Chapter One: Rude Awakening
"Good morning, darling!" the flamboyant warlock sang, flinging the heavy velvet curtains wide open, basking in the midday sunlight. There was a muffled sound coming from the bed, something reminiscent of a growling dog, or maybe a small bear.
"Oh, don't be like that, hon. You'll hate yourself if you stay in bed all day, we both know it. And I'd rather not have a moody Alec today." The growling sound got louder. Magnus turned to face away from the window, hands on hips to properly scold his boyfriend.
"Alec, dear, just because we had a late night last night, it is no excuse to get all grumpy on me. You really should be thanking me. I know I'd be thanking me if I had been on the receiving end of-"
Magnus cut off as he dodged the ruffled pink throw pillow that had been aimed at his head.
"Well if that's not childish, I don't know what is," Magnus harrumphed, crossing his arms and cocking his hip to scowl at the man in his bed. Alec wasn't able to appreciate his boyfriend's best displeased pose, however, because he had successfully buried himself in various pillows and covers so that Magnus could barely see a flash of his midnight black hair.
"Merrghflrgerf."
"Use your words, muffin, I know you have them," Magnus sighed, getting tired of this. Alec pulled back the covers just enough so he could give a good one-eyed glare to the far too perky man in front of him.
"You kept me up all night last night…" he groaned, words only barely discernible from the earlier growls. "You kept me up all night, with no breaks, and I'm fairly certain I have bruises from-"
"You deserved every one of those, Alec. You would simply not shut up; I had to keep you quiet somehow," Magnus interrupted. Another pillow sailed past where his head had been a moment ago.
"Magnus," Alec said, voice dead serious as he pushed the covers farther away from his face. "You made me watch all of the Star Wars movies. Back to back."
"Oh no, sweet cheeks, I only made you watch the proper movies. If I had actually wanted to torture you, I would have added the second trilogy, but we won't speak of those abominations."
Another pillow came at Magnus, this time a sequined purple rectangle; one of his favorites. He caught it deftly and lobbed it back at Alec, bending quickly to pick up the other pillows before throwing them after the first.
"Hey!" Alec protested, burying himself once again to avoid the barrage of decorative throw pillows. Having run out of ammo, Magnus shrugged and launched himself on top of the Shadowhunter, letting out a spontaneous cry of "For Narnia!"
Magnus couldn't keep the wide grin off his face as he tackled Alec, trapping him under the teal and violet striped duvet. He giggled with a near manic glee as he started tickling the blue eyed boy.
"Hey!" Alec yelped, trying to look indignant, but the involuntary giggles bursting from his lips kind of ruined that. Soon he was gasping for breath while Magnus kept on mercilessly, reveling in the sight of his strong Shadowhunter reduced to a hiccuping puddle.
"No one chucks sparkly throw pillows at the High Warlock and gets away with it," Magnus leaned in close to Alec, pausing his tickle attack temporarily to whisper in his ear. "Now say you're sorry."
"Or..?" Alec whispered back, unable to stifle the incessant giggles, his stomach starting to hurt.
"Or, dear Alec, the High Warlock shall have to retaliate."
Alec sobered quickly, looking up at Magnus, who was already decked out for the day in his usual glittery get up and too tight, too colorful clothing.
"Magnus," Alec said slowly, a note of warning in his voice, doing a good job of covering up the slight apprehension in his eyes. "Magnus, I'm still angry at you for last night, don't think-"
"But are you really angry at me, Alexander?" Magnus raised an eyebrow, his cat eyes glowing with a new light as he upped the ante with the use of Alec's full name. "I introduced you to a classic, darling, your life was not complete before. Now you can begin living. You," Magnus breathed, "should be thanking me.
"Oh really?" Alec asked, voice low and deadly. "How's about this for proper thanks?" And before Magnus knew it, he was pinned beneath the bright comforter, Alec gazing down at him, a smug smile on his face.
