#like OF COURSE she knows Jace you’re practically drooling

[whoblewboobear]

Still pushing the Zara/Jace agenda 😘 if he asks nicely she might top him bc she’s such a good friend

[faejilly]

ashes of angels 3/6

Izzy isn’t terribly fond of people trying to kill her brother, either.

for @shadowhunterbingo​ square: proposal [AO3]

In slightly less time than she'd been expecting, (during which nothing at all had happened), Jace shows back up at the party, stepping to her side with yet another (full and untasted) drink between his fingers.

"Someone's got to realize that plan A failed by now," Izzy says. "We should take everything in the cabinet with us."

Jace pats the side of his jacket. "Magnus gave me something to help with that."

"Are there gloves, too?"

"Of course," Jace rolls his eyes at her. "You do not need to re-terrify me into proper forensic procedure, it stuck the first time."

Jace had already had pretty much every possible proper procedure terrified into him when he'd first come to them; it had been so delightful when he'd first started to throw them off, to realize he didn't have to be "perfect" in order to be family, that she didn't think any of them realized when the two of them first started going too far.

It's nice, now that they had a better balance, to know that he blames her for the few that stuck. "Glad to hear it," she offers him a patently false grin, and they go to collect their evidence and head back to the loft.

She wonders at what this is costing Magnus; four or five portals in and out of Alicante, plus whatever he'd done to help Alec, and whatever else he'd done to their poisoner when they'd kidnapped him. She knows he's powerful, but there has to be an end limit somewhere.

Not that he won't push past it for Alec's sake, but Alec wouldn't thank them if he wakes up to find his husband collapsed from magical exhaustion.

"Magnus doing all right?" Izzy asks as she unlocks the rune she'd set earlier, and slips her stele back out of sight.

Jace shakes out a silk bag full of separate pockets. It looks like it's designed to keep the magical signatures of whatever is put in it separate. He lifts his attention from the bag and just looks at her rather than answering.

She supposes she deserves that.

"I meant magically," she clarifies as she pulls her gloves on, letting the bottoms snap just a little against her wrists. It's such a satisfying little sound; makes her feel more in control of things.

Jace shrugs, his shoulders move but it's not enough to shift the angle of his hands. He keeps the bag open and steady between them. "Catarina was making him tea when we left? I think they've got it under control."

Izzy nods and starts unloading the cabinet: Vial of what is presumably the pixie dust solution. Two pairs of gloves, each of which she puts in a separate pocket, in case they'd been used by separate people, rather than being extras. A torn up envelope with some pencil marks on the corner that look a little too precise to just be scribbles. She considers the bus key; they didn't want anyone to notice it's gone, of course, but if they need their victim to be somewhere else later?

Not being able to find it will probably be better than it being in the wrong place, and the bag is clearly shielded. She puts the fake key into its own little pocket and reaches back into the cabinet one last time...

She can feel the edges of something, irregular and almost sharp. She grips it carefully and lifts it out into the light.

It startles a soft grunt of surprise out of Jace. "Is that a portal shard?"

"I think so," Izzy finds herself whispering, and tosses it into the bag.

Jace wraps it even more quickly than he'd unwrapped it originally; she thinks they're both getting impatient. It goes impressively flat once he's done, and he can even somehow slide it back into the inside pocket of his jacket without it ruining the line of it at all.

"That is a very elegant trick," she says.

Jace rolls his eyes at her. "You can drool over Magnus' toys later."

"Don't worry, I will."

Time to go.

Back to Magnus, back to the loft, back to the door of Alec's bedroom to check that he's still sleeping quietly... with Madzie dozing next to him now, and Izzy smiles at the sight.

Back to tea from Catarina for everyone.

Izzy sips hers gratefully, and they all take a moment to breathe.

"I have a question." Catarina speaks up first. "And feel free to tell me it's none of my business, but how far are you three planning on going?"

Magnus smiles at her, tilting his beautiful porcelain mug towards her in the clear echo of a toast. "You know my business is your business, any time you're willing to put up with it."

Catarina clicks her tongue, and Izzy smiles into her own mug.

"You could turn over what you have?" Catarina started.

"No." Izzy interrupts. She's placed the pattern on the envelope while she's been sitting here, letting all the evidence settle in her head. Helen had shown it to her once, a form of morse code that the Heavenly Fire project had used to send notices to only one place. "He works for the Inquisitor's Office, he's precisely the person we'd be turning it all over to."

Magnus goes much too stiff, and she knows that Alicante being wiped off the map is still one of the ways this night could end.

She's okay with that.

But she knows Alec wouldn't be.

"How sure are you?" Magnus asks.

Izzy shrugs. "90%. Even if he's not in the Inquisitor's Office, he's corresponded with them, he has connections there."

"Or he learned it from someone who did, same as you," Jace points out. But she can tell that he's just poking at holes to see how she'll fill them, not because he disagrees with her conclusions.

"They drugged a Head of an Institute at a formal Clave function and had reason to believe that, even if the results played out in public, that they could get away with it." Izzy leans too far forward in her chair, her voice a hiss as the rage in her gut tries to boil over. She swallows, puts her mug down on the coffee table, and makes herself sit back. Pretends she's calm.

Pixie dust would have made her brother lose all self-control, could have cost him the most important parts of his identity, and if Magnus hadn't been there? Survival might have almost been worse than death, and pixie dust isn't merciful there, either, the brain practically melting away as the blood boils off. "The higher levels of the Clave are still compromised, despite all their losses."

"We're going as far as we can, and we'll clean up whatever needs cleaning afterwards." Jace answers Catarina's original question. "How's Alec doing?"

Izzy kicks the side of his leg, but luckily Catarina just shakes her head, a hint of a smile on her face.

"I wasn't suggesting you stop, Nephilim. I just wanted to make sure you could keep up with him." She points at Magnus, who takes another sip of his tea and somehow manages to look entirely too innocent to have ever had an untoward thought. "Your brother is fine, I have several spells set to monitor him. He probably won't wake up for another ten to twelve hours though."

"That gives us time to wrap them all up in a nice present for him, then." Izzy shifts her focus back to Magnus. "You have a plan?"

"You're not going to like it." Magnus blinks at her, slow and steady, and she catches a hint of gold, then red, between his lashes. "Or Jace isn't. You'll have to let me know."

Jace waves a hand at him to keep going.

"We're going to send him in." Magnus tilts his head, clearly indicating the man in the guest room.

"The vegetable?" Jace asks. He looks unimpressed.

"Well." Magnus' face scrunches up, as if he doesn't even want to be hear whatever he's planning to say next. "One of you. In his body."

The silence after that is very heavy.

"What." Catarina breaks it first.

"Well, after the whole..." Magnus trails off, waved a hand in a vague circle in the air. "Azazel, thing."

Jace winces.

"I figured out how he did it, and how it could be done by a warlock instead?"

"What?" Catarina repeats, louder and higher pitched than the last time.

"I don't like being surprised," Magnus replies, his voice surprisingly steady, and Izzy decides that really is all the explanation needed, considering.

"But you ripped out his memories," Jace said. "How are we supposed to be him if he's brain-dead."

"If he's magically brain-dead," Catarina pauses, glances at Magnus just long enough to get a nod in confirmation, "then his physical brain is fine. You'll be able to walk around as him."

"And he'll then be a vegetable in one of our bodies?" Izzy asks.

Magnus' face scrunches up again as he nods.

Ew.

"Don't forget, whichever one of you Magnus switches will be walking around in a body with a full-strength Circle rune, and all the limits that places on you." Catarina frowns into her mug. "And Magnus is the only one who knows how to get you back."

Izzy suppresses a shudder. It's a risk... but it's for Alec. "I studied the limits of the Circle rune, and the slightly modified one the Clave used, after Hodge..." she stops. After Hodge covers a lot of things. "I think I can work around them."

Jace looks even less happy about that than he had about bringing "the vegetable" into it in the first place, but he doesn't argue. They both know Jace is a better fighter, both by inclination and via his ability to activate his runes as needed; he'll be more help as back-up in his own body, if things go wrong.

"We have his memories." Magnus says.

Isabelle nods, lets out a breath. "Let's figure out where we need to go."

[malecsecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, @lightwoodbanemlm!

Happy holidays to you Lightwoodbanemlm! :) I decided to go with a fic because the prompts you gave me were all so great I had to utilize them all (somehow), and what better way than a fic to do that? The only problem is, I had too much fun with the writing and ended up way past the words limit, so your gift is the self-contained first-half of a bigger story! I'll post the whole thing in a few days if you wish to check it out!

I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as I did writing it!

Read on AO3

*****

Snowball Effect    

Alec woke up slowly, lazily blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He furrowed his brow when a particularly strong ray of sunshine assaulted him. Not only was he waking up gradually and not in a startle like he often did, thanks to his phone going off at ungodly hours, the sun was already up which was an accomplishment all in itself. Alec, never the morning person, groaned and turned his face away from the window that chose to irk him this morning by displaying how sunny it already was. The brightness outside was made even worse, thanks to the snow that kept on falling the days prior and draped the city in a white coat.

