Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else and I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

In With The New

Alec was pretty sure the taxi driver shaved ten years off his life during the brief car ride. Not to mention brought back some lingering PTSD flashes from teaching both Izzy and Jace to drive. But damn if the man didn't get them to their destination faster than Alec would have thought possible. So if Alec's hands shook a little when he went to retrieve his wallet to pay the man, well near death experiences would do that to a man. Once he was over the adrenaline rush and stopped seeing his life flash before his eyes Alec figured he'd be good to go. Probably.

Tipping generously as promised, the man had kept up his half of the deal, Alec was quite happy to say goodbye and get out of the car and into the cold night air. Air was good. Watching the man drive away…well he said a pray and hoped the man didn't kill himself or anyone else that night.

Several deep breaths to calm his nerves actually just made his stomach growl, dammit, since the smell of pizza done right was heavy in the air thanks to the brisk business going on to his right. But right now he had more important things to think about than his stomach.

Magnus

Turning around to get the lay of the land Alec was grateful to note that there was only one door to try as the other door opposite the pizza place was the entrance to another store. Going up to the door he did want Alec let himself in and then turned to look over the mailboxes marked with the occupants' names until he came to one with the name Dexter. Now he just needed to buzz the apartment and hope that someone heard him and was willing to let him up.

Crap. Though he could text Magnus he was here if need be so not a huge deal, Alec reminded himself.

Only the whole system appeared to be dead, or at least nothing on it indicated it was functioning. Or had in a while from the looks of it.

Shaking his head Alec shifted over to study the door just in case it wasn't actually one that locked and-oh. That was so unsafe. There was duct tape over the side of the door which prevented it from being locked. The stripe was wide enough Alec was frankly surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner and it meant just anyone could walk right into the place. Whoever had put it there was inconsiderate, thoughtless, and deserved his or her ass handed to them for endangering their neighbors this way. Seriously.

And it meant that he could get inside without calling up to Magnus.

Opening the door Alec removed the tape, people would just have to use their cellphones if they needed someone to get them in, and then balling it up chucked it in the garbage by the mailboxes before sliding through the doorway and headed into the 'lobby'. Which he was really glad was not part of Magnus's building. Ugh.

There was an elevator directly ahead of him but given what he'd seen so far Alec figured it would be safer to just take the stairs. Just in case.

Taking the stairs briskly, he was a man on a mission after all and time spent dawdling was time he could start to second guess what he was doing, Alec reached the correct floor in no time and opened the door that led out onto the floor. And immediately winced in sympathy for everyone else on the floor. And for himself too since Alec had the sinking feeling that the apartment he'd come to find was the one currently blasting what could generously be called music up and down the length of the floor. Damn.

"Man up, Alec." He told himself. "And now that you're dating Magnus you're going to need to start bringing ear plugs with you everywhere." That seemed best.

Squaring his shoulders Alec marched forward and stopped only for a moment to shrug off his winter dress coat as it was friggin warm inside the building, which he supposed was a point in its favor in winter. Or a sign that the music was turned up so high in the one apartment that the building's wiring was all overheating and about to burst into flames and take them all to their untimely demises, since there was no way this hovel was up to fire and safety codes.

Maybe, when he found Magnus, he could convince him that toasting the New Year with pizza slices was a good idea. And fuck, he should have grabbed a champagne bottle from the party before he'd left it. They'd been serving the good stuff according to his siblings, and Magnus would have probably thought it a romantic gesture or something. Dammit. Too late now.

Something to remember for next time though. If there was a next time.

A door opening nearby Alec immediately stiffened and then relaxed since the 'man' who stepped out looked to be about his age, was skinny as a rail, and had recently consumed a great deal of weed. Or had rolled around in it at some point, the smell was so strong.

"You going in there, Man?"

"That was my intention, yes."

"Sick. Tell Dex to turn it up, will ya?"

"I'll try to remember to pass that along." Not. He was too young to losing his hearing.

"Thanks."

The smile sent his way was both sweet and stoned, the stranger ambling back into his place now that he thought someone was going to complete his errand for him.

How is this my life, Alec wondered as he walked over to the door in question, not even surprised when it turned out to be unlocked.

The bass was strong enough Dex probably figured he'd break the lock trying to keep it otherwise.

