Summary: Part human, but also part demon. Alec thought he understood the concept, but never truly did, until he was forced to look at it face to face. As Alec and Magnus try to mend their freshly restored relationship, the sudden demonic threat changes it all.
Warnings: MxM relationship. Very strongly implied scenes.
Timeline: post 2x20, but the story uses some of the s3 plot lines.
Disclaimer: No ownership on the Shadowhunters, written purely for entertainment purposes.
Ratings: M, though, it's not MA. I made sure of it.
Length: estimate of 10 chapters, we shall see.
Chapter summary: we're starting on the sensual side...not to say plot won't be a big part of this fic. Don't get fooled!
Heartbeats
He forgets. He forgets the past few days. He forgets that he's not supposed to feel this carefree. He forgets what it means to not have his arms around Magnus.
When they emerge from the lift in the hallway to Magnus' apartment, they laugh at the mischief of the cat of the old lady from the first floor. They hold onto each other like it's the most natural thing, forgetting they haven't done that in days.
Magnus is still smiling when he stops at the doors that say PH1. He's breathtaking - the evening's lighting in the hallway making him shine brighter than anything Alec's ever seen.
With a spark of magic, the apartment doors unlock and Magnus pushes them open, Alec holding them with one hand while his other is still tightly wound around Magnus' torso.
Magnus keeps talking about the crazy pranks his own cats have been doing, and forgets that he's holding onto Alec's arm, making them both stumble inside the loft, chuckling as the doors close after them without a sound.
They breathe in, once, twice, taking each other in.
Alec feels it clearly when the reality sets in into both of their eyes, when the realization comes and they finally remember.
And suddenly someone has sucked the air out of the room.
He doesn't dare to make any hasty movements, just keeps on waiting and watching, memorizing every little detail about Magnus' face anew. The carefully put black lines around his eyes that make them stand out and seize Alec's heart. The short hair of the beard that frames the soft lips. He feels his own mouth twitch when the rich brown orbs dart downwards for a millisecond.
They continue to stare into each other's eyes, even when the pressure of twitching fingers on the hip and the heat on the shoulder starts to feel scorchingly hot.
He feels the tension in the air, the magnetic pull and he doesn't know if his body accidentally moves a fraction but something clicks in Magnus' eyes and suddenly he's extracting himself from their tightly-bound bubble.
He hears him clear his throat, sees his fingers twitch towards his own mouth like when they do after they had kissed, except it had been at least an hour since then.
Alec's mouth is dry and he's sure there's something to be said right now, but for the life of him his mind has gone blank.
It's no surprise when it's Magnus who speaks up first – a blink of the eyes, a short smile on the face and he excuses himself to his room, claiming he needs a change of clothes.
Alec feels the blood leave his head as he watches Magnus' retreating form disappear around the corner. His hand is still feeling hot with the feeling of a piece of Magnus' it touched, but a part of it just feels numb.
It's the strangest thing.
He exhales, takes a few steps inside the living room and settles himself to wait for Magnus' return.
He takes a long breath after closing the doors behind him – one moment and he's blinking himself back to self control.
He knows his excuse for a change of clothes was less than smooth and he's sure he wasn't the only one aware of the true nature of his little retreat. Still, he makes sure to convince himself all the way – he proceeds to take his time in changing.
After pushing the wooden doors of his wardrobe open, he grips onto the hem of his pullover shirt that he was wearing throughout the evening and lifts it off his body. He feels the chill run down his body. Though whether it's in cold or anticipation he isn't fully sure.
Then he brushes his finger against the racks of shirts on display, pretending like he doesn't already know the one he wants is the second to last on the left side.
He takes out his best shirt, feels satisfied how the material clings against his body, showing the prominent lines of his muscled torso.
He wants to feel seductive but subtle and that's exactly what this shirt makes him look like.
He leaves the tight black jeans on from the day, because he knows his backside looks hot in them.
He's never felt self conscious of his own looks. He knows he looks more than averagely good, but in that moment he feels like he needs to pick it up a notch and simply look his best. For himself for Him. He isn't sure which.
He wants and longs for those eyes that look at him like he's the most precious creature in this world. The eyes that rake over every part of his body with both hunger and adoration. He wants to feel wanted. He wants to feel cherished. And a selfish part of him just wants to take his breath away like he always takes his.
