The Mannequin (Malec Fanfic)

Finger Mail

"Alec! Alec they've arrived!" Magnus cried, running into the building and tripping over a speaker.

Alec jumped in his seat, Hailee groaning as her work was interrupted. She had let Magnus fetch the post, knowing Alec's X-Fingers would be arriving but not that he would almost break a speaker. "Uh.. Can we try them later? Bit busy here."

They were at work, Alec currently trying on gloves that had removable fingers for people like him. After Magnus had told Hailee about him, Alec's previous fans boosted the magazine's popularity, also attracting new readers.

They were more popular than Raphael had ever made them, so in the disabled category, Alec was extremely well known, many fashion designers wanted to meet him but he always refused. "Magnus, careful." Hailee whined.

"Sorry! That wasn't there when I left.." He stood up, rubbing dust off his knees and putting his parcel down, returning to his camera. "Let's just finish this shoot and we'll try them on in break."

"No, Magnus, till lunch break. You have models to photograph, not just Alec." Magnus groaned and she gave him her death glare.

"Okay.. Okay.." He took a step away, uncomfortable under her gaze.

Against his will, Magnus continued to do his job, taking photos of half dressed woman and men with half a body. They hadn't yet got a disabled woman to come in, which pissed off fans but there was nothing they could do about it. Though Alec always made a great distraction for everyone.

Despite missing half a hand and a leg, he seemed happy. He and Magnus lived together quite happily in their apartment, but Alec always seemed to be a little distant at times. Like something was missing in his life. Modelling never was his thing, he had originally joined the business for money and now he didn't even know what else there was for him. All the sport he'd done in the past was pointless now, you couldn't do Judo with one leg.

A few nights ago, Alec and Magnus came home in silence. "Alec, talk to me. You haven't spoken since lunchtime."

"I don't want to be famous, Magnus. The cameras and everything for something that was my own stupid fault.. I hate it, I just want to be alone. It hurts my eyes and there's just more by the day.. It'll only increase when I get my limbs. Can't I quit?"

"You can, but what will you do all day? I have to work, and you'll be home unable to go anywhere. Is that really what you want?"

"I can wait. It'll make my life quiet. I can get to the kitchen and the toilet, which I can use myself, I'll be fine."

"Alec.." Magnus sighed, "I'm sorry, but I don't want you out of my sight more than you need to be. You can have your space, but I need to be in the building. Okay?"

"You worry too much."

"You'd rather I worried less?"

Now it was Alec's turn to sigh. "No."

Up until the parcel's arrival, there had been a slight tension between the young couple. Alec was adamant on being independent but Magnus knew he couldn't be ever again or until he got some limbs. For some reason Alec wasn't so enthusiastic about everything; if anything, he was quite against the whole idea.

It was as if Alec had a phobia of all the cameras and people, but he was their biggest hit in the magazine's history despite being an amputee. Most people were put off by it; if anything, it increased Alec's popularity which was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

It was a grim reminder of his mistake of letting an injury he didn't know exist get septic and spread through his body. Unable to hold two things at once reminded him, the wheelchair Magnus helped him into every morning reminded him, the cameras and stupid clothing reminded him. Everything reminded him!

Lunch finally came, and Alec reluctantly made his way over to Magnus who was excitedly unwrapping his new fingers. "So are these robotic, or what?" Alec asked, leaning forward to try and get a better look.

"Allie, did you not listen to anything I said? Not really, to bend them you have to move them yourself with the other hand. Sure these were probably designed in mind to only one finger missing like in the trailer, but it works either way."

"Please don't call me that."

"Sweet pea?"

"That's even worse."

"Alright, grumpy pants. Let's attach these and start practising to hold mugs and things; start big and get smaller."

Alec looked skeptical as Magnus pulled out three blue things that were made of presumably plastic and metal. They clipped onto the base of the finger (if any was left, if not, the palm of the hand) and it had three bending points like a normal finger.

Magnus then held out a plastic cup. Alec frowned at his new fingers, poking at them. "Feels weird.. " Alec pushed on one of them and paused as he realised how easy they were to move about.

Pressing his palm against the cup, he bent his thumb and other real finger round it, and pressed the others accordingly before lifting up and grinning in awe when it didn't fall. "Hey, first try!" Magnus clapped but Alec was already busy changing the position.

They then tried a ceramic mug, a plate, a bag of crisps and opening it, scissors - to open it, crisps, and finally cutlery. The last two Alec found the hardest as he kept dropping them or missing completely. "Okay everyone, back to work please!" Hailed called, clapping her hands to signal lunch was over.

"Hey Magnus, as a token of thanks." Alec gave him a grin and bent his hand again and held it up to Magnus.

Magnus simply raised an eyebrow and Alec burst out laughing. "Middle finger, real mature." Magnus copied him but with both hands, exaggerating his movements as he walked away. "Get on stage Allie, my little sweet pea!"

"Oh fuck you!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A light and happy chapter for a change -w-

I never knew it had been so long since I updated :s super sorry, but we've been asking for a landline since MAY. It's frickin' September! And writer's block, haven't had that in a long while! Good thing I know where this book is going :p

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter! Next chapter will have plenty of fluffy feels as Alec will be getting his robotic leg! And foot I guess.

Do leave a comment what you thought, they are what keep this fic going after all, and a vote is always appreciated!

I promise to see ya next week ~Fiz :)