{ @Joshua } The days following the intensity that was the time on the roof of the Witch's Brew with Chai was met with Magnus suffering from the magical equivalent of the <i>man flu</i>. Tessa thought he was insufferable. (Which he didn't understand.) But Cricket was a true peach, keeping him hydrated with her soothing teas and the sweetest company he could have asked for. He had good girls. Even if the older one wanted to flush all his hair products. Tonight, though, was important. Or he was treating it like it was because it was a coffee date with the one and only Dr. McDreamy (<b>Joshua</b>) that they'd been talking, teasing and flirting over for the last week or so. Magnus wouldn't admit it vocally, but it felt good to be obviously desired, the fact the company was also desirable helped, too. He took his time getting ready for this. Since it was a not-Valentine's date-thing, Magnus made sure to wear red. He looked good in red. Tight, black, leather pants, fitted blood-red shirt and a black jacket with quarter-sized studs on it, the inside the same color red as his shirt. He had a chain hanging against his hip for some shiny flair below and his hands were decked out in his usual rings. Hair was on point, his eyes just that right shade of smokey and some glitter. Because Magnus was fucking extra like that. { https://78.media.tumblr.com/e2159986c73cbb3799d18a9bb6e7a3a3/tumblr_owa9b9EMxw1qc4q26o3_250.gif } He made sure to parade around Tessa and Cricket to get their approval before leaving to meet his not-date at the diner. It felt good to put in the effort because it told him that he was finally feeling more himself. He was shouldering his way into the diner when he felt his pocket vibrate. On his way to give Blondie some love, he read the message from Joshua. No, wait... his receptionist: <i>Joshua is running a few minutes late. Go easy on him, he'll probably have a heart attack on the way over already. ;) Also if you're the guy who did the airhorn prank, that was gold. If not, make sure to get the story from Josh.</i> And here he thought he was the one being almost fashionably late. It was five minutes before they'd said they would meet. Oh well. He finished teasing and flirting a little with Blondie before stretching himself out in one side of a booth near the big window. One arm was on the table, the other was draped over the back of the booth seat. He looked lazy and bored. Perfect. Where once the table was empty now laid a small blue carnation.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	"Doc, catch!" The receptionist called out as she tossed Joshua his phone as he was putting on his coat. He flashed her a grateful smile before dashing out the door, checking the time on his phone. Aaaaaand even with scheduling later, I'm still late, Joshua thought ruefully before breaking into a jog. This jog quickly turned into a run as he stressed, and the poor doctor was, indeed, probably close to having a heart attack from stress as he neared the diner. A little ways short of it, he stopped, panting and cursing the fact that he smoked so heavily when alive. Of course, back then no one knew how bad cigarettes and cigars were for someone, but still! He probably should lay off the cigarettes now that he was dead, too, but, damn, they were hard to quit. Finally he continued on his way to the diner, heading inside despite the fact that he was still breathing heavily from his run. He quickly headed over to Magnus's table, his face a bit flushed as he leaned over the back of the booth opposite Magnus. "I can't believe I was still... so late," he breathed, just taking a second or two to catch his breath. He lifted his head and grinned at Magnus. "But you waited. Thank you." He wasn't dressed as nicely as Magnus was today, but he hadn't done too badly for just coming in from work, dressed in several gray layers and a (now rather disheveled) scarf about his neck. [risingmalehacks.com (hover) ] Sitting down he finally noticed the flower on the table, and his smile grew. "We had... similar ideas," he said, pulling an origami flower out of his pocket, which had somehow survived the trip intact, and slid it to Magnus. [i.ytimg.com (hover) ] Magnus would notice words written on the flower, if he unfolded it: a recipe. "It's not much but my son used to love making those cookies with us, so I thought might as well share the recipe, even if there's a million like it now."
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Magnus didn't text Joshua back. Not as a punishment or anything like that. He just didn't want to distract the doctor any more than he already might have. He'd told Blondie that he was meeting the good doctor and to wait until Joshua arrived before bringing anything. Magnus tried to keep the bored, lazy look about him, but it didn't stick. He was fiddling with a patch that Cricket had attached last minute to the sleeve of his jacket { https://img0.etsystatic.com/140/2/11181754/il_340x270.1062405598_hz0m.jpg }, losing himself in thought about the girls he'd left back at the Brew. He'd asked them what they thought and Tessa had been a little surly, telling him that he had too much glitter for a diner. <i>That</i> was negativity he didn't need. So he'd focused his attentions on his little peach. She had definitely delivered, wiggling in her cute way and telling him in her soft, equally cute voice, that he looked like a prince. One minute she'd been standing before him, the next he'd grabbed her up in arms and spun her around the room, declaring that if he were the prince then she was the princess. Then boop'd her nose. <i>"I won't be late,"</i> he had promised them, giving Tessa a knowing look. He'd been spending so much time out on the roof that the one night he didn't come back on his own, Tessa had to go and get him. He'd spent the last couple of days promising not to do that again. Of course, she didn't know his company but that wasn't something she needed to worry about right now. Almost 30 minutes had passed when Magnus started to finally reach for his phone. He was a little worried. But the bells over the door caught his attention and he noticed the doctor had arrived. He tried to keep the smile tame but the way the doctor was conducting himself made the smile become a little brighter. "Of course I waited. I promised a treat of coffee, you think I go back on my word just because my date is late? Pfft," he waved a hand and turned in his seat so he was positioned more normally. "You look good, Dr. Taylor, rushing does wonders for you," he teased, taking the flower and opening it up to find the recipe. "That's sweet of you," he worked to fold the paper back into the flower with deft hands, "but I bet this is the only recipe that includes the ingredient of love." <i>Son. Used to...</i> Magnus was curious but he wasn't sure that it would be appropriate to ask.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua chuckled a bit nervously at the compliment, a hand running through his hair as he faintly blushed. "Well, all I can really say to that is that your promises via text held up," he replied, removing his hand from his head and smiling. "Consider this skeptic thoroughly convinced." And it was true: Magnus was thoroughly handsome tonight, and it was hard for Joshua to not get utterly flustered just looking at him. For someone who said he was sick, he just looked, well, fantastic. Joshua watched Magnus refold the flower, still looking happy, although he was a bit amazed at the warlock's deft fingers. Figuring out that origami flower took him... much longer. Remembering the flower Magnus had gotten him, he picked it up and twirled it between his fingers just examining it and smiling. He seemed to be doing a lot of smiling since he got here. The surgery had not been bad, but was stressful and tiring, as always, (and on top of other stressors, some involved with moving, some with Alexei,) just being able to relax and flirt was a nice reward. "How are the girls?" He asked after a moment, carefully setting the flower back down on the table.