When Magnus appears in the arch of the doorway, Alec finds himself standing up from the couch to face him. His words die in his mouth when Magnus finally sees him. He feels the time freeze together with his breath and then it's like he's back at his wedding again, staring down the aisle at this gorgeous man who didn't fear to take the chance on love time and time again.
He walks towards Magnus, eyes never leaving his, but unlike that day he stops a mere step away from the warlock and doesn't immediately dive in. He doesn't do that after a minute passes either. Nor two.
He waits. Patiently he waits. He waits for the time to start ticking again because it has certainly stopped for them.
"I was just about to go prepare my bath. Join me?" Magnus suddenly says and all Alec can do is nod eagerly and tame himself to not lean in to take a whiff of the air that Magnus left after himself.
He follows, walking a few steps behind Magnus and lets his eyes roam over the warlock's frame - from the firm muscles beneath the tight shirt to the skinny pants that snug Magnus' legs, his buttcheeks in sinful ways.
His eyes dart upwards once they're inside the confines of the bathroom, but he manages to catch a small knowing smile playing on the warlock's lips and he wonders if perhaps Magnus is aware of what he is doing to the shadowhunter.
Maybe. Surely. He's certain the effect is mutual.
He zones out then while Magnus starts fussing about the bath's ingredients – bending over the edge and watching over the bottles.
Alec feels his hands clamming up and wipes them against his jeans.
Despite the powerful tension in the air, Magnus' presence is relaxing. He moves at his own pace, not rushing the natural order of things, creating a strong illusion of calmness for them.
The illusion feels so real that it almost makes Alec believe in it, if not for his steadily increasing heartbeat and tightness of the air every time he catches Magnus' passing glance.
But Magnus is not rushing things. So he isn't either.
He lets them pretend. Pretend like every action and movement since they both stepped inside the apartment wasn't a coordinated plan to lead them to the moment here. Pretend that they're not burning with the ever consuming need to tear at each other's clothes and feel the hot, smooth skin underneath, to be able to kiss away every bead of sweat just to feel the other's body arch from pleasure.
They slow things down.
The air gets filled with the bath care aroma soaps – Magnus making his favourite cocktail – and then his hands are free. His preparations done.
He sees the tension in the back muscles and aches to take the pressure away. But he waits. He waits some more. And he gets.
"Take it off."
The words ring out loudly inside the small room, while Alec's heart leaps into his throat. He swallows tightly and dumbly asks, "Uh, what?"
Magnus darts his eyes downward and there's an uncertainty in them for a moment before he hurries to make himself clear. "Your shirt. I mean, wouldn't want to get it wet in the bath." He laughs, but it feels strained, unsure, and Alec feels like an idiot.
With his resolve made, he puts his hands on either side of the shirt, and takes it off over his head, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. He knows Magnus wouldn't care about tidiness now, and neither does he.
It appears to be the right call because it takes Magnus' attention towards his now bared torso. He feels exposed but also empowered over the deep look he's being given.
Magnus takes a few steps towards him, and then the shadowhunter feels him hover over Alec's heated skin. He takes a step back, and for a moment Alec thinks this is it, this is how their moment ends, then Magnus' hands rise up towards the buttons of his own shirt and he slowly starts undoing them one by one.
With a rushed move, and before he can register he even budged, Alec's hands are covering the warlock's, taking charge. "Allow me," he rasps, his voice ringing inside the closed space of the bathroom despite being spoken in a hush.
His fingers travel fast, but they hold a tremor in them, that halts his movements from time to time. He memorizes every patch of newly uncovered skin. He feels like a teenager. He feels like he's experiencing love for the first time all over again. When he's finally down to the last button, his fingers curl into themselves, somehow unable to allow himself the privilege of having a direct contact with the soft skin. Instead he looks up into Magnus' mesmerizing eyes and gets lost there, letting himself fall deep and hard.
He feels Magnus break contact first, watches him turn around as he rids himself of the shirt that Alec has failed to fully release him from. One hand tugs on the sleeve of the other and then Alec's hand is closing in on the material, tugging it free of Magnus' body. He takes a moment to bask in the broad and naked shoulders of the man before him. Takes in the nape of his neck, the short hairs that end at the base, feels his own eyes trail a path down the spine. He sees more than feels Magnus shudder and he wonders if Magnus had felt his scorching gaze. He turns around and Alec realizes he's having an equal effect on Magnus - tremors running down his skin and bones simply from being gazed at by the one he wants most.
