Hi there! This is my first attempt at a Malec chapter fic, so I hope everyone enjoys! This is for all of those on Tumblr who saw the first 200 words of this when it first exploded to life and were so encouraging about putting it up. And it is, of course, done with a lot of guidance from my best friend. It will hopefully be finished at four or five chapters, not a very long thing at all. Enjoy!

The title is taken from the lyrics of Adam Lambert's song "Aftermath". I do not own The Mortal Instruments, nor AL's fantastic music, nor almost all of the characters in this fic, excluding one nasty little vamp.

Magnus Bane had never considered himself an especially possessive creature before. He could pull off anything, but jealousy was just plain unattractive, even on his devastatingly magnificent self. And Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn, was neither plain nor unattractive. Maybe it was the way it strained his make-up or put shadows and crease lines everywhere they didn't belong. None of that was even vaguely attractive. Not to mention the affect it had on his magic.

Everything about jealousy sucked. If he were to cleverly apply 21st century vernacular.

Everything, including that nasty little vampire about six inches from getting in Alec's pants.

Really, the way he was nearly slobbering over the Shadowhunter was sickening. The vampire was decently attractive, with long shaggy blonde hair and an astoundingly American homeboy cut to him that most teenage girls would swoon and sigh over. Alec was not a teenage girl and he was still smiling at this vampire like his lack of respect for personal space was amusing. Magnus was amusing, entertaining in a highly sexy way, and astoundingly witty; this bloodthirsty twat was creepy. Thank you very much. Their elbows were touching, he was pretty sure they were touching. Blonde hair brushed over black hair when the vampire leaned in too close. Magnus had seen similar scenes before. Someone either died or got laid.

Logically, Magnus was putting a stop to this.

His oh-so-smooth approach premiered with him appearing at his boyfriend's side to lean against the bar and smile at the two of them prettily. Because this vampire could kiss his ass. Metaphorically speaking.

"Alexander, darling. I thought you were on a job," he purred, not wanting to give his ire away so quickly. Alec responded to this with a blank look baring something akin to horror. Magnus recalled then, distantly, that he'd reverted to his old habit of referring to the Shadowhunter by his full name. Oops. He wasn't ready for guilt trips, given that Alec was flirting quite indecently after he'd told Magnus he was too busy killing demons to hang out.

"Oh for God's sake." Someone hissed. A firm hand clasped around Magnus's elbow, dragging him away from his position of menacing the two. Magnus was not at all pleased with how things were progressing and was all about to tell Isabelle so when she actually clapped a hand over his mouth and glared. Not to be toyed with, Magnus let everyone know what he thought of this by shooting a few sparks from his fingertips and making both Shadowhunters jump.

"It's to trick the vampire into admitting he's the who's been stirring up trouble." Jace snapped into Magnus's ear, his voice filled with the typical Jace-like arrogance. "He belongs to Raphael's coven, we can't bring him to the Clave for otherwise." Oh.

"And we're bored." Jace added, leaning against the club wall, looking for all the world like he was here for the sole purpose of playing the picturesque badass for a few hours instead of investigating wayward vampires.

"You won't just drag him out?" Magnus snorted and ran his hands down the front of his sparkling jacket. He couldn't help but be displeased. The only thing going his way tonight was Alec not being as into the vampire Magnus had assumed and – was Alec touching the vampire's hand? Magnus stared.

"Magnus, you're fireworking again. That makes subtlety a bit hard," Jace complained.

"Jace, you're bitching again. Makes it a little hard to resist turning you into a squirrel." Magnus retorted absently, highly disapproving of how wide Alec's eyes were. He looked so innocent. Magnus could tell the vampire was into to that. He'd be into a hell of a lot of trouble if he didn't stop staring at Alec like he was prey.

"Did you just growl? He just growled. Maybe we should've included him in this." Isabelle didn't sound nervous, but this was Isabelle. Alec talked about how strong she was all the time. Magnus was, okay, a little grateful for the support. Out of Alec's entire family, Isabelle was the first to accept them. It made sense that she'd stand up for him now.

