All I Want For Christmas Is You - a Magnus/Alec fanfiction

Chapter 23 - December 23rd - Alec

December 23rd - Alec

"Yep, yeah. Yeah, okay, I'll tell them. Yep, they're still asleep. 5:30? Yes, that's fine. Great. Okay, Luke. Bye."

I hangs up, looking down at my phone, facing the window. Then I feel someone hug me from behind, see hands locking around his waist.

"Morning, Alexander." Magnus says, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Hey, Magnus." I say, turning to face him, kissing him good morning.

"Still snowing?" He asks, pulling away to look out the window, keeping an arm slung around my shoulder.

"Little bit. It's eased off now, but it's still settled on the ground." I answer.

"What was all that about?" He says, with a nod to my phone.

"Oh, we're going to dinner with Luke. He wants to see Toby before Christmas."

He nods. "Oh, okay. Sounds fine."

"What sounds fine?" Toby asks from the doorway.

"We're going to your uncles' for dinner." Magnus answers.

Toby nods, if a little nervously. I can hardly blame him; last time he went to Luke's, he found out Luke was his uncle, endured awkward conversation, and had to explain to Luke that his sister had died. I can understand he wouldn't be overly eager to return. But he likes Luke, and he adores Clary, so perhaps he won't mind tonight.

"Okay...great." He smiles, a mixture of anxious and excited.

"Wait wait wait." Magnus says, as I reach for the doorbell of Luke's house. "One second."

He crouches down and straightens Toby's collar, which sticks up at one side.

"Okay, go." He says, standing back up straight.

I push the doorbell, and almost immediately it's opened by Jocelyn.

"Please, come in." She says, and I exchange a look with Magnus. Jocelyn has always been a little... standoffish. A little... fierce. But she is Toby's family - at least sort of - so we go inside.

Luke, however, is warm and welcoming, as per usual.

"Toby, hi!" He says, happily, welcoming him with a friendly pat on the arm. "Alec, Magnus, lovely to see you."

"And you, Luke." Magnus says, shaking his hand.

Simon and Clary are sat on the sofa, heads bent together in fervent discussion. They're clearly deep in conversation, sharing a pair of headphones and comparing two mangas on their laps.

"The story was good in this one, but the art was way better in that one." Clary says. "The lines were too thick in this one, you couldn't see the shading properly."

"Yeah, but - oh, I love this song. Turn it up." Simon says, and Clary clicks her phone.

"Clary, Simon, come and say hi." Jocelyn says, her voice gentle with fondness.

They pull their headphones out and Clary beams as she sees Toby.

"Hey, Toby." She says, coming over and hugging him. "How's the holidays going? No more training 'til after Christmas, right?"

"Uh huh." He says, as Clary pulls back and Simon goes to greet him.

"Toby, dude, hey." Simon grins. "Happy holidays. Wanna light the menorah candle for today?"