The next time the warlock closes the space between them, Alec is ready, or so he says to himself. His hands find their rightful place against Magnus' hips, bold, unexpected, yet loving, Always loving. Magnus is yet to get his hands on him, but Alec is patient. Giving him time to make a move.
Once upon a time he would have felt self conscious of his hands, self doubting himself for doing something overboard, but now he can't fool himself into saying that he doesn't feel the electricity that surges between their bodies with every piece of his soul. He knows that the words they whispered into the night under the lamppost were meant by both.
It takes a few more thrilling seconds before Magnus' hands twitch and make a move. They settle onto the firm muscles of Alec's forearms, going up towards his broad shoulders until making a circle down his chest, a finger catching against his chilled nub making Alec gasp and jerk in surprise.
They don't stop there, though. They go down the path of the hair on Alec's chest, trailing towards his navel, until they brush the buckle of the belt.
Amber eyes meet the glazed hazel ones and Alec can only exhale a shaky breath as confirmation.
The amber orbs dart downwards and slowly the fingers wrap around the buckle – one pushing the leather back while the other unhooks the little lever, giving Alec more space to breathe. Though his breath still catches in his throat.
He feels expert fingers wrap around his torso while they push the leather out of the hooks one segment at a time. By the time the belt slides all the way out of the loops, his mouth has gone dry and he struggles to wet his chapped lips.
Alec has never felt this thrill of wanting someone so much but at the same time being at the complete mercy of every little thing they do. He finds himself fighting the instinct between surging forward and savouring the sensuous moment. It makes it feel frustrating, yet rewarding. He isn't even sure himself. The only thing he is sure of is that he would be taking anything and everything that Magnus was willing to give him.
The clank of the metal against the floor shakes him out of his own musings, and then he is back again under the scrutinizing stare of those amber eyes, baring him naked with a look alone.
One step, two, it's all it takes for their bodies to get flushed against one another, sighing at the first real contact of skin against skin. A moment of movement, leaning in and he is being devoured by the soft lips, dragging in slow circles against his still mostly dry ones.
He sighs, finally content, his fingers searching for some kind of matter to grab onto, to assure himself that he is not yet flying.
He finds Magnus' hips, and grips the soft flesh between his strong yet lean fingers, making a slight push towards his own shaking hips.
He feels the moan that gets swallowed into his own mouth before the sound rings inside his ears. More firm grip, a change of angle and he is diving into the warmth of Magnus' mouth, relearning every corner anew like a starved animal.
He abandons the need of oxygen for the sake of prolonging the kiss, catching short whiffs of air that makes him dizzy with the smell of Magnus.
Their hands clutch at each other, exploring everywhere and nowhere in particular at once, like a second dance, surrendering only to the embrace of their lips.
It takes them a long moment to finally give in to the need of oxygen, their lips brushing against each other a few more times before finally losing contact.
The room is spinning and their ears are ringing but holding onto each other while looking into the dark wanting orbs helps as they catch their breath.
Alec's fingers twitch.
At first almost involuntarily, then with intent, a careful but firm stroke against Magnus' hips, catching on the edge of the dark jeans.
Magnus' eyes dart downwards first, then Alec follows him, both watching him make a circle with his thumb, until the whole palm leaves the sturdy material only to grab onto the metal button in the middle.
He stops, catches Magnus' eyes and then pops the button of the jeans, feels the shiver that goes through Magnus' when his nail catches on the skin below his navel. His fingers find the zipper, grab it firmly and slowly push it down while his mouth finds a soft spot behind the warlock's ear to put a kiss on.
He feels him sigh, and tilt his neck for a better access. It takes some edge off the tension that their slow undressing has created between them.
With the zipper down, Alec's hands find their way under the waistband and slowly they push down, revealing more and more fine skin in its wake.
The pants continue to cling to him like second skin, causing Alec to wrap his fingers around the naked flesh while he forces them down. All the way to the point which he can get while standing.
Soon he's being restricted by his own height and he has to maneuver the warlock towards the edge of the bath, sitting him down and startling at the hiss of coldness that the heated skin meets.
He kneels between the slightly open legs and proceeds to finish taking the pants off of Magnus' body – down past the knees, the calf – holding onto his bare feet while the material gets dragged and thrown away to the farthest corner.
