A Malec Story

Chapter 22: Fourteenth meet - Taki's

What happened at Taki's and afterwards

"Magnus remembered the night when he took Alec to Taki's."

- The Bane Chronicles, What To Buy The Shadowhunter Who Has Everything, p.323

Alec

Magnus was the one who had suggested Taki's. It had made Alec a bit uncomfortable, because he came here with Jace and Isabelle every once in a while. People might recognize him. Still, he couldn't find a good enough reason to tell Magnus they should go somewhere else and he decided to go for it, this time. Why not? He knew Jace and Isabelle weren't going to show up since they had to do a test which he himself had already completed months ago. The three of them were undergoing the same training, but some tests were age related and since Alec was the eldest, it meant he was ahead of them in both training and study. It would only be a couple of days now before he would turn eighteen. Finally an adult, he was looking forward to it.

Tonight he had the night off without having to look for an excuse to tell Jace and Izzy where he was. So when he met Magnus outside of Taki's he was relaxed enough and happy to see Magnus, too. The awkwardness that Jace had created last week with his annoying questions was gone now. And Alec felt again as if he could be himself around Magnus. Even though he also knew that he wasn't being completely open and honest to the warlock. Or to himself for that matter. He didn't want to think about these confusing things, because every time he did he found it hard to put a name to what he felt. He felt choked and unable to say anything true or meaningful. So he pushed the feelings away. Tonight he was going to have a good time.

The café was busy and alive with conversation. Alec caught the glance of the waitress, Kaelie, who smiled at him and waved. He smiled back and looked around, noticing there was a peri standing in the middle of the room, his wings fluttering in frustration while he was having some sort of discussion with a burly werewolf. The werewolf had probably stepped on some toes, or some wings. Alec and Magnus walked past them and slid into a booth across from each other.

Kaelie came over with the menu's and told them the specials of that day. She was smiling brightly at him again before she turned to go.

"Do you know her?" asked Magnus.

"A little," said Alec. "She's part nixie. She likes Jace."

"Ah, nixie's. Did I tell you about a nixie nightclub that I've been to, once?" Magnus asked and Alec shook his head. "I'll tell you, it was once and then never again. I came in, the whole place green as the sea. And seaweed, you wouldn't believe. Drinks were salty, food was salty. At the end of the night I felt I'd change into a salt pillar if I wouldn't have some water soon. So I saw someone walking by, who was, I believed at that time, just a regular fae, a gentry fae. And I said, 'Water, I need water.' So this fae turned around and splashed like a gallon of water out of his mouth over me! I mean, all over me!"

Alec laughed out loud. Magnus shook his head, looking dramatic.

"It's not even the end, I'll tell you. The fae was a glamoured merman and the water turned out to be salt water!" Magnus threw back his head and laughed which made Alec laugh even harder. Magnus sure had a knack for drama. "Completely soaked and pickled, I was." He said finally, hiccupping a bit from laughing. Kaelie had come and given them their food while Magnus was still talking and Alec took some fries while he looked up at the sound of a growl.

The peri and the werewolf were still at it, he saw. That was something he must keep an eye on. Werewolves could be drawn into fights easily. If that peri wanted it, it would probably happen.

The door opened and three vampires entered, two boys and a girl. Alec recognized one of them as Raphael, the vampire who was there when Clary's friend became one. They were walking towards them. Rapahel, who Alec noticed looked about fifteen years old, looked into Alec and Magnus's direction and Alec saw his delicate eyebrows lift up.