Help Wanted
By: Shin Sankai
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Author's Notes: Warning, Warning, Warning! Ridiculously LOOOOOONG chapter ahead. Even I became surprised at the length of it. I think this is the biggest one... And shockingly enough, I actually had some other stuff to place in here, but thought, no, this is just too insane and have left it out. I'll do it as a 'past tense' in the next chapter.
Every time I started working on this, I found myself thinking about Jace's background and more of his 'true' back-story about his deceased parents and then stopped. I even rolled my own eyes and thought "seriously?!" as I don't want to delve into it and will just give a quick response about what happened and leave it at that as so much is already being thrown in here as it is! My head will explode if I think up more side story shit that isn't truly directed towards Magnus and Alec first and foremost. I seriously am having difficulty as it is.
Moving on, I thought about having some more Asmodeus, but no, he's taking a back seat until next chapter and this will focus on Magnus talking to the Lightwood's, Magnus getting angry at the Lightwood's, then finally Jace and Alec will have their moments together! Hooray! Now everyone can see what is going on with the blonde. Whether people have predicted it, or are disappointed in it once you read it... Well, oops, if you are. I can't satisfy everyone and needed something a bit dramatic to try and justify Jace's behaviour. Whether it works or not is another thing. I am satisfied with it and I guess that is all I can ask for.
Now, with that stuff happening, this is filled with warnings of the mentions of drug use, so do not read if you feel uncomfortable in that. Again, I am no medical expert so please don't take what I say seriously or believe in anything that I am writing. I have no idea about drug addictions.
Lastly, there is some more heat happening between Magnus and Alec and now, finally, the rating has gone UP! I know there are many things that can be considered as mature and explicit content, but mine of course is now the sex step between our boys. Alas, as I developed this, which did turn into quite the monster, I feel the moment is intense and a bit descriptive, but I still don't believe myself to be too explicit, but I guess that might be a personal preference since I have read some insanely explicit stories for Malec. So I guess it just falls to personal opinion on the matter.
On that note, another warning, as you would know Alec has NO experience here, therefore as Magnus already mentioned in the last chapter, he would be taking the lead. Now, if you don't like the thought of Magnus being the 'lead' or 'top' or whatever you wish to call it, then maybe skip a lot of this chapter. Everyone has a preference, mine is Magnus being the more in control in the bedroom with his experience and I prefer him in that sexual role. That is not to say Alec taking the lead is wrong, I have read many stories and liked him that way too, but as I said, my personal preference is this way. Also, since its my story, lucky me, I do get to choose the boys' positions. I'm happy later on for them to switch it up and be versatile and such, but I don't believe that is happening in this story.
Now, this truly is my first lemon/smut for Malec, so I hope this is well received. I've only really ever teased at the notion and been pretty vague and 'lime-y' in my descriptions, or what is considered 'lime' in my head, but ho hum, its up to you guys as to whether I've done the boys and their first time/s together justice or not. And of course, if you don't want to read it, I won't be offended as there is other stuff happening in the chapter as per usual.
That's about it, if you got this far through my ramble (yet another one) thank you! Now to move onto the action! I hope someone enjoys!
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Chapter 15: The moments are here!
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(East Flatbush)
Magnus was currently standing in front of an apartment door, in an apartment building which truthfully he would not like to be living in. Granted he'd been in one that looked fairly similar to this in Queens, but he was fortunate enough to get out. Those that resided here did not have that luxury. And Magnus wasn't sure if they ever would. However, that was not why he was here. He was here for a far more important reason. Alec.
Behind this very door was where the man had been living, cooped up with his siblings in this rather run down place, but he would never turn his nose up to the young man, his sweet boyfriend, because Alec was doing his best to try and provide for his family and keep a roof over their heads, no matter how unsafe the area seemed. And of course Magnus knew the address, because he had Alec's CV as it was in his application. Yes, he was using the man's personal details all wrong, but in Magnus' head it was justified.
As he got off the subway and started heading this way, using Google Maps, he almost felt like he were going to be mugged and it was still daylight! Magnus thought himself to be pretty tough, but he always felt eyes were on him, and he was on edge and always thinking this would be the moment he'd be attacked! Magnus had never power-walked so fast in his life towards the apartment building and then straight inside he went. He saw a creepy dude loitering around, suspecting that was the 'pervy landlord' Alec talked about and ignored his stare and went directly to the elevators which creaked and groaned as it had taken him up to level six.
Dropping such thoughts from his mind, Magnus raised his hand to knock on the door but paused before doing just that. Could he really go ahead with what was swirling in his head? Should he really be doing this? Sticking his nose in? He never really stuck his nose in at anything, but then this was Alec, and Magnus wanted to help him. Then there was the fact Magnus hadn't told Alec he was going to come here and confront his family.
Magnus couldn't stand watching the weight of the world and the silence from his siblings dropped like ten thousand tonnes of bricks on Alec's shoulders. No communication with all his siblings was slowly crushing Alec. Even if his younger boyfriend tried not to show it, Magnus knew how much this was affecting him. They shared a bed together every night, but lately Alec was going back to his 'old' bedroom which Magnus frowned at. Alec had told him he was having trouble sleeping and didn't want to wake him, considering how busy he was with the renovations and such and whilst he would start off in Magnus' bed, curled up into his boyfriend and dropping off to sleep quickly, by the morning Magnus would wake alone. He hated it. He hated not being able to spoon into Alec's broad back or wake to the young man snuggled into him, his adorable little snores and sighs fluttering over his bare chest or spilling between the crux of his shoulder and neck region. Magnus loved how cuddly Alec was and yet his "happy place" in his bedroom with his sweet boyfriend was now being disturbed by the younger Lightwood's.
Magnus couldn't take anymore of this. He just wanted to help Alec and the only way he could do that was facing the ones that were causing him pain head on.
In truth, as the no communication continued on, Magnus was pretty surprised that not even Max was contacting his big brother. He actually thought the teenager wouldn't be swept away with his two older upset siblings, but perhaps there was a little bit of pressure to not contact Alec and Max had decided to let his older siblings have their selfish moments. Magnus was more certain then ever that young Max would never want to hurt his big brother - the big brother whom he loved and idolised like no one else. And even if it was going to hurt, Magnus would make the youngster (and his siblings) realise just what they were doing to Alec.
Magnus finally took a deep breath as he lifted his hand once more, it having dropped when he was lost in his thoughts, and really hoped Alec would forgive him for sticking his nose in. Even though he did forewarn the man he would possibly chat with his family, though Alec was quite emotional at the time so perhaps he hadn't taken all that in.
'Here we go Bane...' Magnus mentally voiced as he knocked on the door.
"Magnus," He couldn't help but grin since he truly liked interacting with the youngest Lightwood. The other two had yet to leave good impressions on him, but he assumed he was the same to Jace and Isabelle too. And then there was darling Maximilian who was pretty much like his kindred spirit in a sense. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here for Alec." Magnus' voice did not hold the lightness and friendliness within it when he had first met Max. His brown-golden orbs watched the youngster chew on his bottom lip. That seemed to settle Magnus for a moment because it was so like his adorable big brother. "I want to talk to the three of you about Alec. Is your brother and sister in?"
"Y-Yes." Magnus let himself in and closed the door.
"Please call them out here for me." Magnus' voice shifted once more, holding an authority within it that had the 18 year old bashing on his siblings bedroom doors and telling them to come out.
When all three were now in front of him, Magnus opened the floodgates of his annoyance and it all spilled forth.
"Whilst I understand how upset the three of you are about Alec keeping secrets from you, I hope you understand that was never his intention." Magnus shifted his stern hard gaze about the apartment waiting for any snappy remarks. When nothing came, for the moment, he continued with his tirade. "All Alexander has ever wanted to do is to protect you, because you are his precious family and the ones he loves most in the world. He made one choice, to hide the shame of what your parents did not prepare for, and did not want any of you thinking badly of them, so he kept their debts hidden and has been trying his best ever since."
"Magnus..." He placed up his hand, observing Max snap his lips shut immediately, telling the teen he was not finished yet. They would stand here and listen to him whether they wanted to or not. And if anyone stormed off back to their rooms, well he would follow them and shout it through their doors if he had to.
"Your parents had some money placed away, not enough to clear the debts, but Alec never thought to use that for himself. Nor did he want to waste it either. Instead he placed it away for your educations, so when it came time to repay your tertiary debts, then that money was going to be gifted to you so that you could step into this ever changing and sometimes cruel world without any financial strain hanging around you." Magnus watched Izzy place her hands over her ruby red lips at this realisation. "You've all taken so much from him and have never given back."
"Hey!" Magnus' glare had Jace stopping in his objection.
"Do you know what annoys me the most about that? Its the fact that Alec doesn't care. Actually no, sometimes he does care about what he is not getting out of you support wise, especially you Jace, but most of the time, all he cares about is that the three of you are taken care of first and foremost. No matter how exhausted he is, how broke he is, his top priority is always about looking out for the three of you. I've never witnessed love like that from someone. That unbridled devotion to ensure you all have a roof over your head and food in the fridge. Do you even know he literally starves himself if money is tight and just makes sure there is enough there for you three?" Izzy's eyes welled up at that. "I know, if he got a chance at a new life, a different life, he'd still choose this one over and over again because he loves you with everything he has. You are his world and no matter how much you bleed him dry, whether it physically or emotionally, he'd never change a second of it." The Lightwood siblings were speechless. "I just wish you all could think long and hard about everything he has sacrificed for you and get over your own selfishness."
"Magnus..."
"He could have run away. He didn't. You could have been split up and ended up in foster care. Again, Alec would never let that happen. I know he talked about how young the three of you were, but he was young too when all this happened. He was an 18 year old kid and any hopes of escaping your parents harshness, of being free of them and their prejudice and going off to University, to finally be free and to try and be someone he could be happy with was dashed when they were tragically killed. Alec's life stopped that day. Any hopes and dreams he had were obliterated when your parents died. Because it was that day he made the biggest choice which was not about him, but about you three. He took on the role of mother, father and brother for you. An 18 year old kid, just like you Maxi. Could you even imagine doing that yourself? Realising your life is suddenly turned upside down, the dream to go off to University is lost because what was more important then his own life was the life of his beloved siblings. All Alec ever thought about was the three of you and how he struggled day in and out to provide for you. Ten years on, he still struggles and yet here you three are, still attached to him, placing all your worries on his very shoulders and living it up for free." Magnus shifted his gaze about the apartment. "You do not have to pay for a thing, lift a single finger, because he's the big brother, so of course everything falls on his shoulders."
"Magnus... I..."
"Those strong shoulders which have helped you up when you have fallen, gotten you through school, placed clothes on your backs and food in the fridge, they are crumbling under the pressure. And because of that, Alec feels continuously like a failure. He feels like he has failed all of you when nothing could be further from the truth. He is your saving grace. Without him, the three of you are nothing." Magnus took in a deep breath as he watched how harshly his words cut deep into the three Lightwood's. "I know you can't help it Maximilian, because Alec always wants you to concentrate on your last year of school. I know you are soon to graduate, ready to start a new life at University, whichever one you decide to choose, but you two..." Brown-golden orbs drifted over to Jace and Izzy. "You two should know better. You should be doing more for Alec, supporting him to try and lift some of the weight and pressure from his shoulders and in turn setting an example for Max."
"How dare you..." Izzy mumbled without any conviction in her voice, knowing everything Magnus was saying was true, but she still hurt over Alec's secrets. She was a stubborn one and it was hard for her to forgive and forget, but everything Magnus was saying made her heart ache for her emotionally stressed out big brother whom she loved so, so very much. And to think, now she was causing it!
"You now know of the struggles, so instead of placing all the blame and guilt on Alec, for a choice he made to protect the three of you, embrace him and thank him for everything he has done, everything he still does and stop making him cry."
"Who the hell do you think..." Jace had been making a move towards Magnus, hand clenched around his wrist and the older man's defences flared, instincts kicking in from all the assaults he put up with back in his youth and more recently with his previous job, and within a blink of an eye Magnus suddenly had the blonde shoved up against the wall, Jace struggling to breath as Magnus' forearm was pressed against his windpipe.
"Magnus!" Max cried out, rushing over to him as his hand was on one of his tense biceps.
"Do not think you can speak to me like that. Especially with what I have done for you." Jace coughed loudly, hand to his throat and eyes watering as Magnus finally took a step back, hand coming up to pat Max's, eyes shifting to the youngster who was looking quite freaked out at the moment. "Sorry Maxi." He cupped the youngster cheek. "I'm sorry I scared you." This is not how Magnus wanted this chat to go at all.
"Jace, what is he talking about?" Izzy cut through the silence, everyone watching Jace's mismatched eyes drift down to the floorboards whilst he straightened out his faded blue shirt.
"That doesn't matter right now." Magnus cut in, shifting his gaze to Isabelle and placing all the attention back onto himself. "What matters right now is Alec and what being separated from the three for you is doing to him."
"I... I don't want us fighting." Max chewed once more on his bottom lip and Magnus couldn't help but cup his cheek again.
"Then please, stop this madness Maximilian. He is waiting for your call, he longs for your calls. All of you." Magnus made a point to stare at Jace. "Stop taking advantage of your brother." Magnus shook his head and frowned instantly once those words popped out. "Though I am someone who is terribly falling into the same pattern. I didn't want to admit it, but I have been depending on your brother far too much. I've been blind to the fact how exhausted day in and day out he's been thanks to constantly looking after my children and I. It is not easy to look after three children, plus me, and also keep an eye on your three siblings too. And now with his accident, and the recuperation that has been a slow process too. To now finally open up to you and apologise too, practically beg for your forgiveness, when you should never have made him say such things, Alec is barely functioning these days. His mental state, as much as he tries to hide it, is but a razor thin thread so close to snapping. It has brought it all back to me. Alec is human. He gets hurt and tired and sad and angry. He's never been good at showing any of that, always placing a mask on his face to ensure the three of you remain happy and healthy. Your happiness is his happiness and right now with how fractious everything is, its slowly killing him inside." Magnus heard a soft sob from Max, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip.
"I'm sorry..."
"Oh Maxi... You know it doesn't have to be this way." Big brown eyes framed in glasses looked up at him, tears glistening. "Alec would give anything to see you again. To hug all of you again. Don't you see, in those moments, those glimpses are what makes everything in Alec's world perfect. His eyes shine brighter then the sun and his smile lights up the very room he's in. Those moments, his happiness, is what we should all strive for, for him. For what he has sacrificed, for the cards he has been dealt, and still with all the struggles on his shoulders, he still carries on. Alexander truly deserves the world."
"Listen..." Jace began but Magnus cut him off once more.
"Sadly, I can't offer the world to him, but I want to try and give him a small piece of it, in my own way."
"You're in love with him." Magnus took a few staggering steps back, never having gotten this frustrated and annoyed and riled up in a very long time.
What he hated most was how those words shocked him to his very core. Oh how he wished he could smack the blonde from blatantly voicing it so simply, especially when words of love were thrown around like it were the most simple thing in the world when it was furtherest from the truth.
Magnus' heart clenched instantly and he needed a few moments to collect his thoughts and took in some deep breaths, schooling his features.
"What I feel for your brother is not your business." The tone in his voice, the seriousness, the hardened gaze, the almost feral growl, it had all three freezing on the spot. "You know nothing of the pain love can cause so do not go throwing that word around so simply."
"Magnus..." Young Max took a tentative step forward, shaky hand brushing down Magnus' forearm and seemingly snapping him from his dark thoughts.
"I implore the three of you to hurry up and open your own eyes and realise what Alec's done for you, what he continuously does for you and maybe give back even a tenth of what he sacrifices." The apartment was deathly quiet. "Though he'd never think of what he's done for the three of you as sacrificing, because he is that selfless. He'd just reason with it being the fact he's the big brother and he promised to love and protect you no matter what. To him its a privilege to have you in his life. He feels like he's the luckiest man alive to have three siblings he can love and cherish. He feels like he is worth something when he's with the three of you, yet now, now he is falling. Your brother is breaking apart and I cannot help him." To Magnus that was probably the most crushing thing to realise. "Only you can right this wrong." No one dared say a word. "I think I've said enough. I'll take my leave." Magnus headed out of the apartment and didn't look back as the door slammed defiantly behind him and his long, confident strides took him down the stairs, Magnus not being able to wait patiently for the elevator. Not that it felt safe being in it anyway.
"Magnus!" He turned his gaze to the puffing teen heading right for him, Max slamming his body into his, Magnus' arms quickly wrapping around the teen.
"Thank you." Magnus wasn't sure exactly what he was being thanked for, but perhaps this is what Max needed his siblings to hear as much as himself. "I want to see Alec. I want to see him so much. I really do, but Izzy and Jace have been..."
"Shhh," Magnus murmured as he pressed his lips to the top of Max's fluffy hair. "I know you are stuck between a rock and a hard place Maximilian, not wanting to go against any of your siblings." He watched the teen nod his head. "Must be tough being the youngest." Max finally let go of him and took a step back, cheeks flushed adorably so. "I hope my Max doesn't have to go through that type of pain."
"Do you think Alec will ever forgive me?" Fear gripped Max as he awaited Magnus' reply.
"Of course he will Maximilian. He'll be over the moon to get your call."
"I don't want to call him." Max lifted his big brown eyes to Magnus. "I want to see him. Can I come see him? Maybe bring some pizza over?"
"I think that would be a wonderful idea, but leave the thought of dinner to me alright?" Max nodded his head. "Do you want do it like a surprise?"
"Do you think his heart could take that?"
"I'm not sure." Magnus truthfully voiced since Alec was ready to crumble any day now. "Let me go home and talk to him about this, place the thought in his head that I believe soon he'll get to reconnect with the three of you." Max nodded his head. "With the thought of coming over for dinner, do you think you could convince Isabelle and Jace to come along too?" It was wishful thinking to Magnus and knew the teen had no pull over his stubborn older siblings as he shrugged his shoulders in slight defeat.
"Maybe Iz, but I don't know about Jace. I feel like he and Alec need to talk things out themselves. Its been strained for...too long."
"It has." Magnus rubbed his hands up and down Max's arms. "Look at you down here without adequate clothing on. Your big brother would not be pleased. Go back inside and get warm Maximilian." The teen nodded his head shifting back into the building.
"Magnus," Brown-golden orbs met bespectacled ones. "Thank you for looking out for Alec."
"Well..."
"He needs that." Max quickly voiced. "He needs someone to protect him too. I'm really glad its you." Magnus gave a tiny smile and watched the youngster dash inside and up the stairs.
Magnus let out a breath and on quick feet headed for the subway not wanting to linger in this part of the neighbourhood for long. Even with how confidently he looked on the outside, Magnus was anything but on the inside. For the moment, his own emotions were quite frayed right now.
Tonight he would spend some quality time with his babies and hopefully the four of them could cheer Alec up just a little bit until the man's siblings finally knocked some sense into their heads and begged for Alec's forgiveness for their recent attitude towards him.
Magnus' fleeting thought as he flagged down a passing taxi, not bothering with the subway now, as he slid in and reeled off his address in Brooklyn and headed home, was whether Alec would forgive him for what he'd done. When the kids were distracted and he could get Alec alone for a moment, he would have to confess and hoped he hadn't made things much, much worse for his boyfriend.
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(Bane residence)
Magnus unlocked the front door, slipping inside and the door auto-locked behind him. He snapped the deadbolt in place and then shuffled out of his jacket and shoes.
"Where've you been?" Magnus jumped on the spot as he darted his gaze over to Alec who was coming down the hallway. There was some splash drops on his navy blue shirt which meant his darling cherubs were in the bath.
"I needed to run an errand." Magnus was having difficulty getting the truth out, feeling the guilt bubble within him as Alec came over, wanting his customary greeting of a kiss of course. They hadn't seen each other all that much today, what with Magnus being at the gallery with Clary and the construction crew. Just before their lips drew together, Alec jerked back for a moment.
"You smell like perfume." Magnus' lips dropped open as Alec leaned in closer once more, taking a long (and slightly weird) sniff of the scarf around his neck. "It smells like my sisters. Did you have to go to a department store or something? You know I could have done that for you."
"No, its not that." The arched eyebrow did him in. "I went and saw them."
"Saw who?"
"Your family." Magnus slowly lifted his guilty gaze to the shocked look Alec was now wearing. "I hate what this is doing to you Alexander."
"I'm fine." Magnus took a step closer, hand drifting up Alec's arm before he cupped the man's cheek.
"No, you're not." Magnus watched those baby blues drop to the floorboards.
"What... What did they say?" It was voiced so softly Magnus was lucky to even hear Alec's question.
"They didn't get to say anything. I did all the talking." Blue eyes lifted up at that. "Or maybe tongue lashing. As much as I desperately want to help you Alexander, I think...I think I might have made things worse." Magnus gripped Alec's hand. "I mean Maximilian spoke to me as I left, but I really didn't give Isabelle or Jace a moment to try and make excuses for their behaviour towards you."
"I deserve it."
"No you don't!" Magnus snapped firmly, instantly regretting his tone as Alec's shoulders jerked. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to snap. I'm upset because you're upset. I don't like seeing you like this."
"Magnus..."
"Allie!" The men jumped as the moment was ruined by the angelic voice of Magnus' youngest. "We're ready to get out now."
"Coming Maxi!" Alec called out though it looked like the blue eyed beauty was debating whether he should go when their conversation was nowhere near finished.
"Go, I'll set the table for dinner." Alec jerked his head into a nod and the men split ways and went about what they needed to do.
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Later that evening Magnus and Alec were in his bed, each lying on their backs and lost in thoughts, the room doused in darkness. Magnus wanted to say something, anything but nothing was making sense in his head right now. How could he make Alec feel better? He was not his family, not his siblings and he hated the thought that his cold but truthful words may cause more harm then good. Magnus felt his stomach churn as he was squirming a little and contemplating whether he should empty his stomach in the toilet bowl or...
The beeping of a phone jerked Magnus into an upright position, he shifting to turn on one of the bedside lamps and watched Alec slowly get up too, hand moving over to where he place his phone on charger for the night and picked it up, cradling it in both hands as he swiped open the message.
"Oh my god..."
"What?" Magnus watched Alec's blue eyes lift to him. "What is it Alexander?" Magnus was on edge as Alec turned to face him in the bed, legs crossed indian style. "I've made things worse haven't I? Dear angel I'll do whatever I can to repair..." Magnus stopped his apologetic ranting, something very unlike him to go on a rant of any kind, as Alec lifted up his phone and showed him the message. There was two. And they were both from Jace.
