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Part 2 of Otherworldly
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2022-01-30
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2023-04-09
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You Will Be Mine

Summary:

Magnus was grumpy. Like, really grumpy. The grumpiest he had been in decades. His wrist was broken, his magic was acting up again, and now Alec Lightwood was being a nice, stubborn asshole. Why'd he have to be so nice? And so goddamn stubborn?

From chapter Nineteen:
Alec shook his head. "I still should have asked. O–or told you what I wanted to do. Or something. I'm so sorry," he said, his voice shattering on the last word as tears spilled from his eyes.

Now Magnus felt as though their roles had been reversed, that Alec was the one in need of calming and consolation. He pulled Alec's hands from his face, one by one, and held one in his good hand as he tried to find the right words to say. "Consent is really important to you, isn't it?"

Chapter 1: Ex-eggs and Stubborn Bastards

Summary:

Grumpy Magnus and Stubborn Alec

Title is from the song Mine by Sleep Token

Sequel to World's Apart.
🖤🖤🖤MAKE SURE TO READ THAT FIRST! 🖤🖤🖤

Notes:

Hey y'all!

I'm still alive! Slowly getting better. I'm getting back into my writing groove again. It's been too long 🙂

This fic is going to be a continuation of Worlds Apart about Magnus recovering from his injury, and Alec helping him out. Getting to know each other. Maybe a date or two 😉 Rating may change (T) depending on what I want to add in future chapters.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

"Astaga!" Magnus growled as an egg slid up and out of the pan, doing a spectacular flip before flopping into the flame of the burner and promptly igniting. It was even more impressive when he managed to perfectly execute it a second time. Making eggs on a good day was already a risky gamble, but attempting it with a handicap proved to be too much of a challenge. He turned off the burner and covered the flaming eggs with a nearby metal bowl, waiting for the fire to die down and cool off enough for him to clean it up. By the time he scraped the charred remains from the stove and inhaled copious amounts of sulfurous, ex-egg fumes, Magnus was too frustrated and nauseous to attempt to cook again. This was, unfortunately, only one of the many problems he had already faced since Alec left the night before.

 

Shortly after Alec stepped through the portal on his way home, Magnus decided that a shower was in order. Navigating the snaps of his flannel sleep shirt with a broken wrist wrapped in a disabling brace was too difficult, so he made an attempt to take it off. He tugged on the edge of a Velcro strap to pull it up, but it wouldn't budge. He tried another. It wouldn't budge, either. He tried one more, meeting the same end result. He grabbed a nail file to shove in between the sides of the sticking fabric, but it refused to breach, and he tossed it aside in a huff. He searched for and found needle nose pliers, also failing to remove the straps with the tool as well. Magnus tried a table knife, a pair of scissors, a serrated knife, a box cutter, and a few various other sharp and benign objects to pry or cut away the brace before giving up in a frustrated heap of arms and legs on the bathroom floor next to the array of failed instruments.

 

Next, he attempted a few spells to remove the brace, but every try ended with something backfiring or the pain returning to his wrist, telling him that his magic was almost completely focused on his healing. Which, honestly, wasn't entirely a bad thing, but that meant that his brace was stuck in place until he was fully healed, however long that took. He gave up and tried to pull the top up and over his head instead, but the sleeve was tucked underneath the brace and got stuck on his arm. He flailed around on the floor, cursing in multiple languages, biting and pulling at the shirt with his teeth and using his feet to anchor the fabric down while he yanked it free from the brace. By the time he managed to escape, he was panting and coated in sweat, lying on his back with Chairman Meow booping his nose with his velvety little paw.

 

The shower took twice as long as usual, since his arm was wrapped in a plastic bag and useless, and tying that on was an ordeal in and of itself. When he made it to his bed, he only had the energy to pull on underwear and curl up underneath his covers, foregoing dinner altogether. His sleep came in fits and starts, unsatisfying little stints of rest between tosses and turns. Every time he rolled onto his broken wrist, Magnus jolted upright in a sting of pain. When he finally gave up on getting any useful sleep, it was an hour before his alarm was supposed to go off. He nearly threw his phone across the room.

 

He made an attempt to get dressed, a wonderfully failed attempt which nearly ended with a favored sweater being ruined in multiple ways. When he had pulled it on, the corners of the Velcro straps caught on the cashmere fibers, and when he had tried to pull it off again, the sleeve stuck to the brace. He almost set it on fire out of agitation while he painstakingly tweezed the sweater away from the brace, trying hard not to ruin the knit any more than it had already been. The pants he chose to wear didn't pan out, either, as the clasp at the waist couldn't be closed with one hand. The buttons on all of the other ones wouldn't have worked, either. He just gave up and threw on an old, faded-black cotton bathrobe over his underwear.

 

There was no way he was going to attempt to shave. There was a brief moment when he had thought about it, but he barely trusted himself with sharp objects with his dominant hand to begin with. There was absolutely no way that he was going to try to shave with his non-dominant hand. And, well, his hair was just a lost cause. His non-dominant hand was basically useless. His magic was useless. He was just a huge, useless mess who ended up curled up on his bed, crying, after he finished cleaning up the kitchen, stomach howling with nausea and hunger. There was no possible way that he could work, not like this. Chairman Meow tucked himself next to Magnus and kneaded his chest through the robe, his little claws catching on the fabric with each flexing motion. Church glared at the both of them from a chair in the corner of the room.

 

Magnus cried and cried, soaking his pillow with tears, until his phone vibrated next to him on the nightstand. He grabbed it and unlocked it, and a slow, gradual smile bloomed as he read the text on the screen from an unknown number.

 

Good morning 😊

 

That had to be Alec, right? No one else had ever texted that to him, ever. The most he had received were confirmations of appointments or chats with clients about their recent discussions. It had to be him, and the realization caused his heart to thud in his chest. The tears had dried on his cheeks, their tracks tugging tightly as his smile grew even wider.

 

Alexander? Is that you?

 

Yep! How are you?

 

It was him. It was Alec. Magnus' heart raced faster, his cheeks hot and pink. He sniffled with a little huff of a laugh.

 

Oh, hey

I've been better

 

Magnus nearly smacked himself in the face with an exasperated sigh. Straight to complaining, how romantic. He was so bad at this.

 

🙁 Wrist still hurting?

 

So sweet. How was Alec so fucking sweet?

 

Yeah, and I'm having trouble functioning

without it, and my magic

 

What do you mean?

 

Magnus might as well explain, since he started complaining already. 

 

Well, it's my dominant hand

And my magic is refusing to do anything

beyond healing it right now

Or it's causing chaos

So I'm not doing so well

 

I'm sorry ☹️ it's my fault

 

Too sweet. Unbearably sweet. Alec had no right to be so sweet and so hot. It was truly unfair.

 

Nonsense. It was an accident

 

Because of me

 

And me

But whatever

I'm going to cancel my appointments for

today

 

That bad?

 

Oh yeah. It's bad.

The brace won't come off no matter how

hard I try

I can't grip anything with it, and it

hurts if I put any pressure on it

I failed at making breakfast

I can't get myself presentable enough to

meet clients

So I'm just not going to work today

And it's not like I can really afford to

do that

 

"Shit! Shit shit shit!" Magnus dropped and smacked his phone against his forehead, wincing at the sudden pain, and scrambled to text back as quickly as possible. He really hadn't meant to say that. He felt so stupid.

 

Wait

Forget I said that

 

What? 

 

Nothing

I'm fine

Don't worry about me

 

Why couldn't texts be unsent? Why?

 

Magnus 🤨

 

I'M FINE

 

There was no reply after that. Magnus rolled over and buried his face in his pillow, then let out a few frustrated yells into it, kicking and punching the bed around him as he released each sound. Chairman Meow jumped up and dashed back over to him, meowing and tapping him with a paw. Magnus turned to face him, eyes stinging with tears, and was met with a little kitty forehead bonking right into his nose. "Hey, buddy. I'm okay. Don't worry." The Chairman chirped and continued to bonk Magnus in the face until he turned the rest of his body and wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you for the concern."

 

They cuddled like that for a long while until there was a knock on the door. Magnus bolted upright, The Chairman dashing away, and he grabbed his phone, checking the time. That had to be a client, right? Except, his first client wasn't supposed to be there for at least a couple more hours. If not a client, then who? "No, that can't be-!" He jumped out of bed and ran to the window, his heart fluttering when he saw Alec standing on his porch. "Oh my god. He's seriously here !" Magnus pulled his robe closed and tied it tight before he marched towards the door. He wasn't sure if he was going to greet and kiss him senseless or tell him off for being a stubborn bastard, but whatever he wanted to say never made it out of his mouth. He opened the door and stared at the beautiful man waiting for him.

 

Alec was wearing a slim fitted, two-piece charcoal gray suit, a black dress shirt, and a black and silver paisley necktie. He had sunglasses on, his hair perfectly swept to the side, and a black messenger bag slung across his torso. Everything about him just screamed professional and expensive, like he stepped out of an Armani ad only moments before showing up. He was just so beautiful , and Magnus couldn't help but gaze at him with a slack jaw. 

 

Alec grinned, probably very aware of the meltdown taking place inside Magnus' brain. "Good morning, Magnus." His voice was energetic and bright, as if he actually got a decent amount of sleep like a normal person, the jerk.

 

Magnus shook himself out of his little trance and cleared his throat. Now, there were two things Magnus had in mind to say to Alec. The first was "good morning," and the second was "what the fuck?" What came out of his mouth was neither of those phrases. "Good fuck?" He instantly cringed and covered his face with his uninjured hand, groaning in absolute dismay. "Goddammit," he grumbled. The chaotic sounds of the city perfectly reflected the state of his mind at that moment.

 

Alec burst with laughter, the skin around his eyes crinkling behind darkened lenses. "Good fuck to you, too. I guess?" His question curled up at the end, turning into a squeaky laugh as his fit continued. God, his laughter was so magical, and Magnus never wanted it to end.

 

"I didn't mean to say that! Ugh." Magnus rubbed his forehead, the ghost of a pain flaring from recently dropping his phone there, and sighed. "I meant to say 'good morning' and ask what the fuck you are doing here." A city bus growled down the street, coming to a stop with a hiss of its brakes when it approached a booth full of people just a short distance away. Magnus watched as each one boarded the steps, up and out of sight.

 

"I'm here to help you."

 

"I said I was fine. You don't have to worry about me, Alexander." Magnus knew it was pointless to try to convince him otherwise. Alec probably had packed everything up the moment Magnus let his issue slip. 

 

Alec's mouth tilted down at a corner as he lowered his voice. "You're not fine."

 

Magnus rolled his eyes. "How do you know that?"

 

"Well, for starters, you're not wearing pants. Your hair is a mess. You haven't shaved. You have something dark smudged on your face, and your eyes are red again." Alec pointed out each thing with his outstretched index finger. A bird in a nearby tree chirped, almost sounding like a mocking laughter. Magnus sneered in its general direction.

 

Magnus opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again, then closed it once more before he sighed and slowly shrugged, lifting one shoulder before the other. "So, it's been a rough morning. But I'll be fine. You should just go to work."

 

Alec furrowed his brows and looked thoroughly unconvinced. "I'm not going anywhere until you're okay."

 

Magnus crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. "We're playing this game again?"

 

"Yeah. And you're not going to win." Alec lifted his sunglasses to the top of his head, revealing little pink indents on the bridge of his nose and the tops of his cheeks. Magnus wanted to trace over each one with his lips, brushing over the lines on the way down to his lips, where he would capture his mouth, taste him with his tongue, pin him up against the nearest wall and-

 

Magnus shook himself out of his little daydream, again. "What about work?"

 

Alec tapped his messenger bag. "I have it with me. I can work out of the office."

 

Magnus grumbled, threw his hands up in resignation, and stepped out of the doorway. "Fine. Come in," he almost snapped, but softened the tone when he saw the bright smile lighting up Alec's face. He knew it was pointless to argue about this, since Alec was the most stubborn person he'd met in centuries.

 

Alec chuckled and walked inside, then instantly covered his nose and coughed, fighting off a gag. "What the hell is that smell ?" he asked, muffled by his fingers.

 

Magnus closed the door and turned to face a worried looking Alec. He picked at a loose thread on the cuff of his robe sleeve. "I, um, attempted to make myself some eggs. But when I tried to flip them, they flew out of the pan and right into the burner. Fire ensued." Magnus made a loose, flame-like gesture with his hand to emphasize his point.

 

Alec closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "Jesus Christ. Okay. That's first on the list." He kept his nose covered as he walked around, until he reached the living room and deposited his bag and sunglasses on the couch. "Windows. Open the windows." He waved to a couple as he made his way over to one, visibly holding his breath with puffed-out cheeks. When Alec turned to open the next one, with a lungful of fresh air, he found Magnus standing in the middle of the room, pouting. His eyes narrowed. "What? What's the matter?"

 

Magnus lifted his braced wrist slightly. "Can't. I've tried." He stared at the floor and shuffled a slippered foot back and forth against the hardwood floor, slumping his shoulders forward. "I'm useless right now."

 

Alec's eyes softened, and he walked the few steps over to Magnus and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close to his chest and kissing him on the top of his messy head. He probably smelled like his delicious, expensive-as-hell cologne, but Magnus couldn't tell, since he burned away his ability to smell along with his failed breakfast. "You're not useless. A little bit of a mess? Sure. But not useless."

 

Magnus wasn't sure why, but Alec's gesture made his heart positively ache , and he fought against the sting of tears in his eyes. He looked up towards Alec and softly smiled. "You're so sweet." He lost his fight against the tears when they streaked down his cheeks. "Dammit…" he muttered under his breath, averting his eyes to Alec's chest.

 

Alec reached a hand up and wiped away Magnus' tears with the pad of his thumb. "You're adorable. I'd totally kiss you right now if I wasn't only able to breathe through my mouth at the moment."

 

Magnus snorted wetly and pushed him away. "Okay! Okay. Keep going. I'll make some tea."

 

"See? Not useless." Alec winked and moved onto the next window. Magnus rolled his eyes and made his way into the kitchen.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! I love all of your comments! 🖤

I plan on making this at least a few chapters, but y'all know how my writing spirals out of control. We'll see 🤣

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Chapter 2: $2,000 Tissue

Summary:

Things get a bit emotional in the kitchen

Notes:

Hey!

Guess who made himself cry while writing this chapter? This guy 👉😭👈 And it's not even remotely the heaviest bit I have planned for this series. Whoo boy.

Speaking of which, I do plan on covering some darker, more emotional topics throughout the series. Just as a caution. I'll give ample warning, of course. Probably nothing too serious for this fic, but we'll see.

Anyway, please enjoy!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

After all of the possible windows were strategically opened, and a gentle breeze of hot, city air was wafting through the house, Alec and Magnus sat down at the kitchen table with a pot of phoenix oolong tea. The sounds of pedestrians and traffic were so loud it almost felt like there weren't any walls separating them from the street running just outside the house, so overwhelming that Magnus' head was starting to ache. He poured each of them a cup and sighed. "So, what's it going to take to make you leave?"

 

Alec scoffed playfully and tipped his chin up with a smirk. "Wow, you really don't want me here, do you?"

 

Magnus palmed his face and silently cursed himself. "That's not- I didn't mean to say it like that." He ran his fingers up his forehead and back through his hair before locking eyes with Alec again. "I meant, what will prove to you that I'm okay?"

 

"Here's what's going to happen." Alec shifted forward in his chair and set an elbow on the table, then pointed a finger straight into the air. "First, I'm going to make you some breakfast. While that is happening, you need to decide something."

 

"What?" Magnus' voice was timid in apprehension, a stark contrast to the giggling group of girls passing by the kitchen window.

 

Alec's finger curled back into his fist. "When's your first appointment?"

 

Magnus clicked his tongue and started to casually wave away his question. "Oh, don't worry about tha-"

 

"Magnus." 

 

"Alexander," Magnus snapped back, quite like a defiant teenager. He wasn't exactly proud of himself for that, and he turned his line of sight towards his cup as a flush threatened to color his skin.

 

Alec rolled his eyes and drummed his fingers on the table, his leg audibly bouncing underneath. "When's your first appointment?"

 

Magnus grumbled, the sounds outside grating on him, and the sounds inside only adding to the mounting pressure in his head. "At ten," he muttered through clenched teeth.

 

"Okay. You need to decide if you're going to work today, or if I'm going to cover all of your expenses for this month." Alec got up and started to rifle through the fridge, as if he didn't just drop a dizzying ultimatum. He pulled out the carton of eggs and some butter and arranged them next to the island range.

 

Magnus blinked rapidly in disbelief. "Um, excuse me? What did you just say?"

 

Alec tipped his head to the side, like he was shrugging without his shoulders. "You said you couldn't really afford to take the day off. And I know you've already reduced your appointment times, which means you're making even less money than normal." He smirked. "So, either you work today, or I'm going to pay for everything this month."

 

Magnus scrunched his face into a scowl. "I said I was fine! I am fine!" He slapped a palm onto the table, the contact stinging his flesh. He instantly regretted it.

 

"Magnus." Alec's voice was stern, unwavering. Arguing was seriously pointless with this man.

 

Magnus groaned and scrubbed his good, yet now aching, hand through his hair. "Well, I can't work like this !" He made a wide, sweeping gesture towards his body. "I'm the furthest thing from professional right now!"

 

"I'll take care of that after breakfast. How do you like your eggs?" 

 

Another city bus hissed its brakes, the diesel engine growling in place as it sat in traffic. The scent of the exhaust wafted inside, stinging Magnus' nose. At least his sense of smell was returning. "I don't know." Magnus crossed his arms and slumped further into his chair.

 

Alec shook his head with a huff. "You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?" Magnus shrugged. "How do you normally cook them?"

 

Magnus let his body curl further in on itself as he stared at the table. "I put them in the pan and hope for the best, usually."

 

Alec stared at Magnus with a bewildered expression and waited a beat before speaking. "So, what you're saying is that you're over four hundred years old, and you've never learned how to cook eggs properly?"

 

Magnus felt a heat crawl up from the base of his spine, flushing his face pink, and shrugged again. "Yes?"

 

Alec knit his brows together. "Do you know how to cook... anything?"

 

Magnus tilted his head in thought. "Well… I can put stuff on a sheet pan and follow the instructions. I can also boil water for noodles. And I'm pretty great with a microwave. But that's about it."

 

Alec narrowed his eyes. "How have you made it this far without knowing how to cook at all?"

 

"I've always had other people around to cook for me. After quite a few catastrophic attempts to make anything beyond the basics, and failing at the basics themselves, I kinda gave up. I had to survive on restaurants for a while until frozen dinners became a thing." Magnus grinned like a giddy child. "I love frozen dinners."

 

"Good lord." Alec covered his face with his hand, dragging his fingertips down slowly until his bottom lip sprang free, and sighed. "Okay. I'm going to teach you how to cook. Not today, obviously, but when you're recovered. Alright?"

 

"Sure." To be honest, the thought of Alec teaching him how to cook made Magnus' heart flutter in his chest. The close proximity, the hands-on direction, the deep voice and warm breath gracing Magnus' ears as Alec whispered praises right behind him… All of it sounded so sensual and exciting, and Magnus nearly blushed at his body's reaction to his little fantasy. He adjusted in his seat and crossed his legs as nonchalantly as possible, hoping Alec wouldn't notice.

 

"Okay." Alec cleared his throat. "Would you like some fried eggs? Or scrambled?"

 

Magnus stared at his cup and smiled sheepishly. "I always try for fried, but mine usually end up scrambled."

 

Alec shook his head and laughed. "I'll fry them. Sunny side up? Over easy? Medium? Hard?"

 

"I have no idea." Magnus really didn't know. He knew if eggs were raw or cooked, if they were whole or scrambled. Anything beyond that was a foreign concept for him.

 

Alec pinched the stick of butter and flipped it onto the counter a few times. Each sound felt like a stab in Magnus' brain. "Do you like runny yolks?"

 

"Sure, but just a little."

 

"Over medium it is." Alec rummaged through the cupboards and pulled out a frying pan, then paused with it hovering in mid air, hand still holding onto the cupboard door. "Hey, Magnus?"

 

"Yeah?" Magnus looked up from his cup and raised an eyebrow. A couple cars honked outside, the sounds distant through the window.

 

"I kinda have a personal question." Alec slowly closed the door with a creak of the old hinges, then stood up and turned to face Magnus.

 

"Go ahead." Magnus' other brow raised to match the first one.

 

Alec swallowed, his throat bobbing with slight apprehension. "If you don't know how to cook, then why is your kitchen so full of cookware and utensils?" Magnus blanched, his stomach feeling like it was falling into a pit. "I'm sorry, was that too-?"

 

Magnus waved away his question. "No, no. It's okay." He sighed. "When I bought this house, I bought it with my ex. She always cooked for me. She loved doing it, even though she couldn't really eat any of it. When she… left , my friends took over until they all went into hiding, one by one. It's been a long time since anyone has properly used my kitchen. I've since replaced cookware and appliances, you know, just in case." Just in case someone came into his life again, he didn't say out loud.

 

"Magnus, how long have you been alone?" Alec's voice softened, and he held the frying pan at his side and bounced the bottom of it against his leg while he awaited his answer. The muffled, metallic ring was still loud enough to be distracting.

 

Magnus closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. He stared down into his cup as he swirled the remaining tea, eyes following the dregs as they spiraled on the bottom. "I haven't had anyone beyond clients in my life since… since 1902. That's how long I've been alone." 

 

The pan was set roughly on the counter with a loud CLANG, and quick, steady footsteps approached Magnus before he looked up and saw Alec reaching for him and pulling him out of the chair. As soon as he was on his feet, Alec wrapped him in a tight embrace, and a tidal wave of emotions washed over him: sorrow, loneliness, anger, grief, and, surprisingly, relief . The scent of Alec's damn cologne, his body heat, the steady rhythm of his heart and lungs, the press of his fingertips between Magnus' shoulder blades and the middle of his back, everything about the man holding him firmly in his arms made Magnus feel safe, and soothed, and... cared for. Before he realized it, he was sobbing into Alec's chest.

 

Alec rocked Magnus and stroked his back and ran his fingers up and through his hair, whispering soft words that Magnus couldn't hear over his crying until he took in a deep, shaky breath. "You're not alone anymore, Magnus. I'm here now," Alec said, and Magnus sobbed even harder than before.

 

~~~

 

Alec continued to hold Magnus well past the end of his crying session, against his chest, his temple resting on Magnus' head. They swayed ever so slightly in place, weight shifting from hip to hip. Alec's hands were warm and soothing as he rubbed Magnus' back and shoulders, the pressure grounding.

 

Magnus sniffled. "Did you really mean that?" His voice was hoarse, rough from the multiple rounds of tears already had this morning.

 

"About not being alone?" When Magnus nodded, Alec continued. "Of course. Even if this… thing between us doesn't work out, I won't abandon you. I'll still be your friend."

 

Magnus breathed in as deeply as he could, which wasn't much at all. He tried to smell Alec's cologne, but he was congested, and he only managed to snort. A question sprung in his mind, one that he both wanted to ask and didn't want to know a definite answer to. "Is there a thing between us?" Insecurity gripped his voice as he nearly squeaked out his words.

 

Alec was silent for a moment before he started to speak. "I don't know. We haven't known each other that long. But, I think there might be something. And I want there to be something." His tone was bright and hopeful, just the way Magnus' heart was beginning to feel.

 

"Me, too." Magnus sniffled. "Besides, I don't think I could ever get rid of you no matter how hard I tried. You're a tiny bit stubborn." They both laughed, Magnus' being wet but light. He felt so much lighter now, like the crushing weight of his emotions was starting to be chipped away. Magnus pulled back just far enough so he could see Alec's face, and he noticed that his lashes were… wet? And his cheeks were slightly blotchy. Did he cry, too?

 

Alec cleared his throat and looked off to the side. "I should really get going on those eggs." 

 

"Right." Magnus took a couple steps backwards and sighed. He went to smooth down the lapels of Alec's blazer and grimaced when he felt a large wet spot, another pit in his stomach opening wide with realization. "I think I ruined your jacket," he croaked.

 

Alec chuckled. "That's okay."

 

The pit in Magnus' stomach widened, remembering just how expensive Alec's suit probably was. "No! Come on, it's expensive, isn't it? Like at least a couple hundred bucks, right?"

 

Alec snickered and shook his head. "Um, add a zero to that."

 

Magnus froze, his heart nearly stuttering to a stop in his chest. Mouth dry, he swallowed thickly and with a click in his throat. "I- I- I just used your suit as a $2,000 tissue ? Oh my fucking god!" He covered his eyes and started breathing rapidly. "I'm so sorry! I- I'll pay for it." Somehow. He really didn't have the money to spare, but he'd make it work… somehow.

 

"Magnus, it's fine." Alec's eyes were soft as he gazed down at Magnus.

 

"No, it's not!" Magnus felt like his chest was being crushed, like the edges of his vision were blurring. 

 

Alec grabbed both of Magnus' cheeks in his hands and looked directly into his eyes. "Magnus, I don't care. Really. You could set it on fire, or shred it to pieces, which are both very real possibilities around here, but I still wouldn't care. If using my Armani jacket as a tissue helps you, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I just want you to be happy."

 

Magnus' heart ached at that, and another round of tears started to brew. "Why are you so sweet?" Alec smiled and pressed his lips against Magnus', then to his forehead, before releasing his hold and backing away. He got to work on cooking the eggs while Magnus took his seat again. The warlock suddenly chuckled to himself when he remembered something.

 

"What are you giggling about?" Alec looked up from the pan where a tab of butter was melting.

 

Magnus smirked. "I was right."

 

"About what?" Alec mirrored his smirk, only looking a million times more beautiful than Magnus ever could.

 

Magnus continued to smile, but stared at his empty cup. "When you showed up earlier, I thought you looked like an Armani model."

 

Alec laughed boisterously and cracked an egg into the hot, buttered pan, the egg sizzling on contact. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"

 

Magnus hadn't. He couldn't wrap his mind around the concept of working while in his current state of disarray. "How can I work like this?"

 

"I told you, I'll help get you ready." Alec cracked another egg into the pan.

 

Magnus tilted his head back a little and crossed his arms. "Really? How so?"

 

"I'll help you get dressed, shave, do your hair, and set up whatever you need." Alec searched through a drawer for a spatula and held one up in triumph once he found it.

 

Magnus scoffed. "You're going to dress me? Like a child?"

 

Alec chuckled and prodded at the edges of the eggs. "No, I'll help you. I know you're not helpless. You just need a little assistance."

 

Magnus' mind still refused to accept the offer and scrambled for another excuse. "But, what if my magic acts up again? I can't predict what it's going to do. I don't want to freak out and hurt a client."

 

"I'll be here. If you need me to help you calm down, just call my name." 

 

Magnus knit his brows together. "All day?"

 

"All day." Alec smiled. "I promise."

 

Magnus' brows lifted in concern. "But, what about your work?"

 

Alec waved the spatula in a casual gesture before sliding it under one egg. He flipped it effortlessly. "I'll be fine. I don't have any meetings today, so I can drop what I'm doing at any time."

 

Magnus stared down at his lap and breathed deeply. His voice was quiet when he spoke again. "... Okay."

 

"Okay?" Alec looked up after flipping the second egg.


"I'll work. I'll try to work," Magnus clarified. Alec grinned.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! I love all of your comments!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Chapter 3: Giggles

Summary:

Magnus gets dressed awkwardly with lots of giggling

Notes:

Hey!

It feels really good to get back into writing again! I'm currently working on both series, and I have loads of content waiting to be posted! I just have to get my butt in gear and work on stuff in order, which is quite a struggle for me. 🤣

This chapter is a little cute, a little silly, and a bit angsty. Because you know how much I love my angst 😬😉 It's nothing too bad, I swear!

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Magnus ate his eggs, which were perfectly cooked and not even the slightest bit burnt, a couple slices of toast with strawberry jam, and reluctantly downed a glass of the gross electrolyte water after Alec insisted on it. Alec cleaned up the kitchen while Magnus went off to pick out his outfit for the day, again. The window in the bedroom refused to open, probably because he hadn't tried to open it since he moved in, so at least the onslaught of sounds and smells was dampened in there. He opened up his sad little closet and stared at his sad little assortment of clothes. It was all so drab, and old, and he was quite embarrassed to show Alec any of it, knowing that he probably had a gorgeous wardrobe at home, full of so many different fabrics and colors and patterns, and it was all probably worth more than everything in Magnus' house combined.

 

The instant sensation of strong arms wrapping around his waist and warm lips against the back of his neck caused Magnus to startle and yelp, and the closet door slammed shut all on its own. Both Church and Chairman Meow darted out of the room, quickly woken up from their comfy little naps on the corner of the bed. Magnus' heart throbbed wildly in his throat.

 

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you," Alec nearly whispered, and he attempted to back away, but Magnus grabbed his arms and held him firmly in place.

 

"It's…" Magnus shook his head briskly and groaned. "Sorry, I just startle easily."

 

"Don't apologize. Are you okay?" Alec's voice was soft and soothing as he rested his chin on Magnus' shoulder.

 

Magnus swallowed thickly and nodded. "Sudden stuff from behind like that usually scares me. But I'm okay."

 

"Alright. I'll try to remember that. Now, did you close the door on purpose?" Magnus shook his head. "Your magic?" Magnus nodded. "Ah. Got it." After giving his neck a little nuzzle, which Magnus giggled at, Alec stepped away and moved to open the door, but it wouldn't budge as his hand twisted at the brass knob. "Magnus?"

 

Magnus held both of his palms out in defense. "I'm not holding it closed. I swear."

 

Alec eyed him for a moment, then pointed to the bed. "Sit." Magnus opened his mouth to argue, but snapped it shut and followed his instructions, sitting on the edge with his hands fidgeting in his lap. He was joined shortly after by Alec, who took both of his hands in his own as they turned to face each other. "Breathe."

 

Magnus hadn't realized that he was nearly panting, or that he was shaking rather violently. He nodded, then closed his eyes and started on a cycle of a deep breath in through his nose, then a slow exhale through his mouth, repeating it until his breathing evened out. Alec held and stroked his hands the entire time, squeezing at random intervals to remind him that he was there. When Magnus finally calmed down, he opened his eyes and found Alec gazing back at him with warmth and a little worry. "I'm okay, Alexander."

 

"Are you sure?" Alec knit his brows together.

 

"Yes. I'm sure. Thank you." Magnus let the corner of his mouth tip up as he glanced down at their joined hands and allowed his eyes to sweep over Alec's body. He had removed his jacket at some point before joining him in the bedroom, and his shirt was fitted in all of the right places, his muscles on display beneath his sleeves.

 

"You get panicky pretty often, huh?" Alec pursed his lips in concern as his eyes searched Magnus' face.

 

"Actually, no. It hasn't happened in years. But I also didn't allow anything new or exciting into my life for the longest time, so it's to be expected." Magnus flicked his eyes up to Alec's for a moment and fought off a blush.

 

"I'm exciting?" Alec smirked in the smuggest fashion Magnus had ever seen.

 

"Clearly." They both giggled, and Alec kissed the back of Magnus' hands before getting up and attempting to open the closet door again. It worked, and he slowly swung it open to reveal the oldest, blandest clothes in New York City.

 

"Well, I was right when I said that you could use a little color in your wardrobe." Alec rifled through the hangers, shifting them down the rod one-by-one, pulling out individual shirts and sweaters for inspection.

 

"It really has been a while since I've bought anything. I think the last time I bought clothing was for a wedding back in 2002. That suit, the one I wore to your party." Magnus pointed to the suit on the hanger that Alec pulled out to look over. "It was for a client's wedding. He attributed the success of his relationship to my guidance and had me in his wedding party."

 

"It's a very nice suit. And probably the most colorful thing in here. Besides that YSL shirt you were wearing on Saturday." Alec peered around the room and saw the sleeve of the shirt flopped over the edge of the hamper.

 

"Oh, yeah, that thing." Magnus picked at a loose thread from the robe on his lap, worrying it between his fingernails.

 

"How did you get that, by the way?" Alec chuckled. "You never explained it."

 

"Uh, well, I'm pretty sure my magic… stole it?" Magnus' statement curled into a question as he shrugged warily.

 

Alec huffed out a short, surprised laugh. "What?"

 

"It was a bit out of control, if you can recall." As if it wasn't still. "The shirt just showed up when you did. And I have no idea where it came from, so I can't exactly return it…" Magnus let his voice trail off while anxious guilt roiled in his gut. There really wasn't anything he could do about it, but that didn't stop his body from reacting the way it did.

 

"Naughty Kitty!" Alec burst out into laughter.

 

Magnus blinked rapidly in confusion and tilted his head to the side. "Excuse me? What?"

 

Alec snickered. "That's what I'm calling your magic. When I first came over, and you offered me tea, you blamed the noise in the kitchen on one of your two cats. What you didn't know was that shortly afterwards, they both walked into the room from the opposite direction of the kitchen. And, when I was getting a fork from the kitchen during dinner, and you said you were talking to a kitty, I passed by the living room on my way back to the parlor and saw them both asleep on the couch. So, therefore, I'm calling your magic Kitty."

 

Magnus sat on the edge of the bed, stunned, slack-jawed, and silent, until a snort bubbled up and escaped. "Oh my god…" He couldn't decide what he really thought about the whole thing at the moment, so he just let himself chuckle. Alec soon joined in.

 

After a moment of shared laughter, Alec pulled out a pair of black slacks and a tan button down shirt, and a black, chunky-knit cardigan after Magnus' insistence. He draped them all over one arm. "You don't have a single short-sleeved top, do you?"

 

Magnus shook his head. "No, I don't."

 

"Why not?" Alec raised a curious brow.

 

"I don't like to show off my body. I like being covered in layers." Magnus crossed his arms and hugged his torso, feeling a wave of self-consciousness overcome him.

 

Alec narrowed his eyes. "But, Magnus, it's the middle of August. Surely you can't survive the heat with all of this fabric on you...?" He waved generally to the garments.

 

"I never leave the house, and I always have the air conditioning on. I'm always comfortable." 

 

"Okay, we're definitely going to revisit that subject later." Alec shook his head and motioned for Magnus to stand. "Alright, drop the robe."

 

Ice struck Magnus' heart and rushed through his veins, freezing him in place on the bed. His breath hitched in his chest as a blush crept across his face. "I, uh…"

 

Alec's small smile faded as he realized Magnus wasn't moving. "What? What's wrong?"

 

Magnus clenched his teeth and his fists, at least as far as he could with the broken wrist. "I can't."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I… I don't. I can't. I just- I don't want you to-" Magnus groaned and covered his eyes. He was so unbelievably self-conscious that it was almost crippling. He knew he had a toned, fit body, and that he could possibly be considered attractive by some, but his mind repeatedly replayed the comments and beratements he had received throughout his life. Too dark, too scrawny, too weak, weird mannerisms, weird accent, weird features, ugly face, ugly voice, ugly eyes, ugly eyes, ugly eyes … Thank god his true eyes were still gone.

 

"You don't want me to see your body?" Magnus slowly shook his head, eyes still shielded. "I've already seen your upper body, Magnus, and it was beautiful." 

 

Magnus choked on his spit and blushed even deeper. "I, uh, forgot about that. I didn't really intend for you to see that." 

 

Alec smirked, eyes sparking with a glint of flirtation. "I thought you were just trying to impress me."

 

"I- I panicked. I didn't have time to put something on, and I didn't want you to leave. I had to speak to you again." Magnus was now a deep cherry red, his throat working hard with each swallow.

 

"Awe…" Alec beamed. He brushed a thumb over Magnus' cheekbone, unintentionally smearing the soot of his failed breakfast across his skin even further. "So, you're really that uncomfortable with me seeing you?" Magnus nodded, staring down at his cotton-covered lap, feeling his skin slightly begin to cool again. "Alright. I'll keep my eyes closed. You can even blindfold me if that'll make you feel better. I'll just be a helpful pair of hands for you." He squinted his eyes shut and wiggled his fingers in the air.

 

"You'd really do that?" Magnus looked up at Alec with a soft smile.

 

"Of course." Alec returned the expression.

 

"But, um, I have a problem with, the, uh, button. On my pants. What if I need to, you know…?" Magnus motioned to the ensuite and cleared his throat. "I don't want to have to bug you each time I need to use the bathroom."

 

"Oh! Give me a sec." Alec tossed the clothes onto the bed and dashed out of the room. Sounds of drawers opening and rustling around emanated from the kitchen before he returned, a rubber band pinched between his fingers held high in victory. "This should help!" He pulled the slacks off the hanger and looped the band through the buttonhole, pulling it tightly through itself to secure it in place.

 

"And what about the buttons on my shirt? When I want to take it off later?"

 

"I'll be here to help you remove it." Alec smirked. Magnus' mind raced with thoughts about all of the ways he would remove it, the situations that called for it, the touches and sounds and sensations and movements and, oh , the things he wanted to do with his- Magnus shook himself out of his hot little daydream, the fire building inside quickly melting the ice in his veins. If he didn't calm down, the whole blind-dressing fiasco would get a hell of a lot more awkward than it was already destined to be. "Don't worry, Magnus. I'm not going to just leave you to fend for yourself. I'll get you set up for tonight before I leave."

 

"Will you stay for dinner?" The words escaped Magnus' mouth before his mind could even process the thought. He, thankfully, agreed with the question his body so easily blurted out.

 

"I'll make you dinner, are you kidding?" They both laughed until the sounds died down and they were left staring into each other's eyes. Alec sighed. "Now, do you want me blindfolded?"

 

"No, I trust you." Alec beamed again. "Just no, uh, groping." As much as Magnus' body was aching for that kind of touch, his mind was right. "Go slow. There's something here," it was nearly chanting, "Don't fuck this up."

 

"I can't make any promises. There's going to be at least a little accidental groping if I can't see what I'm doing. But I'll try to keep it at a minimum." Alec winked and chuckled, then grabbed the waistband of the slacks and pulled them open. He dropped to his knees, set his face towards the floor, and screwed his eyes closed.

 

And, so, they began the extremely awkward process of blindly dressing Magnus up. Magnus unceremoniously dropped his robe and stepped into each leg, bracing himself on Alec's shoulders as he moved. Alec breathed in sharply at the first contact, then giggled when Magnus accidentally tickled his neck with his fingertips. Magnus giggled when Alec accidentally tickled his thighs as he brushed the fabric gently against his skin on the way up. They took turns giggling, shared giggles, giggled when Magnus offered his hands to Alec to help him stand and realized that he couldn't see them. Giggled when he finally got ahold of his hands and pulled him upright, only to have Alec lose his balance and nearly topple the both of them over and onto the bed. Giggled when they righted themselves and their hands were on each other, and only Magnus could see what was happening, and he also saw the blush glowing on Alec's gorgeous face. Giggled when the silence in the space between them turned from awkward to the sounds of their increasing breaths, the sound of Magnus' heart thundering in his ears. The giggles trailed off, the sounds of breathing and heartbeats rose, and Magnus cleared his throat to break the palpable tension growing between them.

 

Alec removed his hands from Magnus, and Magnus pulled the shirt off of the hanger and carefully placed it in Alec's grasp. It took a moment for him to orient the shirt in the correct way, opening it up so Magnus could slide his arms into the sleeves. The one with the brace got stuck before it could breach the cuff, and Alec had to fumble sightlessly to unbutton it, brushing his fingers against Magnus' with a delicate, uncertain touch. Even just that simple action had Magnus' heart racing again. Good lord, he was a goner for this man.

 

After deftly fastening the buttons of Magnus' shirt, with some direction, Alec opened his eyes and slipped his hands inside the waistband of Magnus' slacks, tucking in the tails of the fabric, brushing against the flesh of his hips and ass with presumably innocent touches. Magnus couldn't tell for sure, as he absolutely refused to look Alec in the face. He could hear his hot little fantasy world calling to him like a siren's song, begging him to plunge right back in and get himself riled up again, but he resisted the temptation. It would have been so easy to start thinking about where he'd really like those hands to be, where he'd like to place his lips, where Alec could- He resisted the temptation , reluctantly, and bit his bottom lip as Alec pulled the zipper of his fly closed and stretched the rubber band over the button.

 

"See if you can navigate that yourself." Alec motioned to Magnus' button, and Magnus easily undid and redid the fastening he had come up with. "Good. Okay. Let's get you cleaned up now, shall we?"

 

"But, my sweater…?" Even though he was covered, from shoulders to ankles (they hadn't made it to socks and shoes quite yet), he was feeling rather naked still without his extra layer of protection. His fabric armor.

 

Alec stroked his hands up and down Magnus' arms softly. "Right afterwards. I promise." Magnus couldn't comprehend the reasons why he couldn't wear it right at that moment, so he just nodded and led Alec into the ensuite.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Chapter 4: Pain and Praise

Summary:

The boys are soft in the bathroom

Notes:

Hello!

So, uh, guess who has a kidney stone and infection? Yeah, this guy! 😖 It's just one thing after another, I swear. I've been in and out of the ER for excruciating pain and the worst nausea of my life. It was really hard to write, but I managed to crank this out for y'all!

This chapter is all over the place with fluff, softness, super emotional stuff, and quite a bit of angst. And, as I warned before, some pretty serious and heavy stuff is going to happen in this series. This chapter has mentions of childhood abuse/abusive parent, alcohol abuse, implied homophobia, and past character death. I will update the tags with each chapter, so please check them out before continuing if you are triggered by serious things like that. Things don't get too deep or detailed, but it's still in there. If I forget to tag something, PLEASE let me know so I can fix it!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

The bathroom window was cracked open an inch after the men entered the smaller room. The sun was shining outside, but not directly in, so it wasn't overly bright inside the room even after the lights were flicked on. The window faced a quiet alley, the view of another brick building directly across the way peering through the old, warped panes. Sounds of the street were distant and muffled, much to Magnus' delight, as he took his seat atop the toilet. The room smelled like the spicy and comforting scents of his products, helping him to ease the slowly growing discomfort building inside his core.

 

Alec stared at the chaotic array of items on the floor and scratched the back of his head. "What the hell is all of this?" He waved his hand towards the items in question.

 

"My failed attempts to remove the brace." Magnus sheepishly smiled at his lap and worried at the corner of one of the Velcro straps with his nails. He crossed his ankles and wiggled his toes. "It was quite the ordeal." 

 

Alec picked up the serrated bread knife and held it by the handle with wary fingers and knit brows. "Were you trying to saw it off?"

 

Magnus shrugged, his grin growing by the second as he recalled the ridiculous situation. "That was a last resort. It obviously didn't work." 

 

"You could have hurt yourself!" Alec narrowed his eyes.

 

"I'm already hurt, in case you forgot!" Magnus held his wrist up and pointed at it, trying to hold in his laughter as it threatened to breach the surface. "At least my cuts heal faster!" 

 

Alec shook his head and chuckled, picking up the pile of items off the floor. "I'll be right back." He left the room and returned a moment later with a kitchen chair and a couple towels and washcloths. He motioned for Magnus to take a seat after he placed the chair in front of the sink. He tucked one towel into the collar of his shirt like a bib and placed the other one on his lap, then he plugged the sink and turned on the tap, the hot water vapor rising to steam up the bottom of the mirror. "Where's your razor and cream?" Alec had a hand on the knob of the medicine cabinet and twisted it, trying in vain to tighten the worn hardware. Magnus pointed to a couple separate locations and Alec followed, pulling each item out and holding them out for confirmation. Magnus nodded, and Alec set down the supplies next to the sink, the canister of cream clanking on the cream-colored marble countertop as it settled. "You know, I kinda like the little goatee you have going on."

 

Magnus wrinkled his nose. "I don't."

 

Alec tipped a single shoulder upwards. "If you ever decide to leave it, I wouldn't be opposed." He winked. He soaked a washcloth in the warm water and wrung it out before carefully placing it on Magnus' chin. They sat in near silence for a couple minutes while Magnus absorbed the warm moisture before Alec removed the cloth. He sprayed a pile of shaving cream into his palm, the scent of it filling the atmosphere with a sharp, spicy aroma. He worked it onto both of his hands before rubbing it onto Magnus' face in a thin layer.

 

"Have you ever shaved someone else before?" Magnus asked, basking in the soothing touches of Alec's large hands.

 

Alec froze his movements for a moment before slowly nodding, then continued. "I have. My brother. I taught him how." He rinsed his hands off and picked up the razor, which had been soaking in the water.

 

"Oh. Isn't that what dads are supposed to do?" Not that Magnus would know, since both of his fathers hadn't been around for that time in his life. Not like Asmodeus would even consider doing it in the first place, the bastard. Magnus was only a tool for him, and nothing more. Familial bonding be damned.

 

"Hah, yeah," Alec laughed humorlessly. "But there were two missing fathers during the whole situation, and I had to step up and do it myself." He gingerly pulled Magnus' skin taught with one hand and swept the razor over his stubble in a gentle motion with the other. He rinsed off the razor with a couple taps in the water and returned for another swipe.

 

"Oh… You have two dads? Stepfather?" Was it a coincidence?

 

Alec continued the pattern of swipe and rinse, carving away the stubble around Magnus' chin and working his way up to his lips, Magnus tilting his head as needed. Magnus couldn't help but gaze at the gorgeous man so close to his face, his hazel eyes fixed in concentration, and the tip of his tongue peeking out between his lips. Too beautiful for words, really. "No. My brother was adopted. His parents died in a house fire, and we took him in. They were close family friends."

 

Not a coincidence. "Ah. That's… really sweet of you guys to do that."

 

"And my dad-" Alec closed his eyes and growled low in his throat, the razor suspended in motion above Magnus' lips.

 

"You don't have to tell me, Alexander, if it's too personal."

 

"No, it's fine." Alec waved away Magnus' concern. "My dad is an ass. Like, a huge ass. When he suddenly got violent, my mom took us and left. He wanted nothing to do with us until I got a bit older, but then he found out I was gay and ghosted us entirely."

 

"Wow. What an asshole." Magnus knew all too well about asshole fathers. Something they could bond over, possibly?

 

"Yeah, right?" Alec released another humorless laugh.

 

"Why did he suddenly get violent?" Magnus regretted his question the instant he asked. It was too invasive, and he was kicking himself for asking it.

 

Alec nearly dropped the razor and fumbled to keep it in his hand. "Oh. Uh…" His eyes darted from Magnus' to the side a few times before he released a deep sigh.

 

Magnus gritted his teeth and shook his head. "Sorry. Don't answer that. I'm too nosy."

 

"No. I don't mind. I just haven't talked about it in a long time, and you're going to find out about it sooner or later. It's fine." Alec took a few deep breaths. "My little brother, Max… He, uh, he was killed in a hit-and-run when he was nine." Magnus gasped and held his good hand over his chest, and Alec nodded, clearing his throat to continue. "My dad started drinking heavily after that, which is when he started having violent outbursts. He was verbally abusive, and he slammed doors and broke things, but he never hit any of us. Well, he hit my mom, once, and I pulled a knife on him, and then my mom left with us right after the cops got there." Alec was visibly shaking, the wet razor dribbling onto the towel on Magnus' lap with each spasm, and his nostrils flared with every breath.

 

Magnus' heart was shattered into a million little pieces as he pulled the razor out of Alec's hand and set it aside on the vanity. He clasped his fingers around his hand and squeezed, not knowing what else to do. He couldn't hug him, lest he get shaving cream all over his stupidly expensive clothes and ruin them even further. "Alexander, I'm so sorry. I- I honestly don't know what else to say." Magnus stroked his thumbs over Alec's hand. "That's so much trauma, and nobody should ever have to go through any of that." Said the man with his own mountain of issues. They could be addressed another day. Or year. Or century. Or never.

 

Alec's face softened. "Thank you. But, really, I'm okay. I've gone through therapy, and so has the rest of my family. We're not anywhere near perfect, but that's to be expected."

 

"Thank you for sharing all of that with me. For trusting me." Magnus stuck his lips out as far as possible and kissed the back of Alec's hand, careful not to smear what was left of the shaving cream onto his skin. "You're pretty spectacular, you know?"

 

Alec huffed out a surprised laugh. "What? Me ?"

 

"Yes, you ! For dealing with all of that, for graduating from highschool and college early, for running the damn Institute , for being this incredible and sweet and intelligent man you are today. You're spectacular, Alexander. You're so strong ." Magnus gave Alec's hands a sturdy shake to emphasize his words.

 

"You barely even know me." Alec looked down and away from Magnus, his shoulders curling in, his bottom lip between his teeth.

 

"What I know, I like. And if the rest of you is even half as awesome as what I know right now, I'm going to want you even more than I already do." Magnus smirked. He was proud of himself for the smooth delivery of his message, prouder still when he saw Alec's reaction.

 

Alec's eyes widened with the cutest little blush Magnus had ever seen, his posture straightening. "Oh." A smile began to bloom across his lips, brightening up his phenomenal face.

 

"How much do you have left?" Magnus gazed up at Alec, studying his sweet smile and the crinkles around his eyes, taking in every feature like he was viewing a work of art. Which, honestly, he was.

 

"Just a couple more swipes, I think. Why?" Alec's paper-white complexion slowly faded back to normal as he picked up the razor again.

 

Magnus took a deep breath in. If Alec was going to be all cute and bashful, then he was going to be bold for once. "Because I really want to kiss you right now."

 

Alec fumbled the razor onto the counter and audibly gulped. "O-oh." His blush returned with a shy smile.

 

Magnus couldn't help but grin at Alec's reaction to his words. Mr. Cool and Confident and Assertive was being shy and adorable, and Magnus had no idea how to handle any of it beyond kissing him senseless. He curled his toes in anticipation, and he waited until Alec finished and wiped his face clean with a washcloth. The moment his face was done being pat dry, Magnus removed the towels, touched his chin, and stood, checking out the finished product in the mirror. He turned to Alec and placed his good hand on his chest as he walked him back into the opposite wall. Alec gasped when he made contact, eyes ablaze and focused solely on Magnus', tongue darting out to stroke over his lips. "You did a wonderful job, Mr. Lightwood," Magnus whispered, as he slung his arms around Alec's neck and pulled him closer.

 

Alec continued to blush, his smile grew, lopsided, unpracticed, and genuine, and his breathing quickened as their noses brushed. "Uh, thank you." He wrapped his arms around Magnus' waist and brought them chest to chest. His cologne was as intoxicating as ever as Magnus drew closer still.

 

Magnus' eyes flicked between Alec's eyes and lips before he closed the distance and pressed them together. There wasn't any heat behind the contact; that wasn't the point of the gesture. He didn't want to jump right into a hot makeout session after Alec just unloaded about his dead brother and abusive father, which would have been all sorts of inappropriate. No, what Magnus wanted to convey was care, comfort, and gratitude. He spoke through the soft and slow presses of their lips, the fingertips carding through the hair at the nape of Alec's neck, the gentle pressure of their chests against one another, the little moans and sighs he couldn't help but release, and the touch of their foreheads as they slowly separated and drew in deep breaths. They both opened their eyes after a beat and grinned, heads still in tender contact. "You're welcome."

 

Alec giggled and brought a hand to Magnus' face, his thumb brushing over the freshly shaved skin of his jaw. "Wow…" He gazed into Magnus' eyes for a moment before speaking again. "God, Magnus, you're so beautiful ."

 

Magnus froze, that familiar ice coursing through his veins once again. He heard Alec say those words before, and he believed that he truly meant it, but the haunting remarks from the awful people in his past drowned out any compliment he received. He shook his head and tried to back away, but Alec refused to let him move by tightening his hold on Magnus' waist. Magnus just stared at the floor instead. "Alec…"

 

"Magnus, I'm serious. You're beautiful, and handsome, and gorgeous, and unbelievably sexy. I'm not lying about it. I'd never lie about how attractive you are. I know you probably don't believe me, but I hope someday you'll understand what I'm saying." Alec's voice was twinged with a little pain, as if it hurt him to see Magnus struggle with his issues. Maybe it actually did.

 

Alec's words stung. Of course he believed him! He may not have known this man long, but he already trusted him. They already established that. He just couldn't see what Alec saw, no matter how desperately he wanted to. His brain just refused to accept anything of the sort as fact. The best thing he could do, he figured, was to at least try to see Alec's point of view. He knew it wouldn't be anywhere near easy, but Alec deserved the effort. Magnus took in a deep breath and released it slowly, nodding towards the end of it. He still couldn't meet Alec's eyes. "Okay."

 

"Okay?" Alec brushed his fingertips over Magnus' cheekbone and then through his unruly hair. Magnus leaned into the touch, fighting off the pricking sensations in the corners of his eyes.

 

Magnus glanced up a few times to meet Alec's gaze, but quickly reverted back to the floor, the intensity of his stare being too much to handle. "Okay. I believe you. I know you think all of that about me. I don't see it, but I'll try. I'll work on it. Just be patient with me, alright?" Tears were welling now, and Magnus was slowly losing the battle against them.

 

Alec's response came in the form of a tight hug, his hands landing between Magnus' shoulder blades and the small of his back. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec, too, and he tucked his face into the crook of his neck, breathing in that phenomenal cologne, melting into his embrace. He curled his fingers around the perfectly-ironed fabric of Alec's shirt as tears finally slipped from his eyes, and the ice thawed in his veins. A tiny surge of his previous boldness resurfaced, which gave him the courage to kiss Alec softly on his pulse point. Alec released an affectionate moan and held Magnus even tighter than before, his fingertips tracing small circles on Magnus' back. They swayed ever so slightly as their weight shifted from hip to hip in tandem.

 

"Alexander?" Magnus whispered, followed by a sniffle.

 

"Yes?" Alec whispered back.

 

"I have a request."

 

"Go on."

 

"Can we put the super emotional stuff on hold for now? We can pick it up later when I don't have to deal with other people. I'd rather not be all red and puffy when my clients get here."

 

Alec shrugged. "I guess that's fair."

 

Magnus scoffed. "You guess ?" 

 

But, again, Alec's response wasn't spoken through words. He moved slightly, just enough so that his lips made contact with Magnus' cheek, and he peppered him with little kisses until Magnus was on the verge of snorting with laughter. Magnus playfully pushed away and continued to giggle, noticing that Alec was laughing, too, when he looked back over to him. And, wow , was that smile and that laugh just the most amazing thing, ever. It was perfect . He wanted to bottle up this moment and savor it for the rest of his eternal life.

 

It was then that Magnus realized something: he wasn't just attracted to Alec for his looks or his charm or his stupidly expensive clothes. No, this man was a beautiful human, inside and out. He was so caring, and nurturing, and affectionate, and he had so much love to give. And Magnus wanted that love. He wanted him . His mind was right: there was something there between them. He couldn't call it "love" just yet, as that took time and effort to develop, but feelings were steadily brewing. It was so exciting and terrifying all at once, but Magnus was ready for the start of something new and promising.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Comments and kudos mean a whole lot to me as a writer, and I read and try to respond to each and every one! Just know that they always make my day 😊

As a heads up, I made a timeline for the series, and I discovered that I have around 13 fics in total written/planned for it! It could change, as we all know just how much my writing spirals, but that's the plan so far. I'm seriously intimidating myself with the amount of work ahead of me, so if you really like what I have going on so far, maybe send a little encouragement my way?

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Chapter 5: Comfort Zone

Summary:

A little sweet, a tiny bit spicy, and a whole lotta angst that nobody asked for 😬

Notes:

Hello hello!

So, uh, kidney stones suck. And they take forever to pass. Mine's on the move, thankfully, but it's definitely wreaking havok on its journey 😖 I just hope it passes by my birthday next week, but that's sounding pretty unlikely. Sigh.

I apologize in advance for what happens in this chapter. You'll see. 😬

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

"No!" Magnus shook his head vigorously as he plopped down onto the chair again, crossing one leg over his knee. Alec's suggestion was just absurd . Ludicrous.

 

Alec ruffled Magnus' hair and chuckled, his smile bright and gorgeous and playful. "Awe, come on! It'll be cute!"

 

Magnus crossed his arms and huffed, giving Alec a stern scowl. "Absolutely not! There is no way you are styling my hair like that !" That being basically anything beyond his signature look: slicked flat and to the side. Nuh uh. Not happening. That's light-years out of his comfort zone. 

 

"Okay, okay! Fine! What about if I just style it my way first, then style it your way afterwards?"

 

"Not today." Magnus furrowed his brows further and bobbed his leg impatiently.

 

"Not today. Alright. Maybe later this week?" Alec pouted his lips and batted his pretty lashes. Dammit.

 

"... Maybe. Big maybe." Fuck, this guy was persuasive . Either that, or Magnus was a huge pushover. He was probably a pushover. No, he was definitely a pushover. Especially for someone who looked like a real life Greek god.

 

"Awesome." Alec had the smuggest smirk on his face, like he had just won a prize. It was infuriating and adorable all at the same time.

 

"My styling cream is in the medicine cabinet." Magnus gestured towards it with another little moody huff. Alec's adorableness wasn't going to be enough to instantly switch his mood, no matter how cute he was.

 

Alec opened the cabinet and began his search for the cream, amusement tipping up the corners of his lips. "What's it called?"

 

"Groom and Clean. It's in a tube."

 

"A tube?" Alec located it and pulled it out, staring intently at the label. "I've never heard of this stuff."

 

"It's an older product, from the Nineteen Sixties, I think. I don't quite remember. But it does what I need it to do." Magnus shrugged. It wasn't a top-of-the-line product like Alec probably used, but it was steady and reliable, which was exactly what Magnus needed in his life.

 

"Huh. Interesting. And they still make it?" Magnus nodded. "Cool."

 

Magnus crinkled his nose. "At least it's not Brylcreem. That shit was ridiculously hard to get out of my hair."

 

"Brylcreem?"

 

"Even older than Groom and Clean. It's made of mineral oil and beeswax. From the Twenties, I believe. That might still be around, too. But I'm not going anywhere near it ever again." Magnus shuddered, remembering the grease fire hazard that used to be his coiffure.

 

"Wow." Alec grinned, apparently entertained by his history lesson. "Alright, so how do I use it?" He twisted off the cap and gave it a sniff, his grin widening. "It smells…" Alec took another whiff. "It smells like…"

 

"A grandpa?" Magnus suggested, expecting the jest, and rolled his eyes.

 

"Maybe. I was going to say nostalgic. But grandpa works, too." Alec scrunched his face and laughed.

 

"Great." Magnus rolled his eyes even harder, mad that he set himself up for that jab.

 

"I like it. Now, do I just work it in dry, or…?" Alec held his open palm up in question.

 

"Damp. Use the spray bottle." Magnus pointed to the clear glass bottle with brass hardware on the counter. The metal had scratches and dents and other signs of wear, but still had a classy look to it. Vintage, one might call it. Bought brand new decades ago and used to hell, Magnus would retort.

 

Alec took one of the towels from before and wrapped it around Magnus' shoulders before wetting his head. He took a small dab of the product and worked it onto both hands before running his fingers through Magnus' hair. The sensation was so soothing and calming that it helped to keep his bubbling anxiety at bay, the fear of having to deal with people soon that kept creeping up his spine. The familiar, spicy scent aided on that front as well. Alec rinsed his hands. "Comb?"

 

"Drawer." Again, Magnus pointed out the location, and Alec quickly found the comb. He swept it through Magnus' hair with care and precision, the tip of his tongue jutting out slightly between his lips in concentration. A few quick maneuvers later, Alec leaned back and studied his work like an artist, nodding in approval. 

 

"I think I'm done. What do you think?" Alec removed the towel and motioned for Magnus to stand.

 

Magnus stood and looked in the mirror. His hair was perfectly swept to the side, not a single strand out of place. Together with his clean-shaven face and button down shirt, he looked nothing like the pitiful soul smudged with soot of an hour ago. The contrast was like night and day. "Excellent job. Thank you, Alexander."

 

"You're welcome." Alec sounded strained, like he was fighting against some sort of urge or instinct.

 

Magnus turned and gave him a quick, chaste peck on the lips and smiled, watching Alec blush and grin. This man was way too fucking adorable for his own good. "When did you get so bashful?"

 

Alec shrugged, looking away. "I don't know." He brought his bottom lip between his teeth and worried at it, and Magnus felt unjustifiably jealous that he wasn't the one biting it.

 

"Huh." There was an inkling of a suspicion in Magnus' mind, and he wanted to test a hypothesis. "Have you always been this good at taking care of people?" Alec shrugged again, still averting his eyes. "Because you've done a great job with me so far, Alexander. You're really good at this." That earned Magnus a sharp inhalation through Alec's nose and a deeper hue of blush. Bingo. "I see," Magnus whispered, delighted in his discovery.

 

"See what?" Alec glanced at Magnus before looking away again, skin stained a bright pink.

 

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it." Magnus winked, feeling slightly elated that he was the flirty and casual one again for a change. The dynamic probably wasn't going to last long, so he basked in his new found glory for just a moment more before letting his anxiety seep back into his bones.

 

Alec took a couple deep breaths and started to pale again, much to Magnus' dismay. Alec was just so cute when he blushed. "I'm confused. What are you going on about?"

 

"It's nothing." Magnus waved a hand, trying to brush away Alec's concern with his motion. "How about we start setting up now? I'd rather not scramble at the last second to pull everything together."

 

Alec cleared his throat and nodded. "Right. How about you head out and I'll clean up in here?"

 

Magnus picked at the corner of a Velcro strap with his nails, looking down at it as his fingers moved. "Can I, um, have my sweater first?" He looked back up to Alec, his hazel eyes narrowed in concern, concern for him . Ugh. He hated being the reason behind that expression.

 

"Do you really need it? You're already covered." Alec brushed his hands over Magnus' broad shoulders and down his biceps, the sensation warm and electric.

 

Magnus halfheartedly smiled in admission. It was his armor, his security. He needed every layer possible between him and the rest of the cruel world around him. "Yes." Alec sighed, then followed him back into the bedroom. He pulled the garment off of the hanger and held it open for Magnus to slip into. He hesitated, remembering earlier that morning. "I don't think this is going to work."

 

"What isn't?"

 

"The first time I tried a sweater, it got caught on the Velcro. I'm almost certain that it's ruined." Magnus glanced over towards the sad, soft heap of fabric in the corner of his room.

 

Alec set the sweater down on the bed and held his chin for a moment before snapping his fingers, his eyes blazing with a bright idea. "Sock drawer?"

 

"What?" Magnus quirked an eyebrow.

 

"Which one is it?" Alec pointed towards the dark-stained chest of drawers with ornate, swinging handles. Magnus pointed to the second drawer from the top, and Alec slid it open and pulled out a folded pair of black cotton socks. "Alright. Give me your hand."

 

Magnus shook his head. "I'm confused."

 

"Just trust me, okay?" Magnus nodded, because he already did, and he stuck out his good hand. Alec snorted. "No, silly. The broken one!" Magnus switched his hands in a fevered motion and with an embarrassed flush before Alec slid a sock over his fist. Magnus stared at the development with knit brows while Alec picked up the sweater and held it open again. "Now you should be fine."

 

"Ohhh!" Magnus elongated the word in realization and grinned, sliding his arms through each sleeve with ease. Alec rolled the cuff of each back so the tan shirt was showing by an inch or so, then he tugged off the sock and waved it triumphantly in the air. Adorable. He was just too damn adorable . "Why didn't you want me to wear this before?" Magnus tugged at the bottom hem of the chunky-knit fabric.

 

"I didn't want you to get overheated. It's already starting to get stifling in here."

 

Magnus softly smiled. How much sweeter could this man get? "Oh. I appreciate your consideration."

 

Alec smirked. "Now, have a seat. Let's get these on you." He motioned to the bed, and Magnus sat on the edge. Alec knelt down on one knee and patted his other for Magnus to set a foot on.

 

"Sorry, my feet are kinda ugly." Magnus tentatively lifted his foot and set it on Alec's knee. The whole situation felt sweet and doting, and almost romantic in the weirdest way. And he had to go and put himself down again, because he was an expert in self-depracation. A professional.

 

Alec scoffed. "What? No! They're cute !"

 

"Cute…?" Was that…? No, he didn't have a thing , did he? Magnus ever so slightly started to pull his foot away before Alec snatched it with a boisterous laugh. His hands were so warm and soft, and even in the rising temperature of the room, they felt pleasant on his skin. He missed the heat the instant Alec's hands broke contact.

 

"Oh, no! No no no! I don't have a foot thing , I promise!" Alec chuckled. "You could probably use a pedicure, but otherwise, I just think they're cute little feet." He poked the tip of Magnus' big toe, eliciting a little giggle from him.

 

Magnus shook his head. "They're average, actually. And I don't see how you could think they're cute." Although, he was fighting off a grin that threatened to breach the surface in response to Alec's compliments. The man really had an effect on Magnus, that's for sure.

 

"You want to see ugly feet? Hold on!" Alec tossed the sock in his hand onto the bed and quickly untied a shoe, popping out of it and his own black sock before standing up and setting his foot next to Magnus on the bed. He held a hand out towards it in presentation. "See? Massive. Fuzzy. Knobby. Ugly."

 

"I wouldn't call it ugly. I do think it puts Sasquatch to shame, though." Magnus bit his lower lip to try to stifle his laughter, but the absolute shock on Alec's face sent him over the edge. Before he even realized it, Alec was full-on tickling him under his arms, drawing out the most unattractive snorts and noises from his body like a skilled musician with an instrument. He blew a couple raspberries into the side of his neck, which led to peppered pecks on his cheeks, which somehow led to Magnus being pinned down to the bed with Alec's tongue down his throat. It all happened so fast that Magnus had to let his mind catch up with his very willing body so he could remind them both about time and boundaries. Because neither were in the forefront of their minds at that moment, especially when a certain someone rocked against another certain someone; he wasn't going to name any names. He groaned as he pushed against Alec's chest with his good hand, signalling for him to move. Once free, he sat up and paused to breathe before speaking. "Well. That happened."

 

"Uh, yeah. It sure did." Alec smirked, eyelids heavy, pupils blown wide enough to eclipse his hazel green irises. If Magnus lacked any sort of self control, he would be tearing off both of their clothes and getting right back down to business. But, fortunately (unfortunately?), he knew better than to give into the extremely demanding urges his body was screaming with.

 

"Still have lots to do."

 

"Uh huh." Alec reached down and wiped away the saliva from Magnus' bottom lip, which was way hotter than it had any right to be. Dammit.

 

"And I'd rather not have a hard-on when Mrs. Kravitz gets here," Magnus mumbled. 

 

"I could help with that." Alec winked, and, oh , how desperately Magnus wanted that help ! He needed to stand firm on this point, though, or else he'd never have control again. 

 

Magnus cleared his throat. "Taking our time, remember? Boundaries."

 

"I know, I know. It's just…" Alec smiled, and his eyes crinkled in such a distinct way that Magnus hadn't noticed before, which had his heart fluttering in his ribcage. "I don't know. It's nothing."

 

"What?"

 

"Later. Time and all that." Alec smirked again before dropping back down to his knees and putting his sock and shoe back on. "Alright. Let's try this again, shall we?" He gestured for Magnus' foot again, receiving it right away. He made quick work of both feet and stood up. "Are you okay to put your loafers on?" Magnus nodded. "Good. I'll clean up the bathroom while you see what you can do out there in the meantime?"

 

"Sure." Magnus smiled as Alec offered his hands to help him stand, which was completely unnecessary but wholeheartedly welcomed. Every touch he shared with that beautiful man was spectacular in its own way, and he cherished each and every one. The moment he was on his feet, Alec kissed the tip of his nose and forehead, then pivoted on his heel and marched right back into the bathroom. Magnus sighed, feeling his apprehension growing in his gut the longer he stood inside the mostly-shut room. He allowed his body to move towards the door and pushed it open.

 

Everything was the same as always, besides the missing items from the weekend fiasco. He stepped further into the living room, finding the cats asleep on opposite sides of the couch, twitching in their slumber. The hot, mid-August heat was rapidly warming the house, and the difference between the temperature in the bedroom and the living room was drastic. Sweat gathered at Magnus' hairline from just standing there and observing. He never liked the heat, as it reminded him of home. He hated being reminded of home. Of what he had grievously done. Of all the terrible things he was accused of. Of just simply existing in a world that would rather he didn't.

 

What he had noticed next was the stench. The stench of car and truck fumes, acrid and stinging. The stench of hot asphalt melting in the rising sun. The stench of a nearby dumpster, stewing rancid old Chinese food in the humid heat. The stench of a cloying perfume wafting in as someone walked by, so floral and sweet he could practically taste it on his tongue.

 

Magnus looked around, seeing every open window for what it truly was: a breach. A breach in his personal security, his safety, his home . For over a hundred years, nothing unwarranted ever entered his home. His fortress. He blocked out the entire world and lived in his comfort zone, happy and safe. But, now, everything was fucked. The unwelcomed heat, the smells, the sight of his world crumbling around him, the noise. Oh, god, the noise ! Magnus crumpled to the floor in a heap of despair.


The sounds that should have been outside his bubble were breaking in, popping it like a pinprick to a balloon. Sirens, and horns, and squealing brakes, and beeping trucks, and growling engines, and cellphone chimes, and people screaming profanities- people. People . Behind everything, every single thing that was wrong, was people. Lots of them. Millions of them. They were surrounding Magnus, closing in on him, invading his home like they had any right to influence him and his life! His head pounded, his heart was in his throat, his stomach roiled and threatened to purge at any given moment, and every sound vibrated through his bones like thunderous shockwaves. His skin was on fire. He was dying, or wished he was dying. He wasn't quite sure on that, to be honest, but he wasn't opposed to the thought of blissfully blipping out of existence right then and there. It was all too much. Too much. Too much . He covered his head with his arms, curled up into a ball, and screamed.

Notes:

So, uh, yeah... Sorry? I promise it gets better in the next chapter! Pinky swear! Please let me know what you think! I read and try to respond to every comment I receive. They mean a whole lot to me, and they always make my day!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Chapter 6: Senses

Summary:

Very sweet, a smidge angsty, and a dash of spice

Notes:

Hey y'all!

I'm still in pain, but it's getting much easier to write now. I was hoping to pass this stone by my birthday, but it looks like it's not going to happen. Oh well. I just hope I can enjoy myself tomorrow.

This chapter ended up being really emotional, and you get to see just how soft Alec really is. I enjoyed writing it a lot. While I do love me some angst, soft and sweet is my jam.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Every bone in Magnus' body ached, every fiber was as tense as a rubber band ready to snap, every skin cell was scorching from the contact with his clothes, everything about him was in agony as he curled in on himself and cried out. Eyes screwed shut, he choked on the tears and snot as they streamed down his face and slid down his throat. His heart was beating so fast that he was amazed that it hadn't exploded inside his chest. His lungs refused to function, burning from his shallow gasps and hitches. His fists were balled so tight that the nails of his good hand were biting into his skin. He was paralyzed, frozen in pure terror, sure now that he was actually dying. 

 

Magnus barely registered a voice and the pounding thuds of footsteps before a warm, gentle hand was grasping his shoulder. His reaction to the touch was visceral, no thought or logic behind it. He released a guttural yelp and twisted away from the hand, associating it with what he was actively being attacked by: people. A person. But this person wasn't just any person, no. No, he was a good person. The best person. The sweetest , most caring person Magnus had met in centuries. His recoil from the placating touch sickened him with guilt, roiling his gut, twisting his organs up into tight knots as he continued to cry. The gentle voice next to him, and the returning hand, brought Magnus into a slight, bleary focus.

 

"Magnus? Magnus? Hey, sweetheart… Come here. Come here." Sweetheart. Sweetheart . Just that one word alone was enough to wrench a deep, painful sob from Magnus' chest. Alec wrapped around Magnus' stiff body as he scooped him up and into his arms. He was so strong to have been able to carry Magnus, with all of his dense muscles and broad bones, and he did it so effortlessly as they both entered the bedroom again. He set Magnus on the bed, and Magnus heard the sounds of the door shutting and shoes being kicked off to the side. Those same strong arms lifted and maneuvered Magnus' body around until he was rid of his sweater, then he was swept up into them again while being pulled into Alec's lap.

 

"You're okay, Magnus. You're okay. I'm here with you. You're safe, I promise." Alec embraced Magnus, rocked him, stroked through his previously styled hair, pressed his lips against his temple and whispered so many reassuring words against his clammy skin. "Do you know what 'five senses grounding' is?" Magnus mustered up enough control to shake his head in between gasps and chokes. "I'll walk you through it. If you can't speak, just think about each thing, okay?" Magnus nodded with all of his available might. "Okay. Name five things you can see."

 

There was absolutely no way Magnus could open his eyes. It really wasn't under his jurisdiction at the moment, so he just thought about what was in his room. There was his dresser. The chair in the corner where Church usually loomed, coated in a thick layer of fur and torn tufts of the upholstery where the cat loved to scratch. His hamper, full of neglected laundry that had been sitting there for at least a couple weeks. The antique lamp on his nightstand, which tended to flicker with each turn of the switch. The bed, where they were both right now, resting on the old, crumpled sheets from Magnus' earlier fits of frustration. His pulse was starting to ease just the slightest bit.

 

"Name four things you can feel."

 

There was Alec's body heat permeating through every layer of clothing. Alec's voice as he spoke, deep and rumbling through his chest. The pressure of Alec's embrace, solid and steady. Alec's breath ghosting over his skin, hot and humid, but still soothing. Magnus' own breathing slowed in increments, deeper breaths more possible with every passing second.

 

"Three things that you can hear."

 

Chairman Meow was yowling just outside the bedroom door, his little paws tucking under and pulling at the bottom of it. The sounds of the city atmosphere were too distant to notice, which was honestly wonderful. Instead, the sound of the dripping faucet in the bathroom took their place, annoying and infrequent. Then there was Alec, again, his heartbeat throbbing just under Magnus' ear as he rested his face against the man's chest. His stomach settled into his gut, bile sliding back into its rightful place.

 

"Two things you can smell."

 

With the tears and snot clogging his nose, there wasn't any way that Magnus could actually smell anything. He could, though, remember two very distinct scents from that morning. Pleasant ones, not the acrid asshole of Satan that the burnt eggs resulted in, or the smell of exhaust. No, the first thing that came to mind was the spicy mixture of his shaving cream and his styling cream that filled the bathroom with comforting familiarity. The second one was Alec's cologne. He had no idea how else to describe it other than perfect, and delicious, and intoxicating. Notes and musks and essences had no real meaning to him, and the only thing he knew was that cologne on that man just smelled phenomenal and right. Magnus' muscles and tendons slowly relaxed as he eased into Alec's embrace.

 

"One thing you can taste."

 

Magnus licked his lips and found a faint flavor there. It tasted of vanilla and spearmint, and he was pretty sure that it was Alec's lip balm. They had been far too distracted with moving their bodies together for him to pick up on it earlier, but it was there, and it was delicious. He wondered how potent it would be straight from the source, but he honestly wouldn't mind forever tasting it secondhand from Alec's lips. The fiery heat on his skin was gradually replaced with Alec's comforting warmth, even on such a miserably hot day.

 

"Are you with me, Magnus? Can you speak?" So soft. Alec's voice was just so soft and soothing, coupled with his fingers running through Magnus' hair and the tight arm around his shoulders. Magnus wondered if Alec knew just how comforting he really was. How spectacular he was.

 

"Yes," Magnus croaked, voice hoarse from the bile and choking and screaming. He was, slowly but surely, coming back to himself. 

 

"Good. Okay. Can you breathe with me? Deep breaths." With Alec's guidance, Magnus sniffled and snorted his way through a few repetitions until his breathing evened out. "You're still shaking, hon. Are you okay?" Hon. Short for honey . Dear lord, those brewing feelings were steadily increasing with each term of endearment. He was going to be head over heels by the end of the week at this rate, if Alec kept it up.

 

The majority of the tension and unease melted away through Alec's ministrations, but a lingering sense of dread still hovered nearby. The respite was enough for Magnus to cling on to. "I, uh, will be. Thanks to you."

 

"No. No, don't thank me. Please don't." Alec buried his face in Magnus' hair and groaned. "This is my fault." A twinge of pain ran through his words as he spoke.

 

Magnus shook his head, which was just barely able to move against Alec's chest. "What? Why?"

 

Alec groaned again. "I pushed you into this. I gave you an ultimatum. I had no idea how fragile you really were, Magnus." 

 

"I'm not fragile!" Magnus snapped.

 

Alec sighed, then wrapped his arm tighter around Magnus. "Yes, you are."

 

Magnus thought for a moment, then slowly nodded, realizing that he truly was. His mental spiraling was triggered by open windows. Open windows! He had been isolated in his fortress for so long that he couldn't handle anything outside his comfort zone. Yeah, he definitely was fragile. "Alright, fine. But that's not your fault."

 

"Magnus, I basically launched you into the panic attack. I'm so, so sorry." Remorse thickened Alec's voice. He really did feel guilty about everything, didn't he? But it wasn't his fault. 

 

"Alec-"

 

" Please , just let me apologize." Magnus sighed in resignation and let Alec continue. "I shouldn't have been so forceful about you working today. I should have let you heal on your own time. I won't do it again, I promise. Can you forgive me?" Alec's voice wavered now, which tugged at Magnus' heart.

 

"Alec…" Magnus turned just enough to look up at him, seeing the tears in his eyes, which made Magnus want to cry all over again. Alec, in Magnus' mind, really didn't have to apologize, but Magnus would have done absolutely anything to stop him from crying, even if that meant granting unnecessary forgiveness. "I forgive you, but I still don't think you need to apologize. I went along with everything of my own free will, too, you know."

 

"Sure." Alec shook his head, not quite agreeing, then he kissed Magnus tenderly on the forehead and pulled him back into his chest.

 

Magnus was now able to unfurl his fists, and he reached out and grabbed for Alec's hand, the one that had been stroking through his hair. He saw just how badly he was trembling as he moved, but once they laced their fingers together, the contact helped to steady him. "How did you know what to do?"

 

"With helping you?" Alec stroked his thumb over the back of Magnus' hand.

 

"Yeah."

 

Alec sighed. "My mom has panic attacks. I've helped her through plenty."

 

"Do you rock her in your lap as well?" Magnus smirked.

 

Alec huffed out a wet laugh. "Uh, no. She doesn't like to be touched when she's having them. But you've responded well to my touch a few times already, so I thought it was a safe bet. If you reacted negatively, I would have backed off right away."

 

"I did at first, when you found me." Magnus thought back to his reaction, the guilt of refusing Alec's touch gripping at his heart. 

 

"Yeah, but I needed to get you to a safe space. There wasn't any way you were going to calm down out there. You seemed to accept me after that."

 

Magnus fully smiled. "I do. You were what I thought about most."

 

"What? Really?" Magnus nodded and nuzzled into Alec's chest before making a gagging noise. "Magnus? What's wrong?"

 

Magnus pulled back and stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Gross! Oh god, I'm so disgusting!" He pointed to Alec's chest. "There's snot all over your shirt!"

 

Alec shrugged. "I don't mind."

 

"It's nasty! I'm nasty!" Magnus shuddered. "Fuck, I'm such a disgusting goblin… Ruining all your clothes with my… fluids," he grumbled.

 

Alec moved the both of them so he could cradle Magnus' face in his hands. "Magnus! I don't give a shit. Really."

 

Magnus scrunched his face. "Please tell me this isn't worth like $1,000. I might just die if it is."

 

"It was $50 when I bought it like three years ago. Seriously, don't worry about it. All I care about is if you're okay. Are you okay?" Alec's eyes searched Magnus' for confirmation.

 

Magnus smiled. "I think so. Or, at least, I'm well on my way."

 

"Okay. How about I go close the windows and turn on the AC? That should help, yeah?" Magnus made a small affirmative noise in his throat and went to get off the bed, but Alec pulled him back down. "Just rest here. This is the coolest place in the house right now, unless you want to chill in the basement. But you're still shaking, so I don't see how you'd make it down there." 

 

Magnus sighed and plopped back against his pillow. "You're going to have to clean me up again."

 

"I know. And I don't mind. Just stay here." Alec rolled out of the bed and leaned down to give Magnus a chaste kiss. "I'll be right back." He opened the door to the bedroom and Chairman Meow raced inside, yowling as he ran and leaped onto the bed. Alec grinned as he watched the cat before closing the door behind him.

 

