Alec awoke with his body filled with newfound life and energy. All the exhaustion he had felt earlier had dissipated as soon as night once again fell. He could feel that it was early evening, he had no idea how he could sense that, but he just knew. A quick glance at an overly ornate clock confirmed his assumptions as he saw that it was six pm. He stood and walked towards the door, glancing down at the lock, which was still in place. This reminded Alec of why he had locked himself away in the first place, and astonishment filled him as he remembered everything he had said to Magnus. He had expected to be a babbling apologetic mess as soon as he and Magnus were alone, but instead he had yelled at the warlock. Had he meant all of those things? Were they all true? Alec couldn't really see a flaw in what he said, and that thought scared him. What if even after all this, he and Magnus were just too different, and not compatible after all. A banging at the door distracted Alec from his thoughts, but it was a knocking on the front of the apartment Alec realised. He could hear the sound far too well, it seemed, for something so far away. He was still getting used to his abilities, and as he opened the door to the guest room and stepped into the corridor he could smell that it was Raphael who Magnus was letting into the apartment.
The next scent that struck Alec was blood. Raphael saw Alec's focus as the newborn entered the living room, and placed the two bottles of blood he had brought on the abstract side table in the hallway, that matched none of the other furniture in the apartment. Even through the sealed bottle Alec could practically taste the blood, the only thing that could quench the thirst that seemed to be forever present. After Alec would drink, and feel full, he could still feel the slightest burning, reminding him of what his body wanted most.
"You should drink," Raphael said as he gestured to the blood, and Alec didn't need any further invitation.
With just as much patience and elegance as every other time, Alec wrenched open the bottle and drank the blood as quickly as he possibly could.
"At the speed with which you drink, it would be a miracle if you even knew what blood actually tasted like," Raphael said, his voice more playful than unkind.
He himself could not imagine not savoring the taste of blood, which was unequal to anything else for him. It became very easy to forget the tastes of food and other mundane things when the exquisite and unique taste of blood could be explored so well by vampires. For something that to other species tasted so unpleasant and always bitter, it was amazing how much the flavours could open up for vampiric sense. Every essence of their being was designed to crave and adore blood, and it didn't take long to start developing individual tastes. This was not a joy experienced by newborns for some time, until they learnt to drink for reasons other than extreme thirst. As soon as Alec was finished he glanced at the second bottle, and Raphael nodded. Alec drank this blood with just as much desperate need, and Raphael chuckled softly at this. He usually kept himself isolated from newborns, not wanting to deal with such temperamental vampires, but he was becoming rather fond of Alec.
"Have you detected anything unusual, any sort of threat?" Raphael asked as he turned to face Magnus.
"Everything's been going smoothly, nothing out of the ordinary," Magnus confirmed, although he was nowhere near as enthusiastic or antagonistic around Raphael as he usually was.
In fact the warlock looked like he hadn't slept at all, and appeared to still be wearing the same clothe as earlier, something very unusual for Magnus.
"I must extend my gratitude to you Bane, for caring for my progeny, although I know it is not for me that you do this favour," Raphael said.
Magnus rolled his eyes at the remark.
"Don't you ever loosen up?" Magnus asked, referring to Raphael's formal manor and tone.
"Ah yes, you are gifted in this are aren't you, of being 'loose'?" Raphael asked innocently, even though he understood the double meaning of his words.
Magnus pursed his lips and was about to make another remark when Alec interrupted.
"Can you two please stop fighting for two minutes? You sure can be immature for someone so old."
The last part was mumbled in Magnus' general direction, and the warlock looked offended by the statement.
"How are things with the clan?" Alec asked, redirecting the topic of conversation.
"I hope that you will only have to remain here one more night, before everything is ready. With all of the clan knowing who you are there will be more than enough protection for you to return home."
"Home? Hotel Dumort is not Alec's home," Magnus said, and almost added that Alec was already home. Their earlier conversation had proved that perhaps that was not the case.
"It is where most vampires of New York, and my maker, live. It is my new home," Alec said.
Magnus noted that Alec obliged to vampiric rules with just as much dedication as he'd held with the laws of the Clave. Raphael practically beamed over the perfect statements that Alec continued to make.
"As I said, you will return home as soon as possible. For the meantime, remember to feed whenever you start to feel your cravings take control. You would be amazed at the lengths a young newborn can go to in order to feed on fresh blood," a bliss Raphael had not yet introduced Alec to, "I am sure Magnus can supply you with an adequate amount of blood. I apologize for having to leave, but my duties require me to return right away."
Alec gave Raphael a reassuring smile, but that was his only farewell as the vampire disappeared. Alec stared after him for a moment and then turned to face Magnus, who he had mainly been ignoring since awakening.
"He sure does know how to be sensitive," Magnus muttered.
"Raphael is trying to help. He is sacrificing a lot to keep me safe."
"Would you stop defending him? He's a head vampire, he doesn't need you to look out for him."
"Why? Because I'm obviously so useless at protecting anyone. I mean, I couldn't even keep myself alive."
"Alec, that's not what I meant."
"Isn't it? Come on, I was a pretty shit shadow hunter."
Magnus looked at Alec with surprise, as the younger man very rarely swore, in fact he'd only really heard him utter such words in the throws of pleasure.
"You were not a bad Nephilim."
"Yes I was! I was eighteen when I killed my first demon, and then you had to come running to my rescue. But hey, shadow hunters don't just fight, there are political positions as well, too bad I decided to be the first openly gay shadow hunter. That ruled out pretty much any chance I had at every achieving any sort or respect."
Magnus gaped at Alec, completely shocked by the outburst.
"What, is me speaking my mind too horrifying for you to listen to? Would you rather me go back to being your shy little boy toy?"
"Alexander you are not a boy toy!"
"Wasn't I?" Magnus flinched at his use of the past tense. "I was the convenient innocent teenager who gave everything to you, and you would never open up. My life changed in every single way because of you, but I barely made any mark on yours. You just continue on in your eternity, unaffected by anything I do, not even prepared to shed light on any of your past, even when it comes face to face with both of us."
"I'm sorry if you think that Alec but-"
"Would you stop patronizing me! I am not a stupid child! Even after everything you're still treating me like an oblivious fool who you can just brush off."
"I am not! If you could calm down –"
"Oh fuck off Magnus!" Alec yelled, making Magnus flinch. Satisfied with that result Alec turned on his heal, and in a second he was once again back in the guest room with the door firmly closed behind him, content to wait out the next few days without speaking to Magnus.