CHAPTER THREE – DAY SIXTY-THREE
"Izzy, I am done with this crap." Alec sighed, heavily. "I know you hate hearing I have to work, but I do. I have a meeting this evening and then I would like a night out. I haven't had a Friday night alone in over a year." There was a knock at his open door and Magnus was standing there with a laptop in his hands, just waiting. "Izzy, I got to go. If you can't watch Max, call Jace or the babysitter." He hung up on her then. Alec turned to Magnus who was on the late rotation, but Alec had to stay late for a meeting with Tessa. "What's up?"
"Tessa's laptop. You want to take it up with you or-" He left the sentence hanging of Alec to pick up.
Alec looked at his watch; it was twenty minutes before his meeting was set to begin anyway. His phone vibrated in his hand; it was Izzy again. "Alright, come with me." Alec threw his personal phone in his top desk drawer.
Alec headed for the stairs, he needed to burn off some energy and dragged Magnus with him without much choice. "Need to pick up Max again?" Magnus couldn't help himself from asking.
Alec shook his head, "Nope." He headed up the stairs two at a time. He wasn't willing to talk at the moment, he was sick of not having enough time to himself and always being the only one willing to step up for Max.
Magnus watched his boss and quickened his steps just to keep up; Alec was tense and taking the stairs too fast, burning off the energy from fighting with his sister. "Alec, are you-"
Alec turned on his heels to face Magnus so fast that he almost slipped on a step, Magnus almost dropped the laptop to keep from hitting Alec, "I don't want to talk about it." He stared down at Magnus from his two-step advantage; Alec was breathing heavy from the run up the first and second flight of stairs. He was athletic, but the run-up, his anger, and the look on Magnus' face was going to send him over the edge. Alec instantly hated himself for yelling at Magnus he was just trying to be nice and he yelled at his tech. The green-gold eyes staring back at him, made him want to punch the wall. "I'm sorry. I can't talk about it here." He was calmer than before, but he didn't feel it.
Magnus nodded, locking his eyes with Alec as long as he was allowed. He wanted to stare at those blue eyes as long as heaven would allow him. "I'm sorry." Magnus reached a hand out but grabbed the handrail instead of his intended target of Alec's arm. "I shouldn't have asked. It's just Max is a cool kid and if you needed to bring him here, we could work with it."
"Thank you, but I can't keep bringing Max here when we are here for work. We aren't an after-school daycare for my brother." Alec sighed, rubbing his hand across his forehead.
"You're right; we aren't. But Max is a good kid and anyone on our help desk would welcome him any time."
"I know, but it's not professional." Alec felt the heat rising, he tried to roll up his sleeves, but the motions were too jerky to be effective.
Magnus felt the frustration building in Alec, so he just watched him. "Alexander, stop." Magnus climbed up the two stairs to make them even, it was strange how they were so close to the same height yet Magnus was just slightly taller. He forced the laptop into his heads, Magnus slowly worked on one of Alec's sleeves then moved the laptop to his other hand to work on the other sleeve; making quick work of both sleeves in perfect unison to his elbows. Alec grabbed onto Magnus' arm with his laptop free hand as he pulled up his sleeves without thinking, his grip solid.
"I'm fine." Alec lied. "Thank you." He held up the laptop, pulling his arms away from Magnus. "You can go back down." Then he turned and left.
Magnus stayed on the stair watching Alec go through the second-floor stair door. He got just a second to trace the small black line on Alec's arm before he pulled away; Magnus was officially dying to see the rest of that tattoo. It was just one sharp point, but he needed to see more.
Magnus felt déjà vu as he knocked on Alec's open door. He was ready to go, it was 6pm but Alec was still in his office, and he was supposed to be gone hours ago. "Alec?"
He looked from his computer, glasses on his nose. "Yeah?"
"You should go home; it's after 6." Magnus held his jacket in his hand, computer shut down, and the report had been submitted. "Alexander, let's go."
Alec looked at him, really looked at him; like he did the first day they met. Magnus didn't have a smile on his face, but his eyes lit up the entire room, the green with gold specks. He took his glasses off but kept his eyes on Magnus. "Yeah." He spoke with clarity this time.
"Come out with me." Magnus did smile this time; Alec looked so lost at the moment. "Alexander, I'm alone in this state and want to go to a movie, come with me."
Alec nodded, "Yeah. I just gotta call my sister."
"No." Magnus stepped into the office, "Izzy will be fine with Max and Jace. You are burnt out. Come with me."
"Why do you call me Alexander?"
Magnus smirked a real one. His eyes seemed to glow like cat eyes in the middle of a dark room, "I'll tell you after dinner if you come with me."
The laughter in his voice made Alec stand up, he quickly hit save on his work and turned off his monitor; pulling his admin card to log him out completely.
"Come on; I'll drive." Magnus slipped his coat on while waiting for Alec to finish grabbing his stuff.
He was distracting himself while Magnus watched him with his cat-like eyes, Alec felt that pull on his stomach.
Magnus pulled into the parking lot of work and went straight to Alec's car; it was the only car in the employee lot since the security guards parked in a different lot. He shut off his car and got out at the same time Alec did.
"Did you have fun tonight?" He knew the answer but wanted to hear the answer; he wanted Alec to tell him he had fun with him.
Alec unlocked his car and threw his jack in the passenger back seat. "I had fun." He leaned against the passenger side door while Magnus leaned against his driver's door. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah, I had fun." Magnus smiled at him, "Alexander, I need to ask you something."
