A/N: This chapter took way to long to write, it was really tricky too, but hopefully, the next one is easier and up sooner. As always enjoy! The ride they are on is called a tilt a whirl which is kinda like the spinning teacups in that the seats are like teacups. It's a lot of fun!
Tilt A Whirls, and Livestreams
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Jace asked as they walked up to the entrance of the fair after Alec had yawned for the fourth time.
"I think I went to bed at about fourish?" Alec rubbed his eye. "I was working on that speech Izzy wrote up for me."
Jace slung an arm across Alec's shoulder as they passed by some people, and paparazzi taking pictures. He leaned in close to Jace and flashed a smile.
"I need coffee," Alec said as they grabbed their wrist bands from the ticket vendor.
"Simon said something about there being a coffee place inside? Jave Jones, I think?"
"Ooh, Simon," Alec nudged the blond as they stepped into the fair.
"Shut up..we're just talking," Jace replied with a shrug.
"Just talking," Alec nodded. "About coffee? Hopes and dreams? Would you like to get dinner sometime?"
Jace rolled his eyes and gave him a playful shove.
"All kidding aside…Simon sounds like a nice guy," Alec told him. "Who knows. Maybe we can all triple date. Triple date? Is that even a thing?"
"Alec! Jace!"
"Max!" Alec grinned and hugged the youngest Lightwood as he ran over to them. "I see you've already gotten a head start." He snagged a piece of Max's cotton candy. "What should we do first? Tilt-A-Whirl? Facepaint? Junk food?"
"You can never go wrong with junk food."
Alec turned around and saw Magnus with Simon, he said something to Simon before Simon walked off. He looked a little nervous as he closed the small gap between them. He was dressed for the weather in a pair of hot pink cargo shorts that stopped just below his knees, a blue tank top, and a tye-dyed purple bandana.
"Those are the colors for the bisexual flag right?" Alec asked.
"Good eye," Magnus smiled. "This must be the famous Max I've heard so much about. Couple more inches and you'll be taller than Alec soon."
"Don't give him any ideas," Alec chuckled.
"We're going to do the tilt-a-whirl first," Max answered. "We go so fast we get whiplash."
"Whiplash huh?" Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"It helps that Jace and I have a combined weight of a couple of hundred pounds," Alec shrugged as he blushed a little embarrassed.
"You should come with us, I bet we'd go really fast with three people," Max grinned.
"That sounds great and nothing would make me happier than getting whiplash, but I've got to take a reign check," Magnus smiled apologetically. "After I help get Simon set up, I'm helping Catarina do some first aid demonstrations. Then some photo ops, an interview, a meet and greet/Q and A. More photo ops. Popover to say hi on Raphael's live stream, and then, of course, the main event for this evening," Magnus explained.
"When do you find time to eat?" Alec asked. "All that running around I mean, won't you get hungry?"
"Sweet of you to worry, but don't worry, I've got time in there to eat," Magnus assured him. "But you guys have fun, enjoy yourselves, oh and don't forget to stop by the face painting booth, Clary said she'd send Isabelle after you if you don't."
Alec felt a surge of disappointment even as he nodded. "I'll see you later."
"Don't look so sad," Jace put his arm around Alec's shoulders as Magnus walked away. "I believe the whirls are calling our names."
"Yes!" Max grinned. "Then we'll get our faces painted by Clary."
"Only if I get to pick what goes on Alec's face," Jace as they all started walking to the ride.
"Fine but I get to pick what goes on yours," Alec replied. "And we have to ride the carousel. It's a tradition."
"Less talk, more teacups," Max said as he started to pull their hands.
"Disappointed Magnus couldn't join us?" Jace asked while they waited in line.
"I knew he was gonna be busy, guess I didn't realize how busy he was really gonna be," Alec answered.
They followed Max into one of the giant teacups. Alec climbed in first, then Max in the middle before Jace climbed in and they pulled the bar down.
"You think we can go faster than last time?" Jace asked as the ride started.
"On the count of three," Alec answered. "1...2...3…!"
All three learned as the teacup came to the first dip and spun four times in quick succession. They all shifted to lean in Jace's direction as the cup started to tilt once more and picked up speed.
By the time the ride wound down, they had to lean against each other to stay upright. Isabelle was waiting for them at the exit with an amused smile on her face.
"Do you have whiplash yet?" She asked.
"No, but I'm definitely seeing three of you," Jace answered as he moved to sit on the ground.
