Roommates & Soulmates

Ch178: Alec's Hill

By now he was more than sure something bad had happened when Magnus had seen his father in September, but no matter how Alec inquired his husband wouldn't explain what was bothering him. It was starting to drive Alec crazy.

"The trouble with that is that you don't have far to go," Paige giggled at him when Alec expressed concern for his sanity.

"Oh ha ha," Alec replied, rolling his eyes. "Alec's already nuts, very funny. And here I thought you'd be a good person to ask for help."

"Don't worry, I am," Paige continued. "Just couldn't resist messing with you." She laughed. Just then the timer on her phone went off, and Paige got up from where she was sitting across from Alec and went over to the kitchen. Alec followed her, interested in this advice he had likely earned by tolerating her teasing.

"Okay so advice then," Alec said as he walked into the kitchen to find her pulling something out of the oven.

Paige placed the baking tray on the stove and turned to face him. "Do you know why I forgave Jordan and Maia for everything that happened?"

"Honestly no," Alec answered. "That always confused me. You should be really mad."

"I was mad," Paige continued. "And when I needed it I used that anger, but holding onto it in the long term would only serve to hurt me, not those I was mad at." Paige turned to face him. "In the end the reason I'm not mad is very simple: I value my own happiness more than holding onto resentment."

"That's very mature of you," Alec said camly. "I'm not sure I'm capable of that, but what does this have to do with Magnus?"

"I think Magnus is angry," Paige explained. "And he can't let it go."

"If he's mad at John then why is he shutting me out?" Alec sighed. "You don't think he's mad at me do you? I mean I know I was really dense there for a while but-" Alec trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.

"If I had to guess I think he's mad at himself," Paige explained.

"Oh," Alec whispered, his shoulders falling as he slumped.

"Which is unfortunately the hardest kind of resentment to let go of," Paige added in a sympathetic tone.

"So what you are telling me is that I can't actually do anything to help my husband?" Alec summed it up, feeling quite dejected.

"Pretty much. Yep," Paige agreed in a false cheerful voice then added more soberly. "It's important that he knows you are there when he's ready to talk, but he has to open up to you for you to be able to help him."

"Whatever you are baking there smells good," Alec said, hoping to change the subject. He knew Paige was making sense but he didn't want to hear it because he wanted to be told he could fix it. "I think I need comfort food." He reached forward, but Paige snapped his wrist to discourage him.

"These are for my boyfriend," Paige said firmly.

"Man ever since you met Jon, your roommates have been suffering a lack of baked goods," Alec whined. Paige just chuckled.

"You know you are an adult capable of acquiring your own chocolate scones," Paige reminded him.

"But the store bought ones don't taste as good as yours," Alec whined.

"I meant you could learn to bake," Paige laughed as she packed up her scones into a lined tin.

"Lucky Jon," Alec grumbled.

"Damn right!" Paige chuckled. "I'm a catch you know." She grinned at him as she carried her baked goodies away from Alec's salivating mouth. "I doubt I'll be home tonight, but have fun at the wedding okay?"