I waited for Magnus before work that day. Simon had already left for school and taken my ride with him and Kyle was out doing whatever it was he did when he wasn't at the apartment. I was by myself thinking things over too much and making my head hurt.
Even the communal part of the place, which had a couple large windows, felt small and boxed-in to me. I needed a change of scenery and told myself that Magnus was probably waiting for me in the car park. If he was mad he may not have wanted to trek up the stairs just to say he'd arrived.
Of course, Magnus wasn't in the car park. I waited as long as I could without being late to Tessa's - okay, maybe five minutes - but he never arrived. I didn't blame him given that I'd made my own way the day before. That didn't change the fact my heart sank a little when I headed to get the bus.
Tessa was reading again when I got to her shop. I tried not to let my eyes burn a hole into the cover of Jane Eyre. It was dumb to feel so irrationally angry at a book. But that was just me all over, wasn't it?
As the day went on I tried not to let my grim mood affect my work. The Museum tours had made me pretty good at pasting on a smile for customers. However, when they left I let myself relax a little, and Tessa didn't seem to know how to react.
"Are you alright, Alec?" She eventually asked after about five bouts of opening her mouth and closing it again without saying anything.
"I'm fine." I lied.
I was convinced that Magnus was going to leave me for being too insecure. Which was a totally insecure thing to be convinced of. Which was why he was going to leave me. So... I was pretty much on a downward spiral.
"You just seem a little off..." Tessa noted.
"I'm fine." I repeated myself. I couldn't exactly tell her that I had gotten into a big fight over Magnus flirting with her friend. That would just be awkward.
Tessa didn't really try to talk to me socially after that. She asked a few questions about identifying artefacts and I got on with whatever needed doing. The longer it went on the worse I felt for being rude towards her.
"It's getting dark sooner now." I ventured when it was coming towards closing time. I hoped to leave there on a better note than I'd come in.
"And a lot colder." Tessa agreed. "Welcome to winter."
I smiled as genuinely as I could manage as we said our goodbyes. I wished her a good night and walked out into the darker, colder evening. I really should have brought a coat. I started towards the bus stop glumly and shoved my hands in my pockets for the extra warmth. It didn't do me much good because the chill air was still getting into my sweater.
"You really are ridiculous." Said a familiar voice.
Something soft and warm wrapped around my neck and I turned to see Magnus stood watching me with a smirk on his face. He started to tie the scarf he had placed on me in some complicated way I would never remember.
"Magnus..." I breathed. Seeing him stood there was like seeing your destination on the horizon when you've been traveling for miles. I didn't trust myself to say something that wasn't stupid, so I embraced him before any words got out.
"You need to keep warm in winter, Sweetpea, you'll catch your death." Magnus chided, sounding every bit the grown up he was supposed to be but often wasn't.
"I'm sorry." I said into his coat. Sorry for more than just forgetting to wear a scarf.
Magnus started to stroke my hair back and all felt right in the world; freezing late night or not. He leant his head down and kissed my temple and I couldn't believe how much better I felt just having him there.
"Let's get you into the car." Magnus whispered. His breath was warm and I didn't really want to move. I held on a little longer then loosened my grip when I started to notice the bite in the air.
Magnus kept an arm around me on the way to his car. I didn't argue with him over it even though we definitely had some things to talk about before we got cosy again. I'd hugged Magnus first, after all.
When he opened the door for me I slid into the passenger seat without question. The light in the front came on automatically until Magnus took his seat and both doors were shut. The two of us were plunged into a street lit darkness as the engine roared to life.
"We need to talk about the other day." I said reluctantly, placing my hand over Magnus' on the gearstick.
"Do we have to right now?" Magnus sighed. "I just want to forget about it and spend time with you."
"I want to say sorry." I said quietly. Part of me hoped that if I didn't say it loudly I could pretend I never said it at all.
Magnus should have been the one to apologise first. I may have majorly overreacted but he had been just plain hurtful. The trouble was I knew he wouldn't say he was sorry unless he felt prompted.
I nervously drew circles on Magnus' hand with my finger. I loved Magnus way more than any person in their right mind would think he deserved. But sometimes, I hated him.
"You were hurt." He said, after a fair amount of consideration. "I'm not used to being with somebody as sensitive as you."
I pulled a face. I could see how Magnus would reach that conclusion - Cam was many things and 'sensitive' was not one of them - but that had not been what I was hoping to hear.
"You've met my friends! We aren't known for having filters." Magnus chuckled. Apparently he thought everything had resolved itself. He was wrong.
"Acknowledging that you have a problem doesn't mean it isn't a problem anymore." I said, completely serious so that Magnus knew he wasn't getting off so lightly this time.
"I can work on it." Magnus promised. To be honest I think he was a little surprised I'd spoken up.
"Will you, though?" I asked. "Or will you just say you're working on it and then call me an insecure mess when you don't change?"
Oops. That might have come out a little on the aggressive side. Way to spoil a good thing.
I saw a whole spectrum of emotion cross Magnus' features. Shock to consideration to anger to dismay. He pushed his black-from-the-bottle hair back and ended up on what I hoped was sincerity.
"You know I didn't mean that..." Magnus said softly. I flinched back when he tried to touch me because we both knew the second he did I was going to lose my resolve. "Alexander. I was angry."
"You don't get to treat me that way just because you're a little mad." I informed him sternly. Enough was enough, now. It needed to be said. "Keep testing it, Magnus, and one day you're going to hurt me and I'm not going to forgive you."
Magnus offered to walk me up to my apartment from the car park and I told him that was okay by me. He'd been pretty quiet through the car journey, not quite sure how to react to me putting my foot down for once. I wanted to show him that it wasn't my intention to push him away.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" I said when my key was in the lock.
I turned the key but before I opened the door I stopped myself. I got up on my toes and kissed Magnus quickly on the lips. He looped his arms around my waist, lifted me slightly and kissed me again.
"Then I'd better make sure that tomorrow I'm a person worth forgiving." He smiled against my lips.
New post up! I hope that you liked it. I feel like every time I attempt to resolve this story it just gets longer and longer - we're not done here yet, readers! The next chapter "A Proposition" will be posted soon.