Alec was lying in his bed while Magnus's gentle fingers traces the runes on his skin, his eyes closed. Last night Alec had slept-really slept-for the first time since the day Magnus had left.
"So tell me about us?" Magnus whispered.
"What do you want know?" Alec replied.
"How did we meet?" Magnus said.
"The memory spells you were doing on Clary," Alec explained. "She found out, and we all came to see you. I was very firmly in the closet back then, but you still noticed me." It was so strange lying naked in bed with Magnus, and telling Magnus about their life together. Strange in a good way though. It felt like they were getting back to where they had been before.
"That I can understand," Magnus replied, his fingers continuing their study of Alec's skin. "You are rather noticeable." Alec resisted the urge to disagree with Magnus on this matter, since that would ruin the mood. "Then what happened?"
"Oh just me almost getting myself killed saving Jace," Alec continued. "Someone told you, and you came and saved me."
"And this lead to us being an item?" Magnus asked.
"No," Alec explained. "Me coming to your apartment to thank you for saving my life and asking you out, lead to that."
"Bold move," Magnus said, but Alec could hear the smile in his voice.
"Our first date was only slightly disastrous," Alec continued, grinning. "We went to a restaurant where the staff thought I was there to kill them, then Caterina called you to go help a werewolf girl."
"Did I abandon you?" Magnus asked.
"Actually you invited me to come," Alec said. "We saved her together."
"I bet that surprised me," Magnus said. "I probably expected you to try and kill the werewolf instead of saving her."
"That hadn't occurred to me actually," Alec said thoughtfully.
"Sounds to me like we had a pretty normal start," Magnus said. He'd stopped tracing Alec's skin, lying down next to Alec instead. Alec turned to face Magnus on the bed, wrapping an arm around him.
"Maybe," Alec said. "But nothing about it felt normal to me."
"Ah but you said you'd never been with anyone before me," Magnus replied. "First love always feels like magic."
"Love is magic," Alec corrected him.
"I think I can say with some authority that that isn't true," Magnus replied. "Being both an expert in magic, and a veteran of love."
"Well you're wrong," Alec said firmly, with a shake of his head. "Just the fact you are here with me, even though you have no memory of our time together, proves the magic of love."
"So how did you end up rescuing me from my father's hell?" Magnus asked changing the subject.
"You are jumping ahead in the story," Alec said, grinning. He'd let the magic argument slide. Plenty of time to prove Magnus wrong another day. "Next came the Mortal War. Do you remember that?"
"Yes," Magnus said. "Clary got me the Book of the White, and my oldest friend was killed."
"It was also when you told me you loved me for the first time," Alec said, trying to remove the pain from Magnus's eyes. Alec was one of the few people who knew how much Ragnor's death had affected the warlock. Magnus did such a good job of hiding the emotions he didn't want others to see. "You haven't returned my calls for a while and then I found you fighting demons in Alicante once the wards went down. Rather than asking you why you were there, or how demons had gotten in or anything like that, I asked you why you hadn't returned my calls."
"Are you stupid?" Magnus asked chuckling. "You'd think under those circumstances you'd have more important things to focus on."
"You had the same reaction back then," Alec said laughing. "I was rather single minded about it, because despite the war, all I could think about was you. " He paused to lean forward, and kissed Magnus quickly before continuing. "I was very stubborn, and when I finally got you to answer the question, you said you loved me."
"So I wasn't answering your calls because I loved you?" Magnus asked skeptically. "I may have missing memories, but even I know that's not right."
"Okay," Alec conceded. "It was more like you were sick of being in love with me because I had a crush on Jace, and was in the closet, but all I got out of it was the fact that you loved me."
"That's more like it," Magnus replied with a smile.
"I promised to introduce you to my family," Alec continued. "And after some more demon fighting I did so, by kissing you in front of half the Shadowhunters of Alicante in the accords hall."
"Again, I must congratulate you on your bold moves Alexander," Magnus chuckled. "That must of been quite a sight."
"Yep," Alec laughed then he asked, "Do you remember the fight? With Clary's alliance rune?"
"Yes," Magnus said. "I remember fighting with nephilim reflexes. It was uncanny."
"You were linked with me for that fight," Alec explained.
"That would make sense," Magnus replied. "Given everything I now know."
"After the war, we went on holiday together," Alec smiled as he brought his hand up to stroke Magnus's face. "We made love for the first time in Paris."
"You sound like a romance novel," Magnus laughed.
"Is it my fault we're adorable?" Alec smiled. He was studying the warlock's face for any slight change or indication of what Magnus might be thinking.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Magnus asked.
"Just trying to read your mind," Alec teased.
"It's not fair," Magnus grumbled. "You know me so well." Alec could see past the warlock's font to his fear. Alec knew this now to be the fear of being known so well by someone.
"Please don't worry," Alec whispered stroking Magnus's face. "I know you, but I am loyal to you. You're secrets are precious to me."
"I know," Magnus replied, closing his eyes and leaning into Alec's hand. "It just- I mean it still feels- I feel-"
"Vulnerable?" Alec added.
"Yeah," Magnus mumbled.
