"That child is staring at you." Malec
“That child is staring at you.”
Magnus pauses his inspection of the dessert table and twirls around to find his friends.
Catarina tugs at the lapels of her jacket and not-so-subtle tilts her head to the right, gesturing towards a little boy who is indeed staring at Magnus – not-so-subtly either.
When Tessa said ‘come as you are’ to the wedding, this is probably not what she meant, Magnus thinks.
“I told you not to wear that jacket,” Ragnor hisses as he adjusts his bowtie for the hundredth time. Magnus just knows Catarina is going to pluck and throw it off the balcony any minute now. “The thing is a choking hazard for children. Poor thing is probably thinking you’re here to murder him.”
Magnus looks at the child again.
He doesn’t look scared. If anything, his brown eyes are curious. Maybe he likes choking on sequins. Children are odd like that.
“He’s probably wondering how you come you’re having dessert, and he is not,” Catarina coos, ready to feed the boy herself. “We should probably get him a plate-”
“Yeah, you do that,” Magnus hums and turns around.
He has a strict policy about these things - Stay away from children, vegans, and Peruvians. The last time he interacted with one of those things, he almost died. One of his biggest nightmares is dueling with a Peruvian child who just happens to be vegan.
Ragnor tackles Catarina and drags her away before she decides to babysit yet another abandoned child at yet another party. Magnus chuckles to himself as he returns his interest to much sweeter things.
He’s barely served himself the chocolate mousse he’s been eyeing since he got to the venue when he feels something pull at his jacket.
He immediately worries he’s somehow subconsciously brought Chairman Meow to the wedding – against Tessa’s strict orders. He’s pretty sure it’s all a ruse to stop her husband from bringing his own.
Magnus thinks it’s a stupid rule. How come children are allowed and cats are not? Sure they both get messy easily, but at least cats know how to clean themselves up.
“Um, hello little one,” Magnus greets the child awkwardly.
“Do you like boys?” the boy asks him seriously.
Sure, no heterosexual creature would wear this outfit – as if they can pull it off! But it’s not very nice to assume, is it? Where are this child’s parents and what have they taught him?
But Magnus doesn’t have the energy or patience to educate this boy on gender norms, so he simply nods. “Yes.”
“Okay, thank you,” the boy replies and then runs away.
Magnus turns back to the dessert table. Chocolate Mousse, here I come!
He takes his dessert plate and makes his way back to his table. A loud child runs past him, mouth covered in what could only be from the now-ruined chocolate fountain. Magnus shudders as he takes his seat next to his friends. “Why would anyone want one of those?”
“Chocolate mousse?” Catarina steals a bite from his plate.
“Children,” Magnus corrects.
“Ah,” Ragnor says. “I thought we had the talk, Magnus? Do you need a refresher?”
“I didn’t ask how people have children, Ragnor, I asked why,” Magnus rolls his eyes, stabbing at his dessert with a spoon.
“We need alcohol for that conversation,” Catarina informs him with a huff, before lowering her voice. “This wedding doesn’t have an open bar.”
“That’s because our dear Tessa knows what certain people get up to when there are open bars at weddings,” Ragnor hums into his glass of white.
“Hey, you’re the one who dared me to make a champagne tower of my own!” Magnus argues.
“Magnus!” Catarina giggles, already a little tipsy from the limited wine they’ve been hogging all evening. “You must have an open bar when you get married.”
“When I get married?” Magnus glares at the certainty in her voice. “I’ll have you know that I never intend to tie the knot. If anyone is next in the group, it’s Ragnor.”
“Unless I’ve been secretly married this entire time!” Ragnor gasps dramatically.
Magnus rolls his eyes fondly at the man’s theatrics, who is also tipsy now, and pulls his glass of wine away. Tessa, the wisest among them, made a good call by cancelling the open bar.
“My point is,” he clears his throat and turns his attention to Catarina again. “I don’t know understand why anyone would want any of that. Marriage and children, dear god, the children-”
Magnus turns around at the voice and then blinks slowly. A pair of dark blue eyes blink back at him.