The toes of Magnus' left foot flex and twitch, making Alec think, if he's naïve enough, that it's caused by the cold.
He doesn't release his grip on Magnus' calf, but rather lets his fingers travel the path of underside of the leg, his lips joining the path from the knee upwards – small, in places prolonged, presses of lips against the heated skin, while continuing the mirrored path on the other side with his hand.
He stops at the far side of the underside of Magnus' thigh and feels his head being lifted by two strong hands, covering his flushed cheeks with the coldness of the rings, while his mouth gets devoured by a pair of desperate, hungry lips.
It's hurried, intense and meant to take Alec's breath away, while he struggles to balance himself on his trembling knees, arms winding up around the warlock's waist.
Tongue licks against the gap between the two mounds and it's all it needs to get the permission to explore the scorching heat inside. He opens up, he takes and gives in return the same amount of intensity and need.
His body arches for a better angle and suddenly his knees buckle and slip and their mouths get separated before it's time.
He feels the wetness beneath his feet and fingers and realizes the water has been overflowing for a while without their notice.
He gulps and smiles sheepishly while Magnus clicks his fingers to stop the running water.
He doesn't press to resume their heated make out session and neither does Magnus.
They both decide it's time to take that bath.
Standing up on slightly unsteady legs, Alec helps Magnus do the same.
There's sweat on Magnus' temple and he feels the coldness of it on his own back.
They break apart, albeit reluctantly, and proceed to get rid of the remaining clothes on their own. Feeling unable to handle any more of each other's seductive touches.
He's bare before Alec's eyes -from head to toe - and Alec feels like he's seeing the sight for the first time. He craves to touch and to feel it under his fingers, the previous brief moments working as a teaser rather than true release.
When he finally starts climbing inside the tub, Alec shakes himself of his inner thoughts and hurries to take off – first his pants, then his underwear in a few moments straight.
Fortunately, it being the High Warlock's bathroom, the tub is wide enough to make room for both of them on the same side and Alec situates himself behind Magnus', now damp from the water, form.
He feels his body melt and lose its tension as he finally lets himself relax. The water, together with the soaps Magnus has previously prepared, soothes him and for a while he forgets everything, if only for a second. A second longer and he's super aware of the warlock, whose body is so snugly fit against his own. If he concentrates, he can discern the smell that belongs solely to Magnus, void of any soaps.
He feels the thrilling tingle run up his body and forces himself to not get lost in it.
Instead he grabs for a soap and runs gentle strokes down the smooth skin. Magnus' head shifts a little but then his body sighs and he lets Alec do as he pleases.
He washes every piece of skin he can find, his fingers pressing onto the knots on Magnus' shoulders as they pass by, reveling in the sounds that action alone elicits out of him. After that is done, he spurts some shampoo into his palm and proceeds to run his hands through the dark curls of Magnus' hair. He makes sure he's thorough with the rinse and that Magnus feels satisfied. He rejects Magnus' offer to return the favour simply because he wants, he has this deep need to take care of the warlock. To show him how much he means to the shadowhunter.
"Let me take care of you," he asks softly, and something in his voice must show his desperation because he gets a soft kiss as a way of confirmation.
He relaxes again, front to the back, brushing small lazy strokes on the skin on Magnus' belly.
He doesn't really mean anything by it, simply enjoying the languid moment, but then somehow his fingers brush against the stiffness between Magnus' legs, one time, twice, and then he's sure the twitch of Magnus' thigh was deliberate.
He takes his time to react, firstly brushes a circling path against the inner side of the thigh, slowly going upwards until he finds the crease between his leg and hip. He feels like he's teasing without meaning to. He simply feels the need to enjoy the moment. Enjoy being allowed to touch.
At the first real contact of fingers on skin, he feels Magnus sigh and slump against him. He starts from the base, covering his hand around the stiff length – gently, without pressure, then curling his fingers to feel the twitching veins.
He takes it slowly, tenderly, bringing Magnus to the edge with steadily increasing pressure and teasing of the nerve endings.
At the first keening sound, he buries his face in the croak of Magnus' neck, giving open mouthed kisses while his hands continue to bring pleasure to the trembling body in his lap.
He adds more pressure, a twist, and a circle around the tip and that's all it takes for Magnus to tense and release with a choked sound.
