A collision of hearts
By Writheworth
Chapter 5: Magic
A/N: Here's the new chapter! I'll try not to delay the next one too long this time. Thank you for reading and reviewing, requests are always welcome.
Enjoy (:
"How do you 'forget' something like this?" Magnus asked, his healing fingers tracing the wound on Alec's shoulder, closing it up. "It's not like it's a scrubbed knee, your shoulder is barely functional, and your face…" He stopped and stood up straight to observe Alec who lay on his back on Magnus' bed. The shadowhunter had exposed his wounded shoulder by poking it out of the outstretched neck hole of his shirt, wanting to avoid taking it off entirely. He didn't know why it felt so uncomfortable showing his bare skin. It felt private and vulnerable.
"It's not that bad." Alec mumbled.
Magnus rolled his eyes at the comment and once again bent down over his patient to finish healing his shoulder.
"You could've at least given me a heads up over the phone. I barely recognized you when you showed up on my doorstep."
"I'm sorry, I f…"
"Forgot, yeah I heard you." Magnus interrupted shaking his head, a small smile playing over his lips. "Shadowhunters."
Alec smiled and observed the concentrated warlock as he worked his magic. The usual spikes did not crown Magnus' head that day, as it usually did. Instead his hair swung loosely in front of his forehead, and even though no glitter seemed to have been applied the hairs still shone in a range of different colours. Blue, purple, and red dancing together with black. He was not wearing any flashy makeup either. All he had was a thin, black line along the edges of his eyes. The fact that Magnus was so extraordinary even in his natural state made Alec's stomach flutter. He had never seen anything more beautiful.
As he studied Magnus' face he saw that a crease had appeared between the other man's eyebrows. He raised his right hand, the one which was not occupied by the warlock's healing, and pressed his thumb against the line, flattening it out.
Magnus raised his eyes at his touch and watched the shadowhunter as he lowered his hand from the warlock's forehead. Alec smiled, seeing that the crease had indeed disappeared. Left was nothing but smooth skin.
He felt a weight in the bed as the warlock sat down beside him and leaned forward. He softly pressed his lips against Alec's face, focusing on the bruised and swollen areas which had been caused by Jace's fists.
He placed the first kiss on Alec's eye and worked his way down towards his jaw, taking his time with each kiss. When his mouth left the other man's skin it was flat and smooth again and the discolourations had vanished. At last he finished, kissing the shadowhunter on his lips, and healing the small nick which was located close to the corner of his mouth.
Alec ran his fingers through the warlock's hair and almost gasped. Never had he felt anything so soft and smooth. He felt the strands of hair give way to his rough fingers as if they were made of air. With his other hand he stroked Magnus' cheek as their lips worked together in a slow, exploring pace.
Magnus' hand was working its way along Alec's jaw and neck, down to his now healed, but still exposed, shoulder. Alec took a sharp breath, but let it out in a pleasurable sigh. He intertwined his fingers with the warlock's hair and took a firm grasp. He pulled in his desire to get closer to the extraordinary man leaning over him. Magnus suddenly broke the kiss with a gasp. Alec quickly let go, panic entering his mind.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pull so hard, I…"
"No." Magnus said and smiled, his eyes filled with desire. "I liked it."
He kissed Alec.
"Do it again." He whispered against his lips.
Alec obeyed and once again grasped the warlock's hair, pulling it, at first gently, getting a quiet purr in response. He then pulled harder and a moan escaped Magnus' lips.
Alec smiled; he loved that he could make Magnus moan just by pulling his hair.
What other ways were there to make him moan?
He wrapped his arm around the warlock, wanting to explore the subject further, and so Magnus broke the kiss and moved from sitting on the edge of the bed to sitting in straddle over Alec. The taller man put his hands on the shadowhunter's chest and bent forward to resume the kiss. Then it was Alec's turn to gasp, though this time out of pain.
He grabbed his ribs as Magnus sat up straight without missing a beat.
"Alec, what did I do?" He asked, confused and slightly terrified.
Alec shook his head.
"No, it wasn't you, it was…"
"Jace." Magnus finished, his mind connecting the dots. "Shirt off."
It was not a question. Alec once again shook his head, not wanting to obey the order. He was already in a vulnerable position, lying underneath a downworlder who was in fact quite a lot taller than him. Even though a single layer of fabric was never going to stop the warlock if he wanted to get underneath it, the idea of removing his shirt felt terrifying to Alec.
"No, it's fine."
"I'll tell you when it's fine. Right now I doubt it is, considering your reaction to me putting my weight on you."
Alec still hesitated.
"What's the problem? Is it…? It's not like I haven't seen your body before." Magnus said raising one eyebrow.
The shadowhunter's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to ask when but was cut off.
"The attack." Said Magnus and at the same time snapped his fingers, making the other's shirt disappear without a trace. Alec yelped and threw his arms over his chest in chock.
Magnus, who was still straddling Alec, calmly removed the other man's strong, scarred arms and bent down again, this time making sure to put his weight on the bed instead. He studied the discoloured area closely, the crease between his eyebrows appearing again.
"It's a miracle they're not broken." He said after gently tracing the bones with his fingers.
Alec looked down and couldn't help but agree. It was a splash of colour, shifting from red to yellow in the middle where Jace's boot must've hit, and then getting darker and darker towards a purple, almost black, area which surrounded the whole thing. The colours stretched out over a number of ribs. It looked like a sickness, which had already wiped out all life in the middle and was now working on doing the same to the surrounding skin.
Alec shifted his gaze to Magnus whose hands suddenly lit up in blue. Alec first thought they were flames, dancing over his skin, but at a closer look he saw that they looked more like a veil, a thin fabric blowing in the wind, although the room's only window was closed. It looked smooth and welcoming, but Alec grabbed Magnus' wrists.
