Chapter Text
Alec wasn't completely oblivious. He'd had to awkwardly explain to a fair amount of tipsy girls at clubs that he was gay while Jace snickered behind him. He couldn't really see it - when Alec looked in a mirror all he saw was unruly hair and tired eyes - but apparently some people found him attractive. However, Magnus was not some tipsy girl in a club. From the moment he sat down at his table, Alec was schocked to even be on the guy's radar. Magnus had an easy confidence to him, and everything about him was elegant (Jace had said something at this when Izzy interrogated him about Magnus, at which Simon said something that Alec actually agreed with, scary enough, claiming Jace was more the "recklessly arrogant" type). Alec was antisocial as a rule, to the point that even some of his closest friends and family weren't quite sure where they stood. Seriously, Jace and Clary had been dating for months, why did she still insist on trying to "make" Alec like her?
Anyway, at the risk of sounding like Sebastian, a psychology student at Idris who has to analyze everything to do with Alec for some reason, Alec supposed his closed offedness came from his dad being in the public eye. It meant he grew up with a lot of rules on how to behave, what to say, what emotions were allowed, etc. As the oldest it was even worse, with "Your mother will be on stage with me - control your siblings." or "Isabelle looked way too provocative at that event, why didn't you tell her to change?" being in the top ten of "Things Alec's Parents Say to Him the Most". But for one reason or another, Alec felt like he could trust Magnus with anything. Izzy had forced Alec on a couple of blind dates since he came out, Sebastian being one of them, but they were awkward and stiff and Alec really just wanted to go home.
He didn't leave Magnus's apartment until one in the morning and even then, he only left because he remembered he had a class at eight a.m. In hindsight, leaving Magnus's was a mistake, as he didn't get to go to sleep for another hour since Izzy had been waiting with Clary in tow to dissect the evening.
It was the best night Alec had had in a long time.
He wasn't outgoing and intelligent like Izzy. He wasn't naturally good at almost everything like Jace. Clary, while stubborn at times, was one of the nicest people he had ever met. Simon just wanted everyone to be happy. And yet Magnus made him feel like something special.
Not that he had anything to compare it to, but as far as first dates your sister didn't force you to go on, it was the best he ever had.
Leading to Alec's current predicament.
In his haste to sleep before class, he forgot to set up a second date. Was he supposed to wait until Magnus texted him? Was Alec supposed to do the texting? Did Magnus even want another date with Alec?
Looking up from his desk, he noticed Lydia and Andrew walking towards him - it appeared his drama would have to wait.
"Alec, Lydia is just pulling my leg, right? Cause there's no way in the world you'd first get home from a date of all things at one a.m.? It's impossible. I didn't even know you hung out with people you weren't related to!" Andrew asked, sitting next to Alec and playfully laughing at him. Alec turned to Lydia. "Wait, how do you know what time I got home?" Lydia smirked. "Like I was going to get invested enough to help choose your outfit but not want to know the outcome. I asked Izzy to text me." Alec sighed. "Of course. You know, with how involved she is in my love life-" Andrew cut in "Or lack thereof." Glaring at him, Alec continued. "Maybe I should send Izzy on dates for me. I wouldn't be surpsied if she tried to follow me to Magnus's apartment, if I'm honest."
Lydia chuckled. "You know she just wants you to be happy. We all do. And she's probably just happy this didn't go as badly as Verlac."
"Ugh, Sebastian? Yeah, let's forget they ever went out, thanks. I hate that guy." Andrew wasn't lying either - it was the sheer coincidence that Izzy didn't know Andrew and Sebastian went to the same highschool that led to Alec going out with him. If she did, she would've heard about the bullying Andrew endured freshman and sophomore year at Sebastian's hands. Yes the bullying stopped, but Andrew claimed it was because he had something called a "glow up" the summer before junior year and Sebastian wanted to hook up with him.
"I second that motion. I would also like to ask we at least not discuss my love life in front of the professor my parents have known for like thirty years? Thanks." Alec said as Professor Hodge waved at him from the front of the class.
