It was hard to look at Magnus.
For Alec that was. He had done a very bad thing last night, making their meeting with the High Warlock of Brooklyn that much more awkward. No one seemed to have caught on to his unease. Clary was still raging, like usual when life didn't go her way. Izzy and Jace were watching her, interjecting every now and then to stoke the coals of Clary's righteous anger. For all intents and purposes Alec was invisible to them. Something that would have annoyed him any other day. Right now, it was a blessing. For the first time in his life he was actually glad they'd met Clary.
Standing in the corner, he waited until she was done, trying his best not to make eye contact with anyone. Especially Magnus. Which was actually harder than it seemed. For some reason the Warlock was making it his life mission to get Alec to notice him. He didn't miss the fluttering eyelashes or tilting head Magnus employed to subtly get Alec's attention. Nor did he miss the less than subtle techniques. The purposeful stretch that opened up the long v in his shirt, pulling up at the bottom to expose more of his chest. The low tone of his voice that kept calling his name, asking for his opinion and leaving him stuttering though some half thought out answer.
Clary finally finished, Magnus promising to think over her proposal when Jace mentioned payment. Alec moved as fast as he could. His bow was on his shoulder, quiver on tight and foot almost out the door when Magnus called him back.
Clary pushed past him, Jace telling him to go back. Or, more specifically, 'Play nice with him. He might do what we say.'
He took a breath, looking to Izzy for some kind of reassurance. She was no help, merely smirking at him and brushing past him to join the other two.
Magnus was still where they left him, lounged on his couch, both arms outstretched and dark eyes fixed on him. He felt his unease from earlier return twofold.
'Yes?'
Magnus' delicately painted lips curved up. 'You seem distracted Alexander. Is everything alright?'
'Fine.' Short and sweet. Magnus would grow tired of his tense answers and send him away. He just had to keep himself together.
Magnus chuckled, the whole motion bouncing the material on his chest, slowly exposing more and more. Alec felt his mouth dry up.
'If that's true then why don't you stay a while? I could use the company.'
Alec felt his mind short circuit. He couldn't stay. Couldn't. It would kill him. He tried to think of a good excuse, but, as usual, all that came out was another stream of nonsense. Stuttering finished he sighed, he was never going to be able to talk to this man.
Magnus seemed to understand him anyway, nodding. A small 'I understand,' dismissing him from the Warlock's company. 'In that case I'll see you tomorrow. Perhaps you might have some free time then.'
'Tomorrow? Oh.' Right, that was when Clary wanted him to come over and try figure out how to wake her mother. Well, at least he had accepted their request.
He was out there as soon as he finished humiliating himself again.
Izzy was waiting for him, her ear pressed up against the wall. She didn't even try to say she hadn't been listening in, merely cheered and told him he had done a good job of persuading Magnus to come over. 'You could be a diplomat,' She said.
He knew she was joking, and pushed her half heartedly. 'Shut up.'
The image of Magnus on his couch followed him all the way back to the Institute. No time spent training, looking over reports or telling his errant siblings off could take that image away. He absent-mindedly fingered the pocket of his jacket. Archery hadn't even helped him, and the longer Magnus stayed on his mind the more last night came back to him.
He felt the smooth paper among the leather. The gloss sliding over his fingers and the corners pricking where his tips brushed it. Even touching the paper had him sweating. Or maybe it was the archery. Either way he put his bow back and ran towards the showers.
He was on his bed later, looking at the shadows splayed on his ceiling. Sleep wouldn't come, and every time he closed his eyes he saw yellow ones looking back at him.
He shouldn't, he argued to himself. Today had been awkward enough. Almost unbearable. Magnus was coming tomorrow too, he would have to see him then. He didn't think he could relive today. Not without spilling something, and if he did that... He had been playing the consequences of if people knew he wasn't fond of girls for years. The disgust, hatred, the retaliation. He would be an outcast. So he couldn't do it.
Yet his jacket was in his hand and he was pulling out the freshly printed photo before he finished thinking.
He had stumbled upon it last night. Research for their meeting with Magnus. Their last encounters hadn't gone so well, and Alec, being the studious man he was, decided to do more research before going one on one with Magnus again. He was looking into his more recent past, the twenties onwards where there was more photographic proof than just random prejudiced reports. The photos were more telling than the reports. They showed Magnus laughing with people in some. Traipsing around speakeasies and drinking his life away. The abundance of them showed a shallow life. One of abundance and pleasure. It gave Alec a better idea of what to barter with. Someone with that much frivolity would take sentimentality that much more seriously. The company Magnus kept in those photos were also telling. Other Warlocks, a few of them cropping up time and again. Close friends then, people Alec should look in to should something go wrong. In case they needed another way to get Magnus to listen to them.
