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As if this day wasn't already bad enough, what with getting up late and having his daughter's breakfast spread all over his shirt as she played with the spoon in her hand, giggling like crazy at her antics. Alec's babysitter just called to tell him she can't come. Her girlfriend had an accident and she has to meet her at the hospital.
Well, the poor girl is for nothing in this situation, and she was genuinely sorry on the phone. But damn, he can't even count on his mom either right now, who's always more than willing to take her favorite (and only) granchild with her, as she's on her honeymoon with Luke in Brazil right now.
That's how he finds himself running late for his first self-defence class of the day at the studio this morning, with his daughter in his arms and his sports bag slung over his shoulder. It wouldn't be a problem if he wasn't the instructor.
As he arrives in the lobby, he quickly waves at his colleague talking with their receptionist Steve, both looking bewildered for a moment seeing him enter the facility.
“Um, Alec, you do know that we only accept children above 5 for our initation class right?” Maia says with a smirk.
“Argh, don't have time! I'm already late!” Alec grunts, balancing his daughter in his arms, continuing towards his class when he abruptely stops, startling her as she was happily bouncing in his arms until now. “You could maybe –“
“Uh-uh, no way! I have work Alec. I love this little munchkin dearly, but my first class starts in 10 minutes.” Maia answers quickly, making her way towards the locker room, leaving him and Steve staring at each other.
Alec doesn't have time to start his next sentence that Steve is already back looking at his computer as if in the middle of some important task. “Dadda?” His daughter puts her small hands on his face as if to question him on what's happening around her, probably sensing Alec's nervousness. With a sigh, Alec makes his way to his class. “It's okay, sweetie, you're staying with me.” He says stroking her back soothingly.
Everyone is already inside the room when he arrives and he excuses himself to his students for the inconvenience. It actually works quite well for a while, as he sets his daughter on a blanket near the wall-length mirror with some toys, her bottle and fun picture books. She happily babbles at her toys, making the students coo at her from time to time. Which, if Alec thinks about it a bit, kind of defeat all the purpose of the seriousness you're supposed to show when using self-defence.
As they all take some time to rest and rehydrate in the middle of their two hour class, Alec goes to check on his daughter. His daughter who isn't on her blanket at the moment. In a rush of panic, he looks around the room, checking behind every equipment, calling for her. When he sees her nowhere, he feels the fear rising in him. “Rose! Honey, where are you? Rose!”
She started walking a few months ago, and became quite fast on her two legs rapidly, especially when she sets her mind to something. Leaving his students, Alec is running through the corridors of the studio, looking for her everywhere, calling for her, when he hears loud giggles coming from the fitness class. He wouldn't have stopped, knowing full well how Magnus' outgoing personality always manages to create a fun and relaxed atmosphere in his class, if not for the slightly smaller giggle he barely hears amongst the louder ones. He steps slowly to the room and stops dead in the doorway.
His daughter is trying, in the most adorable way, to recreate the moves that she probably just saw Magnus do while the women in the class are mimicking all of her gestures, laughing kindly with her. She's flailing her arms around and shaking her butt to the rhythm of the music. It's the funniest and the cutest thing in the world, and he feels that pride and love expend in his chest as it always does when he looks at his daughter just living her life to the fullest. He wasn't prepared when he became a father to feel this kind of love. Of course, he knew, he had heard from everyone that it changes everything. Having a child just redefines your life and your purpose completely. But he wasn't prepared to feel this earth-shattering love.
He's also not prepared when he looks up at the mirror and sees Magnus leaning against it, his arms crossed over his chest, looking fondly at his daughter. His eyes full of the laughs he's trying to contain. The group starts to laugh fully then and it makes his daughter frown a bit at them (and if that doesn't make his heart squeeze, because it is so like him too).
If Alec wasn't already infatuated with the guy, what he sees now would probably make him fall in love right there on the spot. Magnus is taking on a serious face and adressing the group. “Why are you stopping? She obviously hasn't finished showing you the full sequence yet.” He walks to the toddler then and crouches in front of her. “Go on sweet pea, show them.” He says with an encouraging smile, that Rose sends back tenfold. As he stands up with a sweet smile still on his face, his eyes catch with Alec's. And he sees something, a recognition, pass in the other man's eyes that settles something new and deep in his chest.
“Well, looks like our lesson has come to an end unfortunately. Look who's there sweet pea!” He tells Alec's daughter, pointing in his direction.
“Dadda!” She shouts, running directly into his arms as he walks further into the room. “See, dance me!” She says proudly pointing at herself. “Yes you do swetheart.” He says, cooing at her. He hears Magnus in the background signaling a break for everyone and they start walking out of the room as he makes his way to Alec. “Hi Magnus! Sorry for that.” Alec tells him sheepishly.
“No worries Alexander. It was an adorable distraction. So, I finally get to meet this beautiful daughter of yours after all. After hearing about her for months, it's about time.”
As they look at each other now, their eyes speaking so many things yet to explore, Alec can't help but think that yes, it is about time. Also, he might pay his babysitter extra the next time she comes to watch his daughter, and send his mother flowers. Just because.