Work Text:
Turns out, standing in the cold in the middle of the night without ten layers of clothing does nothing for your health. Alec learned that the hard way. He lugged his body home with the speed of a snail, threw his jacket and other things off in no general direction - just off - then made his way into a hot, delicious shower.
That was not how he imagined his first date going.
Ray, the real one, couldn't make it due to some unforeseen circumstance that he somehow couldn't avoid - which actually meant that he was the one backing out with the S.O.S. maneuver.
Not Ray, the name he’s going to have to deal with until he figures out his real one, was probably the best man he has ever met in his entire life. He was probably even better than the stranger he should have met, if he ever happens to run into him at all again. It was like a breath of fresh air or when the lights finally turn on after a power outage during a storm.
He had been waiting for this.
Not to mention Not Ray was actually very, very attractive and kind. Two pluses in Alec’s book and hopefully a lot more to come.
“Fuck,” Alec swore, resting his head against the cool touch of the tile. Thinking about the hot stranger was not helping his currently hard and aching situation. Alec jerked the handle into the furthest opposite direction it could go and the sudden temperature change shot through his body.
He willed that he could actually enjoy a nice shower in the morning.
That didn’t happen.
Alec woke up the next morning covered in sweat and aching memories of the night before that needed relieving. Which he also didn't oblige himself. The thought of coming to a complete stranger while in the shower did not sit well with him. It was beneath him. But it would feel so good…
Alec got out before it was too late, facing his next obstacle of the day: Izzy.
She hadn't called immediately when he got back to the house, something she always did and he still doesn't know how she knows he is home - but perhaps that was what a sister was for, so Alec knew he would be getting one sometime in the morning. He was in the middle of running the towel through his hair when she called. He hesitated, thinking he could pretend to be dead or something - maybe, busy. But who was ever busy on a Saturday.
He quickly answered. “Hey, Iz. What’s up?”
“I need you to come into the office today.”
Alec blew out a breath of relief. “Oh. Okay.”
For a second there he actually thought it was going to be about - Isabelle’s sudden laughter ripped him from his hopes.
“Alec, did you really think this was going to be about work?” She chimed. “Now. Tell me everything. Name. Number. Number of brothers….”
Oh no. Alec paused while she listed off the various things she was interested in as well as himself. He could tell her the truth or lie about the night with Ray. Either way she would be getting information out of him.
“Alec?”
He cleared his threat before speaking. “Still here.”
“So?” She drawled out, the speaker of the phone cracking ever so slightly. “Tell me everything. What was he like? Was he cute? Did you kiss?”
Alec set his phone down on speaker while trying to get dressed for an uneventful day - an oversized sweater and sweatpants. Perfect. “Good. Yes. And not exactly.”
Her high pitched squeal filled the room and rattled his ears. “Now you have to tell me everything.”
“He was great, Iz. Not what I expected.”
Isabelle hummed. “You’re welcome.”
“For what?”
She scoffed extra loud to make sure he heard the dramatic emphasis. “For setting the date up in the first place, of course. I’ll be willing to accept any gratitude - or chocolate, if you prefer doing that.”
“Make sure to check your mailbox then.”
“Hey!” She shouted as he tried hanging up on her. “C’mon. You can't leave a girl hanging. Give me his name.”
Alec played with a loose thread on the hem of his shirt aimlessly. “Well…” Here goes nothing. “I don't know.”
“What do you mean you don't know?”
“I mean… the guy didn't show up.”
“Wait…” There were soft sounds of fabric being settled into. She was probably pulling up some snacks too. “What? How did you go on a date with someone who didn't show up?”
“I may have had dinner with a different complete stranger.”
“Alec,” Isabelle hissed. “Stranger danger.”
“I know about talking to strangers,” he retorted. “But I didn't know that at the time.”
“Oh my god… you thought that was him, didn't you?”
His awkward silence was all the answer she needed. “Alec. You didn't.”
“Can you blame me?” He threw out instead. “Besides, Kaelie was rubbing off on me and I saw him and thought that it would be, you know, him. But then I got a text and didn't answer and then ended up having dinner with someone I don't actually know but he kissed me so there's at least that -”
“Breathe, Alec,” chimed his sister.
He did. He paused, gulped for the air he wasted all on the night’s events before waiting for her cue again. “But did you have fun?”
