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“Magnus, we need to practice!”
He sighed, leaning back on the sofa. He loved his best friend, but he could be insufferable at some times. Most times, really. “Relax, Ragnor. We’ve practiced this act for weeks. We’ll be fine.”
“We’ll be better if you practice more,” his friend shot back. Even though Ragnor was only a few years older then he was, he had always acted like a 90-year old lady. It was endearing.
“Magnus is right,” Catarina said, the third part of their little magician trio. “We’ve practiced for weeks, we’ve got this down.”
“Thank you, Catarina,” Magnus said, grinning. She didn’t normally take his side in arguments, so he savored it when she did.
Ragnor threw his arms up in the air. “Okay, okay fine. But you better not mess up because you’re ogling that acrobat.”
His heart skipped a beat at the thought of him. “For the last time, his name is Alec!”
“Whatever,” Ragnor grumbled. “I’m going to get some dinner. Remember-”
“Be up by eight, I know,” he interrupted. “Getting up early is a crime against humanity.”
“You’d have to get up earlier if you weren’t in the circus,” Catarina reminded him, with an amused smile. She got up to follow Ragnor to find some food.
Catarina had a point. If he hadn’t ran away and joined the circus years ago, he would have to wake up earlier. His life would probably be dreadfully boring too. Magnus imagined him having a desk job and having to wear the same boring suit all day, and he shuddered. That sounded horrible.
He stood up, heading over to the train car he shared with his two best friends. Maybe if he got to sleep now, he wouldn’t be terribly tired in the morning. Oh, who was he kidding? He was always tired in the mornings.
Magnus shuffled a deck of cards as he walked, taking out some cards just to find them again. No matter how tired he got in the mornings, he loved his job. Being a magician was fun and challenging, and being part of a travelling circus meant that his life was never boring. Everything was always new.
Besides the people. And that wasn’t always a bad thing.
He heard a shout of protest from near him, and Magnus smiled. Not always a bad thing at all.
To his right stood Alec Lightwood and Jace Herondale. Jace was holding Alec’s bow above his head, jumping up onto the train car for height. Alec was frowning and yelling something at his best friend. Probably something like “give it back” or “why are you the way that you are?” He had heard both phrases come out of his mouth, not that he was listening. Or remembering.
Alec Lightwood, his sister Isabelle, and his best friend had joined the circus a year ago. He and Izzy were acrobats and contortionists, and Jace was a lion tamer. They were very talented, and he was very pretty, with his messy black hair and those big blue eyes. He had always loved black hair and blue eyes, they were his favorite combination.
They hadn’t talked much since he had arrived, unfortunately. The couple times that they had the chance to speak to each other, he seemed nice. Alec had blushed when he had flirted with him, when he had called him by his full name. Alexander. The name practically rolled off his tongue, begged him to use it.
Magnus wanted to get to know him. All of him.
He grinned as he watched the two friends grapple over the bow, and got into his train car. He didn’t need to think about Alec right now. He needed to sleep.
---
Magnus slipped his mask onto his face, admiring his reflection in the mirror. Their circus had a budget, but they did well with the money they had. The white suit he was wearing for their first performance of the season was stunning, shimmering and tight, with a cape-cloak thing attached to the back.
“We’re up next,” Catarina said. She wore a blue dress that fell to her ankles and a white plague doctor mask, looking beautiful. He wasn’t sure where the costume people had come up with the plague doctor idea, but it was good.
Ragnor frowned at his reflection. “Why do they always put me in green?”
“Because you look lovely, my dear cabbage,” Magnus said, smirking. Ragnor glared at him.
“Stop fighting, we’re up,” she hissed. In the background, he could hear the ring master introducing them. She plastered a bright smile on her face and strolled out into the spotlight. Magnus and Ragnor followed.
He let the light wash over him, soaking in the cheers as he raised his hands dramatically for the crowd. Performing was like nothing else. He forgot everything, forgot feelings and arguments and crushes, until it was just him, his friends, and their magic tricks.
They performed their act perfectly, pulling rabbits out of hats and cutting Catarina in half and weaving lights through the air. They didn’t even make one mistake. The crowd oohed and aahed at all the right moments, the eyes of the children in the crowd wide and gleeful. Ragnor didn’t make a dry comment once. It was a miracle.
