When Alec walked into Magnus's apartment he had no idea what he was getting into. As he opened the door he got the strangest feeling something was wrong. The whole apartment was shaking and a strong energy filled the room. He ran into the living room only to find Magnus crouched over Luke and Clary Fray running around in a panic. He ran up to Magnus as fast as he could and without even thinking offered to help. "I need your strength" the warlock said. Alec offered his hand and told him to take what he needed. After that, everything was a blur. Was it minutes? Hours? He felt Magnus's energy pulling his out of his body like a vacuum. His eyes were closed but he sensed other people entering the room. One of them was Jace and maybe Fray's mundane friend? His head was swirling and everyone was shouting. As quickly as the sensation started it ended. He opened his eyes and looked around. Everyone looked relieved and Magnus had collapsed against him. He looked down to see Magnus's eyes looking up at him. His heart skipped a beat.
It took everyone a few minutes to gather themselves again. Alec decided the best way to handle all this was to look busy. He started cleaning up the apartment as Magnus helped Clary and Luke get situated in the bedroom. Why had he come here? What was he hoping to accomplish? He ran out of the Institute so angrily he had forgotten why he came. In the past Alec would've done anything for Jace, but that phone call was more than vague. Why had Magnus needed him?
"You know I have magic for that, right?" Magnus asked. It was at that moment Alec awoke from his own thoughts to realize Magnus was standing by his drink cart.
"I think you exerted yourself enough for one day," Alec replied. He felt exhausted himself so he couldn't imagine how Magnus felt. Looking at him though, it appeared as if he had acquired a second wind.
"Drink break?" the warlock said, offering Alec some sort of clear liquid.
"What the heck?" Alec thought to himself with a sigh and stood up to walk towards the other man. As Magnus handed him his drink, smiling, he did one of his signature snaps and a puff of blue energy entered the glass. Alec was now a little skeptical but decided to try it anyways.
"To us," Magnus said as they clinked their glasses together. What did he mean by that? Alec tried not to smile or make eye contact and took a swig of the drink. As the drink hit his mouth he scrunched up his face. He was never much of a drinker and this was probably something hard considering it came from Magnus.
"Why did you ask for me?" Alec asked, finally able to speak after what seemed like a punch in the mouth from that drink, "when Jace and Clary were both here?"
"Jace didn't tell you?" Magnus responded. Alec shook his head slightly. "Doesn't matter," Magnus continued. "It was a lie anyway," he said while turning away from Alec and walking toward the window.
"Are warlocks always this cryptic?" Alec wondered. He could see that Magnus was smiling in the reflection of the glass.
"I'm not being cryptic. I'm being coy." At that Alec couldn't help but smile. He was extremely new to this whole thing and maybe it was the liquor talking, but he could swear Magnus was flirting with him. Magnus turned to face him again. With a sigh, he said, "Let me spell it out for you. I wanted to see you again." Magnus was walking back towards him. His smile had faded and he was looking Alec dead in the eyes. Alec had no idea how to react.
"Why?" was all Alec could think to say. He was slightly intimated by the way Magnus was staring at him. He couldn't hold his gaze and he also couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.
"Why did you come?" Magnus asked. A thousand thoughts entered Alec's head but none of them could force their way out of his mouth.
He tried to say something, but all he could do was shake his head and give a noncommittal "Not sure?" It came out as a question, but who was he asking? Was he waiting for Magnus to give him a reason or was he trying to stop himself from figuring all of this out? He liked Magnus. Was it ok to like Magnus?
"For almost a century," Magnus started again, probably aware of every thought that had passed through Alec's head, "I've closed myself off to feeling anything for anyone…man or woman." Magnus's eyes went from a confident gaze to an almost confused look. "You've unlocked something in me." At this Alec's mouth just dropped. What could he say to that? He couldn't stop himself from bursting into a full smile. He couldn't stop looking at Magnus, whose face now looked like a person who confessed their deepest, darkest secret. All the thoughts came back. He was never one for expressing personal emotions. As he finally opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang.
When he answered his phone, he heard his mother's voice. She was talking to him, he was sure of it but he couldn't focus on any of the words. She made some point of asking him to come to the Institute and he had agreed out of duty although he wasn't even sure what he had agreed to. He hung up and was getting ready to leave when he looked up and saw Magnus's face, no longer serious and stoic, but smiling and pleading.
"Maryse must be recruiting you for something…unseemly" he said walking towards Alec. How could he communicate to Magnus what he was feeling? He had to stop here. If he allowed Magnus to pull him back in, it would be almost as dangerous as fighting demons.
