Chapter Text
Maryse returns the next morning to the shop, coffee in hand, eager to see what Magnus did with the place after she decided to turn in for the night. She isn’t sure what to expect - she told him not to stay too late, that she could always finish up whatever is left in the morning - but whatever she does expect, it isn’t to find Magnus sitting in one of the chairs in a corner reserved for reading.
He’s curled up, eyes blinking open slowly at the sound of the bell and the door slamming shut - she didn’t bother being quiet about her entrance, not expecting to find anyone there when she arrived. But she finds Magnus, makeup smeared down his cheeks and the skin around his eyes is red and inflamed. He’s been crying. He’s also still fully clothed, complete with shoes and jewelry as he realizes where he is and startles upright. He hadn’t planned on falling asleep there whenever he did… which, judging by the way his eyes hang heavy the moment he tries to focus them, hasn’t been for very long at all.
“Maryse, I-” he starts, but falters. “I shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry, I just… I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Magnus? Is everything alright?” She asks, setting the coffee cup down on the counter.
“I’m sorry,” he says, the words sounding weak. He looks lost, and her heart aches at the sight.
“No need, I’m just… confused. What’s wrong?” She asks, and then hesitates as a thought crosses her mind as to what might upset Magnus so much he couldn’t even make it back to the Institute last night. “...is it Alec?”
Magnus chokes out a sound that’s somewhere between a sob and a bitter, harsh laugh. “Alec is fine.” He manages, but she knows there’s more to it than that. So instead of prying, she waits, watching his expression shift from that flash of anger to something softer, and infinitely more sad. “He’s going to be just fine, now that he doesn’t have me to worry about any more.”
She takes the words in but can’t make sense of them. “What do you mean?”
“I shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to burden you, I just… I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” he says for the second time. He stands up from the chair. “I should let you talk to Alexander about all of this, I’m sure you’d rather hear it from him anyway--”
“Magnus, please. You don’t have to leave, and you’re far from a burden. But nothing you’re saying makes any sense.” She fights the urge to pick up her cell phone and call Alec up. Does he know Magnus is here? He’s probably worried sick if his boyfriend didn’t come home last night, knowing the state he’s been in lately…
“Alexander broke up with me last night.” Magnus says, and no matter how hard he tries to keep the tremor from his voice he can’t, and the tears begin to fall all over again leaving familiar trails where the previous night’s waterworks already left stains of smeared eyeliner and mascara.
“What? No, he wouldn’t…” She thinks of the ring, of the joy on Alec’s face. She thinks of the way he sounded on the phone when he suggested Magnus come over the night before because it would be good for him, and the care behind every word he spoke. “He loves you.”
“Yes, well, not as much as he loves his own self-preservation. I can’t blame him. I don’t blame him. I’ve been nothing but a burden since I returned from Edom…” Magnus says, blinking the tears from his eyes. His voice sounds hollow by the end, and that worries her more than the previous emotion.
“That isn’t true, Magnus. He cares about you. We all do. Something has to be wrong… he was going to--” she starts, but cuts the words off abruptly, steadying herself with a deep breath before she can get too ahead of herself. “That doesn’t sound like Alec.”
“It sounded a lot like him when he said it.”
This can’t be right. What could’ve happened in half a day to make Alec go from wanting to propose to Magnus, wanting to make sure he’s spending time with people who are about him, who will understand and help him, to ending things entirely without looking back? That isn’t him. That isn’t her son. She refuses to believe he would do something so selfish in the face of love.
“I’ll figure out what happened. There has to be more to it, something he isn’t saying-.”
“Don’t.” Magnus cuts her off abruptly, the word cold and harsh. “He made himself very clear… and it isn’t his fault. It’s mine. It’s everything I said to him on the balcony that night… I told him I couldn’t be happy without my magic, but I never meant… I didn’t just ruin the dinner he planned, I ruined everything. I ruined us. ”
She’s at his side the moment the sobs begin, clutching him against her with no care for how the streaks of tears and makeup are surely ruining the white dress she wears. She holds him, whispering soothing sounds into his ear as his body shakes with violent sobs, any attempt at words drowned out by the shaking, stuttering breaths that leave him in their place. Minutes pass before they slow, and then still, and Magnus’ breathing begins to even out.
He looks at the marks on her dress and frowns. “I… I’m so sorry. I’ll pay to get that dry cleaned.”
It’s absurd to even consider worrying about the state of her clothing just then. “I don’t care about this stupid dress. I care about you, Magnus.”
“Alec doesn’t, why should you? Consider yourself officially off the hook.” Magnus tries wave it off. To act that he doesn’t care, but she can see through it immediately. He’s trying to push her away, because it’d be better to imagine it’s his choice rather than watching her abandon him, too.
She isn’t about to do that. Not a chance.
“Nonsense. Are you up for a short walk? I don’t live very far away. You can shower, and get some proper rest in my apartment.”
“Maryse, I couldn’t-”
“Of course you can. And you will.” Her tone is firm and final as she pulls her keys out and takes the one to her apartment off the ring, holding it out in front of her. Magnus doesn’t take it at first, and so she grabs his hand and places it into his palm, closing his fingers around it. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Or order takeout - they have my card on file at the Chinese place around the corner.”
“You don’t have to-” Magnus starts, trying to hold the key back out to her, but she shakes her head insistently.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to. Just promise me you’ll be there when I get back?” She glances around the room. “I’m going to finish a few things here quick, and then call it a day. An hour, two tops. Deal?” She planned on opening for a full day of business but knows she’ll be far too distracted now. And this is more important.
Magnus doesn’t say anything for a long while. She watches him reconcile whatever happened with her son and with what she’s saying to him now, before nodding slowly.
“Alright,” he agrees. “Thank you.”
Maryse waits until he leaves, praying to the Angel she made the right decision, before taking the cell out of her pocket and calling Alec.
“Alexander, what on earth did you--” she starts, but cuts herself off at the sound of sniffling on the other end of the line.
“Mom? Mom, I… I need you.” Her son’s voice dissolves into a broken, choked cry that tears at her heart.
“I’ll be right there.”
In under a minute the closed sign is back on the door and she’s on her way to the Institute. Whatever’s going on Maryse is determined to get to the bottom of it. Alec nearly threw away his chance at love once in the name of a selfless act, and while she isn’t sure what’s going on right now she’s certain of one thing: this isn’t what he wants, and she refuses to watch him make the same mistake twice.