Magnus set the flower aside when he finished and leaned his forearms on the table, hands clasped together before him. "The girls are good. Cricket said I looked like a prince and Tessa was... well... she was Tessa," he said, shrugging one shoulder. "And your surgery? How did that go? Does the patient live?" He knew that was an awful joke to say to a surgeon, but he had faith in the doctor to take it as intended: a joke. He lifted his hands into the air, lifting one polished finger to get Blondie's attention so she could bring over what he'd ordered when he arrived. It didn't take the waitress long but when she did arrive she set out two mugs of coffee, a bowl of strawberries and a bowl of raw, steak cubes. "Thanks, sweetheart," Magnus said to Blondie, giving her his best smile and then to Joshua. "Coffee is always good with snacks."

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Magnus's joke got a warm chuckle from Joshua. "They did," he said with another grin. "I'd hate to have competition on my hunting grounds, after all. And then I'd have to teach them how to deal with being dead and just, ugh." He playfully rolled his eyes before flashing Blondie a warm smile that conveyed his thanks. Soon he was sipping on his coffee, holding the cup in his hands. "So, I have to say, as I was rushing over I did check my phone and saw the text my lovely friend sent over. Shall I explain about that now or later?" He asked, smirking a bit. He was fond of some of his coworkers. Some. The receptionist was one of them. Even if he was starting to suspect that she was in league with Chai to some degree.

"I'm sure you wouldn't have to fight too much for decent food. This place is a little... ripe for the picking," Magnus said into his own mug before sipping at the hot liquid. He forgot to add the sugar, distracted by the doctor. He turned the canister up and let the white grains fall freely for... a while. He liked his sugar with a little coffee. He stirred the sweetness in the mug and arched a brow at Joshua's comment. "I don't mind being mistaken for someone else as long as they're not more handsome than myself," he said, smirking. "But an airhorn in a hospital office? Good place to have a heart attack if I may say so." He made a gesture at Josh for him to go ahead and tell the story of the prank.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua rolled his eyes. "I nearly had a heart attack," he "corrected" Magnus, a bit amused at the man's love of sugar. But it fit. Glancing out the window, the doctor then brought his eyes back to Magnus. "If I'm correct, you know a Chai as well, right?" He asked, sipping his coffee. "Or at least, it sure seemed like Chai knew you when I was going to drag him to the Brew for something." He shrugged a bit, and, continued on regardless of Magnus's reply (or lack thereof). "Well, regardless, he's made it his personal goal to prank me, frequently." The doctor rolled up his sleeve to show a large, faded, ink stain on his arm. "Exploding pen," he said, before continuing on. "Anyway, the airhorn was one of his pranks. Somehow the little sneak got into the hospital, found my office corner, and taped an airhorn underneath my chair. Scared me half to death and I just about murdered him for it," but Joshua was smiling as he spoke, popping a steak cube into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before he spoke again. "Every day I go in, I don't know what's going to happen. But I'll be damned if it hasn't kept me on my toes." He rubbed his face a bit, managing to look both exasperated and amused. "But with the airhorn, that did actually shorten my, uh, life... Whatever. Anyway, Everyone heard it and came looking, and there was me, on my ass on the floor and looking like I'd seen a ghost. I couldn't even process what the hell had happened." He shook his head again, lowering his hand to the table. "He's also sent me a letter filled with glitter, thrown all my pens in the freezer so they couldn't write, stolen more shit than I knew I had, and routinely enjoys flipping my cigarettes around in the packs so I have a hacking fit, and pelted the life out of me with snowballs." He smirked before sipping his coffee. "So, let me just say, if you ever see me decking him, he had it coming. And it's sure as hell not going to stop him." Of course, despite his words, the doctor was still clearly amused, and would be devastated if Chai ever did leave town (successfully).

Adelaide Fournier  	Addy was back in her room, lightly petting the doctor doll she had, though she wasn't putting any magic behind it so he could feel it. No, she was not stupid enough to let the warlock he was with know they were being watched. "You get around Mr. Warlock." She was talking about Magnus, not knowing his name but knowing he was bad news. At least he didn't know who she was or her sister, yet. Hopefully, that wouldn't come to pass. Addy set the doll down, deciding not to mess with him now despite her want to mess up the 'date'. She also closed the compact scrying mirror, cutting off the connection for now. No need to keep it open for long, it wasn't like she could gather much from just watching the two. "Letty, I'm going to go looking again." She called out to her sister, starting to put her shoes on. "Don't go near the Diner for a while. That warlock is there." She'd need a better name for him...what would be the most insulting thing she could think of? That might take time to come up with. Sparkles would have to do for now.

Colette Fournier  	Letty wandered into the main room of their motel room, frowning at the mention of the warlock. "I won't... I was actually thinking I'd join you if you didn't mind. I'm sure I can be of some use, even if it's just scouting for you." She smiled a bit, knowing her sister would know what she meant. It'd been a long time since she'd had an actual good reason to fly and it would be nice, plus she could keep an eye out on her sister and protect her. She felt much more worried about her now with that warlock about. She didn't want to risk her running into him alone, even if she knew where he was right now.