Did you have fun? Alec supposed it was fun. Enjoyable. Rememberable. All because of the stranger who didn't shut him down. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
“That’s great,” she piped up before silence hung over the line. “So,” she drew the syllable out. “Is there a second date in the future?”
“Izzy.”
“What? Doesn't hurt to ask…”
“Goodbye, Iz,” Alec said while pulling back the phone to hang up, finally.
“Hey! You never answered my-” Click.
A quiet hum filled the space of his quaint apartment. Outside the traffic was blaring, honking and swearing like crazy but it was all a faint murmur to him. Everything was in the background. The only thing he could focus on was how hard his heart was beating for a date that was a week away.
Sunday was just as boring at Saturday, except no calls from Isabelle.
She must be working.
Monday he was back to work as usual wearing his stiff black suit and tie. The color made him think of the man again, but it was too soon. He needed to get to work to make it through the week.
Isabelle met him in his office with coffee and that strange look on her face that she knew something he didn't.
She never did tell him what it was though.
Tuesday came and they lost a client. It was something to do with time management and how one of his coworkers said something that could not be repeated for the sake of integrity - and the amount of profanity involved. The manager of the floor tasked him to fire the poor man for what he had done which he chose to handle in person.
That night he couldn't sleep.
Wednesday was a long lull of nothingness. The office was full of people and work and things that didn't really capture his attention. Alec hid himself in his office, claiming he had so much work to catch up on, but really he was daydreaming of how Friday would play out.
He knew one thing that would happen: he wouldn't make any more goddamn meat jokes.
Thursday was a wreck. One of their cases had fallen behind and Alec, being the chival man he was, offered to help. He ended up working overtime trying to sort the files and find the paperwork needed before the end of the week.
The second he got home he fell on the couch and slept the night away.
Friday.
It was finally Friday.
Alec couldn't sit still in his office. He kept standing up then sitting down. He’d cross one leg over the other, switch, then do it all over again until he was comfortable. He got up and paced by the window and then by the bookshelves, skimming over the titles without actually reading them.
He was a mess.
He was still a mess when Isabelle came in and offered him coffee, which was not going to help him calm down whatsoever. He denied the offer and she sulked before lighting up like she had on Monday.
“What?”
“Nothing. Nothing.”
He shrugged it off, skimming again and again, looking at the dust that needed to be cleaned before realizing she was still standing there in the door frame looking smug and accomplished.
“Why are you still here?” He asked defiantly.
She leaned against the door frame. “Wear that tonight. But no tie and unbutton the top two of your shirt. I think he’ll like it.” Then she made sure she disappeared all too conveniently.
Alec didn't know how she found out about his date or why she had an acute fascination with how he showed himself off to the other man. And frankly, he didn't want to. He sat down at his desk and
looked at his screen without hope.
He wouldn't get anything accomplished for the rest of the day.
Magnus was a mess and had been a mess the entire week.
He was a half hour early to their arranged date and he was already staking claim in their booth from the week before. He had already finished a glass of water, dissected the lemon given to him - noting the three distinct seeds it had - and was now mindlessly flicking the paper in the bread basket.
He didn’t need to be there. But he wanted to. He was just too eager to get the night started and started to get restless. He would have actually been an hour early but his roommate Ragnor wouldn’t let him leave. In fact, his roommate opposed the whole idea of this second date since the first one really didn't count. He was stuck under false pretenses and identities - which, in his defense, was true.
Then perhaps this would be their official first date.
Another ten minutes passed and they had finally refilled his water when the small bell at the front door rang crisp and clear. To Magnus, it was like the heavens answering all of his questions. Alec was standing in the frame of the door in all his former glory. He was wearing a denim shirt that hugged his biceps perfectly and a pair of darker denim - possibly, leather - pants.
It took him a moment to scan the restaurant and find him, the dark brown eyes narrowing in. But he didn't mind the attention. It set a fire in his chest - a fire he hasn't felt in years.
“You came,” was the first thing out of the hot man’s mouth.
Magnus smirked. “I told you I’d be waiting.”
“Yeah. You did.” Alec shuffled from foot to foot before Magnus did something about it.
“Please. Sit. I don't want you fainting on me just yet.”
