Where did we go wrong?

Part 35

Magnus meticulously inspected his outfit once more. His shirt featured a vibrant dragon and tiger pattern, complemented by brown trousers, a black belt, a silver belt chain, a silver necklace, and brown loafers. He applied eyeliner and lip balm, ensuring his appearance was impeccable. For his eyeshadow, he opted for a harmonious blend of brown and green hues, mirroring the print on his shirt. Overall, he was pleased with the outcome.

As he glanced to his side, his gaze fell upon the watch Imasu had gifted him a few days prior. He sighed softly as he picked it up and decided to fastenen it around his wrist. While he was grateful for Imasu's thoughtful gesture, he found himself hating the watch. Despite his personal preferences, he felt compelled to wear it, even in Imasu's absence, simply because it held sentimental value as the first gift he had received from Imasu.

Furthermore, considering the nature of the meeting he had scheduled for that day, Magnus's conscience prompted him to believe that wearing the watch would somehow mitigate the significance of meeting Alec to potentially adopt cats. As he tightened the watch around his wrist, he became acutely aware of a constricting sensation, causing his breath to emerge in short, shallow puffs while his chest felt increasingly constricted with each inhale Surprisingly, the watch felt like a handcuff around his wrist, and he could almost feel his skin burning against the cold silver metal. Magnus felt his breath quicken as he tried to remove the watch, and when it didn't come off, he feared he might hyperventilate. Fortunately, the watch loosened, and he finally felt like he could breathe again, and the burning sensation on his skin disappeared. Magnus carefully took the watch off and placed it back in the box, which he then hid away from sight. Once he felt safe, he looked down at his wrist to check if he had indeed been burned by the watch, and if so, he would need to see a doctor. However, he was unsurprised to find no burn marks on his wrist. Magnus stared at his wrist for a few more minutes before remembering the plan for that day.

Alec kindly offered to drive them to the cat orphanage, and they mutually agreed to meet at 10 a.m. Magnus politely checked the time on his phone as it indicated 9:45 a.m. There was sufficient time for him to go downstairs and meet Alec punctually. But... this was the first time he was going to spend a long period of time with Alec in 10 years. In the recent past, James had been a constant presence, and in the last few weeks, there had always been someone around. It did not matter whether it was a family member, a friend, or even a stranger, but this would be the first time he would be alone in a confined space with Alec.

'Was it too late to call and inform Alec that he would drive to the orphanage on his own?' Magnus contemplated. However, as if the universe was playing a jest, a call from Alec caused Magnus to reconsider his decision.

"Hey, Alec!" Magnus answered. Trying his best not to give away any emotions.

"Hi, good morning! I, um, got here early and wanted to let you know I'm in the car park. Please take your time. I just wanted to let you know I'm here." Alec rumbled. For some reason, that jumble of words comforted Magnus's heart more than he thought it would.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm here." Magnus repeated the sentence in his head once more, clinging to a meaning that just wasn't there.

"Thank you. I'll be there in 5 minutes. See you soon, Alec."

"See you soon, Magnus." Magnus hung up the call. He checked his clothes once more, picked up his brown cargo jacket, and was on his way.

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As he approached Alec's car, he noticed that Alec appeared to be just as nervous as he was. Magnus had a knack for reading Alec's subtle body language and could easily discern his nervous state.

Alec's hair was dishevelled, indicating that he had been running his hand through it repeatedly. His lips were noticeably flushed, likely due to the unconscious habit of biting them while waiting for Magnus. Surprisingly, Alec seemed oblivious to Magnus' presence until he was quite close to the car.