Drop of Magic (Malec)

Partners?

      I wake up early enough to shower and blow dry my hair. Normally I don't care much about my appearance, but I care a lot about my impression on Magnus in this setting. I don't know what attire I should have, so I do the best I can, recycling the suit I wore for our interview- Camille didn't ask for it back and I didn't give it- and make sure that my messy mop of hair is maintained. There's a tight ball of nerves in my stomach and I don't know what to expect from Magnus as my boss versus my friend or potential love interest. He said he'd send a cab, despite my constant refusals, so I walk downstairs, pocketing my keys and meeting the driver outside.

We make small talk as he expertly navigates the city. When we arrive at the ridiculously tall skyscraper, I soak in the beautiful reflection the building of windows gives off. I thank the driver as I adjust my tie one last time before heading into the lobby. I square my shoulders, attempting weakly to exude some sense of confidence that I'm sure Jace would laugh at. The receptionist has a sweet face with thick wavy brown hair falling around her shoulders. She smiles warmly as I walk towards her desk. I glance around swiftly, taking in what is clearly Magnus' decorating expertise. It's toned down from his mansion, the brightest pieces being the bright pink floral arrangement on the coffee table by the wall, adorned with glitter-dip white feathers, and the extravagant paintings hanging on the wall. 

"Hello, you must be Alec. My name is Tessa, I'm the receptionist here. Magnus is ready for you upstairs, take the elevator to the top floor, it's his office." I thank her and head to the elevator, pressing the button for the ninety-eighth floor. I step out of the elevator and into a small area. The walls are white and the decor simple. Sitting behind a white desk is another lady, this time with hair so startlingly blonde it's nearly white. She has a harsh feel to her, but warm eyes and she is strikingly beautiful. She glances up and smiles softly. 

"I'm Catarina, Magnus' assistant. You can head on in." When I open the double doors, I'm greeted with a room so much like Magnus it makes my heart stutter. The walls are a soft coffee colour that gleams slightly in the sunlight that filters in through the wall of windows ahead of me. There's an impressive crystal chandelier swooping from the ceiling, going unused currently in favour of natural light. The decor is bright and lively, potted plants dotting the corners of the room. There's a vintage looking table to my right, next to a deep cherry oak door. It holds an expensive looking coffee maker and a shiny steel mini fridge. His desk is large and antique looking with a few monitors and a laptop on it. A double sided board is beside the desk, one side a whiteboard, the other cork with important notes tacked to it. But by far my favourite part of the room is the man seated behind the desk. 

Magnus rises when I enter and flashes me his trademark Colgate smile. His suit is deep maroon, pinned tight at the waist and flowing out into a tail behind. His shirt is white, his tie black and glittery. I let my eyes roam briefly over him, soaking him in. He looks me over and cracks a grin. 

"Well doesn't someone look lovely, Alexander? I hope traffic wasn't too bad for you." I shake my head, chuckling softly and rolling my eyes. 

"I could've paid my own cab fair, Magnus."

"And I could've sent a limo. Call it even. Anyway, it's great to see you. I...have missed your company over the last week." 

"I missed you too, Magnus." He smiles vibrantly and I swear he rivals the sun. I clap my hands together and feign excitement. "So! Where's all this paperwork?" He laughs and leads me back into the elevator. To my surprise, we only go down one floor. I raise a brow and he just smiles, winking over at me. When the doors open, we enter the same sort of area upstairs before Magnus' office. There are a small brown desk and some potted plants decorating the area, but no one here yet. 

"You'll have an assistant, I just needed to conduct some interviews. This will be their area. Come on." He leads me through some doors and into what I assume is my office. I'm taken aback by how big and wonderful it is. The layout is the same as Magnus' above. It looks newly renovated, and by the faint smell of paint still in the air, I can tell I'm right. The walls are a rich brown, darker than Magnus office and lined with wood. It has the same Victorian feel with the rustic finished tables and desk. There are cabinets lining one wall and a board all my own. My desk has several monitors on it and I set my briefcase down gently on the chair. Gingerly, I drag my fingers along the smooth finish of the desk as I look out at my view of the city. Magnus waits quietly while I soak it all in before I turn to him. 

"This is all yours. The previous accountant had an office down several more floors, but I cleared this out for you. I want you close. There is a bathroom through that door," he gestures to the right of us as he speaks, "And you can page your assistant when we get you one for anything else you require." I feel my mouth open slightly but I'm not sure what to say. He looks almost nervous for a moment before he gestures grandly to the room. "Do you like it? I decorated it myself, but if there's something you dislike, please let me know and we can change it." His voice fades off when he sees the wide smile on my face. 

"Magnus, it's absolutely perfect, thank you so much." He looks relieved before he guides me to the cabinets. After pulling out some file folders, he spreads some papers on the desk. 

"So, as I said, the last accountant was a wash. I'm no good with numbers or budgeting, but it looks like a mess." I look over the paperwork for a moment, chewing on my lip as I try to make sense of it all.

"It's messy and confusing, but I can work with this." He visibly relaxes and rests a hand on my arm. 

"I'm really happy you chose to come work with me, Alexander." I notice how he always says 'with him' as if we're equals, not as if he's my boss. I frown a bit, worried he thinks he'll offend me. 

"Magnus, you can treat me like an employee you know, you didn't have to go to all this trouble. I literally had a cubicle at Dumort." He shakes his head and smiles brightly up at me, making a small gesture with his hand and glancing out the window. 

"You see, Alexander, I was hoping this would be more of a...partnership than anything else. I take a lot of work on, and once the accounting is cleaned up, you'll have some free time. I'm hoping to share some of my work with you and for you to run this company with me. Bane Architecture needs another name added, don't you think?" I gasp audibly and hug him tightly, burying my face in the crook of his neck and breathing in the scent of him, almost like mint, fresh rainfall, and the sharp undertone of expensive cologne. He hugs back as if his life depends on it and I smile a bit. 

"I can't wait to get started on this new chapter. Now, I should head back to work, duty calls," Magnus winks at me and turns around before calling over his shoulder, "Meet me for coffee in my office in a couple of hours!" I laugh softly and lean back against my desk, finally feeling like something is going right for the first time in a long time.