Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used in this story. They belong solely to the author, Cassandra Clare.
On Your Door Step
Rain pelted from the dark, murderous, midnight sky overhead, crashing with a thundering force against the cracked cement streets of Brooklyn, New York. Alec Lightwood leaned, with a defeated look, against the sizable mahogany door that happened to belong to the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane. It had been two months since he last stepped foot on these steps and just the thought of his name sent a slight shiver down his spine. Alec watched as threaded beads of water slid down his unusually bright, orange umbrella and plummeted to the pavement below. Creating small puddles around his feet, the pale, yellow glow of the porch light reflected on the surface of the water. Seeing his face mirrored back at him, Alec realized how pathetic he looked. He was afraid to even tell Magnus how he felt about the warlock, let alone accept his feelings for the other man. Taking in a deep breath, Alec turned to face the suddenly intimidating door.
To his surprised, when he lifted his slightly shaking hand to ring the brass door bell, the door opened revealing a glittery Magnus. Alec, hand still hovering in the air, stared wide eyed and shocked. It wasn't like he didn't expect to see the man who lived here; in fact he was the reason why he decided to intrude at this late of an hour. Alec was confused. Magnus looked just as disheveled and broken as Alec had felt these past few days.
"Come in," the Warlock grumbled as he avoided looking Alec directly in the eye. Stepping into the dark hallway, the familiar smell that Alec had deemed "Magnus" struck him at full force, bringing back memories of the last time he was here standing in this hallway. Unsure if he should speak yet, Alec shook out his umbrella, closed it and leaned it against the wall adjacent to the door. The umbrella, extremely bright for Alec's taste, had been a gift from Magnus. So was the stylish leather jacket he discarded on the coat rack.
Magnus shut the door with slightly more force than needed and walked past Alec like he was invisible. Alec, snapping out of his daze, strode after him, barely making it into the apartment before Magnus shut the door. "What do you want?" Magnus asked not turning to face Alec. He had taken a seat on the large, suede couch where he and Alec had had many steamy make out sessions.
Alec sat down awkwardly on the adjacent loveseat, a ridiculous pink. Lifting his hand up toward his forehead, Alec massaged his temple. Being the perfectionist that he is, Alec had planned out his entire speech and even calculated Magnus's responses. But he suddenly didn't remember a word. Lowering his hand, Alec lifted his head up to meet Magnus's intense gaze, Alec muttered, "I… I really messed up didn't I?" Of course Magnus didn't respond, but he also didn't look upset, just pained. Alec took this as encouragement to continue on with his speech. "I didn't… I didn't mean to push you away. I got scared, and I panicked. I've never," Alec paused, raising his hand to massage his temple, "f-felt this way about anyone." Still Magnus didn't respond. He sat there staring at Alec with enough force to burn a hole through a five inch thick novel.
Feeling nervous and slightly unsure of himself, Alec decided it would be best to say what he had to say before his nerves and common sense got the best of him. "I took some time these last few weeks to do some growing up. I'm eighteen now, and it's time I start acting like it." Sitting up slightly straighter, Alec continued, "I want this… no, I want our relationship to work. I never meant to make you feel like I was ashamed of us."
"Alec-," Magnus began, but Alec, caught up in what he was saying, did not hear him and continued sputtering on about how he'd messed up and how he loved Magus. Magnus flinched when those words passed Alec's lips. Did he just say "I love you"? "Alec-"once again he was cut off by the younger boy's flowing words.
Once Alec started talking, it was like all the pain and guilt inside of his chest had left him with every word he said and truth he admitted. It had been torture being away from Magnus for the last two months. But what he said was true; he needed to do some growing up. Alec had actually planned to be away for much longer, but his soul searching led him to Magnus's doorstep. "…and that's why I'm here tonight because my heart wouldn't allow me to be anywhere else," Alec finished looking relieved.
Magnus shifted and rested us elbows on his knees and ran a hand though his already disheveled, spike-less hair. "Alexander," he breathed slowly, drawing each syllable out for what felt like an eternity, "what makes you so sure that I'm willing to take you back so… so willingly?"
Alexander glanced at Magnus in disbelief. His headache was starting to return. He opened his mouth to say something but no sound escaped. It was as if he had spoken his mouth dry.
The intensity of Magnus's glare returned. "I've been alive for longer than you care to know, and I have had countless relationships over the millenniums," Magnus muttered for no particular reason. "But all of that doesn't matter. What matters is that I care about you." He stood up and beckoned Alec to do the same. He crossed the room to where Alec stood and embraced him, wrapping his arms around the younger boy's slightly slimmer waist. Frozen, it took Alec a moment to respond and do the same.
They stood there, in Magnus's lousy excuse for a living room, for what felt like hours embracing. Neither said a word, afraid to disrupt the moment. All Alec had wanted for the last two months was to be held like this, to feel Magnus's muscles wrap around him, pulling him in tighter until the only thing between them were thin layers of thread intertwined to form cloth. The smell he deemed "Magnus" was even stronger now, and it engulfed him in euphoria. Smiling, Alec rested his head against Magnus's chest and whispered to himself, "I'm glad you are so willing to take me back."