'We need to talk. Can you meet me at Robbie's Diner for coffee, 10am?' and 'Sorry if I woke you.'
"What... What do I say?"
"What do you mean, what do you say? Respond to him Alexander. This is what you've been waiting for isn't it?" Alec jerked his head into multiple nods. "So what are you waiting for?" Magnus watched Alec fumble through his reply.
'No apology necessary. See you tomorrow at Robbie's.' Alec let out a breath when he hit 'send' and then had to place his phone back on the bedside table lest he drop and break the damn thing somehow.
"Oh god, I'm so damn nervous and its not even tomorrow! Magnus, what am I going to do if Jace never wants to talk to me again?"
"Well, aside from the fact I doubt that will happen, but if it does, then at least you know and will have to move on. I think being stuck in limbo, in the 'not knowing' phase of things is much worse." Magnus watched Alec chew his bottom lip. "Lets not think about that alright? Lets just try and get a good nights sleep." Alec let out a groan as he was suddenly pulled into Magnus' warm and comforting embrace and then his boyfriend turned off the light.
"Thank you Magnus."
"No thanks necessary Pretty Boy." Magnus softly mumbled back, pressing his lips into Alec's hair. "Get some sleep." A content sigh was all the response Magnus got and the bedroom fell quiet. Several moments later it was filled with adorable little snores and Magnus couldn't help but embrace Alec a little tighter as his own eyes drifted closer.
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(The next morning)
Alec tried to go about his usual daily routine of rising early, smiling up a storm as when he moved he disturbed Magnus' slumber. Alec couldn't help his grin widening as he was finally back in Magnus' bed and beside his boyfriend. The past few days he'd been absolutely restless and now it looked like whatever Magnus had said to his siblings might be working! Well, one could hope anyway.
Alec planted a kiss, morning breath and all, on Magnus before slipping out of bed and going to change into his jogging gear. He went for a quick run around the block, three times in fact, and then was back inside and under the steaming shower to get the chill out of his bones.
Once dressed, Alec headed for the kitchen and began pulling out cereal and popping some bread in the toaster and getting out the cups to pour juice into them.
"Morning Papa!" Madzie cheerily greeted her beloved father who was still in his silk pyjamas, the purple ones and dropped kisses on his darling children's heads. As Alec gave the children their cereal and cut up banana, he headed back into the kitchen to make a strong black coffee and also waited on the toast to pop.
"Not eating this morning?" Magnus stood next to him, planting a kiss sweetly on his cheek.
"I think I'm going to be sick."
"You'll be fine Alexander." Magnus comforting hand rubbed up and down his back, bunching up the material every now and then on his long sleeved grey top. "Did you want me to take the kids to day care and school?"
"No, it'll give me the distraction I need until I meet Jace."
"Just be patient, take things slow and listen to what he has to say, and in turn I hope he also listens to what you have to say too." Alec nodded his head, hoping for all of that too. "Now, do you realise you completely went against my traditions this morning, or more like the past few mornings." Magnus watched Alec tilt his head, confusion on his face. "Where are my morning kisses?" The blush on Alec's cheeks made Magnus grin wider as he stepped closer to his boyfriend, bending slightly to pepper kisses against his fluttering closed eyes, his forehead, to his cheeks and then of course his moist and slightly grinning lips. "That's better." Magnus softly mumbled and leaned around Alec as the toast had popped and pulled them from the toaster and put them on plates and headed back out to his darling children so they could have some jam on toast too.
When Alec finally emerged from the kitchen Magnus was clacking on his phone.
"Perfect." He listened to the man mumble.
"What's perfect?"
"How would the three of you like to have Uncle Raphy pick you up today from day care and school and spend time with him at Brooklyn Children's Museum and then have dinner together?" Spoons were dropped into bowls as mouths split into wide smiles.
"We've been wanting to go there for ages Papa!" Madzie squealed in delight.
"And now you can, because Uncle Raphy wants to take you whilst Alexander and I are going to be busy for a few hours." Magnus saw the confusion in the man's eyes and whilst his kids were over the moon at seeing their Uncle and going to the museum he was able to pull Alec aside for a moment.
"Where will we be?"
"Having a nice leisurely dinner together." Alec tilted his head. "That was my not so obvious way of asking you out on a date Alexander."
"Oh!" The blue eyed beauty exclaimed, a smile breaking across his lips.
"It won't be extravagant, I'll leave that for another time." Magnus winked. "You take whatever time you need with Jace, but be home by 5 and we'll go to a little down and out Moroccan restaurant I love. Its quiet on Mondays, small and intimate if that is something that might interest you?"
"Small and intimate sounds great." Alec responded and couldn't help but lean forward and tilted his head as Magnus' lips drew down to his. Alec let out a content sigh when their tender kiss ended.
"Are Allie and Papa sweethearts?" Both men jerked apart and gazed down at Max, Raphael and Madzie looking innocently up at them. Alec blushed red and Magnus squat down.
"We are." Magnus responded truthful and also wondering where his young son heard that term from. Possibly the young ladies in daycare when they got to gossiping he imagined. "Is Sweet Pea, Raph and Maxi alright with that? With Alec and I being sweethearts?" The affectionate term was already winning Magnus over. He observed his children look at each other before nodding their heads simultaneously.
"We like Alec." Madzie piped up.
"Go brush your teeth." Magnus watched his children skip off and rose to his full height and lifted Alec's downcast gaze to his, the pretty young man's cheeks still lightly flushed. "Its alright Alexander. There is nothing to be worried about alright?"
"Ok..." Magnus planted a kiss on Alec's lips and then another on his cheek. "I hope everything goes well between you and Jace." Alec jerked his head into a nod. "And if anything happens, you ring me straight away and I'll come running." Alec chuckled at that, accepting another kiss from Magnus as the sentiment was nice from the man. Alec watched as Magnus hugged his babies, wishing them a wonderful day as he dashed back into his bedroom, he needing to start getting ready for work as well.
#
(Robbie's Diner)
Of course Magnus' children distracted him, but now it was 9:45 and Alec was sitting in a booth at the back of the diner, away from the mad rush of office workers coming in for their morning breakfast or caffeine fix.
Alec, in his nervousness had already destroyed a paper napkin, tarring it into pieces and had just finished his second cup of bad black coffee. Nothing beat the beans in Magnus' coffee machine.
Doubts began to fill Alec's head as to what he would do if Jace decided not to show and just sent him a message of 'not coming' with no further explanation. Oh how crushing that would be...
"Another refill doll-face?" Alec jerked his gaze up to the old woman and though he really should have been cut off on the first one, since he did have one earlier this morning already, Alec found himself pushing his cup in the direction and the lady filled it again. "You alright honey, you look a little stressed?"
"Something like that." Alec mumbled back and the waitress was wise in her old age, knowing the young man wasn't up for chatter and left him be.
#
At 10:10 when Alec was thinking of giving up, hands fiddling with his phone as he was contemplating messaging Magnus to tell him that Jace was indeed a no show, the door chimed and he jerked his gaze to the direction. Alec had resigned to the fact that it was probably another office worker coming in for a morning tea break or something. Not that he'd ever really gotten anything like that in his working life so the thought was pretty dumb.
What he found though was not an office worker at all. It was Jace. He was rugged up in layers since he'd never liked the cold weather like Alec did. And instead of trying to remain calm, Alec stumbled to his feet, his thigh smacking into the table making the condiments rattle and the salt and pepper toppled over and landed on the ground.
'Smooth Lightwood.' Alec's inner voice mocked him as eyes in the diner shifted his way, including a pair of mismatched ones. With cheeks lightly flushed for ruining the peace in the diner, Alec lifted up his hand, signalling to Jace he was here and then slid back into the booth whilst also picking up the fallen condiments.
If Jace was as nervous as Alec, the blonde really didn't look it as he stood to the side and just looked down at him.
"H-Hey," Alec murmured and wiped his suddenly sweaty hands on his faded jeans. He was in them, his customary boots and also the long sleeved grey muscle shirt and a baggy sweater over the top. Alec didn't think it was that cold this morning, but he had gone for a run, then a hot shower and then was preoccupied with the Bane children so any thought on the crisp cool weather outside was lost to him since his head was filled with all of that and the prospect of finally seeing Jace again.
"Hey," The blonde mumbled back, still not moving to slide into the booth.
"Hey..." Alec stupidly repeated himself. "You're um...looking good?"
"Not really." Jace finally slid into the booth and waved the elderly woman over as she filled up a mug with hot coffee then passed him some cream and sugar and then once more topped up Alec's cup even though she didn't ask him this time.
"Jace..." "Alec..." The brothers voiced simultaneously when the waitress walked away.
"Um, you go first." Alec was quick to voice.
"I've been thinking about what you said, even what Izzy said to me too."
"Jace..."
"It hurt." Alec chewed on his bottom lip. "Those words you said. They really hurt."
"Jace please, I'm so sorry. I should never have said them like that. I should have talked to you a long time ago about...well...everything."
"You don't have to apologise." Jace dropped his gaze to his hands which were clenched in his lap. He wasn't sure if he could do this, but he had to try. "I've been selfish. I've not done my bit to be a good big brother to Izzy or Max or a reliable brother to you and helped when needed."
"Jace its fine."
"No its not." The blonde's voice was strained. "I've had some time, a lot of time in fact, to think about stuff and you know I hate thinking." Alec felt a slight up-tick of his lips. "When you were in hospital, in that coma, after loosing my parents and then yours, I thought I was loosing you too."
"Jace..."
"I guess my parents leaving me was my first real issue with rejection and abandonment and then it just gradually got worse from there and I've never really gotten any help for it." Jace watched Alec's eyebrows crease in confusion. "My parents took their own lives. They didn't want me, didn't want me to join them, and so..." Jace shrugged and observed Alec's lips part open in shock.
"But, when you came to us, mum and dad said your parents died in an accident."
"Yeah they did. They just never told us it was self inflicted."
"Jace..."
"I discovered quite early on I suffer from abandonment issues. I thought I was getting better since your mum and dad took me in, and I felt loved again. Like I had a family again so I kind of forgot about my own parents and such, since you Lightwood's became everything to me. And then, mum and dad were taken from us, by that bastard drunk driver. My fear crept up on me again. My parents didn't want me, died and left me behind, and then your parents too. I felt like it was my fault in a sense. After all, I was there and then my parents died. Then I was shipped off to your home and then your parents died. I'm a beacon of bad luck."
"No you're not. None of this is your fault Jace. You were just a kid in all of this."
"When mum and dad died, fear crept up in me. I thought this was it. I thought you and Iz and Max were going to leave me." Blue met mismatched orbs. "You didn't. You stuck around. You looked after me, became my father, brother and best friend and I was feeling secure again. So secure that in my head nothing was going to go wrong and I didn't need to do anything because you were always there doing it all for me." Alec chewed nervously on his bottom lip. "When you blew up at me that day, it all came crashing down around me again. I knew I was useless, hopeless, and the fear of abandonment began to eat at me once more. I knew if you were angry with me, then Izzy and Max would be too and I would have to leave because the three of you wouldn't want me anymore. The feelings that swirled within me contradicted each other, it was such a pain and it made me an absolute mess. I hated being abandoned, feeling unwanted and unloved and what was the first thing I did after you blew up at me that day? I packed a bag and bolted. So fucking stupid." Jace shook his head, blonde hair swishing about.
"How'd... How'd you even find out about what really happened to your mum and dad?" Alec truly didn't know what to say to Jace's confessions right now and figured starting from the beginning might help get his thoughts in order. It would also allow him to understand Jace a bit more too. He thought he knew everything about his blonde brother but clearly he was wrong!
"You remember Raj?"
"Raj? The asshole from school who always thought he was better then everyone because he bragged about his dad being some high profile detective and his mum was head of the PTA or whatever?"
"His father was a detective. High profile I'm not too sure about, but a cop nonetheless." Jace took a gulp of his coffee. "Turns out, he'd been one of the cops that had investigated my parents deaths and of course Raj being Raj, he found out my real name and put two and two together."
"Real Name?"
"Jonathan Christopher."
"But..."
"You really had no idea?" Alec shook his head. "Mum and dad never told you?" Again Alec shook his head.
"They introduced you to me as Jace and said you were my new little brother. That was all that mattered to me as I got a new sibling and another playmate."
"They abbreviated my birth name for me, had it legally changed and everything, probably so I would never find out about my parents, but I was born Jonathan Christopher Herondale but now legally known as Jace Herondale Lightwood. I just thought Herondale was a weird middle name. Sounds a bit pompous to me."
"Same with Gideon." The boys grinned at each other before Jace turned serious once more.
"Somehow Raj found out that my real surname was 'Herondale' and then snidely commented on my parents suicide." Alec's mouth dropped open at Jace's quiet words. "Imagine my surprise when I had no idea what he was talking about. He smirked at me that day, mockingly gave me dates and where to look for the information in the school library and sure enough there was my parents double suicide splashed in the papers."
"Oh Jace..."
"I skipped out on school that day and confronted mum and dad who ended up backing it all up and that I was the little boy 'Jonathan Christopher' who had been named in the article and who had been taken in by a family who wished to remain unnamed which of course was your parents. I guess they didn't want to be associated with suicidal Herondale's and maybe took me in out of pity." Jace shrugged. "I don't know." He took another gulp of coffee before waving the waitress back over for another refill. When she was gone, mismatched orbs finally lifted to look over and into worried blue orbs.
"Why didn't you ever tell me Jace? I could have..."
"What? Knocked Raj's head off for only stating the truth?"
"Well...yeah..." Alec frowned. "It would have made you feel a little better at least." Jace quirked his lips at that. It would have.
"You were already burdened by mum and dad as it was, your A grades and archery championships still not enough for them." Alec dropped his gaze as that was back when he'd just turned 16 and Jace was 12, going on 13, and Alec had recently discovered and was keeping it close to his chest that he was different from his brother and the other guys in their school. He'd already kept his secret close to his chest for a year but the pressure was building and building the more he kept quiet about it.
"I still would have been at your side telling him to piss off. Or even gone with you to see mum and dad and gotten the full story since they were supposed to be friends of your parents." Alec watched Jace nod his head. "Or if you didn't want me to go with you or stick up for you, then I could of gotten Izzy to scratch Raj's eyes out for you. She always hated him."
"Being protected by your little sister is lame."
"No its not." Alec frowned at Jace's words.
#
Alec knew first hand how protective Izzy was of him, and in the beginning it may have been annoying, but once Alec got used to it, it made him love his sister more and more with how much she supported him, even when he didn't feel like he was worth it.
One afternoon, Izzy had come home and entered her bedroom to find her big brother curled up in the corner between the wall and a settee which she lounged on and soaked up the rays when the sun streamed in. Alec was in the corner, arms wrapped around his up-drawn legs, hugging them desperately to his chest.
'Alec...' Izzy had scared him from his thousand and one thoughts as she swung her door closed, dropped her bag on her bed and was by his side, actually sitting in front of him, her small hand resting atop his scruffy black hair. 'What's wrong?'
Alec for his part stayed quiet as his mind was still reeling at the way he felt his body react when he was in the boys change room as they'd been changing for gym and though the school jock was an absolute dickhead, he had a good body and Alec's had reacted to it as they were just standing around in their underwear. Alec had been feeling a little weird, becoming a bit fluttery in the tummy every now and then when he and the other guys were changing, but that day had felt the most powerful pull of all. Alec had immediately ran for a toilet stall, slamming and locking it whilst also hearing some of the guys call out to him and ask if he was alright. Alec vomited that day, missing out on gym as he took himself off to the school's infirmary and curled up in bed for the remainder of the day, not daring to look at anyone and screwed his eyes shut and tried ever so hard not to think about his thoughts and his body's reaction.
'I'm gay...' Alec had softly confessed to his sister that afternoon and instead of being repulsed by him, instead of scoffing him and scorning him, Isabelle embraced him. She held him tight, murmuring stuff into his ear that he couldn't understand.
'You'll always be my big brother.' That he was able to pick up on in his muddled mind. Izzy softly confessed it over and over again and Alec felt tears stream down his cheeks as his little sister held him for hours.
They'd actually fallen asleep, curled in the corner of Izzy's bedroom, rousing from slumber as Jace had come looking for them since their parents were calling them down for dinner.
'You're faces are blotchy and red. What happened?'
'Alec got a B in a Biology assignment. He shed some manly tears of frustration and I joined in to try and make him feel a bit better and not so embarrassed.' Alec was certain Jace wasn't buying that, but appreciated Izzy's quick thinking in lying to the blonde.
Jace never did ask anything about that day and they went down for dinner after Alec and Izzy freshened up.
Alec missed several more PE lessons before schooling his reactions and coming to terms with that sudden and rather intense revelation at 15 years old. His closeted life, after coming clean to Izzy was hidden away from his parents, and continued on for another two solid and torturous years before finally opening up about his true feelings.
#
"Not now of course. I mean back then." Alec jerked from past thoughts at Jace's response. "I was a teen going through puberty, how uncool would it have been if my kid sister came stomping around school and sticking up for me. I'd have been the laughing stock of my grade." Alec couldn't comment on that since, aside from that random fleeting kiss with the nameless boy in the library, he moved through school relatively unscathed. At first he was picked on, what quiet introvert wasn't, but after awhile the boys got the gist that one didn't fuck with a Lightwood because Lightwood's protected Lightwood's and noses would be broken. "Iz is pretty cool these days. I swear she'd still break noses if I asked her to." Alec couldn't help but chuckle at that as he was almost certain Iz wouldn't just break a nose but inflict serious bodily harm if asked. She'd probably even know how to cover it up expertly with studying Forensic Pathology and all.
"She would."
"Anyway, with knowing about my parents and then yours telling me that they loved me like I was their son, I moved on. I mean I tried to forget about it all, tried to not think about my abandonment issues and such, but of course they were taken from us. I really did think that was it. I thought I was on my own now and wouldn't have anyone to turn to, but there you were. You saved me Alec." Jace watched his brother flush at his words. "Even with being a lazy shit, knowing I had you and in turn Izzy and Max, I was going alright. I felt like life was good. A few months before we packed up and moved, I actually met someone."
"Jace..." Alec immediately thought of the tiny redhead who was now Magnus' business partner.
"I think... I think I was falling in love." Alec's mouth dropped open and guilt began to bubble within him. "It was just... It felt different you know? She was different from any of my other girlfriends." Actually Alec really didn't know. He didn't know the first thing about relationships and love and feelings.
"I know..." He ended up mumbling softly, eyes drifting to his half cup of coffee when an image of Magnus flickered through his mind, making his stomach flutter with butterflies. Ever since he met Magnus, Alec's thoughts and feelings and opinions on relationships and love was changing. And changing fast. "So... You changed because I made you come to California? You've...distanced yourself from me, hated me, because of...a girl?" Alec jerked his downcast gaze up to Jace's mismatched ones as the blonde gripped his wrist.
"I don't hate you."
"R-Really?"
"Really." Jace took his hand away and placed it back into his lap. "Things for me...were a bit more complicated then just thinking I was falling in love. I mean yeah, at first I thought 'how could you do this to me' but then I saw you for what felt like the first time in a long time. I saw the pain in your eyes. I knew you were hiding stuff, but I'm me and I was selfish and I never asked if you were alright, if you needed help, but what I did see was how broken you looked. In that moment I decided there was no way I could desert you or Iz and Max. Even if I felt like I was falling in love, you guys were my family. You stuck with me, so I needed to finally do something for you after all these years together and wanted to stick with you too."
"I'm sorry..." Alec would do anything, give anything to fix this mess.
"Would you like to look at the lunch menu?" A young waitress had come on over and waved them in their faces, completely not paying attention to the atmosphere around the brothers. Alec flicked his gaze to the clock on the wall, not realising how quickly time had passed.
"Want to split a burger and fries?" Alec offered up and Jace nodded his head. Alec reeled off their order of a double beef patty burger with the lot and a side of large fries and two cokes.
#
The boys ate in silence, each trying to collect their thoughts about what had been spoken so far.
As Jace was polishing off their second helpings in the fries, he finally wiped his greasy hands and then locked his gaze with Alec.
"I had no right to be so angry with you for what you said that day. Everything you said is true. I'm not being a good brother to any of you. I even promised I'd help out and I've done nothing for ten years."
"Jace,"
"I should never have gotten upset the way I did when its all true. I also should have never gotten so angry when you finally came clean about mum and dads debts too. I'm such a hypocrite. Getting upset at you for keeping things from us and yet I'm no better. I've kept things from you too."
"What...do you mean?" Alec squirmed in his seat, the waitress giving him a refill of his coke and Alec suddenly felt parched and drank half the contents down.
"I'm a mess Alec, a fucking wreck. I have been since dropping out of University." Jace took a deep breath. "I lost my scholarship." Blue eyes widened. "I fucked up. I hadn't been going to training and then when I finally did show up I got injured. I wrenched my knee so badly I seriously thought I was going to pass out. The coach was worried, told me to seek medical attention but I quickly played it off and pretended like nothing was wrong. I convinced him I was fine and continued to practice. When we had a match and he finally picked me in the team, it was my chance to finally shine, but in the last half hour I was charged by an opponent and they landed solidly on my knee. Pain surged through me and I'd never screamed that loud before. I even blacked out that day."
"Why... Why wasn't I contacted?"
"I begged the doctors not to tell you. They recommended surgery, because without it I would never play football again." Blue eyes widened again. "There was a waiting list a mile long, unless I went private, and I knew we didn't have health insurance like that so I just asked to be patched up as best as possible and prescribed some pain medication. I avoided coming home for a month and stayed out with friends and just moved around on crutches. In that time, due to my lengthy absences, my scholarship was cut, I became a drop out and a lost cause."
"Why didn't you come talk to me?" Alec softly asked, mind reeling.
"I couldn't talk to you." Those sad blue eyes raised to look over at him. It was gut wrenching how hurt they looked. The brothers always vowed they could depend on each other, and yet in their times of need, they hadn't done as promised. It was heartbreaking for both. "I was such a failure. I knew how disappointed in me you would be for messing up my education and instead of having the courage to face you, to come clean, I became a coward and steered clear and began to associate with the wrong crowd and depended heavily on the pain medication I was being prescribed."
Alec felt his heart hammer in his chest as he remembered the small talk he and Magnus had had about how dependant one could get on opioids.
"Jace, did you..."
"My addiction started there." Alec sucked in a deep breath.
