“So you’re saying he’s easily bought. I’ll keep that in mind. Though hopefully he doesn’t get too upset if this happens again and we can’t get him something nice.” He had a feeling that Magnus had a bunch of gift ideas up his sleeve, so he’d leave that to him. “I was born ready for this.” That sounded more cheesy than Alec would have liked, but there was no taking it back now. “We’re going to be fine. The fans will love it. You’ve seen them online. They were ‘shipping’ us before we were even an us.” It felt weird to be the one to be reassuring Magnus, but also he knew it was bound to happen sometime. He chuckled and nodded, before leading the way to the rehearsal room. Alec picked up a mike and flipped on the switch. He already had the song memorized, so when the tune started to play, he sang when his moment was ready. His eyes were on Magnus all the while and he felt as if he could fall a little more in love with him every time he sang with him.
When rehearsal was over, they were told to head toward the back stage room where they would have to change. Alec reached out for Magnus’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “That was a great rehearsal, Magnus. I told you we’d be fine. And we’ll be even better tonight. Just you wait. The fans will be begging for more.”
Magnus laughed and shrugged. “Usually, yes. He’s just protective of me, after being in the background so long, he wants to make sure I’m doing okay so he kind of freaks out when I’m late.” Sometimes Magnus didn’t know how to handle it, but somehow whenever he was questioning it, Alec was right there and brought him back. “I feel like they may be extra loud tonight, and I’m preparing myself for cray art all over the arena.” he laughed a little, going through their sets and light changes, adjusting mics and when they were done, he took one last look at the empty arena, knowing it was sold out tonight and the next time they saw it, it would be filled with fans.
He moved a little closer to Alec when his boyfriend took his hand, nodding. “I know, I’m just nervous is all, and not about the fans.” he assured. “Do you know what you’re wearing tonight, yet?” He asked as he looked up, dark eyes watching him with a smile.
An offer to share clothing? Okay, Magnus must be dead. There was no way in hell that his cute neighbor was offering up his own clothes to wear, that was ridiculous. He probably froze to death in the hallway waiting for Ragnor, yes, that had to be it! “That’d be nice, thank you,” Magnus had seen the other two, although rather fleetingly, and he tended to avoid the blonde at all cost because he almost always had a surly expression on his face. “I’m Magnus, and the grumpy guy you’ve probably seen around is Ragnor. His parents adopted me when I was a kid, so I live with family, too.” It wasn’t like he really had a choice, the two had always been inseparable.
Cheeks a soft pink, Magnus followed Alec to the kitchen, uncertain and nervous. Head tilted curiously as Alec moved a sketchbook to the side, Magnus approached and touched careful fingertips to graphite covered paper. “Woah. These are amazing.” Well, he thought he’d said that in his head, but.
Alec smiled a little as he moved to get two tea cups down once the water was on. “I’ll be right back.” he assured. “Feel free to look around.” He went to his room, finding a long sleeved black shirt and black and blue plaid flanel pants, bringing them back out. “The bathroom is right there.” He pointed, handing the clothes over to Magnus. “The lawyer, right? Or is he a CEO?” he asked, pulling the tea pot off the stove and pouring the water over the little bags. He looked up and blushed a little, smiling. “Sometimes siblings make the best roommates.” he offered, moving to lean forward on the island as he waited for the tea to steep.
Dark blue eyes looked over and he smiled shyly, a blush on his cheeks. “Thank you. Fashion design isn’t usually my forte, it’s Izzy’s, but sometimes I have an idea and it comes out pretty decent. Izzy touches them up and she’s saving them for when she has enough for a compliation line.” he laughed a little and ran a hand through raven hair, licking his lips. “Most of my stuff in interior design and party planning. I plan to open a company once I graduate this spring. Two more classes.”
“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry that you were treated like that. No one deserves it.” And he hoped that whoever had hurt Magnus like that was paying for it now. He nodded in understanding. “It’s best to save yourself for someone who will truly care about you. They’ll come around.” And he would do well to take his own advice. “I like archery. Maybe I’ll get more into that.” It was something he did every now and then, though he was very good at it. If he went to the fields more, Alec knew that he’d get even better. When the pizza and water was brought out, Alec thanked him and paid him before he started to eat. The food warmed his belly and the water was soothing going down.
