~6~
Chapter 4:
It's The Little Things...
{*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^} *-Magnus-*-Magnus-*-Magnus-*-Magnus-*-Magnus-*{****************}
"Okay so here we hav-"
"A case? An ACTUAL case?" Magnus exclaimed, looking up, half in enthusiasm, half exasperation.
Alec sighed, rolling his eyes, coming to a stop next to Magnus's desk, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"We had an 'actual case'. W-"
Magnus scoffs, shaking his head animatedly.
"We had a guy tagging buildings, theft of a bicycle, keying a car, a guy who jumped a turn style and a group of high school seniors mooning cars."
Alec chuckled faintly, giving a bit of a wave.
"Hey every case matters."
Magnus snorted, shaking his head, head cocking sarcastically.
"Those aren't cases; that's a slow weekend."
Alec chuckled, brow quirking.
"Slow?"
Magnus shrugged, flashing a bit of a smirk, shifting out of his chair, settling on the desk next to Alec, reaching for the file Alec's holding. Alec chuckled, shifting away playfully, tugging the file out of his grasp, eyes sparkling in amusement.
"Hey now, slow down a bit. Did you finish all your paperwork from the Coulson case?"
Magnus snorted, brow quirking.
"You mean the case with the guy who insisted he had a prowler-"
"Hey technically he di-"
"Magnus scoffed out a faint laugh, head shaking animatedly.
"No all he had was one really pissed off raccoon!"
Alec chuckled, head tilting, holding up a finger, that irritatingly cute, mischievous little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, pretty light hazely green eyes sparkling in amusement, leaning in just a bit.
"Which DID break into his house."
"It's a raccoon! That's like what they do! The damn little fiends even have a natural bandit mask and those super creepy nimble little fingers. They're like natures perfect little prowler."
Alec chuckled.
"Yeah and the way that thing growled, hissed and snarled I think the poor guy'd of actually much preferred a simple human prowler. Hell a couple of them. Least with those the whole thing doesn't usually devolve into so much cursing, running, makeshift butterfly nets and a rabies panel."
Magnus hummed, giving a bit of a shrug, and a fluttery little wave.
"Least not usually. Had a few that might've been a good idea."
Alec snickered, head tilting concedingly.
"Same..."
"Wouldn't know it by our current case load." Magnus huffed, near pouting, slumping exaggeratedly, glancing over, giving his best puppy eyes.
"Come on sweetheart; you're the head detective. How are we getting stuck with the bottom of the barrel cases?"
"We're not g-"
"Alexander? Seriously. We've had over a dozen cases this last week and the highest stake one was the damn Raccoon Home Invader. You're the head detective; I know you gotta have at least a bit of pull as to what lands on our desks."
He shrugged.
"I do."
Magnus blinked, head tilting, holding up a finger.
"So...wait. You're actually CHOOSING the least important cases for us?"
"Well-"
Magnus scoffed, shaking his head.
"Unbelievable. What the hell man? Is this some kind of hazing ritual? Are you trying to bore me to tears or actively drive me away? I thought you were good with this- us...this whole partnership thing."
Alec held up his hands placatingly, shaking his head, flashing one of those irritatingly appealing, reassuring smiles, the super infuriatingly effective one that made his pretty eyes kind of distractingly sparkle. The one that made it nearly impossible to stay angry at him.
Ugh...Magnus hated that smile. It was totally unfair. Not working this time though.
He huffed, glaring, shaking his head, waggling his finger.
"Uh uh, no. Put the damn brain fogging smile away, not gonna work here buddy."
"T-the...what?" Alec blinked in confusion, brow quirking, head tilting, giving him the expression of an adorably confused puppy.
A stupidly gorgeous, 6'4" puppy.
Ugh...
Not. Fair.
Magnus groaned, shaking his head exasperatedly, covering his eyes, rubbing his temples, trying to block out the stupidly appealing, mind wobbling head detective; his current partner and what's seeming to be his own personal kryptonite/bane of his existence.
"Ugh...and now the look.
Damnit Alexander, it's not gonna work. Not this time. Why the hell are you choosing cases you know are gonna drive me stir crazy? Are you trying to punish me? What'd I ever do to warrant that?"
Alec gave a soft sigh; Magnus could practically hear the stupidly sincere look intensifying. He made sure to keep his hand over his eyes, not wanting to be swayed by that stupidly, irritatingly sincere expression.
