****Alec's POV****
He fidgeted with the sleeves of his sweater, palms clammy from cold sweat. While he wasn't unaccustomed to wearing human clothing, it still felt strange to have it on for hours on end. But with Magnus watching him out of the corner of his eye Alec ways doing his best to appear casual. However, with his straightened posture and stiff-legged movements, he doubted it was working.
Just act casual Lightwood. Take a deep breath and you'll be fine.
The bar was in their sights, the little place inconspicuous in the background of other stores and buildings. The castle loomed in the distance with its polished stones and gargoyle designs on all the corners. Glass plated windows were crafted with multiple colors, inlayed with the most eye-catching hues. It reminded him of the cathedrals he heard of in stories, and Alec couldn't help the way his eyes were drawn to them. In all the legends, it was in those types of buildings dragons and humans would get together to negotiate peace.
How ironic the castle has been used as a mainstay for war.
"So you say your friend works here?" Alec asked absentmindedly. The roads were inlaid with dark stone, weeds sprouting along the edges. With the paths being wide enough here he thought of his dragon form, how it might be able to fit. But you can't do that for so many reasons.
"Yes. Maia is a lovely person to know. Been friends with her for several years." Magnus explained. "But I wouldn't mention anything about dragons to her."
Alec frowned. "And why would that be?"
Magnus hummed nervously. "Well, it's because . . ."
They were at the door now, the heavy cedar wood bearing the worn down markings of grooves, the door handle rusted. "Does she not like dragons?" Alec guessed. It wouldn't be the first time he heard such a thing from Magnus.
"Something like that, yes."
"Then I shall endeavor not to say a word." Alec huffed, reaching for the handle. Already he could hear several voices inside. There was a shuffling, the sound of liquid sloshing in cups. It seemed the place was decently busy despite being midday. They had already passed by two haggard looking bums lumbering to their homes, the stench of alcohol heavy on their breaths. It probably doubled as a hang out of sorts for hunters. And for the low lives too.
It's like walking right into a trap. He was in no way looking forward to this aspect of their little visit. As long as I don't see any dragon heads hung on the walls I should be fine. It was something he had been telling himself on repeat since they touched down.
"Thank you." Magnus replied.
It was with a groan that the wooden door pushed open with some prompting from his hand. The Full Moon Tavern was lit with a mix of natural lights from the gaps in stones, and then with the low hanging ceiling chandelier. Each little candle light on the massive thing flickered at the gust of wind before stagnating again. Most of the tables were empty, patrons choosing to smoosh themselves into one of the three booths at the back. There was a guy slumped against the the wooden counter next to the bar, a sickly pale guy sitting next to him as he responded drolly to something the bartender said.
"Welcome to Full Moon Tavern! What can I get for . . . Magnus?!"
And he would've paid attention to that voice, if something else hadn't already caught his eye.
****Magnus's POV****
He wasn't surprised to see Maia working the afternoon shift. But the sight of Ragnor slumped at the counter and Raphael gulping down ale from a large mug was almost unheard of. A bucket was left on the middle table, catching the rain from the leak in the roof. He tapped the side of it before striding the rest of the way over. Magnus all but dragged Alec with him, the dragon prince seemingly reluctant to move from his spot in the doorway.
And he could understand why.
There, mounted on the far wall, was the head of a dragon. It was a golden color, what was once glowing yellow eyes were now dull and blank. The teeth of the monstrosity were missing on the left side. They had likely been pulled out by the hunter who killed the thing in the first place, sold for who knew what purpose. After being a patron of the bar for so many years, the details of the place had become background noise. Magnus went there to talk after all, not stare at the scenery. But Alec won't like this. I'll have to talk to him when I get the chance to.
"Maia! Ragnor! And Raphael too. So good to see all of you." He greeted, trying to keep the happy chirp to his voice. A task that was becoming increasingly hard as Alec practically burned a hole in the side of his head with his narrowed gaze.
"Huh. So the triumphant idiot returns. Just in time for happy hour too." Raphael rolled his eyes.
"Oh, don't be like that chum," Ragnor slurred, patting the pale man's arm. He was lifting his head up from the table. The action revealed the bags under his eyes, mirrored with a tired smile. "It's always good to see Magnus, even if he is a bit of a showboat."
"Yes, that it is, because I am wonderful." Alec's snort made him pause for a second, but he resumed at the curious looks sent his direction. "My friend and I have just gotten back from quite the adventure I must say, so we'll require your finest ale for refreshment."
Maia flashed him a grin. How she managed to wear a low cut dress in this weather was beyond him. It was a sleek emerald, jeweled buttons patterning the sleeves. "Can't wait to hear about it! How many dragons did you kill this time? You must've found quite the load seeing as you've been gone these past couple days."