He had a pretty good judge of Magnus' character when he stumbled upon the one photo he now held in his hand. He knew Magnus was pretty shameless, the man was almost always half dressed when they visited him. Still, this took him for a loop.
It was taken around the 1950's, the grainy quality of the photo suggesting something old. The first thing he noted was Magnus' hair. So used to the colours and style he wore now days it was a shock to see it in near military style. At least it would have been had it not been messed up in what Izzy would call 'bed hair.' The strands stood out darkly against the white sheets he was lying on. His head was tilted slightly away in false bashfulness drawing Alec to his face. There was a smidgen of eye-shadow darkening his lids, merging into eye-liner that ended in a cat like flick. It was the only make-up present, and the effect was shocking. With no glitter distracting the gaze it allowed Magnus' eyes to become to centre of attention.
Alec had heard about his Warlock marks. Had seen them in other photos, but he had never before thought them breathtaking until he saw them glinting from under those heavy lids. The slits were fixed on the camera, the bashfulness he was going for gone in that one look. Those eyes weren't scared, weren't embarrassed by the attention. They wanted it, they craved it and were daring the photographer to get the angle right.
He spent so much time looking in to those eyes that when he finally tore his gaze away he was shocked again at the rest of the photo.
He would look newly woken if Alec didn't know better. His legs curled in on himself, hiding anything too unseemly while showing off his ass. He was naked, his skin shimmering copper in the dim lighting. His back was hard, tense, as one arm relaxed under his head and the other played with his lips.
As if that wasn't enough there were jewels. Everywhere. A gold collar encompassing his neck with chains upon chains looping around his chest and back. Diamonds were his glitter, shining from the small stars embedded in his chains, in his bracelets, rings, cuffs.
He should be obscene, disgusting. He knew this photo was on so Shadowhunters would be wary of him. Knowing that he was so free with himself.
Alec should be thinking the same. But all he could see was copper skin and gold. He was beautiful. He pressed print.
It had been a troubling night when he logged off straight away, and without a second thought stripped and stripped himself until he was panting. Seeing nothing else but Magnus' cat eyes.
He did the same now, palming and pulling until he was, once again, under Magnus' spell. He brought himself off four times that night.
He slept through his alarm in the morning. By the time he woke he had enough time to stuff the photo in his jacket again before going off to find his siblings. He didn't have to look far.
Izzy had taken it upon herself to be Magnus' guide around the Institute. The tour she was giving him seemed to include the resident part, the two of them strutting down the hallway like they owned the place. Spotting him, they slowed, twin grins blooming on their faces.
'I see you're finally awake,' Izzy said.
'My alarm didn't go off,' He excused.
Isabelle raised her brow, the two of them knowing Alec didn't merely forget to set his alarm. Since he changed the batteries as often as he could too she knew it wasn't its performance which had him sleeping in. But she gratefully let the topic go in favour of labouring him with something else entirely.
'Well,' she sighed, 'I think I'd better go fetch Jace and Clary. No doubt they'll want to know you're here Magnus. Why don't you give him the rest of the tour Alec and meet us in the infirmary when you're done.'
It wasn't a question, and knowing he couldn't form half a response around Magnus gave her ample time to walk away. A wide grin on her smug face the whole way.
Magnus seemed more than pleased with this turn of events. His grin was as contained as it was in the photo. Wanting to smile but knowing it would ruin the look he wanted to portray.
Alec wiped all thought from his mind then. Even thinking about Magnus' mouth had his finger reaching to his jacket pocket. He saw Magnus catch his fingers straying, stopping before they touched the paper. The two of him looked at his hand, slowly going back to his side.
A clatter down the hall snapped them out of it. Magnus overcompensating for the silence by telling Alec some wild story while the both of them moved down the hall. He knew he should be pointing things out, this was a tour after all. But Magnus was content with talking so Alec was content with listening.
If only listening didn't mean he was aware of Magnus. Awareness left him wanting to look over, and when he looked he saw that mouth again. Those eyes, hidden behind a glamour. Even with it he could imagine what they would look like free. Those slits fixed on him, the bright yellow shining excitedly as he went on about this one time in France.
