Happy Friday everyone, another week done and over with :) This is going to be a nice fluffy chapter, I wrote it around Christmas (I know, such a long time ago) while I was filled with the Christmas energy, so there is much Alec and Magnus cute fluff. Hope you enjoy!

"Are you sure we still can't convince you to come with us?" Izzy asked pouting. Alec ran his fingers through his hair and moved his laptop so he could lay on his stomach.

"I'm sure. Christmas in Hawaii just sounds weird to me."

"But this will be the first time we're not together over the holidays, won't that feel weird?" Izzy asked.

"Of course it will be, but I know you're going to be having so much fun that you'll hardly think of me," Alec joked.

"Not true," Izzy said sticking out her tongue. "I'm just glad you won't be completely alone. I was nice of Magnus to invite you to his place."

"I'm looking forward to it, and his mom seemed really excited that I was coming," Alec said, smiling at the memory of joining in on Magnus's Skype session with her just last week.

"You'll have to take lots of pictures," Izzy reminded him. He nodded.

"Hey, you talking to Alec?" Jace said coming into the view of the camera.

"Hey Jace," Alec said grinning.

"So Izzy couldn't convince you to come with us?"

"Unfortunately not, but I'm sure you'll have more fun without me anyways," Alec teased.

"A lot more partying will be had that's for sure," Jace told him.

"What time do you guys leave tomorrow?"

"We have a ten o'clock flight," Izzy said. "I still have to finish packing."

"See now who's the responsible one, I'm already done," Jace said smirking.

"Hey, what are you doing in Izzy's room anyway?" Alec asked, just realizing that now.

"He's waiting for Clary to get back from her art meeting thingy, they're going out somewhere," Izzy filled him in.

"Are you two, like, a thing now?" Alec asked.

"Don't know, we're taking it like it is," Jace said, perking up when a door opened off camera.

"I'm guessing that's her."

"Yeah, I should let you go. Their about to get gross and I need to finish getting ready for tomorrow," Izzy said.

"Okay, we'll talk later. Have fun," Alec said waving before they both disconnected. Magnus chose that moment to come back to the dorm.

"Have a nice chat?" He asked.

"Yeah, they're really excited about leaving. Of course they tried to convince me yet again to come with them, but after much reassurance I would be fine they dropped it," Alec said closing his laptop.

"Well of course they want you to come, it must be weird not being together this time of the year."

"I guess, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Christmas is like at your place," Alec said smiling. He was glad they managed to forgo the awkwardness of their almost kiss. They did just what Alec asked, they haven't brought it up, it was completely forgotten.

"You're going to love it," Magnus told him.

"I'm just glad your mom is coming to pick us up tomorrow. I would hate taking everything on the train," Alec said gesturing to his pile of stuff.

"I can't wait to see what you got me."

"Who says any of this is yours? Maybe I just bought it all for your mom," Alec teased.

"Well then I guess I can't give you you're presents," Magnus said sitting on his bed. "It's a shame really, I got you some pretty amazing stuff."

"I was kidding, most of them are for you I promise."

"I know," Magnus said jumping off his bed. "Now, you should help me pack 'cause I'm kind of bad at it." Alec rolled his eyes, wondering how's he's managed to put up with him for so long. As they packed Magnus put on Christmas music and started singing along to it. Alec really couldn't wait to get to his place, he was ready to start the holidays.

"If you guys continue feeding me like this, in two weeks I'll have to be rolled back to my dorm," Alec said sitting down at the breakfast bar. The table was covered in plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, bowls of fruit. It was a breakfast for ten, and only three people were eating it.

"My mom always cooks like this, I'm just glad we have someone else to eat it with us," Magnus said as he filled his plate. Alec took some for himself before pouring a mug of coffee. He's been at Magnus's place for three days now, and already he never wanted to leave. The place was so cozy, with couches and chairs and colour everywhere. There was a place for everything, yet at the same time it looked like a place where people lived. The walls were covered in photos, and Alec loved watching Magnus grow in them. He was definitely one of cutest kids Alec had ever seen. His mother, who insisted that Alec call her Julia, was amazing. She was always smiling, and filling the house with the scent of whatever she was making. Alec knew now where Magnus had gotten his voice from, and had sat in wonder when they both sang together.

"So you guys up for some tree decorating today, and house decorating. It is looking sadly un-christmassy in here," Julia said spearing a strawberry with her fork.

"Yeah of course," Magnus and Alec both answered. They continued breakfast, Alec listening as Julia filled him in on one story after another about Magnus, despite his objections claiming them to be too embarrassing.

"Come on, this is what mothers are for. Humiliating their son in front of friends," she said smiling.

