The last reserve chapter! Certain Dark Things is really taking over every spare minute, but I figured that since I had this just sitting there on the computer, I should put it up. Enjoy :)

Tell me how all this, and love too, will ruin us.
These, our bodies, possessed by light.
Tell me we'll never get used to it."

- Richard Siken

Though they didn't do much more than hang out at the apartment, it seemed to Alec as though his day was playing through on fast-forward. All he wanted was to soak in as much Magnus as he could before his duties drew him back to the Institute, but the more desperate he was for the day to last, the quicker it slipped by. An afternoon of pizza in bed melted into an evening of ignored DVDs and finding far more interesting things to do with ice cream than just make a sundae, and by the time Magnus would usually be begging to go out clubbing, he was instead curled up by Alec's side, lost in sleep as the Shadowhunter played with his hair.

Alec was too worried to sleep. His mind buzzed with a thousand misgivings, each one pricking at his conscience just long enough to keep him from dozing off. Even when his eyes started to close and his head was filled with the soft warmth of sleep, Magnus would shift slightly or sigh, and he would be jerked awake, anxious to make sure his boyfriend was still breathing. Alec didn't believe for a second that Magnus was merely fatigued. He'd seen him drained of all his energy, teetering on the brisk of collapse, and it had been nothing like the situation that morning. Something dangerous was going on, and Alec was determined to figure out what it was.

Chairman Meow pushed up against the bedroom door, and as he stalked in to claim a space on the bed, a draft of cool air followed him. Magnus shivered, his normally thermal body temperature clearly not back to normal, and pressed himself closer against Alec's chest. Alec smiled, a warmth rushing through him that had nothing to do with combined body heat. He stroked Magnus's face gently and pressed a light kiss to his hair. He wondered if Magnus would ever know how truly afraid he'd been that morning. While the perils of mortality were nothing new to the couple, Alec had never considered that Magnus would be the one to go before him. Indeed, his greatest fear was the knowledge that Magnus would live long enough to barely be able to conjure up the memory of his face, or to remember his name. Having tasted what it felt like to think his love was dead, Alec found he much preferred the thought of being forgotten.

It was after three when Magnus woke up. He chided himself for sleeping so long; now he'd only have a few hours to work before Alec woke up. That was irritating, but unavoidable. Alec had been so worried today that Magnus didn't have the heart to leave. He didn't have the heart to lie to him again. He knew the secrets were for the best, but he often wondered if Alec would see things the same way. Probably not, which is why Magnus leaned down and whispered the words that would keep his boyfriend asleep until he returned.

"I love you, Alexander," he murmured before disappearing into the night. He hoped love was enough. He hoped love meant being forgiven.

Despite the lack of sleep, Alec shot up as soon as his alarm went off. The bed was cold beside him and his chest squeezed at the realization that Magnus was gone. It was 5:45 - not exactly Magnus's happy hour. He should be pulling the blankets over his head and snapping the lights off.

Not bothering to put on any clothes Alec raced from the room, wheezing at the onslaught of cool air that rushed at him, only to find Magnus in the kitchen, cooking pancakes.

"Darling!" He greeted Alec with a bright smile, adorned in nothing but boxers and a bright pink apron with Kiss the Chef across the front. His hair was flat and his eyes still looked a little puffy from the day before and he had some pancake batter on his left cheek, but Alec had never seen anything so beautiful. He rushed Magnus, slamming into him with enough force to send his spatula flying. With a swipe of his hand the contents of the cupboard were pushed aside and Magnus was thrust up on the cool granite.

'What the hell are you doing up so early?" Alec demanded, tightening his arms around Magnus's torso and leaning in to kiss along his exposed collarbone.

"I just wanted to prove to you that I was - oh God, that feels amazing - fine." He wrapped his legs around Alec and pulled him closer. "Didn't want you to worry."

"Well that worked out well," Alec panted, hoisting Magnus off the counter and lowering them both to the floor. "I practically had a heart attack when I woke up."

"That is a lie," Magnus snickered, running his hands down Alec's chest, stopping just short of the exact place Alec wanted him to touch. "I'd say your blood is flowing perfectly."

