Despite that fact that it was now Easter, Alec's mind was back on Valentine's day. His husband had pulled out all the stops: fancy clothes, restaurant, romancing to the bedroom. Just thinking about it made Alec smile. And he'd definitely rather think about their epic date night than focus on his textbook. What did he really need to know about collective agreements anyway? Why was there so much more homework later in the term? Graduation couldn't come fast enough.
"Urg," Alec groaned as he dropped his head down on the open textbook in front of him.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
"Is that all they're worth?" Alec asked, without lifting his head.
A light chuckle came in answer to this statement, followed shortly by the light touch of lips on his exposed neck.
"Hmmm," Alec sighed at his husband's touch.
"What is bothering you, my love?"
"School not over yet," Alec mumbled. "Can it be Valentine's day every day?"
"Graduation is just around the corner," Magnus replied. "Patience is a virtue."
"That I was born without," Alec whined.
"Well, since I can't help with the first one," Magnus said. There was something alluring in his voice. Intrigued, Alec lifting his head and was instantly kissed. "Happy Valentine's day, darling."
"It's Easter," Alec reminded him.
"Hey, I'm tired," Magnus chuckled. "Don't you have homework to do?"
"Yeah," Alec said, his shoulders slumped.
Still smiling, Magnus kissed Alec's forehead. "I'm off," he said. "Good luck with the studying."
"Thanks," Alec grumbled. "Gonna need it."
Alec did manage to get back to his homework after that, but only for about an hour. At which point he was interrupted by a text from his cousin who needed someone to complain to about the huge amounts of homework they were getting. Alec was only too happy to oblige her, even if it cut into getting said homework actually done.
By the time Magnus got home from work, Alec was totally and completely done with school work. He needed a break. Folding up his books and pushing them firmly away, Alec stood up with determination. He was stiff from sitting for so long and began pacing just to move his legs.
"How was work today?" Alec asked as his husband was closing the front door behind him.
"It's only work when you get paid," Magnus replied easily. "Saturdays I'm at the museum, remember?"
"Fine Mr. Specific," Alec sighed, rolling his eyes at his husband. "How was volunteering today then?"
"Excellent," Magnus smiled. "Much better than data entry."
"I wish you didn't have to work at a job you don't like," Alec sighed.
"You have a very skewed point of view," Magnus smiled. "The majority of the people work for money." He shrugged. "The paycheck is the point."
"Yeah, but I still think it would be better if you liked your job more," Alec replied.
"Well I don't hate it," Magnus smiled. "I've had jobs I hated before, this one's just boring I guess. You worry too much, and about the total wrong things, darling."
"Maybe," Alec sighed, moving closer to rest his head on Magnus's chest. He felt his husband's arms wrap around him and relaxed at once.
"Loves you," Alec whispered as he snuggled in closer.
"As I do you," Magnus replied easily.
"You still game for dinner tonight?" Alec asked unsure.
"I can't promise to go in with any expectations, but yes we can go," he replied calmly.
"I think it'll be fun," Alec smiled, turning his head to look up at his husband.
"We shall have to wait and see," Magnus answered. "Speaking of which, we should get ready."
"Right," Alec smiled, before dashing off to change into some 'out of the house' attire. Magnus, it seemed, was just going to wear his work clothes to the restaurant.
When Alec returned, Magnus looked him up and down and stated matter of factly. "You look better naked."
Alec rolled his eyes. "I can't go to the restaurant naked."
"Still, if I'm going to compare your fashion sense with your birthday suit, I know which one I prefer," Magnus shrugged.
"Would you like to dress me then?" Alec asked.
"As always, I'd love to darling, but if I did we'd be late for dinner," Magnus chirped before pecking Alec on the cheek and elegantly moving from the door.
With a sigh, Alec followed, locking their front door behind him. Rather than annoy one of the few friends they had with cars, they'd decided to catch the bus, as the restaurant in question was only a block from a bus stop downtown.
It was a short walk and a quiet one. Alec couldn't help but wonder if Magnus was nervous at all. It seemed right that he should be, but for some reason Alec didn't sense any anxiety in his husband's body language. The bus was rather full when they got on, and effectively ended any chance at conversation. Alec did take a moment to try and assure Magnus that everything would go well as they walked from the bus stop to the restaurant, but only got a kind smile in return. Maybe Magnus really wasn't nervous?
Moments later, Alec was sitting down at a dimly lit table beside Magnus and across from John, and he was nervous. It was such a strange and daunting concept to Alec to meet parents later in life. Alec had not a single first memory of any of his core family as he'd known them all longer than he could remember.
"You'd think at these prices they could afford better lights," John chuckled.
"It's all about the ambiance," Alec explained, glancing around to take in the poorly lit mahogany tables and chairs. The walls were painted a deep burgundy, and Alec realized that this restaurant might be better suited for a date, not to meet your newly acquired father-in-law. Oh well.