~~~

 

A few minutes passed, filled with the thunks of closing windows, the soft rumbling purrs from The Chairman, and the sudden, low hum from the air conditioning unit switching on. Magnus remained in place, basking in the gentle and cool breeze starting to waft through the vents, feeling another wave of relief. Alec returned a moment later and made his way straight into the bathroom. When he returned, he held out a wet washcloth for Magnus.

 

"For your eyes." Magnus took it and sat up, much to Chairman Meow's protestation, pressing the cool fabric to his face and sighing in relief. "Do you have a t-shirt I could borrow? I don't think any of your button down shirts will fit me."

 

Magnus nodded, face still covered. "Third drawer down." He pulled the cloth away to cool it down again and froze. His eyes fell upon one of the most glorious sights of his entire life: Alec had unbuttoned and untucked his shirt, letting it hang open while he rifled through the drawer. Then, after finding a plain black t-shirt, he pulled himself out of the rest of the garment, revealing every sculpted feature of his upper body, putting the Greek gods to absolute shame . Magnus' mouth ran dry as his jaw slackened, shamelessly ogling the gorgeous man before him. No wonder he had no trouble moving Magnus. He could probably move a semi truck with his bare hands and not even break a sweat. Damn .

 

Alec smirked and chuckled. "Hi there. Like what you see?" Magnus was on autopilot as his head bobbed soundlessly, mouth still ajar. His eyes roved over every single visible inch of skin, mapping out all the places he really wanted to stroke under his fingertips, scrape with his nails, lap with his tongue, nip with- Magnus had just enough willpower left to pull himself away from his thoughts. "Do you want to touch me? It's okay if you do." Oh no

 

Magnus wasn't sure it was possible for his mouth to dry out any further, but it sure did, adding his throat into the mix. Is that what being 'thirsty' was? Adequately named. "I, uh- I want- I- I…" he groaned. Magnus wanted nothing more in that moment than to have his hands all over that man. But, he knew that if he started, what little willpower he had left would be shattered, and he wouldn't be able to stop himself. It was too soon for giving into his urges. A relationship was way more important than getting off, no matter how tempting the fruit was. Plus, he had a feeling that his problems with intimacy in the past would come back to bite him in the ass, so the longer he put off that shit show, the better. He took a second to gather his frayed senses and sighed. "God, yes , I do. I really, really want to. But-"

 

Alec grinned. "Time and boundaries?"

 

"Time and boundaries. Believe me, it's a struggle. A huge struggle." Magnus emphasized his statement with a sharp wave of his hand. 

 

Alec's grin turned almost bashful, if Magnus had to describe it. "I get it. I feel the same way about you."

 

And that, well, that was just ludicrous. "Pfft! Impossible." How could Magnus ever compare to Alec? No one could. Alec was perfect, and not just physically, either. He had his shit together. He had friends, and family, and an amazing job, and a body that probably had pornstars and supermodels crying with jealousy. He was kind, and sweet, and caring, and so, so loving. And what did Magnus have to offer? Absolutely none of that.

 

"More possible than you'll ever know." Alec winked, then tossed his soiled shirt aside and picked up the T-shirt. He pulled it over his body and adjusted it, smiling. It was so snug that it left nothing to the imagination, which was both a blessing and a curse all in one beautifully wrapped package. "A little tight, but I'll manage. We'll definitely have a problem on our hands if you spill something on my pants though." He laughed, that same, phenomenal laugh as always.

 

What the hell did that mean? Seriously? Magnus ran through the many possibilities his mind could come up with, and all of them ended up where his thoughts shouldn't dwell at the moment. He groaned and pressed the cloth to his eyes again, hopefully shielding his blush from Alec.

 

~~~

 

The house eventually cooled down enough for Magnus to feel comfortable again. He rejected the sweater, much to Alec's delight, claiming that he was still too hot to function with it on. The truth of the matter was that he actually felt more comfortable being around Alec than he had felt on his own in years, decades even. He thought he needed the extra layer at first, but he found it to be unnecessary and annoying, especially when Alec had the ability to get his heart racing at any given time, which raised his temperature like nothing else.

 

Alec tidied up Magnus' hair again, and Magnus had to keep his eyes shut the entire time due to the close proximity of perfectly carved muscles under a thin layer of cotton being at his eye level, tempting and begging for him to touch. It was truly unfair, to be honest, and it took all of his might not to give in. Magnus made his eventual way out of the bathroom and bedroom, this time feeling a little more at ease. He popped on his loafers and breathed in the gentle scent of vanilla, which was the incense Alec must have lit while he was closing everything up.

 

After Alec made Magnus drink another gross glass of electrolyte water, the pair set up the parlor together, placing everything on the table in just the right way to feign normalcy. Nothing had been normal for over a week now, but Magnus could at least fake it until he was done for the day. Alec promised to help in whatever way he could, which was immensely soothing against the anxiety trying to bubble up again.

 

Alec placed the last two candles on the table and turned to look at Magnus, who was busy picking out a few tarot and oracle decks to use for the day. "How about this. Why don't we set up a word system for how you're feeling? That way we can communicate quickly and covertly."

 

"Like what?" Magnus placed the decks on the table and met Alec's eyes. Those gorgeous, gorgeous eyes.

 

"How about tea? I can ask you if you want some tea, and whatever you respond with will tell me how you feel." Alec smoothed down the fabric on the end of the table.

 

Magnus tilted his head in thought. It seemed rather useful. "Alright. How about… jasmine means I'm perfectly fine."

 

"Okay. Chamomile if you need to pause and calm down?" Alec offered, a palm held open in question.

 

Magnus nodded, adjusting the nearest deck to squared perfection."Yeah. And gunpowder if I'm not okay and need to stop."

 

Alec clapped his hands together once and grinned. "Perfect. If you need to stop, I can come up with an excuse to end whatever you need me to."

 

"I like it. I…" Magnus paused, walking right up to Alec and wrapping his arms around his waist. "I like you , Alexander."

 

Alec clucked his tongue and moaned with affection, returning the gesture. "I like you, too, Magnus."

 

"Thank you. For everything." Magnus moved a hand up to the nape of Alec's neck and stood on his tiptoes.

 

"Magnus-"

 

" Really . I couldn't have done any of this without you. Thank you." Magnus pulled Alec in and pressed their lips together, soft and sweet and tender. The scent of spearmint and vanilla filled Magnus' senses, making him smile into the kiss.

 

The shopkeeper's bell rang, abruptly ending their contact. Alec pulled away with a huge grin. "Alright. Go do your job, Mr. Psychic. I'm not going anywhere."

 

"You promise?" Magnus licked his lips and smiled, tasting the balm again.

 

Alec stroked his thumb over Magnus' cheekbone and nodded. "I promise."

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Comments really make my day, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one!

Also, this fic will probably be around 13-14 chapters 😬 I may try to condense it here and there, but that's what I have outlined so far.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Chapter 7: Wildfire

Summary:

Mrs. Kravitz pays a visit, and Magnus' mind runs wild

Notes:

Y'all!

I passed my stone, first thing on my birthday, too! It was awesome. I'm feeling loads better. Still chronically ill, but my appetite and energy levels have been amazing 😊

So, here's an extra long chapter for you guys! I'm introducing an original character, Mrs. Kravitz, and I hope you guys enjoy her. I really enjoyed creating her, and she will definitely return at some point soon.

The center of the chapter gets a bit dark and heavy, so a little forewarning for that. Lots of mentions of blood and emotional manipulation. It'll make sense when ya get there.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

"Magnus!" The letter 'a' in his name was drawn out with a higher pitch than the rest of his name while a small-framed, white-haired woman wrapped her arms around Magnus' waist. Mrs. Kravitz, one of the sweetest old ladies he had ever met in his entire life, was a weekly regular for tarot readings. She smelled like Chanel No. 5 and patchouli, had perfectly permed hair, and wore the most vibrant pant suits ever imagined, bordering on painful to look at. Today, she was wearing a black and purple zebra print suit with hot pink ballet flats and matching lipstick. One of a kind, that woman. She pulled back and held him by the elbows as she gave him a once-over. "Why, you are looking rather dashing today, darling! What have you done differently than normal? Something is different , I swear!"

 

Oh, something was different alright. Could it be the literal hours of crying he'd participated in within the last three days? The missing sweater? The broken wrist? The fact that the most gorgeous human in existence was hanging out in his house, with his artistically sculpted body, beautiful eyes, perfect smile, huge heart, and mind-boggling attraction to Magnus? At that thought, he blushed, sensing a smile creeping across his lips, and he looked off to the side to try to hide everything from her prying eyes. "Nothing, really!"

 

Mrs. Kravitz clucked her tongue. "Oh, you can't hide that face from me!" She reached up and gently pinched Magnus' cheek, making him chuckle. "Something's up with you. You're smiling , Magnus. I can count the number of times I've seen you smile like that in the past fifteen years I've known you on one hand !"

 

"I smile!" Magnus scoffed, knowing that she was absolutely right. The wide, goofy grin that had been plastered all over his face in Alec's presence the past couple days was a rare occurrence, indeed.

 

"Not like that ! And you're blushing !" Mrs. Kravitz giggled. "You know, the last time I saw that smile was when you brought home your little baby boy. Is there something new? Someone new, perhaps?"

 

Oh no. She wanted to talk about feelings . Feelings! "I'm not wearing my sweater?" Magnus offered, holding out his sleeves. Redirect the conversation! 

 

Mrs. Kravitz considered the offer for a moment before pursing her lips. "Well, that is a change. But it doesn't explain your-"

 

"I broke my wrist?" Magnus offered again, pointing to his brace, steering the discourse away from feelings again.

 

Mrs. Kravitz raised a perfectly plucked and filled brow. "And why would you be smiling about that?"

 

Shit. "I, uh…" Magnus found himself at a loss for words, fumbling everything in his mind before it could even reach his mouth.

 

"Unless you broke it with someone…?" Mrs. Kravitz wiggled both of her brows suggestively while nudging Magnus' side with her elbow.

 

"How about that reading?" Magnus motioned for them to continue down the hallway with a tip of his head, sighing in relief at the return of his words.

 

"Yeah, sure. Let's just keep deflecting, sweet pea." Mrs. Kravitz scrunched up her face and gave Magnus' shoulder a couple pats before carrying on ahead of him.

 

~~~

 

The pair seated themselves at the parlor table, candles lit, card deck shuffled and cut. Mrs. Kravitz drew three cards from the Birds and Blooms deck she so adamantly loved, which featured watercolor illustrations of different flowers and cute little birds wearing medieval clothing, and she placed them each facedown in front of Magnus. This was something they had done for over a decade and a half, something he himself had done thousands of times, but a sense of unease licked at the back of his neck as he stared at the cards before him.

 

What was making him so anxious? The city was blocked out, so he was safe from the ambient harassment for now. Was it Mrs. Kravitz herself? How could it be her? She was the sweetest, spunkiest, most stable thing in his life. The rest of his clients were all regulars, so there shouldn't have been anything triggering associated with their upcoming appointments. Was it Alec? No. No, if anything, his presence was keeping him from tipping right back over the edge again. Was it because his life was changing so rapidly, so chaotically, that he was being thrust headfirst into the unknown? Possibly. But, as he sat and pondered, the word "relationship" repeated over and over in his mind the longer he lingered. He couldn't figure out why, given that he was wholeheartedly excited to be with Alec.

 

"Earth to Magnus!" Mrs. Kravitz waved her gaudy, bejeweled hand in front of Magnus' face, her long and glittery nails sparkling in the sun beaming in through the windows. "Are you with me, Magnus?"

 

"Are you with me, Magnus?" Magnus remembered Alec asking him those exact words only a little while ago, while he was cradled in his arms. Oh, Alec. Sweet, phenomenal, gorgeous Alexander. The thought of him, his strong arms around Magnus, was enough to bring the rest of his mind back into focus, and he took a couple deep breaths and smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Just have a lot on my mind today."

 

"Sure. Care to talk about it?" Mrs. Kravitz turned a palm up in offering.

 

"I'd rather talk about your cards." Magnus waved his good hand over the display on the table, careful not to disturb any of the setup with his clumsy movements.

 

"Of course you would." Mrs. Kravitz rolled her big, brown eyes, lined with purple and pink glittery makeup. Magnus couldn't imagine how messy wearing all of that glitter could be. Her whole house must have been coated with the stuff.

 

"Mrs. Kravitz, you're paying me to do this, aren't you?" Magnus sighed.

 

She snorted. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Mags! Call me Moira! Do I have to remind you every single time?"

 

"Right, right. Sorry." Magnus smiled sheepishly into his lap.

 

Moira tapped Magnus' upper arm with her open hand, a painless gesture. "And stop with the apologizing, too! You drive me nuts with that."

 

"Sor- I mean, okay. You're right." Magnus cleared his throat. "Shall we see what you have in store?"

 

"Do what you do best, darling." Moira propped her elbows on the table and cradled her chin in her palms, eyes bright and attentive.

 

"So, your question was about what to do with your late husband's estate, with your step son's inheritance portion in particular." Moira nodded. Magnus flipped the first two cards and explained them in context, something so routine he could do it in his sleep. It was the third card that he flipped over that froze the blood in his veins solid. There, on the table, was the image of stinging nettle and a black raven with a pitchfork in his beak. The Devil.

 

~~~

 

"You're the Devil, Camille!" Magnus had been out with his friends for the evening and had come home to a grizzly scene, and his stomach churned at the imagery in front of him: blood . So, so much blood was streaked across the walls, dripping from the ceiling, pooling and seeping into the hardwood flooring. Viscera lay scattered in the center of the bedroom, between the two halves of a mangled body. In his own home, his own bedroom. His sanctuary . Defiled.

 

"How do you figure?" Camille licked her fingers clean as she sat in the chair in the corner of the room, the cream-colored chair that Magnus' cat always lounged on, now spotted and smeared in a rusty brown. She wore a black negligee that clung to her like a second skin from the thick coat of blood she drenched herself in.

 

"You are nothing but deceit, manipulation, and violence! That's all you are!" Magnus waved his arms about the room as he turned in place, his shoes sticking to the tacky blood beneath him. "There's not a single shred of humanity left in your miserable, lifeless body." Magnus choked as a little bile bubbled up in the back of his throat.

 

Mirthless, cold laughter filled the room as Camille stood, slowly stalking towards Magnus. "Oh, but you still love me, Magnus. I know you do. It doesn't matter what I do, you still want me back every single time. And I'm the only one who will ever be there for you, you know? When all of your little mortal lovers perish, and your warlock friends eventually sicken of your insufferable attitude, guess who will never fade away? Who you'll always come crawling back to, hm?"

 

Magnus took one step back for every step Camille stalked forward. His foot slipped on what might have been an organ, but he was far too afraid to look down, lest he give in to his despair. "Why? Why did you do it?" His voice cracked on the last word.

 

A vile grin split across Camille's face, her feet audibly sticking and peeling from the floor as she trailed through the coagulating blood. "I did this for you! He was stealing all of my attention away from you. Aren't you happy he's gone now?"

 

"You didn't have to kill him, Camille!" Magnus buried his face in his hands and growled, pausing his movements to collect his thoughts. This was it, this was the final nail in the coffin of their so-called relationship. This was the first time he was going to put his foot down, stand up to her, and end it like he should have done decades ago. He could do this.

 

Camille didn't stop, and now she was closer than ever, her loud, fake breaths only a tool for intimidation as they reached Magnus' ears. "I was bored of him anyway. Now it's only you and me again. Just like always, darling."

 

Magnus stomped his foot and balled his fists at his side. What little confidence and boldness he possessed rose to the surface as he squared his shoulders. He could do this. "No, I'm done. With you, with us, with this stupid game you've been pawning me around in for decades. I'm finished."

 

Camille giggled, the sound haughty and laced with venom, as she continued forward. She wasn't as tall as Magnus, few people ever were, but her presence alone was enough to tower over everyone. She stepped inches away from him and reached forward to stroke his face. "No, you're not."

 

"Yes, I am!" Magnus slapped Camille's hand away before it could make contact. His resolve, his thin facade was cracking under the pressure. He had to hold his ground. He had to stand firm. He could do this.

 

"Do I need to convince you of how much you need me again?" Camille placed both of her palms on Magnus' chest and pushed him the last couple remaining feet into the wall behind him. The intensity of her glare was enough to demolish the last of his willpower, his bones crumbling to dust under the weight of it all.

 

Shattered. Everything shattered. He couldn't do it after all. Magnus crumpled in on himself as he tried to slide down the wall, prevented by Camille's hold on him. "Don't touch me, please…"

 

Camille smirked, her cloying perfume filling Magnus' nose over the scent of blood. "Oh, but you love it. You love me ."

 

~~~

 

"Magnus?"

 

Magnus watched as his hand trembled over the card and snatched it away from the table. His heart throbbed mercilessly against his ribcage, and his breathing quickened, his body reacting to the memory like it was happening in real time. He shook his head and released a rattly breath while he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He wasn't aware if it was obvious that he was texting beneath the table, but, thankfully, it was only a four letter message. He pocketed the device again and plastered on his normal smile, his mask that hid his fragile mind from the rest of the world. "Yes. Um…" He glanced over the trio of cards and cleared his throat. "The character in question is represented by the Devil. The D-devil…" Magnus swallowed thickly. "The, uh, Devil is a known manipulator, deceiver, and troublemaker."

 

"Are you okay?" Moira reached forward and placed a placating hand on Magnus' upper arm.

 

Magnus widened his mask, his lips stretching thin over his clenched teeth. "Don't worry about me, Moira," he gritted out, and he watched as her hand retreated.

 

Moira held her palm out as she slumped back into her chair with a sigh. "Alright, alright. Well, my stepson is a drug addict, and he already conned our family out of thousands of dollars for his habit. We've tried many times to get him some help, but he refused every single attempt."

 

"Do you think trusting him with his portion of the inheritance would be a wise choice?" A bead of sweat gathered at Magnus' hairline and trickled down the back of his neck, causing him to shudder at the sensation. He was shaking beyond that, too; his whole body trembled violently where he sat,.

 

"You know, I love him dearly, but he'll just blow right through it all and probably end up overdosing or hounding the rest of the family for more." Moira sighed, crossing her arms.

 

A knock sounded on the open frame of the doorway, causing the pair to look over. An instant, warm wave of relief washed over Magnus as he took in the sight of Alec standing there, concern carved into his features. The ice in his veins began to crack from just his presence alone. "Excuse me, I was wondering if you'd like some tea?"

 

Moira gasped and smirked, her head swiveling between both Magnus and Alec. "Hot damn, Magnus! Who is this lovely creature?"

 

Alec smiled and walked towards the table and held out his hand for her to shake. "Alec Lightwood."

 

"Moira Kravitz. So very, very nice to meet you, Alec." Moira took his hand in a flirty, delicate way, quite unlike absolutely everything else about her that Magnus had witnessed thus far.

 

"You as well." Alec kissed the back of her hand, eliciting a giggle from her, and walked over to Magnus' side of the table. He placed his large, warm hand on Magnus' shoulder and gave it a couple soft rubs. "Magnus?"

 

Magnus looked up into Alec's eyes and finally found the ability to breathe again. Their eyes were locked, the contact between them saying everything wordlessly as they gazed, the world drifting further from thought with each passing second. When Magnus regained the skill to speak again, he nodded and formed actual words in an attempt to not make the situation awkward for Moira. "Um, chamomile."

 

Moira clapped her hands together once. "Oh, yes! Chamomile would be lovely, dear. With a tiny bit of honey?"

 

Alec's eyes refused to leave Magnus', even with Moira providing a distraction. He wrapped a gentle hand around Magnus' arm and gave it a little tug. "Alright. Would you mind showing me where that is?"

 

"Of course." Magnus stood, bracing his wobbly body with his good hand planted on the table, his fingers branching out like shallow roots. He managed to tear his eyes away from Alec long enough to acknowledge Moira. "Why don't you ponder on what the cards have said and I'll be right back?"

 

~~~

 

The moment the two men entered the kitchen, Alec pulled Magnus into a tight, swaying embrace. The warmth of his body, the movement of their forms in tandem, the scent of his cologne and lip balm, the thud of his heart beneath the thin cotton shirt, everything seeped deep into his bones and allowed his body to relax. The last of the ice in his veins melted away as Magnus basically slumped into Alec's arms. Alec held him fast and steady, hands planted firmly on Magnus' back. "Are you okay, Magnus?" he asked, his voice taught and quiet.

 

Magnus nuzzled into Alec's neck, his pulse and racing thoughts slowing with each passing second. "I, uh, I will be."

 

"Just breathe, okay? I got you." Alec's long fingers stroked tight circles into Magnus' back as he held him as close as physics would allow. His voice vibrated through the both of them, deep and soothing like the purring of a cat. Safe. Alec felt like safety and ease and peace.

 

The two men held each other, swayed together, almost as if they were dancing to silent music. Time passed, which could have been seconds or minutes, or even hours for all that Magnus was aware, until Magnus released a deep, satiated sigh. "You should turn on the kettle."

 

Alec huffed, not quite a laugh, but more of an amused sound. "You actually want tea?"

 

"Yeah, and, if Moira doesn't get her honey fix, she'll riot." Magnus smiled into Alec's neck and brushed his lips against his pulse point, breathing in his phenomenal scent. 

 

"Alright." Alec chuckled, then reached out his long arm and flicked on the burner beneath the kettle. He returned to almost squeezing Magnus and placed a kiss on his temple. "Did something trigger you?"

 

Oh, boy, did it ever. But Magnus wasn't going to touch that with 39 and-a-half-foot pole. Best to be vague, for now at least. "Yes."

 

Another bout of an indescribable amount of time passed before Alec cleared his throat. "...Do you want to talk about it?"

 

Talking? About feelings ? And trauma-based ones at that? Even if he had the time to do it, Magnus wanted to do anything else in the world. Nope. Nopety nope nope. Deflect. "She's going to get suspicious if I don't return soon."

 

Alec groaned. "Right. We'll talk about it later, then."

 

Shit. He probably wasn't going to get out of this, was he? "Sure." Magnus started to pull away, feeling all warm and soothed, but Alec stopped him from moving too far. He managed a few inches, enough space for them to gaze at each other.

 

"You can do this, Magnus. I believe in you. Remember the five senses, okay?" Magnus nodded, finding it hard to concentrate when Alec was basically staring into his soul with his fucking gorgeous eyes. If he had to ground himself again, all he had to do was think about Alec. Alec and his everything. His absolutely wonderful everything . "I'll bring you the tea shortly." Alec cupped Magnus' jaw and pulled him into a soft and tender kiss, full of affection and reassurance. He never wanted it to end. Any of it. The touches, the warmth, the scents and tastes and every accompanying emotion that Magnus was trying to avoid labeling.

 

When Magnus opened his eyes again, Alec was gazing back at him with an intense warmth, strong enough to liquify his bones. He had to glance away lest he risk melting into a puddle of emotional goo on the floor. "Okay." He swallowed thickly and smiled, genuine this time. "Moira likes the kitten mug, by the way."

 

"Oh, uh, how much is a tiny bit of honey?" Alec lifted his brows in question.

 

Magnus smirked. "To her? A tablespoon." He bit his bottom lip with a stifled laugh when he took in Alec's instant reaction.

 

Alec shook his head and blinked in disbelief. "A tablespoon is a tiny bit? Holy hell!"

 

Magnus released his held-in laugh, a surprisingly lighthearted sound given his state only moments ago, and pulled Alec into one last quick kiss before heading back down the hallway.

 

~~~

 

Magnus returned to the parlor with the same bright smile plastered on his face from his kitchen encounter, and he plopped into his chair with a sigh. "Alright, where were we?"

 

"Shit, Mags, if you wanted to go make out with your boyfriend, you could have just told me!" Moira chuckled.

 

Magnus choked and coughed in shock. "What? He's not- We weren't-!" He wanted to be Alec's boyfriend, but it was way too soon for labels, right? But they were kinda together, sorta. There was some sort of connection, some sort of emotional investment happening already, right? Or was he thinking too hard about it all? Magnus heard what sounded like a laugh coming from the kitchen, but he could have been mistaken.

 

Moira nodded slowly. "Oh, so he's single then? Maybe I'll just set him up with my grandso-"

 

"NO!" Magnus growled and slapped his good hand down on the table for the second time that day. The contact stung from his palm up through his arm, helping to ground his wandering mind. His reaction startled the both of them, and a strangled laugh echoed in the distance. That had to be Alec, but was he reacting to something in the kitchen? Or was he listening in?

 

"So, he's not single?" Moira asked, her voice prying and her smile sly.

 

"No! I mean, yes? No? Maybe ?" Magnus rubbed his forehead with a grumble. Was Alec single? If so, did that mean that they weren't together? Or were they just highly interested in each other? If they were considered together, did that mean that they weren't single? Off the market? Was everything just up in the air this early on in the game? Magnus groaned, frustrated.

 

Moira grinned. "Ah, so… you're together, but not together -together, then?"

 

"I guess? Sorta?" Magnus shrugged. 

 

"How long have you been sorta together?"

 

"We, uh, had a date this weekend. We've known each other for about…" Magnus tilted his head in thought, "three-ish days? There's a gap of a week with no contact somewhere in between, but that's about it."

 

"That's it?" Magnus nodded, shyly smiling into his lap. "Wow... Is he the reason for that?" Moira pointed to Magnus' wrist.

 

Magnus flicked his gaze back up to Moira. "What makes you think that?"

 

"You went all mushy when you brought it up earlier. I just assumed." Moira smirked. "How'd it happen?"

 

Magnus sighed, deep and heavy. She was going to keep prying until she got something out of him, so he figured it was better to just get on with it. "We were, um, kissing on the couch. I lost my balance and fell off, and I smacked it on the coffee table." The gist was all she needed. She didn't need the whole magic making Alec jizz in his pants and almost biting Magnus' lip off. Nah. Just the gist.

 

Moira winked. "Right. 'Kissing.' Uh huh. Sure ."

 

"No, really! We haven't, you know, done anything beyond that yet. Seriously." Heat rose to the surface of Magnus' skin as he frantically tried to convince Moira. He wasn't used to talking about anything personal, with anyone, ever. This was bounding over the walls he erected in his century of solitude, his fortress of privacy.

 

"Pfft! And why the hell not ? He's a walking wet dream! Hell, if I was fifty years younger I'd totally be on him in a heartbeat!" Moira jokingly fanned herself with her hand as she snickered.

 

"Moira!" Magnus hissed, which evolved into a chuckle. He heard a snort off in the distance, which made him roll his eyes. Alec was absolutely listening. He'd have to tell him off for eavesdropping later.

 

Moira cackled and waved her hand. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! I can tell he's, uh, not playing for my team, if ya catch my drift."

 

"And what makes you think that?" Magnus crossed his arms in concerned curiosity. Assuming someone's identity was a bit of a touchy subject for him, given the garbage he had to wade through defending his own sexuality throughout his long life.

 

"Well, for starters, over half my family is flaming hot queer. I have the sense for detecting my people, ya know?" Moira winked.

 

Magnus shook his head in shock. "Wait. You're queer?"

 

"Yeah, I've had my fair share of lady lovers in my day." Moira casually waved away any serious vibes, a bright smile adorning her face.

 

"How…? How did I not know this?" Magnus stared into his hands on the table. They had known each other for over a decade and a half and he had absolutely no idea that she was even remotely queer. And she was hinting at knowing about Magnus, too, by the way she was looking at him. Had being isolated for that long really dulled his ability to pick out people from his community that badly?

 

"Eh." Moira shrugged. "I don't think I've ever talked about it." She sighed. "And, well, the way that he looks at you just says everything, you know? Like you're the only person who matters in this world?"

 

Was that true? Whenever Magnus looked at Alec, he couldn't really concentrate on much more than how stunning the man was, or how his kindness shone through his smile, or how the crinkles of his eyes changed with each type of laugh he gave. "Does he really look at me like that?"

 

"He's not the only one with the googly eyes, Mags." Moira dropped a heavy, exaggerated wink. "You're absolutely smitten with him."

 

Shit. She was extremely correct, wasn't she? Magnus flapped his mouth noiselessly a couple times before sighing in resignation. He wiped his good hand down his face and laughed. "Is it that obvious?"

 

"Darling, I sensed it the moment I walked in, remember? And I hadn't even seen you with him yet!" Moira giggled.

 

Magnus grinned, bright and luminous, feeling like his heart was on display. "I… really like him, Moira. I really, really do."

 

"Is that why you haven't slept with him yet?" Moira rested her chin on her palm, elbow propped up on the table. Magnus knew that this wasn't just a conversation to pass the time for her. No, she genuinely cared about this, about Magnus, about something as beautiful and promising as a potential relationship with Alec. She showed it all through her soft gaze as she watched him ponder.

 

"I like to take things slow. I just want a good foundation, you know? I don't want to just rush into everything and ruin it." If his most recent relationship was anything to go by, waiting probably would have saved him decades of his life and sanity. What would his life had been like this past century if he had only waited?

 

Moira smiled. "Smart boy. Although, with the chemistry the both of you got, I wouldn't worry too hard about ruining things. I know you haven't known each other long, but I can feel something there between you two."

 

Magnus quirked a curious brow. "You gathered that from the two seconds you saw of us interacting?"

 

"You know, when I first set eyes on Elijah, I knew instantly that we would be together. There was this spark that ignited between us, and anyone around could see it." Moira looked a little distant as she recalled her memory, eyes shining with emotion. It had only been a few months since he'd passed, and it had been the hardest part of her life so far, she had told Magnus. 

 

"Are you saying that you can see that between us? A spark?" Magnus knew he felt something, but was it apparent to anyone else? Did Alec feel it? Did he see it?

 

Moira grinned. "Sweet pea, I see a flame ."

 

The sound of clinking ceramics entered the room before the sight of Alec carefully carrying three mugs did. He shuffled over to the table and set down the mugs, distributing them to their rightful places and grinning. "Moira, I hope I didn't add too much honey to yours."

 

Moira picked up her Lisa Frank kitten mug and gingerly sipped at the rim. "Hm… Not bad, could maybe use a touch more, but I'll give you a pass for this one." She winked.

 

Alec snorted and covered his face with both hands to hold in his laughter. Magnus looked between the both of them with a raised brow. "What?"

 

Alec shook his head and giggled. "I'll tell you later." He stepped closer to Magnus and placed a hand on his cheek, tilting his head up to meet Alec's warm gaze. At that moment, the world faded away, until it was only the two of them, just Magnus and Alec, and nothing else in the universe mattered. "You let me know if you need anything else, okay?" His thumb brushed over Magnus' cheekbone, the contact electric and searing.

 

Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but a brief, incoherent croak escaped instead. He decided that nodding was a better option at that point, and leaned into Alec's palm, placing his own hand over Alec's. "Mmhm."

 

Alec leaned down and pressed the softest of kisses to Magnus' forehead, eliciting a sharp inhale and a little hum from the warlock, before he snatched up the mug he had made for himself. "Moira, again, wonderful to meet you."

 

"Moira!" Suddenly, Magnus remembered that the rest of the world did, in fact, exist, especially the gawking Moira right in front of him, and his entire body flushed as he squeaked. "Oh god…" He covered his face with his good hand and groaned.

 

Moira boisterously laughed into her mug as she took another sip. "The pleasure was all mine, darling." Alec grinned and ducked out of the room after giving her a kiss on the cheek. She reached over and tapped Magnus on the shoulder. "You okay, Mags?"

 

"Yeah… I just…" Magnus sighed, uncovering his face. "I kinda forgot you were here for a moment."

 

"See what I mean? Googly eyes. The pair of you." Moira gulped down more tea and smirked. "You know what I said about a flame earlier?"

 

Magnus' skin was slowly fading back to his natural honey color as he finally made eye contact with her. "Yeah?"


Moira grinned. "Forget that. It's a wildfire ."

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Comments and kudos really make my day, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤
Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Chapter 8: Sweet

Summary:

Magnus is a master of stealth

Notes:

Hello!

Life has been a bit rough for me lately. Health problems, insurance problems, personal problems... Just a lot of problems. Some wonderful people have reached out to help me with things, and I'm super thankful for that. 🖤 Writing has been slow going, but it's been helping me to cope with everything.

This chapter is something 😂 The first part was a blast to write, and I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I do. There's humor, fluff, soft boys, and angst in here. Nothing too angsty.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

After a few more minutes of chatter, and then catching up on what they were supposed to be doing, Moira paid Magnus an obscene amount of money and bid him farewell for another week. He had long given up on trying to negotiate a more modest payment, since every time he brought it up, she would double it. To be honest, she was probably the main source of his income, and definitely the reason why he was able to save any sort of money at the end of each month. Reducing his hours had hurt, but forcing himself to work for at least her appointment alone was enough to make up for the past week of time off.

 

Magnus blew out the candles in the parlor, returned the empty mugs to the kitchen sink, and padded quietly towards the living room where Alec had set himself up for work. He was hungry, and Alec was probably hungry, too, so he wanted to offer to make them both lunch. It was just ramen, something totally simple that he'd made countless times, and he felt like he was still capable of at least that much effort. As he approached, he heard Alec's voice, cheerful and bright, broken by intermittent pauses in his speech. He was talking to someone, probably an employee, if Magnus had to guess, so he started to back away, back to the kitchen, until he heard something that piqued his interest. His name.

 

"Yeah, I'm at Magnus' house." 

 

Magnus knew he shouldn't listen in, but his curiosity got the better of him and he inched closer to the open door frame, peeking just around the corner to see what the situation looked like. Alec was sprawled out on the couch, lying on his stomach, laptop open in front of him, feet in the air and ankles crossed, looking like a teenage girl gossiping at a slumber party. It was so endearing, so adorable, and Magnus' heart melted at the sight of him. Then Magnus noticed something, or someone , else in the picture.

 

Normally, Chairman Meow would have been all over Moira during their weekly appointments. She loved him, Magnus' little baby boy, and spoiled him rotten when he jumped up to snuggle with her. But, he was nowhere to be seen the whole time, which was ultra suspicious. Now Magnus knew where he was, and he felt a flurry of emotions as he stared at his cat. Awe, adoration, amusement, and most of all, jealousy . He never thought he'd be insanely jealous of his cat, but there he was, staring at Chairman Meow, who was perched on Alec's butt and kneading into it like a favored pillow.

 

"He broke his wrist, and I'm helping him out so he can work." Alec coughed into a giggle. "No, nothing like that! No!" He laughed again. "We haven't- no! Càllate !"

 

Spanish. Oh, Alec was speaking Spanish , and it was too much to handle. Multilingual people were one of Magnus' weaknesses. Come to think of it, Alec was just an amalgamation of a lot of his weaknesses. Tall, pale, dark haired, lighter colored eyes, built like a work of art, charming, confident, cheerful, doting, affectionate… Yeah, he pretty much checked all of the boxes on the list. 

 

"We're taking it slow." Alec huffed. "Seriously! I know it's not what I normally do, but… I don't know, Iz. He's just so different ." He swung his crossed ankles back and forth in the air as he lazily typed.

 

Magnus' gut roiled with guilt, slick and tumultuous. He shouldn't be doing this, he should just walk away. But he couldn't move. He was frozen in place, but not by his anxious ice. No, this was different from before. Curiosity, and maybe a slight hint of reciprocity for Alec's eavesdropping earlier, kept him standing where he was, peeking around the corner.

 

Alec sighed. "Iz, he's just the cutest thing. Ugh. He's got this grumpy grandpa vibe and I just- ugh! I can't handle it. It's too adorable." The Chairman was still going to town on Alec's ass, trilling purrs sounding from his little chest.

 

Magnus blushed furiously, the aforementioned guilt and newly surfaced affection warring inside of him as he took in the words that were not meant for him. He really shouldn't be doing this. He really should just walk away. But he couldn't.

 

"He's so sweet. He's funny, and smart, and talented, and sensitive. So sensitive. And, god, Iz, he's just beautiful ." Alec sighed.

 

Magnus had prickling sensations teasing at the corners of his eyes. Sweet ? How was Magnus sweet? Or any of those other things for that matter? Well, sensitive, he could concede to. He knew he was a crybaby. But sweet ? No, this was too much. He'd heard enough, more than enough, more than he had any right to to begin with. It was well past time to leave. He hadn't realized until that moment that he had crept closer at some point, so he tried his best to back away and turn as quietly as possible.

 

"What? No! It's too soon to say lo- stop it!" Alec laughed. "I really like him, though. Like, I'm definitely starting to have a lot of feel-"

 

In his attempt to turn away, Magnus caught the toe of his loafer on the edge of the doorway, causing him to release a strangled groan and slap his good hand, hard , against the wall to brace himself. A master of stealth, he was. A professional.

 

Alec's eyes shot up and found Magnus leaning on the wall, trying to recover a shred of dignity in the chaos of the moment, and a deep scarlet rose to the surface of his skin. The Chairman froze mid-knead, tiny paw hovering in the air, purrs trailing off into silence. "Magnus! H-hey, sweetheart!" Alec swallowed thickly, a sheepish smile blooming across his face. "Cierra la puta boca!" he hissed at the person on the other end of the call, dropping his gaze to his laptop and typing with frantic energy.

 

Sweetheart . A stab, a jolt, a pang, a something of raging affection attacked Magnus' heart at the sound of the honey-sweet word leaving Alec's lips. He couldn't take it. His old, bitter soul was far too weathered to handle more of the affection Alec was showering him in without bursting into tears (that weren't the result of sudden, clumsy injuries). Alec's emotions matched his own, and it was too much to handle. Too much, but in the best way possible. He did his best to fight off the tears welling up in his eyes and cleared his throat to speak. "Um, hello."

 

"Yeah, Iz, I have to go. I'll talk to you later. Ciao!" Alec tapped his Bluetooth headset and sighed, slowly raising his face to meet Magnus' eyes. "Hello. I, uh, assume that you heard all of that?" Alec grinned, toothy and riddled with embarrassment, cheeks still stained pink. 

 

Even in his current state, Alec was the most beautiful person Magnus had ever seen, and it took him a moment to catch his breath and kick his mind back online before he could move. Magnus righted himself, finally, and stood in the doorway. He shuffled the stubbed toe against his other foot and rubbed the palm of his good hand with his thumb, hoping for a little relief from the stinging and throbbing ringing through his nerves. "Some. I- I didn't mean to."

 

"I thought Moira was still here." Alec furrowed his brows.

 

Magnus shook his head, a small smile starting to form as he gazed at Alec in his confusion. Moira wasn't exactly quiet in her departure, so Alec must have been deep in conversation for him not to know. "She left a few minutes ago, actually."

 

"Oh. I didn't even notice." Alec squinted his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. "We're, uh, even now. I suppose." 

 

"I dunno, I only heard one side of the conversation." Magnus smirked as he moved towards the couch.

 

Alec closed his laptop and wiggled his butt, signalling to The (reluctant) Chairman to move. Once free, he sat up straight and patted the spot next to him on the couch. "I think I divulged more with my one side than you did with your entire conversation. But it's fine."

 

Magnus plopped down next to Alec, not touching, but only a couple inches apart, Alec's body heat and tension radiating off of him like an aura. He wanted to ask Alec about his feelings, get the unnecessary confirmation that his mind was begging for, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. That would mean actually talking about his feelings, which he desperately wanted to avoid, even if they were positive. He settled for another question that piqued his curiosity. "So, um, who was that? An employee?" He picked at the corner of a Velcro strap, worrying it with his fingernails. The stinging and throbbing sensations from just a moment ago were already fading away.

 

"Technically, yes." Alec chuckled, more of a nervous sound than a laugh. He rubbed his palms along the length of his thighs to his knees a few times before he crossed his legs.

 

"Do you normally talk to your employees about guys you like?" Magnus quirked an eyebrow in question. How close was Alec to his employees? Were these kinds of conversations normal in their workplace?

 

Alec snorted, a little bit of his tension chipping away. "Just, uh, one. Izzy. My sister."

 

Oh. That made a whole lot of sense. Alec didn't mention that he worked with his sister, did he? Magnus couldn't quite remember. He did mention her when they had their first date, though. "The one I was annoying by proxy?"

 

Alec grinned, wide and bright, the majority of his tension melted away now as he eased into the backrest of the couch. "Yep! She says 'hello,' by the way. And she wants to meet you."

 

Magnus raised both brows high. Alec's sister wanted to meet him? But why? They'd only had one date… ish. What would you even call the past weekend they had spent together? It started as a date, then transitioned into an absolute shit show, and then ended in whatever the hell yesterday was. A date-ish? Surely, that wasn't enough time to warrant her interest in him yet, right? "Oh… so soon?"

 

"Too soon?" Alec scrunched his face and shrugged one shoulder.

 

"I have no idea, honestly," Magnus said, distantly, as he looked off to the side. What were the protocols for meeting the friends and family of your new love interest? Was one date-ish too early? How much time was enough time spent together for that to be acceptable?

 

Alec released a heavy breath and looked towards Magnus. "Me either." Magnus met his gaze again, and after a moment of prolonged eye contact, the pair burst into easy laughter. When they simmered into random giggles, Alec grinned and sighed. "I'll tell her sometime in the near future. Sound good?"

 

"Sure." Magnus found that to be vague enough to buy him some time to figure things out. A wave of hunger rolled over him, reminding him of his light breakfast and absent dinner from last night. He had had a mission before, something that drove him into this whole situation in the first place, and the hunger pang served as a great reminder. "I was going to make some lunch. Are you hungry?"

 

Alec scoffed and stared at Magnus like he just grew a second head. " Excuse me?"

 

"What?" Magnus glanced around himself, just in case someone or something else had set Alec off. He found nothing and curled his shoulders in just a little bit.

 

" You were going to make something?" 

 

Magnus shrugged. Just because he failed at making breakfast didn't mean he'd fail at everything. Granted, he hadn't actually tried to make anything beyond eggs yet, so that point was yet to be determined. "Yeah? I was going to make some ramen," he said cautiously. 

 

Alec sputtered his lips and shook his head. "Absolutely not. No. No, you are not making ramen."

 

"Why not?" Magnus crossed his arms in a pout. He could probably do it. Maybe. He might end up burning himself, but it would still be a better outcome than the eggs he'd murdered.

 

"Multiple reasons, but we'll stick with the 'whole broken' wrist thing." Alec smiled and placed his hand on Magnus' shoulder, the contact soft and grounding. "I do appreciate your offer, but I think I can handle making lunch for us. I'm here to help you, remember?"

 

"Ramen?" Magnus had ramen on the brain. He knew it wasn't healthy, but the simple salty broth and noodles just hit the spot sometimes, and he was craving it. It was going to take something far more tempting to shake him out of that mindset.

 

Alec chuckled. "Something even better." He winked and rose from the sofa, offering his hand for Magnus to take.

 

~~~

 

Alec pulled out an array of familiar items and spread them out on the island counter, next to the range. Magnus had offered his help multiple times, but Alec shooed him away towards the kitchen table, so he just sat back and happily observed the beautiful man while he worked. There was a small saucepan simmering something delicious and fragrant on one burner, and on an adjacent one sat a large frying pan. He stared at each one in confusion.

 

"I thought you said you were going to make grilled cheese sandwiches?" Magnus furrowed his brows together. What was Alec up to? 

 

Alec grinned, the chef's knife tapping on the cutting board as he sliced the first of the ingredients: fresh mozzarella. It was cheese, so at least Alec wasn't too far from the mark with that. "I am."

 

"But what's with that?" Magnus pointed to the simmering pan and then waved at the rest of the counter. "And why are there so many ingredients?"

 

"These are going to be special grilled cheese sandwiches." Alec's grin grew impossibly wider. "Did you like the caprese salad that I made for our date?"

 

"Yeah, it was fantastic." Magnus thought back to their date, to the failed pasta, to when Alec fed Magnus before he nearly impaled the poor guy's hand with an accidentally conjured fork. What a great memory.

 

"That's what's going in them! Although, I'd usually make pesto, but I don't have everything I need for that. You'll just have to settle for plain basil." Alec tipped the corner of his lips down and shrugged, like not being able to make the fancy sandwiches even fancier was a huge disappointment.

 

"Oh…" Magnus wasn't sure that "settled" was the right word to describe how he was feeling about the situation. His grilled cheeses normally consisted of Kraft singles and white bread, as basic as any sandwich could be. But, there was Alec, piling tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil on top of the artisan bread he bought for yesterday's french toast, and stirring what Magnus was now pretty sure was balsamic vinegar and garlic in the small pan. It was all so fancy and complicated, and he felt like he was being attended to by a private chef. "I have some prosciutto in the fridge, if you want to add that."

 

Alec froze in place, his smile falling flat. "Oh, uh… I'm fine without it. Do you, um, want it on yours?"

 

Huh. Magnus hadn't expected that reaction from Alec. "It's from the best deli in the neighborhood. Are you sure you don't want some?"

 

Alec shook his head slowly, stiffly, like he was trying to hold something in. "Nah. I'm fine. Totally fine without it." His voice was just as stiff as his movements.

 

"Okay…" Magnus stared at Alec. Why was he being so weird all of a sudden? Did he not like pork? Did he not want to handle it? Was it a religious thing? Was Alec even religious? Maybe it was better not to ask, at least not yet. Magnus flashed a small smile and shook his head, too. "You can just forget about it, then. I'll be okay without it, too."

 

Alec nodded sharply and stirred the whisk in the pan. "Can you grab a couple plates? And a couple small bowls?"

 

"Sure!" Magnus jumped into action, hoping to gloss over the stifling awkwardness as quickly as possible, and pulled out the dishes, lining them up for when Alec eventually plated the food. He watched as Alec flipped the sandwiches and removed the small pan from the heat, the tip of his tongue darting out between his lips as he concentrated on each task. God, that little habit was adorable .

 

"It'll just be another minute. You can sit back down, Mags."

 

"'Mags'?" Magnus flicked his eyes up to Alec's and smirked.

 

Alec kept his eyes on the food, but his own smirk peeked through as he continued his work. "I, um, heard Moira call you that. Do you not like it?"

 

"No, it's fine. I don't mind if you call me that." A nickname, added to the other terms Alec had called Magnus, made his heart flutter, again, for the millionth time since they'd met. He blushed like the utter sap he was as he plopped himself back into his chair and eagerly awaited Alec's arrival with their food.

 

~~~

 

Too good. Oh, it was just way too good to be something that originated from Magnus' kitchen, but it was a reality. Gooey, melted mozzarella stretched between two cut halves of the sandwich, juice from the tomato dripped down his palm, aromatic basil dazzled his senses, and the balsamic reduction he was dipping it all into just sent every pleasure sensor alight like fireworks. Magnus was in bliss, almost unaware of the noises he was making in reaction to his divine meal.

 

"I take it that you like it?" Alec was gazing at Magnus, fondly, not the kind of look someone should have been serving a man ravenously shoving food in his face like Magnus was.

 

"Umh muh gahd, yuh!" Magnus said around a mouthful of food. He had the decency to hide his mouth with his napkin while he spoke, trying his best to be civilized while his brain was reduced to a simple state of ecstasy.

 

Alec laughed. "I'll teach you how to make it once you're healed. It's super simple. And even better with pesto."

 

Magnus swallowed and dabbed at his mouth before speaking, like a proper person. "How did you get so good at cooking?"

 

"Well, my mom taught me when I was little. I grew up being around her in the kitchen, and when she left my dad, I took over feeding everyone so she could go back to work and pick up as many hours as she could. It was rough, since I was in my first year of college, and I was working, too, but I powered through it. I actually enjoy cooking. It's fun and relaxing for me." Alec casually took a bite of his sandwich, like he didn't just drop something so serious into the conversation.

 

Magnus leaned in closer to Alec and gazed at him with wide eyes. "You did what ? You did all of that ? School, work, tending to your siblings, dealing with death and divorce, all at the same time ?"

 

Alec took in a deep breath and released it slowly, a meek smile emerging at the end. "Yeah, I guess I did."

 

"I can't imagine how much your grades suffered from all of that." Magnus shook his head, trying to picture the mountain of stress Alec had buried himself under. What a strong, incredible, resilient man he was.

 

"Oh, I graduated with a 3.89 GPA, actually. High honors," Alec mumbled, chin tucked into his chest, eyes locked on the floor, with the faintest hint of a smile teasing his lips.

 

Magnus smiled softly, taking in the beautiful and impressive image of the man before him. He had accomplished so much, under so much pressure, and yet he was too shy to boast about it. He deserved whatever his striving heart desired and more, and Magnus wished he could be the one to provide it all for him. "Of course you did," Magnus said in a gentle tone.

 

Alec huffed out a little laugh, eyes still averted. "I mean, the first year did keep me from a 4.0. And my family said that I was an absolutely insufferable asshole until my mom was able to take back over for me. It lasted for a semester and a half, so not too long." He finally looked up at Magnus and shrugged.

 

Magnus wanted to reach out and hold Alec's hand, but there was food and grease and other objects keeping him from making that contact. He knit his brows together and gazed at Alec with concern instead. "Why didn't you just drop out for the year? Couldn't you have picked it back up when life was a little easier for you?"

 

"Maybe. But maybe I wanted to be as distracted as possible." Alec smiled, a tight-lipped and strained expression, a forced warmth that didn't quite reach his eyes.

 

Oh . Alec didn't want to have any time to dwell on the shit show taking place around him. Magnus couldn't imagine the amount of pain Alec had been in back then, the pain he might still be in now . Alarm bells and sirens were firing off in Magnus' mind, screaming at him to comfort Alec. Hold his hand, kiss his cheek, pull him into a tight bear hug. Something. Anything . He had to fix this in whatever way possible. He stood and made his way towards the sink as casually as he could, and he washed off his greasy fingers, lest he spread more grime on the poor man. The moment his hands were dry, he marched towards Alec and stopped behind his chair, and he wrapped his arms around his broad shoulders and tucked his face into the crook of his neck, pressing his lips against his skin. Alec sighed and rested his head against Magnus', nuzzling slightly into him.

 

"Thank you, Magnus." Alec whispered.

 

Magnus squeezed around Alec's shoulders just a bit more, uncomfortable with the gratitude. "You don't have to thank me."

 

"Okay. But I still want to. You're so sweet." Alec turned and kissed Magnus on the temple, lingering with an inhalation through his nose before returning to lean against him again. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, alright? I'm just fine." He shrugged the shoulder that Magnus wasn't resting on.

 

Magnus nodded, but he couldn't entirely believe Alec, couldn't be reassured by his words. Someone who was "just fine" wouldn't have had that tight expression and fake smile etched into their face. "Sure," he cautiously lied as he pulled away. Something deep inside was telling him to worry about Alec even more than before, but he swallowed that down before returning to finish his food.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Ppps- My Spanish is very, very rusty, so if I get it wrong, please let me know!

Chapter 9: So Many Secrets

Summary:

Buckle in for 5.1k words of an emotional rollercoaster! 🖤

Notes:

Hey y'all!

I live! Migraine season without medication really sucks, but I'm doing a bit better now. I didn't mean to wait so long to post a new chapter, but I was barely able to look at a screen without wanting to die for a while. I slowly wrote here and there in between the pain.

So, good news and bad news (kinda):
Bad news: I wanted to wrap up the first day of them together a lot sooner than what I've written, but there was just so much information that I thought was important to include and I didn't want to cut it out of the story. I wanted to wrap it up in this chapter, but I couldn't. I don't want to drag it out, but it is what it is.
Good news: Since I was trying to wrap up the first day in this chapter, I wrote way, wayyyy too much, like 8k words, and I have the next chapter mostly written now! The first day WILL be wrapped up then, and everything will pick up in pace after that. The total amount of chapters keeps rising for this fic 😬😅

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

"Do you feel ready for another appointment?" Alec looked over his shoulder, towards Magnus, his hands busy in the sink. As soon as both men were finished with their lunch, Alec set to work on cleaning up, piling the dishes high and shuffling over to set them in the deep basin of the sink. Magnus offered to help, but he was, once again, shooed off to the table to observe. Which, to be honest, he was more than happy to do. Watching Alec be all domestic was doing things for him, and he wasn't going to pass up the free opportunity to ogle the man.

 

Magnus propped his chin on his fist and hummed in response, eyes roaming over Alec's body as he watched him work. He had just enough presence of mind to formulate a coherent sentence for an answer. "Yeah, I think I can handle another one." He could think of something else he'd like to handle. Like that perfect ass being shown off in those fitted pants. Good lord .

 

Alec turned back to the sink, the muscles underneath the stretched shirt moving fluidly and capturing Magnus' full attention. While Magnus was broader in his shoulders, he had a slimmer torso compared to Alec, and the borrowed shirt was acting as a second skin over the muscles of his back. The front view, when it was visible, was even better, with perfect abs and pecs on full display. Alec in that shirt was positively sinful . "How many do you have left?"

 

Magnus had to check to make sure he wasn't drooling before he spoke, giving his mouth a cursory wipe with his sleeve just in case. "Three. Two of them are shorter ones."

 

"Nice." Alec gave a short bob of his head as he rinsed off a plate and set it in the drying rack. Magnus could picture the warm smile on Alec's face: the creases around his phenomenal eyes, the perfectly straight, white teeth, the crooked tilt of his lips as his genuine kindness shone through. So gorgeous . God, Magnus was swooning over Alec's smile, and he wasn't even looking at the man! He knew it was a million times worse when they were face to face. It was a problem, and one that needed to be addressed before the next client arrived.

 

Taking a deep breath, Magnus readied himself to bring up the next topic. He shifted in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his ankles underneath the old wooden table, moving his hands into his lap and promptly fidgeting with a Velcro strap. "So, uh, I have another request."

 

"Okay. What is it?"

 

Magnus sighed and stared at the grain of the wooden table, tracing each line with his eyes until they blurred into an indistinguishable pattern further away from him. "As much as I appreciate you bringing me tea last time, I think just checking in over text would be good enough for now. Unless, of course, I start panicking."

 

"That's fine," Alec replied, giving no indication that an explanation was required.

 

Magnus was going to give him one anyway. "It's just that, uh, I apparently can't hide my attraction towards you, especially if you're in the room."

 

Alec paused his work and twisted to look at Magnus again, a smug smirk tipping up the corner of his lips with a salacious glint in his eye. If Magnus had the time, and the guts, to do it, he'd march on over and kiss that smirk right off his face. He, unfortunately, had neither. "Is that a bad thing?"

 

And this was the part Magnus was dreading to bring up; he wasn't sure how Alec was going to react. "Not, um, not necessarily, no. But to some clients, it may be."

 

Alec, eyes still on Magnus, set the pan he was currently washing down in the sink with a loud CLANG of metal against metal and turned off the stream of water. His brows raised high as his eyes widened. "Are you not out?"

 

Crystals of ice started forming in Magnus' veins as he tried to think of an answer, the frigid feeling shuddering down his spine. "I'm… I don't know? I don't talk about it."

 

The dish towel that had been scrunched into a soft heap on the counter was snatched up as Alec turned around, resting his back against the sink and scrubbing his hands into the worn cotton. "So, you're not out."

 

"It's not a secret! Like, I won't deny it if I'm asked. I'd just rather not talk about it with people. Especially clients. And, well, it's not like I had anybody else to be out to for the past century." Magnus chuckled humorlessly, trying in vain to melt the ice before it could spread any further, failing miserably. It was still growing, crystalizing him from the inside out.

 

"Are you ashamed of being queer?" Alec crossed his ankles and tossed the towel over his left shoulder, the fabric draping over him like a tiny half-cape.

 

Magnus waved his good hand quickly in front of him. "No! Absolutely not." Not anymore, at least. Magnus had long since accepted that side of himself, had even indulged in a few relationships with people of different genders, until they fell through for one reason or another (which was usually Magnus fucking something up). It wasn't about being ashamed at all. It was about being afraid .

 

Alec crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes as he studied Magnus' face. It wasn't a judgmental or accusing expression, but one of more concern than anything else. "But you're not proud of it."

 

"Look, Alexander," Magnus started, an icy lump in his throat threatening to choke him with every breath and swallow, "I have lived through so much of history, and for most of my life, being anything but straight was considered a sin. A sin, a crime, something punishable by everything from fines, to prison time, to death. You grew up in the most open and welcoming environment so far, and you've never had to worry about if loving the wrong person would mean the end of your life. I've never really seen it as something to be proud of, but I don't fault anyone who takes pride in their identities."

 

"Okay." Alec pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes shut.

 

Magnus couldn't read Alec's response, nor his expression, and the ice grew ever thicker. He needed clarification. "Okay?"

 

"I get it." Alec sighed, looking and sounding more strained, staring at the floor with furrowed brows. "So, no more interacting in front of your clients."

 

Magnus tilted his head to the side in thought. "Well, Moira is fine."

 

"Yeah." Alec huffed out a rough breath. "How long until your next client?"

 

"About fifteen minutes," Magnus responded, after checking his phone. He was attempting to ignore the ice as it went, freezing every fiber in place to immobilize him on the spot, seeing if he could force down the feeling and pretend it didn't exist. It wasn't working.

 

Alec cleared his throat, eyes still fixed on the floor. "Do you need help with anything before they show up?" His words sounded forced out and sharp, like they had jagged edges to them, like it was physically paining him to speak. Was it the words themselves? Was it hard for Alec to ask that question? It shouldn't have been, since he'd asked similar things all morning long. Or was it his state of mind? What was going on inside his head that was causing this reaction? Was Magnus the cause of his struggle? Probably, given his track record. Whatever it was, it wasn't okay, and Magnus needed to put a stop to it.

 

"No, I don't think so." Which was true. Magnus only needed to light the candles again for the setup, which he could do even after his client arrived. 

 

"Okay. I'm just going to finish up in here." Alec tipped his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the dishes waiting to be done. He still couldn't look at Magnus. It must have been his fault after all.

 

The ice had a firm grasp around Magnus' heart, making it stutter and palpitate as the hold tightened. He had to do something to fix the situation. "Are you okay, Alec?"

 

Alec sighed. "I'm fine. Go do what you need to do." His voice was firm, his pacing measured, like he had to actively think about how he was going to say each and every word.

 

"Are you sure?" Crystals formed inside of Magnus' lungs, lacerating the tissue with every breath. His body was frozen, an ice sculpture, his vital organs the only things putting up a fight against the dread. He didn't know how he fucked up, but he must have, and now he was being immortalized as a statue in his own kitchen, the concept of anxiety frozen in ice. 

 

"Yes!" Alec snapped, then he grit his teeth, blinked a few times, and turned back to the sink. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, back still turned. "Sorry. I'm fine, Magnus. Go get ready," he said, voice even and low. He flicked on the tap again and picked up the abandoned pan, continuing where he had abruptly left off.

 

The snap of Alec's voice was enough to free Magnus' joints, but not enough to shatter him completely. "Okay…" he whispered, as he stood up and crept out of the kitchen, feeling brittle and so, so cold .

