Friday
"When you said we're spending the weekend at your family's place in the woods I pictured something a little more…" Magnus trailed off as he gawped at the log cabin which looked the same size as his living room back in Brooklyn, "well, just, more." The Warlock looked over his shoulder at Alec who slung his weekend bag onto his back before following Magnus towards the cabin, giving a slight grin as he avoided the Downworlder's accusatory raised eyebrow.
It had all started the week before. Since defeating Valentine and their reunion in the alley behind the Hunter's Moon Alec had hardly left Magnus' loft, wanting to make up for the time they had lost when the Warlock had been forced to choose the Downworld over his young lover. He had told Magnus that he didn't think he could live without the Warlock in his life and he had meant it.
Spending every waking outside of his job hunting down demons and law-breaking Downworlders at Magnus' place had been eye opening. Alec had come to realise that Magnus hardly did anything without a flick of the wrist and a crackle of blue. From making the bed in the morning and browsing his extensive wardrobe to conjuring evening meals and tidying up the loft, Magus obviously relied heavily on his magic.
Shadowhunters had no such luck. Growing up as the eldest a lot of the household chores had fallen to him. Not forgetting he had a host of siblings to take care of. Izzy and Max had never been too much of a problem but Jace was the world's messiest roommate. Alec couldn't count the number of times he had had to clean up after his adopted brother in order to avoid scathing words from his mother.
Of course, Alec had reflected watching Magnus produce Belgian waffles and luxurious Italian coffee out of thin air, it just came naturally to the Warlock who had discovered his powers as a young child and had called upon them ever since to protect his people and sometimes to do the dishes.
Alec had wondered if Magnus ever accomplished anything without a click of his fingers and had challenged the Warlock to do just that for a weekend. Magnus had scoffed at the idea that he wouldn't be able to go without using his abilities and had accepted the challenge the Shadowhunter had set him. Although, peeking around Alec to lay his eyes upon the inside of the cabin Magnus wasn't so sure it had been a good idea.
"Look, Magnus, you said you could go without using magic for a whole weekend," Alec slipped a small silver key from his pocket and turned it in the lock, "this seemed like the best way of keeping you away from temptation." The Shadowhunter pushed the door open and stepped into the cabin, his cobalt blue eyes taking a moment to adjust to the lack of light.
Magnus took a deep breath, "the things I do for you, Alexander…" he muttered, picking up his designer luggage and following Alec into the cabin. He was met with a simple but relatively elegant living space; the furniture was basic and functional but not altogether horrific Magnus reflected as he placed his luggage down on the coffee table in front of a worn but comfortable looking sofa which faced an old brick fireplace.
There was a small dining table and chairs to one side of the cabin and a bookshelf which looked like it was about to topple over at any minute under the weight of many volumes on the other. At the far end of the room, opposite the front door, Magnus spotted an open-plan kitchen with a simple stove, fridge and larder. The wooden surfaces were clear of clutter.
The Warlock noticed that the whole space seemed to be clutter free, except for the mantle above the fire which was covered with photographs and mementos of time spent here by the Lightwood family. Magnus' face lit up as he walked along from end to end as he inspected the photos seeing images of Alec, Jace, Izzy and further along the mantle Max playing in the woods, cooking over a campfire, hunting with fierce looking bows and fishing in the lake as youngsters.
It was like a time capsule, Magnus thought as he picked up a frame from the end of the mantle which held a photo of Alec from a few years ago, his innocent blue eyes staring out from the image a slightly embarrassed look on his face as if he had tried to avoid the camera. Magnus almost missed the boy despite Alec being in the next room.
Magnus had no such mementos from his early years, in fact, his childhood had been the most painful time of his life. Having been the result of a liaison between his mother and a disguised Asmodeus, a greater demon, Magnus had been born in 16th century Jakarta and had grown up happily until his golden cat-like Warlock eyes had given his demonic heritage away. His mother had committed suicide not long after and his step-father had tried to drown him.