"Hmmm," Magnus hummed, shamelessly ogling his shirtless boyfriend. "You should have been a pilgrim."
"And why is that?" Alec asked cordially, as if he weren't practically straddling the warlock.
"You give thanks much better than they did. Trust me," Magnus whispered, giving up all intentions to keep this morning PG rated as he let his mind wander to much more enjoyable ways to spend the day. Maybe Alec wouldn't hate himself if they decided on a day in bed after all...
"Good," Alec whispered back, leaning down slightly so that they were inches apart. Magnus closed his eyes in anticipation of Alec's lips on his, barely able to keep himself from leaning up to close the distance between them. When Alec spoke again his voice was so low and sultry that Magnus could barely take it.
"I'm glad you agree that my waffle-making skills are far superior to early settlers of Plymouth." Magnus' eyes flew open at this once he got past the tone and registered the actual words coming from his boyfriend's mouth.
"Waffles?"
"Waffles. My way of giving thanks." Alec leaned down to place a quick peck on the warlock's frozen lips before jumping off the bed and bounding out of the bedroom with an energy that he seemed to absorb directly from the air. Magnus stared after the now wide awake Shadowhunter for a moment before dropping his head back into the pillows with a frustrated sigh.
"Really?" he asked the empty room.
As if to respond, Chairman Meow lept onto the bed and took a seat on Magnus' chest. The small cat look quizzically at Magnus for a moment before leaning in to lick the man's nose.
"Thank you, Chairman," Magnus chuckled softly, reaching up to scratch the kitten under the chin, prompting the ball of fluff to start purring with the intensity of a chainsaw. "At least I'm getting some play from someone this morning. "Magnus stayed in bed, snuggling with the Chairman for a few more minutes, but the smell of waffles soon enticed him to get up. It was nearly noon, but he hadn't eaten yet, breakfast having consisted of a quick latte on his way to an early client.
When he'd come home around 11 or so, Magnus had been surprised to find Alec still asleep. Usually it was Alec that was the early riser and Magnus the one that would viciously cling to sleep. But not today. He'd been awake since 7:00 that morning and he was not wasting the day, no matter how much he had wanted to throw all innocent intention out the window moments ago. Nope. They were going to do something today.
"Come along, Chairman," he said, picking up the small cat as he left the bedroom. "Let's get us some waffles."
Walking into the main loft, Magnus felt a smile creep onto his face as the kitchen came into view, and he was treated with the sight of of his shirtless boyfriend making breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewing coffee was slowly filling the apartment as Magnus deposited the Chairman on the floor and crept up behind Alec, doing his best to be silent.
"You're better at sneaking than most people, Magnus, but I think you've forgotten that I fight creatures of the night for a living." Alec didn't look up from the waffle batter he was mixing as Magnus wrapped his arms around his muscular waist, but a smile tugged at the corner of the Shadowhunter's lips.
"Darling, I am a creature of the night," Magnus rested his chin on Alec's shoulder, watching the muscles in his arms move as he stirred the thick batter.
"True," the little smirk widened. "But, I don't think lime green skinny jeans are the most advantageous when it comes to lurking in shadows."
"Have you ever seen a lurker of the shadows in lime green skinny jeans, Alexander?"
"No," Alec poured a cup of the batter into the waffle iron he'd taken from the Institute a few months back, closing the lid before turning in Magnus' arms, so they were face to face. "I haven't seen any monsters running around the dark streets of Manhattan in lime green skinny jeans."
"Exactly," Magnus grinned as strong arms came up to hold him casually. "Our camouflage is foolproof."
"Of course it is, Magnus."
Magnus loved when Alec said his name. He was, of course, happy for the mere fact that it was his name being spoken by the gorgeous, sensitive hunk of a Shadowhunter, but it was also how Alec said it: in a way that said I love you every time. But beyond even that, above everything else, Magnus loved that man he held in his arms was able to say it at all. Alec had come so far from the quiet one in the back of the group; he'd come to love himself enough that he could be open about loving another. And Magnus couldn't be more proud of him.