“Yes, that’s fine. Please take your time. There’s no need to rush.” And he certainly didn’t want the man to be rushing for him either. He looked down at his food, feeling embarrassed and he muttered, “I shouldn’t have said that. Go on and continue what you were doing. I’m fine here.” Alec ate quietly and this time when he drank he kept to the water. The slices that he’d gotten were easily gone in an hour and he had turned around to people watch while he waited on Magnus’s shift to be over. It wasn’t easy seeing all of the couples there together, but he had to at least think that maybe they were happy. Hopefully these people here would get the happy endings they deserved. At this point in his life, Alec didn’t know if he would get one. He also didn’t know how he would ever return home. Maybe it would be time to get his own place, because he knew that seeing Jace again was only going to upset him.
Magnus smiled in a charming way. “It took a while, but I’m better for it. I know the signs I need to walk away from.” He smiled at Alec’s words and nodded. “They may come around when you least expect it. Everything happens for a reason, though, right?” He really did want to know Alec better, maybe they could be friends once the other was sober. “Archery? That’s a dying art. It’s nice to see someone appreciate such a classic.” He tried to deny the money, but he knew better than to argue with anyone inebriated after years in his line of work. It felt nice to help someone rather than having to just keep making drinks or calling a cab.
“There’s never a need to rush in this bar.” He assured, smiling again. As Alec looked down, he reached over to lay a hand on Alec’s. “I’ve been told worse, I promise. Let me know if you need more good or water, okay?” He gave a reassuring smile and went about what he needed to do, straightening up and finishing washing glasses, never far from where Alec was. When his replacement showed up, he grabbed his jacket and keys and walked over to Alec. “Think you can make it to my car? It’s just around the corner.” He offered.
“And I promise to do my absolute best to come home to you.” It was something Alec actually thought about now. Before it had been mission after mission and doing what he’d been raised to do. Now he felt like he had someone to come home to. He chuckled a little and shrugged before he said, “Yeah well…I’m still a bit new to it all.” It was true. Magnus was his first real relationship, everything else had been daydreams. He nuzzled against Magnus as his arms went more around him to keep him close. “I never would. You’ve been the best thing to happen to me. Thank you for fighting for us. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I hadn’t met you.” Chances are he’d have either married for his family and would have been unhappy or he would have stayed alone and he would be unhappy anyway. Either way he was happier than he ever could be. “You make me so happy. And I hope that you are happy with me too.” He moved enough to kiss Magnus’s cheeks. There were times when he could hardly keep his hands or his mouth to himself. And Magnus had been right earlier when he said that he had a love for romantic thins. Alec had always been a romantic at heart.
It had always been some unconscious resignation that everyone he cared about would leave, be it for death or they got tired of him (just look at the toxicity that had been his relationship with a certain blonde vampire). Something when it came to Alec was soul deep, just the thought of Alec not coming home made Magnus ache on a level he’d never known could hurt. He looked up as he listened and chuckled. “You may not have had relationships in the past, Alexander, but you had your own demons to carry.” he replied, reaching to run his fingers through dark hair as he sighed under Alec’s kisses. “Of course I fought for us. But I fought for you first.” he answered. “I loved you the moment I saw you, but I know the majority of shadowhunters frown upon cross species, and to add on that we’re both men? I didn’t want you to be trapped into some sense of loyalty and I’m glad you made the choice to ask me on that first date.” he smiled, closing his eyes. “Would you like to shower?”
It wasn’t as though A.Lightwood was wrong (Magnus hoped he’d learn his name at some point)–it was fall, soon to turn to winter, and despite how much they both must be shelling out for their expensive, top floor apartments, the hallways were just as freezing as the lobby was when the front door was ajar. Magnus was vaguely surprised that he hadn’t been shivering, especially because of his own discomfort when faced with cold, but at the mention of it by the other, a small shiver ran up the nurses’ spine.
Blushing at the offer, a bit of panic rising in him at the idea of being alone with his mysterious and crushworthy neighbor when he’s barely been able to get three words out without stuttering in the past. “O-okay, thanks.” Standing on his feet, Magnus brushed his palms on the back of his scrubs and followed the man into his apartment.
Alec smiled as Magnus accepted his invitation to a warm place, closing the door behind them and taking his scarf and jacket off. “I can get you something to wear for now. My stuff might be a little big on you, but I doubt you’d want to wear my brother or sister’s clothes.” he chuckled a little. “I’m Alec, by the way. The blonde you’ve probably seen is my brother Jace and Izzy is our sister. Their rooms are down to the left. The guest room is to the right near me.” he replied, pointing as he spoke. “Let me put on some tea, it’ll help warm you up.” he offered, going to the kitchen and moving his sketchbook of designs.
themusechronicles 