Alec had walked through to the main bedroom at the back of the cabin to deposit his bag and returned to the living space to watch Magnus as he browsed the photographs above the fire. Sensing Alec had returned Magnus put the photo down and turned to lay his eyes on the Shadowhunter, somehow seeing Alec in a new light.
"It's hard to imagine Shadowhunters having fun." Magnus smiled, walking over to stand in front of Alec, taking the boy's hand in his own tenderly, feeling suddenly touched that Alec had chosen to share this part of his life with him. Alec squeezed the Warlock's hand and grinned, "We couldn't train all day every day." He raised Magnus' hand to his lips to place a light kiss on the Warlock's palm before releasing it. "Even if my father would have preferred it that way."
Magnus' breath caught in his chest at the touch of Alec's lips against his skin and he offered a small smile. "Well, it's nicer in here than I expected." The Warlock waved his hand with his usual dramatic flair to indicate the cabin's interior, a host of rings glittering on his fingers.
"Although it could do with a few touches here and there…" His hand automatically raised as if to release magic but Alec stopped Magnus before he had the chance to fail the no-magic rule. "Magnus!" Alec chuckled to himself, it had hardly been 10 minutes and the Warlock had already almost used magic. "No magic, remember?" The Shadowhunter grinned at the exasperated Downworlder whose eyes were wide with surprise at how close he had come to letting Alec win.
"Of course." Magnus cleared his throat in an embarrassed manner. "Perhaps I should unpack." He picked up his luggage, almost full to bursting with expensive and flamboyant fashion choices and walked across the room and through the door Alec had appeared from.
The Shadowhunter grinned to himself as he moved over to kneel at the fireplace and started to place logs in a neat pile shaped like a tepee just has his father had shown him, with kindling in the middle. A quick strike of a match and the fire started to burn releasing much-needed warmth into the cabin.
By the time Magnus reappeared having unpacked his bag without the help of his magic, which had taken considerably longer than the Warlock had thought it would much to his annoyance, the sun had gone down. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace spreading golden light across the cabin and a bottle of open red wine on the coffee table, two glasses had been poured.
Alec, who had made himself comfortable by lying down on the sofa, looked up from the book he had been reading and smiled as he watched Magnus walk towards him. "Not so easy without magic, hmm?" The Shadowhunter teased before motioning to the glasses on the table and sitting up to make space on the sofa.
"Smugness is not an attractive quality, Alexander." Magnus grumbled as he picked up one of the glasses and took a long sip, returning it to the coffee table before turning to face Alec who still had a grin on his face. The Warlock couldn't help but be pulled out of his grouchy mood and he smiled, "Luckily, you have plenty of other attractive qualities." He said with a flourish of his right hand.
"Oh? Is that right?" Alec smiled as he stood up from the sofa and took Magnus' hand in his own, drawing the Warlock closer, his free hand sliding around the Warlock's waist. Alec could feel his heart beating in his chest as he looked into Magnus' eyes which were glamoured to a deep brown and reflecting the dancing flames from the fire. "Mhm," Magnus murmured as he let his lips brush Alec's, "for one you have fantastic taste in men."
The Shadowhunter didn't have time to chuckle as Magnus captured his lips in a slow, deep kiss which left Alec lightheaded. The Warlock tasted of red wine with undertones of burned sugar which Alec had come to know as Magnus' magic signature flavour. The Downworlder ever so slowly drew back, pressing his forehead to Alec's for a moment allowing the sensual moment to linger.
"I need you to know that I wouldn't go magic-free for anyone other than you, Alexander" Magnus whispered, lifting his gaze to Alec's lapis blue eyes which held a look of surprise beneath the glaze of desire. "It is a part of me," Magnus continued, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if nervous, "but so are you." The Shadowhunter lifted a hand to tenderly trace along Magnus' cheek, noting emotion stirring in the Warlock's eyes which slowly melted from chocolate to glimmering gold as his defences lowered.
Alec reached to take fistfuls of Magnus' silk shirt, pulling him down on top of him as he retreated to the sofa, claiming the Warlock's lips with his once more in a hungry kiss that promised a night of pleasure.
