He knows somewhere between the loving kisses and tight embraces they both have lost consciousness in the middle of the night because the next time he wakes up it's to the early rays of sun desperately trying to cling over the horizon. He hears the birds chirping but knows it's too early to wake up and the soft cocoon he's so comfortably covered in makes him all the more reluctant.

He sighs into the covers and feels the hard body pressed against his back, feels their legs touching each other for being interwinned so tightly together. Instinctively he presses back against the man holding him then feels him shift against his back. It's the smallest of movements, something he feels Magnus is not yet aware of doing, but Alec certainly feels his body waking up first before his mind.

He shifts again and then Magnus is brushing back against him, hard and firm, making Alec moan at the feel of him. A hand around his middle finds its way under Alec's shirt and starts to play with the skin there; catching onto a nub, circling around it until it stiffens and then there's mouth on the back of his neck - wet and sloppy - it all being timed with the thrusts of his hips against Alec's backside.

"Magnus..." he sighs softy as he feels the hands travel down the path to his navel.

At the first real contact of skin on skin, Alec thrusts back and is rewarded with a gasp that gets stifled against his neck. The thigh between his own moves higher as the warlock circles his hips in a way that makes Alec moan in want.

His limbs still feel heavy as he clumsily reaches out for the waistband of his pajamas and tries to get rid of them. He struggles, with the two so tighly wound up together it's practically impossible to move and it's frustrating for a shadowhunter on a mission. He huffs and there's a quiet laugh on the back of his neck before, with a snap of the fingers, Alec is magically bare.

Then it's his turn to gasp at the feel of naked skin on his back and between his legs. The lips on his neck continue leaving soft tingles towards his nerve endings so that he gets distracted and fails to notice the coldness pushing into him until the last second. He keens at the cold and the stretch but the hand that finally envelops him keeps him distracted while Magnus prepares his body.

He's a panting and impatient mess by the time Magnus finally slides in, forcing a choked out sound of Alec's mouth. He pushes back into him, chasing the feeling even though he knows the angle is not the best, but changing it would require extra moving and he can't find it in himself to care about that.

Despite the slow pace, it doesn't take long for him to feel the pressure building up inside him and at the way Magnus' fingers dig a little bit deeper into his flesh he can feel the warlock is not far behind.

The hand between his legs increase its strokes and it takes one, two firm pulls before he's crying out into the pillow, his body's muscles clenching and taking the warlock with him.

He feels a soft kiss on the sweaty skin on his neck and it's the last thought he has before he falls back to sleep.

He doesn't awake for another three hours.

The early hours inside the Institute pass by surprisingly fast for Alec. There are reports to fill and new soldiers to train, but even after hours pass, he doesn't feel half as tired as he usually would be. He wonders if it's due to the persistent thoughts swirling in his head. Ever since Magnus suggested them moving in together, the thought hasn't left Alec's head.

Moving in… a part of him feels elated, his heart beating in excitement at the new step into their relationship. Another part, though, and unfortunatelly a much bigger part of him is scared shitless. It is a completely uncharted terittory for him. Living under the same roof with someone 24/7 is something he has no experience whatsoever and that scares him to the bone. What if he messes it up? What if he can't meet certain expectations that are required of someone living together with you? Magnus is mature and experienced so Alec's fairly certain the warlock is not having a mini-crisis about the prospect of them sharing the living space but Alec is a green leaf and he wonders if it'd have been better for him to have had some kind of experience, if only to know how to use it now.

He quickly swats the last thought away.

He feels the tension slowly ebb away.

He feels lighter, more in control of himself as Izzy finds herself beside her brother with a tablet in her hands.

To his surprise she doesn't even spare a glance at him, just keeps on swipping her finger against the screen, a series of charts appearing on the computer.

Alec feels himself shift uncertainly as he asks, "What're you doing?"

There's a brief smirk on her face before it smoothes over. "Submitting the results of my research, what do you think I'm doing?"

He's not buying it.

If he knows his sister at all, then she's surely planning to get something out of Alec , which he's probably not yet ready to share.

