Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea.

[royalpassport]

Who: Jefferson, Cassian, Rhiannon, and anyone who feels like visiting the tea shop.
Where: Go Ask Alice
When: Any time in April, barring events.
What: An open catch-all log for goings on at the tea shop!
Warnings: N/A, just put them in your comment headers as needed.

[Open]

The town seems livelier these days, owing in part to everybody's recovery from the recent plague that went about. And a natural outcome of the warming weather and bustling activity is, of course, the tea room seeing more business-- which is something of a mixed bag to Jefferson, off-putting and antisocial as he can be at times.

Customers equal money: good!
Customers equal Jefferson having to deal with people and responsibilities more often: not so good.

But at least the shop's running smoothly-- or, at least, as smoothly as a place staffed by a rebel spy, a garbage eating bird, and the Mad Hatter can be. They've even started hosting occasional events, like open mic nights for poetry and creative writing and music. All in the name of cultivating the arts in Wayward Pines! Such as it is. (It's definitely not an excuse for Jefferson and Rhi to snicker behind the counters.)

So come on in and have a cup of tea. Or, well, anything else on the menu. And enjoy the music (and the staff selected music). And... the company of the (occasionally, to varying degrees) helpful staff.

Comments

[appetitive]

Magnus walked his fingers a little higher, veering off the black path of the rune and moving to the skin just beneath Alec's ear. He'd left a mark of his own just over Alec's pulse point, and he pressed against it gently to remind Alec that it was there. "You remind me that I'm human," he said, meaning it similarly to Alec admitting that he could be weak around Magnus. "It's something that I'd forgotten for so long before meeting you."

Shivering at the hand on his face, he turned into it and kissed the heel of Alec's palm. He couldn't have cared less if anyone was watching; at the moment, he would have kissed Alec in front of the entire Clave. "Shush," he said, frowning at the thought that he could be something more to anyone, let alone Alec Lightwood. "I am exactly what you deserve because you are brilliant and strong and caring and gorgeous," he rambled. "And if nothing else, we deserve each other because we deserve what makes us happy, don't you think?" It was a big step, allowing himself to believe he deserved happiness after the life he had led, the things he had done. Laughing softly as Alec played with his jewelry, he gave him an adoring smile. "My beautiful magpie. I'll keep all these shiny things on when I take you to bed."

Waiting for Alec to stand before joining him, he was happy to be led away from the table and eventually out the door. "Write Latin on my skin with your lips," he said softly, snaking an arm around Alec's waist so they could walk close to each other and speak softly. "I want you close tonight, sayang, to stay up until the sun comes up and paints you with a thousand colors."

[angelic_archer]

He tried not to show how distracted he was by Magnus' fingers moving along his neck, but he couldn't stop the way his breath caught when his husband found the mark that Alec had thought wouldn't be noticeable compared to the sharp lines of his rune. No one in the tea shop had probably paid attention to it but Magnus always remembered what spots still hinted at their time together. "I'm grateful that you remembered and that we found each other." And he was grateful that he'd been brave enough to realize that he was completely infatuated with a warlock with beautiful, golden eyes who had cared for him in a way few others had.

Watching his husband, Alec had an idea of what Magnus was thinking and couldn't help remembering their very public kiss in front of the Clave and Alec's family. Their neighbors might be more forgiving than the Clave, but he didn't want to get banned from one of their favorite shops because of PDA. "I think the same things about you. You make me happier than I thought was possible, Magnus." Sometimes Alec wondered if they'd done the right thing when they'd left New York, but he knew they'd never have found this contentment their. Someone would have always tried to tear them apart. "I think that's what we deserve even when I wonder why you chose the guy in the ugly hoodie."

Gently tugging on the necklace tangled around his fingers, he gave Magnus an amused look. "Are you going to be angry if I accidentally break one?" Alec usually was careful of Magnus' clothes and jewelry, but sometimes he did forget and something ended up in less than perfect condition in the morning.

Walking with Magnus, he was still surprised how easy things were for them. They could walk with their arms around each other while they made their way home, call each other pet names, and everyone acted like it was normal. In New York, no one had bothered them, but that had been because of the sheer number of people around them allowed them to disappear. Here they were accepted, no one acting like it was strange that they were together.

"All the words I can't say aloud because I'm awed by how beautiful you are." It wasn't the most poetic thing to say but Alec knew that Magnus would value his honesty, finding that more eloquent than any prose he could recite. "The sun will find us both since I'm not planning on letting you go for more than a few moments tonight."

[appetitive]

He was always careful to map out the marks he left behind on Alec's skin, subtle red and purple reminders of where his lips had lingered or his teeth had bitten down against the pleasure of being touched. Smiling at him, he let his hand drop once again but not before tugging on a curly lock of black hair. "I think fate had it out for us and we would have found one another no matter what else happened."

Chuckling as he threaded their fingers together, Magnus raised Alec's hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. "I wasn't looking at what you were wearing, Alexander," he said, golden eyes soft as he thought back to the first time he had seen Alec; now, he couldn't really recall any details of his outfit other than the traditional black, but he'd been drawn to so much more than his clothes. "I'd ask if you were attracted to me because of my ensemble, but I'll be hurt by either answer," he said with a playful smirk.

Eyes widening and flashing with light caught within them, Magnus instinctively leaned in closer as Alec pulled him in by the necklace. "Absolutely," he lied, allowing the momentum of his body to carry him close enough to kiss Alec. He didn't care about his jewelry, not only because he could fix it with magic but also because it was so much more important to be in the moment with Alec, even if that meant sacrificing a few gold chains.

It was easy to fall into step beside Alec, their strides matching even if Magnus was a bit shorter. He was so wrapped up in their private world that he didn't think much of the people they passed on the street or anyone who might have been watching from the windows lining the sidewalk. Being with Alec had become as easy as breathing, even if his husband still took his breath away.

Squeezing Alec's hand more tightly in his own, he tugged until Alec was close enough for Magnus to steal a kiss. "You don't have to say anything," he replied, brushing some glitter from Alec's cheek and then continuing down the road that would lead them home. He knew that Alec's strength didn't lie in words, but he did love him in part of his honesty and how he was comfortable enough to show vulnerable truths to Magnus. "Don't let me go at all," he mumbled as they turned the corner and finally stepped onto their street.