Jace had started with the opioids, shifting from medical clinic to medical clinic to get additional prescriptions as the numbness he was feeling made him feel better about himself. However, as months passed, the buzz started to wear off too quickly. For Jace, he needed something stronger but when one too many clinics were now refusing to prescribe him the medication, he was at a loss of what to do. His mind was reeling, he needed them. Desperately so.
That was when he started running with the wrong crowd and started on recreational drugs, the obvious choice being marijuana. The first couple of times it wasn't bad, but then Jace was quickly realising the buzz affect was fading too quickly. He needed the numbness to last for eternity in his head and one evening ended up asking if there was something stronger then that. That is when Jace got his first taste of heroin.
Of course he had no track marks in his arms, because his "friends" told him to do it between the toes because no one would think to look there. So of course Jace did. It was a sensation like none other and Jace was out for 24 hours straight. He woke insanely hungry and feeling lighter in his head and his body.
No one ever told him how hard he would crash once the drug left his system. So much so, he was back the following night wanting more, hands twitching as his body craved the new substance running through its veins. It craved it like oxygen. Jace spent an entire two weeks in that drug infested house before stumbling out one evening, too high to understand what was going on and when he woke up he was lying curled up on some cardboard in an abandoned warehouse.
His system once more pleaded for its drug of choice and making his way down the street, to where he could get his fix he had stopped as flashing lights lit up the street, he watching on from around a large trash compactor as his "friends" were cuffed and placed into the back of cop cars. The drug house had been raided. Jace's connection to heroin was lost to him which at the time was more frightening to him then the possibility of the fact that if he'd have been there he too would have been in the back of one of those cars.
He ran that night. He didn't know for how long or how far but collapsed in a park and vomited what little stomach contents he had. He was certain he'd not eaten in days.
Jace was roused from slumber, as he'd been curled on a park bench by a couple of cops and tried not to freak thinking those "friends" he had, had snitched on him, but the two burly men told him to get going. The shorter one gave him a business card as Jace thanked his lucky stars that they just thought he'd had a bit too much to drink and sent him on his merry way with that card depicting an address for a men's homeless shelter.
He was welcomed into the shelter by a smiling older man who showed him to a stretcher style bed and gave him a bottle of water, a sandwich and a piece of fruit. Jace curled up, not feeling hungry at all as he listened to one homeless man vomiting whilst another sounded like he was coughing up a lung. Jace felt like utter shit that night and he was certain more then ever he had truly hit rock bottom. He vowed then and there he was going to kick his habits and decided to go cold turkey. At the time he was making that decision, he was also making the decision to ditch his druggie friends too.
After a stint in the shelter, Jace believed he was fine now. He returned to his family like nothing had happened, but when winter hit, even though this was the West Coast and winter was not even a tenth as bad as it was on the East Coast, but there had been a few chilly days, far too many for Jace, and the pain in his knee was making him agitated and tense and snappy. He was so pissed off at everything and constantly was on edge. Not wanting to argue or fight with his family - like he constantly was - Jace headed out and was hoping a large coffee would warm him up and in turn ease the pain in his knee. It was that day he ran into an old flame who hooked him up with some opioids again. Which for Jace was a lot less worse then heroin even though he knew it was still bad.
"After downing one too many opioids, I passed out and when I woke in the hotel room, my old flame at the time had taken what little money I had in my wallet and fled. All she wrote was 'thanks for the good time' with her lipstick on the mirror and the bottle of pain medication was empty. I'd been used for about fifty bucks in my wallet. I guess she was going to buy her next fix with it."
"Jace..." Alec's heart was hammering right now.
"I failed twice to get myself clean in LA and when you wanted to return to New York I thought that was my chance to get away from how toxic LA had become to me. I moped around for a bit once we got back and then started thinking of my old girlfriend here. I thought maybe I could surprise her and remembered she always frequented a down and out book store with a café in it, but when I rocked up she was with some lanky scruffy haired guy with dorky glasses, hugging on the corner, before parting ways. I knew I lost my chance since I never kept in contact with her to begin with and I couldn't blame her for moving on, since, well, its not like I hadn't been sleeping around and such."
"Why not just call her? I'm sure she'd be happy to hear from you, even if nothing romantic came out of it." Alec tried to put the thought in Jace's head.
"No, I can't do that to her, not when I'm such a mess." Alec chewed worriedly on his bottom lip. "Even with being back in New York, old cravings began to creep up on me. I took myself off to a clinic. I tried to tell them, in my head at least, not to prescribe me anything as I spoke about my knee injury and such, but the next thing I know I'm at the pharmacy and the prescription is being filled. I had my pain medication back. I had a drug fix back and I'd never been happier then I was in that moment. I had something that could numb the pain. I thought everything was fine then, but then you blew up at me and everything came crashing down once more."
That day, after Alec's anger sunk in, Jace ran from his siblings and wandered the streets. He once again found an old flame or two, who hung with the wrong crowd and began to drift here and there. Jace was beginning to realise his own debts were mounting with who he needed to pay for his drug habits, since his request for authorised prescribed drugs was once again lost to him, and that is why he went to the underground boxing ring, needing fast cash to pay everyone back and then he was going to stop. Truly he was but...
"I was out of it, not realising Izzy and Max were trying to contact me and then when I finally read their messages, you had been in an accident. I didn't know how to feel or what to do and then that Magnus guy spilled the beans on mum and dads debts and how you took it upon yourself to deal with it all. I selfishly just wanted the pain to go away and downed so many pain killers that I started to panic. I was certain I was going to overdose and spewed them back up by shoving my fingers down my throat." Jace watched Alec subconsciously raise his hand to place against his throat at the very thought of doing that. "It was that night I decided once more that I would fight these urges. Or die trying at least."
"Jace..."
"I realised in LA I was doing it all wrong. When we came back here and I went to a clinic on the other side of town, just to make sure I didn't run into any of you, I picked up some pamphlets about opioid dependency and began to read it, I finally figured out I had completely missed out on step one."
"Step one?"
"To acknowledge that I needed help. And not just to myself either. I needed to reach out to someone I trusted." Mismatched orbs rose to Alec's. "And for me, no matter what has been going on, you are that person to me Alec. I trust you with my very life." Alec let out a shuddering breath as he watched Jace squirm in his seat before fixing his hard and rather determined gaze on him once more. "I'm... I'm a drug addict. And I have a problem." Alec placed his hand over his heart, eyes closing as he tried to will away the tears that were forming in his eyes. How had he not seen this? How was he so blind to any of Jace's problems? Alec thought he looked after all of them pretty well considering. He thought...
"For awhile there I knew something was wrong." Alec softly confessed, barely above a whisper and eyes still very much closed. "Several times I even asked Izzy as to whether she was seeing the changes in you like I was. Sometimes I thought I was over thinking things, since I usually do, and Izzy convinced me to let you be. She always told me that you're a big boy. I hated that, because no matter how old you are, you'll always be my little brother and I'll always be your big brother. In my head I always thought you could come to me for anything, but Iz was stubborn in her ways and reasons, and just continuously told me to leave you alone, so you could sort yourself out."
"Alec..."
"So I did. I left you alone." Jace found emotional blue eyes gazing over at him with all the love and hurt in the world in them. "I failed you. I'm so sorry."
"Alec, no..." Jace reached out, clasping one of Alec's shaky hands with his own as the guilt was plain as day on his face. More weight was being lumped onto Alec's shoulders. "I'm to blame for my actions. They are mine. Not yours to bare."
"But..."
"Would you like another refill?" The boys snapped their gazes to the young waitress interrupting them once more and their hands detached instantly.
"N-No." Alec mumbled. "I'll have the cheque please." Alec paid. Jace left the tip.
The boys exited the diner and stood on the pavement each unsure what to say or do right now. Snow flurries were beginning to fall from the overcast sky and Alec watched Jace bundle himself up into his puffer jacket, hood up.
"You should go home and get warm." The blonde looked his brother up and down in his very thin layered attire. "I'm fine Jace. I'm just going to go for a bit of a walk, clear my head and come to terms with all of this." Alec watched Jace turn away from him but his blonde brother paused and faced him once more.
"I want to get better." That was like music to Alec's ears.
"So then lets get you better." Alec carefully rested his hand on Jace's shoulder. "We should... I mean, do you think you might have better luck going away for a bit? You know to like a rehabilitation centre? Somewhere which is more controlled and disciplined then trying to seek help from a shelter or drug clinic?"
"Maybe..." Jace dropped his gaze. "I don't know..."
"Lets start looking into it, yeah? Together."
"Alec..." Jace's usual cocky voice was so soft, so insanely vulnerable that Alec felt like he was standing here with his five year old brother who Alec had instantly fallen in love with and wanted to protect with all his heart like his little sister. Max of course was not even born when Jace came to live with them. "A rehabilitation centre costs money. I can't afford it... We can't afford it..."
"You leave that to me." Mismatched orbs shot up, argument clear as day within them. "No Jace, please let me do this for you. I want you to get your life back on track. You might state that these were the choices you made, and yes they were, but I'm your family and I want to try and steer you towards the direction of recovery. Steer you back on the path of a more meaningful life. A life that you deserve. Not just for you but for Izzy, Max and me too. You're our brother and we'd be lost without you." Jace took in a shuddering breath as Alec pulled him into a one armed bro-hug. "We'll get through this. We'll always be brothers Jace. No matter what." Jace could do nothing but nod his head.
They stayed that way for a few more moments before Jace mumbled it was now getting a bit weird. The comment had made Alec chuckle and they finally broke apart, waving goodbye with the silent promise to communicate more, and to call soon, even though right now they both needed some space to think about everything that Jace had said.
Alec watched Jace turn the corner at the end of the block and then finally made his way into a nearby park, trudging through a thin layer of snow and listened to the squeals of delight from children playing on the equipment and saw a couple of young ones, probably around three years old, trying to catch snow flurries with their tongues. The sight was adorable before Alec weaved his way around some large trees and then when he found one that could obscure him from any strangers gaze, Alec leant his back against the thick trunk.
He took in some heaving breaths before sliding down the scratchy bark, tears prickling his eyes and shoved his head into his up-drawn knees and cradled his legs to his chest.
#
(That evening...)
By the time Alec made it back to Brooklyn, the sun had already set.
Alec trudged up the stairs with a heavy heart, his mind an absolute mess and hair completely saturated by the falling snow. The shoulders of his sweater were damp too as it had gotten heavier as he stayed out longer then what he thought he would.
He slipped his key into the lock and then turned the knob and slipped inside. The door closed and locked behind him and Alec slowly removed his boots, but shifted his gaze when he heard a noise.
Blue met brown-golden orbs and when Alec's eyes drifted all over Magnus as the gorgeous man was all dressed up, it was then Alec realised just what he missed! His eyes jerked to the clock on the wall, to read it was indeed 7pm and his mind drifted back to this morning, to when Magnus had wanted him to be back here by 5, as he was taking him out to dinner, taking him out on their first date and he'd freaking forgot!
"Magnus... Magnus I'm so sorry. I..." Alec quickly kicked off his boots and headed over to the man.
"Hey, its alright. I was just worried since you didn't answer any of my messages." Alec yanked his phone from his pocket, the both of them seeing the screen was black. It had run out of battery as Alec now realised he had forgotten to place it back on charge last night. "I thought maybe something had happened to you." Magnus softly confessed and guilt bubbled up in Alec once more as his hand reached out for one of Magnus', delighting in the simple touch and felt a tiny bit of his guilt disappear when Magnus pulled him in, pressing their lips lightly together.
"Sorry..." Alec mumbled when Magnus ended the lip-lock, but Alec didn't want to break contact with Magnus just yet and hugged him tight.
"What happened?" Magnus softly asked, one hand gliding through Alec's messy and very damp hair, he not liking that his boyfriend was out in the cold for what seemed like hours, plus he could feel the dampness of the material of his sweater too. Not that Magnus wanted to argue or bicker with him about that and really needed to know what was up with Alec right now. He was never really this forward with wanting kisses and hugs, it was truly adorable, but also worrying too as a slight tremor was drifting over Alec. Magnus placed his other hand at the small of Alec's back, drawing him closer to himself, drawing him into his warmth.
"You know I was meeting Jace today." Magnus nodded his head. "He talked. A lot." Magnus carefully pulled away, biting his inner cheek from cooing at the adorable pout on Alec's face as he broke contact with him. It was so cute how his boyfriend hated when he stopped touching him.
"I gather by you loosing track of time that the talk didn't go well?" Alec shook his head.
"No, I mean yes. Well... It went well because we talked but...but Jace is so fucked up and its all my fault!" Magnus quickly cupped Alec's face in his hands at the sudden cry of pain from his voice and his accusing words at himself.
"Hey now, whatever has happened, it can't be that bad." Magnus carefully directed Alec to the lounge and sat down, pulling Alec into his side and cuddling him close once more. He hoped that would offer a little bit of comfort and Magnus listened to Alec reel off what went down a few hours earlier and what had him wandering around the streets on his own, completely lost in thought. Magnus wanted to retract his previous words. For Alec, this was bad. Very bad. He knew the young man would have guilt eating his very insides at what his brother was going through. What his brother had been hiding from him for years.
"Did you and Jace discuss rehabilitation clinics at all." Magnus felt Alec shake his head.
"So much was laid bare that I didn't have the strength to place Jace through that then and there." Magnus could understand that. Both brothers emotions were fried.
"If you would like a recommendation, Idris Rehabilitation Sanctuary in Huntington is a good facility." Magnus felt Alec tilt his head up to gaze at him even if he was still leaning heavily into his side and his head was resting on his shoulder. Magnus dare not look at his boyfriend. He didn't have the courage right now. "I had a few stints there when I was going through my own problems. I was never there long term, since I had Madzie to look after, but Raphael was a godsend to me so I could try and cull my urges of drinking and was able to rely on him to look after Madzie when Catarina couldn't and would stay there on and off a few times."
"Magnus..."
"Madzie was too young to realise it though, which I am thankful for." Magnus finally shifted his gaze to Alec and revelled in the fact the young man was not showing any form of disgust for his own weaknesses and lapses. "My only concern is, the Sanctuary is a pretty hard place to get into, since you have to be referred there." Magnus watched Alec chew on his bottom. "I could... I could try and get in touch with my past therapist and ask the question."
"Would you?"
"Its not a cheap place Alexander."
"I don't care." The fire within those sapphire blue eyes almost made Magnus groan in desire, which of course was totally wrong at such a time. "This is all for Jace. His well-being is all that matters."
"Alright." Magnus pulled Alec into another hug, brushing his hands up and down his back soothingly. "You know what you need right now?"
"What?"
"A nice bath."
"That sounds wonderful." Magnus pulled away, earning a tiny whimper from his adorable boyfriend as he stood up.
"I'll go draw you one." Magnus went off to do just that and had various bath bombs he would decide on what to place in the water. He had quite a lot, in a variety of different scents, all home-made which was yet another thing he had dabbled in whilst being unemployed. Magnus googled and researched a lot and then began to make his own soaps, candles and bath bombs. Any sort of aromatic bath product was something Magnus found therapeutic when he was having difficulty with trying to keep sober over the years. One of his treating doctors at the Sanctuary advised him to keep his mind active and hands busy and away from the bottle and so Magnus had decided to create things. His desire for painting and his camera was of no interest to him back then and so, making bathroom products became his salvation too.
He was just taking up mixing different scents for creating shower gels and shampoo when Madzie had her health scare and all that was thrown to the back of his mind at how worried he was about his precious little girl.
Now though, Magnus could finally test out his bath bombs which he had forgotten about until now. They were shoved away in various containers, with a small batch at the back of the vanity in the main bathroom and he pulled them out, popping the lid and a variety of scents assaulted his nose.
Magnus turned on the tabs, full, to fill the tub faster. The clawed bath in here was a lot bigger then the one in his ensuite and Alec could relax in it with ease rather then having to curl up his tall form. Magnus decided on the lavender and camomile scented bomb, placing in two and watched them fizz and dissolve rapidly, the scents filling the air in the bathroom instantly.
"Oh!" Magnus exclaimed as he just turned around to see Alec leaning tiredly against the door frame.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He mumbled out, shuffling adorably and tugging on his frayed sweater since Magnus was still in a pin stripped suit and looking like a million dollars whilst he looked like he'd just been pulled from the gutter. "Didn't want to be alone with my thoughts."
"That's quite alright Alexander." Magnus coaxed Alec into the bathroom.
"The scent is nice."
"A personal concoction of mine, but the main scents are lavender and camomile."
"Personal concoction?" Alec mumbled as Magnus edged his sweater up his body, his arms raising without a fight as his first layer was removed effortlessly and the sweater was dumped in the hamper behind the bathroom door.
"I dabbled in creating my own bathroom products."
"Of course you did." Alec mumbled in tired bewilderment at how gifted Magnus was and then felt himself raise his arms once more as his long sleeved grey shirt was removed and he stood in front of Magnus half clothed now. That seemed to wake Alec up a little. "Um...you're not...trying to start something in here are you?" He blushed quickly afterwards. Alec knew how intense their gazes were these past couple of days and how hotly Magnus and he kissed too, but surely after revealing all the emotional trauma that Jace was going through, and Alec had no idea about, surely Magnus wasn't thinking... Alec's hundred and one thoughts stopped as Magnus laughed.
"I'm an expert in reading when my partner isn't 'up' for anything and you clearly are not." The blush deepened. "Now, I'm going to grab my stool from my ensuite so I can keep an eye on you and not have you fall asleep like you did last time." Alec pouted at the reminder. "And whilst I'm gone that gives you all of two minutes to get into the tub without me ogling you." Magnus gave Alec a wink and then turned off the taps since the water was high enough.
Magnus sauntered out of the bathroom, leaving Alec to it and was back within the two minutes, maybe a little longer since he pulled his bottle of sandalwood shampoo from his shower as he was going to enjoy pampering Alec. His boyfriend needed it after the revelations that were spilled to him from his blonde brother.
Seriously though, could this young man's life get anymore complicated or intense then what it already was?
He dare not think anymore of it as he stepped back into the main bathroom, all thoughts about Jace leaving his mind as Alec had his head tilted back, cheeks a soft pink thanks to the steam of the water. He looked absolutely enticing with the milky and pale purple water rippling about his slack posture. The colour of course obscured everything from Magnus' prying eyes. Lucky for Alexander. The young man currently had one leg raised, knee poking out of the water and his arms were flopped over the lip of the clawed bath at the elbows. Magnus, to no fault of his own, couldn't help but lick his lips.
He quietly placed down the stool, pulled a spare towel from a cupboard and effortlessly lifted Alec's head and placed it underneath.
"So you don't cramp your neck." Magnus softly murmured, not wanting to interrupt the sudden tranquillity in the bathroom.
"Thanks..." Blue eyes fluttered open, gazing over at Magnus who was so very gorgeous in his suit and tie ensemble. There was a hint of purple in his perfectly styled hair, black eye-liner and a thin line of purple over his eyelids. Magnus was such a vision. "I'm sorry about missing out on our date."
"Its quite alright Alexander."
"No its not, but thank you for being so nice to me in my overly emotional state...as usual..." The last of his words were whispered but Magnus had heard them. Blue eyes shifted and gazed up at him once more, finally a tiny smile graced Alec's lips. "You look really nice by the way."
"Why thank you Alexander. I did stress, maybe an hour and two before you were due to come home, about what I should wear and how I should look, hoping I wasn't being over the top."
"Magnus, make-up or no make-up, you are beautiful." The smile that Magnus rewarded him with was worth the embarrassing confession Alec was spewing forth. Even more so the light brush of Magnus' lips against his own as the tall man leaned over and gifted him with such a reward.
"Sit up straight and close your eyes, head tilted back." Alec did as ordered and Magnus had pulled a small glass bowl from who knows where and began pouring water over his black hair, drenching it in seconds. Alec snapped an eye open for a single moment to see Magnus squeezing some amber gold liquid into his left palm before placing the unlabelled bottle on the tiled floor at his feet. The scent of sandalwood hit Alec's nostrils instantly.
"Mmmmm..." Alec moaned as Magnus worked his experienced fingers through his hair, placing pressure against his scalp, though always a little tentative where his round burr hole scar was. "This is nice..." Alec couldn't help but praise Magnus for his efforts and of course it delighted the older man as he hummed a merry tune and gave all his attention to his tense boyfriend who of course was finally losing all the stress and tension from his body thanks to his ministrations.
"Just think what could happen if we ever showered and bathed together." Magnus teased as Alec's cheeks flushed. "These hands are magic." Magnus cockily confessed and pressed a kiss to the top of Alec's shoulder before shifting his attention back to taking care of his boyfriend and continued to wash his hair and give him a full scalp massage whilst he was at it too.
Alec hadn't felt this tingly and alive since he and Magnus had that rather heated make out session on his bed that time when they both lost their shirts and he was able to ogle Magnus' beautiful tattoo on his delicious golden-bronze skin. Even taste the man's warm skin with his lips...
Alec shuddered when a sponge was brushed up and down his back, Magnus having ceased washing his hair, it now smelling deliciously like his older boyfriend as did the foaming gel being caressed up and down his back, over his shoulders, down his chest and then over and under his arms.
"M-Magnus..."
"I'll let you wash certain areas on your own." Magnus mumbled hotly into Alec's blushing ear. Blue eyes watched Magnus leave him in private and quickly Alec washed the rest of his lower body and then pulled his tired tall frame from the warm waters and wrapped his lower half in one of Magnus' fluffy blue towels before being graced with his smiling boyfriend who was sexily leaning against the door frame with arms lightly folded over his suit. Magnus had removed the black jacket and was now just in the trousers, deep purple shirt and silver vest. His purple, black and silver tie was loosened from his neck and two buttons were popped. What Alec wouldn't give to run his tongue over Magnus' exposed neck and adams apple but thought it was just too soon for him to be that bold. Or more or less he wasn't sure if Magnus would appreciate him doing that so unexpectedly.
"Time for bed Pretty Boy. You've had quite the draining day so I think an early night will do you a world of good." Alec nodded his head, Magnus pulling him from the confines of the bathroom and towards his bedroom, once again gifting Alec with some privacy as he pulled on the black boxer briefs and black slacks Magnus had at the end of his bed which came from Alec's wardrobe of course. Alec rubbed the towel through his hair, spiking it up in all sorts of directions and then slung it over the arm of Magnus' plush chair at the desk he usually sat at when doing his make-up and then fell into Magnus' cushy bed. When Alec's damp hair hit the pillow, his eyes fluttered closed.
"Magnus..." Was the last mumble Alec let slip from his lips as he was out in seconds, body drained.
