Alec was walking around the crowded club for God knows how long but Jace was nowhere to be seen. He had run off earlier in pursuit of the low-class demon they were supposed to catch. A demon who was only playing pranks on people without harming them in any way. They really thought the creature was stronger and so both of them were sent on this mini mission but surprise, surprise, it turned out to be a piece of cake.
Lightwood had thought that his parabatai can take care of the demon on his own so he had waited patiently for him to come back. Now, 3 hours later, the blond-haired boy still hasn't returned and Alec was getting annoyed. He was in no way worried that something could have happened to his friend simply because he believed in his abilities… and the demon was REALLY low-class one.
Anyway, Alexander Lightwood was bored out of his mind and a little self-conscious, of course, because he wasn't accustomed to crowded places and an enormous number of mundane bodies (any bodies, for that matter) rocking to the beat of some sort of mundane music. The music wasn't so bad, to be honest, but the drunk people all over the dance floor really weren't his thing.
'Maybe I should return to the Institute and wait there. Izzy is probably worried.' he though for the umpteenth time this evening but couldn't bring himself to go away in case Jace searched for him here.
Finally Alec decided to walk around and find something to do and pass the time, maybe they had made a mistake with the demon they were supposed to kill and the real danger was still somewhere around. Everything was pretty ordinary if we don't count the downworlders here and there and as long as they did not cause trouble and abduct humans, all was good.
He made his way through the many dancing bodies trying not to rub against them too much (it was impossible not to touch them at all). He was planning to get some drink and try to cool himself off because there was no much breathing space on the dance floor which was making him nauseous. Not alcohol, of course, because he didn't like the taste of it but maybe some juice? That was probably not a good idea because it will inevitably draw the barman's attention and Alec didn't really want to become a laughing stock. Anyway, he didn't even have the years needed to drink anyway, there was still a whole month before he turned 18. Since he was thirsty, he decided to take the risk to be mocked about his choice of drinks and started walking towards the barstool.
Three more steps and he felt a hand touching his ass quite inappropriately. He jumped at the sensation and turned around only to see some vampire grinning at him like he had won the lottery or something. The nephilim blushed intensely and made an effort to ignore the unpleasant smile of the downworlder in order not to cause an unnecessary scene in the club. He was just about to continue walking but turned around too late and bumped into someone…who was taller than him which was unusual since Alec was pretty tall himself. He looked up and was immediately mesmerized by the yellow-green cat eyes staring back at him. ''A warlock!''- thought the shadowhunter and his blush deepened.
"Hello there, having fun?" asked the stranger.
It took Alec a few seconds to realize that the stunning person in front of him was actually talking to HIM – plain boring Alexander Lightwood. Standing next to each other, it seemed like they belonged to two completely different worlds even though they shared the same club. The warwock was his exact opposite with his quite provocative clothing in many different colors. Not to mention that he wore make-up and had glitter all over himself.
The shadowhunter looked down at his own clothes suddenly feeling 100 times more out of place in this room packed with almost naked and sweaty dancing bodies.
Suddenly he remembered that the warlock had asked him a question. He was expecting an answer… and Alec was still staring at him like he was Jesus Christ in all his glory.
''U-um…'' finally opening his mouth to reply, Alec already felt like an idiot. 'Um? Really?' he almost slapped himself: 'By the Angel, calm down, Alexander, would you?' he thought.
''N-not really having fun considering that I got sexually harassed by a drunk vampire.'' was the first thing that came to mind. He regretted admitting it right after but the words were already out in the open, he couldn't take them back.
"Well, this is bound to happen in places like this" replied the warlock. "What would you say we get out of here and go somewhere quieter?"
''Huh?'' Alec blinked. For a second it seemed like the warlock was flirting with him but that was impossible, right? There had to be a better explanation as to why he wanted them to ,,go somewhere quieter'', for sure. Maybe the warlock had some evil plan which involved…killing shadowhunters found alone is some club? The situation was perfect but Alec knew better. It wasn't a secret that the nephilims and the downworlders weren't on friendly terms, even more so after Valentine and The Circle. Maybe this warlock wanted revenge for something done to him or his beloved people in the past? That was a much more reasonable explanation and Alec was usually sympathetic when it came to these kinds of stories but he wasn't planning to pay for someone else's fault. He was naïve but not to such extent!
Anyway, he couldn't just leave this place either. He was still hoping that Jace will show up at some point and he wanted to still be here when that happened.
He gulped and looked the stranger in the eyes, trying to look firm in order to show that he wasn't naïve enough to think that the gorgeous warlock was interested in him. Alec wasn't leaving alone with a downworlder and that's that. Better be safe than sorry!
''And do what?'' he answered with a question of his own.
