Bloom (Malec)

Dinner Plans

I take a deep breath as I press my mother's contact on my phone before pressing it to my ear. Magnus turns the radio down as I do, him driving my car back to his place so he can change- assuming my mother doesn't have a freak out. She answers on the third ring.

"This is Maryse," she states plainly. I swallow thickly before speaking.

"Hello, mom, how are you?" I ask politely. She doesn't speak for a moment, probably surprised I called. My mother and I aren't really on good terms.

"Fine, thank you. Do you need something, Alexander?" She's always been blunt, never one to beat around the bush. It's as if the car has gotten smaller, closing in on me. For anyone else, this question would be easy. Asking if a friend can come for dinner shouldn't be cause for my chest to tighten this way.

Magnus' hand rests on my knee, not implying anything other than giving me his support. Despite his great relationship with his family, somehow, he understands. With renewed confidence, I focus back on the conversation I'm supposed to be having.

"Yes, I was wondering if Magnus would be welcome at dinner tonight? He's my coworker from Bloom?" I add, knowing that the only ones who know anything about my job are Izzy and Jace. The only ones who care, mainly.

"Tonight? Alexander you know how I feel about short notice," she scolds, I almost wince.

"I know," I reply calmly, yet not backing down. With a sigh, she concedes.

"Fine, but lets not make a habit of this kind of behaviour, yes?" She chides in her icy, smooth voice. Normally, I'd buckle right now and back off. We both know this. She can push my buttons better than anyone else. This time, though, with the warmth of Magnus' palm steady on my leg, I'm feeling reckless.

"Uh huh," I respond smoothly. She almost gasps in shock. I've never been less than perfectly polite with my mother, treating her with reverence like I would the president or something. But not now.

"Are you acting out because of him, Alexander? If so, he's not welcome."

"No, I'm not. I'll see you tonight." I hang up on her before she can answer, feeling bittersweet because I'm unsure what the outcome of my brashness will be. It could come in the form of anything: taking away my car use, credit cards, my freedom. The last one worries me most. I could walk to Bloom, if I had to, and I didn't like shopping much anyway. But I doubt, now, that I could handle being cooped up all the time.

Though I used to spend all my time bundled up alone in my room or at school, Magnus has lit something inside of me. It's like being asleep and suddenly waking up to realize there's so much more than you thought. It's like coming up above water for the first time and sucking in the air. It's like being alive.

It's as exhilarating as it is terrifying but I can't find it in me to regret any of it.

"So? How did that go?" Magnus asks curiously after a beat of silence. I turn to him, a soft smile on my lips.

"Terrible." Magnus quirks a brow but I just laugh.

"So dinner could be interesting is what you're saying," he wonders aloud. I nod and hesitantly weave my fingers through his, our hands resting on my leg still. Magnus' warm eyes flash down to the movement with softness before he smiles. I squeeze his hand gently before turning to look at him.

"Oh yeah, interesting would be a good word for it." His answering laugh sounds like sunshine and suddenly, I'm not so afraid.

Magnus has an awesome house. It's smaller than my own, white on the outside with a garden that devours the entire front yard save for a stone walkway leading to the front steps.

He unlatches the gate and I follow him through the garden, the word 'whimsical' circling my mind. After he unlocks the door, I'm greeted by the rich scent of peonies. Flowers decorate several otherwise bare surfaces around the entranceway. The living room is visible, as is the wide staircase to the right of us.

Magnus kicks his shoes off and jogs toward the stairs. I follow, running my hand along the smooth bannister on the way up.

Magnus' room is so- Magnus. The walls are a coffee brown- rich and decadent- with grey wooden floors. His bed is huge- four post reaching for the ceiling- and clad in deep maroon silk sheets. There's a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand, a mixture of purples and pinks with branches sticking out aesthetically. The bookshelves are filled to the brim, full of stories I've never heard of.

"Your room is awesome," I say breathlessly. A few shirts are strewn on the chair in the corner, a sign of being lived in, which is something my own room- correction, entire house- lacks. Magnus lets out almost a relieved chuckle and grins at me.

"I'm glad you like it. It's the one place I can really call my own," he rifles through his closet for a few moments and I take to rifling through his bookshelf, my back to the room as I become enamoured by the titles of books I've never seen.

"Ready?" He asks, startling me. I turn to him, looking him over quickly and finding myself blushing. "Is this outfit okay? Too much? Not enough?"

He's clad in black jeans that hug his figure almost too perfectly, a deep purple v-neck shirt framing his subtle muscles and a black blazer. His black boots have a hint of sparkle to them and I smile.

"You're perfect." Heat flickers to life beneath his cheeks as he smiles back at me. "Lets go."

We exit his house and I'm once again consumed by the overflowing garden outside. The rich floral scent floods my lungs and I breathe it in deeply. It reminds me of what Magnus smells like- decadently floral.

He tosses me the keys and I slide behind the wheel, starting the car and beginning the daunting drive to my house.

"Look, don't let my parents get to you, okay? They're a little high maintenance but if you just-"

"Alexander. I can handle uptight parents. Don't you worry about me." He interrupts, smiling warmly at me. My nerves evaporate a little bit and I relax back into my seat, dropping one hand down to my lap.

Magnus winds his fingers through my own comfortingly and I squeeze his in return, feeling heat invading my cheeks but not caring.

We pull up to my house and I sigh, parking my car in the large garage next to Jace'a favourite Jaguar. Magnus whistles lowly and I roll my eyes as I step out, hanging the keys on their proper hook on the wall and steeling myself a moment. I look down at my own combat boots, black jeans, black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and deem myself good enough for dinner.

Magnus doesn't reach for my hand.

But I reach for his.

His expression morphs into one of confusion and slight concern but I shake my head.

"I thought we were doing this as friends? Are you...out to your family?" He inquires, holding our coupled hands up in between us.

"No, they have no idea, I just-" Magnus smiles and shakes his head.

"Introduce me as your boyfriend. I want to see their faces."

And I fall a little bit more for him in this second, his grin unwavering, his hand a steady anchor in my own. He doesn't shy away from my intimidating background and family, he does the most courageous thing instead and opens the door.