A Malec Story

Chapter 21: Thirteenth meet

Waking up to the smell of coffee

He lifted his head from the pillow he was clutching and then realized what he was doing: searching the air for a trace of the smell of coffee.

- The Bane Chronicles, What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything, p.307

Magnus

Magnus woke up to the smell of coffee. Alec. His heart jumped. It had happened a few times in the previous weeks that he had woken up to this smell and found Alec in his kitchen, making coffee. The only reason for him to smell coffee now, was that Alec was here. He jumped out of bed and pulled a black dressing gown over his bare chest and silk pajama bottoms and hurried for the door. With his hand on the handle he came to a stop. You have to stop playing hard to get, Magnus, he chided himself. He couldn't run to the kitchen and fling himself on the Shadowhunter. That would definitely be revealing too much of his heart, and he was pretty sure Alec wasn't up for it. With all the strength he could muster he slowly opened the door and strolled through the loft in the direction of the kitchen. In the doorway he came to a stand to watch Alec, who was standing next to the coffee machine, reaching up in the cupboard for a mug. He turned and gave Magnus a lopsided grin. "Hey," he said, "Did I wake you? I felt like coming over for coffee. I hope that's okay?"

Magnus smiled at him. "Good morning, Alexander. It's good to see you."

Alec mumbled something that sounded as 'likewise' and turned back to reaching for the coffee mug. Magnus took a few steps into the kitchen, wanting to close the distance between them. Really, he thought, would it be such a bother for Alec to first greet him properly? The coffee could wait. Then again, Magnus didn't want to come off too eager. It was such a conundrum. Not to play his hand too soon but also not wanting to hold back. "What?" he asked, "What did you say?"

Alec took the coffee mug, placed it on the counter and reached out an arm towards Magnus. He wrapped his slender hand around Magnus's upper arm and unexpectedly pulled Magnus into the circle of his arms. "I said," his voice sounding close to Magnus's ear, "likewise."

Magnus leaned into the hug, burying his nose in Alec's hair and inhaling his scent. Alec pulled him tighter against his body and Magnus felt a flare of heat from where Alec's lips touched his neck. Just standing like this, he thought, not ever letting go. It would be fine by me.

He felt Alec exhale, his breath stirring the hairs in Magnus's neck. "Are you okay?" he asked, suddenly worried. "Is everything okay with your father?" It was only yesterday morning at sunrise that Magnus had healed Alec's father from a demon wound. He wasn't in any danger when Magnus had left but he needed care. "Yeah," Alec's voice sounded muffled. Then Alec released his arms, and in response Magnus tightened his own grip on him. "Don't let go," he said in Alec's hair, "Just stand like this. For a little while."

He felt Alec's hot breath under his ear as Alec pressed his lips against Magnus's sensitive skin there. He traced a pattern of kisses down Magnus's throat, over his jaw and then pressed his lips against Magnus's mouth. Magnus parted his lips and Alec's tongue slid into his mouth. He felt the ardor in Alec's touch. How he gave himself wholeheartedly to Magnus. Every time they kissed, Magnus felt it in the core of his being. How open and giving Alec was. How he was holding nothing back. Magnus loved that about him. He was so different, so novel, nothing like anything Magnus knew. He was very unlike Magnus himself. When you live as long as Magnus had lived, it was hard to be open and stay open. To give yourself away to people who die or leave you. Magnus had learned to be careful with himself, with his heart, which was broken so many times. It had been decades now, since his last real love had left him. And he was closing himself off, the distance between him and other living creatures growing. But now...

Now here he was standing in the arms of a tall, blue-eyed Shadowhunter, who was kissing him with everything he had. And Magnus felt a strong compulsion to give back. To open his heart for this young boy. To love and be loved. So he kissed Alec back, with a stronger passion than he had felt for a long time. His arms tight around Alec's waist, pulling at the hem of his gray, ugly hoodie, his hands sliding underneath, mapping Alec's back. Learning the scarred Shadowhunter skin there, strong and soft and muscled. And he wanted more, touch more, but he knew he had to let Alec set the pace. Alec had his hands curled in Magnus's hair, his fingers caressing, his lips moving and his tongue swirling around Magnus's. After a long time he broke away from Magnus and looked in his eyes. His blue eyes blazing as he smiled widely. "So?" he finally said, "Coffee?"

"I'd love some," Magnus replied.

Alec handed him a mug. "I was wondering," he said, "If you'd like to go out again this Friday?"

"I'd like that," Magnus said, and he felt it was too much of an understatement. "I'd like that a lot."