"Um…listen, Magnus…I wish…I just don't know…" Alec couldn't think of how to explain to the warlock that this had to end here. Maryse's call probably saved him from going too far. Suddenly Magnus, as if it were an act of mercy, brought his finger up and placed it just in front of Alec's mouth to silence him.
"I understand," Magnus said sweetly. Alec couldn't help but smile the biggest smile. He starting thinking that maybe going too far wasn't far enough. "Stay for one more drink," Magnus said seductively, "and then decide."
Alec took the drink that was offered to him. After all, what was one more drink? He couldn't tell if he was lightheaded because of the first drink or the events that just took place. It had been a long and tiring day, but because he wasn't much of a drinker most people would consider him quite a lightweight.
"This calls for some music," Magnus said suddenly. With a snap of his fingers the old phonograph in the corner started up. It was muffled at first but then a beat escaped from the machine. BUMP BUMP and a high pitched voice sang "Baby, I like your style" BUMP BA BUMP BUMP , BUMP BA BUMP BUMP followed by a man's voice which appeared to be half singing and half speaking. "Do you like this song?" Magnus asked, sipping from his drink.
"Um…sure," said Alec hesitantly. To be honest he had never heard anything like it before. All Shadowhunters were classically trained musicians, but he had never encountered anything quite like this.
"Then let's dance!" Magnus exclaimed. He snapped his fingers again and suddenly all the furniture in the living area moved to the side to create an open space in the middle of the room. Magnus moved towards the opening while bobbing his head to the beat. He looked back at Alec, who was trying his best not to look confused. With his drink in one hand, Magnus started swaying his hips back and forth. Alec was mesmerized. For a moment, he felt frozen and all he could do was stare at this handsome warlock dancing to some foreign song. Magnus noticed him staring and with a free hand tried to wave Alec on to the makeshift dance floor. Alec shook his head and smiled. Shadowhunters knew how to ballroom dance and some ballet which was quite useful for slaying demons, but not in situations like this. Magnus closed his eyes and started bobbing his head again. He opened his eyes and stared at Alec. He pointed at Alec and winked, singing along "That's why I need a one dance. Got a Hennessy in my hand" he pointed up his finger up in the air "one more time 'fore I go. Higher powers' taking a hold on me". Alec laughed. What was he doing? All his interactions with Magnus so far had been so serious. He couldn't complain though. It was nice to see a different side of him.
"Come on, Alexander! Loosen up!" he playfully shouted from the dance floor, once more beckoning him to come over while still shaking his hips.
Alec laughed again. "Aren't Fray and Luke still here? Shouldn't we let them rest?" He didn't want this to end but he didn't want to get caught watching a warlock gyrating either. Magnus walked up to Alec still singing "You know you gotta stick by me. Soon as you see the text reply me". He wrapped his arm around Alec's elbow and leaned in. "All the rooms in this apartment are….soundproof," he said with a wink as he dragged Alec over to the dance floor. He grabbed Alec's hands and started pulling him back and forth to the beat, forcing Alec to twist his hips. "Magnus…" Alec said but stopped. Magnus lifted Alec's right arm up and did a twirl underneath, still singing "Where do you wanna go? 'Cause if you're down, I'll take it slow" he looked Alec in the eye and sang "make you lose control". Alec smiled. The song switched back to a beat that kind of reminded him of the Spanish-style dancing his mother taught him when he was young. He instinctively took Magnus's hands and moved to the beat almost like a fast rumba. Magnus looked shocked at first and impressed. He smiled and let Alec lead him. Alec left his head and relaxed. For the first time in a long time he didn't have a care in the world. He and Magnus seemed to be caught up in their own whirlwind, separate from anyone or anything else in the world. After what seemed like forever, but also all too soon, the song came to an end and snapped him back to reality. It was then that he realized he had stopped moving but his head didn't.
"Feeling ok?" Magnus said with a look of concern on his face.
"Yeah…I'm fine," Alec said although he wasn't so sure of that. "I think I just need a minute to sit…" before he even finished his sentence, Magnus's couch, suddenly clean, was back to where it was before and Magnus led him onto it.
"Maybe you should stay here tonight? You've had a long day," Magnus said in a sweet voice that lacked its usual seduction, but was more concerned.
"Yeah…maybe," Alec said with his hand on his forehead. It had been quite a day of chasing Clary and helping werewolves…or was it the other way around? Magnus poofed a pillow and blanket out of nowhere and helped Alec ease him way into a resting position. He covered Alec with the blanket.
"Rest up. Thank you for your help today. You don't know how much it meant to me," Magnus said, standing over Alec. Alec tried to reply but he was already halfway in the dream world. He barely got out a "no problem" before he was asleep. In that final moment of consciousness, he swore he felt a hand move his hair back and a small, wet kiss being placed on his forehead.