Chapter Seven: Bragging

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

Author's Note: This takes place when Alec is left at Magnus's while the rest of the gang visits the Fair People.

Time: City of Ashes

Genre: Drama, Romance, and Angst

Rating: PG-13

Date Finished: June 18, 2012

Magnus's smile quickly turned into a frown. It was then that Alec knew that they were not going to be okay. He had not been entirely sure that they were going to be okay to start with, but now he was certain.

Magnus was studying Alec with his hand resting under his chin. His forehead was wrinkled and it looked as if he was deep in thought. Alec knew that he was in trouble. Whenever Magnus looked as if he was thinking, good things did not usually follow. It was good for Magnus, but not good for Alec.

"What are you doing?" Alec asked. He was afraid of what the response would be.

Magnus still studied Alec. He was now running his eyes up and down the length of Alec's body. The cat-like eyes never seemed to blink. They only stared. Most of the time it creeped Alec out, just as they were now.

"Magnus, you are scaring me," Alec said.

Magnus smiled. "You really are beautiful," he said. Now the warlock was circling Alec. "You could be even more beautiful if you knew how to dress your body."

Alec did not know where the warlock was going with this nor was he sure that he wanted to know. Magnus's ideas tended to scare him.

Magnus surveyed Alec from behind. This caused the Shadowhunter to feel rather self-conscious. He was not entirely sure what the warlock was doing, but he had a pretty good idea. Magnus walked back so that he was facing Alec. This made him feel a whole heck of a lot better.

"You need something to make those blue eyes pop," Magnus said striking a pose.

Alec raised his eyebrows. "Make my eyes pop?" he asked slowly.

Magnus nodded. He did not stop nodding and that reminded Alec of a bobble head. "Yeah. If you make your eyes pop, it would give you bragging right." He nudged Alec. "If you know what I mean," he said with a wink.

Alec stepped away from Magnus. This was getting a little to awkward for his liking. He was unsure of what Magnus was going for. He also was not sure if he wanted bragging rights. He was not completely sure what that meant. "No, I do not," Alec said coldly. He was not going to let Magnus walk all over him.

Magnus winked in a flirty way. "Oh, I think you do," he said in a sing song voice. "Think about it for a minute."

Alec did not what to think about it for a minute. He did not want to think about it at all. He knew exactly what Magnus was planning on doing and he was not going to stand for it. He was going to put his foot down on this and tell Magnus exactly what he thought about this.

It took a lot of energy, sweat, and tears for Magnus to get Alec out of the apartment. He had not even told the boy what his intentions were and, yet, Alec was sweating it out. The warlock just wished that people could relearn to trust one another. After all Magnus had not done anything to major to the boy. He had recently saved Alec's life and that should give Alec reason to trust him.

Did the Shadowhunter trust the warlock? In this case, no.

Magnus knew that the issue of trust was going to have to be addressed if they were going to make this relationship work. After all not trusting a partner was what tended to end most happy relationships.

They needed to address this issue quickly. Magnus reached up and paused the elevator. There was no other time to take care of this issue than now. At least in such closed quarters, Alec could not run away.

"Hey," Alec said as the elevator froze. Magnus knew that Alec knew who had caused to the elevator to freeze.

Magnus looked at the Shadowhunter. "We need to talk," he said slowly.

Alec looked at Magnus. His beautiful blue eyes were filled with fury. "Do we have to do it here?"

Magnus nodded. "There is no other time than the present," he replied happily.

He knew that his cheery mood would tick Alec off. It was a rather pleasant experience annoying people. It offered almost the same excitement as waking up on Christmas Morning to a winter wonderland and a mound of presents under the tree. Speaking of Christmas, he needed to figure out what to get Alec. Good thing he still had about six months.

Alec scowled and groaned.

Magnus leaned against the side of the elevator. "We has some issues that we need to address."

"What issues?" Alec inquired. "I was not aware that there was any issues."

Magnus stared at Alec with his cat eyes. He knew that the staring bothered Alec and it may even creep the boy out. That was why he did it. Creeping people out was another hobby of his.

"What?" Alec asked.

"We have trust problems," Magnus said slowly. "That tends to make a happy relationship a rainy day."

"What trust problems?"

"You do not trust me with this trip."

"That is because I have no idea what you are doing," Alec replied. "I can with you. I would not have come if I did not trust you. I just do not trust what you are doing."

"Oh," Magnus said. "Trust me. Once I am done with you, I will have nothing else to brag about." He allowed the elevator to move again.

"Magnus, what do you have planned?" Alec asked carefully.

Magnus stared at Alec again with his cat eyes. "Remember what I said about the trust thing?"
Alec nodded. "Yeah."

"This is when you need to use it."