So, Magnus thought to himself, mildly interested by the thought, Gideon, the owner's older son, knows Alec. He had thought that he had heard the Lightwood name before, from the moment he had met Alec, but he hadn't known why.
"I'll have the usual," Magnus told the waiter, a young boy with light brown hair. The boy, whose name tag read "Jordan", nodded, and scribbled what Magnus wanted down on his notepad. Then, he looked towards Alec with his friendly, puppy-like eyes. Magnus had seen Jordan around a few times with a girl with dark, braided hair and bright eyes when he was on break, he guessed that they were a couple.
"It's been a while since I've been here," Alec admitted a little sheepishly, "but I recall the Stele Spaghetti being good. I'll have that."
Jordan nodded and headed off to deliver their orders. Now, Magnus had to figure out a way to start a good conversation now he had Alec alone. He hoped that with less people focused on them, Alec could be coaxed a bit out of that shell he loved to hide inside. Magnus leaned in, watching Alec intensely. Maybe a bit too intensely, Alec noticed Magnus standing, and looked extremely worried.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, nothing," Magnus told him, "So Alexander, besides working for Shadowhunter Gossip and what not, what do you like to do in your free time?"
"I do this in Shadowhunter Gossip too," Alec said, Magnus liked the way he seemed to answer everything thoughtfully, truly taking the time to think about the answer, "But I guess my hobby would be photography. Not taking pictures for the magazine of course, but just kind of capturing simple moments in general is what I like."
The hobby, Magnus realized, was almost just like Alec. It was simple, but something to be remembered. His pictures lasted for a long time, never changing, just like how Alec himself didn't like too much change.
"Might you show me some of the pictures you've taken?" Magnus prodded just a bit further, and hoped that Alec wouldn't grow uncomfortable and close up again. Alec didn't seem to notice Magnus's careful tone, though.
"Well I don't have my camera with me right now," he said, "but I guess some other time?"
That was a good start, Alec thought that maybe they would like to meet again. Magnus felt his heart flutter slightly as if it was trying to break free inside of him, but he chided it and let it settle the best he could. He didn't quite understand why Alexander Lightwood caught his attention so much, and why Magnus liked to be around him. This morning, it had been a careless, brash act to skip out and cancel a meet-n-greet with some fans who were paying a data company, just to be able to see Alec on his birthday, and he still didn't know exactly why he had done it. It had annoyed Catarina immensely, but Magnus had still managed (after a lot of negotiation to reschedule the meet-n-greet) to convince her to let him go down to Shadowhunter Gossip headquarters. Alexander was just a normal person, he wasn't even another celebrity, or someone who always soaked up attention like Jace or his sister. He was just, himself, and Magnus must've been crazy for just liking that. He liked how simple and ordinary Alec was.
"Of course," Magnus said. There was a moment of silence drifting in once again, and Alec took a sip of his water that had arrived earlier, the ice cubes in the tall glass clinked together. Magnus didn't touch his red wine, but played with the utensils on the table. They gleamed dimly in the light.
"Um," Alec took a moment to try and grasp for a subject, "So Catarina, she's your agent, right? She seems very serious about what she does, and pushes you."
"She does," Magnus agreed, thankful that they were talking once again, "But she's kind, too. She looks a bit intimidating, but once she lets you into your heart, she's one of the best people that you might ever meet. Catarina doesn't know this, and please don't tell her I said this, but I wouldn't be where I am today without her."
"I think I understand," Alec said, nodding at Magnus's words, "My mother's sort of the same way. Everyone who doesn't really know her thinks that she's cold, but I know she cares deeply for my siblings and I in her own way. She's always pushing us to do better, and I don't know how I would manage without her there."
Their food arrived, and Alec twisted his fork expertly, wrapping the sauce-covered food around the utensil. Magnus took a bite of his own food, letting the delicious flavor fill his mouth. Clave Italian (the name of the restaurant) never disappointed Magnus's taste buds, which was part of the reason he loved coming here so much. Alec seemed to be enjoying his food as well, wiping off some of the sauce of his mouth here and there as he ate, keeping himself neat as he always seemed to do. Magnus found it a bit annoying actually, but at the same time, a bit endearing. He really wanted to gag at his own thoughts.
"So it's pretty much you, Isabelle, and Jace in the family?" Magnus asked him in between bites. Alec took a moment to swallow his food before speaking up again.
