Chapter Text
Humming along with the song on the radio, Magnus determines the living room to be spotless- or well, as clean as it could be for owning a cat- and checked the time, sitting down on the loveseat.
8:35, and almost an hour since Alexander had call to say he was bringing dinner- Greek food- having gotten off early from patrolling.
Not that there had been much besides the usual. Morgenstern’s death had had a ripple effect in what demons were crawling around, the city quieter than it had been in years. It was a relief, but the Institute was still wary.
And yet Alexander, for the life of him, could not manage to be on time to a dinner he suggested. Well, the traffic was the same as it had always been, dreadful.
Magnus hummed, petting Chairman Meow, the small cat purring contentedly in his lap.
A soft knock on the door and Magnus leapt to his feet, eager to see Alexander, Chairman Meow following leisurely behind him.
“Honestly Alexander, did you go to the place closest to the Institute to get dinner? The wait there is horribly long, you know tha-” Magnus says loudly, swinging open the door only to find someone other than Alexander standing there.
The man standing there looked dreadfully tired, and exhausted in more ways than one. Pale skin, hair messy and rumpled, grey eyes downcast, and an arm curved protectively around his barely rounded stomach.
Oh.
Oh dear.
“I… I was told you might help me.” The man says softly, and Magnus listens to the gravelly edge in his voice, the sound of unused vocal chords.
“... Come in.” Magnus says, and watches as the man slowly walks inside, only a suitcase at his heels.
Magnus turns, gesturing to the couch. “Please, sit.” He says, sitting down himself on the loveseat, angling himself towards the man.
The man seems cautious, but sits down on the edge of the couch. Chairman Meow rubs against the stranger’s leg, and Magnus knows he’s in for it now, settling in for a long night.
The only other people Chairman approved of were Stiles and Alexander, which certainly said something. Even with that, it had taken some time for Chairman Meow to warm up to Alexander.
“Hello,” Magnus says, startling the man to look up at him from watching the cat, “I’m Magnus Bane, but please, call me Magnus. Tell me everything you feel comfortable telling me, and I’ll see what I can do to help.” He says, and the man continues to keep his gaze low, speaking to Chairman Meow rather than to himself. Understandable, really.
“My name is Will. I… My partner… I think he changed me. I Saw him, Saw what he truly was, and we were alright- we were together for a little while.” He says, a pained and sorrowful smile upon his face, “But he left me, thinking I had hurt him, that I had- betrayed him. He lashed out, hurting me and… and killing our foster daughter.” He murmurs, breath hitching now and again.
Magnus conjures a cup of tea and pushes it into Will’s hand, who accepts and takes a slow sip. The man clearly needed it, a mix of relaxants and what Magnus knew to be safe for babies from previous mothers stopping by for his help.
“I was in the hospital until recently. The doctors told me that I’m severely undernourished for how far along I am, but I couldn’t stay there. I don’t know if... If the babies need different things because of the change, I don’t even know what I am now.” He says, his pale skin turning pitch black along his fingertips, looking up with pupiless white eyes.
“Twins?” Magnus asks softly, and Will nods, stunned at the lack of reaction from him, his skin and eyes shifting back. Magnus wondered if he was perhaps a Wendigo. More likely that he was a Ravenstag, to have such control over a limited shift.
Rare then, and with specific needs. His mate would have to be monitored if he could be found, for Magnus knew that most Ravenstag didn't leave behind their pregnant mates. Ever. Ravestag were up there along with Werewolves over how they chose their mates, protecting them tooth and claw. And that was before children came into the picture.
“Y-yeah.” Will says, and turns when the door opens behind them.
Alexander stands in the doorway holding a takeout bag, looking confused only for a moment, before closing the door behind him.
“I got more than enough for everbody.” He says calmly, walking by towards the kitchen, takeout bag in hand. Magnus smiles fondly at him as Alexander brushes a hand along his shoulder as he walks by.
Dishes clink in the kitchen and Magnus turns back to Will, mind already far ahead and thinking of what to do next.
“Well, let’s eat, and then let’s see what we can figure out about you, Will. I think I have an idea or two.”