“Yet?” Alec asked as he scooted in on the opposite side. The server from the night before was there tonight for them, smiling the same smile Isabelle wore - the iknowwhatyouthinkiknow look. She came and gave Alec a water, then took their orders for the night. This time they ordered real drinks as well, in order to really loosen up and share the details and heartbreaks of life. Magnus was going to need it in order to get through the night.
“I hope you weren't waiting for long,” Alec hummed when the server slid in his glass of Blue Moon, then gave Magnus his Dirty Shirley.
“No. I got here around… five-thirty?”
Alec gulped. “Why so early?”
“Why don't you guess?”
Magnus could see the heat in his eyes too. It was the same fire he was still feeling burning away in his chest. Alec hid himself in his drink, taking a greedy gulp and pulling away with a white mustache on his lip.
“You’ve got…” Magnus tried to explain to him, gesturing the wiping motion at his lip to mirror.
“Oh,” Alec blushed. “Sorry.”
Magnus was hopelessly entranced with the way his tongue easily swept across his lip and cleared any remnants of a mess lying there. He could imagine him cleaning up other kinds of messes-
“So. How do we do this?”
Magnus blinked. “How do we do what?”
“This,” Alec said as he gestured between the both of them.
“Well,” Magnus started, following the rim of his glass with his finger slowly, “First one would typically go out a few times, then maybe get intimate-”
“No,” Alec cut in frantically. “I know how that works. But, you know, us.”
“Us?”
“You are not the man I was supposed to go out with last week, and you knew that.”
Magnus took a much needed sip of his drink. “I am well aware that I am not the man you think I am.”
“Then who, exactly, are you?”
“Some call me The Wizard.” Alec glared at him and Magnus held up a finger, then another. “Others call me Raging Bitch Queen, not to my face of course.” Another glare and another finger added. “But most people call me Magnus.”
“Magnus?” Alec tried the word on his tongue, and Magnus wanted nothing more than for him to say that for the rest of the night.
“That’s me.”
Alec raised his eyebrows as if that was any indication that he actually believed him this time. Magnus wouldn't hold it against him if he got up right now and walked out the doors. Any normal man would, but he could sense Alexander was different than most. Magnus rose his own eyebrows in surprise when Alec extended his hand across the table again like before.
“It's nice to meet you, Magnus. Officially.”
“As to you, Alexander.”
“Was anything last time for real?”
Magnus looked up from the rim of his drink, most of the sinful liquid gone and consumed - which couldn't be said about Alec’s beer. It was gone ten minutes ago. Chugged.
“I supposed everything was real. Unless you believe yourself to have dreamed the whole event up, then that certainly blows up another man’s ego.”
Alec chuckled. “What you said. About you.”
“Ah, yes. I am a fashion designer and blogger, I might add. Perhaps you’ve seen some of my things.”
Alec shook his head. “Sorry.”
“Nothing?” Magnus scoffed. “Not even an ad? Or news clipping?”
“I don't get out much. Work.”
“This work of yours sounds all too boring.”
Alec chuckled again. Perhaps the choice of alcohol being present during their date was actually a good idea. “What else is there to know about you, Magnus,” he said as he rested his chin in the palm of his waiting hand. The image of him was too cute to not memorize.
“Let’s see. I have two terrifying cats: Church and the Chairman - no, stop laughing - and an equally horrible roommate that likes to steal my cereal in the morning.”
Alec was a sight to behold. A soft blush was firmly set over his features - the tip of his nose, his cheeks - and Magnus wanted to run his fingers over the heat. “You don’t look like a cereal person.”
“Oh I'm not. But he steals it anyways,” Magnus confessed and drummed his fingers along the tableside. “Ummm... I’m a Sagittarius. I enjoy long walks on the beach and walks in general. And I’m drawn to men and women such as yourself.”
Alec leaned backward slightly, now crossing his arms on the table. “What about me?”
Magnus mimicked his pose from before, chin on hand. “Something new. Quirky. Dark. And…” His other hand extended and brushed aside at a stray piece of hair hanging by his face. The act had Alec’s eyes widening. He pulled back suddenly, knocking his silverware onto the ground with a clatter, drawing all eyes on them.
Clumsy, was not the word he was looking for. But he would happily use it.
“Sorry. I should have kept my hands to myself,” he apologized while watching Alec and the nearest waitress scramble to pick up the silverware.
