Drop of Magic (Malec)

Perfect Moments

      When my family disowned me, I doubted myself for who I was and wondered day in and out if I could change. If what I was was a lie, if I'd somehow convinced myself that this was right when clearly it was so wrong. My brother, Jace, had looked at me like an alien as if he were seeing me for the first time, and he wasn't sure what to make of me. Izzy had hugged me, tighter than ever before, and whispered apologies on behalf of everyone else. She'd promised me I'd always have her, no matter what. Max was too young to understand why at 16, I was leaving him behind. My mother was a stone, her face cold and dark in the cozy, warm living room, and my father was silent. Out of the blue, my mother boomed like thunder, coming at me with every insult she knew, her words laced with venom and her hands like vices on my wrists. Jace took Max upstairs, and she let me have it, leaving me broken in so many ways, out in the cold January wind. 

But here, seated on a luxurious black couch in front of a wall of windows casting over New York City, the television idly creating background noise, waiting for Magnus to return from his ridiculous sized kitchen with our coffees, I realized that none of that mattered. Magnus walks in, all smiles and bright composure holding 2 mugs, steaming with coffee. Gratefully, I take one, watching him sit beside me, tucking one leg up on the couch so he can angle towards me easier. I do the same, automatically shaping myself towards Magnus as if we were magnets and my own blood ached to be closer to his. 

"Thank you for inviting me over, Magnus, your house is...wow." He laughs softly, reminding me of sunlight, and the sound seems to caress my skin like a soft breeze. Smiling, I welcome it. 

"It's really my pleasure, Alec. Is that short for something?" He tilts his head a few degrees to the side, eyes narrowing only the slightest in wait for my answer. 

"Uhm..." I fumble, wondering if I should tell him. He'd know of my family, they own a long line of cruise ships and yacht clubs, and I know he knows the Lightwood name. But here he is, waiting with bated breath as if my simple name is the last piece of his puzzle, so I throw any qualms aside and decide to be truthful with him if only just tonight. "Yes, It's short for Alexander." He nods then, head straightening as his lips tug up slightly at the corners. I can tell he's not quite looking at me, eyes down as if he's thinking. 

"Alexander Light..." my name sounds exotic coming from between his lips, but warm and subdued, and a million shades of home. 

"Lightwood." I bite my tongue as soon as the correction bites out from between my lips. My voice is confident but quiet, and his head shoots up like I've slapped him. I cast my eyes away, chewing on my lip enough I can taste metallic. 

"You're a Lightwood, Alexander?" I haven't heard my full name in so long but drawn out between his perfect lips, it sounds wonderful. 

"I was a Lightwood, once." He furrows his thin brows together, begging for an answer that I'm not sure I'm ready to give this impossibly perfect stranger. Holding back a deep sigh, I meet his honey eyes with my own deep, swimming blue ones. "When I came out as gay, my mother told me to leave and not come back, she swore that no child of hers would tarnish the Lightwood name by being such an embarrassing abomination." I can hear my own voice fading out in my ears, my eyes growing damp, so I shut them and look away from Magnus, embarrassed for him to see me so upset over something that happened 2 years ago. Instead of getting up and leaving, like I figured he would, I feel Magnus soft palm against my cheek, realizing then that it's already damp with tears I didn't notice. Softly, he brushes them away and pulls me to his chest, letting my head fall into the small hollow of his neck. He says nothing but rubs soft circles on my back, and for once I feel as if it's okay to feel something, to feel vulnerable because Magnus doesn't scare me like the rest of the world does. Something about Magnus Bane feels like coming home.