"Little fuzzy diva," Magnus muttered to himself as he returned to the dining area after feeding the cats. "You'd think they were starving to death or something." Magnus looked up and was about to ask whose turn it was when he noticed Alec frozen in his chair, his phone in hand, anxiety written in every aspect of his face. Tessa and Jem were staring at him. Aline and Helen stood in the doorway also staring at Alec. Clary was nowhere to be seen.
"What did I miss?" Magnus asked. The atmosphere in the room was so totally changed from the one Magnus had left, just a few minutes ago. There was a little guilt etched in the lines of Alec's face and Clary was gone, but he couldn't even guess at how those two things were linked. "I wasn't gone long! And where is Clary?"
"I'm sorry," Alec spoke to his knees, rather than look at Magnus.
"What happened?" Magnus asked, concerned. It was one thing to be a little guilty. Magnus knew Alec could feel guilty for even the slightest offense, but it was another to use such a pleading tone.
"I-" Alec started, but he seemed lost for words. "She was going to- but-"
"Words, Alexander!" Magnus barked. He didn't mean to be so harsh, but the atmosphere of the room had him on edge. There was tension in the air. Magnus had never before seen Alexander so scared and it was unnerving him.
"Clary tried to lecture me about not hurting you and I kinda flipped out on her and reminded her that she's hurting Jace," Alec said very fast. "I'm sorry. I think I upset her. I didn't mean to be so rude, I just snapped." Alec paused a moment for breath. Magnus had never heard Alec talk so fast before. "But I texted Jace to go find her and make sure she's okay."
"Has Jace replied?" Magnus inquired, calmly.
"Yes a few times," Alec said. "He is looking for her I'm sure." Magnus knew his boyfriend's face well and could read it easily; there was nothing but regret and fear there. Alec had upset Clary in the heat of the moment when Clary was doing her usual over-protective thing. Though he loved his friend for how much she cared, he couldn't help but worry about her meddling. In this case, his concern was more about her not wanting to confront her own problems.
"But he hasn't found Clary yet?" Magnus asked, reading between the lines.
"I just texted him," Alec spoke in a small voice. Alec was looking at him with those piercing blue eyes, as if trying to read Magnus's thoughts. He knew that, unlike Alexander who was an open book with lots of full colour pictures, Magnus could keep his thoughts off his face if he so chose. However, the fear in Alec's expression was too much. They hadn't been going out long, but they'd been friends longer and Magnus knew Alexander well enough to know Alec hadn't meant to upset his best friend. And, Magnus thought, if the roles had been reversed Magnus might have done the same thing.
"I'm sorry!" Alec repeated, ignoring everyone in the room, having eyes only for Magnus. "Magnus I-" Alec was up off his chair and moving toward Magnus now, a scared pleading look in his eyes. "Pleaseā¦"
With a sigh Magnus moved forward quickly and took his boyfriend into his arms. Magnus felt the muscles in Alec's body relax as he melted into Magnus's arms. He felt the tension drain out of Alec and Magnus kissed the top of Alec's head.
"Maybe someone should go look for Clary," Tessa suggested from where she and Jem still sat on the couch, with her body turned to face the dining area.
"Jace is," Alec answered but Magnus wasn't sure if this was enough. Sure, everything Alec had told him suggested Jace was highly motivated to find her, but Magnus didn't know Jace and he didn't like the idea of Clary alone and upset.
"Clary will be okay if Jace is there." He turned to face Helen surprised, not only by who had spoken, but by the unwavering confidence of the speaker.
"What do you know?" Magnus asked Helen with narrowed eyes. She was Clary's roommate after all. Was Clary neglecting to tell Magnus things she'd confided in Helen?
"Clary has been wearing his jacket every day," Helen said with a smile and slight shake of her head. "But he isn't her boyfriend so... obviously they have some stuff to work out."
"Thank you!" Alec said, beaming at her, clearly relieved someone agreed with him. Alec's arm was around Magnus's waist but they were both facing Helen.
"Just ask Jace to text when he finds her," Helen told Alec, who immediately got out his phone and started typing.
