HeartBLOOD

Chapter four

"Are you going to go see Asmodeus?", Alec asked as Magnus put on his windbreaker. "Yes, he's meeting me at the coffeeshop across the street.", he replied and put his phone in the back of the jeans. "Alright, see you later!", Alec sent him off, not without giving him a goodbye-kiss. "See you!", Magnus replied and made his way out of the academy. As usual, the halls were crowded with students but thankfully nobody tried talking to him. The sun shone brightly into his eyes as he walked towards the location he was going to meet Asmodeus at. Magnus was a bit nervous as he had no idea what he should expect- usually Asmodeus sent him all business information via e-mail and didn't ask for an urgent meeting. So this was either going to be really good or really bad.

"Magnus!", Asmodeus greeted him and pulled him into a tight hug. Hugging Asmodeus had become normal, but this time it was tighter and longer. "Are we going somewhere?", he asked a bit insecure. Whilst Asmodeus was wearing an elegant suit Magnus just woke black ripped jeans, an oversized back t-shirt and a green windbreaker. "No, just got from work.", Asmodeus replied and Magnus frowned. He had never seen Asmodeus dressed up like this and the times he has gone on set with him he didn't look this formal either. What work was he talking about? "I understand your confusion.", Asmodeus replied and took a deep breath, "This is what I wanted to talk to you about." "Okay?", Magnus replied and took a step away from Asmodeus. This was very confusing and by the hurt look on Asmodeus' face he could tell he noticed. "I am not a manager myself.", he exhaled, "I own a marketing company. Some of my employers are managers but I just hold it all together- this is what I got all the connections from." The crease on Magnus' forehead deepened. "So what do you want from me, then? I don't understand" "I get it.", Asmodeus approached and tried taking Magnus' hand but he flinched. What was going on? None of this made sense to him. If Asmodeus wasn't actually a manager himself, why did he even approach Magnus in the first place? A million thoughts rushed his head but as hard as he tried he couldn't put the pieces together. "Let me try to explain.", Asmodeus said, "Do you maybe want to sit down?" "No, I'm good.", Magnus replied with a harshness he wasn't used to himself. Without Asmodeus noticing he checked his pocket to see his phone was still there. If things were to go south he would at least have to option of calling Alec. "The truth is I had personal interest in you." Now Magnus' was completely lost. "Not in a romantical way.", Asmodeus added quickly after seeing the disbelief on Magnus' face. "Then what is it? Spit it out!", Magnus demanded. "It's more of a familiar type of interest.", Asmodeus quietly admitted. "My mother's dead and my stepfather lives in Europe- I don't have anyone who could have familiar interest in me.", Magnus corrected him coldly. "Except you forgot your birth father.", Asmodeus whispered and everything inside Magnus froze. He couldn't possibly be-. Why not, Magnus asked himself. Slowly, everything was starting to add up. The longer Magnus thought about it, the more sense it made. The facial features, the eyes- it could be possible. "Tell me you're lying.", Magnus whispered, "Tell me it's not true." "It is.", Asmodeus whispered, barely audible but still way too loud for Magnus. "TELL ME YOU'RE LYING TO ME!", Magnus shouted ignoring the pedestrians who turned their heads. "I'm not, that's why-", Asmodeus tried to approach him and strike Magnus' shoulder but Magnus took a step away. "DO NOT TOUCH ME!", he yelled. "I understand you're confused-", Asmodeus tried again but once Magnus had lost his temper there was no way back. "You know what I am?", he hissed, "Mad. Hurt. Disappointed. And do you know what you should be? Ashamed." "Magnus..." "It's not Magnus, anymore. It's mister Bane.", Magnus spat and turned around. "Please, hear me out!", Asmodeus begged. "And what do you have to say for yourself, huh?", Magnus yelled, " You left my mother a week before she gave birth to me, you never called, you never sent us money. You didn't come to her funeral. And now, twenty-two years later you show up here, sneak into my life, lie to me, make me tell you all my problems and then decide to just casually tell me you're supposed to be my father?" "I couldn't keep it from you in the first place but I was scared of you hating me if I told you.", Asmodeus sighed, "And now it's out." "Well good for you. Because I have hated you since the day I was born and seeing what a lying bastard you are didn't make that change for the better.", Magnus spat and took a deep breath. Only now the full weight of what had just happened collapsed onto him- this was his father. Magnus felt dizzy and stumbled against the lantern behind him, holding on to the cold metal trying not to fall or lose consciousness. "Magnus!", Asmodeus approached, seeing Magnus struggle. "Do not touch me.", Magnus whispered, slowly regaining his clear vision. "Let me help you.", Asmodeus begged and Magnus could see something like regret on his face. "Thanks, I made it through my first twenty two years without your help, I think I don't need it now either.", Magnus scoffed, finally letting go of the lantern as everything around him stopped spinning. "I think I might be able to help you this time, though.", Asmodeus said, "Maybe I can't help you directly but I can try and help the ones you love." "I don't see anything you could do." "I could pay Alec's NYABM fees.", He replied. Magnus was shocked. First he came here, telling him he lied about everything, asking for understanding and now thought that getting even deeper into his business was going to make the whole situation any better. "He won't appreciate it, and neither would I.", Magnus swallowed. "Or would you?", Asmodeus persisted, This obviously is a terrible situation for you and I am aware there's nothing I can do to own up to my old mistakes. But I can at least do that if you, in return, give me an actual chance to explain myself." "You want me to restore our relationship in return for Alec's tuition costs? Are you out of your mind?", Magnus hissed full of disgust, "I expected better, even from you." "Just let me try. I don't see what harm it could do. You get a solution to yours and Alecs problem, for which I don't see any alternative solution, and you get answers. And i get to finally explain myself.", Asmodeus said, "Just let me do that one thing." Magnus swallowed hard. As much as Asmodeus disgusted him, as mad as he was, he knew that Alec needed the money. He said he had it under control but he knew he only said that to calm him down. This could actually be the solution to their main problem. And maybe for that purpose he could endure some talks with his, as weird as it sounded- father.