"You're the worst," but he was grinning when he said it. After they couldn't possible eat anymore they both helped clean up the kitchen before heading off to get dressed. Once they both made their way back downstairs they found the living room covered in boxes of what Alec assumed were the decorations.

"Wow, you guys have a lot," he said opening the first box.

"Yeah we don't really throw them away. A lot of them are ones I made when I was younger."

"I can see that," Alec said holding up a clay imprint of Magnus's hand. "So small."

"But so cute," Julia said from where she sat on the floor. "Christmas tree time!"

"I apologize for this, it always takes us about two hours to put this thing together," Magnus said helping his mom dump the tree onto the floor. Alec saw why, it was in individual pieces.

"You have to assembled each branch," Magnus said.

"I now see why you wanted me to come, just so I can join in on the torture," Alec said grabbing a branch.

"At least their labeled by colour, so all you have to do is match up the colours on the trunk to the one on the branch," Julia said pointing to the circle of purple on one of them. Alec nodded, moving the base of the tree so he could join them both on the floor. Having an extra set of hands did make the process go by faster, but it still took them the better part of an hour to put it together.

"Now tell me again why you choose to have this one?" Alec asked taking a step back to look at it.

"I don't know, we got it a few years ago and mom likes how big it is. She also had one like this as a kid so I guess she wanted to pass on the torture to me," Magnus said moving to hook his phone up to the TV, after a few minutes Christmas music filled the air.

"Perfect atmosphere for tree decorating," Julia said opening up one of the boxes.

"I've never decorated a tree before," Alec said looking through another box. Both Magnus and his mom stopped what they were doing to stare at him.

"What, how is that possible?" Magnus asked.

"My mom would have it done like professionally , she always needed it done a certain way. It had to look like something from a magazine," Alec told them shrugging. "It's no big deal really."

"I am so glad I brought you here," Magnus said. "I had no idea you were such a Christmas virgin."

"Oh shut up," Alec said trying not to laugh.

"Well I will tell you something, our tree definitely doesn't look like something out of a magazine," Julia said hanging up a silver ball. When they had finished the last box of tree decorations Alec smiled. Though it didn't look like something from a display, it looked even better.

"I'm going to go make us some hot chocolate, you two can start tinselling up the banister," Julia said heading into the kitchen.

"So, how was your first tree experience?" Magnus asked as he grabbed the box.

"Amazing, it's actually starting to feel like Christmas," Alec said pulling out some garland.

"I'm glad you're having fun," Magnus said walking to the top of the steps. "I'll start up here and you start down there, we'll meet in the middle."

"I can't see any banister left," Alec remarked once they finished.

"That's how it should be," Magnus said leading the way back into the living room.

"Hot chocolates on the table," Julia said as she hung a line of snowflakes from the window.

"Wow, how long were we doing the banister for?" Alec asked taking in the snowflakes on the windows, and the Merry Christmas signs hanging off the walls.

"My mom is pretty efficient," Magnus said grabbing a mug and sitting on the couch.

"I'll say," Alec said joining him. He looked about the room as he sipped on his chocolatey concoction. It was really starting to feel like Christmas, for the first time in forever.

"So how do you make mulled wine exactly?" Alec asked following Magnus into the kitchen.

"It's super easy. Basically heating wine on the stove with some sugar and spices thrown in to give it more taste."

"Have you ever had it?" Julia asked from where she sat at the island.

"Yeah, just never made it," Alec said leaning against the counter.

"Well homemade is better than anything else," Magnus said grabbing a saucepan from the cupboard. Everything else was already set up on the counter.

"So I, the master chef, shall teach you what to do," Magnus said grabbing the bottle of red wine. Alec rolled his eyes.

"So first in goes the wine," Magnus said pouring the bottle into the waiting pan. "Now you can add in the orange slice and the cinnamon." Alec did as he was told while Magnus poured in the sugar and other spices.

"Now all we do is heat it until all the sugar is dissolved. We can always add more if it's not sweet enough, but my mom has got this recipe down pat," Magnus said stirring everything together. Alec watched as the steam rose from the pot, the scent of cinnamon and wine filling the room making it cozy. Once the wine was ready Magnus grabbed a ladle and poured generous amount into each of the waiting cups.

"So what movie should we watch?" Julia asked as they made their way into the living room.

"Rudolph," Magnus said sitting on the couch.

"I love that movie," Alec said blowing softy on his drink.

"Then it's decided," Julia said looking through the row of DVDs before finding it.

"How's the wine?" Magnus asked a few minutes later, the opening music filling the room.

"It's perfect," Alec said taking another sip, feeling the warmth move throughout his body. He felt Magnus move closer towards him and a tingling sensation moved from where their bodies touched. Alec look another sip of wine and willed away the thoughts that always formed when Magnus was around. It doesn't mean anything, you're just friends and nothing more. Hopefully one day he could finally feel what he was saying.