Magnus was halfway through a bite of strawberry when the doctor said Chai's name. He glitched, inhaling sharply then coughed up a seed that had decided to lodge itself in a most inopportune spot. He grabbed up a napkin and covered his mouth before motioning at Joshua that he was fine and to continue his pranking stories. While recovering, he nodded at the anecdotes, marveling at Chai's persistence and Joshua's... waning patience. "Yeah, I'm acquainted with the bir--kid. He's a... he sounds like he's got it out for you. Have you tried, you know, not being so prankable?" Magnus tried to give a convincing smirk but it lacked something. He was getting flashes from his last nightmare. Images of Chai and Joshua standing side by side, masks of anger and resentment aimed at the warlock. Bleeding. There's been too much... blood. He looked down at his coffee then back up at the doctor. That was a bad idea! Just like when he was with Chai, the dream visual superimposed itself over the handsome doctor's face and he was greeted by trails of bright blood leaking from Joshua's eyes, nose and the corner of his mouth. The warlock jerked and knocked his coffee mug off kilter, causing some of the liquid to spill out onto the table. He was quick enough to catch the cup, but not before burning his hand. It would have made Magnus feel guilty if this had occurred during Joshua's stories. Glad his freak out could wait until after. He hissed and shook out his hand under the table so he wouldn't fling drops of coffee all over them. "Fuck, sorry," he grumbled, grabbing a napkin and trying to clean up his mess.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Eyes a bit wide, Joshua reached out towards Magnus with one hand, then stopped, letting it rest on the table, as the warlock seemed to have everything... under control? He wasn't totally sure if that phrase really fit with the look Magnus had given him, though. "No need to apologize," he said quickly, resisting the urge to chew the inside of his cheek as he pulled a few more napkins from the dispenser and passed them to Magnus. "You're the one who looks like you saw a ghost... You sure you're okay? Didn't burn yourself too bad, did you?" He asked then, not really... Well, frankly he wasn't really sure how to react. It was always a bit startling with someone else got, well, startled, but Joshua was still trying to piece together what exactly had scared Magnus so much.

Magnus took the napkins and mopped up the rest of his mess, cleaning off his hand before bringing it back to the top of the table. There was a distinct red mark on his dark hand when he brought it back topside. "I had a really bad dream a week or so ago and it's sticking with me," Magnus said in way of an explanation and more apology for his behavior. He placed his hand out toward Joshua to take a look. He knew his body, he knew it wasn't bad. It was just painful and why not have the doctor take a look? "You be the judge of that, Dr. Taylor," the warlock responded after mentally shaking himself of the image so he could actually <i>enjoy</i> looking at the man across from him.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua nodded, taking Magnus's hand when it was offered and examining it. He turned it this way and that for a second, making sure nothing stood out. But then he released the warlock's hand. "You'll live... I think," he said with a smirk. "And, uh, don't take this as pressure to do so, but do you want to, or feel the need to, talk about the dream? Sometimes I find it helps to... air it out, I guess." He gave a small shrug then, waving one hand in the air dismissively. "But I'm a surgeon, not a psychiatrist, so take that with a grain of salt." Either way, the doctor was relaxed again, and although he was now a bit curious, he wouldn't push Magnus one way or the other.

If Joshua didn't stop him, Magnus would grab at the hand that was waved around and hold it on the table. It helped. It grounded him knowing that the doctor wasn't actually bleeding out in front of him. That it had just been a dream. Hopefully. "I appreciate it, Joshua, really," Magnus said, sobering just a little while the <i>bad feeling</i> continued to disappear. "But I will be fine. Nothing good company and distractions can't fix," he said, smiling, coming back more to himself. He tapped the doctor's wrist with a finger and nodded at him to continue. "So, before my.. you were telling me about this Chai kid pranking you endlessly? What did you do to put yourself in the way of all that?"

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua allowed Magnus to take his hand, his expression softening a bit. Yeah, good company could fix a lot of things. When Magnus asked his question, the doctor paused, thinking, and then shook his head a bit, a small chuckle escaping him. "I helped him out," he said simply, giving a shrug. HIPAA always made things difficult, plus Joshua just wasn't sure how much Chai would want Magnus knowing. "I doubt he'd like me giving the details, so I'll avoid that part, but... I suppose it's a sort of twisted way for him to bite the hand that feeds him," he mused on this a bit as he used his free hand to have another sip of coffee. "At least it keeps my coworkers amused." As well as the doctor, clearly. "I'm still not convinced some of them aren't in on it."

Seems like the doctor and the warlock had a little more in common with helping birds than either realized it. Magnus had a moment's worry that Chai might start pranking him but mentally waved it away. Nah. But maybe the kid could keep it up with Tessa. That shit was funny. "Or it's a fucked up thank you?" Magnus asked, tilting his head. He doubted it, but throwing it out there didn't seem so wrong. "And considering that the typer of the text from before was praising the airhorn prank, you might have something to worry about." He brought his other hand over to the one holding Joshua's and started playing with the fingers. He wanted to steer the conversation away from Chai. Not that he didn't enjoy the prank stories or the kid, in general, he was just dealing with some... feelings he wasn't confident dwelling on in public. And he'd invited Joshua to coffee tonight to get to know <i>him</i>. "So tell me about this son you spoke of earlier..."

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Honestly, Joshua was happy for the conversation change, too. He had... a bad habit of going off on tangents for too long, and he already was worried he had spoken on Chai too much. But, thankfully for him, Joshua didn't have long to think on it as Magnus started playing with his hand. It was... really hard to not just melt at that. His fingers shifted to give Magnus's a light squeeze. Joshua just... really liked the physical contact. "His name was Oliver, and he was a good kid, but I guess all parents say that, don't they?" He mused rather naively, without thinking on what he said too hard. Of course he knew that couldn't always be true, but hopefully Magnus understood. "I was always told he looked a lot like me, but boy, he sure had a mind of his own. He loved exploring and was always sneaking off. First to go explore, then to go meet friends, then girls..." Joshua shook his head. "But he never did anything too untoward, as far as word ever got back to me, anyway." His expression grew a bit distant then, but Magnus's hands helped keep him grounded. "He was going steady with a girl when I died. She seemed like a nice kid, too. I always wondered if they stuck it out together..." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "Didn't mean for that to sound so gloomy," he admitted then, just a bit quietly. "...Tell me a bit more about you and Tessa."

