Work Text:
Does this count as a Coffee Shop AU?
“-however the old code wasn’t compatible with this setup, so then I wrote a completely new code, added the new sequence, tweaked the components, and voila! It’s running like magic! Now I just need to do the final diagnostics test, which my computer can run pretty much on its own, and the new data security software will be finished. Then I can present it to your hospital’s board of bigwigs, and then no one will be able to hack into your system anymore. And even better, I’m days ahead of schedule!” Magnus ended his explanation with a big, sweeping gesture of his hands.
Well, only one hand, actually, since the other one was currently keeping his phone pressed to his ear.
… Why wasn’t he using his phone’s speakers for the call again?
At least then he could make use of both of his arms to underline the greatness of his achievement.
Not that Catarina could see it. … Why hadn’t he just video called her?
“Magnus, while I have no idea what you just said, I’m sure it’s very impressive and the board will love it.
However, every computer tech firm that the hospital has approached before I brought you to their attention, said that a program like that would take at least 5 days to make.
Which is why my ‘board of bigwigs’ gave you a whole week to present them with a prototype. The day before yesterday. So how in the name of Camillus de Lellis are you already done with this?”
Magnus scoffed, still wondering why he hadn’t called his dear friend via video. He would have been far better able to express his derision over that question if Catarina could see him. Now all he had was his tone of voice.
“Well, sure, if you work only 8 hours a day, it will probably take you a week. Even then, whatever program those others would have produced, wouldn’t have been able to hold a candle to the utter beauty that I have-”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Catarina interrupted him. “What do you mean with ‘work only 8 hours a day’? Magnus? Have you been working on your computer since you got the contract?”
There was a tone in Catarina’s voice. One only she and Raphael’s mother had. It always made Magnus stand up ramrod straight. “Uhm…”
“You got that contract for the software before noon the day before yesterday. Now it’s 10am. That means it has been roughly 47 hours since you left the hospital to start working on it. Did you sleep at all since then?”
Magnus suddenly remembered why he hadn’t video called Catarina in the first place. It was so that she wouldn’t see the big, dark rings under his eyes.
“When was the last time you slept?” Catarina asked further, probably narrowing her eyes at him. There was a trap in that question. Magnus just knew it.
“... Recently.” He answered with all the confidence of a newly hatched chick.
“That didn’t work for the dwarfs with Snow White, and it is definitely not gonna work with me.”
Catarina said with all the authoritative might of a seasoned nurse used to wrangling difficult patients.
“Please tell me you didn’t live off energy drinks and fast food during your coding frenzy.”
Magnus looked around his living room, taking in the many empty cans and food wrappers on his work desk and living room table.
“I did not.” He lied.
“Are you lying to me?” She asked.
“I am.” He confessed. He had never been able to lie to Catarina, or any of his friends, really. The only reason he kept trying was because some lizard part of his brain found it amusing for some reason.
“Alright,” Catarina sighed in that weary way she had perfected ever since she had become friends with Magnus, Ragnor, and Raphael.
“This is what is going to happen now. You are going to drink a glass of water, eat the healthiest thing in your fridge, and then go to bed and slee-”
“Sorry, Catarina, but I’m about to go through a tunnel. The line will likely die any moment.” Magnus lied again, fully aware that his friend knew he was at home.”
“Magnus, don’t you dare try to-”
“Ca- t -ear -u. Wil- alk lat-. Bye!” And then he quickly hung up.
As much as Magnus loved his friends dearly, their constant nagging about his “reckless disregard for his own well being” really didn’t need to be listened to more than once a week.
And since he had already gotten an ear full from Raphael three days ago - (which was completely uncalled for. Why should Magnus go all the way down into the basement, to then heave his ladder up four flights of stairs, when he could reach the lightbulb to change it just as well by balancing on a foot stool placed on his wheeled, swirly desk chair? Truly, Raphael worried too much), - cutting off Catarina’s mother henning was purely self-defense.
Now then, seeing as the computer didn’t need Magnus to run its diagnosis tool, there was a little cafe around the block, that had a devilishly yummy chocolate caramel macchiato. Which got even better after adding 6 shots of espresso and tiny marshmallows.
And it was calling Magnus’ name like a siren to a sailor.
A quick touch up on his makeup to hide the grotesquely dark rings under his eyes, and Magnus was out the door.
The door opened again about ten seconds later, as a light breeze in the hallway had reminded Magnus that the only things he was wearing were an open blue shirt and bright red briefs.