"If you don't be careful, you are going to burn out, my darling." Magnus mumbled to himself as he sat on the edge of the bed, fingers caressing Alec's soft cheek and listening to him sigh adorably before burying his head more into the pillows and turning away from him, curling more over on his side of the bed as no doubt Alec found comfort in the sandalwood and sugary scent drifting up from the sheets. That of course got a grin from Magnus but he left the room for a moment, leaving the door slightly ajar as he went back to the living room for his phone which was on the coffee table. Or was meant to be as Chairman was currently lying on it. Perhaps the warmth of the battery through the cover was far too enticing for the kitten.
"Oi, why don't you go sleep with Alexander? He's way warmer then my phone." Bright green eyes looked up at him before Magnus watched Chairman hop off the coffee table and head off down the hallway.
Magnus, for a moment, pondered as to whether he could speak 'cat' but quickly let that go and picked up his phone, sifting through his contacts until he hovered over Dr Eleanor Blackthorn.
He'd not spoken to her in quite some time, considering he'd not needed a therapist in ages and really didn't have the courage to call her and instead sent her a lengthy text, apologising for his lack of contact, but also telling her he was doing well and that he was a father to three children now. He quickly spoke of his children, since Dr Blackthorn only knew him when Madzie was born and then sort of made mention of his life getting back on track with being in the process of opening up his own business and having met someone too. He decided not to mention the stress his father was currently giving him or the odd drinking he did these days. At least it was nothing compared to what he used to be like.
Finally after all that, and apologising for his rambling message, Magnus finally stated she had no obligation to even acknowledge his message or cater to his selfish request. Magnus wanted her help in getting a referral for one Jace Lightwood to be recommended to Idris Rehabilitation Sanctuary for opioid and drug addiction.
Magnus dropped his phone back on the coffee table and then leaned back into his couch, eyes dropping closed. He was so thankful that Raphael had taken his babies for the evening since he had rung him in a panic earlier about not having heard from Alec. The last contact they had was when he had kissed him goodbye (and good luck) earlier this morning. Of course Raphael had calmed him down and then offered to take the kids tonight and would also entertain them for tomorrow before handing them back over to him since he had to go out of town on business. Magnus finally let Raphael go and then sat down, waiting and waiting for his boyfriend to hopefully come home.
Relief flooded Magnus immediately when Alec quietly slipped inside but he knew just by looking at him that something was wrong and he truly was very pleased that Alec had opened up to him about Jace's current situation. He had to give the blonde some props for finally coming clean and asking for help too. That was never easy.
As Magnus gazed up at the ceiling, the glow from the fireplace casting shadows over it, his thoughts were going a mile a minute as to what he could possibly do to make Alec feel better in all of this. Yes the bath had worked for tonight, but that was like placing a band-aid over a deep stab wound. It would never patch up and heal.
It was then that Magnus remembered his chat with Max and sent off a message to the youngster, telling him that if he was still up for coming around to see Alec, then 8pm tomorrow night was the time.
Again Magnus placed down his phone and got comfortable on the couch, waiting for the youngsters reply.
#
(The next morning)
Fingers trailing down his cheek startled Magnus awake as he blinked blurringly up at Alec's smiling, yet slightly worried, face.
"Why'd you sleep out here?"
"Oh, I didn't realise I fell asleep." Magnus sat up, arms stretching above his head for a moment. His suit was wrinkled, not that Magnus cared all that much since he'd just have it dry cleaned anyway. "I was waiting for a message back from...my contact and guess I just nodded off."
"Your contact about the referral?" Magnus nodded his head. "Any response?" Alec mumbled as he headed for the kitchen to click on the coffee machine. Magnus gazed at his phone, seeing one message there and noticed it was from Max, giving him a thumbs up in regards to coming around tonight.
"Nothing yet." Magnus watched Alec pout and got up and went over to press his lips to Alec's pink cheek. He'd missed his morning tradition again.
"What's your schedule like today?"
"Why?"
"I wanted to steal you away for a bit, take you some place."
"Well I'm sure Clary would like a day off too. James' construction crew have a key to the property and they know what they are doing."
"If you are so confident in what they are doing, how come you and Clary are always there?"
"Because we are very particular and controlling." Alec couldn't help but grin widely at Magnus' truthful response.
"Can you message her? I'm going to go get changed and you should go take a shower too, you won't like how you look right now." Magnus frowned as he went to look at his reflection and a strangled type sound escaped his lips.
"I look horrific!"
"No you don't." Alec placed out a cup of coffee for Magnus. "So, your fault this time for missing our morning kisses." Magnus plucked the coffee mug from Alec's hand, placing it on the island bench top and moved in closer to his smug sounding boyfriend who wasn't looking so smug right now as he wrapped an arm effortlessly around his waist and pulled him in closer. "M-Magnus..." Alec groaned at the back of his throat when Magnus gave him a thorough kissing, leaving him breathless and staggering towards one of the stools as his legs suddenly went jelly-like.
"I'm going to go shower." Alec watched Magnus saunter out of the kitchen, a teasing sway in his hips as he took his coffee with him, Alec knowing the man would have a victory smile on his lips for rendering him to a puddle of goo.
Alec had to take several extra moments to calm his heart and body down and then remembered Magnus was coming out with him this morning and got his butt into gear and headed back to his bedroom to pull a bag from the cupboard and filled it with some items and then went to Magnus' room and did the same.
Alec dressed in black faded jeans, grey short sleeved top and was just pulling his jacket on and slipping his feet into his boots when Magnus was coming back down the hallway. He was in black trousers, a brown collarless shirt with a small white pattern on it with the buttons done all the way up to his throat and a plain jacket over the top. It had some studs on the shoulders but other then that, the man was quite subtle in his clothing choice today. Even his hair was natural besides the fading purple colouring as it was damp from having been quickly washed. And the only make up that Magnus had on was of course eye-liner. He never left home without it.
"Ready?" Alec asked as Magnus slipped his feet into some boots, doing up the side zips and then rose to his full height.
"Ready when you are." Magnus responded as he pulled a scarf and a thicker jacket from the stash near the front door on hooks and bundled himself up. He never understood how Alec could wear such light clothing and yet get all 'frowning face' at him when some of his good jackets didn't match any of his outer coats and so would forgo wearing them.
#
When the boys were on the street and Alec was pulling Magnus along, the older man found it adorable how determined Alec seemed right now. It was quite the contrast with how defeated and sad he was from last night. Maybe his hands were magic and massaged away some of Alec's dark thoughts as there seemed to be a bit of a spring in his step right now. Though Magnus had to remind himself that Alec was a morning person unlike himself. And to think it was barely 8 in the morning and he was up and about as it was!
When an elderly couple were blatantly gazing at their linked hands as he and Alec walked past, Magnus gave them a shit eating grin.
"Where are you taking me Pretty Boy?" They had already cleared a block and Alec wasn't saying anything to him.
"We're not far away now." Alec mumbled back. "I figured with everything that has been going on, plus the accident and then some annoyances you have with the gallery and of course now with Jace, I figured we could do with some time to just relax. I know you've been working insanely hard and the kids are missing you too though."
"So, instead of asking me to spend time with the kids, so they stop complaining about my absence, you want me to spend time with just you?" Magnus nearly ran into the back of Alec when he stopped suddenly. He watched Alec adorably chew on his bottom lip, but he still had hold of his hand. The connection was utterly sweet. This very man, utterly precious. As was the conflicted look. Magnus had only been joking but it looked like Alec hadn't caught on. "Alexander..."
"You're right, this is dumb. We should..." Alec faulted when Magnus stepped closer, his left hand coming up to cup his cheek. His right was still otherwise occupied.
"I was just teasing Alexander. Though I'm not really dressed for going out." Alec looked Magnus up and down, appreciating his attire and his current natural look too. Everything about him continuously stole Alec's breath away.
"You're more than fine, and we aren't going to a club or anything, nor are we going to the Hunter's Moon." Alec rolled his eyes. "Its early and they wouldn't even be open anyway. And that's not what I really had planned today either." Magnus finally took notice of the bag slung over Alec's shoulders and was about to ask what that was for but the man kept on with his explanation. "You need to blow off some steam. Actually, we both do."
"Why Alexander, you shock me."
"What?" The blue eyed beauty was a little slow on the uptake of how Magnus took his words to mean, but once it hit, it hit the spluttering man hard, face instantly turning red. "Ma-Magnus... that's not... I mean... I..." And Magnus couldn't help it. All the worry and stresses in his world, in their worlds, shifted to the back of his head as Alec blushed prettily before him.
"Oh Alexander, you are so much fun to tease." There was that frown he loved so much, it pushing Alec's bottom lip out slightly, adorably so. So much so Magnus had to fight himself from actually leaning forward and latching on, biting it, sucking it into his mouth and gifting Alec with a deep thorough kiss. After all, they were out in public and aside from hand holding, Alec wasn't really much for public displays of affection. Not that Magnus had really done much with the young man out in public though.
"I hired out a room at the MMA Gym for us."
"So this isn't a date then?"
"What? Why would you think that?"
"Because of you missing out on our date last night... I thought maybe you were thinking..." Magnus watched Alec shake his head negatively and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh thank goodness for that, because going to the gym to me does not constitute as a good time."
"Come on Magnus, it'll be fun." Alec tried to reason as Magnus was jerked back into his walking as Alec once again pulled him along. His boyfriend seemed to be a man on a mission.
They made it to the building, Alec signing them in and then they headed for the male locker room to change into the gear Alec had brought with him, hence the bag over his shoulder.
Magnus just knew Alec was staring at him as he kicked off his boots and socks and then went about shimming his trousers down his long slender legs, most definitely placing on a little show, and then slowly folded them up before placing them in the locker given to him. He stood there in his upper clothing and his cobalt blue boxer briefs, a tiny little grin on his lips, seemingly coy, but truly not.
"Not getting changed?" He teased and adored the light flush on Alec's cheeks as he reefed his top from his body and then pulled on a plain white one. Magnus clucked his tongue when Alec, as fast as he could, removed his boots and then dropped his jeans and quickly pulled up his sweatpants, it bringing a chuckle to Magnus' lips. "You do realise I have seen quite a bit of you already right? Even felt you a bit too?" Magnus watched Alec give him a glare, as best he could, since there was still a cute blush on his cheeks too.
"You said you wouldn't look." Alec complained as he was remembering the bath scene where he nearly passed out.
"Oh, well I wasn't really thinking of that, I was thinking more along the line of when I got you half naked on my bed and then you licked at my tattoo and..." Magnus stopped there as the locker room door opened and closed as some other gym-goers were obviously here. Though he couldn't finish off his delightful memory, he did get his boyfriend blushing more so not all was lost in Magnus' books.
"Magnus..." Alec growled a little low, it sending an appreciative shiver down Magnus' spine though he thought it best not to share it.
"Alright, alright... I'll try and hold back as much as I can..." Magnus decided to let his teasing go as he removed his jacket, button down shirt and then don the clothing that Alec had thrown at him which was a black tank and a plain pair of cotton slacks.
Once they were adequately dressed, Magnus quietly followed Alec out of the locker room and they moved down a hallway, he watching Alec nod silently to some men who walked by, clearly knowing them as acquaintances it seemed, and then he found himself inside a large training room with a varying amount of equipment about them. Magnus walked in further as Alec closed the door and looked around the spacious room at just what Alec could possibly be thinking or wanting to use first.
"Heads up," Magnus jerked his gaze to Alec, left hand raising and catching the staff thrown at him. "We'll go through a small warm-up so you can get used to this."
"Alexander there is something..." Magnus never did get any further as Alec advanced on him. Memories from long ago quickly came to the surface as Magnus defended himself with ease, matching Alec strike for strike. In a blink of an eye he saw an opening and took his chance, listening to a tiny grunt bubble up from Alec's throat when his staff made contact with Alec's calf muscle on his left leg. They separated and Magnus did a cocky little twirl before turning his twinkling gaze back to a narrowed eyed Alec who was rubbing at his calf.
"What were you going to tell me before?"
"I may know a thing or two in some MMA forms."
"Oh really?" Magnus grinned and beckoned the blue eyed beauty to advance towards him again, which Alec did of course. This time it was Alec who got a hit in, on Magnus' thigh which he rubbed at.
"Not bad Alexander."
"I'm just getting warmed up."
"So you're going to get even hotter then this?" Magnus dragged his eyes up and down Alec's body and even though Alec flushed delightfully at his comment, there was that serious and grumpy facial expression which made Magnus' heart swell.
"Don't flirt with me." Alec smacked his staff against Magnus' own. "Concentrate."
"Oh, you're so cute when you're serious." Magnus teased once more and then they were off again. Only this time Alec had let the staff drop and came at him with his fists this time. Magnus of course was quick to drop his own staff and dodge Alec's advances. He twisted gracefully like a cat - this way and that - humming a happy tune as he ducked under one of Alec's swipes and ended up in his personal space, startling Alec a little, so much so, he had actually cheekily brushed his lips against Alec's neck tattoo before ducking back under his arm and away from the younger man, once again doing another twirl and this time hummed cockily too.
"Did you just..." Alec was stumped for words, not even needing to finish off his accusation as he saw the guilt plain as day on Magnus' face. The guilt being in the form of a very cocky smirk. A god damn sexy smirk.
"Are you perhaps a little rusty Alexander?" Magnus jeered and the man was advancing on him yet again, Magnus' eyes widening slightly as Alec was quite fast indeed. But he was faster, as again Magnus slipped out of reach. He quickly found what he was looking for, one of the abandoned staff on the ground, and doing yet another fancy twirl and a forward roll this time round, he picked it up and swiped out at Alec, it connecting with the backs of his legs and with a gasp even Alec couldn't hide, his legs were pulled out from beneath him as he landed with a heavy thud on the ground. When Magnus heard the thud, his face paled instantly. "Shit, Alec, are you alright?" Magnus was stupid to do that since the man had only recently been fully cleared from being hit by a bloody car! Guilt was beginning to eat at Magnus.
"I'm fine Magnus." Brown-golden orbs finally shifted over Alec as he was still sprawled on the floor and slightly lifted up on his elbows. The image started to do things to Magnus almost instantly and his behaviour adjusted immediately.
"Hmm, I do quite like you sprawled on your back there Alexander." Magnus grinned lecherously and wasn't paying attention to the fact that Alec had caught sight of the other forgotten staff, which was in reach of his long arm and he gripped it tight, directing it behind Magnus, his right hand also taking hold of it and he pulled it into the backs of Magnus' knees, making a slight snort sound break from Magnus' throat as he was not prepared for the pressure there as he crumbled forward, knees connecting with the hard wooden floor, stinging instantly.
However, Magnus' fall didn't end there as Alec lifted the staff and pushed it into Magnus' lower back, Magnus immediately becoming off balance and he landed awkwardly and quite heavily over a certain sprawled, blue eyed beauty.
At Magnus' impact, it did in fact knock the wind out of Alec too. He'd not truly thought on what he was doing other then wanting to get that cocky grin off of Magnus' pretty face. And whilst he had, he wasn't exactly thinking on the matter of how it felt having Magnus fully on top of him...and even more so then last time too! And now it was very public too, where anyone could walk in. Not that anyone would, at least Alec hoped not, since he had booked the room for the hour just for them.
"Well, aside from the location...and some of our clothes...this all seems quite familiar to me." Magnus beamed another wicked grin as Alec felt warmth rush to his cheeks and also down his sweaty neck, because he too was instantly recalling what happened previously between them. Alec gulped down the lump in his throat, heated memories attacking him instantly. The 'sex step' was totally on the cards now as everything that Magnus did to him, with those damn addictive lips and his skilled hands set Alec's skin on fire! With Magnus still lying heavily above him, it was doing a fantastic job at waking his lower appendage up too! "Oh!" Alec felt his face redden even more at Magnus' little surprised gasp. Clearly he'd just felt it. "Why Alexander..." Magnus all but purred and even if it was only for a few moments, brown-golden orbs peering about the room as there were no cameras - that he could see - and as such, with that in mind, Magnus quickly locked lips with soft plump pink ones.
Alec's hands immediately found Magnus' hips, the staff dropped and rolled away as Alec's fingers dug into the thin material of Magnus' makeshift gym gear before Alec let out a delightful groan, followed by a heady moan as Magnus broke the kiss and decided to suck on his pulse point.
"M-Magnus... W-We can't..." Words were becoming quite hard for Alec, but he thanked all the angels out there as Magnus finally drew away from him, rising to his hands and knees above him, his trim and taut body hovering above Alec's lap. Thank the angel the man's groin wasn't brushing agonisingly against his own or else Alec thought he'd start grinding against Magnus!
"You're going to owe me big for that Pretty Boy." All Alec could do was dumbly nod as Magnus agonisingly trailed those god-like fingers down his heaving chest before breaking all contact with him, Alec's entire body shuddering at the loss of touch and the intense heat that was Magnus, but quickly he shook his head and then sat up, palming at his crotch and hoping Magnus hadn't seen him do just that.
"Wh-What are you doing?" Alec was a little alarmed when Magnus was sitting on his backside, legs up drawn and he'd pulled his tank from his glorious sweaty golden-bronze skin. Surely he wasn't seriously thinking of...
Relief hit Alec instantly as Magnus wasn't getting fully naked, and instead was rolling up his sweatpants where Alec was now gazing at red welts on Magnus' knees.
"Hmm, it appears your little stunt has caused me injuries." Magnus hunched over and blew on one red kneecap. "Its like carpet burn but we aren't on carpet so...wood burn?" He offered up, eyes raising to look at the rather distraught look on Alec's face.
"I'm sorry..." Alec felt so insanely guilty as he pried Magnus' tank top from his fingers and dabbed the material at his right knee which had actually begun to bleed.
"Alexander, its just a scratch, nothing to get all worked up about." Magnus literally lost all sense of thought, speech and reason when Alec's lips pressed lightly to the side of his injured knee. By the angel could this man be any more endearing?
"I just wanted you to blow off some steam, enjoy yourself and forget everything about what's been going on with me and Catarina and your dad and the gallery and..." Alec fumbled when Magnus took hold of his face in his warm comforting hands, thumbs brushing over his pink cheeks.
"I have enjoyed myself Alexander. I totally take back what I said before too. Coming to the gym did constitute as a good time. I got to see you getting all competitive and sweaty." He gave his customary wink which Alec did roll his eyes at. "Though, if you want to make me feel better..."
"Name it." Alec was quick to respond.
"Its very dangerous to agree so quickly Alexander." Alec's cheeks warmed again and he gulped down the lump in his throat trying not to think of all the things Magnus could ask him to do. Plus the shocking thought of Alec probably agreeing to whatever it was! "You said you did various martial arts."
"Well, sort of. I just watched and taught myself and others I may have dabbled in. I'm not a professional or anything."
"What about boxing?"
"Well yeah I can hit a bag, no worries."
"Excellent." Magnus clapped happily as he picked himself up, kicking his legs to get the sting out of his knees as he rolled the material back down to his ankles. "I shall take a seat over there... No, I'll drag it over there." Magnus died off as he did exactly that, dragging a chair to be closer to the boxing bag on its thick chain hanging from the ceiling. "And whilst I rest my weary legs, you go and hit that punching bag for me." Alec had followed Magnus to where he now was and gazed at the boxing bag for a moment.
"Sure, I can..."
"Shirtless..." Blue eyes shifted to Magnus' twinkling brown-golden orbs to see if the man was teasing him, but clearly he wasn't as Magnus sat in the rather uncomfortable chair, spread legged and arms casually folded over his own glistening muscular chest and abs. He was, after all, still shirtless.
"Magnus..."
"Come on..." Magnus leaned a little forward, one hand catching hold of Alec's as he peered pleadingly up through his messy hair, some of which was pulled back into a ponytail. "Please, for me?" Alec was sunk in seconds as he heaved an exasperated sigh as Magnus' lips brushed feathery over his knuckles.
"Fine." A beaming smile was Magnus' response and Alec went about wrapping his knuckles and then pulled off his shirt, throwing it at Magnus' head. Magnus chuckled before placing the shirt in his lap and was for once in his life, though it happened several times nowadays now that Alec was here, was rendered speechless as Alec attacked the punching bag with precision and intensity, droplets of sweat rippling down his pale skin or flicking from his spiked hair. Magnus' eyes would not for a single moment slip from the curvature of Alec's back, the way his muscles rippled as he made impact with the bag. How all those delicious tattoos, the ones on view that is, glistened blacker then usual thanks to Alec's heady sweat. They deserved to be caressed by fingers and lips. Magnus' to be precise.
Alec glided effortlessly around the bag, face sheer concentration and only soft heaving and the chain clinking were the noises in the training room as Magnus lost himself within Alec and Alec lost himself in his punching. The pale skinned, sweaty, black haired, blue eyed beauty was an absolute vision to Magnus. So much so, after about ten minutes, and some unnecessary ogling of Alec's firm backside, Magnus seriously couldn't take anymore and was out of the chair and striding over to Alec, completely catching him off guard as he was going for a punch but Magnus gripped his wrist, twisting him around to face him, making Alec stumble, but there was no need for him to panic as Magnus wouldn't dare let him fall.
Instead he slammed Alec up against the wall, right next to the full length mirrors, and latched onto Alec's shocked parted lips. That also an opportunity for Magnus to slip his warm wet tongue into Alec's mouth, delighting in his boyfriend's moan at the onslaught he was causing right at this moment.
By the angel, Alec was certain this was the hottest kiss they'd ever had, though he truly couldn't tell since all kisses with Magnus set him on fire. Alec wondered if it was for the fact they were in a public place. That was a little alarming to him to discover, but it was no fault of his own when his unoccupied hand splayed against Magnus' left butt check, fingernails digging in as he pulled the man into him heatedly whilst Magnus still held onto his other arm rather firmly, possessively and moaned at Alec's unexpected grope of his backside.
The war waged on, until there was some laughter outside the training room and the two men broke apart, gasping for air. Alec's dark, lust filled eyes darted to the door, sighing a little when he remembered he had closed it.
"Home?" Magnus hotly breathed against Alec's swollen and red lips, delighting in the muted and vigorous nodding the young man was giving him, those hands of his gripping his hips a little tighter, keeping him in place for a little bit longer, their hardened groins brushing enticingly together.
Magnus finally tore his heated body away from Alec's and after taking in some deep breaths, trying to get certain body parts to calm down, they packed up what they had used and then left the room, the hour session cut short as they headed quickly for the lockers to wash the sweat off in the showers - separately of course - and then change back into their original clothing.
