Once Upon A Time In Brooklyn

Chapter Fourteen: Godfather Death

The future hasn't been decided yet.

Magnus twirled a ring around his index finger, lost in thought.

Western cultures believed that fate was something you could overcome, that against all odds you would be able to defy a terrible destiny and throw your hubris in the face of the gods. They believed in the power of the individual, the power to change and grow, and to become. It was a way of thinking that had attracted Magnus. There had been a reason he had chosen to spend his years enveloped in the bosom of the West.

He had forgotten, or perhaps never wanted to truly acknowledge, that there was still some of the East within his thinking.

"The future hasn't been decided yet," he said allowed, parroting the words he'd said to Ragnor.

He knew a hundred fables of those learning their place, accepting what they had been given in life, accepting their lot in life. He recalled the Japanese myth of the red string of fate, that tangled knot which tied soulmates together.

He stopped spinning the ring and stood up, walking to the curse room to look at the rose. So few petals left. So little time left to do anything...

And yet his connection with Alec... He couldn't deny it anymore than he could deny himself oxygen. Those moments when he had been cradled in Alec's arms, watching his face...

Magnus had never been very good at denying himself things he wanted anyhow.

"Knock knock."

Magnus turned. Simon was stood there, lop-sided and unsure smile on his face. He looked better than he had in awhile. Perhaps he had filled out a bit in the last few months? Or perhaps he was dressing better? Magnus tilted his head to the side, assessing him for a few moments more before he realised he had better say something.

"Hello," he said. He realised how out of sorts he must have seemed and quickly moved, putting his hand on Simon's shoulder and leading him out of the curse room and back into the lounge. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Need a love potion for a certain vampire?"

Simon looked flustered but he shook his head.

"No, I'm not here about that. I actually just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out a bit?" Simon offered. Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"No one comes here just to hang out, Simon," he replied, though he hoped that perhaps Alec would start doing so soon. Well, more than just hangout.

"That's just it isn't it? We're always here on some emergency or other but... I just thought..." Simon looked unsure again. Magnus wondered what he had done to earn the boy's pity.

"By all means, we can hang out until the sun sets, Simon. I imagine then you'll be heading to the Hotel Dumort?" Magnus let go of Simon's shoulder and clicked his fingers. The coffee machine began to churn. Simon shrugged.

"Actually I'm meeting Raphael at Taki's tonight," Simon replied and Magnus was actually surprised that Simon was so nonchalant about it.

"Well that's... nice," Magnus turned around. Taki's was hardly the place for a decent date, but then Simon was still a teen who knew no better and Raphael... well. Magnus had never really seen him date anyone before. He was sure that the other must have some kind of knowledge of it... Probably.

"If you're going to ask me about Raphael, I'm going to ask you about Alec," Simon said, flopping onto the couch. Magnus clicked his fingers and the freshly brewed coffee pot and two mugs floated towards the coffee table.

"Are you going to paint my nails too? I insist on it if we're going to talk about boys," he said, pushing Simon's feet off the couch and perching where they'd been. He poured them both large mugs of coffee.