He feels his own heart beat wildly inside his rib cage while the warlock comes back down from his high.
After a moment longer he shifts in his arms, and takes Alec's mouth for a searing kiss that leaves them both breathless.
They part with their foreheads touching and with matching grins on their faces.
"How about we get out of here? A bed would be a lot softer than here," Magnus says and something about the way he does that makes Alec twitch in interest. He locks their eyes together boldly and agrees with a nod.
They somehow manage to stumble out of the tub without incident and Magnus takes care of the remaining water.
They're both dry and freshly cleaned and it takes only a moment for both of their bodies to find each other again, to cling onto each other, lips on lips, on skin, followed by wandering hands on the back.
They somehow start moving inside the bedroom when Alec finds himself being pushed down and finally fall onto the soft covers of the bed. He takes a moment to watch Magnus from below, to admire his proud and naked body on display until the warlock climbs on top of him and takes his mouth in his.
It's desperate and it feels like now it's Magnus' turn to make a statement with his body what his words failed to do.
He's everywhere.
Hands brushing his sides, his chest, cupping his neck and behind his head to plunge his tongue inside Alec's mouth with the angle he wants. His hips above Alec's, brushing slightly with a teasing contact of their straining lengths.
He then releases Alec's red mouth and for a moment just drinks him in with his eyes, biting his lip as he does so. Then they dart downwards and his whole body slides down; lips following the path of neck, chest, nipples, navel until they circle around and finally envelop Alec.
It's heat and tingles and Alec's fingers fist onto the satin sheets as he struggles to breathe evenly at the things Magnus does to his body. His hips start moving of their own accord and he feels Magnus' palm settle onto his stomach to still him as he continues to play his body like an instrument he is master of.
It feels more urgent and scorching than any other time before and it takes no time for his body to start shaking and he releases a soft cry inside the room.
His body is still shaking from exertion when Magnus' lips shower his body with kisses that end with both their lips meeting together.
He covers his hands around Magnus' body, one going behind the back of the warlock's thigh and he curls it around his body as he flips them over, keeping Magnus underneath himself.
He drags Magnus' upper lip between his own mounds as he ends the kiss and basks in the beauty of the man he had the chance to fall in love with.
"I love you," he says because he knows if he doesn't, his heart would burst with the amount of love he has for one man.
Magnus covers his cheek with his palm as he tells him also, "I love you too." Then he urges Alec's lips to come back to his own and they spend a fair amount of time just lazily exploring the taste of one another.
He doesn't realize when his hips start making small thrusting motions but by that time Magnus' legs are so tightly wrapped around his hips that he isn't even sure who started that, nor does he care, what matters is that he wants to feel closer, deeper to Magnus.
He gives him one more passionate kiss and then urges Magnus to release his legs from around his hips, so he could travel the path downwards and finally take what he wants.
He doesn't tease this time, they are both too impatient and desperate for that, so he plunges his tongue straight ahead, a shudder goes down his spine at the choked sob that Magnus gives and feels the shake of the warlock's legs as he relaxes his inner muscles.
He grips Magnus' hips tightly, knowing and feeling the desperation vibrating through both of their bodies but he knows he doesn't want to hurt him so he's thorough with preparation.
He finally gives in to Magnus' pleading when the warlock grabs a chunk of Alec's hair and just pulls, making Alec gasp in pain and surprise which, seconds later, turns into craving and need.
"Come on," Magnus chokes out and Alec comes willingly. Lets himself be flushed against the quivering body, breathes him in and finally makes that last connection between their bodies.
They both release a moan at the pressure their joined bodies has created, and Alec knows he hasn't prepared him nearly enough from the slight twitch of Magnus' eye but he knows better than to suggest they stop now and the hand on his butt cheek that just pushes him further in gives him clear signals to keep on going.
They move with the remembrance of the dance they are used to. They push, they pull but mostly they just bask in the feeling of one another, in the sheer knowing of having each other.
With time passing the sounds Magnus makes keeps on getting shorter and sharper and his grip on Alec's lower back and hair twitch and press deeper and Alec knows he's close to losing control.
One specifically timed push at the right angle and the warlock gasps, his eyes shinning bright yellow while the slits narrow in between. "Ale-Alexander…" he manages to choke out just as his body goes taut, Alec losing himself at the sight of Magnus' cat eyes in the midst of passion.
