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Two weeks after being released from the hospital, Magnus is back in the locker room with the rest of the team when the others are getting ready to play. He’s not fit to play yet and is still wearing the neck brace that supports his neck that’s still healing, but he finally feels okay to leave his apartment.
They’ve had a few games between Magnus’ injury and this day, and Alec had felt very reluctant to leave Magnus while he had to go and play. Magnus couldn’t accompany him because he still felt nauseous, which prevented him from keeping most of his food down, which in turn made him feel weak. Another lingering symptom from the injury was the dizziness that bothered him whenever he stayed up for too long.
Magnus was in no shape to leave the apartment but Alec couldn’t skip the games or practices. Magnus claimed that he’d be fine for the few hours, but agreed when Alec said that it would probably be best if someone stayed with him while Alec was away.
Alec assumes that it was 50% because Magnus wanted to give Alec peace of mind, and 50% because he secretly agreed, that Magnus agreed with his suggestion, having either Catarina or Ragnor over whenever Alec couldn’t be there.
But this morning Magnus had told Alec with strong conviction that he felt okay. That he was going to come to see the game. Alec knew he was being honest, and he knew that it had been a few days since Magnus had had strong dizziness, so they had left the apartment together.
Alec is happy to see him outside of the apartment. It gives some of the normality back to their lives and it feels like a sign that things are getting better. Magnus looks fine, is smiling and laughing as he talks with their teammates. His outfit and the neck brace are the only things that separate him from their friends.
While the others are already wearing their jerseys and skates, Magnus is wearing his black blazer and dark blue shirt. It’s the first time Magnus is going to be in front of the public again, so he’d spent a long time putting his look together. He can’t wear the jersey tonight, but he’s dressed in team colors, the look completed by blue streaks in his hair.
“It hasn’t been the same without you,” Jace says. “We can’t wait to see you back on the ice soon.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Magnus says and smiles, but Alec knows how true the statement runs. It has not been easy for Magnus to come to terms with the fact that he can’t be there for his team and he can’t do the thing he loves. The recovery has been a long process that’s still ongoing, but at least they all know that Magnus will be alright and will be allowed to play again. There are no marks of the injury in his brain, and they don’t need to fear the seizures anymore. The healing might be slow but it’s a steady journey towards being healthy again.
“Ten minutes before the game!” Coach Wayland lets the team know and they all gather around him to hear the pep talk and to go over their strategy one more time.
At the first practice after the incident, Alec had heard a long speech about respect from their coach. But the speech had also ended with him talking about how he admired Alec’s action and team spirit and how it showed that he really was the right person to be the captain of their team.
Once their coach is finished they all go grab their sticks and helmets. Magnus finds Alec and takes his helmet, lifting it to Alec’s head and making sure that it’s fastened correctly. Alec swallows thickly and tries not to think about it too much.
“I’d say good luck but I know luck has nothing to do with how you play,” Magnus says, smiling up to Alec. “You are going to do great.”
Like this, with Alec standing on skates and Magnus wearing shoes, their small height difference transforms into a bigger one. Alec knows that Magnus can’t crane his head up because of the brace, so he leans down and kisses him softly.
“Thank you,” Alec says. “And remember, you don’t need to stay the whole game if you don’t feel good.”
“I know,” Magnus says and rolls his eyes. “Stop worrying, I’ll be fine.”
Alec smiles but doesn’t have time to say anything else before Jace calls his name. They need to head to the ice now.
He kisses Magnus one more time, a chaste peck on the lips before he turns and heads out of the locker room with the rest of their team.
-.-.-
Alec puts all his focus on the game, but he can’t forget that Magnus is watching them. Whenever he’s not playing, he finds his eyes drifting to a specific seat in the audience.
He wants to make Magnus proud, is sure that the whole team wants to play the game not only because it’s their job, but to honor Magnus as well. The feeling hits Alec strongly, and he hopes Magnus can sense it too. It’s definitely what he deserves.
During the intermissions Magnus comes back to the locker room, offering his input on the opposing team’s mannerisms and how they could play them - all in all working as a member of the team even though he’s on the sidelines tonight.
This is their job and they both agreed that they want to stay professional, so they keep the PDA to a minimum. But after they come back to the locker room after winning the game, Magnus greets Alec by pulling him down and kissing him.
“Get a room,” Raphael mumbles as he walks past.
“We don’t need to,” Magnus replies smugly. “I live with him.”
They might both have their own apartments, something they’ve had to keep to keep up the pretense that they are not together, but neither remembers when was the last thing they slept without the other. Maybe now, with their friends knowing, they could officially move in together.
