To Protect Your True Love (Malec Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Magnus is almost done getting ready, applying kohl to his eyes, when he hears a knock on the door. Finished applying Magnus leaves his room and goes to the front door, looking through the peep hole, the Warlock sees Alec on the other side. Five minutes early.

Opening the door Magnus invites the younger man in, and he notices how relieved Alec seems  when he opens the door. "I'll be a moment." Alec nods his head in acknowledgement, standing awkwardly in the living room, as if he's scared that someone will come in and catch him; but why? As far as Magnus knows Izzy is the only other Shadowhunter that knows about him and Alec expecting a child together.

Magnus quickly grabs a jacket from his closet before heading back out to Alec. Re-entering the living room, the Indonesian man notices how Alec has his eyes on him, which Magnus cannot argue with. After all he's wearing his usual tight pants, heels, a fuchsia shirt with countless necklaces cascading down his chest and rings adorning his fingers, dark eyeshadow, kohl eyeliner, his hair in spikes.

His appearance seems to make Alec even more nervous.

"Where are we going for dinner?" He asks once he's back in the room.

"T-Taki's." Alec stumbles out. "If you d-don't mind, that is. We can always go somewhere else."

Magnus is familiar with the Chinese restaurant, and their famed food. "You're lucky I like Chinese food." With that both men grab their jackets, heading out to the eatery.

Magnus is surprised when he and Alec arrive at the restaurant. Taki's is a popular restaurant amongst everyone, even mundanes. The place tends to be packed from the time it opens to the time it closes everyday; but overlooking it now the place is only half full, which the Warlock finds odd.

The hostess guides them to an empty booth. Both men take their seats as the hostess gives them their menus before she leaves. Their waitress----a curly-haired, chocolate-milk skinned young lady,----comes over and takes their drinks; a water for Magnus and a soda for Alec. Unlike Magnus, who is carrying a child, Alec doesn't have a good reason to not have alcohol. So why is he having a regular drink?

By the time their waitress comes back to take their waitress comes back to take their orders neither man has spoken a word. Magnus orders sweet and sour orange chicken while Alec gets moo shu pork. The young woman leaves with their menus and orders, leaving the two men in silence.

Magnus notices that Alec keeps wiping his hands on his pants. Is he nervous? Why would he be nervous? He wonder, noting Alec's nervous smile as the younger man takes a sip of his soda. "I hear you've been promoted to being Head of the Institute, how is that going?"

"G-good. I mean dealing with Clave officials all day can be challenging, especially when they tend to stay in their 'Shadowhunters with Shadowhunters' mindsets, other than that it's not too bad."

Magnus nods.

"How has, er, being High Warlock been?"

"Good. Clients can be very demanding at points, even if a spell or potion takes time they'll still want it done sooner. They're lucky I'm the High Warlock and not someone who turns them into ducks or toads." Alec snickers. "Is something funny?"

"I, er, pictured Jace being turned into a duck. Probably not a good thing for a brother or Parabatai to think. . . "

"Nonsense." Magnus intervenes. "Some of my closets friends and I can get on each other's nerves sometimes and we often change each other into furniture, animals, anything. I once turned my dear friend Ragnor into the Eiffel Tower before Paris even had it."

That makes the younger man smile. Quietness befalls them again just as their food comes. The waitress refills their drinks as she walks off to take care of some of the other patrons. They're halfway done with their food when Magnus reaches for his newly filled water, only this time it tastes different. Magnus hasn't asked for any fruit slice or anything to be put in the beverage, so why does it taste different?