Pour Me Another | bowstrung

@inkfated [[continued from here]]

“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.

Pour Me Another | bowstrung

bowstrung

A small blush could be seen on Alec’s cheeks and he ducked his head a little. He knew what he was saying in that, that he’d been looking at him and not the others. “Thank you,” he murmured to him. “I think I’ve had enough heartbreak to last a lifetime.” Not to say the guy would break his heart, but he didn’t trust anyone right now where his heart was concerned. “You’re sweet. And don’t worry, I won’t drive. Not like this. I walked here anyway. Need to clear my head.” The walk hadn’t helped much either, not that it mattered. He knew he’d probably feel like this for awhile. “You say that like you’ve been through it before. I’m sorry if you have. It really sucks.” He almost wished Jace was hurting too, but then that wasn’t really nice and Alec knew he wouldn’t want Jace to hurt no matter how much he’d hurt him. He’d let himself get too caught up in Jace though. It hadn’t helped that he’d dreamed about them getting married and adopting a bunch of little ones. Alec took another gulp of the alcohol as he tried yet again to get rid of such thoughts.

He shrugged before he said, “Pizza sounds good. I’ll take a couple slices of that. Give me your favorite order, please.” He lifted a brow, surprised that he’d seen worse than him. Then again, Alec had seen worse as well and that was just people watching when he’d been here. A small chuckle escaped his mouth and he nodded. “Uh, yeah. It’s a weird situation. And a long story.” Chances are Magnus would call him a freak if he knew about Jace, anyone would. “What? No no…I…couldn’t intrude like that. I’m a stranger.” Technically, though it seemed like Magnus had truly been keeping an eye on him longer than he thought. “Cats, huh? I like cats. I suppose that wouldn’t be so bad. If they think I’m bad, then I’ll go.” Not that he was bad, but he trusted an animal’s judgement more than his own right now. “Thank you. I”ll owe you big time. Really. You’ve been….,” his words slurred even more at this last bit, “Really really nice to me. You shoulda been my boyfriend. Not Jace. Jace is an ass.” He reached for his glass only to find that it was empty. “Can I get some water with that pizza, please?” He was already planning on leaving a big tip too, Magnus deserved it.

Magnus knew that his comment had been decoded when Alec blushed, and he smiled at him. He hummed and nodded. “Believe me, I understand that sentiment very well.” he assured, drying a glass and putting it back on the rack. He nodded a little, listening to the other. “I have. Although to be fair, the relationship I got free of was abusive.” he mused, shrugging. “I’ve been single for six years.” And doing a lot of PTSD therapy, but that wasn’t something he needed to talk about. “Sometimes you need to find some kind of hobby to get your mind off of it.” he replied.

Magnus nodded and ordered a fresh pizza to be made, glad that he wasn’t the only one behind the bar. He smiled and brought a couple of slices back, setting the plate down and getting a tall glass of water. “Trust me, if it helps you get over your ex, I don’t mind at all. You shouldn’t be upset like this.” he explained. “I have another hour before my replacement gets here, if you want to eat and relax?” he offered. He seemed a little taken back by the comment, blinking for a moment. “As flattering as that is, Alexander, you should really get some rest tonight.”

Pour Me Another | bowstrung

Alexander

Alec lifted a brow, surprised that the man had noticed so much about him. It might have creeped him out if it had been anyone else, but in a way it felt nice to be looked after, even in these small ways. “That’s usually because I’m the one getting them home.” No more, he thought. He was tired of always being the ‘good one,’ only to be ditched and left behind. He’d thought that he and Jace had something special, but apparently he’d been wrong. He wasn’t getting into another relationship ever again. “He doesn’t seem to think so,” Alec replied. “I should have known when he kept eying her,” he muttered. He’d never been good enough for Jace, he thought sadly.