"If you want to say something-"

"I don't," she says simply, facing the screen. Then tilts her head to him with a knowing smirk. "Unless you want to tell me what you've been sighing about for the past hour and half."

Alec closes his eyes and surpresses a groan.

Of course, her keen eyes would have caught that.

"It's nothing," he says briskly.

"You sure?"

The teasing tone in her voice isn't helping.

"Yes," he presses on the word and makes a point to turn to her.

Their eyes meet for a brief moment.

"Hm, okay then," she says simply, dropping the subject.

A moment passes.

Another one.

A hand goes through Alec's hair, making it stand on some ends.

Izzy continues to tape against the touch screen of her tablet.

He bites his lips and shakes his head, knowing he's lost.

"Okay, but promise you won't tell anyone."

"Yes!" A big grin spreads on her face as she whirls around.

"Promise me, Iz!" Alec presses, his eyes intent.

"You can trust me, Alec," she says calmly, watching him until he feels satisfied by her words.

He swallows. "Okay...okay." His whole body hunches, leaning into himself as if trying to protect the words from escaping further than the area the two siblings have occupied. "Magnus, he, uh...sort of asked me to move in with him."

He barely finishes before there's a loud squeal coming out of Isabelle's mouth.

"No way! Alec!"

"Izzy!" he hisses as a few faces turn to look their way. "Not for the entire Institute, please."

He shifts on his feet and only relaxes enough when the faces turn back towards their work.

He sighs...and gets a slap on his arm.

"Alec, this is...wonderful!" There is a shine in her eyes and he feels his heart swell at the support coming from his sister. He smiles a little. "Did you tell our parents yet? When are you moving out?"

"No," he says. "And you're already assuming I have said yes."

She scoffs at him. "Of course you said yes. Who wouldn't?" She laughs a little. Then at Alec's silence, carefully asks, "You did say yes, didn't you?"

Alec rolls his eyes. "Yeah," he simply says and turns to head towards the hallway, Isabelle in tow.

They take a turn and Alec takes the remaining few steps without faltering, pushing the doors to his room open. He let's the doors stay open as he's sure he's going to be followed inside.

There is an open duffel bag resting on his neatly made bed. A soft gasp behind his back, confirms that she has also seen it.

He feels the weight of her eyes boring into his skull as he shifts on his feet.

"Alec..." she starts, her voice sounding unusually soft and timid. "Are you leaving now?"

He shrugs. "I don't know," he says, though, he knows that's a lie. "I think so," he tries again. "I mean Magnus and me are in a good place right now and I..." He looks down as he says the last part. "I really don't want to lose that."

He waits. Eyes facing the floor like he's waiting to be judged for his decision. That they are moving too fast or something. Which he doesn't think that they are. He feels like he came to know the warlock on deep level these past months.

"Alec." He hears his voice being called and risks glancing up.

Isabelle's eyes are sparkling with unshed tears but she doesn't appear to be mad at him.

"I'm so happy for you, Alec," she says, the words coming a bit as a shock to him.

"You are?"

"Of course, silly." She laughs and he starts to feel a bit silly for doubting her. "Magnus is good for you. And if you feel like you're ready to take the next step into your relationship, I support you. Just..." her face grows serious as her voice lowers. "Don't ever feel like you have to meet anyone's expectations. It's your choice."

"I know that," he says.

She regards him for a moment and must find something acceptable because the next moment she rełaxes her stance. "Then that's okay."

They share a smile.

"So..." she draws out the word, while casually plopping onto the edge of the bed. "Should I help you pack?"

"No."

"But-"

"No," Alec repeats, his voice no less firm than the previous time.

"You're no fun," she says as she tsks him.

"I'll be fine packing on my own, Iz. Now if you'd excuse me," he says the last part as he tugs on a shirt she is sitting on, succeeding in bringing Isabelle on her feet as he frees the fabric out of its confinement.

"Oh fine."

With a practised swirl, she trots towards the doors until stopping with a hand on the knob. "That's right. My research!"