"Don't."
The warlock looked up, confused by this action.
"I don't want you to waste your energy." Alec elaborated, still with a fast grip around the warlock's wrists.
Magnus chuckled. He leaned closer to the shadowhunter's face. Alec could feel his minty fresh breath against his mouth.
"Why? Will I need it for something else?" He whispered and chewed his lip seductively.
Alec's eyes widened when he realized what he meant.
"U-uuhh…"
Magnus' tounge slid out of his mouth and traced Alec's bottom lip (the shadowhunter was fighting hard not to whimper) before he retreated into a sitting position once again.
"Besides, this is what I call wasting energy, considering healing actually accomplishes something." Magnus continued (as if he head not just caused Alec's blood to rush downwards) nodding towards his hands which were still covered in the dancing, blue veils.
Alec gulped, getting his head together again.
"Then turn them off!" He said and shook the warlock's hands.
Magnus laughed.
"Darling, they're no Etch A Sketches, it won't go away just by shaking them."
Alec looked at Magnus with furrowed brows, frustrated.
"You don't have to heal me. I have a stele."
Magnus looked at Alec for a few seconds before making his hands into fists, and so extinguishing the dancing lights. Alec smiled a little, relieved that Magnus had given in. He released the downworlder's wrists and began to reach for his pocket when Magnus' eyes suddenly flashed and a smile broadened on his face. Alec barely had time to realize his mistake.
Within a second the warlock's hands were once again lit and were resting against Alec's ribs. Alec quickly went for Magnus' wrists again, but the pain that came with moving slowed him down enough to allow the warlock to get the upper hand. Magnus twisted his body so that he pinned Alec down, with his knee against the shadowhunter's chest.
"Magnus!" Alec yelled, annoyed, mostly because of his allowing himself to be tricked so easily.
The warlock laughed and looked down at the defeated nephilim underneath him, who eventually stopped struggling and relaxed into the mattress, admitting defeat. Alec shook his head with a smile.
He closed his eyes. It actually was a pleasant experience being healed by Magnus Bane, high warlock of Brooklyn. It was an experience which most people would prefer to the harsh burn of the stele, and let's face it: so did Alec. But he did not want to get used to having the comfort and convenience of having his own personal warlock, healing every nick, bruise, and wound as soon as he needed it. It might cause him to become sloppy in battle.
No, this was just a one-time thing.
Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that.
Alec opened his eyes. Large, yellow globes with slit pupils were looking back at him from above.
"All done."
Magnus smiled and dove down to Alec's neck, his lips slowly working their way downwards towards his naked chest.
Naked chest.
Panic crept in from all directions. What had come over him before? The warmth of Magnus' healing, the touch of his lips and hair, it had been too much to resist. At the time he hadn't even questioned his own sudden… desire.
But now things were different. His upper body was entirely exposed. The warlock was closer than ever and this time no pain was in the way of going further, as it had last time.
Alec's breathing was speeding up. A sign Magnus seemed to misinterpret as desire, because he increased his pace kissing Alec's neck, and was probably leaving hickeys in the process. Alec shook his head vigorously.
"No."
He was not ready for this.
"What?" Magnus asked between kisses, not having heard what he had said.
"No!"
He shoved Magnus off him and flew up on his feet beside the bed, arms clinging around his own body in a desperate attempt to protect his exposed skin. His eyes were staring, and his breathing was short and shallow. He just stood there for a few seconds, trying to make his mouth form words.
Magnus sat up slowly in the bed, not letting his eyes leave Alec's, awaiting his calming down.
"I don't know what came over me before, but Iamnotreadyforthis." Alec blurted out, unbelievingly fast.
Magnus said nothing, but sat still and waited. Alec embedded his nails in his skin, trying to calm himself.
"I'm sorry, Magnus, but I can't do this. I've never… I don't… I can't…"
He did not manage to form the sentences he so desperately needed to get out. He needed to tell Magnus that he was amazing, and magical, and beautiful. That he had never met anyone so extraordinary, and that he couldn't believe that the high warlock of Brooklyn had chosen Alec. That he had watched Magnus from afar for years, having even tried the fearless rune to try to build up courage enough to speak to him. That he felt so strongly for him that he barely knew what to do with himself when he was around him.
But also that he had never been involved with anyone and that no one but his family – and now Magnus – had seen him without clothes (and that hadn't happened since Alec was a child). That he had not touched or been touched that way before and even though the thought excited him, it also scared him. And that, if anyone, Magnus was the person he was willing to try that with. Just not right now.
But what Alec did not understand at first, was that he did not have to say any of that to make Magnus understand. The warlock understood every unspoken word and finally rose from his place at the bed. In his hand was the knitted sweater he had removed in the beginning of their healing session and thrown on the floor.
"Arms up." He said calmly and held it up.
Alec lifted his gaze to meet Magnus' before he did as told and held his arms over his head. The taller man easily pulled the fabric over him and then took Alec's hands in his.
"I will not force you to do anything." He said calmly. "I want you to want me…"
"I do..!" Alec insisted.
"… but mostly I want you to feel comfortable wanting me." Magnus finished and smiled gently. "We are not in a hurry, Alexander. Take your time."
Alec stared into the yellow eyes of the warlock. He hadn't even noticed until now that he was no longer hyperventilating, but was breathing normally.
They were standing close to each other, but with nothing but their hands touching. They hung loosely between them, fingers intertwined.
"How are you real?" Alec asked, his voice nothing more than a weak whisper.
Magnus shrugged.
"Magic." He answered, chuckling, before he embraced the shadowhunter.