Once Upon A Time In Brooklyn

Chapter Twenty-Two: And if they didn't live happily ever after...

that isn't any of our business

"It's just one party..." Magnus whined. He was wearing something outrageous and made almost entirely from brocade. Alec didn't even look up.

"I don't want to and you can't make me," he replied, curling into an even smaller ball and pulling his book closer to his face. Chairman Meow purred on his chest, clearly approving of this new position.

"Sweetpea, Blue Eyes, my special little runed-" Magnus coaxed but Alec shook his head without even looking at him.

"You're going to make me throw up," Alec replied, turning the page on his book even though he hadn't read the previous one. It at least gave the impression he had.

"What are you two arguing about now?" Isabelle asked, sweeping in with her arms full of Christmas presents. It had been a year since the curse had ended, and Alec had been living with Magnus full-time while things cooled off with his parents.

"Well, I want Alec to come to Pandemonium with me and he is refusing to come, as usual," Magnus sighed dramatically. Isabelle let out a small chuckle and started to arrange presents under the tree. Behind her loped Simon, carrying what seemed like a very life-like Santa that had little vampire fangs etched into its face.

It was hideous.

Alec hoped that Magnus incinerated it.

"I have no desire to see you rub up against every Downworlder and Mundane in the club," he said firmly. And it wasn't that he got jealous per se, he knew Magnus belonged with him, it was more...

Alright, he got jealous.

"It's a little harmless flirting, my love, nothing serious," Magnus replied, sprawling out on one of the couches and looking put upon. Alec fixed him with a long look.

"So you don't deny you do it then?" he asked. Magnus smirked at him.

"Jealous?" he countered. Alec didn't see the point in denying it.

"Always," he said.

"You two are cute. In a weird way," Simon interrupted their little debate and Alec sighed, putting his finger inside the pages of his book to hold his place.

"Have you heard from Clary?" he asked. Simon shook his head, helping Isabelle arrange the presents.

"No. She's hauled up with her mom now she's awake," he said, straightening a bow before he put it under the tree.

"They have a lot to catch up on," Magnus said and there was a hint of reproach in his voice, as though he didn't feel this was an appropriate area for discussion.

The last year had been hard on all of them, with Valentine's rise and the Clave's ongoing refusal to acknowledge it.

"Yeah. That's a conversation I wouldn't want to be part of," Isabelle said, finally finishing arranging the presents and clapping her hands as she stood up.

"What about your parents? Losing both of their sons must be a blow," Magnus asked. Alec felt his heart beat hard in his chest as he looked at Isabelle. He had stopped asking her how things were at home.

"Funny you should say that. They're reconsidering Alec's transgressions in light of Jace's," Isabelle said, looking at Alec with a smile. He didn't smile back. He knew that his father's anger wasn't abated just because Jace was suddenly M.I.A.

"They are opportunists. They have to ally themselves now with the son that seems farthest from Valentine. They're smart, I'll give them that," Alec said dismissively, turning back to his book.

"Be that as it may, it won't help us with Jace or any of the other stuff we have going on," Isabelle said with a shrug. Magnus leapt to his feet.

"Precisely. That's why you should come to a party with me. There's nothing to be done after all-" he said and Alec knew that Magnus was looking directly at him.

"Magnus, I said no," he repeated. Magnus let out a sigh and then turned to the other two in the room.

"Spoilsport. Oh well, Izzy? Simon?" he prompted. Alec glanced up to see Simon was shuffling from foot to foot.

"Movie night with Raphael. We're working solidly through every cult classic from pretty much ever. Did you know he hadn't see the Rocky Horror Show? I mean, what the hell?" Simon threw his hands up like it was a tragedy. Alec had no idea what that movie apparently was. He made a note to ask Magnus about it later.

"I'm free Magnus. I'd love to escort you," Isabelle said graciously. Magnus immediately turned and saw Alec was paying attention. He threw an arm around Isabelle's shoulders.

"See, your sister is a fun time," he teased. Alec picked up his book again.

"You should have been cursed to love her instead then," he retorted. Magnus laughed.

"Cursed to love you... It does somehow seem accurate, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Quite."

"Are you two done being all romantic? I mean, anyone would think you hate each other," Simon said, looking at once bewildered and amused.

"Far from it, just the other day, Alec had the perfect opportunity to drown me in the bath and he valiantly held out from pushing my head under the water. It was most sweet," Magnus said.

Alec remembered what Magnus was talking about and turned bright pink. It had not been any kind of attempt to drown Magnus, but it had been... fun... nonetheless.

"You two are weird," Simon said, shrugging.

"Love is weird," Alec said, closing his book and getting to his feet. He pecked Magnus on the cheek.

"If Ragnor were here, he'd have had a field day with you two," Isabelle said. Magnus' expression went carefully neutral and Alec reached out and squeezed his hand.

"He is much missed," Magnus said. Alec wondered if the pain of losing Ragnor would lessen over time, or if the grief of losing his oldest friend would follow Magnus around for the rest of his life.

"Anyway, come on my dear, let's get ready and leave these stooges to their books and movies," Magnus suddenly snapped out of it, giving Alec's hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go and putting his arm around Izzy's waist to lead her into his dressing room.

The door shut and Alec realised he was smiling.

Magnus was still, after all, Magnus.

"You really turned out okay in the end didn't you?" Simon asked, taking a few steps forward and looking at the closed door. Alec gave him a sideways glance.

"Yeah, we did," he admitted, happy that he didn't have to elaborate further.

"You must be excited for the future. I mean, it's practically written for you that you'll have a happy ending," Simon said excitedly. "Happily ever after and all that."

Alec gave Simon a small smile.

"Who knows? The future hasn't been decided yet."