Despite his new paying job, Magnus was still volunteering at the museum. He'd found he enjoyed it too much not to and simply couldn't bring himself to leave, especially when everyone was so happy to have him there. Four days a week doing data entry in an office, and two or three days a week at the Museum, left very little time for anything else. His recent slacker-ness aside, this was more the type of lifestyle he was accustomed to. Alec on the other hand was having a very hard time adjusting to employed life.
"I don't know how you do it," Alec whined as he got home tired and cranky. "I've watched you get up and go to work like every day for two weeks. And here I am getting two or three days off in a week, and I'm so burnt out I don't even know how to think."
"The difference here is that this is your first time ever working, while I've been working since I was about fourteen," Magnus smiled. "Plus half my week is the museum, which doesn't feel like work."
"Urg," Alec whined. "I'm pathetic."
Magnus couldn't keep a smile off his face as he answered, "Maybe a little."
"Not helping," Alec sulked. "You're supposed to tell me I'm not pathetic."
"Don't be sad darling," Magnus cooed. "You have lots of other wonderful things going for you, promise."
"Oh yeah?" Alec whined. "Like what?"
"You're kind," Magnus began, leaning forward to kiss his husband. "Generous, passionate, and so loving."
"Oh, just kiss me," Alec cried throwing his arms up in the air and throwing himself at Magnus, who caught him chuckling.
A moment later they were tangled on the couch together, though rather ungracefully.
"Get off," Alec mumbled, his voice muffled. "You're on my leg."
"Why don't you ask me to leg go of you then," Magnus sniggered as he moved aside.
Alec groaned. "Not your finest work," he said, matter of factly.
"Hey, sometimes you have to work with what you've got," Magnus shrugged.
Magnus watched as Alec's eyes turned to the tv, which was now showing a screen saver of the time. It was getting late. If they wanted to eat before bed they'd better get a move on.
"How is it that time with you flys by, while work drags on like molasses uphill in January," Alec asked.
"Just the nature of the human perception, my love," Magnus smiled, putting an arm around his husband and kissing the top of Alec's head.
"I never saw the value in time before," Alec began softly. "I mean, it was just time. Ticked by, but otherwise not really important you know, but now it's like there's no time for anything."
"I promise there are the same number of hours in a day now as there were before," Magnus smiled.
Alec made a 'hmph' noise and relaxed his neck muscles so his head fell gently on Magnus's shoulder. "How do people do it? How do they work so hard for so little, without knowing there is an end in sight?"
"You'd be amazed what you can learn to live with," Magnus smiled, gently stroking Alec's hair. "You don't know what you are capable of until the moment life requires more of you."
"Stop being so wise," Alec grumbled. "It makes me feel dumb."
"You shouldn't feel that way," Magnus replied kindly. "You have a very unique perspective on money, and I'm sure many wise things to say on the topic."
"I never used to think about money," Alec shrugged. "It was always there, neither brilliant nor evil. It was only money, after all."
"And what do you think now?" Magnus asked.
"Now I know that once it's gone, once every dollar is earned slowly by the hour, money comes to mean something entirely different."
"And what would that be?"
"Based on some combination of recent events and econ class, money is a mixture of freedom, security, time, growth and exchange," Alec said with a wave of his hand.
"Welcome to the middle class," Magnus laughed.
"Boo," Alec replied.
"Then again, maybe that isn't right," Magnus mused. "I mean, you are still the very opposite of middle class in some ways, like how you have no long term money worries, only short term ones."
"Hey, paying rent after Christmas feels pretty long term to me," Alec argued, but Magnus just laughed.
"You're adorable," Magnus chuckled. Alec made a 'hmph' sound, which only added to his adorableness.
"So, what do you think about buying your husband dinner?" Alec asked, sweetly.
"Oh, but where's the fun in that?" Magnus giggled.
"The fun would be in the eating of dinner," Alec explained as if Magnus had asked a series question.
"Why don't you go find something to eat in the fridge?" Magnus suggested.
"I don't want pickles and soy sauce for dinner," Alec stated.
"Surely there is more in the fridge than just pickles and soy sauce," Magnus sighed.
"Cat food?" Alec suggested.
