Part Three

For the next few weeks, Alec found himself fire-messaging often. Even more than that, he found himself hanging out in Brooklyn more and more frequently. He really enjoyed talking with the warlock, and Magnus always let Alec up, at any time of the day or night. Occasionally Alec had to sneak back into the Institute so as not to arouse Isabelle's suspicions (though he felt he was failing), or Jace's, Angel forbid, after one of his late night talk sessions with Magnus. It was so easy to lose track of time when he and Magnus could and di talk about anything and everything. Alec would show up, Magnus would offer him a drink, he'd decline, and they would talk or just hang out, just be in the same room as each other.

Magnus had not given up on his advances. He was constantly flirting with Alec, little things like sitting close to him, leaning close whenever Alec talked, kissing his hand or pulling him into a hug when he left. Alec never discouraged any of this. In fact, he welcomed it. It was kind of nice, he thought, having someone who he could be like this with. He wasn't ready to put any labels on the relationship, but he certainly wasn't about to break it off.

One day, Alec was leafing through one of Magnus's many books, Chairman Meow curled up at his feet, when Magnus walked in and smiled down at him. He was dressed very soberly for Magnus, in a plain red shirt with buckles down the side and black jeans. He was barefoot and his hair was only spiked, not glittered. Alec smiled up at him.

"You look comfortable," Magnus said, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. He whispered in Alec's ear, "I'm glad."

Alec's face burned at the feel of Magnus's breath against his ear and he shivered slightly, a shiver Magnus did not miss. "Are you cold, Alexander?" he asked, silky voice full of innuendo. "We can fix that." He boldly kissed Alec on the cheek, a light brush of lips on skin that made Alec's heart skip a beat.

"N-no, not cold," Alec stammered, unable to form anything more coherent. He wasn't very verbose anyway, and Magnus's touch was not helping matters.

"Then why are you shivering?" Magnus teased, knowing full well why Alec shivered.

Suddenly Alec pulled away from Magnus and stood up, disturbing Chairman Meow, who squealed and scampered away. Magnus looked up at him, surprised. "What's wrong?"

"What is this?" Alec asked.

"What is what? Alec, are you…"

"This," Alec said, gesturing to himself and Magnus. His heart was racing and his mind was reeling. He couldn't quite look at Magnus. "Us. What is this?"

Magnus stood and looked at Alec with guarded eyes, being sure to keep his distance. "I'm not sure I understand the question."

"I come here almost every day now, sometimes several times a day, and…and you do things like that…and…and what do you think is happening?" Alec's rant deflated quickly until he stood there lamely, staring at his shoes and waiting anxiously for Magnus to say something.

Magnus just stared at Alec, his eyes sad. He knew this talk had to come eventually; he had just hoped that Alec would have completely accepted their blooming relationship before that happened. He hadn't been able to get the blue-eyed, raven-haired Shadowhunter out of his head since they met. Alec had made him feel something that he hadn't felt in a very long time, something he wasn't ready to name for fear of scaring it off. He was always happy when Alec came to see him, and seeing Alec at his door never failed to make him smile. When he realized Alec didn't want to accept his feelings or let go of his obvious yet futile affections for Jace, he had been determined to make Alec change his mind. He had thought Alec was coming around. But this sudden, panicked outburst told Magnus that Alec was still struggling.

It was getting frustratingly old.

"Do you want my honest opinion or just what you want to hear?" Magnus asked, his heart constricting, his hands aching to hold Alec. He fought to keep his voice calmly passive.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alec asked incredulously, a smile crease forming between his eyebrows. Magnus cursed his traitor heart for jumping slightly; even that was adorable. Damn him.

"I mean that you don't want to hear me say that I think of you as anything so serious as a boyfriend," Magnus said, a slight flintiness sharpening his words.

Alec froze, his gaze locked on Magnus, who glared back at him, his eyes saying more than words could. "I'm…your boyfriend?" he asked quietly, his own voice sounding strangely small to his ears.

Magnus threw his hands in the air. "I thought it might be moving toward that, yes. But apparently that isn't how you feel, so I suppose it's a moot point, isn't it?" Grabbing the book from where Alec had dropped in on the couch, Magnus defiantly turned his back on him. "You can see yourself out."

Alec snapped out of his stunned stupor as the words lashed out at him. "Magnus, wait!" he said, rushing forward and grabbing the warlock's arm. Magnus stopped, but didn't turn around. "I'm…I'm an idiot," Alec said. "I knew that's what was happening. I'm just…"

"Hung up on Jace?" Magnus said, his voice slightly bitter. "Yeah, I know. But if you hadn't noticed, he isn't hung up on you."

Alec sighed, released Magnus, and hung his head. "I know. Trust me, I know. I've just loved him for so long and I've never really had a relationship before and especially not with a Downworlder…"

"So that's it?" Magnus said. "I knew that would be a problem."

"Magnus, can you imagine what would happen if the Clave found out that not only am I gay, but that I'm dating a Downworlder?"

"Screw the Clave!" Magnus said, turning around and grabbing Alec by the shoulders in a sudden, uncharacteristic burst of anger. "They shouldn't care anything about this…" He broke off, a strange look crossing his face. Alec looked at him quizzically.

"What?"

"Did you just say you're 'dating a Downworlder'?" Magnus asked, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Alec looked up slightly into Magnus's eyes. He thought about all that had been happening with Magnus over the last two weeks, all the small touches, all the inside jokes, all the denying he'd done because he was afraid. Jace is never afraid, Alec thought, then shoved that thought away. This wasn't about Jace. This was about him and Magnus.

And it was time to acknowledge that.

"Yeah, I did," he said in a small voice. "You are my boyfriend, right?"

Magnus's eyes lit up as Alec's words sunk in. Alec felt his heart flutter. Smiling softly, Magnus moved his hands up to cup Alec's face. "You're damn right."

Leaning down, Magnus pressed his lips softly to Alec's. Alec's eyes closed involuntarily as his heart raced and he stopped thinking altogether. The world fell away around them until Alec felt like he was floating, Magnus's hands on his cheeks and Magnus's lips on his being the only things keeping him from flying into space. In that moment all Alec wanted to do was wrap his arms around Magnus and pull him close and never let him go.

Sooner than he liked, the kiss was over, and Alec was left feeling like something life-changing had just happened, something he couldn't come back from, despite the briefness of the moment. Magnus did not pull away entirely; rather he kept a hand on Alec's cheek, moving the other down slowly to Alec's waist and pulling him closer. His gold green cat eyes were alight and his skin was slightly flushed as if he'd felt the same swirling lightness that Alec had.

"Well that was fun," Magnus said, his voice, Alec was surprised to note, a little husky. "We must do it again sometime."

Alec chuckled softly as he placed his hand over Magnus's on his cheek, holding it there and closing his eyes again. "Yeah, no kidding."

Magnus grinned. "Is that suggestion? Or a request?" He leaned down as if to kiss Alec again, but Alec pulled away slightly.

"Magnus…" Alec said.

Magnus groaned and leaned forward, resting his head on Alec's shoulder. "Alexander Lightwood, you are going to be the death of me."

Alec took Magnus's head between his hands and brought his face up to look the warlock in the eye. "Look. I do want this. I do. I just need some time." He absently rubbed his thumb in circles across Magnus's cheek. Magnus closed his eyes briefly before bringing his eyes back to Alec's. "Please, Magnus."
Magnus looked somberly into Alec's eyes, as if searching for something. Slowly his eyes brightened and a smirk lit across his face. "You're lucky you're cute."

Alec smiled and pulled Magnus in for another kiss.