"What happened in here?" Julia asked walking into the kitchen, bags of groceries in her arms.

"We're making cookies," Magnus answered. Alec started laughing again, he couldn't help it. The room was a mess, there was flour covering the floor, dishes piled in the sink, and frosting sticking to the counters. They both stood in the middle of it all, with flour on their cheeks as they cut out christmas tree shapes.

"I can see that, and I must say you too look adorable," she said before setting her bags down in the living room.

"Why thank you," Alec and Magnus said just as the timer beeped.

"At least they smell good," Julia said moving further into the kitchen.

"They taste good too, we may have eaten like half of them," Magnus said licking icing off his finger.

"Of course you did," Julia said laughing. "Would you like some help with the rest?"

"Well if you want to be in the kitchen you need to become one with the cookies," Magnus said, and before his mom could protest he dunked his hand in the flour and smeared it across her cheeks.

"I cannot believe you just did that," she sputtered, glaring at her son who was laughing so hard tears rolled down his face. "So that's how it's going to be then." She reached into the closest bag and came out with a handful of cocoa powder.

"Now come on, lets be rational," Magnus said before he got a face full of it. Alec laughed, doubling over from the force of it.

"Oh so you too huh," Magnus said dumping a handful of flour on Alec's head.

"Oh it's on," he said grabbing a piping bag and squirting it in Magnus's direction. He screamed and ran around the island, only to be stopped by his mom who was also holding a bag of frosting.

"Get him," she said before squeezing. This continues for the next ten minutes, the kitchen was filled with laughter and screaming. It ended with them all collapsing on the floor covered with every possible baking ingredient you could think off.

"Okay, okay I give up," Alec breathed.

"Me too," Magnus said.

"It's a disaster in here," Julia remarked, causing Magnus and Alec to start laughing again. It really was.

"I vote shower first and then kitchen cleaning," Alec said wiping frosting off his cheek.

"You two can go first, I'll stock the dishwasher," Julia said standing up.

"Thanks," they both said before heading to their respective bathrooms. Once they were cleaned and felt more human than cookie they started cleaning up the kitchen, letting Julia finally clean up herself.

"Do you think we could salvage the rest of the cookie batter?" Magnus asked after they finished sweeping.

"I think so, thankfully it wasn't a casualty in our fight."

"Thankfully my camera didn't get anything on it," Magnus said.

"That's true. It's going to feel weird when you're not constantly filming us," Alec remarked as he rolled out the dough.

"Yeah I know, but I'm kind of looking forward to being done. Editing is a bitch." Alec laughed and handed Magnus a cookie cutter.

Later that night they all curled up on the couch with plates of cookies and mugs of candy cane coffee, The Christmas Story playing in front on them. The picture perfect holiday.

"Ohmygod ohmygod Magnus I'm going to die. I swear to god I'm going to die." Alec held on to the side of the ice rink, his knuckles white. He squeezed his eyes shut and refused to move.

"You need to calm down, you'll fall over if you stand too stiff. Just move slowly," Magnus said standing beside him. Alec opened his eyes slightly and stared down at the ice, he could see the black skates Magnus was wearing, ones that were made for going fast and doing fancy tricks. He couldn't help but think his looked quite dodgy in comparison.

"No, nope. Absolutely not. I'm not moving from this spot, I'm very happy staying here." Magnus rolled his eyes.

"Come on, just hold on to me instead and then maybe you won't fall."

"Maybe?" Alec asked.

"I mean you won't fall at all."

Alec shook his head. "No way."

"Please? It'll be fun! I'll help you for the first couple of laps and then when you get the hang of it I'll let you go."

"Fine, I'll let you lead me but don't you dare let go."

"Whatever you want Alec," Magnus grinned and held out his right arm to Alec. He took it and clung on for dear life as Magnus slowly moved forward. "Breath, don't panic so much. Just try to copy my movements and you'll be fine." Alec tried to shift his feet in time with Magnus's, but really ended up just being pulled along by him.

"Have you ever been skating?" Magnus asked after a few minutes.

"I think I vaguely remember our nanny taking us when we were six. Other than that I've never really seen the appeal," Alec said.

"Well hopefully by the end of today I'll make you love skating," Magnus said smiling.

"Did your mom teach you?"

"Yeah, I also took skating lessons. I don't know why I love it so much, but it's actually a lot of fun and less scary once you get the hang of it," Magnus told him. They kept talking as they slowly made their way across the rink, Magnus careful to steer them away from the other people. With time he could feel Alec's arms relax, and he began to move a little more fluidly. Magnus kept offering words of encouragement until he felt that Alec didn't need his help anymore.