Not wanting to take the subway, because for Alec that was just too damn long - though Magnus was thinking the same thing - as their hands flagged down the first taxi they saw and they all but fell into the back of it, laughing up a storm as Magnus reeled off his address and tried with all his might not to attack Alec in the back of the vehicle. Though he did hold his hand nice and tight and smiled broadly as Alec gripped back.
#
They stumbled into the apartment, lips locked and chuckles escaping breathlessly. Shoes, jackets and shirts were removed, a litter of clothing down the hallway as they ended up back in Magnus' bedroom and Alec was pushed up against the door, groaning when Magnus' tongue brushed across his bottom lip before slipping expertly into his mouth once more.
"Magnus..." Just listening to Alec's moan of his name set Magnus on fire, a certain appendage jumping in his pants as he wrapped his arms around Alec's neck once more and all but tossed the both of them onto the bed. It actually brought a chuckle from Alec has his sparkling blue eyes looked up at him.
"Eager aren't you?" Magnus shook his head as he leaned down and pressed soft kisses to Alec's grinning lips.
"Are you sure about this Alexander?" Magnus' soft voice sounded far too loud and desperate in his own bedroom. "We have no children to stop us this time." Alec felt his own heart hammering in his ribcage. Magnus was giving him an out. By the angel he didn't want to be given such an option.
"I'm sure." Alec captured Magnus' lips once more before ending the short lived kiss. "I want this... Want you Magnus."
'Wanted you since day one...' was pretty much on the tip of Alec's tongue.
"I sense a hesitation." Magnus mumbled back and sat up a little, still straddling Alec's lower thighs as Alec sat up on his elbows. He looked ready to argue but Magnus placed his index finger against his lips. "Not about going further, because I think both of us are more then ready for that, but I feel like you want to tell me something but might be scared to." Alec was a little shocked to see how much Magnus was reading into him. And here he thought he kept everything hidden so well.
"I'm not... I don't..." Alec scowled and huffed out a breath, eyes shifting back to Magnus when the man cupped his face tenderly.
"You can tell me anything. You know that."
"You know I've never been in love." Alec knew his face was heating up at Magnus' tender smile.
"I remember." Magnus confirmed, his intense brown-golden orbs locking with shimmering blue, Alec being the first to look away. "Alexander... Am I...your first boyfriend?" Magnus gulped down the lump in his throat, an overwhelming feeling bursting within him when Alec gave him a tiny nod. "Is it possible that this is also...your first time?" Magnus felt his heart hammering away when the blue eyed beauty beneath him didn't answer.
"You're my first everything..." The whisper broke the heavy silence in the room and Magnus felt his eyes widen at Alec's confession. "I mean, I kissed someone...like before you. Though that was well over a decade ago and I really don't remember much about how it felt other then I was scared."
"Alec..."
"I'm not scared when I'm with you." Those baby blues finally locked with Magnus' intense gaze. "I'm nervous, naturally so, because I never thought I could have something like this, never thought I could ever have a boyfriend. Then there is you who is so gorgeous and experienced and I'm just little me and..." Alec bit down on his bottom lip, trying ever so hard to stop his lame rambling. He finally lifted his shy gaze to shining brown-golden orbs just gazing down at him and immediately Alec felt his cheeks brightened. "Sorry... That was so lame." Alec dropped his chin to his chest. "You're...really shocked aren't you?"
"No its just..." Alec felt Magnus cup his chin, tilting his head up and his eyes widened when Magnus lurched forward and stole his lips, stole the very breath out of him, his body shuddering as Magnus fluttered his free hand down his side making him squirm.
Magnus wasn't sure if he should tell Alec he was surprised at this news because to him Alec was so very intoxicating, so sexy, so pretty, so alluring and wondered how could anyone, man or woman, resist him? Truthfully Magnus was well aware of Alec saying he'd never been in love before, but he never realised just how innocent his new boyfriend was. He had thought perhaps he may have had a one night stand, or two, or ten even, but then this was Alec. And that just wasn't in his character.
"Alexander..." Magnus mumbled as he finally broke the heated lip-lock, listening to Alec's panting breaths as he gasped in some much needed air. "Please do not feel pressured to do this. We don't have to go that far. We could just...I don't know...scratch an itch if you like?"
"I don't even know what that means." Alec huffed out in exasperation.
"By the angel..." Magnus muttered as he slumped his head down, forehead resting against Alec's collarbone and fought the moan from bursting through his lips as Alec's warm hands lifted to rest against his sides, fingers fluttering a little and making his skin shudder.
"Sorry, you really are disturbed by this aren't you?" Magnus couldn't answer. He was still reeling at the thought of this down to earth, pretty boy being a virgin! How could anyone resist such an exquisite young man?! It was ludicrous to Magnus! "Let's just forget this ever happened..." Magnus jerked his head up, eyes seeking out Alec as his hands had dropped away from his sides and hips. It almost looked like the blue eyed beauty was ready to try and roll away, even if he was still trapped between Magnus' spread knees as he was still straddled over him.
Magnus knew if he allowed Alec to go, he would most definitely run back into his own bedroom, lock himself there for possibly days on end in pure embarrassment. Well, Magnus was having none of it and once again he decided to lock Alec in place, showing a strength that left Alec speechless as his wrists were pulled up and over his head.
"I'm more turned on then I've ever been in my life Alexander." The flush on pale cheeks was such a prize to Magnus, but the wide eyes made him calm down his possessiveness a bit. He didn't want to scare this beauty any more then he probably already was at the concept of loosing his virginity in a sense, and to him of all people too. "Keep tempting me like this and I won't be able to hold back Pretty Boy." Magnus was quickly realising his little nick names and pet names made Alec shudder delightfully so. And blush beautifully too. Just like now.
"Wh-Who said you have to?" The stutter and the question itself stole Magnus' heart.
"Know this Alexander, if we continue, if I take the lead, take charge of this moment right here and now, we can never go back." Magnus licked his lips. By the angel he wanted this man. "Are you prepared for that?"
"Shut up and kiss me." Magnus knew Alec was nervous, hell he'd even confessed it too, and shockingly, Magnus was too! He wanted to do everything in his power to take that nervousness from Alec and turn it into want, heat and desire. And all focused on him. He wanted Alec to feel safe and secure and comfortable and warm with him. The desire to please had never made Magnus feel so driven before. He would try doing everything he vowed as he leant down.
"As you wish of me..." Magnus murmured before peppering feather light kisses across Alec's face, listening to the adorable whine as he was not kissing him where the man clearly desired. Magnus liked to tease and Alec was falling for it which was making him harder and more desperate then he'd ever been in his life. "By the angel, you are going to be the death of me Alexander."
"Wh-What?" A groan bubbled up into Alec's throat as lips latched onto his, hotly prying his open and Magnus was quick to plunder the depths of Alec's mouth, tongue caressing his and making them both shudder. He thoroughly took the lead.
Right now, every single one of Alec's nerves were on high alert, super sensitive to everything Magnus was giving him. He moaned and shuddered, gasped with want and need as the tiny little sounds burst from his lips, turning his cheeks red, fingers digging into his palms as Magnus still held them above his head. Alec never thought he would be a vocal lover, but by the angel Magnus' ministrations were setting everything on fire, shifting everything into overdrive, making him squirm down to the tips of his very toes.
"Magnus... Magnus I need..." He was shushed softly, lips coaxing his once more into tender kisses before Magnus shifted down, lips trailing over his neck, licking at his tattoo there and making Alec gasp. That spot was sensitive to Alec and he was certain it was heightened even more now that he and Magnus were both half naked on his bed. And then there was his shuddering as he keened at Magnus' expert ministrations as the man was lapping at his neck like a man starved of a drink. "Oh god..." Alec bit down on his bottom lip, eyes screwed shut at the sensual feel of Magnus' attention, Magnus' lips, all over him. He vaguely felt Magnus move on from his neck, where a tiny throbbing pain now was. Had Magnus given him hickey?! Not that Alec could think much on that when hot breath fanned over his chest before paying quite a bit of attention to his nipples, making Alec arch in shock, and right into Magnus' hot mouth too!
"Mmmmm..." Magnus groaned at just how Alec was reacting to his touches. He delighted in how quickly Alec's nipples hardened under his expertise as he blew cold air over them, making yet another mewling sound escape Alec's lips. He loved how vocal his boyfriend was. Inexperienced or not, a vocal lover for Magnus was an absolute turn on for him.
Alec for his part was unsure what he should be doing, thrashing his head from side to side whilst hands, which were still above his head took fistfuls of the pillow to try and keep him grounded. He knew his cock was quickly becoming rock hard now as that devilish and delicious mouth, those sinfully plump lips, were shifting over his finely chiselled abs, ghosting over his quivering sides, lapping at his hip bones and teeth nibbling against soft flesh which made Alec jolt and jerk in Magnus' hold. He knew Magnus was paying particular attention to some of his tattoos, tongue tracing along the patterns, practically driving him mad with desire.
"Magnus... Please..." Alec could hear his own breathy voice, moaning Magnus' name over and over again. He was almost drunk on the man and his ministrations, stomach clenching tight as Magnus suddenly slowed down. "Wha..."
"Shhh..." Magnus whispered hotly into Alec's ear and his mind turned to mush as Magnus slowly kissed him, deeply, sensually once more. His fuzzy mind half realised that Magnus' hands loosened from keeping his firmly above his head as his boyfriend's teasing nimble fingers started coming back into play. Magnus' lips once more lapped at his neck, then nibbled across his collarbones, his expert fingers fluttering down his quivering body, playing it like a fine instrument.
With all the attention on Alec, he truly felt like dead weight, feeling guilty that he wasn't doing anything for Magnus and yet wasn't sure if he could as his limbs felt insanely heavy right now. Plus he didn't really know what to do for that matter. Sure he got the gist of it, but he really was not well researched in the art of sex. Even with Magnus' hands now gliding over his upper body, Alec still kept his arms above his head, his hands still fisted into the pillow beneath his head. He didn't even have the strength to bother with any thoughts on how much he surrendered in this very moment, moaning out his pleasure as lips, teeth, tongue and caressing hands attacked his heated and eager skin to a fiery inferno.
In Alec's hazy mind he was certain he could feel Magnus' experienced and nimble fingers gently, effortlessly, undoing his belt and then there was the familiar sound of the zip moving down too. Those hands caressing the curve of his ass, guiding him gently to raise his hips. Alec felt warm breath against his ear, perhaps Magnus was even asking him to raise his hips, though all rational thought and sound for Alec was non-existent right now.
The denim material was drawn down his firm but quivering legs and hung around his ankles. Alec's muddled mind felt cool air brush intimate places as the last bit of clothing was slowly, painfully so, pulled from his body. He shuddered as hands glided up his tattooed body, feeling himself relax some and knew his jeans and boxer briefs were now hanging off one ankle. Alec groaned sinfully sweet as fingertips danced playfully against his inner thighs.
"Are you alright Alexander?" Though he couldn't look at Magnus, since so many senses were coming at him from all angles, Alec could only jerk his head into a nod, or two or ten. He really didn't know how much, or how eagerly he was nodding, but he was eager. Alec heard a chuckle from above as Magnus seemed to be shuffling a little and then his face was caught between warm hands, Magnus leaning over him and pressed their lips together sweetly once more. When the kiss stopped, Alec fluttered his eyes open. "Are you sure you want to continue?"
"Magnus..."
"I want you to be sure."
"I'm so sure." Magnus' lips fell over his once more, nibbling and biting his bottom lip and then sucking it into his mouth. Alec's heart thundered in his chest, a whine bursting from his throat when Magnus ceased the heated tongue laden lip-lock. Though it wasn't long before those plump lips were kissing down his neck and onto his chest. A guttural groan, almost a growl which had surprised Magnus, though it sent a pleasurable shiver down to his hardening cock as he refused to place his lips where he knew the younger man desperately wanted them.
Instead, Magnus decided to tease some more. After all, if there was one thing he loved, it was teasing this delightful man, so why not try it even further in the next step of their relationship. He truly wanted Alec to really be quite wired, insanely sensitive and needy. Desperate for his touch. Desperate for him. And it was insanely pleasurable as Alec's noises were getting Magnus off. A lot quicker then he thought was seriously possible.
And so, tease the man he did as Magnus made Alec squirm on his bed, locking his knees a lot tighter against Alec's hips, not allowing him to shuffle too much on the bed. His lips licked, sucked and nibbled against sweaty flesh, especially around Alec's neck and sides before finally, finally going lower. His hands raised to Alec's knees, carefully, slowly spreading them a bit further. Magnus thought perhaps the man would be a little more on guard with just how exposed he looked, but apparently not. Magnus loved it. Alec was utterly beautiful naked.
He continued on his course, pressing open mouthed kisses to Alec's quivering abdomen, nipping against his sides and hip bones before lifting up and making himself more comfortable between his boyfriend's spread legs. Once settled, Magnus shifted his attention to pepper kisses against Alec's inner thighs, feeling them quiver at his tender touch as he decided to suck a hickey into the smooth pale skin.
"Mmmmm..." Once more, Alec's groans were music to Magnus' ears and finally, finally he reached his true destination, breath fanning over Alec's hardened cock. "M-Magnus... I need... I need... I... OH!" Alec gasped aloud, eyes flying open as truthfully he didn't know what he needed.
However it seemed like Magnus knew. Alec was gazing widely up at the ceiling, squirming as lips and fingers started touching him. His brain was mush, but it seemed like all his other senses were heightened and he didn't know what to think, what to do, what to understand of his own body as something began to build within him.
That something was building and churning in his stomach and his dick and balls suddenly felt way heavier then they'd ever felt in his life. What was sending off alarm bells in Alec's muddled mind, was the fact that this was happening far too quickly! Not the part of him and Magnus shifting to the sex step, since Alec was desperate for Magnus, but more so Alec seriously needed a moment to calm his body down, needing Magnus to halt his skilled hands and lips from touching him, or else Alec was going to blow his top!
Of course whilst he was thinking that, shifting his gaze to Magnus, to want to grab his attention, his mind right now was not ready for the picture it was now processing.
There Magnus was, looking so incredibly sexy. His glorious golden-bronze skin had a sheen of sweat, making him glow against the sunlight streaming into the bedroom. His hair was dishevelled, long strands escaping his ponytail and drawing over his mesmerising brown-golden orbs. Magnus looked so damn delicious, the front of his trousers straining against his groin area, but there was also the fact he was currently on his knees, between Alec's spread and up-drawn legs, he not even realising he'd even accommodated Magnus so splendidly, so effortlessly, between them! Though what truly made his mind freeze was the very image of Magnus' face, his chiselled muscles, that phoenix tattoo he wanted to run his tongue over, trace every single detail etched there, and those hands that were gliding up and down his quivering inner thighs, fingers reaching out and tentatively ghosting over his balls, by the angel, Alec was done for!
He wanted to say something, anything, but nothing was forming in his brain to pass through his lips - other then his moans - and when those devilish pink plump lips opened wider, began slipping his engorged cock between them, that sensual sucking motion, that warm wet tongue over his slit, fuck Alec was totally GONE!
"NO!" Alec shouted in alarm, his only warning, as Magnus jerked away from him, surprise as clear as day on his face as he thought he'd done something wrong, ready to profusely apologise, knowing in the back of his mind he was probably going too fast, but everything about Alec set him off and he was desperate to pleasure, but in actual fact, instead of needing to apologise, Magnus watched surprised as Alec began to ejaculate! Cum spurted from his erupting penis and landed against Magnus' chin and chest.
Magnus kneeled there in wonder and watched Alec's orgasm pass and the rather heated and intense moment finally eased.
"Alexander..." The quivering and puffing man in question threw his arms over his red face, mortified at his lack of control. Though seriously, how could Alec be so upset with himself - or blame his body - when no one had ever touched him before. And then to have someone like Magnus, someone so beautiful showing him such attention, such care with languid and heated kisses and caresses, which had fast become molten fire and ruptured desire to him. Of course Alec's body wouldn't stand a chance!
That still didn't make the horrified blush lessen as it crept down his chest and also up his neck and to his ears as he sucked in deep breaths, trying to calm his body as he came down from quite the unexpected high, the tip of his dick dribbling the last of his cum against his inner thighs.
Alec tried his hardest to process everything that had just happened to him.
Magnus for his part in all of this quickly brushed the semen off his chin and chest with his robe which was always on the end of the bed and then shuffled to lie down beside Alec's trembling body, right arm holding up his head and his left went to rest lightly over Alec's rapidly beating heart, brushing his fingers over his pale skin, in gentle circular motions. Alec's blush had finally died down a little and Magnus hoped the ministrations were soothing the still shuddering man a little. The older man was also trying his best to shove his own thoughts of his straining erection to the back of his mind, and made sure not to grind up against Alec's firm and sharp hip. Not only so he didn't freak the younger man out, but also because Alec's well-being took precedence over everything.
"Its alright Alexander."
"No its not..." Came the pitiful muffle behind his arms. Alec curled his legs up, trying unconsciously to shield his slack and sticky manhood from prying eyes, though Magnus was not even looking there. "I can't even look at you now."
"Well, we could always do it on all fours, then you won't have to look at me..." Alec's hands flew from his face as he stared incredulously at the grinning Magnus. "Made you look Blue Eyes." Alec scowled, though he was pleased that Magnus wasn't horrified at his premature ejaculation stint and absently accepted the sweet kisses Magnus bestowed on him, unable to help himself when he licked his lips when his boyfriend broke the lingering lip-lock and pressed one against his pink cheek. Alec kept his eyes shut, desperately wanting the sting of tears which had formed at Magnus' tenderness to leave, so as not to freak Magnus out more then he already probably was at his un-sexiness. "Truly Alexander, its nothing to worry about. You may just have a very sensitive body to such ministrations and stimulations."
"Its more then that." Magnus wasn't sure what Alec meant by that and watched him blush ten shades redder, eyes open and finally looking up at him once more. "I've never...touched myself."
"Never!?" This was surprising news indeed. Even if Magnus was between partners (and one night stands) or completely swamped with work and raising his three children, there was always time for a little bit of self stimulation and gratification in his books.
"You know I always roomed with my little brother. I never had a moments peace. Even if I thought about it once or twice when I was showering, water is so precious, it cost money, which I don't have, and so I would just have a cold shower and then the thought was gone as I went back to taking care of my siblings."
"Surely Max stayed at friends places?"
"Of course, but that gave me a chance to clean our room. Plus I wouldn't dream of doing something like that with Izzy or Jace in the next room and...well...life was always so insane with all the washing and cleaning of the apartment and then I was always working two or three jobs too. There also wasn't a lock n the door either. Then there was also my studying with online courses. I guess, once I took care of all that, I truly was way to exhausted to bother with anything else and would just collapse and go to sleep."
"Oh Alec..." Magnus brushed his fingers tenderly down his boyfriend's cheek. "You really are so incredibly pure." Blue eyes narrowed at that. Was Magnus making fun of him? "Tonight, you are going to feel several sensations." Alright, so he wasn't making fun as Alec's heartbeat sped up. "If for a single moment its all getting too much, tell me immediately."
"Um..."
"Don't over analyse your feelings or how your body reacts. If it doesn't feel right, it doesn't feel right. There is no shame in stopping or slowing down alright?"
"Magnus, I'll be fine."
"Alec please, this is going to be something you've never felt before."
"Well..."
"Ever." Alec gulped down the lump in his throat. "Please listen to what I'm saying." He watched his boyfriend chew on his bottom lip. "I know you are probably feeling a little vulnerable and nervous, but also very eager and excited too. News flash Pretty Boy, I feel all those things as well."
"R-Really?"
"Really." Magnus cupped Alec's cheek tenderly. "Just remember, you're not the only one that feels vulnerable alright?" Magnus watched Alec jerk his head into a nod and they fell quiet for a few moments. Magnus allowed Alec those moments to collect his thoughts as he was certain there was a lot running around in his head.
"Are we... Are you...wanting to stick it in me?" Alec really didn't know how else to ask and felt his cheeks warm at the crass way he questioned Magnus. He was so not eloquent right now.
"If you want to go that far, I will."
"Do you want to?" Alec felt his breath catch when Magnus took hold of his hand and placed it against the front of his pants.
"Does that answer your question?" Alec's cheeks blushed red once more. "I want to take you to heaven Alexander. I want to experience your first time with you, but if you don't want to go any further, I'm more then happy with what we've done."
"I want... I want to continue."
"We can do that, but we do have to discuss something else."
"Wh-What?"
"Do you want to use condoms or go bare-back?" Of course Alec blushed prettily. "I am clean." Though Magnus knew Alec already knew that from the way he spoke to Dr Hill that time.
"M-Me too. I... I got tested recently." Magnus gave him another gentle smile, hand cupping his cheek and thumb brushing leisurely across his pink skin. "What... What do you like?"
"I am happy with either Alexander. I must admit, I've not done it in years, but the bare-back feeling is like nothing else. The intensity, the heat, ejaculating into your partner, the fullness they feel, the satisfaction I feel at filling them..." Alec went bright red as he parted his lips which Magnus was quick to press his index finger against. "Don't make your decision based on what I say. As I said, tonight is all about you."
"I want you to feel good too." Alec softly whispered.
"I will feel good, because I'm doing this with you."
"Okay."
"So, condoms or not?" Magnus asked again since 'okay' was not an answer.
"N-Not..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Alright. Well, tonight I'll be communicating quite a bit with you Alexander. It will be key for me to see how you are going because its your first time." Alec nodded his head. "I've been thinking about how to go about it, and I think side by side might be nice for us both." The chewing of Alec's bottom lip had Magnus smiling softly as he cupped Alec's cheek once more. "You don't know what I mean by that do you?"
"Sorry..." Alec was becoming ashamed of himself for not having at least done some googling since Magnus and he became boyfriends.
"There is nothing to apologise for. What I'd like you to do, when you are ready, is to lie down on your left side, just like how we sometimes spoon together when we fall asleep." Alec gave a nod in understanding.
"Are you... Are you going to be naked too?"
"I will be."
"Can you be naked now?" Alec asked that with hopeful blue eyes sparkling between the gaps of his messy bangs. The question was so close to making Magnus coo as he beamed his darling boyfriend a smile.
"Anything you want Pretty Boy." Magnus shuffled back into a seated position, legs out straight and back against the headboard. His hands went down towards his belt when he froze momentarily as Alec's pale and slightly shaky hands fell over them. Their eyes met as Alec was currently, and possibly without truly realising it, now sitting on his lower thighs.
