Magnus' last client had left over an hour ago, and since then the warlock had been impatiently waiting for his boyfriend's return. Alec had messaged him earlier saying that he would be a little later than usual, but the waiting was torture. There was something that was going off inside of Magnus that needed to see Alexander that instant to make sure that everything was okay.

When Alec did arrive, Magnus could sense his presence just outside the door, but instead of walking in as he normally did, he seemed to be standing there anxiously. Magnus moved forward to open the door for him, crinkling his nose as he wondered why Alec wasn't just coming in. The wards had long since been adjusted to accept this specific shadowhunter, and the gorgeous man had an open invitation into the loft. That was a fact that Alec had seemed to understand. He always just walked in, moving straight to where Magnus was.

Before Magnus got to the door to open it, Alec had overcome whatever had been keeping him from entering. He swept inside with an air of purpose and planted a chaste but intense kiss on the other's lips. The older man smiled into the kiss, put at ease by the easy routine. This was how Alec always greeted Magnus, and it had quickly become his favorite and most anticipated moment of the day. Pushing away the concern of why he would have paced outside, the caring kiss was reassuring.

Then Magnus stepped back to appraise the shadowhunter. His dark eyes roamed lustfully over the firm, muscled body before him. He cocked his head slightly at what he saw. He distinctly remembered his boyfriend leaving the loft this morning in the usual worn attire; not in these extremely tight black pants and a dark shirt with midnight purple swirls at the sides that clung to his abs and chest, and displayed quite nicely the shape of his biceps.

"Trying a new look?" Though the change of attire sent off warning bells, Magnus smiled in appreciation at the man's beauty. He knew how insecure Alec could get about his body, and he didn't want him to doubt himself. "Any special occasion?"

A dark blush spread across Alec's cheeks and the bridge of his nose. Magnus always thought it adorable when Alec got shy around him. It usually meant stammering. "Um, well, I, uh, I thought we could go to a club. Jace says there's a downworlder rave tonight."

The warlock's eyes were wide with surprise. Apprehensive, but trying to hide it, he said, "A rave? I didn't really think that was your type of scenery?"

Alec shrugged, doing his best to not appear sheepish. Hazel eyes were cast off to the side. "It's your type of scene. And I want you to be happy."

Magnus smiled again, gently stroke Alec's cheek. "I am happy. With you."

Usually when Magnus took the initiative to caress Alec's face, the young man would blush and duck his head and all would be right with them once more. This time none of those things happened. Instead, Alec seemed to take the simple touch and words as a challenge. He straightened himself, looked straight into his boyfriend's eyes, and stated, "I want to go to this rave with you. It'll be fun."

In the end, the warlock agreed. Against his better judgement, he portaled them just outside the club and they walked inside with their arms interlocked. The others were at the bar. Jace and Clary were speaking to one another, their heads close together over their glasses. Simon and Maia stood near the counter, close enough to be a part of the group, but having enough space to dance comfortably. Isabelle was sipping her glass slowly, her eyes roaming hungrily over the crowd.

For the first couple of minutes Magnus and Alec stayed with the group at the bar counter. They talked and drank and everything was fine.

Being where they were was all at once comfortable - having their friends with them - and fun. The music was loud and had a good beat to it. The alcohol was a good mix of strong and delicious. People around them were enjoying themselves and it was contagious.

Months ago Magnus wouldn't have been content to just stand off to the side watching others dance and seduce. He'd have been the center of attention and would have loved every moment of it. Months ago, however, he hadn't had a beautiful boyfriend that had captured his attention.

He had thought they would continued like this. Even when the others pushed away from the bar counter to join the crowd of dancers, Magnus figured he and Alec would stand side by side and enjoy each other's company. He knew well enough that this really wasn't Alec's scene (he'd seen the boy's expression the first time they'd gone to a downworlder rave), and just hoped that being near each other would be enough for his boyfriend.

Alec seemed to have different plans. Not much longer after the others went their separate ways to intermingle among the seelies, werewolves, and warlocks, Alec was dragging him to the dance floor too. Magnus smiled at the assertive behavior, though he was curious by it. Alec often took the opportunity to take charge of their time together, but very rarely did he do so in public.

Once on the dance floor, Magnus tried to circle his arms around his boyfriend, thinking they would sway close to one another, ignoring the way those around them grinded against bodies and glided intimately. What he was not expecting was Alec to step closer into him and turning around so that his firm back was against Magnus' front.

