Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Puppies in the Rain

Magnus Bane could remember the days when New York was even filthier than it was now.

He thought about that as he kicked a smashed beer can out of his way and into an alley.

Brooklyn was oddly quiet tonight. There was probably some big event on TV. Was it the Superbowl?

He reminded himself that he didn't care. The mundanes could do as they liked.

A drop of water landed on Magnus' leather jacket.

Rain.

Exactly what he didn't need.

He put the hood of his sweatshirt, which was under his jacket, over his head, trying to protect himself from the harmless rain. He started walking faster. His apartment was too close to get a taxi.

The rain had gone from drops to a downpour.

That's when he noticed, through the sheets of water, a little ball of fuzz, waddling towards some form of shelter.

Magnus stepped closer carefully.

A puppy.

It seemed to be in a daze until it saw Magnus. It's little tail wagged back and forth.

"Oh no," Magnus said. "I am not-"

The tiny puppy jumped up, his front paws landing on Magnus' shoes.

Magnus pressed his lips together.

"One night," Magnus said. "Then I'm taking you to the shelter."

The dog just wagged it's tail.

Magnus scooped him up; he couldn't have weighed more than five pounds.

Now he was running for the apartment building, carefully watching his step so he didn't trip.

A few minutes later, Magnus set the puppy in a large shoe box lined with towels as he tried to dry the creature off.

It yipped in delight every time Magnus rubbed the towel against him.

"You like this?" Magnus scoffed.

It barked in response.

"What the hell?"

Magnus looked up. Alec was standing on the welcome mat, dripping wet.

"Did you just bark?" Alec asked.

The puppy, with no sense of his terrible timing, jumped up, his front legs dangling over the edge of the box.

"It's only for a night-" Magnus said, trying to stifle his laugh. The dog was wagging his tail so hard, that he was successfully making his way over the edge of the box, melting down the side in a wave of fur and fat.

"Yeah, sure," Alec said. He started to take off his coat as Magnus put the puppy back inside the box.

"I'm serious," Magnus said. "I haven't even named him yet so there's no attachment."

"I heard you talking to 'him,'" Alec said, complete with air quotes. He walked over to the kitchen counter where the nameless dog was finally starting to settle down.

"It's a Welsh corgi," Magnus said.

"You Googled it," Alec realized.

"Yes," Magnus said.

"Where did you find it?"

"It's a boy, Alec," Magnus said.

"I'm not getting attached to it," Alec said. "One night."