"You are not the only one who feels that way," Alec whispered. "To love is to make yourself vulnerable."
"I am drawn to you," Magnus whispered. "Like a moth to a flame. Fighting it took all I had, and I don't want to fight anymore, no matter how hot the fire burns." Alec sat up in bed, and turned to cover Magnus's body with his own as he kissed the warlock sweetly. Alec then moved his lips down Magnus's neck and chest, kissing tenderly.
"I won't ever burn you, my love," Alec whispered against Magnus's skin. "I will forever hold you close and keep you warm."
As Alec's lips moved down Magnus teasing him, the warlock was spurred into action. No patience for Alec's foreplay, he moved things along. Alec found himself suddenly under Magnus, and far too distracted to continued a conversation. The grips of passion consumed them. Alec's thoughts melted away as he made love to the man he loved.
"By the Angel, how I've missed you," Alec gasped as felt Magnus's gentle caress. They were both panting, coming down from their highs.
"Oh and what part of me have you missed the most?" Magnus teased, his fingers running over Alec's body to make his point clear. Alec couldn't help but take the question more seriously. He sat up and gazed at Magnus with intensity.
"The kindness in your eyes," Alec began. "The wisdom of your thoughts. The beauty in your soul, and the wonder of your touch." Magnus didn't seem to have the words to reply. Alec smiled at him until Magnus seized Alec's lips in a kiss.
"There is more to you than meets the eye," Magnus whispered. "Enough about us. I want to know about you."
"I promise I am not that interesting," Alec replied.
"I disagree," Magnus replied. "Do you know why I fell in love with you?"
"Absolutely no idea," Alec laughed. "I just counted my lucky stars and went with it."
"Hmmm," Magnus mused. "I guess I shall have to find out for myself then."
"Please do tell me if you figure it out," Alec said. "Can I finish my story now?"
"No," Magnus said. "I want to hear Alexander Lightwood's story."
"How about I give you the summary?" Alec said. Magnus didn't object, so Alec continued. "Scared closeted kid meets sexy warlock, and starts seeing him secretly, but refused to admit to anyone what he knows to be true. Scared kid finally realizes he will lose the sexy warlock if he doesn't. Kid isn't so scared anymore, and kissing his warlock in front of everything. Aside from his parents trying to give him endless papercuts, all is right in the world."
"But I asked about you," Magnus said. "Not you and me."
"You are a part of me," Alec replied.
"I was about fifteen minutes ago," Magnus chuckled, and Alec rolled his eyes. "But I still want to know about you, just you."
Alec shrugged. "I am not sure what else to tell you. My life is just training, demon fighting, trying to stop my siblings from getting themselves killed, and you."
"Tell me what it's like growing up as nephilim," Magnus asked. "I can't imagine that." And so Alec explained how he'd been training as long as he could remember, and how he'd instantly had a preference for the bow and arrow. Alec talked about his first rune ceremony. He talked about how he'd never met anyone like him, until Magnus. Alec confessed that he'd always felt like he'd been born wrong, by being born gay, until he'd met Magnus.
"There isn't anything wrong about you," Magnus said. "On the contrary, you seem to me like the most wholesome person I know. There is an honestly about your face that is quite remarkable." Alec smiled at Magnus. He'd heard this before from Magnus's lips, and hearing it again made him believe more than ever that Magnus was following the same path he'd gone down once before. The path that had lead to Magnus falling in love with Alec.
"Once I knew who I was," Alec said. "But before I met you, I believed totally that I'd never have this." He gestured to the two of them together. "Loving who I wanted to love, and having a family, I thought that would be forever out of my reach."
"A family," Magnus whispered, and Alec realized what he'd said.
"Let's not worry about that right now though," Alec replied hastily.
"But Alec-" Magnus tired to reply, but Alec placed a finger gently over Magnus's lips.
"I am going to finish our story now," Alec said smiling. Magnus gave up trying to talk and settled down in Alec's arms.
"So I left us off in Paris," Alec said. "We were called back to deal with Camille being annoying, which lead to me overhearing you talking to her, and irrationally freaking out about it."
"Had I told you about her yet?" Magnus asked.
"Nope," Alec said. "Which was the main reason I freaked. I hadn't thought once before then, how much older than me you were, and how many more people you'd been with. I worried that I didn't matter to you as much as you mattered to me."
"That makes sense," Magnus acknowledged.
"Past you didn't really agree," Alec laughed. "I ended up fighting for my life just hours later, and when you turned up on the scene, you freaked out and started checking me for injuries. At the time I was cranky and snapped at you."
"How rude!" Magnus laughed. "Clearly I was worried."
"You were," Alec said. "But me snapping, lead to you telling me exactly what I needed to hear."
"Oh and how is that?"
"I said tough, you fell for a Shadowhunter, and we fight demons," Alec recounted. "Next time fall for an accountant, or something to that effect." Alec paused to smile at the memory. "Then you looked at me intently, and said 'There isn't going to be a next time', and then you said you'd never be ready to let me go. Not now, and not in sixty years." Magnus's eyes were wide, and if Alec knew the warlock at all he knew Magnus was thinking about the reason he'd lost his memories. "And then you kissed me on a rooftop with people all around us."
