It's Sunday when Alec gets a suspicious-sounding 'come hither' call from Magnus. They're both in the apartment and Alec's in the bedroom putting away some clothes when Magnus calls out Alec's name very carefully.

"Yeah?!" Alec calls back, pushing the wardrobe shut and trying to find the source of the voice. "Where are you?" He chuckles, looking around the corridor and the living room.

"Alec!" Comes the impatient, and slightly worried voice. "Heel!" Bathroom. Alec chuckles to himself and opens the bathroom door. Magnus is sat in the bath with some neon green, three-quarter shorts on, the bathwater slowly rising around him. His hands are glued to the sides.

"What-"

"Get in! It's rising!" Alec forgets to strip himself of his clothes and steps into the bath, slightly irked that the water is cold but tells himself its for Magnus' sake. It's not supposed to be a warm bath; Magnus can find those pleasures when he's conquered his fear. "Im in the bath" Magnus breathes, eyes wide with almost-panic.

"Yes you are, love" Alec grins at him and slips closer. The water shifts around them and Magnus' eyes dart to watch it. "I'm impressed"

"Don't be" Magnus mumbles. "Not…yet" Alec watches Magnus' face as the water rises slowly. It's cold, almost freezing, but he supposes Magnus would feel it less for some reason. It's almost covering their legs and Magnus's breathing starts to hitch a little. "Cold?" Alec raises an eyebrow.

"What? Oh…yeah, sorry. I didn't think I'd…" He trailed off but it was ok.

"Im glad you got this far; it's a brilliant improvement" Alec slides carefully closer to Magnus and plops his legs over Magnus' own and around the bare back. Magnus seems slightly calmer as Alec catches his gaze. "Don't get any ideas"

"The waters cold; how could I?" Magnus retorts, placing his hands carefully around Alec's waist.

"You only have yourself to blame" Alec grins, trying to distract Magnus from the rising water, but it seems that his eyes can barely tear themselves away. "Hey" Alec pecks his boyfriends cheek. That sparks a reaction. Alec makes his eyes go cross-eyed and Magnus smiles in amusement. "I had a thought" Alec begins. "You like these, right?" Alec bats his eyelashes quickly and Magnus nods, still glancing at the water which is just over their hips. He fidgets. "Well, don't they just look like big pools to you?"

"They're your eyes and they're beautiful" Magnus raises his head a little to look at Alec, but it falls back to the rising water around them.

"So you don't look at them and see water?" Magnus doesn't reply. He's too busy watching the water-line go up, and up, and up. Alec's sure it hasn't even reached what would be Magnus' belly-button line – but he's already bolted out the bath and reaching for a towel. Alec slowly follows, wrapping his own towel around himself and Magnus before kissing his lips.

"I think that deserves a treat tonight" Alec grins.

"Shopping?" Magnus asks, hopeful.

"I was thinking along the lines of something that I would enjoy too…" Alec quirks an eyebrow and Magnus nods.

"Right. Baking" Magnus heads into the bedroom to change. Alec frowns; for all the flirting and little hints that Magnus seems to do so effortlessly, you'd think he'd pick something up!

"Think a bit more on the active side" He rolls his eyes.

"Stroll in the park?" Magnus tosses a T-shirt on and yanks on some jeans.

"Sex, Magnus!"

"I'm dressed now!" Magnus rolls his eyes.

"I'll take em' off then" Alec says, surprising even himself. Magnus raises both his eyebrows but seems delighted.

"Now that would be a treat"

000

It's six weeks until the championships and all of the Lightwoods, and Clary and Simon, have all found out that Magnus still hasn't confirmed his place or ordered his ticket. Alec blames Jace, but holds no hate for him. He thinks it might be advantageous; Magnus could have his own little support team and it'd all be ok. But Alec realizes, from a surprise visit from Jace, that he will be getting no such thing.

Alec has been with Jace for most of the morning at training. Alec then spends the afternoon shopping with Magnus but ends up being whisked away by Izzy, who promises to have him home on time. With hindsight, Magnus is glad that Izzy doesn't have him home on time, for Jace turns up on the doorstep at half five, just as Magnus is going to make dinner, and marches into the apartment. At first, Magnus thinks the blonde-haired poster-boy is looking for Alec, but by the time Magnus follows him up to the living room – the argument has already begun. Jace is furious, that much is clear.

He's annoyed that Magnus isn't taking an interest in something that Alec clearly loves, and he thought that maybe his last confrontation would kick Magnus into gear, but obviously it hasn't. So he's going to try again, he says. He doesn't know what Magnus' problem is, really. Magnus was the one who almost drowned so maybe he could understand it if Magnus was the one in the pool. But he's going to be nowhere near the pool, so it's just pathetic that he isn't making an effort.

Magnus wonders if Jace is scared of anything. He knows the blonde boy has some insecurities about belonging, but it's hardly something to throw back in his face. He knows Alec is terrified of spiders, but that wouldn't help anything either. Something was mentioned about ducks, but Magnus finds it so ridiculous he's sure it's just a joke.

Jace continues his argument, getting no response from Magnus. How can he not care? It'd mean everything to Alec if Magnus went, and it's a stupidly simple thing like going, sitting, watching, congratulating, and leaving! There's nothing wrong with any of those, and Magnus isn't stupid, Jace knows, he can do each one of those individually, so why not together? It's infuriating and Jace is getting sick of it. He wants Alec to be happy and seeing him saddened, each time Jace brings up how excited the others are, that Magnus won't be excited because he won't be there.