"Well, I have old eyes, and for me it's all about being able to read the menu," John chuckled.
"Try using your phone as a flashlight," Alec replied.
"Oh, excellent idea," John agreed and quickly pulled out his phone. Alec couldn't help but study John's face, especially now that it was better lit. He kept finding little similarities to the face of the man he loved within the lines and smiles of the person across from him. As Alec had never before met a blood relative of his husband - apart from Aleida who looked nothing like Magnus being technically only his mother's half sister and full Dutch compared to Magnus's half-Dutch half-Indonesian heritage - the whole thing felt rather remarkable to him.
"What are you boys thinking of ordering?" John asked cheerfully.
"I always prefer the soup and salad myself," Magnus replied. "Their soup of the day is quite good."
"Oh, but surely you're learning to enjoy the luxuries of life," John chuckled. "After marrying into such a family."
"Not even a little," Alec laughed with his father-in-law. "Magnus is still so frugal it's crazy. And he's working two jobs."
"I have one job," Magnus replied easily. "I just volunteer at the museum on weekends. Besides, wasn't it your parents who decided you had to learn some money skills when they cut you off?"
Alec turned sheepishly to see his husband with a raised eyebrow. "Okay yeah, make sense if you must," Alec sighed. "Ruin my teasing."
"That's what I'm here for," Magnus chuckled, turning to look at the menu again.
"You two are sweet," John told them. Alec looked up grinning. He and Magnus were way more than sweet - they were soulmates - but he liked the comment all the same.
"Thank you," Magnus replied kindly.
"I've never had that," John said. "Not even with your mom." He gestured to Magnus before continuing. "You two are very lucky."
"We know," Alec grinned.
"What happened with mom?" Magnus asked. "As far as you know. The most I ever really got out of my aunt was 'cold case'. She made it sound like mom was murdered, and the killer was never caught or something."
"Ah well, I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes and re-write history," John smiled. "I don't have the right."
"Hmmm," Magnus mussed. Though still looking down at the menu, Alec was picturing his husband with his eyebrow raised in suspicion again, and decided it was time for a few topic.
"Had the weirdest customer at work the other day," Alec began. "They didn't like the way the paprika was sprinkled on the potato salad, and wanted us to make a whole new one that had 'less clumpy paprika'. I mean can you believe how ridiculous that sounds?"
"I can," John laughed. "There is nothing more ridiculous in life than customer service."
"Couldn't have put it better myself," Alec chuckled.
It was at that time that the waitress came and took their order. Magnus did indeed order the salad and soup, while John ordered a steak medium rare, and Alec decided on a pasta dish.
"Even employed you don't change," Magnus smiled at him as the waitress left.
"What do you mean?" Alec asked.
"One should never order pasta from a restaurant," Magnus explained. "As it costs almost nothing to make those at home easily. You are better off ordering something you can't make yourself."
"See what I'm up against," Alec chuckled, turning to face John. "So determined to be cheap."
"Cheap and practical are not the same thing," Magnus argued.
"What are you gonna do when mom gives me my credit cards back?" Alec chuckled. "And I take you out to a super fancy dinner?"
"Stay home and order chinese," Magnus said, his expressions dead serious.
John's roar of laughter could probably be heard on the other side of the restaurant.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were more your aunt's child than mine," John sniggered. "That is exactly what she'd say."
"I didn't know you knew Aleida?" Magnus inquired.
"I was with her sister long enough to get to know her a bit," John smiled. "Though that was a very long time ago, it sounds like she hasn't changed."
"How long ago?" Magnus asked.
"Oh, I think Dian and I started dating around grade twelve or just after?" John mused. "I can't quite remember now. It all blurs together when you get old. I don't recommend it."
"We can hardly decide not to get old," Alec laughed.
"The sad truth of life," John replied.
"So John," Magnus took charge of the conversation. "What do you do for a living?"
"Oh, a little of this and a little of that," John said. "Started a few companies in my day you know. Bit of an entrepreneur. I seize opportunities."
"That sounds interesting," Alec commented, but he heard Magnus whisper under his breath, 'that sounds unemployed.'
"Thank you, Alec," John smiled. "It really is. I meet a lot of interesting people in my line of work."
"Such as?" Magnus asked.
Alec didn't like the skeptiseum in his husband's voice. He didn't like what he knew Magnus was thinking. Why couldn't they just get along? Isn't that what parents and kids were supposed to do?
"I wonder what you two have in common?" Alec continued. "I mean apart from appearance."
"What do you mean apart from?" Magnus scoffed.
"Oh, come on," Alec groaned. "Even you must have noticed the resemblance." Magnus just waved his hand, dismissing the idea.
"He's so stubborn," Alec turned to tell John.
"Ah yes, his mother was like that," John smiled. "And I think his aunt is similar."