With a deep sigh, and a gentle reminder of how much Magnus loved his adorable - though slightly spoiled - husband, Magnus tried to exercise some patience.
"I think now you've learned the importance of keeping non-perishable foods in stock?" Magnus said with a raised eyebrow.
"That doesn't help now, does it," Alec whined. "Since I don't get paid for two more days!"
"Your first paycheck," Magnus grinned, strangely proud of his husband.
"Yep, and the first thing I'm doing with it is ordering sushi!" Alec exclaimed.
With yet another sigh, but also a smile Magnus spoke, "We are going to have to teach you money management next aren't we?"
"Hey, I earned that sushi!" Alec protested. "That sushi represents a lot of oven cleaning and pie making."
"And it will taste that much better since you've worked hard to get it," Magnus smiled.
"Says you," Alec replied. "I still say it will taste the same."
Laughing slightly, Magnus pulled Alec in closer to kiss him before suggesting they go to the kitchen together and figure out what to eat.
"I'm telling you, it's just soy sauce and pickles," Alec repeated as they entered the kitchen. "There isn't even any milk to make a latte."
"But there's ice cream," Magnus smiled. "You could make a Italian latte."
Before Alec could answer, Magnus opened the cupboard to do an inventory. "See, way more than pickles! We have flour, water, baking powder, frozen cheese, and canned tomato sauce."
"How the hell does that equal dinner?" Alec asked.
"Pizza!" Magnus explained happily.
"That doesn't sound like pizza to me," Alec said with a shake of his head.
"Oh hush," Magnus scoffed. "I promise you it is pizza, or at least all the makings of pizza."
"Can't you just order us dinner?" Alec whined. "You've already gotten a paycheck from your new job right?"
"I'm still on training wages," Magnus explained. "But yes, technically I could buy us dinner, or we could make pizza tonight and spend that money on groceries tomorrow that will last us way longer."
"Being poor sucks," Alec grumbled. "Urg. Budgeting."
"As we've already established, you aren't actually poor," Magnus began. "Just temporarily unable to spend money. There is a difference."
"Feels like I'm poor," Alec mumbled, looking sulky.
"Oh hush," Magnus said. "And help me make pizza dough, or would you rather grate the cheese?"
With a resigned sigh, Alec reached for the tomato sauce muttering something about hoping there was pineapple somewhere, even if they had no ham. Grinning, Magnus began their nights cooking adventure. It was a testimony to how much he loved Alexander, that Magnus didn't even find his spoiled bratness annoying anymore. Instead, it was adorable and endearing. Love was a funny thing, indeed.
The pizza actually turned out rather well, or at least Magnus thought so, Alec would have rather had sushi, but either way they went to bed with full stomachs.
To no one's surprise the next morning Alec wanted a latte, but as no magical diary faiers had come in the night, they were still out of milk.
"I solved this problem yesterday Alec," Magnus reminded him. "Ice cream."
"Do you want me to melt it and then steam it?" Alec asked clearly confused.
"No you put the espresso shot on the ice cream, and eat it with a spoon," Magnus explained.
"Huh," Alec said thoughtfully. "It sounds so wrong, but I'll try it. Anything to get rid of his caffeine headache."
"If it's really that bad, you could have just drank the espresso black," Magnus reminded him.
"Without anything to cut it!" Alec exclaimed, shocked. "I think I'd rather take the headache."
Magnus laughed as he continued getting ready to leave. He was just making sure he wasn't forgetting anything and collecting his coat when Alec asked where he was going. Magnus turned. His husband was holding a mug with a spoon in it.
"The museum," Magnus answered. Then he gestured to the mug. "The ice cream working then?"
"Oh, hell ya!" Alec cried. "I may never go back to milk." Magnus chuckled. Alec didn't work till later, and likely Magnus would already be home asleep before Alec got home from work tonight.
"Have fun," Alec waved him goodbye. "Don't let the stalker guy freak you out."
"Thanks," Magnus said slowly, unsure how to reply. With a kiss goodbye, Magnus left his apartment.
Unfortunately, he couldn't take Alec's advice. It was like the stalker man knew his schedule. Magnus's colleagues at the museum said he was only coming in now on the days' Magnus volunteered. To Magnus's great surprise, that day the man actually came over and said hello. That was it however. Magnus didn't even get a name out of him before the stranger ran off.