Trying to shield himself from the light, Alec turned around and found the perfect hiding spot in the crook of Magnus' neck. The warlock was laying on his side, features soft in his sleep and an arm extended in his direction, welcoming him to draw closer and refill the empty space between them. Careful not to wake Magnus up, Alec slipped back in the place that was rightfully his. They usually fell asleep snuggling and never drifted too far apart during the night. As if on cue, Magnus' hand shoot up and rested lightly on Alec's head, securing him in place and making the Shadowhunter smile ever so slightly. Sighing contently as Warlock’s warmth surrounded him, Alec closed his eyes, only to open them a few minutes later, when he felt agile fingers caressing his hair, untangling knots and slowly massaging his scalp. A smile spread on his lips and he mumbled something in Magnus' neck. The skin under his lips vibrated slightly as a small chuckle escaped the Warlock whose hand let go of his hair to rest upon Alec's shoulder.

"Didn't quite catch all that, Darling."

Alec lifted his head to get a better look at Magnus. Vertical pupils swimming in a golden sea meet his own round ones and Alec blinked. He was getting accustomed to see Magnus' unglamoured eyes and yet there wasn't an instance where he wasn't amazed by the sheer beauty of them. To think that the Warlock felt the need to shield them away from anyone's view but a few people always made his heart ache. Instead of dwelling on the unpleasant feeling for too long, Alec drew back to reposition himself and laid a kiss on the corner of Magnus' lips.

"Did you wake up long ago?" He asked, voice small and raspy, "You should have woken me up."

"Nonsense Alexander, I'm always happy to serve as your pillow. Plus, how could I miss the opportunity to see you drool on such priceless fabrics?" Magnus smiled joyfully, unguarded and at ease "At least you weren't snoring this time."

With a smile to rival the Warlock's, Alec lightly taped Magnus' shoulder. "Don't lie to me. You love it."

"Only because it reminds me of a purring cat."

Alec laughed softly at that and Magnus was reminded of how much the Shadowhunter grew in the last couple of months they spent together, practically living under the same roof. No longer was Alec embarrassed at the mere mention of him doing something slightly inappropriate for the acting head of the New York Institute. Here, in the safety of Magnus' loft, he finally allowed his personality to shine. Magnus smiled fondly at his lover, his hand sliding from his shoulder to rest on his forearm.

"I'm serious Alexander, you're lucky I love them so much." Magnus added, not quite ready to let go of the easy banter. He snorted at the look Alec shoot him and finally gave in "You're so rarely on vacation. I'm not waking you up unless there's an absolute emergency."

"I still can't believe they gave me a whole week off."

"I'm sure they can cope a week on their own. As long as they keep a close eye on Biscuit and your Parabatai, I'm sure everything will be fine." Alec nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with Magnus. Jace was prone to run right into trouble after all. Magnus waved his free hand, dispelling Alec's worries "Shadowhunter business is always slower in winter. Demons usually prefer terrorizing the city when it's not freezing cold outside. You deserve this Alexander and I'm sure the Inquisitor knows it as well."

That, and Magnus knew from reliable sources that Izzy, closely followed by Jace, got up close and personal with Imogen and demanded her brother to be allowed a break when Magnus texted her that Alec passed out from exhaustion on their couch for the third night in a row. The most fashionable of the Lightwood siblings insisted that no one was to tell Alec about her little confrontation with Imogen, fearing that Alec would feel bad about his siblings basically threatening the Inquisitor just so he could take a few days off. Magnus didn't feel this way and was certain that Alec would beneficiate from knowing just how much his siblings cared about him. It was only a matter of time, fortunately: knowing Jace, he would let it slip soon enough.

"Right..." Alec murmured, unconvinced, before focusing back on Magnus and letting go of his worries. "Well, since I'm not sure this isn't a onetime type of deal, we better make the best of this."

"And how exactly are we going to do that, hum?", Magnus asked, his thumb rubbing small circles on Alec's forearm.

Alec shook his head lightly, a fond smile painted on his lips and reach for the Warlock's hand, tugging slightly at his wrist to draw him in for a kiss. Alec had had months to get accustomed to the feeling of Magnus' lips on his own, yet he couldn't help but marvel at the feeling he experienced every time they kissed. The rightness of it all was overpowering and the Shadowhunter always felt like he could spend hours simply enjoying Magnus' company, hands trailing lightly on his skin in a touch so feather-like it never ceased to amaze him just how quickly fire spread in his whole being.

A knock came from the door, popping the cloud they were currently sitting on.

"Alec! Magnus! Are you guys up yet?"

Both men froze and glanced at each other. Frowning, Alec turned his head towards the door. Mixed emotions were playing on the Shadowhunter's flushed face, fondness winning by far over the slight annoyance that furrowed his brow. Magnus sighed loudly in mock exasperation.

"Doesn't your brother sleep in, like any normal child on vacations? I can't believe you Lightwoods sometimes."

"Max thinks sleep is a waste of time." Alec said slowly, gauging Magnus' reaction before quickly adding "Mom had some business to attend to, and dad is barely home. He would have been alone for the holidays and..."

"Alexander, I was joking. I offered to take him in for the week, didn't I?" Alec merely nodded at that, making the Warlock smile in return. He hated the fact that such a kind soul had grown to always put his needs last. Hell would freeze over before he let Alec think that his sibling was imposing on him. "You don't need to justify yourself. I'm quite fond of Maxwell, remember? Plus, I bet he'll get along brilliantly with Madzie. The girl needs a friend her age."

"Is she still coming today?" Alec asked hurriedly, all trace of doubt gone from his voice at the mention of the young Witch.

"Of course. Catarina said she will bring her for a visit early this afternoon."

Alec didn't have time to reply. Another knock, stronger than the first, interrupted the Shadowhunter.

"Come on, it's past nine already! I'm hungry!"

Magnus snickered when Alec groaned under his breath.

"We'll join you in a minute!" The older Lightwood shouted.

"Please do!" Max shouted right back without missing a beat "If I starve it'll be your fault!"

Light footsteps echoed in the living room, announcing Max' departure. Magnus was frowning, mentally debating if Alec would mind if he conjured a plate full of raw vegetables on the kitchen table right now, just to get back at Max for his comment. He finally decided against it, in fear of Max actually attempting to cook something and setting fire to the kitchen. As brilliant a Shadowhunter as he was, the youngest Lightwood was as bad a cook as his sister.

"What is it with your siblings and the need to interrupt us, anyway?"

Alec snorted at that and kissed Magnus' furrowed brow. "At least this one knows how to knock."

"Don't remind me." The Warlock groaned "One day I'm going to portal right in Jace's room, see how he likes it."

Once properly dressed, the couple emerged from their bedroom, only to be greeted by Max rounding a corner, certainly heading back to investigate what could possibly take them so long. The youngest smiled brightly at his brother when he ruffled his hair and quickly said hello to the Warlock standing beside him. Magnus didn't take it personally. Max hasn't hesitated before accepting his offer of staying with them but the boy was still a bit wary of him. He may be in a stable relationship with Max' older brother, but Warlocks weren't painted in a good light at the best of time and while he might turn a blind eye on the rumors surrounding his love life, he knew Max was a curious kid and must have heard his fair share of stories surrounding the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Magnus hoped this week would help Max get a better picture of who he was and just how much he cared about Alexander.

"What do you say we go out for a drink?" Magnus asked. "Nonsense in staying in now that we're all dressed up."

"Mom doesn't want me to drink alcohol." Max quipped in, throwing a questioning glance at his brother when he curtly said his name.

Magnus to his credit simply smiled, ignoring Alec's intervention in favor of tilting his head to the side. "And she is absolutely right about that, young Shadowhunter. I was thinking more in the lines of hot cocoa with a spoon of whipped crème, and maybe some pastries?"

"Oh... yeah. That would be awesome!" Max nodded, a small smile spreading on his lips.

"Then go get your coat, we're going to Switzerland!"

Max stared wide eyed at the Warlock. "What, really?"

"Well, where are we going to get the best cocoa, if not in Switzerland?" Magnus asked matter-of-fact "Go on, grab your coat, we'll wait for you here."

Magnus watched fondly as the boy rushed to his room. He started heading towards the entrance to grab his own coat but was stopped by Alec's hand on his shoulder. Turning around questioningly, he was met with sorrowful eyes. Of course Alexander was going to take his brother's remark at heart. After all, he knew how vulnerable Magnus felt when one addressed his penchant for drinking. The Warlock might like to joke about it; it was something else entirely when it was thrown in his face.

"Hey. Sorry about that."

"It's quite alright. I agreed to take him in for the vacations, didn't I?" Magnus said "Speaking of which, I really should start charging you Lightwoods with fees, my place is more of a guest house than an office at that point."

Alec shook his head, his hand leaving Magnus' shoulder to gently cup his chin, thumb brushing over his cheek. "Magnus. I'm serious."

"So am I." Magnus replied slowly. "Your brother has no filter, Darling, but he's only a kid. I hear far worse than that from adults on a daily basis, believe me."

"You shouldn't have to."