He couldn't look at the rest of him. Didn't dare to. His face was hard enough to focus on never mind the rest of him. If he looked down he would be imagining that copper skin. Those strong arms encased in gold and the curve of his-
His fingers were lifting to that photo again. The only reason he stopped himself being Magnus having gone quiet, watching Alec almost touch his pocket again. When he forced his hand by his side again he watched Magnus' eyes narrow, almost like the photo. His fingers itched, his underwear tightened. He needed to get out of there.
He stepped up the pace to the infirmary, never once looking back at Magnus.
He could tell the Warlock was hurt with the treatment. He strode past him and set to work, no flirtation or shy smile to tide Alec over. He was both relieved and hurt by it, knowing it was his own fault Magnus was being like this.
The assessment was torture. Magnus strode around with that confident air, making Alec's mind go haywire. One moment Magnus was crouching to look at the spell at another angle, his pants pulled tight. The next alec was seeing straight through those pants to the curves underneath, the hard muscle surrounded by gold and diamonds. One moment he was looking off to Jace and Clary, the two lingering next to Alec. The next those brown eyes were replaced with yellow, the glitter gone and hair messed and shorn shorter on top than before.
His fingers were running over the gloss repeatedly. He couldn't help it anymore. If he didn't touch it he would do something worse, like pull it out. Just knowing it was there was enough for him for now.
He caught Jace giving him a funny look, and yanked his hand out his pocket. He couldn't do this. Couldn't be here. With a feeble excuse he ran off towards the nearest bathroom, taking the photo out and just admiring it. Someone shouldn't be this beautiful.
He looked his fill in the time it would have taken him to actually use the bathroom. Thinking himself ready again he made a plan. He would go in, say he was needed elsewhere and leave Magnus to it. There didn't need to be that many Shadowhunters there after all.
If only it were that simple. It was as if the world was against him today. As soon as he stepped outside the bathroom Magnus was there, leaning against the opposite wall, his dark eyes fixed on him.
'Magnus.'
The man sighed, the action liquefying him, giving him an almost snake like movement as he slunk over and plucked the photo out of Alec's pocket. No amount of training was fast enough to stem the damage. Magnus had seen before Alec yanked the offending paper back.
The two of them stared at each other. Both with a sort of fright in their face. Wide eyes locked for who knew how long before Magnus' glamour dropped.
'So that's what this has been about.' His voice was soft, smooth and sinful. Wrapping around Alec's thoughts just as those eyes had haunted his last two nights. 'My dear Alexander, if you had wanted some dirty pictures all you had to do was ask.' He stepped close enough for Alec to smell his cologne. 'I assure you, that one is quite unflattering. My other ones however...' he trailed, those eyes hypnotising him to listen, to watch every move Magnus made. Until they went back to brown, Magnus stepping back. 'But that's best not talked about. I'd best get back to my patient.'
His brain registered the almost run Magnus made to get away. The reprieve allowed Alec to breathe, to look around and see what might have scared him away. Nothing. Perhaps it was just the remembrance they were in the Institute that had Magnus backing off. Or the fact that Alec wasn't interested. In the slightest. He couldn't be.
He didn't bother even going back to Jocelyn, instead went in search of something productive to do. When Izzy found him later she told him Magnus was wanting to see him tomorrow at his loft. It sounded like he had something for him, she hoped it was answers to Clary's mother. He hoped it was too.
He didn't bother indulging in the photo that night. He couldn't. Not now Magnus had caught him. The shame he felt even looking at it was enough to send him queasy..
The next day he was woken early by Jace. He had heard about Magnus' request to see him and was taking no chances that he would sleep in. He made sure Alec was prim and proper, instructing him on good comebacks should Magnus get snappy with him and wishing him luck when he was done. Clary was just as worse. The girl had never been his favourite person in the world, and the way she was following him around like a puppy right now wasn't helping his opinion on her. Truthfully the only person he could stand that morning was Izzy. She snapped at Jace when he got too annoying and was a good enough buffer between him and Clary he didn't send her away himself.
When the time came for him to leave he was given several instructions from all three of them. All hoping this trip would get them some results. Really he just hoped he could get through the meeting without running out.
When he got to the loft where the great High Warlock of Brooklyn lived he buzzed once, and was surprised when no yell of Magnus' title asked who was disturbing him. Instead the door opened and Alec was let without resistance into Magnus' apartment.
Strangely, Magnus wasn't there to greet him when he entered. Usually the Warlock was ready with a drink in hand and an anecdote on his tongue when Alec came alone. Now, look as he did, there was no sign of the man.