That takes Alec's attention as he looks up. "What did you find?"

"Nothing I can prove yet. But I might know where to find some information."

Frowning at her cryptiness, he says, "Okay. When do we leave?"

She smirks. "First you should make a call."

"Huh?"

"We're going for a night out at Pandemonium."

The place is crowded, as one would expect out of a club. As soon as they step in, Alec is overwhelmed with sensations; loud upbeat music ringing in his ears, the mass of dancing bodies and the stuffy air, making him feel uncomfortable under his skin.

He usually can distance himself from such places, mind focused on the job at hand, but something about the place being Magnus' prevents him from doing just that.

As much as not in control he feels in this place, he is also curious. Curious to see this side of Magnus.

Isabelle does all the talking part with the security, so all Alec has to do is tag along to the promised meeting place inside the club. He tries to weave through the crowd without disturbing their pace, but in some areas it is impossible to evade brushing shoulders with other people. He can see that not only mundanes but a lot of people of the shadow world are present here tonight.

He sees the retreating back of his sister and proceeds to close the gap between them that the crowd has created, when suddenly he feels a sensual brush against his foream, a heated body flushing itself onto his side followed by breathy words being whispered into his ear, "Hey, handsome."

It takes everything out of him to not strike a fist at the stranger, but it doesn't stop his body from physically recoilling and shrugging out of unwanted attention. "E-excuse me."

A person standing behind him mutters in distaste as his back collides with them in his rush to get away from the stranger, who is now looking at him with perplexed eyes, his arms lifting in the air, indicating surrender moments later.

Being unable to handle much more, Alec quickly averts his eyes and hastily rushes through the people without looking back.

He heaves a sigh only after he reaches the bar, his fingers gripping the counter tightly.

"Alec?" Isabelle's worried voice reaches his side. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he mutters, and after taking a few deep breaths, wills his body to keep it together.

He lifts his eyes to reassure Isabelle of being okay, when his eyes find the person he has been looking for all along.

His jacket is flung against the bar, leaving him only with a black satin shirt which gives off tiny sparkles against the lighting of the club. The collar of the shirt is slightly ajar, exposing a patch of naked skin which Alec at once wants to hide away from the praying eyes in a sudden fit of possesiveness. He watches him for a moment from afar. Melting in the shadows as the hazel orbs stare at the rare sight of Magnus in his natural enviroment.

It is a place he belongs to, isn't it? His home.

He can feel how clearly different he is, and how it affects Magnus as a person. Granted, it doesn't have to be bad, and Alec doesn't doubt Magnus is genuine in wanting Alec's company, but the shadowhunter can't help but wonder, if perhaphs, the warlock was missing a part of himself, this part of his life; the extravagant parties, the attention of everyone with a proper eyesight.

Pursing his lips, Alec leans more of his weight against the counter and waits.

"Magnus, you barely come here at all these days,"a casually teasing voice coming from his right, tells him. Berta. Magnus smirks, welcoming the approach of his friend. "My dear, if you saw more of me you'd get bored quite easily." He shifts his hips as he leans over the counter to look mischievously at the bartender. Her heartly chuckles provoking a smile of his own.

"You know you have us all wrapped around your finger," she says, picking up a freshly mixed cocktail and passing it towards Magnus for a taste. His fingers brush the brunette's slightly as he picks the drink and brings it to his lips. "Mm, this tastes almost as marvelously as my own."

"Your modesty is the best compliment," she says with a glint in her eyes, receiving a wink from the warlock himself, and makes to turn back to the bar, just in time for another mysterious dark presence to join the two, mostly situating himself by the warlock's side. If it wasn't for the dark possesive aura emitting from, what she now could clearly conclude – a shadowhunter- it would be almost funny to witness his failing attempt at casual arm-flinging-around-Magnus' shoulder.

Frozen with a wet cloth, Berta waits for something to get explained.

