Thank you so very much for the reviews! As always, they are truly appreciated and motivational :). Sorry for the later update, I was away for the weekend.

A/N: Time to meet Magnus :). Obviously, for this story, Magnus and Alec's relationship develops differently. Some of the speech at the beginning of this chapter comes from Cassandra Clare's short scene called "Kissed" about Alec and Magnus's first kiss. However, it departs from that fairly quickly in this chapter.

Disclaimer: The above note reminds me to put a disclaimer. The characters and universe belongs to Cassandra Clare, along with specific quotes from her "Kissed" scene.

Warnings: This chapter has no warnings. However, the overall story deals with very sensitive subject matters, including sexual abuse of a minor (not explicitly described), internalized homophobia, self-destructive behavior, language and adult sexual content.

Learning to Be

Chapter 2: Friends

Magnus propped his feet up on his coffee table, sighing contently. He flicked his hand toward the TV and settled into a mindless episode of Real Housewives of New York. Chairman Meow sprang onto the couch and nestled in beside him.

"Oh, now you want to get all cuddly, when just 30 minutes ago you were hissing," he said fondly, stroking the cat softly.

He had just snapped a glass of wine into his waiting hand when he heard the loud buzzing for the front door.

He groaned. Really? He was just getting into the episode. He motioned to the TV and the image on the screen froze.

"WHO CALLS UPON THE HIGH WARLOCK?" bellowed Magnus. He smirked at his own dramatic flair.

A hesitant voice came through the speaker. "Er. It's me. I mean, Alec Lightwood.

Magnus paused, an eyebrow raised. The blue-eyed Nephilim. Well, this was a surprise. Chairman Meow jumped off the couch as Magnus buzzed the shadowhunter into the building.

He opened the door and leaned against the doorframe, listening to the teenager's footsteps coming up the stairs. He definitely looked better than he did the last time he saw him, practically dying on a bed in the Institute infirmary.

He wore faded black jeans and a shabby brown sweater, like he was trying very hard to hide his attractiveness and disappear into the background. But it was hard to do.

"Alexander Lightwood," he started. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Alec glanced into the apartment. "Um, are you busy?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Depends."

He boy shifted his feet. "Can I come in and talk?"

Magnus stood silently for a moment, his eyes roaming over the boy. He was tall and wiry but with lean muscles hidden underneath his clothes; maybe an inch shorter than Magnus and slightly narrower. Alec looked at him nervously. He had these long black lashes that framed his large eyes, the irises a perfect mixture of different shades of blue. His thick black hair framed his face, stopping at his defined jawline. He was beautiful.

"Well, why not," he decided aloud and abruptly turned away and into the loft. He settled into his previous spot and Alec sat down in the golden couch opposite him, sitting at the edge, like he was readying himself to bolt if necessary.

"Do you want anything? Coffee, tea?"

Alec just nodded.

"Both?"

"Um, right, um tea would be nice."

Magnus smiled when Alec jumped as a piping hot cup of tea from Joe's appeared in his hands.

"What the...did you steal this?" he said, staring at the cup of tea, in total bewilderment.

"Adorable."

"What?"

"So, what did you want to talk about."

Alec slowly sipped the tea. "I...um, I wanted to thank you for what you did."

"You came all the way here to thank me?"

"You saved my life. Isabelle said you didn't accept any payment. You didn't have to come, but you did and I don't know if I thanked you properly, so yeah, thank you."

Magnus watched the teenager carefully. Did he come all the way here just to thank him? Magnus had known many Lightwoods over the centuries. Most Lightwoods he knew where arrogant and sly. He wouldn't trust them. But Alec exuded the opposite-honesty and innocence. "Well, you're welcome."

Alec bit his bottom lip and placed his tea on the coffee table. "I should go."

"So, you came all the way to Brooklyn just to thank me?"

Alec blinked his eyes. "I...I mean, I didn't have your number."

"Now you do."

"What?"

Magnus smirked. "Check your phone."

Alec dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He fiddled with it for a moment and then looked at it startled.

Magnus couldn't help but grin. His expression was so endearing. Definitely not a typical Lightwood.

"Magnus, the Magnificent?"

"It has a certain flair to it, wouldn't you agree?"

Alec chuckled softly and smiled.

"You should do that more often."

"What?"

"Smile, it looks good on you."

