Happy Birthday Alec (Malec fanfic)

Chapter 3

None of the babies took any notice of Magnus' presence, he noticed the blonde one, Finn, was stuffing his face with food being extremely messy getting it all over his face and the carpet; in fact, he was probably the most messy one there! While Zac on the other hand, hadn't even touched his food. Walking over, he noticed he was slowly eating a bit of it, about a centimeter in diameter on his index finger. Did he have eating problems? Why was this child only eating one piece of slush the size of a raindrop on one finger every five seconds?

The woman suddenly came in, bouncing over to him. She was holding some pieces of equipment like some sort of doctor. Perhaps she was, would make sense. She started looking in his ear and his eyes, then started rubbing his head; that seemed to make him happy. She picked him up, and simply fed him herself with a plastic spoon. The only two year old Magnus had known who couldn't feed themselves, seem strange. "Okay, one I still don't know your name, and two, what's wrong with him?"

She looked up and jumped a little, "Oh, sorry, I forgot you were there." She looked down at Zac and sighed a little, "I'm Madeline, and Zac... I don't know really, he was quite literally a day old, dropped off by a nurse named Catarina, so he's known no family, and he's never been loved. Its damaged his little mind, he's lacking love and care and I can't watch him 24/7. It's simply not possible. I feed him because otherwise he'd starve, he sleeps the majority of the day which is way too much and when he does play, he spells jibberish or builds a tower then knocks it down and plays with the remains."

"He needs a loving family to go to," Magnus bit his lip, "if Alec says no I'm going to say tough. Can I hold him?"

"Of course," Madeline smiled a little and handed him over carefully, "yes I know, he's underweight. He still hasn't had his first smile or word. Sad really, although he seems to like you." That was true, you could lightly feel his rib cage but Zac was looking at Magnus in some sort of wonder.

He lifted his skinny arm making his fluffy sleeve fall down to his elbow, his little fingers played with the small stubble on his chin, tugging a bit, curious at what the little hairs were. He kept making little noises that made Magnus' heart melt, how had this baby not been adopted yet? It made no sense. "Magnus?" Alec came through the double doors, "you know what I said earlier. These boys are too young..."

Magnus turned and held Zac close, "But this one, Zac, you really can't not love him! Look!" He held him out to Alec.

"Magnus, I-" Zac squealed, like some sort of strangled giggle, "by the angel. You're right," he took him in his arms and tickled under his chin, "hey little guy..." then absenmindedly, he walked away from the two and to the empty corner.

"Well that's settled!" Magnus chuckled, "so what stuff do we need for him? I'm sure he'll need a lot."

"I have a list actually, and a week's supply of food, milk and diapers for you. In.... this cupboard, actually." She pulled some items out and made them all hover above her head, "it's just easier this way. And sorry, you'll have to buy his car seat, a new cot, some clothing, I have pyjamas and two day clothes already for you and um... that should be it!"

"Alec will kill me but I don't care, he loves his looks but not the work that comes with it. He won't even clean out our cat's litterbox! He is so lazy sometimes...."

"But not in bed?" Madeline laughed and covered her mouth to stifle it.

Magnus gaped at her and blushed a deep red. "Thanks for.. the things. We'll be off... now." He transferred her magic so he was controlling the items and went over to Alec, "lets go get Staria, sweet pea."

"Oh okay," he managed to tear his gaze away from Zac's adorableness, "oh my god how much do you have round your head...? I'm not so sure anymore.." He looked back down at him, "but...."

"I'll do as much work for him as I can. Promise, you can trust me."

"Can I? Just a week before our wedding you fake your own death as a joke!"

"You promised to forgive me! You vowed to never leave because of my lack of sanity sometimes."

"Don't you think I know that?" he covered Zac's ears, not wanting to make his depression worse, "come on, lets just go get Staria." He walked out the room silently.

"Alec!" he chases after him, grabbing hold of his arm, "come on, it's your birthday. Don't get upset, it's been ages since you just smile all day."

"Magnus, I'm fine. I just want to go home." Alec sighed and turned round to face him when suddenly, Magnus leant down and kissed him full on the lips.

His leps felt warm against his own, the famiiar taste of edible glitter and peppermint being particularly strong. It took a couple moments for Alec to respond, but once he did their lips burst into life with passion; but before he got too tempted to take it further, Magnus pulled back and smiled. Alec smiled back and pecked his lips again, just to clarify he was happy now. He found it strange how sometimes, the most simple gesture from whom he loved more than anyone, could cheer him up from the blues in a matter of seconds.