In a few seconds that follows, her eyesbrows nearly disappear in her hairline by the way her dear friend's face lights up, his warlock eyes flashing in-and-out for a bare second. "Alexander!" he exclaims, as the, shadowhunter now known as Alexander brings his eyes to the warlock, his demeanour softening visibly. "Hey," he says, and hell, if that voice doesn't make something flip inside her.

Clearing her throat slightly to take their attention, Berta almost feels sad to see the star-eyed looks shift into a more composed ones, but she's anything, if not curious. "Magnus, please, do introduce me to your dashing companion." She smirks, leaning on the counter lightly, and sees the slightly startled look on the dark and handsome's face, before his eyes duck with the dust of pink covering his cheeks.

"This-," Magnus begins, one hand coming up around the shadowhunter's waist. "-is Alexander, Alec."

"His boyfriend," the curt add-in, makes Berta startle a little until she breaks into a fit of giggles, together with the warlock himself. "Yes, indeed, my boyfriend," Magnus says and looks up at Alec, who, is apparently even taller than Magnus himself. There's still dust in his cheeks, but somehow the shadowhunter stubbornly keeps their eyes interlocked, which, in turn, only melts Magnus' gaze into something more tender and loving.

He is wipped, all right.

"Well," she says interrupting, which, she hopes, for the last time. "I still have some work to do around here, but drinks are on me, if you decide to enjoy yourselves."

Magnus smiles at her. "Thank you, Berta."

As she turns, she gets one last gift of hearing Magnus' heartly laugh as she leaves the two to converse.

With the woman gone, something starts to creep back up to Alec. Something which he usually indentifies as his insecurities and shame. He can't believe he actually behaved so rudely towards Magnus' friend. He shifts on his feet as he tells Magnus as much.

"Are you kidding?" Magnus chuckles lightly. "If anything I found your jealousy absolutely adorable," he says and pokes Alec on the nose, making the shadowhunter scrunch it in confusion. "The right amount of possesiveness can be considered rather hot, you know," the words whispered in Alec's ear seem to burn him, as his face lights up even more. He wants to retaliate, but he can only stare at the grinning warlock and force himself not to act as impulsively as, let's say, finding the nearest corner and having his way with him.

Closing his eyes, he shakes himself out of such thoughts. He is on a job, after all.

"Magnus, did Izzy talk with you about what we came here for?" he asks, and can tell when the seductive mood disappears to a comfortable atmosphere between the two, warm, but no longer scorching hot.

"She did, and I have instructed my bartender to ask around, if anyone had seen the bracelet."

Alec nods. "Okay, good."

Feeling his shoulders relax, he sees Magnus shift a little as he takes a sip of the cocktail. It doesn't take long for Magnus to notice his burning stare, and he offers the drink to Alec to try. Shaking his head, Alec refuses.

"I can't," he says with a hint of regret. This place was doing things to him. He feels stuffy and…not fully in control of his body. He could really use something to make the stiffness go away. As he feels Magnus' hand brush by his shoulder, then kneed his muscles with a concerned look on his face, Alec can't help feeling slightly bad. He doesn't want to take away this night from Magnus when he is clearly enjoying himself. "Do you wanna go home?" the warlock asks.

"No," he says abruptly, taking a deep breath he continues, facing Magnus. "No, I'm fine. It's just…"

"Not a regular place we'd hang out," Magnus supplies for him in understanding.

Pressing his lips, Alec looks up at him, then averts his eyes. "No, but it's your place." As he says it, he looks up to watch the rich browns staring at him with a contemplative look. Alec feels as the ringed fingers absentmindedly trail the path down his back. It seems to anchor him, making the shadowhunter lean in more into the presence that is purely Magnus.

It makes him calm.

"Would you like to get acquaintanced to my place?" the sudden question spoken takes Alec off guard. He regards him in confusion, before Magnus clarifies. "For example," he begins, then takes a step further to nearly flush their bodies together, leaving but a centimeter apart. "This is a dancing club," he continues, his fingers coming to brush the lapels of Alec's stuffy leather jacket. They travel the path upwards until they disappear beneath the fabric and there is a slight nudge for the material to go down.

Alec then starts to realize where this is going.

