Bloom (Malec)

Deep>Shallow

We enter the house, hand in hand, my heart beating fiercely against my chest as if it's trying to escape this situation. But Magnus is calm and collected, his ever-present smile gracing his face as I guide him towards the living room. Izzy stands when she sees us, her eyes darting quickly to our hands, missing nothing. I notice the only other person in the living room is Jace, lounging on the leather sofa, his legs thrown over one armrest, eyes closed, his long fingers thrumming along to whatever song is playing through the headphones he wears. 

"Hello! My name is Izzy, you must be Magnus," she chirps, her high heels clicking on the floor as she makes her way towards us, hand outstretched toward Magnus' own. He captures her hand and grins brightly at her, nodding once. 

"That I am," he looks her over and smiles. "You have a lovely sense of fashion, Isabelle." He sure knows the way to her heart. Izzy's face lights up and she launches into some long-winded speech about fashion that I couldn't care less about. Magnus' face holds interest as he listens, 'hmming' and 'ahhing' where appropriate, adding in his opinions every few moments and seeming genuinely invested int he conversation. I tune them out and instead focus on calming my heart rate. It seems like I can't quite control myself properly around Magnus. He makes the world seem like such a simple place, where you can just choose to be happy, choose to be yourself, content. He makes everything seem alright, and I never knew how much I needed that until I had it. 

I hear the familiar sound of my mother's high heels clicking along the wooden hallway floor before I see her. My body tenses of its own accord, my head turning toward the entry way where she will be any moment. I feel Magnus tighten his fingers around my own, a reminder that he's right here, that no matter what my mother says or does, he's not going anywhere. 

I'm not so sure he knows what he's getting into here. 

Maryse strides through the doorway, her inky hair tied back into a high ponytail, twisted around itself elegantly. Her black dress hugs her form, making her skin look pale in comparison. Her eyes are sharp, falling on me like vices and I suddenly feel stuck, trapped under her ever-scrutinizing gaze, my throat seizing so that I can hardly breathe. Magnus drops my hand and I notice the cold air immediately. He walks confidently over to my mother, holding his hand out courageously in greeting. 

"Hello, Mrs Lightwood. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Magnus Bane, I work with your son at my mother's floral shop." My mother looks down at his hand for a moment before shaking it once, nodding curtly. 

"Yes, he did mention that." I don't miss the way her eyes dart over him like a predator to prey, wondering where his weak spots are, wondering the easiest and most secretive ways to tear him apart. "Welcome to our home, it's lovely to meet you." I'm sure even Magnus can tell how obviously fake she is, from her perfectly ironed hair to her sharp pointed heels, her smile forced and tight, jaw tensed. She's like a shark, everyone is just waiting for the spilt blood so the frenzy can begin. 

My legs bring me toward Magnus and I stand alongside him, a brother in arms, giving him the same reassurance he gives me, that I'm here. He turns to look at me, his amber eyes gleaming even in the dimly lit living room, reminding me that even though we're not sure where we stand, what we are, he's worth this discomfort, this position I've found myself in here. 

"Would you like us to set the table, mother?" I ask, placing my hand discreetly on Magnus' lower back. She waits a moment, looking behind us at my siblings lounging in the living room before nodding. 

"That would be lovely. Dinner will be served in about 20 minutes." She doesn't say anything else, turning on her heel and heading back down the hall toward her office, leaving the two of us standing there in her wake. I turn to Magnus, worry colouring my features.