"Pfft, weakling," Alec teased. "What are you supposed to be?"
"A faerie," she answered. "You're going to her booth right?"
"It's our next stop once the world stops spinning," Jace answered. "Which should be soon as now I only see one and a half of you."
"You are pathetic," Isabelle smiled as she offered her hand to help him up. "Did you get a chance to talk to Magnus?"
"Yeah, the fair keeps him busy huh?" Alec wrapped an arm around Max as they all started walking towards the face painting booth.
"Disappointed?" Isabelle asked.
Alec shrugged. "What he does, what the fair does, it's a really awesome thing he's doing, but, yeah, seems like he should get a chance to enjoy his hard work you know?"
"I'm sure he finds the time," Isabelle replied. "But how are you feeling?"
"Great," Alec grinned. "Nothing like coming out to hundreds of strangers right?"
"Is that sarcasm?" Max asked.
"No, I mean it, there's really nothing like it," Alec answered. "It'll be great."
He raised his hand to wave to Clary across the way.
"Now I believe we're supposed to get our faces painted," Alec added. "Who's going first?"
"You," Max grinned.
"Me? Why me?" Alec asked even as he sat down across from Clary.
Jace flipped through the book propped open next to her with Isabelle peering over his shoulder to see what he might pick.
"Because you're the oldest," Jace answered. "And you have to close your eyes, you're not allowed to see what I pick. I swear I'll do the same."
"Please try to remember I'm supposed to be speaking in front of probably a hundred or so people later on," Alec said as he closed his eyes.
"Relax, I promise you'll be presentable for the cameras," Jace replied.
"Dios mio, what happened to your face?"
Alec looked up and saw Raphael off to the side failing at trying not to laugh. Alec rolled his eyes as Raphael walked over and stood across from him.
"We went to get our faces painted and things got a bit messy. I haven't had a chance to wash it off yet," Alec replied. "You sure that's enough cotton candy there?"
Raphael looked at the two bags of cotton candy in his hand. "I will deny it if asked, but I got it for Magnus. He likes the watermelon flavor. I like bubblegum and Ragnor likes blue raspberry. They don't usually get the chance to enjoy the fair so I let Simon run the Livestream for an hour or two and pick up things for them."
"That's nice of you to do," Alec said. "I'm sure they appreciate that."
"I don't tell Magnus I do it, I'd never hear the end of it," he said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Right," Alec nodded.
"Speaking of things to do, your sister said you'd speak on the live stream," Raphael told him.
"Of course she did," Alec stood up. "What'd you promise her in return?"
"My recipe for tamales," Raphael tilted his head in the direction of the tent he was using for the Livestream and Alec started to follow him in that direction.
"So you like to cook?" Alec asked as they walked.
"Every other Sunday, it was something Magnus started a couple of years ago, we get together at his apartment and we'd all have dinner together, potluck style. And if we all can't make it we'll try to video chat when we can. He thought it'd be a nice way for us to stay connected after we all started blowing up in our respective fields. Catarina with her medical work, Magnus and Ragnor with the whole modeling bit, me with DuMort, and very reluctantly Simon with the DuMort and his whole music career. We like to make sure we're all doing okay."
Alec nodded as he sat down across from Raphael's laptop. "You're family."
"Course we are, stick around long enough Lightwood, you and yours will be too," Raphael said as he sat down. "But, on the off chance you wind up hurting Magnus, I will crucify you so badly in the media, you will forever be known as he who shall not be named."
He grinned as he brought the mic over and rest his chin on his palm.
"And we are back with the DuMort Livestream, I hope Simon didn't bore you all to much while I was on break, I'm here now with Alexander Lightwood, for those of you who don't know who he is, Alexander has been coming up the ranks in the boxing world, and he's set to take one of the top spots in the championship in the next few months," Raphael started.
"Ah hello," Alec cleared his throat awkwardly. "I've never actually done one of these before."
"Nothing to it, I'll ask you a couple of questions and then we'll take a couple from callers," Raphael told him.
"Okay," Alec nodded. "Doesn't sound too bad."
"Great," Raphael picked up a notepad. "We'll start easy. How'd you get into boxing?"
"Oh uh, that is easy. Sophomore year of high school," Alec answered. "I got in a bad place in high school, I was getting into fights a lot, ditching school...skipping classes, it got so bad I was pretty much considering dropping out of school altogether. But, after talking to a school counselor who recommended some kind of physical activity, and some therapy, I fell in love with boxing…and later on my boxing coach, uh I did not mean to say that last part."
