How to not mess this up #malec fanfiction

Relationships take effort

When it was 5pm, Alec stirred and opened his eyes. Magnus was letting his fingers glide over his chest above the blanket covering them while Alec was wrapped up in his embrace. "Good sleep?" Magnus asked quietly. Alec smiled to him and said "So much better than I have had in months."

Magnus pecked his lips to this and smiled. Then he gently stroked Alec's cheek and Alec sighed into the touch. Magnus asked "Can I look at your tattoos?". Alec grinned and raised his eyebrow. Magnus said "I didn't get a chance to further explore them...I was pretty occupied." He chuckled at Alec's amused expression. Alec propped himself up a little, so he was sitting upright. He wasn't wearing a shirt anyways. 

Magnus glanced at his chest, trying no to swoon at the muscular body. He traced his fingers over the deflect rune, that he already knew existed. Next, also on his chest, was a little red, thorned rose. Alec said "Izzy's favourite flower." Magnus nodded and moved to Alec's left arm, where over his biceps was the beginnings of a sleeve tattoo. There was a big picture of a wolf howling at a moon and then something that looked like blade of somesort. Magnus smiled slightly when he noticed a tattoo far back, on his V-line. Magnus traced it too, and Alec's breath hitched a little. 

Magnus smirked a bit but said sweetly "And this?". The tattoo was another rune like ink. Alec looked at him in the eyes intently and then smiled shyly "It's an angelic rune." Magnus traced it with his finger and smiled. "Appropriate." he said with a wink and then he leaned down, kissing the tattoo and then proceeding to lick and bite it. Alec gasped and his eyes fell shut. Magnus smiled against his skin. Alec smelled and tasted divine all the time. 

"I should go. I haven't checked my phone for nearly 24 hours. Cat must be freaking out by now." Magnus said, glancing at a clock on the opposite wall. It was almost 7pm now. Alec opened his eyes, looking at him. Magnus propped himself up a little, so he was now lying on Alec's chest, looking at him sweetly. Alec seemed thoughtful and then said "I should probably call Iz...I just don't want you to go." Magnus smiled at this and leaned upwards, so he could kiss his lips slightly. "I won't be gone long, promise." Magnus stood up reluctantly and Alec didn't seemed too pleased by this. He sat up and looked a little sad. Magnus tried not to lean down again and take him into his embrace.

"So, what will you tell Isabelle? When she asks...about this?" Magnus asked, trying to sound carefree. He had no idea what he would say to Catarina. Alec looked at him with an expression Magnus couldn't decipher. He said slowly "I won't say anything. I mean if she asks then yes, I will say I was with you. Why wouldn't I? But other than that...she doesn't really need to know. What are you going to tell Cat?" Magnus shrugged a little, trying not to show his disappointment because he didn't want to feel it. He put on his pants and slipped his shirt on and then said "Cat's pretty persistent. But I guess I'll tell her as much as she needs to know...or as much it takes to get her off my back. But yeah, don't worry, I won't go "defining the relatiosnhip' without you." He gave a small smirk at the end. Alec rose and then grabbed him by the shoulders. He stood really close and inhaled Magnus' scent. Then he said "I care about you. A lot. And I don't want to stop whatever it is we're doing. Is that okay?" 

Magnus' eyes softened. Alec seemed so vulnerable when he was with him, not at all like the tough mask he wore when he was with his siblings, always playing the part of the big brother. He reached to touch Alec's cheek and Alec leaned in to the touch. Magnus smiled and replied "I care about you, too. And it's okay. We're okay." Alec leaned in and kissed him. Slow and sweet. Taking his time to savour Magnus, like they would be saying goodbye for weeks. Magnus returned the kiss just as sweet and maybe even  a little desperate. When he pulled away finally, Alec was smiling with his eyes shining. He looked utterly adorable. Magnus smiled, trying to ignore the aching feeling forming in his chest.

"Goodbye, Alexander." he just said. Alec whispered "Goodbye, Magnus." Magnus kissed Alec's jawline slightly and Alec said "Is that our hello and goodbye?" Magnus chuckled and replied "If you want it to be." He turned and put his jacket on as he walked to the front door. He's hand lingered on the doorknob, but he didn't turn around. He took a small breath and then opened it and stepped out. He knew, if he'd look back, he would never leave.

***

"I called you like a hundred times! Where have you been??" Catarina yelled, standing in the middle of her living room, trying her  best not to hit Magnus, who was cowering on the sofa, nose scrunched up at his best friend throwing a fit. Magnus had gone home, showered, changed is clothes and then checked his phone. Catarina had called not a hundred, but 25 times since he had gone to Alec's and together with Ragnor and Raphael they had texted about 20 messages, not to mention the notifications in their group chat.

Now Catarina was glaring at him, waiting for an explanation. Magnus opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again. He wanted to tell Cat, but felt like if he didn't then Alec would be his secret. His adorable, little secret, all to himself. But he knew Cat wouldn't budge. So he tried again "I was at...Alexander's." Catarina gasped and shut her eyes in shock. Then she opened them, a very small smile making its way to her lips. She said "Well, I can see why you didn't call...for a few hours. But 24 hours Magnus? What in the world were you two doing?" Magnus smirked and opened his mouth again but Catarina seemed to change her mind, raising her hand and shaking her head "Forget I asked." She approached him and then plopped down next to him on the couch.

She was fiddling with her hands, what she always did when she was nervous. She smiled a little again and then asked "And...does this mean you two are together now?" Magnus braced himself. Cat won't like this part. "We...I mean yes, in some way. We're not really talking about it as much as just seeing where it leads. He is still Alexander to me and I am Magnus to him. We're not boyfriends. We're just...us." Catarina seemed confused. Magnus allowed for some time so she could think.

Catarina finally said quietly "And you're okay with that? I mean what does it even mean...do you go out with other people if you want?" This time it was Magnus who needed to think. Did it mean that? They never talked about that. Magnus realized he was angry. Because he was thinking of Alexander with someone else. And he hated it. "I don't...We're just figuring this out, okay? And we're both fine with it. I care about him a lot, Cat. And i don't want to lose him, by ruining it. By getting too attached, when it's not what he wants." Catarina didn't seem to understand but put her hand on Magnus'. "I can see, that you are falling for him, Magnus. I don't want you to get hurt, I don't. This just seems...not something that you want right now. And I should know, I've witnessed your every fling."

Magnus closed his eyes. Was he falling for Alec? Magnus never lied to himself. So, he didn't this time either. He might have been falling for Alec. But it was complicated. He just wished they didn't have to think about such things. That they could just hide away from the world and never have to speak about relationships and titles like boyfriend and love. They could just be. 

"Cat, I really don't want to talk or think about it, okay?" Catarina seemed reluctant but her phone rang. It was Ragnor. She picked it up and Magnus heard words "Irresponisble" and "Ignorant dickhead" which were probably about him. He chuckled and turned the TV on. He's phone made a sound and he saw there was a message. From Alec.

Tall, dark and handsome: Magnus...I miss you already. I don't know what you are doing to me, but I've never felt like this before. I am scared. But excited and thrilled at the same time. I wish I could say that this can be easy, but I know myself. And it's never too easy with me, so I'm sorry. I hope you will be willing to see what this is between us, because I want to take the effort to find out. x

Magnus smiled. Alec was sweet and caring, but he was just like him - a little lost, broken and not sure what to do with himself. So he replied

Magnus Bane: I'm all for effort. :)x