Drop of Magic (Malec)

Old Wounds and Alcohol Don't Mix

"Alec, I haven't seen you in so long, how are you? What are you doing now? Where are you living? Who are you here with?" 

"It's been awhile... I work for Dumort, accounting, editing and doing interviews. I live just downtown, in an apartment and I'm here on a...date." He nods, soaking all of it in before raising a brow.

"Date? With who?" Still unsure about how Jace feels about my sexuality, a nod towards the bar, not trusting my voice. 

"Uh...Magnus Bane." Jace nearly chokes on his own air and turns to me. 

"Like rich businessman who mom and dad hate Magnus Bane?" I wince a bit and nod. 

"Yeah, that one." Jace tugs my arm, heading straight for Magnus like an arrow and I start to panic a bit. But he places one of his charming smiles on and stands right in front of him, outstretching a hand. 

"Hello, you must be Magnus, my name is Jace Herondale. I'm Alec's brother." Magnus takes his hand, shaking it firmly once before dropping it, placing a smile on his face that I'm not yet familiar with. 

"Ah, Jace, it's lovely to meet you. Tell me, are you and Alec very close?" I internally groan and slide myself into my seat, silently thanking Magnus for ordering me a much-needed second drink. 

"We...used to be. I reacted poorly when our family had a falling out, and we sort of lost touch." Magnus glances at me past Jace, knowing exactly what Jace is skirting around. I shrug noncommittally, secretly wishing Jace would go back to whatever he was doing before I bumped into him. 

"I understand, well, Alec and I were going to head home soon, but it was really great to meet you, Jace Herondale." Jace isn't one for formalities normally, and I can tell he feels a bit uncomfortable under Magnus' eye contact and formal words. He nods and turns to me. 

"Alec, it was really nice to see you. Call me okay? I think we should talk." I nod again, starting to feel the warmth of the alcohol pooling in my stomach. I watch Jace walk away from me, and down the rest of my beer. 

      "Okay darling, let it out, you're going to be fine." I should've known drinking away my discomfort was a bad idea, but I still got shots, and more shots to follow those ones, and Magnus had a worried look on his face but said nothing, almost like he understood. Now, I'm crouched over his perfectly white toilet, head down, heaving up the contents of tonight's poor choices as Magnus strokes my sweat dampened hair, keeping it out of my eyes. His free hand rubs small, comforting circles on my back and I hate myself with every rotation for ruining what should've been a good, relaxing night with Magnus. When I don't feel like death anymore, I lift my head. Magnus is quick to swipe at my lips with a warm, damp cloth. He turns, hand dropping from my back and I instantly miss the warmth, to grab a glass of water and some painkillers. 

"Here, love, rinse out your mouth then take these. What time do you work tomorrow?" I follow his instructions before answering. 

"8, and Magnus, I'm so sorry for ruining tonight. I just lost it when I saw Jace, it's been 2 years and he didn't say sorry and I'm angry but I'm more angry at myself-" 

"Shh, Alexander, darling, I'm not angry with you. Tonight took a different turn, that I'll agree with you on, but how you reacted was perfectly human. I've been there many times myself. I'm just glad I was there to take care of you. We can always redo tonight, we have all the time in the world. But I don't ever want you to apologize for being human." I nod feebly and rest my head against his arm, closing my eyes. 

Magnus POV

      It's been several years since I've had a hangover and several more since I've had my very first hangover. But I knew that was exactly the situation I was headed for in the morning. There was no way in hell Alexander was going to work at 8 am, and so I took it upon myself to ask a small favour from Camille, knowing she owes me for the interview (not that I was going to thank her for the opportunity to get close to Alec) and for a lot more from our past. 

"Magnus?" she answers, obviously confused as to why I'm calling so late in the evening, and on her personal phone too. 

"Hello, Camille. I have a tiny favour to ask of you. Consider it a small portion of the debt you owe me for the past several years." I can almost hear her scowl through the phone. 

"What can I do for you, Magnus?" Her words are laced with sarcasm and venom, as hers always are, but I shrug it off and glance over to the couch where I've left Alec. 

"Alexander isn't going to be able to make it into work in the morning. Or potentially the next few days. He's fallen...ill. And I'll be overseeing him until he feels well enough to return. That isn't going to be a problem, correct?" 

"Of course not, Magnus. I can make do without him, though I'm terribly curious how you two became so close over one tiny interview. " I internally wince, having hoped to avoid this little issue for awhile longer until Alec and I have figured out what in the world we're doing. 

"We've become friends, and we went out drinking tonight. Poor darling can't hold his liquor, we discovered, so he's passed out right now. He had a difficult meeting with an old friend as well, may take some time to recover. I'm sure his wages won't go missed, though." I hear her biting laugh through the phone and roll my eyes. Only Camille takes so much pleasure in the pain and suffering of innocent people. It's one of the many reasons we never made it work. 

"Alright then, Magnus, I'll take your word on that for now. His pay will continue as if he's here, I suppose I owe you that much. Tell Alec I hope he feels better." She hangs up before I can answer, so I set my phone on the coffee table and grab some fresh water for Alec before he wakes up. I'm not sure how long he'll be out, so I head to the bathroom, opening up a new toothbrush and setting it on the edge of the sink, just in case. I can hear mild groaning and shuffling in the living room, so I spin out of the bathroom to return to the dear before he can be sick all over my expensive couch. 

"Magnus?" His voice is weak and gravelly, and a small part of me loves the fact that he calls for me when he wakes. 

"Yes, my dear, I'm right here." He's sitting up, head in his heads, his unruly black hair a mess on top of his head. I can see even from across the room that his skin is pale with a soft green tint, unlike his usual silky porcelain. I glide to his side, kneeling down beside him and resting my hand on his forearm gently. He lifts his head enough to turn to face me and I offer him a small smile. "How are you feeling? Still nauseous?" He shakes his head a little and chews on his lip, a habit he has when he's nervous. "What's wrong?" He sighs. 

"I just wanted tonight to be perfect. I've spent my whole life being ashamed, Magnus, hating myself, and tonight I just wanted it to be me and you, with no one in the way. And then Jace is there, and hops right in the way, like he has any right, any right at all to act like that!" I can tell he's getting angry and I smooth my hand down his cheek gently, resting it on his jaw. 

"Shh, shh love, I know. It wasn't what you were expecting, but maybe some good can come of the two of you reconnecting." Before I even get the words out, he's shaking his head. Damn stubborn boy. 

"No, that's not the point. The point is how I feel. When I was with them, despite having it all, I was so miserable. And with you, it feels like I fit somewhere, no matter how strange and terrifying it all is, I belong here, with you. I can tell. And it's not just the alcohol talking, Magnus. I chose this life, without them. I chose a life where I can have you. And I don't want them coming back like they know me." I'm nodding softly because I want to understand. I never really had parents, never had anyone to tell me I was wrong or right, anyone to guide me. Several foster homes and failed adoptions got me to the point where I just didn't care, I didn't have anyone to disappoint. But Alexander did and still does have the weight of a family, despite how distant they've grown. I hope desperately that I can be the one to mend that, somehow, and make Alexander whole again.