November dawned, and with it came the little red poppy. Magnus saw them everywhere, on every corner. They would be everywhere until after Remembrance Day, like they were every year. Sometimes when Magnus stopped to take in the moment, he was amazed by how much had changed in just a few years. How many Remembrance Days had it been since he'd met Alexander? Four including this one. Over three years, and his life was hardly recognizable. From bitter and totally given up hoping for love, to happily married was quite a leap for anyone, let alone a leap of less than half a decade. There was just something about Alexander that Magnus couldn't explain, even to himself. Whatever it was, it made Magnus believe in soulmates.
"Happy thoughts?"
Magnus turned to see the stranger standing a few feet from him. Magnus had let his mind wonder at the museum between giving tours, and it seemed while he hadn't been paying attention, the man had walked right up to him.
"That was quite the smile, so I thought," the man began, but then he backtracked. "Nevermind I shouldn't have-"
"What's your name?" Magnus asked.
"John," the guy said.
"Finally," Magnus replied. "Something to call you other than stalker guy."
"Oh god, is that what I am," John replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck clearly nervous.
"Well, hovering silently around my place of work doesn't really give rise to any other descriptive words," Magnus replied, calmly.
"Ah, right," John mumbled. "Makes sense."
"Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Magnus inquired.
"Yes," John said. "Ah, and no."
"As transparent as ever, I see," Magnus laughed. There was silence after that, but John didn't move away either. Magnus wasn't sure if he should just walk away, or maybe offer John a tour of the museum. Magnus was sure by now John had seen all of it, but maybe the activity would be a good icebreaker to let John say whatever it was he'd been coming here to say.
"I'll see you later then," John said suddenly, turning and bolting for the door as if hellhounds were after him.
"So much for satisfying my curiosity," Magnus sighed as he returned to his tasks.
The rest of his day passed easily enough, and just as Magnus suspected he arrived home to an empty apartment or rather an apartment full of needy cats. After giving Catsby his medication and both felines their dinner, Magnus entertained himself for the rest of the evening with netflix before finally going to bed. He sensed, more than heard Alec come to bed hours later. Magnus rolled over and snuggled up against his husband before falling asleep again.
It was strange waking up before Alexander. Usually it's always been the other way around, but with Alec working closes at the grocery store, and Magnus working office hours, there wasn't really a way around it. Quietly, Magnus snuck off to the museum again, and to his surprise he didn't see John once all day.
When Magnus arrived home this time he found Alec and Jace in his living room. So much for some alone time with his husband, Magnus thought as he joined them.
"It seems she's too busy with finals approaching," Jace was saying as Magnus walked in. "Or so she says."
"You don't believe her?" Alec asked.
"It's not that," Jace sighed. "It's just- I don't know. I don't understand how she can be SO busy that a ten minute video chat conversation isn't possible. I mean, my exams are coming up too and you don't see me canceling on people!"
"Have you told her this?" Alec asked.
"No," Jace mumbled.
"And why not?" Alec inquired.
"I don't want to seem too clingy," Jace mumbled.
"I hate to break it to you," Alec said, trying to hold back a grin. "But that ship sailed a LONG time ago."
"Urg," Jace groaned. "I hate this."
"Not to put salt in the wound," Magnus began moving closer. "But I've had a long day, and I want a kiss." Alec's attention was instantly caught, and he stood up to great Magnus properly.
"Hmm," Magnus sighed. "That's better."
"I miss kissing," Jace whined, looking at them bitterly.
"It's rather fantastic, isn't it," Magnus grinned, before wrapping his arms around Alec and deepening the kiss.
"Stop it," Jace whined. Then added with an evil tone. "Or I just might join you."
"Too far," Alec said, quickly backing away from Magnus. "Now I can't get that image out of my head." The look of total disgust on Alec's face made Magnus giggle.
"That doesn't sound so bad," Magnus mused, enjoying Alec's disgust more than he should.
"No way," Alec repeated, shaking his head and backing away. "Eww!"
