"Come lay down with me."
"What?"
You must do anything I ask...
"Magnus!"
SMACK
"Ow!" Magnus sputtered and came violently awake. His eyes met Alec's- Blue and flustered over red cheeks- and then the rest of the room cam into focus.
Magnus raised a hand to his cheek.
"What the..." He touched his fingers to his cheek. "Did you just hit me?"
Alec straightened and blushed "S-sorry, I was just..." Alec looked around uncomfortably before pointing at the comforter. "You spilled your wine."
Magus looked, and confused look came over his face before sighing and snapping his fingers.
The stain disappeared.
"In the future, Alexander. I prefer to be woken up gently." Magnus stated, running a hand through his hair. Alec noticed he was wearing it down for once and it reminded him of flawless black silk.
Alec blushed deeper, "Sorry..."
Magnus finally turned his eyes on Alec. Bright and menacing in the dim room.
"So," the warlock said, swinging his legs so he was sitting up on the side of the bed. He didn't bother to fix his rob when it got caught and revealed his caramel legs up to the knee. "You're back. How was your family?"
"They're fine." Alec confessed with a shrug. "Isabelle woke up a few hours ago. And Jace..."
Alec hesitated. He wasn't sure why, but Magnus didn't seem to care either way.
"Good." he said, stretching his arms and standing up. "And it seems up made it back to the manor all right."
"Oh, I-," Alec raised his wrist. "This... it brings me back at midnight doesn't it?"
"Oh that's right." Magnus agreed mildly, looking down at the wrist tattoo with a smile and reaching out to run his fingers over it. His eyes narrowed.
"That's odd."
"What?" Alec asked, blushing at the feeling of Magnus' fingers caressing the delicate skin above his pulse. He worried the warlock might have felt it his heart beat speed.
"The mark is quite hot." Magnus explained, raising his cat eyes to study Alec's face. "Have you been trying to disobey one of my orders?"
"What?" Alec's eyes widened in surprised. "I mean- no. I didn't even think I could do that." Alec tried not to stammer looking away.
"Really?" Magnus brushed his thumb over the skin again. "Because you know, the longer you fight against the order, and the stronger the order that was given, the more this mark will start to burn. It's going to get quite uncomfortable for you." Magnus tilted his head. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to discuss with me? I can be quite reasonable."
Alec blinked in surprise. "No really. I'm not trying to-,"
Alec stopped. There's no way, he thought, a nervous feeling worming his way into his stomach. It can't possible be that he was ordering me to...
Magnus cocked and eyebrow. "Oh? You aren't trying to what?"
Alec pressed his lips together.
"Magnus..." He began slowly. "When you say orders... does anything you tell me to do qualify?"
Alec shifted uncomfortably as he spoke, and Magnus stared at him bemusedly.
"If it was spoken as a command than I suppose so," Magnus said breezily, waving his hand. "Why?"
Alec let out a breath and tried to find something to focus on that wasn't Magnus.
"It's nothing really... it's just... you said something a moment ago, before you woke up-," as Alec spoke the mark flared and Alec gritted his teeth. It felt as if something hot around his wrist was slow constricting, tighter and tighter.
"Said what?" Magnus demanded, and he looked surprisingly concerned. A wary light behind his eyes.
"It was nothing much," Alec shrugged. "Just something about asking me to lay down. I didn't really think anything of it. You were asleep and-," The mark flared and Alec's wrist tighten. "Ah!"
"Alexander!" Magnus fingers tightened around Alec's hand "Are you all right? What are you talking about?" Magnus' voice was urgent. "Tell me exactly what I said."
Alec's blush spread down his neck but he tried to ignore it. Still avoiding Magnus' eyes as he cleared his throat.
"'You're back,'" Alec quoted, as closely as he could remember. "'Here, come lay down with me.'"
Alec almost didn't get through the last part. But through either stubbornness or plain will power he managed to fight back his blush from spreading.
Magnus stared at him with a blank expression.
"Oh, for the angel's sake." Magnus groaned under his breath, raising a hand to hold his forehead. His eyelids fluttered exhaustedly.
"Is that why you smacked me awake?"
Alec jolted. "What? No... I- That was an accident-,"
Magnus started waving his hand to shut Alec up.
"It doesn't matter," He snapped, running a long fingered hand through his hair. "It seems were just going to have to get this over with."
Alec's eyes widened for a brief second. He was about to ask what the warlock was talking about when Magnus suddenly shifted himself over on the bed and dragged Alec's arm with him.
"W-what are you doing?" Alec demanded, pulling back against Magnus' grip.
Two gold cat eyes rolled his his direction.
"For goodness sake, Alec, it's ginormous bed. Trust me. I had it specially made. Just lie down before this gets anymore difficult.
Alec swallowed shakily but forced himself not to think as he kicked off his shoes and slowly moved over to lower himself onto the bed. Lying stiffly on his back.
Magnus yawned tiredly.
"Good boy," he said, but his lilting voice was slightly slurred as he tucked his head into a silk pillow. "Now, stay there and get some rest. I'll wake you up in the morning."
Alec's back straighten. "What? You want me to sleep here all night?"
"Yes." Magnus said simply, already closing his eyes. "Honestly you shouldn't be complaining. Most people would be honored to receive such an invitation."
"But I have a room of my own-," Alec began to argue. Magnus interrupted by clearing his throat.
"It's time for sleep Alexander. You can pretend like I'm not even here, and I'll be doing the same." said Magnus, rolling over and pulling the sheets around his shoulders as he turned his back on Alec. He snapped his fingers and the room was plunged into darkness.
At first Alec didn't move. Lying very still on his edge of the bed while a clock ticked passed the minutes.
As he lay there though a thought did occur to him.
He was being a complete idiot.
On some level, Alec realized, wasn't this what he had always wanted?
Alec had been a prince his entire life. Never allowed to have a toe out of line, never supposed to make any mistakes. Now, for once, since Magnus had come into his life, no one was watching him. No one would no a thing about what he did or didn't do or wether or not his conduct was suitable for a prince. For once he had a free pass to be anyone he wanted. And lying, only a few inches away, was a beautiful man who had all but admitted to Alec that he was interested in a physical relationship, and here Alec was acting like someone was trying to throw him into a pit of snakes.
I could try, Alec told himself, slowly shifting himself on the bed and sliding his body underneath the silken sheets. With Magnus, I could try. See what it is I really want...
Alec thought this, pulling the sheets up to his chest and rolling over onto his side, facing Magnus. His eyes tracing the smooth back of the warlocks robe, and catching on the imprints his shoulder blades, and the ridge of his spine.
Alec felt a bright warm hunger bloom in his stomach.
A hunger that was almost immediately followed by fear.
Alec clenched his teeth. Swallowing against what ever cold trembling was roiling up inside of him.
No. Maybe he wasn't ready for this quite yet.
Alec let out a silent breath of disappointment.
Maybe this was enough though. Enough to realize that he wanted it. To admit that this man- long, and lean, and beautiful. This man made him want it.
Alec slightly smiled, letting his eyes still watch Magnus- his breathing make his chest rise and fall- as his eyes slowly slipped closed into the darkness.
Maybe that was enough for tonight.
I decided to start updating in honor of the Shadowhunters Premiere tonight. It's not much but I hope it's enough to wet your appetite for more :) I'll try to update every Tuesday from now on to keep up with the show. So keep an eye out for it :)