 

~~~

 

That entire conversation had been replaying in Magnus' mind for the rest of the afternoon. Clients arrived, complimented him on something none of them could quite figure out, had their readings, and left. It was just like any other ordinary day, except for the outrageously attractive man working in his living room, who was still mad at him for some reason, Magnus was sure. He had tried to figure out what went wrong, what exactly he did to upset Alec, but came up empty and even more frustrated each time.

 

By the time his last client left, the icy feeling had mostly melted away, but the cold dread still lingered in Magnus' bones. He blew out the candles in the parlor, put the card decks away, and made his way towards the living room. He paused just before the open doorframe, readying himself for the conversation he was about to have, readying himself for whatever Alec was going to say. Even if Alec didn't bring it up, Magnus told himself he had to do it and get it over with. Better to rip off the bandage and clean it out than to let the infected wound fester. It was something he never did with Camille, and he never wanted to live that nightmare again. 

 

As ready as he would ever be, Magnus rounded the corner into the living room and stopped in his tracks at the sight before him: Alec was sitting upright on the cream colored couch, Chairman Meow was draped over his shoulders like a wet towel, and Church was cradled in his arms and limp like a ragdoll as Alec nuzzled his nose into his belly. It was so fucking cute , and Magnus wanted to cry. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Am I, um, interrupting something?"

 

Alec looked up from the fluffy belly he was diving into and smiled, wide and bright like sunshine. Church grumbled from the loss of contact. "Oh, hey! All done?"

 

"Yeah. And I don't think I'm ever going to get over," Magnus gestured towards Church as he walked over to the couch, " that . He'd probably rip my face off if I tried. How do you do it?"

 

Alec shrugged, releasing Church after he squirmed in his grasp, clearly upset that their snuggle session had been interrupted. "I just have a way with animals, I guess. They know that I love them." Alec scratched Chairman Meow under the chin before the cat jumped down and followed Church out of the room, leaving the two men alone.

 

"Do you have any pets, Alec?"

 

"I do. A chameleon." Alec closed his laptop and slid it onto the coffee table, scooting closer to the end of the couch.

 

Magnus tried his best not to screw his face up with distaste. It wasn't that he hated reptiles, but more that they reminded him of a certain warlock who he absolutely despised. "That's… an interesting choice of companion."

 

"He's kind of a dick." Alec laughed, his focus drifting into memory. "He hisses, and bites, and won't let me handle him. But he's cute." He shrugged, then patted the cushion next to him on the sofa.

 

Magnus flopped gracelessly onto the seat, just a few inches away from Alec, and slumped back into the tufted upholstery, a heavy breath blown between his teeth. Although he hadn't done much in the way of physical exertion, his body ached and his energy reserves were low. The residual effects of his panic attacks had taken their toll on him, not to mention the underlying stress from their previous conversation still thrumming in Magnus' brain.

 

And, as if Alec could read minds, he reached a hand out and stroked over Magnus' bicep, concern clear on his face. "Are you okay, Magnus?"

 

"I've been better." Magnus sighed, picking at the Velcro straps again as he built up courage to ask his question. "Are you mad at me?"

 

Alec shook his head briskly, brows furrowed. "What? No! Why would I be mad at you?"

 

Magnus shrugged, glancing down at his lap where he continued to mess with his brace. "It's just– our conversation earlier. You seemed upset."

 

"I was, but not at you . It was more like I was upset because of what you've had to live through. I was, um, trying not to cry." Alec bit down on his lower lip, brows still knit together. 

 

Magnus stilled his hands and widened his eyes in disbelief. "What? You were trying not to cry… on my behalf?"

 

Alec huffed out a short laugh, a hint of pink staining the apples of his cheeks. "I did cry on your behalf."

 

"But why?" Magnus' voice softened to nearly a whisper by the end of his question, still shocked that Alec would cry over him.

 

"It hurt to know that you feared for your life because of something you have no control over. It hurt to know that you had to hide an important part of yourself because of prejudice and bigotry, that you couldn't love everyone openly and honestly." Alec sighed and blinked away the tears that had started to well up. "You're right, by the way. I did grow up in a pretty accepting time. I just wish you could have had the same experience as I did. I wish you could be proud of your identity like I am."

 

"Oh, Alexander…" Magnus was touched , purely and simply. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had cried for him like that. Alec's heart was just so big and so kind, and Magnus didn't know how to handle care given so freely. He brought his hand up to Alec's cheek and cupped it, thumbing away the moisture beneath his eye.

 

"I'm sorry that I made you worry, and for snapping at you. I still struggle with expressing my feelings sometimes, especially negative ones. But I'm working on it." Alec flashed a small, genuine smile, and pulled Magnus' hand from his face and clasped it in his lap. "How are you feeling? I know you've had an eventful day."

 

Better now, since the dread was cleared away, Magnus wanted to say. He decided against it and tried for something a little lighter instead. "Today was an emotional rollercoaster, and I just want off this ride."

 

Alec's smirk was quick as he tried to hide it by turning away, but Magnus caught it in time. "It's over. It's just you, and me, and the evening of relaxation ahead of us." He waved his hand airily in front of the both of them.

 

"I don't know if I can relax, to be honest. I'm exhausted, but my anxiety is still high." Magnus sighed and rested his head against the cushions again, staring up at the ceiling and studying the ornate brass light fixture that he hated. To be fair, he hated most of the light fixtures in the house. He hated most of the house in its entirety.

 

"Come here." Alec reached over and gently pulled Magnus' shoulders towards his body, his hands guiding Magnus to lay his head in Alec's lap while the rest of his body turned to spread out on the cushions. "How's that?"

 

"Oh… this is, uh, nice." It was way more than just nice. If Magnus hadn't been so drained, he probably would have let his mind wander back into his fantasy world, would have dwelt on the fact that he was impossibly close to somewhere he was longing to be– without clothes, of course. But, instead of getting riled up over his proximity to Alec's bits, he let himself drift into the overwhelming warmth, the intimacy of their position, the sweetness of it all.

 

Alec smiled softly and started to stroke his fingers through Magnus' hair. "Are you comfortable?"

 

Magnus could purr with how content all of the sensations made him feel. The exhaustion was creeping up on him, dragging his eyelids down with invisible weight, his mind going fuzzy when he let himself drift into the beckoning lull of sleep. "Very much so. Fair warning, I might fall asleep on you."

 

"Wouldn't be the first time." Alec chuckled, soft and full of warmth. "I'd like to chat about a few things, if you're up for it."

 

Magnus tensed, his entire body going rigid. Feelings . Alec wanted to chat about Magnus' feelings, didn't he? Was there any escape from this conversation, or was he doomed to participate? "I– I don't know."

 

Alec must have sensed Magnus' inner turmoil, since his eyes softened and his fingers carded through his hair with slightly more pressure. "It's okay, Magnus. I'm not going to ask for your life story! I'm just curious about a few things. You can ask me questions, too, if you want."

 

"And if I don't want to answer?"

 

"You don't have to, but I'd like it if you would. Or you can just wait and tell me later, when you feel more comfortable. I just want to get to know you, understand you better. That's all." Alec's smile soothed Magnus, eased his tension enough for him to relax again.

 

"Okay." Magnus nodded and closed his eyes, fighting back moans as Alec's fingers continued to brush through his hair.

 

"How do you identify? Sexuality-wise?"

 

"Bisexual." Magnus had always identified as something other than heterosexual, before the word "bisexual" was even created and commonly used. 

 

"Have you been with a guy before?"

 

Magnus knew that the question wasn't about if he had ever had a queer relationship, but if physical intimacy was something that had occurred. "It's been a couple centuries, but, yes, I've had a few boyfriends. I have experience."

 

Alec nodded. "Are you fine with being seen with me out in public?"

 

"Oh, well, yeah. I don't have a problem with that, I guess." But good luck with getting him out in the first place, Magnus didn't add.

 

"What about PDA?" Alec quirked an eyebrow with a curious glint in his eye.

 

PDA. Public displays of affection. Public displays of affection. Magnus thought back to when he was in queer relationships, when holding hands or kissing or even just resting one's head on another's shoulder could be enough to convict someone of deviancy , when that conviction could result in jail time or even death, depending on where you were and who was in power. He had never been able to feel safe enough to express affection with anyone who wasn't a woman, but maybe that could change. Maybe he could kiss Alec out in public and not be worried about being beheaded. What a novel idea. "Is that… safe ?"

 

"For the most part, yeah. There might be some assholes who try to start shit, but I haven't had any problems personally." Alec's smile was full of confidence, which helped to ease his worry a tiny bit. What helped even more was remembering just how big and intimidating Alec was, and also the fact that Magnus himself knew a thing or two about self-defense.

 

"I'm not sure. I guess I'd have to be in the moment to figure that out."

 

"Fair enough." Alec dragged the blunt edges of his nails gently across Magnus' scalp, sending little zings of pleasure through his nerves and down his spine. Magnus did his damnedest to swallow the moan trying to claw its way out of his throat. "Now, this one might be harder to answer, so feel free to wait and think about it if you need to."

 

"Okay," Magnus hummed, floating in his moment of bliss.

 

"How do I word this?" Alec chuckled nervously. "Um… Is the reason why you want to take it slow because you don't want me to see you naked?"

 

The moment of bliss shattered. Magnus sat up abruptly and choked on his spit, coughing and trying to catch his breath. "Whoa!"

 

Alec winced with an apologetic smile. "Sorry! I know it's super personal, but it's been bothering me. Honestly, though, you don't have to answer me right now."

 

"I, uh, just wasn't expecting our conversation to go that direction." Magnus took a couple deep breaths and returned to his spot on Alec's lap, the gentle hand taking back its place and carding through his hair again. After a minute of soft breaths and bitten-back moans (the latter solely on Magnus' part), Magnus cleared his throat to speak again. "I wouldn't say it's that, at least not entirely. And I do, um, want you to see me. All of me, eventually." All of Magnus, even the things that were still hidden when naked. "I just need to work my way up to it."

 

"Oh, that's good." Alec smirked. "Then what's your reasoning? Like I said before, I've never taken it slow, so I don't quite get it."

 

"I've always been this way, really. I want to have an emotional connection with someone before a physical one." Magnus wasn't going to mention that he was already heavily emotionally invested in Alec, lest he seem too clingy. He'd been told before how he was too clingy, too needy, too much for anyone to ever handle. And he was fully aware that he fell hard and fast for people, usually ending in a severely broken heart (or body, but he wasn't going to dwell on that). He wasn't going to make that mistake again if he could help it.

 

"Sure," Alec said, clearly still struggling to comprehend the reasoning if his squinting eyes were any indication.

 

"Fuck it. It's feelings time, I guess." Magnus knew that if he wanted to build a relationship with Alec, that he had to communicate with him. Share his thoughts and feelings. It was something he always struggled with, something that usually ended his relationships, but there was something about Alec that made Magnus want to try. Even if it was just a fraction of his heart, Magnus was willing to share it.

 

"The one and only time I didn't take things slow was when I met my ex. Camille. Everything happened so fast, like a whirlwind, and I just got so caught up in her and her chaos that I lost myself. I didn't feel like myself anymore. I felt like I was just hers, and only hers, and hers alone to play with and manipulate. I don't want to let myself go down that path again. I want to be me . I want to experience everything in my own way. I want to build something wonderful with you, in my own time and in my own manner. Is that okay?"

 

Alec gazed down at Magnus with a complex of emotions flickering on his face, a mixture of positives and negatives. "Oh, Magnus… Of course that's okay." He moved his hand from Magnus' scalp to his jaw, stroking over the bone in soft motions. "I need to apologize for something, and before you tell me that I don't need to–" He held a finger to Magnus' lips as his mouth started to open, then snapped shut with a CLACK of his teeth. "Just let me say what I need to say, alright?"

 

Magnus nodded, biting his tongue and narrowing his eyes to concentrate on Alec's next words.

 

"I'm sorry. I've let myself get carried away, get too aggressive when we already agreed to take it slow. Now that I know why you feel the way you do, I feel awful . Not that it's any excuse, but I want you, Magnus. I want you so much . You're gorgeous. But I want more than just that side of you, and I want to do things your way."

 

Magnus rolled his eyes and sighed. "It takes two to tango, Alec. I've let myself get carried away as well."

 

"Okay, well… How about we keep each other in check, then? You tell me if I'm being too much, and I'll ask you if you're comfortable with how things are going?"

 

Pursing his lips and averting his eyes off to the side while thinking, Magnus slowly nodded when he came to his decision. "Sure. That sounds reasonable."

 

"Alright. Good." Alec grinned.

 

"Can I ask you a couple things now?" There were things teasing the back of Magnus' mind that he just had to find out the answers to.

 

"Absolutely."

 

"So, you, uh, speak Spanish?" Magnus smirked.

 

Alec had an answering smirk for him. "Hablo un poco. I know enough to hold a conversation, and plenty of curses. I understand it more than I can speak it. My dad is fluent, but my sister and I never really tried to be."

 

"Ah. Hablo español con fluidez." Magnus watched as Alec's face lit up with a luminous smile, as bright and as warm as sunshine. "Spain was the second country I lived in after–" After he was chased out of his homeland, persecuted, almost killed. His heart stuttered in his chest, unbidden memories rising to the surface of his mind as he went down that path of thought.

 

Magnus' distress must have been apparent because Alec was quickly cradling his face in both hands and calling his name. "Magnus? Hey, are you okay?"

 

"I–" Magnus' breath hitched in his chest, and he choked on a gasp.

 

Alec rubbed soft circles into the nape of Magnus' neck. "Breath, Magnus. Breath with me, okay? Deep breaths." He led Magnus through a few slow rounds of the calming exercise, and after Magnus calmed down again, Alec cleared his throat. "Is, uh, me speaking Spanish going to trigger you?"

 

Magnus drew in and released another deep breath, the last of the panic fading away. "No, I don't think so. It was a different train of thought. I quite like the way it sounds when you speak it."

 

"You liked how I told Izzy to shut the fuck up?" Alec giggled.

 

"It was beautiful. So exotic." Magnus couldn't keep a straight face and burst into a fit of laughter. Laughing with Alec was so easy, one of the easiest things he had ever done in his most recent years. It felt so natural, and right, like he was meant to laugh with Alec all along. He wasn't going to let himself get carried away by that feeling. "Also, I wanted to ask– Just how much honey did you put in Moira's tea?"

 

Alec instantly snorted and covered his face, his body shaking with laughter as he tried to fight against it. "Oh god!" He snorted again, then took a couple deep breaths to calm himself enough to speak. "Well, I was–" he giggled, "I was pouring the honey into a spoon, but when she said she'd be all over me if she was younger, I lost it. I laughed so hard that I squeezed the bottle a bit too much and dropped the spoon in the mug. There must have been well over two tablespoons in there!"

 

Magnus, himself, lost it at Alec's confession, and joined in on the easy laughter again. How did it feel so right, so soon? How was it possible to feel this comfortable after only a date-ish and most of an eventful day? Was it due to the intensity of everything they had been through together so far? Or was it due to something else, like fate or soulmates? Oh, that was too dangerous of a path to wander down, something that bordered on clingy territory. He had to shut that idea down before it set its hook in and it was too late.

 

"She's a fucking riot, by the way," Alec said through the last of his giggles.

 

Magnus nodded, catching his breath and feeling an ache low in his belly. "Yeah, she's pretty awesome. I've known her for over fifteen years now. She keeps asking me what my skincare routine is."

 

"Well, you do have nice skin," Alec mused, running his fingertips over the downy of Magnus' cheek. From what everyone could see, he was unblemished, but only Magnus knew the truth. He wasn't anywhere near ready to reveal that side of himself quite yet.

 

"She wants to know how old I am, so I have to keep telling her everything is a secret. It sucks that I have to lie to her." Magnus pouted. 

 

Alec furrowed his brows. "Do you have to? You can't just tell her?"

 

Magnus shook his head with a sad smile. "No, Alec. It's against the Accords to tell mundanes about the Shadow World, unless they have the sight. A lot of the time, they don't take it too well, and they either go insane or beg to have their memories removed. That's why I was so hesitant to tell you anything."

 

"You didn't know about me. It's okay. Now you can just be yourself around me, and not have to worry about keeping so many secrets!" Alec's sunshine smile returned, but this time, instead of warming Magnus up, it singed him like a sunburn.

 

"Right." Magnus attempted a smile in response, but he knew it was nowhere near as genuine as Alec's. He still had centuries worth of secrets, secrets that could drive this beautiful man away from him faster than the speed of light. He couldn't help but worry about everything. He knew he had to cherish the time he was privileged enough to spend with Alec before something slipped and ruined everything.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Ppps- My Spanish is very, very rusty, so if I get it wrong, please let me know!

Chapter 10: Curiosity

Summary:

Magnus loves when Alec snorts 🙃

Notes:

Hey y'all!

This past month has been rough for me, again, and I didn't mean to make you all wait as long as I did. But! This is a wrap on Day One! The next chapter will begin with Day Two, and the pace will pick up quite a bit. I hope I didn't drag it out too long.

Just a little warning, the end has some mild spice. Nothing graphic at all, but I thought I should give you a heads up just in case.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

"Well, as much as I love to cook, how about we order something for dinner? I was looking through your fridge and cupboards, and there wasn't a whole lot of stuff to work with in there." Alec had resumed stroking through Magnus' hair as he continued to rest in his lap, all the while chatting about random topics. They talked about their favorite colors (blue, for the both of them), their favorite seasons (summer for Alec, winter for Magnus), and their favorite ice cream flavors (chocolate chip cookie dough for Magnus, matcha for Alec), amongst other little tidbits about themselves.

 

"I've got plenty of frozen meals and stuff to make sandwiches. Oh! And ramen!" Magnus pointed a singular finger into the air to punctuate his statement. How could he forget about ramen ?

 

"Exactly." Alec rolled his eyes playfully, swirling a tuft of Magnus' hair around his finger. "So, what would you like to order?"

 

Magnus didn't see anything wrong with the food he had on hand, but maybe Alec was a picky eater? He had been the one choosing all of the food they ate the past couple days. Magnus thought about what kinds of foods were good for picky people, and came up with an idea. "Pizza? I know this great place that's just down the block!"

 

Alec's sunshine smile beamed down at Magnus. "Sure! Want to walk with me and pick it up?"

 

A cold terror froze in Magnus' veins at the suggestion, and he resisted the urge to get up and run away, allowed himself to be soothed by Alec's touch. His heart was thudding, and his breathing quickened, but he managed to stay in place. "Oh, uh, I– I don't–"

 

Still smiling, Alec brushed his fingers down Magnus' cheek and gave a small tug on his collar. "It's cooling off out there, so you should be fine in what you're wearing."

 

Magnus shook his head in Alec's lap, trying to will his lungs to fill with enough air. "That's not the, uh, problem."

 

"Then what is it?" Alec's brows pinched together as he resumed brushing his fingers through Magnus' hair.

 

"It's, um, well…" Magnus closed his eyes and groaned. He knew that he had to address the issue sooner or later, and the longer he waited, the worse his anxiety would be. And, if he wanted to actually have a relationship with Alec, it was important to let him know about something as serious as this… obstacle. "I don't leave the house."

 

Alec's expression deepened, looking rather confused. "So you've said. But I saw you at the party."

 

Magnus sighed. The whole urgent situation with alternate Clary would have to be explained at some point, too, but that was for another day. "I leave once in a great, great while. But, um, I have to take a potion beforehand."

 

A soft, warm smile, a knowing smile, eased Alec's expression. "For your agoraphobia?"

 

How did Alec know? Was it really that obvious? "Uh, well… I guess you could call it that." It was exactly that, but at least Magnus had a fair amount of experience to back up his fears. Something else that would have to be addressed at some point, too. Ugh.

 

"What's in the potion?"

 

Magnus froze even further, going rigid before Alec's fingers pressed harder and eased some of his tension. One of the ingredients wasn't exactly… legal , but it wasn't like he was abusing it in any way. Alec didn't seem like the kind of person who would freak out over it, but he, admittedly, didn't know a whole lot about the man yet. Probably best to be vague. "Um, mostly natural herbal ingredients. A couple magical. Nothing too weird. I'm running low on the magical ones, so I'm only taking it sparingly."

 

"So, that's a raincheck on the walk, then?" Alec's expression morphed into a combination of a smirk and a pout, something Magnus didn't know was possible, and it made him want to surge up and kiss it off his face. He held himself back, but just barely.

 

"Yeah." A walk could be possible, a short one, maybe. Maybe . But Magnus would need time to psych himself up for it.

 

Alec grinned. "Okay. You let me know if you feel up to it at some point, alright? I would like to take you on a date sometime soon, so make sure you have some for that."

 

Magnus blinked in surprise. "A date? Where?" Anxious ice and warm flutters swirled inside his chest, a confusing torrent of hope and fear racked his brain. He wanted it, badly , but he was also terrified of all of the unknown factors surrounding the offer.

 

"It won't be anything too public or crowded, I promise. But you let me know when you feel up to being outside, and I'll figure out where I want to take you."

 

That seemed… Well, it was still scary , but not as scary as before. There was that trust, the one that had sparked into existence just the day before, that was whispering to Magnus that it was going to be okay. That Alec was a good, trustworthy person, and that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Magnus was okay. And Magnus believed it. "Okay. During the day."

 

Alec smirked and quirked an eyebrow in curiosity. "Why specifically the day?"

 

"I, um, have my reasons." Like a violent, bloodthirsty vampire ex-girlfriend, who should still be locked up, but who could also have manipulated herself out of her prison with just the batting of her lashes. Nighttime wasn't safe anywhere beyond his warded home. Daytime was only marginally better. But Alec didn't need to know about all of that, at least not yet. "So, about that pizza?"

 

~~~

 

"Are you going to eat those?" Magnus pointed to the plate full of uneaten crusts right in front of Alec, who was sitting alongside him on the floor at the coffee table. Alec paid for both pizzas, much to Magnus' adamant protests and resulting pouts. They hadn't spoken much beyond stilted small talk and questions about dinner. It wasn't that Magnus was mad at Alec, not even close. He was more embarrassed than anything, wishing that he could spend money as easily as Alec did. He retreated inside his mind, hoping that Alec didn't ask him what was wrong.

 

"No."

 

"Can I have them, then?" Magnus hated the thought of food going to waste, and he still had a little room to spare.

 

Alec smirked, sliding his plate on the table towards Magnus. "Sure. Have at 'em."

 

"Do you not like crusts in general? Or just this pizza?" Magnus eyed the box where less than half of Alec's pizza sat, topped with an odd combination of mushrooms, onions, and banana peppers. For a man of his size and build, Alec surely needed to eat more protein than what was there, Magnus mused, but he wasn't going to ask about it, lest he receive a lewd joke about meat in answer.

 

"This pizza is great! I just prefer thick crusts."

 

"Then why not order a thick crust pizza?"

 

Alec shook his head. "The bottom is too bready! It's just too much. It's more like bread with pizza toppings. Unbalanced. If I could order a pizza with thin crust on the bottom, and thick, bready edges, I totally would."

 

Magnus chuckled, amused by Alec's rambling. "So picky . Any other weird food things I should know about?"

 

"No!" Alec blurted out, pale skin blooming hot pink as he kept his eyes on his pizza box, rubbing a non-greasy knuckle on the back of his neck. He slowly reached for another slice and took a timid nibble, eyes still averted.

 

Magnus dumped the crusts onto his plate and returned Alec's to him, only receiving a grunt of thanks in response. Interesting. "Okay then…" he mumbled to himself.

 

"Are you actually a psychic?" Alec asked around a small bite of pizza, covering his mouth as he spoke. 

 

"Yes, I already told you that." Magnus raised a curious brow at Alec, who was slowly fading back to his naturally pale color and finally able to look him in the eye again.

 

Alec took a bigger, more confident bite of his slice, thankfully swallowing most of it before he attempted to speak again. "What does that mean , though? Can you actually predict the future?"

 

"That's a complicated question with an even more complicated answer." Magnus sighed. "I, personally, cannot predict the future unless I involve magic in my readings."

 

Alec knit his brows together, expression fully serious. "Do you lie to people, then?"

 

"What? No!" Magnus huffed out an incredulous laugh. "I tell my clients to use the readings as a guide for their minds. I tell them the meaning behind the cards, apply it to their situations, and give them my advice based on my centuries of life experience. I never claim to know or predict the future."

 

The severity of Alec's gaze softened into something more curious. "But, if you really wanted to, you could predict it? Right?"

 

Magnus nodded. "Yeah, once I get my magic back under control. I rarely ever did it before, mostly because I was scared of having that knowledge." That knowledge, depending on what the question was, could be anything as trivial as what one would have for breakfast the next day, to the apocalypse. The future could also be changed, for better or for worse, given the predicted knowledge. It was all so volatile and terrifying, having that knowledge and the resulting responsibility.

 

Alec's eyes lit up, clearly excited for the chance to mess with fate. "Maybe, once you regain control, you could show me? Not like predicting the end of the world or anything like that! But something small?"

 

"Sure." Magnus smirked. He wondered what Alec would ask about. Would he be curious about his career? His family? His… love life? Magnus was curious about it as well, but the danger of having that knowledge was still daunting. "I can also read auras, without magic. And talk with spirits, but only if they want to. But I mostly stick to card reading."

 

"What about other psychics? Are they full of shit?" Alec tossed his newest crust onto Magnus' plate with a playful smirk. Magnus marveled at the amount of pizza Alec had consumed, and he was already going back for more. "You know, like the other ones you see online and on TV?"

 

"There are legitimate people out there that have premonitions, or have other abilities that the majority of mundanes don't have. But most of them are cold-reading and full of shit." Magnus shrugged with a laugh, and Alec gave a little snort after taking a bite of his most recent slice.

 

"Hm… What about crystals? Like, are they magical?"

 

Magnus pointed a singular finger in the air with a grin. "They're wonderful magical conduits ! But, if you don't possess any powers, they're just pretty rocks."

 

Alec stared straight ahead, distant, and shook his head slowly. "I have so many questions about magic that I want to ask you. So many."

 

"Well, I'm happy to answer them, as long as they aren't terribly complicated. There are some things that mundane minds can't wrap around, even at the genius level." Magnus winked, eliciting a delicious little blush from Alec.

 

Alec cleared his throat. "So, uh, do you have any control over your magic right now? Or is it dormant again?"

 

"After making that portal for you, my magic decided that it was done listening to me. The last time I tried to use it, the spells bounced. But I was trying to remove the brace, so maybe that was why?" Magnus shrugged. "I'm not sure. I know it's focused on my wrist right now, though."

 

"Can you try to do something simple?" Alec asked, sounding hopeful.

 

"I can try to summon something."

 

Alec tipped his head to the side in thought, then he perked up and snapped his fingers. "Oo, I know! Summon a fork!"

 

"Um, the last time I did, I almost impaled your hand!" Magnus giggled. "I mean, it was completely unintentional , but still." Alec snorted, and Magnus grinned at the sight and sound. Snorting wasn't exactly the most attractive form of laughter, and Magnus knew he was guilty of his fair share of snorts himself. When Alec did it, however, it wasn't unattractive at all. In fact, Magnus found it absolutely endearing, and just made Alec feel more… real . Like this perfect, living work of art had visible brush strokes that only added to its intended beauty. "You snort a lot when you laugh." The words were out before his mind caught up with his mouth, and Magnus cringed.

 

Alec blushed and darted his eyes off to the side, slumping his shoulders forward to protect himself from– from who , exactly? Magnus ? That was the last sort of response he ever wanted to elicit from the man. If Magnus ever got the chance to face the person(s) responsible for causing Alec's insecurity, they were absolutely going to be hearing some choice words. "Ugh, sorry. My family gives me shit for it all the time. I try not to, but, um…" His voice trailed off into silence, leaving Magnus to wonder about the end of his sentence.

 

Ah. Family . That figures. "Don't be sorry. I think it's adorable. Snort all you want around me, Alexander." Magnus smiled softly and nudged Alec with his shoulder.

 

Alec smirked and looked down at his plate before nudging Magnus back. He cleared his throat again and straightened up. "A napkin?"

 

"A much safer option." Magnus took a steadying breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated on his target: a single paper napkin nestled in the metal holder in the center of his kitchen table. Easy. He snapped his fingers, which was answered with a roll of paper towels plummeting down from the ceiling and bouncing off the top of his head. A sudden, sharp pain stung Magnus' wrist, causing him to wrap his good hand around the brace in a futile effort to soothe it. "Fuck!"

 

Alec snorted, again, and caught the roll before it landed on the floor. He stood it upright on the table and laughed. "Close!" He glanced over at Magnus and furrowed his brows. "Are you okay?"

 

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My magic is dulling the pain, so when I draw it away from my wrist, the pain comes back." Magnus shrugged one shoulder. "At least it's doing something right."

 

"Maybe you can gauge how your healing is coming along with that? You know, the pain level and control of your magic?" Alec offered up an open palm in question, insecurity threaded through his words, like he wasn't sure if magic worked that way. He was spot on for this suggestion, though.

 

Magnus nodded and smiled, hoping to reassure Alec. "That's what I was thinking. I can try again tomorrow and see where I'm at."

 

~~~

 

They finished their dinner, with more comfortable chatter than before, and Alec cleaned up everything, boxing up the leftovers in their respective containers. He set his out on the counter, next to the laptop bag and canvas tote of dirty clothes. He was borrowing the tote from Magnus, and Magnus had no idea why that got his heart fluttering, but it did. They stood at the kitchen island, awkwardly glancing at each other for a while until Alec spoke up first.

 

"I have to head out."

 

Magnus darted his eyes to his feet, a hot blush creeping up his neck and crawling its way to the tips of his ears. He always hated saying goodbye, but saying it to Alec added a whole new layer of awkwardness for him. After the day they had together, they had grown a hell of a lot closer than before, and Magnus just really wanted to pin him against the wall and kiss him senseless (and more , obviously, but he knew that was going too far). He wasn't sure if that was an appropriate goodbye or not, so he was planning on deferring to Alec on that point. "Yeah. Well, I, um, liked having you here today."

 

"I liked being here." Alec shrugged with a warm, affectionate smile, causing Magnus to swoon for the beauty of it. God, how was Alec even real ?

 

" Thank you , Alexander, for everything. I really mean it," Magnus said with as much sincerity as he possibly could.

 

Alec brushed his fingertips down the length of Magnus' arm until he grasped his hand. "You're welcome." He brought Magnus' knuckles to his lips and kissed each one, keeping eye contact the entire time, making Magnus swoon even harder than before. They stood in awkward, yet heated, silence for a moment before they both giggled and broke the tension.

 

Magnus suddenly remembered something, and he gestured to his many shirt buttons with his braced hand. "You, uh, still have to undress me, by the way."

 

"Oh shit!" Alec gasped. "I completely forgot!" He immediately dragged Magnus into the bedroom, cheeks flushed and an embarrassed smile dancing on his lips. "I assume you're going to shower after I leave?"

 

Magnus nodded. "I can just wear my robe." He picked it up from where it was tossed across the chair in the corner and dropped it on the bed. Alec grinned, then he motioned for Magnus' wrists, unbuttoning the cuffs each in turn as Magnus moved them closer. He kicked off his shoes and toed off his socks, bracing his good hand on Alec's shoulder for balance.

 

"I promise not to peek." Alec closed his eyes and bowed his head, looking as though he was about to pray, as he quickly popped every button from their holes, untucked the shirt, and pulled it off of Magnus' body with soft, unsure touches. The shirt fluttered to the floor in a heap of thin fabric and a whisper of a sound.

 

Magnus' heart ached as he watched Alec work, wishing that he could just be normal, wishing that he could just let Alec see him without a damn shirt. He'd already seen him, just a couple days ago, and he clearly liked what he saw, so why was this so damn hard? Why couldn't Magnus just get over this ridiculous barrier and just be a normal person? Ah, because he could never be normal. Never again. Not after what Camille did to him. He was damaged goods, so far beyond repair–

 

"Magnus?" Alec called out with a soft pat against Magnus' hip.

 

Magnus shook himself out of his head and looked down to see Alec down on one knee. "Huh?"

 

Alec chuckled, running his fingertips up and down the side of Magnus' leg with gentle pressure. "There you are. I've been asking you if I can take your pants off now."

 

Yes, yes Magnus would have absolutely loved for that to happen, within different context and without all of the emotional baggage that he carried. In this situation, though, it wasn't necessary. "Oh… I can do that myself."

 

"Yeah, but I'm here, and I'm offering to help you. Why not take me up on my offer?" Alec shrugged.

 

Magnus scoffed playfully. He thought that if he messed around, acted like it wasn't a big deal, then maybe Alec wouldn't pick up on his growing distress. "You just want to do it for fun ."

 

"Yeah, because the visuals do so much for me with my eyes closed," Alec teased with a little chuckle, keeping his eyes firmly shut, just as he had promised.

 

Magnus winced and sighed, unable to keep up the act. "Go ahead." The tension of his words was more than obvious, and the soft grip on his thigh told him that Alec was fully aware of it now.

 

"Hey, are you okay?" Alec's voice was soft and laced with concern, and when Magnus looked down at him, his brows were furrowed.

 

"I, uh…" Magnus swallowed thickly and took a deep breath. He could lie and say that he was fine, but he knew Alec wouldn't believe it for a second. He should just be honest, and he knew Alec would appreciate it if he was. "No, not really."

 

"Do I need to stop?" Alec had Magnus' pants down around his ankles, the fabric pooling over his bare feet.

 

Magnus shook his head, even though Alec couldn't see it. "No! No, carry on."

 

Alec tapped each of Magnus' ankles to let him know to step out of his pants, and Magnus braced himself against Alec again as he did. "...Do you want to talk about it?"

 

Not really, but Magnus knew that he should. The prickles of budding tears made him blink rapidly, trying his best to keep them from falling. "I just– I was thinking about how fucked up I am."

 

Alec scoffed. "Magnus! Come on, you're not fucked up." He reached out a hand, blindly, asking without words for Magnus' help.

 

Magnus grabbed Alec's hand and pulled him upright, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around him, but feeling uncomfortable doing so without his clothes. "Oh, Alec, you have no idea just how wrong you are. I'm far from normal. I wish I was. I wish that I could just let you see me shirtless, even though you've already seen it, but I can't. I just can't." He lost the battle with his tears. They streaked down Magnus' cheeks faster than he could swipe them away.

 

Alec tentatively reached out, in the direction of Magnus' hand, and held it open in invitation. Magnus grabbed it without hesitation, causing Alec to smile warmly. "You're still getting to know me. It's okay. It's going to take some time to build up some trust for you to feel comfortable with doing that, and I'm willing to wait. I'm in no rush."

 

And that, Alec's sweet words and attempt at comfort, was enough to rip a sob from Magnus' chest.

 

"Put your robe on, Mags."

 

"What?" Magnus asked, through bleary eyes and a wet sniffle.

 

"Put your robe on. Please ." Alec gave Magnus' hand a firm squeeze before dropping it.

 

Magnus missed the warmth and contact already. "Why?"

 

"Just do it. Quickly," Alec urged. He looked like he was struggling to keep his eyes closed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sharp breath.

 

Magnus picked up the robe from where it lay on the bed and quickly wrapped it around his body. The moment the belt was tied, and Magnus tapped Alec's shoulder to let him know, Alec surged forward and wrapped Magnus in a bone-crushing embrace. He tucked his head into the crook of Alec's neck and breathed in his wonderful combination of scents, let the heat of him melt away his worry. Alec's hands stroked up and down his back, and he rested his head on Magnus' temple as they swayed ever so slightly in place. It was mostly quiet, the air around them filled with Magnus' sniffles and rapidly calming breaths. They stayed like that for a while until Alec kissed his cheek and sighed.

 

"Have you tried therapy?" Alec's voice was soft and soothing as he spoke, still stroking Magnus' back as they continued to press together.

 

Therapy? The last time Magnus had ever looked into psychology, the up and coming field was overrun by quacks and weirdos offering up wild theories about sexual topics, like having deep, incestuous desires about one's own parents. He ran in the far opposite direction of that nonsense. "Uh, no."

 

Alec stepped back, just enough so he could comfortably look into Magnus' eyes and cradle his cheek in his palm. "It could help, with whatever you have going on in that pretty head of yours." He tapped a finger on Magnus' temple and winked.

 

"I don't know." Maybe psychology had improved over the decades since he last read about it. Probably, if it kept up with every other field of science.

 

"I know a great therapist. I can give you her number, if you want it."

 

Magnus sputtered. "How am I going to talk to some mundane about centuries' worth of issues?"

 

Alec smiled, running his fingers from Magnus' cheek to the nape of his neck, carding through the short hair there. "She works with downworlders. I think she might even be a downworlder, but I didn't want to ask."

 

Huh. What would have given Alec that idea? Magnus was curious. "How do you know that?"

 

"She's got those symbols on a sign in her office. You know, the ones you have in your book? The ones that represent each species? The pentacle, arrows, star, and moon?"

 

"Interesting." Magnus wondered if there was an angelic power rune there as well, but thought better of it, since Shadowhunters were basically extinct, and the nephilim power was dormant in their descendants. He'd be amazed if anyone, beyond immortals, were even aware that they existed at all.

 

"If I give you her number, will you at least think about it?" Alec's expression was serious, but hopeful, as he looked into Magnus' eyes.

 

"Sure. I can do that." Fat chance that he'd actually call, but Magnus knew that he could at least think about calling.

 

"Thank you." Alec flashed a small, warm smile before he kissed Magnus on the cheek. "Now, do you need help with showering, or…?" He raised an eyebrow in tandem with the corner of his lips.

 

"Alexander!" Magnus snorted and gave him a half-hearted push on his shoulder.

 

"What?" Alec asked through a grin, which quickly faded into a look of guilt. "Was that too much? Is my flirting too much for you?"

 

"No, don't worry about it. You're not being too much." Magnus smiled, and Alec mirrored him. Magnus was the expert on too much . He would know. "Come on, I'll walk you out." Magnus grabbed Alec by the hand and took him to retrieve his things, then he led him to the foyer where they stood only inches apart from each other. "Again, thank you for everything."

 

"Of course. And I'll be back tomorrow to help out again." Alec's grin was wide and bright as he waited for Magnus' response.

 

"You don't have to–"

 

"Don't fight me on this, Mags." Alec playfully scrunched his face, challenging Magnus to try to push back. Magnus knew it was a futile battle.

 

"Fine." Magnus sighed, rolling his eyes as he resigned to his fate. "Have a safe trip home. Text me when you get there."

 

"I will." Alec set his things down on the tufted shoe bench against the wall and turned to face Magnus with a salacious glint in his eye. That was the only warning Magnus had before he was being crowded against the coat closet door, Alec's arms slung around his shoulders, and their noses brushing together in soft little nuzzles as Alec gazed down at him. 

 

Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec's waist and pulled him closer, his heart thudding in his chest for their proximity and the look in Alec's gorgeous eyes. He wanted to keep gazing, keep staring into the piercing, mottled green irises, but his lips were already brushing against Alec's, and he had to close his eyes and surrender to the sensation. The presses were soft and languid, sweet and timid, up until Alec swiped the tip of his tongue along the seam of Magnus' lips. He opened immediately to him, deepened the kiss, moaned at all of the touches and presses and little nibbles until his legs turned to jelly, knowing that he was getting a bit too excited . He pulled back from the kiss, just enough to separate their lips, and rested his forehead against Alec's as he braced himself against the door to keep from slipping down to the floor.

 

"You okay?" Alec narrowed his eyes in concern, panting with shallow breaths. Magnus was panting, too, and he could feel both of their hearts drumming where their chests were touching, his boxer briefs becoming just a bit tighter as they stayed pressed against one another.

 

Magnus nodded, licking his lips and tasting vanilla and spearmint, wishing he could dive back in for more of the flavor. "Yeah. I'm fine. More than fine, actually. Which is why you should get going." He bit his bottom lip and tried to find the will to push Alec back, finding himself severely lacking and unwilling to move. His body was screaming for him to continue. Screaming .

 

Alec glanced down at Magnus' groin, which was ever so slightly tented beneath his robe, and smirked, taking his time to drag his line of sight back up the length of Magnus' covered body until he reached his eyes again. "I see." He gazed at Magnus and thumbed at his bottom lip, the touch savoring and sensual, and that gesture had absolutely no right being as hot as it was. "I'll see you in the morning, Magnus."

 

Swallowing hard, Magnus took a deep breath and smiled before gently pushing Alec away. "Goodbye, Alec."

 

"Adios, hermoso." Alec gave Magnus a quick kiss on the cheek with a wink before he snatched up his things and darted out the door and down the steps, almost as if he couldn't slow down, lest he be pulled back into the moment. He quickly faded into the evening crowd as Magnus, with a big, dopey grin, watched him leave.

 

~~~

 

I'm home! 😘

 

Magnus checked his phone after his shower, still wrapped up in a towel, and grinned at the message he found. He quickly typed a response and got to work getting ready for bed.

 

Thank you for letting me know

Goodnight, Alexander

 

Sweet dreams, Mags

Think of me 😉

Buenas noches ❤️

 

After getting dressed in just some pajama pants, not wanting to bother with a matching top that would only fight with his brace, Magnus smiled at his phone and set it aside on his nightstand. He tucked himself under the covers, turned off his old, flickering lamp, and stared up at the blank ceiling. He still had a low level of arousal thrumming through his body, and the memory of Alec speaking Spanish was doing nothing but adding to it.


Well, Alec did say to think about him, didn't he? So, if Magnus had started to fantasize about Alec being shirtless, imagining him saying "tócame, Magnus" and "bésame" in his deep, sexy voice, and if he had remembered what grinding their hips together felt like, and if he had reached between the sheets and taken himself in hand, and if he had maybe taken a lot longer than usual, due to the foreign feel of his non-dominant hand, and if he had breathed out Alec's name between labored pants before spilling all over himself, and if he had felt both fully sated and incredibly guilty afterwards, nobody else had to know.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Ppps- My Spanish is very, very rusty, so if I get it wrong, please let me know!

Chapter 11: Wait, what?

Summary:

The boys have a 🔥spicy🔥 conversation

Notes:

Hello hello!

I managed to injure my ankle, twice, in less than two weeks, and in two different ways! It forced me to be in bed a bit more, and more alert, so I managed to crank out this 6k chapter faster than I thought I was going to 🤣

Just a reminder, I update tags with each chapter if I feel like I need to, so make sure to check them out before you read in case something might trigger you. If there's something that I haven't tagged that you think should be, please let me know and I'll take it into consideration. That said, the boys have a conversation about Magnus getting handsy with himself, so there's going to be some spicy talk in this chapter. Be forewarned!

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Magnus couldn't sleep a wink. He tossed and turned and growled in frustration as he stared up at his blank ceiling, the guilt from just hours earlier still roiling in his gut with nauseating waves. Even Chairman Meow couldn't handle his restlessness and had ditched him to go snuggle with Church on his chair. He felt weird, and creepy, and he regretted what he had done the second he floated back down to reality from his orgasm. 

 

He checked his phone and groaned when he read the time; it was past three in the morning, just over three hours to go before he had to get up and face the day. He was beyond exhausted from his rollercoaster of a day, but he was too anxious to fall asleep. So, continuing his staring contest with the ceiling, he drifted into his thoughts, hoping to find a solution to his restlessness.

 

Wasn't it wrong, what he did? He thought of Alec in all sorts of obscene ways, of what they could possibly do with one another, and got himself off to a fantasy of the man he was hardcore crushing on. Sure, Magnus had seen and utilized pornography before, but he had never thought of someone who he had personally known unless they were already in an established relationship. 

 

What if Alec found out? Would he be creeped out by what he did? Probably. And the guilt was going to eat Magnus alive from the inside out unless he did something about it. But what could he do? He couldn't outright confess to Alec about everything, lest the poor man run for the hills and away from his pervertedness. But, maybe, he could confess to something , something a lot more vague, but just detailed enough to ease his conscience. What exactly that would be, Magnus didn't know, but the thought was enough to relax his mind and let him fall into a light slumber.

 

When his alarm went off, Magnus growled and slapped at his phone, nearly knocking it from the nightstand, before he grabbed it and brought it closer to cancel the alarm. He saw a text message from Alec waiting for him, which was unexpected, but he grinned as he unlocked his phone and opened it. He instantly choked on his spit when he read the words.

 

Good fuck! 😉

 

PLEASE NO.

 

What? I thought that was our new greeting? 🤣

 

ABSOLUTELY *NOT*

 

Fine…

Good morning, beautiful 🥰

 

Good morning, Alexander 

 

I just wanted to give you a heads-up

I'll be there in about ten minutes

 

Oh

That's a lot earlier than yesterday?

 

I'll explain why when I get there! 😊

 

Magnus scrambled to get out of bed, almost strangling himself with his sheets in the process, and darted into his bathroom. He did his routine business and brushed his teeth faster than he had in decades, then rushed out to the kitchen to feed the kitties as they yowled out their hungry cries. Church nearly tripped Magnus in his enthusiastic attempt to set down the water bowl, but he caught himself just in time and didn't give the cat an impromptu shower.

 

A knock sounded on the front door, and Magnus stepped around his boys to answer it, only remembering that he was half naked as his fingers touched the knob. He sprinted to grab his robe, wrapped himself up tight, and made his way back to the door to swing it open, a picture of beauty standing there to greet him as he did.

 

"Hello there, handsome." Alec stood on the top step with bags in hand: one from a nearby department store, and the other was the canvas tote that he had borrowed the night before. He was dressed, as immaculately as always, in a two piece, navy blue suit, a powder blue shirt, and a blue and white rose-patterned tie. It was too early for bright sunlight, so his gorgeous eyes weren't hidden behind sunglasses this time, and his hair was tousled in a perfectly sexy way. Oh, the things Magnus wanted to do to the man, like mess his hair up even more while pressing him up against a wall, grabbing a fistful of it while he worked his way down Alec's neck with his lips– NO. Nope. Fantasizing about him already did enough damage. No more of that. Only appreciating.

 

"H–hi." Magnus waved, a bit awkwardly, as he leaned on the door frame, not trying to disguise his ogling at all. Alec was fully aware of what he did to him. There really wasn't a point in hiding it.

 

Alec's brows furrowed together with an expression of concern. "Are you okay? You look tired, hon."

 

Well, Magnus was utterly exhausted, the bone-deep fatigue carried over from yesterday and his lack of sleep. He had only himself to blame for that, and blame he did. A wave of nausea rolled in his belly as he attempted a smile. "I, uh, didn't sleep well."

 

"I'm sorry," Alec said as he pursed his lips.

 

"It's not your fault." Well, kinda. Sorta. Maybe. The fantasy was of Alec, but he had no say in the matter. Nope, it was all on Magnus for being a creep. 

 

"Still. That sucks." Alec gave an apologetic smile and Magnus just shrugged. "Well, I brought gifts and stuff!" He lifted up the bags in each hand and widened his smile into a brighter grin.

 

Magnus clicked his tongue. "Alec, you didn't have to bring me anything!"

 

"You haven't even seen what it all is yet!"

 

Magnus sighed and nodded, moving out of the doorway to let Alec inside. "Alright, alright." He led him into the kitchen, and Alec set the bags down on the island. Before Magnus even had a chance to ask what was in the bags, Alec pulled him into a sweet, lingering kiss, making Magnus gasp against his lips. He tasted spearmint and vanilla, smelled Alec's enrapturing cologne, and luxuriated in his body heat where his hands cradled Magnus' face and their chests pressed together. It was all so beautiful, and perfect, and Magnus never wanted it to end, and it made him forget all about his guilt, at least for the moment.

 

When Alec pulled away, Magnus stood with his eyes closed for a moment more, and he only opened them when Alec chuckled. "I wanted to kiss you the moment you said hello, but I figured that you wouldn't want people to see that."

 

And that, well… Wow , that was appreciated immensely. Magnus' heart fluttered at just how sweet and considerate Alec was. "Thank you." He smiled gratefully at Alec as a light flush stained the apples of his cheeks. 

 

"No worries." Alec winked, then he turned to the canvas tote on the counter and opened it wide. "Now, let me show you what I brought!" He pulled out several plastic containers, one after the other, until there were a couple stacks of them, each with patches of frost dripping with condensation down the sides. The next thing he revealed was a gallon-sized plastic zipper bag filled with little muffins. Food . Alec brought him a butt load of food. "So, these are blueberry protein muffins. I usually have four of them for a light breakfast, but feel free to eat as many as you want. I can give you the nutrition info on them if you want it."

 

"Oh. You don't have to," Magnus said, his response an automatic and polite reply he'd perfected over the years.

 

"I'll send it to you anyway," Alec said with a smirk. "I figured you would probably eat your leftover pizza today, for lunch or dinner, but you still need another meal. I brought a variety of ones I've prepped for you to pick from. There are a couple repeats, so maybe spread them out a couple days if you think you'll tire of them. They're all labeled, but if you want more info about them, don't hesitate to ask me. And, if there's anything you don't like, I can replace it with something else. I've got quite the supply at home, so don't worry about me running out of anything. Okay?"

 

"Sure?" Magnus was beyond confused, but he had to clarify one thing before he started rattling off more questions. "You made all of this?"

 

Alec smiled bashfully and nodded. "I did. I made the muffins last night, and I meal prep every weekend and make extras to freeze. I have a lot stored up, and my friends and siblings like to snag some here and there when they're feeling too lazy to cook anything."

 

"That's very thoughtful of you, Alexander. Thank you." Magnus thought about Alec's words, thought about the amount of food that he brought, and then he suddenly realized that Alec hadn't brought his work bag with him. "Wait, what do you mean by spreading things out over a couple days?"

 

Alec rubbed the back of his neck and winced. "Ah, yeah. I should probably explain, huh?" Magnus slowly nodded, eyes narrowed. "So, usually, I make up my own hours, and I can choose to work in or out of the office with no problems. But, unfortunately, this week, and next, I can't do that. There's a big project in the works that's going to require me to be there for all day meetings, and some after work functions, too. That's why I'm here early, to help you get ready before I have to go in. I can't stay all day like I did yesterday."

 

"Oh. I see." Magnus didn't know why his heart sank after hearing the explanation, but it did. He had no reason to expect that every day would be like yesterday, that Alec would drop everything to be by his side indefinitely. Hell, he even refused the help yesterday, and it was only after Alec's insistence that he relented and let it all happen. Why should he feel disappointed that Alec couldn't do it all over again? He shouldn't. Alec had his own life to live, full of responsibilities and obligations that Magnus had no right to. How selfish of him to assume that he did.

 

"I'm sorry, Mags." Alec sighed, and he reached out and stroked up and down Magnus' arm in apology. "I really wish I could, but I can't. I promise that I'll be here afterwards, though! I can at least get you ready for your shower, and we can chat a little. And I'll check in with you as much as you need me to. If you really need to talk to me, don't hesitate to call. I can duck out of the meetings for a few minutes if I have to, as long as I'm not doing a presentation."

 

Magnus swallowed around a lump in his throat, hating himself for his shameful reaction. "And it's going to be like that for the next two weeks?"

 

Nodding, Alec continued to brush up and down Magnus' arm, soothing his anxiety with each motion. "I'm taking a half-day on Friday, and Monday is going to be the same as yesterday. But, beyond that, yeah. That's what it's going to look like for a little while." He shrugged. "But, who knows! Maybe you'll be healed up before the weekend! Which, by the way, is completely free." He winked.

 

"Yeah. Maybe." Magnus' voice was flat, devoid of the emotional turmoil ravaging his brain at that moment. He stared down at his bare feet until his eyes went blurry from a lack of blinking.

 

"Are you okay?" Alec's hand squeezed around Magnus' bicep, just hard enough to ground him.

 

"I'll manage." Magnus felt awful, but he couldn't voice his thoughts out loud.

 

"How about I show you what else I brought?" Alec offered, and Magnus nodded with a timid smile, still preoccupied with the thought of being alone. "I bought you something useful, something that I think you'll like."

 

"Why is that?" Magnus squinted, willing himself to concentrate on the new topic.

 

"It'll give you just a little bit more independence. And it's something that you can use for years and years, as long as you take care of it." Alec pulled out a small box from the department store bag and handed it to Magnus with his bright, sunshiny grin.

 

Magnus accepted the box and studied the outside of it with curiosity. He'd never seen something like it before, or, if he had, he couldn't remember it. On the box were pictures of a handheld machine, at least to his understanding, which had a few buttons on the handle and three circular pieces on the end. He read over the words on the box, finally, and saw what they spelled out: rotary electric razor. Electric razor? Magnus had never used anything beyond safety razors since they were invented, and he never felt the need to, honestly. They just worked. Having a machine do the job for him, having moving parts against his skin, like it seemed like would be the case, somewhat scared him.

 

Alec tapped the box with a finger. "I have the same one at home, and it's amazing. I can show you how to use it."

 

"I–" Magnus started, not sure what exactly he wanted to say. He debated on asking why Alec was giving him a gift and how much it cost, among other things, but that isn't what his mouth blurted out. "Will it cut me? I–is it dangerous?" He felt foolish the moment he registered the words. An immortal with magical healing abilities, worried about being nicked by a tiny little machine. How ridiculous.

 

Alec snorted, that adorable little joyful sound, and he shook his head with a giggle. "Not at all. I promise." He pulled the receipt from the bag and shoved it into his pocket before Magnus could even glance at it.

 

"How–"

 

"It's a gift. Don't worry about how much it was." Magnus opened his mouth to protest, but Alec interjected. "I'm serious."

 

Magnus rolled his eyes. "You really don't need to spend money on me, Alec."

 

"Yeah, but I want to. I like spending money on people I care about. I'd rather do that than buy stupid, frivolous things for myself." Alec shrugged. "Call it a love language, I guess."

 

Oh, Magnus absolutely was not going to let those words, care and love , go to his head. No he wasn't. "Okay." He swallowed around the emotional lump in his throat and smiled. "Thank you, Alexander."

 

"You're welcome." Alec smiled, soft and warm, giving Magnus' brain more fuel for its emotional mayhem. "Let's get you ready, yeah?"

 

~~~

 

Alec led Magnus into the ensuite and sat him down on the toilet lid before he opened up the box and pulled out the electric razor. Magnus eyed the thing with skepticism and curiosity alike while Alec set everything up. "It has enough charge to shave your face right now, but you'll need to plug it in afterwards. This button is for power," Alec pointed and demonstrated the function, a soft buzz sounding from the contraption, "this is the mode, and that's the battery gauge. You can use it wet or dry, but I prefer dry myself."

 

Magnus shook his head slowly, both in awe and confusion. "It looks so complicated."

 

"It's not, really. I swear. And I promise that it won't hurt you. Watch." Alec turned on the device and touched it to his own face, rubbing it all over the lower half with a smile. "See? Here, give it a shot. Use circular motions." He handed it over to Magnus, who hesitated before gingerly accepting it and touched it to his cheek.

 

Magnus gasped at the buzzing sound and vibration, almost dropping it, then laughed in surprise. "Whoa."

 

"I'll let you handle that, then, and I'll go pick out your outfit. Okay?" Alec asked, and Magnus nodded. "Alright. Join me in there when you're done." He pressed his lips to Magnus' forehead and smiled, bright and beautiful, before turning away and exiting the bathroom.

 

Shaving his stubble off took way less time than it ever had before, Magnus noted, after finishing up in just a couple minutes. No shaving cream, no water, no cleanup necessary beyond rinsing off the blades. The wonders of technology at work, held in the palm of his hand. He plugged it into the charging dock, just like Alec had shown him, and made his way into the bedroom. 

 

Magnus stopped in his tracks at the threshold, mouth going dry at the sight of Alec before him. The gorgeous man was lounging back on the bed, propped up by his elbows, with his ankles crossed as his feet dangled off the side. He looked so inviting and enticing, like Magnus could crawl right onto the bed and be welcomed as he crowded the man into the mattress. He wanted to do just that, wanted to strip away the expensive layers of his outfit, wanted to kiss him and press into him, wanted to trace every toned muscle with his tongue–

 

"You alright, sweetheart?"

 

Magnus snapped out of his dirty thoughts and back into reality, shame coloring his cheeks in a red hot flush. "Y–yeah." He swallowed thickly, a click sounding in his throat. "Yeah, I'm fine."

 

Alec eyed him with a quirked brow and smirked as he sat upright. "You really do need more variety in your wardrobe."

 

"Yeah. I'm sure you want to help with that, don't you?" Magnus rolled his eyes playfully.

 

"I will help with that." Alec chuckled. "Come here." He waved Magnus over towards him, and Magnus obeyed, watching as Alec gracefully rose to his feet and grabbed the dark gray slacks he had placed next to himself on the bed. "Same as yesterday?" Magnus nodded, and Alec dropped down to one knee with closed eyes and a bowed head. 

 

The whole ordeal was a lot less awkward than it was the day before, with only a fraction of the giggles and accidental tickles. The pants were on, and Alec was working his way up the line of buttons on the navy blue dress shirt he had picked out for Magnus to wear, and all was well. It was only when Alec started tucking in the shirt that things went south faster than a bullet train.

 

Every brush, every touch, every point of contact between Magnus' waist and Alec's hands had Magnus diving back into his fantasies from the night before. When Alec's fingers slid towards the front of Magnus' pants, Magnus groaned, not out of pleasure, but out of shame. Alec looked up at him with narrowed eyes and pinched brows after looping an elastic band around the button to hold it in place. "Mags?"

 

This wasn't his anxious ice. It was hot, leaden guilt sinking deep into Magnus' gut. Molten bile bubbled up in his stomach and threatened to erupt. "Nothing."

 

"What's wrong? You look like you're going to be sick."

 

Magnus shook his head just as a sour burp gurgled in his throat. He cringed and swallowed it back down, averting his eyes to his bare feet. "I–" he started, but had no idea how to continue. What was he going to say? Lie and act like he wasn't about to vomit from the intense guilt eating away at his insides? Pretend that what he did last night was okay? Alec would see straight through all of it. He feared that his only path to relief was honesty. "I have to tell you something."

 

Alec wore a genuine look of concern as he reached out and grasped Magnus' hand. "What is it? You can tell me anything, Magnus. I won't judge you."

 

Magnus wanted to believe that, but his brain was too busy berating him for being disgusting for him to think of anything else. "I– I did something last night that was wrong."

 

"What did you do?" Alec narrowed his eyes in concentration.

 

"I thought about you," Magnus blurted out, and he was met with utter confusion from Alec. "I fantasized about you last night. I thought about all of the things I wanted to do to you, and everything I wanted you to do to me , and you were speaking Spanish and I just couldn't stop myself and I– I got myself off." Magnus dropped Alec's hand and used his to scrub through his already messy hair. "I feel like such a fucking creep !"

 

Alec's eyes widened in surprise, blinking a few times. There was a long, awkward beat of silence that stretched between them before Alec opened his mouth to speak, first making a croaking sound before an actual word appeared. " What ?"

 

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I know it was wrong." Tears were budding in Magnus' eyes, but at least the guilt had started to cool after his confession. "I feel incredibly guilty. It won't happen again, I swear."

 

Alec shook his head and rubbed at his temple. "Wait, what ?"

 

Magnus sputtered for a moment, his mind trying to register what exactly Alec's reaction was. He looked upset, if Magnus had to guess. "I… feel guilty about it?"

 

"Why would you feel guilty about it?" Alec held out his hand, palm up in question.

 

"Isn't it, I dunno, weird to do that?" Magnus' hands were waving and swiveling in the air between them, a chaotic gesture. "To get off on the fantasy of someone who you're actively trying to get closer to?"

 

"No?" Alec shook his head. "At least, not between us . We're both extremely attracted to each other, right?" Magnus shrugged, knowing that it was at least true on his end. "And we both want to, eventually, have a more physical relationship, right?" Again, Magnus shrugged. "I don't think it's weird at all."

 

"Then why are you upset?"

 

Alec huffed out a laugh. "I'm not upset. I'd say more… frustrated? Think of it this way: we've both agreed to take it slow. I find you extremely sexy. You tell me that you jerked off while thinking about me, while we're face to face, and I have no way of dealing with that information. It just makes things, um, harder to handle, if you get my message."

 

Magnus blinked rapidly a few times, the surprised one now. "Wait, so you actually like that I did that?"

 

Alec rubbed the back of his neck, a little pink tint forming on his cheeks. "Uh, yeah? Way too much, in fact. I could show you just how much, but that would defeat the whole purpose of our agreement to take things slow."

 

Huh. Magnus was intrigued. "How is me doing that a turn on? I thought it would be creepy."

 

"How would you feel if I told you that I did the same thing?" Alec smirked, a deeply salacious glint in his eye. "That I thought about you, shirtless, dripping wet like you were on Saturday morning, touched myself in multiple ways until I got off, made such a mess of myself that I had to shower, then did it all over again in there?"

 

Every single word went straight to Magnus' dick. Every single one was on a mission to make his pants uncomfortably tight, and they were each successful. He swallowed thickly, took a steadying breath, and nodded. "I, uh, I see your point." When he managed to regain eye contact, Alec's eyes were dark with desire, irises a thin ring around blown pupils. "Was that true?"

 

Alec licked his lips and stared into Magnus' eyes with intensity. "Yes."

 

" Fuck ," Magnus growled, startling himself with the sound of his own voice and how far gone he was from just words. Well, not just words; Alec's expression wasn't helping in the least bit. It was taking quite a lot of willpower not to act on what his body was screaming for.

 

"So, uh, maybe we can save that stuff for when we can actually do something about it? Either alone or, eventually, together?"

 

"Like a text message?"

 

Alec's eyes widened. "You want to sext?"

 

"Is that what it's called?"

 

"Saying sexy things like that over text messages? Yes." Alec took a deep, steadying breath of his own, looking like he was struggling just as much as Magnus was.

 

"Oh. Would you like that? If I told you about my fantasies and what I do when I think about you?" Magnus didn't mean to make it sound flirty, at all, but his mind was already in the gutter and his mouth went along for the ride.

 

"Ángel ayúdame, yes !" Alec buried his face in his hands with a groan, muttering a few Spanish curses under his breath before managing to look Magnus in the eye again. "But let's wait on that until we take the next step, okay? Can we please change the subject before I do something I'm not proud of?"

 

"Angel help me? Did Alec just–?" No, Magnus must have misheard him. Why would he make a nephilim reference? That wouldn't make any sense. Sure, he had the last name of a prominent Shadowhunter family line, but they all gave up their runes and seraph blades over a century and a half ago. The blood must have been watered down with mundanes throughout the years, and there was no way they kept teaching their children about their history. No, Magnus must have misheard him. "Do you want me to try a calming spell on you…?" Magnus waved hesitantly towards Alec's groin.

 

"I'm rather attached to my dick, thank you very much." Alec snorted into a giggle.

 

Magnus scoffed playfully, holding a hand to his heart. "You wound me, Alec!" 

 

"No, you would wound me ! Not that I don't trust you, but Kitty is still a bit feral." Scrunching up his face at that, Magnus was still unsure if he liked his magic having a name or not. Alec laughed boisterously at his reaction and pulled him into a hasty, chaste kiss, with no room for it to evolve into something more.

 

~~~

 

"You don't really need a sweater, do you?" Alec had his arms crossed over his chest as he stood between Magnus and his closet.

 

"Yes, I do!" Magnus stopped himself from stomping on the ground like a child having a tantrum. It wasn't that he was trying to fight or be stubborn, but he wanted to get his point across. He needed a sweater today.

 

"But you're completely covered! And you didn't need one yesterday!" Alec made a wide, sweeping gesture to all of Magnus' body.

 

Magnus sighed, his shoulders slumping forward where he stood. "It doesn't matter, Alec. I just need one today, okay?"

 

Alec threw his hands in the air in dramatic defeat. "Fine!" He trudged over to the closet and sorted through the limited selection of sweaters available, sighing deeply himself as he pulled out a light gray cardigan. "I don't get it, but whatever makes you happy, I guess."

 

"You make me happy," Magnus mused, and blushed at his realization, hoping Alec didn't notice it while he pulled out a pair of socks from his dresser. Alec made him happy, but Alec wouldn't be around at all that day. He needed an extra layer of comfort to make up for what he would be missing. A sock went over Magnus' fist, just like yesterday, so his sweater wouldn't snag on his brace. He shrugged into the cardigan, watched as Alec deftly secured the buttons, and let himself be led back into the bathroom so Alec could do his hair, which took no time at all.

 

Everything went by so fast that Magnus was blinking in surprise when Alec pulled him over to the front door. "You have to leave already?" he asked with a blatant pout.

 

Alec giggled and pecked him on the lips. "Yeah, my first meeting is at nine, but I have to make sure the catering is correct before it starts."

 

Magnus nodded and stared at his shoes, shuffling a toe against the floor. "Alright."

 

"Text me your schedule, okay?" Alec brushed his fingertips up Magnus' arm to his shoulder, holding him there with gentle pressure. "So I know when to check in."

 

"I will. When will you be back?"

 

"Not sure, but after dinner time at least. So go ahead and eat without me."

 

Magnus nodded again, feeling awkward and selfish, not wanting to let Alec leave. He half wondered if he had enough magic to tamper with his wards to trap Alec inside, but quickly dismissed that idea before it set in. "Have a great day, Alexander."

 

Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus and pressed their foreheads together with a smile. "You, too, Mags. Don't hesitate to call me if you need to. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

 

Magnus nodded, one last time, and wrapped his arms tight around Alec's core before he pressed their lips together. He tasted of spearmint and vanilla, of sweetness and affection, and nothing else in the world mattered at that point in time, not even the thought of being alone. The kiss was chaste, neither of them allowing any heat to seep into their gesture, and their lips parted just seconds after they started. Alec tried to pull away, but Magnus refused to release him.

 

Gently stroking Magnus' back, Alec gazed at him with a soft smile. "Magnus, I have to leave."

 

"Yeah." Magnus squeezed tighter. He knew he was being clingy, but he just couldn't help himself. He couldn't stand the thought of being alone, of letting Alec leave him for the entire day. It was selfish, he knew it, but he couldn't think of anything else.

 

"You have to let go." Alec chuckled, trying to wiggle out of Magnus' grasp.

 

Magnus nosed at Alec's neck, breathing in his delicious cologne, memorizing the scent like it was his last chance to experience it. "Uh huh." 

 

Alec laughed and brushed his fingers up and down Magnus' sides, eliciting a snort and a bark of laughter from him. "Come on, hon, you'll see me later!"

 

Magnus finally, reluctantly released Alec and curled his fingers into fists at his sides with a sigh. "I know."

 

They said their goodbyes, shared one last quick kiss, and then Alec was darting down the steps to join the morning crowd on the sidewalk, blending in right away.

 

~~~

 

Tea? 🍵

 

Magnus picked up his phone and read the text with a wide grin. He was with his fifth client of the day, the last one, and he had been expecting the message to show up, just like the previous four had with each appointment. He checked in with his mind and body, finding everything calm and in working order, before he responded.

 

Jasmine

 

💙

 

In what felt like the blink of an eye, it was dinner time already, and Magnus now had the task of picking which of the frozen meals Alec had made for him to eat. He settled on four cheese lasagna, after quite the deliberation between every delicious-looking dish, and sat himself on the couch to eat. Chairman Meow joined him, loafing by his side until he was finished, and the two curled up in a cuddly heap in the quiet house while Magnus waited for Alec to return.

 

~~~

 

"Hey there, cutie," a deep, gentle voice whispered in Magnus' ear.

 

Magnus startled awake, bleary eyes snapping open and blinking as he took in his surroundings. He must have fallen asleep, seeing that the afternoon sunlight had faded into the glow of street lamps flowing in through the windows. The Chairman was curled into his chest, belly up and purring, as a large hand was stroking over his fluff. Another large hand was stroking through Magnus' hair at the same time, and it took Magnus way, way too long to realize that it was Alec petting the both of them. He was kneeling on the floor, right next to the couch, gazing down at him as he moved his hands. Magnus smiled and croaked out, "Alexander…"

 

"Hey." Alec smiled back, full of warmth and affection. "I didn't want to wake you up, since I know you haven't had a good night's sleep the past three nights, and you just looked so cute and peaceful. But I'm sure you wouldn't want to spend the whole night in this, right?" He tugged on the hem of Magnus' sweater.

 

Magnus blinked a few times, still waking up, and looked down at his outfit. It wasn't the most uncomfortable thing he had ever worn, but it did tug at and restrict his body in awkward ways if he tried to curl up while in it. His shirt was already digging into his neck around the collar, and his slacks were pinching around his thighs. He knew he'd be much more comfortable in pajamas and in his own bed. "Right."

 

"Let's get you ready for bed, then." Alec stood and held out his hand for Magnus to take, which he did with no hesitation. They walked the short distance into the bedroom, and Alec grabbed the old black robe that was tossed aside on Church's chair, while Magnus rid himself of his socks and shoes. Alec got to work right away, unbuttoning the cardigan with his long, nimble fingers, and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry I showed up so late, Magnus. I wanted to be here earlier."

 

It wasn't like Magnus had even noticed Alec was late, since he had been asleep for at least a couple hours. "You don't have to apologize. You're volunteering your free time to be here."

 

Alec had moved onto Magnus' shirt, head bowed and eyes closed like usual, working the buttons free one by one. "Yeah, but you're depending on me. I should have tried to leave earlier."

 

"Nonsense. You have your own life to live, Alexander. Don't change it up because of me." Magnus stepped out of his pants, noting just how fast the process had become since their first awkward attempt. He grabbed his robe and wrapped it tight around himself, then tapped Alec on his shoulder.

 

Alec opened his beautiful eyes and gazed down at Magnus with sincerity. "What if I want to change it up because of you?"

 

Magnus had no idea how to respond to that beyond gazing at Alec with wide eyes, feeling himself brimming with an array of emotions. His heart fluttered like a drunk butterfly, and his breath hitched in his chest before a tiny whimper squeezed through his tightened throat. He wasn't quite sure if Alec had heard that or not, but he didn't respond to it, looking too focused on his own words.

 

Blushing, realizing what he had just said, Alec smiled bashfully before clearing his throat. "So, I, uh, I did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen already, so you don't have to worry about that at all."

 

"While I was asleep?"

 

"Yeah. You were really out. It took a few minutes to wake you up, actually."

 

"Oh." Magnus was usually a light sleeper, waking up at the slightest change of position when Chairman Meow would move, so this had come as a surprise to him. He hadn't realized just how exhausted he really was. 

 

"I hope you get some great sleep tonight. I can tell that you really need it." Alec gestured towards the open door, signaling that he needed to leave.