'Magnus?' He called, his hands reaching for his bow.
'In here.' The reply had come from his bedroom.
Alec waited for him, keeping his bow in hand the longer Magnus stayed hidden. He wondered if Magnus was in trouble, held hostage. Or whether this was just a technique to make him feel uncomfortable. He knew the Warlock liked to mess with them after all.
But five minutes later Magnus was walking out his bedroom, carrying a box with him. A smile was sent his way, any awkwardness or hostility from yesterday was gone. It was like Magnus had bounced back, forgotten that something had wedged between them. Alec stopped those thoughts, they were bordering on dangerous ones. Like why it mattered whether Magnus bounced back or not.
'You wanted to see me?' he prompted when another ten minutes had passed and the most that had transpired was Magnus fetching him a drink.
'Of course.' Magnus sat beside him, the couch feeling smaller than it was before. He pulled the box over to him, one hand still delicately holding the flute of his drink. There was no nail polish today Alec noted. A high collar, with long sleeves and barely any make-up save the dark flicks around his eyes.
The box was pushed over to him, and as Magnus leaned back he gestured for Alec to open it, those dark eyes fixed on his face as he did so.
It was on old shoebox, the lid lifting away easily and the contents packed tight.
'I was quite fascinated with the camera. They never had them when I was a boy. It was brand new and mundane made. Something that piqued my attention. Especially when it captured the scene so well. Much better than a portrait.'
It really was. Inside the shoebox was hundreds of photos, all of them of Magnus. The conversation from yesterday came to mind, Magnus proposing to show Alec his photos before running away. It seemed Magnus had been serious.
All of them had him scantily dressed. Even on the top he could count more than three periods of time, and was fascinated with each one of them. He was almost scared to touch them, to look. For so long he had pretended he had no interest. The other photo of Magnus had been a lapse of judgement. A moment of weakness, to see if he truly was interested in... men, that way.
Magnus made the first move, picking up one with a click of his tongue. 'How did this one get in here? You must excuse some of them Alexander. While the camera was of good quality it is still old, and the product isn't its best.'
His eyes were drawn to the one in Magnus' hand, as if him rejecting it from the pile made it okay for Alec to look. Bad idea. While there were no chains or gold it was still just as alluring as the other photo back in Alec's room.
This one looked to be late nineteenth century. Magnus was on a table, tarot cards upturned and candles lit, the flames blurring in the bad quality. The whole thing was black and white, a pale background allowing the shades of Magnus' skin to flow breathtakingly without blending in. His hair was slick, tendrils escaping the mould all gentlemen of that age wore. It gave him a wild look. A light frilled shirt was all he wore, the collar open and draping barely on his shoulders. The laces were untied hanging and blending with the rest of the shirt. His hands in front, his body kneeling, he looked almost in prayer were it not for his face. His eyes were shining again, slitted, white and burning into the camera. A smirk was pulling his lips, his face naked from anything that could take away from his eyes. He was demonic. Taboo. Alec couldn't look away.
He had to when Magnus put the photo to the side, apparently not catching Alec's interest.
'Now this one, I think you'll like.' Magnus picked up one from the second layer, handing it over to Alec.
Again, he didn't want to look. But Magnus was letting him, encouraging him. Could he really make himself pass up the opportunity?
He probably should have, the photo Magnus had handed to him was obscene to put it lightly. More modern, it was shot from the waist up. His eyes were, disappointingly, brown, almost black and half closed in pleasure. Feathers of green and black flicked away from them, a bright change from the last two photos. His hair was more like how it is now, the sides longer maybe. The copper skin was free from any embellishment, no gold or jewels of extravagance taking away from the hard muscle and long planes of his face and chest. A light sheen of sweat cast an unearthly glow on him, highlighting the line of white that started off the photo. One finger was playing in it, already smearing it slightly as the other one played to the camera, stretched up behind his head and showing off what his clothes hid. There was no secret as to what had just happened, and Alec felt his own breath leave just looking at it.
'Why are you showing me these?' He thanked the angel he didn't stutter. He did sound like he had ran fourteen miles however.
Magnus hummed flicking through the other photos in the box. 'I've learnt that my subtle means don't register as well with you. You're a blunt man Alexander, and so I shall be blunt with you.' He handed another photo over, this one slightly tamer than the last but no less obscene. 'My intentions are clear I take it.'
'You want to- with me.' He couldn't bring himself to swear. Despite how much some of the photos he glimpsed made him want to.
