The Weird and The Wonderful | Malec

Chapter 26

Magnus's POV:

It was the day of Max's funeral. 03:00. I was awake, thinking about what Alec must be going through. I had never lost anyone as close to me as Max was to Alexander. I'm an only child, no siblings, no parents either. I'd never know what it feels like to be in Alex's shoes. The younger boy was laying by my side, a hand on my arm and his eyes closed. He wasn't asleep, I could tell, but it was nice to see him so peaceful after so much. My mind wouldn't calm down, all I could do was wonder what Alec was thinking. Was he in denial? Was he really at peace with this situation? What was he thinking?

Alec's POV:

Are you happy Max? Are you at peace?
Why are you gone?
Questions swam in depths of my mind. I couldn't sleep and I could tell by the way Magnus was still that he couldn't either, I had grown to learn that Magnus was a very fidgety sleeper. We didn't speak, but it was nice to be by each other, side by side in silence, simply present. Magnus's light breathing reminded me of Max, it reminded me of the evenings he'd ask me to read him a story. He'd fall asleep within minutes, his chest rising and falling just as Magnus's was, his heat resonating through my body just as Magnus's was.

Knowing Max wasn't here anymore didn't hurt, the pain had gone. I felt numb to it, as though it was old news. I don't feel much over the past couple of days.

I loved him so much, it felt like I had died with him. I wanted to be dead, what was the point in living without him? He was the best thing in my life, he meant so much to me that every time I tried to think of a life without him I couldn't. It was as though the whole universe would come out of sequence and just collapse on itself.

How was I to live like this?

07:00 had finally rolled over. Magnus had fallen asleep around 04:30, I had gotten no sleep. I got out of bed early to get ready, leaving Magnus to his peaceful sleep.

Not feeling like doing much, I dragged myself out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. I looked at my self through the mirror above the sink, messy hair, scruffy clothes, bags under my eyes, and a simple sense of nothingness. I looked straight through myself and saw nothing but an image, all humanity washed away from the surface. The more I looked at my reflection, the more I hated myself. My mum couldn't see me like this, I couldn't cry. I had to be strong for her, for Max.

I leant down to wash my face and as I held my face back at its natural position, I saw Magnus on the mirror. He was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, arms folded in front of his chest. He smiles led at me, I smiled back even though I knew it was a smile of pity.
"You okay?" Magnus asked in a soft voice. I looked at him through the mirror, closed my eyes then turned around to face him. I was leaning against the sink with my hands on either side of it. Looking down at his chest for a moment, I could see its rise and fall. I then looked him in the eyes and shook my head. He came closer to me, a step at a time, grabbing me by the waist.
"What's wrong?" He asked as I looked back down at the floor. I then turned around to face the mirror again.
"Can't you see?" I gestured towards the mirror, Magnus rested his head on my shoulder with his hands still wrapped around my waist.
"See what?"
"That!" I shouted, pointing at the mirror wth a sturdy hand. "Look at me! I'm a mess- my hair, the bags under my eyes... My mum can't see me like this." Magnus turned me around and cupped my face in his hands.

"Alexander, you are beautiful. You're the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on, but I do understand what you mean. And, there is something called concealer..." He said as he analysed my face.
"Makeup?"
"Yeah, why not?" He did have a point.
"Ok, sure. Don't you dare mess it up though!" I said slightly worried.
"Alec, it's only concealer. Calm down."

Magnus sat me down on the bed, we faced each other with crossed legs as he brought a massive bag which I assumed had the makeup in.
"For starters, you didn't need to bring every single makeup item you own. And secondly, won't your face stuff be a different shade from mine?" I asked, puzzled.
"Well, for starters," He unzipped the bag and tipped out the contents of it on the bed. "It's not all of my makeup, this is my foundation and concealer bag. And secondly, I know enough people to know that everyone will ask you for makeup at least once... so I have every shade they do..." I looked down at the array of skin tones in the form of paint, ranging from dark, to tan, to pale.

"So..." Magnus said as his fingers trailed over the separate containers of concealers and foundations. "Which one will fit your tone?" He glanced up at me then back down at his hand. He picked up one of the containers.
"Lets see." He twisted the lid open, taking out a long, thin, tube-like applicator. He brought the applicator closer to my face, every inch he moved closer to me, I moved further away.

"What are you doing, Alec?"
"Nothing! I'm just waiting for you to put the makeup on."
"Well maybe if you didn't move I'd be able to!"
"I'm not moving."
"Yes you are! Are you scared of it or something?"
"I'm not scared of it. Why would I be scared of paint?"
"I don't know, you tell me!"
"Shut up, Magnus and just do the makeup!"

He moved closer again and I flinched away as soon as the applicator touched my face.
"See! You are scared of it."
"Shut up! No I'm-" Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my face and put the applicator to my face. Instinctively, I slapped the applicator out of his hand.
"What are you doing?"
"Get that thing away from me Magnus!" I shouted as I stood out of my place.
"So you are scared of it, I knew it!"

He then looked at me with a grin on his face. I knew exactly what he was thinking of doing.
"No... Magnus, no." He inched closer to the applicator on the floor. "Don't you dar-" He rushed out of his seat on the bed, grabbed the applicator and ran to me. I ran in the other direction around the bed. Magnus constantly held up the applicator.
"Magnus, stop." He ran to me as I jumped on the bed to get further away from him. He carried on chasing me around, I ran to the living room but he soon followed after me.
"Stop it!" I shouted as he ran towards me.

We ran around the counter a countless number of times until Magnus caught up with me and pounced on me. He pinned me down to the floor and brought the applicator down to my face.
"No! Please, stop it!" I struggled to break free from his grasp and simply closed my eyes in defeat. I scrunched my face expecting the worst. He applied more and more as I moved my head side to side in an attempt to get away from the makeup.

Throughout this traumatic experience, leading to makeup being smeared all over my face, all I heard was Magnus's devilish laugh and I loved it...

His laughter was like music to my ears.