Magnus wants to point out that maybe Jace didn't have to mention it so often, then. He wants to point out that he is extremely excited for Alec to swim and win his race; he just isn't too excited about watching him do it. That it's too complicated for Jace's small-minded brain to understand. But Jace wouldn't care or bother listening to his excuses or reasoning, so Magnus doesn't say anything. Jace takes the hint, a weight obviously off his chest, and he leaves. Fifteen minutes later, Izzy brings Alec home. Magnus has left a note telling him he's sorry dinner isn't cooked, but he has somewhere to be and that he loves him. Alec thinks nothing of it, orders Chinese and then goes to bed, all the while expecting Magnus to come home any second.

Tuesday, Magnus bumps into Jace and Clary as he's shopping for more food. Clary off-handedly mentions how proud Magnus must be that Alec has got so far in the competitions but Jace butts in, reminding her that Magnus won't be there to see it.

Magnus wonders if there's anything else to talk about. Clary continues, asking all the same questions Jace had done, only in a more sincere and 'awwh poor you – cant you try?' tone, which irked Magnus even more because he had been trying for the past seven damn centuries. Clary continues using her sweet voice, reminding Magnus that Alec has tried really hard and it'd be great to have everyone there. Jace saves Magnus from the rest, harshly reminding Clary that Magnus already knew all this because he – Jace – had said the same thing. They parted ways.

On Wednesday, Magnus is too annoyed to do anything. Alec is training with Jace and Chairman is unfortunately M.I.A in one of his adventures, so he's alone. Alone in a spacious apartment, left to think about Jace's accusations and Clary's degrading voice. He isn't safe in the apartment, he thinks, nor is he safe anywhere else, really, so he goes for a drive somewhere and ends up at Central Park. Nobody will think of coming here, he hopes. He enjoys the walk around the gardens, the sunshine on his face and the breeze through his hair. For a moment, he doesn't think about Alec and the swimming championships and he's happy.

"Magnus!" A familiar voice calls his name and he's surprised when a pair of long, lithe arms are wrapped around him.

"Isabelle" Magnus greets as she pulls herself away from him. Magnus notes that Simon's there too, looking confident and Simon-ish whilst holding Izzy's hand. "How are you both?"

"We're well!" Izzy grins. "And you?"

"I'm fine, thank you" If he says anything other then he'll get the same 'awwh poor you' tone that Clary had used and he hated it.

"That's good" Izzy smiles. "What brings you to the park? No Alec?"

"Alec's training" Magnus admits. "I could do with a change of scenery" Izzy nods understandingly. "Date?" He asks, indicating to the two. Izzy nods confidently whilst Simon looks sort of awkward beside her. "Cute"

"I bet you're feeling abandoned" Izzy chuckles. "Alec training all the time, I mean"

"I have Chairman Meow, you forget" He points out and Simon cringes.

"Damn cat" He mumbles. Magnus smiles. "Still not bought your ticket for the championships, then?" Simon asks lightly, genuinely curious Magnus thinks.

"If I say yes, will it prevent world war three?" Izzy frowns at Magnus' response. "Don't give me that look, dear, it's not as easy as you'd think"

"You're eight hundred years old" Izzy exasperates. "How has it taken this long? Have you just avoided it altogether?" She raises her eyebrows and Simon begins trying to calm her down. "Or are you just saying that so you don't have to go – because I'm sure Alec would like the truth" She takes a breath. "It's not a big deal! I could understand it if you were actually required to get in the pool but you aren't"

"Izzy, leave him be" Simon pulls her to the side a little and Izzy stops, but she's wearing a face like a child having a tantrum. Magnus thanks Simon, bids them farewell and continues on his walk. It's not even half an hour before he gets a call from Mayrse, wanting to know if he wants a reserved seat.

Magnus reminds her that he isn't sure if he can make it just yet and she begins her own spiel for ten minutes before calling him totally unsupportive and accusing him of disregarding Alec's feelings and hanging up. Magnus feels it's all rather familiar. He leaves his car where it is and walks along Brooklyn Bridge and back again, all the way to his car and drives home. Max is there with Alec and they're talking about him.

"But it's different to my fear with spiders" Alec says quietly. "Magnus is really scared of it"

"But he's not scared of anything" Max says stubbornly. "He should go. Love conquers everything and if he loves you then he should come and watch you win"

"It's not that simple" Alec reasons. Magnus has finally had it. If it was anybody but small Max in there he would have gone in and given them a mouthful. But it is Max and he won't scare the boy, so Magnus heads to his bedroom, strips and tries to go to sleep. Alec comes in after taking Max home, snuggles up to Magnus and kisses the back of his head repeatedly. Magnus is too annoyed, frustrated and guilty to turn around and face him.

It continues like that for most of Saturday, until Alec has had enough and demands to know what's wrong with the Warlock. Magnus vents everything, between Alec's meddling family and the damn swimming competition taking over everything that he just can't think! The argument escalates and Magnus storms out, calling Alec's want for Magnus to be at the championships nothing short of a dream. He can't go, and if he did have any thoughts of going, his family and friends hadn't helped him at all.

Alec packs some things and goes to stay with his family in the Institute for the weekend, refusing to go back to the apartment. It's only when Chairman turns up on the doorstep looking so very hungry that he thinks Magnus hasn't at all been home either.