Invictus

Downworld Ink

When Magnus had told his mother he wanted to stop working with her to open his own tattoo parlor, she had showed nothing but unwavering support. She hadn’t even been mad when he had taken Clary and Maia with him. Or at least, he had thought so.

She had to be mad. Clearly, he saw no other reason why she hadn’t warned him about the insane amount of paperwork having his own shop required.

Downworld Ink - Clary had wanted to call it Human Canvas, but it had sounded too much like a weird avant-garde arty thing for Magnus and Simon had unhelpfully offered to call it Tattooine, which he had immediately vetoed; Raphael’s proposition of Ink Inc had almost won Magnus’ favors if only for the unusual pun in his grumpy friend’s mouth before Catarina had come up with that name - was thriving and their appointment diary was quite full. It was going even better than Magnus had hoped for considering he had only opened over a month ago, but that also meant that he had no time during the day to do the paperwork.

When the first deadlines started to approach to pay bills and whatnot, he had no other choice but to wake up extra early to get there before the opening and get on with it.

Riding his Ducati Scrambler through the streets of a slowly awakening New York was an electrifying feeling. He had bought it on a whim when he had left his mother’s shop, but he regretted nothing. The gears were flawless, the suspension smooth, and the bike was easy to handle throughout the sometimes tricky roads of his city.

He could always hear his mother’s voice in his head when he rode his bike, cursing the “demonic engine”. She had made him sworn not to drive over the speed limits about a hundred times and Magnus had rolled his eyes every single time, but had always obliged, and it was a promise he kept thoroughly.

It was only a ten minutes drive from his apartment to his shop and Magnus usually took the subway, but he had been craving the feeling of the engine working beneath his fingers and the morning wind sweeping through his clothes and cooling his skin.

He felt free when he was driving, and it was a marvelous sensation.

He didn’t know what exactly he had been expecting when he finally arrived to their small street in Brooklyn, but it wasn’t a welcoming committee, not that he truly minded. He had figured Wanda’s bakery would be opened because it was… well, a bakery, but he hadn’t planned on seeing Alec and his brother Chase so early in the morning. Good thing his makeup was on point and his fair as flawless as can be.

He parked the bike right in front of the shop and waved at them when his arrival attracted three curious glances. They seemed confused and he realized he still had his helmet on, so he pulled it off, throwing them a smile before hopping down.

“ Sloneczko , you must stop trying to kill me,” Wanda called out when he joined them in front of her shop. “I’m an old lady, I can’t handle all that sex appeal.”

“Yeah, Magnus,” Jace chimed in, in a tone that suggested more than his eyes truly told. “Give a man a break.”

He muffled a grunt, his eyes flashing with pain, but when Magnus drifted his eyes to Alec’s, all he found was an innocent smile and those impossible hazel eyes.

“Hi,” Alec breathed, and Magnus was tempted to melt right there and finish his days as a puddle of thirst on the pavement. “Nice bike.”

Magnus tucked his helmet between his legs, unzipping his bomber jacket. It was already warm despite the early hour.

“You think so?” he said with a devilish smirk. “Just ask and I’d be happy to take you for a ride. Any type of ride you can think of.”

Alec rolled his eyes, walking past him to get to the bike. Magnus threw his jacket over his arm, following him with his eyes.

“It’s the new Sixty2, right?” he asked, keeping a reasonable distance with the engine, much like he was afraid Magnus would be bothered if he got any closer.

He nodded, but didn’t say a word. There was something in Alec’s eyes, something like nostalgia and longing, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

Alec cleared his throat, straightening up again and walked back to his brother.

“Nice bike,” he said again, looking suddenly utterly uncomfortable.

His hand shot up to his ribs on his right side and he started rubbing them but Jace reached out, gently grabbing his wrist to stop him.

Magnus frowned, and opened his mouth to say something, anything. “Time for our morning run,” Jace blurted before he could, and he dragged Alec after him.

Magnus watched them go until they turned at the corner and he turned to Wanda, curving a puzzled eyebrow. “What was that? Did I do something wrong?”

There was years of wisdom in her eyes when she spoke. “No, sloneczko . You didn’t.”