The Shadowhunter was staring at him with such intensity that Magnus momentarily forgot how to breathe. The devotion he could decipher in his eyes was even more painful than the quick jab Maryse's youngest son took at his bad habit. Alexander wore his heart on his sleeve around him, trusting and tender and oh so loving. Magnus couldn't help but smile at his lover's words. He knew the simple statement wasn't going to change the way Shadowhunters saw his kind, but he appreciated the heat and fervor behind the words nevertheless. Then Alexander managed to surprise him once more, kissing him softly before drawing back and locking his eyes on his.

"I love you. You know that, right?"

"I could use the reminder from time to time." Magnus joked before sobering up. "As could you. I love you too, Alexander. Never doubt that. Annoying siblings and all."

As if on cue, Max came barreling in the hall, a backpack under his arm.

"Speaking of the Devil." Alec sighed, looking over Magnus' shoulder at his little brother. "What have you got here, Max?"

"Sorry, sorry! I was looking for my wallet. Mom loves Swiss chocolate so I thought that, since we are going in Switzerland, I could buy her some." Max explained and looked eagerly at Magnus, waiting to see if the Warlock would grant him his request. He blinked when he saw that neither Alec nor Magnus were wearing their coat. "Wait, you two still aren't ready?"

Alec fought the urge to roll his eyes and picked his coat, followed by Magnus. The smaller man agreed to Max' plan and the boy thanked him profusely.

"I see the need to bring back gifts to loved ones also run in the family." Magnus mused, securing a scarf around his neck. Alec merely grinned at that.

Once everyone was ready to leave, Magnus created a portal in front of them. Max clutching his brother's hand, and Alexander's hand in his own, they stepped through it for a well-deserved breakfast.

They got back home a few hours later, Max clutching a large bag of Läderach chocolate in his hands and Alec's wallet lighter by quite a few dollars, the older Lightwood insisting on paying for Max' gift. What was originally supposed to be a small breakfast turned into more of an unhealthy brunch when they stopped by the famous chocolatier to pick something for Maryse and Max concluded he should at least sample what he was planning to offer. Alec didn't find it in him to hold his brother and Magnus back, enjoying the way Max would listen intently to Magnus as he patiently translated each label to help Max pick the chocolates he wanted to try and the ones he'd rather avoid. Without Alec's supervision, they ended up eating way too much chocolate for a single day and skipping lunch altogether.

Once their coats were hanged, Max vanished in the kitchen to put his box of chocolates in the fridge, stating that it would be a shame if something so delicious melted. Alec and Magnus went straight to the living room and plopped on the couch, waiting for Max to come back. As soon as their heads hit the backrest, a crackling sound startled them upright. The tension in Magnus' body melted away once he recognized the familiar magic of Catarina and a wide smile broke on his face when a little girl emerged from the freshly made portal. Madzie waved a hand behind her, the magic dissipating, and she ran straight in Magnus' open arms.

"Magnus!" Madzie smiled from ear to ear as she wrapped her tiny arms as well as she could around the Warlock. Magnus smiled back at her, happy to see that her smiles were slowly becoming less rare and more pronounced. He returned the hug so willingly offered and nudged the small girl, prompting her to look up and spot the second occupant of the room. She didn't quite let go of Magnus but she smiled shyly at the Shadowhunter that was looking at her fondly.

"Alec! You're here too!" She looked surprised to see him but not unpleasantly so. Alec was usually working late, so she would only get to see him in passing when she visited Magnus.

"Hi Madzie. How are you?"

The girl pondered the question a moment, tugging at one of her braids. She didn't get the chance to answer however, as Max joined them in the living room, drawing everybody's attention to him. The young Shadowhunter stared blankly at Madzie and the Witch stared right back at him. Max blinked, finally catching up with what was happening, recalling his brother telling him about the visit of one of Magnus' friend and the little girl she was taking care of. He slowly walked up to the group, stopping by Alec's side. The Shadowhunter took it upon himself to introduce the newcomer.

"Mazie, this is Maxwell, my little brother."

Said little brother groaned at that. "Not you too! Call me Max! Only Magnus calls me Maxwell. Or mom, when she's angry."

"Max." Madzie repeated, blinking at Max' runes "You're a Shadowhunter."

"And you're a Witch." Max stated the simple fact with ease, pointing to Madzie's neck. "Cool gills."

Madzie offered Max a crooked smile, her eyes darting from one Lightwood boy to the other. Alec smiled sheepishly, remembering his first encounter with the young Witch.

"So, can you breathe underwater?" Max asked without missing a beat, beaming when Madzie nodded her head "That's so awesome! You know Magnus can't even use his Warlock mark to see in the dark?"

"No...?" Madzie responded, clearly taken aback by Max' eagerness to speak to her.

Magnus and Alec stepped back watching intently as each kid got to know the other.

"Is your brother determined to chew me out today?" Magnus asked Alec under his breathe when Max told Madzie she already was way cooler than Magnus.

The older Lightwood smiled apologetically and brushed his hand to the small of Magnus' back as a way of comforting the smaller man. The Warlock leaned in the touch ever so slightly and hummed quietly, watching the children exchanging quiet words. Max was in dire need of a friend his age and Madzie needed a friend, period. Both were outcast in their own way and would benefit greatly from spending time around another kid. Magnus’ small smile turned wicked when he heard Madzie agree that her Witch's mark was indeed more useful than his, and he clapped his hands, startling both the kids and his lover.

"Okay, that's it. I've had it with you diminishing me today." He said, voice booming and all his attention focused on the kids "I'll have you know that, as the High Warlock of Brooklyn, I can't let such impudence go unpunished."

"Magnus, what..." Alec murmured, confused.

The Warlock waved his hand, conjuring a layer of warm clothes on everyone including himself. Alec's question was cut short as he ended up staring blankly at his now gloved hands.

"That's why I've decided to challenge you both to a snowball fight."

"A snowball fight?" The kids parroted back, looking dumbfounded.

"Yes." Magnus said seriously. " We'll fight on equal ground, no rune and no magic allowed. And since you're both so much cooler than me, I'll be teaming up with Alexander to at least have a small chance of winning. Isn't that right, Darling?"

Alec shook his head fondly at Magnus' antics and nodded his agreement. Max, always one to rise to a challenge, was quick to accept those terms. Madzie looked more reserved, but Max' enthusiasm managed to coax a curt nod out of her.

"It is decided then. Let’s see which team truly is the best."

For the second time today, Magnus created a portal before inviting his guests to follow him into the white wilderness on the other side.

Alec snickered, mouth crooked, as another one of Max' snowball hit Magnus square in the back. The Warlock looked affronted for a second before trailing his gaze on his supposed partner and eying him in disbelieve. It was the second hit in less than five minutes and this was just getting ridiculous. Magnus knew his rich red coat wasn't helping him one bit in staying low, but his boyfriend had assured him there was no way the kids could get to them from that angle. It took all his self-control not to blindly throw the snowball he kept clutched in his hand behind him on the off chance he might catch one of the kids by luck.

"Weren't you supposed to have my back?" Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I really didn't see him this time." Alec assured, his mirthful eyes betraying the truth.

"Really?" Magnus replied, spotting movement in Alec's back but making no effort to warn the Shadowhunter. "You'd think an archer had a better vision than that."

Distracted as he was, trying really hard not to laugh at Magnus' grumpy remark, Alec didn't sense Madzie tip-toeing her way behind him. The young girl, aiming for his head, managed to hit him in the shoulder, startling the Shadowhunter. Alec turned around quickly enough to see a dash of blue disappearing behind a line of trees and blinked as he realized Madzie was the one to get him. He ducked his head before turning to face Magnus so that the kids wouldn’t see his expression. He grinned at the Warlock, brushing away the remanence of snow on his shoulder. The girl hadn't looked as thrilled as Max when the game had started and only seemed to target Magnus for a good portion of it. It was heartwarming to see that she was getting more daring as time progressed.

"Let's go all out, catch them off guard." Magnus proposed, gesturing to the little flag sitting atop their ridiculous fort. "If we get theirs first, we can still save faces."

They had spent the better part of two hours defending their truly awful construct, a ridiculously small pile of snow that looked more like a melted snowman than an actual fort. The worst part, without a doubt, was that they truly gave it their best, but the small time frame they agreed upon at the beginning of the game wasn't nearly enough to build something big enough for the two of them.

Contrary to the adults hell-bent on stocking up snowballs to make up for their disastrous fort, the kids used their time more wisely, altering between throwing as many snowballs a minute as possible in their general direction and hoping for the best, and consolidating their fort, resulting in a pretty solid hiding spot for them before stepping up their game and actually starting to target them properly, leaving their fortress one at a time to land a hit on either Magnus or Alec.

Motivated by Max' competitiveness and Magnus' will to somehow bring these people together, what had started as an awkward and stilled game had quickly evolved into something more interesting. Magnus and Alec soon discovered that they didn't need to hold back as much as they initially thought and that, without the convenient help of magic and runes, it was more of a fair fight that they anticipated. Both men were big enough targets as it was, but Madzie was pretty light on her feet even in the snow and Max had always been quite fast and a decent shot. It's not to say that it would be an even match if Alec decided to utilize his years of training, but both adults had their fair share of proud moment when the kids managed to truly get them off-guard or do something imaginative and surprise them. Alec still couldn't believe that Max managed to get him square in the face.