"C-Can I?" Magnus dropped his hands away, placing them against his sides and gave a nod of consent. He watched as Alec took a couple of deep breaths, never mind the fact he was currently naked before him, but didn't seem all that concerned about his nudity at this stage. Which for Magnus was an amazing feat for someone as innocent and introverted as Alec, though he suspected all his thoughts were circling his head about tonight being the night that he was going to have sex for the first time.
Magnus shifted his attention back to Alec, finding it utterly adorable how hard Alec was concentrating right now as he undid his belt, slipped it through the loops and then dropped it off the side of the bed, the metal buckle clinking on the floorboards. Magnus' smile widened as Alec cutely fumbled with the button - three times in fact - and then finally his zip was being drawn down.
Of course Magnus couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as the tight pressure against his groin loosened.
"M-Magnus... Up..." Alec licked his lips as Magnus understood what he was asking him and lifted his hips so he could pull his trousers off.
After a few long moments, it appeared Alec was having some difficulty.
"Problems?"
"Are your pants glued to you? I can't get them off!" Alec complained and Magnus couldn't help but chuckle.
"Sweetheart, you are still sitting on my legs so..."
"Oh..." Magnus watched as Alec's cheeks flushed and then shifted off his thighs and with a fluidity that impressed the likes and experience of Magnus, his trousers were removed in one swift move, flying across the room and landing on the desk, making bottles scatter and some fell to the floor. "Um, none of that was breakable right?"
"No Alexander, everything is fine. I'll clean it up later." A wide smile was on Magnus' lips as Alec exhaled his relief as he thought maybe he'd broken something in his overzealous wrenching of removing his pants and possibly thought he ruined the building momentum. "So, what do you want to do now?" Magnus couldn't help but wiggle his hips a little, as though pointedly telling Alec he still had one piece of clothing on.
Magnus watched Alec blush, those blue eyes shifting to his boxer briefs and the older man seriously had to suppress a growl when Alec licked innocently at his lips, still eyeing him. Magnus felt his own heart give a stutter as Alec's shaky fingers, his index ones to be precise, hooked into the waistband of his underwear and slowly dragged them down his toned legs.
"By the angel..." Alec was struck speechless as he stared at Magnus' glorious naked body, eyes fixated on the phoenix tails and how low they dipped down Magnus' body, the tip of the middle feathered tail pretty much just stopping where Magnus' pubic hair started. Of course Alec's eyes didn't stop there as he drifted them down to the half-hard cock. "Oh god..." Alarm bells started ringing in Alec's head once more. If Magnus was indeed going to stick it in, if they got that far since he did say Alec could back out at any time, was that even going to fit!?
"Come here Alexander." Alec jerked from his thoughts at Magnus' melodious voice, his boyfriend coaxing him closer. Alec shuffled closer still, ending up straddling Magnus' lap once more, gasps bursting from their lips as they innocently touched. "Tell me what you are thinking?" Magnus softly murmured as he entwined his hands with Alec, leaning close to skim his lips over the top of Alec's shoulders.
"I guess... I guess I'm just nervous. I don't want to stuff this up." Magnus cupped Alec's face and leaned in, pressing their lips chastely together. Alec returned it instantly and Magnus allowed his dear boyfriend the opportunity to set the pace of the kiss before breaking it.
"How do you feel now?" Magnus placed his hands on Alec's hips.
"Calmer..."
"That's good." Magnus fluttered his hands up and down Alec's thighs, feeling the muscles shudder beneath his ministrations. "Do you feel like you want to continue?"
"Onto my side right?" Magnus nodded his head and watched as Alec laid down facing away from him. He carefully slid up behind his partner, placing his hand lightly on Alec's hip and meld the front of his body to Alec's back, sighing at how well they always fit together. Even more blissfully so with no clothing between them.
"We'll stay like this, just for a few moments so you get the feel of my body being wrapped around yours."
"M-Magnus, you sleep like this with me all the time now."
"Yes, but never naked. Now you can feel everything of me against you." Magnus had propped himself a bit higher onto a mountain of pillows so he could keep an eye on Alec and watched the man blush at his words. He was almost certain Alec shuffled a little, his backside pressing against his cock a bit more, but couldn't be too sure since all his senses were on alert and completely trained on his naked and nervous boyfriend in front of him. "Alexander..." Magnus softly voiced and this time he picked up the shudder from his boyfriend who seemed to enjoy how deep and gravely he sounded right now.
"Y-Yes...?"
"Can you reach over into the side drawer and pull a red bottle from within?" Magnus found it cute that Alec groaned in displease as he did have to shuffle away from him to reach in and pull out said bottle, but his body eased back, tense muscles dissolving and Alec's adorable sigh escaped his lips when Magnus' warmth enveloped him innocently once more.
"Does that really taste like strawberries?" Alec had read the label as 'strawberry delight lubrication gel' and tried not to blush over it.
"Yes, but not as good as real strawberries." Alec would have to take Magnus' word on that. "Before penetration Alexander, I will have to stretch you. Is that alright?" Alec quietly nodded his head, feeling his body tense up even just at the thought of it. "Look at me Alexander." Alec shifted his gaze from staring at the wall across from him, which held a framed image of green rolling hills and what looked like a small village, Alec guessing it was on one of Magnus' travels overseas. The man had said he did a lot of travelling in his late teens and early twenties. Blue orbs finally locked with smouldering brown-golden orbs. "I need for you to relax. I know it might be hard, but I'm not here to hurt you." Alec chewed on his lip. "Do you trust me Alexander?" There was something in Magnus' gaze.
"I do." Alec's heart thundered in his ribcage.
"We'll take this slow and if something is wrong, if you feel it hurts, because for a bit, the stretching is going to be uncomfortable, then you tell me to slow down or stop entirely."
"O-Ok..."
"And if you come again, it doesn't matter. I don't want you feeling embarrassed or ashamed by it. Its all about you and the pleasure you will feel in the moment."
"Magnus..."
"Let me show you what you've been missing Alexander. Let me have the privilege of being your first of many experiences." Magnus all but purred and Alec took in a few deep breaths, body calming and cooling, for now at least, and then gave a nod of consent, a moan bubbling up from within him as Magnus leaned over and pressed their lips together in an insanely intense and tongue laden lip-lock.
Magnus slipped his left arm under Alec's neck and allowed Alec to use his bicep like a pillow, along with their actual pillows too. Alec's own left hand, which his arm was slightly pinned underneath his own body, ended up seeking out Magnus' arm, his hand slipping under his boyfriend's forearm, content with the simple touch as he held on lightly.
"Are you ready to start?"
"Go ahead." Alec mumbled as his eyes fluttered closed when he heard the pop of the cap from the bottle and decided to concentrate on Magnus' lips which were ghosting across the back of his neck and his right shoulder.
Of course Alec jolted when a cold wet digit caressed between his butt cheeks. He stiffened instantly.
"Its alright Pretty Boy, just breathe for me." Alec did as requested. "That's the way Alexander, just take in some nice deep breaths and relax your lower body for me." Magnus began to slide his digit in, revelling at how tight Alec was but remained motionless, to allow the young man to get used to having a finger inside of him. Alec gave a full body shudder whether he wanted to or not and his left hand which had been gripping Magnus' forearm tightened its hold. "Just breathe..." Magnus softly instructed as he pressed a kiss just behind Alec's ear and then sucked greedily on his skin as he pushed in further right up to the last knuckle.
"Ngh!" Alec croaked out, shuddering in front of him, but Magnus picked up that it was a good noise and not a bad one. Alec's grip on his forearm had loosened too. It may have to do with the distraction he was placing on his moaning boyfriend as Magnus lapped at his neck, nibbling against that rather enticing tattoo, sucking once more over the hickey that was already forming there. "M-Magnus..."
"I'm going to start moving it in and out." Alec gave a jerked nod and of course he tensed a couple times before going slack as he was getting used to the weird sensation. "Do you think you are ready for another?" His moaning boyfriend had no ability to properly talk to him and just nodded his head. Magnus went about removing his digit, listening to the whine, which of course got his own dick twitching a little before lubing up some more and then slowly began the difficult task of entering two digits into his boyfriend.
"M-Magnus... Magnus... its..." Magnus paused, only up to the second knuckle.
"Do you need to stop?" Alec shook his head vehemently.
"I... I want more." And his boyfriend blushed at his truthfulness. Magnus was completely enamoured by Alec.
"And you will Sweetheart, but preparation is very important." What Magnus did decide to do was push in a bit more and then crooked his fingers, searching out what would make his boyfriend shudder in his arms.
"OH!" Alec's voice went up in volume and Magnus grinned at the back of Alec's neck knowing what he had just found and brushed upon. He did it again and again and also went in deeper and received delicious moans from Alec's lips, Magnus completely taken by the expressive young man before him and a little surprised when Alec instinctively arched his back which in turn made his butt stick out, his fingers driving in deeper. "By the angel..." Alec groaned out. "More..." He breathlessly drawled and once again Magnus was completely obsessed with his expressive boyfriend.
Alec had never been taught to hide or school his responses or the pleasure that trickled out of him, whether it from his plump red lips, the shudders from his body or the pre-cum dribbling from the tip of his hardened cock. Alec didn't know if any of what he was doing, which wasn't really much in his books, was right or wrong, but good news for him was the fact that Magnus wasn't discouraging it. Alec was undeniably sensitive and his whole body sang beneath Magnus' ministrations, so much so, his body graved much, much more.
"Magnus please..." His flushed ears picked up on his whiny tone and of course his grip tightened on Magnus' arm because the man had suddenly slipped in another finger! Dear angel he now had three in him! How was that possible!?
"Alexander..."
"I... I'm fine." Magnus shifted a little, trying not to place more pressure on his boyfriend, leaving his fingers still and gazed down at Alec's squished facial expression. It was a cross between too much and not enough, or so Magnus was taking a chance on that and after one quick swipe against Alec's sensitive prostate, making his boyfriend jump and gasp out in delight, Magnus retracted his fingers and just listened to Alec's whimpering and panting breaths. When he had gauged Alec's reaction to his ministrations he couldn't help but notice his leaking and now fully erect cock. Magnus suspected that he had, unknowingly, staved off Alec's second orgasm only allowing him a partial one it seemed. He felt a little guilty about it, but really wanted Alec to experience another orgasm with him inside him.
"Do you want more Alexander?"
"Oh god yes..." Well that was more then enough for Magnus. The cap on the lube was popped once more and after some rather painful stroking for Magnus, since he was amazed at his own self control of how turned on he was because of Alec and yet he was so strong willed in this moment not to plunge into the younger man.
With some controlled breathing, a few murmurs to Alec to let him know he was going to start, the theory behind it all was a heck of a lot easier then the practical side. Magnus had forgotten how tight someone could be. He'd not been with a man in quite some time and it had been many years since he were a virgin and had been with one too.
Magnus' sharp ears picked up on Alec's hitching breaths, the unmistakable grunt of displeasure and the fact he froze as the head of his cock had only just pushed through his tight hole, only getting about an inch in as Alec had stiffened immediately at the intrusion. The squeeze on his cock was both pure pleasure and pain for Magnus.
"Alexander..."
"K...Keep going." Magnus took in some deep breaths of his own, schooling the lust and passion within him and craned his head knowing Alec's demand was so very different to how his body was reacting. Magnus had also heard it in Alec's voice too, but now had evidence as he gazed down at the furrowed eyebrows, the pain as clear as day on his face, the downturn of his kissable lips and the trickle of a tear which had escaped the corner of his clenched eyes. Magnus backed off immediately, slipping out of Alec.
"No..." Alec didn't realise, nor did Magnus, he could whine so pitifully, yet hotly, like that. "No Magnus I..."
"Shhh, its alright." Magnus soothed Alec with his words and his ministrations, rubbing his right hand against Alec's hip, before shifting his attention to Alec's lower back and elicited a sweet groan from his boyfriend as he massaged his lower half with circular motions, even going so far as to dig his fingers into Alec's fleshy but firm butt cheeks. "We'll take this slow and start again, but I need you to answer me truthfully Alexander." He got a nod from his willing lover. "Do you feel like I haven't stretched you long enough, stretched you enough at all or am I just not lubricated enough?"
"M-Magnus that's..."
"Don't be embarrassed. You have to tell me." After a full minute of silence, Alec finally got out his answer.
"I think... I think like you said its going to be uncomfortable for a bit because I've never had something like that in me before, but...but I think... I mean... Can we use more lube?" Magnus watched Alec adorably try and hide his face with his right hand. "That's so embarrassing."
"Nothing to be embarrassed about and thank you for being truthful with me." Magnus murmured as he pressed his lips to the back of Alec's neck and then rubbed his right hand up and down Alec's spine before shifting it back over to Alec's right leg and rubbed from knee to hip rather sensually, making sure to get his short sharp nails involved too, earning a delightful shudder from Alec. "Are you ready to give this another go?" Alec nodded enthusiastically. He distinctly heard the familiar pop of the lid and then the squishy and rather hot noises of Magnus lubing himself up attacked Alec's ears. He tried ever so hard not to think of the mental image that was forming in his head of just what Magnus was doing behind him and felt his own dick jump at it. "Let me just..." Alec felt Magnus shuffle behind him a little. "I'm just going to shift you a little bit up on the bed." Alec nodded his head. Who was he to question what Magnus was trying to do so just went with it. Alec took a chance and gazed over his shoulder as he was indeed higher then Magnus in this position now. Those mesmerising brown-golden orbs rose to look up at him, a tender smile on his lips. "Ready?" Alec nodded multiple times when he felt Magnus' head back at his entrance. The feeling was hot and Magnus did feel a heck of a lot slicker then before.
"Ma-Magnus..." Alec let out a moan when he felt the tip of Magnus' slick cock push back in rather fluidly.
"I know its hard, but can you try and relax a bit more for me? Take some deep breaths once more."
"Oh god..." Alec moaned hotly as it suddenly felt a bit better as Magnus slid inside him once more, angled differently it seemed, and now he was further in then he'd gone before. It made Alec shudder all over.
"How is that?"
"S-So good." Of course Alec flushed at his own immediate response.
"Yeah?" Magnus watched Alec nod his head multiple times, watching as his right hand seemed to flail around, almost not sure what he should do with it as his fingers gripped the sheets and comforter beneath him every now and then. Alec's left hand was of course clutching his forearm, just not in a painful grip anymore which was very pleasing for Magnus to realise. So with Alec's flailing arm, Magnus was more then happy to assist the younger man and slid his hand over his, locking his fingers over Alec's before drawing their linked hands to his own bare hip. Alec's short nails dug into his golden-bronze skin instantly and Magnus relished in the slight pain. "Shall I move a little, see how that will feel for you?"
"Y-Yes please..." Magnus carefully, slowly moved his hips, drawing out slowly and listened intently to Alec's sharp intake of air. He stopped for a few extra moments, letting Alec adjust to the fact he was not filled with his cock for a moment and then pushed back in, earning a guttural groan from Alec when he filled him up once more. He did this a few more times before Alec's tone adjusted. Now there were the delightful moans that he'd been waiting for.
Magnus started testing Alec's pain threshold and endurance little by little as he picked up the pace every now and then, but still kept it quite tame in his books. After all, he could be quite wild when he wanted to be, but there was time for that much, much later and now it was all about pleasuring the moaning man lying next to him.
Even with his heart pounding in his chest, Magnus was pleased with the easy glide he now had, sensually pushing and pulling in and out of Alec rather exquisitely.
"St-Still good?" Magnus had never been a stutterer in sex, but the things that Alec was drawing out of him was quite a revelation even to Magnus.
"Mmmm..." Magnus grinned into the back of Alec's neck, lapping at his skin and making his boyfriend shudder as Alec was lost in his own pleasure as his back side pushed back onto Magnus' straining cock, driving it in further.
Alec's mind was reeling right now. He never thought of ever being able to do something like this, something so intimate and intense had never been on his radar and yet here he was, with the most beautiful man he'd ever seen in his life, and that very man's cock was gliding in and out of his clenching hole. It felt incredible, the pain and burning sensation that was previously happening had gone and Magnus was utterly perfect, driving into him with such precision that it had him gasping, groaning and mewling when he started sawing against his rather over sensitive prostate.
"Do you think..." Magnus' movements stuttered as Alec had suddenly pushed back against him with quite the impact, suddenly grinding back into his thrusts with wanton abandon, which of course made a groan burst from Magnus' lips just as a gasp bubbled from Alec's. "I guess... I guess that answers that." Magnus mumbled mainly to himself as he let go of Alec's hand which was still digging into his hip nicely and went about lifting Alec's right leg, under his knee and drew it further to Alec's panting chest.
'By the angel, this man is flexible.' Magnus' inner voice drawled hotly at its conclusion of being able to place Alec into a different position and once again earning several guttural moans from his boyfriend.
"Magnus..." Alec was breathless before and yet now, with the new position, with his leg raised, it seemed to drive Magnus even further in, going in much deeper and drilling into his sensitive prostate on each thrust now. "Oh! Oh god... Magnus I... OH!" Alec cried out, feeling Magnus begin to thrust a little harder into him now and Alec took it all with a grace and poise all his own.
The guttural groans spilling from Alec's lips were spurring Magnus on, his thrusts becoming quicker and yet his withdraws were becoming slower, giving Alec the full effect of how he was being stretched to accommodate him and yet how empty he would feel without him there.
"You are perfect Alexander..." Magnus praised hotly into Alec's reddening ear, tongue lapping at his earlobe as he drew it into his mouth.
"I can't... I can't... I can't..." It was all Alec could get out as his body started shaking.
"Are you close?" Alec nodded vigorously which was Magnus' immediate notion to pull Alec's leg back down, from where he had it. Magnus positioned Alec's leg over his thigh, opening Alec's front up even more and making his boyfriend gasp at the twist of his hip region and the fact he was still drilling into him quite easily, still sawing sensually against his prostate. Alec's own jerks were stuttering as he didn't really have a rhythm right now. That would come with time and more experience in the bedroom, and Magnus was more then fine with that, and just allowed Alec to jerk back onto his cock every now and then and continue to dig his nails into his hip. Magnus would take any minimal pain of what Alec was giving him as it urged him on to allow Alec to reach the ultimate climax.
Magnus was definitely well lubricated now, sliding in and out with precision and ease and could even feel himself leaking a little as he too was so damn close and why wouldn't he be when Alec's hole was clenching hotly around him.
Now with Alec's leg resting over his own, this of course freed up Magnus' right hand as he slid it down Alec's heaving chest, down his shuddering abs before effortlessly wrapping it around Alec's straining cock, making his lover gasp and freeze instantly.
"M-M-M-MAGNUS!" Alec shouted, an all body shudder ripping through him as Magnus drilled him a few more times before Alec exploded, he feeling spots appear in his line of vision as cries of pleasure were ripped from his lips and then suddenly, several seconds after he ejaculated, a warmth burst and enveloped inside of him which warranted another low moan to spill from Alec's lips.
Magnus pulled Alec in closer, his left hand now curling to wrap around Alec's upper body, holding him flush against his panting and sweaty chest and continued to stroke Alec through his orgasm whilst Magnus continued with some short tiny thrusts as his own orgasm finally came to a close.
After several moments, Alec's right hand slipped from clutching at Magnus' hip and shakily he raised it to brush it over his face, trying to rid the sweat from his own brow, his drenched bangs curling at the ends. He let out a shudder as Magnus' right hand finally let go of his slack cock, hand coated in his seed as he lay it flat against his quivering abs. Alec wasn't sure how he felt about being coated in his own semen, not that he had much time to really think on that when another guttural groan burst from his lips as Magnus carefully slipped out of him.
"Sorry, I should have said something." Alec dumbly shook his head, all thought not coherent at this very moment as he almost felt like it was a loss not having Magnus buried within him.
Alec was almost certain he heard himself whimper when suddenly Magnus' warm sweaty body shifted away, leaving him to shudder on the bedsheets alone. He was about to ask his boyfriend not to leave him when he felt a hand brush down his flushed cheek, making him pry his heavy eyes open and Alec found Magnus kneeling beside the bed and smiling fondly at him.
"How do you feel?" Alec knew Magnus was asking him how he was feeling after his two and a bit orgasms. When Magnus had been stretching him, he'd been so close and then his boyfriend had stopped. He wasn't sure if that was on purpose, but it was still an indescribable feeling.
Alec truly wasn't sure how to explain what he was feeling right now and just smiled. Magnus for his part just loved the adorable and goofy grin Alec gave him and couldn't help but feel his own smile widen.
When those lust filled dark sapphire eyes met his gaze once more, Magnus' heart gave another tug for the young man sprawled - soiled and exhausted - on his bed.
"You're so beautiful." Alec mumbled as he lifted his hand which felt like it weighed a tonne as he rested it against Magnus' shoulder, tugging on his boyfriend a little which got Magnus leaning in and he basked in the afterglow of their love making by responding to Alec's adorable kisses by peppering some of his own over Alec's sweaty face, mainly centred around his lips. Obviously.
"Thank you for the compliment." Magnus mumbled softly as Alec's sapphire blue eyes drifted closed once more. "Do you think you have the strength to come and get cleaned up?"
"Tired."
"Dry semen on the skin is not a nice feeling Alexander."
"Just for a bit?" Those blue orbs flicked open for a second, Alec's bottom lip jutting out and Magnus was sunk.
"Alright, just for a bit." Magnus mumbled back and slipped back into the bed, this time rolling Alec over so he was facing him and wound his arms and legs around Alec, listening to his adorable and tired sigh brush over his warm skin as Alec knocked his forehead where his heart was slowly returning to its natural beat. "I've got you Alexander." Magnus mumbled as he pressed a kiss to the top of Alec's head, fingers gliding through his sweaty locks as he lulled Alec into slumber and in turn, it didn't take long for Magnus to close his own eyes for a moment too.
#
Alec startled awake, heavy eyes drifting open to see Magnus moving back into his room from his ensuite. He was in a pair of red boxer briefs and a towel was being brushed through his washed hair.
"You're finally awake."
"How long was I out?" Alec's voice was a bit croaky.
"Just a little over an hour." It was then that Alec's brain and eyes were finally in sync as they were registering that Magnus, his gorgeous boyfriend - and his new lover - was right in front of him and only in a pair of underwear. He was able to see all of this gorgeous man and couldn't help but drift his blue eyes down to Magnus' sizable package. By the angel that had been IN him! A chuckle soon echoed in the bedroom as Alec jerked his gaze up, cheeks flushing as he knew he'd been caught. "Do you think you can muster the strength to get cleaned up now?"