"Magnus, I…" he begins saying, but is shushed by a finger on his lips. "A simple yes or no will do," he whispers against the other pair of lips. To make matters worse, Alec makes a mistake by looking right into the deep sea that is Magnus' eyes. They flicker and for a moment he catches a glimpse of the golden feline slits, making him hitch a breath and nearly crumple from the weakened knees, if not for the firm body that is pressing him into the corner.

Well…that is just not fair.

Closing his eyes, he opens them with a slight pout. He knows who has won, and judging by Magnus' mischievous smirk, he, obviously, does too.

Sighing heavily, Alec takes the offered hand. "Lead the way."

He doesn't expect it to be something he would come to enjoy.

Or care for, really.

He half-expects it to be awkward; a lot of stumbling, stiffness in his muscles and burning cheeks in shame of making a spectacle at Magnus' club, in front of so many people that know Magnus.

So he really doesn't have any scientifical explanations on why once their bodies melt together, and he ceases to look around his shoulder, as the only thing he can actually see, feel and smell becomes Magnus, his body barely needs any instructions to move. Granted, his moves probably wouldn't have won an award in a dancing competition, but somehow it hardly matters.

As his fingers grip into the flesh of Magnus' hips, he urges his hips to follow, to let loose, and as seconds, minutes, tens of them pass, he feels bolder and bolder, threading the waters of what propriety really means in the shadow world, literally, among the shadows.

The skin under his collar is starting to sweat, and as Magnus brushes against it, somehow it triggers Alec to push more, take a claim of what is his for anyone to see. In a sudden burst of confidence, he takes Magnus' hand and twirlls him around, immobilizing him undernearth his arm. The provoked gasp does wonders to his ego. "Ale-" the warlock begins to say but at the sensual push of hips, a hand shoots out to grip the side of his neck. He feels the body melt against him and somehow it seems like a victory. More than a victory against a warlock, who has had many sensual experiences before him, it feels like a victory against his own self, against his old, prejudiced self that was too scared to come out of his shell. But with Magnus in his hands, he feels like he can let it all go and just be.

Yes, Magnus - his ultimate liberation.

Of course, as all fairy tales, his also ends rather abruptly.

One moment he is openly kissing the warlock on the dance floor and beginning a hand-swatting war with Magnus at his attempt to get under the warlock's shirt, the next he feels a pat on his back, which, makes him turn around with a rather dark frown on his face, only to blink at seeing the slightly amused face of his sister.

What concerns him, though, is the lack of genuity in her smile. "What's wrong?"

"Demons. Outside," she says and at once both him and Magnus are alert and ready.

"Let's go," Mangus says. "I'll assist you."

With a nod, the trio leaves through the back door, breathing in a fraction of fresh air, before Alec is tackled to the ground. "Alec!" Magnus' shout only spurs him on, as he twists and turns to bring his legs around the demon to immobilize it. Something suddenly pierces through the flesh of his thighs and he cries out, untangling himself from the demon and letting it leap back, just in time to avoid a blaze of Magnus' red scorching magic.

Hissing at the puncture wounds covering his pants, he gritts his teeth in frustation. He chides himself for his carelessness. He can hear Izzy's wip bounce against the cement, the demon roaring at what seems to be a hit on him.

He searches his pockets for a stele but then is quickly reminded that he has left his jacket back at the club. Closing his eyes, he exhales heavily. Before dark thoughts can start to consume him, he feels a soothing warmth envelop his bruised body, and as he openes his eyes, he isn't surprised to see Magnus kneeling by his side, healing magic leaving his fingers.

"You're going to be okay," he reassures the shadowhunter, though, Alec knows it was also meant to reassure himself, that Alec is, indeed, okay. Feeling the need, Alec grips the closest to him hand, squeezing it slightly. The working hands still for a second, but the trembling is no more visible.

They share a moment of understanding, before they are brought back to reality by Izzy's victorious remark. "Stay, down."

Feeling more strength in his legs, Alec stands up to join Izzy and the monster she has captured.

The sight ahead baffles him.

