a/n: So, I must begin by thanking my reviewers. I would thank my faves one by one, but I want to rush and post this before I leave work. Really, you all are wonderful, your reviews have made all the difference in getting me "in the zone". I really enjoyed writing this chapter—I didn't force it. I wrote when I felt compelled to and didn't try to force myself when I felt uninspired. I hope you all like it too!

Magnus had spent the last fifteen minutes rattling on about how he had spent his afternoon. He had answered an array of house calls, in which he either had to provide some of his professional expertise or help so-and-so locate a jacket, or dagger, or assorted mystical stone that they had left in his apartment during the previous night's festivities.

Magnus had realized the second that he and Alec had settled into their seats near a corner window that the evening had the potential to end up one long awkward horror show. Alec seemed reluctant to talk and just sat there, quietly starring at Magnus, looking as though he regretted coming to the café. So, Magnus did enough talking for the both of them. It was exhausting. But worth the effort as the boy's tense shoulders relaxed and his fingers stopped their incessant drumming on the table.

Alec watched the warlock ramble, lowering his voice to a whisper when sharing a particularly juicy piece of downworlder gossip, pausing for effect when relating the more ridiculous events of his evening, and occasionally locking eyes with Alec and throwing him a winning smile as he went on and on and on.

Alec was mesmerized.

He'd known Magnus was eccentric. He'd known he was confident. He'd known the warlock was vain. And far, far stronger than he looked. But as he sat here and watched Magnus in all his glory, Alec felt almost … jealous. Magnus was all glitz and glamour, all wit and (though Alec loathed to admit it) charm. The warlock literally lit up the tiny dark café, his unrestrained laughter rumbling through the small space like a tangible force. And despite the strange looks that the few mundane patrons sent his way, Magnus seemed unfazed. The barista had even blushed when he complimented her "stellar-Chai-brewing skills". Magnus Bane was everything that Alec Lightwood was not. Alec had never met anyone like him. Sure, Isabelle and Jace were plenty self-assured, but they both had indisputable conventional beauty to support their egos. Magnus was far from "traditionally" attractive. In fact, Alec had reason to suspect that the warlock's flashy look hid some of his more appealing features. The delicate curve of his neck, often covered by chokers and overshadowed by the spiky hair that inevitably drew any viewer's eyes upwards. The expanse of smooth, tan skin, which Alec knew from last night's unexpected late-night visit, was just as unblemished and even without the layer of make up loaded atop it. And then there were his eyes.

Warlocks, as demon half-breeds, could often be identified by some tell-tale feature or sign that belied their demon side. Alec had met warlocks with strangely tinted skin, rune-like birthmarks across their backs or forearms, even one with claw like nails that could slice through metal three-inches deep. All of which were easily hidden with a basic glamour. But he had never seen eyes like Magnus'- they blazed like green-gold pools of liquid fire, only interrupted by the narrow onyx slits of his pupils. And as far as Alec could tell, Magnus never used glamour to hide them. It was almost as though the warlock didn't mind, maybe even enjoyed, the way the mundies would quickly look away whenever his eyes would casually alight upon them. Like he was daring them to look at him even one second longer. Alec kind of understood where the mundanes were coming from. Magnus' eyes were eerie… there was something distinctly predatory about them, a threat that left innate human instincts cowering in fear. But there was more than that. They were powerful, and dangerous, and, for some reason that Alec couldn't explain, they were beautiful. Alec found his own eyes shifting to meet Magnus' whenever the warlock looked his way, and felt a clear pang of disappointment when Magnus' eyes would wander around the room or focus elsewhere. Alec briefly wondered if the warlock had enchanted him before pushing the thought from his mind.

Alec realized that the reason he was drawn to Magnus' eyes was probably less to do with magic and more to do with his own insecurities. Magnus' eyes represented everything Alec envied in the warlock: they were inhumane, bizarre, and powerful but his gaze held strong and unforgiving, imposing, and more often than not, haughty. And when Magnus fixed his eyes on someone, he never backed down.

"Alec?" Magnus voice interrupted Alec's thoughts.

"Huh? Yes?"

Magnus frowned at the boy. He'd assumed that he'd had Alec's rapt attention by the way the boy's gaze had begun to bore into him. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Were you listening?"

"Yeah, sure. You were telling me about a pack of pixies you found in an upturned box in your guest bathroom."

"… Right, I was… About 10 minutes ago. We've moved on since then."

"Oh." Damn. He'd been caught staring again.

"Something on your mind, then?"