"I've never thought that before," Magnus breathed. "In all the centuries of my life, I've never said that to anyone."
"Now can you understand why I fought so hard to hold you here with me?" Alec asked, his arms around Magnus squeezing slightly as he spoke.
"Yes," Magnus whispered.
"The rest of our story is me messing up, you dumping me, and then me being too lovestruck to do anything but follow you into hell," Alec summed up. "When I found you in Edom, even though we were broken up, and maybe about to die, the first thing you did when you saw me was pull me down and kiss me."
"I was clearly delusional," Magnus said, but there was a catch in his voice that made Alec think Magnus was a little overwhelmed.
"We can change the topic if you like," Alec whispered.
"I still don't understand," Magnus said, not taking Alec up on his offer. "When did I tell you all about my past."
"That was the reason we broke up," Alec said. "I couldn't handle being held at arm's length by you. Not knowing your past, not knowing how you became who you are, made me crazy."
"Crazy how?" Magnus asked.
"Well I started going to see Camille to get information about you," Alec said. "She was less than helpful though, she did offer to try and take your mortality away for me."
"Were you tempted?" Magnus asked.
"I won't lie and say I wasn't," Alec said. "She wanted me to kill Raphael in exchange but I couldn't do that, and I couldn't take the choice from you in the end."
"You must have been happy when I told you how I lost my memories," Magnus surmised.
"I wasn't unhappy," Alec said. "But Magnus, I long ago accepted you as you are. Mortal or immortal, you are all I want."
"Why did I do it then?" Magnus asked, though he seemed to me asking himself more than Alec.
"I have no idea," Alec whispered. "Though you did tell me once, you'd considered it."
"I guess now I'll never know," Magnus sighed.
"Is there no way to get your memories back?" Alec asked.
"None I am aware of," Magnus replied. "The way I lost them… I know of no way to retrieve memories from a demon, especially ones that were given as payment."
"Even if he tricked you?" Alec asked.
"That makes no difference," Magnus said. "They have been swollened up just the same, impossible to get at."
"Memories or no, I still have you," Alec whispered as he leaned down to kiss Magnus's forehead. Magnus turned in Alec's arms to face him.
"And you really don't care what I become?" Magnus asked, Alec shook his head smiling. "There is nothing to research. No way to know."
"Doesn't matter," Alec said easily as he stroked Magnus's face with the back of his hand. Magnus let out an anxious breath, and settled again into Alec's arms.
"So are you moving back in?" Alec asked after a moment's silence. Magnus's only reply was to wave his hands. When the blue sparks vanished Alec could clearly see Magnus's suitcase over the end of the bed. He smiled.
"Oh wait," Magnus said, suddenly stressed. "Maybe I shouldn't do magic. Maybe it will make everything worse."
"It hasn't so far," Alec said soothingly.
"What if doing magic is too hard on my weak mortal body?" Magnus said quickly sitting up, clearly agitated.
"Magnus," Alec said softly as he gently pulls the warlock back into the encircle of his arms. "Relax."
"I can't," Magnus sighed, but he allowed himself to be held. Alec tried to sync up their breathing, in an effort to relax Magnus.
"Yes you can," Alec said, holding Magnus tight against his chest. "Live in the moment, my love."
"Is that how nephilim live?" Magnus asked.
"Yes, I think so," Alec replied.
"I have always prided myself on trying to live in the now," Magnus whispered after a moment. "I knew I had eternity spread out before me, so I put effort into not petrifying."
"When you met me," Alec whispered. He knew this sounded arrogant coming from him, but Magnus couldn't remember, and he needed to know. "You were petrifying. You told me after we escaped your father. You said I saved your life long before Edom. And that was when you asked me if I wanted to get back together, and you gave me a journal filled with your past. I moved into this apartment two weeks later."
"Wow," Magnus whispered. "Without you I'd have petrified anyway. I guess that puts things into perspective a little." Alec turned Magnus again in his arms and kissed the warlock. They were both spent, but they were also both naked in bed kissing. Alec could feel Magnus's hands running over his skin, and returned the favour with enthusiasm. After everything they'd been through, they had earned a day spent naked together in bed.
So.. as I beta rightly said this is just a fluff chapter, but I decided that was okay since this story has been non-stop intense since the third paragraph. Time for some empty happy Malec feels I think. Hence an entire chapter of Magnus and Alec in bed together. :D I hope you like it.
Sneak Peek Chapter 6
"Yes you insisted on wearing a sari," Alec sighed. They'd spent the last hour looking over memories together. Every pieces of physical evidence of their time together, most of which consisted of their travels through Europe.
"I can see that," Magnus chuckled. "You don't look happy about it."
"I was trying not to be embarrassed," Alec smiled.
"Trying and failing I see," Magnus added.
"I had just come out of the closet a week before," Alec defended himself. Magnus laughed lightly.
This story is almost over guys. Now its just tidying up lose ends. On the plus side I can FINALLY start uploading the Malec story I started months ago whenever this story ends!