm down Cam," Magnus sighed, examining his fingernails, "It's been less than an hour and I only posted it on facebook five minutes ago. You my dear, are clearly at a party. How did you even find out?"
"Literally everyone is talking about it." She said nervously, "It's kind of spreading like wildfire. Some people think you're bullshitting. I just bumped into this one girl that seems to think you ran away to Texas to bang some old country dude. It took everything I had not to show you a picture of the hottie - or should I say boyfriend?"
"You most certainly should." He smirked while she squealed, "He and I recently made it officially and though we're not making it completely public aka both sets of parents are still in the dark, he likes the word boyfriend."
"That's so cute."
"I know."
"Smug bastard." She sighed, "So, when can I give him the 'I'll beat the shit out of you if you break my baby's heart' speech?"
"How about never?" Camille made a noise of protest and Magnus continued, "We've talked about this. Honestly Cam, I really like this guy and anything that might possibly scare him away even in the slightest is to be avoided. So, you can say hi-"
"I get to say hi?!" Camille practically screamed, "Are you serious? You're actually going to let me talk to him?"
"Maybe?" Magnus laughed, "I have no idea. I'm just sort of in the happy daze of having a hot boyfriend."
"I wish I knew the feeling." She sighed and Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"Ragnor is pretty sexy." He joked.
Camille snorted, "Sure, he's not my boyfriend though."
"Excuse me?" Magnus raised his eyebrow as far up as he possibly could. More because he liked imagining that his life was a TV show than because anyone could see him. "Please, for the love of God tell me you're kidding. After all that, the touching and the cuteness you two aren't together?"
"Well," Camille let out a long sigh, "I don't know what we are. We go on dates and things but we haven't really made it official."
"Why?" Magnus said warily, "I know the both of you, you've practically been dancing around each other for months. So why isn't it official? What happened?"
"He kissed someone else, I kissed someone else."
"Oh my god." Magnus groaned, "Are you kidding me? Wow, you didn't just not make the relationship official, you took the word official out of your vocabulary and burned it alive in the garage. You have to fix this."
"I know. I know. I know." Camille moaned, "I just-you know me. I'm no good at talking it out. I see that a relationship is screwed and I jump ship like it's the Titanic. Ragnor is so socially awkward that he's never going to bring it up and I just, I don't want to lose him."
"That's dumb." Magnus said and Camille snorted. "Listen, you're right he's never going to bring it up. So gather all your lady parts and talk to him."
"One quick question. How do I gather my lady parts?"
"I was going to say grow a pair." Magnus admitted, "But I didn't really think it would transfer over."
"True." Camille sighed, "As much as I love you, I should probably go. I snuck into the bathroom and people are going to start to think I'm taking a shit or something equally unladylike."
Snorting, Magnus covered a yawn with his hand and said his goodbyes, promising to try and introduce her to Alec. Hanging up the phone, Magnus leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
He really wanted to go find Alec, his boyfriend. His boyfriend. Would wonders ever cease. But there was a part of him that was logical and told him that he needed to pace himself and not be super clingy. Especially if there were people in the house that Alec didn't want to know they were in a relationship. He got up to get his sketchbook when the phone started ringing.
"Hello?" He said slowly, hoping it wasn't someone trying to get a hold of Alec.
"So you've made it official then." Came the familiar voice on the other side. "I'm kind of surprised." Will didn't sound sarcastic, but the same pounding music from Camille's call echoed in the background.
"We're official." Magnus said, trying to keep annoyance from slipping into his tone. "You're not going to give me some speech about being careful are you?"
"No." Will said after a heartbeat, sounding reluctant. "But, I need to know. You haven't told his parents have you?"
Magnus sighed, "No, we haven't."
"Magnus," Will said, "Look, you're in a relationship with a guy who by the sounds of it is never going to feel comfortable coming out. You're on a sinking ship. And you're treating it like some sort of teen romance."
"It is a teen romance." Magnus smirked, "We have a couple song and everything." He was exaggerating of course, but Will and Magnus lived to exchange sarcastic biting remarks.
"I know." Will snorted, "I've heard it. It's by the All-American Rejects right? What's it called?" He paused, but Magnus didn't answer, knowing the question was semi-rhetorical and not giving Will the satisfaction of admitting he knew what he was saying. "Oh that's right! Dirty little secret." Will finished.
"God Will, I'm happy okay? Can you live with that?"
"No." Magnus scowled and opened his mouth to rant about Will being an ass. "Because you're going to come home with your heart smashed to pieces by this stupid thing you have going on. And where is Alec going to be? Not there. We're going to piece you back together and I want to minimize the damage. You're only there for the summer."