“Yes well…at least any of it will keep me from thinking about him.” And yet it hadn’t. He couldn’t get Jace out of his head as much as he tried to. This guy was really concerned about him, wasn’t he? He squinted at the name tag, sure that he knew it, but his alcohol addled mind couldn’t think of it. Magnus, that was right. The name was fitting for him. “I guess I could do with some food. What do you recommend?” He wasn’t hungry, but Magnus was right. He was going to regret not eating anything later. And hopefully it all stayed down later too. “You’re probably used to seeing people like me, huh? I’m sorry I’m kind of taking up your time here. I can go once I’m finished.” He’d just have to find a taxi and go home and see Jace all over again. Sometimes he wished that he didn’t live in the same place as the blonde did, take now for instance. Maybe he could stay in a hotel for the night. “Say, do you know of any decent hotels around here? I’d rather not go home looking like this tonight.” His parents wouldn’t be pleased if they saw him and Izzy was bound to pity him, which he didn’t want either.

Magnus gave a quiet smile. “Yes, I’ve been caught looking a time or two. Hard not to.” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to try and seduce you.” He assured. “Heartbreak takes time to heal. And right now, I’m taking responsibility to make sure you get home. You don’t need to be driving in your condition.” He reached across the counter to lay his hand on Alec’s arm, looking at him. “Don’t let him being an asshole keep you down. I know it hurts, but it will get better, I promise.” HE explained knowingly, turning to mix a couple of drinks and putting them on the tray of the waitress who had stopped to give him the order. Looking back at Alec, he tilted his head.

“Not that I doubt your attempts at trying, but might I assume it’s not quite working the way you expected?” he asked. “Pizza here is the best for a bar. Takes about twenty minutes to make fresh,but it’s well worth it.” He let dark eyes look over the man and shook his head. “You’re not taking up my time. Trust me, tonight’s a slow night, and I’ve got plenty of time and trust me, I have seen much, much worse than you for far less.” he explained. He paused in placing an order for a pizza to look up. “Hotel? I take it you live with the asshole?” he asked. “I have a guest room you can stay at. As long as you’re fine with cats.”

Pour Me Another | bowstrung

Alexander [ @bowstrung ]

“If you’re worried about pay, you’re getting it.” He’d already been leaving the payment on the table. Unless the guy wanted him gone…, “I’m not causing any trouble. I’m just drinking.” It wasn’t like he was fighting with the other customers. That wouldn’t be like him at all if he did. He didn’t understand how a stranger could care about him so much. Why did this stranger care when Jace hadn’t bothered to check if he was okay? Granted, he hadn’t given him the chance to explain himself, but still. He felt his heart ache at the thought of what he’d witnessed.

Alec took the drink with a grateful nod and drowned a half of it in one go. All of this drinking wasn’t like himself either, but it numbed the pain. At least it numbed it a little bit. “My boyfriend cheated on me,” Alec muttered. He still wouldn’t look at him. He felt shame and sadness and anger and a number of other things that he couldn’t quite name. “Left me for a girl with stupid red hair and she’s so short he could use her head as an arm rest.” Alec’s hand tightened around the cup in his hand. He was surprised at himself for telling so much of what had happened to someone he barely knew. “He didn’t even say anything when I saw him there with her. He just….I can’t believe him.”

Magnus shook his head. “Pay is the least of my worries, Alec.” he replied, tilting his head. “You’re fine, I’m just concerned by you drinking so much. You usually don’t drink much at all, even when you’re with your friends.” he replied. A frowned creased full lips down as Magnus watched him, genuinely concerned because Alec was so clearly distraught and Magnus wasn’t sure he could fix it. He could, however, keep an eye on the other man.

Seeing yet another drink almost completely downed, Magnus felt his heart ache. Cheated on? “Who would be foolish enough to cheat on you? That sounds like his loss.” he reached to pick up a glass to dry it. “Well, as much as I’m sure it help you feel better now, alcohol will do more harm than good come the morning.” he said. “But you’re welcome to stay as long as you need to, provided you eat at least something to help. I’m not sure I could hop the counter fast enough to catch you if you pass out,” he teased with a smile.