Magnus returned the squeeze with his one hand before tracing the doctor's knuckles with his fingers. He chuckled lightly. "Parents always think the best of their kids whether it's actually true or not. But keeping the fond memories after so long is important. And if he did, indeed, look like you then he must have been a looker." That wasn't just a friendly boost to the ego for the doctor, it was also truthful. Joshua was a handsome man. If Oliver's mother was pretty then any girl to come in contact with that kid would have been a goner. Magnus smiled at Joshua's comment about his son's girlfriend. "...going steady. How old fashioned of you, Dr. Taylor," he pointed out gently. But it was nice to hear the sentiment. And coming from Magnus, that could be taken either way. At the request for more information about Tessa, Magnus let out an exaggerated sigh. "Me and Tessa...," he smiled warmly. This was not a subject he hated. "I met her when she was 16, just been found by the Shadowhunters of London and found out she was a warlock. Her power didn't manifest until she had been kidnapped and once rescued by her future first husband, I got called in. She was, and still is, a very feisty little duck. We stayed close friends until that husband died in the late 30s. She sought me out in Paris and... I took care of her." Magnus made a face, a cross between happy and sad. He hated that she had to feel that pain but <i>"your first is always your hardest."</i> "We've been nearly inseparable since. I took her as a ward when more of her powers started manifesting and... as they say... the rest is history." That wasn't nearly all of it. But a lot couldn't be mentioned at this time. It wasn't just his story to tell. "She's been like a daughter, student and pain in the ass all rolled into that small package. But she's also one of my oldest and best friends, so it just comes with the territory." Magnus lowered his eyes to the table, to where their hands were tangled and focused on it for a few quiet moments. It felt good to share that, it had been a long time...

Flεѕнωεανεя  	The surgeon listened quietly as Magnus told what he could of his and Tessa's story. Of course, Joshua was curious to know more, but also understood well that some stories took time to reveal themselves, especially when one of the parties involved wasn't present. He smiled softly. "I'm glad that you have her," he said simply. Tessa and Magnus seemed like good people. "And glad that I got to meet both of you. And Cricket too, of course, but... still learning about that shy little one," he admitted. He was also staring at their hands as they spoke, and ran his thumb over Magnus's hand, enjoying the contact. Joshua didn't have many long-lasting relationships, he simply found himself more often associating with normal humans than "others", but maybe that would change with those had had met in Fenster Falls. He couldn't say he minded the idea of having a few relationships that would last longer. "I've never really mentored anyone, but I was mentored myself, so I can somewhat relate," he said quietly then. "Some time after I woke up... I was getting a meal the only way I knew how. And I met a doctor, who was trying to learn anatomy the only way he knew how. He was the first person to not be scared of me. Took me under his wing, inspired me to get into medicine. His name was Leo, and he was fierce like a lion, too. You never wanted to cross him or earn his ire. But he had the best bedside manner of anyone I've ever met, especially around children. He was only human, and lived a very human life. But he was a good man." Suddenly Joshua chuckled. "Sorry, I went on a tangent again, didn't I?"

The physical contact he was showing Joshua wasn't something to be scoffed at. While he did make it a point to make contact with who he was talking to, and that was sometimes just flirty actions, the attention he was showing Joshua now was more akin to what he showed Chai and had previously shown Kristof. But tailored different for each person. And on a different spectrum, what he showed Cricket and Tessa. Magnus was a physical person. And he made sure to compliment his counterparts. He turned his attention to Joshua's words. He was learning more and more about this good doctor, he was filing it away neatly in his mind. "Everyone needs a good teacher and you're here now, so I think they succeeded. But hey, I didn't get my little student until.. well, for a long time after traveling around. And I like your tangents, gives me the opportunity to watch you talk. I like how your mouth moves." Magnus smirked then went for another strawberry. "So your mentor got you into medicine, what made you stay? I know that's not an easy field." He thought of Catarina.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua was blushing faintly from the "I like how your mouth moves" comment, but at least it was a bit more controlled now. He thought on Magnus's question a moment before answering. "The people," he said simply, giving a small shrug, although being careful to not let it be big enough to pull his hand away from Magnus's. "Once I realized I had the chance to actually help people, I just couldn't resist the urge to take it. I wasn't too selfish when alive, I don't think, but I can't really recall being particularly selfless, either. But, for some reason, that gradually changed after I woke up." Well, truthfully, he did know. He was lonely, even in his half-feral state at the time, and being away from his friends and family made him realize how much he needed, craved, contact and closeness. But he felt that was a little heavy for how he wanted the conversation to go. Looking up from their hands to Magnus's eyes, Joshua smiled softly. "You said Tessa discovered her powers at sixteen? What about you? Is that a normal age for that to happen to warlocks?"

Magnus finished his strawberry while Joshua spoke. He gathered the hand and lifted to his mouth, kissing one of the doctor's knuckles. He picked up on what Joshua was keeping close to his chest. This gesture was a way for Magnus tell him he understood but wouldn't push. But would be receptive if the doctor wanted to open up. "So your sojourn deeper into medicine was born from... atonement?" That was how it felt to Magnus, but maybe he was looking a little too closely at the man's words. Joshua's question brought Magnus up short, but he didn't glitch. Not like before. His powers manifested after his marks showed up when he was just about 4-5. His mother took one look at his feline eyes and realized he was the son of a demon, she'd been duped into coupling with a Hell spawn. She didn't realize Ashmedai was the root cause, but neither did Magnus, for a long time. In her fear and grief, she'd killed herself. Magnus had found her... right after his stepfather... he waved away images by going for another strawberry and smiling while he chewed. "I was about 5, living with some monks after my Mom died. The orphanage took... my kind." He tried to be nonchalant about it, like he was weaving just another story. He wasn't sure what Joshua knew about warlocks, but a lot of their powers never show until stressed. Death and torture helped. "Since we're playing 20 questions, what's your favorite color?"

Flεѕнωεανεя  	"Mmmm. Atonement might be a bit strong of a word, but something along those lines," Joshua murmured, smiling a bit at the kiss. It was... really difficult to not get flustered like this. After all, this was Magnus Bane. But the doctor didn't just want to be like a giggling schoolgirl around him, either. He wanted to keep up with the warlock, to be his equal (at least as much as he could, anyway). The shortness of Magnus's reply was a bit sobering, but the doctor simply nodded. "Mmmm. Green," he said in response to Magnus's question. "But a nice, earthy, healthy green. Like a forest green." His smile widened playfully. "I'm going to guess yours is blue?" Thinking of the card Magnus had given him. "With plenty of sparkle in it." He lightly squeezed Magnus's hand.