What was supposed to last an hour top blew to unconsidered proportions and, had it not been for the spell Magnus casted, keeping them warm, they would be chilled to the bone as of now.

Squeezing Magnus’ gloved hand in his briefly, Alec smiled brightly. His gratitude went unsaid, but Magnus quickly caught on, winking playfully. He really couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend his day off than here, simply enjoying the company of the most precious people in his life.

[holdyourbreathuntilyouseelight]

Bury All of You

Summary: What happens after Alec accepts Magnus' drink in 1x06, leading up to the morning after their impromptu sleepover.

Rating: K+

Genre: Fluff, Angst

Author: dylanobrienstyler

Can also be read on AO3.

Alec wasn't sure what made him agree to do this.

Maybe it was still the fiery rebellion inside his gut that had come aflame when he heard from his sister the plans their parents had laid out for them. Maybe it was that his issues with Jace was making him feel less secure in his personal relationships and fueling a desire to spend time with those outside of the Shadowhunter realm. Maybe it was that, although he was stubborn beyond words at times, Alec knew that there was something deeper pulling him to the warlock he was currently in the company of.

But whatever it was, it had led him here. To sharing a drink with the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

He had originally come because Jace had asked him to throw aside duty for Clary Fairchild's friend Luke, who had been badly injured in a werewolf power battle. He had argued with Jace on the matter at first, knowing the redhead was more trouble than benefit and that throwing aside their Shadowhunter duties to tend to all of her extensive needs was getting a little ridiculous and only spelled disaster. He and Jace hadn't been seeing eye-to-eye lately, but he couldn't deny that he missed his parabatai. And after Isabelle spouted their parents' plans for them, he knew that following the rules wasn't helping him build the life he wanted. His life's path apparently would always be chosen for him.

So Alec ran to Magnus' side, where Jace had claimed he was needed according to Magnus' specific request, and he found the warlock struggling to maintain his magic. The shaking items in the loft and intense colours swirling out of his hands made it clear Magnus had been using a lot of power to attempt to heal Luke.

Alec had bounded to his side, clasping around his middle to keep him upright as he swayed, and offered his hand for Magnus to leech his strength from.

It had been an exhausting and strange experience, but they ended up saving Luke from the alpha venom wreaking havoc in his veins, so he figured it was worth it. Even if he didn't have any alliance to the new werewolf pack leader and he was wary about interfering with Downworlder politics, a life spared from the evils of the world was always a win in his books.

After Magnus had settled Luke into the guest room across the loft in order to recuperate post-near-fatal wounding, and Clary had excused herself to speak to him before she too followed Simon and Jace's earlier farewell and raced out of the loft like she was on a mission.

Normally, Alec would care what the troublesome girl was off to likely screw up next, but he found himself ignoring his usual ambition to minimize any potential damage and deciding that someone else could clean up everyone else's messes for once.

Instead, he hung around Magnus, cleaning up the blood from the leather couch with the remnants of Luke's torn shirt. He wasn't sure if Magnus even owned cleaning supplies.

Sure enough, Magnus made a comment about being able to use magic to tidy the mess, but Alec reminded him of his intense exertion not long before and hesitantly accepted the drink Magnus offered him.

It was quite strong, making him grimace at the taste as it burned down the length of his throat, but he kept drinking it anyways. He usually wasn't much of a drinker, but he'd had a shitty enough day that he'd make an exception.

And then of course his mother called and he was reminded of all the things he was trying to forget. Including the way Magnus was hinting at something growing between them that he wasn't ready to face.

A part of him wanted to say yes. Wanted to keep going with the rebellious drive he had alight inside, but it was so much more than just disapproving parents he had to worry about. He wasn't sure he was prepared to tackle everything that came with admitting what it all would mean.

And Magnus seemed okay with that. Seemed to understand his inner turmoil. As much as he was flirty and playful, he also backed off when he sensed Alec getting spooked, and he made it clear he wasn't pressuring him.

For that, Alec was grateful.

And he supposed that was why he ended up agreeing to a second drink.

"See, I told you I'd find a drink that you'd like. Some things just take experimenting." Magnus teased, sipping at his own martini and smiling at Alec fondly from the rug in front of the couch. He had taken to sitting on the floor, taking samples of the food he had conjured up for them to enjoy while Alec sat stretched out on the couch.

Alec rolled his eyes, but his smile was goofier than usual, as the alcohol was now buzzing warmly under his skin.

"I should've had more faith in you." Alec said in mock-sombre tone, drinking more of the bourbon staining the bottom of his glass.

His phone buzzed again, but he feigned ignorance, knowing it was just his mother again. He wasn't one to defy his parents, always the rule-follower, but he needed a night off from being the model son. And he had already told Izzy he would be home late. Worst case scenario, Jace would be able to reassure their mom that he was fine, since anything otherwise and his parabatai rune would let him know.

So Alec didn't let it bother him. If his parents felt they had a right to dictate his life, such as setting him up with a politically beneficial arranged marriage for the sake of the family name, well, he could have drinks with a warlock for one night.

Alec hadn't been sure how the night would go. After all, he doubted he and Magnus had much in common. Alec had grown up in the institute, following rules, leading demon killing missions, and generally being as straight-laced as could be. He didn't have mundane experiences or wild nights to reflect on. Whereas Magnus had lived for centuries, and, with his dramatic story telling that night backing it up even further, had clearly lived a colorful life.

Yet Alec found himself enjoying the other man's company immensely. The intrigue he felt towards the warlock after meeting him only grew as the night went on. He found himself laughing more than he had in a long time, and his humour came out more than usual. Maybe the alcohol helped aid in that, but Alec felt oddly comfortable in Magnus' presence.

It probably helped that Magnus watched him as if he was just as enraptured as he was.

Magnus refilled his glass with a flick of his wrist and Alec watched in fascination as the liquid appeared out of thin air.

"That's so weird to see." Alec commented, pulling his glass so it was in line with his sight, as if studying the contents would explain the magic he witnessed. "I've only ever been around warlocks in battle. Or ones doing healing. But random, every day kind of magic is… cool."

Magnus chuckled. "I'd be happy to show you more any time. I forget that, despite your involvement in the Shadow World, you still have only been exposed to so much."

Alec sipped at his drink, brow furrowed as he got lost in his thoughts once again. What else was he missing out on? What else could warlocks do? He didn't really know much about them, besides that they could be a terrifying force to be reckoned with so you better damn well hope you don't piss one off. Usually the mission plan when a warlock came on the scene was to get out of there as soon as possible. Runes may be able to make Shadowhunters perform better and give them extra skills, but the angel blood wasn't a replica of magic. And warlock magic was unpredictably intimidating, especially with as little as they knew about it.

"You're cute when you're thinking hard about something." Magnus drawled, sly smile resting on his lips.

Alec predictably reddened. Even the alcohol couldn't save him from his own awkwardness, so he started to try to say something, but his stuttering was all he could choke out so he quickly shut his mouth.

He didn't understand why Magnus seemed so charmed by him. He was awkward, socially stunted due to being raised at the Institute and not seeing much outside of the building besides demon killing missions. It wasn't exactly a place for growth outside of skills. And he never really outgrew his shyness, since he spent most of his time with people he was closest to. Getting to know new people and be comfortable with conversation was a strange experience. He much preferred knowing what to expect.

He didn't even know if he was conventionally attractive. He figured he must be, since Jace always teased him about the odd female Shadowhunter group whispering about them, but Alec always noticed their eyes dart to his parabatai. He was the one who attracted attention, who stood high with confidence and was perfectly comfortable with being flirty and using his charm to get his way. And Izzy definitely turned heads. Alec had sent many scowls at the drooling men that watched her walk by or kick ass in the training room. If he went up against them in the next duel and added a few extra bruises than was necessary, so be it.

Magnus shuffled over so he was sitting in front of him and slipped his hand in Alec's, causing him to startle in surprise.

Looking up to see his face, Alec spotted the roundness of his eyes and the way the frown drew down his entire face.

"What's wrong, Alexander? You look troubled. Is something on your mind?"

Alec shook his head immediately. "I'm fine."

He didn't move his hand away from Magnus', oddly enjoying the warmth in his own. His gaze dropped to watch the way Magnus' thumb rubbed an arc across the back of his hand. He wondered if Magnus was even aware he was doing it.

His eyes narrowed in on the dark colour adorning Magnus' nails and he picked up their joined hands to inspect it further.

"Do you use magic to paint your nails? Izzy says it's a lot of work to get them right."

Magnus laughed. "Sometimes. I've had a lot of practice though, you know." he teased with a wink, leaning back against the front of the couch and letting Alec play with his fingers, checking out each nail. "You don't think it's weird? That a guy wears make-up and nail polish?"

Alec didn't take his eyes off their hands. "Not really. It looks pretty."

Magnus smiled and felt himself relax further. He was surprised by the answer; Alec didn't seem like he was comfortable with things diverging from the societal norm. The society, of course, being the Shadowhunter realm. Magnus was an anomaly in a place like the Institute, but for some reason, Alec didn't seem to think so.

Alec piped up again. "Were you there when they invented nail polish?"