"What are you thinking about?" Alec breathed when the silence has stretched longer than usual.
"You." The alacrity of the answer made Alec laugh as he touched his forehead to Magnus', the warlock busy revelling in the soft sound.
"Oh really?" The little smile was back, "What about me?"
Magnus unwound an arm from Alec's waist, raising his hand stroke Alec's cheek, "I was thinking that you've come so far from where you were." Alec flushed a bit, but didn't look away as Magnus' gaze intensified. "And I was thinking that I couldn't be more proud of you for it."
Leaning closer, Alec's lips just brushed Magnus' as the waffle iron announced with shrill note that the waffle was done. Alec sighed and pulled away, quickly turning to tend to the iron before their breakfast burned, but Magnus saw the smirk return as his boyfriend turned his back.
"Not to mention, you're such a tease," Magnus rolled his eyes, letting go of Alec to grab dishes from the cupboard.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want me to let your waffle burn?" The warlock narrowed his eyes at the Shadowhunter's smug expression.
"See, that's what I'm talking about," pouring coffee into their mugs, Magnus sat at the small kitchen table and waited as Alec set the next waffle to cook. "Since when have you gotten so cheeky? And chipper...I thought I would have had to drag you out of bed this morning by your toenails." Sipping his coffee Magnus eyed his personal chef with growing suspicion. Appreciation as well, for Alec was still bare-chested, but mostly suspicion.
"What can I say? You know I'm a morning person." The waffle iron beeped again, and Alec sat down across from Magnus shortly after, plate of waffles in hand.
"Yes, but you're usually not so perky after a wake-up like that. I swear you were planning the quickest way possible to kill me when I opened those curtains." Magnus didn't take his gaze off of Alec, intently watching him cut into a waffle.
"I guess I can't deny that," he spoke around a mouth full of syrup drenched fluff. "I may or may not have plotted out the exact trajectory my phone would take towards your head."
"Well, I'm glad you chose the pillow, then..." Alec looked up from his breakfast, finally acknowledging Magnus' scrutiny.
"Something wrong? You know, other than me being happy." Rolling his eyes, Magnus pulled his own waffle towards himself, drizzling syrup over it before taking a bite. He let himself be distracted for a moment by the perfect crisp of the golden brown crust giving way to warm, fluffy interior. Magnus held back a slight moan.
"Did I ever tell you you're a wonderful chef?" Alec's little smile widened at Magnus' half-assed attempt at diversion.
"Do I need a reason to be happy? More of a reason than a wonderful wake up from my boyfriend?" Magnus glared, back to suspicion once again. There was most definitely something up with Alec this morning.
"If you call that a 'wonderful wake up', I just might be tempted to ask if you've taken any fae concoctions lately. I would have thought a lesson had been learned after last time with the Sex-Change Cherries." The blush that Magnus had begun to miss that morning returned as Alec looked back to his waffle with renewed vigor, a mumbled, "Don't remind me," leaving his lips.
"Oh, darling, don't be embarrassed. You looked absolutely adorable with-" A chunk of waffle whistled past Magnus' ear, hitting the wall behind him with a squishing thud. Magnus looked from Alec, eyes still fixed on his plate, to the bit of breakfast that had adhered itself to the wall, and back to Alec. "Throwing things again, are we?"
Blue eyes widened as Alec looked up to meet Magnus' inquiring gaze with surprise. "What? Oh, I didn't throw anything. Oh, Angel, how did that get up there?" Finally 'noticing' the new addition to the wall's decor, Alec's eyes widened once more, making him look far to innocent.
"What has gotten into you this morning, Alexander?" Magnus laughed a bit out of sheer confusion. It was as if Alec was a completely different person every other minute. An idea was floating around in the back of Magnus' mind as to what this type of behavior could be called, but that couldn't be it. It was just so...not like Alec.