"Okay, well as much fun as that was," Jace sighed standing up. "I was joking. That's way too much dick for me. I'm a boob man." Magnus's giggles turned into full laughter, half from Jace's word, and half from the look of relief on Alec's face.
"I'll leave the married couple to make out then, shall I," Jace said, moving towards his school bag. Magnus assumed he and Alec had come here after class. Jace stopped, and added bitterly, "Of course that still leaves me going home to hang out with yet another couple who will probably be kissing."
"How is Jordan?" Alec asked as if he were thinking of the couple Jace was speaking of rather than Jace's discontentment around kissing people.
"Fine, I think," Jace shrugged. "Why?"
"Maia's been a little off at work lately," Alec explained. "I was just wondering if maybe she'd had a fight with Jordan or something."
"Not that I know of," Jace replied. "Then again, I'm not the best at picking up on this kinda stuff."
"So true," Alec chuckled. "Just let me know if you do notice something. Maia's been so nice to me and I'd like help her if I can, but I really don't know how if she won't talk to me."
"Fair enough," Jace smiled as he headed towards the door. "See ya later." They heard the click as the lock latched behind him.
Now Magnus got the welcome home he'd wanted. They decided to order dinner, something they hadn't done since the night of Alec's first paycheck. Though Alec would never admit it, Magnus liked to think that Alec had noticed that the sushi did taste better after he'd earned it. At the very least, Alec didn't seem to be taking eating out for granted anymore.
For once they went to bed at the same time, which lead to lazy kissing and light foreplay in the dark before they fell asleep in each other's arms. The next day was Magnus's last shift at the museum before four days of being bored out of his mind doing data entry. At least it wasn't physical labour; the pay was okay and the hours were good, but apart from that it wasn't anything special. Still, Magnus wasn't about to be unemployed when Alec was working. He had more pride than that.
It was getting toward the end of his shift at the museum - and Magnus was already dreading his day at the office tomorrow - when he spotted John and decided enough was enough. Dropping what he was doing, Magnus walked over to his stalker and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey John," Magnus said brightly.
"Oh um, it's you- I mean hi," John stammered.
"Just say it," Magnus sighed. "I know you have something you want to tell me, and all this hovering isn't going to get it done. So out with it and let's move on."
"It isn't something you just say," John replied.
"Then stop coming here," Magnus snapped. "It's creepy."
"Alright," John sighed. "Alright." He took a deep breath the spoke. "See when I saw your picture on the website I got to thinking. Bane was her sister's surname, and you look a bit like her, and me. Though more like her."
"What are you talking about?" Magnus asked, with a sigh.
"I always knew you existed, or at least I knew Dian was pregnant, but then she disappeared and I never really bothered to find out what happened," John explained. "I only put two and two together when I saw your wedding announcement, and your picture on the museum site. Thought it might be worth a trip over here."
"A trip?" Magnus asked, not believing a word this man was saying. "You've been here dozens of times that I can remember."
"Well alright, many trips then," he admitted. "I'd never met you before so I thought if I got to know you a little, then maybe..."
"You aren't making any sense," Magnus said. "What exactly are you saying?"
"I think I'm your dad," John stated.
What to say... hmm... what to say... What do you guys think? Please please review and tell me! I do love to hear what is going through your minds as you read my chapters. No matter how many reviews I already have, I still refresh the page for days after uploading a new chapter hoping for more!
Sneak Peek Chapter 135
"Now are you sure about this whole vinegar in with the veggies thing?" Simon asked, cautiously.
"Yes," Izzy said firmly. "It's called pickling or how did you think pickles were made?"
"Walk to store," Simon began smirking. "Find pickles. Purchase. Eat."
"Cheeky," Izzy laughed, turning her back on him as she continued twirling around the kitchen making dinner. Simon loved her laugh. Combined with that glorious smile on her face, it was all he had to wait until she was done the prep work before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
"Hmm," Izzy sighed, as her arms came around him. Simon often lost track of his thoughts and his hands when kissing Isabelle. Today was no different.
"Sweetheart if you do that we are going to be eating burn tacos tonight," she gasped, as he kissed her neck while his hands traced lines over the sensitive skin under her shirt.
"What if I like burnt tacos?" Simon teased, moving down to kiss her collar bones.