)

Alec was pretty sure that this party would be a circle in his personal Hell. Dexter's Inferno in this case. Pounding, makes your ears bleed music, the smell of alcohol, perfumes and colognes clogging up his nose, and just too many bodies in a small space as added insult to injury. Then there was the illegal or morally questionable activities going around him, including some outfits that had Alec tempted to ask the women in question if their parents knew they dressed like that. Of course whenever he used the 'what would our parents think if they saw you in that' line Izzy had taken that as a good thing.

And women were and should be allowed to wear whatever they wanted. He knew that. They just better have damn good coats to wear before they went inside or they'd all end up with hypothermia and die. Which was a rather large price to pay for poor clothing choices.

Mentally wishing them luck in that regard, and reminding himself that he wasn't here as a parent or his siblings' keeper, Alec forced himself to step further into the hallway while glancing to his right towards the kitchen before deciding it was best not to look that way again. Or eat anything prepared on any of those surfaces.

Pausing long enough to hang up his coat since no one appeared to be using the actual hooks at the moment, Alec had just turned back to face the 'party' when Camille appeared before him in a dress that showed all her assets well, which made sense since her only selling point was her looks in Alec's opinion.

And of course she'd spotted him before he'd even gotten to Magnus.

"Alec Lightwood. Now what are you doing here? I didn't notice Jace or your sister come in."

She was the enemy, he got that, but still…

"You brought a good coat to wear over that, right?"

The look she gave him spoke volumes, and Alec was man enough to admit he deserved it.

"Come to watch Magnus make out and grind against men who aren't you?"

"I'll leave that to you, thanks."

I will not believe anything she says. I will not believe anything she says. If she tells me the sky is blue I need to get a second opinion, Alec reminded himself silently in his head, praying that none of his thoughts were on his face or in his eyes as they stared at each other.

Okay, he had to wince over the god awful music playing at the moment. Had the room's occupants gone deaf already, with no idea the pain and inhumanity they were inflicting on those who still had their hearing?

She had to all but scream it at him, but Alec caught Camille's words well enough.

"You don't belong here."

"Good thing I'm just visiting then."

It was rude, and would have weighed on him if it were another girl, but Alec moved forward and gave himself permission to use his body to slightly bump her out of his way as he walked into the fray of 'dancing' bodies.

Thank God for Magnus's height.

)

Ugh. Dexter really needed to develop a more eclectic taste in music. He'd talk to the man about it another time when his friend wasn't drunk off his ass, Magnus thought as he shared a knowing look with his dance partner at the moment. Though maybe he'd make his way over that way anyway, say his goodbyes and hit another friend's part so that he wouldn't be hearing this particular type of rap crap in his nightmares later. He had no problem with the genre when done right…but when it was like this Magnus could very easily understand why this music would probably be playing in Alec's idea of Hell.

Jolting a little when Aaron suddenly leaned forward so that the other man's lips were by his ear, Magnus had to smile ruefully when his ex asked him who he was thinking about.

Magnus waited until Aaron had straightened before putting a finger against his lips to indicate it was a secret. Though it wasn't since Alec had said he could tell people. But having a conversation at the moment would just be an exercise in frustration.

Aaron raised an eyebrow at him before something off to the side caught his eye and had him looking in that direction with a surprised look on his face.

Curiosity had him turning his head to see what had caught Aaron's attention, Magnus forgetting all about the music, much less moving his body to the beat.

Alec

He could feel a wide, happy smile breaking over his face, but didn't give a damn about that or what anyone might think as he stepped away from Aaron and started maneuvering his way towards his man, Alec doing the same from the other direction.

And then they were standing in each other's space, the music gods shining them enough that whatever was playing that they weren't listening to, it wasn't so loud that they couldn't hear each other.

"Hey."

"Hi." Alec's smile was so shy and adorable. There were no words.

"You know, you're a bit early for the dramatic entrance at the stroke of midnight to get your New Year's kiss."

"Do I need to have an excuse for a kiss?"

Delighted, Magnus shook his head. "No. You don't."

Wrapping his arms around Alec's neck while his boyfriend's arms wrapped around his waist, Magnus kissed his Cinderella for all to see. Because he definitely wouldn't be losing Alec at the stroke of midnight. Or anytime soon.

Though he wouldn't have a problem helping Alec out of his shoes or anything else later.

The End

)

So I am planning to have a sequel to this that would be more one/twoshots all put together to show more of our boys as their relationship develops without one concrete storyline. If you're interested let me know.