Malec: A Fanfic Romance

Chapter 16

Magnus stumbled backwards onto a broken road while his hand that still held a firm grip on Alec's arm kept him steady after their rough landing. He wasn't used to portal traveling with company so the result was always a bumpy ride. Magnus quickly let go of Alec and his arms fell to his side. He rubbed the palm of his hand against his long, decorated trench coat.

At this point Alec was starting to get annoyed with Magnus' lack of communication and decided to distance himself as well. He wasn't used to putting himself out there and just wanted to prepare himself in the case that Magnus said no.

Alec took a step back and turned away from Magnus. He was met with a mansion that from the look of it, seemed abandoned. Not that it was dirty or unkept. The place seemed uninhabited. Lonely.

"Can you tell me what we're doing here?" Alec announced, walking towards the gate of the mansion.

"We're getting the book...It's in there" Magnus crowed, looking up at the mansion with a disturbed face.

Alec used his stele to open it easily, and a good bit of strength to pull it loose. The hinges were stuck and had rusted over the years as a result of its lack of use. It was clear that whoever lived here never had the chance to come back. Alec made his way through the gate, holding it open for Magnus to come through. He stared up at the mansion analyzing every window before he noticed a lamplight in one of the rooms on the highest floor. Maybe they just never left.

Alec climbed up the wooden stairs and walked slowly towards the large front door. His arm rose to ring the doorbell but Magnus stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"He's not here"

He looked almost sad as he waved his fingers and the door swung open, a stark contrast to his usual snarky or cheery demeanor. When they stepped inside Alec waited for Magnus to step in front of him, seeing as he obviously knew the place.

There was a large painting of a man that hung over the fireplace and Alec noticed the way Magus stared at it for a little too long. Studying the face as if it had been an eternity since he'd seen it, before shaking his head and walking towards the staircase.

"You knew him?" Alec asked quietly.

"Know him," Magnus corrected while continuing up the stairs.

They heard music playing from a record player as they reached the top of the long staircase. Magnus led him into a room full of books that lined the walls. A personal library.

"Don't you think this is a little too obvious to hide a book this important"

"He's a pretty obvious person," Magnus pointed out while looking through the first row of books.

"Where is he?"

Magnus froze at the question and then turned his head slowly towards Alec.

"Not sure...You know he told me he was going to be the greatest warlock who's ever existed. Always looking for the best spells, curses, the occasional magical being who didn't want to be discovered"

Magnus turned back to the second shelf and traced his finger along the books.

"He would be gone days....weeks at a time. Always happy to see chaos" he mumbled the last part while Alec stepped towards him, listening intently.

"I told him not to go"

Alec stepped even closer, but Magnus noticed this and crossed the room examining the other wall of books.

"But he'll be back. And he's going to be happy I never let anyone touch his precious books. Or his house. This meant everything to him. You two would get along fine seeing as you're both so... passionate"