“-and I cannot believe I had to explain to this couple, that you aren’t supposed to feed a 4 week old puppy cornflakes! I mean, can you believe it? How come you have to pass a test in order to drive a car, but yet there is no regulation in place to ensure the humans who get pets are actually capable of taking care of them?!” Izzy ranted.
“Uh-huh.” Alec answered absentmindedly into the phone, while adding another amendment into his document.
“And don’t even get me started on the guy who wanted to raise his pet snake on a vegan diet!”
“Yeah, I get you.” He quickly changed the wording of a sentence that could have otherwise been left to interpretation, and therefore taken advantage of by the opposition.
There was a brief moment of silence on the other end, which Alec didn’t really register, before his sister continued. “And then Simon came for a surprise visit and ravaged me right on the examination table.”
“Hmhm. Yeah, absolutely.” He would need to do a grammar check, somehow he always missed a punctuation mark somewhere.
“Alec!”
His sister’s sudden shout ripped his concentration away from his document abruptly. “What?”
“You weren’t listening to a word I was saying!” She accused.
“You can’t just make an accusation like that! Where is your proof?” Alec countered, knowing full well that she was right.
He hadn’t been listening to her. But the two of them always argued about the littlest, stupidest things. As far as Alec was concerned, this was part of the “siblings experience”.
“Where is your proof that you were listening?” She fired back, and Alec just knew she was raising her eyebrows in that way that always made him want to dump a bucket of water over her head.
“I plead the fifth.” He said, knowing it would set her off.
“Damn it Alec, you are not in a courtroom right now! Why do you always have to be such a lawyer?” She exploded predictably.
“Why do you always have to be such a pain in the ass?” Which was a juvenile and rather weak response, but Alec couldn’t help it.
“Looking at your atrocious lack of a love life, someone has to be!” She was smirking, he just knew it.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I prefer to top.” Alec bet she wasn’t smirking anymore.
“Gross. Don’t tell me about your sex life! Even though it’s probably only theoretical.” She faked gagging noises.
“You started it.” Was Alec’s incredibly mature response. He could hear their mother rolling her eyes at her children’s antics.
“Anyway,” Izzy went on, clearly trying to banish any thought of her brother and sex, “the reason I called was to see if you were keeping your promise about not working through your lunch again. But obviously, you didn’t.”
Alec scoffed. “That is why you should never ask a question you don’t know the answer to. I’m currently at a little cafè close to my firm. And eating lunch there. Just like I promised Mom I would.”
“Without you work laptop?” That tone again. Like she knew she was right.
Which she was, but that didn’t matter right now.
“I plead the fifth.” Staying cool and collected was a lawyer's greatest weapon in a direct attack.
On the other end, Izzy sighed dramatically. “Why do I even bother anymore?”
“Because you like to meddle in other people’s business.” He read through his last sentence again, unsure if it was sufficiently professional, or needed some enhancing. “Now, kindly stop concerning yourself with mine. I’m eating lunch outside of the office, and I’m almost done with my prep work for my big case next week. This will be the one, Izzy. The case that will make the Senior Partners notice me and get me higher up the chain.”
“To what?” his sister asked. “Spend even more time in the office than you do already? You’re making good money now, Alec. And you have a secure position in the firm. When are you finally going to do something with your life outside of work, huh?”
It was an old and tired argument, just as his answer. “When I have become the youngest Junior Partner in the firm’s history. It’s not about the money, okay? It’s about-”
“Setting goals for yourself and seeing them through.” Izzy finished the sentence for him.
An old and tired argument, indeed.
“Good, so you actually do listen when I talk to you.”
“The same can’t be said about you in return, dearest workaholic brother.”
“Just go and try not to murder any pet owners over their irresponsible conduct, and let me get back to my work.”
“Fine. Work yourself into loneliness. See if I care.” She snipped, as she always did.
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.” He drawled, as he always did.
“See you at Mom’s monthly Sunday dinner. I guess we won’t have to account for a plus one for you?”
“Since you keep bringing your thing and Jace rotates through girlfriends regularly, I don’t see a need to give mom the extra work with cooking.”
“His name is Simon, and he will be your brother in law in due time, so you should stop referring to him as ‘my thing’.”
“You have no physical evidence to support that claim, so I will continue as I have been.”
“You are insufferable.”
“Ditto.”
“See you in three weeks, prince Asshat.”