"Okay but," Magnus said with a hand in the air. "If we don't hear anything soon someone else is going to check on her." Everyone nodded in agreement and Magnus felt the tension in the room slowly fade as Tessa and Jem returned to their show and Helen and Aline vanished back into the kitchen.
"So I take it that means we are done with Catan!" Magnus called into the kitchen but received no reply.
"I think so," Alec said. "Aline wouldn't even leave the kitchen for Catan right now."
"I have to say, it's rather cute," Magnus told Alec softly. "I know how much Aline loves Catan after all." Alec nodded against Magnus's chest, his arms wound tightly around his boyfriend as if he was never letting Magnus go.
"You were really worried weren't you?" Magnus whispered softly as he leaned his head down to kiss Alec's forehead.
"I seriously upset your best friend," Alec mumbled. "I basically yelled at her. Of course, I was worried."
Wanting a little privacy, Magnus led Alec away from the dining room, toward his bedroom. He closed the door behind him and, pulling Alec with him, laid down on his double bed. Alec shouldn't have yelled at Clary, but Magnus shouldn't have spilled Clary's secrets. Clary shouldn't have run off and made everyone worry about her, but the school wasn't far from here after all and Jace was looking for her. Magnus decided he could relax.
"I should never have told you Clary didn't love Simon," Magnus whispered, holding Alec close. "It put you in a very awkward position." Alec mumbled something about it all being fine. "It's just that around you I tend to forget such things."
"I like that," Alec whispered, his eyes closed, he snuggled in closer to Magnus.
"What do you mean?"
"I like that you forget not to tell me stuff," Alec mumbled. "It makes me feel closer to you. Makes me feel like you trust me."
"I do," Magnus sighed, closing his eyes and snuggling up closer to his boyfriend in return. "It kinda scares me but I do trust you."
"Why would that scare you?" Alec asked in a whisper.
"Oh just my baggage," Magnus replied casually. He really didn't want to get into his many failed relationships right now and mercifully, Alec didn't press the point. Alec just held him. Magnus wasn't sure how long they laid there, waiting for Alec's phone to go off. When it finally did, Alec moved so fast to answer Magnus was still blinking in surprise as Alec read the texts to him.
"Jace found Clary," Alec said, relieved. "And she's okay." He paused, a confused tone to his voice as he continued. "She is sleeping, but Jace won't tell me how he knows that."
"Glad she's okay," Magnus said. "But those two confuse me."
"Me too," Alec sighed before he started texting Jace back.
"I'm worried about Simon," Magnus said when Alec had put his phone away. "No matter how this plays out he is going to get his heart broken."
"I barely know Simon," Alec replied. "Are you friends with him?"
"A little," Magnus answer. "I mean, he's been dating Clary of over a year and he was friends with her for ages before that, so I know him. He's a good guy."
"But if Clary doesn't love him after over a year," Alec said. "Wouldn't that mean he gets his heart broken with or without Jace in the picture."
"I really shouldn't have told you that," Magnus repeated with a sigh. "It's just my observation. Clary has never told me that. In fact she insists she loves Simon."
Alec sighed, lying down on his back in bed. Magnus curled up against his boyfriend's side, resting his head on Alec's shoulder. Alec's arms wound around Magnus like they always did.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Alec asked softly. Magnus sat up enough to kiss Alec lightly on the cheek before replying.
"I always sleep better with you here," Magnus whispered.
"I know the feeling," Alec whispered back. Alec, kissed Magnus sweetly, then got up and went to share the news that Clary was alright with everyone else. Magnus didn't leave his bed. But instead he toed off his socks, stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. It was still too early to go to sleep, but tonight Magnus didn't care. When Alec returned he smiled widely at Magnus before following Magnus's lead and stripping down to his boxers and shirt as well before climbing into bed next to Magnus.
"You're feet are freezing!" Magnus said with a grin. Alec snuggled in close and Magnus wrapped himself around Alec to warm him up.
They didn't talk much as they lay there. Alec slept over here at least once or twice a week now, but tonight there was something else in the air. Magnus didn't have the energy to worry about it though. That was tomorrow's problem. Magnus heard Tessa playing host and saying good night to Helen and Aline. He was glad she was there to do that for him since he didn't want to face the cold air outside the covers and away from the warmth of Alec's embrace.
