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This isn’t the first time Lydia’s been in Magnus and Alec’s apartment to discuss official business. It’s less stuffy than having it in one of the offices, and honestly, after a full day of bureaucracy what both of them need is a place to unwind, have a drink, and actually discuss rather than debate whatever topic the two of them need to cover together. It’s a system that’s worked out rather well for the two of them so far.
The only problem is when the Lightwood-Bane household gets social calls, which seems to be a frequent occurrence for someone as popular as Magnus Bane. Lydia’s in the middle of making a very solid argument against Alec’s last point of contention when there’s a knock on the door, followed by the door immediately swinging open despite no one getting up to answer it.
The woman who stands on the other side of it is beautiful, Lydia immediately thinks, in one of those classically understated sorts of ways that many might overlook at first glance. Lydia isn’t one of those people, however, and doesn’t even realize she’s staring until the other woman hesitates in the doorway.
“Is it a bad time?” The woman asks, her eyes on Lydia who finally remembers her manners and tears her gaze away to look back to Alec.
“No, no, Magnus will be here any minute, he’s just running late. Come on in, Tessa. This is Lydia Branwell. Lydia, Tessa Gray.”
The name rings a bell, and it takes her a moment to place it as the warlock Alec’s mentioned quite a few times recently who is a friend of Magnus’ and involved in the Spiral Labyrinth.
“Nice to officially meet you,” Lydia says, doing her best not to stare even more as Tessa enters the apartment and closes the door behind her.
“You too. I’ve heard a lot about you, actually,” Tessa says.
“Oh?” Lydia asks, eyebrow raised.
“All good things, I promise,” Tessa says with a light laugh.
“Tessa, why don’t you join us for a drink until Magnus gets here?” Alec suggests, already standing up to offer her a seat.
This surprises Lydia, though she supposes if Tessa is a friend then it isn’t that strange.
“I wouldn’t want to interrupt,” Tessa insists.
“You aren’t!” Lydia promises. “In fact, I’d love your opinion on…”
Magnus, as it turns out, runs very late, but Lydia doesn’t mind. She ends up getting along wonderfully with Tessa and hardly notices when Alec disappears to take a call and doesn’t come back for nearly thirty minutes.
In fact, she’s quite disheartened when Magnus does finally arrive and pull Tessa away… and while she could be imagining it, Lydia thinks she sees the same flash of disappointment in Lydia’s expression as she leaves.
---
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Alec asks Magnus once Tessa and Lydia leave for the night.
“They’re perfect for each other,” Magnus says.
“Lyds is going to hate me setting her up,” Alec points out, and not for the first time.
“You aren’t. We’re just going to cross their paths until they figure it out on their own.”
Alec knows that’s a technicality. He also knows that both of these women are smart enough to catch onto what they’re doing sooner rather than later, and both will likely spurn the idea out of spite once they do.
He supposes he can only hope their interest in one another is piqued before that.
---
It takes Tessa an embarrassingly long time to realize what Magnus and Alexander are doing, mostly because she can’t believe one of her oldest friends would even bother to try and set her up. Magnus knows she has no interest in another relationship, he knows she has not the heart for it, no matter how well she and Lydia seem to get on.
Tessa knows she has to say something now before things go too far, but she doesn’t want to lose Lydia as a friend. At this point the two of them have begun spending time together on their own, meeting over drinks or lunch, sometimes under the guise of discussing policies and laws and reference texts but increasingly often just to enjoy each other’s company. Tessa doesn’t want to lead Lydia on, but she doesn’t want to lose Lydia from her life, either.
“There’s something we need to discuss,” Tessa finally brings herself to say.
“That sounds ominous.” Lydia doesn’t say more than that, waiting to hear what it is that’s on Tessa’s mind.
“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed-”
“Alec and Magnus trying to set us up?” Lydia finishes for her, a small smirk on her face. “They’re not exactly subtle.”
“The thing is,” Tessa continues, forcing the words out before she can lose her nerve. “I’m never going to love again. I’ve had my true loves and I’ve lost them, and I know that I’ll never be able to give my heart to another in the same way again. It wouldn’t be fair to expect you - or anyone else - to love me in a way I cannot return. So if that’s all this is, I will not hold it against you if you’d like to leave.”
Tessa expects any number of reactions - anything from anger to confusion to sadness - but what she does not count on is the smile that begins to form on Lydia’s face at her confession.
“Oh, those clever boys,” Lydia says quietly, more to herself than to Tessa.
“Am I missing something?”
“I lost my own soulmate, John, several years ago,” Lydia supplies. “And feel much the same way about my ability to fall in love again.”
Tessa’s breath catches in her chest as the pieces fall into place. It isn’t that Magnus thinks he can convince her to love again, it’s that he knows Lydia will understand exactly why she can’t… and that might be enough for both of them.
“So where does that leave us?” Tessa finally asks.
“I like where we are,” Lydia admits, “and I’d like to stay and see where we’re going.”
Tessa considers this offer for several long minutes before finally nodding.
“I’d like that, too.”
It’s scary, terrifying even, to allow herself even a fraction of the emotion she’s blocked out for so long. It may not be love, but it’s something special, something unique that she hasn’t felt for anyone else, and she’s curious enough to want to see where it leads as well.