"Your boxing coach huh?" Raphael raised an eyebrow. "But you were a sophomore."
Alec nodded. "I was a sophomore when I started," he sighed. "Jace had already been boxing when I got started so we'd spar together. I met my former coach when I was a junior and joined a boxing gym. Apparently I was really good at boxing and wanted to get more training. Figured maybe I could make a go at it in the local circuit. I met my coach after my second local competition. He thought I was a natural." Alec smiled a bit at the memory. "With a little practice, I could win the next match. I figured what the heck right? I could get some pointers, maybe actually win a match or two ...I went on to win six."
"...Not to uh, interrupt or anything, but you fell in love with your male coach?" Raphael asked.
"O...Oh," Alec blinked. "Uh yeah...yeah, I did." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I think part of me always knew I was gay when I was younger...I've been out in my private life, and I always had plans to come out publically, I just never expected it to happen accidentally on a Livestream that hundreds of thousands of people would be watching and or listening to."
"More like millions," Raphael pointed out. "Did you have some planned press release or something?"
"...No?" Alec crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well guys, you all heard it hear first. Alexander Lightwood is gay," Raphael leaned back in his chair.
He picked up his phone as it buzzed. "We're gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, we'll have Alec answer all your burning questions."
Alec followed Raphael's line of sight when he saw that he was looking over Alec's shoulder and saw Magnus standing off to the side.
"I'll give you guys a minute," Raphael said as they stood up.
"I'm assuming you heard that?" Alec rubbed the back of his neck as he walked over to Magnus.
"Ragnor, actually," Magnus answered. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders," Alec admitted. "I didn't mean to...it just sort of happened."
"Alec," Magnus stepped forward and took his hand. "I feel like you're working towards apologizing for something you don't need to apologize for."
"I did sort of throw the whole plan for a loop," Alec pointed out.
"Between you and me, I would've preferred a bit more spontaneity in the whole thing. Not there is anything wrong with plans, but you sounded much more comfortable on the Livestream," Magnus told him. "And I want you to be comfortable."
"It was easier…and a lot more comfortable than being on stage," Alec looked down at their joined hands. "So, what do we do now?"
"Hold that thought," Magnus pulled out his phone and Alec raised an eyebrow when Magnus swore and gripped his phone. "Change of plans."
"Is everything okay?" Alec asked concerned.
"No...not really," Magnus answered.
He muttered something in a language Alec couldn't quite place and sent off a quick reply before he put his phone in his back pocket.
"Fuck. Of all the days," Magnus swore again.
"Is there anything I can do?" Alec asked.
"...You haven't done the Q and A portion of the livestream have you?" Magnus asked. "Of course not, I came in before you could."
"Magnus, relax," Alec squeezed his hand gently. "What do you need me to do?"
"I want you to be honest...as honest as you can be given the circumstances," Magnus answered.
"What if I get asked about us? Your fans are very perceptive. They're going to ask," Alec pointed out.
"That is kind of the idea," Magnus smiled a bit and Alec noticed just how tired he looked under the makeup. "I don't know how long this...emergency is going to take me…if you're not comfortable doing it, you don't have to."
"No," Alec shook his head. "No, I can do it. I mean, I just publicly came out, I can definitely convince people we're dating."
"Are you sure? I'll go along with whatever you say," Magnus told him.
"I'm sure," Alec told him. "We'll be America's next Sweethearts by the time I'm through."
Magnus smiled more and kissed his cheek. "I'll make it up to you. I promise." He walked Alec back over to Raphael.
"I leave this in your capable hands," Magnus told them.
"You ready to do this?" Raphael asked once Magnus had left.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Alec took a deep breath as they sat back down. "After all, I'm only announcing to the world I'm dating Magnus Bane."
Raphael chuckled. "Famous last words if I ever heard'em," Raphael said. He flipped on the camera and Alec took another deep breath.
"Sorry about the break there, technical difficulties we'll blame on Simon," Raphael smiled. "Luckily we've managed to keep Alec here and he's ready to answer any question you might have for him. So let's get started shall we?"
He handed Alec a tablet that had the live feed streaming on half the screen and blinked at the tons of questions scrolling by on the lower half of the screen.
"Wow, that is a lot of questions," Alec cleared his throat. "Not sure where to get started ...I guess I'll pick an easy one. Someone named LightwoodFan21, asks, how come I don't have more pictures of myself on Instagram because I have a nice smile, I'm very photogenic and I've got the body of an Adonis."
