Small Town Days [Malec]

Life Tip #24- Love Does Not Mean Trust

Blake was gone within seconds, leaving Magnus to Simon.

"Simon--"

"I'm getting Alec," Simon said, disappearing back behind the door.

Magnus ran his fingers through his hair.

No.

This was not happening like this.

This was not happening.

The stage door opened but Magnus' back was to it.

"Magnus?"

Magnus couldn't breathe. He couldn't speak-- he turned around, trying to act cool.

"Hi," Magnus breathed.

Alec had gotten hotter, growing into himself.

Oh, Magnus was screwed.

"Hi," Alec said. The club was incredibly loud now that the music had stopped.

"Hi," Magnus said again. Alec was standing right in front of him, looking at him.

"Well, come on back," Alec said, opening the door a little wider.

Magnus stepped into the corridor, Alec stepping in front of him to guide him.

They walked to the end of the hall where there was a dressing room. It was empty.

"Twenty minutes," Alec said.

"Okay," Magnus said.

He had twenty minutes to think about what to say.

........

Alec was driving, trying to focus on the road.

Magnus was unexpected. He was improvising everything, trying to keep calm.

"Where are we going?" Magnus asked, softly.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Alec said, shaking his head. "I actually live at Luke's now. We split the bills, split the rent. I have a room. He's there six months out of the year so it's a good set up."

"Definitely," Magnus said.

"What about you? Where are you staying?" Alec asked.

"I moved from The New Yorker to The Times so I had to move across town," Magnus said.

"The Times?"

"Straight out of NYU."

"That's amazing," Alec said. And he meant it.

"Yeah, it's been crazy," Magnus said.

Alec parked in front of the building and they were silent all the way upstairs.

"Coffee?" Alec offered.

"Water," Magnus said. He really just needed something to keep his hands busy.

Alec grabbed the glass and started filing it. Magnus looked around the apartment.

Alec had obviously made some investments-- a new couch, a newer and larger TV, paintings on the wall.

The apartment had personality now.

Then Alec was gliding by him, passing the water off to him.

Alec sat in one of the armchairs and Magnus sat on the couch.

"Just like old times," Alec whispered. Magnus couldn't hear the comment.

"What about you?" Magnus asked.