 

"Yeah. Me, too." Magnus led Alec to the front door for the second time that day, and before Alec could make any sort of move, Magnus got up on his tiptoes and pressed their lips together in a soft and sweet kiss. Alec moaned affectionately and wrapped his arms around Magnus' waist, drawing them flush, and he continued the kiss, open-mouthed, lips gliding against each other as they breathed one another's air. 

 

When Alec pulled back, just enough to gaze into Magnus' eyes, he smiled with such a warmth that Magnus thought he was going to melt on the spot. He looked down at Magnus' feet and giggled. "Are you on your tiptoes?"

 

Magnus blushed as he nodded. "Well, it's either that or I drag you down to my level…"

 

Alec moaned again and squeezed Magnus against his chest. "God, that's so fucking adorable !" He kissed the top of Magnus' head and sighed. " You're adorable."

 

Against his instinct to deny Alec's compliment, since Magnus had promised to try to see himself the way Alec did, Magnus kept his mouth shut and instead went in for another kiss, thoroughly thanking him for his words with his actions. It lasted longer than the first one, and left them both breathless when they parted, and they both wore dopey grins when they said their goodbyes and Alec darted off into the night.

 

~~~

 

After his shower, which was a lot faster and more efficient than his previous two, Magnus dressed himself in his pajama pants and checked his phone, grinning like a dork as he replied to the goodnight message from Alec. He crawled into bed, turned off his old wonky lamp, and waited for Chairman Meow to join him before he drifted off into a deep, restful sleep, feeling guiltless and content.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Ppps- My Spanish is very, very rusty, so if I get it wrong, please let me know!

Chapter 12: The Language of Flowers

Summary:

Magnus has a big surprise for Alec

Notes:

Hey y'all!

Ankle is all healed up now, and my motivation to write has been surprisingly great, so here's another chapter for you guys!

This one got really out of hand for me. I wanted to include orchids in it, for a small but important part, but when I did research on them, I spent hours on it. The little part turned into me splitting the chapter into 3! But, because of it, some really important things that I wanted to cover actually happened, so it's a good thing. The dialogue for the next chapter is almost completely done, so I just have to go and flesh it out. I won't give an estimate on that, because my brain "works" in its own timeframe. It'll be done soon. Ish.

I wanted to mention that this is simultaneously the longest and most popular fic I've ever written, and it's thanks you guys for all of your love and support! Thank you! 🖤

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

The following two days went about the same as Tuesday had: mostly uneventful, and with not nearly enough Alec for Magnus' liking. He had shown up bright and early, helped Magnus get dressed and ready, left, and returned later in the day to help clean up and get Magnus ready for his shower. There were a couple differences, however.

 

On Wednesday, Magnus met with a new client. He was young, and sweet, and handsome, but he had terrible anxiety, and trying to calm the guy down caused Magnus' own anxiety to rise. By the time his client left, Magnus was on edge, and he sent Alec a chamomile message to let him know how he was feeling. It took less than a minute before Alec was calling him back, and just the initial sound of his voice was enough to ease his tension throughout his body. He had asked Alec to chat about his day, just ramble if he wanted to, so he could hear his soothing voice, and Alec gladly went along with it, babbling about things Magnus had no clue of but loved to listen to. The call only lasted for five minutes, as Alec had to start another meeting, but it was more than enough to ground Magnus for the rest of the day.

 

Thursday was much calmer, and much more boring, than the previous few days had been. He had only met with regulars, eaten more of Alec's delicious food (the black bean and quinoa bake being his favorite so far), and moped around the house until Alec showed up again. When he had opened the door to Alec's gorgeous face, a warmth spread throughout his entire body, and something in his mind was whispering "right," like being with Alec was where he was supposed to be. He didn't allow himself to dwell on that thought, and he invited him inside, and the moment the door was closed Alec pulled him into a slow, gentle kiss, ramping that warmth up a few notches and making Magnus breathless.

 

After Magnus regained his composure, which took longer than he wanted to admit, Alec held out a plastic container for Magnus to take. He opened it up and found a huge slice of cheesecake inside, and Alec, shyly, mentioned something about it being from his dinner meeting and wanting to share it with him, and Magnus had to kiss him again for how adorable that was. They settled on the couch with a couple forks and dug into it, moaning at the wonderful flavor, taking turns picking away at it until only one bite was left. Alec, with a flirty smirk, fed it to Magnus, and Magnus rushed to swallow it down before he nearly tackled Alec back onto the cushions with a storm of cheesecake-flavored kisses. Things got a bit heated, and they mutually agreed to cool it down, but that hot little moment lived in Magnus' mind all the way up until he went to bed. He did something about it, like he had done the other night, but he went to sleep a lot less guilty and a hell of a lot more satisfied than the last time.

 

Now, it was Friday, and that meant more time with Alec. He was taking a half-day, and he promised to spend the whole afternoon with Magnus, whenever he was finished with his clients. And, luckily for the both of them, he only had one client after lunch, leaving the rest of the day free to do whatever they wanted. He wasn't entirely sure what Alec had in mind, but he had a thought: maybe, just maybe , as long as his anxiety wasn't acting up, he could, possibly, attempt to take a walk with Alec. It would have to be during daylight, of course, and not too far, or too long, and hopefully in a not too crowded area, but it was possible. Probable. And Magnus was going to do his damndest to go through with it.

 

The thought of going on a walk occupied his mind so much that, while he was in the middle of eating the cheddar potato casserole for lunch (which was a close second for his favorite dish now), he almost dropped his forkful of food when Alec strolled into the kitchen with his bright, sunshiny smile. He wore a pair of sinfully tight black skinny jeans and an emerald green button down shirt, with the top half undone and open, showing off his smooth, pale chest. Magnus wanted nothing more than to plant his face right there and explore his skin with open-mouthed kisses, but he'd save that for another time. Hopefully.

 

"Hello, handsome." Alec bent down to pet Chairman Meow, his butt in skin tight denim on display right before Magnus' eyes.

 

"Good god …" Magnus meant to think, but accidentally said out loud, and he choked on the little bit of potato left in his mouth. He coughed it free, but was still gasping for air out of reflex, face red from both embarrassment and lack of oxygen.

 

Alec snorted and stood back up with a smirk. "And hello to you, too, beautiful." He chuckled and kissed Magnus on his crimson cheek, then set a couple grocery bags down on the island. "Are you alright?"

 

"Fine!" Magnus rasped out, grabbing his glass and chugging down his water to soothe his throat. "What, uh, what did you bring this time?"

 

Smiling bright, as per usual, Alec started pulling out assorted items from the bags. "I thought I'd make something fresh for dinner, since I have all afternoon. How does spinach, artichoke, and cheese stuffed bread sound?"

 

"Uh, I don't know?" Magnus said, tipping one shoulder upwards in an unsure gesture. "I've never had it. I like all those ingredients, though."

 

"Do you like Hot Pockets?"

 

Magnus gasped. "Oo! I love Hot Pockets!"

 

Alec giggled, smiling fondly. "I thought so. My siblings call it the giant Hot Pocket. I think you'll like it."

 

"I can't wait to try it. If it's as good as everything else you've made, I'm sure I'll love it." Magnus took another bite of his lunch, savoring the flavor. He really had been enjoying everything Alec made, all of the different dishes he hadn't heard of before, and Alec's versions of the ones he had. He had to admit that it was way better than the frozen dinners he was used to.

 

"I'm glad you've been enjoying the food," Alec said, smiling bashfully, a light blush coloring his cheeks. 

 

"You're a phenomenal cook, Alexander. I don't think I could ever be as good as you are." Magnus meant it, too. Alec was amazing, and Magnus… wasn't. Sure, he had things he was good at, but anything dealing with his kitchen was mediocre at best, and a fire hazard at worst. He wasn't even sure if cooking lessons would do anything to change that.

 

The blush deepened as Alec huffed out an awkward laugh, his eyes on his shoes. "I'll teach you. It just takes practice."

 

Magnus almost forgot how Alec handled praise, and he relished in the adorable reaction he pulled from him. He scarfed down the last of his food and water, then brought his dishes to the sink. "My client will be here in a few minutes, and then I'm done for the day after that."

 

"Sounds good." Alec beamed at Magnus, excitement clear in his expression, which made Magnus' stomach do a little flip. "Hey, uh, do you have an apron?" Magnus shook his head. "That's fine. I brought one of my own." Alec left the kitchen, his footsteps sounding muffled as he entered another room. He returned with a black apron, which he looped over his head and tied behind his back. "I just didn't know if I needed to bust this one out or not." On the front of it were words in white text and two graphic whisks.

 

"'Don't be afraid to take whisks'?" Magnus chuckled. "Ridiculous."

 

"I have more at home! My siblings gave me quite the collection of punny aprons. You'll see." Alec started rolling up his sleeves to reveal his beautiful, milky white forearms, and Magnus had to stop himself from drooling over the sight.

 

Then the words that Alec had said finally settled into his brain, and Magnus' stomach did another little flip. Alec still wanted Magnus to see his home, at some point. Whenever that would be, Magnus had to be ready to leave his house and feel comfortable being in another space for an extended period of time. Taking that walk today, taking a big step out into the world, felt more important than before. He was just about to bring up the possibility to Alec when the shopkeeper's bell rang at his front door. He sighed and smiled. "Client's here."

 

"Go do your job, Mr. Psychic. I'll be busy in here if you need me." Alec winked. Magnus rounded the island and wrapped his arms around Alec, and Alec leaned down to give him a quick kiss and a squeeze, and then Magnus was off to greet his client, tasting vanilla and spearmint on his smile.

 

~~~

 

The appointment was over, the client was on his merry way home, and Magnus was trying to figure out how to bring up taking a walk with Alec. It should have been as simple as walking right up to him and asking him if he wanted to take one, but, as life kept reminding him, nothing was ever simple with Magnus. His mind and body weren't on the same page about this: his mind was determined to go through with it, but his body was fighting back with anxious energy, manifesting in shaking hands and sweat. He knew what would calm the anxiety, what would be necessary for him to be able to leave in the first place, and that sparked an idea.

 

Magnus left the foyer and made his way into the kitchen, hearing the sound of off-tune humming before he even entered, and smiled when he saw Alec busy at the sink. He settled beside him at the counter, leaning back on his elbows, and giggled when he noticed Alec's face. His hair was mussed, as he had had it styled that way to begin with, but it was even more so now, and there were a few streaks of white powder running through the fringe, and a dusting of it was on his forehead. It was so cute , and Magnus had to bite back an overly affectionate moan. "You, uh, got a little something there…" Magnus pointed to his forehead to demonstrate.

 

"Huh?" Alec uselessly tried to look up at his own forehead and snorted. "Oh, um, probably flour."

 

"It's in your hair , Alexander," Magnus said, snickering.

 

"Shit." Alec sheepishly smiled, grabbing the old cotton towel off the counter and scrubbing his hands dry with it. "How bad is it?"

 

"Not too bad. I could get it out for you, if you'd like." Alec nodded and leaned forward, and Magnus used the towel to brush out what he could see, swiping it across Alec's forehead to get the remnants of the flour off his skin. When Magnus tossed the towel aside and looked back at Alec, a surge of want rushed through his veins. Alec was close, nearly nose to nose with him, his gorgeous, hazel eyes were set on him with intensity, and his lips were parted ever so slightly, breath coming out in quick little puffs between them. Magnus had no idea what had caused this reaction, but now his body was starting to mirror him, and as much as he wanted to jump his bones, Magnus had a plan . He had to stick to it, lest he chicken out and put it on the back burner. He grabbed the towel again and pretended to wipe off Alec's cheek, hoping to tamp the mood for now. "Missed a spot."

 

Alec breathed in sharply through his nose and stood up straight, huffing out a stilted laugh. "Right. Thanks." He looked down at his feet, shoulders curling in. "I'm a bit of a messy baker. Which is one of the reasons why I keep getting aprons as gifts."

 

Magnus pushed his fingertips into Alec's shoulders and set him straight up again, smiling with warmth. "I think it's adorable." Alec smirked, a little bit of his usual confidence peeking back through, and Magnus gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking a steadying breath. "So, Alexander…"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I, uh, I have something I'd like to show you. Do you have time right now?" Magnus glanced around the kitchen, seeing a covered bowl on the counter, but little else. "Or are you still busy?"

 

"Oh! Well, the dough," Alec pointed at the bowl, "has to rise for about another hour or so, so I have time right now. What do you want to show me?"

 

"Something that I haven't shown anyone else. I think you'll like it." Which was true. Not a single soul beyond Magnus knew of what he was about to share with Alec. Well, not in its current state. It was one of his best kept secrets, something that was taking a lot of courage even considering sharing, but he knew that Alec was worth it.

 

"Okay…" Alec sounded a little unsure, but his smile was bright with curiosity.

 

"Come with me." Magnus took Alec's hand in his own and laced their fingers together, pulling him into the bedroom. "First, I need to lose the sweater."

 

Alec blinked in surprise. "Really?"

 

"Really. Just the sweater, though." Magnus smirked. Alec shrugged and made quick work of the buttons before he gingerly peeled it off and away from the brace. It landed unceremoniously on top of the growing pile of laundry, which taunted Magnus every time he glanced at it. He'd get to it, eventually, after he figured out how to get it down and back up the basement stairs with only one good hand. He really, really didn't want to make Alec wash his underwear. "Okay, this way." He grabbed Alec's hand again and led him into the foyer, stopping before they reached the coat closet. "Are you ready?"

 

"I have no idea what to be ready for , Magnus." Alec chuckled.

 

"A bit of magic, and then a surprise. Okay?" Magnus reached towards the wall, right under a framed painting, and traced a few invisible runes with his fingertip into the painted plaster. It took just a couple seconds before a metal staircase spiraled into existence right before their eyes, sprouting from the floor and swirling up into the ceiling like a tendril on a vine. A closed hatch formed at the top, big enough for Magnus' body and some boxes and tools to easily move through.

 

"Holy shit…" Alec darted his eyes between the staircase, the hatch, and Magnus, gulping audibly. " What ? Where does that lead?"

 

"The surprise! Come on. I'll go first." Magnus released Alec's hand and grabbed the railing as he climbed each step, the aged metal creaking at the joints, stopping as he reached the top to open the hatch. He looked down at Alec, who was a few steps lower looking bewildered, and winked. As he pushed open the hatch, a gush of warm, humid air brushed past him, and he climbed up the last steps and onto the concrete floor.

 

The air was moist, thick with humidity, and it clung to his skin the instant Magnus stepped inside the large structure made entirely of glass panels and metal framework. A canvas tarp was strapped onto the high ceiling to provide some shade, and long, wooden benches lined the walls and created row after row of surfaces for the delicate plants inside. There were hanging planters with overflowing foliage trickling down, large trellises to accommodate climbing vines, and hundreds of little pots with stakes covering all available real estate, filling up the space with vibrant colors and patterns and textures. The scents of warm earth, musk, citrus, and other sweet, floral notes filled the air, fragrant and invigorating and calming all at once. On the North wall was a workbench and a couple shelving units, full of little jars and bottles and bags, with scattered tools and a small cauldron set up for use. On the South wall was a small, closed-off room made of frosted glass and a metal roof, glowing an eerie purple hue. This, the greenhouse, was Magnus' happy place.

 

Alec gasped beside him, and Magnus turned to observe his reaction. He held a hand to his mouth, and his eyes were wide and glistening as he slowly turned and took everything in. "Oh my god, Magnus…" Alec's voice was thick with awe. "It's so beautiful !"

 

Magnus beamed, heart so full and warm it was about to burst. "You really think so?"

 

"Yes!" Alec grabbed Magnus' good hand, lacing their fingers together again, and gave it a squeeze. "It looks and feels and smells so– so, uh, tropical in here."

 

It looked and felt and smelled like home to Magnus. It was the only fragment of his childhood that he allowed himself to have, since he felt like he didn't deserve anything more. He wasn't going to let himself dwell on that thought, not when he wanted this to be a happy memory. "That's the point! They can't survive in any other conditions."

 

"Are they all orchids?" Alec asked as he pulled Magnus towards one of the closest benches.

 

"Most. There are some herbs, vegetables, and foliage towards the South wall, but it's mostly orchids."

 

"How many?" Alec glanced around with a laugh. "There has to be hundreds in here!"

 

Magnus nodded. "Last time I checked, the count was 542."

 

" What ? How do you manage to care for them all by yourself?" 

 

Magnus waved nonchalantly with his braced hand. "Oh, just some spellwork I set in place before my magic went dormant. It keeps the substrate at the right moisture and pH levels for me, so I don't have to worry about watering and whatnot. The only things I have to do are fertilize, repot, and groom them, which takes some time, but I find it really relaxing."

 

"Wow…" Alec reached forward and stroked over a thick, flat leaf. "And you, um, said that you haven't shown anyone this before?"

 

"Not what it looks like today, no," Magnus said, shaking his head slightly. "My friends saw what it looked like when I was building this, but not with so many plants inside. You're the first person I've shared this with, Alexander."

 

Alec turned to face Magnus with a watery smile, bringing his free hand up to cup Magnus' cheek in his palm. "Magnus, thank you ." He emphasized his words with a little more pressure where their skin met, both on his face and his hand. "I can tell that this is precious to you, and it means so much to me that you wanted to share it with me." He leaned down and pressed his lips to Magnus' forehead, then wrapped his arms around him in a firm embrace.

 

Magnus melted into Alec's arms and tucked his face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the scent of him alongside the greenhouse, feeling a pang of something when the mixture smelled right , smelled better than either on their own had before. He wanted to thank Alec, too, but what for? For appreciating his plants? For being trustworthy enough to share them with him? Nothing seemed right to say, so he only whispered "you're welcome" into his ear and was squeezed in return.

 

They stayed like that, holding each other, breathing each other in, for a couple minutes before Alec started kissing Magnus' neck. It began as little pecks and presses, but evolved into open-mouth kisses slowly trailing along his skin. Magnus shivered, desperately wanting to let him continue, wanting nothing more than to kiss him senseless himself, but he had a plan . Reluctantly, he pulled away enough to look into Alec's eyes and smiled. "Can we hold that thought?"

 

Alec sighed, clearly not wanting to, but nodded. "Sure."

 

"There was a reason why I wanted to bring you up here, besides just sharing it with you."

 

"Oh. Alright." Alec smiled. "What is it?"

 

"I was, um, I–" Magnus tried to start. Now that he had the chance to bring up a walk, his body was tensing, his heart was thudding in his chest, and his breaths were coming in shallow gusts. "I–"

 

Alec cradled Magnus' face in his hands and smiled, warm and soothing and perfect. "Hey, hey... Breathe, Mags. Deep breaths." He demonstrated what to do, leading Magnus through a few repetitions before he settled down enough to speak. "Are you okay, hon?"

 

Magnus nodded, swallowing thickly. "Yeah. I'll be fine." And he would be, just as long as he got the damn walk out of his system. He really needed to get it over with. Bringing it up, at least.

 

Alec's brows furrowed. "Is it serious? What you wanted to talk about?"

 

"Yes and no," Magnus said as he swiveled his hand. "Serious to me, but probably not to you."

 

Alec clucked his tongue. "I'll be the judge of that. Do you need to sit down?"

 

That would probably be for the best, to give his body a little respite so he could focus. Magnus nodded again and pointed to his makeshift apothecary. "There's a stool over there."

 

Alec grabbed Magnus' hand and gently pulled him over to the old, metal stool, tugging it out from under the table with a scrape against the concrete, just enough for Magnus to sit down. As he climbed onto it and leaned into the backrest, the metal creaked in protest, but it remained in one, solid piece. Alec never let go of his hand, and he stroked his thumb over the knuckles as he patiently waited for Magnus to speak. "Whenever you're ready, Mags."

 

Magnus sighed. "Yeah." He took a deep breath and released it slowly, focusing on the pressure of Alec's hand on his, and steeled himself for what he was about to do. It was ridiculous, if he stopped and thought about it, and he felt foolish for making it into such a big deal. People went on walks all the time. People walked to work, to school, to visit loved ones, all the damn time. Hell, even Alec walked to see him every day so far. But all of those people were normal. Walking out in public was no big deal to them. Magnus was nowhere near normal, and he probably never would be. He could at least try to be, though, for Alec's sake. "Alexander, there's something I want to do."

 

"Alright."

 

"I–" Magnus' breath hitched in his chest, but he focused on Alec's hand again, and he made another attempt to speak. "I think I want to go for a walk."

 

Alec blinked a few times, eyes widening with each one as he registered the words. "Are you serious?"

 

Magnus snapped his eyes shut and groaned in dismay. "I know it's stupid to be so worked up over something so trivial! It's really not that big of a deal, it's ridiculous, and–"

 

Alec pulled Magnus into his arms, the stool creaking again at the change in position. "Magnus, stop. It's not stupid or trivial or ridiculous," he said, breathing the words into Magnus hair.

 

"It's not?" Magnus opened his eyes, only able to see the collar of Alec's shirt and his pale chest where his cheek rested. 

 

Alec stepped back and held onto Magnus' biceps, gazing into his eyes with a warmth that rivaled the heat of the greenhouse. "No! Of course it isn't. I know you have agoraphobia. I don't know what the reasons behind that are , if there are any, but that doesn't make it any less serious or any less valid. You wanting to go for a walk with me is a big deal for the both of us. Okay?"

 

How was Alec even real? How could someone so beautiful and caring and wonderful even exist? And how did Magnus even manage to get his attention in the first place? He felt so undeserving, but he wouldn't voice that aloud. "Okay."

 

"So, you have to make the potion before you go, right?" Alec eyed the small cauldron in front of them. "Is that why we're here?"

 

"Yeah, besides sharing all of this," Magnus gestured to everything around them, "with you. I have to brew a new batch."

 

"How long will that take?"

 

Magnus tilted his head in thought. "About fifteen minutes or so. At least for the mixing portion. It needs to brew for about ten minutes after that, then it'll be done."

 

"Do you need help?" Alec's voice was bright with enthusiasm, his eyes matching.

 

"With the potion? No, everything is pretty simple and mostly prepared to mix and brew." Alec looked a little lost, clearly wanting to help in some way. Magnus could give him something else to do. "But, you could… help with the plants, if you want to? They could use some grooming."

 

"Sure! I'd love to!" Alec beamed. "I don't know anything about them, so you'll have to show me what to do."

 

"Not a problem." Magnus kissed Alec on the cheek and hopped down from the stool. He picked up an old, empty two-gallon pot and a pair of snips, and he tipped his head to Alec for him to follow. They walked up to a nearby bench covered with a variety of mini orchids in tiny pots, and Magnus set the old pot on the ground by his feet. "You can deadhead the flowers, and pinch off any brown or yellow leaves."

 

"You trust me to do that?" Alec's voice was wary, but his smile didn't falter.

 

"Absolutely. It's easy. Here, I'll show you." Magnus pulled a plant forward, pointing to the two remaining blooms on the spike. The flowers were originally a bright magenta and white combination, but they were well past their prime and had started browning on the edges. "Do you see how these look? They're browning and wilting, right?"

 

"Yeah?" Alec focused on the plant with intensity.

 

"These need to be deadheaded. You have to snip them off, just like this." Magnus positioned his snips in the perfect spot, feeling surprisingly steady for having them in his non-dominant hand. He squeezed the handle, severing the aged flowers from the spike each in turn, and tossed the plant matter into the empty pot. "That's it."

 

Alec grinned. "I think I can do that."

 

"Just the ones that are browning or wilting. Anything vibrant and healthy looking stays. Got it?" Magnus held out the snips to Alec and slid the old pot towards him with the toe of his loafer.

 

"Got it." Alec nodded as he accepted the snips. "Where are they all from?"

 

"Well, most of them," Magnus gestured to over half of the benches and hanging planters, "are anggrek . Meaning, native to Indonesia. The rest are from around the world."

 

Alec's eyes grew wide, his grin widening even more. "I had no idea Indonesia had so many species!" He pulled another plant towards himself and started snipping at the old flowers, the tip of his tongue poking out through his lips in concentration.

 

"They have an estimated 6,000 distinct species, actually. This is just a tiny fraction."

 

"Whoa…" Alec smiled, then let it falter as he thought of his next words, unsure as he spoke. "So, um, do they remind you of home?"

 

Magnus winced, darting his eyes down to his loafers. He took a couple deep breaths, willing himself to stay calm, before he felt steady enough to speak. "Yeah." He blew a harsh breath through his teeth. "Yeah, they do."

 

Alec set the snips down on the bench and turned towards Magnus, brows pinched. "Is– is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?"

 

"Both." Magnus shrugged, glancing up at Alec but quickly reverting back to staring at his feet.

 

"Do you want to talk about it, Magnus?" Alec placed a gentle hand on Magnus' shoulder. It was warm, and grounding, and soothing, and it made Magnus' heart positively ache .

 

"Not particularly," Magnus said with a deep sigh. He wanted to tell Alec about everything, wanted to blurt out everything traumatic that he had either caused or had experienced, wanted to clear his conscience more than anything. But he knew, he knew , that if he said even a fraction of it, Alec would be long gone. Especially when it came to his problem with Indonesia.

 

"Well, whenever you're ready to, I'm here. And whatever you have to say, I won't judge. I promise." Alec slid his hand up Magnus' shoulder to the nape of his neck, stroking through the short hair there.

 

Magnus lifted his gaze to meet Alec's eyes again, eyebrow quirked. "What makes you think there's something to be judged over?"

 

"The intense look of guilt on your face. We don't have to talk about it now, but remember what I said, okay?" 

 

Magnus gazed into Alec's eyes, finding nothing but sincerity. He really meant what he said, and, knowing how understanding Alec was to begin with, Magnus got the impression that maybe Alec would understand. Maybe he wouldn't judge Magnus for what he had done after all. Not that he was going to jump right into confessing everything, but having that hope that Alec would still want him even with knowing about his past gave Magnus the courage to say something… someday. Maybe not someday soon , but in the near future. Maybe. He nodded with a small smile. "Okay."

 

"Let's change the topic a bit." Alec trailed his fingers back down Magnus' neck, all the way down his arm and over his clothed muscles, until he grasped Magnus' hand in his own. "I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm assuming that orchids are your favorite flower. Is that right?" Alec asked with a sly grin.

 

"So observant ." Magnus smirked. "Yes. They are."

 

"What do you love about them?"

 

Magnus smiled as he brushed the exposed fingertips of his braced hand over a nearby flower. "Well, I think they're elegant, and beautiful, despite being so fragile and finicky and delicate. They take a lot of hard work, and time, but when they blossom, it makes every bit of effort worth it."

 

"Hm." Alec tipped his head to the side in thought as he gazed at Magnus fondly.

 

"What about you?" Magnus asked as he gave Alec's hand a squeeze.

 

Alec shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "What about me?"

 

"What's your favorite flower, Alec?"

 

Alec blushed, a bashful smile teasing at his lips. "Oh. I, uh, I don't think any guy's ever asked me that before."

 

"That's a shame. Haven't you ever received flowers from your boyfriends before?"

 

Rubbing the back of his neck, Alec's blush deepened. "Nope. Can't say that I have." He cleared his throat and spoke with a soft voice. "Peonies."

 

"Your favorite?" Magnus asked with a grin.

 

Alec nodded, fully smiling now. "Yeah. I love peonies."

 

"And what makes you love them?"

 

Alec let go of Magnus' hand, but as much as Magnus missed the contact, seeing how sunshiny bright Alec's smile turned made up for it. "They're just so big and gorgeous, and sometimes they get so top-heavy that they can snap their own stems!" Alec used both of his hands to emphasize his words as he spoke, waving and twirling and swiveling them as he went.

 

Magnus leaned against the bench, watching Alec as he spoke with his enthusiastic movements, finding him more adorable than ever. He had to bite back a fit of giggles, not wanting Alec to get the wrong impression. "They do need outside support sometimes."

 

"Yeah! A–and then they have this mutual relationship with ants that's totally cool, too. Like, they feed the ants with nectar, and the ants protect them from harmful insects," Alec said with his hands as much as his words, his face alight with passion. He was so beautiful .

 

It took a bit of effort for Magnus to concentrate enough to respond, too fixated on just how stunning the man before him was. "I thought that they needed the ants in order to bloom?"

 

Alec snapped a finger gun at him and chuckled. "That's a myth, actually! They can bloom all on their own. It's just better if the ants are there to protect them. They stay healthy and thrive."

 

"Huh." Magnus smiled, charmed by Alec's enthusiasm and passion and overall beauty. If he really thought about it, peonies were the perfect fit for him. They were both big and outrageously beautiful, and, from what little Alec had revealed about himself, Magnus knew that Alec was so giving, and he took on the weight of everyone around him. He just hoped that there was enough support and protection in Alec's life to keep his stem from snapping. He wanted to be a part of that mutual relationship.

 

"Well, I should probably let you get to work," Alec said with a sheepish smile, picking up the forgotten snips from the bench.

 

"Right. I'll be around if you have any questions about grooming. And don't feel like you have to do a lot, okay? It's fine if you only–"

 

Alec cupped Magnus' cheek with a giggle. "Don't worry about me, Mags. Just go do what you gotta do."

 

"Okay." Magnus grinned, then he got on his tiptoes and gave Alec a sweet, lingering kiss, eliciting an affectionate moan from him, before he walked off to his work bench to start on his potion.

Notes:

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 13: A Beautiful Smile

Summary:

Just 5k of two soft boys growing closer in the greenhouse!

I will not apologize for that pun.

Notes:

Hey y'all!

My health has been garbage lately, but I'm hanging in there. Chronic illness sucks. I did manage to crank this out reasonably fast only because the dialogue was already written out before posting the last chapter, so I have no idea how long it'll take for me to write the next one. Hopefully I start feeling better and I can get going on it sooner rather than later.

This chapter... It's a lot. It's mostly fluff, soft boys, humor, with a smidge of angst. My favorite part is towards the end, and I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

Ps- August 9th was the one year anniversary of me posting the first chapter of Just One More! I've been on AO3 for a whole year now, and I'm so thankful for all of your wonderful feedback and interactions with my work. Thank you, so so so much, for your kindness and support. 🖤

Pps- TW for mention of past drug use. Nothing too serious, but it's talked about

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Magnus sighed as he stirred a pinch of chamomile into his cauldron, thinking about the last three ingredients needed for his potion recipe. One was sitting ready in a bucket off to the side of his bench, but the last two were in his grow room. An internal debate was raging in his mind as he tried to figure out the right time to dash in there and back without Alec noticing, hoping that he was distracted enough with the plants to not see it happen. He groaned, finally deciding just to go for it, lest the potion overbrew before he could finish it. He let the spoon rest inside the pot and grabbed his spare pair of snips before he made his way as silently as he could to the room.

 

It wasn't that Magnus was necessarily trying to hide his plants from Alec, but he didn't exactly want to explain why he had them, either. They weren't legal, by mundane standards, and he wasn't entirely sure where Alec stood on such things. He had a feeling that Alec wouldn't care, but it was still a risk that he wasn't ready to take.

 

Magnus was just about to snip off the last bit of a bud he needed when he heard footsteps growing closer and closer. The door was slightly ajar, propped open with a brick, and he was too far from it to close it in time before Alec could peer inside. He didn't know what to do, so he panicked and ducked behind one of the taller plants, the pointed leaves tickling his exposed skin.

 

"Magnus? Where are you?" Alec called out, growing closer still.

 

"Shit! Shit shit shit!" Maybe if Magnus stayed silent, Alec would ignore the grow room and look somewhere else? No, that was foolish. There wasn't anywhere else for him to hide. Of course Alec would look inside the room.

 

"Hey Mags? I have a question. Are you in here?" Alec was right outside the door, and he rapped his knuckles against the cloudy glass. Magnus squirmed in his crouched position, panic rising in an icy grip around his throat, making it hard to breathe in sufficiently. There was nothing he could do or say to make it any less awkward, especially if Alec found him hiding, but Magnus' mind was racing with a million possible scenarios, most of them involving him running out of the room and never looking Alec in the eye again. That just wouldn't do. "Mags?"

 

Magnus sighed, standing up just as Alec pushed the door open completely. Their eyes met, and for the briefest moment, Magnus thought everything would be okay. Then Alec's eyes landed on the plant in front of him, and they grew wide with shock. "Um, it's not–!" Magnus rushed to say, but Alec interjected before he could finish.

 

"UH– Magnus? Why do you–?" Alec pointed to the tall, leafy plant Magnus had popped out from behind, eyes fixed on Magnus' face.

 

Magnus waved his hands frantically in defense. "It's not what it looks like, I swear !"

 

"Why do you have a bunch of pot plants?"

 

"For the potion! That's it!"

 

"Are you getting stoned ?"

 

Magnus waved even more frantically. "No! No, I'm not! It doesn't affect me the same as it would you. It just adds to the calming effect, that's it . I promise."

 

Alec let his eyes dart between the weed and Magnus a few times, then he turned around and buried his face in his hands. He was still for a moment, then his shoulders started to shake, then his chest, and then the rest of his body joined in, trembling as he stood in place. Magnus had no clue what was happening, if he was mad or terrified or shaking from shock, so he walked towards him, tapped him on the shoulder, and a sudden snort and a bark of laughter escaped Alec's mouth as he turned to face him again.

 

"Alec?"

 

"Oh my god, Magnus!" Alec doubled over, holding his stomach, as he squeaked with giggles. He plopped down onto the floor and threw his head back, a boisterous guffaw pealing from his lips, cheeks streaked with tears. "Weed!" He wheezed and snorted, desperately trying to breathe.

 

Magnus shook his head in confusion. "Are you upset? In shock? What–?"

 

"God, no!" Alec snorted. "It's– it's just that I never, ever in a million years expected you to be growing pot !" He wiped at his eyes, sniffling. "Fucking hysterical is what it is."

 

Magnus smirked, a mixture of relieved and amused at Alec's words. "It's a very calming plant."

 

"Yeah, I'm familiar with it." Alec giggled, wiggling his fingers at Magnus for him to grab. Magnus took hold of him and tugged him upright, ending up chest to chest with him, gorgeous eyes gazing into his own. "You continue to surprise me, Magnus."

 

"In good ways, I hope?" Magnus asked, hand still clasped in Alec's.

 

"The best." Alec leaned down and gave Magnus a chaste kiss, followed by a residual snort and giggle. "Fucking weed ."

 

"You won't, um, tell anyone about this, right?" Magnus' face scrunched up in concern, fingers tightening around Alec's hand.

 

Alec shook his head with a soft smile. "You have my word."

 

"Thank you," Magnus said with a sigh. He let go of Alec's hand and picked up his snips again, ready to finish off his task from earlier. "So, you, um, smoke pot?"

 

"Not regularly, no. I much prefer edibles. But, even then, I rarely do that." Alec groaned, barely audible, but Magnus still heard it. "I've done much worse than weed in the past," he mumbled, as he traced the vein of a leaf.

 

"Oh? Wild college days?" Magnus asked, finally snipping off the last bit of a bud he needed.

 

"Eh." Alec shrugged. "It started there, then it extended beyond college. It got pretty out of hand for a while, but then I had a couple close calls that made me stop."

 

Magnus froze, eyes widening. "Close calls? Like, are we talking OD-ing?"

 

Alec's eyes widened, too, and he waved a hand just as frantically as Magnus had earlier. "No! No no no. It's just what happened while I was under the influence. Don't worry about it." His frantic wave evolved into a casual one, as if he wanted to brush away the topic.

 

The way that Alec spoke about it, and the way he was trying to play it cool, made Magnus think it was much more serious than Alec was letting on. He decided to take a page from Alec's book and offer a listening ear. "Do you want to talk about it?"

 

Alec flashed a small smile before he glanced down at his shoes. Maybe he realized that Magnus saw through his act? "Not… really. Not right now, at least."

 

Magnus reached out and placed his hand on Alec's shoulder, and he decided to continue the play and turn Alec's words back on him. "Well, whenever you're ready to, I'm here. And whatever you have to say, I won't judge. I promise."

 

"Thank–" Alec started, then narrowed his eyes. "Did you just–? Magnus!" Alec snorted. "Those were my words to you !"

 

"Yeah, well, they're still true!" Magnus said, nudging Alec's shoulder with the hand that was still there.

 

"Alright. I'll hold you to that, then." Alec smiled. "So, what else do you have in here?" He patted Magnus' hand and gave it a little squeeze before he turned around to look at the rest of the room.

 

"Just a couple magical plants. One of them is for the potion."

 

"This one?" Alec walked over and pointed to a small, dark green shrub with one blue flower that was tucked into the far corner of the room. It wasn't anything spectacular to look at, but the magic it contained was potent and essential to making the potion work.

 

"Yeah. That's the one." Magnus joined Alec, standing right beside him as they stared at the plant together.

 

"It doesn't look all that magical, if I'm honest."

 

"It's from Faerie."

 

"What?" Alec asked, turning his head to look at Magnus with a raised brow.

 

"The Seelie Realm?"

 

"Oh! Oh, gotcha." Alec nodded and turned back to face the plant.

 

Magnus sighed. "I'm almost out of it."

 

"But there's a whole bush here!" Alec gestured to the plant, glancing at Magnus again. "How can you be out of it?"

 

"Well, what I need are the petals of the flowers, and there's only one flower left. It won't grow or flower in our realm. I can only sustain it."

 

"Oh. So, how did you get it in the first place?" Alec turned his whole body to face Magnus, hip leaning on a nearby bench, arms crossed loosely over his chest.

 

"From a–" Magnus paused, trying to find the right words. "From an acquaintance . But I haven't talked to him in years. Hence why I'm almost out."

 

"Who is it? Maybe I can help you out."

 

Magnus highly doubted Alec could help, but it was worth a shot, he supposed. "You probably won't know him, but his name is Meliorn."

 

Alec choked on his own spit, and he coughed and sputtered until he caught his breath again. "Oh! Meliorn ."

 

"You know him?" Magnus asked incredulously.

 

"Yep! Pretty well, actually." Alec darted his eyes to his shoes, cheeks flaring cherry red.

 

"Are you friends?"

 

"Of sorts…" Alec rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, he works at a bookstore that I frequent. Maybe I could help get you some more of this plant. What was the price?"

 

"Hah!" Magnus mock laughed, flaring his eyes and nostrils, feeling the bitterness he had for the situation rise up in his throat.  "You wouldn't be able to pay for it."

 

Alec pointed to his own chest and raised an eyebrow. "Wealthy, remember?"

 

Magnus shook his head. "He wanted my body . I got the first plant because I agreed to go on a date with him. He wanted something casual with me, and said that I could have as much of the plant as I wanted when we met up."

 

Alec blinked in surprise. "He was going to pay you for sex with magical plants?"

 

"Oh!" Magnus chuckled. "No, no I don't think he meant it that way. More of a favor for a favor. But, anyway, I said no. I'm just not that way."

 

"What way would that be?" Alec asked, crossing his arms again.

 

Magnus sighed. Today was the day for being bold, for putting himself out there, for opening up and being vulnerable. He was finding that sharing personal things with Alec was becoming easier and easier each day, but there was just something about today that made it near effortless. "I don't have casual sex. Obviously. Otherwise, I would have slept with you in a heartbeat." Magnus smirked, a little bit of a blush coloring his cheeks at his confession. "I don't do anything outside of relationships. I like there to be meaning behind the intimacy. I just don't understand how people can do that. You know, sleep around for fun ."

 

Alec cringed. "Oh."

 

"Oh…" The way Alec reacted to Magnus' words made him stop and process what just happened. He reacted like… like Magnus was judging him , like Magnus was calling him out on his behavior. And, now that Magnus thought about it, maybe that was exactly what he took it as. Alec did say that he never took it slow before, so maybe casual was his normal way of doing things? Maybe he was just a casual, hook-up type of guy that was doing things differently with Magnus? Maybe he was still doing casual things on the side while pursuing Magnus at the same time? He sure as fuck hoped not, but it wasn't like they were officially together or anything, so Magnus had no room to say anything on the matter. He really didn't want Alec to feel judged, though, so he rushed to clarify his words. "But I don't judge those who do it. To each their own. It just doesn't work for me ."

 

"Okay." Alec smiled, looking at least a little alleviated by Magnus' words, so he took that as a small victory.

 

"So, yeah." Magnus shrugged one shoulder, hoping to smooth over the awkwardness as painlessly as possible. "That's why I'm running out."

 

"Isn't there someone else who could provide you with it?" Alec held up an open palm in question.

 

Magnus shook his head. "It grows in the Seelie Court. Only someone with access to there can get it for me. Do you know of anyone else who would fit that bill? Because I don't."

 

"No… I don't know many seelies." Alec bit his bottom lip as he thought. "But maybe I can still talk to Meliorn about it, see if he can suggest someone else?"

 

"Alright," Magnus said with a full shrug this time. "I don't have high hopes for that, but you can give it a go if you want." He sighed, knowing it was pointless to try. Almost all of the seelies had left their realm in favor of closing themselves off in Faerie, and only a handful that remained actually dealt with the Shadow World as a whole, preferring to live as mundanes. Magnus desperately wanted to change the topic to anything other than his impending imprisonment in his own home, so he did just that. "You said you had a question?"

 

Alec's eyes widened. "I did?" 

 

"Yeah. You came over here saying that you had a question for me." Magnus smirked, amused by Alec's confusion.

 

"Oh!" Alec laughed. "Yeah, that's right. Well, I filled up the bucket, and I wanted to know what to do with it."

 

"Compost. I'll show you." Magnus picked up his snips and his own small pot of materials and walked out of the grow room, waiting for Alec to pass through before he shut the door. Just a few feet away stood what looked like a tall, plastic garbage bin with holes in the sides, and Magnus lifted the lid of it to show Alec what was inside. The scent of sweet, earthy decay wafted up immediately. "Just dump the contents in here. It'll break down and turn into a soil-like substance eventually."

 

"So, it's like recycling your plants!"

 

Magnus snorted. "Kinda. But I have to use a different type of substrate for the orchids, so this is what I use for the other plants." He motioned at the variety of vegetables and herbs filling up tables and benches along the wall.

 

"That's so cool!" Alec said with adorable enthusiasm, his smile sunshine-bright.

 

"Yeah." They were literally talking about dirt, but Magnus couldn't help but grin when Alec was being so damn cute . "I'm almost done with the potion, by the way. All I have to do is mix in the last three ingredients and let it brew for about ten minutes, then it'll be ready."

 

Alec nodded. "Sounds good. I'll keep working while I wait." He gave Magnus a kiss on the cheek and pulled his pair of snips out of his back pocket, heading over to groom more plants. Magnus watched as he walked away, wondering how he even fit them in his pocket in the first place with how outrageously tight his jeans were, and he had to take a few calming breaths, lest he get himself too worked up to concentrate on his task.

