Chapter 24

Clary stared at Simon with her mouth hanging open in horror. "It wasn't Jace?" She asked in disbelief.

Simon shook his head slowly. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier." He said, and held his best friend tighter.

"Oh." She buried her head in Simon's shoulder. "Jace must hate me."

"Come on Clary, if you explain it to him, I'm sure he'll understand." Simon offered.

When Clary's tears didn't stop, Simon added softly "I've seen the way he looks at you, he loves you."

Simon was glad that Clary couldn't see his face as he blinked the tears away. It's time to move on Lewis. Clary is out of bounds now.

As Clary brushed her tears away, she reached for the phone that lay crooked on the carpet and clicked a few buttons. "I'm going to call him and let him know." She explained as she put the phone to her ear.

Simon nodded and gave her some space as the dial tone started. On the third ring, the call sent through. "Jace? It's Clary."

Simon watched as Clary frowned as she listened, and when she opened her mouth to reply, she called out quizzically "Izzy?"

He felt his brows burrow as well as he listened intently, he could just make out the conversation.

"Yeah, it's me. Jace left his phone in the library; he's definitely not in the institute." The voice that Simon loved to hear was faintly playing through the phone.

"He's not at the institute and he left his phone behind?" Clary repeated. "Are you sure?"

"Yup. Alec isn't here either; they've been gone for a good hour." Izzy's voice again.

"Hey listen, Simon told me what you guys did to Tyson…" Clary continued to explain how she'd foolishly accused Jace of being the culprit. "So do you have any idea where they could be?"

There was silence for a while. "I have a shrewd idea, and it's worth a try. Meet me in Brooklyn."

"Me?" Alec's mouth hung open in disbelief. "Why would he be looking at me?"

Magnus shrugged and released his hold on Alec. "Alec dear… When are you going to realise that you are indeed very attractive young shadowhunter?"

Alec could feel his cheeks heat up at an exponential rate as Magnus headed to the kitchen to get himself a cup of warm milk.

"That can't be right. He's probably just looking for my reaction. He can't possibly like me!" Alec repeated, blushing so much that he considered changing his middle name to 'Tomato'.

"Mhmm, believe what you want Alec darling." Magnus waved it away as he handed Alec some black coffee. "But by the way he looked at you… it's unmistakeable."

Alec was reluctant to believe his boyfriend, but the way that he said it made it hard to brush aside. Could it be bothering Magnus?

Lost for words, Alec was glad the coffee in his hands gave him an excuse to stay quiet as he sipped it and took in all the caffeine it had to offer. Even though the warlock had explained himself very clearly, and Alec saw where he was coming from, there was still something nudging him at the back of his mind.

"So you did kiss him." Alec said in the end, running his finger along the edge of his mug.

"No," Magnus brought the mug to his lips and finished the last of his drink, and when he took it down, an adorable milk moustache took its place on his upper lip. "He kissed me. And Alec, I've kissed more people than you know, both women and men, so no use crying over spilt milk." As Magnus said that, he slowly licked his upper lip, ridding him of his newest facial decoration.

Alec stared. Even such a simple gesture made him long for those lips, to feel them on his again. With the greatest effort, Alec pushed the thought out of his mind.

"So you can just go off, disregard my feelings and make out with a stranger and brush it off as spilt milk?" Alec said quietly.

"No, Alec-" Hurt flashed in Magnus' eyes, and Alec didn't miss it, even if it was there for just a second.

"But you said yourself, it doesn't matter to you whether I'm upset, angry, jealous – whatever." Alec shrugged and finished his own drink.

"I said it didn't make a difference to me," Magnus pressed. "I didn't say I no longer care. And since you mentioned it, I actually care a great deal about you Alec. If you weren't worth my time, why would I have bothered to explain?"

Alec frowned and tried to keep himself steady. "Then what are you trying to get at?" Alec said shakily through his teeth, suddenly feeling very cold.

Magnus cocked his head to one side, examined the boy standing before him and shook his head. "You honestly have no idea how much you've hurt me do you?"

Alex gasped as anger and rage fuelled him, rising fast within. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FUCKING HURT I AM?

"Nope." Magnus replied casually. "Because you never tell me, or show it. Whenever something comes up, you keep pushing me away, running away from your feelings..."

Alec was silent for a while as he stood rooted to the spot on Magnus' carpet, waiting for the flood to pass. Had he actually been doing that? Pushing Magnus away? If he had, he honestly did not mean to. Hell, he didn't even know he was doing it!

"I…"

Before Alec could continue, Magnus gently pressed a lanky finger to Alec's chapped lips. "Shh. I know, you don't have to tell me."

Alec shivered unwillingly as he stood close to his boyfriend, when did he get so close? Magnus pulled his finger away and instead wrapped long arms around the shadowhunter, pulling him close into a warm, tight embrace. Alec sank into his boyfriend's soft t-shirt and relaxed his body, enjoying the company that he'd been craving the last few days.

"I didn't mean to make you mad Alec," Magnus breathed softly into his boyfriend's hair. "I shouldn't have lost control."

Alec could only hold his own breath as Magnus ran his left hand slowly down his muscular back, where he toyed with the bottom of his t-shirt with a single finger.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." Alec managed with difficulty as Magnus sneaked his warm hand under the shirt, where it lay comfortably on the small of his back.

"I shouldn't have over-reacted." Alec chastised himself.

"Alec"

"And I didn't even think about your feelings. Oh by the angels, I'm a terrible boyfriend-"

"Alec" Magnus placed one finger under the boy's chin and tilted Alec's head so he could see into his crisp blue eyes. "You're forgiven."

"But I-" Alec started again, but he was cut off by Magnus once more.

"Shh." He whispered, and before Alec would protest, he pressed his lips very gently against the boy's.

It took Alec exactly 3 seconds to come to his senses and as movement returned to his arms, he lifted them to cup Magnus' neck and –

The kiss was interrupted abruptly as there was a soft buzz in Alec's front jean pocket. The shadowhunter pulled back from the embrace while Magnus reached down and slid the phone out of his pocket and abandoned it on the sofa to his right.

Alec cursed under his breath as Magnus pulled him close again around the waist, and just as their lips met a second time, the door to Magnus' apartment burst open, and Isabelle Lightwood burst through.

"So that's where you are. I've been looking everywhere."

Sorry for the (kinda) late update guys and girls, I'll try to get the next one out within the week! Hope you all enjoyed the malecy goodness. Thanks again for reading and all the support. And shout out to those who took a moment to drop in a comment, cookies for everyone!