~~~~~~
A key thing to note about Alec's life? Somehow Izzy knows more ahout it than he does.
For example, she had known he was gay since he was 12. She never told anybody, she never made him say it, but she knew.
And apparently, now she knew that Alec was procrastinating texting Magnus about a second date.
"Alec, I swear on all that is holy, if you don't text him I will." Hadn't he heard that before? Alec rolled his eyes as he put his coffee down. "I thought there was a three days rule? Or whatever it was that Jace used to hide behind before he met Clary?" His brother, thankful for the excuse to stop studying (Jace had never studied a damn day in his life. He was doodling the phrase "Fuck this" on his latin homework). "Hey, I never hid behind anything. The three days rule was so that the girl realized how lucky she was to go out with me. Clary just isn't the type of girls you actually listen to the rules for." Izzy scoffed. "You mean she's the first girl you went after with enough of a brain not to fall for it. And enough of a personality to tell you to shove it." She turned her attention back to Alec. "And Magnus is the first person you've ever met on your own and went on a date with! And it went well, so why are we arguing about this again? I'm right. Text him."
Alec sighed, understanding this was a losing battle. "Look, I just - isn't it weird? I mean, it hasn't even been a day since I've seen him. What if he thinks I'm clingy or desperate or something?" Izzy softened, focusing on comforting her brother rather than gloating. "Alec, he asked you out the day you met. In fact, he made it a point to meet you just to ask you out - so clearly he doesn't like stupid games. You like him, he likes you, go for it." Jace perked up from his doodles again. "And dude, you're a catch so. I mean, we're Lightwoods. Who wouldn't want to get in on this?" Izzy and Alec shared a look before throwing their pens at him.
It wouldn't be until he got home that night that he actually gathered the nerve to write a text, and it was an additional three tries before he had one he didn't feel completely hopeless sending.
To: Magnus Bane
Hey, I wanted to say thanks for last night. It was fun. Maybe we could do it again sometime?
Sent 9:14 pm
Alright, you sent something. Now calm down. Breathe. Read a book. He probably won't even answer for a while anyway- A ding from his phone shook him out of his thoughts.
From: Magnus Bane
I was thinking the same thing, darling. Perhaps we could actually go out for those drinks I invited you to? However, having such a gorgeous man in my loft all to myself is something I don't want to give up . . .
Sent 9:15 pm
Before Alec had enough time to process that, another text came in.
From: Magnus Bane
Kidding. Not about the gorgeous part, or the having you to myself part, but I would actually like to take you out for those drinks.
Sent 9:15 pm
Alec exhaled. When had he started holding his breath?
To: Magnus Bane
Sounds great. When are you free?
Sent 9:16 pm
~~~~~~~~
It was almost as though the text hung in the air around Magnus's head. When was he free? Emotionally, never on a job. You have to guard yourself in this line of work. Socially? Well, Alec was his main commitment at the moment, even if for all the wrong reasons.
Sighing for the thousandth time since this all started, Magnus reasoned that tomorrow - a Saturday - would be a good night for a second date.
To: Alexander Lightwood
How's tomorrow? I hope you don't think I'm odd for wanting a second date so soon, but I really enjoyed our first one. I'm normally not so forward, but you seem to have unlocked something in me :)
Sent 9:18 pm
This would either fail miserably or - actually, on second thought, Magnus wasn't sure if he wanted this to succeed. The more time he spent talking to Alexander and thinking about him the more drawn to him he felt.
He wasnt lying in that text. Alexander Lightwood was the first person in a long time - since Camille - that Magnus felt something for beyond lust or a short fling. And it scared him. It was terrifying and anxiety-inducing, but try as he might, Magnus could not pretend it it wasn't nice. The feeling of falling was always a rush, and if he didn't start to get some control, he feared he would hit rock bottom with a resounding thud.
From: Alexander Lightwood
Not too forward at all. I'm not great at this kind of thing, so I hope it's not weird if I say I feel the same way. Should I be at your place at 7 again or?
Sent 9:19 pm.
Well crap. Magnus succeeded.