Normally, talking about himself wasn't a problem. But when questions required answers that hit personal buttons, it was hard to flub them. He was a fantastic liar, but there was something peculiar about this man. And two others he could think of... that just made him want to be honest. Maybe it was the fucking town. Yeah, he'd blame it on the town because how could he just let these people past his barrier. That wasn't him. "Duly noted, doc," Magnus said, tugging his mask back into place, "earthy, foresty green." He glanced down at the carnation that he'd laid out for the doctor. Since his hands were occupied, he just sent a subtle suggestion to the flower to change the hue of the petals to the color that Joshua had said. It was a slow change, the blue morphing into something more like a shrubbery than a carnation by it's color. "I've always been a fan of blue, yes," Magnus said, looking from the newly colored carnation to the doctor, "and glitter. Two very good things in my book." He moved onto another strawberry to give his mouth something to do while he thought of another question for Joshua. "Why did you ask for a star?"

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Noticing Magnus's gaze drift away, Joshua followed it down to the flower, a gentle smile forming on his features as it changed colors. He watched the process, not daring to touch it until it was done, just in case that would break Magnus's concentration (if it was needed). His free hand went to the flower, picking it up again. "You didn't have to do that," he said, but was admiring the new color all the same. "Thank you," Joshua murmured then, carefully setting it back down after a moment. He wanted to focus more on Magnus than the flower right now. The next question made him pause, the smile fading just a bit. "I'm not entirely sure, and I'm sure some of it was random but... Now that you ask?" His voice was quiet here. "One of the most terrifying experiences I've had is waking up in my own grave. Closed in, feeling like I was suffocating, like I might get crushed by the earth I knew was above me. But once I got out... It was nighttime, and I just remember staring up at the sky for the longest time, because I never thought I'd see it again. And the cosmos is very heavy-feeling too, but... After that? I find it comforting." His smile returned. "And there's always been something about it, you know? Thinking that even when you're far away from someone, you're seeing the same stars, or at least some of them. And even if all this time passes, those same stars will be there. At least for as long as I can comprehend being around, anyways..."

"There's a lot I don't have to do but I enjoy it, nonetheless," Magnus said, lacing his hand with Joshua's, "you're welcome." As Joshua spoke, instead of grabbing up a strawberry, Magnus moved his hand to hide under the table for a moment. What he was doing wasn't a real drain on his power. Not like the star Magnus had produced for Joshua that prompted the question. This was just a minor illusion, something to put a smile back on the doctor's face. "I can't say that I've ever been in that position, waking up in my own grave... but I do know what you mean about seeing the night sky for the first time after something... that... wasn't the best experience." He pulled his hand out from under and laid it with the palm facing the ceiling. Then, turning his hand as if dumping something from it, the quarter-sized ball bounced in place and would look identical to the star before sat on the table between the men. He gave Joshua a small, private smile. One he didn't share with many people and nudged the ball to bounce softly toward the doctor. "You can touch it," Magnus said. It would be warm to the doctor's touch, soft, static feeling when fingers would come into contact with it. "And I like the idea of sharing the stars with someone important, or someones, however big your circle is."

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua watched Magnus's free hand when it was on the table once again. And to Magnus's credit, the smile came back instantly upon seeing the tiny star. As it bounced towards him, Joshua held his hand out to carefully catch it, letting it rest in his palm. "It feels so strange," he murmured quietly. "But pleasant." As he spoke, the hand holding Magnus's began running its thumb over the side of the warlock's hand, absentmindedly. His smile grew as he looked back up to Magnus's face. "Flowers and stars. You really do like to fluster," he accused in a tone almost as warm as the star itself. It was funny, but all those little voices in his head that before were quite vocal about him spending time with Magnus ("it's Tessa's father!" et cetera) were pretty quiet this time. He just felt relaxed, in a way he hadn't in a long time. Musing a bit to himself on what to discuss next, Joshua asked, perhaps a bit out of the blue, "What's a happy memory you have with Tessa and Cricket?" Even if it was something simple, like them sharing a meal together, the doctor wouldn't mind in the slightest.

"Strange is good," Magnus murmured, "but it's not meant to last long. So enjoy while you got it." Those words were too ominous, he tried again. "It just an illusion, not anything like I made before." That was... a little better. Then he chuckled. "Flowers and stars, yes, Joshua. You're observant." He leaned forward and whispered, as if sharing a secret, "that's what a date usually consists of, right? We have the meager dinner, the coffee and gifts. Seems like a date to me." He sat back and had just a bit of a smug grin on his face. And this was just a simple coffee date. The doctor should see when he's actually <i>trying.</i> At Joshua's next question, Magnus didn't even have to think. He knew immediately. "With the girls? When Tessa discovered her in the book room. That halfwit," he said with love, "thought I had bedded that little witchling. I mean, I can be despicable. But..." He laughed, remembering Tessa's face. "But once the story was told everything was fine. But the heart attack I almost gave her was worth it." He scratched as his cheek, unable to keep from grinning. "But every time I see them together when they don't know I'm watching is happy. That little girl with her big, beautiful eyes. She's going to kill me one day, I just know it." But the way Magnus said it showed he was talking like any other father with a daughter he cared for. It was written on his face.

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua looked ready to melt into the scenery as Magnus whispered to him, the star all but forgotten for the moment. That smug grin didn't help matters. If Magnus was actually trying, the good doctor might just be finding out how one of the living dead can die again. Still, he managed to recover a bit, getting drawn into the little story Magnus was weaving. It helped that his smile was infectious. "She might, but from your smile, it seems like it'll be a happy death," he said after a moment, once he was sure Magnus wasn't adding anything else onto his small tale. "You have good girls, Magnus."

Magnus chuckled, "happy death, indeed." He was curious to learn the secrets of his littlest duckling but he could wait for those to show up on their own. "And I like to think I do, too, but I don't have them. They keep me." He released Joshua's hand with a more subdued smile so he could shift and get his wallet out. "This is my treat, so don't argue," he said, leaving the amount the check would be and a bit more. He was only giving Blondie what she was worth. He tucked it under the bowl of strawberries and finished off his sugary coffee before sliding from the booth seat. He held a hand out to Joshua and waited. "Speaking of the girls, I promised them I wouldn't be too late. Not after... being sick... so how about I walk you back to your room?"