“Until then, princess Bitchbutt.”
And then both hung up. For a second, Alec smiled at his phone. They had first called each other by those insults at their respective ages of 10 and 7, after their mother had called them ‘royal pains in the butt’, and grounded them for 2 days.
He didn’t remember what they had done back then to earn their mother’s wrath. But while blaming each other for their received punishment, their childish little brains had come up with those monikers, and they stuck through the years.
Well, no need to dwell in past memories, when he needed to focus on more important things. Like saving the latest changes he had made to his document.
Just one quick click on the save icon and-
No…
Oh no….
“NO!”
—
Magnus was so close to ordering his far too sugary drink that had way too much caffeine, when a cry of horror sounded through the cafe.
All the cafe’s occupants turned around to look at the person who had screamed. But after seeing a guy who was frantically tapping around on his laptop, and correctly assuming that he was experiencing some kind of tech problem, everyone turned back to what they had been doing before their peace had been disturbed.
Everyone except Magnus.
Because Magnus was rapidly entering a stage that Ragnor and Raphael had not so affectionately dubbed “manic tech goblin”.
Magnus couldn’t help himself. There was a computer there that w as giving its owner some kind of trouble.
Probably something completely mundane.
A program that hadn’t properly installed its latest update. Or clogged up fans that caused the hardware to overheat.
It was likely a run of the mill, boring, snoozefest of a problem that Magnus would have fixed in 2 minutes flat.
But it could be…. it could be something else.
A malicious virus picked up by opening a link in a suspicious email.
A syntax error somewhere deep in the coding, that had been dormant up to this point, but had now somehow been triggered and was running rampant.
A tiny pin on the motherboard that had bent just slightly, hindering transmission between the electric signals, which would require Magnus to open up the casing with his always present, pen-sized precision screwdriver, and get his hands on the wires and circuits and…
What if it was something new? Something he hadn’t encountered before? Something that didn’t yet have a right way on how to handle it? A completely unheard of problem for him to figure out and develop a way to fix!
His fingers were twitching in anticipation just thinking of the possibilities.
And before he knew it, his feet had carried him right to the table the guy was sitting at.
“Can I get my hands on that?”
—
Alec was about to get robbed.
Not only had his laptop apparently committed suicide while he was saving his document and now wouldn’t turn on again, but some guy with crazy eyes and twitchy fingers had come up to his table and asked to rob him.
In broad daylight and in the middle of a bustling cafe, no less.
The panic that had started in his mind the second the computer had frozen and then promptly shut down, was steadily growing as he saw his chances of becoming junior partner dwindle.
This was supposed to be it. The case that would pave Alec’s way to the top.
And now not only was all his work possibly lost due to some kind of technical error, but he was about to be robbed of the very thing that was causing him all his sudden grief on top of it.
… Actually, this could work out for him.
After all, if crazy-eyed twitchy-fingers ran off with his laptop, Alec could play the victim card and have the upcoming trial for which he had been working on postponed.
Then it wouldn’t be his fault for accidentally doing whatever he had done to cause his computer to tap out on him, and he would have some extra time to reassemble his work and prepare for a new court date.
Nodding to himself for this being the best course of action, Alec nudged the laptop closer to his soon to be robber.
To his surprise, crazy-eyed twitchy-fingers did not grab and run, and instead sat down opposite from him and eagerly gathered up the laptop, pressing the start button, and then examining it from all sides.
Then he flipped the laptop over, pulled the pen from his breast pocket, which was apparently a mini screwdriver, and started unscrewing the underside.
Was Alec not getting robbed? And if he wasn’t getting robbed, did that mean that this guy wasn’t crazy?
“Uhm, what are you doing?” He asked, kinda belatedly.
“Ssh,” the other guy shushed him, carefully separating the bottom casing from the rest of the laptop, “the hardware is talking to me.”
Definitely crazy.
Still not robbing him, though. Which might be a problem, since Alec was kind of counting on that.
Hoping to come up with an alternative plan, Alec started to watch what the guy was actually doing to his computer.
The same fingers that had been twitchy before, were now moving with precision and an odd kind of grace over what Alec knew to be the laptop's motherboard. Or, well, he thought it was called the motherboard. His understanding of anything computer related was very limited.
In any case, long and practiced fingers were moving the mini screwdriver over things that Alec had no hope in identifying. Twisting something here, prodding something there, and basically dancing along.
