How to Name Your Cat

How to Forget

"What are you doing here?" Cornelius asked.

"I needed a drink. I thought I might see you," Magnus said. "Two birds. One stone."

"Why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Well, now that I'm here, I'm asking myself the same question." Magnus took the last gulp. "You certainly haven't changed."

"Neither have you."

"I got richer."

"I got poorer."

"Did they cut your Social Security?"

"I'm 53."

"Oh, sorry. You look half-dead," Magnus said.

"I should hit you, boy."

Magnus rolled his eyes.

Cornelius wouldn't dare.

Magnus was faster now.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again.

"I honestly have no idea," Magnus said. "I've got a dinner tonight and I'm not looking forward to it."

"So you decided to drink?"

"A little impaired judgement never hurt anyone," Magnus said, looking down at his empty glass.

Suddenly his cheek with stinging with sharp pain.

"What the—"

"Man up," Cornelius said. "Don't become me, you idiot. Don't get drunk to survive a dinner."

Magnus grabbed his cheek.

"You hit me," Magnus cried.

"Isn't that what you came here for?"

"No— Yes," Magnus admitted. "But now I'm leaving."

"Always a whiner," Cornelius muttered.

Magnus got up, walking away.

"Hey!" the bartender shouted. "You gotta pay for that."

"Put it on his tab," Magnus said, as he pushed out of the bar.

He could hear Cornelius' cackling laughter follow him.

.......

Magnus switched his phone to his other ear.

"Okay, so going with the cover story you so geniously thought up a month ago," Alec said, "aren't you my boss?"

"Alexander, do your parents not know you are most extraordinarily gay?" Magnus asked. He pulled a shirt off the rack, inspecting it.

"I've implied it—"

"Well, your sister's birthday party is not the time nor place to come out to them," Magnus said. He put it back. Too bright.

"I know that."

"So just say that you felt bad because I'm a lonely person with no life," Magnus said.

"That's not true," Alec protested.

"It's not true because of you," Magnus said.

"Magnus," Alec mumbled quietly.

"I'm not in the mood to debate my affection for you," Magnus said. "So just agree, okay?"

"Okay," Alec said. "When are you getting back?"

"As soon as I find something decent for your sister," Magnus said. "Pink or green?"

"For Izzy?"

"You call her Izzy? That's adorable," Magnus said.

"Green," Alec said.

"Alright. I'll be back in 20," Magnus said.

..........

"You're late," a female version of Alec said as soon as the door to the townhouse opened.

"Hi to you too," Alec said.

"Who's this?" Isabelle Lightwood asked.

"You didn't tell her I was coming?" Magnus asked, cooly.

"Magnus Bane," Alec said at the same time.

"You're the rich guy right?"

"Isabelle!" Alec snapped.

"Mom and Dad said you were living with some billionaire," Isabelle said.

"Actually I'm not a billionaire," Magnus said. Alec looked at him with bewildered eyes. "I'm not. I'm close but not quite."

"That sucks," Isabelle said.

"I like her," Magnus said. "She reminds me of Jace."

"You met Jace before me?" Isabelle asked. "Alec!"

"Isabelle!" someone shouted from inside.

She turned around and headed back in.

"This is where you grew up?" Magnus asked as Alec led him inside.

There was one long hallway, ending in a staircase.

"My own special hell," Alec commented quietly.

Some emerged from one of the many doorways lining the hall.

"Hey, Max," Alec said.

He looked like a younger version of Alec.

They all looked the same, Magnus realized.

Max smiled and ran towards Alec.

He had to be at least a couple inches taller than Alec.

Alec almost fell over beneath the weight of Max.

"This is Magnus," Alec said. Magnus smiled and Max waved.

"We've heard all about you," Max said. "Come on."

The doorbell rang.

Isabelle ran past them and opened the door, jumping into the arms of someone on the porch.

"Who's that?" Alec asked, turning to watch the scene.

"Simon," Max sighed. "Her new boyfriend. He's some geeky computer coder. I'm pretty sure he's a vampire."

"I'm gone for a month," Alec sighed.

"Alexander!" Maryse's voice shouted from another room.

Alec pulled Magnus away from Max, into the kitchen.