And at that Alec sucked in a breath, startled. Magnus didn't need to be predestined with Alec to know the other was becoming further agitated with each passing second. It was impressive he'd even managed to keep his cool this long. The mere recognition of a dragon head mounted on the wall should have been triggering enough without Maia's unknowingly offensive remarks.
"It really was quite the trip I—"
"So you're the one who hates dragons." Alec cut in.
Maia raised an eyebrow at that, setting her newest concoctions of ale on the counter. Raphael took one, passing a drunken Ragnor the other. Both men sipped casually at their drinks, saying nothing as they watched the newest debacle unfold. He inwardly winced at Alec's blunt wording.
"The one? I don't know if you realized this, but everyone here hates dragons."
Alec's eyes widened. "Everyone?"
And then Ragnor was lifting his head again, swaying like the idiot Magnus knew he became with one too many brandies. "No nO nO. Not everyone. I like the scaly fellows. Raphael too."
Raphael rolled his eyes. "Don't put me in the same category as you."
"But see, you don't deny it." Ragnor hummed happily.
The pale male shook his head. "I don't really care for them either way, and why should I? They'll probably be extinct within the next few years with how Magnus and the others are hunting them."
Maia chuckled. "That's right! Good riddance too, those scaly monsters."
And that was when Magnus saw a myriad of emotions flicker across Alec's face. First was the twitch of an eye, followed by the wrinkling of his nose. Then came the sound. It was a noise, a rumble like the shaking of the Earth. It made him freeze up. Even in human form he could picture those blue lines popping up on the dragon prince's chest. But that growl was suffice enough to herald an upcoming danger. So he put a calming hand on Alec's arm, willing the other to keep steady, to not flip out more than he already was. Vibrations ran beneath his skin, right through where his fingertips met pale skin in a fade out of caramel brown to pale white. The contrast was so different from the deep, endless black of Alec's scales.
"Monsters. You think they're monsters."
It wasn't a question. The anger in that statement rivaled the hatred he saw in his father's eyes whenever they spoke of dragons. Hatred for the one responsible for killing Mom.
But was that really true?
Alec says it isn't. And he's been nothing but truthful.
"Yes I do."
Of course Maia wouldn't back down. It just was not the type of person she was. And normally he would love his friend for it, appreciate her firm beliefs and her unchangeable spirit. But right now he felt a sickness deep inside. Because Alec did not deserve this, and neither did she.
And it seemed to take everything in Alec to prevent an outright snarl. The low, whispering rumble kept its seriousness, barely contained rage pulsing from within. "Why? What did dragons ever do to you?"
Those eyes bore into Alec deeply, Maia's gaze unwavering as she bit out those words he had related to in his own way once upon a time not that long ago. The room felt colder in those seconds, Ragnor and Raphael tensing up as their features schooled into a muted observance. No alcohol was sipped, at the second as a quiet descended to provide a succinct quality to her speech.
"They killed my parents."
"Oh." Alec breathed out.
"That's why I hate them. So don't tell me I'm being unreasonable." Maia went back to the mugs, filling them up as the taps flowed with the bitter tasting drinks. Magnus took one of the newly offered cups, sipping the brandy to let his mind relax.
Alec didn't take his cup, biting his lip. "Do you hate humans then?"
Maia frowned. "No. Why would I hate humans?"
Alec tapped his fingers on the counter, nails clicking on the wood. "Well, humans kill other humans everyday right? So shouldn't you hate humans?"
"Alec." Magnus warned as he removed his lips from the cusp of his mug.
Her nose wrinkled, confusion flickering. "No, that'd be ridiculous to hate all humans just for what a few humans do."
"Yeah. What she said." Raphael muttered.
And then Alec did something strange.
He smiled.
It was a faint thing, just a slight upturn of the lips but it was there.
And it was only a second before Alec spoke that he got it, understood why he had one.
"Then why do you apply the same discrimination towards dragons then? Not all of dragonkind killed your parents. And while there are some bad dragons out there, if you actually looked you would find far more are just like normal people. They want to be happy, they want to be free. And they want to love, make the world a better place."
"I—"
"It's okay if it doesn't set in right away. Magnus and I will be over there," Alec jerked his head towards a booth in the back. "if you need us."
And with that said, Magnus found himself being led away from his friends, almost all of them wearing dumbfounded expressions of shock. All save for Ragnor, who had a knowing twinkle in his eye.
*****
A/N: Here's to hoping the next update will be out earlier. 🙏👀
Don't forget to vote and comment as that gets me incentivized to write quicker. 😉