He hated that look. Guy had way too much damn power there...it was like hypnotism. And he's a psychic who's best friend is a Psyvamp enthraller- He knows hypnotism when he feels it damnit! Magnus half wondered if Alexander didn't have some kind of low level psychic sway or something. He didn't sense one but that level of disarmament just from a freaking look did not seem natural.
Even s-
Alec shifts closer, reaching over, hand resting lightly on his arm, squeezing, pulling him out of his thoughts and right back to those stupidly appealing shimmering pear colored eyes. Magnus tries his best to hold fast, to keep his resolve, gaze shifting away, focusing on the little coffee mug full of brightly colored pens setting on Simon's desk beside his.
"Hey, come on, Mags? You know that's not the case. I like having you as a partner; last thing I want is for you to leave. I pushed harder than anyone to get you on here. I swear I'm not picking these cases to irritate you. It's not a punishment."
Magnus scoffed.
"Well it's sure as hell not a prize."
A soft, irritating, altogether too appealing little chuckle slipped out, Magnus could practically see the amused sparkle in those distractingly pretty pear colored eyes.
Ugh...damnit...man's got into his head, even when he's not looking directly AT the stupidly appealing expressions he can see them clear as day.
Stupidly appealing partner. Stupid cases. Stupidly crumbling resolve.
Ah, to hell with it. If he's gonna be manipulated by the pretty whether he's looking or not he may as well at least get to enjoy the eye candy.
He huffed exasperatedly, gaze shifting back over, doing his best to keep up his irritation, to hold onto his indignation in the face of that stupidly appealing mind wobbling look.
Alec smiled that stupidly appealing smile, corner of his lips tugging up just the slightest tic, giving a bit of a shrug and a little wave, head tilting.
"Okay fair point, but it really isn't a punishment."
Magnus huffed faintly, animatedly waving.
"Well then what the hell IS it?"
"It's something I do with every new partner."
Magnus scoffed, brow quirking.
"What; like a hazing ritual? Didn't take you for the type."
Alec gave a bright, irritatingly appealing laugh, shaking his head, waving him off.
"No, no- nothing like that."
"Well that w-"
"Like I said it's not a punishment. Nothing of the sort. It's just a way to get them settled, give them a chance to ease in."
Magnus shook his head, shifting closer.
"Okay understandable for newbies but I d-"
Alec chuckled, shaking his head near affectionately.
"No, I know you don't. I know you'd be perfectly fine hitting the ground running. Hell more than fine; that's what you'd prefer. I get that. I appreciate it. I really do. But I don't just do it to make the transition in easier. It's also a way to help them keep perspective."
Magnus quirked his eyebrow.
"Keep perspective? How?"
Alec smiled softly, settling closer to his side, so much so that his shoulder brushed Magnus's. He glanced over, catching his eye, those pretty pear colored eyes sparkling warm and soft in a way that makes Magnus's head spin.
Ah damnit...
He can practically feel his resolve crumbling. Magnus swallows, taking a deeper breath, kind of settling the rest of the way on the desk, taking the weight off his suddenly wobbly knees.
"How does this help someone keep perspective?" Magnus asks again, voice a bit softer, a little breathless.
Alec shrugs, smile softening all the more.
"By reminding them that every case matters."
Magnus scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Oh t-"
Alec shook his head, holding his hand up, leaning in a bit closer, that stupidly appealing sincerity and compassion sparking even brighter, those gorgeous hazely green eyes catching Magnus's, holding his gaze pointedly.
"To the people who call needing help they matter. All of them. Every last one. I know being the head detective- or partnered with the head detective- it seems like all you'll get is the big time cases. As if that's all you'll ever have to focus on- and honestly we'll get a lot of those. We will. We always do.
This city is insane and there's a lot of wild, bizarre, dangerous, stupid scarily randomness that happens here. We'll get plenty of that, but we can't lose perspective. We can't get to the point where we think those are the only cases that really matter.
That's dismissive to both the victims in the cases as well as to our fellow officers and detectives who are working just as hard as us to do their jobs and solve their cases for barely an ounce of the recognition and accolades we receive from ours." He sighed softly, giving a faint shrug, reaching up, brushing his hair back, settling a bit closer still.
Alec reaches over, lightly resting his hand on Magnus's shoulder, flashing one of those dizzyingly warm, mind scrambling, stupidly pretty little smiles, squeezing his shoulder gently.