Neither person says anything for a moment. They simply stare at each other.
In Magnus’ defense, there is a lot to stare at.
Ragnor clears his throat loudly behind him. Magnus coughs. “Can I help you?”
“Sorry,” the tall, hot, stranger clears his throat, shaking his head a little. “I was gonna-But then your face-”
“Is something wrong with my face?” Magnus frowns, dabbing his mouth with a napkin to wipe off any excess mousse.
“No. No. Nothing’s wrong,” the man replies quickly, looking horrified. “Actually, everything is right with it. Perfectly right.”
“Uh,” Magnus replies eloquently.
Catarina, ever the helpful one, parrots off a list of digits. “That’s his number if that’s why you’re here.”
“Catarina!” Magnus hisses under his breath.
Not that he minds. But it’s not very helpful. What if the man forgets it? Maybe she should write it down in a napkin or something.
“Oh, uh, actually, I wanted to ask you if you mind talking to my son and telling him you’re married?” the man replies.
Magnus blinks at those confusing words. “Pardon?”
“My son,” the man repeats slowly, as if he thinks Magnus is inebriated like the rest of his friends who are giggling behind him right now. “He asked me to ask you out.”
Maybe children aren’t completely useless after all.
“You have a son?” Magnus asks the important questions first.
“I have two,” the man smiles fondly and then points at the distance.
The inquisitive and slightly unnerving one – and the little, loud one who looks like he stuffed his face in the chocolate fountain again.
“Those are your children?” Magnus inquires and the man nods. Well, this is very important information indeed. “I see.”
“Rafael can be a little intense,” the man chuckles awkwardly. “He’s not gonna take no for an answer unless there is a logical flaw in his plan.”
“I’m sorry, how old is this child again?” Magnus asks curiously.
“He’s five,” the man replies. “Max is three.”
“Great age for them to adjust to new family dynamics,” Catarina provides unhelpfully.
“Okay, that’s enough wine for both of you,” Magnus glares at her before moving away her glass too.
The stranger looks horrified by that. “Oh no, I wasn’t propositioning you or anything-”
“Why not?” Ragnor frowns, offended on behalf of Magnus. “He does have a face where everything is right. Your words, mate, not mine.”
“Ragnor!” Magnus hisses again and turns to the stranger, taking pity on him. “I am so sorry, eh-”
“Alec,” the man provides.
“Alec,” Magnus smiles at the man. It suits him. “It seems I have two children of my own.”
“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” Alec sighs wistfully.
Magnus laughs at that and then sighs softly. “I am happy to talk to your son. Although I am not actually married, and I don’t condone lying.”
Ragnor and Catarina cough loudly in unison. Magnus chooses to ignore them.
“Oh,” Alec says, nodding in understanding. “That’s fair. Maybe you could just say you’re not interested? I’m sure Rafael would understand. I’ve been teaching them both to take no for an answer.”
“That’s very important,” Magnus nods appreciatively. And then. “But as I said, I don’t condone lying.”
“Oh,” Alec says again. And then. “Oh.”
“Hm-hm,” Magnus grins at that.
“Right,” Alec clears his throat and turns to Catarina. “I’m sorry, can you say his number again? Wait, I might need a napkin-”
“I’m sure I can put in your phone directly, darling,” Magnus chuckles as he gets off the chair. “Now, should we go tell your children that you’ve succeeded in your quest?”
Alec smiles before frowning again. “Rafael is gonna be insufferable about this.”
“Not to scare you away already, but I am worse,” Magnus informs as he grabs the man’s arm. “Lead the way.”
“I told you you’re next!” Catarina yells after him.
Magnus doesn’t flip her off. Not with the wedding photographer lurking about. Tessa will have his head if she finds evidence of his unruly behavior at her wedding.
“Hey, quick question,” Alec stops, looking a little worried. “You like kids, right?”
“Oh,” Magnus says and then smiles. “I love kids.”
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