The first thought - or rather sensation - was that this was amazing. Alec was moving against him in a way that was absolutely entrancing. The second thought was to briefly glance around them to see if anyone's attention was on them. Whatever mood Alec was in right now that was causing him to act so uncharacteristically would certainly turn to embarassment and the less people who were aware of this the best. For Alec's self-perseverance. No one was looking. They were all too busy doing exactly same thing as him. The third thought was wondering why Alec was behaving like this. Where was his shy and stumbling shadowhunter? What had convinced him to go out to a rave and lose all his inhibitions?

Before Magnus had the chance to think through it, Alec was twisting around him, every inch of his body touch the warlock's. Sensually, the young man leaned closer - as if it were possible - and kissed him passionately.

It wasn't just the intense make out session in the middle of a very public area that surprised Magnus; it was the sudden taste of overwhelming alcohol.

In his drunken state (how had Magnus not noticed this before?), Alec took longer than he would have to realize that he wasn't being kissed back. Holding onto his arms but backing away from the kiss, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

Brows cinched together in confusion. "I'm kissing you." He smiled, a goofy grin that was so obviously a sign of too much to drink. "And dancing."

"Well yes, I can see that. It's just," Magnus gently took hold of Alec's biceps to not only steady him but to put a comfortable distance between them while still being close. He really couldn't have the young man touching him at the moment. He couldn't be distracted from what he needed figure out. "It's not like you."

As soon as he said it and saw the momentarily look of dejection, Magnus regretted his choice of words. All at once, he realized what was going on. Then he immediately chided himself for having taken so long to understand. Gently, he spoke, "Let's go back to the loft, hmm?" He smiled sweetly, hoping Alec would agree readily.

Unfortunately, the response was a frown. "You're not having fun?"

"Oh, I am. I just think we'll have more fun at home."

The insinuation was clear enough for even a drunk Alec to understand. Magnus took his hand and led him out to the alleyway. When they were outside, he created a portal and they stepped through to the otherside where the loft was.

Alec moved in again for a kiss, one that would no doubt lead to just the activity that Magnus had so subtly suggested. Magnus held up a hand to pause the action. "I think we should talk first."

The shadowhunter pouted. "I thought we were going to have fun." He tried again to step into Magnus' space and accost him. "I can have fun."

"I know you can have fun." Magnus whispered, side-stepping the kiss. "I have fun with you." He caressed Alec's cheek, knowing that it was a touch that often calmed the other, Magnus guided him to the couch. Still keeping in gentle contact, he tried to explain what he realized he should have treated with much more care than he had. "But you have to understand that what we have is so much more than just fun."

Not like so many of the other relationships he had over the hundreds of years where it was only just for fun.

"I wasn't lying before Alexander. You are my moon." He shushed away the doubts that could see about to leave his boyfriend's lips. "The light in my darkness. Beautiful and mysterious. Dazzling really." He took a deep breath, gaining enough emotional energy to apologize. "It was wrong of me to say what I did the other night."

He didn't want to say it out loud, least it push Alec further into his spiraling descent of insecurity. The words didn't need to be said anyway. Alec knew. It had obviously been eating at him since they had been said.

"I love you for exactly who you are. And I never," he emphasized, "never want you to think that you have to try to be anyone else."

"Magnus," Alex started, the alcohol slowly beginning to fade from his system.

"No Alexander. I had absolutely no right to say that to you. Any irritation or anger I had in that moment, it doesn't justify what I said."

Alec shrugged, his gaze dropped. "You were rightfully upset." His voice was low. "I was being unreasonable."

"But it still doesn't justify what I said." The warlock tried to convince. He needed Alec to understand that he was perfect the way he was. That he was loved for being Alexander Lightwood, not because was some extension of others.

By then the serious conversation had cleared the alcohol away. It had not, however, cleared away the insecurities. "But you had a point."

"No, I didn't. There was absolutely no truth in what I said in a moment of anger. You are one of the most devastatingly handsome man I have had the pleasure of knowing in hundreds of years. You are a brilliant strategist who leads his people to not only victory but righteousness. You are open hearted and sympathetic. You, my dear Alexander, are a defender of men. And you are the only person that could have jump started my own heart in my era of lifelessness."

"You could never be lifeless." Alec's sweet whisper reached his ears.

"Whatever impression I may have led you to believe about me when we first met, I stand by what I say at this very moment. Now," he waggled his finger, "let me finish complimenting you."