Alec leaned back into the booth. “Don't. You just… caught me off guard, is all.”
Magnus hummed. “Okay.”
“Women?” Alec suddenly spoke up. “And women?”
“I’m bisexual. I hope that doesn't complicate this…” Magnus gestured between them.
Alec shook his head. “No, of course not. Just… curious, I guess.”
“Are you?”
“Bisexual?” His face twisted into one of disgust. “No. I’ve never really looked at women that way. I am ten-thousand and one percent gay.”
“Good.” Magnus laughed. “Now I know the competition.”
Two heartbeats of silence filled the air before the server came and filled up their table with food - glorious food. Alec was given lasagna while Magnus got the raviolis, his second favorite dish of the restaurant.
“No balls to mishandle tonight?” Magnus asked while taking his first bite. He perfectly timed it to where Alec had his bite poised and ready to inhale but the man narrowly stared him down from behind his fork.
“I hate you.” Alec thickened the threat with a jab from his full fork which ended up becoming empty as the lasagna fell back into his plate.
“I hope you don't normally threaten people with limp noodles on forks, Alexander. It could put off people.”
“Does it put off you?”
Magnus took another slow, calculated bite. “Quite the opposite. You’ve captivated my attention entirely, Alexander.”
“That's a good thing right?”
“A very good thing.” Magnus allowed the man a few bites while he graciously took to his own food, and it was very good. Honestly, more exotic foods were his taste - although he always did enjoy a mean casserole - if it meant meeting Alec here then it would be his new favorite place.
Alec cleared the majority of his plate before mindlessly picking at the excess cheese that wasn't really necessary. At first, Magnus thought it was a nervous reaction to finishing food first, something he also did when in uncomfortable situations. But when the mindless scraping turned into mindless twirling, twisting and untwisted of his napkin, Magnus knew something was unnerving the man.
He cleared his mouth. “What’s on your mind?”
“Why?”
“You’re going to need to be more specific, my dear. I could answer a variety of questions -”
Alec cut him off. “Why did you do it? Lie.”
Lie.
Liar.
“I didn't really lie…” Magnus tossed his own napkin onto his plate, the food no longer sitting well with him.
“I asked you if you were my date.” He pointed. “And you said yes.”
“Who in their right mind would deny that opportunity?” Magnus retorted as if it was a reasonable answer, and to him, it was.
Alec gave him the look and Magnus broke under pressure. He looked like a puppy. Perhaps he was trying to look fierce and grumpy, but it came out far sexier than he must have planned because his lip was doing a little quirk at the corner and it was making him weak.
“Fine. Fine. I lied.” Alec opened his mouth to no doubt say, I knew it or I told you so. Magnus silenced him with a finger. “But, in my defense, as a man of honor, I would never deny an invitation such as yours. You’re incredibly handsome, I might add, so I may have or may have not forgotten how to speak when I first saw you barreling into my table. But overall, you were just so excited... I couldn't bear tell you the truth in the middle of sharing balls.”
Alec cracked the smallest of smiles but it was there and it was shining brighter than any star left standing in the sky. “Well…” Alec scratched his neck. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Magnus echoed.
“Yeah. I don't really know what I was expecting there, but that wasn't it.”
Magnus scoffed. “What did you expect? Glorious mounds of fire? Pitchforks and angry mobs? Confetti? Wooing?”
Alec shook his head with an even bigger grin. “Something probably far less entertaining.”
“Oh…” Magnus didn’t really know how else to answer that, or how to continue on from this point. He had half a thought to just run and bail and never look back. He’d move on and find someone else to capture his attention - someone who wasn’t Alec. The mere thought had his stomach rolling again.
Alec disturbed his thoughts as he rose his water glass in a toast-like fashion before Magnus caught on and rose his in the same way. “Here’s to us then. To luck and fortunate circumstances,” Alec toasted.
Magnus clinked back. “And to good tasting meat.” Alec certainly drank to that, and Magnus followed closely in suit. He would be happy, he realized, if even after all of this Alec would chose to leave and go on with his life doing what he pleased. He was fortunate at all to have met a man like him.
He snuck in an extra silent toast just for that.
The rest of the evening went far more smoother than either of them expected. Alec didn't accidentally spill anymore silverware over the table or break any glasses, which Magnus teased him about and he almost did. He stopped immediately.
