Stay
"Stay."
That one word - that tiny, insignificant little word - uttered in a sleepy haze by none other than Magnus Bane, echoed through Alec's head as he tried to extract himself from the warlock's bed.
"Erm… I… I… My sister…" Alec stuttered, his brain trying to think up a valid reason for leaving. His heart, on the other hand, was perfectly content to stay in the neon pink bedroom, going so far as to make him lose his balance on the tangle of duvets and fall in a heap, back on Magnus's rather comfortable bed.
Magnus tried to look hurt, but only managed a sleepy smile. "You'd rather be with Isabelle than me?"
Alec smiled faintly at that. "No, but…"
"No buts." He smoothed down one of the blankets that adorned the king-sized bed with one hand. "Stay, please."
"I can't. It's late; I need to be getting back." Alec shrugged on his black shirt, half-heartedly trying to smooth out the creases left from its careless position screwed up on the floor. Two or three of the buttons were missing too, reminders of Magnus's rather… unorthodox methods of removing unwanted clothing.
"Oh, ok." This time, Magnus managed the 'hurt' look, but before Alec could catch on to it, he cast his eyes downwards and studied the intricate glittery pattern on the bedspread.
"I'm sorry, really I am. I just… another time maybe?"
"Ok."
"I'll stay one day, I promise."
"Fine," Magnus replied in a monotone so unlike his usual lively self.
"I will, I promise." Alec sat on the edge of the bed to lace up his shoes. Magnus sat up in the bed, placing his hand on Alec's arm, the unexpected contact sending shivers down the Shadowhunter's spine. Sure, it was nothing compared to the activities of the previous hours, but it was still surprising for Alec, who had only known his bed partner for a few months. Hell, he'd only known he was 'that way inclined' for two years at the very most, and even then he thought it was only for Jace. Never in a million years had he though he would be sleeping with another man, the High Warlock of Brooklyn least of all.
"You'd better get going then, if you won't stay." Magnus mumbled, his amber eyes searching out Alec's blue ones. Their gazes locked, neither wanting to break the enchantment that seemed to fill the bedroom. After a few minutes, Alec coughed.
"I'd best be going," he said sadly, leaning down to Magnus for a passionate kiss that left both him, and the warlock, breathless. He shook himself, and unsteadily made his way out of the bedroom. Magnus heard the apartment door close quietly, and flopped back down onto the bed with a sigh. He hated to admit it, but he was falling, hard and fast, for the blue eyed Shadowhunter. Alec was beautiful, smart and fantastic; a quick learner too, if the speed at which he had learned to do that was anything to go by. He was exactly the sort of person Magnus had spent decades looking for – someone calm and collected, someone who could put up with him. Someone he could love, and who would love him back for what he was.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by three shark knocks on the apartment door. He slid off the bed and made his way to the door, remembering at the last moment to throw some pyjama pants on. Magnus threw open the door to reveal Alec stood on the doorstep, smiling sheepishly.
"I was thinking..." he said, "I could phone Isabelle, tell her I'll be back tomorrow morning."
Magnus grinned. "You can't stay away from me, Alec," he joked.
Alec looked at him seductively through his lashes. "You know I can't," he whispered, before capturing the warlock's lips in a heated kiss and all but pushing him back towards the bedroom.