"Not exactly," he told Magnus, "My father, Robert Lightwood, he works in investing and different types of business, so he's always away from trips. He usually takes my youngest brother, Max, with him, since he wants Max to take up investing and business as well when he's older. Max gets his schooling mostly from my father, kind of like traveling homeschooling I suppose. Jace, Isabelle, and I all had private tutors since helping out with Shadowhunter Gossip takes up a lot of hours."
"So does Max really want to do what your father does when he grows up?" Magnus wondered out loud.
Alec shook his head, "No, he actually hates the trips and dislikes being away from the rest of us, but there's not much he can really do about it. He's complained to me more than once over the phone or by facetime about how boring they are, and how long and dragging sometimes the meetings my father takes him to can be."
"So what exactly does he want to be when he grows up?"
At this, Alec cracked a rare smile that opened up his face completely. It made Magnus's heart melt a little.
"He wants to be a manga writer or an astronaut, or both, as he tells me."
Magnus was just about to speak again when someone hauntingly familiar entered the restaurant.
It was a boy, maybe a few years younger than Alec, with pretty, deep mocha eyes and caramel skin. His hair curled lightly around his ears and his forehead, making him seem a bit angelic. Magnus knew him, Raphael Santiago, an upcoming film director. And because Magnus had once starred in the young, new director's (surprisingly) popular films, he knew that Raphael was the farthest thing from angelic. Of course, he was with two of his assistants, Lily and Elliot. Just because they were his assistants didn't mean that they liked to listen to control-freak Raphael's orders, and wandered quickly over to Magnus's table. Magnus tried not to panic as Raphael rolled his eyes and followed them as well in his impatient strides.
"Magnus Bane," Lily spoke to him, the girl's skin was as white as snow, and her hair was pulled back into an intricate bun which Magnus guessed was more for looks than keeping her hair out of her face, "Well, well, well, what an unexpected surprise."
She turned to Alec then, who seemed to be frozen, there was no doubt that he recognized Raphael and his friends, "Oh? And what do we have here? A pretty boy?"
"Hello?" Alec said softly, ending the single word in a worried question. He suddenly seemed tense, not at all relaxed as he had been a moment ago when he was talking with Magnus. His shoulders tightened up, and Magnus thought that the boy's breath quickened.
Elliot let out a small chortle, "Magnus Bane, is this your new fling? He's a cute one."
"Elliot, Lily," Raphael snapped at them, his Spanish accent became more vivid when he was irritated, "Leave the sparkly man and his plaything alone, we are here to meet someone for business. I have interest in what Bane does with who in his free time."
Magnus didn't exactly find the idea of being called "sparkly man" and Alec being called his "plaything" as flattering, but as seeing as Raphael was going to leave them alone, he decided it would be best not to comment. Lily and Elliot stayed for a moment, but Raphael, control-freak and probably OCD that he was, would have none of their disobedience.
"Now," he nearly growled at them firmly, and they trotted after him loyally to another table, far away from them. Magnus smiled charmingly back at Alec, and Alec managed a shaky smile back, but he still seemed a bit tense and on edge. Magnus silently cursed Lily and Elliot for intimidating him. It was obvious that Alec wasn't used to it.
"I apologize for that," he told Alec, hoping that his tone was soothing, "Raphael and his assistants, I know from personal experience, are not the best company one can have."
"No problem," Alec managed to choke out, looking down at his food. He didn't look as hungry now, even if the food was delicious. Still, they ate a bit in silence, Magnus amused himself by thinking up several ways he could (illegally) get back at Lily and Elliot. Then, there was another loud sound of someone yelling angrily, and then a bit of crashing as plates fell onto the floor. Everyone in the rest of the restaurant, including Alec and Magnus himself, whipped their heads to the commotion to see what had happened.
Magnus saw Gabriel Lightwood, the owner's younger son, standing there and making angry, animated gestures towards another boy, who was probably the one who had just knocked down multiple plates and sent them crashing onto the floor.
The new boy had dark, inky black hair and a handsome build. He had blue eyes like Alec, but they were a different, lighter shade, like the color of the cloudless bright skies. He had an aura of mystery to him, but he blazed brightly like a comet and stood out as well, as if he was the only person who was in the room. He was handsome, with a lean, smooth body and high cheekbones that looked beautifully fragile and strong at the same time, perfectly in balance somehow. Magnus knew him as well, and found himself to be amused by the fact that he was here. Things were never boring when he was around.
William Herondale had arrived.