Alec stared at the name on the door: BANE. The last time he had been here he hadn't taken notice of anything but the dread in his stomach, not he had a change to take in his surroundings and for the tenth time since he left the Institute he felt like an idiot. Though really it seemed like a common trend with the Shadowhunters of New York right now; and all of it stemming from one girl and three soulmates. But every time he thought to turn around his curiosity go the better of him. He wanted to get to know Magnus.

Magnus was beautiful, he couldn't deny that, but it was the look in his eyes that Alec kept thinking of, that kept Alec walking to his loft in the middle of the night when, really, he should be helping the others deal with the fall out that was Valentine's return, Hodge's betrayal, and Jace and Clary finding out that they were siblings, when they thought they were soulmates. Magnus looked at him in a way no one ever had before, and Alec wanted to know what that really felt like.

Alec decided that he would be selfish for a change, if this soulmate had screwed his life up so bad then the least he could do is give him some answers that Alec needed, and maybe a part of him just wanted to thank him for saving his life. The others didn't need to know that Alec lied about going to ask about payment. Though it was something they should discuss.

Alec raised his hand again to ring the buzzer, but stopped himself. Would Magnus even want to see him, if he did then he would have said something during the times where he was conscious, or left a note during the time he wasn't. For once, his parents, the Clave, Jace and everything else that had plagued his minds prior to meeting Magnus wasn't running through his head. Instead he wondered who in the universe thought the Magnus and Alec would make a good match.

From what Alec could tell they were complete opposites. Magnus was loud, outgoing, confidant, beautiful; Alec couldn't imagine that he, plain, dull, shy and more than a little introverted, could possibly make Magnus happy. This time he wasn't worried about what others thought of his soulmate, he wondered what his soulmate thought of him.

BANE

Even the name was confidant, but Alec forced himself to press the buzzer and wait.

"WHO DARES DISTURB THE HIGH WARLOCK OF BROOKLYN?"

"Uh, it's me. I mean, Alec Lightwood." He swore to himself, he sounded nervous and that was just a great start. He seriously thought Magnus would ignore him but there was a ping and the door opened for him.

He made his way up the stairs and found himself looking at Magnus standing in his doorway. His breath caught in his throat at how relaxed he looked. Magnus had been stunning when Alec had met him at the party, but now, with little make-up, jeans and a t-shirt, he looked simply beautiful. Alec blushed under Magnus' gaze and cleared his throat.

Alec closed the distance between them and smiled.

"Alexander Lightwood," Magnus greeted with a genuine smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Alec wasn't sure, but he thought maybe Magnus was interested in getting to know each other. "Do you have company?" he finally asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Magnus asked, he crossed his arms and Alec worried that he would close himself off and that he would have no chance.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at Magnus through his eye lashes, a nervous tick Izzy said. "I was hoping I could come in and talk to you." He must have said something right because Magnus racked his eyes over his eyes and nodded, opening the door slightly and disappearing into the loft.

Alec took in the loft, now that it was devoid of a hundred drunk partiers and found Magnus on the couch, with a cat perched next to him. The cat jumped down and wandered into another room, leaving the two men alone. Alec shifted where he stood and Magnus just watched.

"Would you like some tea?" he finally asked, breaking the silence that was starting to become uncomfortable.

Alec was aware of social norms and nodded, not expecting a takeaway cup to appear in his hand. "By the Angel." He managed to right the cup before spilling the obviously hot liquid on his hand, or anywhere else. He couldn't believe how stupid he was acting, even if Izzy or Jace had said that Magnus seemed to take an interest in him, surely being alone with Alec for less than five minutes would change his mind.

Magnus laughed, and threw his head back. "I love that expression," he said, a smile gracing his face. "It's so quaint."

Alec liked the sound of Magnus laughing and hoped he would have more opportunities to hear it, though preferably without inflicting some damage to himself, or feeling like he was being made fun of. He looked at the cup and asked if Magnus had stolen the tea. Magnus waved his hand and asked why Alec was there.

Alec took a mouthful of tea to give himself the chance to think of what to say, could he really just blurt out 'hi, I'm your soulmate'. "I wanted to thank you," he settled on, because he did, "for saving my life," he clarified, as if Magnus had done something Alec wasn't aware of that he may need thanking for. Alec internally smiled, there, he hadn't quite embarrassed himself and he'd done one thing he had wanted to do.

Magnus leaned back further, and Alec was distracted by the strip of his stomach that was revealed when Magnus' shirt rode up slightly. Magnus stared at Alec, silently cataloguing his face and body movements for any deception before finally asking, "You wanted to thank me?" Magnus could count on one hand the number of times a Shadowhunter had thanked him, maybe two if he classified Tessa as a Shadowhunter.