"Yeah, because he would've loved the idea from the jump." Jace, on the other hand, appeared quite bored with the situation. Magnus usually had more patience for Alec's whiny parabatai, but right now, slapping him into the next room seemed like the perfect solution to about half his problems.

"Maybe you should talk to him and tell him what's going on." Magnus sniped. Immature, yes, but completely deserved.

"Okay, no more third person, I'm the only one who gets away with self-worship and makes it look good," Jace said, adding calmly when Magnus turned on him, "The vampire has a history of.. appreciating male assets. We figured if Alec got him to talk, then we could bring him in for his crimes without pissing off the whole of Pandemonium."

"How diplomatic of you." Magnus returned, eyeing Jace disbelievingly.

"Those are the rules now." Jace shrugged, stared back. Magnus let it go when he saw the restless energy and the way Jace's hand had yet to leave his blade. All that stoicism might have something to do with his parabatai doing the dangerous thing while Jace stood to the side as back-up. No wonder Jace looked like someone had stuck a broom up his ass.

"So who is this vampire, and why wasn't I consulted?" Magnus demanded finally, refusing to pity Jace right now.

"Thames Littleton." That was Isabelle, giving voice to the words that sent a hot sort of rage right up into Magnus's throat, choking tight.

"Son of a bitch." He doesn't swear often. But that – that deserves it.

"Magnus, wait! Don't-" That would be Isabelle yet again, but Magnus ignored her. He stormed toward the bar, grabbing Alec by the arm, all but snarling at the criminal who had a history of hurting boys.

Not this one, you sick fuck. The warlock thought savagely, yanking Alec away with a strength belied by his glitter-dusted outfit and narrow build.

"Littleton, we'll have words later." He growled out, feeling Alec stiffen at his side. "You, little Shadowhunter, are coming with me." Out of the club he stormed, ignoring Littleton's narrow-eyed stare and Alec's continued unhappy flailing, until they were both out in the murky dark and he could stare at his boyfriend with just a portion of his magnificently powerful rage showing. Oh, but could he do cold fury in style.

"What in the name of sanity were you doing, trying to seduce a vampire who is notoriously fond of blue-eyed human boys?"

Alec stared up at him with said brilliant blue eyes of his, like he's trying to figure out the mysteries of the world through Magnus. Which was great and all, Magnus considered himself very worldly and all-knowing, but now really wasn't the time to play tell-me-about-the-Egyptians or whichever ancient society Alec was currently interested in. It's quite adorable when Alec did get interested in things about Magnus's past that aren't people he's slept with, but again, now was not the time.

"I was doing my job." Alec said finally, angrily, eyes cutting away. "I was pretending I was.. well, you." Now Alec was blushing, probably despite his will. Cute.. but still not the time. Magnus threw his hands up.

"You pretend to be me when teasing a criminal, but not when we go shopping? What's wrong with growing a little fashion sense instead of tempting fate by flirting with sadistic vampires?"

He thought he makes perfect sense, but Alec stared at him like he's gone mad. Clearly, Magnus was not the mad one in this equation. How could Alec not understand what was going on here?

"I was there, in England, the first time he was implicated in an attack on a sixteen-year-old human, with eyes as blue as yours, Alec. It wasn't pretty. You shouldn't be risking yourself like this, in front of someone who-"

"Magnus, this is what I do!" Magnus had to admit, he was rather astonished when Alec pushed aside his prodding finger and got right back in his face. It appeared he'd stumbled upon a sore spot. Thinking it over, Magnus wasn't sure why it hadn't occurred to him to tread carefully on the subject of Alec's abilities as a Shadowhunter. It was the lack of passive-aggressive behavior that had him startled as Alec snapped, "I look danger in the face and even if I don't laugh at it like Jace does, I still do what it takes to protect people who can't do what I can. And- and-"

This was where Magnus could practically taste the anger, confusion, and hurt coming off Alec in waves that again, took him by surprise. He was going to stop that, stop that right now, before he absolutely suffocated in it.