Flεѕнωεανεя  	Joshua gave Magnus a look since he wasn't allowed to argue. But he didn't mind, really. He smiled as he got up, taking Magnus's hand. He then reached over to grab the flower and the star, but saw that the little star had given up the ghost. Ah well, at least the flower was still there. "I understand. You don't want to make them fret." Or overdo it. "I'm actually staying at the apartments now, finally," he added once they started to leave the diner, with Joshua giving Blondie a wave as they passed. "It's still very, ah... it's boxes. Lots of boxes. But it's nice to be living in something that's not a motel room," he confessed. Just, he'd been in a motel room for a while now, so having all the extra space was taking some adjusting to. As they walked, Joshua glanced up at the sky, a little disappointed that it wasn't a clear night. But hey, he was with Magnus, so he was still in a good mood.

After Joshua got up, he reached over and snagged the origami flower with the recipe Joshua had gifted him with. Couldn't forget that. He pocketed it while they moved out of the eatery. He wiggled his fingers in goodbye to Blondie and laced his fingers with Joshua's as they moved outside. "You're five steps ahead of me," Magnus said, moving closer to the doctor as they started in that direction. "I just got the call that mine was finished." This was a point of contention with him. He needed his space. And when he felt that, he wondered why he didn't just go back to New York. Then he remembered the roots trying to take hold here and those needed cultivating. "And with all those boxes, I will be incredibly disappointed if you haven't made a fort with them." He looked over at Joshua and smirked. "Box forts, do the needful, Dr. Taylor and make one." He nudged Joshua with his hip before directing them toward Oracle Street to walk around the Park.

Joshua chuckled, honestly a bit amused at Magnus's adamant nature about the box forts. "Right now my boxes are still pretty full, but I promise as soon as I get some empty ones I will," he said. Honestly, it did sound kind of fun. Childish, but fun. It was good to be like a kid again at times, no matter how old one got. He, of course, allowed Magnus to guide him down the road. As they walked, he'd twirl the flower in his free hand, occasionally holding it up to look at it. He hoped it would last a while, because the doctor would definitely be sad when it inevitably wilted. (At least, he was pretty sure it was inevitable, but he was no expert on magick either.) "But I guess that will make us eventual neighbors," Joshua murmured with a smile. "Don't worry, I'm quiet as a mouse. Most of the time."

"Good, good," Magnus said, seeming satisfied with the doctor's answer, almost straightening his shoulders in such a smug way. But he didn't hold it. He couldn't and keep a straight face. Magnus eyed the way the doctor was playing with the flower and his smile, that was edging on smug, turned to warm. "I like neighbors. Means we can have coffee in the comfort of our... personal spaces," Magnus said looking up at the doctor's face and wiggled an eyebrow at him. Magnus wouldn't tell him about the flower, about how it was real and smelled real, it wouldn't die. Just like them. It was eternal unless snuffed out for reasons that Magnus couldn't fathom. "My apartment will be in the big corner unit on the third floor." He paid extra for the space. He was disappointed there wasn't an option for a huge, penthouse space but... this was Fenster Falls, after all. "I can point it out. There's a beautiful tree right outside the window."

[2/19/2018 3:26:03 AM] Rachel: The eyebrow wiggle just got another chuckle from Joshua. "We will be close then," Joshua said, happy about that. "I'm also on the third floor, although more towards the middle of the building." It wasn't a huge apartment, but that was fine by him. He didn't need endless space. Plus, the window overlooked the parking lot, which, while not a nice view exactly, meant that he could keep an eye on his car in case a certain someone decided to mess with it. It was really only a matter of time until Chai discovered it, after all. "This is going to sound a bit... ridiculous," he began. "But I am looking forward to having a real kitchen. I miss making, cooking, gifts for people." He flashed a grin at Magnus. "And you'll be my taste tester, as a good neighbor should be."
[2/19/2018 3:33:54 AM] RayAnn: "That March of Pride one of us has the potential to make should only be down a hallway, then, good to know," Magnus replied, as if thinking about something. If made to answer honestly, he couldn't deny he would want to bed the doctor walking hand in hand with him. But the caveat to that admission would be that he didn't want it to be quick. After all the drama with Kris, Magnus was a little... gun shy and nervous, two attributes he wasn't sharing with anyone right now. Slow and steady won the race, after all. "I'm a good taste tester," Magnus said matter-of-factly before stopping the pair's forward motion so he could grab Joshua by the back of his neck and plant a quick but slightly deep kiss on his lips. Right there in the middle of the sidewalk. When he pulled away, he had a smirk on his face. "And you taste good."

March of Pride. Joshua quite liked that term over the alternative, although he'd been out of the loop enough that he hadn't heard it before. He was a little surprised when Magnus stopped him from walking, but caught on quickly enough to return the kiss, at least. Now, admittedly, Joshua was rather on the opposite end of Magnus currently: his issues with Alexei left him craving contact, both sexual and non, that weren't abusive. (And at least he was definitely getting the latter with Magnus.) But Joshua also was patient, and would get a feel for the situation as best he could. Plus, he wasn't about to push it when A) Magnus was recovering from being sick (to his knowledge, at least) and B) when the warlock had promised his girls he wouldn't be out late tonight. The man's comment made Joshua smirk. "I thought I was the one who was the better judge on people's tastes," he teased lightly.

[2/19/2018 9:21:34 PM] RayAnn: Magnus liked kissing Joshua. It was certainly different than when he kissed Chai. Or the hungry kisses he'd shared with Kris. And miles better than some he'd shared recently with nameless ladies and gents when away from Fenster Falls. Magnus liked to kiss. It was his handshake. But there was something about Joshua's kisses. He had the wisdom and experience Magnus craved, the know-how. And he didn't seem all that shy about the affections Magnus was sharing. That helped. He didn't feel like he was forcing it on the doctor. He matched Joshua's smirk with one of his own. "Yes, you would. But give me time, doc, I could eat you up." He let go of the doctor's hand and wrapped it around his waist, letting his thumb hook onto Joshua's back pocket. "Show me where you live now," he said, walking again in the direction of the apartments.
[1:18:36 AM] Rachel: Give him time, huh? For some reason that little side note resonated with Joshua as rather important. Maybe because he didn't expect Magnus to be the type to need or want time; he seemed very much like the kind of person to live in the moment to the doctor. But hey, they had all the time in the world, so why rush? "I might just hold you to that," he murmured, playfully chucking Magnus's chin. Once they were closer to the apartments, Joshua gestured up to one of the windows, almost dead center in the building. "Right up there," he said with a smile. "Maybe not the nicest view now, but I think I'll make a little balcony garden to help with that," he mused.
[10:05:59 PM] RayAnn: Magnus swatted at Joshua's hand playfully with his free one, squeezing the man closer to him with the hold he had around him. "You do you, boo," Magnus replied, chuckling softly. As they closed in on the apartment building, Magnus looked up where Joshua pointed, nodding. "At least you can watch me when I sunbathe in the summer," Magnus said, not looking at the doctor as a smile spread across his face. "But good location. Hopefully your neighbors aren't obnoxious." Another smirk as he moved them down the sidewalk a little and pointed at the corner of the building. "That will be mine. Doesn't... look like it's far from yours, actually." He looked over at Joshua and tilted his head. "You don't think I'm obnoxious, do you?"