A finger tilted his chin up, forcing him to lock eyes with Magnus, the man smiling at the lost look that was no doubt on his face. 'Alexander no. While I do, one day hope, to breach the inside of your tight Shadowhunter pants, have no doubt that I wish for more than that. You mean more to me than that.'
'Then why are you showing me these?'
Magnus shrugged. 'You seemed interested. And if you are, I'd much rather have you looking at a good photo than the one that's on your database. Something private. Something I don't just show anyone.'
He put the box in Alec's lap after that, sifting through them himself, handing Alec one he thought he might like every now and then. Each one was shocking. That was the word he was going to use for them, not anything else. He was content with ignoring the twitch in his boxers for the rest of his stay here.
Magnus was actually quite picky when he was looking over his photos. Some of them he pulled faces at, tossing them to the side with a quick comment about how he wasn't in his right mind at the time. Alec wondered what kind of frame of mind he had to be in to actually take a dirty picture. Some photos Magnus didn't even comment on, just plucked them out and hid them at the bottom of the pile he was making, like he was afraid for Alec to even know they existed. He had a feeling they were connected with past lovers somehow. Bad past lovers. It threw in to question how many lovers Magnus had actually had.
Alec knew Magnus dated. A lot. He honestly didn't expect the man to be a saint. But there was something uncomfortable with the thought of Magnus' experience being in the hundreds while his was still stuck at trying to get a first kiss.
He put that thought aside as another photo was put in his lap. This one had him in military dress, 1940's Magnus told him. He wondered if it was his own or another lovers uniform. Both of him had him questioning that whole period of history. He would have to ask Magnus one day about it. Preferably when he wasn't a half stuttering mess looking at some of the most arousing photos he'd ever seen.
When he had a good collection, and was more frustrated than that time Jace had turned up at his door after a shower, clad in only a towel, and asking to be let in, Magnus finally tossed the rest of the photos in the box and rifled through the ones in his lap again.
'So which one do you like the look of? Or ones? I don't mind you taking more than one.' There was a sort of challenge in his gaze. Those brown eyes watching his fingers hover over the gloss.
'Do I have to take one?' He heard himself ask, even as the hormonal part of his brain was cursing him. He didn't have porn in his room, had never had the urge. Even if he did, he couldn't very well buy the ones he wanted. Magnus was giving him access to material he would have killed for when he was fourteen, and now he was almost discarding it. All because he was still clinging on to the hope he could fall for a girl.
Magnus didn't seem offended, shaking his head. 'Of course not. But I would feel better if you discarded that other photo.'
'Consider it done,' He was planning on throwing it out anyway. The fact Magnus knew he had it was quite the turn off.
He made to get up, Magnus telling him he didn't have to look anymore was all he needed to get out. A hand on his arm stopped him from getting too far.
'Of course there's another option,' Magnus proposed, fingering his shirt cuff. 'I understand it's hard to look at them. You didn't take it yourself, you feel the history behind it makes it too uncomfortable.'
'A little,' Alec agreed. He was sure most of them weren't' taken by the same person. Looking at something only they should have had access to made his insides twist again. 'But-'
'No buts!' Magnus interjected. 'We're being blunt remember. You had that photo because you liked it. I want you to have a better one because I like the idea of you liking it. So we're going to sit down together like adults and figure out other options.'
He really wanted to run away. To forget this ever happened and go back to his life of repression. But his hormones were taking over, urging him to do something for himself for once. It was just a photo. Magnus wanted him to have it. He was allowed to have it.
He sat back on the couch, Magnus perching near him, caging him in so he couldn't escape again. The collection of photos were put back in his lap again, Magnus having him filter through them.
'Just tell me what you like about them,' He cooed, like Alec was a skittish animal. He must have made another move to bolt, the idea of voicing what he liked about Magnus, which was probably everything, having him on edge. 'Or just show me which ones you like.'
Showing was better. He could do that.
He passed over the military one, Magnus snorting an 'of course.' The others that were there however, didn't really appeal to him. They were still breathtaking, Magnus amazing in them, but they weren't as... nice as the one back in Alec's room.
Eventually he realised what it was. They weren't Magnus enough for him. The waist up photo was obscene but there was something missing from it. The others were all the same, but they had something of Magnus missing in it. It wasn't something specific, just an aura. One that told him Magnus was keeping something from the photographer.
A couple of minutes passed, Alec filtering through the photos again and again as he built up enough courage to set them aside.
