Hiding

Chapter thirteen

Knocking on the door, Alec waits outside Magnus' hotel room with a tray consisting of two coffees, one with milk one without, eggs, bacon and a croissant.

A dissatisfied grunt sounds from the other side of the door and then it gets ripped open. A grumpy bed headed Magnus glares at Alec.

"Good morning sunshine." Alecs pushes past Magnus. "I figured we could have breakfast here today so we can prepare the meeting."

"Hrmph," is all the answer Alec gets so he takes the coffee with milk and holds it out for Magnus.

"I brought coffee." Magnus takes the cup out of his hands and sips it all while still glaring at Alec. "Better?"

"No. Don't talk." Magnus grumbles and drops down on his bed, still with the cup attached to his lips. And without spilling a drop. A skill Alec must admit he admires.

"Alright, I'll let you drink that first. Want something to eat?" He hands Magnus a plate with the food.

Magnus glares at him and then takes it.

"Why are you so fucking chipper?"

"Why wouldn't I be? it's a beautiful day, I've slept great, and I've been up for two hours."

"Hours? Why?"

"I went out for a run."

"Masochist." Magnus mumbles, but Alec notices a tiny smile at the corner of his mouth. Just not for long. Quickly the dissatisfied expression is back. "The coffees gone..."

"Here." Alec hands Magnus his own cup. "Have mine."

Hesitantly Magnus takes the cup.

"Sure?"

"Completely. It is y screw up that I didn't bring enough. I should have remembered that you require two cups to become human in the morning."

"Shut up..." Magnus mutters.

"How many do you need to become a bit more pleasant company?"

"Like..." Magnus counts in his head, "four, I think. Five when it's around you."

Alec grins.

"Fine. I'll go get three more." Alec leaves the room, and before the door closes, he hears Magnus mutter under his breath.

"Fucking morning-people..."

It doesn't take long before Alec returns with an entire pot of coffee and a single expresso.

"Here you go."

"Is that for me?" Magnus gestures to the tiny cup in Alec's hand.

"Yup."

"Thank god, I think I love you!" Magnus bursts out and swallows the expresso in no time. Alec on the other hand is completely frozen. "Hallelujah." Magnus shouts as the caffeine begins its work in his body. Then he notices the completely stone-faced Alec. "Oh relax, my beautiful wet paper towel. I didn't mean that I love you love you. Just the caffein you brought."

"Right..." Alec mutters but still look like a dear caught in headlights.

"Why don't you just stay there – doing what ever the hell that is – and I'll go put my face on before we begin our work."

"Sure."

"Monosyllable man strikes again." Magnus comments and pats Alec's hand. "Take a deep breath sweetheart, you are going to need all the patience you can find, because I feel like showering you with compliments today. You have to learn to take them at some point, right?"

"I don't like..."

"I know!" Magnus interrupts while gathering some clean clothes. "That's the point. You woke me up," he takes of his shirt, "which is something I hate, so it's only fair..." he pulls of his pants, "right, Darling?" then he wiggles his way to the bathroom and before closing the door, his briefs is thrown right out and lands right beside the stunned Alec.

For what seems like forever, Alec just stands there. Trying to comprehend what just happened. Magnus undressed in front of him. And it had a massively hard effect on him. A painfully obvious effect that Alec has no other choice than to hope and pray that Magnus hasn't noticed. He swallows thickly and takes three deep cleansing breaths while trying to get the image of Magnus' almost naked body out of his mind. But he kind. Know he truly understands Magnus' comment about how he tried and failed to move on after he saw Alec naked.

"Makeup, or no makeup?" Magnus peeks his heat out of the door in a cloud of hot steam.

"wha-at...?" Alec studders as he tries to find his way back to reality.

"Should I put my make up on for today's meeting or not?"

"Uhm...." Failing to ignore the clearly naked body that is enveloped in the steam behind the door, Alec stares at Magnus. Not being able to put a sentence together.

"on er not?" Magnus repeats his question. "Are you okay?" Magnus opens the door slightly in his intention to go and check up on Alec.

"NO!" he screams, "STOP!"

"WHAT!" Magnus screams just as loud, completely startled and looking around to see what spider or perhaps scorpion that is in the room causing Alec to shout like that.

"Don't come out! Just don't."

"I don't like spiders..." Magnus mutters while staying completely still.

"What? Spiders?"

"Yes? Theres a spider, right? That's why you are yelling at me and looking this way like there's a ghost behind me." Magnus gasps "is it a ghost?"

"No ghost. No spider." Alec sighs. "I just don't want to see you naked."

"Oh, is that all... don't worry darling, you have to earn that right." Magnus winks and closes the door while laughing. Alec, however, is not finding any of it particular funny.

He takes a deep breath and calms himself down when the door opens once more.

"Where did we end up according to the makeup?" Magnus asks and just as he is about to step out of the bathroom he adds, "pants are on. Don't shout at me."

"Funny..." He grumbles. Then he considers the question for a few seconds. "On" he says, "I like the confidence it gives you."

"Thank you," Magnus beams at Alec, "that was almost a feeling my stunning paper towel. Congratulations."

"Wet paper towel." Alec corrects. "And thank you." He looks directly at Magnus, "I've been practicing. In my mind."

"I can tell."

The air between them suddenly feels electric. They both sense it. the slight shift in their connection to one another.