"Mags? I get it, I really do. I know the draw of the flashy, attention grabbing, heart pounding, exciting cases. The one's that build your rep and give you clout and bragging rights. The cases that are sexy and cool and make you stand out. Get you press and accolades and the whole nine yards.
I know that feeling, and I know how addictive it is.
I know how easy it is to get caught up in those and see them as the only cases that really matter. Getting to the point where you feel like your work- your contribution- is more than other's in the precinct. Then the beat cops out pounding the pavement or the newbie detectives just starting out, going in circles, running down seemingly trivial things for cases that seem like little more than nothing, but they're not.
To the people involved in them they could seem like everything.
For every one of those big time, newsworthy, career making cases there's two dozen other more mundane cases that will never get you headlines, press or brownie points but that still mean everything to the people caught up in them.
Yeah, a stolen bike doesn't seem like much compared to other cases. But to the kid who uses it to do their paper route and to get to and from school and run around with their friends? The kid who saved for months to buy it all by themselves?
That bike's their pride and joy.
A jackass tagging a building may not seem like much. It might seem trivial to people on the outside. But when it's your business that you put your heart and soul into? Your attempt at the American dream that you uprooted your entire life and moved your family clear across the world to get a chance at and someone goes and defaces it like it's nothing?
That matters.
Look Mags? I get the draw and the rush of the big cases but we can't lose sight of the smaller ones that might not make a big difference in the grand scheme of things but to that one person could mean everything." He trailed off, shrugging faintly, kind of glancing away.
Magnus blinked, kind of freezing before groaning, slumping in defeat.
"Ugh...damn you."
Alec startled, looking over in surprise.
"Wha-? What'd I do?"
Magnus groaned louder, animatedly waving towards him, trying to encompass his whole Alec-ness.
"Oh, that damn sincerity of yours! It's just not fair! You're like a freaking Boyscout mixed with Captain America. You make fighting bikenappings and taggings sound like a freaking higher calling.
It's so freaking annoying!
How the hell can I stay my normal, snarky, fabulously condescending, mockingly judgmental self when you say things like that?"
Alec snickered, shrugging, flashing one of those endearingly cute, teasing little smirks, lightly nudging his shoulder.
"Oh I'm sure you'll find a way."
Magnus snorted, head tilting concedingly, holding up a finger.
"True..." he sighed, relaxing faintly, settling more comfortably on the desk, resting one hand behind him on the desk, kind of turning his body a bit to face Alec a bit more, somewhat resigning himself to whatever mundane, filler kind of case his irritatingly compassionate partner's set his sights on.
"So what's on the agenda for today? Dognapping, Jaywalking, Littering, Public intoxication, fishing without a license? What do we got?"
Alec gave a casual shrug and a flippant little wave.
"Nope...multimillion dollar antiquities heist."
Magnus startled.
"What? Seriously?"
Alec shrugged, a teasing little smirk playing on those irritatingly appealing lips.
Magnus growled, setting forward.
"Alexander you better not be screwing with me or-"
Alec's brow quirked, head tilting.
"Or what?"
"Damnit Alec!"
Alec laughed brightly, flashing a teasingly impish smile, placatingly holding his hand up.
"Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm not screwing with you, it's real. Some fancy 14th century sword was on loan to the Museum of Antiquities, worth millions. It along with a whole assortment of super rare, super expensive, super fancy items were stolen. There are things that were on loan from museums and private collectors scattered all over the world. If they're not recovered it'll likely wind up an international incident. Multiple international incidents.
I mean I know it's no bike theft, illegal fishing, raccoon wrangling but it'll do...Yeah?"
Magnus laughed brightly, dark eyes sparking in excitement, eagerly bouncing, smacking Alec lightly on the arm, unable to stop a dazzling grin.
"Uh yeah...thinking that'll work.
Yes!" He cheered, bouncing lightly in his seat, all but buzzing with renewed energy.
Alec chuckled, brow quirking, holding up a finger in play disapproval, clucking teasingly.
"Hmm...Kinda disconcerting when a Detective's so excited about a crime. Do I need to ask where you were last night?"
Magnus snorted, rolling his eyes, waving him off.
"Oh shut up. Like I'd really come into work if I'd stolen millions of dollars in merchandise. I wouldn't be setting in a precinct; I'd be setting in a first class seat to a place with no extradition like Tahiti perusing the sky mall catalog figuring out what all I'd buy with the money from fencing the loot and sipping a Mai Tai."