Magnus looked surprised, his eyes darting to the single photo in his lap. 'So, this is the only one you like?' He almost sounded disappointed, like his dirty photos not measuring up to Alec's standards hurt him somehow.
'No.' His hands twitched, his mind saying he's in this deep, before leaning over Magnus and fetching the photos he'd set aside.
'Ah, Alec-'
He could see why Magnus would be slightly ashamed of some of them. He was going for sexy in the ones he had let Alec look at. In these he was mostly laughing, smiling with genuine mischief in his eyes rather than put on for the camera. It was playful, and more genuine. Something Alec had been looking for. He enjoyed looking at these much more than the others.
He supposed the other reason these might be in this pile was because they were more personal. He was letting himself go, be vulnerable. It was something he had a hard time doing, he'd even told Alec so himself.
So he respected the decision Magnus had made and merely plucked out the one photo he had been looking for. The first one he'd seen from the box with the Tarot cards. Handing it over, he turned the others face down in a sign of compliance with Magnus' choice.
He heard a hum, looking to see perfectly styled eyebrows pulled together in thought. In mostly all of them Magnus' eyes were brown. The only ones where his eyes were natural were in the pile Alec had just turned down. If he was honest with himself he was hoping to find more with those cat slits. There was just something about them that had his blood rushing.
'Interesting,' Magnus gave at last.
The photos were handed over, dangling in front of his view for a while before Magnus realised he wasn't going to take them. Saying which ones he liked was hard, but that was the extent of his involvement. It was still weird to take them. To... use them.
Magnus kept his eyes on them, a technique Alec knew he was employing because he knew eye contact made him more uncomfortable in these kids of situations.
'So,' He jumped as Magnus' voice cleared the air. 'About that other option... if you're interested?'
He swallowed. Something about this other option, he felt like it was going to solidify any doubts he had left about his sexuality. That last push, he didn't know whether he could do it. Still, there was no harm in at least, hearing Magnus out.
'What is it?'
Magnus snapped his fingers, another box appearing in Alec's lap. It was a camera. An expensive camera. He could guess the rest of Magnus' proposition before his hand went to his high collar.
'Oh God,' Alec heard, surprised that it came from himself.
His mind had left, his eyes entranced as the red shirt dropped on the floor. Magnus was wearing the gold collar he had in Alec's photo. It was the brightest thing in the room, one massive diamond at the centre with small ones dotting around to the back. The chains were smaller in person, dangling and curling under Magnus' strong arms. The bracelets were there, the exact same ones in the same order. He wondered if he had the one on his foot to. It was enough to make his mouth water.
'I figured you could take a few. Just so you don't go away from here empty handed. Nothing you don't want Alexander,' he finished, the last part meant to be reassuring but coming out in an almost purr.
He heard his breathing, loud in the room.
'You could always leave.' That sounded impossible right now. As if to counter his words Magnus had blinked, and instead of brown eyes there were cat pupils and yellow gold pinning him in place.
He didn't know what to do. He wanted to leave. He wanted to stay. He had responsibilities at home, expectations. Magnus was right in front of him.
As if to make things easier Magnus got up, the chains swaying and his chest rippling. 'I'll be in my bedroom. It's up to you Alexander.'
The door was metres away. If he left now there would be no damage done. Magnus wouldn't be so cruel to bring this up again. He could go back to the Institute, burn that photo and hang out with his siblings. He could go back to thinking longingly of those photos he discarded because he wasn't brave enough to take one. He could go back to thinking about that one time he had the chance to admire Magnus without judgement. The one time he could give in and look at another boy the way he wanted to look at him.
He might never get this chance again.
The camera was out of its packaging and his feet stepping through the threshold to Magnus' room. The curtains were open, letting in the midday sun. Everything seemed softer in the light, the shadowy bed and heavy furniture bright and cheerful. Completely different to how it usually looked.
Magnus was waiting for him, a look of surprise on his face that was gone in a blink. He was reclined against the red pillows, the rest of his clothes gone and his skin shamelessly on display. His knees were close to his chest, shielding Alec from anything too obscene, no doubt thinking he might still bolt. The anklet was there, a winding snake around his calf, it blinked at him as Magnus splayed himself out.
He had the thought to take his boots off before perching on the edge of the bed.
'What do I do?'
The camera was almost foreign to him. Mundane made and used for pleasure rather than practicality, he was unused to its buttons, and spent a while clicking them to see what did what. Magnus stayed patient with him, letting him figure out how to work it.