"It must be the waffles," the other man shrugged, taking another bite and slowly licking his fork clean of residual syrup. Magnus blinked a couple of times. Was it his imagination, or had Alec just seductively licked his fork? Was his Alec, his shy little Shadowhunter, seducing him? With a fork?
Well, it's working, Magnus thought, unable to stop staring as Alec bypassed the fork completely when he finished off the last piece of waffle left on his plate, cleaning his fingers afterwards in the much the same way as he had the fork.
"Something wrong, Magnus?" Alec asked after a few moments of continued silence on the warlock's part. As if freed from a binding spell, Magnus looked down to his own plate, fighting the urge to clear his throat and adjust the lime green skinny jeans that were suddenly much too skinny for his liking.
"Oh, uh, no darling, I'm fine. The waffles are just, uh, really, um, good this morning. They're very delicious." Avoiding the blue-eyed gaze he could practically feel boring into him, Magnus shoved some waffle into his mouth before he could continue giving voice to his scattered thoughts. Magnus had to admit, he hadn't been this flustered in awhile. Usually whenever anyone was being flirtatious with him he was able to dish it back with twice as much sassy innuendo, but all his mind was conjuring for him now were far from innocent scenarios starring himself and certain ebon-haired, currently half naked breakfast chef.
It must have been the shock that it was Alec-adorable, blush at the mention of a bedroom Alec-who was seducing him with a fork. Before Magnus' mind could go too far down the road thinking of things other than a fork that the Shadowhunter could be licking clean, he was startled by an unexpected voice by his ear.
"You want another one?" Looking up into deep bottle-blue eyes that most certainly had not been so close a moment ago, Magnus couldn't could stop the shiver that ran down his spine at Alec's sudden proximity. Magnus very nearly moaned as Alec leaned closer, breath hot against his ear. "You look famished."
"I think you're right, darling." Magnus was finally able to choke out, lungs working as his heartbeat picked up of it's own accord. "I'm starving."
Hot lips brushed the skin of his earlobe, and Magnus felt his eyes slip shut.
"Good." The one word nearly sent Magnus into a frenzy of grabbing hands and demanding lips, but he remained still as if bound by some unseen force. "There's always time for seconds."
A faint breeze wafted past Magnus' face, and his eyes opened automatically, revealing the exact opposite of what he wanted.
Alec. Across the kitchen. Making a waffle.
Taking a deep breath, Magnus counted to twenty, slowing his heart rate as he went. It was harder than he would believe to resist jumping up from the table and tackling the Shadowhunter where he stood, but he held back. The High Warlock of Brooklyn did not concede to teasing boyfriends that easily. Well, not exactly, but it was clear that Alec was having fun exercising newfound power over Magnus, and the High Warlock would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. Still. Magnus didn't like being denied what was rightfully his.
That little- Magnus didn't have time to finish the thought as Alec was in front of him again, holding out a fresh waffle and smiling like an angel. "You were starving...?"
"Oh, you bet I am," Magnus tried to stand from his seat at the small table, but Alec's firm hand on his shoulder pushed him back down.
"You should finish your breakfast, Magnus." Magnus narrowed his eyes. Three times in one morning he'd been this close to getting some action, yet with no result; Alec was not going to leave him high and dry again. But Magnus sensed that Alec had forgotten who he was dealing with. Two could play at this game.
"Make me," Magnus challenged lowly, adding in a lick of his lips for good measure. Alec broke into a wicked grin, shattering the pretense of innocence he'd maintained most of the morning, and swung a leg over the kitchen chair Magnus was sitting in, easily straddling the warlock's slim hips.
"Oh, I intend to."
A/N: Feel free to review and tell me what you think. :) Quick thank you to Latest From The Asylum for kicking my ass to get this posted, as well as Take Me To My Fragile Dreams for listening to me talk about it.