Joshua chuckled. "The threats of eating people usually keeps them pretty neighborly," he mused. "And if anyone gets too annoyed with me, I'll just direct them to watch your sunbathing to appease them," he added then, grinning. "Although when it's not summer I'll have to think up a plan B." But Magnus was right; they were quite close. That was... Actually, it was pretty comforting. The warlock seemed genuinely kind, and a good person, so having someone like that close by might be nice in case of trouble. Well, more trouble, anyway. The question caught him a little off guard, and he wasn't entirely sure if Magnus was serious or not. So Joshua settled for giving a soft snort. "Hardly. And you should throw glitter on anyone who thinks you are."

"Maybe I can help with plan B," Magnus replied then scoffed as if Joshua's words had offended him. Except he was very happy with the answer. "And waste my precious glitter on plebeians, no sir!" He stood quietly looking up at the third floor, his eyes trailing between their two apartments. "Would you mind terribly if I continued to act the gentleman and walk my coffee date to his door?"

[2/20/2018 10:55:44 PM] Rachel: Joshua shook his head, his smirk softening into a smile. "Not at all." He had to admit, the attention was nice. "Although I can't help but feel that I should have been the one to offer, since you're still recovering," he murmured softly. Suddenly he laughed, quickly covering his mouth with his hand. "Although Tessa and Cricket may not have liked to witness our 'see-you-laters' on the Brew's porch, in that case." Either way, he began walking with Magnus towards the building.
[2/20/2018 11:11:48 PM] RayAnn: Magnus winced just a little at Joshua's words. He had been "sick" because he had drained himself. He could and did get mundane illnesses, he wasn't immune. And he didn't like fibbing to Joshua but he got this knot in his stomach when he worried about those he cared about worrying about him. What startled him most was that he was feeling it with Joshua. He jerked his head over when Joshua started laughing, brow arched. Then he smiled. "Oh, I don't know. My little Peach may have been startled but Tessa," Magnus smirked hard thinking about the morning after her last tryst (which had been long overdue, if anyone asked him -- and they didn't), "I think she would have been okay." He let Joshua lead them inside. "She might have asked to join. Who knows!"
[2/20/2018 11:23:30 PM] Rachel: The doctor laughed again at that, having a hard time picturing that particular mental image. "Well, regardless, I'd feel pretty awful if I gave Cricket a heart attack," he said, rather liking the little nickname Magnus had for the witchling. He lead Magnus over to the elevator, giving the warlock a playful nudge as they waited for it. Once it arrived, and they were inside, he waited for the doors to shut before gently pushing Magnus back against the back wall, and slipping his hands to the man's chest to kiss him.

"She's stronger than she looks, believe me," Magnus said, a very proud look on his face for the little witchling he'd found. Or had found him. He still wasn't quite sure of which it was. The warlock was quite familiar with this area of the apartments, and where the elevator was located, but he still let the doctor lead him. With where his hand was perched with his thumb still hooked in Joshua's pants pocket, after the nudge he pulled it free and pinched the doctor's ass. Just a quick gesture and his thumb was hooked back. But once inside was when he got the real surprise. As his mouth moved to welcome Joshua's, he wrapped his arms around the doctor, pulling him close. Then let them trail down the doctor's back to rest in the tops of his back pockets.

It was pretty difficult for Joshua to not just melt against Magnus right there. And he probably did, just a bit, after the warlock pulled him closer. He couldn't help it; the good contact was just so desperately wanted. And he figured he'd have to make the most of the few minutes he had left with Magnus tonight. So he was a bit sad when he heard the elevator doors opening behind them.

[12:07:24 AM] RayAnn: The hands tucked into the pockets was just a way to keep the doctor close while he leaned a little ways away from the wall to deepen the kiss. Again, Magnus was happy with the way their lips moved in such a way that both parties knew what they wanted and the dance to get it. The elevator doors opening didn't deter Magnus in the least. He kept his hold on the doctor and only moved his mouth away from Joshua's to ask, "watch your step." He turned around so he was the one walking backwards and lead them in the direction of Joshua's room. He kept one hand in a pocket and the other moved through Joshua's hair, ending at the nape of his neck. He was going to make this goodbye worthwhile.
[12:19:43 AM] Rachel: Joshua wasn't as coordinated as Magnus, but with the warlock being the one walking backwards, he didn't have any trouble keeping up with him. Everything, from the kiss to their movements to Magnus's hands, felt positively intoxicating. But it was pleasant, and had a distinctly Magnus feel to it, too. Everything the warlock did, of course, but there were times, like now, when he was just so utterly in his element that it took Joshua a bit off guard and made his stomach dance with little flips of excitement. It wasn't that Joshua was particularly inexperienced, quite the opposite, but everything Magnus did was, for lack of a better term, magickal.