Most of the team heads to a celebratory dinner after the game, to celebrate both their win and Magnus getting better. Alec and Magnus sit next to each other but keep their distance. Out in the public, they are still just teammates and nothing more.
Magnus is stubborn and doesn’t say anything, but Alec can see that he’s getting tired. His smiles aren’t as bright anymore and he talks less, as everyone is enjoying drinks at a bar after their dinner.
“Magnus,” Alec says, making sure to speak quietly enough that no outsider can hear them. “Maybe we should start heading back.”
Alec expects Magnus to claim that he wants to stay for longer but he must be more tired than Alec realised because he replies with, “Okay.”
They say goodbye to their friends and head to Alec’s car that’s parked outside, and Magnus sighs in relief as he sits down.
“Did you have fun today?” Alec asks as he starts driving.
“I did,” Magnus says. “I really did. It was wonderful to see everyone again. And to see you all play.”
“In no time you’ll be back playing with us,” Alec says encouragingly.
“I can’t wait,” Magnus says dreamily.
They fall to comfortable silence after that, and Magnus pulls out his phone as Alec keeps driving. Sun has set ages ago, and the street lamps and other colorful lights illuminate the world around them. The traffic isn’t bad at this late, and Alec is glad that it won’t take them long to reach Magnus’ apartment, the apartment where they seem to spend most of their time in.
His attention is drawn back to Magnus when he hears a groan from the passenger seat.
“What?” Alec asks, glancing at Magnus quickly before turning his attention back to the road.
“One of the online magazines published a thing about me,” Magnus says. “About how I was seen with the team again after my injury. And there are pictures! Alexander the pictures look horrible! I shouldn’t have left the house with this thing on.”
Alec assumes that ‘this thing’ means the neck brace.
“People won’t judge you for it,” Alec says kindly. “You need it because you were seriously injured, anyone who gives you shit about it is an asshole.”
“Perhaps,” Magnus agrees. “But it doesn’t change the fact that it looks horrible.”
Alec can’t help but laugh a little.
“Is the article positive?” Alec has to ask because they’ve both been in both good and bad articles.
“Yeah,” Magnus says. “It is. It’s just talking about how I was at the game and the dinner with the team. They are reminding people of what happened to me and are speculating about when I’ll be able to play again.”
“That’s good,” Alec says.
"It is," Magnus agrees.
The rest of the car ride is spent in comfortable silence, and when they reach home Magnus heads to the shower. Alec, who showered after the game, gets ready to bed and gets comfortable while he waits for Magnus to join him.
The lights in the room are dimmed, a small lamp on Magnus' nightstand giving the room a soft orange glow. Alec is close to falling asleep when he feels the bed dip beside him, and he opens his eyes and turns his head to see Magnus slipping under the covers.
"I didn't mean to disturb," Magnus says apologetically as he settles on his side.
Alec turns over as well so that they are facing each other, and groans at the movement.
"Are you sore?" Magnus asks, brows furrowed in concern.
"Nothing out of the normal," Alec replies. He knows that he doesn't need to say more, Magnus knows the post-game aches better than well.
"Hmm," Magnus hums and leans forward to give Alec a close-mouthed kiss, his lips lingering and his hand coming up to rest on the side of Alec's head. Alec's hand finds its place on Magnus' waist.
"It made me so happy to see you at the game today," Alec admits after they pull apart. They stay close though, their hands keeping their positions. Magnus' hand has started brushing through Alec's hair and the movement calms Alec even more.
"I was happy to be there," Magnus says with a smile.
"It won't take long before you'll be able to play again," Alec says, knowing that as much as Magnus might have liked seeing the team play, he would have loved it if he would have been allowed to join them on the ice. "You are healing so well."
"I hope you're right," Magnus says, his smile turning a bit sad. Alec can't look at it longer and he pulls Magnus into his chest, holding him close and providing comfort.
"You just need to rest for a while longer," Alec says quietly. "Just until you've healed completely. I know how much you miss it."
"I do," Magnus says and moves back enough to look Alec again. "Thank you for being so amazing through this all."
"You don't need to thank me," Alec says immediately, and the smile is back on Mangus' lips.
"I know. But I want to."
Alec returns the smile and doesn't argue further, instead he reaches over Magnus to turn the lamp off and leave the room in darkness before he settles back down on the bed and allows Magnus to settle against him.
"Goodnight Magnus," Alec whispers into the dark. He feels Magnus' breath on his skin as he replies.
"Night, Alexander."