"I know." Magnus whispered. He felt a surge of affection for Will, who made it his life's goal to piss Magnus off, but was still a good friend. "But I think I love him, I don't care."
"I think you should end it." Will said honestly, letting out a long sigh.
"I can't."
"Magnus-"
"Could you?" Magnus exclaimed, "If it was Tessa? Could you end it?"
There was a sharp intake of breath, Magnus having said the one thing that he shouldn't have talked about. It was a rule in their friend group to never say it. It was so obvious, how taken Will was with Tessa. But Jem had fallen for her too and Will would never take something away from Jem.
"Will?"
It barely took a second, but Magnus was listening to the dial tone before he could blink.
"Shit."
Will was never going to speak to him again. It was official. Magnus had called him more than a dozen times and had finished by swearing at Will's snarky answering machine and begging him to call Magnus back.
Magnus was lying on his bed for the second time that day. Only this time, the sun was setting outside his window and he was alone. He knew that he could easily go find Alec, but he was trying to punish himself for upsetting Will. He was sprawled there, wallowing in self pity when Isabelle slammed his door open and marched inside. She slammed the door with her foot and glared at him.
He sat up at the loud noise and raised an eyebrow at her. Isabelle scowled and held out a laptop to him.
"Care you explain this?" She bit out, looking like she was going to punch him in the face the moment she had a free hand. Magnus took the computer hesitantly and noticed right away that it was his facebook page.
The pieces didn't click. Magnus couldn't understand why she was mad. Didn't she want them to be together? Confused was an understatement.
"I don't get it." Magnus said slowly.
Isabelle huffed, crossing her arms. "You complete and utter dickface. I can't even believe that we were all so fucking stupid. I actually liked you and this whole time you were playing Alec. It's disgusting-"
"Hold up." Magnus said dropping the laptop into his lap and throwing his hands in the air, "I'm not playing Alec. Not even in the slightest."
"Oh really? Because according to facebook, you have some mystery boyfriend back in New York that you never mentioned." She jabbed her finger at the screen. Magnus' profile wasn't super public, so she could see his profile picture, how many friends he had and most importantly: his relationship status. What she couldn't see, was how recently Magnus had changed that status.
He sighed, "Isabelle I don't have a boyfriend back in New York."
"Then why is your relationship status-" Isabelle froze, "Holy shit." She gaped at him and Magnus felt a smile spreading over his face.
She screamed, flapping her arms around and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "You're fucking kidding me! Oh my god!" Magnus was forced to move the laptop out of her way as she flung herself at him. "I can't believe it. Oh my goodness. Spill."
Magnus came to the sudden realization that Camille and Isabelle would probably get along swimmingly. Making a mental note to introduce them, Magnus grinned at her. "Well, we were having this hot makeout-"
"Never mind." She blurted, "That's disgusting." Isabelle tried to look disgusted but it faded into a brilliant smile.
For the second time that day, someone opened Magnus' door without asking and it still wasn't Alec. It was Jace, looking slightly alarmed.
"What happened?" He asked, looking between the two of them. Magnus tried to subtly close the laptop so Jace didn't see it and put the pieces together. Jace noticed and raised an eyebrow. "I came up because frankly I thought Magnus might have been murdering you. Or sleeping with you." He added as an afterthought, "But the latter didn't seem very likely."
It took Isabelle less that ten seconds to get rid of Jace. "Oh my god. Kim Kardashian-"
He was gone.
Magnus burst out laughing. "You are something else." She grinned. "But in all seriousness, I really like your brother and as you may be able to tell from my relationship status, I am not playing him."
"That's amazing." She said, her voice slightly awed, "You two are so cute."
Magnus snorted, "You've barely even seen us together."
"I know. But he's so much happier with you. Seriously, since you've shown up he's been in a way better mood. He's actually talking." She ended sarcastically, but there seemed to be a root of truth there and Magnus still wasn't sure what that was. He couldn't keep the smile off his face from the notion that Alec was happier with Magnus here.
Isabelle bit her lip and paused. Magnus looked her, slightly worried. "You guys aren't going to be able to work long distance after the summer. You know that right?"
"Yeah." Magnus said softly, letting his eyes fall to Isabelle's computer. It was covered in faded, peeling stickers. She'd scrawled all over it and there were notes from (Magnus assumed) Jace, Alec, Simon and Clary. "We've talked about it."