They collapse onto each other, and he knows when he looks at Magnus next, he'll once again see the golden eyes staring at him. A part of him feels the loss, another cherishes the rare moments he gets to witness Magnus letting himself free like that.
He presses a soft kiss below Magnus' chin, and feels the lazy strokes on his back. "I love you," he says again, because he feels like once could never be enough.
He feels the hands tighten around him and that feeling lulls him to sleep.
At the first seconds of consciousness he feels the stabs of sunshine rays on his face, causing him to scrunch his face in a grimace. His limbs feel light and more relaxed than they've felt in days. With a sigh he rolls onto his back, the back of his hand brushing the still slightly warm but empty sheets.
A shiver runs down through his exposed naked chest.
He lets out a hoarse sound from his mouth that might have been an attempt at Magnus' name, but with his eyes still closed he's not nearly awake enough to make a conscious thought. He blinks, the view ahead hazy and blurry; he tries to rub his eyes into wakefulness and thinks he could really use a washroom. He flops back on the bed, blinking until his sight finally clears.
He's met with a beautiful smile greeting him from where Magnus is sitting by the vanity mirror.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," the warlock says adoringly and Alec would feel embarrassed if not for the remains of the endorphins still clinging to his body from the previous night.
"Uh," he tries again, then wets his dry lips and clears his throat before pushing himself on his elbows. "What time is it?"
"Just a little after eight. I wasn't sure if I should wake you. Are you expected back at the institute?" he says the last words with his back towards Alec while he busies himself with applying the last thick line around his left eye.
Alec thinks he would do anything to just have the day off, spend it with Magnus, but he knows that's not entirely possible. "I should probably go back to the Insitute sometime today. Check if everything's in order after the last days' events." He catches Magnus' suppressed smile in the mirror and lets his own disappointed sigh seep into his spoken words.
"Well, then we should make the best of the spare time we got." He puts the eyeliner down on the table and turns to Alec with a smile. "Breakfast?"
"Sure," Alec agrees with a matching smile. "What do you have in mind?"
With a practiced ease Magnus stands up, his fingers moving absentmindedly as he thinks and walks back towards the bed where Alec is sitting by the headboard. "I admit, I wasn't feeling very creative today, after a blissfully exhausting night I thought of something simple. Belgian waffles?"
"Sounds good," Alec says as Magnus starts to lean in. He bends down to give a quick peck to Alec, which was meant to be short and sweet, but Alec uses that opportunity to grab hold of Magnus' head and dive in for a deeper kiss, swallowing Magnus' surprised chuckle between his lips.
Hands travel past the short hairs on the nape of the warlock's neck and then suddenly he's being flipped in the air, landing softly on top of the covers, with Alec's bigger body looming above him.
They kiss again, less hurriedly, hands lightly brushing the sides, past the edge of the pants, sliding down the thigh only to come back up to the right side and slide beneath the silk shirt, fingertips meeting goosebumps in their wake.
Magnus sighs, body limp and content and then the moment ends with an abrupt grumble coming from Alec's stomach.
Mouths separate, eyes wide and then they're both chuckling, Alec's cheeks holding a shade of pink.
"Too much exertion on an empty stomach is never good," Magnus says with a hint of a mischief in his eyes. "Besides, I've just put my make up on."
Alec brushes his finger around the edges of Magnus' eyes as he silently watches him. "You're beautiful without it also," he says, soft, bold and loving.
The brown orbs soften at the compliment, holding onto the eye contact, he then cranes his neck to reach the inviting red lips. He strokes the side of Alec's face and extracts himself from underneath the starving shadowhunter.
When Magnus leaves, Alec brushes his palm over his face, feeling his heart thud wildly inside his chest even after all this time, after all the things they experienced together, every moment with Magnus still makes him feel a nervous sort of excitement.
His palm slides past his nose and mouth and then he slowly realizes that he didn't have the time yet to go to the bathroom and freshen his breath. His cheeks burn from embarrassment but another, a much bigger part of him, has to bite his lip from letting a blissful grin from spreading on his face.
It isn't even five minutes later when Alec's in a state of distress.
He's thorough and has a keen eye for detail but he still feels like he's running in circles.
They're just nowhere to be found... And isn't that just embarrassing.