"Aw you're blushing," Raphael smirked.
"First off, thank you," Alec ignored Raphael's comment about his blushing. "I guess I don't really think about taking pictures of myself to often but I will be sure to remedy that. On the flip side, if you want to see more pictures of me, my brother Jace takes a picture every five minutes."
"Great, now that we've gotten your feet wet," Raphael sat up. "I've got a question for you. Number1Bane wants to know what's going on with you a certain fashion model extraordinaire."
"Suppose we can't hide from the public forever," Alec chuckled. "I hope he won't mind me going ahead and saying this, but we've uh, we've actually been seeing each other for about a month and a half now."
He looked at the tablet and saw a sudden increase of questions and comments appearing on the lower half of the screen. They were going to fast for him to actually see the usernames belonging to the people posting, but he was getting the gist of the questions.
"I guess the better term would be dating, yes," Alec confirmed.
"You two are near opposites, don't run in the same circles really, I guess everyone wants to know how you guys met," Raphael said.
"I wouldn't call us opposites," Alec replied. "We have things in common, in fact, one of those things in common we have is how we first met."
"Don't keep us in suspense," Raphael told him.
"We met at a movie in the park event," Alec answered. "Or more accurately, I accidentally spilled my soda on him."
"You spilled your soda on him?" Raphael asked.
Alec nodded. "Outside of the ring I tend to be a little less than graceful. I figured he was going to be mad but he was actually pretty chill about it. I remember he made a joke about the soda actually improving the shirt he'd been wearing. Luckily I always keep a spare set of clothes in my car in case I decide to go to the gym and spar. Unluckily by the time we finished getting things sorted out, we'd missed about half the movie. So instead of finishing the movie, we went to a bar that was close by and had a couple of drinks. We exchanged numbers, I promised to get his shirt dry cleaned, and he promised to get me my shirt back."
"So why keep it under wraps for so long?" Raphael asked.
"You have to admit, sometimes it's harder trying to find footing in a relationship when you're both in the public eye," Alec answered. He rubbed the back of his neck pretending to be sheepish. "I hope he's not to put out by me saying all this."
"You have to forgive my skepticism, and that of his fans, when I ask-"
"What do I see in him?" Alec interrupted with a small chuckle.
"You said it not me," Raphael said.
"I see how passionate he is for the things he cares about, the people he cares about," Alec replied. "The way he lights up a room when he smiles. I think he's beautiful, with or without make-up, in designer clothes or a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. He makes me happy...happier than I've been in a really long time just by being himself and he's amazing…that, if I were to ever lose a match, at the end of the day it'd be alright because I'd still get to see him…" he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry...I'm not super good at expressing myself sometimes."
"You are smitten aren't you?" Raphael chuckled though he looked a bit surprised by his answer.
"You said it, not me," Alec replied.
"Nice job on the Livestream" Isabelle said as she offered Alec some of her funnel cake. "You and Magnus are trending on Twitter you know."
"That's nice," Alec replied.
"No word from Magnus I take it?" she asked.
"I wanted to make sure he was okay, his emergency seemed to make him a bit frazzled," Alec answered as he set his phone down.
"Call him then," Isabelle told him.
"Are you sure?" Alec asked.
"We're not going to have your full attention unless you do," she chuckled. "Go on."
Alec gave her a grateful smile as he picked up his phone and walked over to a less populated area of the fair.
He dialed Magnus's phone number and leaned against the fence.
"I was just thinking about you," Magnus greeted.
"O...oh?" Alec tried to calm the butterflies in his stomach as he put his hand in his pocket. "Should I be worried?"
"I wanted to apologize for earlier, " Magnus told him.
"Magnus you don't have to apologize for an emergency you don't have any control over...that's actually why I was calling. I wanted to see if everything was okay," Alec replied.
"I'll be okay," Magnus sighed. "I was actually going to call and see if you wanted to come over for a little bit. We didn't get to see each other too much today and I wanted to say thanks for handling our whole relationship news. I know it's kinda late."
Alec looked at his watch. "It's not that late, I can be there by nine thirtyish. I've just got to let my sister know."
"You sure?" Magnus asked.
"Yeah. I'll see you in a bit," Alec answered.
He hung up and walked back over to Isabelle.
"Don't worry, I'll let them know where you went," she told him with a knowing smile. "Just be careful alright?"
"I'm always careful," Alec gave her a hug.