Diverse

Chapter 8 - This is just feels so right

Notes:

I was thinking for a while. This chapter is originally longer, and the second half is dominated by Henry and Alex, which is funnier and has some surprises. In the end I decided that Alex and Magnus' conversation deserved more attention and its own chapter, so I split the chapter in two. I will post the rest on Sunday at the usual time.

I'm going to jump in places and time and I'll switch POVs during the fic, but I don't think you'll have any trouble figuring it out.

New York - Henry

Henry slept like a baby that night. Although his life was still a bloody rollercoaster, the knowledge that Alex was helping him and he wasn't alone eased his troubled nerves. And damn it, he had never seen such a beautiful man. His eyelashes, his eyes...this man was hot AF. When he held Alex on the subway to keep him from falling off the tracks, their eyes locked for a split second there, and in that special moment something captured him, and it hasn't let go since.

New York - Magnus

"Babe?" said Alec, his voice hoarse with crying.

That sweet voice he hadn't heard in a year. Magnus was unable to speak. His words were trapped in his chest, he couldn't think straight. Alec called him 'Babe'. Silence fell on both sides of the phone. The outside world ceased, they heard nothing but each other's breathing.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. This was a bad idea. Goodbye." Alec said after a while, when Magnus was still unable to speak.

Magnus panicked. Do something or he'll hang up. Talk to him.

"Wait, wait, wait, please Alexander don't hang up, please."

There was silence. But Alec didn't hang up the phone. He was hesitating. Then he finally made the right decision.

"Magnus, what are we doing? I...I...I really don't know what to say. I'm confused, and..."

"Alexander, please..."

That's all Alec needed. His soft soothing voice, the way his name rolls on Magnus' lips. He could actually feel him reaching across the ocean and touching with his soft, warm hands to his cheek, and he would melt into it and all his worries would disappear. Everything will be alright. Because he has his Magnus.

"I miss you Magnus." Alec said in a fading voice.

"I miss you too Alexander. I can't even describe how goddamn much I miss you. Even though you're not here with me, you're the reason I'm still breathing and I haven't given up... everything."

And something has cracked here, on the thick brick wall between them, built by their own resentment and stubbornness. It was as if they had hit that massive brick wall with a small hammer, and little by little, hammer blow by hammer blow, sentence by sentence, they began to break it down. Each on their own side, with a concerted effort, they began to crave tiny holes in each side of the heavy wall. With each sentence, they made an irrevocable mark on the bricks. And slowly, there were more and more sentences, and more and more cracks appeared on that wall.

They talked about little sweet nothings, insignificant everyday things. Quietly, calmly. They knew it was not the place for deeper conversation yet. They were both glad to hear each other's voices. That was enough for now. They didn't notice how fast the time passed while they were talking. Until Alec's alarm clock went off.

"Magnus, it's 6 a.m. here. I have to go to work." Alec interrupted Magnus softly.

"I didn't even let you sleep. I'm sorry."