 

~~~

 

The last three ingredients were inside the cauldron, the burner was set to a simmer, and Magnus set a timer on his phone for when the process would be done. He cleaned up what he could and set out a few glass vials for bottling, then he decided to go find Alec and see what he was up to. He walked up and down a couple aisles of benches, not calling out Alec's name, but just searching with his eyes, until he spotted him standing right in front of a large trellis. He stepped up next to him and brushed their arms together, letting him know he was there.

 

"Hey," Magnus said, and he giggled when Alec wrapped his arm around Magnus' waist and pulled them flush.

 

"Hello." Alec kissed Magnus on his temple and sighed, a content sound.

 

"How's it going?"

 

"Well, I filled up another bucket and decided to just look around, and I found this orchid." Alec gestured to the plant in front of him with his free hand. "I've been here for a few minutes now."

 

"What drew you in? It's not a very showy plant." And it wasn't, really. The orchid was a climbing variety, with bright green, spade-shaped leaves and stems, and it had pale yellow flowers that were nearly green themselves, with bunches of what looked like tiny green bananas here and there. It was a plant that most people wouldn't look twice at, but that wasn't what drew people to it. It had its own unique quality that made it famous worldwide.

 

"No, but the smell !" Alec waved at the plant again. "It's phenomenal!"

 

Magnus grinned. "Yeah? What does it smell like to you?"

 

Alec leaned forward and wafted the scent towards his nose, humming in delight once it reached him. "I swear it smells just like vanilla!"

 

Magnus chuckled. "That's because it is vanilla, Alec."

 

"What?" Alec gasped, turning to face Magnus with brows so high they almost reached his hairline. "No way !"

 

"Way!" Magnus snickered, loving Alec's awestruck reaction to new things.

 

"Vanilla is an orchid ?" Magnus nodded, and Alec shook his head in amazement. "I had no idea! Where is it from?"

 

Magnus reached forward and pinched off a browning leaf, tossing it into Alec's empty pot. "This particular plant is from Mexico, where it's native. But it's grown in other parts of the world, too, such as Indonesia."

 

"Wow…" Alec leaned in again to smell it, his sunshine grin stretching his lips wide across his face.

 

"It's one of my favorites. I just love the scent and flavor of vanilla. And it's an ingredient in the potion!" Magnus pointed a singular finger in the air to punctuate his statement.

 

"Really?"

 

"Mmhm." Magnus nodded, tracing a fingertip over the length of a pod. "It has calming properties. I have a whole bucket full of pods. This plant is a factory." When Magnus glanced back to Alec, he looked stricken, torn, like he wanted to ask something so badly that it hurt. "Would you like some? I have plenty to spare."

 

Alec gasped, eyes lighting up with glee. "Yes!"

 

Magnus couldn't help but smile. "I'll give you a bunch to take home." And, after Magnus spoke, Alec did something that could only have been described as a happy dance , which he tried and failed to contain. Magnus' heart melted as he watched Alec, fighting to stand still but too overcome with excitement, and he couldn't stop himself from dragging Alec down to his level and giving him a sweet, lingering kiss.

 

"Do you have another one of your favorites here?" Alec asked after they parted, and he glanced around the greenhouse with a boyish grin, seemingly still in awe of his surroundings.

 

"Yes! And I think you'll love it. This way." Magnus pressed his hand to Alec's lower back and led him over to a neighboring bench, full of his European orchids, and stopped in front of a set of three similar plants. They were all tall, standing at nearly two feet each, with long, thick stems and bushy clusters of flowers at the top. One was a light pink, another a deep magenta, but his favorite among the three was a pastel and medium violet combination, as it showed off certain features of each individual flower the best. "Here we go." He picked up the pot and held it up enough for Alec to look at, trying his best to hold in a snicker as he awaited Alec's reaction. "What do you think?"

 

Alec gasped as he studied the flower cluster, mesmerized. "Whoa! They look like little people! With hats!"

 

"Uh huh…" Magnus almost snorted. Almost . They did look like little people with hats, but there was another feature to their shape that gave them their name, and he was vibrating with anticipation for Alec to realize what it was.

 

Alec squinted as he looked closer. "Wait a sec… It looks like–" His eyes grew wide as they darted between the flowers and Magnus' attempt at a straight face. "No!"

 

Magnus did snort this time, letting a deep belly laugh rumble out. "Yes!" he managed to say between giggles.

 

Alec pointed at the flower cluster and snickered. "Dicks! The flowers have dicks , Magnus!"

 

"I know!" Magnus squeaked. "It's a naked man orchid!"

 

"Oh my god !" Alec cackled. "That's amazing!" he said as he dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Can I take a picture of it?"

 

"Of course!" Magnus held the pot off to the side as Alec leaned in to snap a few photos, trying to hold as still as possible while residual giggles bubbled up.

 

After taking a satisfactory amount of photos, Alec stood up straight again and smirked at Magnus, tipping his phone towards him. "Can I take a picture of you ?"

 

Magnus blinked in surprise and pointed at himself with his braced hand, his mouth flapping noiselessly a couple times before a word finally escaped. " Me ?"

 

"Yes, you," Alec said with an affectionate tone in his voice, sweet and warm, eyes soft as he looked into Magnus' own.

 

"Why?" Magnus shook his head in disbelief. No one had ever wanted a picture of him before, not even Camille. He'd taken a group photo with his friends back when it was a brand new concept, just for fun, but that was as far as that went. No one had even painted a portrait of him before, not that anyone in his life had cared enough or stayed around long enough to commission one of him.

 

"Because I'd like one?" Alec shrugged. "You're gorgeous, Magnus. I'd like to have a pic of you to look at when you're not around. And, besides, how could you ask for a better background than this?" Alec gestured to the hundreds of orchids surrounding them. "It's perfect."

 

And how could Magnus argue against that? The setting was perfect, and the fact that Alec wanted to have an image of him available to look at whenever he pleased made his stomach do a little flip. "I– I guess so."

 

Alec's answering grin was warmer and brighter than the sunlight beaming in through the glass walls. "You can hold the flowers in it, if you want."

 

"Okay." Magnus held the pot against his waist, the flower cluster landing mid chest, and he stood stock still, lips a thin line and face expressionless.

 

Alec held his phone up to take a picture, but slowly let his hand drift down to his side as he stared at Magnus. "You know, it's not the 1800s anymore, right? You can smile for pictures." Alec smirked.

 

Magnus scoffed and playfully tapped Alec on his arm. "I know that !"

 

"Then smile !" Alec said as he gestured to his mouth, a dazzling grin showing off his perfect teeth on full display.

 

"I don't like my smile." Magnus stared down at his feet, shuffling the toe of his loafer against the other.

 

"Well, I do." Alec reached out with his free hand and tipped Magnus' chin back up with a gentle touch, fingers lingering for a moment before he dropped his hand again. "You have a beautiful smile, Mags. And I'd like a picture of it." 

 

"Fine…" Magnus sighed and made an awkward attempt at a smile, lips stretching over clenched teeth. He never knew how to smile on command without it looking ridiculously fake, but if that's what Alec wanted…

 

"What is that?" Alec cringed. "You look like you're in pain."

 

"A smile?" Magnus said, mouth unmoving.

 

Alec groaned, wiping his hand down his face, then he tilted his head in thought. "Can you turn the pot a little bit this direction?" He pointed to his right, and Magnus twisted the pot in his grasp. "Yes, there we go."

 

Magnus glanced down at the plant with a quirked brow, not seeing any difference. "Why?"

 

"That one in front is hung," Alec said, grinning as he snapped a photo of Magnus' surprised expression.

 

Magnus snorted into a fit of giggles, flushing pink to the tips of his ears. "How mature!"

 

Alec pressed a button on the side of his phone, taking photos with each click. "Says the man giggling over flower dicks!"

 

"Touché."

 

"Can we take some together?" Alec motioned between them both with his free hand, a hopeful smile dancing on his lips.

 

"You… You want a picture with me?" Magnus asked, shocked again by Alec's question. It was one thing to want a picture of Magnus by himself, but to want one of them together? That was really something, something that made Magnus' heart thud in his ribcage, something that had a warm sensation sprouting from his chest and spreading throughout his body, something that made him ache in a variety of ways. Alec wanted to be seen with Magnus, together, even if it was just in their private photos. And Magnus wanted that, too.

 

"Absolutely."

 

Magnus nodded, blushing deeper than before, beckoning Alec over to his side. "Y–yeah, go ahead."

 

Alec beamed, the brightest grin that Magnus had seen from him yet, and he enthusiastically darted to his side and threw his arm over Magnus' shoulder, pulling him flush against his body. "Ready? He held his phone out at arm's length, finger poised on the button he needed to press. Magnus nodded, and he tried to smile again, but Alec nudged against him. "Hey, that one looks like a corkscrew! I bet he could open a wine bottle with that thing!"

 

Magnus snorted again, and Alec pressed a button on his phone as he laughed alongside him. As Alec continued to take pictures, their pose remained mostly the same, with minor changes: Alec leaned his head against Magnus, Magnus rested his head on Alec's shoulder, they stole giggly glances at each other, and Alec kissed Magnus on the cheek, making his blush impossibly deeper. The pot slowly sank lower and lower in Magnus' grasp, and he turned to Alec, finding him already facing him.

 

"I think this one is my favorite," Alec said as he gazed into Magnus' eyes, voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

 

"Yeah?" Magnus had a fleeting thought to mention that Alec had barely seen the rest of the greenhouse, so he shouldn't be so hasty to pick a favorite yet, but the way he was looking at Magnus made him realize that he wasn't just talking about the orchid anymore. Alec's phenomenal eyes were fixed on him with blatant affection, vibrant green with flecks of brown and precious gold, creases forming at the corners from his tender smile. He was achingly beautiful, absolutely breathtaking , and Magnus had the urge to drag him down to his level and show him how beautiful he really was with his actions, with their lips pressed together and their bodies entwined. His brain was fuzzing out into static as his instincts fought to take over, gazing back at Alec with his own storm of emotions.

 

"Yeah," Alec breathed, licking his lips. He was clearly on the same page as Magnus, and Magnus had enough brain cells left online to put the pot back on the bench before Alec grasped the nape of his neck and pulled him into a deep, heart-fluttering kiss. It was vanilla and spearmint, floral and earthy, sunshine and warmth, and when Alec deepened the kiss, Magnus' heart ached . It ached with something , and after Alec cupped his jaw and stroked over his cheekbone in a reverent touch, that something clicked in Magnus' mind.

 

Magnus was… experiencing feelings. Feelings of attraction, for sure, but it was so much more than that. He had already felt something towards Alec right from the start, like a magnetic pull on his soul, but that wasn't this . He appreciated Alec's kindness and support and generosity, for sure, but… but… Everything he had felt towards Alec was amplified, multiplied, engulfed in that wildfire that Moira swore she saw, burning brighter than the sun itself. This was everything on a whole new level. This was serious . This was Magnus teetering on the precipice of falling for Alec. He wasn't there quite yet, but he was steadily on his way.

 

Breathing in sharply at his realization, Magnus brought his good hand up and wove it into Alec's hair at the back of his head, tugging gently on the tufts between his fingers, eliciting a moan from the man kissing him breathless. Did he want this? Did he want to fall in love with Alec? Did he even have a choice in the matter? Probably not, but as he thought about it, he realized that maybe his heart was heading in the right direction. Alec was sweet, and kind, and giving, and affectionate, and beyond gorgeous, and–

 

At the sound of a button clicking, Magnus was brought back into the moment, and he snorted as he ended the kiss and rested his forehead on Alec's shoulder. " Really ?"

 

Alec laughed. "What?"

 

"You really wanted a picture of me shoving my tongue down your throat?" Magnus asked as he stepped back and grinned at Alec.

 

"Oh, absolutely." Alec winked, wiping the moisture off his bottom lip with his thumb. His lips were red and glossy, kiss-swollen, and Magnus had the urge to dive right back into their make-out session, but he had his plan to carry out. He needed a distraction.

 

Magnus pointed to Alec's phone. "Can I see them?"

 

"Uh, hold on…" Alec stared at his phone with furrowed brows, then he flushed scarlet and frantically tapped at his screen.

 

"What's the matter?" Magnus leaned over to look at Alec's phone, brushing their arms together.

 

"Nothing!" Alec said a little too quickly, shoving his phone in his pocket. "I'll, uh, I'll send them to you, okay? I– I want to, um, edit them."

 

Magnus nodded slowly, eyes narrowed in confusion. "Sure…?" He couldn't understand why Alec had to do that first, but decided against questioning him about it.

 

"I'll send them over after I get home tonight." Alec rubbed the back of his neck, then he cleared his throat to speak. "How much time do you have until it's done?"

 

"Oh, the potion! Let me check." Magnus pulled his own phone out and checked the timer he had set. "Forty-nine seconds left. Perfect timing."

 

"Mhmm," Alec said a little absently, and he was holding his phone again, staring at it with fondness. "Great."

 

"Everything alright?"

 

The fondness that was directed towards Alec's phone was now aimed at Magnus as he gazed into his eyes. Well, maybe not fondness , exactly. The expression on Alec's face was a combination of things, something like awe, affection, surprise, and something Magnus couldn't quite pin down, but it was fond in its core, and more . "Everything's beautiful," Alec said, blush deepening with his words.

 

Magnus had no idea how to respond to that, so he just kissed Alec on his rosy cheek and went to work on bottling up his potion. The easy part was over. The highest hurdle was just on the horizon: stepping out of his front door and facing the world outside his sanctuary.

Notes:

A couple things: this story is set in 2016, so cannabis wasn't legal in New York at that time, and this is the naked man orchid.

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

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Chapter 14: Overwhelming

Summary:

Strap yourselves in for an 8k emotional rollercoaster! 😬

Also, I will not apologize for how much I make them blush. They are just a couple of bashful dingdongs, okay?

Notes:

Hey y'all!

So... Um, a few things:

First, I've been feeling a bit better lately, and I've been really in the mood for writing. The reason why this chapter took so long to write, beyond the word count, was because I was dealing with my own agoraphobia and panic attack right in the middle of writing it. I'm okay, though, so don't worry.

Second, this was a BEAST of a chapter to write! I didn't intend for it to be so long, but it is what it is. I contemplated cutting it in half, but the only spot that would work would probably make you guys hate me 🤣 so I left it whole.

Third, there's a whole lot going on in this chapter. I put Magnus through a lot, and he gets overwhelmed. I tried my best to portray that feeling, and I hope it comes across that way while you're reading.

Anyway, I put a fuckton of effort into this chapter, so I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Magnus had been to Coney Island's amusement parks twice in his long life. The first time he went, he was hounded by his group of friends to go and see the brand-new contraptions that the mundanes had invented, wooden and metal machines that promised thrills and excitement with little to no danger. They ventured to Luna Park together, oo-ing and ah-ing at the marvels of technology as they moved, and laughing at the mundanes as they toddled off the rides and straight to garbage bins to be sick. His friends had all tried their damndest to convince Magnus to go on a ride, but he stood his wobbly ground and refused to board any, way too terrified of the new engineering wonders. He did, however, watch his friends as they rode them, and he laughed as they, too, got motion sickness just like the mundanes.

 

The second time he went to Luna Park was all because of Moira. She had somehow convinced him to be a chaperone for her grandson's birthday party a few years ago, and Magnus couldn't refuse her puppy eyes and the promise of being around children for the afternoon. He had confided in her about his longing desire to be a father, and she jumped right on that fragment of information and used it to her advantage.

 

That's how he was roped into being Jonah's guardian for a day. He had met him a handful of times when he accompanied Moira to her appointments, and he actually seemed to like Magnus, despite not being very talkative at all. Jonah was a sweet and shy boy, reminding Magnus of himself a bit, except he had a streak of his grandmother's wild side and adventurousness running underneath his calm exterior. He had just turned 11 years old, and his choice of celebration was to ride every single attraction at the park as many times as he possibly could until they left for the day. Magnus absolutely refused, once again, to set foot on any of the rides, all the way up until the last hour they were to be at the park. Jonah begged and begged Magnus to join him, and Moira even joined in on it, telling him it wasn't as bad as he thought it was.

 

They were wrong. So, so very wrong. Magnus eventually gave in, and the pair forced him onto the Coney Island Cyclone, a huge structure of antique timber and metal, too old to look even remotely safe. They promised him it would be fine, it would only last a few minutes, it was perfectly safe, it was actually fun . It felt like absolutely none of those things. Magnus dreaded every single second he was stuck in the train car, hated the rise and fall and twists and turns, and despised the terror and nausea that roiled his gut from start to finish. Once he was off that damned contraption, he threw up, a lot , and he cried and cried and cried. Both Jonah and Moira felt horrible, and they did their best to calm him down and make it up to him, but all he wanted to do was go home and try to forget that the experience had ever happened. It didn't work, and that day ended up being a 7-doses-of-potion day.

 

Something that Magnus likened to rollercoasters was the process of falling in (and out of) love. They were both terrifying, as they forced you into vulnerable situations and made you put your trust in someone (or something) else. They were both thrilling, as they made you experience new feelings and sensations that you wouldn't otherwise encounter alone. They both had their ups and downs, twists and turns, anticipations, climaxes, and, eventually, their conclusions. That was where they differed, however, for Magnus. While he could consciously choose to never step foot into a theme park again for the rest of his life, he couldn't make that same choice for falling in love. And as much as he desperately wanted rollercoasters to end, he usually didn't want to stop loving his partners. But, just like that terrible ride on The Cyclone, all of his past loves had come to their eventual conclusions, whether he wanted them to or not. Everyone left him in the end.

 

That was why he was so scared and equally elated that things were escalating with Alec. Scared, because of his history with failed love and broken hearts. Elated, because everything felt so new, so different, so… right , with Alec. He couldn't explain it to anyone who asked, but he knew that there was something there beyond what he had experienced in the past with other lovers. And, he knew he was going to fall hard, and fast, and he was going to be completely devastated when Alec eventually left him, too. He decided that he was going to make the best of it, enjoy it while it lasted, and leave the mending of his shattered heart as a problem for future Magnus to deal with.

 

"Magnus?" Alec called out, voice calm and gentle.

 

Magnus snapped out of his thoughts and back into the moment, right there on his front porch steps, where he was holding his doorknob with a white-knuckle grip like it was his last tether to safety. His body was trembling with tension, his heart was racing, and all he wanted to do was go back inside his sanctuary and hide for another hundred years. "Yeah?"

 

"You don't have to do this if you really don't want to. We can go back inside and relax instead." Alec was leaning against the wrought iron railing, his hand resting on Magnus' shoulder. It was soothing, and grounding, and probably the only thing keeping Magnus from abandoning his plan right then and there. 

 

"No! No, I want to. I–" A car horn honked right in front of Magnus' house, making him jolt and slam his eyes shut. "I just need to, um… I need a moment."

 

"I'm not trying to push you or anything, but we've been here for ten minutes now," Alec said, and Magnus cringed. Alec rubbed soft circles into Magnus' shoulder, each sensation giving him more and more courage to open his eyes again. "I mean, take more time if you need to! But I'm just letting you know where we're at."

 

Magnus met Alec's eyes again and attempted a smile, which probably looked as pathetic as he felt. "Okay." Magnus was glad that it wasn't too hot outside, just in the upper 70s, otherwise he'd be sweating buckets already. He was wearing his khaki colored button down shirt, and, even if he could convince Alec to put a sweater on him, he knew that he wouldn't survive the walk if he was wearing anything else.

 

"I thought the potion was supposed to ease your anxiety?" Alec's statement curled into a question at the end, sounding unsure of his words.

 

"It does." Alec still had the sleeves of his emerald green button down shirt rolled up to his elbows, and the front was open halfway down, showing off his smooth chest. That was another thing helping Magnus to stay put; he couldn't help but to gaze at all of that beautiful pale skin on display.

 

"Then what's keeping you from moving?" Alec asked as a woman in heels clacked past them loudly on the sidewalk.

 

"My anxiety is mostly calm, but now the logical side of my brain is active and telling me that I'm being stupid." Magnus hung his head, already feeling overwhelmed with the onslaught of sensations the city had to offer.

 

"Why?" 

 

"Because there are threats outside of my wards that I can't defend myself against." Magnus did know a thing or two about self-defense, but when the people he was hiding from had superior strength and he had barely any magic to spare to fight back with, he felt helpless.

 

Alec widened his eyes, giving Magnus' shoulder a soft squeeze. "What kind of threats?"

 

Magnus sighed. "Vampires. I hate vampires."

 

"Magnus, it's mid afternoon!" Alec waved in the general direction of the sun in the sky. "There aren't any vampires out here!"

 

Magnus shook his head. "They have subjugates."

 

"What are those?" Alec asked, brows furrowed.

 

A cell phone chimed somewhere nearby, making Magnus flinch before he spoke. "Half-turned mundanes, usually. Vampires, some at least, like to create loyal servants that they feed on, and in turn, they feed them some of their own blood to keep them hooked and willing to do their bidding. They are strong, they live for a long time, and they can walk around in the daylight with no issues."

 

"And that's what you're afraid of?" Alec stroked Magnus' shoulder in soothing circles again. "Vampire subjugates?" Magnus nodded. "Can I ask why?"

 

Magnus huffed out a humorless laugh. "I have a, uh, history with a certain vampire and their subjugates, and I've received threats on my life from them." In truth, it was way, way worse than that, but Magnus hoped he wouldn't have to tell that story anytime soon.

 

"I'm so sorry, Magnus," Alec said, sounding sincere.

 

Magnus casually waved away Alec's concern. "Don't worry about it. It all happened so long ago, it shouldn't be an issue anymore, really."

 

Alec quirked a brow. "Aren't vampires immortal?"

 

Yes, yes they, unfortunately were, which was why Magnus still lived in fear for his life. He tilted his head back, stared up at the bright blue sky and the white wisps of clouds as they streaked by, and he groaned. "You're not helping ."

 

"Sorry!" Alec winced. "What, um, what usually helps you leave, beyond the potion?"

 

"Distractions, having a clear goal in mind. I like to think of my outings as 'missions,' if that makes sense?" Magnus hoped it made sense, since he couldn't describe it any other way. "I focus on my objective, get it done as quickly as possible, and get home."

 

Alec hummed, tilting his head in thought for a moment. "Like, if you were going to a grocery store, that would be your mission, and your objective would be to grab some milk or something?"

 

"Yeah." Magnus smiled. "Something like that."

 

"But, since we're just going for a walk with no clear goal, you're struggling with it."

 

" Exactly ." Magnus wished he could snap his fingers, but he wasn't letting go of his doorknob for something so trivial.

 

"You said distractions help?" Alec asked, and Magnus nodded. "What kind of distractions do you use?"

 

"Music, usually. I like to bring my Walkman with me."

 

Alec scrunched his face in confusion. "Walkman? Like an MP3 player?"

 

"Cassette tape, actually." Magnus sighed, breathing in a gust of acrid exhaust fumes, and braced himself for the inevitable remark about his age.

 

"Okay, gramps." Alec giggled. "I'm surprised it's not a phonograph on a wagon." Magnus scoffed and playfully swatted at Alec with his braced hand, and Alec cackled. "Do you want me to run inside and grab it?"

 

As badly as he wanted his music, Magnus knew that it was impossible to grab it, so he shook his head "no". "I'm afraid that if this door opens, I'm going to chicken out and run inside. It's better if we leave it, I guess."

 

"Hm… Well, I don't have my earbuds with me, so I can't share my music with you. Although, I don't think you'd enjoy what I listen to, anyway." Alec shrugged.

 

Magnus smirked. "You'd be surprised by what I like, Alec." 

 

Alec answered him with a smirk of his own, eyes glinting. "Oh yeah? And what do you like?"

 

"Why don't you take a look at my music collection later and see for yourself?" Magnus winked. He was feeling rather flirty for a man too terrified to let go of his fucking doorknob, but Alec affected him in ways he never experienced before.

 

"Alright." Alec grinned. "Will talking be enough of a distraction for you, then?"

 

"I sure hope so," Magnus said with wide eyes, realizing it was his only option.

 

"Do you want to hold my hand?" Magnus eyed Alec's outstretched hand with desire, wanting nothing more than to clasp it in his own, but his memories of past discrimination built a wall of hesitation between them. "You don't have to, if you don't feel comfortable with that." Alec bore a look of disappointment as he slowly dropped his hand, and that just wouldn't do.

 

Magnus rushed to grab onto it, leaving the safety of his doorknob behind, and he wove his fingers through Alec's before his braced fingers came up and curled around Alec's bicep. The force of his actions caused a slight collision when their sides met, and Alec released a little OOF and had to right himself with the railing.

 

"Hey there, cutie." Alec chuckled and squeezed Magnus' hand.

 

Magnus smiled a little bashfully. "Hi."

 

"Ready?" Alec asked as a verbal altercation was taking place a few yards away. That did not bode well for their adventure.

 

Magnus blew a harsh breath through his teeth. "Not really, but let's do this."

 

"I'll be by your side the whole time, Magnus," Alec said with a warm smile. "Which direction do you want to go?"

 

"Whichever one has the least amount of people."

 

Alec studied the street in both directions carefully, eyes searching the sidewalk. "If we go right, there's a bus stop, and if we go left, there's a few stores and restaurants by the corner that look pretty busy."

 

"Right it is." Magnus tipped his head in that direction.

 

Alec gave Magnus' hand a little tug and pulled him down the steps, one at a time, until they reached the sidewalk. He turned to the right and started walking forward, and Magnus shuffled alongside him as he moved. Their pace was slow and awkward, but that was all that Magnus could manage. "How far do you want to go?"

 

"I honestly don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." Magnus' plan was just to get himself outside and onto the sidewalk, which seemed almost impossible before Alec coaxed him out, and then he got too overwhelmed to think about much after that. He wasn't quite sure just how much he had in him.

 

"Let's set little goals, then. Can you make it to the bus stop?" Alec pointed to the covered bench, filled with waiting people, which looked to be just over 100 yards away. That seemed plausible.

 

"Yeah, I think I can do that." What Alec didn't know was that Magnus needed even smaller goals than that, but he wasn't going to tell him; he was going to set them himself. Magnus glanced around at items ahead of them and found a black fire hydrant about 15 yards away. That he could definitely reach. "You know, I wasn't always like this."

 

"Like what?"

 

"Agoraphobic," Magnus admitted with a sigh. "I used to be able to go out to restaurants, go shopping, spend time in local parks, and actually talk to people outside my house. There was always the fear of subjugates in the back of my mind, but there weren't as many people around back then, which meant less people who could possibly be after me. But, then the population grew, and society evolved, and I just– I couldn't handle the changes. It was so overwhelming . I went outside less and less and isolated myself in fear to the point of becoming this shaking mess I am now."

 

"You're doing really well right now, Mags." Alec smiled and held up their joined hands for a moment. "I don't feel you shaking."

 

"When I moved to New York, the population was in the thousands, Alexander, not millions . If I had known that it would evolve into this ," Magnus used his braced hand to gesture at everything around them, "I wouldn't have moved here."

 

"Well, I'm glad you did." Someone bumped into Alec as he spoke, and he grunted in annoyance.

 

Magnus stared up at Alec. "Why?"

 

"Because, I wouldn't have met you otherwise," Alec said with a warm smile and a gentle squeeze of Magnus' hand. "So, it's not just about the vampires and subjugates, is it?"

 

"No…" Magnus said sheepishly. They finally made it to the fire hydrant, and Magnus needed to figure out his next goal. There was an old, dented garbage can just up ahead, so he fixed his sights on that. He could do this.

 

"What made you want to take this walk?" 

 

A group of teenage girls passed them walking the opposite direction with a chorus of awes and giggles when they looked at Magnus and Alec walking together. Magnus wasn't quite sure what to make of that. "I want…" he started, trying to find the right words. "I want to try to be more normal for you. I want to be able to leave my house and go places with you, instead of being stuck inside my house all the time."

 

Alec huffed out a small laugh. "Magnus, I never expected normality from you  since our first date."

 

"Oh." Magnus cast his eyes down at his feet, shame creeping up his spine.

 

"And that's a good thing!" Alec shook Magnus' hand in his. "There are millions of normal guys out there, you know. But I don't want normal ."

 

Magnus furrowed his brows. "You don't?"

 

"No. Normal's boring. I want you , Mags." Magnus blushed at Alec's words, and, when he glanced up at the man, Alec had rosy cheeks as well. That made his heart skip a beat, or several, actually. Alec was just so open and honest, and it made Magnus want to share more of himself with him. "So, I hope you're doing this for your sake, too, and not just mine."

 

"I think I am." They reached the garbage can, so Magnus sought out his next object. He spotted a tree with bright pink petunias planted around its base not too far off. He was doing it.

 

Magnus knew they were moving at a snail's pace, and the angry huffs and grunts of pedestrians trying to move past them only added to Magnus' mounting anxiety. He regretted not bringing any more doses of potion with him, but he was already running out of ingredients to make them, so he decided against it before he left. God, how he wished he brought more with.

 

"So, Alexander, what do you like to do in your free time?" Magnus asked, just after someone elbowed his side, making his entire body tense with fear. He took a couple deep breaths, smelling the fragrant petunias as they passed them, and found an old lamp post to focus on between them and the bus stop. He was really, really doing it.

 

"Take care of you?"

 

"I'm serious!" Magnus nudged Alec's side.

 

Alec nudged him right back with a grin. "So am I!"

 

Magnus shook his head. "When you're not taking care of me, what do you do?"

 

"I like to cook–" Alec started.

 

"Obviously," Magnus chimed in with a smirk.

 

Alec rolled his eyes affectionately before continuing, "– read , play video games, binge watch stuff on Netflix, work out, get bit by my asshole chameleon," he chuckled, "and do some, uh, volunteer work."

 

"Does your asshole have a name?" Magnus asked, then cringed when he realized he forgot an important word. He would facepalm himself if he didn't desperately need to cling to Alec like his life depended on it. 

 

Alec shot him a shocked look, eyes wide and brows high. " What ?"

 

"Chameleon! Your chameleon !" Magnus rushed to say.

 

" Oh !" Alec cackled. "Yeah, Lorenzo."

 

Magnus' stomach soured at the mention of his name. "God, he sounds just like someone I used to know. Same name, less biting. He had green lizard skin and acted like he was untouchable."

 

"So does my Lorenzo. Even if you just walk past his enclosure he hisses at you. If you look at him too long, I swear he glares back at you with seething fury."

 

"Why do you keep him, then?" Magnus was curious. Alec said he was good with animals, that animals loved him, and Magnus knew it was true because even Church adored him. So why did Alec's own pet despise him? 

 

"I just love animals." Alec shrugged. "And he had already been returned to the rescue five times before I got to him. I figured that since no one else would give him a good, steady home, I could. And I can handle his sass. I kinda have a soft spot for lost causes."

 

Magnus wondered if he fit into that category himself, and if that was the reason why Alec was still paying attention to him. "You're a good man, Alexander," Magnus said, and Alec blushed, just as expected. "What kind of volunteer work do you do?"

 

"Oh." Alec rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "I– I normally don't like to talk about it."

 

"Why not?" Magnus asked as they passed the lamp post. The next goal was the bus stop, his final goal until Alec came up with something new for him to reach. He was doing it. He was going to make it. He might have been crawling along slower than a tortoise, but he was doing it, pissed off pedestrians be damned.

 

"I don't want to look like I'm bragging about doing good things, you know?"

 

That was one of the things that Magnus loved about Alec. He was so humble, despite having a million different reasons why he should be boasting about himself. "Well, if I'm asking you about it, I don't see that as bragging. I'd love to know."

 

"Okay." Alec sighed. "Well, I volunteer at a few different places. The first one is the animal rescue where I found Lorenzo, the second is with kids at a community athletics center, and the third is the women's and children's center where my mom took us when my dad turned violent."

 

"Awe!" Magnus' heart melted into a puddle of emotional goo at the mention of kids. "Alexander, you really are a good man."

 

"I try to be," Alec said, voice timid.

 

"So, what do you do with the kid–?" The only warning Magnus had was the sound of pounding footsteps approaching before the world around him went sideways with a violent shove, and he reached out on instinct with his dominant hand to catch himself as he fell to the sidewalk. The instant Magnus' braced hand made contact with the concrete, he felt a sharp CRACK, yelped out in pain, and rolled onto his side, curling his body around his wrist and snapping his eyes shut. Alec toppled over as well, but he somehow managed not to fall on top of Magnus, instead dropping to his knees beside him with a loud grunt.

 

"Sorry! I'm so fucking sorry!" A masculine voice called out, their voice trailing off along with the footsteps as they hurried away. 

 

"What the actual fuck !" Alec screamed after them. "You asshole !" He huffed out an angry breath and placed a hand on Magnus' shoulder, giving it a gentle rub as he softened his voice. "Magnus, are you okay?"

 

Magnus whimpered at Alec's touch and curled even further in on himself where he lay. He was not okay, not even close, but he couldn't speak. His throat was gripped tight in fear, his lungs were screaming for air as he panted, his muscles were tensed tighter than a bowstring and trembling, and the usual cacophony of city sounds was drowned out by the pounding pulse in his ears. Even Alec's voice sounded distant, distorted, like he was listening from under a torrential downpour, words clipped by the rain. He heard the muffled sounds of other voices and footsteps nearby, but he couldn't make out a single word of what was being said. All he knew was that people were staring at him while he was lying pathetically on the sidewalk, and Magnus released a gutteral sob as tears spilled from his eyes.

 

"Mags, are you hurt?" Alec asked, lips brushing against his ear as he spoke in a soothing tone. Magnus mustered up enough strength to nod in between gasps and broken sobs, choking on his tears and snot as he continued to bawl. "Do I need to pick you up?"

 

Magnus managed to shake his head, already embarrassed by this whole fiasco, a chunk of gravel scraping against his scalp as he did. He couldn't imagine the absolute humiliation he would feel if Alec had to pick him up and carry him home, just because he was having a panic attack in the middle of a busy sidewalk full of onlookers. How pathetic would that have been?

 

"Can you stand up if I help you?" Magnus wasn't entirely sure about that, as his body was rigid with dread, so he attempted a shaky shrug, hoping that Alec got the message. "Okay. Give me a second, and then I'm going to help you up. I'm going to get you off the sidewalk, alright?"

 

Magnus tried to nod again in response, but Alec was already moving to stand, and he started to speak in a deep, commanding voice that would have definitely done things to Magnus if he hadn't been yearning to blip out of existence at that very moment. Alec barked out orders to the people surrounding them both in a calm yet firm tone, the volume of his voice changing as he turned in place. That must have been his "Head of the Institute" persona at work, and Magnus wished that he could have witnessed it under better conditions so he could appreciate Alec in full force. There would, hopefully, be time for that later, if Magnus ever got out of this dreadful situation.

 

"Okay, sweetheart, come here. I've got you." Alec's warm, gentle hands scooped under Magnus' arms, pulling him into a tight, awkward seated position, before he carefully lifted him to his unsteady feet. Magnus was still curled in on himself, shoulders hunched, head bowed, and he held his braced wrist with his good hand as he swayed on his feet. "We're going to walk a few feet over towards the buildings, alright? Then we're going to duck between them and out of sight."

 

The moment Magnus nodded, Alec wrapped his arm around his waist and brought Magnus' good arm over his shoulder, taking as much of his weight as possible before he started moving them both towards the buildings. Magnus shuffled along as best as he could, unable to move his tense body freely, making Alec almost drag him to their destination across the sidewalk. Magnus didn't dare open his eyes yet, lest he see just how many people were standing around and staring at him in his pathetic state, so he relied on Alec's guidance to get them both there safely. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably just under a minute, they came to a stop, and Alec said something to someone nearby before Magnus felt Alec's large, gentle hand cup his tear-streaked cheek with a sigh.

 

"We're safe now, Magnus. It's just you and me," Alec said softly as he stroked his thumb underneath Magnus' eye to wipe away a tear before it fell. "Can I hold you?"

 

Magnus wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in Alec's strong, comforting arms, so he nodded with a loud sob and was instantly pulled into Alec's embrace. Alec leaned against the brick wall and held Magnus close, his hands landing on Magnus' lower back and between his shoulder blades, and Magnus nestled his face against Alec's exposed chest, the contact of skin against skin already soothing him.

 

"You've said before that thinking about me helped you through your panic attack, right?" Alec asked, and Magnus nodded again. "Focus on me. Focus on everything you can sense about me, alright? And I need you to breathe with me. Slow, deep breaths."

 

How could Magnus possibly think of anything else? There was the deep rumble of Alec's voice as he instructed when to inhale and exhale, vibrating through his chest and throat and into Magnus' bones. The pressure of Alec's arms around Magnus, the pressing of his hands into his back, keeping his trembling body still. The silky texture of Alec's shirt where Magnus had his hand twisted into the fabric, the soft fabric gliding between his fingers. Alec's indulgent body heat surrounding Magnus, melting away his tension, making him slump against Alec where he stood, and Alec holding him tighter to keep him upright. Alec was the singular thing on his mind. Just Alec. Only Alec. Each breath they took together slowed his mind and heart and lungs in small increments until Magnus took another deep breath and released it with a long, weary sigh.

 

"Are you with me, Magnus?" Alec asked with a kiss to the top of Magnus' head.

 

"Yeah," Magnus croaked out, sniffling. "I'm here."

 

Alec breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay? You said you were hurt. What hurts?"

 

"My wrist. It's fucked up again." Magnus fought back more tears as they threatened to spill.

 

"Oh no…" Alec gave Magnus a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry, hon. You were so close!"

 

"Yeah," Magnus said with a groan. Just last night, he had been able to successfully summon a glass of water to his coffee table with minimum pain, which told him he was very close to healed. But now… now that progress was scrapped, and he was back to square one. Back to his erratic, feral magic that only wanted to focus on one thing at a time.

 

"It'll be okay, Mags. I'll help you through it. I promise," Alec said, and Magnus wholeheartedly believed him.

 

Magnus chanced opening his eyes for the first time since he fell, and he glanced around at what he could see from where he rested his head on Alec. They were in a narrow pathway between two buildings, barely large enough for the both of them to stand shoulder to shoulder. The ground was covered in cigarette butts and fast food wrappers, some broken glass and gravel mixed in, and an old newspaper sat saturated in a dingy puddle towards the far opening onto the opposite sidewalk. Sirens sounded somewhere off in the distance, and Magnus was grateful that the sounds from the street were a lot less intense from where they were standing. He pulled back a little bit to look at the other side and froze when he saw a huge, muscular man blocking the closer opening with his back turned to them.

 

"Who–?"

 

Alec followed Magnus' gaze and waved casually at the man. "He offered to do that for us. To give us some privacy. Said he's a bouncer, so he has experience with blocking people." Magnus tried to breathe his own sigh of relief, but it turned into a sniffle-snort, and he covered his mouth and nose in disgust as snot slid down his throat. "Oh, um, here." Alec reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a couple bunched-up tissues, the corner of another one peeking out of the fabric. 

 

Magnus giggled, accepting the tissues and using one to blow his nose. "You came prepared, huh?"

 

"Well, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I thought there might be some tears for whatever reason." Alec pulled out the remaining tissue and used it to wipe down his chest where Magnus had cried against his skin. "I was hoping for happy tears, but it's alright. I'm just glad you're okay, for the most part."

 

"I'll be even better once I get back home," Magnus grumbled.

 

Alec rubbed his hand up and down Magnus' arm with a gentle touch. "Do you feel up to going back now? Or do you still need more time?"

 

"I…" Magnus started, but he stopped himself before he said anything more. His initial reaction was to just push on, get it over with, and try to impress Alec with his bravery, but he didn't think he was ready. In fact, he feared that he would have another breakdown before he made it back home if he tried right at that moment. What he really wanted, needed , was a little more time and a lot more comfort from Alec. "I think I just want you to hold me again for a moment. If that's okay."

 

" Of course it's okay. Come here." Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus and pulled him tight to his chest, leaning his head on Magnus' after he tucked into the crook of Alec's neck. He started stroking circles into Magnus' back and shoulders, the soothing touch melting Magnus into Alec's embrace all over again. "We'll head back whenever you're ready."

 

Magnus breathed in the scent of Alec's cologne, the smell of his shampoo, and the overall essence of Alec, the intoxicating combination of fragrances filling his lungs and making his heart stutter in his chest. It was comforting, and invigorating, and it just made Magnus happy , something he hadn't truly felt in a long time. Alec made him happy. Alec was so sweet, so supportive, and just so… right. He felt right , like Magnus had always belonged in his arms. And, while Magnus had been trying his damndest to steer away from those thoughts too early on, he knew it was pointless. He was steadily climbing up the rollercoaster rails, anticipation building higher and higher, waiting until the inevitable vertical drop into overwhelming love. 

 

"I think I'm okay now. Well, not okay okay, but fine enough to get back home," Magnus said before he pressed a soft kiss to Alec's pulse point and stepped back.

 

"Alright. Give me just a second, and we can start walking." Alec reached into another pocket and pulled out his wallet, opening it up and pulling out a singular bill from a thick stack inside.

 

Magnus gasped with wide eyes when he saw what kind of bill it was and just how many were inside Alec's wallet. Alec was carrying more money on him than Magnus currently had in his savings account. "Oh my god," Magnus whispered, "why do you have a couple thousand dollars on you?"

 

"Just in case I need it?" Alec shrugged, averting his eyes.

 

Magnus couldn't imagine needing that much money on hand on a daily basis. He'd be terrified to carry so much on him out in public. "What if someone steals it?"

 

Alec shoved his wallet back into his pocket, and Magnus wondered again how Alec could fit anything in his pockets when his pants were so tight. "There's plenty more where that came from. And, well, if someone steals it, they probably have a good reason for it. They probably need it more than I do."

 

"Okay…" Magnus pondered on that for a beat, then asked, "So, why are you holding a $100 bill right now?"

 

"To give to him." Alec pointed to the man still blocking the entrance for them. "For helping us out."

 

"Really?" Magnus asked, and Alec nodded with a small, bashful smile. "Alec, do you carry around all that money just so you can give it away?"

 

"No!" Alec blurted out. Magnus raised a skeptical eyebrow at him and he blushed, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Uh, maybe?"

 

Magnus looked up at Alec, gazed into his eyes, and felt a new wave of affection and admiration for the man in front of him with the biggest heart he had ever seen. "Oh, Alexander …" 

 

"Let's, uh, let's get going, shall we?" Alec cleared his throat, face cherry red, and he held out his hand for Magnus to take. Magnus snatched it up in an instant, clinging close to Alec's side, and they made their way towards the opening, their feet crunching on the debris scattered on the concrete as they went.

 

After Alec and the helpful guy argued for a minute about the money, the guy refusing to take it and Alec insisting he should, the guy finally relented and accepted the money, and just before he left, he told them both that they were the cutest couple he'd ever seen. Alec beamed with his sunshiny grin and said thanks, tossing a wink at Magnus, while Magnus flushed furiously and squeaked out his own thanks, and then the guy was off on his way. They stood at the opening, staring out at the pedestrians passing by, and Magnus took a deep breath to steady himself.

 

"Ready?" Alec asked, giving Magnus' hand a little shake.

 

Magnus blew out a harsh breath between his teeth and nodded. "Yeah. Let's get this over with."

 

"Remember, focus on me, okay? Focus on my hand, the sound of my voice, anything you can sense, alright? And breathe."

 

"Right." Magnus took another deep breath and stepped forward, pulling Alec alongside him as he turned left onto the sidewalk. They crawled along at a sluggish pace, more pedestrians huffing and grunting to get past them as they blocked their paths, and every time one would bump into Magnus, he had to close his eyes and breathe, and Alec would squeeze his hand to ground him.

 

"So, Magnus, what do you do in your free time?" Alec asked, eyes focused on the path in front of them as they passed the tree, the sweet scent of the flowers wafting up towards them again.

 

"Oh," Magnus said after a moment, trying to focus on his breathing, "I, uh, I also like to read, study languages, research. I enjoy translating old texts, both magical and mundane, working out, taking care of my greenhouse–"

 

"Obviously," Alec quipped with a smirk.

 

Magnus chuckled. "– I take lots of pictures and videos of my cats, and I like experimenting with potions."

 

"How many languages do you know?"

 

"Too many." Magnus shrugged. "I've had plenty of time to study most of what's out there in the world." A city bus growled past them, the stench of its fumes stinging Magnus' nose. 

 

"Well, I'm impressed. I only know like one and a half." Alec laughed. "What do you do to work out?"

 

"Oh, um, a wide variety of things. I have a bunch of equipment in the basement." Magnus also had Dum Dum the Dummy down there, and he really didn't want to explain that situation to Alec yet. 

 

"Can I see it sometime? I work out a lot myself, and I'd love to see what you do." 

 

Magnus wasn't sure if Alec was asking to see his setup or Magnus himself working out, but if he asked, he knew Alec would enthusiastically say yes to both. "Uh, yeah. Sure."

 

"Awesome," Alec said, a little distantly, then he added, "Oh! Wow, look at that handsome devil."

 

Magnus had a sudden twinge of jealousy, hearing Alec talk about some other guy right in front of him while he was trying to focus on the path directly in front of his feet. It wasn't like they were exclusive, they weren't even officially a couple yet, but Magnus couldn't help his reaction. He really didn't want to look away and see what Alec was talking about, instead staying silently on task. 

 

"God, he's really cute." Alec said with a little nudge to Magnus' side.

 

Alec really doubled down on his statement, and Magnus huffed in annoyance. Fine. He might as well look and see what the fuss was all about, if Alec was going to be so insistent. He glanced up at Alec and followed his line of sight to the back of the city bus that just passed them, and he was faced with, well, his own huge face staring right back at him with his cheesy, fake smile. He had nearly forgotten about the bus ads he purchased along with the commercial. "Oh god…"

 

Alec giggled. "What a beautiful man! Gosh. I bet he's a really good kisser."

 

"Alexander!" Magnus blushed to the tips of his ears, and he turned his face into Alec's shoulder with a groan. "Shut up !" There was no venom in his words, only the horrible discomfort of knowing people could hear Alec's words loud and clear.

 

"I will never shut up about how pretty you are, Mags." Alec placed a kiss on the top of Magnus' head. "How many doses of potion did that commercial take?"

 

Magnus sighed, his cheeks still burning with embarrassment. "Five, in a short amount of time. I might have been a little bit high towards the end of the shoot, when they wanted me to smile."

 

Alec chuckled. "Wow. You bad boy, you."

 

"Oh yeah, that's me. Such a rebel," Magnus said dryly, realizing that they already passed the garbage can. They were slowly nearing his house again, the old red brick building he'd called home for over a century. It wasn't much to look at, especially from a mundane perspective, but it was his sanctuary. He was almost there.

 

Alec hummed. "You know, now that I think about it, your house is kinda weird."

 

"How so?" Two women, who were holding hands, were just about to pass them going in the opposite direction. One of them was pushing a stroller with a giggly little baby seated inside, and Magnus gazed longingly at them, his heart aching for something he would probably never have. When he met eyes with the lady pushing the stroller, she cracked a bright smile and winked at him as they passed.

 

"Like, it looks really small, and you can't even see the greenhouse on the roof, but the inside is so bi– Ow!" Alec winced and raised his free hand to rub his forehead.

 

"Don't think about it too hard. You'll get a headache." Most mundanes wouldn't think twice about Magnus' house, which was the point, but for the ones who were aware of the Shadow World, they could tell something was off about it. And, if they tried to figure it out, their minds couldn't comprehend the complexity of it all, which usually ended in them getting headaches.

 

"But it is bigger on the inside, right?" Alec asked while still trying to rub away the pain, and Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but Alec continued with the cutest enthusiasm, "Like a TARDIS!"

 

Magnus snorted. "It's just the glamor and wards making it seem that way, but I guess it's sort of like that." He then realized what Alec said, and he smirked. "You've seen Doctor Who?"

 

Alec's face lit up with excitement. "Oh yeah! I love it. Izzy got me into it a while ago. Do you have a favorite Doctor?"

 

"It's been a long time since I've watched it, but I did love the 4th Doctor. His scarf was phenomenal." They reached the fire hydrant, the last little goal between Magnus and his home. Just 15 yards to go until he was safe and sound inside.

 

"Oh, uh, I admit that I haven't seen the original series. Only the new one," Alec said sheepishly. "My favorite Doctor is the 10th one."

 

"There are ten Doctors?" Magnus asked incredulously. The last time he watched TV was back in the late 90s, before his unit broke, and he never got around to replacing it. He recalled that the series had ended in 1989 with a total of eight doctors, so it seemed like he had some catching up to do.

 

"There's more than that, now, actually! We should totally binge watch it sometime."

 

"I'd like that," Magnus said with a smile, glancing up at Alec. He didn't know how that was going to happen without a TV, but he was sure they'd figure that out beforehand. Car brakes squealed nearby, and Magnus grit his teeth at the shrill noise, wanting nothing more than this whole ordeal to be over with.

 

They finally approached the steps up to Magnus' front door, and as they climbed up each one, Magnus' tension eased little by little. He pulled out his key, unlocked and opened the door, and he dashed inside, Alec following just behind him. After he closed it, Alec reached out for him and pulled him into a hug.

 

"You did it, Magnus," Alec said, swaying the both of them ever so slightly in place.

 

Magnus released a slow, heavy sigh. "Yeah, but it was awful . I'm so sorry that I put you through that, Alec."

 

"I'm not." Alec pressed a soft kiss to Magnus' cheek.

 

Magnus groaned as he stepped back and stared up at Alec. "You had to deal with a grown man bawling his eyes out on the pavement surrounded by loads of people! That's so fucking embarrassing !"

 

"Look, Mags, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't mind taking care of you, alright? I just want you to be happy, and safe. I wasn't embarrassed at all. I was worried ." Alec reached out and grasped Magnus' biceps, looking into his eyes with an intense expression. "And it wasn't your fault that some asshole was in too much of a hurry to god knows where to look where he was going. You responded to that by panicking, yes, but you also worked through that and overcame it!"

 

"Because of you," Magnus said as he hung his head low and stared down at his feet. 

 

Alec clucked his tongue and brought both of his hands up to cradle Magnus' face, bringing his eyes back to meet his again. "I might have been there helping you, but you did all the work, hon. You focused your mind, your body, and your breathing, not me . And you did it all without a mission and without your music. It was incredible."

 

"...Okay." Magnus did have to give himself a little credit for that. He did manage to make it through the whole ordeal without his usual coping methods, which was a giant leap of progress in his opinion.

 

Alec kissed Magnus on the forehead before gazing into his eyes again, his thumbs brushing over Magnus' cheeks with tenderness. "Magnus, I am so ridiculously proud of you right now. You have no idea."

 

"You are?" Magnus asked, searching Alec's face for sincerity. No one in Magnus' extremely long life had ever said those words to him, not even his own mother, he thought, but quickly shoved any memory of her out of the forefront of his mind before it triggered something awful. This moment was too monumental to ruin with trauma. Alec was proud of him, ridiculously proud in his own words, and that made Magnus' heart throb with overwhelming joy and affection.

 

"Yes! You're amazing, Mags. So fucking amazing. You're so brave and– Mmph!" Alec's words were cut short by Magnus pushing Alec against the front door, surging up onto his tiptoes, and planting a passionate kiss right on his lips.

 

Alec giggled in surprise, but he kissed Magnus back right away, still holding his face in his hands, deepening the kiss with a soft moan. Magnus pressed himself flush with Alec, chest to chest, with his braced hand resting on Alec's waist, and his good one weaving into Alec's hair, tugging gently on the silky strands as he nipped at Alec's bottom lip. He tasted the faint flavor of Alec's lip balm, he smelled his delicious cologne, he felt every point of contact with him igniting his nerves with sparks of pleasure, he heard the little moans and whimpers when he tugged a little harder on his hair, and, when he pulled back for a desperately needed breath, he looked at the most beautiful man he'd ever seen, gazing back at him like he was something precious

 

Magnus knew that Alec had feelings for him, as he had overheard him admitting it during the conversation with his sister, but he didn't know the extent of how deep they went. Maybe Alec was feeling the same thing as Magnus, the same heart-fluttering, stomach-flipping, warm-and-sappy emotions Magnus was experiencing. Maybe he felt the same anticipation, the climb before the drop, the uncertainty of their destination, the thrill of heading into the unknown, or he felt none of that at all. But, if Magnus had to guess, the way that Alec had been looking at him lately made him think that maybe, just maybe, Alec was along for the ride, too.

Notes:

Fun fact! The one and only rollercoaster I've ever been on was the Viper at Six Flags Great America, which is a replica of the Coney Island Cyclone, and I had pretty much the same reaction as Magnus did.

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 15: Reciprocation

Summary:

In today's episode, we find out some interesting things about Alec, Alec utilizes the word "fuck" a whole lot, there's a bunch of crying, and then there's a surprise at the end!

I don't think any of you are ready for this chapter 🤣

Notes:

Hey y'all!

So, UHHHHHH... I was really, really sick for two straight weeks. Like, super sick. I'm recovered now, thankfully, and just starting to feel normal again. So that's reason number one why it took so long to post this chapter.

Reason number two is, um, because it's over 9k? Did I intend for it to be that long? Absolutely not. Am I proud of it? Mostly. Do I really just want to post it and move on with the story? Yes. Very much yes. So here it is.

This chapter starts off a little spicy. It's mild spice, but spice nonetheless. This story is rated Mature, and their relationship is progressing, so it's bound to happen. 🤷

There is a surprise at the end for all of you! If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (links below), you might have seen a little sneaky peek of it. Even if you have, I'm sure you'll still be surprised.

I hope you enjoy it!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

" Magnus …" Alec moaned, tilting his head to the side to give Magnus better access to his neck, of which he took full advantage, planting open-mouthed kisses from below Alec's ear down to the crook of his neck. He felt Alec's pulse flutter under his lips as he smiled against his skin.

 

After their moment by the front door, they made their long, wavering way into the living room in between bouts of insatiable kisses and landed on the couch. Alec plopped down first with a grunt, as he'd been (gently) pushed, and he was quickly followed by Magnus as he crawled into his lap and straddled his legs.

 

Magnus was currently working on driving Alec wild with his most recent discovery: Alec loved when Magnus paid any attention to his neck, whether it be simple kisses, little nips, or sucking an obscene hickey into his perfect skin, like he was doing right at that very moment. Alec's hands were everywhere, in Magnus' hair, on his thighs, on his arms, up and down his back, almost frantic touches everywhere except Magnus' ass. He remembered setting that boundary earlier that week, nothing below the belt , and he was seriously impressed by Alec's self control while his mind was elsewhere , if the noises he was making were any indication.

 

" Magnus ," Alec whined.

 

"Hm?" Oh, how Magnus loved the sounds Alec was making, how he was the catalyst behind those sounds. He was making Alec feel good , and that's all that mattered to him. Reciprocation, for Magnus at least, wasn't inherently necessary when it came to physical intimacy, but he wasn't opposed to it if it was offered. It usually wasn't, and he was used to that, but Alec was all about it; he'd been trying to find Magnus' "spot" for the past couple days without success. Magnus wasn't going to tell him until he found it, which wasn't happening anytime soon, since clothes would need to be shed in order for that discovery to be made.

 

"We should– I should…" Alec trailed off with a whimper, his hand tangling into Magnus' hair and gripping firmly. But, instead of pulling Magnus away, he held him there in place, encouraging him to continue. " Mags ."

 

"Yes, Alexander?" Magnus spoke against Alec's throat, breathing hot puffs of air over his spit-slickened skin.

 

"Dinner…"

 

"What about dinner?"

 

"I– I– mmmm …" Alec sucked in a deep breath as Magnus trailed his tongue slowly along the cord of his neck. "I need to, um," he tried to gather his senses with another deep breath, "I need to finish making it if we, uh, want to eat anytime soon."

 

While Magnus never wanted to stop making Alec a moaning, stuttering mess, he was a bit hungry. And he was pretty sure that this was Alec's indirect way of letting him know he was starting to feel overwhelmed. That had happened, the second time Magnus went for his neck, and, wow, what a situation that was. Alec's body suddenly went limp, like an overstimulated wet noodle, panting and moaning and rock hard , and Magnus was terrified that he broke him, or something, because he couldn't even speak for a couple minutes. When he eventually regained control, they had a serious chat about what happened, and they came to the conclusion that it was a good thing, but way, way too heated for their current agreement. When Magnus asked him if it had ever happened before, Alec bashfully told him 'no', which made Magnus preen internally because he did that. He turned Alec into a pile of horny Silly Putty, and it was awesome .

 

"Alright, we can pick this up later." Magnus sighed, giving Alec's jugular a little nip and receiving a gasp in return, and he slid off Alec's lap and onto the couch, patting his knee as he settled in. Alec's entire body tensed, including his grip on Magnus' arm, as he punched out a sharp grunt with wide, startled eyes. That definitely didn't go unnoticed. "Alec? What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing," Alec said, a little too quickly, staring straight ahead and obviously avoiding Magnus. "Nothing is wrong."

 

Magnus pointed to Alec's hand clenching around his bicep. "You're going to bruise me if you grip any tighter."

 

"I'm sorry!" Alec released Magnus' arm like it was a hot coal singeing his skin.

 

"Seriously, what's wrong?" Magnus brushed his hand over Alec's knee again, and Alec bit his bottom lip and hissed, his entire body turning as rigid as a board. Magnus froze, hand suspended in the air just above Alec's leg, trying to figure out why he pulled such a reaction from him. Then it hit him, and Magnus gasped. "Oh, Alexander…"

 

Alec shook his head with a grimace. "What?"

 

Magnus stood up from the couch and immediately studied Alec's legs. Both knees were smudged with dirt, contrasting with the black denim of his pants, and the right one had a tear through the fabric about an inch wide. He had forgotten that Alec fell, too, and now he felt awful for not asking if he was okay. So, he decided to rectify his mistake, and he had three things on his mind that he wanted to address. The first thing was that he needed to look at Alec's knees, the second, that there was a rip in his jeans, and the third, that Alec should take his pants off so Magnus could see the damage. What actually came spilling out of his mouth was, "I need to rip your pants off."

 

Alec snorted out an incredulous laugh. "Wait, what ?"

 

Magnus palmed his face and groaned. Why did he ever speak? Why was he allowed to say words? "God fucking damnit… Not what I meant to say!"

 

"What did you mean to say?"

 

Magnus sighed. "I need to look at your knees, and you should take your pants off so I can do so."

 

"Where did the 'rip' part come from?" Alec asked with an adorably confused expression.

 

"Oh, there's a hole in your jeans," Magnus said as he pointed to Alec's knee.

 

"Shit. These were brand new…" Alec reached down to feel out the tear, but his whole body flinched when he made contact. He cleared his throat and straightened up, acting like he hadn't just obviously jolted in pain. "Well, at least the distressed look is in," he said with a new, jagged edge to his voice.

 

"I'll grab you some shorts." Magnus motioned for Alec to rise to his feet. "Come with me."

 

Alec casually waved away Magnus' concern, even with pain clearly evident in his toothy, fake smile. "Pft! Nah, Mags, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

 

"You're not fine ," Magnus growled out in annoyance at Alec's nonchalance, his eyes and his nostrils flaring on the last word. "I don't care how much you want to hide it, Alec. I know how hard you hit that sidewalk, because I fell and hurt myself, too, and you don't heal as fast as I do. So get up and come with me." Magnus held out his good hand in offering, flicking his fingers in the air a couple times as his patience started to wane.

 

Alec eyed Magnus' hand and sighed before taking it, rolling his eyes as if Magnus' concern was annoying him . "Fine."

 

Magnus tugged Alec upright until he was standing, and then they began the oddly slow and awkward trek into Magnus' bedroom, just a short distance away. Alec groaned and blew a few harsh breaths between gritted teeth as they moved, and Magnus glanced down at his legs, watching as he stiffly shuffled into the room. They came to a stop in the center of it, and Alec flashed Magnus tight, fake grin, confirming Magnus' theory that Alec was definitely in a lot of pain. If Alec was still visibly struggling even while trying to downplay his injury, Magnus dreaded to see just how bad his knees really were.

 

"Give me a sec to find the shorts, okay?" Magnus turned away and dug through the bottom drawer of his dresser, pulling out the loosest pair of athletic shorts he owned. They were dark blue with drawstrings, made of a soft, moisture-wicking material, and they covered up to a couple inches above Magnus' knees, but would be even shorter on Alec… And that was a sight he desperately wanted to see now that it was in his head. Based on Alec's glorious upper body, Magnus bet that his legs were probably just as attractive. "I think these should fit y–"

 

The rest of Magnus' words died on his tongue as he turned to face Alec again, because, instead of being met with Alec's beautiful face, he saw Alec's ass in the tightest low-rise black boxer briefs in existence as Alec bent over to pull his feet from his jeans. Magnus couldn't look away, he couldn't help but let his eyes travel down to Alec's thick, muscular thighs and defined calves, his brain providing the unhelpful thought of what it might feel like to have those strong legs squeezing around him. " Fuck …"

 

Alec stood up straight and looked over his shoulder at Magnus, eyebrow quirked in question. "Something wrong?"

 

Magnus shook his head, still unable to peel his eyes away from the glorious sight before him. "Nope. Absolutely nothing at all." Except for the growing issue in his pants.

 

"Oh, alright." Alec bent back over, slowly reaching for his jeans on the floor, and, when he righted himself again, he looked over his shoulder with a knowing smirk and tossed Magnus a wink.

 

Magnus' mind was mostly static at that point, but he had enough brain cells left online to register Alec's salacious message. He scoffed and threw the pair of shorts at Alec as he stood upright again. "You're doing that on purpose!"

 

Alec was facing the wall, away from Magnus, but he twisted his upper body just enough to catch the shorts, snorting and giggling as he pulled them on. " Of course I am!"

 

"You're a menace!" Magnus said with a reluctant grin, and Alec cackled as he tied the drawstrings of the shorts, still deliberately facing away from Magnus. That struck him as odd. "Alec, why aren't you turning around?"

 

"Because," Alec said with a sigh, hanging his head between his shoulders, "I know you're going to be upset when you see me, and I'm trying to delay the inevitable." 

 

"Let me see."

 

Alec nodded, slowly and stiffly turning in place until he faced Magnus. Two huge blackish-blue bruises stood stark against the pale skin of his knees, with a bloody abrasion on the right side, and both were clearly swollen and painful. After taking in everything, Magnus felt an aching, sympathetic pain crawl up his shins, and his stomach roiled with molten guilt. "Oh no ," Magnus gasped, holding his good hand to his lips. "I'm so sorry, Alec. This is my fault."

 

"Hey!" Alec snapped while he pointed a finger at Magnus, brows furrowing. "No!"

 

That… wasn't the reaction Magnus expected. Well, he wasn't sure what to expect, exactly, but it definitely wasn't a scolding. "What?"

 

Alec waggled his finger, voice deep and stern as he spoke. "None of that nonsense. Stop it."

 

"Alec, if you hadn't been–" Magnus tried to say, but Alec interjected.

 

Alec placed a hand on his hip and kept pointing at Magnus, continuing his scold. "Magnus, seriously, knock it off. It's not your fault. Did you shove me onto the sidewalk?"

 

Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out as he thought about his response, so he snapped it shut while he waited for the right words to form. "Well, no, but–"

 

"Nope. No 'buts'." Alec shook his head, holding firm on his stance. " You didn't shove me. That asshole did. It's his fault, okay? Not yours."

 

There was just no winning with this stubborn man. Magnus groaned, throwing a hand up in resignation, giving up the useless battle. " Fine . I still feel bad that you're injured, though."

 

"I feel bad about you getting hurt again, too. But neither of us are to blame." Alec shrugged.

 

Magnus sighed as he gestured to the ensuite. "Go sit down so I can look at you." 

 

Alec made his slow and stiff trek to the bathroom, with minimal grunts and groans, before he gingerly lowered himself onto the lid of the toilet. Magnus knelt down in front of him and inspected both of his legs as best as he could without making any contact. "Okay. You have a contusion on each knee, and your right one has an abrasion, which looks like it has something embedded in it. I'll have to clean it out."

 

"There's something stuck in my knee?" Alec asked with wide eyes. 

 

"Something small." Magnus glanced up at Alec with a soft, concerned smile. "I wish I could heal you, Alec. I hate seeing you in pain. But, I can do the next best thing." Magnus stood up. "Wait here while I gather some supplies, okay?" 

 

~~~

 

Magnus returned with a bag full of supplies and a glass of water, which he set down on the vanity next to Alec. He pulled out all of the items, one by one, until the counter was littered with a wide assortment of things. He flicked on the sink, setting the temperature to warm, and turned to Alec, who was looking a bit bewildered by the amount of things laid out before him. "What?"

 

"That's a lot of stuff, Mags." Alec chuckled as he surveyed all of the supplies spread across the countertop. "I think you might be going a little overboard."

 

"Nope!" Magnus said cheerfully. "This is me keeping things to a minimum ." The first thing he picked up was a bottle of pills, handing them straight over to Alec. "Take some of these. That's what the water is for." He motioned to the glass, then tested the temperature of the tap water.

 

Alec knit his brows together as he read the bottle, huffing out a laugh. "Ibuprofen? Really? Why do you have this?"

 

"For my clients. Sometimes they have headaches, so I keep some on hand. Now take some ," Magnus said with a firm edge to his voice. Alec grumbled, but he popped open the lid, shook a few pills into the palm of his hand, and tossed them into his mouth before washing them down with water, just as he was told. Magnus wet a washcloth and lathered it with a tiny bit of soap, and when he turned to face Alec, Alec was reaching out for the rag, like he was expecting Magnus to just hand it over without question. "What are you doing?"

 

Alec rolled his eyes while making a grabbing motion with his hand, like it was obvious. "I know how to clean out a scrape, Mags."

 

"Okay," Magnus said slowly, drawing out the word as his mind processed the developing situation, "and so do I. But I'll have a better angle than you."

 

Alec made an attempt to snatch the cloth, and he grumbled when Magnus yanked it out of his reach. "It's fine . I got this."

 

Magnus knew Alec was stubborn as hell, but he didn't know the depths of his determination when he wanted something done his way. He was starting to get a clearer picture of that now. "Alec, let me help you."

 

Alec stood up, slow and stiff, reaching for it again. "No, let me do it."

 

Magnus leaned back and held the cloth as far away as he could, pressing his braced hand to Alec's chest to hold him off. The corner of the vanity was uncomfortably digging into the meat of Magnus' ass, and his patience was rapidly waning. "Alec!"

 

Alec made another swipe for the cloth, making Magnus lean back even further onto the marble countertop, resulting in half of the items clattering either into the sink or onto the floor. Magnus hoped that nothing was broken or ruined by the running tap, but he didn't have time to check, as he was a little bit busy playing keep away with a grown ass man. "Come on !"

 

"No!" Magnus grunted as Alec pushed forward, the pressure on his braced wrist making it throb. "Sit down!"

 

"Just let me–"

 

"Alexander Lightwood, sit your stubborn ass down right now and let me do this for you!" Magnus bellowed, his voice echoing once in the small, shared space, his eyes wide, his nostrils flaring, and his stomach roiling again with guilt.

 

Magnus was a quiet, reserved, and peaceful man who had tried his whole damn life to be the opposite of what his father wanted him to be, so whenever he raised his voice or acted out, that meant that he'd exceeded his limit of tolerance. Given that it hadn't really been tested for the last century, his limit might have been a little lower than usual, and Alec had pushed exactly the right buttons in exactly the right sequence to crack open his resolve.

 

Alec gaped at Magnus, eyes wide and mouth ajar, stunned into silence. He slowly raised his hands in surrender and plopped back down onto the toilet, the old plastic hinge creaking in protest. " Fine ." He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed out a breath in annoyance like a petulant child.

 

"Good." Magnus shook his head, willing his stomach to settle back down in his gut as he picked up everything that had been knocked over during their ridiculous argument; nothing was ruined, thankfully. He knelt down at Alec's feet, at eye level with his knees, and held the soapy cloth up next to his skin. "This is going to sting." 

 

Alec nodded, avoiding eye contact, then hissed as Magnus gingerly wiped at his wound. A beat of tense silence passed before Alec cleared his throat to speak, voice small and strained. "It's, uh, it's Gideon, by the way."

 

"What is?" Magnus asked as he glanced up at Alec, brows raised, feeling like he missed an important part of the conversation.

 

"My middle name." Alec winced as Magnus pressed a little harder against his skin. "You know, for the next time you scold me," he said with a small, sheepish smile.

 

Ugh, Magnus really had scolded Alec, hadn't he? He scrunched up his face into a grimace as he cringed, stilling his hand. "I'm sorry for raising my voice at you. I hate doing that."

 

"It's alright." Alec shrugged. "I guess I needed it... I was being kind of a brat," he said with a humorless laugh.

 

"I wasn't going to say that , but…" Magnus tipped his head side to side in a silent agreement as he cleaned Alec's other knee for good measure.

 

Alec sighed. "Look, Mags, I'm sorry. I'm not good with this sorta stuff, and I'm not used to people taking care of me. I'm usually the one who takes care of everyone, including myself."

 

"I know how that goes." Magnus glanced up at Alec with a soft smile. "I did it for over a century, until you came along."

 

"I guess we're both learning, huh?" Alec matched Magnus' smile with one of his own, and Magnus pressed a kiss to his forehead after he stood back up to grab the next items he needed.

 

~~~

 

"Oh, look! A souvenir!" Magnus said, as he plucked out a pea-sized pebble from Alec's skin, depositing it on the counter along with the tweezers he had used to excavate it. He grabbed the saline spray, flushed out the raw, angry skin of the abrasion, and patted it dry with gauze. When he stood up to find the antibiotic ointment, he paused, staring down at the counter where the chunk of gravel used to be.

 

"What? Where did it go?" Magnus glanced around at the ceramic tile floor, then in the sink, finding no evidence of it anywhere. "Did it fall down the drain? I didn't hear anything." If it fell, he was certain he would have heard it hit the tile or rattle down the marble sink into the drain. "Alec, did you see where it went?"

 

Alec didn't answer, so Magnus tore his gaze away from the floor and looked over at him. Alec's face was tight-lipped, wide-eyed, and turning hot pink, his back was rigid, and he had his fists in his lap, the right one blanching at the knuckles. Huh. So, he was definitely holding it, but… why? And why was he acting so strange? What in the actual fuck was happening?

 

"Where's the pebble, Alec?" Magnus asked with a mixture of amusement and confusion. Alec shook his head briskly, refusing to make eye contact, his skin deepening in brilliant color. Okay, so he was embarrassed about holding it, but that didn't answer the 'why' part of Magnus' curiosity. "You know, I was only kidding about the souvenir thing, right?"

 

Alec made a strange, strangled sound in his throat and hung his head between his shoulders as he unfurled his fist, the small stone sitting in his palm. "Fuck! I'm weird , okay? I'm weirdly sentimental about things."

 

Ah, there it was! Magnus had been under the impression that Alec was almost perfect, but he knew it was too good to be true. Sure, he was stubborn as hell, and he had some self-confidence issues, but those were pretty common things that Magnus mostly knew how to handle. This, however, was something entirely new and unexpected for Magnus: Alec had a strange little quirk. "Oh, you actually want to keep it?"

 

"I know it's really fucking strange!" Alec groaned, running a frantic hand through his hair, mussing it into a wild tangle of loose curls. "I'm a weirdo . I get shit for it all the time." And there was the self-confidence issue surfacing, probably induced by the same people who teased him about everything else. Oh, Magnus had words for them whenever they finally got a chance to meet.

 

"You keep mementos?" Magnus asked as he leaned against the vanity, crossing his arms loosely over his chest, and Alec nodded. "It's not that weird."

 

"Magnus, this was in my fucking knee !" Alec said as he pointed to said pebble in the palm of his hand. "That's weird ."

 

"Eh." Magnus shrugged. "Moira's husband kept the bullet he was shot with in Vietnam." 

 

Alec ran a hand through his hair again, making his already wild curls even wilder. "I'm not getting a Purple Heart for this, Mags. It's a dirty rock!" 

 

Which was true. It was one thing to collect mementos, but it was a whole other thing when the mementos were as odd as the one Alec wanted to keep. The strangest part about the situation, though, was that Magnus wasn't turned off by it in the least bit. In fact, he found it endearing. Adorable, even. "Okay, it's a little odd, but I don't mind. What's it going to remind you of?"

 

Alec's eyes widened as he shook his head. "Nuh uh."

 

"Hm, too personal?" Magnus asked, and when Alec's blush only deepened, he knew he hit the nail on the head. "Do you save mementos of all of the guys you've dated?"

 

Alec curled in on himself, burying his face in his free hand, and sighed. "No… only you." His voice was so soft and so small, Magnus would have missed it if he hadn't been expecting an answer.

 

And, wow, did that make Magnus' stomach do a few acrobatic flips. He grinned, helpless against the rush of affection those words provoked, and decided that this strange little quirk was, in fact, really fucking cute. "So, if you're going to keep it, would you like me to wash it for you? Or are the blood and dirt important for the memory?"

 

Alec groaned, a long and wounded sound, as he slowly lifted his hand up to Magnus, still hiding his face. " Fuck , man. I was really hoping you wouldn't notice it was gone." Magnus plucked the rock from Alec's palm and turned towards the sink. "Ugh! This is so goddamn embarrassing ."

 

Magnus plugged the sink and turned on the tap, deciding to ignore that statement for now. "Have you saved other mementos of our time together?"

 

"Mmhm…" Alec nodded, face buried in both hands now.

 

"Are they all as… different as this one?" Magnus set the pebble in the shallow water of the sink so he could easily wash it with one hand, watching as the tiny bit of blood lifted from it and blended into the water.

 

"... No." The pause and hesitation in Alec's voice made Magnus question what exactly that answer meant. Did he have to take a moment to assess the items he had for their level of oddity? Or was that a lie?

 

Magnus added a little soap to the water and worked the stone between his fingers as best as he could, rubbing off the city grime. "Did you save one from our first date?"

 

Alec hunched over even more, almost folding himself in half, crumpling into a ball as much as he possibly could in his position. "Uh huh."

 

Cute. "What about the first time we met?"

 

Alec whined, hunching further still. " Yes ."

 

Even cuter . Alec might have just stolen the title of Sappiest Bastard on the Planet from Magnus, and he was ecstatic about it. "I suppose you won't tell me what they are, will you?" he asked through a grin.

 

"Absolutely not ." Alec grumbled, now completely folded in half with his face in his hands, voice muffled. "This is the worst … Ugh. I was hoping you'd never find out about this."

 

Magnus rinsed off the stone and patted it dry with a piece of paper towel. "Here you go. One clean chunk of gravel for your collection."

 

Alec slowly stuck his hand out for the pebble, and he drew it back under his torso, into his crumpled ball of shame, after Magnus dropped it into his palm. "Thank you," he whispered in the most pitiful tone.

 

Magnus reached down and brushed his fingers through Alec's hair, attempting to detangle and tame it as gently as possible, and Alec whimpered at his every touch. "Alec, honestly, you don't have anything to be embarrassed about. I think it's really cute, actually."

 

"It's not cute ," Alec said as he lifted himself up enough to scowl at Magnus. "It's fucking weird , Magnus."

 

"It can be both." Magnus shrugged, deciding that trying to convince Alec that he wasn't as strange as he thought he was was a battle for another day. "It doesn't bother me at all. I still really like you." To put it lightly. If anything, seeing this side of Alec had shoved Magnus closer to the edge of falling for him.

 

Alec sat up a little more, anxious hope written all over his face. "You do?" he asked in the softest, most vulnerable voice Magnus had heard from him yet, "Even if I'm a weirdo?"

 

Magnus had the urge to blurt out "you're my weirdo", but he quickly shoved those words back into the dark, Too Much corner of his mind from which they crawled out of. He decided a little humor would be more appropriate. "As long as you don't have a shrine of me in your closet or something, I think we'll be just fine."

 

"What? No!" Alec scoffed, looking genuinely offended that Magnus would ever accuse him of such a thing. Maybe the attempt at humor was going over his head in his current state of mind? "Don't be ridiculous."

 

Magnus held up a placating hand. "Okay, sorry."

 

"It's proudly displayed in my living room , duh!" Alec said, laughing towards the end, unable to keep a straight face, and Magnus snorted. "You really don't care about it? That I'm not… normal?"

 

"Nah. Normal's boring, remember?" Magnus said with a wink. Alec playfully rolled his eyes and smirked, and he grumbled when Magnus gave him a kiss on his adorably pink cheek.

 

~~~

 

"Now, this is a soothing and healing salve that should reduce the pain and inflammation. It's one of my own concoctions, actually." Magnus was kneeling at Alec's feet again, holding a flat, palm-sized tin out for him to take.

 

"Really?" Alec asked as he took the tin and popped it open, breathing in the scent. "It smells really… herbal? It's nice." He handed it back to Magnus with a smile.

 

"Mmhm! Oh, it does have a little bit of cannabis in it, but it won't get you high. And there is the tiniest ," Magnus pinched his thumb and forefinger together and squinted his eyes, "little bit of a magical ingredient that reduces your healing time by a third. But it's perfectly safe for you mundanes." Magnus swirled his finger around the surface of the salve, building up a small amount of it to apply to Alec's skin. "You don't need very much, and you want to make sure you don't apply it to your abrasion until it's scabbed over."

 

"How do you know it works? I assume that you personally don't need it?"

 

"Moira tested it out for me, and she swears by it. I have a few clients that buy some here and there. Other things as well." Magnus began gently spreading the salve over Alec's right knee, careful not to touch the abrasion.

 

"Do you make this sorta stuff all the time?"

 

Magnus nodded, rubbing the salve into Alec's skin in soft circles. "It's one of the things I experiment with, yes. Back when I lived in London, I actually had my own apothecary shop where I sold these types of remedies and such. My plan for when I moved to New York was to open up one here, but…" Magnus swallowed thickly, his stomach souring at the gruesome memory. "The, uh, vampire incident kept that from happening."

 

"Do you still want to open one?"

 

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid that it won't ever happen," Magnus said with a sad little smile. "I can't run it out of my house, and I simply don't have the funds for it anymore. Or much of anything else, really," Magnus mumbled through his teeth towards the end of his statement. Not to mention that he couldn't leave his house even if he wanted to after he ran out of his key potion ingredient. It was only a matter of time before he would be stuck inside for good.

 

"Are you really hurting financially? You said before that you couldn't afford to take a day off. Do you need–?"

 

Magnus stilled his hand and glared up at Alec. "I don't need your money, Alexander. I've been doing just fine on my own."

 

"Okay. I get it." Alec held up a hand, palm facing out. "But, if you ever do need financial help, please let me know." 

 

"Yeah," Magnus said curtly, hoping to stop the conversation there. He did, in fact, need financial help, but he was way too stubborn to ask for or accept it. He'd spent most of his life gathering his fortune, but his century in solitude had forced him to spend it and let it dwindle away into nothing. His psychic business was the only thing keeping him from being completely broke.

 

A couple minutes of tense silence passed between them before Alec cleared his throat to speak. "Hey, um, I have a question for you."

 

"If it's about money, I don't want to hear it," Magnus said as he swiped his finger across the surface of the salve again.

 

"No! No, it's not. I wanted to know if you'd, uh, like to go on a date tomorrow," Alec said timidly, rubbing the back of his neck with his knuckles. "With me," he added, as if Magnus could possibly think he'd asked him out on someone else's behalf.

 

Magnus was curious about whatever happened to the super confident and aggressively flirty Alec who had asked him out the first time, because the man before him was obviously nervous about asking him out a second time. Was it because Magnus now knew about his cute little quirk? Was he really afraid that Magnus wouldn't want to date him anymore? Maybe he needed to do something to prove that he truly accepted it. Regardless, the idea of being out in public again wasn't something he was looking forward to, so he stared up at Alec with furrowed brows. "Alexander, you were there with me during that walk today, weren't you? I don't think it's a good idea."

 

"What if I drove?" Alec rushed to say. "A–and what if I could guarantee minimal human interaction?"

 

Magnus started spreading the salve onto Alec's left knee as he pondered what Alec was offering, which sounded plausible, albeit risky and a little bit terrifying. "... I'm listening. What do you have in mind?"

 

"Now, I know it doesn't sound like the most romantic thing we could do, but I was thinking that, maybe, I could take you shopping for some new clothes?" God, Alec's voice was riddled with anxiety, sounding just so damn insecure , and it physically pained Magnus to hear it. He needed to do something about it as soon as possible.

 

They could sit and watch paint dry for all that Magnus cared, just as long as he was spending time with Alec. It was the money issue, again, that was making him hesitant to agree. "If they cost anything near as much as what you wear, the answer to that is 'no'."

 

"It's a second-hand and vintage clothes store. And I'm friends with the owner, Jaime. He'd be the only one there with us."

 

Magnus worked the salve into Alec's bruised skin in small, gentle circles, thinking over the new information again and again. He wasn't surprised in the least that Alec had connections like that, and Alec sounded like he trusted the guy, so Magnus held a little confidence there. And, the fact that it was a second-hand shop really helped to sell the idea. "I think that would be… okay. I could probably handle that." With a handful of potion doses, of course, but it was doable.

 

"I also thought that we could pick up dinner on the way back and watch a movie or something? How does that sound?" It sounded like Alec was taking baby steps with Magnus, gradually easing him into more public dates, and it was beyond appreciated. Magnus only hoped that he didn't run out of his potion supply before he was able to give Alec at least one full, proper date outside of his home.

 

"Sounds great, except it would be difficult to watch anything without a TV." Magnus stood up and washed the salve off his hand, glancing over at Alec as he dried it off.

 

"You don't have a TV?" Alec asked with a quirked brow, then he thought for a moment before his eyes widened in realization, staring off to the side. "You don't have a TV. Huh."

 

"Nope. It broke somewhere around 1998 or '99, but I never got around to replacing it." Magnus grabbed the roll of gauze bandages and knelt back down. "It was actually one of the first color television units available in the US!"

 

"I'm sure it was, grandpa," Alec said with a smirk as he gave Magnus a couple pats on his head. And Magnus groaned, knowing full well that he just did that to himself. "I love talking with you so much that I guess I never even thought about TV. Eh, I'll figure something out." He shrugged with a smile. How could Alec say such a ridiculously sweet thing like that so casually?

 

"You don't have to buy me a TV, Alec," Magnus said, already resigned to his fate of getting a new TV, because spending money on Magnus was like breathing air for Alec. He wrapped each knee loosely with the gauze to keep the salve from staining Alec's stupidly expensive clothes and stood back up again.

 

"So, is that a 'yes'?" Alec asked as he looked up at Magnus so timidly it hurt

 

"Yes, Alexander, we can attempt to go on a date tomorrow," Magnus said with as much warmth and confidence as he could, and Alec's beaming, sunshine smile in response was a joy to behold.

 

~~~

 

Now that Alec was aware of the greenhouse, and the food that was growing inside of it, he had asked if he could go back up there to pick some vegetables for salads. Magnus told him 'no', which he pouted at, until Magnus explained that climbing those stairs with the current state of his knees would be excruciating and that he himself would go up there instead. Alec didn't argue against that, instead quietly shuffling into the kitchen to work on the next step for their dinner.

 

While Magnus was on his way back to the hatch, he had an idea spring into his mind, and he made a quick detour over to his apothecary. He rifled through his cabinet of supplies and pulled out the smallest glass vial he had, at only an inch tall, with a tiny cork stopper. It was perfect for what he needed, and he smiled to himself as he stashed it in his basket and made his way back down the stairs.

 

Alec was still shuffling around in the kitchen when Magnus returned, a little less slowly and stiffly than before, and he was putting the finishing touches on the bread dough before it was ready to proof. Magnus walked up to him, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and set the little vial right in front of him before he brought his basket of veggies over to the sink to be washed. 

 

"Oh, goddamnit …" Alec muttered under his breath after a moment of thought, making Magnus grin as he pulled the veggies out of the basket. The next thing he heard was a tiny PLINK, and he couldn't help but giggle. "Cállete!"

 

Magnus turned around and saw the pebble in the vial sitting on the counter and Alec's beet red face as he stared down at it, looking absolutely embarrassed. "What? I didn't say anything!"

 

Alec hunched over the counter and buried his face in his hands, elbows propped up on the surface beneath him and voice muffled. He was crumpling into his ball of shame again. "You're laughing at me!"

 

"No," Magnus said as he made his way over to Alec's side, "I'm giggling because you're adorable . There's a huge difference."

 

Alec released an agonized groan into his hands. "No, I'm not ."

 

"Oh, yes you are ," Magnus insisted, rubbing soothing circles into Alec's back, feeling his muscles tense and flex under the soft fabric of his shirt.

 

"Why are you encouraging me?" Alec asked as he lifted his head up enough to stare at Magnus, brows pinched and eyes narrowed. "I thought it would make you want to dump me on the spot."

 

"Nah. If anything, I like you even more now."

 

Alec flashed the tiniest hint of a smile before he turned away. " Lies ."

 

"I'm serious! I love seeing this sweet, sentimental side of you," Magnus reassured Alec, gently tucking his fingers under his chin and turning his head to face him again. "Alexander, you have nothing to worry about, okay? I'm not going anywhere," he said with as much sincerity as he possibly could.

 

Alec searched Magnus' face, studying every aspect for clarity and honesty, before he whispered, "... Okay." His voice was so soft and so small, but the warm, growing smile on his lips made Magnus' heart sing.

 

~~~

 

"Alec, don't kneel !" Magnus said with a gasp as he caught Alec's arm before he could make that painful mistake.

 

"Oh, shit!" Alec laughed, eyes respectfully closed, righting himself with Magnus' help so he wouldn't topple over like a felled tree. "I almost forgot. God, that would have been awful ."

 

Magnus chuckled and shook his head, even though Alec couldn't see him. "It's okay. I can take care of my pants. I'm at least capable of that much."

 

"Alright, just let me know when." Even though Alec's head was bowed, Magnus could still see his soft smile as he waited patiently for permission to open his eyes again. He was so, so very patient and happy to wait while Magnus took his sweet ass time to gather the courage to let him see even a tiny bit of forearm . It was ridiculous, what Magnus was putting him through. He knew Alec wouldn't agree, but it was at least true to him . "They're really feeling a lot better now. Thank you for, uh, forcing your help onto me."

 

"You're quite welcome."

 

Magnus thought back over the day that they shared together, starting with the greenhouse. For over a century, no one knew anything about the greenhouse, no one even knew he even liked plants , save for his handful of friends who watched him build his sanctuary with his own (magical) hands. But, today, Magnus had brought Alec up to one of his best kept secrets and shared a precious part of his heart with him so easily it was scary, all because he trusted him.

 

And then there was the walk. He wouldn't have even stepped out of his front door if it wasn't for Alec and his sweet, supportive coaxing. He wouldn't have let go of his doorknob or started walking down the street without the offer of his hand. He honestly didn't know if he would have made it back home or not if Alec wasn't there to help him through his panic attack. For all he knew, a subjugate could have easily swooped in and taken him away if Alec would have left him on his own to fend for himself. Magnus put his life at risk, his life in Alec's hands, all because he trusted him.

 

Here was this beautiful, patient, kind man, who Magnus trusted , who he was falling in love with , waiting happily with his head bowed and a smile on his face for Magnus to put his robe on, and Magnus thought, "Enough." He dropped his pants and kicked his feet out of them, bracing himself on the bed so he didn't faceplant on the floor and ruin the moment, as he most definitely would have done that otherwise. He stood up straight, took a couple deep, shaky breaths, and reached out to tap Alec on his shoulder.

 

Alec lifted his head and opened his eyes, but it took a moment for him to register what he was looking at. The instant it clicked, he sucked in a sharp gasp as his eyes bulged comically wide, and he slapped a hand over his face, hard , like it would dislodge the image of Magnus in his boxer briefs right out of his head. "Oh my god!" he said, the words tumbling out so fast that they merged together, "Magnus, I'm so sorry!"

 

"Alec, it's–"

 

"I'm so, so sorry!" Alec panted out. "I– I thought you gave me the okay!" Oh, bless this wonderful man. He thought he made a mistake, and he was clearly panicking over it, kicking himself because he thought he betrayed Magnus' trust. Oh, Alec

 

Tears were pricking at the corners of Magnus' eyes as he tried to get Alec's attention. "Alec–"

 

"Shit! Shit, uh, where's your robe?" Alec attempted to lean forward and reach around Magnus to pick it up, but he nearly fell over, and Magnus had to steady him before he went crashing headfirst into the nightstand. When he regained his balance, he slapped at the bed frantically in search of the robe with his one available hand. "Oh, god… Where is it? Mags, where–?"

 

"Alec, it's okay!" Magnus said, his vision bleary with unshed tears.

 

"I'm so sorry! Fuck! Here!" Alec gasped out as he held up the robe between them, pressing it into Magnus' chest. "Magnus–"

 

" Alexander …" Magnus sobbed out his name like a plea, effectively rendering Alec silent. The only sounds in the room were Magnus' thundering heartbeat and Alec's panicked gasps, filling in the void of fragile silence surrounding them. Magnus reached out and pulled the robe from Alec's grasp and tossed it back onto the bed, loud enough for Alec to understand the sound that he was hearing, and then he brought his hand up to the one covering Alec's eyes and gently pulled it away from his face, holding it as firmly as he could in his trembling grip. Alec kept his eyes squinted shut as he took heavy, measured breaths, seemingly determined not to move, lest he screw up again. "It's okay , Alec. You can open your eyes."

 

Alec released a long, slow breath and opened his eyes, locking his gaze with Magnus' right away. "Mags? What– Why?"

 

Magnus shrugged, sniffling, trying and failing to form a smile on his trembling lips. "I, uh, I– I thought, you know," Magnus brought his free arm up to wipe at his eyes, voice brittle, broken in places, shaken apart by his anxiety, "I saw you in your underwear earlier, so it's only fair, right?"

 

"You didn't have to do this." Alec's voice was soft, so very soft , and gentle as he stroked his thumb over the back of Magnus' hand.

 

"I know," Magnus said as tears spilled over his cheekbones, his voice almost a whisper, "But I trust you." He shrugged again, attempting to downplay the significance of the moment a little so he wouldn't collapse into a weeping mess on the floor.

 

Alec smiled, full of warmth and affection, blinking a few times as his own tears welled up, not breaking their shared gaze even for a second. "Yeah?"

 

"Yeah." Magnus squeezed Alec's hand with a smirk. "You can look. It's okay ."

 

Alec chuckled as he nodded, finally letting his eyes wander away from Magnus' face and over the length of his body, and Magnus could swear that his gaze was a tangible thing, that he could feel it as Alec's eyes swept over him with appreciation. It was a heady feeling, being admired and appreciated and wanted by someone as phenomenal as Alec, and he knew it was the truth just by watching the way he looked at Magnus with reverence. He had never felt so bare before in his entire life, even though he wasn't even completely naked, but he also had never felt as safe as he did right there in that moment.

 

Alec's mouth cracked into a wide grin that lit up his entire face when he met Magnus' eyes again. " Wow …" He brought his free hand up to cradle Magnus' cheek, and Magnus leaned into the touch, closing his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by the torrent of emotions coursing through his veins. "Magnus, you're so beautiful ."

 

Magnus had to bite his tongue to keep his initial reaction to Alec's words at bay. He wanted to just brush them off, act like Alec couldn't possibly be serious about it, deny any truth behind the compliment. But, he didn't. He promised to try to see what Alec saw in him, and Alec said he'd never lie about his looks, so he kept his mouth shut and let the words sink in, however unbelievable they might be. And, when Magnus opened his eyes again, Alec was still gazing at him, but it felt like so much more than before. Like something had been unlocked between them.

 

"Magnus, can I–" Alec started, but his voice broke apart before he could continue. He scrunched up his face, like he was desperately trying to fight something off, and his throat worked hard with each swallow before he cleared it and tried again. "Can I hold you?"

 

"Yes," Magnus breathed without any hesitation.

 

Alec surged forward and wrapped himself around Magnus with so much enthusiasm that they nearly toppled onto the bed together, and Alec squeezed Magnus so tight that he almost couldn't breathe, but he didn't mind at all. Alec's hands were like large, hot brands against Magnus' air-cooled skin, and the rest of his body radiated so much heat through his clothes it was like hugging sunshine personified. Alec was sunshine, and Magnus had lived so long in the dark that he forgot what life was like when someone illuminated his world. It was warm, and bright, and in the safety of Alec's embrace, Magnus felt something he hadn't felt for most of his life: he felt at peace.

 

"Mags, you're shaking."

 

He was still anxious, obviously, but Magnus knew it was something he couldn't control in this situation, given the circumstances. "Yeah, well, you're the first person to see this much of me in over a century, so that's to be expected."

 

The sound that Alec made in response to Magnus' words was something he couldn't find the right words to describe, but if he had to, he'd say it was along the lines of affection and pain. "You know that I care about you, right?" Alec asked, and Magnus nodded with a whimper, unable to form a coherent sentence as a new wave of emotional tears washed over him. "Because I do. I really do. I care about you so much , Magnus."

 

Magnus wanted to return the sentiment, wanted to tell Alec that he was crazy about him, too, but he couldn't force the words past the huge emotional lump in his throat. And then Magnus felt a sensation that perplexed him at first. It was warm at first and then gradually cooled, and it started at his shoulder and traveled down his back, and it took him only a short moment to figure out what it was he was feeling. "I know why I'm crying, but why are you crying?"

 

"I'm not crying," Alec said quickly with a soft, betraying sniffle.

 

Magnus snorted at Alec's audacity to lie. "Alec, I can literally feel your tears running down my back."

 

Alec huffed out a wet laugh, sniffling louder now that he'd been exposed. "I'm just… I– I don't know exactly. I think I'm just really happy."

 

Magnus smiled against the soft skin of Alec's neck, feeling his rapid pulse flutter under his lips. "I'm happy, too." And relieved. So fucking relieved . It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. There were still quite a few more weights left to shed, but this was definitely a step in the right direction.

 

"I wish I could just stay here and hold you all night, Mags," Alec said, giving Magnus' body a squeeze and a kiss on his shoulder. And, god , did Magnus want that, too. "But I can't. I have to get going." Alec pulled away, slowly and reluctantly, and when Magnus saw his beautiful face again, Alec looked both happy and… confused? He was grinning from ear to ear, but his brows were pinched together, creating the cutest and most puzzling expression Magnus had seen on him yet.

 

"Are you okay?" Magnus asked as he plucked out a couple tissues from the box on his nightstand and handed one to Alec, using his own right away.

 

Alec dabbed at his eyes and cleared his throat with an exaggerated sound, like he was chasing away the tears he had somehow released in Magnus' presence. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I just, um, I think I have a lot on my mind right now. I'm fine. Yeah."

 

Magnus studied Alec for a moment, taking in his adorable expression and his stuttering mess of words, and decided not to question it. "Let me walk you out." He grabbed his robe and slid into it, tying the belt loosely around his waist, and then he took Alec's hand in his and led him to the front door where his belongings were already waiting for him on the shoe bench.

 

Alec wasted no time as he reached forward and cradled Magnus' face in both of his hands and pulled him into a kiss unlike any they had shared before. It was gentle, tender, slow and sweet, and every languid press of their lips or stroke of their tongues felt like something more . Magnus couldn't explain why, but they did. 

 

They had tried to say their goodbyes multiple times, but they just couldn't help but dive back into their kiss after each attempt, giggling at their failure. When they finally parted, after what must have been at least ten minutes, if Magnus had to guess, it felt like their touches had lasted a little longer than before, and their gazes had lingered as well. And, as Magnus thought about it all (as best as he could, given the state of his brain in that moment), his mind said, "Yes, you made the right decision," and he agreed wholeheartedly.

 

As Alec descended the stairs, Magnus heard the vial rattle in his pocket, and he grinned to himself. And then he snorted as he watched Alec walk away, with his fancy dress shirt, Magnus' old shorts, expensive shoes, and bright white bandages covering his knees, looking like an adorable hot mess.