She hummed, running a hand through her hair and giving him a fond look. "Where have you been all this time?" Magnus raised an eyebrow and Isabelle laughed, picking up her computer and starting to leave the room. Pausing in the doorway she turned and smiled at him, "I've already given the speech, but I'll just remind you. Break his heart, I break you." She closed the door and Magnus could hear her mumble something about Jace and Clary as she left.
Magnus woke up the next morning and it still hadn't sunk in. He was giddy, getting dressed in a hurry, grabbing his camera and not even looking at his hair before running out of his bedroom door.
And right into Alec.
His boyfriend grinned at him, "Good morning stranger."
Magnus grinned back, grabbing Alec's t-shirt and dragging him into Magnus' room. Closing the door, he ran a hand through Alec's hair and pulled him in for a kiss. Alec made a small noise of contentment and pulled Magnus impossibly closer, his hand curling around Magnus' waist to fall on his back.
Alec turned Magnus around, pushing his back against the wall and gently biting at his bottom lip. Magnus groaned and brought a hand up to twine in Alec's hair. He felt Alec grin against his lips and Alec's hand came from behind Magnus' back to rest on the door behind his head.
"What're we going to do today?" Magnus asked breathlessly as Alec pulled away to kiss gently along Magnus' jawline.
"Whatever you want." Alec smiled, brushing a piece of hair out of Magnus' eyes and resting his forehead against Magnus'. Magnus always thought it was funny, because when they did this he could barely even see Alec's face, but there was still something amazingly intimate about it. Alec's face was a smudge, a swirl of pale skin, inky black hair and brilliant blue eyes. It was the same way Magnus drew him, all color and contrast.
"Can we just go on an adventure?" Magnus asked, twirling a piece of Alec's hair around his finger. "I'm in the mood to just wander and talk."
Alec smiled, "Sounds like a plan."
Magnus gripped Alec's hand harder, feeling the branches pull at his clothes and a laugh bubbling up in his throat. They were running for no reason and Alec was fast. Magnus hadn't run like this in a long time, not in the middle of a forest at least. It was amazing, the whole world was a blur and the only thing that Magnus could hear was his heartbeat and the sounds of his feet hitting the ground. Alec was there too, somewhere in the background, anchoring Magnus by holding his hand and guiding him through the trees.
They came to stop in a clearing, the sunlight coming through the trees in singular beams. They cut through the beams and Magnus could feel their warmth cut at his skin as they passed. When Alec came to a halt, Magnus bumped into him for the second time that day and Alec laughed.
Magnus used his free hand to take a picture of Alec. Alec took the camera out of his hands and gently put it on the ground. Alec grabbed one of his hands and pulled Magnus closer by his waist. Magnus let his hand fall to Alec's shoulder and they started to dance.
"I don't know how to dance!" Magnus giggled, bumping into Alec.
His boyfriend grinned, "You're going to have to learn! We have a wedding to prepare for." Alec guided him through the steps, the two of them collapsing into laughter every time they collided or Magnus crushed Alec's toes by accident.
Alec spun Magnus, the two of them waltzing around the clearing goofily. But then, slowly, Alec started to sing and Magnus couldn't breathe anymore.
"You can sing?" Magnus asked, watching Alec hum. Alec bit his lip and nodded, murmuring a few of the words. Magnus grinned, "I love Ed Sheeran you know."
"I figured." Alec smirked, though it was never in the same cocky way that Jace smirked, but almost in a pleased way. "I play the violin too. I'm not sure why, but we had one and eventually I picked it up. I'm way better than Jace."
"He plays too?"
"No," Alec said, "But he tries. It's sort of pathetic really." Magnus snorted.
After a good few minutes of dancing, with Alec singing words to any song he could think of, Magnus had to ask the thing that was weighing on his mind.
"When are you going to tell them?"
Alec's steps faltered. He looked at his feet and bit his lip. Magnus frowned, he was trying to be patient, but Will was right. He couldn't be Alec's dirty little secret forever. It wasn't fair to Magnus. It would be a lie to say that the only thing he wanted was Alec because he wanted to be happy too. And if the two weren't going to work together than Magnus needed to make a choice.
To his credit, Alec didn't lie. He didn't say soon. "I don't know." Alec said softly, he gripped Magnus' hand a little tighter. "I'm so fucking scared."
"They love you." Magnus said, "They will always love you."
"You can't say that."
Magnus sighed. There was no way he could guarantee that. It wasn't possible. He'd seen the way Robert reacted to Magnus being bisexual and it wasn't exactly positive. Alec was right to be scared, but Magnus didn't want him to live in that fear forever.
Alec's voice was thick with tears as he spoke. "I thought you said you were okay waiting. I'm not ready."
