A/N: Just a spontaneous little ficlet, so not beta'd or anything.
Inspired by: "Alec liked Magnus best like this, when he wasn't particularly dressed up, when he was just in a t-shirt and his dark silky hair was free of gel or spikes. It wasn't that he didn't like Magnus' clothes, it was that sometimes he felt like Magnus wore them like armor, a layer of protection between him and a world that didn't always meet someone who burned so brightly and so differently with open arms."
The sun woke Alec from a deep slumber. Just for a split second the shadowhunter wasn't quite sure where he was – sleeping at Magnus's still hadn't become a habit. As the familiarity of his surroundings crept in on him, his lips formed into a smile. It would be one day, he knew. Already, being around Magnus felt as natural to him as breathing and as necessary, too.
Lazily Alec rolled over, just to find the spot in bed next to him deserted. He didn't have to wonder where Magnus had gone to for long – the door flew open and the warlock entered, balancing a tray in his hands.
"Good morning, Alexander", he greeted him with the familiar flamboyance, yet something about him was different. Still somewhat sleepy, it took Alec a while to figure out what it was: Magnus, always dressed so exuberantly, was wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. His jet black hair stood tousled in all directions, his face lacked even the slightest hint of make-up.
"Wow, you look… plain", Alec muttered. Magnus, who was just about to set the tray down on the nightstand, hesitated for a second and fluttered his eyelashes in irritation.
"Well, you sure now how to flatter, Alexander", he answered briskly.
Alec jerked upwards as he realized what he had just said.
"No!", he shouted. "No! I… I didn't mean to say… I meant…", he stuttered before he finally recollected himself. "I mean, I have never seen you without all your glitter and glamor and I… I really like it, I do. You look beautiful."
Was that a blush that crept upon Magnus's cheeks? Alec wasn't sure. The warlock quickly regained his composure, as he sat down on the bed next to the shadowhunter and poured tea from the pot he had carried in on the tray.
"Not very many people have seen me like this", he admitted while he handed Alec a cup.
"It's like an armor for you, isn't it?", the shadowhunter asked. "A way to shield your true self from the outside world."
Magnus cocked his head and stared deeply into Alec's eyes.
"You know, for someone so young you are unusually perceptive", he murmured.
"Maybe that's because I have been wearing an armor, too, for many years. It just looked a little bit different."
"Just a little bit." Magnus smiled softly, then reached out his hand to tenderly stroke through Alec's hair. "Now look at us both: We've become vulnerable."
Now it was the shadowhunter's turn to smile. "Maybe that's not such a bad thing."
"Maybe not." Magnus leaned down to kiss Alec sweetly on his lips. "I think I might even get used to it."