 

~~~

 

Hey cutie 😘

 

Magnus saw the text from Alec the moment he crawled into bed, fresh and clean from his shower, and he couldn't help but plaster a dopey smile on his face. He wanted to send Alec a reply with one of those cute little tiny cartoon things, but he didn't know how to do it, and he was too embarrassed to ask him for help. He knew without a doubt that he'd be called "gramps" over it if he did. Maybe he'd ask Moira the next time she visited.

 

Hey there

 

Just to warn you, there's picture spam incoming

Be prepared

😁

 

And, just as Alec had warned, a steady stream of fifteen pictures arrived on his phone, one by one, almost vibrating the device right out of Magnus' hand as he held it in anticipation. When he unlocked it and opened up the messages, he couldn't help but gasp. There were a couple of just the orchid on its own, a few with Magnus holding it, and a whole bunch of him and Alec together, and they all were absolutely breathtaking.

 

As the photos progressed in their sequence, they were incrementally more and more zoomed in, or cropped, or something, which struck him as odd, but that didn't take away from their beauty at all. Two photos in particular stood out to him, each one featuring the both of them together. The first one was of Alec kissing his cheek, and Magnus was smiling. Like, really, really smiling. He didn't even know he was capable of smiling like that , and it took him by surprise. He just looked so damn… happy. And he couldn't help but smile all over again.

 

The second photo that captivated him was one of the last ones, just before they kissed, and it made his heart flutter as he stared at it. They were still in the same pose as the other pictures, with Alec's arm around his shoulder and their bodies flush, but they were gazing into each other's eyes. Seriously gazing . The tension and anticipation and the emotions from that moment were so blatantly clear on their faces that Magnus almost forgot to breathe for a minute as he studied it over and over and over. He could see exactly what Moira was talking about when she said there was something obvious between them. He could see the undeniable spark of budding love, and not just in his expression, either. 

 

It took Magnus an embarrassing amount of time to realize that he should respond with something, so he quickly saved that photo as his wallpaper and typed out his message.

 

WOW

They turned out amazing!

I love them

 

I do too 🥰

 

Thank you for sending them to me

 

No problem

Hey, can I show them to Izzy?

 

Sure, as long as I can show them to Moira

 

Deal

Sleep well, Mags

Think of me 😉😉😉

 

You too

Goodnight Alexander

 

Goodnight 💙


Magnus settled into his bed and turned off his old, wonky lamp, smiling wide as he thought about his eventful and emotional day. And, well, he did think about Alec for a while, too, especially about that visual he had so graciously provided earlier that afternoon, before he drifted off to sleep, equally elated and terrified for his date the next day.

 

 

Notes:

Ahhhhhhh! LOOK AT THEM! 😭 This beautiful art is done by the wonderful Mariemarion! You can also find her on Instagram and Tumblr as well. Go show her some love! I posted them on my socials as well (links below)!

What did you guys think? Do you love the art as much as I do? What do you think the other mementos are that Alec saved? Please let me know! Comments and kudos really make my day, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 16: Expectations

Summary:

The boys are on their way to their second date!

If you thought I wouldn't write them singing in the car together, you're sorely mistaken. 🖤

Notes:

Hey y'all!

So, it's been a minute 😅 This past month has been very eventful (when is it not?), full of illness, injury, broken electronics, and other issues. For over a week, one of my kitties was super sick, so I dedicated most of my time to nursing her back to health. She's fine now, but holy shit was that a rough week. It was an emetophobic nightmare, let me tell you.

To be honest, I struggled with writing this chapter. I don't know why. But I'm happy with the results. There are a couple things I want to mention:

1. I made a tiny little YouTube playlist of the songs I had in mind and mentioned in this chapter. It's all The Beatles.

2. I'm slightly introducing my second original character in this chapter, Jaime Serrano Rivera! He is Puerto Rican, and his name is pronounced "High-me". He doesn't show up in person yet, but will be in the next chapter. He uses a little bit of slang, like "ay bendito", which is kinda like "oh my goodness" or "bless your heart". It's pretty versatile. Santi is a nickname for Jaime. "Mijo" can be said as "my son" or "darling". There's more, but I think I'll wait to explain until next chapter.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this kinda silly chapter!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Just as Magnus had predicted the previous evening, Alec showed up at his door bright and early with a new TV. It wasn't like any TV Magnus had ever seen before. It was huge, but not bulky and boxy like his last one, with a flat screen and a slim body that Alec hung on the wall like a painting. And Alec said it was a smart TV , whatever the hell that meant. Magnus' only concern was the receipt taped to the box that had one too many zeros for his liking. Though, when he brought it up, Alec shut him up with a kiss. Like, a really good kiss, one that left him a little dizzy and breathless, and he forgot all about the price for a little while. When he brought it up again, Alec used the same tactic as before, and Magnus gave up trying to talk about it. He did, however, bring it up one more time just to be kissed senseless again.

 

When they entered Magnus' bedroom to dress him, Alec picked out his outfit and laid it on the bed right away, like he had done each time before. He closed his eyes and bowed his head like every other time as well. Magnus hadn't noticed at first, since he was busy untying his robe, but when he finally looked up and saw Alec, he huffed out a laugh.

 

"Alec? What are you doing?" Magnus asked as he slipped out of the robe and tossed it on the bed.

 

Alec shrugged, holding out an open hand and wiggling his fingers. "Just waiting for you to hand me something."

 

What? Did Alec not understand the significance of their moment last night? Magnus thought he made it pretty clear. "Why are your eyes closed?"

 

Alec rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand. "Well, I didn't want to assume that your permission was for every time we did this."

 

Magnus wanted to cry, his heart aching from Alec's sweet consideration. No, he definitely was going to cry, if the stinging sensation and his bleary vision were any indication. "Oh, Alexander… It's a standing permission."

 

"Really?" Alec's voice brightened with a smile.

 

"Yes," Magnus said with a sniffle. "Open your eyes, silly."

 

Alec nodded before opening his eyes again. When he did, his smile grew into his beaming, sunshiny grin that never ceased to make Magnus' heart skip a beat. Or several. Definitely several. " Wow …"

 

Magnus snorted, which ended up being a bit louder and… wetter than he intended, due to his unshed tears. "You already saw me like this last night!"

 

"I know! I know, but you're just…" Alec gestured to all of Magnus and sighed, a soft and dreamy sound. " Gorgeous . And I don't think it's something I'll ever get over."

 

"I'm pretty sure the novelty will wear off quickly," Magnus said, trying and failing to conceal how emotional those words made him. He let a stray tear escape before he could swipe it away.

 

Alec tipped Magnus' chin up with a couple fingers and pressed their lips together in a sweet, chaste kiss. When they parted, he thumbed away the moisture underneath Magnus' eyes and gazed into them with so much affection it hurt . "Never."

 

~~~

 

"Hey, Mags?" Alec rapped his knuckles against the parlor's open door frame, peeking his head inside the room.

 

Magnus looked up from the table where he was setting up a rune reading for his last client of the day. "Yes?"

 

"What are your thoughts on makeup?" Alec asked as he stepped inside and up to Magnus' side at the table.

 

"Oh." What an odd, unexpected question out of the blue; Magnus had to stop and consider it for a moment. He hadn't ever wanted to wear cosmetics before, even when the fashion was trending for men. If Alec really wanted him to wear some, would he do it? "I don't know," Magnus shook his head with a shrug, "I've never worn any."

 

"No," Alec chuckled, pointing to his own face, "on me ."

 

"Oh!" Yeah, the question made a lot more sense now. "Well, you've worn eyeliner before, and I thought you looked sexy." Where Magnus got the confidence to say something so blatant like that , he had no clue. But he sure as hell said it, cheeks burning red hot immediately afterwards.

 

Alec must not have noticed, because he started rambling. His words tumbled out in quick succession, and his hands gestured faster and faster the more he spoke. "What if I wore a little more than that? Nothing like heavy or crazy or anything. Just a little bit of color. Like a tiny bit. Not like neon or glitter, just something light." He sucked in a much needed breath and continued, his words still spilling out with frantic energy. "I know a lot of guys don't like when other guys wear makeup, so I just wanted to make sure you were fine with it. But if you're not, then that's totally cool. I don't have to wear any if that makes you uncomfort–"

 

Magnus had no idea why Alec was acting so nervous all of a sudden. He was clearly spiraling, getting lost in the stormy sea of his own thoughts and insecurities. Magnus had to jump in and rescue him. He brought his good hand up and cupped Alec's cheek, smiling with as much warmth and confidence as he could muster. " Alec ."

 

That was enough to snap Alec out of his spiral and back into the moment. He took a few deep breaths to regain his composure, swallowing thickly before he spoke. "Yeah?"

 

"Wear whatever you want. I'm sure it'll be beautiful," Magnus said as he brushed his thumb over Alec's cheekbone. Alec's answering grin, that gorgeous, sunshiny grin, had Magnus' stomach fluttering and his heart melting into a puddle of emotional goo inside his chest.

 

~~~

 

"Alec?" Magnus called out as he entered the bedroom. "Are you almost ready?" 

 

"Yeah, I just need a few more minutes." Alec's voice drifted into the room from the ensuite with a slight echo, the sound of something plastic opening and snapping shut following after.

 

"Is this a good date outfit?" Magnus stopped in front of his full length mirror beside his dresser, eyeing his outfit with skepticism as he turned in place. Alec had chosen his faded, pale yellow gingham shirt and paired it with his navy blue slacks, which wasn't a combination he had ever tried before. But was that okay for their outing? He really had no idea what was appropriate for dating nowadays, which was pretty apparent after the outdated outfit he wore for their first date. At least the shirt his magic had stolen for him was newer than the one he was currently wearing. "Do you think I should change?"

 

Alec chuckled fondly as he tapped something against a hard surface. "You look great, hon. Besides, you'll be doing a lot of changing at the shop."

 

"Oh, that's true." Magnus hadn't thought about that part of the outing. He'd be trying on a variety of things, which meant that Alec would be helping him in and out of everything, which also meant that his hands would be all over Magnus' body for a good portion of their time there. That thought had his blood rushing in two very different directions, making his face burn hot and his pants a little tighter.

 

"You can come in and keep me company, if you want." 

 

When Magnus entered the ensuite bathroom, after taking a moment to calm himself down, the second his eyes landed on Alec he was so overwhelmed that his body froze in place. Alec was wearing dark, forest green skinny jeans and a lavender short-sleeved silk shirt, with a few buttons undone, as per usual. Three silver chains of varying weight and length draped over his bare chest, drawing Magnus' eyes up to Alec's neck, where he spotted the hickey he had planted there yesterday. He trailed his eyes upwards, first noticing his sexy, mussed hair, then he finally looked at Alec's face, and the very air was stolen from his lungs. 

 

Around Alec's eyes was a shimmery lilac eyeshadow blended out into a deeper violet towards the outer corners, much like the colors of the naked man orchid, and a thin stroke of black lined his upper lid, ending in a sharp, delicate point just beyond his lashes. All of that in combination with the color of his shirt made his eyes almost glow . Alec already had gorgeous, piercing eyes, but the purple hues complimented the hazel green of his irises so well that Magnus was stunned by how breathtaking they were. He literally couldn't breathe.

 

Alec had a large, fluffy brush held up to his cheekbone as he dusted on something light and reflective, but he paused the moment Magnus had been flash frozen. "Are you okay?" Magnus still couldn't think, let alone breathe , so he didn't answer. Alec took his silence as something negative, and his face fell into a frown as he stared at himself in the mirror. "Is it too much? Oh, god, it's too much, isn't it?" He set the fluffy brush down on the counter and reached for a plastic packet just beside what looked like a large tackle box full of makeup. "I'll take it off."

 

Magnus made a grunting, groaning sound somewhere in his throat, the only sound his primitive brain could conjure up while it was still in the process of rebooting, and he shook his head slowly as he continued to gaze at Alec in awe. The man was stupidly gorgeous to begin with, there was no doubt about that, but the way he looked right in that moment was a whole different kind of gorgeous. And Magnus was breathless and speechless, captivated by Alec's beauty all over again.

 

Alec paused, letting his hand hover over the plastic packet with a quirked brow. "You… want me to keep it on?"

 

Magnus transitioned his shaking into nodding and made another sound that was definitely moan-like, if not a full-on moan, which he might have been embarrassed about if he had any brain cells left online to spare. He still couldn't breathe, not enough to get a proper lungful of air, and he was starting to feel a little dizzy and wobbly while he was still bolted in place to the floor. 

 

Alec left the plastic packet on the counter and covered the few remaining steps between them, a confused and concerned expression creasing his brow. "Mags? Are you alright?"

 

Being up close and seeing just how fucking phenomenal Alec's eyes were while framed in purple made Magnus bite back a whimper. He needed to breathe , but his lungs wouldn't cooperate, and there was a drought developing in his throat, making a clicking sound every time he attempted to swallow. Alec was asking him questions, but Magnus physically couldn't answer, his tongue tied into a useless knot in his ever-drying mouth.

 

"What's going on, hon?" Alec asked as he cupped Magnus' cheek and looked into his eyes. "Talk to me."

 

Words. Alec wanted Magnus to form actual words and answer him, like a normal, functioning person. He opened his mouth to try, but what came tumbling out was complete nonsense, just a string of babbled noises that trailed off at the end, and he flushed in pure horror at his failure. Of all of the beings in all of the world, Alec, the most beautiful man to ever exist , wanted him . He wanted Magnus, this ridiculous, sputtering disaster of a man. It made absolutely no sense.

 

It took a moment, but realization dawned on Alec, evident in his growing smile and soft giggling. "You really like the makeup, don't you?"

 

Fuck yes , he did. Magnus closed his eyes, because the only way to gather his thoughts was to not be gazing at Alec, and he managed a nod. "Mmhm…"

 

"Oh, you're so cute. Come here." Alec brought his other hand up to fully cradle Magnus' face and pressed their lips together in what Magnus thought was intended to be a chaste kiss. He had other plans, however, and pulled Alec's bottom lip between his teeth and gave it a soft nibble and a swipe of his tongue. Alec giggled at that and pulled away, a smirk playing across his lips. "As much as I would love to continue this, we'll be late if I don't finish getting ready now. So, hold that thought for later," Alec said, punctuating his sentence with a flirty wink as he picked up the fluffy brush again.

 

Magnus nodded, taking a step back to catch his breath for the first time since he entered the room. His eyes fell upon the tackle box thing, which was light blue with rounded corners, open and full to the brim with cosmetics. "Wow! That's a lot of makeup."

 

"Oh, this," Alec waved a hand over the box, "is just my traveling case. I have more at home."

 

"Really?" Magnus raised his brows at that. If Alec had even more at home, he must love doing his makeup. "I didn't know you were so into it."

 

Alec smirked, pointing the brush at Magnus' face. "I didn't know you were so into it."

 

"Me neither," Magnus said with a laugh. "We both learned something new today, didn't we?" He walked over to Alec's other side and peered into the case. There were bottles and tubes and pencils and pallets in a wide array of colors, all neatly organized into their own compartments. He wanted to reach in and pick something up, but he resisted the temptation. "Why don't you wear makeup more often? I've only seen you wear it once around me before today."

 

"Yeah, well… It's not exactly seen as professional for guys to wear it." Alec shrugged, flicking the fluffy brush over his cheekbone with precise strokes like a master painter at their easel. "Whatever," he sighed, his voice softening into resignation. "I play around with it on my own time."

 

That didn't make any sense. Magnus had seen men from all walks of life, from rock stars to royalty, adorn themselves with makeup throughout his few centuries of existence. Sure, it wasn't always in style, and it fell out of favor from time to time, but men had worn plenty of makeup throughout history. How it became a strictly feminine thing in recent years was beyond him. Why could women wear it, even be expected to wear it, at any given time, but not men? 

 

Alec clearly loved makeup, enough to fill a large case, plus however much more he had at home, and he clearly wanted to wear it whenever he wished. Maybe Magnus could encourage him to wear it more often, if not at work, then at least around his home. It wasn't like he'd mind it all that much, or at all, especially if Alec looked just as stunning as he did right in that moment. Yeah, encouraging Alec was definitely on his list of things to do.

 

~~~

 

After a bit of coaxing, Magnus allowed Alec to walk him out to his car, holding his hand with a death grip the entire short distance. He wasn't parked directly in front of the house, but just off to the right by a couple spaces, which Magnus was thankful for. If it was any further away, he'd chicken out and run back inside like the ridiculous coward he was, exciting date on the agenda or not. Magnus was too focused on making the journey to really look at the car, so when they finally arrived, he froze and gasped. 

 

"Oh, it's pretty !" The sedan before them wasn't huge, but it was a decent size, with deep blue paint and sleek, rounded edges. It didn't scream great opulence, but it did look like it cost quite a bit more than the average car. The side view mirrors suddenly unfolded from the body of the car while they were standing there, and Magnus might have jumped with a little squeak. Might have . "What kind of futuristic shit is this ?"

 

Alec laughed as he opened the passenger side door and motioned for Magnus to get in. "Just wait until you see the inside." Magnus ducked into the seat and settled in, noticing how comfortable it was right away. Alec closed the door and circled to the driver's side, sliding into his own seat with a bright smile.

 

"Why is it already cool in here?" Magnus asked as he buckled his seatbelt. "It's been sitting in the sun all day. Shouldn't it be like an oven in here?"

 

Alec snapped his buckle into place. "Oh, I started the AC while I was getting ready."

 

"I don't remember you leaving the house…?" Alec would have definitely passed by the parlor if he left, and Magnus could swear he didn't see him.

 

Alec held up his phone with an application open on the screen, showing a tiny 3D version of the car. "I did it remotely."

 

Magnus pointed to the device and raised a skeptical brow. "You can do that with your phone ?"

 

"Yep! A few other things, too." Alec smiled as he set his phone down on the center console.

 

"Right. Okay," Magnus said with very little confidence as he glanced around, spotting what looked like a big, flat computer monitor right in the center of the dash. The screen showed another 3D model of the car to the left side, a large map to the right, and there were a variety of icons in a row along the bottom. Magnus turned to face Alec. "There's a computer in your car?"

 

Alec nodded, smiling bright and amused. "Mmhm!"

 

"That's… weird." Magnus kept studying the interior and had to do a double take. The dashboard, or what was supposed to be on the dashboard, was… missing? No dials, no gauges, no meters, no numbers whatsoever. Nothing but a flat, smooth surface just behind the steering wheel. "Where's your dashboard? I don't see anything?"

 

Alec giggled and pointed to the computer screen. "That's the dash!"

 

Magnus blinked. "What?"

 

"Yep! It's all on here."

 

Magnus blinked again, this time with a shake of his head. "... What ?"

 

Alec laughed, tapping a couple items on the screen to pull up some sort of menu. "Pretty futuristic, huh?"

 

"I…" Gears were grinding in Magnus' mind as he tried to make sense of everything. He stared straight ahead out the windshield, trying to put things back into working order again. "Yeah. Wow. Okay."

 

Alec was still fiddling around with menus and icons, adjusting things here, turning off things there. It looked so complicated, but he was navigating through it with ease. "You should look up."

 

Magnus huffed out an incredulous laugh. "At the ceiling ?"

 

"Trust me." Alec flashed Magnus a smirk before returning to the computer/dashboard thing.

 

Magnus did trust him, so he cautiously looked straight up at the ceiling and saw the sky , the actual fucking sky , tinted a darker blue with flossy white clouds wisping by. The entire roof was clear from the trunk of the car all the way to the hood. "Holy shit. It's glass ? The whole thing is glass ?"

 

"Yeah. It's safe, don't worry."

 

Magnus tore his eyes away from the glass roof and stared at Alec in bewilderment. "This is ludacris . How is this even a real vehicle?"

 

Alec's amused smile fell into concern, his brows creasing as he studied Magnus' face. "Is it too much? I can call a cab instead, if you'd be more comfortable."

 

"No, it's fine." Magnus shook his head, casually waving away Alec's worry. "I just wasn't expecting to be transported in a fucking spaceship ."

 

Alec laughed, a beautiful and musical sound that helped to soothe Magnus' frayed nerves. "How about some music?" He tapped on the screen a couple times and pulled up an application called "Spotify," which looked similar to a media player Magnus had used on his desktop computer before. "You can pick whatever you want. Anything."

 

Magnus eyed the screen with severe skepticism. How could Alec's car have any kind of music he wanted to listen to? It made absolutely no sense, much like the rest of the damn vehicle. "You're joking, right?"

 

"No, I'm serious!" Alec chuckled. "There's almost every kind of music available on here."

 

Magnus read the screen the application opened up to, which was titled "Library." The center of the application had a list of playlists, all with very odd names. "Your playlists have… interesting titles."

 

Alec sighed. "Yeah, Izzy renamed them. She thinks she's hilarious."

 

Magnus was way too curious not to ask about them. "So, what is 'Sad Boi Hours'?"

 

"Uh," Alec's eyes shifted between the screen and Magnus' face and back again, "that's music I listened to when I was, um, younger."

 

Magnus was pretty sure Alec was still listening to it, since the application had it listed as "now playing," and a song titled "Helena" sat paused on the screen, but he wasn't going to bother venturing down that line of questioning. He was way more curious about all of the other names, so he asked about the next one down the list. "What about 'Why So Angry?'?"

 

"Heavier stuff," Alec said as he worried one of his chain necklaces between his fingers, eyes still darting around. "Stuff I like to listen to when I work out."

 

Why was Alec acting so odd all of a sudden? "'Vitamin D'?"

 

Alec flushed to the tips of his ears, taking a few deep, measured breaths before speaking. "Um… that's, uh, m–mood music."

 

Magnus knit his brows together. "Mood music? What's that?"

 

"You know," Alec said with a slightly strangled voice, "for getting into the, uh, mood ."

 

Magnus shook his head, still not understanding. "What kind of mood?"

 

Alec cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "For… sex?" he said in a voice so soft and strained Magnus almost didn't catch it.

 

That mood. "Oh! Oh . Got it." Magnus was pretty curious about why Alec needed a playlist for that in his car. Was he really getting it on in the car that frequently? Due to the deep, cherry red Alec's skin had turned, Magnus decided to move on. "How about 'Yeah, Take it Off!'?"

 

Alec couldn't even look at Magnus, his eyes fixed on his lap. "It's, um… I–it's dance music." He swallowed thickly. "Music I dance to."

 

Magnus knew a thing or two about dancing, so maybe that was worth questioning. "What kind of dancing do you do?"

 

"Oh, nothing you'd, um, be familiar with, I don't think," Alec blurted out so fast that the words almost fused together. He tapped on the screen and waved towards it, showing Magnus the search bar. "You, uh, don't have to pick a playlist. Just search for an artist. Or a song. Or something. Anything." Alec sounded almost desperate for Magnus to move on, so he did.

 

"Alright. I like to listen to something upbeat when I'm on my missions." Magnus tapped on the virtual keyboard to spell out what he was searching for.

 

"The Beatles?" Alec asked, brows arching towards his hairline like it was some shocking revelation.

 

Magnus huffed out a laugh, pausing his search with his hand hovering in front of the screen. "Yeah? Is that a problem?"

 

"No!" Alec shook his head with a little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "No, I grew up listening to them. My mom loves oldies. I just wasn't expecting that from you."

 

"What were you expecting?" Magnus dropped his hand and quirked a brow with curiosity. What did Alec think he listened to? Probably nothing close to what Magnus was actually interested in, if his reaction was anything to go off of.

 

"I don't know, like classical music or something?" Alec guessed with a one-shoulder shrug.

 

Magnus snorted, because Alec couldn't possibly be any further from the truth. "Uh, well, I don't mind classical, but it's definitely not my go-to. I enjoy more modern stuff than that."

 

"Modern, like oldies ?" Alec asked with the smuggest "gotcha!" smirk Magnus had ever witnessed.

 

"Hah hah. Yes, I'm old ," Magnus deadpanned, giving Alec a playful shove before tapping the screen to play the first song.

 

Alec cackled as he pulled the car away from the curb, and Magnus might have shrieked like a banshee out of shock, because he didn't think the car was on, and it was silent . Utterly silent, except for the music humming through the speakers and Magnus' panicked gasps, without the expected roar or vibration of an engine. 

 

"What the fuck ?" Magnus gasped out, frantically slapping around at the interior surrounding him until he took hold of the door handle, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles blanched. "What? How ?" Magnus asked, his voice admittedly a little bit on the shrill side.

 

"It's electric, Mags," Alec said, voice wavering with barely contained laughter.

 

" Electric ?" 

 

Alec nodded, trying to hold in his snickering. "Yes."

 

Magnus glanced around the interior, uselessly looking for answers. "No engine?"

 

Alec shook his head with a grin, eyes firmly on the road ahead. "No, no engine."

 

"Uh… okay. Okay," Magnus tried to convince himself, nodding to emphasize his words. "It doesn't make any sense, but sure ."

 

"God, you're so adorable," Alec said, finally allowing himself to laugh.

 

Magnus took the next couple minutes to settle his nerves with deep breathing, listening to the music as he pulled it to the forefront of his focus. The sounds of "Hello, Goodbye" bounced around in the cabin before fading into silence, "Got to Get You Into My Life" following right after to take its place. Magnus couldn't help but to tap his foot and bob his head ever so slightly to the beat as it played, the car rolling to a slow brake before the next intersection.

 

After a moment of quiet pondering, Magnus spoke up. "You know, I'm actually surprised that you even have a car. I've only ever seen you walk to and from my house."

 

"Oh, I, um, I don't mind the exercise." Alec shrugged, tapping his fingers to the music on the steering wheel. The red light changed to green, and he pressed on the accelerator and rolled the car forward down the street. "And I like taking public transportation."

 

Magnus snorted. "Alec, nobody likes taking public transportation."

 

The car slowed to a crawl as they approached a heavily trafficked area under construction, the line of cars ahead of them at a standstill and the stream behind them growing by the second. Magnus remembered hearing Moira complain about a bad intersection nearby, due to road work, so this was probably what she had been talking about. "Eh," Alec shrugged again, his face contorting into an unsure smile, "it's better for the environment?" 

 

Magnus had to take another moment to think, because Alec's reasoning didn't make any sense. "This is an electric car. Isn't that better for the environment than a gas engine?"

 

Alec's shoulders slumped as his weird smile fell. "Uh... Right."

 

"I'm actually surprised by that, by the way. That this is an electric car. It wasn't the kind of vehicle I was expecting." The car was completely stopped in traffic now, with the horns of neighboring cars honking and meeping around them, while the music inside the cabin nearly drowned them out. Magnus was still moving with the music, head bobbing and foot tapping, trying his best not to start singing along with the lyrics. It was a struggle.

 

"What were you expecting?" Alec asked as he tapped both of his palms against the steering wheel, slightly out of sync with the beat.

 

Magnus hummed as he thought of his answer. "Something fast and sporty, something expensive."

 

"Well, this isn't cheap, and it's actually really fast. But you can't experience that aspect here in the city." Alec laughed. "And didn't I tell you that I don't like spending lots of money on myself?"

 

Again, that didn't make any sense. "You wear expensive clothes, Alec."

 

"Well, actually…" Alec started, but must have thought better of it and shook his head. "Nevermind." Was he going to try to tell Magnus that he didn't wear expensive clothing? Because that would have been a flat out lie.

 

The conversation lulled there, with only the sound of music to fill the void between them. One song faded into the next, and then another as they waited for the traffic to unjam, each one tempting Magnus to sing along. If he was alone, he'd absolutely be rocking out, singing, dancing, maybe even roping a reluctant Chairman Meow into his shenanigans. But, he wasn't. So he kept his actions to a minimum, turning his head towards the window and mouthing along with the lyrics, until "I Want to Hold Your Hand" jumped into the queue and he couldn't resist temptation any longer. 

 

Magnus started off quietly, still facing out the window, trying to keep his voice softer than the music, but he must not have been quiet enough because Alec giggled and nudged his knee with his hand. Magnus turned towards him, fully expecting Alec to laugh at him, but he giggled himself when he found Alec mouthing along with the song, smiling wide. That gave him the courage to raise his voice louder than the music, and Alec's reaction was his beautiful, beaming, sunshiny grin. 

 

The first verse and chorus passed, with Magnus singing louder and more confident with each word, and Alec still mouthing along. When the second verse started, however, Alec threw him for a loop. A huge, unexpected, ridiculous loop. Because he started to sing along, too. If you could even call what came tumbling out of his mouth singing.

 

"Oh, please, say to me, you'll let me be your man!" Alec belted, so off key and out of tune it almost hurt to listen to.

 

Magnus snorted, multiple times, covering his face with his good hand. "Oh my god!"

 

"And please, say to me, you'll let me hold your hand!" Alec blasted out with the finesse of a semi truck crashing through a brick wall. "Now let me hold your hand! I wanna hold your hand!" And then Alec reached for Magnus' closest hand to hold it, but grabbed the wrist of the brace instead. He stared down at it, confused, and attempted a few different positions and angles to try to properly hold Magnus' hand, but ended up just gripping onto his fingertips awkwardly with a proud smirk.

 

Magnus lost it. He had, admittedly, been losing it since Alec started making those awful, painful noises with his mouth, but the attempt at hand-holding was what did him in for sure. He squealed with laughter in between snorts and desperate gasps for air, equally charmed and cringing at the sweet, cliche, cheesiness of it all. It was just so ridiculous, but utterly adorable, and Magnus' heart swelled inside his chest with overflowing affection for the goofy ass man holding his fingertips.

 

The line of cars in front of them started to creep along slowly, inching closer and closer to the next intersection and past the construction zone. Alec pulled Magnus' hand right in front of his face and eyed it for a moment, searching for something, then placed a kiss on the exposed tip of his thumb before setting it back on Magnus' leg. "There we go!"

 

That set Magnus off again, this time laughing to the point of tears streaming down his face and his good hand clutching at his aching belly. "Fuck! I can't !"

 

"What? What's the matter, Magnus?" Alec asked sweetly as he placed his hand on Magnus' shoulder. 

 

Magnus couldn't tell if Alec was aware of his… lack of talent or not, and he didn't want to offend him if he wasn't. He wiped under his eyes with his good hand and chuckled. "Alec, I'm sorry, but–"

 

"It's my singing, isn't it?" Alec searched Magnus' face for confirmation, then broke into a haughty smirk. "You can't handle how amazing it is, can you?"

 

Oh, the fucker was fully aware. "I'm so sorry, Alexander, but it's atrocious!"

 

Alec scoffed with mock offense. "What are you talking about?" He placed his palm on his chest and tipped his chin up into the air. "I have the voice of an angel !"

 

Magnus shook his head, unable to fight off a fit of giggles. "A fallen one, maybe!"

 

"Still an angel," Alec said with a wink as he pressed down on the accelerator and finally rolled the car forward. 

 

Traffic was moving at a slow, steady pace now, with each car passing through the intersection before them bringing them closer to their goal. Four cars, three cars, two, and then one car ahead passed through before the lights turned yellow. Alec slowed down, but he had enough time to make it through the intersection before they changed to red. Or, he would have, if the car in the lane next to them hadn't swerved to cut him off, taking his place in line at the last second.

 

Alec slammed on the brakes and the horn at the same time, jolting them both as the car came to a sudden stop before the crosswalk. And then… Super sweet, adorably quirky, stubborn as hell, and confident, yet so damn insecure, Alexander Gideon Lightwood just spewed a torrent of vulgar Spanglish out of his beautiful mouth at the guy who cut him off like the walking contradiction he was, stunning Magnus into silence. The words " love, love, love " hummed through the speakers, filling in the tense space between them.

 

"I…" Alec stared at Magnus like a deer in the headlights, flapping his mouth noiselessly before he could form any words. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" He buried his face in his hands, muffling his voice. "I hate driving! I hate it! It's the only thing in the whole world that pisses me off like that, I swear."

 

Magnus gawked in wide-eyed silence for a few more seconds before he burst into another fit of snorting laughter. He wasn't quite sure why he was laughing this time, but he guessed it was mostly shock and the whiplash from their flirty singing to the stream of mixed-language obscenities. "Wow!" Magnus snickered. "When you said you knew a ton of Spanish curses, you weren't kidding!"

 

Alec groaned into his hands. "I really am sorry, Magnus. It doesn't happen all of the time, I promise."

 

It's not like Magnus had any room to judge. He knew full well that even the most peaceful people had their limits. "It's alright."

 

Alec sat up again and stared at Magnus. "No, it's not."

 

"We all have our things, Alec. You don't have to worry, it's not a deal breaker." Magnus brushed the fingertips of his braced hand up and down Alec's upper arm to soothe him. "I know I have my fair share of issues."

 

"What?" Alec laughed. "No way. You're perfect."

 

Magnus scoffed and rolled his eyes so hard that it almost hurt. "Oh yeah, the agoraphobic recluse with fucked up magic and body issues. So perfect ."

 

"Mmmm… yep! Exactly." Alec nodded before he picked up his phone and handed it to Magnus before he could say anything in response. "Hey, can you text Jaime? Let him know that traffic is bad, so we might be a little late." The light turned green again, and Alec took off through the intersection before any other assholes could shove their way past them again.

 

"Sure." Magnus looked at the screen, which was already open to the right text conversation. He didn't really intend on reading their previous messages, but they were right there, all sent after Alec had left last night.

 

Jaime

JAIME

SANTI

JIM

JIMMY

JIMMMMMMMY

❗❗❗

 

Sí, mijo? 🤨

What's the emergency?

 

I need to talk to you

It's super super important

Like crazy important

 

Ay bendito 😖

Do I need to pick you up from the hospital again?

 

No no no

Not this time

Can I call you?

 

Give me five minutes, mi amor

 

That was… an odd conversation with a lot to unpack. First, they were close enough to use nicknames and terms of endearment, which had the tiniest twinge of jealousy nipping in the back of Magnus' mind. Second, Alec seemed desperate to talk to Jaime. About what, Magnus had no clue. And, third, what the fuck was up with the hospital thing? Was it such a common occurrence that Jaime expected that situation to happen regularly? Why was Alec in the hospital? Why did he go to Jaime about it instead of his family members? So many questions were racing through Magnus' mind about that point in particular, and he felt the need to ask Alec about it. Would that be appropriate, though? It wasn't like Alec had handed him the phone to read all of that. He didn't know what to do. Ugh.

 

Magnus did, however, realize that he needed to send the message before Alec asked him what was wrong. He typed it out and hit 'send', keeping the screen on to wait for the reply.

 

Stuck in traffic, probably going to be late

 

Okay 😘💖

 

Wow, they really were familiar with each other, weren't they? Magnus rolled his eyes, letting that jealousy slip to the forefront before he shoved it back into the Too Much corner of his mind again. "He said 'okay' with a kissy face and a sparkly pink heart."

 

"Yep, that sounds about right." Alec laughed. "How are you feeling? Nervous?" He reached over and stroked Magnus' knee, eyes still on the road ahead.

 

Oh boy, was he ever. Magnus had taken a dose of potion before they left, and he brought a few extras just in case. He wasn't nervous about being with Alec, not at all, but about all of the unknowns surrounding their outing. Where were they going? How long until they arrived? What was the building like? What was Jaime like? Was he going to be with them the entire time? How long were they going to stay? So many unknowns. "Yes. Really nervous."

 

"Oh." Alec's voice fell a little, his hand stilling on Magnus' knee.

 

"I just don't know what to expect, that's all." Magnus shrugged, even though Alec couldn't see it. "But I'm excited, too."

 

Alec smiled and gave Magnus' knee a gentle squeeze. "Yeah?"

 

"Of course. I love spending time with you," Magnus said with surprising ease. "And even if I do freak out, you know how to calm me down."

 

"Well, if it helps, I brought my earbuds with, so you can keep listening to music in the shop if you need to." Alec pointed to the glovebox. "You can pick up right where you left off."

 

"What? How?" Did Alec have headphones that could reach from the car into the store? Did they even make cables that long? 

 

Alec chuckled. "I have Spotify on my phone, too."

 

Ah. Alec could listen to his mood music anywhere , not just in the car. "That makes a lot more sense," Magnus mumbled to himself.

 

"What does?"

 

"Nothing!" Magnus blurted.

 

After a couple minutes of easy silence, Alec cleared his throat. "You know what? I'm kinda nervous myself."

 

"What?" Magnus puffed out an incredulous laugh. "What do you have to be nervous about?"

 

"I dunno," Alec said timidly, with a shrug and a little bashful smile. "But I'm excited, too," he added, echoing Magnus' sentiment. When he glanced over at Magnus, his smile brightened with his usual sunshine, sending a wave of warmth throughout Magnus' body and melting his heart all over again.

Notes:

Fun fact: my ex has a Tesla, which is the car I'm describing in this chapter. I miss it dearly. 😞 (If there are die-hard Tesla fans reading this: yes, this story is set in 2016, and I know that the Model 3 didn't come out until later. This world has advanced technology, so maybe they came out earlier there than our world. I dunno. Suspend your disbelief okay 🙃)

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on Twitter or Instagram, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 17: What You Want to Wear

Summary:

Second Date Alec is a gay disaster. Enjoy! 🖤

Notes:

Hey y'all!

Welcome to the longest chapter I've ever written (so far)! 😅 I'm sorry it took over a month to post it, but I was dealing with a lot of health issues (what's new? Lol) and Important Adult Things. Also, it's 12.6k. I hope that makes up for the wait. 🖤

I went way out of my comfort zone with writing this chapter. One, it takes place in an entirely fabricated setting. Two, I'm adding in an original character. And three, I've had to write conversations with three participants for a lot of this chapter. I hope it turned out okay.

As mentioned in the summary, Alec is a gay disaster in this chapter. I hope you love it as much as I loved writing it. And now I'm introducing my newest OC, Jaime Serrano Rivera! He showed up in text last time, but now he's in person in this chapter! Like I said before, he is Puerto Rican, and his name is pronounced "High-me".

I actually grew up around a ton of Puerto Rican people. A *ton* of them. I'm basing his character off a couple people I know. They switched back and forth between English and Spanish constantly, sometimes blending them both into the same sentence. Why did I choose to add in another Spanish-speaking character when my Spanish is garbage? I don't know. But it's forcing me to pick it up again, so I guess it's a good thing. That being said, my Spanish *is* garbage, so if I make any mistakes, please let me know!

Jaime uses some slang when he speaks, as in "ay bendito", which means something like "oh my goodness" or "bless your heart". "Jevo" means "boyfriend", "oye" means "hey", "Papí" is a masculine nickname, "Santi" is a nickname for Jaime, and "Alejo" is a nickname for Alejandro, which is the Spanish equivalent of Alexander. There are other Spanish words and phrases that I used in here, but this notes section would be too long if I added translations for everything. Google translate should work well enough if you don't know what is being said.

I hope you like him as much as I do! He will be showing up more in the series. Let me know what you think of him! Enjoy the chapter!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

"Here we are!" Alec pulled the car up to the curb right in front of the store and put it in park, then he turned to smile at Magnus, pointing out the window. "It's that building over there." 

 

Magnus followed the gesture and found a two-storey red brick building with a large window front on the first floor. There were black colored mannequins dressed in a wide variety of clothes, everything from tuxedos to casual wear, displayed in the window. Painted on the glass in black and gold and elegant Victorian-era lettering were the words "The Re-find Gentleman, Vintage, Consignment, & Tailoring." 

 

"Well, that's a clever name," Magnus said with a smirk that quickly faded with his growing anxiety.

 

"Yeah, that's Jaime for you." Alec chuckled. "I'm so excited for you two to meet. I just know you'll love him!"

 

"I sure hope so." Magnus wicked the sweat from his good hand on his pant leg and picked at one of the Velcro straps on his brace. The music had done its job keeping him calm, but now he had to face his next obstacle and meet someone new. It wasn't that he hated making new acquaintances– he had to do it daily for his job, after all. It was that he hated meeting new people in unfamiliar and uncontrolled environments. It didn't matter how nice this Jaime guy was, Magnus was still going to be a wreck.

 

Alec got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door and offering Magnus his hand. "Ready?"

 

"As I'll ever be," Magnus said with an iffy smile as he took Alec's hand and exited the vehicle. The sidewalk was alive with a constant stream of pedestrians walking in both directions, leaving little room for them to walk straight across to the store. They waited a couple minutes for an opening, leaning against the car together with Magnus holding Alec's hand in a white-knuckle grip, before the stream died down enough for them to weave their way through to the shop. When they approached the building, Magnus' heart sank as he read the sign perched on an easel in the window, a white wooden board with black script painted across the surface. "Oh no, Alec… It says they're closed for a private event."

 

Alec giggled. "Magnus, we ," he waved a hand between the both of them, "are the private event."

 

" Oh ," Magnus said, drawing out the singular syllable as he processed that information. He remembered that Alec did promise minimal human interaction, so maybe this was his way of guaranteeing that. "So, it's just us, then?"

 

"Just us and Jaime," Alec said as he fished around in his pocket for something.

 

Magnus swallowed around a lump in his throat, suddenly remembering the whole meeting someone new thing all over again. "Is he, um, going to be around us the whole time?"

 

"He'll probably help pick some things out, but I'm sure he'll give us some privacy. He knows this is a date." Alec found what he was looking for– a key?– and he slid it into the lock and turned it, opening the door for Magnus. "After you."

 

Magnus warily crossed the threshold and stepped inside. The first thing he noticed was the woody, spicy scent that reminded him of some of the products he used at home, followed closely by the warm lighting illuminating the surprisingly large store. It stretched much further back than he thought it would, divided into two distinct halves.

 

"Welcome, welcome! I'll be with you in just a moment!" a warm, masculine, somewhat familiar voice called out from somewhere near the back of the shop. 

 

Alec closed and locked the door before he retook Magnus' hand, and Magnus peered around while they waited. The front half of the store was made of exposed red brick and black plumbing pipes mounted on the walls, used as support for wooden shelves and hanging clothes. Every item of clothing he could see in that area was more on the casual side, like t-shirts and jeans and sweaters, and there were two antique-looking pool tables repurposed into display tables in the center of the room. Each table had accessories, like hats and bags and belts, with some items on mannequin parts for display.

 

The sound of footsteps approaching had Magnus sliding behind Alec to hide. "Awe, are you okay, Mags?" Alec whispered.

 

Magnus nodded, but said nothing, remaining behind the wall of a man in front of him. There was a record player off to the left side of the store playing a Dean Martin song at a, thankfully, low volume, and off to the side of that was a brown Chesterfield sofa and solid wood coffee table with a stack of books and magazines in the center. Magnus wanted to just curl up on that sofa and pretend he was at home on his own couch, but he knew Alec wouldn't appreciate that very much. No, he had to suck it up and be brave for Alec.

 

" Alejandro ! Cómo estás, mi amor?" that same warm and familiar voice asked with a thick Puerto Rican accent. God, why did he sound so familiar ?

 

"Heya, Jimmy !" Alec called out with the most generic American accent Magnus had ever heard, and stepped away to hug Jaime. At least, Magnus assumed it was him, since he couldn't see much of anything beyond Alec's broad body. Tawny brown arms wrapped around Alec's waist, and the sound of a kiss on the cheek had Magnus' twinge of jealousy crawling back out of the Too Much corner of his mind. He halfheartedly pushed it back knowing that it was definitely going to crop up again.

 

Those same brown arms pulled away from Alec so Jaime could take hold of Alec's biceps. He wore two gold signet rings, one on each hand, and a gold chain bracelet that hung loose from his thin wrist. "Oh, look at you, Alejo, all dressed up in your hot date clothes!" Jaime brought his hands up to Alec's face and pulled him down to a hunch, but Magnus still couldn't see him. So, Jaime was short? "So pretty! I haven't seen you wear makeup in quite a while. Are you trying to impress your jevo ?" 

 

Jaime leaned to the side and peered around, giving Magnus his first small glance at the man, who looked to be in his mid-forties. He had jet black hair styled in a low pompadour, and a gorgeous, Hollywood-handsome face with sharp cheekbones and a chiseled jaw. And fuck , he look so familiar . Where did Magnus know him from? "Where is your mystery man?"

 

Alec turned and grumbled with a reluctant smile, waving towards Magnus, giving him a full view of Jaime. The man was short and thin, his head only reaching Alec's chest, and he wore black pinstripe pants and a matching vest with a crimson button down shirt underneath, cuffs rolled up to his elbows. He looked classy, and sophisticated, and so goddamn familiar . "He's very shy, so be nice , Jaime."

 

Jaime scoffed and glared up at Alec. "When am I ever not nice?" He finally laid eyes on Magnus and gasped, smiling bright and opening his arms wide as he approached him. "Alec, you didn't tell me that 'sexy Mr. Rogers' was none other than the magnificent Magnus Bane!"

 

" Jaime !" Alec squeaked. Like, actually squeaked. Magnus had no idea Alec's voice could reach that high of a pitch.

 

Magnus was going mad with frustration as he tried to figure out the puzzle in front of him. That frame, that voice, that face, everything about Jaime was achingly familiar, yet somehow different, and Magnus couldn't figure out why . But his eyes, his smile, and the way he carried himself as he walked towards him snapped all of the pieces into place, because Jaime wasn't Jaime the last time they saw each other. "...Serrano Rivera?"

 

Jaime beamed, seeing the recognition dawn upon Magnus. "Cómo has estado, old friend? It's been a long time."

 

"Oh my god…" Magnus breathed out before he rushed over and swept Jaime up in a firm embrace, making Jaime huff out a surprised laugh. Jaime squeezed him back with a happy sigh. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

 

"Wait… You two know each other?" Alec asked, pointing a finger at both Jaime and Magnus in turn with the cutest confused expression Magnus had ever seen.

 

Jaime took a step back, keeping one hand on Magnus' arm, and nodded at Alec. "Sí! I was one of Magnus' first clients, before my transition. I haven't seen him in over a decade, I believe."

 

Magnus held Jaime by his shoulders and looked him over, marveling at how much he had changed. The curves of his face were now sharper, there were laugh lines and crow's feet carved into his skin, the long flowing hair that used to hide his face was cropped short, and the dark cloud that had hung over his head had dissipated into sunshine. "Wow, you look so– so–"

 

"Masculine?" Jaime offered.

 

Magnus chuckled. "Happy. And healthy."

 

" And masculine," Jaime offered once more with a smirk.

 

Magnus couldn't help but laugh again, this time with a shrug. "Well, yeah ."

 

Jaime turned to face Alec and brought his arm around Magnus' waist, and Magnus draped his arm around his shoulders in turn. "Magnus here was the one who convinced me to come out." Jaime looked up into Magnus' eyes with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch. It was pretty rough for a few years."

 

"I take it your family wasn't too happy about it?" Magnus asked, already knowing the answer, because Jaime's huge, tight-knit family was deeply religious and set in their ways.

 

Jaime stepped away and shook his head with a deep sigh, his smile fading into a more distant expression. "Disowned by most of them. I'm still in contact with my brothers, but that's it. I was actually out of the country for a while, you know, for surgeries." He stroked his right hand over a large, rectangular scar on his left arm, where it looked like someone had fileted his skin off at one point. What was that from? And on his right arm there were three long, pale scars that looked like they had been deep gashes a long time ago. Neither of those things had been there the last time Magnus saw him. What had happened to him over the past ten years?

 

Jaime took a deep breath and released it slowly before he pulled a smile back onto his face. "But I'm back now, and I have this wonderful business!"

 

Magnus turned to face Alec and tipped his thumb towards Jaime. "He used to be a costume designer on Broadway way back when I first met him."

 

"Oh, yeah, he's made my costumes–" Alec blurted out before gasping and clapping his hand over his mouth, hard , like the words escaped faster than he could catch them.

 

Huh? " Your costumes?" Magnus shook his head and furrowed his brows. "For what?"

 

Jaime snickered with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Oo, yes , Alec! What kind of costumes?"

 

Alec flushed cherry red and squeaked out, " Santi ! Cállete!" as he shook his head frantically.

 

Jaime bent forward and slapped his thigh as he cackled. " That's going to be a fun conversation for you guys someday!" Magnus stared between the two men with narrowed eyes, about to ask more questions, but Jaime waved away his concern as he caught his breath. "Don't worry about it. You'll find out about it sooner or later."

 

"Uh, okay…" Magnus, still utterly confused as fuck, decided it best not to pursue that line of conversation for now. Instead, he asked the next thing on his mind. "Jaime, how did you go from costume designer to owning this shop?"

 

"Believe it or not, my transition. It's difficult to find masculine clothes that fit my proportions, so I had to tailor my own wardrobe. Some other trans friends reached out for my help, which led to other people in the community asking for it as well, and I made enough money to open up my shop. I tailor clothes for anyone who needs it, and I make custom clothing, too."

 

Magnus smiled. "I'm really happy for you. It's great to see you thriving."

 

"I've missed talking with you, Magnus." Jaime brushed his hand up and down Magnus' arm. "Maybe I'll stop by for a reading soon?"

 

"I'd like that," Magnus said, his smile brightening into a wide grin.

 

"Do you still have that grumpy old Church?" Jaime asked, and Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but Alec jumped in before he could get a word out.

 

"Yeah! And he has another adorable cat named Chairman Meow!" Alec whipped out his phone and motioned for Jaime to come look at the screen. Magnus also leaned in to see what was happening, and his heart skipped several beats when he saw Alec scrolling through a ton of pictures of his cats, all in various poses and different settings. He had no idea Alec even took any in the first place, and he kinda really wanted to kiss Alec senseless right then and there because of it, but he decided to hold off on that until they were alone again for Jaime's sake.

 

After a few minutes, filled with three grown men cooing over cat pictures, Magnus spoke up to finally ask the question that had been nagging at him since they arrived. "So, uh, how do you two know each other?"

 

"I work here," Alec mumbled as he stashed his phone back into his pocket.

 

Magnus wasn't sure he heard that correctly. Did Alec actually say he worked there? As in, currently ? "I'm sorry, what ?"

 

Alec sputtered for a moment while he waved a frantic hand in front of himself. "Not full time! Not anymore, at least."

 

"Let me get this straight," Magnus started, but he had to take a deep breath before he continued, "you run the entire Institute, you volunteer at three different places, and you work here, too?" He counted off each point on his fingers. "How do you even have time to think ?" And what the hell was he doing spending his limited free time with Magnus?

 

"I don't, really." Alec rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, darting his eyes around the room, anywhere except for Magnus' face. "I– I like being busy."

 

Jaime clicked his tongue and shot Alec a scolding glare, like there was some inside story shared between them that Magnus wasn't privy to. "He only helps me out during wedding season, if I'm out of town, and if I have some big orders to fulfill. But, for some reason ," Jaime quirked a brow and smirked, "he's been too busy lately to work."

 

"Hm, I wonder why," Magnus mused and smiled when he caught the hint of a blush on Alec's cheeks. "How did you two meet?"

 

"Oh, it's a long story–" Alec tried to start, but Jaime cut in before he could continue.

 

"When I first met Alec, a few years ago now, he was such a lost puppy!" Jaime held Alec's bicep and gave him a little shake with a giggle.

 

Alec scoffed. "Oye! I was not !"

 

"Mijo, you came slinking into my store a half hour before closing in baggy black clothes, with piercings, heavy eye makeup, and– what was the color? Purple? Blue?" Jaime waved a hand over his head as he looked up at Alec.

 

Alec stared at his shoes and mumbled through clenched teeth, "Pink. Hot pink." Just like the color his skin was rapidly turning. 

 

"Ah, yes, he had hot pink streaks in his hair. He was on the verge of tears, begging me to help him find a suit for a presentation he had to give in his college class the next morning. I felt so bad for the poor boy, I let him have an old, cheap one that was slightly too big for him, but it was all that I had on hand that would fit his lanky body. He couldn't afford to pay for it, even though I told him he didn't have to, but he insisted that he pay me back somehow. So, I offered him a job, taught him all about fashion, and the rest is history."

 

Magnus stared in disbelief at Alec, who looked like he wanted to melt into the floorboards and just disappear from the entire conversation. Everything Jaime had described was the complete opposite of the Alec he knew today. Baggy clothes? Piercings? Dyed hair? And… no money? It was too much for Magnus to try to wrap his mind around.

 

Alec cleared his throat, his face still a brilliant red and his eyes averted to the floor. "Let's find you some clothes, shall we?"

 

"Oh, isn't he just the cutest when he's bashful?" Jaime pulled Alec down to his level and smacked a loud kiss onto his cheek with a chuckle, eliciting a grumble from Alec and summoning Magnus' jealousy back to the forefront of his mind.

 

~~~

 

Alec took Magnus' hand and escorted him towards the back of the store, walking at a slow pace so Magnus could take everything in. The second half of the shop had dark wood paneling from floor to ceiling, with built-in shelving and racks for hangers filled with all sorts of business and formal wear. There were dress shoes along the lower shelves, folded button down shirts on the higher ones, and a solid wood table lined with a rainbow assortment of ties sat in the center of the space. Alec walked him past all of that, directly to the back wall, and he pulled on the edge of a wood panel and slid it to the side where it almost entirely disappeared into the wall.

 

"What's this?" Magnus asked, darting his eyes between Alec and the new opening in the wall.

 

Alec smirked and gestured for Magnus to walk through. "You'll see."

 

On the other side of the wall was a room, smaller than the rest of the store, but still a decent size, with brighter, cooler lighting. The walls, or what small part of them was visible, were a terracotta brown. Three walls were half-filled with large, floor to ceiling mirrors, giving someone who stood in front of them multiple views of their body, and the rest of the wall space was taken up by shelves full of bolts of fabric in every conceivable color and pattern. 

 

"This is the fitting and dressing room, where you can try on clothes and have them altered. It's also where Jaime makes custom clothing." Alec walked over to a big black cabinet next to a sewing table with an unfinished project draped over the surface. He pulled open the doors and rummaged around in there, grabbing a few different things and placing them on a small black cart that he rolled over towards the mirrored side of the room. He motioned for Magnus to follow him, so he did, glancing around at all of the unfamiliar details as he went. "How are you doing, hon?"

 

"I'm…" Magnus checked in with his mind and body, finding both to be relatively calm, given the circumstances. "I'm doing okay, actually. I'm a lot less anxious than I thought I'd be." On the other hand, he was growing more and more jealous with each interaction with Jaime, but that was Magnus' demon to battle.

 

"Really?" Alec stopped next to a low, round wooden platform, just large enough for one person to stand on, and parked the cart off to the side.

 

"Yeah," Magnus said as he shrugged, then he simply added, "I feel safe with you."

 

Alec's gentle, almost shy smile in response had Magnus' stomach fluttering wildly. He plucked a small item off the cart, something that Magnus couldn't quite see before it disappeared into Alec's hands, and fidgeted with whatever it was. "So, uh, what kind of clothes do you think you'll want?"

 

"I don't know." Magnus shrugged. He really hadn't thought that far ahead, since he was way more focused on the whole leaving his house aspect of their date rather than the details of it. "A new shirt and pair of pants would be nice, I think."

 

Alec chuckled. "You can get more than that, Mags. You can get whatever you want. Don't worry about the price."

 

Magnus crossed his arms and stared Alec down with the sternest expression he could conjure. "I'm not going to take advantage of your generosity, Alexander."

 

"I want you to take advantage of me." As soon as the words were spoken, Alec's eyes widened in horror at his mouth's betrayal, and he sputtered for a moment before he could speak again. "My generosity ! I meant my generosity !" He muttered something under his breath, too quiet for Magnus to hear, and shook his head, as if trying to clear away his sudden bout of discoordination.

 

Second Date Alec was like a whole different person, more awkward and bashful than ever before, and Magnus was loving every single second with him. He was looking forward to experiencing what Third Date Alec was going to be like, but Alec would have to survive this date first in order for that to happen. Magnus wasn't entirely sure if he was going to make it.

 

After he regained his composure, Alec held onto the end of whatever the thing in his hand was and unfurled it, revealing a long, blue strip with the incremental markings of a ruler, and he draped it over the back of his neck like a scarf. It was tailor's tape, a thin, flexible tape measure perfect for wrapping around the curves of a body. "I'd like to get you a couple suits and a few outfits, at least. Is that okay?" 

 

That sounded expensive, and Magnus was not a fan of expensive, especially if someone else was doing the buying on his behalf. But he knew that if he tried to fight Alec on it, he probably wouldn't win. "Are you going to be upset if I say 'no'?"

 

" So upset." Alec flipped his neutral expression into an exaggerated, puppy-eyed pout, complete with batting lashes. And with that makeup… oof . Magnus didn't stand a chance. "Please, Magnus? Please let me double your wardrobe."

 

How could Magnus resist that ? He shrugged his shoulders again with a resigned sigh. "Fine…"

 

Alec did what could only be described as a little happy dance and yanked the tape measure from around his neck. "I just need your measurements."

 

Magnus nodded his consent and Alec started right away. He wrapped the tape around Magnus' neck, his chest, and his waist, writing everything down on a palm-sized notepad in between, then moved on to his arm and shoulders. After that, when he needed to measure Magnus' inseam, things got a bit awkward and giggly, but they both powered through it. Well, Magnus did, at least. Alec might have fared worse than him, given his bright red blush.

 

"I just need one more measurement," Alec said with a little hesitation.

 

Magnus had no idea what else he could possibly need, but he wasn't the experienced person in this situation. He shrugged. "Go for it."

 

Alec wrapped the tape around Magnus' upper arm and whispered with a moan, "God, your biceps are unreal ."

 

Oh, was Alec trying to flirt right now? Trying being the key word. And wasn't he aware of how massive his own arms were? Magnus narrowed his eyes and arched a brow. "Is that measurement really necessary for finding me clothes?"

 

"No, I, uh, was just curious," Alec said softly with a sheepish smile, deepening his already furious flush. He tore off the slip of paper from the pad and strolled over to the door, sliding it open and calling out, "Oye, Papí!"

 

"Un momento!" Jaime replied from somewhere in the store before he walked over and peeked his head inside the room. "Por qué eres un tomate?" he asked Alec with a chuckle, gesturing to his own face as they both walked back over to where Magnus was standing. Alec just grumbled, shook his head, and handed over the slip of paper. 

 

"Eres tan adorable, Alejo. Te amo." Jaime gave Alec a couple affectionate pats on the cheek (which absolutely didn't rile up Magnus' jealousy again) and grabbed the slip, reading it over with furrowed brows. "Ah, okay. What style of suit are we thinking?" he asked Magnus.

 

"I have no idea." Magnus shrugged, looking to Alec –who was slowly fading back to his natural pale complexion– for his input. "What do you think?"

 

"Italian. Slim. Two piece. Single breasted. Fall/winter and natural fiber." Alec rattled that off with such speed and confidence, really sounding like he knew what he was talking about, and that was… pretty damn hot.

 

"Color preference?" Jaime asked, darting his eyes between Magnus and Alec, searching for an answer.

 

Alec smiled at Magnus and gestured for him to speak, so he did, saying the first color that came to him. "Something blue?"

 

Jaime nodded and smiled. "I have a few in mind. Let me go check."

 

After Jaime left the room, Alec took Magnus' good hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Do you want to sit down for a moment while we wait? You're going to have to do a lot of standing while we're here."

 

"Sure." Magnus sat down on the round platform with his legs stretched out in front of him, still holding Alec's hand. They stayed there in comfortable silence, with Alec stroking his thumb over the back of Magnus' hand while Magnus glanced around the room. Near the sewing table was a black metal pipe, just like the ones out on the floor of the shop, jutting out from the wall horizontally with several garment bags hanging on it. There was an identical pipe closer to where he was sitting by the mirrors, which was completely empty, and what looked like a rolling rack made of the same material parked nearby, also void of any clothing. 

 

Magnus' eyes trailed back over to the walls of mirrors, taking in the multiple versions of Alec and himself with a small smile. He looked relaxed, because he surprisingly was, and Alec looked… Well, Alec was looking down at him . Gazing would have been a more accurate description, because Alec's face had the softest of expressions with a hint of a smile as he kept his eyes on Magnus, his gaze never leaving him even for a second. That had Magnus' insides doing all sorts of acrobatic feats in response, flipping around and twisting up with chaotic affection. 

 

Alec hadn't noticed that Magnus noticed him , because when Magnus tipped his face up with a grin, Alec's eyes widened and his eyebrows arched towards his hairline. How absolutely adorable. "Hi," Magnus whispered.

 

"Uh," Alec swallowed thickly, his own smile growing wider by the second, "hi?"

 

"You're staring," Magnus teased.

 

Alec's cheeks flushed pink as he rubbed the back of his neck. "What? No, I wasn't." What an absolutely adorable, filthy liar .

 

"Mmhm." Magnus tugged Alec down to his level and pressed their lips together with a little giggle. It was meant to be a short and sweet kiss, just a simple, chaste peck, but Alec brought his hand up to curl around the nape of his neck and prolonged their contact with a soft moan. Each languid press of their lips had Magnus' heartbeat steadily ramping up and a swarm of butterflies swirling around in his stomach. And, wow , he hadn't felt this way in a long, long time. 

 

Alec pulled back first, but instead of standing straight up, he kissed the tip of Magnus' nose, pressed their foreheads together, and gazed at him again. The way that Alec was looking into his eyes had Magnus' heart thudding like a drum in his chest, rapidly spreading a warm and fuzzy feeling all the way to the tips of his toes. And, even though their kiss wasn't heated, he still felt wonderfully breathless.

 

Yeah, Magnus was definitely falling in love. It was like he almost forgot that it was happening until he had a moment like this one, surprising him all over again. Like, oh yeah , this phenomenal, life changing experience really was happening and not just taking place in his imagination. Wild.

 

"Hi," Magnus whispered.

 

A gentle smile spread across Alec's lips as he sighed contentedly. "Hi."

 

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat before they, too, said, "Hi." Which was Jaime. Jaime existed. Jaime was there in the room with them. Magnus had, in fact, forgotten that they weren't the only two people on the planet once again. And Alec must have had the same problem, since he choked on his spit and stood up suddenly, eyes wide and cheeks pink. God, he was just so fucking cute .

 

"So," Jaime said with a wide, knowing smile as he strolled over to meet them. "I have this navy Armani," he held up the hanger to show off the suit, and then he did the same thing with the next one in his other hand, "and a slate blue Dior. Both will definitely have to be taken in around the waist, at the very least, because someone ," he said while giving Magnus a pointed look, "has a hot body that he hides under all those baggy layers."

 

"Oh, you have no idea ," Alec said with a dreamy sigh.

 

While Magnus would have normally flushed furiously at the compliments, he was way too busy ogling the suits to pay them any mind. The navy suit looked nice and classy, but the slate blue was gorgeous , and Magnus never really used that word to describe clothing before, especially masculine clothes. He reached out for it without even thinking, caressing the incredibly soft fabric that glided between his fingers, distantly hearing both guys giggle beside him.

 

"I think we have our winner." Jaime hung the suit up on the empty pipe that Magnus had spotted earlier. "Any other suits?"

 

Alec hummed and tapped his fingers on his chin while he thought of an answer. "Maybe something in gray?"

 

"Oh!" Jaime snapped his fingers. "I have a Tom Ford in a silver gray that would be perfect! I'll work on some shirts and pants, too. What are we thinking for those?" he asked Alec.

 

Alec turned to Magnus with a cocked brow. "Mags?"

 

"Uh… something blue?" Magnus said, because that was the only option his mind could provide at the moment, and both guys giggled again. " What ? I like blue."

 

"Pastels? Jewel tones? Neutrals? Silk? Cotton? Long sleeve? Short sleeve?" Jaime listed off so many choices it made Magnus' head spin, and he was pretty sure that didn't even crack the surface of what was available for him to try on.

 

"Why don't we just try a wide variety and see what he likes?" Alec tapped his hand on his thigh and made a couple odd faces at Jaime, and Jaime responded with a nod, like they were having their own private, silent conversation that Magnus wasn't invited to. Weird. "He doesn't have a lot in his closet."

 

"So nothing has changed, then?" Jaime said with a wink before he grabbed the empty rolling rack and left the room.

 

The moment the door slid closed, Magnus stood up and crossed his arms, staring Alec down with narrowed eyes. "Armani? Dior? Those are designer brands, Alec. I'm not that naïve."

 

"Yeah? And?" Alec had suddenly become very interested in rolling the tailor's tape back up, keeping his eyes set on his task and deliberately away from Magnus.

 

"I thought I told you I don't want super expensive clothes. And you said this was a second-hand store." Magnus remembered only agreeing to this particular date based on those two factors, which, as it seemed, were not the case.

 

Alec set the rolled up tape back on the cart and met Magnus' eyes again, a little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "This is a designer brand second-hand store. Well, mostly designer. So nothing here is as expensive as it was when it was new."

 

That technically met Magnus' requirements, and he was not happy about it. "Oh, you sneaky bastard."

 

"What?" Alec's smirk cracked into a wide, shit-eating grin.

 

Magnus huffed out an incredulous laugh at Alec's self-satisfaction. "You know exactly what."

 

"Would it make you feel better to know that ten percent of all profits goes to charity?"

 

"Goddamnit," Magnus grumbled out as he rubbed at his temple, exhaling a resigned sigh. Because, yes, that did make him feel a little better about everything, but he was still a bit peeved. "You win again , Alexander. I hope you're happy." Alec's answering, beaming smile told him that he was, indeed, quite happy with the outcome.

 

~~~

 

Getting into the suit coat with the brace on Magnus' wrist proved to be a little tricky, but Alec managed to unbutton the cuff and maneuver him through it without tearing the delicate silk lining. The whole suit fit quite well, for the most part, except for around his waist, just as Jaime had predicted. Alec was in the middle of pinching and pinning the fabric closer to his body, smiling softly as he worked, and using a rainbow assortment of safety pins to tuck everything into place.

 

They were quiet for a short while as Alec concentrated on his work, but Magnus' mind refused to let his jealousy go, so he mustered up the courage to ask about Jaime. "So, you and Jaime…"

 

"What about us?" Alec pulled a neon green safety pin off this little magnetic wrist band he wore on his left arm, full of colorful pins, and popped it open, glancing at Magnus' face before he pushed it through the fabric.

 

"You two seem really, really close."

 

Alec pulled a purple pin off this time, keeping his eyes on the suit. "We are."

 

Magnus swallowed. "Is there– was there something between you two?"

 

"Are you…" Alec stilled his hands and stared at Magnus straight on with an arched brow. "Are you asking if I've ever slept with him?"

 

"Well, not exactly …" But yes. That was precisely what Magnus was asking, because he was a nosey bastard. And he was already regretting starting the conversation, but he couldn't stop himself now.

 

Alec shook his head with a slight look of disgust. "No. Absolutely not ."

 

For some reason, that had Magnus' protective side rearing up. And also his inability to stop being Too Much, because he couldn't possibly be satisfied until he asked every single question on his mind. "Why not? Is it because he's trans?"

 

" What ? No!" Alec looked and sounded genuinely offended at that accusation, so that eased Magnus' concern, at least on the protective front. "I have no problem with that at all. I've had trans partners before. Non-binary and… cis women, too." Magnus raised a curious brow at that, and Alec scrunched his face up with something like regret, if Magnus had to describe it. "That was when I was in denial and trying to figure everything out."

 

"Then why not? He's a handsome guy," Magnus asked, hating himself more for every word he let loose into their conversation. Why couldn't he just shut up and be satisfied with what Alec just told him? Why was he even allowed to speak at all?

 

Alec huffed out a laugh before he said, "Yeah, he's gorgeous, but he's also like twenty years older than me."

 

Magnus snorted and pointed to himself. " Alec ."

 

Alec rushed to add, "–Which, I realize, makes no sense when I'm dating someone four centuries old. Yeah." Alec sighed. "He's just… kinda a father figure to me. In the past few years, he's been there more for me than my own father ever was. I've never thought of him in any other way than that. You have nothing to worry about, okay?"

 

Magnus nodded. "Okay." He finally got the answer he had been digging for, but he felt awful about how he went about getting it. Maybe he should have waited until Alec wanted to tell him everything in his own time. "I'm sorry for being so nosey. I shouldn't have asked you those questions."

 

"Nah, it's okay." Alec shook his head, picking up where he left off with his fabric pinning. The tip of his tongue peeked out from between his lips as he concentrated on what he was doing, looking absolutely adorable. "I probably should have told you about how close we were before we came here."

 

While that would have made Magnus much more comfortable, his jealousy wasn't Alec's responsibility, and it was solely his problem to deal with. Magnus groaned. "No. It's not okay, Alec. It wasn't any of my business."

 

Alec sighed and tucked his last pin into place. "Can we just both agree that we could have gone about this in a better way and move on?"

 

That was something Magnus could definitely agree to. "Okay."

 

" Okay . Now, move your arms and see if that's comfortable." Alec flapped his own ridiculously long arms around like a drunk albatross to demonstrate what to do, which was one of the cutest things Magnus had ever witnessed. Before he followed the instructions, he had to prop himself up on his tiptoes and steal a quick kiss from Alec. He had to. There was no possible way he could have watched that and not ended up kissing Alec. So, he did, and he made sure it really was a quick one this time, just in case Jaime came strolling back into the room again, even though he wished he could keep kissing Alec forever.

 

~~~

 

"The Tom Ford will need the sleeves and pants altered, but everything else should be the right size," Jaime said as he returned with the rolling rack, crammed full of garments on hangers in a daunting assortment of colors and fabrics that honestly intimidated Magnus to look at. "I'll leave you two to it. Alec knows what he's doing." He tossed a wink at Magnus before he turned towards the door and waved over his shoulder, saying, "If you need anything, I'll be in my office." He slid the door closed behind him on his way out, leaving Magnus and Alec alone once again.

 

The Dior came off, and the Tom Ford went on, and now Magnus was standing on the wooden platform while Alec was on a rolling chair in front of him, pinning the fabric around his ankles. He pulled a hot pink safety pin off his wristband thing, which sparked Magnus' memory of an earlier conversation that he had wanted to ask about. "So, pink hair and piercings, huh?"

 

Alec kept his eyes fixed on his task, but his lips curled into a little smirk as he worked. "... Yeah. I was a bit of an angsty teen."

 

Magnus wished he could see pictures of little angsty Alec. Maybe he could coax his sister into sharing some with him, whenever they got the chance to meet. But, as much as he was amused by the thought of that, he was also a little curious about why Alec made such a drastic change. "Did Jaime tell you to stop dressing that way?"

 

"He didn't tell me, no. I asked him what professionals wore, and he helped me find a new style to fit those standards."

 

That made sense, though it was a little sad to think about. "What did you have pierced?"

 

"My lip, my nose, and my ears." Alec pointed to just below the center of his bottom lip, his left nostril, and both ear lobes before resuming his pinning. "They're still open, since I wear retainers once in a while."

 

Magnus had thought that the holes on his nose and lip were pock marks, but their perfect placement made more sense now that he knew what they really were. He'd noticed the ears before, but didn't think much of it, since a lot of people had their ears pierced. "Why don't you wear any jewelry?"

 

Alec's smirk fell with a heavy sigh. "It's not professional. I can't wear it at work."

 

That didn't make any sense to Magnus. How did one's appearance have any bearing on their work performance? And who was stopping Alec from wearing what he wanted to wear? "You run the whole damn Institute, Alexander. Are your employees allowed to have piercings?"

 

"Well, yeah," Alec said with a shrug as he moved on to Magnus' opposite leg. "Dyed hair and tattoos, too."

 

"Then why can't you?" Alec opened his mouth to argue, but he didn't say anything, so Magnus continued. "It's not like there's anyone there to stop you, is there? I doubt Valentine cares. He doesn't strike me as the super judgemental type."

 

Alec huffed out a small laugh and smiled. "No, he isn't."

 

"Wear what you want to wear, Alexander. Wear your makeup. Wear your jewelry. If you don't feel comfortable wearing it at work, just wear it around me. I want you to be yourself. I'd love to see it," Magnus said with as much sincerity as he could, hoping that Alec would believe him.

 

"Really?" Alec asked as he looked straight up at Magnus from his low position, his gorgeous, piercing eyes nearly glowing from the complementary purple shadow lining them. God, how could Magnus not encourage him to wear it more often? 

 

Magnus resisted the temptation to reach down and stroke his fingers through Alec's hair, instead smiling warmly at him before saying, "Of course." Alec's growing, beaming grin in response was like sunlight peeking out from behind a dense cloud; it was warm, radiant, and absolutely beautiful, melting Magnus into a puddle of emotional goo all over again.

 