"That would make sense," Alec smiled. Then after a moment in which no one else spoke he added, "What more can you tell me about Magnus's mother?"
"She was beautiful," John began. "Too beautiful for her own good. Outshined her sister at every turn, and she knew it too. I never did quite understand what a woman like that was doing with me, but I sure was glad of it."
"Aleida told me Dian was a bit of a loose canon?" Magnus inquired.
"Oh, that she was," John said. "I honestly was never surprised to hear almost any rumor about her. Even if she ran off to who knows where to do who knows what she always came back to me, and I took comfort in that."
"How long were you two together?" Alec asked.
"A year or so," John explained. "I'd found her pregnancy test in the garbage at her parents house, and just barely managed to talk to her about it before she disappeared. Then I spent the next few weeks hearing all kinds of rumours about her I choose to ignore." He paused, looking thoughtful. "She was a good person really."
"Do you ever miss her?" Alec asked.
"Sometimes I think of her," John explained. "But it's been so many years it's hard to miss her as a person, you know."
The waitress arrived then to deliver their meals. The food was very good and conversation halted while everyone ate. When it resumed they were on lighter topics. Alec inquired after John's next entrepreneurial project, the explanation of which ate up a great deal of the evening.
Alec insisted they order dessert, and ended up sharing a divine citrus cheesecake with Magnus while John had a chocolate brownie.
When the bill came Magnus tried to split it, but John snatched it right out of his son's hand, and said it was his pleasure to buy them dinner as the start of a long friendship.
"That was so nice of him," Alec was saying as they were walking back to the bus stop.
"I wonder why he did it," Magnus mused.
"Alway so suspicious," Alec sighed. "Isn't it possible he's trying to make up for being gone all those years?"
"Possibly, yes," Magnus said. "Likely no."
"Always the pessimist," Alec sighed, reaching out to take his husband's hand in his.
"And you're forever the optimist," Magnus smiled, gently tucking a strand of hair behind Alec's ear.
"They say opposites attract," Alec mumbled. The warmish March air, his husband's presence, plus a stomach full of good food was making Alec sleepy.
"Just think," Alec continued. "In a few months it will be properly warm and school will be over."
"Were you serious about helping out with John's next project after graduation?" Magnus asked.
"Yeah," Alec shrugged. "Why not?"
"Just doesn't feel like a good idea," Magnus explained. "You should never mix money and family."
"That doesn't make any sense," Alec chuckled as they saw the bus drive up.
"Maybe not to you," Magnus whispered, kissing the top of Alec's head before they got on the bus.
It was a short ride home, and Alec spent most of it with his eyes closed and his head on Magnus's shoulder.
Arriving home, they didn't go to bed right away, but rather sat on the couch together with Alec's head in Magnus's lap as he listened to whatever his husband had decided to watch with half an ear.
It wouldn't be long now, Alec thought as he drifted off to sleep. April would mean exams, and exams meant graduation and an end to homework. Maybe he'd work with John. Maybe he'd just slack off a while, and stick it out at the deli, and maybe just maybe he'd do something else entirely. All he knew was that as long as he had Magnus, there wasn't anything in this world he couldn't face come morning.
Sorry about the RIDICULOUSLY long wait between chapters guys!
I've been getting alot more reviews on my other story and thus been putting more time into that one.
Plus I will once again confess to getting sick of R&S. Wow this story is SO long it's just really got to end already. lol.
To that end I am going to try and update this again soon or at least WAY sooner than... what was it like three months ago that I last updated! Sooner than that for sure. I'm read for this story to end but I want to do what I've already written justice rather than rush an ending. Just feels wrong to put this much into a story then throw in a sharp unsatisfactory ending. I plan to finish started plot lines but not add new conflict plot lines if that makes any sense. :) Hope this is okay with you guys. ^_^
So what does everyone think of John so far? I'm super curious! Please tell me what you think. :)
Sneak Peek Chapter 149
Slowly each cramming session and subsequent exam passed. Though she knew time was flowing at the normal rate it felt all over the map as her last few weeks of university came to an end.
It was a strange feeling sitting in the library at her unusual table, knowing that this would be the last time she ever had to cam for an exam in this room. Well unless she ever came back for her master's and that was way to far off to contemplate at the moment.
It was a beautiful library, with tall ceilings and rows and rows of books beyond the counting though of course they were all counted, tagged and bar coded. It somehow ruined the poetry of the place but still the warm wood paneling and comfy chairs created a welcoming environment.
From where she sat Maia could see Jordan, with his head down writing with great concentration. Maia smiled for a moment as she looked at him. It had been weeks now that they'd been waving and smiling without speaking. A thought had been going around in her head for a while. A thought she kinda wanted to express to him, but at the same time she didn't. Maia had come to enjoy the security of their small moments and was scared an actual moment would crush it.