"Well, there's a lot of history to it, and most say that it was invented long before I was alive and used in other countries like China first. But the introduction and marketing into North America I was there for, since that was the 1900s."

"Cool." Alec said, finding himself grinning. "You must have seen a lot of things invented."

"I did. Also a lot of magical innovation come to life."

"Really? Like what?"

Always one to quell a curious mind, Magnus began a long story about an experiment adventure with Ragnor Fell that left them seeking ingredients for a potion across the world. It was harder then, when they had seen less of the world so portals didn't come as easily. The ingredients weren't easy to obtain either, and the potion was one of their own invention, so there was the added risk that it would all be for naught. But they had done their research and had a lot of motivation, so it ended up being successful in the end.

Alec found himself tuning in more to the honey sound of Magnus' voice than the retelling of the tale, and soon was lulled into a peaceful slumber, body going lax on the leather cushions.

His hand never left Magnus'.

Magnus felt himself losing his audience, and sure enough, he looked up to see Alec's chest rising and falling at an even rhythm. His eyes were closed, his hair splayed across his forehead, and his face at a peace Magnus hadn't seen on it before.

His few interactions with Alec made one thing clear—he had an ability to get too caught up in his own head. So to see him with his mind at rest was refreshing. And he was even more beautiful than Magnus had anticipated.

Unable to help himself, he teased the raven hair back and watched it flop back into place almost instantly. Alec didn't stir in the slightest.

Magnus could feel his body begging him to join the slumber party, but he knew he should wake Alec and remind him that he had an Institute to get back to. He hadn't missed the frequent calls Alec had been ignoring. He only hoped that Alec wasn't solely there to stick it to his parents.

The insecure part of him, the one that was fueled by Alec's avoidance of his gaze and short remarks, had him worried for that. But tonight had been eye-opening too. Lowering Alec's inhibitions with alcohol had certainly helped them get to a more comfortable place. Magnus enjoyed his company, the way his interest peaked instead of extinguished when it came to learning more about his warlock side, the rapt attention he gave Magnus any time he was speaking, the gentle brush of his touch when he was brave enough to reach out.

Magnus didn't know what was happening to him. He wasn't supposed to be falling for anyone, much less a Shadowhunter. Not since Camille…

He wasn't going to dwell on her. He had told himself he didn't need love; it had never been an easy thing to have and keep. His track record hadn't been great, and it didn't seem to improve with age.

But Alec… Alec's soft smile he tried to hide. The ringing sound of his laugh. The way his skin crinkled around his eyes when he really let go and laughed.

He couldn't be falling for Alec Lightwood. Not when he was a straight-laced Shadowhunter who was unbearably stubborn and buried under his own internalized homophobia that had been forced upon him by the powers that be. It would never work. Not when he was part of a powerful Shadowhunter family. Not when he refused to admit to being himself.

Magnus' eyes drifted back to Alec's sleeping form, and his heart melted once again.

He was so smitten.

Which meant he was so doomed.

The sunlight peeking over the horizon and casting shadows across the tall buildings was what caused Magnus to wake in the early morning.

His body felt like molten lead had filled his veins. Every move was heavy, making him want to sink further into the couch he was sprawled across.

But he managed to sit up and wipe the sleep from his eyes. It made him realize he had forgotten to take off his make-up the night before, so he grumbled as he cleared the old and applied new make-up with a wave of his hand.

The pathetic spark that faded from his hand after he was done reminded him why he was so exhausted. His magic had been wiped pretty spectacularly the night before. He needed a lot more sleep and maybe even some remedial potions to help get him back to his usual glory.

Magnus suddenly spotted the man on the opposite couch.

Alec was still sleeping.

Magnus had halfway expected him to wake up in the middle of the night and bolt out of there. But maybe he had been too exhausted. After all, Magnus drained his strength pretty well too.

He hadn't planned on falling asleep. He was sure Alec hadn't intended to stay the night either. And despite the nonsense his Downworlder friends would no doubt throw his way if they ever heard of the impromptu slumber party, he knew it would be nothing compared to what Alec would endure. The Clave was not a fan of the Downworld, and it definitely wasn't a fan of him.

Magnus stood. It was still early. Alec could likely share a coffee with him before he ran back to the Institute. They may not have even realized he was gone all night yet.

Making sure his appearance was more than favorable, Magnus conjured up steaming hot coffee and placed a mug in front of Alec on the coffee table.

"Cream or sugar?"

He tried not to coo at the confused frown Alec sported before he bolted upright.

"Did I fall asleep?" he asked, noting the sunrise colors painting the loft.

"We both did." Magnus admitted, sitting next to him with his own mug, but Alec immediately leapt to his feet like he was burned.

So much for progress.

"On separate couches, never fear." Magnus added, a little more peeved than his previous light tone.

"I should never have taken you up on your offer for drinks." Alec said quickly, his anxiety settling into his features as he paced back and forth.

Magnus tried not to feel hurt, but it still snuck under his skin and cut into his chest. He knew it was just Alec's panic talking, the alcohol having worn off and now being faced with the daunting concept of returning to the Institute after his rebellious evening.

"In hindsight, liquor may have been a bad idea after I drained all of my magic to heal your friend Luke."

"He's not my friend." Alec cut in immediately. "He's Clary Fairchild's. I've known her five days and she's already more trouble than she's worth."

The bitterness in his tone was stronger than ever, but Magnus only watched him intently.

"You're more than just a pretty face, aren't you?"

As expected, Alec looked utterly bewildered. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Only someone like Alec would take offense to such a comment.

"You shared your strength with me to help your friend? It's rare to find a Shadowhunter with such an open heart."

Alec swallowed, absorbing his words. He paused from his spot near the door, not sure how to explain the complicated feelings he had yet to analyze.

"I trust you. I don't know why, but I do." he admitted.

It was the truth. After all, it was one of the reasons why he had come running when he asked. And why he had said yes to drinks instead of going for a walk in the city to avoid going home.

It was getting lighter out. He couldn't waste any more time.

"What time is it? I have to get back to the Institute."

Magnus' usual flirty smile was back. He clearly enjoyed Alec's comment about trusting him.

"Stay for breakfast. I conjure up a mean Belgian waffle."

"No." Alec retorted immediately. He couldn't give Magnus the wrong idea. Not again. Last night was an accident. "And if you let anyone know I slept here last night…" he added for good measure.

"Relax. My reputation is on the line just as much as yours. I would lose all my credibility if I let my people know I let a Shadowhunter spend the night."

Alec hovered by the door, confusion settling on his features. "Then why'd you let me sleep here?"

Magnus looked wistful, a half-shrug on his shoulders. "Trust makes you do strange things. Must be something in the air."

Before his words could sink in too much, Alec turned on his heel and left out of the door without looking back.

It wasn't until he was walking briskly through the throng of mundanes in the street that he reached up to wipe the stray water that slipped from the corner of his eye.

If only last night could have been something different than a mistake.

Things didn't seem much better back at the Institute. Apparently his dad had been looking for him to fill out some large stack of paperwork he had procrastinated on by skipping coming home the night before, and Izzy was sending him knowing looks like she could see into his soul, which was aggravating. Her pointed statements were only making Alec's head spin even more.

But his denial to his sister made it obvious how much he was keeping buried. That nothing had happened. It was just a business thing. There was nothing to tell.

But Alec wished he could give in and tell Izzy things like she wanted him to. Like the sparkle in Magnus' eyes when he started exuberantly telling a story and how the details he wove painted such a clear picture. How he constantly used his hands when he talked, so much so that at one point he knocked something off the coffee table and they both dissolved into laughter for a good few minutes. How much he could shut off his brain when he was around Magnus and just take a breath.

The memories made his guilt eat at him further, and he slipped into his room after submitting the completed paperwork to make a phone call.

"Alexander? Did something happen with Luke?"

Alec bit his lip. Of course Magnus would assume he was calling out of duty rather than socially.

"No, no, he's fine. Everyone's fine. I was calling to talk to you."

"Oh, well that's even better." Magnus said, voice immediately warming. Alec felt his heart pick up speed at the sound, hearing the smile on the other end of the line and the memory of the sight was enough to make his own form.

"Look, I…" He should've thought out his words better before calling. He was never good at speaking, especially when feelings were involved. "I… I was rude to you this morning, and I wanted to apologize."

There was a poignant pause at the other end of the line. "It's all right, Alec. I know it was an unexpected place to wake up."

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose, even the memory of the morning making the anxiety lick its way along his skin. "I just panicked… I knew my parents were looking for me to talk about their new plans for my future, and Jace was going to try to drag me to help Clary with her next crises, and Izzy was being roped into plans by my parents too… It just all came back at once and spending the night anywhere besides the Institute is a huge breaking of rules unless on a mission and I was already in trouble for ignoring my mom's calls…"

"I understand, Alexander. I forgive you. I know you weren't upset with me so I didn't take offense."

Alec exhaled slowly. "Are you sure? You're more angelic than any Shadowhunter I know if you really aren't going to hold my bad manners against me."

"Ah, don't be so quick to dismiss yourself. You're quite angelic when you sleep. Minus the snoring."