It was… mesmerizing.
He had to shake himself out of the trance he had fallen into, watching those graceful fingers at work, as the guy quickly got the casing screwed back in place, flipped the laptop back the right way, and pressed the power button anew.
And dear lord it was starting!
Alec made to grab it back, but crazy-eyed no-longer-twitchy-fingers held up a hand.
“One second, my dear. Let’s see if this baby lost any data in the forced shutdown.”
Which was a good idea. While Alec still couldn’t rule out that the guy would end up stealing his computer, he had gotten it running again, so maybe Alec should give him the benefit of the doubt.
He should also probably take another look at the guy. Just in case he later needed to give a description to the police if he did run off with Alec’s laptop after fixing it.
…. This might have been a mistake.
The police would not be happy with having “Magically beautiful” as a main descriptor. But those were the very first words that came to mind now that Alec was looking at the man across from him without panic clouding his mind.
Black hair with some blue colored strands, a slightly darker skin tone, painted lips and lots of eye shadow. Guys in makeup weren’t usually Alec’s type, but damn it just worked for this one.
Just like the fingers had stopped twitching as soon as they got to work on the computer, the eyes had lost their crazy hue, concentrating on what they were seeing on the screen now.
A deep brown, but with a soft touch of gold in there.
Graceful fingers were flying over the keyboard, eyes speed reading through texts Alec couldn’t see, a little crease forming between the eyebrows, the nose scrunching just a little bit. Then suddenly the tip of a tongue was poking out between those lips and Alec felt like…
He was…
“All done!” Magically beautiful guy exclaimed.
The laptop was abruptly turned around so that the screen was facing Alec again, and the document he thought he had lost was looking back at him, bright and shining.
“I believe this is the doc you were working on? I managed to restore it to the point right before the shutdown, but I recommend reading through it again to make sure nothing was lost or changed.”
All Alec could do then was stare at the magically beautiful guy who had just possibly saved his entire career.
—
Boring.
It had just been a completely mundane technical issue. He could have fixed this while blindfolded. … Maybe he should have done that, that at least would have added a little bit of a challenge.
Oh well, it’s probably best he didn’t. After all, it wasn’t his personal computer he had been messing with, and the stranger whose computer it actually was might have had some reservations if Magnus pulled out a blindfold and got to work.
Speaking of which, Magnus should probably at the very least fully look at the guy now that he was done with the laptop. He had been so focused on the tech, he hadn’t bothered to get a closer look at the owner at all.
Actually, thinking back on it, Magnus might have come off as a teeny, tiny bit unhinged.
He understood why Raphael and Ragnor had given him that damnable nickname. He wouldn’t admit that to them, however.
So, hoping to make at least a bit of a passable second good impression, he lifted his eyes to look at the man across from him and-
Oh…
Oh, this was a problem.
Because the man across from him was stupidly gorgeous and he probably thought that Magnus was every bit the manic tech goblin that his friends called him.
And if the other man’s stunned silence was anything to go by, Magnus’ appearance surely left a lot to be desired. He should have known that some simple makeup wasn’t enough to cover up the raccoon like rings under his eyes. Eyes that were probably bloodshot as well, making him look like some deranged villain from an old timey comic series.
It was okay, though. Nothing comes from nothing. If you wish to make a connection, you had to put yourself out there. Shooting his shot and being rejected had always been more appealing to Magnus than never trying at all.
At least then he would have tried.
Magnus could do this.
“I don’t think we have been introduced. Magnus Bane. Resident tech enthusiast, slave to a most demanding cat, currently single and absolutely interested to make your acquaintance.”
He held out his hand and put on his most charming smile.
Probably not the kind of introduction he should have gone with, but the caffeine was slowly leaving his system and evidently taking most of his usual suaveness.
Oh well, he had shot his shot, and it seemed it hadn’t landed.
Just when he was about to retract his hand again, it was quickly seized by the slightly bigger one from the man across.
“Alec Lightwood. Associate lawyer at Branwell & Monteverde, no subordinate relationship to any pet right now, but I do like cats. Very single, and almost embarrassingly desperate for your number.”
Magnus smiled, feeling a spark run through him.
“How about you buy me a coffee, Pretty Boy, and we talk some more?”
Alec had wanted to cut his lunch short and get back to the firm soon to do some busy work until he would clock out in a few hours, but…
“Yeah, I would like that.”
… maybe just this once, he would take his sister’s advice.
The End?