~~~

 

"So, I told you about my failed apothecary dream yesterday. What about you? Do you have any goals or aspirations?" Magnus asked as Alec worked on buttoning up a deep violet shirt he was trying on. He'd found that as nice as silk felt, he wasn't a fan of how shiny it was, so he was sticking to cotton for his shirts. That had narrowed down the selection by about half, which made him sigh in relief.

 

Alec slid the last button into place and stepped back to look Magnus over, checking how the shirt fit as he tugged on the fabric. "I do."

 

A couple minutes passed as Alec started pinning the back of the shirt before Magnus had to ask, "... Are you going to share?" He was pretty sure Alec wasn't going to unless he was provoked, leaving Magnus to wonder just what his dreams could be.

 

Alec huffed out a breath and gave Magnus an amused grin through his reflection in the mirror. "Yeah, fine . It's all charity stuff."

 

Unsurprising, given what Alec had mentioned to Magnus during their walk the day before. "Like what?"

 

"The women's and children's center I volunteer at needs a new building, and I want to help raise enough funds to make that happen." Alec flashed Magnus a small, shy smile in the mirror before he focused on his task again. "And I, uh, also want to start my own charitable organization."

 

Of course he did. Of course Alec, one of the sweetest, most selfless men Magnus had ever met, wanted to start his own charity. "Awe, you do?"

 

"Yeah, that's actually what I went to school for."

 

"Really?"

 

"Mmhm," Alec hummed while he held an open safety pin between his lips as he pinched the fabric where he needed it to be, plucking it back out before he spoke again. "Well, it was Criminal Justice at first, since that's what my parents wanted, but then I realized that law enforcement wasn't my thing. Jaime helped me to see that." 

 

That… was an unexpected tidbit of information. "Law enforcement?"

 

"Yeah, my parents said that my family has been in some sort of law enforcement for generations, or something like that. But it's just not for me." Alec shook his head absently and popped open another safety pin.

 

Magnus pondered on that point for a moment, wondering what kind of role Alec would take in that field, coming to the obvious conclusion. "You'd make a great detective."

 

Alec snorted, as if that was an instinctual reaction to those words. "My mom sure thinks so. She's not too happy about my career choice, even if I make lots of money. Or my sister's." Alec shrugged with a sigh. "Whatever. In order to start a charity, at least one on the scale of what I want to start, you need a lot of money. So that's what I've been working towards."

 

Magnus couldn't comprehend how anyone could be disappointed in Alec, but, then again, he wasn't too familiar with family dynamics and expectations. "And what is the charity you want to start?"

 

"A center for LGBT+ youth," Alec said with a smile as he circled Magnus to face him again. He tugged at the bottom hem of Magnus' shirt, critiquing the way it fit around his waist and nodding in satisfaction. "A place where they can have shelter, if they need it. A place for comfort, safety, help, and community."

 

"A place you wish you had when you were growing up?" Magnus offered, looking up into Alec's eyes.

 

"Yeah." Alec's smile widened into his sunshiny grin. "And Jaime is helping me with it." He chuckled, then leaned in closer to Magnus to whisper in an almost conspiratorial fashion, "Whatever Jaime pays me for working here goes directly into a savings account I have set aside for the charity. Don't tell him that, okay?"

 

How was Alec even real? Magnus found himself asking that question over and over, continuously amazed by the man's beauty and generosity. How was he even real, and why the hell was he even remotely interested in Magnus? "You have such a big heart. You're a good man , Alexander."

 

"I try to be," Alec said softly, distantly, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. In fact, if Magnus had to describe the look in his eyes, he would have said something like… pain? What the fuck was that about? He wanted to ask about it, but Alec already moved on to picking out the next shirt to try on like he wanted to stop that line of conversation, so Magnus obliged and kept his mouth shut on that topic for the time being.

 

~~~

 

All seven of the dress shirts Magnus picked out were hung up on the pipe with his suits, all pinned up and ready to be tailored, along with four pairs of chinos that Alec gushed over so much Magnus had to pick them out as well. He liked them, too, but Alec's reaction was what sold him on them, especially the cobalt blue pair that he wouldn't have normally gravitated towards. He wasn't sure what he'd wear with those, but he trusted Alec to help him figure it out when the time came.

 

Magnus was currently shirtless in his original slacks, standing and waiting for Alec to pick out the next shirt for him to try on, something more casual, he had said. He walked over with what looked like a light gray, long sleeved t-shirt, but with a row of buttons that stopped halfway down the front. It seemed like something that Magnus could change into and out of on his own even with the brace on, which was nice. "What's that?"

 

"This is called a henley. It's like a polo without the collar." Alec held up the hanger and turned it a couple times to show off the shirt. "What do you think?"

 

Magnus shrugged. "I'll give it a shot."

 

Alec slid the shirt off the hanger and pulled it over Magnus' head, gently guiding his braced wrist through the sleeve and tugging the hem down his torso with a soft smile. When he stood behind Magnus in front of the mirrors, with his hands resting on Magnus' shoulders, his smile morphed into something more serious, with furrowed brows and pursed lips. "This… this might have been a bad idea."

 

"Why?" Magnus couldn't tell if Alec meant the shirt or the whole shopping trip itself. The shirt seemed to fit perfectly, as it hugged every inch of Magnus' upper body with its buttery-smooth fabric and showed off all of his muscles, so he must have meant the date, right? "Are you not enjoying yourself?"

 

Alec chuckled with a smirk. "I think I'm enjoying this a little too much, actually."

 

Oh. Oh . "Really?" Alec nodded and rested his forehead between Magnus' shoulder blades with a groan. He really was affected, wasn't he? "What's, uh, doing it for you?"

 

"You look so sexy in form-fitting clothes." Alec slid his hands down Magnus' arms slowly, caressing the curves of his muscles through the fabric of his shirt, and rested his chin on Magnus' shoulder.

 

Magnus huffed out a little incredulous laugh, because, " Alec . You've seen me mostly naked. Twice. And half-dressed multiple times today."

 

"I know," Alec whined. "But this is a different kind of sexy. I don't know how to explain it." Magnus could somewhat understand, since Alec's makeup had the same effect on him, but he wasn't anywhere near as gorgeous as Alec was.

 

"Are you going to be alright?" Magnus asked over his shoulder, glancing directly at Alec's scrunched up, frustrated face instead of his reflection.

 

"Yeah," Alec said with a sigh. "I'll be fine. I'll behave myself." He wrapped his arms around Magnus' waist and kissed his pulse point with a slow, gentle press of his lips. "It'll be hard, though."

 

Magnus wished that Alec didn't have to behave, that they both could act upon their desires without any hesitation, but they weren't quite there yet. That didn't mean that Magnus couldn't joke about the situation, though, and he was feeling rather bold at the moment. "Oh, I'm sure it already is."

 

Alec snorted into a fit of giggles like a preteen boy, his eyes wide and bright with amusement. "Wow, look at you with the lewd jokes!"

 

"I have my moments." Magnus winked, feeling pretty damn proud of himself for causing that reaction. He turned in Alec's embrace until they were face to face, meeting Alec's heady gaze with his own and breathing in his delicious cologne. "So," he said, his eyes darting to Alec's lips as the man flicked his tongue out to lick them, as if he knew exactly where Magnus was taking this, "if I kissed you right now, that would be a bad idea, right?"

 

"Probably," Alec answered with a husky edge to his voice –which did a lot of things for Magnus– and swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Magnus' mouth as he spoke. 

 

Magnus curled his good hand around the nape of Alec's neck and pulled him down to his level. "What if I do it anyway?" he asked, breathing the words against Alec's lips, and Alec's response came in the form of him surging forward and claiming Magnus' mouth in a firm kiss with a sigh, like he was relieved that he was finally able to channel his energy into their contact. Magnus kissed him back with the same enthusiasm as he threaded his fingers into Alec's hair and teased the seam of his lips with his tongue, tasting the familiar spearmint and vanilla before Alec opened up to him and deepened the kiss.

 

It wasn't long before Magnus pushed Alec down onto the wooden platform and crawled into his lap, careful not to touch his bruised knees, diving right into Alec's neck right away with his tongue. Alec's hands were grasping and clutching all over Magnus' body again, everywhere except his ass, and Magnus decided that maybe now that could change. He reached out and caught Alec's wrist with his good hand and guided it towards his butt, planting his hand firmly in the center of a cheek.

 

Alec made a small noise in the back of his throat and stilled his body, not even grasping Magnus' butt, as he pulled back to look into Magnus' eyes. "Mags?"

 

Oh, god , was Alec a beautiful sight. His hair was mussed, his lips were red and kiss-swollen, and his pupils were blown so wide they nearly eclipsed his hazel irises. It took a moment for Magnus to come to his senses and realize that Alec was looking for a response, too dizzy with desire to focus on anything but the way Alec looked. He managed to clear away a little bit of the haze and formed an actual word like a real, functional person. "Yeah?"

 

"Are you sure?" Alec asked with a hard swallow. Magnus might have followed the bob of his Adam's apple with a little too much hunger. Might have .

 

Magnus smiled. "Yeah."

 

Alec tipped his head back and closed his eyes. " Fuck , you're killing me," he growled out and tentatively groped Magnus' ass.

 

Giggling as he went, Magnus leaned back in and bit down on the cord of Alec's neck, eliciting a loud moan that evolved into a whimper from the man beneath him. He sucked a mark into that spot and soothed it over with his tongue, smiling against the spit-slickened skin at the noises Alec was continuing to make.

 

There was a quick rap of knuckles on the door, which made Alec jolt upright, which, in turn, launched Magnus off his lap and onto the floor. "Oye, I can hear somebody moaning all the way in my office upstairs ," Jaime said through the closed door.

 

Oh yeah . They weren't the only two people in existence. Somehow they had forgotten that, again, in such a short amount of time. It was really starting to become a bad habit.

 

Alec swore under his breath and held his forehead, eyes bulging and skin stained pink. "Lo siento, Santi. We weren't–"

 

"Alejo, I don't want to know what's going on in there," Jaime cut in. "You're responsible for any messes, and there better not be any leche stains on my fabric, chico."

 

"Really, we were–"

 

"Ay bendito!" Jaime groaned out as he walked away, his voice growing distant along with his footsteps. "No leche stains!"

 

Magnus stared up at Alec from his position on the floor, unable to hold in a snicker. "Well, I feel like a naughty teenager who just got caught by a parent."

 

Alec darted his gaze down to Magnus and gasped. "Oh my god, Mags!" Alec said, as if he just realized he dumped Magnus unceremoniously onto his ass on the floor. He probably did. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry!" He scrambled to grab Magnus by the elbows and hauled him upright, looking totally ashamed. 

 

"It's alright, Alexander. It wasn't that far of a fall." Magnus dusted off his pants, picking a couple thread fragments off his slacks as he went.

 

"Oh my god," Alec whined, burying his face in his hands. "Oh my god . He's never going to let that go." Maybe Magnus' words about being caught by a parent were a bit truer than he realized.

 

~~~

 

Alec had his back to Magnus as he sorted through the few remaining garments that hadn't been tried on yet. "Now, before you say 'no,' please give these a chance. Just try them on at the very least."

 

The way that was worded already had unease roiling in Magnus' gut. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm really, really not going to like what you're about to show me?"

 

"Well, I know you like them on me, so…" Alec shrugged. "I know you don't entirely hate them." He turned around with a hanger he pulled off the rack and held it up for Magnus to see. Clipped onto the hanger was a pair of dark gray-washed skinny jeans.

 

Skinny jeans. Alec wanted Magnus to wear skinny jeans ? Abso-fucking-lutely not . "Hell no!"

 

"Oh, come on!" Alec shook the hanger with a little pleading smile. " Please try them on?"

 

Magnus vehemently shook his head and crossed his arms. "No!"

 

"You don't have to get them! I just want to see what you look like. That's it. I swear!" Magnus grumbled as Alec brought back his doe-eyed pout, batting his pretty lashes and pursing his still-reddened lips. " Please ?"

 

Maybe one day Magnus would be immune to Alec's looks and stubbornness. Today was not that day. He threw up his hands in a defeated huff and sighed. " Fine . If it'll make you happy."

 

A ridiculous, self-satisfied smile curled over Alec's teeth. "Oh, it definitely will." 

 

It took a couple minutes, filled with grunts and groans and whining, for Alec to help Magnus out of his slacks and into the stupidly tight jeans, but they managed to do it with minimal issues. Magnus swore that the pants were too small, but Alec reassured him that they were the perfect size and they were supposed to be that tight.

 

"There we go!" Alec said with a smile as he stepped back to admire Magnus, but his smile faded quickly when he took in the whole picture. "Oh," Alec swallowed, his throat working hard as he gaped at Magnus, "oh my god ."

 

Magnus lifted his eyes to the mirror and nearly choked on his spit. The jeans were very, very tight –but still comfortable somehow?– and they showed off everything . His muscled legs, the shape of his ass, his… package. Everything was on display. He was still wearing the henley shirt, which was also very form fitting, leaving very little to the imagination. And Alec was gazing at him like a starved man at a fully-stocked all-you-can-eat buffet. "Well, they're very… skinny ."

 

"I, uh, I– Mags, you, you just–" Alec made a few incoherent babbling noises, like he suddenly lost command of the one-and-a-half languages he claimed to know, before he blew out a harsh breath and stared at his shoes. "Fuck, I can't ."

 

Oh . Oh ho ho ho ! Alec was broken . He was just as flustered as Magnus felt on a 24/7 basis, and all it took was a pair of tight jeans to level the playing field. "You can't?"

 

"Nope," Alec's voice cracked, unable to look at Magnus again, "I really can't ."

 

Magnus was going to milk this delicious moment for all it was worth. He slowly slid his hands over his hips and twisted in front of the mirrors, putting his muscles on show as they worked beneath the denim. "Do they look that bad?"

 

Alec made a strangled sound in his throat and covered his eyes. "They're sinful ."

 

This was just too much fun. "Well, I like them. Let's buy them."

 

" What ?" Alec uncovered his eyes and stared at Magnus in disbelief.

 

Magnus hummed as he shifted his weight from hip to hip, watching both his reflection and Alec's bewildered face. "I'm only ever going to wear them around you, I think." He turned to face Alec and looked up into his wide eyes. "You're going to have to get me into and out of them until my brace comes off, though. They're too tight ," Magnus snapped the fabric against one of his thighs, "for me to get them on one-handed." Alec whimpered like a wounded animal and bit his lip. This payback was absolutely delightful, and Magnus was loving every second of it. "Hell, even when the brace comes off, I'll probably still need your help. They're just so form-fitting," Magnus said as he smoothed his good hand over the curve of his ass.

 

Alec snorted and gave Magnus a playful shove. "You're doing all of that on purpose!"

 

"What? You thought you're the only one who can flirt?" Magnus winked. "We're definitely buying them."

 

"Mags. Mags ." Alec shook his head. "That's a bad idea."

 

"I'll hold off on wearing them until we're, you know…" Magnus made a vague gesture with his good hand. " There ."

 

Alec tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and blew a harsh breath between his lips. "Ay dios mio…"

 

"What?" Magnus smirked and poked Alec in the center of his chest. " You're the one who begged me to try these on!"

 

"Which I both love and hate myself for." Alec sighed, then smirked at Magnus with a salacious glint in his eye. "Now, were the butt-touching privileges a one-time ordeal, or…?"

 

Magnus snickered. "They're standing, Alexander."

 

Alec grinned and groped Magnus' ass, then quickly released it like the contact singed his skin. "Bad idea! Bad idea!" he scolded himself, staring at his offending hand. "Why the fuck did I think that was a good idea?"

 

That sent Magnus into a wild fit of snorting giggles. "Oh, yeah, these are absolutely going home with me today."

 

~~~

 

Alec helped Magnus out of the henley shirt and into his original one, and before Alec started tucking the tails into his slacks, Magnus snatched off the spare button that was sewn on the inside of the bottom hem and tucked it into the palm of his brace. When Alec was in the middle of helping Magnus put his shoes on, Magnus casually dropped the button onto the floor and averted his eyes towards the now-full rack of clothes, pretending not to notice what happened.

 

Alec cleared his throat, and Magnus looked down at him just in time to see a small, shy smile grace his lips as Alec picked up the plastic button. "I know what you're trying to do."

 

"What? I just dropped a button," Magnus said, trying –and probably failing– to feign innocence.

 

"I get it. You like that I collect mementos." Alec stood straight up again and held the button between them in his open palm. "But you don't have to give them to me, okay?"

 

Magnus held his hand out with a sigh. "Alright. I'll take it back, then."

 

Alec snatched his hand back and playfully scoffed. "Hell no! You forfeited your rights to the button. It's mine now."

 

Magnus couldn't help but stretch up onto his tiptoes and steal a quick kiss from Alec. He seemed to be a bit calmer than earlier, not as flustered and bashful as before, and Magnus was curious if that was a regular occurrence on his dates. He didn't want to jump in and ask that right away, so he started with something a bit easier to answer. "Have you brought your previous boyfriends clothes shopping before? Is this a normal second date for you?"

 

Alec breathed in sharply and widened his eyes. "Uh…" He looked lost for a moment, like he was racking his brain for the right answer. Was it the wording that threw him off? Maybe throwing the word 'boyfriend' into the mix was a bit much, even though Magnus wasn't trying to imply that he was Alec's boyfriend (no matter how much he wanted that to be true). Alec shook his head slowly with a hint of a blush coloring the apples of his cheeks. "...No. This is my first clothes shopping date."

 

Nevermind. The bashfulness hadn't left at all. Why was Alec so… different on this date compared to every other time spent together? It just didn't make any sense.

 

~~~

 

Magnus was lounging on the sofa, listening to Frank Sinatra on the record player, while Alec ran upstairs to fetch Jaime. Before he left, he looked a little panicky, like facing Jaime after "being caught" by him was going to be the worst thing in the world, so Magnus had to calm him down and get him to breathe. The switching of roles, not just for that moment, but for the entirety of their date so far, was so baffling .

 

Jaime appeared first, quickly followed by Alec, who was, once again, bright red with his eyes on the floor as they approached Magnus. "Alec–" Jaime started.

 

Alec jumped in once they were both standing in front of the couch, "Santi, we seriously weren't doing anything in there."

 

"Mhmm." Jaime poked at the mark Magnus left on Alec's neck with a knowing smirk. " Claro ."

 

Alec slapped his hand over the mark with a strangled sound, face flushing even deeper than before and eyes glued to his feet. Oh yeah, he was definitely ashamed of Jaime knowing about their make-out session. He really did see him as a parental figure, didn't he?

 

Jaime chuckled and gave Alec a squeeze on his bicep. "I'd like a minute to catch up with my friend, Alejo."

 

Alec nodded and cleared his throat, raising his eyes to meet Magnus'. "I'm going to, uh, go look at accessories." He bent over and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before strolling over towards the display tables in the front half of the shop.

 

Magnus watched him leave, possibly letting his eyes linger on Alec's ass for a moment, before he looked up at Jaime. "For the record, we really haven't done anything yet."

 

Jaime hummed in thought as he took a seat next to Magnus on the sofa. "I was serious about what I said before, Magnus. I really do want to stop by for an appointment."

 

Hearing that made Magnus' heart sing. It had been so long since they'd had their last conversation, and they used to be really close before Jaime left. Getting the chance to know Jaime as he was now was beyond exciting, and Magnus was ready to pounce on that opportunity. "I have openings next week!"

 

"Uh, next week is going to be a bit rough for me," Jaime said, rubbing at the old scars on his right arm this time. "But after that I'm free."

 

They set a date for the appointment, a couple weeks out from then, before they moved onto what Magnus had been up to over the last decade. It wasn't a very long line of conversation, since Magnus had done absolutely nothing out of the ordinary for most of the last century, all the way up until he met Alec, that was. When he was brought up, Jaime grinned at Magnus and asked, "You know what, Magnus?"

 

"Hm?" Magnus quirked a brow.

 

Jaime set his hand on Magnus' shoulder, his grin widening. "You look happier, too."

 

"Do I?" Magnus asked, his brows knitting together as he thought about that. He definitely felt a lot happier than he had in a long time. Hell, this was the happiest he'd ever been as far as he could remember. He just wasn't aware that it was obvious to anyone but him.

 

Jaime nodded, then he flicked his eyes over to Alec for a moment before he asked, "How long have you two been together?"

 

Together . There was that word again, the one that Magnus wasn't sure about. Were they together? What did that even mean? Sure, they were dating, but that didn't mean that they were in a relationship, no matter how much it already felt like one. Alec could have been going on dates with other guys in his extremely limited free time for all Magnus knew. He sure as fuck hoped not, but he didn't have the right to tell Alec not to, not unless they were officially exclusive. Was it too early to have that talk? "Uh, well, this is technically our second date."

 

" Second date? Really?" Jaime asked, looking oddly surprised for some strange reason. His eyes drifted over towards Alec again as he whispered to himself, "That makes a lot of sense." It made zero sense to Magnus. What did that have to do with anything? "So, it hasn't been that long, then?"

 

"No, we've known each other for just a couple of weeks." That seemed like a ridiculously short amount of time, once Magnus actually stopped and thought about it. Had it really only been that long? "But we've been spending a ton of time together. Probably way more than most people do when they first start dating." He watched as Alec passed by them on his way to another display table, his bright, sunshiny grin beaming as they briefly locked eyes. 

 

"Huh," Jaime mused, gathering Magnus' attention again with the sound. "You know, Magnus, in my four years of knowing that boy, I have never seen him smile like that before. His whole face just lights up, like– like…" Jaime made a circular gesture with his hand in front of his face as he tried to find the right word.

 

"Sunshine?" Magnus offered, quite familiar with that particularly beautiful expression himself.

 

Jaime snapped his fingers. "Sí! Yes ! When he looks at you, dios , I have never seen him happier."

 

That was news to Magnus. He'd only ever seen the bright and cheerful side of Alec, with a tiny bit of insecurity and angst mixed in. "I thought he always smiled like that?"

 

"No." Jaime shook his head. "Nowhere near as bright as now. And I've never seen him this bashful before."

 

Huh. Well, at least Magnus wasn't the only one amused by Alec's near-constant blush. "Me neither."

 

They both watched as Alec deposited a couple things at the register, which was set atop a glass case full of jewelry and watches, next to the pile of clothes that Magnus had picked out for purchase. He caught Magnus' eyes again with his gorgeous grin before he made his way towards the back end of the shop.

 

"You know he's crazy about you, right?" Jaime asked, drawing Magnus' attention away from Alec again.

 

Magnus wasn't sure what to say to that. He knew that Alec was attracted to him, which was still completely baffling, but he wasn't sure he'd go as far as to say Alec was crazy about him. "I know he cares about me. He's mentioned it a few times."

 

"He called me last night to set up today, and do you want to guess how long that conversation was?" Jaime asked, and Magnus shrugged, having absolutely no clue how to answer. "It was over an hour long. The most I've talked to him on the phone before last night was like ten minutes, tops. And he talked about you the entire time. He didn't mention your name, but that boy just couldn't stop gushing about you. He was so excited for this date, Magnus. The only reason why the call ended was because his phone battery was close to dead."

 

"Oh… Wow." That warm and fuzzy feeling was back again, working its way through Magnus' veins as his heart thudded in his chest, and the swarm of butterflies was roused and fluttering in his belly. "What, um, did he say about me?"

 

Jaime smiled warmly. "Ah, that's not my place to say. But I can tell you that it was all enthusiastically positive." He glanced over at Alec and quickly, discreetly motioned for Magnus to look, too.

 

When Magnus looked Alec's way, their eyes met instantly, because Alec was gazing at him again with so much affection it hurt . The warm fuzzies and butterflies went into overtime, flip-flopping his insides and rendering him helpless against the dopey grin he knew was gracing his face. Fuck, he was such a goner for that man.

 

Jaime gave Alec a little wave with a snicker, which sent Alec into a fit of instant embarrassment, his face flushing red for the thousandth time that day. "He's a good man, Magnus. One of the best men I've ever known. But he's way too hard on himself, and he needs someone who will support him and show him just how great a guy he truly is."

 

That was true, and it hurt a bit to hear it. As much as Magnus wanted to be that person, he wasn't sure he was up for that challenge, given his own shortcomings. "I agree."

 

"I think you're that man," Jaime said, giving Magnus' upper arm a soft rub.

 

"You do?" Magnus asked. "But I'm–"

 

"You're a great guy yourself!" Jaime gently squeezed Magnus' arm. "I know you've got your insecurities, we all do. But I know that you do all that you can for the people around you; you encourage everyone to see the good in themselves and what their potential is." He smiled before he added, "I know from experience. And I also know that you need someone like him in your life. I think you're great for each other."

 

Hearing all of that had Magnus' heart thudding harder in his ribcage. "You really think so?"

 

"I do. He's got so much love to share. The biggest heart I've ever seen." Jaime huffed out a little chuckle. "Did you know that he donates his clothes to the store?"

 

No, Magnus did not . " What ?"

 

Jaime nodded. "He buys new clothes each season, only keeps one or two items he really likes, then just gives them to me to sell and tells me to donate his share to the local women's and children's center."

 

God, could Alec be any more perfect? How was he even real ? "Seriously?"

 

"Mmhm. That's thousands and thousands of dollars he spends and donates each season." Jaime leaned in closer to whisper, "Don't tell him, but I put my profits from selling his clothes into a bank account for a charity I'm working on."

 

"The LGBT+ youth center?"

 

"He told you about it?" Jaime asked with wide, shocked eyes, and Magnus nodded. "He never talks about his charity work with anyone. Ever ."

 

"I'm ready to pay, Jaime," Alec called out from his position at the register, still giving them a bit of privacy.

 

"Oh!" Magnus stood up and dug out his wallet. "I brought some money." He pulled out a variety of bills that totalled to $100, which was all of the cash he had set aside at home, and handed them over to Alec once they made their way over to him. "I hope that helps."

 

Alec smiled softly and handed the money back to Magnus. "Everything's on me, Mags. Keep your money."

 

Magnus knew it was a long shot, but he had to try anyway. "I want to pay for something !" he whined.

 

"Alec gets a discount for working here, but only if he pays with his own money." Jaime winked at Magnus, which made it pretty obvious that they had chatted about the issue last night and agreed not to take Magnus' money.

 

"How about you pay for dinner?" Alec offered.

 

That seemed like a reasonable compromise, so Magnus agreed with a nod. "I can do that."

 

~~~

 

After all of the things Magnus was taking home that day were bagged up and ready to go, and everything was paid for, Jaime pulled Alec into a firm embrace. "I know what's coming up, Mijo," he said, and Alec closed his eyes with a wince. "If you need anything, anything at all , do not hesitate to call me."

 

"I know," Alec replied softly.

 

Jaime brought a hand up to cup Alec's cheek and gave it a couple affectionate pats. " Te amo , Alec. Don't forget that."

 

"Yo también te amo, Papí," Alec said with a crack in his voice, then he bent down and gave Jaime a kiss on the cheek. After ending the hug with a firm squeeze, Alec turned to Magnus. He had… tears in his eyes? And he cleared his throat before he said, "I'm, um, going to go put everything in the car and come back for you, okay?" Magnus nodded, and Alec gave him a chaste kiss before he grabbed the bags and left the store.

 

Jaime pulled Magnus into his own firm hug, looking up into his eyes as soon as they parted. "I love that boy dearly, Magnus. Don't break his heart."

 

"I won't," Magnus said, meaning it wholeheartedly. Because, if anyone in this situation was going to have their heart shattered, it was definitely going to be him.

Notes:

What did you guys think of Jaime? Please let me know! Comments and kudos really make my day, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on social media, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 18: As You Wish

Summary:

The conclusion of the Second Date!

...Or is it??? 😉

Notes:

Hey y'all!

It's been a minute, huh? 😅 Sorry it took so long to post this. I actually had it almost done like a week ago but then I realized that I forgot to write a very important chunk of it, so that delayed it even more.

Before I talk about this chapter, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who commented on chapter 17. Y'all are amazing. The love I got for Jaime was unexpected, but it made my queer little heart so happy. Thank you thank you thank you! 🖤🖤🖤

This chapter is a little all over the place. A little bit of angst, lots of humor, some fluff and cutesy shit, and plenty of new info on both our boys. The study/technology scene was my favorite bit to write, and I hope you guys laugh as much as I did when I was working on it! There might be some references made that non-US citizens won't get, but I'll try to explain things in the end notes so I don't spoil anything (feel free to ask questions in the comments if you need more info!). There will be a lot of end notes, actually. You'll see why!

I hope you enjoy reading this 9.4k chapter!

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Right as they exited the store, Alec made a sharp right turn towards the shop next door, as if on instinct, and came to a sudden stop when he realized what he had done. Magnus had no idea what the hell was happening, so he glanced around to find answers and saw what they had stopped in front of: it was a shop nearly identical to The Re-find Gentleman, except instead of clothing, the shop contained… yarn? The window was full of skeins of colorful yarn, balls of wool roving, and projects made from various fibers on display. And Alec was achingly gazing at everything.

 

They stood frozen in place on the sidewalk, parting the flow of pedestrians like an island in a river, both facing the yarn shop for a moment before Magnus gave Alec's hand a squeeze. "Did you… want to go in?"

 

"Uh, what?" Alec blushed and shook his head as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "What? No!" He blasted out one of the fakest laughs Magnus had ever heard. "No, I, uh, I don't know why I even walked over here." He tugged on Magnus' hand to try to get him moving again, but Magnus stood firmly in place.

 

Those were not the words and actions of a man who clearly had a thing for yarn. That was an act of desperation to cover up something, and Magnus was having none of it. " Alec ."

 

Alec stopped struggling to escape and just closed his eyes as he answered, "Yeah?"

 

"Did you want to go in?" Magnus asked again with a bit more force than before, trying to get a clear answer.

 

"Pft!" Alec blasted out another fake sound with an equally fake smile. "Why, uh, would I want to do that?"

 

Magnus knew he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he showed some interest of his own, so he pointed to a scarf made from a gorgeous blue and green yarn. The way that it was dyed made it fade from a deep navy to a bright cobalt, with forest and emerald green randomly flecked throughout the ombre pattern. "That's a beautiful colorway. I love the variegation."

 

Alec seemed to simultaneously calm down and perk up at the same time, like his brain switched from defensive to curious in the same split second. "Yeah?"

 

"Mmhm." If Magnus bought some of that yarn, he'd absolutely make a sweater for Alec out of it, perfect for making his phenomenal eyes stand out more than usual. Maybe he would; it would make a great holiday gift, and he'd have plenty of time to make it before the season arrived.

 

"You know about yarn?" Alec asked timidly as he searched Magnus' face for the hint of a joke, which he wasn't going to find.

 

Magnus nodded and smiled. "Of course I do. I knit my own sweaters."

 

"You…" Alec blinked a few times as that information soaked in, then he released a burst of laughter when the realization struck. "You knit your own sweaters !" he said, like it was the most fascinating fact in the world.

 

Magnus couldn't help but giggle along with Alec for a moment, fully captivated by the boyish energy and amazement he emanated. "I do." He watched as Alec mouthed the word "wow" and beamed at him, melting his heart into overly-emotional goo. "You seem to know about yarn, too."

 

"I, um… I crochet," Alec said with a shy smile, his chin tucked into his chest like it was shameful to admit that fact.

 

"Were you too embarrassed to tell me?" Magnus asked, and Alec nodded. "Why?"

 

Alec shrugged. "It's not exactly a manly hobby."

 

Magnus pouted and squeezed Alec's hand. "I don't care about that ."

 

"I know. I just…" Alec sighed. "It's just a habit, not talking about it. I learned how to do it in high school, got mercilessly made fun of for it, and then I joined a Stitch 'n Bitch club in college. Never learned how to knit, though."

 

Every little fact Magnus learned about Alec only made him more and more enamored with the man. He was pretty sure that feeling would never end. "I never learned how to crochet. Maybe we can teach each other?"

 

"I'd like that," Alec said with a soft smile. "The last time I taught someone how was…" His smile fell a little as his eyes grew distant. "I taught Max. He was wicked smart and picked up on it faster than I did, and he was teaching me how to do things before he…" Alec winced and took a deep, steadying breath.

 

Oh. Max. The little brother who passed away. Magnus couldn't recall when Alec said he had died, if he even mentioned it at all. Maybe it was still a fresh wound, given the way Alec reacted to the memory? Magnus let go of Alec's hand without a thought and wrapped his arm around his waist, surprising a gasp out of Alec. Alec stared down at him with wide eyes for a beat before he brought his arm around Magnus' shoulders in turn. "I'd like to hear more about him. Your little brother."

 

Alec attempted to smile, which read more painful than anything, and continued to stare down at Magnus in wonder. "I'd like to tell you, but…" He shook his head as if he was attempting to clear away his sudden bout of angst. "Another time, I promise."

 

Magnus took the hint and decided to veer the conversation in a different direction. "What do you crochet?"

 

"Hats, scarves, and blankets for the shelter," Alec said after a moment of thought, then added, "Oh! And amigurumi toys, too."

 

Now, Magnus was pretty sure of the answer, but –for humor's sake, to lighten up the mood– he still asked, "Which shelter?"

 

Alec stared down at Magnus with his signature adorably confused expression, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

 

"Well, you volunteer at one for people and one for animals, so I was wondering which one you crochet for," Magnus tried to explain with feigned innocence. He had to bite back the laughter waiting to erupt like an overactive volcano.

 

It took less than a second for Alec to burst into a fit of snorts and giggles. "Oh my god! The people , Mags!"

 

Those joyous sounds, that beautiful, beaming grin… Yeah, Magnus' heart was thudding and his stomach was fluttering, and he was utterly captivated by the man in his grasp. He was stunned for a moment, dumbfounded by everything Alec , before he realized he was laughing along with him. And, oh , how easy that was.

 

"Although…" Alec mused after he caught his breath, a couple residual giggles bubbling out, "the animals would look adorable with little hats and scarves, especially for holiday photos. That would totally help with adoptions!"

 

The way that Alec talked about that melted Magnus' heart. He really did care about helping people, and animals, didn't he? Magnus hadn't done any volunteering or charity work in the past, since that usually required money or leaving the house. But knitting little hats and scarves for animals? Or humans? That he could do. "I would love to help with that. Both causes. Just let me know what is needed."

 

Magnus must have struck a perfect chord on Alec's heartstrings with those words, because he looked like he was on the verge of tears. But his smile was so wide and blindingly bright, it must have been the right thing to say. "Okay," he said with a barely noticeable voice crack. He cleared his throat and continued, "Let's get going, shall we?"

 

"You… actually don't want to go in?" Magnus asked as he pointed to the shop door with his braced hand.

 

Alec smiled softly. "I'd love to, but it's going to close in a few minutes. And it'll be dark soon."

 

"What?" Magnus glanced around until he found the hours sign, which said that they closed at 7 pm. "When did it get so late? How long were we in there?"

 

"Oh, we were shopping for at least four hours," Alec said casually, like that wasn't a huge deal. 

 

"Wow… It didn't feel like over four hours." Magnus looked up at Alec. "I was enjoying myself so much, I didn't even realize. That's the longest I've ever been inside a store, I think."

 

Alec blushed and glanced away with an adorable, shy smile, as he carefully guided Magnus through the steady stream of pedestrians over to the car. The side view mirrors popped out again, and Magnus proudly didn't jump that time. He slid into the passenger seat of Alec's spaceship car, hearing the song they had been listening to picking up right where they left off. It was cool again, comfortable, meaning that Alec had started the AC at some point during their shopping without Magnus even noticing. Alec fiddled around with the monitor dashboard thing after he got behind the wheel and brought up a web browser. A web browser ! In a car !

 

"What do you want for dinner?" Alec asked.

 

That was a great question. So far, Alec had been the one to suggest or provide for almost every meal, and Magnus had only chosen once, which was pizza. After eating everything Alec made, he had a better idea of what his tastes were, so he felt a bit braver with his suggestion. "Thai curry? It's been a while since I've had a good curry."

 

Alec snapped his fingers. "I know a great place that's on the way back! And we'll miss the construction if we detour in that direction."

 

"Perfect." Magnus watched as Alec typed in the web address for the restaurant and pulled up their online ordering menu.

 

Alec quickly picked his entree out first, since he was already familiar with their food, and then he guided Magnus through his recommendations until he settled on something, followed by an appetizer to share –vegetable basil dumplings– and then the order was placed. Through the car . Magnus handed Alec a rounded-up total number of bills to pay for dinner, and Alec reluctantly took them and stuffed them into his own wallet alongside a fat stack of $100 notes.

 

"Alright," Magnus said as he tapped through the music application, landing on a very specific playlist, "show me what 'Sad Boi Hours' is all about."

 

Alec made a realistic choking sound, like Magnus actually shocked him with his request, and turned towards him with nearly bulging eyes. " What ?"

 

"You heard me." Magnus smirked and waved towards the dashboard monitor thing. "Pick something for me to listen to."

 

"Oh, well…" Alec manufactured another fake chuckle and smile as he also gestured at the dashboard monitor thing. "You probably won't like anything."

 

That was quite a statement coming from someone who had yet to check out Magnus' extensive music collection. He raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Try me."

 

Alec stared him down for a moment, meeting his challenge, before he huffed and shrugged in defeat. "Alright. But I warned you." Alec scrolled through the playlist, looking like he was carefully analyzing each song in his mind before he settled on one called "Welcome to the Black Parade." He pressed his finger to it and stared at Magnus in apprehension, brows furrowed and eyes focused, as it began to play.

 

Magnus wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but it wasn't a melancholic piano opening, though the playlist title did have the word "sad" in it, so he guessed it was quite fitting. A youthful, masculine voice started to sing, followed by marching drums, building in intensity until electric guitars joined in to round out the sound. The voice ramped in intensity as well, sounding more like the punk bands Magnus was familiar with rather than the mellow sound he started with. And then the music changed, too, sounding just as punk as the voice, almost like an entirely different song. And then it changed again , this time sounding the most like a marching band, with the guitars eventually joining in, before switching back to the previous sound. And then back again, the singer belting out his lyrics like a ballad, blending the last two parts seamlessly, fading the song out with a simple marching drum line and a bassy thud at the very end. It was melancholic, energetic, chaotic, and all over the place… and Magnus loved it.

 

"I love it. It reminds me of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. The structure of the song, you know?"

 

Alec's eyes widened, his mouth agape for a moment before he could get a word out. " Really ?" Magnus nodded with a chuckle. Was it really that unbelievable? "You know Queen?"

 

Magnus scoffed. "Who doesn't know Queen?"

 

Alec shrugged, blushing with a little smile. "You really liked the song?" he asked, still sounding all sorts of insecure.

 

Magnus playfully rolled his eyes. "Yes."

 

"I'm shocked ." Alec shook his head, eyes still wide.

 

"Well, I did say you'd be surprised by what I like, didn't I? You still haven't seen my collection."

 

"True." Alec thought for a moment before saying, "There's another band that has a whole album inspired by the Beatles that I think you might like! Want to give that a shot?" Magnus nodded, Alec queued up the album, and then they were off to pick up their dinner.

 

~~~

 

Magnus also loved that album, and when they reached his house again, he asked Alec to burn a CD copy of it for him when he had a chance. Alec just stared at him for a moment before he broke into giggles and reached over to plant a kiss on Magnus' cheek.

 

"You're the cutest," Alec sighed as he sat back in his seat. "I'll set you up with Spotify so you can listen to anything you want."

 

Magnus wasn't sure what that meant, but he nodded anyway, and he waited for Alec to get out and walk him to the house. Once safely inside, Alec ran back out to the car to grab everything else while Magnus started to clear off the parlor table so they could eat. They could have, of course, eaten at the kitchen table, the island counter, or on the couch, but the parlor table was much more intimate and a little more formal than all of the other options. Plus, that's where they had their first dinner together, so maybe Magnus was feeling a bit sentimental about it. Maybe .

 

Alec brought the food into the kitchen, Magnus joining him after a moment, and they plated up everything and set the table while Magnus brewed a pot of chamomile tea. Okay, yes, he was definitely feeling sentimental, but he also didn't have a wide selection of non-caffeinated teas.

 

"What did you order?" Magnus asked after they sat down and he poured each of them a cup of tea. He took a bite of his own curry –green with shrimp– and had to close his eyes for a moment to savor it. "I didn't get a chance to see what you picked out before we placed it."

 

"Oh, uh, coconut mango curry with coconut crusted…" Alec said, obviously hesitant to finish his sentence, breathing deeply before he added, " tofu ."

 

"Tofu?" Magnus asked, and Alec nodded with the hint of a blush coloring his cheeks. "Interesting. Can I try it?"

 

"Uh, yeah!" Alec nodded. "Yeah, give me a sec." He spooned a bit of his curry over his plate of rice and added a cube of tofu on top before he scooped it up with his spoon and held it out for Magnus to take.

 

Oh, Alec was feeding him again. Magnus' stomach did a funny little flip when he thought back to the first time it happened, just before the utter chaos of their first date had arrived, but this time Alec was gazing at him while he waited for Magnus to make his move. He reached forward and mouthed the spoonful of food, instantly closing his eyes again to take it all in as he pulled away to chew. "Mm, that's really good!" he said as he held his napkin up to his mouth to hide his chewing.

 

"Yeah?" Alec asked with his beautiful, bright smile.

 

"Mmhm!" Magnus made quick work of building his own bite for Alec to take and held his spoon out across the table. "Here, try mine!"

 

Alec's smile fell as he stared at the spoon, instead morphing it into a slight frown. "Oh, I'm, um, I'm good. Thanks though."

 

That was… weird. Magnus glanced at his bowl and then back at Alec, feeling quite confused. "You recommend this one to me. I thought you enjoyed it?" His statement curled into a question. "Do you not like green curry?"

 

"No, I do." Alec continued to stare at the spoon, swallowing thickly as his blush deepened.

 

"You have to try it! The shrimp are so tender!" Magnus nudged the spoon towards Alec.

 

Alec held his hand up, palm facing Magnus, his breathing becoming more rapid. "That's okay, Mags. I'm good."

 

"What's the matter, Alec?" Magnus asked, an uneasy twinge settling into his gut.

 

"Nothing's the matter," Alec said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck with his knuckles, his eyes darting around the room. Oh, something was definitely the matter.

 

Magnus pulled the spoon back and stared at it for a moment before he ate the bite himself. "Do you not like shrimp?"

 

Alec shrugged slowly, one shoulder popping up before the other, as red as ever. "Not… really , no."

 

Okay, that made sense. Alec hadn't specified what kind of protein he liked with the green curry. "Oh. Not a fan of seafood?"

 

Alec shook his head, humming out a negative sound. His blush crept all the way up to the tips of his ears, his breath still coming out in quick little pants like he was on the verge of panicking.

 

Magnus thought back to when they had pizza together, and also when Alec was making their fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, when Alec refused to try the pepperoni, sausage, or prosciutto. "What about… pork?"

 

Alec shook his head again, his eyes averting towards his lap. "No…"

 

Okay, so Alec didn't eat seafood or pork, but what about, "Chicken?"

 

Alec curled in on himself, shoulders hunched forward and chin tucked into his chest. He didn't say anything, but all of that was answer enough for Magnus to work with. No seafood. No pork. No chicken… no meat of any kind? Come to think of it, Magnus couldn't recall a single dish he had eaten the past week that had anything more than eggs or cheese as far as animal products went. Everything fell into place, causing Magnus to snap his fingers and accidentally release a couple pitiful blue sparks that sputtered out in an instant.

 

"Oh!" Magnus chuckled. "It makes so much sense now!"

 

"Huh?" Alec shot his eyes back up to meet Magnus' face again. "What does?"

 

"You're a vegetarian , aren't you?" Magnus asked softly.

 

Alec opened his mouth to say something, but all that escaped was a prolonged croaking sound, so he ended up just closing his mouth, staring down at his clenched fists, and nodding in silence instead. 

 

Magnus pushed himself back from the table and stood up, rounding over to where Alec sat. He leaned his hip against the edge and placed his good hand on Alec's shoulder, gently stroking the silk of his shirt with his thumb. "Why didn't you tell me?"

 

"Because I usually get made fun of for it," Alec mumbled, still refusing to make eye contact.

 

And that broke Magnus' heart. Who the fuck was bullying this wonderful, kind man? Alec had mentioned before that at least one member of his family gave him trouble for things such as this, which made it even worse. "I'd never make fun of you for that, Alexander."

 

"I know. It's just a habit." Alec shrugged. "It's also not a very manly thing to a lot of people."

 

" That doesn't matter to me," Magnus reminded him again, and he moved his hand to cup Alec's jaw, tilting up his chin, but Alec kept his eyes down. "Crocheting? Fashion? Makeup? Being a vegetarian? None of those things have anything to do with how 'manly' you are. But they are important to your identity –which I'm quite fond of, by the way– and that's what matters."

 

Alec gazed up into Magnus' eyes again, beautiful hazel framed in shades of violet, and smiled with a little sigh. "I know," he said softly, his voice vibrating through his throat into Magnus' hand.

 

"What made you become vegetarian?" Magnus asked out of pure curiosity, tracing his fingers over Alec's jaw down to his shoulder again.

 

After a moment of thought, Alec said, "It's good for the environment. The way that animals are farmed in huge facilities is awful and is a huge contributor to pollution and climate change. And the way animals are treated is even worse , like they're just commodities and not living beings with thoughts and emotions."

 

Magnus smiled. "You really do love animals, don't you?"

 

"I do! I really, really do!" Alec said with bright enthusiasm, his eyes lighting up and his hands becoming more and more animated as he spoke, so animated that Magnus had to pull his hand back in order to avoid a collision. "Did you know that chickens like to snuggle? And that pigs are smarter than dogs? And cows love to play? I know most people can easily separate animals we love from ones we eat, but I can't. I just don't see a difference. And most of those animals that humans treat as only food will never get to snuggle, or play, or–" Alec abruptly shut his mouth and covered it with his hand, breathing in sharply through his nose a few times before he spoke again, muffled. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

 

The sudden stop threw Magnus for a loop. "What? What are you sorry for?"

 

Alec cleared his throat and moved his hand away, keeping his eyes fixed on his bowl. "I was getting carried away. Sometimes I go on rants about it."

 

Magnus shook his head in confusion, reaching forward to tip Alec's chin up again. "What's wrong with that? It's something you're clearly passionate about."

 

"Most people don't want to hear it. Trust me ," Alec said, his eyes and nostrils flaring. "I mean, it's not like I go around yelling at people, telling them what they can and cannot eat. I don't actually care, unless they are actively trying to upset me, which some really enjoy doing."

 

Magnus could see that happening. There were plenty of assholes out there in the world. "Well, rant all you want around me." Alec gave him a disbelieving eye-roll, and Magnus tapped his thumb against Alec's chin before he added, "I'm serious ." Alec's second disbelieving eye-roll made him huff out an annoyed breath, so he decided to change topics. "What's your favorite animal?"

 

Alec's eyes lit up again, a small smile tipping up the corners of his lips. "Cows."

 

"And what do you love about cows, Alexander?" Magnus asked, stroking at the edge of Alec's jawline.

 

"They're just so friendly, and they seem really sweet! They're agile, and they are so cute and playful, and they make happy noises when you rub their bellies!" Alec was so animated as he spoke Magnus had to draw his hand back again , which made him giggle to himself. 

 

"How long have you been a vegetarian?"

 

"Um…" Alec tilted his head as he sorted through his memory, "Since sometime in highschool? Almost a decade now."

 

With barely a thought, Magnus asked, "Would you like it if I went vegetarian, too?"

 

" What ?" Alec's eyes widened in shock. "No! You don't have to do that. You don't have to change to make me happy."

 

Magnus didn't suggest it solely for that reason, but he couldn't lie and say that it wasn't an important one. "Would it, though? Make you happy?"

 

Alec scrunched up his face, looking all sorts of torn. "Mags…"

 

"I've been vegetarian before. It wouldn't bother me. I usually just eat what's convenient and tastes good, or whatever my partner's diet is. And, to be honest, your cooking is phenomenal compared to the frozen dinners I usually eat." Magnus gave Alec a little playful nudge on his shoulder, which elicited a bashful smirk from the man before he dropped his gaze to his lap again.

 

"I don't want you to change your diet because of me," Alec mumbled.

 

"What if I want to change my diet because of you?" Magnus said, echoing a similar conversation they had had earlier that week, albeit about a totally different topic that time.

 

Alec leveled Magnus with an unimpressed stare. "Haha," he deadpanned, and shook his head. "I can cook meat, too, you know. I'd rather not handle it myself, but I don't mind teaching you how to cook it."

 

"I don't care if you can grill the best steak in all of New York. If you're uncomfortable with handling meat," Magnus fought back a snicker that threatened to escape at his choice of words, because it wasn't the time for that, "I don't want you to do it." Alec only groaned in response, so Magnus continued. "I've already been eating almost completely vegetarian this whole week, and I hadn't even noticed. I'd only be committing to it now."

 

" Magnus …" Alec whined, looking even more torn than before with a pout to his lips.

 

Magnus chose to ignore that, instead carrying on with his train of thought. "Can I donate my food? Will the women's and children's center accept it?"

 

Alec stared at Magnus with furrowed brows for a moment before he sighed heavily. "They don't accept fresh food, but they do accept pantry and frozen."

 

"Awesome!" Magnus grinned. "I have a whole chest freezer full of meals in the basement that they can have. I'll just finish off my fresh food, since there isn't much of it anyway, and that'll be that."

 

"Magnus, are you sure about this?" The furrow between Alec's eyes deepened as he stared down even more with apprehension.

 

"I am. You said it's better for the environment, it's more convenient if it's also your diet, and you won't be uncomfortable. I don't see any downsides to this." Magnus shrugged and circled back to his chair and settled back in, picking up his spoon right away.

 

Alec picked up his spoon as well and stirred his curry absently, like he was deep in thought. "It can be more expensive," he eventually said. "And you've mentioned that you don't have a lot of money."

 

"It's not like I'm feeding a huge family or anything. I'm sure it won't be that bad." Magnus spooned his curry over his rice again and glanced up at Alec, who ducked his head with the cutest little bashful smirk before he carried on with his own food. 

 

~~~

 

The rest of dinner was mostly uneventful, save for the multiple times Magnus caught Alec gazing at him when he thought he wasn't looking. Every time he did, Alec would duck his head with rosy cheeks, and Magnus' heart went into overtime, pulse racing with a giddy warmth. Magnus couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever had that effect on him before, if anyone ever did.

 

They were now in the kitchen, Magnus packing up their leftovers and Alec washing up the last of the dishes they had used, while they chatted about Chairman Meow's obsession with his new toy. Magnus mentioned how entertaining it was to watch him interact with it, which sparked a thought. 

 

"I'll have to find my VCR so we can watch our movie. I think it's somewhere in the basement," Magnus said as he snapped the last lid into place and opened up his fridge.

 

"VCR? What ?" Alec laughed, toweling off a bowl and setting it on the counter. "No, Mags, it's a Smart TV. We can just pick something on an app. I just need your WiFi password."

 

Magnus set the container in his hand down on the shelf in front of him and turned towards Alec, eyebrow quirked. "What's a WiFi?" He still had no idea what a Smart TV was, but he at least knew it was a television. He had never even heard of WiFi before.

 

Alec almost dropped the plate in his hand and scrambled to set it on the counter, tossing the towel on top of it before he stared at Magnus. "You're kidding me , right?"

 

Magnus squinted his eyes and shook his head slowly. "No?"

 

"You…" Alec knit his brows together. "You do have internet, don't you?"

 

Magnus scoffed. " Of course I do." He placed the last container in the fridge and closed the door, then gestured for Alec to follow him as he started walking out of the room and into the hallway. "Let me show you."

 

Alec followed behind Magnus until they stopped at the end of the hallway in front of a nondescript door. "I thought that this was a storage closet or something."

 

"It is, in a way." Magnus used his good hand to trace a couple invisible runes into the wood, much like how he summoned his greenhouse staircase, and turned the brass knob. "I keep it locked by magic, due to some very important items kept inside, but I trust you." Alec smirked and Magnus pushed open the door to reveal his study.

 

It wasn't a room that Magnus frequented often, but it was one he loved. The first thing that he always noticed was the sweet scent of aged paper that wafted past the moment the door opened, followed closely by the immense amount of books and paper stacked just inside the opening and beyond. The room was about the same size as his bedroom, an average size, but it looked tiny in contrast due to the amount of things filling up the space. There were four solid wood bookshelves lining the walls, overflowing with said books, a small desk over by the window where his computer sat, and an old wooden trunk nestled into a far corner. Beyond the furniture, every amount of available space, including the floor, was taken up by tall stacks of books and papers, all the way up to the ceiling, with only a narrow walkway to navigate through the sections of the room. Magnus had to admit that it looked like a librarian's nightmare.

 

"Holy shit , Magnus!" Alec said the moment he stepped into the room. " What ? What is all of this?" He turned in place and stared in wonder as he glanced about the chaotic space.

 

"This is my study. It's where I do my translations." Magnus pointed to one of the shelves, "That's my foreign language shelf," he pointed to the others in turn, "that's my ancient language shelf, my downworld language shelf, and my comics." He gestured to the piles about the room. "Everything else is either a spell book, history book, do-it-yourself book, or a translation in progress."

 

Alec paused and turned to smirk at Magnus. "You read comics?"

 

Magnus shrugged. "Yeah? I collect them in all sorts of languages. Take a look." He motioned for Alec to do so, and he stepped to the side when Alec scooted around him. It was a little comical watching Alec shimmy his tall, broad body through the narrow walkway trying not to knock anything over.

 

"This is a fire hazard, Mags!" Alec said when he accidentally nudged a precariously stacked pile of papers and fought to steady them.

 

"It's perfectly safe, I assure you. My house can't catch on fire." Magnus followed after Alec and stood next to him, watching as he trailed a finger down the spine of a volume of manga.

 

"What?" Alec turned his head towards Magnus. "What do you mean?"

 

"Spell work. I have a…" Magnus paused when a twinge of pain and guilt prodded at his stomach, needing to take a deep breath to settle himself again, " history with fire, so I used magic to ensure that my house couldn't burn. Everything is immune to it, except for anything brought into the house after I cast the spells. The newer items might burn, but everything else will stay intact."

 

Alec opened his mouth to speak, like he wanted to ask more about the subject, but he must have thought better of it and sighed. "Interesting." 

 

Magnus noticed that Alec still had his hand on the book. "Do you read manga?" Alec shrugged and dropped his hand, glancing away at the rest of the room. Weird . "I'd let you borrow the series, but I'm afraid it's all in Cantonese."

 

Alec glanced back at him with a soft smile, like he wanted to say something about it but couldn't, then pointed to the trunk. "That looks ancient . What's in there?"

 

"It's an antique , not an ancient artifact," Magnus said with a little pout, since he was much older than said item, which made Alec giggle. The trunk was made from oak slats, held together by steel strapping and rivets, with the corners reinforced by the same metal and leather handles standing out on the sides. It had a slightly domed lid and a large metal lock front and center, but not even a key could open up the trunk. It would take the reversal of several spells to crack open the case and reveal what's inside. "It's from the mid 1800s, given to me by some very old friends. It's full of some priceless items entrusted to me for safekeeping."

 

"Magical things?" Alec asked as he shuffled around another stack of books to stand in front of the trunk, and Magnus followed him again, settling right beside him.

 

Technically, yes, but the people the items used to belong to would riot if their powers were ever called magic . "Not quite. Not the kind of magic you're thinking of, at least."

 

Alec eyed the trunk warily. "Is it dangerous?"

 

"It has the potential to be, if put into the wrong hands, but I doubt anyone able to wield the magic is around anymore." Magnus didn't count himself as one of them, despite his heritage; he was pretty damn sure he'd be struck down on the spot if he attempted to use the most powerful of the items. "Maybe I'll show you what's inside some other time."

 

Alec smiled, then he seemed to suddenly remember that they were supposed to be doing something before they got sidetracked. He glanced around again and settled his sights on the desk. "That's… a beast of a computer. How old is that thing?"

 

"Oh, I got it sometime around 2000, I think?" Magnus answered, making his way over to the desk and settling into his rolling chair, the old plastic creaking in protest as it took his weight. He looked over the aged, yellowed plastic tower case before he pressed the power button. The machine came to life, electronic beeps and whirring fans filling in the silence while it booted. The CRT monitor flashed on, displaying the Windows '98 logo for a moment, and then a login screen appeared. Magnus entered in his password and swiveled in his chair while his desktop loaded with a little melody.

 

Alec's brows were raised and his eyes were wide as he stared at the machine. "Wow. Okay. So, what kind of internet do you have, then?" he asked as he searched around the computer and desk with his eyes. "Broadband?"

 

Magnus held up a finger and clicked on an application. "Just a moment." He entered in another password and sat back in his creaking chair as the sounds of a dial-up handshake commenced. 

 

"You've got to be kidding me," Alec groaned as the beeps and boops and electronic screeches filled in the void of silence between them, looking like every single noise was physically painful to hear with his scrunched up face and furrowed brows.

 

" Welcome! You've got mail! " a chipper, robotic male voice called out through the crackly sounding speakers.

 

"I've got mail," Magnus said with a bright smile.

 

Alec buried his face in his hands and released a muffled litany of profane Spanglish. "By the fucking Angel , Magnus!"

 

Magnus' heart stuttered for a moment when he realized what Alec had just said. It was one thing to reference angels in Spanish, like Alec had done before, but it was a whole different thing when he said a famous –although more explicit– Shadowhunter line. Maybe they weren't as long forgotten as Magnus thought they were.

 

Was Alec even aware of his heritage? The Lightwoods were a famous family line, along with the Herondales, Fairchilds, and Morgensterns, but there was no possible way their bloodlines had remained pure after all these years of giving up their runes and weapons. Was there?

 

Magnus was so lost in thought that he didn't check to see what new mail he had received until Alec let out an exasperated sigh, jarring him back into the present. He read over the subject line and groaned. " Male enhancement ? Why do I keep getting these?"

 

" Please tell me you haven't clicked on any of those!" Alec asked as he gripped Magnus' shoulder, looking genuinely worried for some reason.

 

"What? No! Of course not," Magnus denied with a shake of his head. "I don't need any help in that department." The moment he realized he said that last sentence out loud instead of in his head, he flushed and covered his face with his good hand, burning red hot with embarrassment.

 

Alec choked on his spit and snorted into a fit of giggles like a preteen boy. "Good to know, Mags!" He shook his head with an amused smirk and gave Magnus a couple pats on his shoulder. "I can't believe dial-up is still a thing. You can disconnect it. We'll just use my phone."

 

Magnus rubbed at his temple as he tried to make sense of what Alec just said. "We're going to watch a whole movie on your phone ? Is that even possible?"

 

"Yes?" Alec narrowed his eyes, speaking slowly like he was trying to solve a complex equation in his mind during their exchange, "But that's not what we're going to do. We'll connect the TV to my phone's internet hotspot."

 

"I'm so confused," Magnus said with his brows pinched together, because he was. He well and truly was dumbfounded by their conversation. "Phones have internet access now?"

 

"Yeah?" Alec answered in a strained and higher pitched voice than usual, looking more confused than Magnus felt, if that was even possible. "Can I– Can I see your phone, Mags?" he asked as he held his hand out, wiggling his fingers in anticipation.

 

It seemed like an odd request, but Magnus reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone anyway, handing it to Alec as soon as he had it in his grasp. Alec turned on the screen and stared down at the phone for a moment, eyes wide with what looked like surprise. "What?"

 

"Nothing…" Alec turned his attention towards Magnus with a warm and affectionate smile. "It's just, uh, your wallpaper." He flashed the screen of the phone at Magnus, his smile brightening into pure sunlight. 

 

Magnus was suddenly reminded that he saved their photo together as his wallpaper, the one where they were gazing into each other's eyes like the universe started and ended with only them. He blushed furiously, unsure if he should be embarrassed about that or not. "Oh, um, yes. I…" He shrugged, figuring Alec's reaction was a positive one, if his beautiful smile was any indication. "I really liked that photo."

 

Alec's gaze lingered, his grin so fond it melted Magnus' heart and sent a wave of warmth thudding throughout his veins. He must have noticed how long he had been staring, since he cleared his throat and darted his eyes back to the phone and focused on his original task. "How old is this thing? It has like six pixels."

 

"I don't know. Like… eight? Nine years old?" Magnus shrugged again. "It works perfectly fine."

 

"No, it's actually ten years old. Christ ." Alec tapped and scrolled and tapped some more as he looked through the phone. "Mags! There're no apps on this thing!"

 

Magnus disconnected from the internet and powered down his computer, swiveling his chair to face Alec straight on. "Why would I need apps? All I use it for is calling, texting, and taking pictures and videos."

 

"Ay dios mío…" Alec continued to navigate through the phone. "What service provider do you have?"

 

"Oh, I don't have one," Magnus said as he stood up and tucked his chair under the desk. "It's a pay-as-you-go phone."

 

"You're kidding me, right?" Alec asked, staring at the phone in horror.

 

Magnus shook his head slowly. "No?"

 

"I'm getting you a new one," Alec said as he handed back the phone. "And a computer. And setting you up with actual internet and WiFi."

 

" Alec !" Magnus whined. "No! I–"

 

Alec held up his hand between them, palm facing Magnus, to stop him from continuing. "Mags, I get those things for free ."

 

That wasn't the point Magnus wanted to get across. "Alexander… I don't need all those things. What I have works just fine."

 

"I know technology is scary, gramps, but it's not the enemy." Magnus grumbled, and Alec laughed before he took Magnus' good hand in both of his own. "Seriously, you run a business, Magnus. You should be up to date on technology, at least for the basics. And I've seen your website. It's pretty old compared to today's standards."

 

Magnus scoffed. "I built that site all on my own, thank you very much! I taught myself how to write HTML and CSS!"

 

"And that's awesome !" Alec said, giving Magnus' hand a gentle squeeze. Magnus only rolled his eyes. "Really! But, if you want people to take you seriously, it needs to be updated. Can you honestly say that you're as booked as you should be?"

 

"No…" Magnus admitted reluctantly through gritted teeth, eyes averted to the floor. "I mean, the advertisements have helped , but I still have a lot of open appointments."

 

Alec used one of his hands to tip Magnus' chin up again, still holding onto his hand with the other. "We can work on it together."

 

"You know how to build websites?" Magnus asked, eyebrow raised with skepticism.

 

Alec smirked. "I know a thing or two."

 

Magnus sighed, staring down at where their hands were joined. "You really don't have to do all of this. I've been doing fine on my own."

 

"I want to," Alec said with sincerity. "And you're not alone anymore, remember? I'm not going anywhere." He brushed his fingertips over the downy of Magnus' cheek, settling his hand along the edge of his jaw.

 

Magnus couldn't help but look up into his eyes again, those gorgeous, captivating eyes that he wanted to gaze into forever. "You really think updating everything will help?"

 

"Absolutely. I have a degree in Business, and I ' run the whole damn Institute ,' which you love to remind me about. I think that qualifies me as a reputable source on all of this, yeah?" Alec asked, a cute little smirk dancing on his lips. "Do you trust me?"

 

"Yes," Magnus answered without any hesitation. Because he did. He trusted Alec with his life.

 

Alec smiled. "Then let me help you."

 

"Okay," Magnus said with a nod, then he giggled when Alec leaned in and planted a loud, playful kiss on his cheek.

 

~~~

 

Magnus sat down on the living room couch and watched as Alec set everything up. The TV was basically a huge computer monitor, with applications and settings and everything. And Alec connected to something he called a "media server" at his house, which blew Magnus' mind when he tried to comprehend what that was, even after Alec explained it as clearly as he could. New technology was wild .

 

After Alec installed and logged into everything he had an account for (which was a lot ), he settled his back into the cushion and turned his head towards Magnus. "What do you want to watch? We have access to basically anything."

 

That was a bit of an overwhelming question, given Magnus still didn't understand how a TV could have applications and connect to the internet. He shrugged. "It's been like fifteen years since I've watched anything, so I have no idea. I'll let you decide."

 

"Well, I was thinking about one of my favorites, actually." Alec stared down as he fidgeted with the remote control in his hand, running his fingertips over the surface of the soft silicone buttons. He glanced back up with a shy little smile. "You might even know it, since it's from the 1980s."

 

That piqued Magnus' curiosity. "Oh? What is it?"

 

Alec's smile grew, less shy than before, but still hesitant as he suggested, "The Princess Bride?"

 

Magnus gasped and clapped his hands in unbridled excitement. "Yes! Yes, I love that one!"

 

Alec grinned his sunshiny grin and searched for the movie, finding it on his media server right away. Magnus scooted closer to Alec until they were shoulder to shoulder, and Alec took Magnus' good hand in his just as he started the movie. Magnus could hardly believe the size of the screen, and just how clear the picture was compared to his old brick of a television set. And the sound was so crisp and loud. Magnus was so blown away it was almost like a religious experience.

 

It wasn't long into the movie before Magnus noticed that Alec was mumbling the lines along with the actors, word for word, which he helplessly smiled about. It reminded him of the singing situation in the car earlier that day, but the roles were reversed this time. The next time Buttercup spoke, Magnus did, too, reciting the line perfectly. "Farm boy, fetch me that pitcher."

 

Alec froze next to him for just a second before he responded out loud with, "As you wish." He reached forward and grabbed the remote off the coffee table and paused the movie before he turned towards Magnus with a sheepish smile. "You heard me, didn't you?"

 

"I did. Felt it, too, actually." Magnus smirked. "You really do like this movie, don't you?"

 

Alec nodded with a warm and sweet smile. "It's one of my mom's favorites. She watched it all the time when I was little, and I fell in love with it, too. I watch it at least once a year."

 

That was unexpected but adorable, making Magnus mirror Alec's smile. "Well, recite as many lines as you want. I don't mind, as long as you don't mind me doing the same thing."

 

"I promise I'm not as bad as when I watch Monty Python." 

 

Magnus gasped. "I love Monty Python, too!"

 

"I'll add that to our marathon list, then," Alec said with a chuckle, then he glanced around for a moment and moved to grab the throw pillows at the far end of the couch.

 

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked while watching Alec shove the pillows on the other side of his body.

 

"You'll see." Alec grinned as he gently pushed down Magnus towards the pillows, which Magnus went along with, resting his head on one while still utterly confused. "Now scoot forward a little and put your legs up."

 

"Okay?" Magnus followed the instructions, mind racing with questions until Alec slotted himself behind Magnus' body and wrapped his arm around his torso. " Oh …" Alec wanted to cuddle .

 

"Is this okay? Are you comfortable?" Alec whispered into Magnus' ear.

 

Magnus… Well, Magnus wanted to cry . Most of the people he had dated previously weren't into cuddling, and even the ones who were usually didn't do it unless Magnus initiated it. The fact that Alec wanted to do it, presumably for the entire movie, was stirring up quite the mixture of intense emotions, and it reminded him of what Alec said the night before, when they had had their tearful moment together. He had said that he wished he could hold Magnus all night long, and this felt like a tiny taste of what that would have been like. Magnus wanted more

 

It took a second for Magnus to realize that he needed to answer Alec, so he took a steadying breath and replied, "This is perfect."

 

Alec hummed behind Magnus, kissed the crown of his head, and reached over him to grab the remote again. Once the movie resumed, Alec wrapped his arm back around Magnus, and they both recited the famous lines of the movie in unison, such as, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

 

Another one, probably Magnus' favorite out of the whole movie, was from the Impressive Clergyman, who spoke with such a distinct voice it was unforgettable. "Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togethah today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam. And wuv, twue wuv, will follow you forevah, so tweasuh your wuv," they both said together, unable to help the fit of giggles they devolved into by the end. 

 

Before Magnus realized it, the credits started to roll, the words "my love is like a storybook story, but it's as real as the feelings I feel" sung along to the end music as Alec still held Magnus tight to his chest, their bodies perfectly aligned down to their toes. Magnus couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever held him that way, the last time he had ever felt so safe and secure and cared for, and he didn't want it to ever end. Maybe it didn't have to, at least for the night.