"Wh-what? I don't snore!" Alec practically shouted, mouth agape.

Magnus laughed, the sound tinkling through the phone line. "Whatever you say, angel."

"You're horrible." Alec grumbled, pout on full display now.

"Then why are you calling to make sure my feelings aren't hurt?"

Alec hesitated, not sure how to approach the subject.

He became serious again. "I… I did have fun last night. I enjoyed spending time with you."

"As did I."

He let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

"Wh-what… um, what do you want? With me?"

Alec closed his eyes, hating his awkwardness for making him less than eloquent.

"I want to get to know you more. If you're willing."

"I am. But I just…"

Magnus interrupted this time, tone soft. "I know. You can take whatever time you need. I'm not getting any older, remember. I'll be here for you, when you're ready."

Alec didn't know what to say, so many words ready to spring off his tongue but something stronger blocking their motion.

"Thanks for calling, Alexander. Let me know when you decide what you want."

And with that, he hung up, and Alec was left standing in the middle of the room with a quiet phone line.

"I just want you." he whispered into the silent device, the ache in his chest almost too much to bear.

But that was just another thing he'd have to bury. Another feeling he'd have to treat like a mistake.

So Alec shut his mouth and walked out of his room with his head held high, swallowing the lump in his throat once more.

[holdyourbreathuntilyouseelight]

Hands to Myself - Part I

Summary: After Alec comes out to his family, Jace drags Alec to an LGBT friendly strip club so he can 'expand his horizons' since he hasn't even attempted to date or meet anybody new. Alec reluctantly agrees only because he's grateful Jace is so supportive. While there, his eyes land on an intoxicating man whose body moves so fluidly Alec can't keep his eyes off of him. Once Magnus is alone with him, he, too, finds himself enraptured by the younger man.

Rating: MA

Genre: Smut, Romance, Friendship, Everyone is Human AU

Warning: Mentions of internalized homophobia

Author: dylanobrienstyler

A/N: I did my best with my very limited knowledge of what goes on in these sorts of places – sorry for any inaccuracies as I needed to improvise a lot. Title inspired from Selena Gomez' song of the same name. This will be a two-part series. Feedback of all kinds is very welcome!!

Also can be read on AO3!

Chapter One - Magnetism

"You know, we really don't have to do this."

His adoptive brother threw him a look, lips twisted in a smirk. "Oh come ON, Alec. It's been almost a month since you came out, and I have yet to see you even TRY to charm a fellow man. You need to see what you're missing!"

"Jace, do you really think I'm going to have a romantic awakening at a strip club?" Alec asked, eyebrows raised, but Jace simply scoffed.

"It's going to be fun, Alec. It won't kill you to have fun, you know."

Alec rolled his eyes and followed the blonde into the club. Pandemonium. The neon lights were lit up in the colours of the pansexual flag, and Alec swallowed before entering.

He had heard of the LGBT club, known for its wildly accepted collection of personalities, gender identities and sexualities showcased, and, of course, the fact that much of it was sans clothing. New York was a place for everyone to be included, and that club was a strong confirmation of that statement. Still, Alec had never been nor even knew much about it until Jace was showing him pictures on his phone that afternoon while shaking his arm to beg Alec to let him take him.

Alec normally would have said no, but he knew Jace was trying really hard to be supportive, and Alec appreciated his effort, especially since one half of their family certainly didn't share his enthusiasm. But Alec knew Jace wanted him to be happy, and that was enough to make Alec grumble out an agreement.

Coming back to the present, Alec passed over cover money to the bouncer, accepting the stamp on the back of his hand, before shrugging his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

It was an interesting sight – Alec hadn't been much of a bar guy, even after he turned twenty-one. He was more of a pub kind of person; sipping at a beer and eating fried foods while live music played or something equally relaxing was actually enjoyable. Here, there were a lot of sweaty, barely clad bodies writhing around and an overabundance of bright lights and synthetic fog happening.

"I really don't know if this is my scene." Alec commented to Jace, louder than he'd normally speak but it was necessary to be heard over the pumping music bursting from the speakers.

"Just give it an hour, please? If you really hate it, we'll go home after that." Jace promised.

Alec exhaled slowly but nodded, heading for the nearest bar. If he was going to stick around, he'd definitely need some alcohol.

Jace grinned as he caught on to his plan and bounded over to the bartender.

"What can I get you?" she asked, only the hint of a smile on her lips at the sight of the two men. Alec briefly wondered if she thought they were there together.

"Can I get a gin and tonic?" Alec said before Jace cut him off.

"Ignore my brother. He needs something stronger. What do you suggest?" Jace asked, settling onto one of the stools.

Alec followed his lead, sighing in defeat.

"First timer, huh?" the dark-skinned girl asked, eyebrow quirked.

"I couldn't be more obvious?" Alec grumbled, shooting a glare at Jace who simply grinned back.

"You work this job long enough, you start to be able to tell a lot from just reading people. It's a good place here though. There are worse places to debut into a strip club. There's a lot of respectful boundaries in place and it's pretty tasteful for the most part."

Alec nodded, appreciating the calming words. He had no idea what to expect and his comfort level at diving into new territory was, well, non-existent. He didn't want somewhere that put him on the spot too much.

The girl was mixing up their drinks as she spoke. "You don't have to know too much to get by here. You want to leave a tip, it's done here, but you're welcome to get closer to the stages to get a better view. Some places have you tip on stage by the dancer or to them directly – we try to keep more boundaries there for the safety of the dancers. Also, frankly, the money gets downright gross otherwise. And you'd be surprised how many people steal hardworking dancers' money when it's not heavily guarded."

Alec felt sick at the thought. He couldn't imagine working at a place like this, he just wasn't that comfortable with his body and was the opposite of charming, but he could imagine it took a lot of effort to put on your best face, expose yourself to strangers, showcase talent and whatever persona they had to adopt to perform, only to have the reward for it all be stolen.

She pushed their newly concocted drinks towards them and Jace passed over some bills. One sip and Alec struggled to swallow. It was strong all right, but the aftertaste smoothed things out. He took another drink as the bartender kept talking.

"The guy on the other side of the bar? That's Raphael." She nodded towards a surly looking man who definitely looked like a manager at a night club. It didn't seem like he ever saw the light of day with his pale, sallow complexion. "He's who you talk to if you want to book a private dance. We have secluded rooms for the occasion too, as some people don't want an audience. You're required to read and sign off on a checklist of dos and don'ts prior to him even calling up the dancer. If you violate any, you'll be kicked to the curb with no welcome back. Like I said, safety of the workers is really important here. And if you're looking for a prostitute, you'll need to head out and find a corner in the city, because even though some of the dancers do it on the side, business deals are not allowed to be made in here."

"Wow." Alec said with a surprise. He had no idea there was so much to it. He supposed that was best though. Places like this could probably get ugly fast if there weren't protocols and limitations in place. "Thank you, um…?"

"Maia." she replied.

"Alec."

"Jace." the blonde piped up from his spot, and Alec tried not to smile at his need to be included.

Maia chewed her tongue. "So, any questions, you know where I am. Otherwise try to relax a bit and enjoy yourself."

Alec nodded his thanks and swiveled on his stool to take in the club again. He took another gulp of his drink as he scanned the area.

There were multiple stages, both big and small, scattered throughout the large room. Poles were centered on some, some had other forms of props like hanging scarves for the more gymnastic types, and there were seating areas for best views but most people were standing and milling around.

The room also featured tall cubicle-like structures in a steady row, featuring one dancer in each. The costumes some wore were more adventurous than others, and Alec noted that across the wide arrange of dancers, there was a little bit of everything for everybody.

Some of the club was split with male dancers on one side and female dancers on another, whereas the cubicles featured a mix of both. Alec supposed that way everyone could find what they were looking for. There were also more masculine female types, dressed in what some would call 'butch' type wear, whereas there were also femme males, donned in make-up or even some dressed in stereotypically female clothing. And then the opposite, where there were rugged men and extremely feminine women.

Alec couldn't help his eyes from being drawn to one dancer straight ahead from his spot at the bar. He was of Asian descent, for sure, with sculpted arms grasping onto the pole as he swayed his hips in rhythm with the song playing.

There were mostly older men drooling at his feet, salt and pepper hair on some, and Alec wondered briefly if they were openly out or if some had wives or families at home. He knew he was growing up in a different time, and that these types of places didn't exist decades previous. Either way, the age contrast to the dancer to the audience made him a little queasy, but the dancer seemed pretty used to it. He was exchanging banter with a few, laughing and being coy, all the while moving sensually to the music.

Alec didn't even realize he was staring, but he was mesmerized. The man definitely had been dancing for a while, likely longer than his years as a stripper if his technique and physique were any indicator. He slipped out of the vest he had been wearing, letting it dip down his arms. He caught it in his elbows before smoothly discarding it, climbing back up the pole with his strong thighs, and he swiveled down as he sent a sly smile to his viewers.

"That's Magnus. He's been here a couple years. He's in pretty high demand around here. Both men and women fall at his feet." Maia commented, obviously catching on to his ogling and having finished with some other customers.

Alec swallowed, blushing at being caught, and decided he could not look at Jace if he wanted to have any dignity later.