Magnus woke up, opened his eyes and saw Alec staring at him. He grumbled at the fully awake expression on his boyfriend's face. Why was Alec such a morning person anyway? He'd probably been awake and staring at Magnus for ages.
"Morning sleepy head," Alec whispered, leaning down to kiss Magnus lightly. Waking up next to Alexander was becoming Magnus's favourite way to wake up. Feeling slightly more awake, Magnus tugged Alec down and deepened their kiss, his tongue sliding between Alec's luscious lips to further explore his mouth. Alec's slight gasp only spurred Magnus on. He wrapped his arms around Alec, pulling Alec towards him until Alec was on top of him. Magnus's hands were on Alec's waist, at the hem of his shirt, as their kiss continued. Magnus moved his hands up under Alec's shirt and then pulled the shirt up over Alec's head with a grin. This finally broke their kiss and they both took in much needed oxygen.
"Morning Alexander," Magnus purred as he traced the planes of Alec's beautiful chest. Magnus saw Alec shiver before Alec leaned down and attached his lips to Magnus's neck. Alec had a rule about hickeys. He required that they never be visible once the moment was over and their clothes back on. Magnus had no such rule. He gasped as Alec sucked on the soft skin of Magnus's neck. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec until he could join his hands and pressed Alec down into him. They both gasped as their hardening arousals, only covered by boxers, were pressed together. Magnus wrapped his legs around Alec's preventing Alec from holding himself up off Magnus again. With a wicked grin Magnus rolled them over, and started kissing down Alec's chest. Alec's back arched slightly as Magnus moved past the hem of his boxers and fixed his lips on the inside of Alec's leg, where he proceeded to leave a rather stunning hickey. Alec used his free hands to try and rid Magnus of his shirt. Magnus, however, did not oblige until he was done with Alec's thigh.
As Magnus's shirt hit the ground, Alec's hands found the elastic of Magnus's boxers and sought to relieve Magnus of those as well. Magnus returned the favour.
"Magnus," Alec gasped as Magnus pressed their now naked arousals together. Magnus ground his hips against Alec's, creating friction as their hard shafts rubbed against each other. After that, neither of them had any more patience for foreplay. Alec's hands gripped Magnus's rocking hips to increase the friction. With mouth and hand they finished each other quickly and collapsed back into bed.
"And to think," Alec grinned, as he lay naked and panting beside Magnus. "You just wanted to be friends." Magnus hit Alec with a pillow and they both started laughing.
Wow sorry guys! I have never gone so long without updating this story... but... that doesn't mean I wasn't writing! I got some lovely PM messages from a reader of one of my other stories and started binge writing that rather than work on my other two. I updated 'Elusive Love' twice this last week and the next chapter is being edited by my lovely beta Hewt as I type this author's note. So that should be online soon! Maybe if you want faster chapters for R&S you should PM me and encourage me...hehe just a thought ;) Since that seemed to motivate me to binge write! ^_^
Anyway so this chapter is kinda short and the first lemon of the whole story or sorta a lemon... (my beta Holly0114 doesn't seem to feel it counts as a real lemon) well apart from the first chapter but that was AGES ago and not between a main ship.
Sneak Peek chapter 29:
He returned to gazing at the beautiful sleeping girl before him. When had she become the center of his world? Was there an exact moment somewhere between then and now when this had happened? Jace remember the first time he'd noticed her or rather she'd noticed him. That first time she had entered his thoughts without his realizing it. All the time he'd wasted denying even to himself, what he really wanted. He'd wasted so much energy trying to get over her, trying to snap out of the crazy notion he didn't understand. Looking back now he knew Sebastian had played a key role in his denial. How had Jace never seen through Sebastian before now? Why had it taken such a horrible thing to make him realize who Sebastian was? Jace was ashamed of himself. Ashamed of what he had let Sebastian get away with over the years. Ashamed of how long he'd been loyal to such a person. Clary rolled over in her sleep and Jace tried to bring his thoughts back to her. He would deal with Sebastian later.
He focused on the slight noise of Clary's even breathing, letting his mind calm with the rhythm.