[2:07:51 AM] RayAnn: Magnus' tongue teased against Joshua's lips, hoping for entry, while the more logical part of his brain tried to remember where the door was in relation to where his would be. It took a moment, and a stumble against one wrong door, for him to find it. He double checked with a glance and turned Joshua at the last second so the doctor's back was against it. He moved his mouth away from the lips, kissing along the doctor's jaw and speaking between. "You have your..." he nipped at the soft flesh, "key... right?" He lifted his head and smiled at the doctor, giving him a chance to breathe and open the door.
[2:14:04 AM] Rachel: Joshua's mouth opened and his tongue met Magnus's, and for a long moment, he just kind of... forgot where he was or what was going on. The turn, and feeling his back press against the wood of the door, brought him back to reality a bit, and the doctor realized his face was quite flushed. "Y-yeah, of course," he said, taking a breath to calm himself as he opened the door. He really needed that breath, though, as he was feeling a bit light-headed, but not from lack of oxygen. Magnus just... had a way about him. But even had Joshua had a better idea on Magnus's heritage, he'd be quite sure that the warlock would even with different parentage.

Once Joshua got the door opened, Magnus resumed his previous position, only this time he made sure the door was kicked shut behind him as he found a wall to push Joshua against. He reached for the doctor's hands and slide them up the wall above their heads. His mouth didn't find Joshua's just yet, he tried to carry on a conversation while paying close attention to his neck. "I have to leave soon," he murmured against the warm flesh, "for that job." He switched sides. "And I wanted..." He lost his train of thought for a moment while sucking on the pulse point below the ear.

[2:49:48 AM] Rachel: Joshua's hands curled around Magnus's, trying to not get too carried away. But that was basically impossible, especially with the attentions Magnus was paying to him. The doctor could feel his pulse and breathing picking up, even as his muscles felt ready to melt. "Right." He weakly nodded in agreement, taking in a breath to try to steady himself. He really needed to be able to listen to Magnus here, but damn it if the warlock didn't make that difficult, too.
[3:10:47 AM] RayAnn: Magnus moved his hands so only one was holding Joshua's pair aloft. His other hand trailed down the doctor's neck, chest and over to his hip where he gripped and pressed himself against the doctor. He paused long enough to put his forehead against Joshua's so he could breathe and think. "My job... that I have to leave for... remember?" He gave the doctor a soft kiss before releasing his hold on him and taking a couple of steps back. "The one I wanted you to check on Tessa about...?" Magnus couldn't stop the shiver that travelled down his spine. He needed to get a grip on himself before he attacked the poor doctor again and didn't make it back in time. "I will be able to be reached by my phone but only in emergencies. I will have to... be able to concentrate."
[3:16:18 AM] Rachel: The kiss was lovely, all of it was perfect, and it was hard to not make a noise of protest as Magnus stepped back. A small one might have slipped out, actually. Joshua took a deep breath, centering himself, and rubbed his face with one shaky hand. "Right. I. I'll keep an eye on her," he promised, opening his eyes again and giving Magnus a small smile. "And no flirty texting while you're working. Got it... We'll just have to save the flirting and fun for later." And... all of this... For later too. Hopefully it would just give Magnus some extra incentive to be careful on this job. Or at least a welcome distraction for daydreams during whatever downtime he had.

[1:24:34 AM] RayAnn: Considering Magnus was going to be sequestered in a hidden cellar of a church in New York... the warlock's downtime was going to be incredibly limited. But it was an incredibly nice thought to have something to look forward to when he did return. Then he frowned a little. "Look, it's not going to be an easy job. I don't want to sugarcoat it for you because... you deserve the truth. So, there it is." Something else happened that didn't normally grace the warlock's features, he looked shy. Not in a cute way, but in a maybe someone should talk me out of this kind of way. Except... that wouldn't happen. Magnus was too stubborn.
[1:28:33 AM] Rachel: Joshua took another deep breath, just thinking a bit. He nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair and still trying to ground himself a bit. To focus. His gaze narrowed a bit as he thought before speaking. "All right. Just.. be as careful as you can, okay? I'll keep an eye on Tessa, and Cricket, too, so don't stress on things here. We'll be fine. Just make sure you'll be fine, too, or as much as you can be." Pushing himself up off against the wall, Joshua walked closer to Magnus, but this time, he simply clapped him on the shoulder. "I have faith in you, Magnus. Tess and Cricket do too. So do everything you can to come back here in one piece, all right?"

Magnus nodded a couple of times without comment. How could he expect someone to ask him to stay when he didn't share what he was doing? The warlock could be a bit of a contradiction sometimes. "I will," he finally said, reaching up to catch Joshua's hand on his shoulder and bring it up to his lips. "Because you asked so nicely."

[2:02:28 AM] Rachel: Joshua sighed just a bit, sort of a mixed sound of contentment with a little bit of frustration. He felt like, well, like Magnus wasn't giving him the whole story. Because he obviously wasn't. He lightly traced his thumb along Magnus's lower lip. "Hey, listen..." He said, trying to not get lost in his head again. "I know... I had a lot of fun tonight. And I want to do this again. But just know if you need to talk to someone about the serious stuff, I'm here for that, too, if need or want be, okay?"
[2:10:50 AM] RayAnn: Magnus took Joshua's hand and draped it over his shoulder, at the same time, pulling the man closer to him. He wrapped his arms around the doctor's waist, clasping his hands behind his back. "I'm glad you had fun. That was my ultimate goal." He kissed Joshua's forehead. "And I know. I just don't want you to worry about me because there's isn't a force in the universe that can stop me when I have a goal." Maybe it was all bravado. Maybe he actually believed it. But he did give Josh a good, cocky smile.
[2:17:39 AM] Rachel: As he was pulled closer, the doctor laid his hands on Magnus's chest again, and briefly closed his eyes as Magnus kissed his forehead. But when he opened them again, Joshua had to smirk back at that smile, and nod. "All right. I won't worry unless I find out it's necessary," he promised. He then reached up to poke Magnus's forehead playfully. "But... as much as I hate to say it, you should probably go back home to your girls before I get other ideas and try to keep you here."
[11:15:31 AM] RayAnn: Magnus playfully frowned when Joshua tapped him. Then smoothed out his features and nodded. "Since those are doctor's orders, I better abide by them." Magnus leaned in to give the doctor one final, sweet kiss before moving away toward the door. He had it opened and was looking back for a moment. "Don't forget.. I hope to see a box fort when I come back." He winked and walked out, closing the door behind him.

As he walked from the apartments back to the Brew, the warlock kept his hands shoved in his pockets and a scowl on his face. He was not looking forward to talking with Cricket and Chai, if he could catch the bird. Nor Tessa, who this job was really for...