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“Hi, baby,” Magnus says, leaning over to kiss Alec’s cheek before joining him at the table. “Sorry, I’m late. Ragnor kept us going over the books endlessly. You’d think we were financially struggling or something.”
Alec grins as he leans back in the chair, watching with affection and not a small amount of desire as Magnus settles opposite him, placing and smoothing out the napkin in his lap with a little too much eye contact to be innocent. Shaking his head in mock disapproval, he pushes the drink he’d preordered for Magnus closer.
“Did you ever consider that Ragnor reviewing the books so carefully is why Pandemonium is doing so well and you’re not struggling?” Alec asks, rolling his eyes at Magnus’s pleased grin when Alec subtly adjusts himself in his chair
“I’d prefer to think it has more to do with my brilliant sense of style and business acumen,” Magnus counters playfully. “How has your morning been?”
“Busy,” Alec replies tiredly. “I’ve had non-stop classes since 5 am,” he says, referring to the gym he owns with his brother and sister, Jace and Izzy. The three siblings had all grown up excelling at sports and, combined with strong competitive natures, had all competed at two consecutive Olympics. Natural skills and hard work had seen all three medalling at least once in their respective events: Izzy – Fencing, Jace – Judo, and Alec - Archery.
When Alec decided to retire from competing, Jace and Izzy had followed suit, and six years ago, the three of them opened a gym together. The three had done it all at first - classes, management, and admin work. However, the growing success of the business had meant they’d recently expanded their staffing. Not only had they taken on 3 additional instructors, including Alec’s best friend, but they had also hired an accountant and office manager to help with the less enjoyable tasks of owning a business, a gorgeously nerdy man named Simon. Izzy’s brothers and friends had bets going on how long it would take for Izzy and Simon to hook up.
“That explains why you weren’t with me when I woke up,” Magnus teases. “Are you finished for the day, or do you have to go back?”
“Nah, I’ve got the under-12’s archery this afternoon,” Alec says with a wide grin. Magnus smiles easily, knowing how much Alec loves his kid classes.
“You big softie,” he gently teases. “You walk around stern and scowling but put a bunch of kids in front of you, and you go all soft and gooey.”
“I do not,” Alec protests with a scowl.
“Which? Scowl or go gooey?”
“Either.”
“Yeah, you do,” Magnus says, his smile widening as Alec blushes. “We might need to look into a more permanent solution than these 45-minute classes to keep you surrounded by kids.”
Alec gapes at him, eyes scanning Magnus’s face for any sign of a joke. “What?”
“What?” Magnus repeats innocently, just as the waitress arrives. “Perfect timing. I’m starving.”
They quickly order, both comfortable enough to do so without even looking at the menu. During all of it, Alec never takes his eyes off Magnus.
“So Cat wants us to –“
“Did you mean it?” Alec interrupts, his tone sharper now. He sits up straighter, his words coming faster than usual.
“Mean what?” Magnus asks, raising an eyebrow, a little nervous now.
“Don’t play games, Magnus,” Alec presses. “Did you mean it when you talked about a more permanent solution? Were you talking about kids? Like, us having kids?”
“It’s not like we haven’t talked about it before,” Magnus counters.
“Not recently, we haven’t,” Alec refutes. “And you still haven’t answered my question. Did you mean it? Or was it some throwaway comment?”
“Well, I mean, we’re not getting any younger,” Magnus answers softly. “We have to start talking about it seriously at some point if we want to do this.” There’s a small pause before Magnus speaks again. “Do you want to do this?”
Alec’s smile lights up his face, so wide it feels like it might split. “What do you think? Kids make me all gooey, remember?”
“So, you admit to being gooey?” Magnus grins, relief and happiness flooding his body as he looks at the incredible man across from him.
“Only ‘cause it makes you happy,” Alec teases back. “Maybe we should talk about this more at home, though. When we have more time than a 40-minute lunch break.”
“We can do that,” Magnus agrees.
The rest of their lunch is easy and over much too quickly for both men, and 35 minutes after Magnus sat, they’re both standing, reluctant to leave each other.
“I’ll see you at home this afternoon?” Alec asks as he pulls his jacket on.
“Absolutely. I should be home by 5 at the latest,” Magnus replies, his eyes flicking to an older couple at a nearby table. “We’ve got an audience,” he murmurs, his tone weary.
Alec glances over, and seeing the disapproving look the male companion holds as he looks between his table and theirs.
“Leave it alone, Magnus,” Alec warns, knowing Magnus is thinking back to the elderly couple who had admonished them for their sinful public behaviour (shockingly, they had dared to hold hands and exchange a chaste kiss– Oh, the horror!) while out for a walk in the park a few weeks earlier. “We don’t need to make a scene. They can’t help how they were raised and how they feel makes no difference to who we are.”
“Of course not, darling,” Magnus agrees obligingly, though it’s been a long time since that look of fake placation fooled Alec.
“Magnus,” Alec argues, already knowing he’s not going to be able to stop him.
“Well, goodbye, darling,” Magnus announces loudly, hooking his hand around Alec’s neck and pulling him into a kiss. The rest of the world fades away in that instant, and Alec melts into the kiss, feeling the warmth of Magnus’s embrace. He pulls Magnus closer, his hands resting on his head and lower back.
Reluctantly, they pull apart, both flushed and breathless.
“Wow,” Magnus mutters, licking his lips as though continuing to chase the taste of Alec. “I suddenly wish we weren’t both headed back to work.”