Alec frowned, his eyes suddenly downcast. Magnus leaned forward and brushed his fingers against the younger boy's cheek. He instantly felt a spark but Alec immediately drew back and stood up, looking away.

"I'm sorry," Alec muttered.

Magnus frowned at his reaction. "What are you sorry for?"

Alec forced his eyes up. "I don't know. I..." He was wringing his hands.

"Does anyone know?"

Alec immediately tensed. "Know what?"

"That you're gay."

He flinched. "I'm not...I'm not gay." The poor boy could not lie to save his life.

Magnus sighed. This boy was so far in the closet, he was lost in Narnia.

Magnus should have just let him go. He didn't need to get involved with a Nephilim. And he definitely didn't need to get mixed up with a confused teenager that was so terrified of his sexuality that he couldn't even admit it to himself. He was not unsympathetic to the struggle but he was too old to get involved.

But there was something about him that drew him in and he couldn't quite place it.

"You don't have to be afraid of your sexuality, at least not here."

Alec shook his head. Chairman Meow walked over to the standing shadowhunter and rubbed against his leg, purring happily. Startled out of his discomfort, Alec looked down at the cat.

"The Chairman likes you."

Alec crouched down and buried his fingers into the cat's fur, as if he was glad for the sudden distraction. "Is that a good thing?"

"He's an excellent judge of character."

Alec sat on the floor. He crossed his long legs and allowed the cat to jump into his lap. Chairman Meow nestled into the nook and Magnus watched as Alec concentrated on stroking the cat's fur, his eyes fixed down.

"Maybe...I don't know, we could be friends?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You and the cat, or you and me."

Alec looked up, his cheeks flushed slightly. "You and me."

It was adorable. "Well, if we were 12-year-old girls, we'd make friendship bracelets and call it a day but I have to wonder if you're asking because you don't know how to make friends that your family hasn't adopted or because you want to make it clear that you only want to be friends."

Alec blinked, looking almost bewildered. "I...I don't know."

Magnus leaned forward, watching the Nephilim play with his cat. It had been a long time since he spent any time with shadowhunters. "I don't like to make a habit out of making friends with Nephilim but you intrigue me."

"I'm not that interesting."

"I'd rather disagree, young Nephilim. You're different."

"From other shadowhunters?"

"From other Lightwoods."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "I didn't you know you were so acquainted with my family."

"I've known more Lightwoods than you probably do."

"And how am I different?" His question came out bitter, like he didn't want to be so far removed from his kin.

"Less arrogant and cunning."

"I don't know if I'm supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult."

Magnus smiled. "I'm not partial to the snobbish, arrogant type that thinks they are better then others because they have the blood of Raziel running through their veins."

"And you are not arrogant?"

Magnus tilted his head, enjoying the banter. "Confidence does not equate to arrogance."

"And how do you know I don't think I'm better than you?"

"Because you are honest without even saying any words. And at the party, you told me that I can't help the way I was born." Alec bit his bottom lip. Magnus was sure he was trying to convince himself as much as the warlock when he had said that. "And you are sitting here right now, playing with a warlock's cat."

"I should be offended on my family's behalf."

"And yet you know I'm right."

"My siblings are not like that."

"Well, then there is hope for the future generations of your esteemed family," he said grandly, sweeping his hand in the air.

Alec's eyes twinkled with laughter as he got up. "I should really go. They will be wondering where I am. I told them I was going on a walk."

Magnus stood up and walked the teenager to the door. Alec turned around and looked up at the warlock. Magnus really wanted to bend down and kiss the Nephilim. His bottom lip was slightly swollen from where he had bit it. His lips would be perfect for kissing, Magnus thought absently. But he refrained himself, not wanting to traumatize the confused teenager.

"Well, dear shadowhunter, we'll see where this goes."

Alec nodded, almost too seriously. "Thank you."

"For saving your life. I got it."

"For everything," Alec said quickly before turning around and disappearing down the stairs.

Magnus stood in the doorway, wondering what else he was being thanked for.

A/N: I hoped this chapter wasn't too slow. While it was not plot driven, it was necessary before picking up with the story in the next chapter. Although I enjoyed writing a scene of the two just interacting. Next chapter, the plot picks up and so does the angst.

Again, thank you so much for the comments. I am trying to reply to all my reviews. For my anonymous reviewers, I cannot reply but I do greatly appreciate them too. I tried to clarify stuff in the last chapter based on the reviews and I will say things will get harder before they get easier.