"I think you're ready to go on your own."

"What? No," Alec re-tightened his grip on Magnus's arm. "Don't even think about it." Magnus paid him no attention and gently pried Alec's hands off his arm and then gave him a small push forward.

"Magnus! STOP OH MY GOD YOU PROMISED!" Alec screeched as he felt Magnus's hands lose contact with his back. "YOU LET ME GO OH MY GOD!" Alec slid forward on the ice, his hands grasping around him. It took him a minute to realize that he was on the ice, without support, and hadn't fallen yet.

"See, you're doing great! Just move your feet like you were a minute ago!" Magnus called out to him.

Alec swallowed and shifted a little. "I think I'm getting it Magnus!" Magnus let out a little woo! and skated up to Alec.

"Not too bad."

"Yeah, I think I-ompf." Another boy had raced past Alec, inches away from hitting him. The shock surprised him, and sent him down onto the ice.

"Are you okay?" Magnus asked trying not to laugh at the look of shock on Alec's face.

"Yeah I'm fine," Alec said. "Help me up?" Magnus offered his hand and Alec grabbed onto it, but he pulled too hard and ended up sending Magnus sprawling on top of him.

"Well this is fun," Magnus said as he eyed a couple of people headed straight towards them, thankfully they noticed and swerved to avoid hitting them.

"Now how are we suppose to get up?" Magnus sighed and quickly moved to his feet.

"You so have to teach me that," Alec said as Magnus helped him stand.

"I'll be sure to do that. Do you want to continue?"

"Yeah of course, I want to be skating laps around you when I'm finished," Alec said, timidly pushing off with his feet and gliding a few inches away.

"This is going to be a long day," Magnus whispered, but he was smiling. There was nothing else he would rather be doing.

"Alec Alec Alec, wake up!" Magnus called. He groaned and surfaced from the clutches of sleep, blinking and rubbing his eyes.

"What?" He mumbled, aware of Magnus bouncing beside him in bed.

"It's Christmas! You have to get up!" He exclaimed. Alec was fully awake now, excited for the first time in years for Christmas morning. They both bounded down the stairs acting like children again as they entered the living room. Julia entered the room just then, carrying a tray of coffee to add to the table filled with an assortment of pastries.

"Merry Christmas guys," she said grinning before moving in to surround them in a hug. Once they were seated, all on the floor by the tree, Julia grabbed the first present from the pile.

"This one is for Alec from me," she said handing him the package. He ripped open the paper, and grinned when he saw a photo album nestled in the box.

"I thought you would want something to put the pictures you've taken over the break, something to remember it by," she said.

"It's perfect, thank you," Alec told her, jumping up to give her a quick hug. He was already mentally filling it while Magnus handed his mom a pile of gifts.

"They all go together, they're numbered," he said in way of explanation. They continued like this, each handing out gifts. Julia got quite a lot of new kitchen stuff, much to her excitement. She also got some new books and notebooks from Alec, thankful for Magnus's help in picking them out since she seemed to love them. Magnus loved the stack of movies Alec got him, as well as the posters and of course tickets to see Adam Lambert.

"Are you serious," he exclaimed unable to stop grinning.

"Yes, the concert isn't for a few months but I figured getting them early was better than closer to the date," Alec said, suddenly overwhelmed when Magnus pushed him over from the force of his hug.

"And you're going to come with me?"

"That would be why there are two, unless you wanted to bring someone else that's fine also."

"Of course you're coming with me silly." Alec smiled, even though Adam wasn't his favourite singer he had grown on him in the months he's been hearing his songs. And of course he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see Magnus happy.

They continues opening presents, Alec getting a new camera bag since Magnus has been insisting that his was old and falling apart. Now that he had a new one he realized that was true. He also got new film, a photography book, tickets to an amazing new photo exhibit. In other words this Christmas was pretty perfect.

0000

Later that day as they lounged around on the couch in their PJs watching movies and eating, Alec got a text from David.

'Hey, Merry Christmas hope you're having fun. And yes I agree with what you sent earlier, we do need to talk after the break.'

Alec didn't answer, there wasn't really any point. He had nothing to say over text, everything he needed and wanted to tell him would have to wait until they got back to school. Instead he shoved his phone back into his pocket and moved closer to Magnus from where he rested on the couch. He smiled over at him, and then they both heard the click of a camera go off.

"Now that one is a keeper," Julia said from where she sat. Yes, yes he is. Alec couldn't help thinking as he looked up at Magnus. Best Christmas ever.

I hope you all enjoyed reading that as much as I loved writing it! I felt that they deserved a cute chapter after everything that's happened. Can't wait to hear what you all thought, and I'll be back on Monday! Have a great weekend