The law is the law. Maybe...

Chapter 6 - Navel

They went to Michael Wong's house. Alec parked the motorbike not in front of the house, but a little further away. When they got off and took off their helmets, they both walked past each other in silence. They both thought about the same pleasant and new sensation, but they didn't talk about it. Alec because he couldn't, and Magnus because he didn't want to confuse a straight man, besides he knew Alec was his partner, and he didn't want to rush their surprisingly well started relationship. Magnus himself was surprised at how comfortable he, who could almost never stand the company of other colleagues, and was uncomfortable with almost everyone, felt so comfortable with Alec. Their thoughts were interrupted only when they reached the house. But they didn't enter through the front door. Magnus led Alec to the back door. They didn't go in. At the door they talked about a few trivial matters while Magnus handed to Wong a piece of paper with only a few brief instructions. The address of the safe house, and some useful advice. They could not risk being bugged in the house. Wong nodded and Magnus and Alec walked on without a word. When they got back to the motorbike, Magnus asked Alec to take them to the café next to the park. When they got there, the café was full. They agreed to get takeaway coffee and sit on a bench in the park next to the café.

"Maia darling, can you please bring us the usual to go? I'll have a black one for Alexander."

"Yes, Magnus sweetheart, you'll have to wait a bit. We are full and Kevin quit the job this morning. It's the two of us."

They waited outside the café, and when Maia handed them the hot black liquid, they walked over to the park.

"So, where are we going first?" asked Alec as he took a big sip of his coffee.

"We go to Chinatown, then to Little Italy. I'll go in, you wait outside on the bike, I promise I'll be quick."

"Okay, no problem. I know they'd be suspicious if you went to them with a stranger." Alec said, noticing a bit of foam at the corner of Magnus' lips. His hand went to wipe it off, but he stopped himself in time, and before he could make a complete fool of himself, he pulled his hand back and told Magnus that he had foam on his lips. Magnus stuck out the tip of his tongue and licked the foam off, then the tip of his pink tongue disappeared into his mouth, he asked:

"Is that OK?" asked Magnus

Alec watched Magnus' soft tongue breathlessly, and couldn't help but think how good it would feel if the warm, wet pink flesh against his own skin.

"Earth to Alexander. Is that okay?"

Although Alec was totally frozen by the sight, a few sounds reached his ears, jolting him from his sweet daydream.

"What? Oh, yes, perfect Magnus."

They spent the afternoon gathering all the information they could from Magnus' contacts. It was getting dark when Magnus asked Alec to drive him home, because he was tired. They were about to leave when Magnus' phone rang.

"Mr. Bane, we're at the hospital. Our baby is born. I'd like to skip today's shift if I could."

"Pete, is everyone okay? I'll be there soon. Until then, call Raphael and ask for a week off." Magnus said, and hung up the phone.

"Alexander, can you do me a favor? I'd go home and change, then could you drive me to the hospital? I want to make sure Pete's wife and baby are okay. But I don't want to drive because I'm tired."

When they arrived at Magnus', he headed for the bedroom to change, saying to Alec.

"Make yourself some coffee, tea, whatever. I'll be right back."

"Do you want anything?"

"Some orange juice, thanks. It's in the fridge."

Alec poured for Magnus the orange juice and made himself a coffee, not caring that it was late for coffee, because Magnus' coffee machine was a class above his own. He'd started sipping when Magnus came out of the bedroom, started buttoning his loose burgundy shirt, and at that moment Alec's brain cells stopped working, he felt like he couldn't breathe. There was a reason for this. He forgot how to breathe. His few remaining functioning brain cells were directing his eyes to Magnus' navel, and they wouldn't let him take his eyes off him, meanwhile that working few brain cells were screaming it in his brain. "Holy fuck, Magnus is wearing a navel piercing" Alec's eyes widened, his eyebrows raised. Then slowly, he started breathing again. Magnus didn't notice this little scene, because he was busy buttoning his shirt and picking up some necklaces. Alec quickly lifted his coffee cup, trying to hide his embarrassment as Magnus walked towards the kitchen counter. When he looked up Alec's brain cells were back and functioning again. He handed Magnus the orange juice.

"Thank you. Are you okay? Your face is red as a tomato."

Alec cleared his throat, struggled to form words and sentences that made sense, but finally succeeded.

"It's all right Magnus, it's just getting hot here."

Magnus looked at him questioningly as he sipped his orange juice.

"Magnus, do you want me to wait for you outside the hospital?" Alec tried to change the subject quickly.

"No thanks, Pete will bring me home. I want to give him a little extra money but I wouldn't do it at the hospital."

"You're very nice to your employees."

"Even if I'm not there regularly, we are a big family. When Pete's wife got sick about a month ago, her doctor didn't give her an appointment only for much later. This huge man was absolutely crushed with helplessness, but he didn't ask for help. When I found out, I took them to a private clinic. There they helped his wife and baby. Turns out she has had gestational diabetes. But with therapy they fixed her."

"You are caring for others. Shall we go?" said Alec when Magnus finished his orange juice.

Magus nodded and they left the apartment. They were at the hospital in 20 minutes. Magnus went in and Alec started on his way home. He ordered from a nearby Thai restaurant and ate, thinking about the case. He tried to piece together the picture from the snippets of information they had gotten from Magnus' informants and what they already knew. After dinner, he showered and lay down in his bed. That's when he realized what a mistake it was to drink the strong black coffee. He couldn't sleep, he just tossed and turned in his bed. He could only think of one thing. Of Magnus' caramel skin, his toned abs, and the piercing with a green gem in his navel that matched his skin tone so well. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he pressed his face tightly into his soft pillow, trying to block out the beautiful sight of Magnus from his mind. He knew his unfulfilled desire for him would only get him into more trouble. A frustrated groan escaped from his throat. He tried to clear his head so he wouldn't think about Magnus. And then he suddenly realized something. It was like a slap in the face. It was as if he'd seen somewhere before the fragment of lettering on a large chimney that Wong's daughter had written about. Excitedly, he sat up in his bed, picked up his phone and called Magnus, but it went to voicemail. His phone must be dead, he thought. He didn't want to bother him anyway, he knew he was tired and he was still looking after his employee. Since he wasn't sure if he remembered correctly anyway, he just wanted to go check the place out. He wrote Magnus a short text telling him where he was going and why. Got dressed, put away his gun and his badge, put on his helmet and drove off towards the suburbs, to a small harbor in a hidden place.