The taller man blinked: "Getting some fresh air is my top priority" he finally said, smiling lightly: ''And I would really appreciate some company. Interested?'' then winked.
Alec blushed again hearing the suggestive tone the warlock used in his last sentence. Okay, maybe he didn't want to get revenge. Maybe he really just wanted to get some fresh air and was only looking for company. The nephilim wasn't sure why he got chosen, he felt a bit honored but tried not to read too deep into the warlock's intentions.
He was probably too drunk and clearly not choosing wisely. Alec decided he had nothing to lose and could spare a few minutes of his time (he didn't know what to do anyway) to keep company to a drunken (and unbelievably sexy) warlock who wanted to get some fresh air.
Still a little cautious, he replied:
''Okay, let's go outside for a while… but not too far because I'm waiting for a friend.'' he felt like he had to explain himself. He still wasn't planning to follow the stranger to… his basement, for example.
Alec turned around and headed towards the exit, deliberately making a half-circle around the vampire who had tried to feel him up (and succeeded, to some extent). When he got out, the only thing he could see were the flashing red lights of the chinese restaurant on the other side of the street. He turned right and went to lean against the club's brick wall.
His companion caught up a few moments later and leaned next to him. "So, do you do this often? I mean, the whole clubbing thing?"
For a moment, Alec wondered what he was doing. Leading the warlock into this dark alley seemed like he had…impure intentions and that wasn't the case at all. It was dark and cold (it was pretty hot in the club, too hot even) but it was also kind of intimate. He imagined the stranger pushing him against the wall, running his hands all over his body and kissing the hell out of him. The images made him blush madly and he averted his gaze to the ground, biting his lower lip. He wanted it so badly and at the same time, the thought of that really happening scared him. After all, he had never been so close to such a person before, he had never been kissed, let alone touched intimately.
A-anyway, he was just thinking about indecent things involving a person he met five minutes ago. But damn, he was sexy as fuck!
The warlock finally spoke, asking him if he went to such places often. Alec would have laughed if he wasn't so nervous. What was he doing in this deserted alley with a downworlder, again?
''Not really! Only when there's a mission but never for fun. I'm not a party animal as you can probably guess from my attire.''
Then he decided it would be rude if they were only talking about him so he asked a question of his own: ''What about you?''
Judging by the warlock's clothing, being in such place at 03:00 am wasn't unusual for him but… looks can be deceiving, Alec knew that much.
"Only when I am looking for fun times, darling…which is most of the time.'' was the reply. "Don't you ever have fun?"
Alec wasn't really surprised by the warlock's answer. Immortals had plenty of time to do whatever, even nothing at all. But for mortals, time was priceless so they should strive to achieve their dreams or purposes before it ran out. Creatures like the warlocks and the vampires could spend 5 years partying 24/7 and it would be like a blink of an eye for them. What are 5 years when you have eternity?!
This train of thoughts made the shadowhunter wonder what he wanted out of this encounter. It was definitely not a one-night stand, he wasn't that kind of person. But nothing serious could ever come out of a relationship between a mortal and an immortal. The nephilim caught himself thinking about that sort of complicated stuff when he didn't even know the stranger's name.
Somehow, he didn't find the right time to ask, the conversation was going too smoothly considering that Alec wasn't a people's person per se. All these thoughts about relationships and so on seemed naïve when he wasn't even sure if the warlock was interested in him in ''that'' way. He must be if he's wasting his time to talk to him, right? But Alec couldn't count on that.
He remembered how in the past, when he was 12 or so, there was this guy who came up to him and wanted them to be friends. Alec was really happy at that time, he didn't have many friends because he was kind of antisocial. In the end, it turned out that the guy just wanted to get closer to Jace and hang out with him, because he thought it would make him more popular if he declared himself Jace's friend.
The downworlder's question brought Alec back to the present time. Did he ever have fun? It was a tough one to answer. ''I guess…but… it doesn't involve going to clubs and getting drunk. I wouldn't mind having a party at home with my siblings though.'' he smiled lightly, remembering Izzy And Max… and Jace.
He really loved running alongside Jace late at night when they just wandered around town, looking for trouble. Well, Jace was the one looking for trouble and Alec was only keeping an eye on him but he couldn't deny having a great time with his parabatai. It was their alone time, without parents, obligations…
They didn't do that as often now. Not only were they older but that girl, Clary-whatever, that appeared out of nowhere, was occupying Jace's mind lately and he preferred to spend time with her instead of Alec… or so it looked like to him. Yes, he was jealous, but he couldn't help it. He was in love with his parabatai for as long as he could remember. A fruitless love…
Alec looked back at the warlock and his unique cat eyes. He wanted to ask a childish question like ''Are you into me?'' or ,,Will you go out with me?'' but he remained silent. It was better to keep fantasizing a while longer. His feelings were complicated enough anyway, what would happen if a warlock came permanently into the picture? Was that even possible?
