Invictus

Clubs and Bars

Because Jace was as much of a clubbing person as Alec was, they had opted for a bar, despite Isabelle’s countless attempts at dragging them to the new trending club she had been desperate to try out. They had compromised and Alec was pretty sure he had gotten the worst part of that deal.

The bar was packed and the music loud enough that it filled the room with an electric energy, feeding on the ecstatic smiles and sweating bodies. The only reason why Alec could even see the bar was his height. At least, Isabelle had arrived early, which meant they had a table for them, if a small one.

Jace didn’t seem to mind, because it meant that Clary was plastered against his side, her overly and nerdy best friend on her other side, with his grumpy, deadpan boyfriend Raphael next to him. Alec took comfort in the fact that Raphael looked just as happy to be here as he felt.

At least, they had good beer, Alec told himself, not for the first time.

“Sorry I’m late,” a smooth, velvety voice announced next to him and Alec froze, licking his lips in a reflex that he was too late to prevent.

His eyes jerked up towards Magnus, and his breath caught in his throat.

He was slightly out of breath, like he had ran to get there, but Alec had no doubt it was rather because he had had to navigate his way through the crowd. His eyes were skilfully outlined with kohl, and it only served to highlight that devilish spark they often carried. He was wearing a burgundy shirt beneath a dark blue blazer to match the few strands of hair he had dyed, but only three of the buttons were truly fastened - Alec had counted, because he was thorough if nothing else - and the smooth, bronze skin of his chest was exposed, the hint of his compass tattoo peeking out from the fabric. A myriad of necklaces were flooding down his neck and all the way to his navel, matching the rings on his fingers.

If he had met Magnus that night, if they had been two strangers coming across each other in the hazards of the crowded bar, Alec had no doubt he would have had no qualms about taking Magnus back to his apartment for the night - if he hadn’t ridiculized himself too much, that was.

Alec was so royally fucked.

“Are you, though?” Raphael said in disbelief, his dark eyes boring into Magnus’ with unwavering intent.

Magnus smirked and slid on the booth next to Alec, putting his helmet on the table before he reached out to pluck Raphael’s drink out of his hand and finish it in one long gulp. Alec chose to focus on Raphael’s annoyed but somehow defeated reaction instead of Magnus’ Adam’s apple as he did.

“Sorry, or late?” Magnus replied when he was done, his lips curled up in one of his characteristic smirks.

He looked so devilishly good that Alec chose to focus on rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and took his sweet time to do it.

Isabelle chuckled, and whether it was at Alec’s expense or Magnus and Raphael’s antics, he wasn’t sure.

“But to be quite honest,” Magnus continued with a flourish, “my last customer took longer than expected because she decided at the last minute that she wanted me to add something to the tattoo and then she insisted on buying me a coffee to thank me, and then I had to go home to shower and change because believe it or not, my darlings, one does not arrive on time if one wants to look as fabulous as I do.”

Raphael leaned in, narrowing his eyes. “Fabulous or not, you owe me a drink.”

Magnus scoffed, but rose back to his feet. “My treat,” he said, before grabbing Alec’s arm to pull him to his feet before he could form as much as a protest. “You’re coming with me, Alexander. I need you to make my way through that crowd and carry the drinks back here.”

Alec frowned. “Why me?” he asked, but they were already halfway to the bar.

“Because you’re ridiculously tall and that adorable scowl of yours will scare away whoever tries to invade my personal space while I’m ordering our drinks,” he said, and pursed his lips in reflection before winking at Alec. “I could have taken Raphael, but your company is much more pleasurable.”

“Didn’t you say he was your best friend?” Alec said dubiously.

“Oh, he is,” Magnus nodded. “Childhood best friend. We have matching tattoos and all.”

“But you spend your time talking shit about each other,” Alec said, and it was more a stated fact than an inquiry.

“Exactly.”

Alec watched as Magnus leaned over the counter to catch the bartender’s attention. The room seemed to revolve around him, the light catching on the glitter on his skin and making him shimmer. He looked like he belonged there, and Alec pondered that he probably did.

He didn’t think there was a room in the world that Magnus couldn’t have owned with his devilish charisma only.

He ordered their drinks and swirled back around to face Alec, who was quite obviously staring. He cursed inwardly, blinking out of his daze.

Magnus had a girlfriend, and Alec carried an emotional baggage too heavy for anyone to carry but himself.

He heaved out a deep breath and leaned over the counter, raising two fingers to catch the bartender’s attention.

“Shots. Vodka,” he blurted in a rush and the guy lifted an eyebrow but obliged, depositing two glasses in front of them.

Alec downed the first one in a second.

“Hey, darling, are you alright?” Magnus inquired softly, his brow furrowed in an adorably worried scowl.

Alec was really starting to master that screaming internally thing. “Yeah,” he breathed out, and gulped the second shot.