It's soft and fluffy and the first time Magnus sees it,he has to backtrack and take a closer walks towards the grey lump slowly,hardly daring to believe what it could be.

And really,when he realises and picks it up and maybe(slightly) nuzzles into it,he can't even blame 's just so squashy and smells so Alec and as he sniffs it(unashamed),he can just imagine his boyfriend sitting in a couch,curling that huge 6 foot frame into a small ball,cozy and comfortable,maybe reading a book(preferably with Magnus by his side).

The image in his head makes him grin and before he can think twice about it (and possibly do the right thing) he gives the hoodie one last sniff and swiftly folds it and keeps it in his shelf.

.

The first time he does it, it's an almost unconscious 's just so tired and he can still hear the voice of the old lady who came to him for help ringing in his can hear the disappointment in her words when he told her that he just couldn't do it and if it's one thing Magnus hates more than homophobes,sexists,racists or just general assholes, it's not being able to help a client.

He walks into his home and makes his way to his room to change into something comfortable ,once again cursing the Clave's uncanny ability to keep Alec busy when Magnus needs him the 's about to call his boyfriend,just to hear his voice(they're such saps and he knows it and he loves it) as he's ruffling through his shelf,when he spots it out of the corner of his really, no-one's there around to blame him when he quickly pockets his phone,takes out the article of clothing and smells as Alec's scent washes over him and along with it,a wave of calmness, it's only a matter of a few seconds before he's changed into it along with a pair of pajamas.

.

He's taken to wearing the hoodie around the ,when the day brings difficult clients or he does a particularly exhausting piece of magic and Alec can't make it to the loft because he's too busy at the Institute.

On those days,he comes back home and after being dramatic about Alec's absence for about ten minutes and going about his usual pre-bed routine(something that he makes sure to do because once,when he forgot,the next morning saw glitter on his sheets and glitter's an absolute bitch to get off of anything),he settles for the next best thing after Alec's physical presence next to him or under him.

He never,ever wears it around Alec, doesn't even mention it to because he's scared Alec might want it back or possibly because Magnus likes having this piece of his boyfriend just for himself that he can cuddle with after a hard day and really, without this acceptable substitute,where would he be when his boyfriend can't make it to his arms at night?

So a few weeks later when they're lying down in Magnus's bed, inbetween all the forehead-kisses and nose-nuzzles and the whispered sweet nothings, when Alec asks him whether he's seen his grey hoodie,Magnus replies in the negative with a suggestion of "Why don't you check at the Institute again?"

Alec debates the idea of Izzy throwing it away because It's horrifying,Alec and she's been known to have disposed of Alec's 'horrifying' clothes in the past and Magnus humours him with a "I wouldn't blame do have a rather terrible sense of fashion." and to the sound of Alec's indignant reply of "It was extremely comfortable." and the steady thump of a beloved heartbeat against his ear,Magnus falls asleep,content in the knowledge that this is one night where he has the real deal.

.

Really,Magnus should have known that it was only a matter of time before his boyfriend found out.

.

It happens on a rainy ,Jace,Izzy and Clary are hunting down a Shax demon when the skies open 're too far from the Institute but they need to find shelter because it looks like this might turn out to be a real obviously (obviously),they go to Magnus' if Alec was planning on going there after the mission anyway,this just helped his cause.

They climb up the stairs and reach his floor to see Magnus opening his hearing the noise,the warlock turns around and sighs, seeing these four drenched teenagers,whom he may or may not love.

(He loves one of them a little more than the rest but don't tell that to anyone.)

As they traipse into the living room,Magnus waits at the door for all of them to enter.

And if he just so happens to share a short kiss with the tallest one,nobody saw.

(That's a lie because everyone saw and simultaneously groaned and the only reason the kiss was short was because of Jace's huffed "Magnus, we're all drenched and freezing so can you turn up the heat in here and then kiss your boyfriend senseless?")

He obliges.

Honestly,he should have possibly had some forethought when in reply to Alec's "Can I borrow a t-shirt?This one's drenched," he says "You can take what you want from my shelf."

(Actually,he did have was thinking about Alec removing his wet t-shirt to put on a new one.)

(It must be noted here that Magnus is more than just borderline gratuitous.)

So when Alec comes out of his room,holding a small,grey,rather familiar bundle in his hand, Magnus is speechless.

(He does, however,notice that Alec has,infact,not yet changed and is still wearing a wet t-shirt.)

"Magnus," Alec starts."Is this what I think it is?"

Honestly,Magnus can't be blamed if he responds with a " do you think it is?"

And Jace,clueless clueless Jace just has to open his mouth and go "Hey,isn't that the hoodie you were looking for?"

Of course,because everyone has to put their ten cents into their discussion,Izzy incredulously says "You accused me of throwing it out."

And because this conversation is apparently no longer theirs,Jace pitches in with a "To be fair,Iz,you did say it was terrible."

And Clary,bless her,being the only sensible person in the room(apart from is extremely in a wet t-shirt is also extremely is easily distracted.)gets off the sofa with a clap of her hands and a "Wow,would you look at that,it isn't raining like we can Magnus!"

This proclamation is followed by the redhead shepherding Jace and Izzy out the door amidst their protests of "It's pouring out there."and "But my hair isn't properly set 's going to get frizzy if it gets too wet."

The latter is Jace's contribution and Magnus can hear the sounds of Clary telling him to get over it you big baby and after the door shuts,the apartment is deafening in its silence.

There's something in Alec's eyes and Magnus can't seem to figure out what it worries him because at this point, they've come to be able to read each other's emotions pretty easily.

They look at eachother,never breaking eye the entire interaction between his siblings,Alec had unfolded the bundle and realised that it is,in fact,what he thought it was.

"You said you didn't know where it was."

Alec says it neutrally, unaccussing,as a statement.

"I may have lied."

Magnus doesn't intend for that to come out as blunt as it did,but he can't take back what he's already said.

"Why?"

That's 's all Alec that single word.

And maybe it's the fact that the question sounded so innocent or that Alec's looking at him with this indistinguishable look in his eyes or maybe that he's still in that damn t-shirt,but the next thing Magnus knows, he's telling Alec the whole story.

How he found it that morning when Alec had to leave in a rush because of the call from the Institute,how he was initially going to return it but didn't,how he wore it without even realising it the first time and how it became a regular thing.

And somewhere towards the end of his story,Alec drops the hoodie on the counter,makes his way towards him,cups his face in his hands and whispers Keep it.

When they kiss, it's 's tender and he's so full of love,Magnus might burst.

(He is pleasantly surprised by the turn this conversation has taken)

(When he peels Alec's t-shirt off, it's obviously because he doesn't want his boyfriend to catch a cold.)

(Obviously.)

The hoodie lies on the kitchen counter,forgotten for now.

They're too busy to care about clothes.

.

Magnus does,in fact,keep the first time Alec sees him in it,his siblings are, unfortunately, around.