"I know you do," he said, and swallowed the bittersweet burst in his chest when Alec released the breath he'd obviously been drawing in to continue his righteous monologue, "And I know you're good at what you do."

Alec studied him with the same raw intensity he seemed to reserve for so few things. Nonetheless, Magnus selfishly ate up the second Alec relaxed and his blue eyes were lifted to Magnus's face again, but not in potent anger. Magnus couldn't help himself and cupped his hands around Alec's face, thumbs alighting gentle on Alec's cheeks.

"But Littleton isn't just danger. He'll target you if he can, find you when you're alone, and take you to pieces because he likes your eyes. That's not a fate you should risk, for Heaven's sake, Alexander." There he went again, too stressed to use Alec's preferred nickname. Alec didn't seem to notice though. He was still blushing over the simple PDA, eyes flickering down from Magnus's, as though he needed no distractions from his inner battle between righteous indignation and embarrassment. Magnus could count this as a win, and kissed Alec's cheek for good measure. He could all but feel the skin set fire beneath his lips. Definitely a win.

"Magnus." Alec grabbed his hands and glanced around, obviously checking to make sure they hadn't bothered some insignificant bystander's delicate sensibilities. Like Magnus gave a damn. They could all suck his- well, no, that job was already taken. "Magnus." Alec made his name sound like it had been strangled out of him. How much of that little diatribe had he uttered out loud? Enough to mean Alec's tomato impression wasn't going to end soon, apparently.

"I'm making sure you understand the gravity of the situation. Jace and Isabelle aren't enough back-up for this guy. He's been hunting pretty men since my time. Frankly, he's made it into a life-long career."

"Guess his Bring Your Child to Work Days suck." Alec grumbled vaguely. Magnus choked on air.

"You didn't just, Alexander Lightwood." Alec was looking trapped between pleasure at making Magnus laugh so suddenly and annoyance at the name.

"I can joke, I'm funny. And stop calling me that!" He was so near indignant spontaneous combustion that Magnus had to stop and hug him, the adorable little Shadowhunter. His sense of humor was so convoluted and sudden that it never failed to take Magnus by surprise. And it wasn't his fault Alec's lower lip was sticking out for enough for Magnus to want to kiss it and distract his boyfriend another way. Oh, the things he resisted for the betterment of humanity.

"I think you're perfectly amusing, darling." He tried instead, earning a twitch in the right direction. Getting warmer, apparently.

"Alec. Alec."

"See? Very funny. Now! Promise me that you'll let me handle this with you." Ignoring the glare being sent his way, Magnus leaned forward a little bit, chin brushing Alec's shoulder to peer inside the club. A clench in his stomach told him the same as his eyes did – Littleton was nowhere to be seen.

"Son of a bitch." He swore, for the second time that night, and then stiffened when a smooth voice replied,

"Not quite." Magnus turned to watch blonde hair sift through black like grits of sand over a riverbed, as Littleton smiled at him over Alec's shoulder. "She was more of a whore."

Sparks flew, blue as Alec's stare. The Shadowhunter was spinning, instinctively making room for the spell Magnus blew forth, but the vampire was gone and Alec was rubbing his scalp gingerly.

"Alec, are you alright?" The warlock demanded, the heady and unwelcome adrenaline rush making him see blood where there was none, only for Alec to hold up a pale hand. A few strands of black hair danced away from his fingertips.

"Yeah. I think- did he take some of my hair?" Alec seemed more confused than anything. Magnus snatched a strand from mid-air and gazed down at it, a storm taking hold.

"There are practical uses for hair in magic." He murmured, fist closing around the strand of hair. Practical uses that he had no desire to think about at all.

Damn.

REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW. I really want to know what everyone thought! ALSO. If anyone finds a grammatical or spelling error, PM me about it and if I decide it's significant enough, I'll take a fic request and write it up for you. ;D Of course, right now I'm mainly interested in writing TMI, so keep it relevant, if you please. Updates should happen weekly, provided all goes well!