Not only was a Shadowhunter thanking him, for something he would be getting paid for, but a Lightwood was thanking him. How very confusing his soulmate was becoming. Definitely not what Magnus expected after meeting him, and surely not what Magnus had imagined all these years. He came back to the conversation when Alec started speaking.

"You saved my life," he said, as if that was enough of a reason for a Shadowhunter to thank a Downworlder. "But I was delirious, and I don't think I really thanked you." He took another sip of tea, to help him try and stop himself from rambling and having Magnus kick him out. "I know you didn't have to do it. So thank you."

He must have said something wrong because Magnus kept staring at him with confusion and apprehension. Alec wondered if he could simply call it quits there, the universe had made a mistake or he had, because there was no way that the man in front of him could be his perfect match. They could barely have a conversation without angry words or awkward silences.

"You're… welcome," he finally said.

When he didn't continue Alec figured he was just too polite to kick him out. He put his tea on the coffee table and stood, smoothing his pants along his thighs as he did. "I should go," he said. He assumed Magnus would stand and show him to the door, but instead he motioned for him to sit back down, and closer. He placed his hand on his cheek and just watched Alec's reaction.

Alec's heart was beating faster in his chest. This was the first time Magnus had touched him while conscious and he was enjoying the sensations that it created. Before he had time to sink into the caress Magnus had removed his hand and frowned. He worried he'd done something wrong and asked, "What is it?"

"You're just…" Magnus trailed off as he picked up the cat from before and held him close to his chest. The cat joined Magnus in his study of Alec, and he wasn't sure whose gaze he should be more suspicious of. "… not what I suspected," Magus finished his thought, gently stroking the fur of the cat.

Alec and Magnus went back and forth discussing Alec's family before he finally did something truly embarrassing. "She said you liked me," he said, and ducked his head to hide the blush he knew was staining his face. He berated himself that he had let something slip, but when Magnus had mentioned Izzy it was the first thing to pop into his head.

"What?" Magnus asked obviously confused by the non sequitur. He waited for Alec to elaborate on his statement, growing more and more confused by the direction the conversation was going. He wondered if Alec had ever been in a romantic relationship with the childish responses Magnus was receiving. When Alec mentioned Jace, and how he was overlooked in his favour, Magnus spoke again, "He's trouble."

"But you are totally without guile." Magnus continued to look at him, wondering how long it had been since he'd met a kind Lightwood. "You've always been a plotting sort of family." He swept his gaze over Alec's face again. "But there isn't a lie in your face. I get the feeling everything you say is straightforward." Magnus hoped he was right, if Alec truly were his soulmate then at least that was one thing Magnus shouldn't have to worry about.

"Do you want to go out with me?" Alec asked. He leaned forward, creeping more in Magnus' space where each of them could smell the cologne and natural essence.

Magnus commented on his question and watched Alec blush and bite his teeth. Magnus had been with so many people, filling his years with flings and varying levels of love that watching Alec's reactions, having this conversation with him, just showed how young he was. Magnus knew they were finally heading in the direction this conversation should have been going from the start, but he wasn't sure if he really was so afraid of it now.

"Why do you want to go out with me?" he finally asked. If anyone else had asked him out he wouldn't think twice about his answer, but Magnus was curious to know if it was because of the clocks on their chests, or if, maybe, there was something else that pulled them together.

"Not that I'm not highly desirable," he said, making light of the situation when Alec hadn't responded, "but the way you asked, it seemed as if you were having some sort of fit –"

"– I just do," Alec interrupted. Alec knew he should be honest, but he still wasn't sure how Magnus would react. Neither of them had even hinted that maybe they were soulmates. Alec took a deep breath and shifted to reach his tea before taking a gulp of the cooling drink. He contemplated telling the truth, that he thinks their soulmates and he's curious or just lying. 'Be brave,' his mother always said.

"I just do," he repeated. "But I want… My timer ended when I met you," he finally said, looking at his cup.

Magnus held his breath for a minute, wondering how Alec could be the one to finally acknowledge the elephant in the room. Alec started to fidget, playing with the rim of his cup. "Does anyone know you're gay?" Magnus asked.

Alec stood. He paced the floor a little before turning back to Magnus. "Clary… And Izzy. But they just figured it out, I never said…" Alec trailed off, averting his gaze to the floor as Chairman Meow started to circle him. Alec reached down to scratch behind his ears and lifted his gaze when Magnus chuckled.

"He likes you," Magnus said with a fond smile. He sat forward and watched them interact for a minute.

"Is that a good thing?" Alec asked. He continued to pay attention to the chairman while Magnus stood.

"I never date anyone Chairman doesn't like," he found himself saying. Magnus may have never wanted his soulmate, and he wasn't sure if there was another reason why Alexander Lightwood had captured his attention so quickly, but he was curious where it could go.

