Boylesque (🇬🇧)

An unexpected show at night

Magnus suppressed a yawn as he stretched his arms over his head, easing the tension of his tired shoulders and back muscles. Another day had come and gone without a tangible solution to his predicament. A heavy sigh fell from his lips. Tomorrow he must venture to even more banks and beg for financial aid. Oh, how he hated feeling so dependent in regard to his club.

A knock reverberated through his door.

"Come in," he called to whomever it might be.

The door opened and Alec poked his head through the gap and into the room.

"Ready to go home?" he asked with a shimmering smile on his lips.

Magnus briefly glanced at the remaining invoices that lay in front of him on the desk. Fuck it. He tossed his pen on top of the pile of papers. The rest can wait until tomorrow.

"Yeah," he replied. He rose from the chair and walked around the desk to grab his winter coat. Then he followed Alec through the club and outside to his car. A few minutes later, he was manoeuvring them through the not-so-intolerable late-night traffic.

It was silent between them during their short drive home. Magnus glanced at Alec. The younger man was deep in thought, staring blankly out the window, obviously not paying attention to the scenery passing beyond the glass. His fingers agitatedly stroked his thighs, implying that he was tense, apprehensive or nervous about something.

"Are you alright?" Magnus asked with concern etching his voice.

"Uhmm, what?" Alec answered as if momentarily startled and shaken that he was not alone, his eyes glanced toward Magnus. It looked as though he'd forgotten where he was, just for a split second. "Yeah, yeah, everything's okay."

Magnus frowned. He was not convinced.

"Really?"

Alec continued to rub his thumb over his leg rapidly.

"Yeah, yes, I'm fine," Alec replied, clearly indicating that he didn't want to talk about it, whatever it was.

Magnus didn't push the matter any further. If they had been in a relationship he probably would have pushed a little more, but they weren't, at least not at that kind of level, and so he let the subject go, hoping that it wasn't anything too dire that was troubling Alec.

"Okay," Magnus said, turning his attention back to the traffic, which became more manageable the closer they got to Brooklyn, so they reached his apartment within half an hour.

"I'm going to hit the hay," Alec stated as soon as they entered the apartment, yawning, then he pressed a quick kiss to Magnus' cheek.

Magnus blinked, perplexed. Oh, no. He wouldn't be satisfied with a simple kiss on the cheek tonight. He stopped Alec by curling his hands around his neck, simultaneously going on his toes to capture the bartender's mouth in a sweet kiss. Magnus closed his eyes, gently massaging the younger man's lips gently before letting go of Alec with a satisfied hum. Much better...

"Good night, darling," Magnus murmured against Alec's mouth, then he took a step back.

Alec's tongue zipped along the delicate skin of his bottom lip, as if to taste the hints of shimmering lip gloss that Magnus had left behind. Alec's gaze lingered on his mouth and just for a second, Magnus thought he might have wanted more. Though, much to his dismay, he didn't receive a follow-up kiss. With another wish of good night, Alec disappeared down the hall towards the guest room before Magnus could even voice his dismay.

And now?

Magnus heaved a long and anguished sigh. Even though he was quite tired, he didn't want to retire to his bed just yet. His thoughts were still a complex whirl of dread and worry. But now, desire and want simmered just beneath the surface of his skin, and there was only one man who could quell it.