Instead of trying to break free and in the process break everyone's necks, the demon seems to hunch on itself as it feels its loss. If he didn't know better, he would even go as far as saying, the tremors of the demon's body could be mistaken for shaking. But he does know better. Still, the behaviour isn't something they are used to seeing it, and as the deep, pitck black orbs connect with his, something unsettling passes in his stomach.

They aren't dead, as the demon's eyes should be. Rather the eyes of someone desperate.

"Let's end this," Izzy says from the side and brings out her seraph blade to plump it inside the demon's heart, only to be stopped by a hand on her wrist.

"Don't."

"Alec, what-"

"We take it alive," Alec says with authority in his voice. At the bewildered expressions on both his sister and lover, Alec clarifies, "You said you needed something to experiment on. These demons are nothing ordinary. We might find something useful from it being alive."

"Alec, taking a living demon inside the institute is against the protocol."

"I'm the head of the Institute. I'll take the responsibilty," he says, and that seems to be enough.

As he sees the slight slump on the demon's shoulders, he is sure he made the right, albeit, crazy, decision.

He has to have.

While Magnus arranges them a portal for the Insitute, he himself declines the invitation to join them for the sake of attending a last-minute warlock meeting. The shadowhunters assure him that they are going to be fine on their own, and with a light peck, Magnus agrees that he'll see Alec back home.

Home.

Something he is still reluctant to feel giddy about, but can hardly keep it in himself not to.

Apparently he doesn't have time for such thoughts, because as soon as they portal inside the institute, the somehow docile demon seems to be the last of their worries. Behaving like complete amateurs, the shadowhunters of the insitute go into panic, bringing about chaos. It takes Alec barking orders left and right more harshly than he ever did to get a hold of the situation.

It's a wonder how the demon didn't breark free in the midst of that chaos.

Rubbing his temples from the upcoming headache, Alec watches Izzy strap the demon to the table, which, in turn, starts to twist and tug against its restrains. Finally a reaction they were familiar with.

As Isabelle comes by the table with a sharp needle, it nearly bites her head off, forcing Alec to slam his elbow in the demon's collarbone, only to get bitten himself. "Shit," he curses at the sting. "Izzy!" he calls out for her and then finally gets his arm released from its confines when Isabelle brings a needle to the demon's neck, forcing it to go unconscious.

Clutching his hand against his chest, Alec eyes the table warily. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Isabelle only rolls her eyes at him. "I'm going to be fine, Alec. You should probably get that looked up by Magnus. For demon wounds, iratze isn't enough." She shifts her eyes to work on the equipment. "I would know."

Understanding where Isabelle is coming from, Alec squeezes her shoulder with his uninjured hand.

The shared smile is enough for them.

There is a knock on the door, and a head pops in, one of the newer shadowhunters. At once Alec's face goes sour. "I thought I told you no one was to come here."

The poor thing gulps before speaking. "Yes, you did, but Maryse Lightwood just arrived at the Institute and wants to see you."

The Lightwood siblings share a glance. "I will stay with the demon, you go."

With a nod, Alec leaves the room.

As he comes into his office, he finds his mother by the window, a rather solemn look on her face, frowning, he clears his throat before entering, not to spook her. "Mother."

At once a smile appears on her face as she envelops her eldest son in her arms. "My sweet boy."

As they part, Alec can't help wondering. "What's bringing you here? Is it…dad? Are you finally…" he leaves the words trail off, still unsure how he should react about his parents apparent separation. He is supportive, of course, but he also knows how hard it must have been to make that decision. He couldn't imagine that happening to… He is brought back from his thoughts by Maryse's denial.

"No, it's not about your father. Well, maybe, partly. I wanted to get away, and I heard about the demon attacks."

"Yes, we're still investigating. They don't seem to be following any pattern so far."

Maryse hums in thought. "And the mundane? Have you found them?"

Pressing his lips together in clear frustration with himself, Alec stands. "Not yet."

"I'm sure you will," Maryse assures him, bringing her hand to cup his cheek. With a smile, she turns, taking a seat at one of the couches. "So, tell me, how is your life been going? How is Magnus?"