“Well, you started it,” Alec challenged, taking his own deep breaths as he tried to regain his footing in the world. “And there’s always tonight if you don’t have to head into the club.”
“I’ll make sure I don’t,” Magnus promises, his gaze heavy with anticipation. After a moment of silence, he leans in again, this time pressing a quick kiss to Alec’s mouth. “I’ll see you tonight, darling.”
Alec watches fondly as Magnus turns to leave, but then Magnus glances over his shoulder and winks at him.
“Please do give my love to your beautiful wife, Lydia, darling. You know how much I adore her!”
Alec’s heart sinks as he watches the older couple who witnessed their kiss glance at each other in confusion. Magnus, of course, is already walking away, laughing.
“Irene, just leave it,” Alec hears as he glares after his retreating husband.
“I can’t, Cliff. I would never forgive myself. Excuse me, young man? Excuse me?”
Alec groans inwardly, knowing he’s about to be dragged into yet another awkward conversation.
“Excuse me, dear,” the older woman says once she sees they’ve made eye contact. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”
“Irene,” her companion sighs, his voice one of exhausted patience that Alec recognises well, having used it on Magnus more than once.
“I have to, Cliff,” she cuts him off imperiously. “I simply can’t let this pass.” Turning back to Alec, she pulls out an empty chair at their table and pats it, giving him a pointed look that he finds he can’t ignore, no matter how much he wishes he could. It doesn’t stop him from voicing a small protest, as useless as he already knows it will be.
“I really have to get back to work,” he mutters politely before stepping forward when the woman just arches an eyebrow and pats the chair again. It’s a fault of Alec’s, one he’s usually not upset by, that he can’t resist the pull of the older generation, finding that he holds the same affection for them as he does for children. He loves the stories they have, stories of time periods he’ll never experience himself, yet still echo with the same emotions and actions of today.
“What can I do for you, Ma’am?” Alec asks as he comes to stand by their table before sinking into the seat when she does that silent waiting thing that his mother did when he was a child and about to get into trouble (usually for something that Jace or Izzy had done that he’d stupidly taken the blame for).
“Now, I’m not usually one to butt into other people’s business,” she begins, causing her companion (husband? Alec thinks) to scoff in disbelief at the apparent lie. “However,” she continues, giving her husband (?) a small glare. “I simply cannot sit quietly while this travesty unravels right in front of me.”
Please don’t be a homophobic grandma, Alec prays silently, not wanting to listen to someone he’d usually go out of his way to accommodate tell him he’s wrong simply for who he loves.
“Now, I don’t know who that gorgeous young man is you were just sharing lunch with, but it’s clear to anyone who has eyes that you love each other very much,” she says, and Alec finds himself shocked into silence. “Now, I don’t know what the story is with you and your wife, Lydia. Whether it’s new or something you cannot easily walk away from, but living a lie is never the answer. You and that young man share something special, and you deserve to live your truth. And your wife deserves the opportunity to find and live her own. I urge you to listen to a silly old lady who loves love and ask yourself what you want from your life and who you want to share it with. I only watched you for a short time, but you and that young man seemed to share something very special, and it seems a shame for that to be hidden behind closed doors.”
For a moment, Alec is moved to silence, his eyes welling slightly in appreciation of the older lady’s words and her recognition of the bond he and Magnus shared. He swallows hard around the lump in his throat and gives her a small, appreciative smile.
“I appreciate your concern, Ma’am.”
“Irene, please,” Irene interrupts with a kind smile and a hand on his arm. “And this is my husband, Clifford, or Cliff.”
“I’m pleased to meet you both,” Alec responds gently. “My name is Alec, and while I appreciate your kind words, I’m afraid my husband was playing a bit of a joke. Lydia’s a friend and co-worker—my ‘work wife,’ actually. In reality, I am, most days, proudly married to Magnus, the man you saw me having lunch with and have been for the last 6 years. He just likes to tease and embarrass me at times,” Alec admits with a small grimace.
“Oh-ho-ho,” Cliff chuckles. “Someone’s not getting any tonight,” he says, flashing a bemused grin at Alec.
“Oh, only if he’s extremely apologetic,” Alec responds, which makes Cliff laugh even harder.
“Well, I’m pleased to find that my original assumption of the two of you being a lovely couple was correct,” Irene smiles, squeezing his arm affectionately before reaching back out for her teacup. “I wanted to call you over before to say how sweet I found the two of you, before your husband’s little game. But I’m happy again now. Life’s too short not to spend it with the people you love.”
“I completely agree, Ma’am,” Alec agrees. “Have the two of you been married long?”
“63 years in June,” Cliff says in a slightly choked-up voice. “Proudest day of my life the day she said I do.”
“Oh, you big softie,” Irene murmurs, her expression still filled with love all these years later. “That’s the secret to a happy marriage, you know,” she says to Alec while continuing to look at her husband. “Always believe you’re the one that married up, and always remember why you wanted to marry them in the first place.”
“I will,” Alec promises before standing up. “I really should get back to work,” he tells them apologetically. “But it was lovely to meet you.”
“It was lovely to meet you too, Alec. I wish you and your husband a lifetime of happiness together,” Irene says, Cliff nodding quietly beside her.
“Thank you. I can only hope we have as much success in our life together as the two of you have shared.”
Alec turns and starts to walk away before a niggling impulse takes hold. Helpless to resist it, Alec quickly turns back to Irene and Cliff, who are still sitting and holding hands across their table.
“I know this is odd and out of nowhere, but would the two of you like to have dinner with me and my husband? I’d love to hear more about how you met, and I know my husband would too.”