Now, they walked hand in hand to the elevator and inside pressing the button to go down where Staria was waiting for them in her room, probably with a little suitcase and some drawings.

Miss Phillips was already waiting for them just outside the doors, "Ah! You're back! Staria is waiting in her room. Can one of you stay to discuss her anxiety problems?" Alec shrugged and handed Zac back.

"I will." He stroked Zac's hair just once when Magnus walked past, "so is there some sort of daily thing?..."

Their talking became animated but quickly shut off once the apparently sound-proof doors had shut behind him. Some of the girls were now giving him quite threatening looks, one must have been an Eidolon since they were now an exact copy of the girl from 'The Ring'. But thankfully her door was closed. For now.

Back in Staria's room, she was busy pulling down no longer wanted drawings. She was just about done but Magnus came over and took all the high ones down for her, she smiled up at him receiving a hair stroke. She was very good at drawing for someone of her age, plenty of practice makes perfect and she sure had practise. "Don't tell Ms Phillips." She whispered, using magic to make the pens and crayons disappear, the picture of the three of them was in her bag.

"Don't tell her what, sweetheart?" He sat on her bed which looked untouched.

"About my drawings or using magic."

"Are you not allowed magic?"

"No. I actually glamour my room so she doesn't see them. It hurts my head... I'm not allowed colourings in my room or-or the actual drawings. Ms Phillips doesn't like me. She hates us in this block. I miss Fifi.

"Fifi?"

"She died a couple months ago." She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, "she said I was her favourite. I was special. I used to leave my room just to see her, she was like the family that I would ever have. My others left me and I had lost hope of someone adopting me. Fifi lived here so she told me to pretend I was adopted, by her." Tears were streaming down her cheeks, "then Miss Phillips came along and everything went to the bottom of the demon dimension!" She collapsed to the floor and sobbed, her breathing fast.

"Staria, it's ok." He got up and kneeled next to her trembling body, stroking her hair, "calm down. We don't want to inject you do we?"

She just kept on crying into the carpet, constantly sniffling. He pulled the girl into his lap and tucked the hair in front of her face behind her ear. "Sssssh. You're leaving now remember? No need to be scared. I'm here." He stroked her cheek.

She had just calmed down, letting the glamour on her room slip, showing blu tack on the walls and crayons. "Miss Gront!" Miss Phillips shouted from the door, "what did I tell you?!"

Staria jumped out of Magnus' lap and stood in the corner of her room looking terrified. "About what M-miss Phillips?"
"Blue tack on the walls! Crayons! Drawings! MAGIC?" She stormed over to her and slapped her cheek, leaving it glowing red with the blood rising, "you naughty girl!" She lifted it again but Magnus stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"What are you doing!? I could sue you! You hit an innocent girl because you hate her, why? Why!?" He let her go, but not without pushing her slightly, "now I can't hit you miss, but I do believe-"

"You are sacked." Said a familiar voice from behind Magnus. "You have been hitting this child for quite some time haven't you? But of course I never noticed for I have been away these past couple months."

Magnus turned round and gaped at the smartly dressed figure, he never knew this man wore a suit on a daily basis, or even worked here. He hasn't seen him so formal since the wedding. "Lupin?" He asked, genuinely shocked, "you work here?"

"No, I own here. Now on your way, Mary."

Mary growled at him which he returned with a fierce hiss, flicking his snake like tongue out. She curtsied, and fled the room.

Alec rushed in with things floating behind him, "What in the angel's name just happened? Why is Lupin here?"

"Yeah Lupin, don't you have other places to be?" Magnus raised an eyebrow, giving a subtle warning, "you said you did."

"Couldn't resist sparkly one. Now Alec, I will see you soon. I'm off to see your sister."

"What? Why!" Lupin shrugged and teleported away by twisting a ring round his finger.

"Staria!" Alec cried and ran over to her crumpled shape, "Staria wake up!"

"Alec she's fine.... Where's Zac? She just," he took a deep breath, "used her needle."

"Oh... Well what happened here? Zac is being cooed over by the girls."

"She hit her, that explains her red cheek. Then Lupin appeared from nowhere and sacked her. That's it really." Alec picked her up like a baby.

"Two underweight children, how positive." He sighed, can we go to the shops now? For their stuff."

"Of course," he leant down and kissed Alec again briefly, just like before, "lets go." he walked out, fetching Zac from the huddle of girls.