On Monday morning, Dr Zachariah was avoiding me. When I greeted him as 'Doctor', he reminded me to shorten his name, but I was a little reluctant to do that at work. After that, we very rarely bumped into one another. And we didn't speak.

I wasn't sure what that meant.

The more I thought about it, the more reasons for the odd behaviour sprang to mind. It could have been anything. Meeting my friends, finding out I liked guys, the drinking, Pandemonium itself.

When Lunch came around, I was going to ask him about it. I thought that maybe, if I started a conversation, he might tell me whatever he had been about to say at the club. But when I went to talk to him, he was with Imasu, and I lost my nerve.

During my shift after Lunch, the desk clerk kept glancing over at me studiously. I tried to ignore him and get on with my job, but I couldn't help wondering what the Doctor had said to him to cause the newfound interest. I had nothing against being sociable, but Imasu wasn't saying anything.

When the end of the day rolled around, I couldn't wait to get out of there and go see Magnus.

When I arrived at the cinema, I'll admit I wasn't in the best of moods. When Magnus wouldn't let me pay for my own ticket, I practically growled at him. The cashier had read out the price, and when I tried to hand him the money Magnus outright refused to take it.

"I'm not a girl. This is not a date. I can pay for myself." I snapped at him. I held the money towards the woman working the till and chilled my tone when I spoke to her. "Take this and give him his change, please?"

Magnus made no physical move to stop me, instead he folded his arms and shifted his weight onto one foot. With his head tilted, it looked like he was examining the situation. Like an artist taking a step back from his canvas.

The cashier looked at Magnus, probably seeking the final word from the 'adult' in the situation. A sly grin spread across his face, he knew that he'd won this one.

"Fine." I said, giving up when the girl across the counter ignored my outstretched hand. "I'll get the popcorn, then."

"We're celebrating his birthday." Magnus dropped into the conversation, still grinning. He started re-arranging the collar of my shirt, and probably thought I wouldn't notice him sending the girl a wink.

"Happy birthday!" She smiled, and I got the impression Magnus was signalling a bribe of some sort. "How about you take that on the house?"

That is how we came to get 'free' food - I didn't know how much Magnus had slipped to the girl to keep her from serving me - before we headed into the theatre. It was some book-to-screen film about teenagers who went around fighting daemons. I'd never heard of it, but the options had been between that and a mushy romantic comedy.

Magnus had pretended to be thrilled that I refused the romcom, saying they were all Camille would ever go to see, but I think he was secretly a tad disappointed. To be fair, I'd seen the DVD collection at his place; he couldn't blame those on his wife.

"It isn't even my birthday." I grumbled as I took my seat. Really, I was just looking for an excuse to complain.

The place was packed with people chattering; the lights were still up and the only thing on screen were those notices reminding you to sit in your allocated seat, turn your phone off and spend all your money on snacks.

"It's a shame this isn't a date." Said Magnus. He'd taken to ignoring my complaints since we entered the room. "It would be perfect for you."

I looked at him with faux-scepticism, waiting for him to elaborate. If I were more like my sister, this would be one of those hands-on-hips moments. "And why is that?"

"Think about it." He said. "Dark room, nobody has a camera…"

I laughed and gestured to the people around us. Everybody was going about their own business, not even batting an eyelid towards the two of us. It was nice not to feel like such a paranoid mess every time we stepped out of his apartment.

"Get over yourself. Nobody is taking pictures of the 'old news' anyway." I told him with a smile. His eyes gave me this soft look, and I was almost tempted to take his hand.

I reached out slightly, but then Camille popped into my mind. I put my hand up to my mouth and coughed, instead.

We changed the topic at that point. Magnus asked how Friday went and I told him the whole story. I told Magnus of Isabelle's little scheme, and what had happened with Dr Zacharah. Who I wasn't going to call by a familiar name while he was acting so… unfriendly.

"So, what, you think this Zach guy is homophobic?" Said Magnus. Clearly he had no problem with the name even without meeting the man himself. Hey, he didn't have to work with him.

"And Imasu, too. I can't think what else would make him stare at me like that." I thought out loud.

Magnus gave me a smirk. "I don't know, Darling, I can think of a few reasons to stare at you."

I threw a piece of popcorn at his face, which he actually caught in his mouth fairly gracefully.

Damn him.

The lights went down, signalling quiet, before we could resume our conversation.

"So, what have you been up to?" I asked Magnus as we headed to the car park. I'd yet to ask him about his weekend.

"Not a lot." Magnus shrugged. I waited. Without a doubt, he'd have more to say. Our definitions of 'not a lot' were pretty different. "Woolsey came by to check out the apartment."

That name rang a bell. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember a time when Magnus had told me about his friends. Much less this specific person. Then I paused mid-stride.

"As in Woolsey Scott?"

"That's him." Was the reply. Magnus seemed kind of proud of his ability to name-drop actors like that.

Majorly attractive actors. Outwardly gay actors. Who had been alone with him in his apartment.

Magnus seemed to sense my discomfort like it was a bucket of cold water thrown over him. His expression looked just as horrified. His face made me feel a little guilty about thinking something could have happened between the two of them.

"Sweetpea, don't worry," Magnus soothed. "We haven't slept together in at least two years."

I did feel guilty before he said that.

"You slept together?!" I exclaimed before I even thought about it.

I think we both knew the conversation was a no-go already. Me knowing that I was being irrational, Magnus knowing that he was saying all the wrong things. Even as he spoke again.

"At the risk of saying something incredibly stupid..." He ventured, like stepping onto thin ice. "Did we not already establish that I've... You know... Gotten around?"

"Not with your current friends." I quipped. We were at the car now but I wasn't getting in. I wasn't going to leave with the conversation in this state. Magnus looked glad that I hadn't taken out my keys.

"Cammie is my friend." He noted.

I groaned out loud. He knew what I meant. Camille was pretty much exempt in these cases.

"What can I say?" Magnus sighed. "I like to get to know somebody first. I'm a traditionalist like that."

That was rich. I actually scoffed. But then I started to laugh, and he broke into a grin too.

"I wish." I said. How much simpler would life be that way?

The sun was going down and Magnus was looking at me like there was nothing else to see. My eyes were locked onto his, too. I was only semi-aware of the pinkish hues in the sky. My face probably turned a similar colour when his hand caressed against it.

"I'll get there." He said softly. I guess I felt a surge of something-like-pride. That was a change he was making for me, after all.

"Night, Magnus." I said, opening the car door before he got any ideas about goodbye kissing or anything like that.

I had to draw a line somewhere, what counted as him cheating on Camille, and what didn't. A line in a very different place to where he drew it.

"Drive safe." Magnus said. When I took a last look at him I was happy to see he didn't look too dejected; he must have known it was a long shot.

He waved to me as I drove away. I only realised then how much the anticipation of kissing him again was getting to me. Because my heart was pounding a mile a minute.

Thanks everybody! I hope you enjoyed reading, the next chapter is coming soon. At the risk of jinxing myself, I think I'm getting back into the swing of it. Next is "Check-Up".