Jace, thankfully, didn't tease him. Alec refused to chance a glance at him, but he hoped maybe Jace was distracted by the many beautiful women parading around.

Alec drained his glass and lifted a hand to signal his request for another. Maia hid a smile as she began getting it ready.

His eyes slid back to the dancing man, who was practically thrusting his hips as he held his arms above his head, only letting them come down to slide sensually over his bare torso and down to cup his inner thigh.

Alec took a large gulp of the drink Maia slid his way. It was going to be a long night.

Alec tried to find somebody else to watch, tried to tame his hormones down, even going so far to watch the women at one point, but his gaze betrayed him and always seemed to trail back to Magnus again.

He felt stupid for how magnetized to the man he felt. It was embarrassing how attracted he felt to him. It wasn't just his body either—the confidence the man exuded, the coy smiles he shot out at the crowd, the sight of him laughing at something somebody said… it all was enrapturing to Alec. The few times Magnus had caught him staring and sent a wink or smile his way nearly made Alec fall off his chair.

Jace sat down next to him suddenly, and Alec jerked his eyes away from the Asian man.

"Are the bathrooms here nicer than most clubs or about the same?" Alec asked dryly, sipping more of his drink. He was on his fourth and definitely feeling it, his body humming underneath his skin. It didn't help that he was using it as a distraction from wanting to cross the room to stand before Magnus and watch the magic unfold at a much closer view. But he knew that would spell disaster, since he was embarrassing himself enough from his spot at the bar.

Jace smiled wickedly, and Alec felt his stomach turn uneasily. It was not an expression that lead to nice things in the past.

"The bathroom run was a lie, actually."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what you were off doing? I know you've been sexting Clary all night, but you could at least wait for the phone sex until we're home."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Thanks for assuming I'm classless. No, I was off talking to Raphael."

Alec felt his blood run cold. It wasn't only Maia who was onto his obsession with Magnus, and Alec hadn't been helping to dispute the rumor. They had passed the hour agreement long ago and he still hadn't budged from his seat, so it didn't take a genius to figure out that he didn't want to leave and there was a very good reason.

"Jace… Please tell me you called Clary to okay you booking a private dance for yourself with a stripper and not that you—"

"I booked you a private dance with Magnus." Jace said, effectively shutting his brother up, and Alec nearly puked right then. The alcohol thrashed dangerously in his stomach.

"Please tell me you're joking." Alec rasped out, clutching onto the bar for balance.

"Alec, seriously. You don't have to marry the guy. But you're clearly attracted to him and he's obviously good at what he does, hence the small fan club he has gathered around him at all times, and, frankly, watching you stare at him is getting a little old. He's been making eyes at you too."

Alec rolled his eyes at the last comment. "For god sakes, Jace, it's his job. The more he makes people feel like they're 'special', the more tips he gets. I'm not even a strip club regular and I know that's how it is."

Jace held him by the shoulders. "Can you shut up and go over to Raphael to sign off on that stupid list? We came here to have fun, right? And I know you'll have fun. More than you've had, probably, well, ever."

Alec squirmed uncomfortably under his hold. He didn't need reminding that he was as virginal as they came. He had only kissed girls in his lifetime, and that was when he was trying to deny his true identity. Since then, he hadn't met anyone openly gay let alone felt a connection with anyone. He was a rather reserved, quiet person, so relationships didn't exactly come easy even without being homosexual.

"Fine. But if you wake up dead in your sleep one of these days, don't say I didn't warn you." he mumbled as he headed over to the manager.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Jace called after him, looking far too gleeful for Alec's liking.

"Hi. Um, I'm Alec. My brother sent me." he explained, nodding towards the excited idiot.

Raphael nodded in understanding, obviously expecting him. "All right, so it's pretty clearly written out here. Maia tells me she already went over some of the basics with you for our code of conduct." Great, Maia was in on it too. Did he have no one on his blend-into-the-background side? "Private dances vary from place to place, but here at Pandemonium, you're allowed to touch the dancer. That being said, no touching private parts, no kissing and generally nothing too sexual. They are performers putting on a show for you, so show them respect and communicate if something makes you uncomfortable. Also respect that they too have a comfort level, so any kink-related suggestions may need to be left at the door if they're too radical, understand? Also, all of your clothes are to remain on at all times; this is not an orgy, so keep it in your pants, literally."

Alec felt a little stunned, and about eleven-tenths embarrassed, but he nodded. He read the paper handed to him, which was pretty much all explained verbally already, so he scrawled his signature at the bottom and handed it back to him.

"I'll go grab Magnus. Luke will lead you to the private room he will meet you in."

Alec nodded and followed an intimidating looking bouncer.

"Hey, kid?"

Alec turned back to Raphael.

A hint of his smile was on his face. "Try to relax. Magnus is good at what he does. He won't push you beyond your boundaries. Have fun."

Alec, still red and only getting redder, nodded gratefully and followed Luke to a room down a hallway he hadn't noticed before.

"You can wait in here. Magnus will meet you shortly." Luke told him. "Raphael was right. Try to relax, kid. You look like you might pass out. There aren't any cameras about to expose you or something. You can be yourself here. That's the whole point."

Alec let out a breath and followed the instructions to go inside, trying to find the strength in him to take his advice. Luke closed the door behind him.

It wasn't an overly large room, but large enough that Alec understood certain dancers could put on quite the routine. There was a black couch leaning against the wall, so he sat nervously, wondering what the hell he was going to say to the man he'd be ogling all night. He doubted Magnus was oblivious what with the few times he had made eye contact.

Alec's heart was hammering in his chest as he thought about actually being alone in a room with him, no one else to break the ice. He felt like he was bordering on a panic attack. He knew Jace meant well, but this was too much. He was too nervous and inexperienced and this was too much pressure, even with everything everyone had been saying…

Before he could bolt, the door opened, and in walked the man Alec's eyes hadn't left all night.

To make things worse, Alec practically gaped at him, since up close he was even more stunning.

His dark eyes were lined with eyeliner, accented with dark eye shadows blended together and the glitter spread down his cheeks made his face even more luminescent and angelic than before. His hair was gelled into a funky sort-of relaxed style, and Alec could see the glisten of sweat on his arms. He was fully dressed, but there weren't many layers and they left little to the imagination.

"Hello. I'm Magnus." Magnus introduced, smiling wickedly, and Alec was grateful he was sitting because he was pretty sure his knees would've given out by now.

"Alec." Alec said, hoping his voice didn't quiver as much as he thought it did.

Magnus' smile broadened, and Alec wondered stupidly if Magnus introducing himself was an invitation for him to do the same. It was probably just what people in the business did. Stated their stage name to instigate the start of the show. Here Alec was, acting like it was a blind date. Good god, could he melt into the floor already!?

Magnus crossed the room and cracked open a bottle of water. "Forgive me for asking, handsome, but first timer?"

Alec couldn't help but groan and put his head in his hands. "Does everybody who works here feel the need to point that out?"

Magnus chuckled, and Alec lifted his head, embarrassed that he was charmed by the sound. A little glow of warmth formed in his belly that he had been the one to make Magnus laugh. He had been watching others do it all night with a hint of jealousy.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Alexander." Alec didn't bother to correct him, too fascinated at the sight of him sipping at a bottle of water to form words. He also had a feeling Magnus had chosen his full name on purpose. "The only reason I ask is because it does change how I approach these situations. Some people, veterans to this place so to speak, come in here knowing what they want and expecting something specific. Others, like yourself, are new to the idea and need a little more guidance getting out of their shell. And there's a learning curve too, of what you want and what works for you. I've been doing this long enough that I've worked with a wide variety of experience levels, and trust me, the most important thing is just that you communicate with whatever dancer you are paired with. That means, if I do something that makes you uncomfortable, you say so, or if you'd like something altered to suit your tastes, tell me. I'm sure Raph gave you the big scaredown so you know if it's outside my comfort zone, I'll just tell you and we'll try something else that works for both of us."

Alec nodded. "That sounds… really reasonable."

His voice was working a little better now.

Magnus clapped his hands together. "Perfect! Now, shall we get started?"

Alec was grateful he was sitting on a couch since his hands gripped at the cushion for something to anchor himself too.

Don't pass out. Don't pass out. Don't pass out.

The music filled the room, and, at first, Magnus didn't watch him. He was concentrating on the pole centered in the room, and Alec watched in fascination as he hooked a leg around it and did some complicated flip.

Would whooping in appreciation be acceptable here or would that just make him look like a complete idiot?

Alec chose to remain quiet but he found his body relaxing a little as he watched Magnus move.

He was still hyped up with nerves, but maybe the alcohol was settling in his system more, or maybe Magnus' pep talk helped, but Alec found himself having an easier time staring this time around. He knew Magnus was being paid to literally do this for him, but knowing there were no witnesses outside the one putting on the show made him feel a little more at ease. Being caught ogling a man still made him feel guilty, ashamed, the internalized homophobia he was getting better at battling still rearing its ugly head at times. Now, not only was Magnus being paid to show off for him, but Alec was expected to be intoxicated. He was encouraged to fully give himself over to his desires. Well, within the code of conduct of course.