"But will you ever be?" Magnus asked. They'd been together for a day and Magnus was already starting to wonder if this was the right idea. Everything about Alec flipped him upside down. He couldn't keep his mind straight and his decisions changed every five minutes.
"I just don't know." He said, "I want to tell them. I have to tell them before I explode. But I don't know how or when. I can't even imagine how it's going to go down and I'm not sure I want to."
"I've told you that it's all going to be okay."
"And I've told you that you can't know that." Alec said firmly, breathing in deeply, "Look, I really want this to work. I'll tell my parents. For now, we need to work on your dancing skills."
Magnus laughed, "I'm really awful aren't I?"
"You really are." Alec grinned, twirling Magnus again and getting a breathless laugh. Magnus wondered if this was what it was supposed to be like to be in love. It wasn't about sex, it wasn't about money or popularity. There would be problems along the way and they'd weighed on Magnus more than he'd like to admit. But he could put up with them for Alec.
Alec twirled Magnus one last time, keeping their hands clasped. Magnus ended up clutched to Alec's chest and Alec smiled at him once before kissing him slowly.
"I'll tell my parents." Alec said, but he couldn't meet Magnus' eyes and Magnus wondered which of them he was trying to convince.
"I know." Magnus said softly, ignoring the seed of doubt in his stomach.
They stopped dancing, but Alec tugged Magnus back in for a kiss. Magnus kept one hand in Alec's pressing their clasped hands to his chest. Alec sighed into the kiss and used his other hand to tug at Magnus' shirt. Magnus felt Alec's hand creep up his shirt, rubbing circles into the small of his back.
Biting Alec's lip and sliding his tongue into his boyfriend's mouth, Magnus moaned. He tugged on Alec's hair, running his hands through it and hearing Alec groan when Magnus pulled on the black strands.
This was Magnus' rom-com moment. It was right out of every romantic novel or movie. It was the moment in the perfect place with the perfect guy. Camille always told him that rom-coms were fake and that as much as she loved him, it wasn't possible to live like that. But Magnus thought it could be. With Alec, anything was possible.
He'd tell his parents in his own time. Magnus didn't want to admit that he'd wait forever and tried to nudge Alec out of the closet, hoping that it'd been enough. Because waiting forever scared him, but he couldn't give up on Alec. Could he?
They walked back slowly and Magnus let himself lean on Alec's shoulder as they walked. He'd taken more pictures of the two of them, kiss swollen lips and all. Magnus noted in the pictures that Alec's hair was the definition of sex and there was no way he could show these pictures to anyone and pretend they were completely innocent. They weren't exactly one night stand shots, but the hot make-out session in the woods was obvious.
The house came into view and Magnus debated pulling away. But when Alec didn't Magnus revelled in the feeling of being together in a place where everyone could see. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Isabelle was lying on the porch. Magnus smiled and took a picture of her there, hair splayed out around her head and bikini-clad body soaking up the last of the sun. She looked up at the noise of the shutter.
"There you two are," She sighed, "You've been gone for like a million years. I thought you were getting it on in the middle of the woods or something. Seriously, sanitation comes first and while fucking against a tree is kinky and awesome, it cannot be-"
"Iz!" Alec practically yelled, looked at his sister with wide eyes. "Anyone could hear you."
Isabelle rolled her eyes, "You two are making it official on facebook, you might as well make it official everywhere else. Don't give me that look, yes I know Alec. Mostly because I stalked your boyfriend here, but also because I was already aware that the two of you were going the nasty."
Magnus snorted, "We're not going the nasty."
"Sure." Isabelle drawled, raising an eyebrow, "Cause you two are perfect little virgin Marys."
"You really think I'm some kind of brazen whore, don't you?" Magnus laughed, snapping a quick picture of Alec's blush with his free hand.
Isabelle got a look at Alec's hair and giggled. "You might want to do your hair, brother mine. Magnus has really done a number on it." Alec's free hand immediately flew up to his hair and his blush increased. He mumbled something and started to drag Magnus inside. Isabelle saw their hands and raised an eyebrow again at Magnus.
Magnus stuck his tongue out at her, unable to keep the grin from stretching across his face. She smiled back at him, shaking her head and closing her eyes again. Magnus wasn't worried about getting permission from Isabelle to date her brother, but it was nice to have her rooting for him. The smile on her face was brilliant, bright and beautiful. Just like that, Magnus knew that he had her blessing, really and truly.
Isabelle didn't comment on them holding hands and they stayed that way, almost subconsciously until they had to let go to go to their separate rooms.