Magnus was surprised to see a blush creeping up from the stunned boy's neckline.Hm, that was unexpected. Is he having lewd thoughts?

"Well," Magnus continued with a self-satisfied grin. " I suppose I've been talking too much anyways." He felt suddenly gracious, ignoring the chance to embarrass the boy further.

Alec smiled gratefully. "I don't mind."

"Yes, well. I tend to get carried away sometimes."

"No, really. It's okay. I can use the distraction." Alec murmured half to himself as he starred at his hands, which had resumed a steady tapping on the table top. He felt self-conscious paying the warlock any type of compliment, like he would get mocked for it. After an extended silence Alec looked up to see the warlock looking at him with a barely-there expression of concern on his face.

"What?" Alec asked, confused by the abrupt change in mood.

"What's wrong?" Magnus bluntly asked.

Alec's eyes shot up in surprise. "What? I mean… what do you mean? Nothing is…"

"Alexander," Magnus effectively ended Alec's sputtering with a hard look. "What is it you need to be distracted from?"

Alec closed his eyes briefly, silently cursing himself for having said too much to Magnus. Again. He opened his eyes and looked off to the side, trying to look casually interested in the darkness beyond the nearest window.

"It's nothing. Just… life. You know?"

Magnus couldn't help the way the corner of his mouth quirked up in a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I know all about that." A shadow momentarily passed over his face as he went on. "I've lived 10 lifetimes too many, long enough to know that life is completely mercilessly unpredictable."

Alec let his eyes slide back to the warlock, though he stubbornly kept facing the window. He couldn't tell if the warlock was just messing with him or having another one of his disarmingly sincere moments. For the first time since he'd met him, Magnus sounded like a tired and weathered old man. 10 lifetimes? Angel, he must be ancient.

"So…," Magnus continued "Do you want to talk about it?"

Alec was thrown off when he realized the warlock was indeed being sincere. He felt like he owed him some kind of explanation for tonight's erratic behavior… and last night's as well. Actually, Magnus had seen a lot of Alec at his worst. Why the hell is he still here with me? Alec wasn't sure if he was ready to pour his heart out to a two- day stranger so he struggled to give a vague but honest reply.

"It's difficult… to care for other people. Sometimes you feel like… if you keep worrying about them, taking care of them, doing everything you can to keep them safe, then eventually… eventually it'll be enough. Enough to… I don't know," Alec heard his voice break against his will. "Enough for them to finally care back."

Magnus watched the boy battle with his emotions and a sudden rage boiled inside of him. He knew Alec was infatuated with his parabatai, but it was clearly more extreme than he'd initially thought. That fucking Boy Wonder was breaking his heart.

"This is about Blondie, I assume." Magnus immediately regretted the raw anger in his voice when Alec looked at him, the wetness rimming his eyes adding an indigo intensity to his heartrending stare. The boy visibly folded back into himself at Magnus' tone, pulling his arms around himself in a pose that reflected defiance and self-preservation.

"I… don't think I want to talk about this…" Alec responded, wiping his eyes with his dark sleeve before quickly sliding his hand back into the crook of his elbow.

"Don't go creeping back into your shell, Alexander. Talk to me."

Alec stared back at Magnus, whose amber eyes looked far from imposing, right now. They looked pleading. This had been a long and turbulent couple of days, Alec's whole world had been turned upside down. Looking into Magnus eyes, he contemplated the possibility of having someone he could talk to. For once in his life. Someone outside of the shadowhunter world who he could tell anything without fear of judgment, or in Isabelle's case, constant badgering. Could Magnus be that for him? Did he trust him enough for that?

"… What do you want to know?" Alec watched Magnus closely, trying to gauge his reaction.

Magnus paused as the boy inspected him. He was obviously hurting and if all Magnus could do for him now was be a soundboard, give him an escape, ease that pain, even a little. Then that was what he would do.

"I want to know everything." Magnus responded firmly.

Alec continued to stare at the warlock. He knew the man may have initially had less then pure intentions towards him, but right now he was all that Alec had. He felt guilty using Magnus like this, but he needed this. So badly. Other than his own sister and Jace, he'd never really had anyone he could call a friend. He had allies and enemies. But never a friend.

"Well then," Alec began, his expression still grave, "I guess I should start by telling you why I was so late tonight."

Magnus felt his hands unclench and his expression soften as the shadowhunter took control of the conversation. Sure, this wasn't exactly how he'd seen the night going. In fact, this whole strange platonic intimacy thing the two shared was new to him. Magnus wanted more. But for now, this was enough.