Bloodlines: An Alec and Magnus (Malec) Fanfiction

Chapter 12

"We are not keeping it." I grumble, shifting the bag in my arms.

"'Bit late now." Magnus counters, taking care to stop his own bag from swinging.

"We're just looking after it until we can find it a real home." I explain. "And we couldn't leave Chairman Meow on his own now we know we'll be staying at the Institute a while..."

"Yeah, sure, whatever..."

"And another thing," I add, whilst I'm on a rant. "This," I hiss, gesturing to the bag, the contents of which wriggles. "Is definitely animal cruelty. I keep thinking we're about to be stopped by animal protection services."

Magnus laughs. "Stop worrying. They'll be okay. It's only for a few minutes, and I've enchanted the bags so they have plenty of space and air. It's fine."

"Tell that to PETA." I mutter, unplacated.

"This is so stupid." I say. "We already have two cats here. We don't need two more. The Institute is not a sanctuary."

"It sort of is, though." Magnus points out.

"Not an animal sanctuary." I retort.

There's a pause, then Magnus speaks.

"Pablo Picatso?"

I glance up. "Huh?"

"His name! The cat's! Pablo Picatso!"

I wrinkle my nose and shake my head.

"No.  And anyway we're. Not. Naming. It." I look up. "That's what we'll call it. Capital I, lowercase T. It."

"That's awful, Alec!"

"It's nothing personal." I tell the cat. "You're great. I just don't want another cat."

"Don't listen." Magnus tells the kitten, picking it up in one hand. "He's just jealous because you're so adorable."

"Yeah," I say, rolling my eyes as the cat mewls, precociously proving Magnus's point. "That's what it is."

I wake up the next day with a sticky note stuck to my bedframe. I pull it off sleepily and read Magnus's swirled cursive; 'How about Winston Purrchill?' I roll my eyes and ball up the note, dropping it onto my duvet and head downstairs to meet with the others for yet more planning.

"Next Institute?" Jace asks.

Magnus sits in an armchair, Chairman Meow draped over his lap. The kitten leaps off him, meowing happily, and puts his front paws on my shins the moment I sit down. I look down into its big grey-green eyes and sigh.

"Fine, have it your way." I say resignedly, and pull it onto my knee.

Without looking, I can tell Magnus is smirking, and try to restrain myself from stroking the cat's tiny ears. But he nudges his head into my palm and I smile, petting the cat's soft fur therapeutically.

"So, which Institute?" Izzy asks.

"Show me the list." Jace says and puts a hand out. He scans the page and draws a lopsided snow beside Tokyo.

"Why Tokyo?" Izzy asks, resting her chin on his shoulder to see the list.

Jace shrugs, nudging her chin off and she elbows him, smiling, as he laughs. "Why not?"

"Fair enough." Izzy says. "Tokyo it is. We'll prep the others today and leave tomorrow morning."