By the time they got backstage, Magnus was bouncing on his toes with excitement. They hadn’t performed in a while, and he had almost forgotten how great it felt.
“See, Ragnor? We did well,” he said, pushing his mask up so it sat on his head. “There was no need to worry.” “With you there’s always need to worry.”
Magnus rolled his eyes dramatically. “So rude. Who’s performing next?”
“The acrobats,” Catarina said. “Alec and Isabelle Lightwood.”
He froze.
He hadn’t actually seen their performances since they joined the circus, he had usually been too busy practicing or getting ready to go onto the stage. Maybe this time, he could see them.
“I think I’ll stay and watch,” Magnus said.
“Oooohhh, you’re going to watch your crush,” Ragnor sang. “I’m telling Raphael all about this.”
Catarina thankfully dragged him out of the room before Magnus did something he would regret.
He peered out through the curtains as the Lightwood siblings walked out on stage. They both wore matching blue outfits that matched Alec’s eyes perfectly, and were much tighter than anything he would wear offstage. Magnus’ breath caught in his throat.
The music started, and the two started their act, flipping and rolling and tossing each other in the air. They did handstands and cartwheels, getting so much air he wondered if they could fly. It was amazing and breathtaking, something he couldn’t even imagine doing.
After a while, they started to slow, and Alec pulled out his bow. Isabelle held a target in her hands, holding it up above her head.
He did a handstand, and grabbed the bow with his feet, nocking an arrow.
Magnus’ eyebrows shot up into his hairline. No. He couldn’t shoot the bow with his toes. That had to be impossible.
Then Jace walked onstage with a fucking torch , and lit the arrow on fire. His mouth dropped open, and the crowd gasped.
Alec’s back arched as he pulled the bowstring back, his eyes focused on the target. He had never looked more beautiful.
He let the flaming arrow fly, and it struck the middle of the target. Bullseye.
The audience erupted into cheers, the children standing up and jumping up and down with excitement. Alec stood back up, and he and his sister took a bow before doing a series of flips backstage.
He was still struck speechless, both by how impressive their performance was and by how Alec looked during it.
Magnus had wanted to talk to the boy for a while, but he figured now would be the best time to do it.
He dove backstage, weaving in between the crowds and the props and curtains to the other exit. Alec would probably be cooling down in his and his sister’s little alcove, and stretching. Luckily, Magnus knew where that was.
When he spotted him, barely visible behind a curtain, his sister wasn’t there. Good. If she was, that would definitely kill the mood.
He knocked on the rod of the curtain, and Alec sat up straight.
“Come in,” he called.
Magnus dramatically threw the curtains open, smirking as he set his eyes on the other boy. “Alexander. You were impressive out there.”
His cheeks, already flushed from the exertion of the performance, went even redder, and he smiled. “Thank you. I didn’t know you were watching.”
“Oh, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you,” he purred, sitting down next to him and leaning in close. “The arrow trick was especially good. You’re very . . . flexible.”
“I guess I am,” Alec said, voice husky. His eyes flicked down to his lips before going back up to look Magnus in the eye.
“Maybe you could show me sometime. How flexible you can be.” He placed his hand on the acrobat’s thigh.
He looked like he was on fire, like the arrow he shot. “Oh, o-okay. I’d like that.”
“Good,” Magnus said.
Before he could do anything else, like kiss him or flirt more, he heard someone call his name. Probably Ragnor. He sighed.
He stood up, pushing his cape-cloak back and turning around. “I’ll see you around.”
He was halfway out the curtain when Alec said something. “Wait!”
Magnus twirled around to get a face full of Alec Lightwood, who grabbed the collar of his suit and pulled him in. And kissed him.
It was all teeth and passion, a little messy but nice nonetheless. It was obvious that he didn’t know exactly what he was doing, but other than that he did pretty well. They broke apart panting, Alec’s lips a little bruised.
“Well, Alexander,” he gasped. “That was unexpected.”
He grinned, and Magnus had the urge to kiss him again. “You’re welcome.”
Alec brushed past him, and he watched him go.