Chapter two.
"And where have you been?" Clary asked raising her eyebrows at Alec as he walked off the elevator.
"Don't. I'm not in the mood." He replied, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the coat-peg to his side.
"Where you at Magnus's?" She asked mockingly.
"Don't you have your own house to be at?" Alec asked snidely, feeling a blush creep up his cheeks.
"I'm waiting for Jace. He said he'd teach me all about Shadowhunting." She explained, gesturing to the high pile of books on the bench she was sat on. "And you didn't answer my question."
"Yes, I was at Magnus's, he needed my help." He explained.
"Bet he did." Clary muttered. "You look exhausted, go to bed."
Alec nodded and padded along to his room. He opened his door, kicked off his shoes, closed his door and flopped down onto his bed. He was asleep withing minutes, not even bothering to get undressed.
Back at his appartment, Magnus was in his lounge laid on his couch, contemplating ringing Alec back. Remembering the circles under the Alec's eyes, he decided against it.
He couldn't remember when Alec had come to mean so much to him. After he had first met him, at his party, he just couldn't stop thinking about him. Then Alec, that arrogant twat Jace, the mundane-who was, for the record, a much less annoying than Vampire which he later became -and the girl, found the mortal cup, rescued the mother and killed valentine, saved the world then he knew. He knew that as much as they-well he-wanted them to be together, Magnus could never have Alec. He was, and always would be a Shadowhunter, and Shadowhunters could not be gay.
Magnus sighed, clambered to his feet and made his way to his landline. He pressed the button but the annoying british lady informed him that he had "No new messages".
Damn. Magnus thought Maybe if I had a client, I would stop thinking about him.
Magnus looked around his appartment. Usually he liked the decor, basic and shimmering with glitter. Now, though, it looked bear and dingy. Without Alec's blue eyes and bright smile, it looked dark and uninhabitable.
In truth, Magnus was alone. He was a hard man to become friends with and anyone who got close he pushed away. He was lonely. Even his parties were just excuses to not be so alone for a period of time. But he was. He was all alone. Alec was the only friend he had, the only friend he really wanted.
Magnus padded to the guest room, the room with his only TV inside it, and sat down. Five minutes of channel surfing later and Magnus felt worse than before. How had he ended up like this?
In his youth-around the time of his 109th birthday-Magnus had been extremely popular person. Everyone wanted him. Men, women, Shadowhunters, everyone. He had many friends and an adoring family. Then he grew older and his friends all died, his family grew distant, he became recluse and unfeeling, only ever socialising at his many, many parties.
Then he met Alec. The first time he saw him his pulse rate increased, his smile broadened, his body did things it had not done in years. Alec's blue eyes met his own and then he felt it. He felt alive. He felt his heart beat in ways it hadn't in over 200 years!
Alec made him better, made him good. If it weren't for Alec, he wouldn't have healed Jace and the girl for free. He wouldn't have stood trial, defending the girl, explaining that it was Valentine who was in the wrong. Alec gave him a reason to live, and no way was he about to screw this up!