Her genuine interest seems to unsettle him even more, because he isn't yet sure how much of his recent life he wants to share with his mother, but at the same time he doesn't feel it fair to not share anything at all. "It's, uh, good. Great. We're back together, and it's been going good." He smiles slightly, hoping it is enough for now.

"That's good to hear," Maryse says from her spot, smiling with a hint of bittersweetness. "All I ever wanted for my children is to find happiness that they deserve. I'm happy Magnus is able to give that to you."

The smile she gives him is a bit awkward to hold, so he steers the conversation away. "H-how long are you staying then?"

"Only a few days. If nothing new comes up."

"Stay as long as you want," Alec reassures her. "You're always welcome here."

He opens his mouth to ask something else about her current plans, but his train of thoughts is interrupted by a sudden bleeping of his phone. Taking it out, he only manages to see a glimpse of Magnus' name flashing on the screen before it turns black. Frowning, he presses on the call log, and sure enough there is a missed call from the warlock. He presses on the call button but after a few tones, the call still doesn't get through. Or the warlock wasn't picking up.

Suddenly he is worried.

"Um, mother, I don't wish to leave you like this, but I-"

"Is it Magnus?" Maryse asks knowingly, and at Alec's nod, she gives him her blessings to go ahead.

Fleeing through the streets in his glamour, Alec easily evades the passing by mundanes, until he takes it upon himself to jump on the nearest rooftop and go the faster way. In a matter of moments, he is by the apartment doors, fishing out the key from his pocket, which he earlier found Magnus to have sneakily put inside for him.

Turning the lock, Alec comes in…

….to the pitch darkness, only the moon illuminating a part of the living room, where a lone figure sits, seemingly unnoticing his added presence inside the room.

Now seriously worried, Alec crosses the room in a few strides, and kneels by the warlock's side. "Magnus?" he asks tentatively, and feels the warlock flinch at the sudden palm on his cheek. "Alec-what…" he seems disoriented, like he wasn't expecting Alec at all.

"Magnus, what's going on? What happened? You called me but then you hang up so suddenly…"

"I…" the brown orbs blink then seem to refocus. "I guess I did." He chuckles, sadly. "I probably shouldn't have, you were still busy with the demon and-"

"Magnus," Alec says more firmly, a hand cupping the warlock's cheek. "What happened?"

Something seems to break a little in those rich orbs and Alec has a sudden urge to crush every single one that got his beloved in this state. "Oh, Alexander. He took it from me."

Frowning, Alec asks. "He? Took what?"

"While I wasn't looking, he used the opportunity and snatched it straight from my fingers. That sneaky bastard. He was only waiting for an excuse," he fumes, seemingly getting more and more agitated by the second.

"Magnus, what are you talking about?"

There seems to be a pause, where Magnus only stares off in the distance before his shoulders slump and he brings his face in his palms. "My title. I'm no longer the High Warlock of Brooklyn."

Stunned, Alec stares at the defeated sigh that escapes the warlock's frame, before bringing his arms around him, kissing the side of the hairline as he feels the body take a shuddering breath. "What am I supposed to do now?" he asks. "Being the High Warlock of Brooklyn was everything I knew of. Taking that away and…what good I am for?" he says the words with bitterness, making Alec squeeze him tighter.

"Your title is not who you are, Magnus. You help people. You fight for the injustice. That's what you are."

As Alec pulls them apart, the brown orbs shine in the dim lighting of the room. He pushes himself on his knees and captures his slightly quivering lips with a peck, giving him comfort and support. Magnus' fingers come to brush a few strands of the dark locks, seemingly lost in the action for a while. Alec indulges him to have that moment. It takes a while longer for the warlock to finally release a heavy sigh and with a slightly strained smile offer them to head to bed, apologizing for his poor welcoming party.

"I don't care about any of that, as long as you're with me," Alec says with conviction.

The dreams that night are unsettling, but the body heat they share, help them get through it.

to be continued...?