14. We have a wedding to attend.

                                    

                                          
*2 months later*
"When demons of your past lurk like shadows, threatening to tear your sole existence, you learn not to trust even your own shadow. Your own soul becomes your enemy, the darkness which comes with it is inevitable."
Those words kept ringing in Alec's mind, distracting his focus from the report of recent demon activity handed to him by Izzy? Or was it Jace? He didn't even pay attention, his mind taking him back to the words that Magnus said on their recent date when he asked him about his past, again, for the millionth time in these two months, and he told him that he needed more time. When he asked him why so much lack of trust on his part, those were the words he got as an answer. And he couldn't agree more, he has his own past, and even if he tells Magnus some things, he hasn't opened up to him completely himself. So he understands. But those words had an effect on him, thinking about how dark Magnus' past would have been.
Sure they have talked about it, Alec had always been curious about his past lovers, knowing about the reputation he prevails, he always wanted to know him without the mask he knew Magnus wore. But he wasn't able to get past it, how hard he tried, he always got the response that he was not ready. Not that he's complaining, as when he asked him the number of exes he had, he wasn't prepared for the response.
__________________________
*Flashback*
*At Hunters Moon*
Alec and Magnus sat opposite each other at one of the corner tables of the restaurant. They always find the corner tables the most comfortable. They ordered their drinks, a bikini martini for Magnus (making Alec blush like a beetroot, listening to the name of the drink) and a pint of Beer for Alec. After talking about sometime, Alec gathered the courage to ask the question he's dying to ask for sometime.
"Um.. Magnus I know you don't want to talk about your past, and it's nothing serious actually, you know about Samuel, but, you never told me about yours, you must have plenty of exes?"
Magnus gets dumbfounded by his question. 'He said it's not in a serious way, though!' he thought.
"What do you mean?" He asks suspiciously.
Alec clears his throat. "You.. know what I mean!"
"Alexander, darling, I've lived for centuries, I've been with so many that they're just gender to me."
"Still.. how.. how many?"
"How many!?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow at Alec.
Alec rubed the rim of the mug, not looking him in the eye. "Yeah, just.. I want to know, if you're willing to tell, that is."
Magnus sighed. "17..." He says a little hesitantly.
Alec's eyes lit up, a small smile escaping from his lips. "Seven.. Seventeen!"
Magnus cleared his throat making his smile disappearing.
"17.. hundred?"
Magnus plays with the rim of his martini glass, making Alec's eyes go wide.
"17... Thousand!" A shock gets plastered on his face, his mind completely blown out, trying to process the fact that his boyfriend had been with so many people.
Magnus couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter seeing the priceless expression on the Shadowhunter's face.
"What? Why are you laughing? Were you just-"