Alec laughed brightly.
"Not that you'd ever give it any thought or anything."
"Of course not. It's just part of the job. Have to know the best escape route to head off the bad guys after all."
Alec snorted.
"Uh huh..."
Magnus smirked teasingly, flashing a playfully impish wink, head tilting, giving a bit of wave.
"Hey that's the story I'm sticking to..."
Alec chuckled, shaking his head exasperatedly, unable to stop a faint smirk.
"You know you do it I'd have to track you down right?"
Magnus smirked, leaning in.
"All part of the plan gorgeous. A beautiful, secluded beach, sunset, tropical drinks...you, me, swimsuits...a nice little place right on the water."
Alec chuckled, shaking his head, smirk ticking up.
"Yeah, I don't generally take along a swimsuit when I go to track down fleeing suspects, just my handcuffs."
Magnus smirked right back, eyebrow waggling.
"Even better."
Alec laughed brightly, shaking his head, cheeks warming, rolling his eyes exasperatedly.
"Come on M-"
Magnus chuckled, holding his hands up placatingly.
"Alright, alright, table the fantasy Island mental getaway.
Spoilsport." He grumbled, pouting playfully before slipping into a grin, shrugging, shifting more towards Alec, giving a bit of a wave.
"And no I'm not happy we have a crime. I'm just happy we have an exciting crime. Big difference."
Alec shook his head.
"Now again all ca-"
Magnus again waved him off.
"I know, I know. I get it. I get the not hazing and devil's advocate it probably IS a good idea for more seasoned detectives to take on the less publicized cases every once in a while just so as not to lose touch or whatever. It is. That being said I'm going a bit stir crazy here and am exceptionally eager to get something I can really sink my teeth into, flex my investigative muscles and really put my skills to use."
Alec huffed out a faint laugh, head tilting.
"Yeah, you did seem like you were kinda spinning."
Magnus snorted, emphatically nodding.
"I was! Oh my god I was bad..." He smiled, glancing over, flashing a warm, grateful smile.
"Thank you Alexander. I appreciate it. So out of curiosity what made you finally take pity on me?"
Alec chuckled, shrugging.
"Don't know...maybe when it seemed like you were gonna fight that damn raccoon."
Magnus laughed, eyes widening.
"Hey! I wa-"
"Yeah you were."
"I wa-okay yeah I was but it started it. I was just gonna finish it."
Alec snorted.
"And I have no doubt in my mind you totally could've had Animal Control not intervened when they did."
"Damn right I could."
"Of course you could." Alec flashed a warm teasing smile before it softens a bit, giving a bit of a wave.
"It's not taking pity. Just figured you kinda needed something like this after this last week. I know how much you were spinning but you were really good. I get that you didn't feel like they were up to par with your skills but you never let on with any of the victims and even though you complained when it was just us you never gave any of them anything less than one hundred percent of your effort.
I know this was a really hard first week for you- in that it wasn't challenging really at all- but you powered through and you did the work. Even when you didn't think it was totally worth all the effort you still powered through. I appreciate that.
Figure you deserve a bit of a reward for being such a trooper. Thought this was a pretty good one I could give you.
It is yeah?"
Magnus smirked flirtatiously, settling closer, waggling his eyebrow, gaze flickering pointedly over Alec, giving a faint shrug and an exaggeratedly wistful sigh.
"Eh...I guess it'll do. I mean I can definitely think of a few other things I'd like you to give me for a reward a lot more...but I suppose if I must I can settle for multimillion dollar Antiquities heist.
Less of a chance of being called into HR in any case."
Alec snorted, rolling his eyes exasperatedly, cheeks taking on an appealing rosy tinge, shaking his head, glancing away, brushing his hair back, scratching nervously at the back of his neck.
"Cute..."
Magnus smirked brighter, shifting closer, glancing up at him through his lashes, biting provocatively at his lower lip.
"Not nearly as cute as you are detective." He murmurs, voice purposefully going soft and husky.
The appealing blush intensified, creeping clear up to his ears. Alec gave a faint, soft little laugh, shaking his head.
"God you really are incorrigible."
Magnus grinned.
"Aww, thank you darling. I think you're incredible too!"
Alec snorted, rolling his eyes.
"You are absolutely insane."