They sat there laughing about the antics of his cats and how his job may be suffering due to their chaos. Magnus told the story of one day coming home to find all of the shoe boxes tossed open in the center of the room and there they were just sitting there as if they hadn't just made a mess. And Alec laughed as though it was the funniest thing in the world.
“What?” Alec asked when he caught Magnus staring.
Magnus smiled softly. “I like your laugh. It's almost contagious.”
“Almost? Well… I must not be doing my job very well then.”
“I’d say you are doing a very good job with all of this.”
“Thanks…” he said shyly.
Magnus could see the young man was tired, he himself was guilty of having that look throughout his prime of the industry. The late nights, the busy schedule, the amount of people - it was exhausting. And seeing the distance, hazy look in his eye made his heart pang.
Magnus made an excuse that he needed to leave, tried to pay for the dinner - but Alec swiped the tab when he was pulling out his wallet and ran - and then followed the man out the front door. He somewhat expected them to just stand there like two stricken idiots again until someone made a move, but it was Alec who moved first.
He cleared his threat. “Do… do you take the bus?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “It's cheap and only takes fifteen minutes to get to my studio.”
“Oh wow.. umm. Can I walk you? To the bus stop, I mean.”
Magnus, in his many years of experience - both men and women, has never stumbled upon someone as innocently chivalrous as his Alexander. A comfortable shiver rippled through his body while he nodded. “I’d like that.”
They walked side by side and fell into equal steps. Alec’s longer stride slowed down to his shorter, slower one - although he didn't need to, but insisted upon it. Whatever made him happy. It was all of a walk down to the street corner and across and they were there.
Too short.
Not enough time.
Magnus stood under the protection of the blue grate that was his key to getting home. The dim light above them did very little to help see any maps or advertisements of any kind. Magnus gave up hope of looking a few months after using the transit.
“Thank you.”
“Any time. Or whatever.”
“Or whatever.” Magnus hummed. He didn't want the night to be over, much to the opposition of Alec’s appearance. And it seemed that he didn't want to leave either. He shifting from foot to foot before the idea sprang into his head.
“Actually…” Magnus sprung his elbow out and held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
“What?”
“Alexander, just hand over your phone. I know you have one.”
Alec, puzzled, relinquished hold over his phone. “What are going to do with it?”
“What does it look like?” He said as he rapidly whisked his fingers through the various pages until he found the contacts. He hid his maneuvers from Alec, in the off chance he saw him putting in his name, filled in the information, sent himself a text and then handed it back.
He looked at the thing like a foreign object. “Did you just download something illegal? Because I can sue-”
Magnus laughed. “It’s my number. Just in case any emergency date fails again.”
“I doubt that’ll ever happen again.”
“We’ll see. Maybe I’ll sabotage your next few dates just so you can call me.”
“Then I would be most fortunate indeed.”
This man was a treasure to behold.
Cute.
New.
Exciting.
Magnus could get used to this kind of man. And more importantly, it just struck him that he already had. The man blinked to keep himself from delving in too deep into himself. He’d at least wait until he was home when Ragnor could spew his nonsense advice as well. As he came to, he noticed Alec with the same equally hazy gaze.
“What? Is there something on my face?”
Alec scrambled. “No. No. It's just… I.. I just really want…” His eyes fluttered from his eyes to his lips and back again. Magnus smirked.
He leaned forward and got just as close as the night before. “What do you want?”
Alec was at a loss for words. He opened and closed his mouth several times before Magnus slipped his hands up his chest for encouragement. “Kiss me,” he pushed out breathlessly.
Magnus skimmed his hands up more, touching everything possible that there was to touch - his chest, his neck, the underside of his jaw. All of it was new territory and all the more worth the adventure of exploring. Alec was practically vibrating beneath his touch and all it took was Magnus to lean in close, their lips merely a whisper away from touching, and he said: “Kissing is reserved for the third date, don't you think?”
Magnus pulled himself away like an unwilling magnet. “Goodnight, Alexander,” he called out as the bus arrived a split second later and opened with a loud hiss. Magnus got on and only when he got a seat in the window by Alexander did he blow a kiss his way with a wink.
The dreaded bus pulled from the station taking the only thing that was making his heart race along with it into the darkest parts of the night.
The only thing Alec could think was: I am totally fucked.