He can hear the sound of a beater clanging against the bowl as he pushes the bedroom doors open, watching Magnus prepare the ingredients for the waffles. It's a rare sight to witness Magnus in such a domestic and relaxed state but it's always a blessing.
He gives himself a moment to just take it all in.
Then, feeling Alec's presence, Magnus turns over his shoulder and gives the shadowhunter a smile while his hands continue to stir. "Give me a few moments and I'll be done. Of course I could always hurry it up with magic but I thought you'd like a homemade meal once in a while," he laughs, slightly unsure, and Alec's heart swells for the man even more.
"Yeah, thanks," he says softly, while he continues to hover around the door to the bedroom, his long slender fingers drumming a nervous beat on the wood.
Magnus glances at him, a searching look on his face.
"Is everything okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, fine, it's just, uh..." Alec finds himself pausing as his cheeks fill in with red. "Magnus, have you seen my, um...u-underwear?"
He nearly dies out of embarrassment at the comic look Magnus gives him. He quickly dart his eyes downwards and then stumbles on his words, explaining. "I-I just couldn't find them in the drawer so..."
A beat passes before there's a sigh coming from the warlock.
"Oh, I threw them in the wash," Magnus says casually. "Just grab a pair of mine."
There's a moment where Alec just stands there, staring at Magnus with his lips pressed together. Then when he's about to open his mouth and say something to thank Magnus for his hospitality the warlock bursts out in chuckles. "I'm sorry," he says, and means it. "Here."
The next second Alec is clutching the soft, freshly dried fabric in his palm and stumbles out of the entrance with a quick thanks.
An half hour and a lifetime of embarrassment away, Alec finally sits himself down on the stool, legs stretched out and relaxed, waiting for a plate of a freshly baked waffles. He takes a whiff and moans at the diviness of the smell.
They dig in to eat.
At the first touch, he startles and nearly chokes on his food but he's all ready for the second one. He feels Magnus' bare toes brush his midfoot, then move slightly upwards, circling just underneath the hem of Alec's jeans. Alec feels his own leg twitch and suddenly there's a fight of domination between who tingles or tickles who and they only stop at the first sound of their eating table lurching with a sound against the floor.
They sober up and continue eating.
"So, any plans for today?" Alec asks as he swallows a bite of his meal.
Magnus puts a sauce covered piece in his mouth and licks around his lips to get the smearing ends, chewing silently before he answers. "I was thinking about inviting Catarina over."
"Oh?"
"Speaking of which, you've yet to officially meet." He points the fork in Alec's direction chidingly and Alec smiles in return.
"Yeah, I, uh, should meet her," he says, watching Magnus' face transform into a tender smile, when suddenly Alec's phone chimes in and he has to bite his lip.
"They're expecting you," Magnus says.
Alec feels their both disappointments as he apologizes. While they both knew it was coming, they didn't expect it to be so soon.
"That's okay. There'll be a next time."
"I'm really sorry, I'll make it up to you," he says as Magnus follows him to the doors, picking up Alec's jacket and passing it to him to shrug it on. His fingers linger around the lapels, smoothing the invisible wrinkles as he wishes Alec a safe day.
Alec leans in for one more quick peck and disappears behind closed doors.
A martini in one hand, Magnus' other continues to make unconscious gestures while he waits.
A moment later and there's a sharp gust of air in the loft, like a sharp knock into the fabric of reality.
Magnus smirks and snaps his fingers, allowing a portal to form inside the living room.
A woman steps out of the portal. She's in semi-high heels, comfortable pants and jacket ending at her elbows, showing a patch of naked skin – blue in color. She tosses her white hair on her one shoulder and grins at Magnus – carefree and free to shed her glamour after a long day of work among mundanes.
Magnus gives her an appreciative look. "Someone's feeling rebellious."
Catarina scoffs and goes to make herself comfortable on the sofa. "You would too, spending twenty four hours among elderly mundanes who treat you like their personal slave just because you're a woman in blue."
"Aging is a beauty and a tragedy in one. Especially for mundanes."
"I don't see much beauty in a deteriorating brain. At least we're saved from such a horrific fate." She exhales a long sigh, head lolling on the edge of the seat so that it makes her miss a slight strain in Magnus' smile as his eyes get lost in thought.
A minute later he's brought back from his own inner thoughts with an abrupt question.
"Happy to have your shadowhunter back?" There's a knowing smirk on her face and Magnus laughs in a fond surprise.