It was strange to call him the warlock in his mind over and over again. This man was a person, after all, not only an individual of the ,,warlock'' category.
''W-what is your name?''
The warlock looked once again surprised but Alec couldn't tell why.
"Why, I am the Magnificent Magnus Bane, high warlock of Brooklyn! I am sure you must have heard of me." he smiled. "And what is yours, sweetie?"
Alec smiled a little, but was also embarrassed by the war-...by Magnus calling him 'sweetie'.
''I'm Alexander Lightwood but my friends call me Alec.''
"A Lightwood then?" smiled Magnus. "You must live in the Institute then?"
''Well yeah, there are not many places around the city where a Shadowhunter can live without being disturbed.'' Alec was proud of himself for not stuttering this time.
"Yeah, you shadowhunters get disturbed a lot. Must be hard - the warrior life?"
''I suppose so but I can't really compare it to anything. It's the only type of life I know. I'm sure being a warlock is not an easy task eiter, right?'' he finally made an eye contact with Magnus again.
"It has its ups and downs" came the answer. "But things are better when I meet pretty boys like you!"
Alec let out a surprised noise and quickly averted his eyes, the blush permanent on his face (at least, when it came to the gorgeous person in front of him). ''Um...t-thank you... I guess?'' he really had no idea how to react to that statement, nobody had even thought he was pretty before.
"So... Who are you waiting exactly?"
''Jace, my parabatai! He went after a demon about 3 hours ago. I promised to wait him in the club.''
"What, is he per chance a blond guy?" asked Magnus
'Of course, everybody knows Jace.' thought Alec and usually, he wouldn't really care but for some reason, this time, it made him a little bit upset. Jace couldn't be easily missed, he was too handsome, like a full-blooded Angel. Alec wondered if Magnus was attracted to Jace, like many other people were. ''Yes, Jace Herondale. You know him?'' he still wanted to make sure.
"No, but I saw a blond shadowhunter making out with a girl back in the club."
Alec's eyes went wide for a second. Wait! What? Was Jace really...making him wait for three whole hours only so he could make out with some whore? What about Clary then? Was she the better option in comparison to some unknown girl in the club? Probably not. Alec was used to Jace's lifestyle but it still hurt a little, it was bearable though, Alec knew that Jace will never love him the way he wanted him to. ''T-that girl...did she have red hair?'' he wanted to act casual, like he didn't care what his parabatai was doing and with whom.
"Huh, I guess, I wasn't paying enough attention" There was a few seconds pause in which the other man looked like he was contemplating something then he continued: ''I guess you aren't waiting for him anymore, are you?"
Alec felt like an idiot. He couldn't say he was stood up because Jace wasn't his date but it was still unsettling... like he was the ugly friend who always waited until the other hooked up with girls only so they can go home together or something like that. In a way, he was that friend. ''I guess not, he's probably going to spend the night with her. Still, it wouldn't have hurted to let me know so I can go home.'' he said it mostly to himself.
"So, if you don't have anything to do now, why don't we go somewhere else? You know, to finish our drinks or something?" Magnus smiled.
''Why are you doing this?'' said Alec suddenly: ''S-sorry if I'm being rude but... why are you wasting your time with me? You said you like to party and have fun but the party is inside the club. So why are you standing here in the cold in a dark alley...t-talking to a boring person?''
He didn't know what came over him. He was confused and a little pissed at Jace but that didn't mean he had to be an asshole towards someone who least deserves it. But he was tired of games, he wanted to know Magnus' intentions so he wouldn't be disappointed in then end.
''Don't get me wrong, I would l-love to spend more time with you...'' here he goes again, blushing like a high-school girl: '' ...but why did you choose to talk to me?''
Magnus blinked at him: "I am sorry, didn't I make my intentions clear?! You intrigue me and I would like to get to know you better. I assure you, you've been everything but boring so far."
Alec was flattered. Did Magnus say all that just to make him feel better (very thoughtful) or he really meant it? He wasn't sure but the answer made him happy nonetheless. God, he wanted to kiss Magnus Bane so badly. ''Okay! Where do you want to go?''
I know a quiet bar down the street. It's got nice athmosphere that I think you'll appreciate far more than the one over there!'' he pointed at the entrance of the club.
Alec decided just to go along with it and to see how the night will end. He has always been the responsible one, the eldest sibling who had to look after the others and make sure they didn't end up being in too much trouble. It was his time to be irresposible, too feel beautiful and wanted, too feel alive.
''Lead the way, please!''