'Put me how you want me.'
He huffed, the breath leaving his body at Magnus' words. It brought up countless images, all of which had Alec with fewer clothes and the two of them as sweaty as some of Magnus' photos. He got himself together, trying to communicate something.
Finally having pity on his stuttering Magnus took his hands, laying the camera aside and placed them on his knee and arm.
'Just move me. It's fine. Whatever you want Alexander.'
That copper skin was softer than he thought it would be. Really, he hadn't touched that many people. The only time he had was when he was sparring or Izzy wanted something from him. Touches like this were foreign, and the fact Magnus' skin looked, and probably was, softer than anyone else's had his brain frying again.
It took a few minutes to think about how he actually wanted to do this. Fantasy upon fantasy from that photo came back to him. He thought about what he wanted, and what would not make him seem weird. Well, weirder. This whole situation wasn't exactly normal.
Eventually he put him in the same position as the photo. Magnus was smirking, trying not to show it, as he twisted in to the rest of the pose.
'Make sure you get my good side.'
He swallowed. Having Magnus like this in real life was both frightening and arousing beyond belief. He had to brace himself as he grabbed the camera and actually snapped a few pictures. After a few more clicks Magnus sat up and looked over the photos, humming in consideration.
'Not bad.'
He lay back down again, letting Alec have control on whether he wanted Magnus to move or not. He snapped a few more, spending more time looking through the camera lens than his minds eye. It felt safer, like a barrier.
At twenty snaps Magnus moved, minutely but it was enough for Alec to take notice. His hips were angled downwards now, more skin on show, the small of his back almost fully on show against the red sheets. When he looked up those yellow eyes were fixed on him, not the camera, him. The black was blown wide, a ring of gold surrounding. They locked, blue on gold, for who knew how long, before another shift had him looking down.
Magnus was almost fully on his stomach, with the dirty thoughts running through his head since he'd stepped into this room he knew why. It gave him a little thrill. It also gave him a wonderful view of Magnus' ass, his thighs slightly splayed as he tried to shift without giving too much away.
'Turn over.'
He didn't know where he got the confidence from. He knew for a fact there was barely any breath left in his lungs, yet it seemed he still had some left to order Magnus around. Or breathily suggest it in the quiet room.
Magnus complied anyway, pushing Alec back far enough to get a leg around him. This close he could smell Magnus' cologne, an undertone of sweetness that had him almost following back to the pillows. His arms were up, waiting for Alec to pose him again. Really he had only thought as far as him turning, he didn't have a pose in mind. Nor could he think of one with Magnus' obvious enjoyment near to his own.
He'd never really thought about this. Even when he let himself think about a world where he could tell people how he was. He'd never thought about what it would be like to be with someone in the flesh like this. It was a little surreal.
A sun kissed foot pushed against his chest, snapping him back into reality.
'Alexander,' Magnus called, he didn't look smug, nor chastising. A small smile on his face his foot pushed Alec's chest again. 'Do you have an idea in mind or should I take things from here?'
No answer forthcoming, Magnus' toe playfully bopped his nose before a cat like stretch had him on his elbows, a much less coy look in his eyes now. Alec remembered the camera, taking back his shield and snapping three before his finger stopped jerking.
'So, how's your morning been?'
The question had him starting. 'What?'
'Your morning. How was it?'
He knew what Magnus was trying to do, make him more comfortable. Really it did the opposite. With every word out Magnus' mouth, the camera caught the pretty shapes it was making.
'Mine has been full of surprises,' He went on. 'I found a bunch of things I thought lost looking for those photos. Then a lovely Shadowhunter paid me a visit. He's always unpredictable, it's what makes him so alluring. What I usually think will happen almost always never does. Of course when he does do what I think he will, he manages to surprise me there as well. It's never quite how I imagine.'
He only caught half of that, the rest of him busy trying not to lean forward. He was so close, it was almost involuntary. That mouth, that body, why was he denying himself this?
He moved slightly, if only to try and ask Magnus if he would let him kiss him, Just a quick one, before he lost his nerve. Just to see what it was like. Before he could, Magnus had gasped his hips bucking where Alec had pressed down against him.
'Sorry.' He retreated back, shocked out of this spell.
Magnus' eyes snapped up, his mouth gaping as Alec made to stand. He finally found his voice before Alec could truly start questioning his life choices leading to this moment. 'You know, often I've been told I'm more photogenic after.'