 

Magnus wiggled in Alec's grip until he loosened it enough for him to move, and then he turned over to face him, ending up nose to nose with the most beautiful man he'd ever seen. Their eyes locked, and the sight of him stole the breath from his lungs so fast that Magnus fought to keep his gasp as quiet as he possibly could. He was pretty damn sure Alec would always have that effect on him, no matter how much time he spent with him. It still baffled Magnus that Alec wanted to spend any time at all with him to begin with.

 

How could someone as gorgeous, as generous, as perfect as Alec be interested in the likes of someone such as Magnus? The old, old , grumpy grandpa of a man, terrified of technology, traumatized to (literal) pieces, scared of the ever-changing world around him? What could Alec possibly see in him that made him want to stick around? It sure as hell wasn't his magic, that was blatantly obvious. Or his skills in bed, although those had yet to be revealed. Maybe, if Alec actually stuck around to get to that point, those would be enough for him to stay. History had made it pretty clear that that tactic worked well in the past with his exes. Even if Alec only wanted Magnus for his body, he was willing to take whatever form of affection he could get, as sad as that sounded. 

 

Magnus didn't want to dwell on that eventuality at the moment. Instead, he gazed into Alec's breathtaking eyes and smiled, his heart throbbing in his chest when Alec matched his expression like a perfect mirror, before he leaned in and pressed their lips together with a sigh. Alec melted into the contact, wrapping his arms tighter around Magnus as their mouths moved together in sync, soft and slick and faintly vanilla sweet.

 

Presses turned into swipes of tongue and nips of teeth, and breathy moans rumbled in their throats and chests as their intimate moment caught fire. Magnus' good hand found its way to Alec's chest, soft and smooth where it was bared, his fingers dipping inside the shirt just around the opening like he was following an invisible boundary. Alec hooked the heel of his foot around Magnus' ankle, pulling them flush together and aligning everything . Magnus was aroused, he had been for quite some time now, and he could feel just how worked up Alec was, too. It took every ounce of self control Magnus had not to rut into him, and, by the way Alec was slightly trembling, it seemed like he was struggling against the same urge.

 

Alec pulled back from the kiss, just enough to separate their lips, and pressed their foreheads together. His breaths were coming out in rapid pants, the puffs wafting over Magnus' face and sending warm tingles across his skin wherever they brushed. They resumed gazing at each other, foreheads still in tender contact, hands caressing over curves of muscle and juts of bone along their upper bodies, just laying there and breathing each other in like they were the only two beings in existence. It took a moment before Alec cleared his throat and said in a soft, husky voice, "I should probably go."

 

Magnus traced his fingertips over the sharp edge of Alec's jaw. "Stay the night."

 

Alec's entire body stiffened. "Wait, what ?"

 

"Stay the night?" Magnus repeated, this time more as a question because he was confused by Alec's response.

 

" Mags ." Alec looked deep into Magnus' eyes, brows pinched together. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

 

Magnus mirrored Alec's expression, the both of them seeming to be lost. "What do you think it means?"

 

"That you, uh, you want to, you know…" Alec stumbled out, cheeks stained pink, trailing off before he took a deep breath and added, "have sex?"

 

"Oh! Oh …" Magnus shook his head, his own face burning red hot with embarrassment. "No no no! Not that !"

 

Alec released a heavy sigh that sounded like… relief ? And he smiled warmly as he brushed a lock of hair off Magnus' forehead with the softest gesture. "Okay."

 

"I'm still not ready for, um, that . Not yet. I'm getting closer to that point. Really close, but I still need a little more time." Magnus didn't know when he'd be ready, he never predicted it before, but he could feel something shifting him over towards that arbitrary line in his mind. Maybe it was how close they were getting, or how much he already trusted Alec. Or maybe it was because he knew he was falling in love, and that was what his heart was waiting for.

 

Alec huffed out a little breath and swept his fingers through Magnus' hair as he gazed into his eyes. "Sweetheart, we've only been together for a week . It's perfectly fine if you need a lot more time. Don't pressure yourself into doing anything for my sake, okay?"

 

Together . Alec used the word together to describe whatever it was that he and Magnus had. Was it a relationship? Was it just casual? It sure as hell didn't feel casual, but, then again, Magnus had nothing to go off of by today's dating standards, so he couldn't say for sure. All he did know is that Alec considered himself together, something , with Magnus, and that meant everything.

 

"You want to know something funny?" Alec asked with a little smirk, almost to himself, bringing Magnus back into the moment.

 

The feeling of Alec's fingers carding through his hair was so soothing, Magnus  could only manage a "Hm?" in response.

 

Alec chuckled, his smirk morphing into something bashful. "I'm not ready, either."

 

" Really ?" That took Magnus by surprise, evident in his wide eyes. 

 

Alec nodded. "I'm kinda surprised by that myself. Like I've said before, I never take it slow. But, you… You're so different , Mags. I actually got nervous when I thought that that's what you were suggesting." He chuckled again, less bashful than before. "Like, I'm not scared of having sex with you. I'm scared of fucking up whatever we have, because it's just so good , and you make me so happy, and if I end up ruining it, I don't know what I'll do."

 

"You make me happy, too," Magnus quickly and easily confessed, and Alec beamed. "We can wait until we're both ready." He brought his hand up to cup Alec's cheek, thumb stroking over the tiny bit of stubble starting to poke through his skin. "I'd still like it if you spent the night, though. Just for sleeping, of course."

 

"Just for sleeping?" Alec asked. Magnus nodded, and Alec studied his face for a moment before he said, "Okay. Yeah. Yeah, I'll stay the night." He smiled and turned to press his lips to the palm of Magnus' hand. "As you wish."

Notes:

Fist things first, here is Sad Boi Hours if you want to listen to it. It's subject to change, but most of it will stay the same.

Second, I knit and crochet myself! I'm a pro at crochet, but I'm still teaching myself how to knit. And I've actually taught more guys how to crochet than other genders, too!

Third, I'm also a vegetarian! I have been for over a decade now, for health reasons in addition to what Alec's reasons were. The purpose of this chapter is not to be preachy at all, so I apologize if it comes across that way. All I want to say is, think about where your food comes from. Put your money towards sustainable and humane operations if you can. I know it's not a lifestyle for everyone.

On that note, you guys know I had to choose cows for Alec's favorite animal. If you know, you know. 😉 I did change up his quote to fit the scene.

Fourth, this is an AOL dial-up handshake. If you have never had the misfortune of experiencing dial-up internet and/or AOL, count yourself very lucky. For those that have, I'm sorry if this triggers any flashbacks to that awful time 😬🤣

Fifth, this chapter is titled after and makes references to one of my favorite movies of all time, The Princess Bride. It's a cult classic, and I highly recommend watching it!

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

-K 🖤

Ps- Follow my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts! If you want to see what I'm up to, or why it's taking me forever to update, feel free to check them out! I'll even share some sneak peeks and Malec-themed content! 😉 (I share different things on each site!)

And if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and chat with fellow Shadowfam, authors and readers alike, join the Malec Discord Server!

Pps- If you want to chat about this fic on social media, use the hashtag #youwillbeminefic

Chapter 19: Touch

Summary:

Two soft boys and angst so heavy it warrants a trigger warning 😬

Notes:

Hey y'all!

I'm SO sorry that I haven't updated in almost 3 months 😬 I sincerely didn't mean to take so long in updating. There are a bunch of reasons why, but I won't list off everything.

The first thing is that I took a month off to work on a digital portrait of Magnus! You can find it here on my Twitter, Insta, and Tumblr accounts (Instagram squashed it really hard, but the other two sites look great)! I'm really proud of it, and I hope you guys like it, too.

Second, this chapter delves into something a lot heavier and really personal to me, which is where a trigger warning comes in.

***TRIGGER WARNING***
In this chapter, I wrote about the topics of sexual assault, panic attacks/flashbacks, and consent. I've updated the tags to reflect that. What I wrote is a conversation about the topics, NOT any SA acts at all. Everything is vaguely spoken about and they are past experiences. Magnus and Alec are comfort characters for me, and I will NEVER, EVER write about them performing these acts on each other. Miscommunication and misunderstandings? Yes. Rape/non-con/sexual assault? Absolutely NEVER. You don't have to worry about that within my work.

It's a very personal topic for me because I have experienced it myself throughout multiple stages of my life to varying degrees of severity. Assume from that what you will. I just wanted to write about it in this story because it's important to the series overall, and it's important for people to be aware of it in general. Sexual assault can happen to ANY person, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, body type, clothing style, religion, etc.

This chapter was the hardest (and longest, clocking in at 12.8k words exactly) for me to write because of this topic. I tried to write the situation and conversation with care in the way that I wish it would happen for me personally. I want to make sure that you all know it has a POSITIVE outcome, and there is good communication and comfort as a result, so I hope that the topic as a whole doesn't deter you from reading the chapter. If it does, I understand. If you'd like for me to summarize the chapter for you, feel free to reach out either here in a comment or on my socials and I'd be happy to do that for you. Or if you just want to chat about it in general, I'm open to that as well.

With all of that said, I hope you enjoy the chapter. A lot of love (and triggering on my behalf 😅) went into writing it.

-Kasper 🖤

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Magnus used a hand towel to wipe off the condensation from his vanity mirror, the fabric loudly squeaking as it glided along the slick surface even above the roar of the exhaust fan. He stared at his distorted reflection, wavy and dripping down the glass, and sighed. As much as he was excited to spend the night with Alec, he was just as equally terrified. He hadn't spent the night with another person for over a century, and, even then… No. Nope. He wasn't going to go there. Alec would never .

 

He had debated on taking care of himself in the shower, since he had already been worked up before he even asked Alec to stay, and sharing a bed with the gorgeous man wasn't going to help at all in that department. He decided against it, though, feeling too self-conscious to go through with it. Yes, the exhaust fan was loud, but what if Alec could still hear things over it? Or what if he questioned why Magnus was taking so long in there? He'd rather be a horny mess than deal with Alec knowing exactly what he had been doing to himself.

 

Magnus patted his skin down with his towel before scrubbing it through his hair, and he reached towards the counter where he normally kept his clothes when he realized he had forgotten to bring some with him inside the bathroom. He groaned and wrapped his towel low around his waist, bracing himself to open the door to the cooler atmosphere of his bedroom. He switched off the fan and turned the handle to pull the door open, a gust of drier, chillier air rushing past him and making him shiver. And then he smiled.

 

Lying on the bed was Alec, with both of his knees propped up and his arm thrown over his face, holding his phone to his ear. "Gracias de nuevo por todo. Te amo mucho … Mmhm! Buenas noches."

 

"Everything okay?" Magnus asked, leaning against the doorframe.

 

Alec lifted his arm off his head with a questioning hum, then turned to face Magnus as he stood in the doorway. The moment Alec's eyes landed on him, the phone slipped out of his grasp and onto the bed, his mouth slightly agape and hand still in place as if he was unaware that the phone wasn't even there anymore. His eyes trailed up and down Magnus' body like he was studying it, like he was memorizing every detail he possibly could.

 

"Alexander?" Magnus felt a drop of water trickle down his neck onto his chest and watched as Alec traced it with his eyes, following that up with a dart of his tongue over his lips as if he wanted to lick it off Magnus' skin.

 

"Uh, what?" Alec asked, eyes still glued to Magnus' chest and abs. "Hi?"

 

"Hello," Magnus responded with a giggle. He'd never seen Alec so distracted before and it was amazing . "I asked if everything was okay."

 

Alec finally tore his eyes away and met Magnus' with concern, brows furrowed. "Yeah? Why wouldn't it be?"

 

"You were on the phone." Magnus pointed to Alec's hand, the empty one still in a phone-holding position.

 

"Oh!" Alec's eyes widened as he sat up and scrambled for his phone next to his body, then he nonchalantly tucked it into his pocket. "Oh, yeah, that was Izzy. I called her to ask if she could feed Lorenzo tonight. And some other… things ." The way he finished off the last part of his statement gave Magnus the feeling that Alec didn't want to talk about whatever those things were, so he decided to let it go.

 

"Okay." Magnus strolled over to his dresser and pulled open the top drawer, only to be met with a few pairs of underwear left inside. He glanced at his overflowing hamper with a grimace. He couldn't remember the last time he did laundry, which was well before he broke his wrist, and he was going to run out of essentials within the next couple days. Walking down his narrow basement stairs with his basket and broken wrist would be too hazardous, and using tote bags to carry everything would take too many trips for the amount he needed to do. If he mentioned it to Alec, he knew without a doubt that Alec would volunteer to do it for him, but Magnus didn't want Alec to have to wash his dirty underwear. It was way, way too soon for that to happen, in Magnus' opinion, and he'd much rather it never happen at all. It was, however, a problem for future Magnus to handle.

 

Magnus pulled out a pair of boxer briefs and then a pair of red plaid pajama pants from a couple drawers further down before he turned around slowly in time to catch Alec ogling his backside, and he smirked as Alec tried to act innocent about it. "Well, I'm just going to get dressed and dry my hair, then the bathroom is all yours. I've moved all of your toiletries from last time into there. The hot water heater lasts a long time, so you should be fine to shower."

 

"Oh, I normally shower in the morning. Usually after I work out," Alec said.

 

"What god-forsaken hour do you get up at in order to fit that in?" Magnus asked, eyes narrowed. "Because you're always here just after I've barely woken up."

 

"Uh…" Alec rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly.

 

Magnus pointed at Alec with as stern of a look as he could muster. "I'm not waking up early on my day off."

 

Alec waved away Magnus' concern with a sweep of his hand. "Don't worry, I sleep in on the weekends."

 

"Waking up at sunrise doesn't count as sleeping in, Alexander," Magnus (mostly) joked, and Alec rolled his eyes playfully at that. Magnus started on his way back to the bathroom when he heard Alec clear his throat.

 

"Hey, Magnus?" Alec called out just as Magnus reached the threshold.

 

Magnus turned around to look at Alec, curious. "Yeah?"

 

"You're beautiful," Alec said with such sweet sincerity it made Magnus' heart ache. He was gazing at Magnus, not lustfully, but with affection and awe, and it made his stomach flutter with warmth. 

 

As much as he wanted to deny Alec's statement, Magnus couldn't bring himself to do it. Alec truly believed in what he said, and he didn't want to insult him by throwing his words back in his face. When Magnus said that he'd work on seeing himself through Alec's eyes, he meant it, no matter how hard of a struggle it would end up being. So, instead of saying the words his brain wanted to blurt out, Magnus just ducked his head with a shy smile and closed the door.

 

~~~

 

"I forgot to ask you, do you need clothes?" Magnus called out to Alec while he was sitting on the side of his bed facing the bathroom, shirtless, with his phone in his hand. He scrolled through his text messages, which mainly consisted of his conversation with Alec, and smiled when he realized that he wouldn't be getting a "good morning" text from Alec. He'd be waking up next to the beautiful man in the morning instead, which was infinitely better.

 

"I have some here," Alec said as he rinsed off his toothbrush and popped it into the holder next to Magnus'. He turned off the bathroom light and stepped into the bedroom, looking a little hesitant to move further into the room for some reason.

 

"What? Really?" Magnus set his phone on the nightstand and plugged it into the charger.

 

Alec nodded, a faint blush coloring the apples of his cheeks. "Yeah, I brought a duffel bag over this morning. My clothes don't seem to fare very well around here, so I brought some spares. I hope that's okay."

 

Magnus pondered on that for a moment, remembering the shirts and suit pieces with blood, sweat, tears, drool, and snot on them, the skinny jeans torn at the knee, Alec's underwear that he ji– "Good call," he said, and saw Alec visibly relax again. Maybe he was worried that Magnus was going to be offended?

 

Alec walked over towards Magnus and knelt down by his feet at the edge of the bed, looking up at him through his lashes. His face was freshly washed, free of his earlier makeup, and still breathtakingly gorgeous . "I need to grab it from under the bed. Can you move your legs?"

 

Magnus didn't know which way Alec needed him to move, so he just spread them wide, his legs framing Alec between them. He hadn't thought about what that position would look like, but once he realized that he just exposed his groin to Alec's very close face, he flushed to the tips of his ears. "Oh, uh–"

 

"That works," Alec said with a giggle, and he reached under the bed and pulled out a large, black nylon duffel bag, and moved it off to the side of where he knelt. Then Alec placed his hands on both of Magnus' knees and pushed himself up, slithering slowly and sensually against Magnus' thighs and up his torso like an experienced exotic dancer. When he came face to face with Magnus again, he winked. "Hey, gorgeous."

 

The only thing Magnus was capable of at that moment was staring and letting loose a few unintelligible noises from his gaping mouth, since he was pretty sure his brain was rebooting. He was amazed that he was still able to breathe after whatever the fuck Alec just did to him.

 

Alec laughed, kissed the tip of Magnus' nose, then stood completely upright again. "You okay?"

 

"Uh huh," Magnus said with a crack in his voice, clearing his throat and blinking a few times to gather his wits. "Totally fine." 

 

"Now, um, is this your side of the bed?" Alec asked, gesturing to where Magnus sat and where his phone was plugged in. Why was he flip-flopping between confidence and insecurity so much today?

 

Magnus glanced at both sides and shrugged. "I normally use the whole bed."

 

Alec laughed nervously. "Yeah, me too, but… if you had to pick one?"

 

Oh. Alec wanted to know what side he was going to sleep on. God, Magnus couldn't even remember what side Camille had used, it had been so long since he shared his bed. "This one, I guess?"

 

"Cool," Alec nodded, anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot, "I'll just, um, take the other, then?" 

 

Why was Alec so worked up over sharing the bed? He was acting like he'd never done it before, which didn't make any sense to Magnus. "Yeah. That's fine."

 

"Great." Alec picked up the bag and moved it to the other side of the bed. He pulled out a phone charger and plugged it into the wall socket and then plugged it into his phone in turn. He emptied the rest of his pockets onto the nightstand, piling his wallet, keys, and lip balm next to his phone, before he pulled off his necklaces one by one. Magnus watched as he carefully set each one down separately, making sure that they didn't tangle, and saw the metal links pool as they were lowered and heard them clink against the hardwood. It was so satisfying to witness.

 

Alec moved onto the few remaining fastened buttons of his shirt, his deft fingers sliding each of them through their holes one by one. Magnus was so entranced by the motions, and the flawless skin revealed with each increment, that he didn't even notice Alec was giggling until he was slipping the lavender silk over his shoulders and off his arms. Magnus wasn't the least bit embarrassed for staring, since he knew damn well Alec was putting on a show just for him. And then Alec turned around to toss his shirt onto the duffel bag, which revealed something Magnus had never seen before.

 

On Alec's upper left shoulder blade was a simplistic, black and white tattoo of a bow with a nocked arrow, about the size of his palm. It was the only mark on his otherwise perfect, pale skin. "You have a tattoo?"

 

"Oh," Alec glanced over his shoulder at it uselessly, "Yeah, I'm an archer."

 

That was, in Magnus' humble opinion, unbelievably hot. He imagined Alec with a quiver strapped to his back, bow in hand, and his body positioned in a sexy, powerful stance, arm muscles bulging as he drew back a nocked arrow ready to land a death blow to his enemy. And Magnus needed to tamp down his fantasy, lest he get even more worked up than he already was. "You are?" 

 

"Mmhm! I've won a few championships, actually. I didn't think I'd win the last one I was in a couple years ago, so Izzy and I made a bet on it. I won the competition, lost the bet, and ended up with this tattoo." Alec sat down on the bed with his back to Magnus, an obvious invitation to study it up close.

 

Magnus scooted closer towards Alec and reached out to trace his fingers over the delicate line work, eliciting a little shiver and a chuckle from the man. "Not really into tattoos?"

 

Alec shrugged. "On other people, they're fine. I just don't like the idea of having my entire body covered in ink. I don't think it'd look right on me." He turned his body and swung his legs onto the bed, coming face to face with Magnus again. "I might get like one or two more someday, but that's it."

 

Magnus stifled a giggle, thinking that if his assumptions about Alec's heritage were correct, him being a nephilim and against having his body covered in marks was a hilarious thing. It was only a hunch, and Alec hadn't given him much evidence to show he knew anything about Shadowhunters, so Magnus decided it was best to keep his thoughts to himself and move on. "So, do you still compete?"

 

"No, I don't have the time anymore," Alec said with a pout, like he sincerely missed competing, but his eyes lit up as he added, "But, I do teach it!"

 

"Yeah?"

 

Alec nodded, his bright, sunshiny grin beaming. "That's what I do on Wednesday nights at the youth athletic center. I teach kids archery." 

 

Hearing that had Magnus' heart melting into a puddle of emotional goo in an instant. " Awe ! Really?"

 

"Yeah. All ages, from little tiny nuggets," Alec brought his thumb and forefinger close together, "all the way up to high schoolers. The little ones are just the cutest things."

 

"Do you just teach them the basics? Or more advanced stuff?"

 

"Oh, the little ones just get the basics, but they progressively learn more and more advanced things. My older students usually move on to competing, so I help them with the rules and regulations and stuff like that. One of my teenage students, Jonah, I've been teaching for a couple years now, and he's getting ready for his first big competition. He's very sweet and shy. Kinda reminds me of you, actually," Alec said with a little smirk.

 

The name and description struck Magnus as oddly familiar, making him think of someone he knew. What were the odds of them being the same person? He needed to find out. "Jonah Kravitz ?"

 

"Yeah?" Alec responded, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Do you know him?"

 

Magnus couldn't help but snicker before he said, "That's Moira's grandson!"

 

Alec's jaw dropped with a gasp. " What ? No way!"

 

"Yep!" Magnus nodded enthusiastically.

 

"Huh. What a small world," Alec said with a smile, which morphed into an awkward scrunch of his face. "I think he might have a crush on me… He gets all flustered and giggly when I help him with his posture."

 

"I don't blame him," Magnus mumbled to himself, but it was loud enough for Alec to hear. And he did hear it, evident from the bashful chuckle he released and the faint blush that tinted his cheeks. "So, um, you like kids, huh?"

 

"Yeah," Alec answered without any hesitation.

 

Maybe it was too soon to bring up the topic, but Magnus was beyond curious, so he asked, "Have you ever… thought about being a father?"

 

Alec rubbed his knuckles on the back of his neck and averted his eyes to his lap. "Not, uh, not seriously?"

 

"Oh." Magnus stared down at his own lap, unsure how to interpret Alec's answer. It could have been a lie, like Alec had considered fatherhood but didn't want to talk about it, or it could have been the truth, as in Alec hadn't thought about it, but for a very specific reason. Either way, it didn't bode well for Magnus' future plans, and it left him feeling a bit deflated. A little hopeless.

 

"But, you have." Alec brought his hand up and tipped Magnus' chin enough for their eyes to meet again. He let his fingers linger there for a moment before dropping them down to rest on Magnus' knee. "You want to be a dad, don't you?"

 

A small, sad smile formed on Magnus' lips. "I do."

 

"That empty room, the one I put those boxes in last weekend. That was supposed to be a kid's room, wasn't it?" Alec asked, his expression so soft and open, and Magnus nodded. "I take it that it didn't work out?"

 

Magnus laughed humorlessly. "Camille promised me many things and failed to deliver on all accounts. We were going to adopt, but…" he swallowed hard before he continued, "things ended badly, and she left me broken." Quite literally, but he wasn't going to drop that bomb on Alec so soon into whatever it was that they had going on between them. "There was no way I could fulfill that dream, with or without her."

 

Alec gave Magnus' knee a gentle squeeze. "Don't give up all hope, Mags. You're immortal . You have centuries upon centuries to live that dream. There will always be someone in need of a father."

 

"I don't want to do it alone," Magnus said with a slow, dejected shake of his head. "I don't think I could ."

 

"Well, if it helps any, I haven't ruled it out on my end. It's a big maybe for me." Alec brought his hand up to Magnus' face again and cupped his cheek, stroking over the skin with his thumb. "For what it's worth, though, I think you'd be just fine doing it on your own."

 

Hearing Alec say all of those words made Magnus' heart swell with hope and affection, and he couldn't help but lean in and press their lips together in a sweet, chaste kiss. They stayed in tender contact for a moment, just breathing each other in, before Magnus whispered against Alec's lips, "Thank you."

 

~~~

 

Magnus left the room to grab a couple bottles of water from his refrigerator for the both of them, and when he returned, Alec was standing next to the bed with an unsure smile tugging at his lips. Magnus handed the first bottle off to Alec, then he circled the bed and set his own down on his nightstand. "Everything okay?"

 

"Yeah. So, here's the thing," Alec said as he set the water bottle down and brought his hands to his fly, his long, slender fingers working the button open and the zipper down in slow motion. Well, it was probably at a normal speed, but Magnus' brain was starting to malfunction and was incapable of comprehending what time even was at that point. "I normally sleep naked, but I'll keep my underwear on, if that makes you more comfortable?"

 

A wheezing breath squeezed through Magnus' tightening throat as he fought for control over his body. His mind was static, his mouth was dry, and his legs were unsteady as he attempted to process the possibility of Alec being naked in his bed. He knew he was cherry red, he knew his eyes were wide, and he knew he was sweating, but there wasn't a damn thing he could do about any of it.

 

Alec snorted into a laugh and said, "I'll take that as a 'yes'." He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his skinny jeans and yanked them down to his knees, revealing super tight, neon purple boyshorts.

 

Magnus gaped in awe, because –holy shit – did they leave nothing to the imagination, and Alec was blessed , to put it lightly. It took some deep breathing and a lot of willpower to kickstart his brain back under his command enough to speak. "Wow, those are… something ."

 

"Oh, um," Alec glanced down at his groin and rubbed his knuckles on the back of his neck as a pink flush stained his cheeks, "I didn't plan on you actually seeing me like this tonight."

 

That was reassuring to hear, meaning that Alec really was telling Magnus the truth about not being ready for more physical intimacy. "I'm not complaining. They're just a little… wild? Surprising?" One of the hottest things Magnus had ever witnessed in his few centuries of life?

 

"Trust me, these aren't even close to the wildest of things I've worn," Alec said with a smirk, then he reached down to tug his pants lower, but he lost his balance, accidentally twirled in place, and caught himself from falling by grabbing onto the seat of Church's chair. The way that Alec stopped himself resulted in him nearly faceplanting into the cushion of the chair and his ass straight up in the air, ridiculously tight skinny jeans wrapped like shackles around his ankles and keeping his legs tied together. "Goddamn skinny jeans! So fucking hard to strip out of…"

 

Magnus couldn't help but stare at the sight of two half-covered ass cheeks and thick, muscular thighs right on display only a few feet away from him, and he thought, " God , I should have jerked off while I was in the shower." Except, he said it out loud instead of in his head, and he choked on his own spit the moment he realized what had happened.

 

Alec snorted and collapsed onto the floor, a fit of giggles overtaking him as he settled onto his butt. He curled in on himself, holding his belly as he laughed, long legs tangled together with stretchy green denim. "Oh my god , Mags!" He wiped away a tear and tried to take a deep breath, but it was interrupted by another giggle. "I mean, same . I thought about it, but then I didn't know how long you'd be in the shower, and I had to call Izzy…"

 

That took Magnus by surprise. "You were thinking about doing it, too?"

 

"What?" Alec asked, finally managing to free one of his legs from his pants as he sat there on the floor. "You think you're the only horny one in this situation?"

 

Magnus shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't know I had such an effect on you."

 

"You drive me crazy , Magnus," Alec said, looking straight into Magnus' eyes with conviction, and shucked the rest of the fabric off his other leg.

 

"Oh." Magnus shyly smiled, ducking his head a little from the intensity of Alec's expression.

 

Alec tossed the jeans onto the duffel bag and stood up again. "We're both adults with self-control, though. We'll be fine, right?"

 

"Right," Magnus said, and he believed it. They had been able to cool things down between them multiple times already. Sleeping in the same bed would probably be challenging, but he had faith that they could handle it just fine. He glanced at Alec just before he started climbing back onto the bed and had to do a double take. Instead of the black and blue bruises Magnus had seen the day before, Alec's knees were now a yellowish-green, and the bloody scrape was nothing more than a reddish scar. "Your knees…" 

 

Alec settled down next to Magnus, back against his pillow and feet just under the folded-up covers. He looked down at his own knees and grinned. "Oh, yeah! That salve you made works amazingly!"

 

Magnus' hunch about Alec being a nephilim solidified into concrete evidence. The magical ingredient in the salve would only interact that way if the person using it had a significant amount of angel blood. Still, Alec showed no signs of knowing about nephilim or Shadowhunters, so Magnus wanted to probe him for more information. "Have you always been a fast healer?" 

 

"Mmhm!" Alec nodded with his beautiful, sunshiny grin. "My whole family is full of fast healers. And I've never been sick. It's the same with a bunch of my friends and their families. It's like we got superhuman abilities or something!"

 

That settled it, then. Alec was undeniably a nephilim, but also clueless about his family history. Whether that was a good thing or not, Magnus wasn't quite sure, and he also didn't know if he should be the one to inform Alec about everything. "Fascinating…"

 

Alec pulled up the covers until they reached both of their chests, then he sent what Magnus assumed was a text before he set his phone back down and turned off his lamp. Magnus turned off his lamp as well, relaxing into his worn cotton sheets just inches away from Alec's body and staring up at the dark ceiling. They remained there in silence for what felt like forever until Alec cleared his throat and asked, "So, uh, do you want to cuddle?"

 

"What?" Magnus turned his head towards Alec, only able to see a faint silhouette of his body from the city light peeking through the curtains. "Um, we don't have to." Why did he say that? Wasn't the whole point of having Alec spend the night being able to cuddle him in his bed? It was probably his history of being Too Much and being called clingy over and over and over making him turn down the offer. Since it was Alec who suggested it, that meant that Magnus couldn't possibly be too clingy for accepting it, right? "Unless you want to. Do you?"

 

"Yeah?" Alec answered.

 

Magnus nodded, quickly realizing that it was pointless to do that in the dark. "Okay."

 

"There's something else I want to do first, though," Alec said just before he rolled over and braced his forearms around Magnus' head, his chest the only part of his body resting on Magnus. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Magnus', gentle and sweet with a sigh. 

 

The whole thing startled Magnus, since he couldn't see a damn thing, but he tried to reel in his shock and accept the kiss. It felt nice , just like every other time they had kissed before, and Alec tasted like his usual spearmint and vanilla, but with a hint of peppermint toothpaste this time. It felt nice. It tasted nice. It was familiar. It was Alec . But, despite everything Magnus enjoyed about the kiss, he couldn't stop an intrusive thought from creeping into the forefront of his mind and shattering the moment. In the dark, Camille would turn over and…

 

Magnus' entire body stiffened as he gasped, his hands clenching the old sheets so hard that he was scared he was going to tear right through them like tissue paper. He felt his fear like a physical memory, tight around his throat, stinging pain pricking at his nerves. His heart started to race and thud wildly in his chest while his lungs felt like they were being crushed, unable to pull in enough air. He was panting and grasping and unable to see a damn thing, and all he could manage was a whimper and a sob, tears overflowing and racing down his cheeks as he was consumed with pure terror.

 

"Shit!" Alec whispered and pushed off of Magnus in an instant, then he turned on the light and rolled back towards him, eyes wide with worry. He brought himself to his knees next to Magnus, the covers falling off his body. "Magnus? Magnus, are you okay?" He reached a hand towards Magnus, but Magnus flinched and pressed himself further into the mattress. "Can I touch you?"

 

As much as Magnus wanted Alec to comfort him, he just couldn't say "yes" to him. He felt so raw , like his skin was on fire, and even his soft sheets grated like sandpaper against his bare upper body. He felt absolutely awful, since it was Alec, wonderful Alec, offering comfort, but Magnus had to shake his head "no". He sobbed and choked on his own tears and snot, feeling like a monster for rejecting a simple touch.

 

"Okay," Alec said softly, drawing his hand back with nothing but concern in his eyes. "Okay. Just breathe with me. Okay, Magnus? Focus on my voice. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Nice and slow."

 

Magnus listened to Alec's soothing voice, so soft and deep, and followed his instructions as best as he could. It took quite a while for his breathing to calm even just the slightest bit, much longer than usual. But, he did eventually manage to even out his breaths, which, in turn, slowed his pulse and quenched the burning of his skin. He still felt raw, but the dread seeped away, little by little, until all Magnus was left with was the last of the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

 

Alec eyed Magnus' face cautiously and asked, "Can I touch you now?" Magnus nodded, and Alec pulled Magnus up into a sitting position and into his arms, holding him gently but firmly. "What happened, Mags?" he whispered into Magnus' ear.

 

How could Magnus explain that a simple, innocent kiss made him remember something so horrific? It wasn't as if he believed Alec was going to hurt him, but his body sure reacted otherwise. "I… I don't know for sure, but I thought…"

 

"You thought…?" Alec pulled back just enough to look into Magnus' eyes, his face scrunching up in confusion. "Magnus, what did you think I was going to do?"

 

Magnus said nothing, because he couldn't stand to say the words out loud and see the hurt on Alec's beautiful face. He just couldn't. Instead, he started to cry again, his lip trembling as he averted his eyes to anywhere but Alec. Chairman Meow bolted into the room and dashed onto the bed, headbutting Magnus' side until he held his braced hand out for the cat to rub against.

 

"You thought– Oh, Mags !" Alec's eyes widened with realization, and he unwound himself from Magnus' body and brought his hands up to cradle his face instead. "Sweetheart, no! No no no! I would never !" 

 

"I know," Magnus said. And he did. He knew Alec would never hurt him like that. He felt so ashamed of his reaction it twisted his stomach into knots.

 

Alec's eyes flicked back and forth as he tried to focus on Magnus', his brows furrowed. "I'm serious , Magnus. I will never, ever do anything like that!"

 

"I know, Alec. I know ." Magnus brought his good hand up and curled it gently around Alec's wrist, stroking over his soft skin. The Chairman settled along Magnus' thigh and kneaded into his leg with rumbling purrs. "I believe you."

 

"I'm so sorry," Alec said, emphasizing the words with a soft press of his hands into Magnus' cheeks, "that I made you panic. I should have asked." Alec blinked rapidly a few times, noticeable tears welling around the rims of his eyes. "I will never do anything without your consent ever again, I promise."

 

"Alec, it's okay ." Magnus gave Alec's wrist a gentle squeeze. "We both didn't know I'd react that way, alright? No one's at fault here."

 

Alec shook his head. "I still should have asked. O–or told you what I wanted to do. Or something . I'm so sorry," he said, his voice shattering on the last word as tears spilled from his eyes.

 

Now Magnus felt as though their roles had been reversed, that Alec was the one in need of calming and consolation. He pulled Alec's hands from his face, one by one, and held one in his good hand as he tried to find the right words to say. "Consent is really important to you, isn't it?"

 

"Yeah, well…" Alec dropped his eyes to their joined hands, stroking his thumb over Magnus' skin while he inhaled a deep breath. "I know what it's like when the choice is taken away from you." 

 

Oh . Hearing that, knowing exactly what those words meant, broke Magnus' heart into a million little pieces, because he knew. He knew . And it hurt to know that Alec had been through a similar situation. He didn't know the extent of what Alec had been through, but if it was enough to make Alec cry, it must have been horrible. Was it dealing with the drugs he mentioned before? Or the hospitalization brought up in the texts? Would he be overstepping by asking about any connections between them? He could ask, and it would be up to Alec if he wanted to answer. That sounded fair enough.

 

They sat in silence for a long moment, the soft yellow light from the one lamp beside Alec illuminating the tears he hadn't tried to swipe away. And then, when he felt ready, Magnus cleared his throat to speak. "I wanted to ask about something, but I wasn't sure if it was too personal or not. Earlier, when you handed me your phone–"

 

"You saw the texts with Jaime," Alec interrupted, his voice soft as he continued to stare at their hands.

 

Magnus winced. "Yes. I'm sorry for reading them. I didn't intend to, but they filled up the screen."

 

Alec sighed and raised his eyes to meet Magnus' again, looking like he was withdrawn inside his mind. He didn't seem angry at all, so that was a good sign. "It's alright. I assumed you'd see them. It's not something I'm trying to hide."

 

"Are those texts about the hospital related to our current conversation?" Magnus asked. He gave Alec's hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze while he maintained eye contact, hoping to convey how much he cared.

 

It took a moment, but eventually Alec gave Magnus a small, tremulous smile and said, "Yes." Another pair of tears rolled down his beautiful face with a hitch of his breath.

 

Magnus wrapped his arms tight around Alec and pulled him close, and he heard and felt Alec sob into the curve of his shoulder. Magnus stroked the soft skin of his back, kissed his temple, and rocked him ever so slightly in his arms until his sobs lessened and his breathing evened out to something closer to normal. Now that he had connected some of the dots, he wanted to let Alec know that he was willing to listen. "Do you want to talk about it?"

 

Alec pulled back, only loosely draped with Magnus' arms around his shoulders, and cleared his throat like he was chasing away the intense emotions he just felt. He swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and shook his head. "Not now. I don't want you to think any less of me when we're just starting to build something together." He gave Magnus a flicker of a sad smile. "I'll tell you about it someday."

 

"I wouldn't think any less of you," Magnus reassured Alec. "Trust me, I know what it's like to have that choice taken away as well."

 

Alec stared at Magnus for a moment, like he just solved his own puzzle and was  studying the results, and he huffed out a humorless laugh. "Some guys are real shit, aren't they?"

 

Magnus didn't answer. He couldn't . He wanted to laugh it off with Alec, pretend like that was the truth, but it wasn't. The truth was that he was spineless. He was a coward. He was weak despite his magic and heritage, and Alec would laugh in his face if he knew what he'd let her do to him. 

 

Alec's eyes widened with realization. "Oh. Some women, too, huh?"

 

"Yeah," Magnus admitted, hanging his head between his shoulders with a sniffle.

 

"Hey," Alec said softly, and he brought his hand up to tip Magnus' head back to eye level. "That doesn't make you any less of a man, Magnus. That doesn't make you weak."

 

"Sure." As much as Magnus wanted to believe him, Alec had no idea what he'd been through. Magnus didn't want him to know, at least for a long, long time.

 

Alec stroked his thumb over Magnus' chin and looked straight into his eyes. "I don't know what happened to you. I don't know what you've been through. But I do know that the Magnus I have gotten to know is one of the strongest people I have ever met. You're a survivor ."

 

Well, Alec was at least right about the survival part. Magnus didn't want to argue, so he just gave Alec a sincere smile and kissed the hand still holding his chin. That seemed to satisfy Alec enough to drop that line of conversation, since he returned the smile and grabbed the box of tissues off of his nightstand. He plucked out one for Magnus and one for himself, and they sat there in mostly silence as they cleaned themselves up, save for a few sniffles and wet blowing noises. 

 

"Well. I think it's safe to say that we're not kissing in the dark again," Alec said as he grabbed the small trash can from the side of the bed and tossed his tissue in there. He held it up long enough for Magnus to toss his in as well before he set it back down.

 

Magnus didn't want to agree to that. What if he was the one to initiate it? What if they kissed in a different location? What if Alec asked first? There were too many variables in that equation for Magnus to feel comfortable agreeing with Alec on that. "I wouldn't completely rule it out just yet. Maybe just for a little while."

 

"Alright." Alec shrugged, then he settled back down onto his pillow and pulled the covers over his body again, lying on his side to face Magnus. "You let me know if I ever do anything that makes you uncomfortable again, okay?"

 

"I…" Magnus started, but he had to take a moment to find the right words to say. "I have a hard time speaking, sometimes. If I'm starting to panic, I don't know if I can say anything."

 

Alec furrowed his brows as he thought for a moment. "Tap on me twice if you want me to pause what I'm doing. If you tap me three times, I will instantly stop everything. How does that sound?"

 

That sounded reasonable and doable. "Okay," Magnus said with a nod. "And you do the same thing." Because, knowing at least part of Alec's background with intimacy, he wanted to make sure that Alec felt safe with him, too.

 

Alec smiled warmly at Magnus, his eyes blinking slowly as he gazed back at him. Even with puffy eyes and a ruddy nose, he was still the most breathtaking man Magnus had ever seen. "Sure. Can I give you a proper goodnight kiss now?"

 

"Absolutely," Magnus agreed with no hesitation, and he watched as Alec scooted closer, still smiling as he brought his hand up to hold the nape of Magnus' neck and closed the distance between them.

 

This kiss, unlike the last one, Magnus expected and accepted entirely. The little sighs they both released when they made contact, the gentle presses of their lips together, the spearmint and vanilla and peppermint scents and flavors, the warmth of Alec's touch, everything was wonderful and familiar and right this time. It wasn't the longest kiss they'd ever shared, but it was one of the sweetest, most heartfelt kisses full of understanding Magnus had experienced in his long, long lifetime.

 

They pulled apart just enough for their noses to still brush together, and Alec grinned his devastating, sunshiny grin. "Sleep well, Magnus."

 

"You, too," Magnus responded, unable to keep himself from matching Alec's smile. "We can, uh, cuddle now. If you still want to, that is."

 

Alec chuckled and gently swept a stray lock of Magnus' hair off of his forehead. "Absolutely. Can you turn towards the bathroom?"

 

"Why?" Magnus asked, but he still did it, rolling over until the open door was in sight, and he heard Alec switch off the light behind him and watched as the room fell into sudden darkness. And then Alec curled his strong, muscular arms around Magnus and tucked himself flush with Magnus' body all the way down to their feet. Chairman Meow resettled against Magnus' belly, and he felt Alec move his hand to stroke over the cat's body. This was even better than he had imagined it would be, and it was real . He really was going to spend the night in Alec's arms.

 

"I just wanted to be big spoon. Goodnight, sweetheart," Alec whispered into Magnus' ear, following it up with a kiss just behind it.

 

"Goodnight, Alexander," Magnus whispered back, and he closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep to the sound of Alec's breathing and the Chairman's soft purrs, held in the arms of the man he was rapidly falling for.

 

~~~

 

The first thing Magnus noticed, before he even opened his eyes, was that he was surrounded by warmth and weighed down by something heavy. Very heavy. He was on his back, unlike how he fell asleep the night before, and there was tingling in his one arm and both legs from prolonged pressure. In his many, many long years of life, he couldn't remember the last time he had ever woken up in such a way.

 

He opened his eyes and saw that he was facing the window. The old, red velvet curtains filtered out most of the light, but some crept through around the edges, a cool, blue-gray light illuminating the walls and ceiling nearby, meaning it was an overcast day. Magnus recalled that rain was in the forecast, but he couldn't hear anything outside, so it must have been on the way at that point, or somewhere in between showers. It was going to be a cooler day for sure, probably with no need for his air conditioning. So, why was he so warm ? He let his eyes wander down towards his body and found his answer with a soft gasp and a flutter of his heart.

 

Alec was draped over Magnus' body, wrapped around him like a giant, unconscious octopus, with his head resting on Magnus' chest. Their legs were tangled together, one of Alec's arms was behind Magnus' head, and the other one stretched across his body to hold Magnus' good hand, their fingers woven together somehow in their sleep. The only thing he could move was his braced arm, which was draped over Alec's back and shoulders. If he had an aerial view, Magnus was sure their position would look like a chaotic dance, or maybe a couple of test dummies thrown off a roof together. It was such a beautiful mess, one that he'd never experienced before, and it brought him to the verge of tears.

 

Magnus brought his braced hand up to card through Alec's hair with just the exposed tips of his fingers, softly stroking through his loose curls, and Alec didn't stir from the touch. He looked to be asleep still, which was both a blessing and a curse, since Magnus never wanted the moment to end, but he also really wanted to have full feeling back in all of his limbs.

 

A small bit of pressure on Magnus' side made him glance that direction, and he saw Chairman Meow still curled up in the same spot that they fell asleep in, just stretching in his sleep. He glanced over at Church's chair, but he couldn't find the cat there, which was odd. Magnus raised his head up as high as he could from under Alec's weight and froze when his eyes landed on Church, who was plopped down on top of their tangle of legs, loafing and staring straight back at Magnus. He never slept on the bed when Magnus was in it. Ever .

 

Alec snuffled and turned his face into Magnus' chest with an adorable, squeaky groan. Maybe it was the sudden stop of Magnus' petting that roused him, or the tensing of his muscles, or maybe he was just ready to wake up on his own. Regardless of the reason, Alec nuzzled into his sternum and sighed, giving it a kiss before he lifted his head up and met Magnus' eyes with the cutest drowsy grin Magnus had ever seen.

 

"Mornin', beautiful," Alec said with a sleep-roughened voice, blinking slowly as he focused on Magnus' face. His hair was mussed and wild, his stubble was thick and coarse, and his cheek was flushed pink from where it had been stuck to Magnus' chest. He was so utterly perfect it was unfair.

 

Magnus' heart switched from fluttering to thumping as he gazed at Alec, smiling back at him with as much warmth as he possibly could. "Good morning, Alexander. Did you sleep well?"

 

Alec nodded, then he looked like he made an attempt to prop himself up, but couldn't. He glanced at where their hands were joined, he wiggled his feet where they were tangled with Magnus', and then he slowly pulled his arm out from under Magnus' head and used that to hold himself up, a red blush working its way across his cheeks to the tips of his ears. "So, uh, I… I think I might have been a little clingy in my sleep. Sorry about that."

 

"Don't apologize. You're perfect." Magnus meant to say that it was perfect, their snuggling, but with the bright, beaming smile Alec gave him in return for his compliment, he didn't dare retract his words. Not that he didn't mean it. Alec truly was perfect, and he deserved to know. "I can't feel my toes, however. And Church is lying on our legs."

 

Alec glanced over his shoulder and chuckled. "Hey, buddy."

 

"Just so you're aware, he never sleeps on the bed when I'm in it. This is a first."

 

"I told you that animals love me." Alec gave Magnus' hand a squeeze before he let go of it, then he twisted his upper body just enough so he could reach Church, giving him a soft pat on the head. "I'm sorry, dude, but your dad can't feel his toes." He nudged him in his side, trying to gently push him off their legs, but Church only whined in protest and refused to move. "I know , I'm sorry. I promise I'll snuggle you so hard before I leave today, okay?" That seemed to convince Church enough to move, but he had to stretch up onto his tiptoes and arch his back before he crept away from their legs and jumped off the bed. Chairman Meow followed soon after, chirping after Church before he left the room.

 

As soon as they were free to move, Magnus and Alec began the process of disentanglement, first tossing the covers off of their bodies and then slowly shifting body parts until they were safely separated. Alec plopped down beside Magnus as he stretched out all of his limbs with a drawn-out groan, feeling the pins and needles pricking at his nerves as blood recirculated through his veins. 

 

"I hope you slept well, despite my impression of a clingy giant Pacific octopus," Alec said, tucking his chin into his chest, the apples of his cheeks an adorable rosy pink.

 

Magnus huffed out a laugh. "That was probably the best sleep I've had in decades. I closed my eyes and I was out. I don't think I even moved, except to turn onto my back."

 

Alec brought a hand up to his forehead rubbed at his brow bone. " I sure moved a lot…"

 

"And I still slept like the dead." Magnus sat up and propped himself against his pillow and headboard, and he watched as Alec moved to kneel beside him. He switched on his old, wonky lamp so he could see Alec better, since the overcast daylight was barely enough to illuminate the room. "Honestly, Alexander, you could be my clingy octopus any time if it means I'll sleep the same as I did last night." He meant to say "a" instead of "my". It just slipped out. Oh no .

 

"Is that…" Alec started to ask, but he scrunched his face up with a giggle before he could continue. "Is that your pet name for me?"

 

" God no!" Magnus shook his head, trying not to laugh.

 

"What if I want to be your clingy octopus?" Alec asked with an exaggerated pout, climbing over Magnus' lap and straddling his thighs. He brought his arms around Magnus' shoulders and gazed into his eyes with a salacious glint.

 

Oh, things were happening. Sexy things. It seemed so odd, yet perfect, to Magnus how they could seamlessly go from joking around to making out like it was natural. It felt natural. "Nope. I'm not making that a thing."

 

Alec laughed, beautiful and vibrant, and moved in to kiss Magnus. But, unfortunately, another intrusive thought wormed its way into Magnus' mind to poison the moment. Because of Camille's extremely sensitive nose, she hated when Magnus would try to kiss her with morning breath, and she would– No! No no no. This was Alec . Sweet Alexander, who promised that he would never hurt Magnus. He promised . And Magnus believed him. Still…

 

Magnus clapped his good hand over his mouth before Alec could reach him, and Alec chuckled as he said, "What? I don't mind if you have morning breath."

 

Magnus shook his head and held back tears, because he just couldn't explain to Alec why he was reacting that way. Alec wasn't the problem. Magnus was. He was a cornucopia of problems and a minefield of triggers, all wrapped up in a fucked up body. He couldn't vocalize it, so he went with the next best option. He tapped twice on Alec's thigh with his braced hand.

 

Alec's eyes widened the moment Magnus tapped his thigh, and he brought his hand up to pull Magnus' own from his mouth. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay, Mags. We can just kiss closed-mouthed." He pressed his lips to the back of Magnus' hand. " Or I can kiss other places," he added with a smirk.

 

That sounded wonderful to Magnus, so he nodded enthusiastically. Maybe a little too enthusiastically, since Alec snorted, but he really couldn't care less about being too eager if Alec was offering physical affection. And who could blame him, really? Anyone who could see would have jumped at the opportunity if it was offered to them as well.

 

Alec leaned in close to Magnus' throat, but then he paused and pulled back, a cute little thoughtful expression on his face. He still had Magnus' hand in his own, and he stroked his thumb over the back of it. "Hey, remember our deal?"

 

There was only one deal that came to mind, beyond their tapping agreement, which had to do with readiness. They both agreed that if Magnus was okay with something, then Alec was also okay with it, unless otherwise specified. That had to be it. "The one about physical intimacy?"

 

"Yeah. Guess what?" Alec smirked again, and then he took Magnus' hand and placed it on his ass.

 

"Oh," Magnus gasped, and he gave Alec's ass a tentative squeeze, feeling the firm muscle flex beneath the super soft fabric of his boyshorts and the slight jiggle of his cheek when he gave it a more confident grope. Phenomenal . Even better than every fantasy he'd had of touching it so far.

 

Alec giggled and dove right into Magnus' neck, pressing soft kisses against his pulse point to the edge of his jaw. "God, you're so incredibly sexy , Magnus."

 

Magnus only hummed in response, because laughing in Alec's face was totally not the right move to pull. Alec was the sexiest man alive, and he, for some unknown reason, wanted to do sexy things with Magnus. It was a privilege he'd treasure for the rest of his life, that was for sure.

 

Magnus continued to gain confidence in his touches, moving from soft squeezes to stroking the exposed skin around the boyshorts, until he decided to be a bit more bold. He dipped his fingertips just under the waistband of the underwear and explored the flesh underneath the edge of the garment. Once he met the edge of what he could reach around the waistband, he moved onto the opening around the closest cheek, dipping just inside and following the hem of it with a soft graze of his finger against Alec's smooth skin. And then it struck him.

 

"I just realized something," Magnus said, stroking back and forth across the same spot on Alec's ass. As he touched the skin, he couldn't feel any hair whatsoever, not even a soft downy. And then he thought about Alec's legs, and his chest, and his underarms, which were all also incredibly smooth. He couldn't even recall seeing a happy trail. For a man in his mid-twenties (Magnus assumed, since Alec hadn't given him his exact age yet), that was extremely odd. "You're hairless ." 

 

"Oh, yeah," Alec said, popping up from his place at Magnus' throat to look him in the eyes, "I wax everything."

 

Did Alec actually mean– " Everything ?"

 

" Everything ," Alec confirmed with a wink. "I had to do it for an old job, and I just kinda stuck with it."

 

What kind of job would require their employees to do that? Was that even legal ? Magnus wasn't even sure if he'd seen naked men with no body hair before, at least not in person. "I don't mind body hair. You could let it grow, if you wanted to."

 

Alec shrugged. "Maybe. I kinda like the way I look without hair. And I'm used to it."

 

A rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance, signaling an approaching storm, and the light from the window was steadily growing dimmer. "Whatever you do with it, I'm going to like it. You don't have to worry about that," Magnus reassured Alec, giving him a light, experimental pat on his ass. 

 

And Alec beamed at him, full of sunshine and warmth, gazing for a moment before he moved in and kissed Magnus on the cheek. He trailed his lips down over Magnus' jaw to his pulse point and started to suck a mark into his skin, and Magnus grabbed Alec's ass again, causing the man to moan against his neck. It was such a phenomenal experience, their shared intimacy, and it wasn't even close to the point of orgasms yet. Magnus might just lose his mind if they ever made it that far. He might lose it well before that step, if he was being honest. Alec was that amazing.

 

Just as Magnus finished that thought, Alec moved onto another patch of skin and nipped at it. It was gentle, but it was enough to make Magnus flinch, and it triggered another horrific memory of her biting him– No! Absolutely not . Not again. Magnus tapped his braced hand twice against Alec's back, which made him sit straight up in an instant, eyes wide with concern.

 

"You okay, Mags?" Alec asked, and Magnus nodded. "Not into that?"

 

Magnus shook his head. "No. Not on my neck." He dropped his head between his shoulders and groaned. "I'm so sorry that I keep ruining things."

 

"Hey." Alec brought both of his hands up to Magnus' face and cradled him there, their eyes meeting again. "Don't apologize. You haven't ruined anything." He spoke with such a soft and sweet voice, it melted all of the tension out of Magnus' body. 

 

"I didn't realize that I had so many triggers," Magnus said, dropping his eyes to Alec's smooth, slightly flushed chest. He caught a glimpse of Alec's tenting underwear, which sent a wave of want throughout his body. He'd been at least half hard for a while now, and seeing that Alec was just as aroused and into it as Magnus was reassured him. 

 

Alec ducked down to catch Magnus' eyes again with a warm smile. "And we'll work our way around each one. Seriously , Magnus. You're worth the effort," he said, so sincere and sweet that it made Magnus' heart ache with affection and he had to kiss him for it. It was just a quick, closed-mouthed peck, but it was enough to brighten Alec's smile into his sunshiny grin. "What are you into, though?"

 

"You'll have to figure that out for yourself," Magnus said with a cheeky smirk. He was going to make Alec work for it, and something told him that Alec loved the challenge.

 

A bright flash of light and a loud crack of thunder had them both glancing at the window, but there still wasn't any sign that the rain had started yet. Magnus looked away from the window first, his eyes landing right away on Alec's profile. The contrast of the cool light from the window and the warm light from the lamp played over his beautiful features, creating one of the most picturesque scenes Magnus had ever witnessed. If he had been an artist, Alec would have been the subject of every single artwork Magnus created. He'd immortalize him in oil, capture his godlike features in marble, and explain to the world through graphite and charcoal and pastel just how amazing Alec truly was. It was such a shame that Magnus' talents and skills resided elsewhere, because Alec deserved to have his likeness displayed in museums and galleries worldwide.

 

Alec turned back to Magnus, his own smirk tugging on his lips, and scooted further down on Magnus' legs. "Well, it seems like your neck and ears are not it. I'm really curious about what does get you going."

 

"It's not my feet," Magnus blurted out.

 

That made Alec snort into a deep belly laugh. "Good to know!" He leaned down and pressed his lips to Magnus' collarbone and started a trail to his sternum, then he veered off to the right and reached a nipple, giving it a kitten lick as a test, then sucking it into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue. Magnus hummed in pleasure and closed his eyes for a moment, opening them back up to see Alec staring back at him with a questioning look. "Still not it?"

 

"It feels good , but…" Magnus trailed off with a shrug.

 

"Hmmm…" Alec furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, then leaned further down towards Magnus' belly.

 

Magnus shot out his good hand and grabbed Alec's shoulder to stop him, squeaking out a " No !" It wasn't because he was triggered this time; he was just insanely ticklish.

 

Alec snickered and took Magnus' hand in his own. " Also noted." Then he placed a kiss on the back of the hand and turned it over, exposing Magnus' wrist, and he pressed his lips over the pulse point there and flicked his tongue over the skin.

 

Magnus gasped and closed his eyes, savoring the sensation as much as he could. Even though he wasn't as sensitive in his arms as he used to be, it still felt absolutely amazing , and he couldn't help but moan out in pleasure. When Alec stopped, Magnus opened his eyes again to find Alec with a bright and gaping grin, looking like he just won the biggest prize at the fair.

 

"Found it," Alec said, sounding incredibly proud of himself, and he scooted up into Magnus' lap again and dove right back into licking over his wrist.

 

Magnus felt the heat and the pressure of Alec's hard cock nudging into his abs while Alec's ass was pressing against his own cock, and Alec was trailing his tongue up and down the length of his forearm, sending little zings of pleasure racing down his spine. Magnus leaned in and licked along the cord of Alec's neck, then he started to suck a mark there, and he gasped when Alec started doing the same thing to his arm.

 

They moaned against one other's skin and tried and –nearly failed– to hold themselves back from grinding into each other. It was so intimate that it was like sex without any penetration or orgasms, just complete indulgence in mutual pleasure, and they weren't even kissing . He'd never had anything close to this with his previous partners, and it was one of the hottest things Magnus had ever experienced in his life.

 

"I should go shower," Alec said breathlessly in between sucking more marks into Magnus' skin.

 

"Alright." Magnus nipped at Alec's throat and delighted in the moan he elicited. "I wish I was ready to take things further."

 

Alec gave Magnus' wrist a gentle peck and pulled away to look him in the eyes. "It's okay, Magnus. There's no rush."

 

Magnus gazed into Alec's phenomenal eyes, gorgeous mottled green with blue, brown, and flecks of gold, and smiled. How could he not when someone as beautiful as Alec wanted to share himself so intimately with Magnus? "I know. It's just– this is already amazing. I can't imagine what it's going to feel like when we're both ready for more."

 

"Oh, pretty boy," Alec said like a moan, stroking the backs of his fingers over Magnus' cheek with reverence. "I'm going to blow your mind someday."

 

"You already do," Magnus easily confessed, because it was the truth.

 

Alec grinned, lopsided and genuine and full of affection, and he leaned in to whisper into Magnus' ear. "Think of me while I'm showering. I'm definitely going to be thinking about you." He pulled away with a smirk and a wink and climbed off of Magnus' lap, neon purple boyshorts severely tented and stained with a wet spot. Seeing that only riled Magnus up even more than he already was, and he desperately needed to do something about it soon.

 

Magnus watched as Alec walked into the ensuite and closed the door, then he reached over onto the opposite nightstand and snatched a couple tissues out of the box and settled back down into his spot on the bed. He tucked the thumb of his good hand into the waistband of his pajama pants and boxer briefs and was about to yank them down, but the bathroom door cracked open again. He quickly shoved the tissues underneath his legs and watched as the door opened just a little bit wider.

 

"Hey, hon?" Alec's head, just his head, popped into view with a concerned expression. That had to mean that he was already naked if he was only showing his face.

 

"Yeah?" Magnus called back.

 

"Where's your shampoo and conditioner?" Alec asked, his brows knitting together. "All I see is a bar of soap."

 

Magnus shrugged. "That's all I use."

 

" No ," Alec gasped, eyes wide and face pale, looking absolutely mortified. "Even your face ?" Magnus nodded, and Alec shook his head and released a stream of vulgar Spanglish as he slipped back inside the ensuite, turning on the exhaust fan once the door was shut.

 

More lightning and thunder flashed and rumbled outside, close enough for Magnus to feel the vibrations, and he could now hear the arrhythmic tapping sounds of the rain splattering against the window. Alec turned on the shower and stepped inside, which meant that it was safe for Magnus to continue his task. He pulled out the tissues again and tugged down his pants and underwear, and he took himself in hand and sighed. 

 

It took an embarrassingly short amount of time –and what sounded like a grunt and a moan from Alec in the shower that was insanely hot– for Magnus to climax, but he had been highly aroused for what seemed like forever by that point. He cleaned himself up, threw away the evidence, and pulled his bottoms back on before he sank back into his pillow. He listened to the thunderstorm outside and the sound of the shower, letting himself relax and relish in his recent orgasm. And then Alec started to passionately and horribly belt out the same Beatles song he did in the car, making Magnus snort into a fit of laughter.

 

~~~

 

Magnus was seated at the kitchen table with his cup of jasmine pearl tea in hand, watching the opaque downpour of rain just outside his window. He decided against getting dressed and kept his pajama pants on, then he tossed his robe over his body but kept it untied, and he definitely caught Alec ogling his visible torso while they prepared breakfast together. That made him preen internally. And when he lifted his arm, the robe sleeve slid up and revealed the several love bites Alec had peppered him with, and he caught Alec staring proudly at those, too.

 

Alec set a plate in front of him, a vegetable and cheese omelet, and took a seat just across the table from Magnus with his own matching breakfast. He poured himself a cup of tea from the pot and brought it up to his chin to inhale the fragrance. He was dressed only in a pair of gray sweatpants and nothing else, which drove Magnus only a little bit wild, and his hair was slightly damp from his shower. He had refused to wash it with the bar soap, and Magnus had to sit through a stern lecture about personal hygiene products and their uses because of that. All he did was smile and nod, too infatuated with Alec and his passion to pay much attention to the details, and Alec promised to provide new ones for him anyway.

 

They sat in comfortable silence as they ate, with the thunderstorm as a soothing background track, sharing soft smiles and glances until they cleaned their plates. Then Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out the button that Magnus gave him on their date and set it on the table, mindlessly pushing it around in circles as he finished off his tea.

 

That sparked a question that Magnus had been dying to ask since he found out about Alec's mementos. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

 

Alec met his eyes with a soft smile. "Yes."

 

"Why do you collect mementos?"

 

Alec's smile fell into something more somber as he dropped his eyes to the button on the table. "It's… kinda a sad story. I could tell it, but I don't want to bring the mood down."

 

"I don't mind hearing it. But only if you want to share." Magnus placed his good hand on the table, palm up in invitation.

 

Alec accepted it, sliding his hand into Magnus' and giving it a squeeze. He took a deep breath and nodded. "When I was in middle school, my grandpa was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's."

 

"Oh, Alexander …" Magnus whispered. He had been through the pain of being forgotten, by both lovers and friends, but that was due to his immortality. He couldn't imagine being a child and experiencing someone going through that prematurely. His heart broke for young Alexander.

 

"I was really close with my grandparents. They were really involved with everything in my life. When my grandpa started forgetting things, or repeated things over and over, it felt a little strange to me, but I didn't understand what was happening at the time. Little by little, he'd forget bigger events, like birthdays and anniversaries, he'd forget what day it was, what season it was, and he kept forgetting our names. He'd call us by our parents' names, or just not call us anything and just sit there in confusion. We'd show him pictures, tell him stories, and hand him mementos, and usually that would spark something , like he'd just jump right back into the memory. It got to the point where even that wasn't enough, and he… he just forgot everything."

 

Magnus' heart shattered at those words. He stroked his thumb over the back of Alec's hand to soothe him. "That must have been so painful."

 

"Yeah. It was." Alec flickered a sad smile across his lips before it disappeared entirely, still staring at the button on the table.

 

"You collect mementos so you don't forget important things?" Magnus asked after putting the pieces together.

 

Alec met Magnus' eyes again and nodded. "I do. I write down details about every single one, as much as I can, so that if… If I ever lose my memory, at least I'll have all of that to remind me of my life for at least a little while, until it doesn't work anymore."

 

"Thank you for telling me." Magnus pulled Alec's hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it softly.

 

"Thank you for listening," Alec said with a warm smile. "You're the only person who knows the whole story. Everyone else just thinks I'm a weirdo who collects everything."

 

Why wouldn't he want to tell his friends or family about something as important as that ? That didn't make any sense. But something else clicked into place in Magnus' mind. "Wait… you collect mementos from our time together."

 

Alec nodded again, his smile growing brighter. "I do."

 

That meant that Alec wanted to always remember Magnus, and that made his heart ache so much he wanted to cry . He cleared his throat and blinked back tears that threatened to spill over. "Well, I feel important."

 

"You are ." Alec gave Magnus' hand a little shake and a squeeze to get his attention, then gazed directly into his eyes. "I don't want to forget a single thing about you, Magnus."

 

Magnus wanted nothing more than to kiss Alec senseless right then and there, but there was a table full of dirty dishes between them, so he settled for another kiss to the back of Alec's hand while he calmed himself down enough to speak. "So you– You write down things about us? And the things we do?"

 

"Um, yeah?"

 

"Can I read them sometime?" Magnus asked.

 

Alec's eyes widened before he covered his face with his free hand, an adorable blush blossoming around his fingers. "Oh, god !"

 

Maybe it was too embarrassing to share? "Is it too personal?"

 

"Nobody has ever read what I've written!" Alec dropped his hand with a chuckle, his cheeks still a rosy pink. "It's like– like a diary? A journal?"

 

"I understand," Magnus said, because he did. He couldn't imagine sharing some of his personal notes he'd written in his spell books over the past few centuries. "You don't have to share anything with me."

 

Alec sighed, shaking his head with a little smile. "I will. Someday."

 

"Really?" Magnus asked, completely surprised.

 

"Yeah. Once I have a large enough collection, I'll show you." The way that Alec said that felt like a promise. A promise of more time spent, of more memories, of a future together, and Magnus couldn't have been more thrilled to hear it.

 

~~~

 

"So, I have something for you," Alec said as they stood by Magnus' bed. He dressed himself in his forest green skinny jeans and a black t-shirt, which Magnus realized shortly after was the one he had given Alec to wear last week. Alec had the borrowed canvas tote bag on the bed with a handful of items in it as he got ready to leave, and he pulled out a small black cardboard box, wrapped with a gold fabric ribbon, with the words "The Re-find Gentleman" stamped in gold across the top. He handed it to Magnus with a nervous little smile.

 

"A gift?" Magnus eyed the box with furrowed brows. When did Alec have the time to pick out a gift for him?

 

Alec nodded. "Open it!"

 

Magnus tugged on the gold ribbon and watched it fall away onto the bed, then he slid the top of the box off and set it on the bed, too. Inside was a layer of metallic gold tissue paper, and he pulled it aside to see a bright blue bowtie and a pair of matching suspenders. He set the box down and pulled out the bowtie, letting the soft fabric slip between his fingers. "Thank you, Alexander. Not that I'm complaining , but why did you buy me a gift?"

 

"I– I just…" Alec shrugged, a light pink flush staining the apples of his cheeks. "I got them to match the blue chinos you picked out. I wanted to tell you that I love your grandpa style, and I hope our date yesterday didn't make you think otherwise."

 

Magnus' heart melted at Alec's words, and he smiled down at the gift box. "I thoroughly enjoyed our date, Alexander. I didn't feel like you were trying to change me at all."

 

Alec sighed, looking relieved. "Okay. Good."

 

Magnus gave Alec a sweet, chaste kiss on the lips and set the bowtie back into the box. "Again, thank you for the gift. They are a lovely color, and I can't wait to wear them."

 

"How about you wear them to my next family dinner?" Alec asked timidly. He was about to leave to attend one tonight , so surely he didn't mean to invite Magnus at the last minute, right?

 

"When would that be?" Magnus asked.

 

Alec thought for a moment, then said, "Probably on Thanksgiving. We try to do them once a month, but the next couple months are going to be busy for everyone for various reasons."

 

"I think that would be fine. It would give me enough time to meet your siblings beforehand." And possibly enough time for Magnus to procure more of the magical flower for his potion, which he was definitely going to need in order for anything of the sort to happen.

 

"How about next weekend?" Alec asked. "Everyone is free on Sunday. We can meet up for coffee and tea?" It sounded like he'd already thought about and planned everything before their conversation, which was very cute in Magnus' humble opinion.

 

It all sounded… plausible , but Magnus needed more specifics. "Who would be there? Where would we go?"

 

"Izzy and her boyfriend, Simon, and Jace and Clary." Alec said. "And we'd meet up in the park near where I live, where Jace has a café truck. How does that sound?"

 

That sounded like it would be at least a three-potion trip, but since it was out in the open and during the day, and Alec was going to be beside him the entire time, he knew he could handle it. "Sure. We can plan for that."

 

Alec's answering, sunshiny grin made Magnus happy he agreed. "Awesome. They are going to love you, Magnus." Probably not as much as Magnus was starting to love Alec, but, honestly, he wasn't any competition against the man. He bet that everyone was at least half in love with Alec. How could they not be?

 

"Oh!" Magnus snapped his fingers and walked over to his dresser. "I have something for you as well." He tugged open his underwear drawer and pulled out something small, then turned back around to face Alec.

 

Alec glanced inside the drawer, then over to the mountain of laundry in the corner, finally landing back on Magnus' face. "What's that?"

 

Magnus pushed the drawer closed behind him, then he held his hand out, palm up, with a small brass key right in the center. "It's a spare house key. For you." He gestured for Alec to take it from him.

 

"What? Why ?" Alec asked, but he still grabbed it from Magnus, and he held it up to inspect it.

 

"Well, you're going to be here daily anyway since my wrist is going to take a little while longer to heal. Now you can let yourself inside instead of waiting on me to open the door." Magnus shrugged. "It just makes sense."

 

Alec clasped his hand tightly around the key and smiled at Magnus with shining eyes. "You really trust me with this?"

 

"Of course I do," Magnus answered, because he did. There was no one else he trusted more than Alec at the moment. He knew he was safe with him having access to his sanctuary.

 

" Thank you , Magnus. This means a lot to me," Alec said, sounding truly touched by the gesture. Magnus said "you're welcome" to him by kissing him senseless against the wall and sending him on his way, mussed and quite a bit later than he had intended to depart for his family dinner.

Notes:

***UPDATE 9/25/23***
I've written an update on this fic on my Twitter. I haven't given up on this fic. It's just going to take a bit for me to complete. Check my socials below for future updates!

I just noticed today that some of my social links were broken, but they're fixed now!

What did you guys think? Please let me know! Kudos and comments fuel my soul, and they mean a whole lot to me as a writer. I read and try to respond to each one if I can!

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-K 🖤

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