Alec hauled the apron over Magnus's head, pausing for a second to brush some flour away. "That's all you," he whispered as he eased himself back down.

Magnus groaned, delighted by the feeling of Alec's body pressed against his. He wrapped his legs around Alec's waist, pulling him as closely as possible. "Your pancakes are gonna burn," he whispered in warning.

"We've only got time for one," Alec replied, sliding his hand underneath Magnus's boxers, grinning as the warlock's breath hitched, "and I'd rather have you than pancakes."

"As you wish, darling." Magnus snapped his fingers and the sizzling of pancakes abated, leaving only the sweet smell of batter.

Knowing that there was precious little time before they had to leave, Alec wasted none of it. With one arm he quickly flipped Magnus over and with the other hauled his boxers down to his ankles. Magnus shivered as his stomach pressed against the cool tiles, but within seconds Alec's hands were on his ass, and his tongue was dipping down, and everything was pure, heated bliss. Magnus's stomach coiled and he couldn't stifle the whimpers of pleasure that rose in his throat. Alec's tongue danced along his skin, more satisfying than any lubricant he could have conjured up, and it was all he could do to stop from thrusting upward.

"Alec, please," he grunted, dizzy with lust. "Don't make me wait."

"You sure?"

Magnus arched his back, doing his best to press his ass into Alec's groin. Alec slipped a hand under Magnus's waist as he lifted, running his fingers lightly down the tight muscle before grasping the edge of his hip and pulling him into a kneeling position. Magnus's ass looked so perfect - so inviting - that Alec's hands shook a little as the gripped his hipbones. He hovered there, poised against Magnus and aching to thrust forward, but a small part of him hesitated. They usually had more time to warm up, more precautions. "Magnus you're ab-"

"God yes, just fuck me," he said, forcing himself back on to Alec's cock.

Alec gasped, the sensation of heat and friction and tight, smooth muscle culminating in a wave of pleasure. When he didn't move immediately, Magnus arched backward again, sending a coil of pleasure through his abdomen that unfurled with a burst of energy. The movement stripped him of his inhibitions and he picked up the pace, fucking Magnus with a fervour usually reserved for nights that included dirty talk and one too many faerie drinks.

Magnus's hisses of satisfaction, his nails grating against the wooden frame of the cupboard doors, and the sound of their bodies slamming together had Alec teetering on the edge within minutes. Magnus made the most perfect noises; moans and whimpers that made his breath catch and a created sweet, fluttering sensation chest. As the first rays of sunlight illuminated the kitchen, Alec could see sweat glistening on perfect golden skin, and he was compelled to reach around to grab Magnus's erection. He pulled, as best he could despite his erratic thrusts, delighting as Magnus's erotic melody increased in tempo.

"Fuck, Alec," he gasped, his nails digging gouges into the cupboard doors. "Don't stop."

Too involved to do anything other than moan in reply, Alec thrust harder, reveling in the exquisite pleasure of everything that was Magnus, until he felt his boyfriend's release, and finally let himself topple over the edge.

Exhausted with the effort, Alec's legs gave way, and he toppled to the floor, Magnus pinned beneath him.

Using a strength that most found surprising, but Alec was well accustomed to, Magnus wriggled free of Alec's weight, and pressed into his side. Using the little energy he had left, Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus, pulling him close. He sighed, content to stay there on the cool floor until they were both ready to start round two, but unfortunately duty called him elsewhere.

"That was amazing," Magnus whispered, pressing his lips to Alec's neck as the shadowhunter traced light patterns on his back.

Alec didn't answer, merely pulled his boyfriend even closer, trying to stave off the chill that had settled around him like a cloak. Trying to banish the feeling that once they left the apartment, everything was going to change.

How does writing smut never get less embarrassing? *sigh* Hopefully it's not as awkward to read as it is to write. That was my last reserve chapter for this story, as I've been using most of my time to write Certain Dark Things / outline this monster. If you're overcome with desire to see the next chapter in the next week or so, let me know :)