Alec found his teeth digging into his bottom lip as he watched the man move fluidly, his body rolling like a wave as his shirt settled on the floor.

With a sly smile, Magnus sidled up to him, digging a knee on one side of Alec's thigh and settling into his lap.

"This okay?" he asked quietly.

Alec couldn't speak, too shocked at how close the attractive man was to his body to form coherent words, so he nodded as Magnus properly straddled his lap. His body warmth immediately seeped into Alec's and he felt his mouth go completely dry.

Magnus continued his rolling motions, but this time his pelvis was coming in contact with Alec's, and Alec made an unintelligible sound at the friction, his eyes finding the ceiling as he tried to control his body's reaction.

"Still liking this?" Magnus murmured.

Was he trying to seduce him? His voice was so silky and smooth, Alec was surprised he didn't arrive right then.

"I-it's good. I-I'm just… y'know, trying not to be a preteen about it." he managed to choke out.

Magnus laughed, throwing his head back as it came from the depths of his belly, and the action caused his lower half to become even snugger to Alec's. Somehow, it seemed Magnus found his innocence and inexperience endearing.

"Well, the whole point is that you enjoy yourself. Are you enjoying yourself, Alexander?"

Alec nodded as Magnus flipped around so his ass was the one nudging Alec's crotch, his hand sliding up to cup the back of Alec's neck as he slid up and down his body.

Alec's breath was catching at the sensations rolling through him. His hands had found Magnus' waist to steady him, but so far, that was as adventurous as he had been.

"You're allowed to touch me, you know." Magnus teased against his ear, blowing a cool gust of air against the hot skin of his neck.

Alec, swallowing with difficulty, let his palm stroke over Magnus' toned abdomen, taking inventory of one side to the other. He grew in confidence a little as Magnus seemed to use it as encouragement to keep dancing and he let his thumb brush sensually below his belly button but well above his waistband so he wouldn't accidentally touch him where he had been formally forbidden.

Magnus leaned back, using Alec's shoulder as a rest for the back of his head as he unbuttoned his pants and let them slide off his legs. He kicked them off with a flourish, turning around to straddle him facing forwards again.

Alec closed his eyes, trying to think of unappealing things as his body was not hiding its arousal in any way, but Magnus seemed amused.

"Let yourself feel, Alexander. It would offend me if you weren't properly enjoying this." To make his point, he pointedly rubbed against Alec's erection, and the latter moaned, gasping for air at the end.

"You're going to be the death of me." Alec mumbled, hands sliding down to rest on Magnus' hips unconsciously to help guide their motion.

"I'll make sure to get off you once I'm fully nude."

Alec felt himself panic. "Um, actually, is it okay if we just stay like this? This is… already so much."

Magnus' eyes softened and he smiled. "Of course. Whatever you like."

Alec exhaled, the tension leaving his body again. He couldn't help but let his eyes find Magnus', mesmerized by the swirl of colours in his irises.

The man in his lap moved more deliberately as the song's tempo increased, and Alec felt his hips move upwards of their own accord.

Magnus leaned his forehead against his, chuckling a little under his breath. "You're certainly a breath of fresh air, Alexander."

Alec met his eyes again, finding adoration in Magnus', and without thinking, he closed the distance between them until his lips were flush to Magnus'.

It was soft despite the suddenness, Alec's lips melting against the older man's, before he wrenched back.

"Oh, god, oh god I'm so sorry." Alec whispered, feeling his eyes grow wet in humiliation. That was practically the number one rule NOT to do, and there he went, ruining everything. It was Magnus' obligation to end things now, have Alec kicked out, never to return. He already felt a pang in his heart that he wouldn't see him again. But it was his own fault. His own stupid, desperate, intoxicated fault.

He was too drunk on alcohol and arousal to stop himself from doing stupid things, so it's not like he could exactly blame Magnus or the club for having that rule in the first place…

Instead of shoving him away and bolting, Magnus seemed eerily calm. His hands rested behind Alec's neck, him still in Alec's lap, and he was moving forward to kiss him again before Alec could catch up on what was happening.

It was gentle at first, but Alec couldn't control himself. Magnus was kissing him. His hands cupped his face in his hands as he kissed him back, and he whimpered against his mouth as Magnus' hips began rolling into his again.

Alec's mouth opened to Magnus as he kissed him deeper, hips never slowing, and Alec felt himself nearing the edge.

"Magnus… I'm… I'm so close…" he whispered, muffled against his moving lips. The added sensation of Magnus' expert lips against his was heightening everything, and he knew his high was moments away.

"It's okay, Alexander. It's okay." Magnus promised softly, moving his mouth to suck on Alec's neck.

His teeth nibbled over his pulse point and that was it, he was done, the whole night had been too much.

Alec's body seized up, his back arching, as a breathy "Magnus" escaped his lips. His hips stuttered as he came endlessly in his pants, his blunt nails dragging down Magnus' bare back as he gasped through his orgasm.

He stayed in his position, boneless, trying to catch his breath. His brain was fuzzy, unable to think of words to say, like 'thank you' or something.

Would it be weird to thank him? He did give him an orgasm, but he wasn't sure what the protocol was in this situation, as he never imagined actually coming undone in front of the man.

Magnus eventually dismounted him and brushed himself off before gathering his discarded clothes to swiftly redress.

"There's a bathroom just through there if you need to clean yourself up before you head back out." he said quietly.

Alec nodded, looking down at the floor now, embarrassed that he had just climaxed in front of a virtual stranger. He knew that Magnus had probably witnessed many over his time in the business, how could he not with moves like his, but he was sure many also kept themselves in control.

The shame from before started to creep again, locking his jaw and posture. He had just experienced his first orgasm at the hands of another man, imagined scenarios from his masturbation fantasies not counting, and it was making him feel a little overwhelmed. Also given that Magnus wasn't saying much either, and he wished the ground would swallow him whole.

Alec stood and moved to leave, afraid to look at him, afraid to find the disgust he was used to being associated with his sexuality.

He felt stupid, and humiliated, and just… sick. He wanted to leave. He had to leave after this. He was pretty sure Jace would be fine with it, as this was no doubt his finale for the night as it was, but Alec wasn't even sure if he could face him. He knew he'd start questioning him about how it was, teasing him, and Alec was feeling too vulnerable to play along.

"Alexander." Magnus' voice sounded strange, and Alec couldn't help but swivel to look at him.

His eyes grew strained at the sight of him, and Alec wondered if his self-loathing was as obvious as it felt.

Magnus crossed the distance between them and pulled him into a hug. Alec was so surprised by the action that he simply froze.

"I'm proud of you." he told him quietly, patting him on the back before slipping out of the room, shooting him one last coy smile before the door closed.

Alec didn't know what to think, still too stunned to gather all his thoughts, so he headed to the bathroom to clean himself up a bit.

Once done, he met up with Jace, his thoughts buzzing loudly in his head.

Jace smiled widely at him, but, catching the look on his face, his mouth slid into a frown.

"You okay?"

Alec nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Can we go?"

"Of course." Jace said seriously, slipping his arms through his jacket sleeves. "Thanks for everything, Maia." he added to the girl.

She, too, watched Alec in concern but waved them off with a forced smile.

Alec didn't speak much on the way home, too consumed with his thoughts. He didn't know what had happened, why Magnus had started kissing him back, and then everything following only solidified his confusion. Magnus seemed distant after they broke apart too, but then he was hugging him, telling him he was proud of him, and Alec didn't know what to believe.

But he didn't know Magnus. He didn't even know what Magnus' real name was for god sakes. Strippers usually had stage names, for their protection. And his job description meant he was always putting on a show. So that meant any part of his personality, or all of it, could be nothing like the real man.

Jace was shooting him glances as they walked through the city, clearly worried about him.

"Alec?"

"Mmm?"

"Did… did something bad happen? In that room?"

Alec contemplated the question but shook his head. "No, no. It was… just… not what I was expecting, I guess." He forced a smile. "But you were right. Definitely got me out of my comfort zone tonight."

Jace stopped walking and pulled Alec's arm. "Alec, tell me the truth. Did I pressure you into this? Make you do something you didn't want to do?"

Alec's heart clenched. Of course Jace would blame himself. It was his idea in the first place and he was the one who booked the private dance. But Alec knew it wasn't anything Jace had done. As usual, it was Alec who screwed things up.

"No, Jace, it was great, honestly. The whole night. But I guess I just… didn't realize…" He didn't know how to word it, not sure how to make Jace understand. "I wasn't expecting it to be so… um, emotional, I guess?"

Emotions weren't ever something Alec was great at expressing, let alone talking about. But he wanted to make sure Jace understood that he was only in his head about things because he was processing.

"Oh."

Alec forced a smile, trying to forget about the flood of uncomfortable feelings after things had finished. "I had fun, though. I really did. Thank you for tonight."

Jace smiled genuinely now. "You're welcome. That's what best friends are for."

"And brothers." Alec added, slinging an arm around his shoulder and squeezing affectionately. "Can you imagine Mom and Dad's face if they were in there, though? THAT would've been fun."

Jace snickered, immediately up for the entertaining conversation.

Part II can be found here!