Dear readers and reviewers,

I'm rushing to get this chapter out before I'm trapped all day at work without computer access. Maybe I shouldn't have told you that, because I really enjoy all of the hopes and wishes for a speedy update;) I really enjoy all of the reviews and the messages - it's almost as fun as imagining a new chapter. And you know, it keeps me on a strict deadline. I aim to please.

I promise when I'm not five minutes from being late, I will respond to each review I received since the last time I made rounds. But like I said, used up all my time just getting this chapter out. So enjoy, let me know what you think, and I'll be back later to hit you back with more!

On the third ring, there was a click. Then a breath. Alec listened to the subsequent sound of shuffling, and another breath.

"Bane," Magnus finally responded, voice rough.

"Umm…did I wake you?" Alec asked, face flaming anew.

"Little bit," Magnus answered in a murmur, shifting again. "How're you?" The sentence ran together like a sigh. Magnus must still be pretty sleepy. Really great timing, on his part. He should have waited for Magnus to call.

"I'm OK. I couldn't do it. Eat Isabelle's chicken."

"Good for you."

"I know what chicken is supposed to look like, and it just wasn't…right." He was rambling.

"Did you expect something else?"

"No, unfortunately. I was going to take one for the team."

"Mm. Who taught you that delightful bit of wordplay?"

"Ummm…" blush. "Probably Jace."

"Nice."

"So…you were sleeping when I called?"

"Mhm. Trying to."

"In your bed?"

"Correct. Although on occasion I've been known to hover a few feet over the mattress…"

"In your 'birthday suit'?" Alec finished his line of questioning in a soft whisper, clenching his eyes shut, and the hand that wasn't holding the cell phone.

There was that shuffling sound again. Alec had an idea that the covers were moving. What was he doing?

"The whole outfit," Magnus agreed.

Oh. My. God.

Alec squealed silently in his head. He'd worked up just enough nerve to ask, and now that he had, he was frozen. Mortified. Extremely nervous. And excited, all at the same time.

He was shaking.

"Alec?"

"I've got to go," he croaked, shutting the phone quickly. Then he drew his legs up and forced his mouth into his knees, flattening out his giddy smile. It was as if he'd just successfully completed some childhood prank. He was proud that he'd been able to go through with it, although there was a definite flaw in his plan. The reaction was completely uncool. Perhaps even pathetic.

Not to mention rude. Alec had woken up Magnus, held him on the line for five minutes, and just when he was starting to form full sentences, he hung up. Very smooth.

His phone buzzed. Peeking, Alec saw Magnus's name and number flash across the display.

Biting his lip, Alec flipped the phone back open. "Yeah."

"Are you in bed?"

"Yes…"

"Then what's the hurry? Unless you're rushing over here."

"Uh, no. I was just…gonna go to bed."

"It's still early."

"But you were sleeping too."

"I was. I needed some R&R."

"Long day?"

"Yes. I took house calls."

"Did everything go…OK?"

"Fine. You mean with boy wonder here? I gave him a very serious warning, then I turned on a House marathon. Didn't hear much of him after that."

There was a pause with no talking. Alec was trying not to think about Magnus in bed, but he wasn't sure what else to talk about. That…fact was ever-present in his mind, even without a concrete image to go on.

Alec had pieces of images. His glittery back, a glimpse of his chest and arms as he removed his sleep shirt. Anything below the waist, however, was an unknown.

"So who told you?"

"What?"

"About a 'birthday suit'."

"Oh. Isabelle."

Magnus laughed. "Tell me you didn't come right out and ask her. 'So I was texting Magnus the other day, and he said he slept in his'—"

"No, it was nothing like that," Alec interrupted. "She was talking about a boy and she said it and I asked her what it meant."

"Gawd, could you get any cuter?"

Alec make a scoffing/choking sound and threw his arm over his face, the phone still close to his ear.

"You're so mean to me," he grumbled.

"Mean?" Magnus repeated. "Since when? I'm the best thing you've got going for you, sugar."

Alec laughed, letting his arm relax back behind his head instead of using it to smother his face. "You make fun of me too much."

"I don't, either," Magnus tsked, shuffling again. Maybe he was rolling over. "I tease you just enough."

"How do you know when you've gone too far?"

"When you stop coming back for more," he teased, with a low chuckle. Alec laughed again.

"I'm going to hang up."

"I dare you to try."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yes. I dare you," Magnus rasped. Alec lifted his cell back to his face, finger hovering over the end button.

But he couldn't do it. Snickering, he brought the phone back to his ear. "Fine. But I will hang up when I'm ready. I'm not even going to say good night."

"Sounds fair. I'm no fan of convention. So…what are you wearing?"

"Same clothes I had on earlier. Without the sweater."

"That sweater." Magnus sighed. "Don't you ever give it a rest?"

"I like it," Alec defended.

"Wash it?"

"Every day."

"Wow. That's diligent."

"I'm a clean freak, just like you said."

"I was referring to Jace."

"No, he was the 'OCD bastard'."

"That too," Magnus agreed, sounding relieved that they could joke about it now. "So you're not wearing that sad overworked sweater. Shoes?"

"No, I took them off before I got into bed?"

"T-shirt?"

"Yeah."

"Black?"

"Yep."

"I don't know why I asked."

Alec smiled a little.

"Black pants?"

"Like I said."

"And the belt?"

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot to take it off."

"I can wait," Magnus offered. Alec sat up, pushing the blanket-tent down while he unhooked the belt and slid it from the loops, setting it on the floor.

"I'm back."

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"So what do you really think about it?"

" 'bout what?"

"My 'birthday suit'?"

"Well…" Uncomfortable pause. "I guess, whatever makes you comfortable."

"I wasn't asking your opinion on sleeping with or without clothes."

"Then, what?"

"What do think about me sleeping naked?"

"I'm…trying not think about it."

"How's that working out for you?"

Alec smiled at the question, hand over his eyes. "Not very well."

Magnus chuckled. "Well, I can tell you I've been sleeping like this for a long time. With the exception of that sweet night I spent with you. I resurrected an old pair of pajamas just to protect your virgin eyes."

Alec twitched.

"It gets too warm in clothes," Magnus continued. "And I don't like when the material gets all…bunched up and tight in the middle of the night. Sleeping without just makes it so much simpler."

"Well, I guess that's…good, for you."

"Not good for you?"

Alec blushed. "I mean, I couldn't get away with it." And before Magnus could reply, he explained: "I get woken up unexpectedly a lot. I can't tell you how many times. So, having pajamas on or even going to sleep dressed is a lot easier for me. And I never thought about it being uncomfortable. At least it's warm."

"I could keep you warm," Magnus purred.

Alec did feel warm, when he said it.

"Just don't knock it til you try it," Magnus added, shifting again.

"Why are you moving around so much?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?"

"….maybe not."

Magnus chuckled again. Alec kicked the blanket off, starting to sweat. Then he pushed the hair back off his face, not surprised to find it moist and sticking to his skin.

"I'm hanging up on you in a minute," Alec warned.

"I believe you this time."

"Is there anything else you wanted to say?"

"I miss you."

"Me too," Alec replied, hand still gripping his hair.

"I wish you were here."

Alec breathed in, then managed: "Me too."

"Just say the word, and I could make it happen."

Alec shook his head. "No, that's not a good idea."

"No? I think it's an excellent idea."

When Alec didn't respond, Magnus added: "I'd throw on some pajama pants, if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I'm not coming over," Alec answered, resolute.

"Too bad, so sad. I'll just have to put a glamour on my pillow and imagine it's you."

Alec made a sound of disbelief, and hung up on him.