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Alec had been standing outside for ten minutes trying to work up the courage to go in. He wasn’t much of a party guy and this was definitely a party he didn’t want to be at. Fighting demons and the occasional downworlder he could do, but people and fancy clothes, that made him stress. He continued to fidget with the tie around his neck, loosening it so he could breath and then retightening it. He never wore a suit and tie. Finally, he took one last deep breath and strode up to the door and went in.
Immediately he was hit with all the noise of the crowd inside. The ballroom was packed with clave members, shadowhunters from all around the world. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the sight of all these powerful and influential people. Then his eyes began searching the ballroom for a back exit. A way he could slip out unnoticed.
As Alec made his way farther into the room, he tried to keep his head and eyes up. Trying to look just as important and comfortable in this mass as all the others. He was head of the New York institute, he should be here, right? As he walked further into the party, he figured he should mingle. That’s what you’re supposed to do at these things, right? Make ridiculous small talk about pointless things, skirt around sensitive political topics, and drink. He grabbed a champagne glass off a nearby waiter’s tray and downed it in one quick drink. Alec wasn’t really a drinker but he could use the help of the liquid courage right now.
One glass of alcohol in and now Alec started to try and make eye contact with some of the groups standing around talking. He would just make eye contact with someone he knew or knew of and then seamlessly join their group. Except no one was making eye contact with him. He tried a couple of times with different people in different social groups but no one was looking him in the eye. They would see him and quickly avert their gaze and pretend they didn’t notice him. He would hear whispers as he passed by. Catching his name mixed with words he pushed away from hearing.
After the fifth or sixth person to do it Alec gave up. He clenched his fists and headed out of the crowded area of the ballroom, moving towards the empty tables near the edge of the room, grabbing another two glasses of champagne as he went. He slumped down at a table and downed one of the two glasses. This was going so much worse than he expected. He dropped his head into one hand and let out a shaky breath. How was he going to get through the rest of this night?
Suddenly, the full glass of champagne was taken from his hands, downed by someone and then returned to the table empty. “Shall we dance?” Alec heard this person say. He lifted his head, eyes travelling from the man’s shoes all the way up to his face, noticing the ring adorended hand outstretched to him. The sly smile on the man’s face bringing a sense of comfort in Alec’s time of need.
“Hell Yeah” Alec said, not sure if it was actually him talking or the alcohol. Taking Magnus’s hand, he stood up and let himself be led to the dance floor. Instantly being pulled into Magnus’s embrace and letting his arms wrap around the man as they swayed to the music being played.
“You looked awfully down for a man dressed so very sexy. A sort of brooding. Sexy brooding” Magnus said quietly while they danced. That got a little bit of a laugh from Alec.
“Have I ever told you I love you?” Alec asked back, pulling slightly away so he and Magnus could look eye to eye. “You make everything better.” He reached up one hand and cupped Magnus’s face.
Magnus smiled, a little bit of glitter on his cheek shimmering under the lights on the dance floor. “It’s like I’m magic.” He said and then proceeded to spin Alec away before pulling him back to his chest, making Alec laugh even more. “Cheering up my shadowhunter boyfriend is one of my many magical talents.”
As they danced Alec started to notice others around them. He could see people standing off to the side watching and whispering. Shadowhunters showing their disapproval.
“I don’t think I fit in at this party.” Alec commented, continuing to follow Magnus’s lead but his focus on all those around them.
“Everyone’s got so much to say, huh?” Magnus responded, still sounding so carefree and unaffected by all the judgement in the room. “Who wants to fit in anyway?” Came the question, followed by a wave of Magnus’s hand, a flare of blue and then suddenly glitter and bubbles started floating down from the ceiling, showering Magnus and Alec as they danced. And just like that he didn’t care about anything else. All the bad things disappeared. Alec couldn’t see all the people staring at him now because he was held close by Magnus and his fabulous magic was blocking out everything else.
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Alec ran a hand through his hair, shaking some of the glitter out as they walked hand and hand down the sidewalk. “Not the best party I’ve ever been to. Shadowhunters really need to learn to hire party planners” Mangus says, moving in front of Alec and then proceeding to walk backwards while they talk.
Alec shrugged, squeezing Mangus’s hand, “I don’t care, as long as I’m with you. You made it so you were the only one there with me.” He pulled his hand, stopping Magnus from walking and pulling him into his chest, meeting him eye to eye. “In a room where I felt hated by everyone, you made me feel loved by somebody.”
“Another one of my magical talents.” Magnus mused before wrapping his hand around the back of the other man’s neck and leaning in to kiss Alec.