He nodded, "I don't usually hang out with people from work, not even my brother." He went for the cheap laugh and it worked. Magnus did laugh at that; he could see Alec and Jace hanging out, their brotherly bantered. "Hey, you never told me told me why you call me Alexander."
"That's what I need to ask you." Magnus stepped off of his car, closer to Alec.
"You promised to answer if I went to movie and dinner. We did both." Alec stepped off his car as well. He felt it. The spark, between them. Alec felt relaxed for the first time in over a year and it was all due to Magnus. They saw a dumb movie and went to a cheesy Mexican restaurant; that he picked. The wallpaper was horrible but the food was terrific and Magnus agreed with him.
"I like the way it sounds."
"I hate the way it sounds, I've always been Alec but when you say it, I like it." Alec felt like being honest, the pull he felt for Magnus was only amplified by the drinks and laughter they had all evening. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed that didn't involve fake laughing at a nine-year-old.
"Good." Magnus took the step then and kissed him.
Alec closed his eyes when he felt Magnus lean in; he stood frozen for a moment with the realization that he was being kissed. It wasn't a kiss, really, more of a pressing of closed lips. Instinct and attraction took over, Alec put his hands on Magnus' waist and pulled him in, changing the angle of the kiss. Magnus put a hand on the nape of Alec's neck, keeping him close. Alec followed Magnus's lead pressing himself as close to him as he could.
Alec didn't know who open their month first but either way, it didn't matter because he felt Magnus' tongue on his bottom lip at the same time Alec had to pull back for air. His breath came out in short bursts; he locked eyes with Magnus then went back in for another kiss this time he went straight for Magnus' bottom lip. Magnus added his other hand to Alec's hair and pulled, stepping back and back until his back hit his car. Alec stepped into the kiss, pushing as he was being pulled. He looped his hands at the edge of Magnus' shirt, fisting his shirt in the need to get closer to him all the while pulling his shirt from where he tucked it in his pants.
Alec felt the need for air and pulled back but Magnus wasn't done kissing him and went in for his neck. Hitting Alec's sweet spot right below his ear enticed a moan from him and Magnus nipped at the spot to try for another; it worked and Alec groaned, pushing himself into Magnus.
A car horn sounded from the nearby street and it was enough to pull Alec back to reality. He stepped back and kept going until he hit his car; breathing heavily he stared at Magnus who stared back at him. He was trying hard to get his breathing under control but just looking at Magnus was keeping him from doing that.
"I call you Alexander because I'm flirting with you. I find your name sexy." Magnus closed his eyes, leaning his head back on his car to clear his mind and slowed his breath; he was having the same trouble as Alec.
Alec just stared at him, the need to go back to him and kiss his exposed neck was strong but he held himself back.
"I also want to see your tattoo."
Alec laughed at that; it was just a burst but enough to get Magnus to look at him. "No one sees it."
"I've seen the low spike." Magnus nodded to the still exposed spike. Alec looked down at his sleeve, he knew what Magnus meant but he still checked for himself. It was the reason he hardly wore his sleeves up around the office unless it was the end of the day. When Alec looked back at him, Magnus read the sex in his eyes. He had half a mind to ask Alec to come home with him, but he knew that would be a 'no,' it was too soon. "We should say goodnight here." He pained himself to say those words, but they were the right ones. "Call me?"
Alec has never taken his eyes off of him, "Wait." He felt a small panic raise in him. "In my personal life I am out of the closet but not at work." The blush crept up his neck to his cheeks, thankful for the darkness Alec didn't have to worry about Magnus seeing it.
Magnus nodded then made his move; in a flash, he was in front of Alec. He brought his hand up to cup his jaw and cheek while he leaned in for a gentle kiss; more of how their kiss began, just them pressing their lips together. "I understand." He pulled back. "I promise no sneaking into your office for a kiss." He pulled back and winked at Alec.
Alec had to laugh at that one. "Goodnight, Magnus." He moved around his car to the driver side but waited for Magnus to be in his car before starting his up.
Magnus had a twenty-minute drive to replay the scenes in his head, the entire night flashed before him in slow motion. The ride to the theater with their small talk, more him talking and Alec nodding along. The wait for the movie where Alec had to step off to the side because Max didn't want to sleep and Alec had to talk to him because Jace and Clary couldn't get him down. The small laughs during the movie. The movie discussion while off to some Mexican restaurant he had never heard of but had the best queso and chips he had ever tasted. The drinks. Alec finally opening up about his siblings. Izzy, his sister who had the best fashion taste but could kill with her cooking skills or lack of skills. Jace his adopted brother who was a natural Lightwood from the day he walked into their family home. He spoke the longest on Max, the curious nine-year-old who was the smartest in the family. He spent a little time with his parents, very little time. Magnus spoke about his life in New York and his parents but was thankful when Alec picked up on his queues and didn't ask any more questions. Then their ride back to Alec's car; he was much more aminated then their first ride to the movies. He didn't know what told him to kiss Alec, but he was moving in and just kissed him. He didn't have to ask Alec anymore; his eyes proved to him all night he was gay and wanted Magnus as much as he wanted Alec.
Magnus knew it wasn't a date but it should be counted as a date and it was the best date he had been on in the last three years. His breakup from Camilla drove him out of town and straight into Alec. He almost felt the need to be thankful for Camilla opening his eyes, he finally saw her for who she was. She once said she was the same person she always was; he just didn't see her in the beginning. Magnus was stuck agreeing with her before breaking them up and leaving town. He wasted three years with Camilla just for the lying and cheating to finally get him to move on; his rose color glasses had been removed in a rude awakening which causes him to move to Michigan.
