Alec is on the run from his abusive boyfriend Jonathan Morgenstern, he runs to Southport where he stays with his best friend Jace. Jace introduces Alec to Magnus Bane making Alec experience a feeling he never thought he would again. But Alec is afra...
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4 years ago...
Alec sighed despite his best efforts to refuse, Jace and Izzy had succeeded in dragging him to yet another party. Izzy and Jace had become best friends since Alec had introduced them and often ganged up on Alec to make him go to these things. The thought of Jace made Alec look for him, but he immediately wished that he hadn't. Jace was dancing with his new boyfriend Simon. Alec hadn't seen Jace look so happy for a long time and it hurt, Alec wanted to be the one who made Jace smile like that. Alec stared forlornly at Jace until someone tapped his arm causing Alec to jump.
"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you, but you looked upset and I was worried".
Alec's eyes widened in surprise. He recognized the man as fellow classmate Jonathan Morgernstern, but Jonathan barely spoke to Alec let alone shown concern for him. This really confused Alec. "I-I'm not upset-"
Jonathan put his arm around Alec which he found odd considering they weren't really friends, but found himself leaning into the touch, "You don't have to put on a brave face all the time Alec, it's Jace isn't it?"
Alec looked at Jonathan in shock, he wanted to try and deny it but knew that he couldn't anymore, "Yeah, it just... it hurts so much to see him with Simon". Alec knew it was a bad idea pouring his heart out like this, he would normally go to Izzy or Jace with something like this but he didn't want to burden them more than he already did and everything he held back just came bubbling to the surface.
Jonathan tightened his grip on Alec, "I know it's hard now but it will get better".
"Are you speaking from experience?" Alec blurted before he could stop himself.
"Yeah... I was in love with a girl I had known for years, but she was in love with someone else".
"I'm sorry".
"It's okay, in the end we talked about it and now we are closer than ever".
"So you think I should tell Jace about this?"
"That's up to you, but I think it could really help. You never know this thing with Simon could be a fling and he could feel the same way about you ".
Alec turned his gaze back to Jace so he missed the dark gleam in Jonathan's eyes at those words.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea but I'll think about it".
Alec and Jonathan spent the rest of the evening together and learnt more about each other. They stayed in contact after that and became good friends.
Now...
Alec's heart clenched painfully at the memory. If he knew then what Jonathan was truly like he would have run far away from him that night, Alec wished he could go back in time and warn himself. But that was impossible. He jumped when Magnus squeezed his hand.
"Alexander are you okay?"
Alec and Magnus were sitting on the couch together while Jace and Simon had gone to the back garden needing time alone. Alec wanted so badly to confide in Magnus, he had been so kind to him but Alec was still afraid to. So Alec forced himself to smile. "I'm fine thank you, I'm just still a bit shaken up". He had been unable to stop the tears when he told Magnus, Jace and Simon what Raj had done to him and they comforted him for a long time. But Alec knew Jace and Simon wanted time alone and didn't want to be the reason they couldn't, so that's how he found himself sitting with Magnus.
Magnus put a comforting arm around Alec, "That's more than understandable Alec, I would be worried if you weren't. I wish I could punch Raj for what he did".
Alec smiled gratefully, "Thank you Mags".
Alec didn't notice the nickname he had given Magnus, but Magnus did and he couldn't stop himself from smiling happily at Alec and the warm feeling inside his tummy. Magnus went to make them both a coffee in the kitchen and when he came back he saw Alec fidgeting nervously. "What's wrong Alec?"
"Oh nothing...it's just I was wondering what happened with...you know?"
Magnus did know and he felt his happiness disappear the the thought of Camille. He hated that she still had that affect on him, that even though it was over she still hurt him. Magnus knew he was falling for Alec, but he was afraid he would just hurt him like she did. However he was a friend of Jace and Simon, and they had good judgment. Magnus needed to vent it wasn't doing him any good keeping his feelings bottled up.
"It was awful. She wants me back, why can't she just leave me alone and let me move on?" Magnus continued to pour his heart out, he didn't know when it had happened but he and Alec were suddenly sitting much closer and had their arms wrapped around each other. Magnus found himself telling Alec everything. How he had been with Camille for three years and thought she was the one. How his world shattered when he caught her with another man on the night before their wedding.
Alec did his best to comfort Magnus. He hated Camille for putting this wonderful man through that. He knew too well the pain of betrayal and wouldn't wish it on anyone. He felt guilty that Magnus was confiding in him, when he couldn't do the same with Magnus. But it had been so hard telling Izzy, Jace and Simon. He couldn't do it again so soon, he didn't want to relive more painful memories.
"I'm so sorry Mags. Anyone who would put you through that doesn't deserve you".
"Really?" Magnus asked quietly tears rolling down his face.
Alec wiped away Magnus' tears gently with his thumb, "Yes. You have been so kind to me. You saved me from Raj, if you hadn't pulled him away from me... we both know what would have happened and I could never thank you enough for saving me. You are a wonderful man".
Magnus threw himself at Alec and clutched him tightly. They continued to comfort each other for the rest of the afternoon, Jace and Simon joined them for their movie night and Alec was able to lose himself in the moment and forget about his pain.
Meanwhile Gretel was sitting in her living room with her laptop trying to think about where Alec could have gone she needed to talk to him. She then remembered him telling her about his friends Jace and Simon and how difficult it was to get away from work to visit them. Maybe Alec and his family had gone to Southport, she had often been there because she was good friends with Simon and therefore knew there was a big festival happening there soon. She called Simon to see if he had seen Alec.
"Hey Simon, listen is Alec with you? I need to talk to him".
"No he isn't. Why do you need to talk to him?"
"Jonathan really misses him and I think they really need to talk".
Simon froze and automatically looked at Alec, he looked so happy and was laughing at a joke in the movie. Simon couldn't let Jonathan find out Alec was here, "I'm sorry I don't know where he is. You could try calling Izzy, I know they are really close-"
"I already tried that".
"I can't help you Gretel, I'm sorry".
Gretel's eyes narrowed suspiciously, there was something off about Simon's voice making Gretel wonder if he was really telling the truth.
"Well thanks anyway Simon".
After Gretel hung up she began to pace. Should she tell Jonathan her suspicion of Alec being in Southport? Gretel wasn't sure if she should go there and talk to Alec first, she didn't want to make things worse by springing Jonathan on Alec. She also didn't want to raise Jonathan's hopes into thinking she had found Alec only to discover that he wasn't there. Gretel sighed and decided that she would sleep on it.