"My dearest, Catarina. Have you acquired the skill of mind reading recently?"
He stands up to refill his glass, offering one to Cat.
"No, what I have acquired is sharp eyesight to spot a tasteless grey sock trapped between the door sill," she says then points her thumb over her shoulder. Magnus blinks and zooms in towards the pointed area. As expected, he finds Alec's sock that he had missed collecting this morning while he went over their scattered things.
"Oh," he says then moves his fingers to bury the material inside the wash. "Apologies."
"Someone has had a special night," she quips, aiming for casual, but then stops to stare at the tender smile covering Magnus' features together with a hint of a darker shade on his cheeks.
"Magnus Bane, are you…blushing?" she asks, eyes comically wide.
Startled, Magnus looks at her and scoffs. "Me? No. I do not blush," he says haughtily as he pretends to find interest in refilling his glass, again, if only to avoid eye contact with the fellow grinning warlock.
"I'll be damned. Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn completely smitten by a young shadowhunter." There's a knowing smile on her face as she props her chin on her palm.
Magnus gives her a stink eye. "Love is nothing to be ashamed of, Cat."
"Not unless you're ashamed to admit it," she sing-songs.
Magnus stares her down, holding eye contact. "I'm not ashamed to say that I'm in love with Alexander."
"Then admit that you were blushing."
He holds their eye contact one second, two and then gives up, rolling his eyes.
"Last night it was just…special. Not that it's not always special, but…" he trails off, remembering his body being showered with tender touches, loving kisses, seemingly not missing any patch of skin untouched, uncared for, and then those ever consuming hazel eyes staring at him with desire that made his limbs melt and be revived again. Time and time again until he couldn't keep his mind awake long enough from over stimulation. Shaking himself out of it at the first sound of a chuckle, he turns to the warlock on the couch. "I'm not talking about it."
"Hm, shame."
"You're impossible." He laughs, joining in with the mirth.
"True, and that's probably one of the main reasons why I'm one of your longest time friends." They both share a smile and clink their glasses. There's a moment of serenity, where they don't speak; Magnus continues to swirl circles around the edge of the glass while pretending not to notice the scrutinizing look on the blue-skinned warlock.
After a moment she speaks again, "You're really serious about this one, aren't you?" There's an edge of worry in her voice which makes Magnus obligated to take her question seriously.
"As I haven't been in a long time," he admits with a tender acceptance. "Sometimes it's scary to see how deeply attached I've gotten, but then I think about him and… I don't think I would want to stop even if I could."
"Do you think it'd be easier if he wasn't a shadowhunter?"
"I suppose," he says, then thinks and continues, "But then perhaps because he's a shadowhunter that it makes it all the more… real. I don't know. Hemingway always used to say that what doesn't kill us, just makes us stronger. "
"He was right in that," Catarina agrees, then shifts on the couch. There's a change in the mood as she speaks again.
"Lorenzo has been speaking about you," she says carefully, gauging Magnus' reaction.
"Oh? What about?"
"Nothing concrete, just a flying comment here and there…"
He appears calm, but there's a shift in Magnus' demeanour; a slightly titled chin, a tongue in the cheek and she knows she got his attention.
"Continue."
"There're rumours about secret meetings."
There's a short pause before she continues. "I think he might be thinking about overthrowing you, Magnus."
Magnus rolls his eyes.
"Lorenzo has always been power hungry," Magnus says in a casual nonchalance. "Sadly his wisdom hasn't grown over the passing years. I'd think our people are smarter than believing in Lorenzo's misleading dreams."
"People are not thinking clearly right now. After what happened with Valentine, they want protection. You need to hold a meeting." There's real unglamoured worry in her eyes and it softens his heart to see. He extends his hand to pat hers in reassurance.
"And I will," he promises. "As long as you join me for a martini." He offers a full glass and it makes her laugh, her shoulders easing up from the tension.
"I always had a weakness for your drinks."
"A trait I happily exploit. Cheers?"
"Cheers."
They clink their glasses once more. Bless their immortal livers.
"For your reign to last hundreds of years ahead," she toasts, then adds in a gentle voice. "For you, Magnus. For you and your happiness."
Yellow eyes shine bright and proud as the warlock toasts.
"For the warlocks."
to be continued...
Thoughts? Suggestions? Expectations? Anything works. Thank you for reading.