"Do you like me, Alec? Just because our clocks ended, doesn't mean we have to do anything. Some soulmates are purely platonic." Magnus knew this was true, but he did hope that Alec at least liked him.

Alec stooped playing with the chairman to look at Magnus. While it could take years to truly know what was going through his mind, he did see that Magnus meant what he had said. "I've never had a date, never kissed anyone. I wasn't waiting for my soulmate," he took a breath and decided to pull what little bravery he had left to finish this conversation, however it may end.

"I didn't… I knew a long time ago that what I wanted was frowned upon by the Clave. So I never bothered trying to be with anyone, not even the people my parents introduced me to –"

"I'm not unsympathetic, Alec. But do you like me?" Magnus interrupted. He wanted to know if Alec wanted a relationship, romantic or platonic, with him.

Alec thought about the question, he went over everything he knew about Magnus and himself. He remembered how he felt when they met, when Magnus held his hand while he was delirious, how happy he was to see Magnus standing in the doorway. "Yes, I like you," he said.

Magnus let out the breath he's been holding and smiled. "So, let's say Friday night?"

Alec's head shot up. "Really? You want to go out with me?"

Magnus laughed. "While, like you, I've never been fond of my timer, something about you has me intrigued. Come on, I'll walk you out." They reached the doorway and Magnus stopped Alec will a hand on his arm.

"What is it?" Alec asked. Not that he was complaining being around for a few more moments.

"Never kissed anyone?" Magnus asked. "No one at all?"

Alec shook his head and prayed to the Angel that Magnus wouldn't change his mind because Alec had no dating experience at all.

"Come here." Magnus place his other hand on Alec other elbow and pulled him closer, until their chests were almost touching. They took a moment to study each other before Magnus closed the distance and kissed Alec. Alec stood still, surprised at Magnus' actions, but soon melted into the kiss and gasped when Magnus ran his tongue along the seam of Alec's lips. Magnus used it to press his tongue into his mouth and swipe it long Alec's teeth and the roof of his mouth. Alec groaned and placed his hands on Magnus' arm and chest to steady himself from the feelings of the kiss.

Magnus moved his hands to Alec's waist and used his belt loops to pull him closer still. The kiss became more heated and neither wanted to pull away when the need to breath became necessary. Alec and Magnus traded quick pecks before releasing each other.

"Now you've been kissed," Magnus said, not surprised at the breathless way the words came out. "See you Friday?"

Alec smiled and turned to exit the loft. He looked back, watching Magnus, before using Magnus' shirt to bring their lips back together. This kiss had less finesse, but no less passion as their tongues, teeth and lips moved and scraped. He stepped back through the door and said, "Friday." He back away, down the stairs and out the door to the building.

Magnus smiled to himself, but frowned when he noticed the wrinkles on his shirt. "Lightwood, they always have to have the last word," he muttered to himself. He drifted back to the living room, planning to watch a couple episodes of Ru Paul's Drag Race before bed. But he couldn't get Alexander Lightwood out of his head.

Chairman Meow curled into his lap again, happy to indulge in his owners distracted pettings while he purred. Magnus sat through two episodes before realising that he hadn't stopped thinking about Alec, and how he kissed, and how shy he was, and just how not-Shadowhunter-like he was at all. He resolved to call Cat in the morning before slipping the chairman off his lap and heading to his bedroom.

He fell asleep that night with a smile gracing his lips. His dreams filled with blue eyes and black hair and soft lips that smiled so temptingly.

*Across Town*

Alec slipped back into the Institute and into his room, surprised that no one had caught him and interrogated him for being gone so long. He took a quick shower and dressed in pyjama bottoms before putting his phone on charge and getting into bed. He thought over the last week and wondered how so much could have changed for his mood to be this positive.

He realised that it was all down to his soulmate, to Magnus. He knew that maybe they wouldn't work out; he had the Clave, his parents, his Parabatai, and no experience for a relationship to work. But he also knew that he'd never met someone like Magnus before. Someone who could get his heart to beat faster, just by smiling at him.

He thought about Jace for a brief second, and only because he could feel the sadness that radiated from him since Valentine had revealed that Clary was his sister. He resolved to talk to him in the morning, since he knew a lot about undesirable feelings.

His thoughts drifted back to Magnus' kiss before he closed his eyes and replayed it to fall asleep to. Dreams of creamy skin, warm bodies and gentle laughing smiles filled his sleep. It was the best sleep Alec had ever had.

*Author's Note*

So this is the end. And wow... I've loved writing this and I'm glad you've liked reading it. I plan on writing companions to them; first date, meeting the parents, and off-shoots for side pairings, so stay tuned for those.

Thank you to those who've stuck with it to the end and welcome to all those who read it once it's finished!

As always kudos and comments equal love!