"I think so..." Alec tried clearing his throat, grateful when Magnus placed out a glass of water to him and he gulped it down. Of course his voice was going to be scratchy when Magnus had him moaning, groaning and shouting so much just over an hour ago. Alec handed back the empty glass and finally sat up, Magnus' smooth hands assisting him before a gasp broke from Alec's lips. "Oh my god..."
"Sweetheart, are you alright?" There was worry in those brown-golden orbs as sapphire blue locked with his.
"M-Magnus did I... Did I wet myself somehow?" Alec was absolutely mortified at the prospect. His freaked out gaze watched as Magnus' drifted away, he following it to see he was looking past his slack groin area and over his hip. "Oh!" Alec exclaimed, cheeks flaming red as he dropped back down onto the pillows, hands flying to cover his face as he could feel some of Magnus' semen dribbling out of him. The entire reaction had Magnus internally swooning.
"I've drawn you a bath. Let me carry you there."
"I... I'm fine. I can..." Alec gasped as Magnus effortlessly picked him up, and not even in a romantic way! Magnus had pretty much thrown Alec over his shoulder and was carting him to the bathroom! Alec had half a mindset to throw one hand against his butt trying not to show Magnus how much fluid was oozing out of him, even though the man would have a front row seat to it since his backside was pretty much in Magnus' face. By the angel the aftermath of having made love for the first time with Magnus was so not romantic to Alec at all!
The unromantic carrying to Magnus' ensuite, which didn't take long at all, ended quickly as Alec was placed back on his wobbly legs, his right hand gripping Magnus' bicep.
"Step into the bath, I think the temperature will be perfect." Indeed it was. Magnus coaxed Alec in, he slowly lowering his aching body into the bubbled water. "I've used another couple of my bath bombs, this one is to help ease aching muscles."
"Smells nice." Alec mumbled as Magnus helped him all the way under the waters warm depths.
"Its got Epsom salts, coconut oil and a few essential oils like juniper, clary sage, eucalyptus and peppermint." Magnus watched a grimace flit across Alec's face. "I recommend resting on your hip." Alec followed Magnus' suggestion and rested on his left hip and then leaned his head against the lip of the bath, curling his body up some and the pressure taken off his backside felt a lot better. It wasn't long before Magnus was raising his head and placing a towel underneath it to use as a cushion. This was like the bath Magnus drew him when he'd found out about Jace's drug problems.
Alec's eyes were half lidded as he watched Magnus turn to leave.
"Don't go." Brown-golden orbs shifted to look down at him. Alec reached out his hand. "Stay with me?"
"Whatever you want." Magnus mumbled as he took a seat on the small stool and entwined his fingers on his left hand with Alec's right one which was resting out of the bath and the warm water. Magnus didn't even care that he was only in his red boxer briefs still and started dipping his right hand into the greenish water every now and then and then glided his fingers through Alec's locks of hair, smoothing out the unruly and sweaty strands within minutes.
It wasn't long before Alec was gripping his hand a little tighter. Magnus knew immediately what was happening. The last of his cum was expelling itself from Alec's body. It really did feel like you were soiling yourself.
"That's...weird..." Magnus couldn't help but chuckle a little as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Alec's forehead.
"You can get used to it over time or if you don't like it at all we'll adjust to using condoms instead." Magnus watched Alec shake his head but never elaborated any further as he looked like he was falling asleep in the bath. "Sweetheart, don't fall asleep."
"Tired though..." Came the cute mumble.
"We are going to have to work on your stamina."
"K..." A cute yawn followed suit and as insanely adorable as his boyfriend was, Magnus had enough and coaxed Alec to sit up a little straighter as he ran a frothy sponge over his sensitive body and tried to do it as quickly as possible without getting the younger man off. It seemed to work and soon he was heaving Alec out of the bath and towelling him dry.
Not bothering with underwear for Alec, Magnus just coaxed him into a pair of cotton slacks that he owned as sometimes he wore them if he wasn't in the mood for his silky pyjamas - which didn't happen often - and then directed Alec back to his bed, only to stand at the side of it to see the sheets and comforter covered in semen and of course damp with their sweat too.
"Well that won't do." Magnus looked at his partner, noticing he looked ready to pass out any second and directed Alec to carefully sit down in his plush chair, making sure to throw a couple pillows on it before lowering Alec down. Instinctively Alec shifted onto his side, once again placing his weight on his left hip. He knew those half lidded sparkling blue orbs were watching him as he reefed off the sheets and comforter, rolling them into a large ball and shoving them into the corner of his room to worry about later and then moved about, swapping the black and gold soiled sheet and comforter set with fresh deep purple cotton sheets and a black, purple and silver comforter. "Come on sweetheart." Magnus cooed as he carefully pulled Alec to the bed and then laid him down on his right hip, once more facing him as Magnus slipped under the sheets too and pressed his forehead to Alec's.
"Magnus..."
"Hmm...?" He mumbled back, lifting his hand and brushing a curled strand of hair out of Alec's eye, which was closed anyway.
"You're amazing." Magnus grinned as he tilted his head and pressed his lips to Alec's, listening to his adorable sigh, not having the energy to respond, though Magnus didn't mind at all.
Alec for his part was wrong about his previous thoughts. This was romantic.
"Sweet dreams Pretty Boy." Magnus murmured as his own eyes suddenly felt heavy as he slipped his hand around Alec's waist and splayed it at his lower back, keeping contact with his lover so he knew he was there.
Today couldn't have gone better for Magnus. He had helped guide Alec in the most intimate dance known to man. He showered him in kisses and praises, though not as many as he would have liked. He then caressed shuddering pale skin which he was so addicted to and sensually glided in and out of a tight, hot wet hole which if he wasn't careful he was certain the imagery in his head would make him have to make the journey to the toilet and get himself off a second time.
Magnus' saving grace was the content sigh in front of him and he pressed his lips to Alec's forehead once more, not for a single moment doubting his skills or the fact Alec had enjoyed himself just as much as he did.
Magnus hoped for many more times from here on out.
#
(Later that day...)
Alec woke up to an empty bed and though he was sore (for obvious reasons) the grin on his lips would not budge as he brushed his hand over the side of the bed where he would usually find Magnus. It was cold to the touch so the man had obviously been up for awhile.
Carefully Alec slid out of bed, grimacing at the throbbing in his butt and the ache in his lower back and hips and went to relieve himself and then washed his hands and face and borrowed some of Magnus' deodorant to feel a little fresher. He then sifted around the bedroom to try and find some more clothing and it was then he noticed some folded clothes on the perfectly tidy desk, Alec arching an eyebrow at the fact that Magnus had pottered around and cleaned up and he'd not roused from slumber at all!
Shaking his head of such thoughts, Alec found a pair of clean boxer briefs, dark grey and then a light grey tank and a black sweater. Comfort clothing for his uncomfortable (mainly aching) body. He really had a very sweet boyfriend as Alec don the clothing, knowing he just couldn't go commando as the feeling was too weird for him.
When Alec shifted his gaze to the small old fashioned clock on the desk, he was quite surprised to see he had pretty much slept the entire day away!
Alec's stomach grumbled loudly again and he knew he needed to go get some food. As he headed down the hallway, his lips grinned when he heard Magnus' melodious voice fill the air and just as he reached the living room he listened to the man finishing off placing a phone order in for quite a bit of pizza and pasta.
"Are we having a party?" Magnus gasped and turned around to face him, quickly finishing off his call and then placing his phone on the coffee table.
"I didn't realise you were up."
"I was hungry." Alec drifted his gaze up and down Magnus as he was dressed in his silk black slacks and teal shirt ensemble, the fake jewels twinkling in the down-lights of the living room. Magnus' hair was still back in a ponytail and his eye-liner was perfect. Still an absolute vision to Alec, but it was then he realised he actually kind of missed the man just being in his red boxer briefs. Or naked. Of course that made a blush rush across Alec's cheeks and he got a knowing look from Magnus as though the older man knew exactly what he had been thinking and walked over.
"I was coming to wake you." Magnus softly rested his hands against Alec's hips and then leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to Alec's lips. "How do you feel?"
"Sore." His cheeks warmed even more. "Its a good sore though." Alec quickly added on and he truly meant it too.
"I have a special ointment that is good for those aches and pains around your hips and lower back."
"Does that mean your magic hands are going to rub it in?" Alec was grinning as Magnus had a look of shock on his face at his surprising question.
"Why Alexander..." Magnus lifted one hand from Alec's hip and gripped his chin, tilting his head as he drew his lips down, gifting his boyfriend with a thorough kiss. A tiny groan bubbled up from Alec. "Maybe later Pretty Boy."
"Why not now?" Blue eyes twinkled and Magnus shook his head like perhaps he'd woken a sexual beast within Alec.
"We do have dinner being delivered."
"Yeah but that'll be like, half an hour right?" Magnus had to fight the shudder as Alec fluttered a hand down his back and over the curve of his ass. Just where had this boldness come from?
"My goodness, what have I woken in you?" Magnus mumbled against Alec's up-turned lips and stole the very breath from his younger lover once more. When Magnus pulled back, it was so cute the way Alec tried chasing him. "As much as I would love to take you to bed again..." He delighted in Alec's blush (as usual) and the jolt his body gave when he pulled him in closer, their groins brushing. "We in fact cannot." A pout formed instantly on Alec's face. "I may have organised a surprise for you. And what I hope is a good surprise too."
"What?" As if right on schedule there was a knock at Magnus' front door. "Are the kids coming home?" Magnus quite liked the excitement in Alec's voice and the sweet happy look on his face at the thought of seeing his children. They'd only been gone for a day and his boyfriend missed them terribly. It was adorable.
"Not my kids." Magnus voiced as he pressed his lips to Alec's once more and then headed for the door. He turned to face Alec who was standing in the middle of his open plan living room, looking so very pretty in his baggy and unflattering clothing, hair a rumbled delicious mess and quite the sizable hickey on his throat.
'Maybe you should not have done that where it is on full view.' Magnus' internal voice quipped.
"What does that mean?" Alec questioned, starting to move towards him but Magnus placed up his hand, silently advising Alec to stay where he was.
"I'm talking about 'your kids' Alexander." Magnus turned the handle and pulled the door open, watching for Alec's reaction and observed as one hand slapped over his mouth and the other fisted into the material of his sweater, clutched near his heart, those beautiful sapphire blue eyes widening and tearing up.
"Oh shit..." Magnus was certain there was a tremble to Alec's body as he quickly shifted his gaze and was pleasantly surprised that not only was Max and Izzy there, but Jace as well! Magnus wasn't sure if Max bullied his older siblings into coming or not, but it didn't matter. They were all here. And they were here for Alec.
Brown-golden orbs quickly filled with worry as Alec's legs could not hold him up any more and he landed a little heavily on his knees on the plush rug, but didn't even flinch as his eyes were still drawn to the three awkward Lightwood's still standing outside his apartment.
"Get in here and go give your brother a hug." Was Magnus' pushy greeting as he watched Max and Izzy go dashing over to Alec, tears in everyone's eyes as they fell to the rug and wrapped their arms around him.
"I love you." Magnus grinned as he heard Izzy and Max state that at the same time. Alec was a shaking mess but his arms lifted up as he wrapped them around his siblings and nodded his head vigorously, unable to form any words right now.
"What are you still standing here for?" Magnus shifted his gaze to Jace. "Get over there." He ordered once more. And to Magnus' surprise, the blonde did!
Jace went striding over, and though he sunk to the floor, between Alec and Max, he seemed to hesitate in that moment. It was Alec who pulled him in and Magnus grinned wide as he listened to the mumbles of apologies, promises to do better, to talk more and of course more declarations of love.
"Um..." Magnus jerked his attention to his front door. "Delivery for Bane?"
"That's me." Magnus beamed a smile as he shifted away from his door to a pottery bowl where he kept his keys and other random trinkets and loose change and pulled some tip money from within.
When he moved back to his entranceway the young delivery boy was looking at the four Lightwood's hugging it out.
"Family reunion." Magnus explained as he handed over a tip, taking the bag filled with a variety of pasta dishes and the four boxes containing pizza and kicked the door closed.
Magnus walked past the mumbling and crying Lightwood's and placed everything on his dining table and then shifted into the kitchen to pull plates, bowls, cutlery and napkins from cupboards and drawers. He also grabbed some glasses and an orange flavoured soft drink and a jug of iced tea (home brewed) from the fridge too. As tempting as having an alcoholic beverage was, Magnus thought best against it and was pretty pleased with himself.
He brought everything to the table and shifted his gaze back to the hugging family.
"Oi, oi, isn't it time to break that up? I'm feeling quite left out you know." Puffy eyes gazed over at his gentle smiling face. "Dinner is going cold Lightwood's."
Max was the first to his feet and Magnus thought it was just because he was hungry, but turns out he was heading directly for him and not the table behind him and ran straight into his chest!
"Thank you Magnus." Max's arms wound around his waist, giving him a tight squeeze, a la Alec. Magnus returned the hug, dropping his lips to fluffy brown hair and shifted his gaze to sparkling blue orbs looking over at him.
Alec gingerly rose to his full height, trying ever so hard not to blush and give away the fact he'd just had sex with his current 'secret' boyfriend several hours ago.
"The pleasure is all mine Maximilian. I also remembered to order a pepperoni pizza just for you." The teen grinned happily as he went to sit down at the table. "You know what, lets just use the dining table to lay out the hearty spread and we can all sit and relax on the lounge suite." The grateful look from Alec was not missed by anyone though no one said a thing. "Start digging in Maxi." Magnus requested of the youngster and made his way over to Alec's other siblings.
"Magnus Bane, its a pleasure to meet you." Magnus introduced himself once more, earning a grin from Izzy and a tiny one from Jace as he shook their hands. He wanted to turn over a new leaf with them. "I've got the perfect eye ointment if you would like to use some, my dear?" Izzy shifted her gaze to Magnus and gave a nod. "Don't let dinner get cold." He shooed off the brothers and placed out his hand to Izzy, directing her towards the hallway.
"Magnus!" He had enough time to turn around, staggering back a little, his left hand splayed on the wall behind him as Alec had thrust himself into his arms! "Thank you." The blue eyed beauty mumbled against his shoulder, squeezing him tight.
"Alec..." Magnus mumbled as he patted him gently on the back. "You're hugs are tight." Alec flushed as he let go, a sheepish grin on his lips. "Go plate up, and don't you dare eat all the carbonara on me." Magnus winked as Alec finally backed off and pulled Jace towards the feast on offer as the Lightwood brothers broke into light conversation.
"Magnus..." Brown-golden orbs shifted to the young woman at his side.
"Oh! Now to get you that eye cream." He headed towards the main bathroom where he opened up the vanity and squat down to pull yet another container from within. "This is a special blend I made myself after one too many hangovers over the years. Its got tea extract in it and works wonders." Magnus offered up, still crouched on the ground and handed it wordlessly to Izzy as she placed some on her index finger and then dabbed around her eyes.
"Thanks," She handed it back and Magnus placed it away, closing the cupboard and then rose to his full height. Before Magnus could leave the bathroom, Izzy's hand wrapped around his wrist and their eyes met. "I saw it."
"It?" Magnus watched as Izzy tapped at her neck. "Oh, yes, that. I suppose saying he tripped and fell won't convince you?"
"Not unless he tripped and fell onto your mouth."
"Damn, why are you Lightwood's so smart?"
"We have our moments." Izzy grinned.
"Look, its not something Alec is really ready to talk about." Izzy furrowed her eyebrows at that. "He wants to keep it between us."
"What do you want?"
"Just give him some time." Magnus avoided the question like a pro. "I think he's still trying to wrap his head around the fact that someone is interested in him." Magnus huffed as he placed his hands on his hips. "Granted it is a pretty obvious hickey but I'm hoping that the three of you will not just stare at it and make him feel self conscious?"
"Its kind of hard not to."
"Yes well, chalk it up to how delectable your brother is. I couldn't resist." Magnus watched Izzy pull a face. "Too much?"
"Maybe." She gave him a small grin.
"Please keep this to yourself for the time being alright? Don't go telling your brothers because that is something that Alec needs to gain the courage in. Just believe in him from now on that whilst it will take time, he will be honest and open with you. Well, on most things I imagine." Izzy grinned at that. "That boy is such an adorable introvert, I need to snap him out of it sometimes."
"Hopefully not the adorable part?"
"Oh definitely not."
"Look, I don't care who Alec dates, just as long as they treat him right."
"Fair enough." They both fell quiet for a moment until Izzy raised her brown eyes once more to Magnus'.
"What Jace said at the apartment..."
"Don't go there." Magnus was quick to interject and Izzy snapped her mouth shut. Magnus suddenly tilted his head when noise was coming from the living room and felt his eyebrows furrow. "Did we just get called Mizzy?"
"No," Izzy laughed heartily. "Alec's mouth is muffled with dinner but what I heard was Magnus and Izzy hurry up as Jace and Max are eating all the food."
"Huh, you speak muffled Alexander, I may have to ask for lessons." Magnus brushed past Izzy, stopping when she took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you." Magnus read much more in that and gave a nod as they headed back into the living room to see two of the pasta dishes were indeed empty and one and a half pizza boxes as well.
"Oh my god, don't eat all of Magnus' food!" Izzy barked off in displease as she turned her narrowed gaze to Jace and Max who were pointing at each other and blaming the other. Magnus couldn't help but grin wider when Alec cracked up. Being able to see that smile and hear that laugh was such a reward. Plus it was so cute the way the dear boy was curled into the corner of the couch, resting on his right hip and one of Magnus plush cushions was at the small of his back. He had a bowl of pasta in his hands, suspiciously looking like a lot of carbonara and Chairman was flaked out on his left thigh. That little cat sure did love him, but Magnus guessed it would always be that way when he had rescued the tiny feline.
Magnus took a plate of pizza and sat down in one of the armchairs, not trusting himself to sit next to Alec as he was more certain then ever he would coax the man into his arms.
"Don't look at me like that. You got two carbonaras." Magnus grinned as Alec began shovelling the pasta into his mouth. He was pretty much running low on energy after all.
"Hey Magnus," Brown-golden orbs shifted to the youngest Lightwood as Izzy stepped over Max and sat on the lounge with Alec, though she curled into the opposite corner. "Where are your kids?"
"They are with their Uncle this evening."
"Aww, so I don't get to see my little Max."
"Your little Max?" Alec arched his eyebrow at his kid brother.
"Yeah, I'm big Max, he's little Max. We have a connection." Max grinned as he remembered the wonder on young Max Bane's face at meeting someone who had the same name as him. He'd never forget it.
"Same IQ..." Max threw his pizza crust at Jace as it hit him on the chest.
"Oi Max, don't throw food."
"Sorry..." His bespectacled eyes drifted over to Magnus who just chuckled and shook his head. "I didn't realise you had a brother Magnus."
"We are not related, but he does get the honours of that title though he might not think it an honour." Magnus grinned as Alec snorted at that.
"Oh..." Max munched on another slice of pizza. "Do you have any actual brothers?"
"Max..." Alec began.
"Or sisters?" Izzy piped up.
"Iz..." Magnus placed up his hand telling Alec it was alright.
"I do not. Not blood related in any case. I lost my mother when I was very young and was shuffled through the system for a little bit." Magnus watched mouths drop open. "And that's pretty much all I have to say about that, but I do have three very close friends who are indeed like family to me. So for me, they are not blood related, but I do have two brothers and a sister. I constantly suffer from middle child syndrome." Magnus voiced rather dramatically and delighted in Alec's laughter. "You inhaled that pasta rather quickly Alexander, would you like some pizza?"
"If your getting up to get something else, sure." Alec handed over his empty bowl of pasta and Magnus took it to the table and then filled a plate with four slices of pizza: 2 BBQ chicken, 1 pepperoni and a slice of supreme. He also came over with the jug of iced tea and refilled Alec's glass and did the same for his own before going back over to pick up the left over pasta container and took it back to his chair and gracefully sat down.
"No, its alright Magnus, I don't need anything." Brown-golden orbs shot over to Izzy's twinkling ones whilst also picking up on the furrowed eyebrows from Alec as the tease in her voice completely went over him it seemed.
"I'm sorry my dear, but I only take care of truly special people." The slightly narrowed and confused look which was shifting between Magnus and Izzy had their grins widening.
"Hey Magnus?" The older man shifted his gaze and attention to Max once more. "Do you still want to go to the museum with me? To see that exhibition?"
"Are you still going to become a man and ask Livia out for real?" The older adults in the apartment shifted their gazes to a blushing Max who just nodded his head.
"That's my boy." Magnus nodded his head as he picked up his glass and took a sip of his iced tea. "And you bet I'm coming. Alec and I did promise to be your chaperone's. Though I'm a bit swamped with work at the moment."
"That's alright, the exhibition wraps up in the new year." Out of the corner of Magnus' eye he watched Izzy shuffle closer to Alec and softly ask him how his recovery was going whilst also listening to Jace tease Max about who the heck this 'Livia chick' was. Magnus grinned into his glass as Alec mumbled he was all better and even more so now that the three of them were here too and cuddled his sister into his side whilst placing a kiss to her temple, Izzy melting fast into the comforting arms of her big brother.
Magnus' eyes caught Izzy's and she blew him a kiss which made him grin widely as he gave her a wink before shifting out of his seat and going to sit on the rug, leaning on his coffee table as Max was to his left and Jace was opposite him.
"So Maxi, how did your last school project go?"
"Pretty good I think. My teacher liked it though we officially don't get our final results until next week. I'm so nervous about it."
"Tell me you took a photo of the finished product?"
"I did. Want to see?"
"You bet."
"They're like kindred spirits." Magnus heard Izzy mumble softly to Alec and listened to his quiet chuckle but didn't hear a response and didn't bother to turn around to see if Alec was nodding affirmatively or not.
"Wow Maxi that is amazing." Magnus was not trying to win points with the kid as he drifted his eyes over the image and even zoomed in to take a look at the detail. "The colours are lovely, the detail and paint strokes are impeccable. You are so getting a scholarship." Max's smile could have lit up the room.
"Can I?" Jace held out his hand and Magnus handed the phone over. "That is pretty cool Squirt." Jace offered his own praise. "Is that Niagara Falls in the autumn?" Max nodded his head.
"When Alec surprised us with that trip out there, it was the first time the four of us had been together in months. It stuck with me so I wanted to put a treasured memory to paper. Or paint in this case."
"Max..." Bespectacled eyes shifted over to his widely grinning big brother who was still cuddling their sister.
"When I get it back, I want you to have it." Alec lost his voice at that and just nodded his head, completely touched by his kid brother's words.
