Alec

Quietly, I opened the main door to the Institute, glancing around for the near thousandth time for anyone that might be aware that I was out of my bed and on my way to Magnus' apartment. Everything was quiet; not like that meant anything. Stealth was a skill mastered by everyone in my house.

The dim candles in the candelabras in the hallway glinted off of something in my peripheral and I turned to face in that direction. It was just Church, his all too knowing eyes watching me from where he was perched on one of the many unused pews in the entrance hall. I narrowed my eyes at him and held a finger up in front of my lips, urging him to be quiet. I didn't want him attracting any attention to me; bringing unwanted people, as well as unwanted questions, to see what I was doing.

He meowed indignantly and I winced at the sound, holding my breath so I could hear if any footsteps were headed my way. None were. I released the breath I'd been holding and crept outside, checking that I had my keys and my steele, before closing the door softly behind me. I took a momentary look around me, making sure no one had noticed me walking out of a decrepit church, the image that served as the Institute's glamour, before heading down the street to Brooklyn.

I waited restlessly outside of Magnus' door as I waited for him to open it, growing more impatient by the second. When he finally opened it, I smiled and stepped toward him, stopping with a look at the expression on his eternally teenage face; a mix between delight and annoyance.

"You're late." He drawled, looking me over and most likely noticing every detail from my hastily thrown-on sweatpants to my sleep tousled hair; his own hair perfectly spiked as usual and his golden green eyes lined with eyeliner, making them stand out more than usual.

"You said to be here at four."

"Exactly. It's 4:02."

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him into the eccentrically furnished apartment, plopping down on the couch. "Two minutes, big deal. You survived, didn't you?"

"Oh, on the contrary, dear Alec. I was just running a bath and getting my razorblades ready."

I frowned at him. "That's not funny."

He grinned at me and my heart instantly picked up speed in response. "You're right, it's not. Which is why neither of us laughed."

"Whatever." I grumbled.

He sat down next to me, rolling his eyes and wrapping an arm around me. "Oh, don't get touchy. I was only joking."

I stiffened slightly before relaxing into his embrace, reminding myself that we were alone; that no one could see us. "I know. I'm just a little…on edge right now. What if something happens at the Institute and they realize I'm not there? They'll all freak."

I expected Magnus to reassure me, to tell me that nothing would happen and that I'd make it home by the time everyone woke up. Honestly, I don't know why I expected that. "You can't be there all of the time. If something happens, then it happens. Besides, you Shadowhunters always boast that you can take care of yourselves, so I'm sure they can handle things without you for a few hours. Of course, if you told them about us, you wouldn't have to sneak around."

"Look who's touchy now." I sat up, breaking our embrace, and sighed, running my hands through my hair in attempt to fix it. It didn't work, of course. "I'll tell them soon." I said, getting what he was so subtly hinting at.

"Of course you will. That's what you said last week. Oh, and the week before that too." His tone was good-natured, but the hurt in his eyes spoke louder than his words.

"I know, Magnus." I was getting annoyed now. I knew that I was hurting him by not telling my family and I hated it. But telling them…I just couldn't do it right now. I wasn't ready.

He waved his hand at me dismissively before brightening immediately, his golden green eyes sparkling in excitement. "Guess what!"

"What?" I asked warily, dreading the answer that was sure to be…interesting, to say the least.

"There's glitter moisturizer now! It softens your hands and covers you in glittery greatness! How great is that?" He beamed and I couldn't help but smile back.

"You're a glitter addict!" I laughed.

He pouted. "I resent that, Alexander Lightwood. I can stop using glitter products anytime that I very well please."

I raised an eyebrow at him, looking him over and noticing all of the glitter that he used on a daily basis. Glitter hair gel, glitter eyeliner, glitter nail polish, and now glitter lotion. Wonderful. "Yeah, right. Tell you what, if you give up glitter products for a day, I'll tell my parents about us."

His grin was mocking and utterly self-confident. "I should warn you, though, Alexander. I never lose."