There was no question what 'after' he meant. His eyes were almost black, the gold a small ring. Not to mention there was photographic evidence that mostly consisted of Magnus blissed out some way or another.
' I- I don't-'
'You can wait on the couch. I'll call you back in,' He sounded desperate. Alec supposed he would be to if he was in Magnus' position.
'Okay.'
But he made himself comfortable instead of leaving. Magnus didn't question it. He seemed to afraid to, and instead took himself in hand.
He heard a squeak. Pretty sure it was himself.
Magnus didn't take his eyes off him, he was looking at him like Alec was some kind of dream, like he would disappear if he blinked. If Alec was honest with himself he was feeling the same. There was no way this was actually happening. He touched the ankle next to him, just a brush across that smooth skin.
The next thing he knew that foot was back on his chest, Magnus bracing himself as he palmed his cock. He took the permission for what it was, stroking the soft skin up to the snake coiled around Magnus' calf.
His pants were painfully constricting. Shadowhunters needed to learn to wear breathing material. Or at least know less good looking Warlocks. Magnus was crunched into himself, his muscles covered in a light sheen of sweat. His hand was leisurely stroking, pulling almost in tune with his heart beat. He was so much better than any photo. He would never be able to look at them now, not once he'd seen this.
His hand edged up, Magnus' thigh tensing as Alec reached his knee. He looked like a cat at hunt. Those eyes fixed, hypnotising him, his mouth mouthing something. As Alec focused he could make out his name, the syllables stressed in quiet gasps.
It was when he finally heard 'Alexander.' clearly, the whisper echoing to his ears that he flung the leg aside.
He leaned over, mindful of Magnus' arm asking 'Can I?'
Magnus nodded, closing the gap between them.
It wasn't how he imagined his first kiss to go. Really, he didn't know what a first kiss would be like. Maybe on his wedding day to some woman forced into marrying him. He didn't care, this was amazing. It was soft, despite the quick hand between them, with just the right amount of want to keep him hooked and not scare him away.
An arm hooked around his neck, the same one that had been keeping Magnus up. The two of them fell back, Magnus' other arm grabbing his shoulder to keep him on top. He could feel Magnus' bucking hips, hear the pants in his ear. Stopping with an 'Oh no.'
'What?' Alec lifted himself up, Magnus' eyes wide and still black beneath him.
His chest was still going, almost as fast as Alec's. Catching on, Alec sat back, noting the stains now smeared across his shirt. He was going to have to borrow something. Later. Right now he had just had his first kiss and was still reeling off the experience he just witnessed.
Magnus was more composed than him. One more breathy moan before Alec heard, 'Camera.'
His brain caught up in a second, scrambling back to where he had put the camera aside and snapping as many photos as his fingers could take. Magnus huffed collapsing back onto the pillows, sated and smiling gently up at him.
'Full of surprises,' Magnus breathed.
Alec looked once more through the lens, with Magnus looking every bit like a cat that caught the canary, and set the camera down. His courage was waning, so he used the last of it to crawl up next to Magnus and kiss him again.
His mouth was slack, soon smiling back in to the rhythm of them, together.
'See?'
'You're so beautiful,' Alec said, probably the most honest he had been in a while. Magnus just had that affect on him, he just couldn't seem to hide from him.
'Blunt. Another trait I love in that Shadowhunter.' His breathing was back to normal now, voice a purr and eyes slitting back to normal. Before he seemed to mentally backtrack and sat up. 'I mean, it's a good trait. Something everyone should posses.'
'Okay.' He didn't want to start making this weird.
Magnus reached over him, that chest so close again, as he grabbed the camera. A few clicks, hums and Magnus started up another commentary, ignoring the fact he was naked and covered in cum. Alec listened through it, still hard and flustered. But he didn't care. He could take care of himself later, since Magnus, as far as he knew, was still sticking to his mantra of whatever you want Alexander.
A few snaps of Magnus' fingers and the photos off the camera were appearing on his chest. He looked at them later, when Magnus had laughed his way back into his clothes. When Alec had spent more than half that time having sporadic bursts of confidence and kissing him. When they had parted with a little laugh and promise to meet up later.
He burnt the photo in his room, spreading out the others. The ones that were his. Looking at them he promised himself that he would build up the courage to kiss Magnus again. He would force himself to get the courage. Since, sooner or later, these weren't going to be enough. Already he was craving that soft skin beneath his fingers, he wanted that smell surrounding him again. Magnus' eyes gleaming up at him from their black depths.
Photos were good, but Magnus in real life was so much better.