"That's a cool idea Max."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Jace ruffled his hand through his brother's scruffy hair and all of them listened to Max's delighted giggle. Magnus felt his heart give a tug as it so sounded like a certain someone else in the room.
"Oh Maximilian, you are so like your brother." Eyes shifted to Magnus and he sat up a little straighter. "Oh, sorry, I meant that one?" Magnus shrugged his thumb over his right shoulder, pointing in Alec's general direction.
"I knew who you meant Magnus."
"Oh, well, you know, I didn't want to seem like I was offending anyone." The room fell quiet. "Starting from tonight that is." And the apartment erupted into laughter.
Alec's eyes drifted over the room, watching Magnus chat with his brothers like he'd known them for years, never mind the fact 24 hours ago he'd chewed them out, then he'd found out about Jace's problems and yet here they all were, and now he had his baby sister cuddled into him. Aside from not having Magnus' kids here and with his butt still sore, Alec felt like everything was pretty bloody perfect right now and closed his eyes for a moment.
#
Alec was jerked awake, not realising he had fallen asleep in the first place as his siblings were heading out. He frowned since he felt like he'd missed time with them but beamed a smile when Izzy said they should all find a day in their schedules to block out and just have family night. Alec's gaze drifted over to Magnus for a split second and listened to Magnus approve of that in seconds.
"Having a day just for family is very important. And with how busy all of you are and with everything that has happened, a scheduled day together will bring you closer."
"What day is good for everyone?" Max questioned.
"Not sure, I'll have to reconvene and ask my employer." They all watched Magnus roll his eyes.
"You can have whatever day you want Alexander."
"What about Wednesday's? Its part way through the week and won't feel as long when we get to see each other again."
"Alec, you do realise that no matter what day you choose, its still going to be an actual week until we see each other again right?" Max snorted as he was suddenly pulled into his brother's arms and given a crushing hug.
"Don't get smart with me you little punk. Let me have my simple dumb logic." Jace cracked up and shook his head as he thumped his brother on the shoulder and headed for the door with Izzy and Max, once the youngster was able to escape his brother's clutches that is. "You three going to be alright getting home?" Alec and Magnus watched as the three younger Lightwood's eyed each other before shifting their gaze back to them and grinning widely.
"Yes, dad." All three drawled simultaneously earning a look of shock and surprise from Alec as his blue eyes widened, but his lips did form into an astonishing grin at how they addressed him, albeit teasingly too.
"Cheeky brats." Alec mumbled as he gave them a wave before shifting his attention to Magnus who was right at his side. "Tonight was amazing."
"It was, wasn't it?" Magnus leaned into Alec, pressing a light kiss to his cheek.
"I felt like Izzy and Jace kept looking at me throughout dinner though. You don't think they know do you?"
"Well..."
"Hey Alec," The man in question jerked a little further away from Magnus, eyes wide as he thought his siblings had already left! "Nice hickey." And with that Jace finally closed the front door, being pulled away by Max who was telling him to shut up.
Alec went beet red in the face, his younger siblings missing it all, but Magnus had the suspicion that they knew their darling big brother was going to react like that anyway as Magnus observed Alec slap his hand against his neck. Too little, too late.
"Oh god, I forgot you did that! What the hell am I going to do now?"
"Wear it proudly?" Narrowed eyes shifted over to him.
"I thought we agreed to keep this between us?"
"Well, you made that assumption up on your own." Alec pouted. "And whilst I had all of five seconds as to whether to tell you about the hickey or not, before your siblings showed up earlier then I thought they were coming, seemingly all eager to see you, but really Alexander, it is your own fault."
"What?! How?!" Magnus slid up to Alec, now knowing the coast was clear and wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him flush against his body.
"You obliterated my control, I couldn't help myself."
"Oh..." A blush graced Alec's cheeks.
"So, now that we have none of your siblings here any more and the kids don't come home until tomorrow, what do you want to do now?" Magnus wriggled his eyebrows.
"Can I... Can I hug you?" Magnus spread his arms wide, even though they were practically hugging as it was, and a massive grin split his face as Alec fell into him.
"I have the cutest boyfriend in the world." Magnus praised adoringly and listened to Alec grumble at it. Magnus pressed a kiss to Alec's head. "You don't even have to ask either Alexander." Magnus whispered softly as he secured his arms around the delightfully sighing young man.
'Here's to things looking up for you.' Magnus voiced internally.
"How about we leave the dishes until tomorrow and suss out that ointment?" Magnus sultrily mumbled, nipping at Alec's neck and making him giggle sweetly.
Magnus grinned even more when Alec took hold of his hand and dragged him towards his bedroom.
#
(The next day)
Alec had been pottering around as per usual, hips and butt doing a lot better. Magnus' ointment and his massage did work wonders last night. And it was ONLY that, but Alec enjoyed himself immensely.
Knowing the kids were coming back tonight, Alec felt a new spring in his step as he'd done a whole lot of baking, grinning like an idiot just thinking about the adorable and excited looks Magnus' kids would have on their faces once they looked upon his creations.
"What's that adorably goofy grin for?" Alec jerked his gaze up, wincing when the tip of the knife grazed the side of his index finger, just like when one got a paper cut. "Oh! Alec I'm sorry." Magnus was beside him in seconds directing him to wash his tiny cut before pulling out a band-aid from the first aid kit under the sink and wrapped it around Alec's finger. Magnus bent down and kissed it. "There, all better."
"What are you doing home so early?" Alec inspected the carrots he'd been cutting into thin strips to make sure none of them had any blood on them and then placed them into a bowl, wrapped it with cling film and then placed it to the side and washed his knife and board before drying them and setting them back down, ready to use again as he had some red bell peppers to slice.
"What are you creating in the kitchen this time?"
"I'm going to do a sweet chilli chicken stir fry with noodles for the kids. The noodles are going to be nice thick egg ones, and long too, so we might get a little messy tonight and eat with our fingers."
"Really? And what do I get, chopped liver?" Magnus mockingly teased as Alec uncharacteristically poked his tongue out.
"Hey now, I'll have none of that unless its on me thank you very much." Alec flushed a little and with some coaxing from Magnus - he was tugging childishly on his shirt after all - Alec leaned in and pressed his lips to Magnus' for a midday greeting. Alec pulled away, licking his lips before his eyes drifted down to the yellow envelope he hadn't noticed before.
"What's that?"
"Why don't you have a seat." Alec suddenly felt nervous as he sat down on a stool, Magnus right at his side as he swivelled around to face him, left hand on the envelope. "The referral came through." Alec's eyes widened. "My old therapist sent it off to the Sanctuary and they sent me an email with the following paperwork. They need way more information then I am aware of about Jace." Magnus pulled it from the envelope and handed it to Alec, watching his blue eyes drift all over it.
"I need a pen." Magnus pulled one from the magnetic container stuck to the side of the fridge and watched Alec click it as he began scribbling down all of Jace's details and medical history since he knew it all off by heart.
"There is one problem Alexander." Blue eyes gazed up at him as Alec just finished the first page and was moving onto the second. This boy was a speed writer. "In order to secure his spot, they needed the deposit like yesterday." Magnus rolled his eyes dramatically even though he wasn't actually joking.
"But, I can't access those funds without written application." Alec watched Magnus tilt his head at that. "I did it that way so it couldn't be broken into so easily. That money was saved for their educations, but with Max likely to get a scholarship and Jace not really thinking of going back to University, which pretty much just leaves Izzy's debt now. That means I can make application, explain Jace's current health issues and I'm sure the bank will release the funds to me, though its highly unlikely to be in the next 24 hours."
"Which is why I'll give them one of my accounts to speed the process along."
"What!? No! You can't do that! Magnus that's..."
"Alexander," Magnus cupped his face, stopping the rant. "Think of it as a loan." Magnus watched his boyfriend's face scrunch up. "Alright, so poor choice of words there, but seriously Alexander, this is how it has to be." Alec parted his lips. "For now." His lips snapped shut. "You can still make application, just modify it slightly stating you are repaying your employer due to needing funds for a family medical emergency. If they knock it back, we'll think of something else alright?" Magnus never got a response. "You don't want to loose this spot do you?"
"N-No..."
"Then finish completing the paperwork and I'll go grab the account details. We'll sign the documentation together, like we are both Jace's guardians and so they don't stall the process and think you just pulled those account details out of thin air." Alec chewed on his bottom lip, mind and heart torn. "When I get back to work I'll scan it all through and we can get it all locked in. I'm sure it'll all be processed by tonight, and tomorrow, Jace can enter rehab."
"To-Tomorrow? So soon?"
"You want him to get better don't you?" Alec jerked his head into a nod. Of course he did. "Then this is the way it has to be. The faster we can get him some professional help, since his drug habit has been going on for years now, so they will assess him and see what he needs. He will require regimenting, discipline and structure." The crushing look on Alec's face made Magnus' heart sink. "You need to be strong for him Alec. I'll come with you tomorrow. We'll take him there together. I'll even drive us alright?" Alec gave a nod of the head. "Now finish that paperwork." Magnus headed off to his safe which was bolted to the floor in this walk-in-robe and placed in his four digit code and then pulled out some documents, snapping a picture of the details required on his phone and then locked it back up.
When Magnus returned to the kitchen, Alec was sitting rather stiffly and just starring down at the application form, eyes narrowed at the 'payment' section. Magnus softly placed his hand on Alec's back and then picked up the pen and started writing the account details down and then signed the consent section, along with Alec, and then dated it accordingly.
"What do I say to him?" Alec's voice was so soft Magnus barely heard him.
"As much or as little as you want. You can go into great detail as to how this came about or just simply state you've found him a place to go to, a very reputable place, and that we'll be around tomorrow to pick him up."
"Alright..." The sagging of the shoulders had Magnus pulling out his phone.
"Did you want to see what the kids have been up to?" Alec nodded his head and Magnus flipped his phone to show him as Raphael had taken photos of them sprawled in his lounge and in various stages of playing games, building fortresses and also drawing. "This final finished product is my personal favourite."
The kids had massive smiles on their faces and they held up an A3 size drawing which was a round face with messy black hair, bright blue eyes, a wonky nose and a light pink crescent shaped tiny smile. The round face had a stumpy looking neck and the kids had even had a go at trying to draw Alec's neck tattoo and then in each corner of the page sat a love heart and within the heart was scribbled names. Top left had 'Papa', top right had 'Madz', bottom left had 'Raph' and bottom right had 'Maxi'.
"I had no idea my nose was that bad." Alec chuckled when Magnus thumped him on the shoulder even though he knew he was only joking. It wasn't long before a boldness came over Alec and he gripped the lapels of Magnus' jacket and pulled him in for a kiss.
"Thanks Magnus."
"Its my pleasure." Alec watched him glance down at his watch. "Need to head back?" Magnus gave a nod and cupped Alec's cheek.
"You going to be alright?"
"Can you send me that picture? It'll keep me going until I can physically hug my little princess and princes' once I pick them up this afternoon."
"I can do that." Magnus leaned down and smacked his lips against Alec's once more, picking up the completed documentation, signalling silently he would take care of it and then headed out. He had only told Clary he'd be gone for twenty minutes but it was already ticking towards an hour.
Alec sat for several long moments in the quiet of the apartment before picking up his phone and hovering over whether he should call or message Jace.
Alec opted for messaging.
'Pack a bag and be ready by 8am. Magnus and I are coming to get you.' Alec didn't bother explaining it any further since he just didn't know how. Within seconds, Jace had responded.
'See you tomorrow.' It was almost like his brother knew.
#
(The next day...)
Seeing the children yesterday really did pick up Alec's mood. There was lots of hugs and kisses and eating dinner with their fingers and having one too many baked treats and then several bedtime stories. It was perfect.
It was only when the apartment turned quiet, when angelic cherubs were fast asleep and Alec could sit and think did his mind begin to wander. Just as Magnus had predicted, by that evening the both of them had received confirmation emails and messages about Jace's successful application to Idris Rehabilitation Sanctuary and how pleased they were to receive him to help him in his utmost time of need.
They had both placed their contact details down on the form as emergency next of kin in case something happened and Alec couldn't be reached.
The message, when Alec read it, sounded far too impersonal to Alec but Magnus assured him the Sanctuary was an amazing place and the success rate there for kicking whatever bad habits you had was above 80%. You couldn't knock the statistics and with a heavy heart Alec knew this is what had to happen.
Magnus convinced him to have a shower and gave him the option of sleeping alone if he wanted to be alone that is, but when he was finished in the shower, Alec was dressed in his chequered pyjama pants and a long sleeved black shirt. Magnus had been reading a book but placed it down when Alec crawled into his bed and rested his head on Magnus' thigh. Blue eyes fluttered closed as Magnus glided his fingers through his hair.
Alec's sleep had lasted all of two hours. When he woke, the lights were off, the moonshine was streaming in through the windows and Alec carefully disentangled himself from Magnus and left the bed.
When Magnus woke at an ungodly hour, he'd rolled over in bed, hand out and found it empty and sat up to see his boyfriend sitting on his window seat and gazing out the window. The glow of the moon made him look absolutely stunning and Magnus truly thought then and there that Alec was like a fallen angel, one with clipped wings and the crushing prospect of having to let his brother go, even if only temporary. Magnus' fingers itched for his sketchbook and pencils but instead of that he slipped out of bed and softly padded over to Alec, fingers gliding through his hair once more and observed Alec lean into him, head resting against his right abdomen and hip area and his left arm snaked around his legs, just below his backside and held him close.
'It'll be alright Sweetheart.' Magnus had softly voiced. Alec never responded and Magnus might have stood there for two hours, or more, he wasn't too sure, but what he did know was that it didn't matter. Alec needed him and that's where he needed to be.
Magnus had waited down in his black SUV as Alec went to collect Jace earlier this morning, their other two siblings fast asleep and they slipped into Magnus' car. Jace and Magnus had shared a nod of the head and once the boys were buckled in, Magnus headed for Huntington. He knew the way like the back of his hand.
The only noise during the drive was the echo of other cars, honking horns and the music coming from Magnus' mixed play-list. Usually, if he was driving, which he didn't do it a lot in New York itself, he'd be blasting the upbeat tunes through the speakers, but today was just not one of those days.
"We're here." Magnus broke the silence in the car, jerking the two brothers from their thoughts as each one gazed out the tinted windows to look at a large high fenced property, a security booth and multiple cameras and in the distance, surrounded by lush grass, garden beds and forest, was a massive, three-storey white mansion.
"Is this really it?" Jace quietly asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
"It is." Magnus responded. "It can be a little intimidating at first and the slogan is cheesy, but the success rate here is really good." Magnus watched the boys shift in their seats to look at the large plague bolted to a brick stand alone structure to the front and left side of the property which read:
'Idris Rehabilitation Sanctuary - Where your new life begins'
"Cheesy..." Jace mumbled before leaning forward and placing his hand on Magnus' shoulder. "I know you had a hand in this."
"Jace..." Mismatched orbs drifted over to blue before shifting back to brown-golden orbs.
"Thanks." Magnus gave a nod as Jace got out and closed the door.
"I'll wait here for you." Alec gave a nod and hopped out, long strides coming to stand beside Jace as he gazed at what was going to be his new home.
"This'll be my third attempt to try and get clean. If I don't succeed this time I'll..."
"We'll try again." Jace jerked his gaze to Alec. "We'll try again and again and again. As many times as you need."
"Alec..."
"I'm not letting something like your own doubts or money get in the way of your health and well-being. I'll take on another job or two or ten if I have to. I'll do whatever it takes so they let you stay here for as long as you need."
"Is this place really that good? I mean from the outside its pretty spectacular but..."
"Magnus was a patient here." Alec hated that he was even mentioning that without Magnus' consent and found surprised mismatched orbs looking at him. "You can only get a referral to come here and he was able to get you one."
"I see..." Now he owed Magnus another debt. Jace frowned at that. He was raking up quite a few with a man he barely knew.
"Don't tell him I told you." Jace gave a jerked nod of the head. "He says you'll do good here, but its not going to be easy."
"I know."
"When you believe yourself to be ready, physically and emotionally, we'll be here for you Jace. I'll be on this side of the fence waiting for you. We'll get you resettled back home and then continue your rehabilitation outside of here with therapy sessions or meetings, whatever you need. Maybe, if you feel up to it, we could even look at getting you some part time work? That way you can strive towards something." Alec watched Jace just stare at him for a few moments before giving off a slight laugh and shaking his head.
"You really are amazing."
"No I'm not." Alec listened to a shuddering breath escape Jace.
"I do want to get better Alec." Jace took hold of his brother's hand. "I'm scared though." Alec knew how hard that would have been for Jace.
"I know. And I am too. But we can do this Jace. You can do this. I know you and you are the toughest and cockiest guy I've ever known." That brought out a tiny smile in Jace. "And I wouldn't have you any other way."
"I want to be the brother you need me to be." Alec parted his lips and Jace quickly carried on. "What all of you need me to be."
"I'm so proud of you." Jace snorted at Alec's words and jolted when his tall brother cupped the side of his neck, making him raise his head and eyes to look at him. "I am. Brothers forever Jace. Never forget that."
"Brothers forever." When Jace turned away from him, his hand slipping from his, Alec let a shuddering breath escape his lips, heart constricting as he watched Jace walk towards the white gates of the sanctuary where two male nurses were waiting for him, clearly knowing the exact time he would be arriving today.
Jace took a moment to look back at him, giving him a nod of the head as the gates closed and he and the nurses headed up the pathway towards the property. Tears instantly formed in Alec's eyes as his blonde brother felt so out of his reach and as much as it pained him to realise it, it was now up to Jace to fix himself. Alec felt, for a moment, he lost his brother all over again and he'd only felt like he just got him back a day ago.
"Alexander..." He whipped around, rubbing furiously at his eyes and saw that Magnus had gotten out of his SUV and was leaning against the side of his vehicle, wanting to give him space but also telling him he was here too. In seconds Alec ran towards him, feeling like this very man kept him grounded, like he was the only solid person in his roller coaster life right now and quickly secured his arms over Magnus' shoulders and held on tight.
"Its going to be alright Alexander." Magnus mumbled softly, fingers carding through soft messy black hair whilst he secured his other arm around Alec's waist, holding him close and tight. "Jace will learn to accept himself and his mistakes. He'll rebuild himself here and gain valuable skills to fight and win over his cravings." Alec pulled away from Magnus, his frowning orbs looking up at him, desperately wanting further assurance that everything was indeed going to be alright. Magnus cupped his cheek. "This is where he needs to be. You know this." Magnus watched Alec look back over his shoulder, but Jace was long gone now. Magnus observed those shoulders slump. He knew this was something Alec could not control. He could offer money (via Magnus) to keep Jace here, but now it was time for Alec to let go so his brother could begin to stand on his own. It was going to be Alec's toughest battle. "Come on, let me take you home." Magnus drew Alec back towards his SUV and assisted the young man into his seat and buckled him in.
The ride back was quiet and Magnus was at a loss of what to do for Alec once more. Within 24 hours he'd gotten his brother back, and his other two siblings too, and now he's had to let him go. That was definitely gut wrenching for Alec who was such a protector. He'd have given anything to shield his brother from mixing with the wrong crowd and reaching for that pill bottle or that joint or that needle, but life just didn't work that way. Jace made his choice and now he was suffering the consequences.
What did give Magnus hope was when Alec slipped his hand under his right one, which had been resting against his thigh as Magnus was driving with one hand on the wheel. The light pressure he felt had Magnus quickly shifting his gaze to Alec who gave him a small tiny smile, filled with thanks and something else Magnus wasn't brave enough to analyse.
In answer to Alec's silent thanks, Magnus raised their joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to Alec's palm, relishing in the pink hue on his cheeks and didn't let go for a single moment.
#
(Three days later)
With the recent events feeling like a world away, even though Magnus was still very concerned about Alec's current well-being, it was now the third day since Jace had been admitted and it finally seemed like his boyfriend was smacking himself out of his worrying and depressed state.
It may have had something to do with Magnus entering his bedroom the night before as Alec was already curled up, lost in thought, and he placed his laptop down in front of him. Those blue eyes looked up at him before shifting back to the internet browser to see it was on Idris Rehabilitation Sanctuary's website and where past addicts were sharing their struggles and success stories with the world.
'Read them Alexander, they'll help.' Magnus had gone to bed that night, since he did have an early start the next morning to Alec still reading the stories of past patients.
When Magnus woke up that morning, far too early for his books, but he and Clary had quite a lot on today, he found Alec cuddling one of his pillows, the laptop was switched off and Chairman was purring up a storm on Alec's head. What did catch Magnus' attention though was the tiny little smile on Alec's pink lips.
Magnus kissed Alec that morning, listening to him sigh adorably and then headed off to the gallery.
There was hope.
#
Magnus got home that afternoon to see his kids were drawing pictures and watching TV, quite good at multitasking when it was doing fun stuff.
"Hi Papa!" They all greeted him happily as he pressed kisses to their heads and accepted their adorable hugs before heading towards the kitchen to seek out his far too quiet boyfriend.
Magnus knew Alec wasn't as 'out there' and 'chatty' as someone like himself, but he'd been bringing the young man out of his shell and loved to hear him talk and laugh, but that had been absent as of late due to the recent events going on.
As Magnus stood in the archway of his kitchen, he felt a grin form on his lips for their Alec was, humming a small tune, chopping up a storm and various pans sizzling behind him. The tense shoulders had eased slightly and Magnus knew in this moment, with how at home Alec looked in the kitchen, he knew his boyfriend was going to be alright.
"That smells delicious." Blue eyes flickered up, this time not being shocked out of his thoughts and cutting his finger like last time. He'd probably heard his children calling out to him and Alec would know that he would come to find him.
"Welcome home." And there was that sweet little smile Magnus missed.
He moved away from leaning against the wall and stood by Alec's side, lifting his hand to wrap around Alec's neck, thumb stretched under his chin to tilt Alec's head up and drew him into a sweet kiss.
"Welcome back Pretty Boy." Magnus murmured against Alec's lips, delighting in his pink blush.
"Sorry for being absent." Alec mumbled cutely.
"No apologies necessary."
The moment was lost when Magnus' phone chimed away, signalling he had an incoming call and pulled it from his back pocket. His eyebrows furrowed, not recognising the number at all, but picked up anyway.
"Hello?"
"Magnus..." The voice was weak, barely above a whisper, but Magnus knew immediately who it was and his hand immediately took hold of Alec's wrist, freezing his boyfriend from chopping any more vegetables as wide brown-golden orbs lifted to blue ones.
"Cat, what's wrong?"
#
To be continued...