Magnus shrugged.
"But I am so very entertaining,"
"More like aggravating."
"Intoxicating?"
"Infuriating."
"Infatuating?"
"Is that even a word?"
"Yes...How about Enthralling?"
Alec snorted, smirking, brow quirking teasingly.
More like exacerbating."
"Exciting?"
"Exasperating."
"Endearing?"
Alec chuckled, beginning to shake his head before pausing, pretty hazely green eyes flickering over Magnus consideringly, teasingly lingering much the same way Magnus's had a few moment earlier, finally giving a conceding shrug, playfully smirking back, head tilting, holding up a finger.
"Okay, think I have to give you that one."
Magnus kind of stumbled, faltering in surprise, feeling a buzzy little thrill slip down his spine. He swallowed, glancing away, reaching up, tucking a few loose glimmering teal tinted locks behind his ear.
"Ahem...kay...s-so umm...w-uh...tell me about the case."
Alec's brow quirked, eyes sparking in interest, flickering over Magnus's features a fair bit slower this time, lingering a bit longer before finally shrugging, a worryingly knowing little flicker of a smirk tugging at those distractingly pretty, entirely too distracting lips. He hummed softly, giving a flippant little wave, settling closer to Magnus.
He flips open the folder, half sitting it on Magnus's lap, settling so close he's all but pressed up against Magnus's side. Alec hum's softly, lifting his hand, subconsciously licking his thumb distractingly before reaching over, flicking back the cover page, finger trailing along, pointing out the info, beginning, voice a bit quieter than usual, sounding right beside Magnus's ear, breath tickling his neck, making his skin tingle worryingly.
"So, from the looks of it the heist happened sometime last night. Timing is spotty. The security cameras were out most of the night. Everything was out most of the night. A transformer blew one block over; whole neighborhood was without power for most of the night." Alec shifted faintly, flipping the page in the file, the movement bringing Alec even closer.
God he smelled good...
Magnus swallowed, fidgeting nervously, feeling a dizzying shiver slip clear down to his toes, biting his lip, just barely fighting down what feels an awful lot like a whimper, settling more onto the desk, trying desperately to focus on the case and the information and not on his dizzyingly gorgeous head detective partner all but cuddled up against his side, whispering in his freaking ear.
Geez...
He's been chomping at the bit for a real case but how the hell is he gonna focus on a real case when faced with that damnable sexy smirk?
That may be more work than the damn case itself.
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*****EndOfChapterNotes*****
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Yay! Another chapter up! So I know logically the info would all be on the computer and blah, blah, blah but honestly that just seems kinda boring, writing people staring at computer screens. Odds are I'm still gonna have them using files and folders and all that old school stuff. For me it just makes it a fair bit more compelling.
I like how this chapter went, I really like their banter (and I gotta work in one of my running themes for them- the run of complimentary/insulting words back and forth. That's always fun).
Cards on the table I kinda stalled one at first; I'm kinda really enthralled by the Saphael on this one. Gonna tell you now the Malec in this one might seem a bit light here. I really do have the verses balanced pretty well but some rounds are gonna feel more Saphael heavy than others. Honestly the majority of stories this round are pretty much Saphael centered (or in the case of V3 Clizzy centered). Part of that is in the 1st round the Malec was the priority. They're gonna just kinda take turns who's the center focus of the story and who's the secondary story. It just seems more fair, and more interesting.
Don't worry every couple will get their time in the spotlight in all the verses I promise.
Besides I kinda love the Malec being the cute, flirty, fluffy filler-ish stuff to counter balance. That's kinda a nice change of pace, yeah?
I think the Malec dynamic here's gonna be kinda interesting, a bit different. I like the idea of Alec kinda actually catching the flirting and rather than just always being thrown kinda throwing some right back Magnus's way. Thinking that'll be fun.
So continuing on here's the omnipresent list:
A Start Of Something New (Verse 7)
The Girl/Demon In The Mirror (Verse 4)
Nosey Neighbors (Verse 9)
Love Bug (Verse 2)
Picture Perfect (Verse 8)
You Can't Go Home Again (Verse 1)
A Study In Chaos (Verse 6)
This Is Why You Don't Wander Away From The Group (Verse 5)
Death Was Just The Beginning (Verse 3)
I really do like this chapter, Magnus and Alec's dynamic is gonna be a lot of fun here.
So what do you think so far?
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