Author's Note: Oh no, I've joined the dark side!!

Hah, well, I'm about halfway through reading City of Glass...and to be fairly honest, I don't even like the books all that much--they're fairly interesting and all...but a few of the main characters (and a lot of the writing) annoy me. LOL.

But I do love Alec. I want to squish him. And I think he and Magnus are cute. Thus this fanfic was born. (Instead of me sleeping. UGH.) There will most likely be more at some point.

And if there are like, 432934 discrepancies with the story, I apologize. I didn't check my sources, as I'd borrowed the first book from a friend and returned it already. Bah.

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Alec walked quickly, his shoulders hunched up against the bitter wind. He had his chin tucked into the thick scarf wrapped around his neck, but he wished there was some way to keep the rest of his face from freezing off. Well, a ski mask would work, he supposed, but those weren't exactly socially acceptable. For a mundie bank robbery perhaps, but not for a morning walk.

He pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket, glanced at it quickly, and shoved it back inside before the wind could sting his hands. It should be close. Peering up at curtained windows, Alec took a deep breath and started up the stairs to an apartment.

After two sharp knocks, the door cracked open and a pair of suspicious, catlike eyes peeked out. "It's my day off, so don't think I'll be available for your---oh!" The door opened fully. Alec fought to keep his expression devoid of amusement as he took a good look at Magnus Bane. He was wearing emerald green silk pajamas, fuchsia slippers, and a black and gold brocade robe. His hair was slightly tousled, dark locks framing his face. "Alexander Lightwood, what a pleasant surprise."

Alec pulled the crumpled paper out of his pocket. "I found your note," he stated.

The warlock smiled slowly. "Of course you did," he murmured, too quiet for Alec to be sure of whom he was speaking to. Magnus snatched the note out his hand and waved it with a little flourish. "Come in before we both freeze to death."

Alec nodded and stepped inside, exhaling with relief when the warmth started seeping back into his limbs.

"There's a closet to your right if you want to take off your coat. Sit in the living room when you're ready." Alec glanced around, but Magnus had already vanished around the corner. With a shrug, Alec hung up his coat and scarf and settled uncomfortably onto a wine colored armchair. Magnus slipped back into the room moments later, bearing a silver tray. "Something to warm you up?"

Alec mumbled thanks and wrapped his fingers around a steaming mug, warming his hands. He looked up at the warlock and cocked his head to the side. Magnus was wearing faded teal corduroys and a gray v-necked shirt with a large design scrawled across the front in bronze ink. "You changed your clothes?"

Magnus paused with his mug halfway to his mouth, and Alec could have sworn that he colored slightly. "Well, I couldn't very well have you seeing me like that." He ran his fingers through his hair absently. "Even the High Warlock of Brooklyn has days off, you know. If I had been expecting your visit, I would have—"

Without thinking, Alec blurted out, "You look fine." He flushed furiously, not knowing why he'd opened his mouth. "I mean—without all the glitter and the makeup and the crazy hair. You look fine just…as you."

Magnus smirked. "High praise, coming from a Nephilim. So, what brings you to my humble abode?"

Alec sniffed at the dark liquid in his mug. It smelled spicy and exotic and warm. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who left an obscure note in my pocket for me to find." He lifted one hand to make quotation marks in the air. "'I have something to discuss. –M. Bane'"

"It's not poisoned or anything."

"Excuse me?"

"Magnus gestured to his own mug. "The tea. That's all it is. I promise."

Alec nodded and took a small sip, his eyes widening as he swallowed. It tasted like---like---

"Autumn Sunset."

"What?"

"That's what it's called. Or what I named it, actually. Potions are interesting and all, but cooking is a lot more useful to experiment with. At least in the day-to-day scheme of things."

Alec closed his eyes and drank deeply. The tea made him feel instantly warmer. His fingertips tingled and he felt the urge to kick off his socks and shoes. Wait, he was getting distracted. "You haven't answered my question."

"Which one?" Magnus leaned forward, resting his chin in the palms of his hands and fixed Alec with those disconcerting eyes.

Alec looked away and took another deep sip. He swallowed and glanced at Magnus quickly before looking back down into his mug. Why was he so uncomfortable? "Why you asked me here. What you had to discuss. Why you slipped a note into my pocket—which I didn't find for two weeks, by the way—instead of asking me directly."

"How is your family doing? And that girl, Clary."

"You're avoiding the subject."

"Not necessarily, I'm just leading up to it."

Alec let out an exasperated sigh. This was going nowhere. "We're all fine. Isabelle has been running around with some guy as usual. We'll see how long that lasts. Clary is, well, she's fine too, I suppose." Why was he telling him this? It wasn't important.

"And Jace?"

Alec finished his tea and set it back onto the tray. He frowned slightly as he thought of the way that Jace looked at Clary. The way that he had never looked at Alec. "Jace is…himself."

Magnus frowned slightly and stretched out on the couch, dangling his legs carelessly over the armrest. "I see. How is he dealing with his new sister?"

"I don't see how any of this is important." Alec tried to keep the tension out of his voice and failed.

Magnus raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Oh, don't you?"

Alec glared. "No, I don't."

Magnus didn't respond, he just looked over at Alec, his eyes skimming slowly over his body. Alec shifted nervously. He should leave. This was pointless and everyone knew that warlocks weren't to be trusted and there was probably something weird in that 'tea' after all…

"Does he know yet?"

Alec stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Jace. Does he know how you feel?"

Alec stood. "Look, I don't know how my private life is any of your business, so if you haven't anything of importance to say, I'll be leaving."

"Sit." The word was a command, and Alec found his body moving against his will to sink back down to his chair.

"Believe it or not, boy, I'm trying to help you."

Alec snorted. "With what, my love life?" His voice cracked on the word love, and he swore silently.

Magnus didn't respond for a long time, he just stared contemplatively up at the ceiling and drummed his fingers against his knee. "You bottle things up," he finally offered.

"I—what?"

Magnus sat up, and Alec flinched back involuntarily. "You always try so hard to look impassive, to hide your emotions. You don't show how you feel, you don't say how you feel, and it's going to turn against you someday."

Alec's eyes narrowed. "You have some gall—" but his words were cut off as the warlock's face suddenly appeared inches away, those slitted pupils flicking over Alec's shocked face.

"I want to try something," he murmured, and before Alec could move, his hand was cupped under his chin, tilting his jaw upward—

His eyes widened at first, then slipped shut. The kiss was slow and gentle, and when Magnus pulled away, Alec fought the urge to touch his fingers to his lips.

Magnus sat back down on the sofa, amusement plain on his features as he watched Alec open and close his mouth several times, failing to find an appropriate retort. "No reaction," he stated, mostly to himself.

Alec just stared.

"I mean, usually I get some sort of response. You know, either they kiss me back, or they shove me away, shouting something along the lines of 'Bane, you glittery freak, get away from me!' But, nothing at all?"

Alec blinked and cleared his throat. "You're not glittery now. I mean, your hair's not even done."

Magnus winced. "Thanks for the reminder."

Alec stood again, backing towards the door. "Well um, if that was all, I guess I should uh, go back to the Institute."

Magnus shrugged. "If that's what you want." He stood and walked over to the door as Alec fumbled with his coat and scarf. "Think it over and get back to me."

Alec felt the blood rise to his face. "Right. Then. Bye." Without a backwards glance, he left the apartment, concentrating on not tripping down the stairs and ignoring the chuckle behind him.

Magnus Bane, he thought to himself, and shook his head quickly. No. That was absolutely ridiculous. He wouldn't—couldn't.

Could he?