Flicker
Sincosma

A/N: Honestly, I've loved this pairing since I first read the TMI trilogy. I just finished City of Glass the other day and felt the unnecessary and incoherent need to write a silly oneshot, post CoG. Humor the nerd, thankyouplease.

Rating: T - I have to keep telling myself to tone down the smut. Smut makes you a pervert, I've found. Me = pervert. Anyway, suh-suh-slash, my friends. Don't make me say I told you so.

Disclaimer: I don't own TMI trilogy, but if I did, god I would've made Max live and Valentine choke on a carrot back in CoB.

Ten hours.

That was all they had until they were all heading back to Brooklyn, to the Institute. Alicante was still not as calm as it had once been before Valentine, but it wasn't as terrifying of a place to be. It was still just as beautiful, just as much as home as any Shadowhunter would expect it to be.

But that wasn't the only reason why Alec wasn't ready to leave.

Though the Clave was slowly coming back to order, Magnus Bane was still disputing with a few of them, trying to decide who would take the seat for the warlocks. Magnus didn't want it, but everyone was insisting he take it, now that a lot of people knew what he had done for Clary's mother, Jocelyn. Apparently it was going to take a little while to decide and now Magnus had promised to help them find someone just as suitable for the position.

This had surprised Alec as much as is bothered him. While it was a noble act coming from Magnus, offering to help like that, it would delay his return to Brooklyn for at least two weeks. Two weeks without Magnus. Thankfully, he hadn't found out until after the victory celebration. If Magnus had told him beforehand, it would have made the entire night dreadful for him, whether he could control it or not.

The warlock had been staying in one of the abandoned houses, its previous owners still hiding in the countryside of Idris. A few hours after the fireworks, when everyone had decided to go home, Alec had walked him back to his place, their hands twined together, walking close enough that they could hear each other breathe. When they had arrived, Magnus had gripped his shoulders and shoved him against the door with a muffled thump.

"There's something I need to tell you," he whispered, his fragrant breath making Alec feel slightly intoxicated. The last time they had kissed had been when Alec threw himself on Magnus in the middle of the Accords Hall. The reminder of this information made the Shadowhunter's heart start to race, his hands to shake as they lay flat on the wood behind him.

"What is it?" Alec said softly, his voice just barely shaking. His blue eyes locked into those cat-like eyes that had drawn him in months ago.

"I'm not going to be able to go back with you to Brooklyn right now," Magnus said, sounding regretful. It was only with Alec that he really showed emotions. And Alec would've taken notice to his display of emotions that ranged farther than amusement and sarcasm, but his mind was still stuck on what he had just said.

"What do you mean?" he demanded. He knew that freaking out wasn't the best thing to do, not after all the hardships they had both just endured, but he couldn't help it. The thought of Magnus not with him seemed impossible since they had been basically glued to each other since after the battle at Brocelind Plains. Magnus' hands went up from the boy's shoulders to cup his face; it was only then that Alec realized he was shaking. Not just his hands, but his whole body. When they had first started this relationship, as indefinable as it had been in the beginning, Alec had never imagined himself caring this much.

"Calm down." Magnus gently massaged his temples. "The Clave needs me to stay. It won't be for long; two weeks at the most."

Though the warlock looked concerned, he didn't seem to possess the same feeling of separation that Alec was experiencing; he wasn't a shaking mess like Alec. Maybe Alec cared for Magnus more than Magnus cared for him? But it didn't matter right then. What mattered was that he wasn't ready to be away from the warlock when he was just starting to solidify their relationship.

"Why can't I stay with you?" Alec nearly pleaded.

"You need to go back to the Institute with your family," he replied, trying to soothe the boy. But Alec's face still screamed panic.

"Or maybe you just don't want me here," Alec said with a look of hurt and reproach. Magnus raised his eyebrows.

"No, that's not it. That's not it at all," he said, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe Alec even thought that. The boy's hands gravitated upward to take handfuls of violet silk, pulling Magnus closer to him so that they were inches away.

"Then why?" he whispered.

"Because, Alec, you have a family that you need to be with. You have a million things to take care of and those things will keep you occupied for at least the amount of time I'm not there." He shook his head, his breath spilling into Alec's face again. "Besides, I'm going to be way too busy putting up with your damn government and its inability to…never mind." He shook his head again. "I don't even want to think about it."

They fell silent for a moment, Alec staring down at his hands which were still wrapped around that silk vest, Magnus watching Alec with worried eyes. Finally, Magnus lifted his head up, forcing their eyes to meet and said, "You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?"

Alec nodded, his eyes dulled and suddenly tired looking.

"Stay with me tonight," Magnus said so quietly, Alec had to take a minute to process what was said. And as appealing as the offer was, he felt like he had to decline. As thought the idea were preposterous. Or as though he needed to punish Magnus.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I can't. I have to pack."

His voice was numb and emotionless. He pulled away from Magnus. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, before I leave."

Then he walked away, not even glancing back once. He heard the warlock sigh rather loudly, but once he turned the corner he heard nothing, not even the door closing in the silent night air of Alicante.

Alec thought back on all of this, lying on his back, sideways on his bed, staring blankly on the ceiling. His mind had been completely stuck on the fact that he should've stayed with Magnus. He was eighteen, he was allowed to stay the night with his…boyfriend. But somehow, it had felt forbidden at the time, plus the realization that Magnus may not care quite as much as he did, plus the knowledge that he would be leaving him in Alicante tomorrow…he rolled over and smothered himself on the patterned quilt that covered his bed.

Then the door opened and a voice said, "What the hell are you still doing here?"

Alec glanced up, slightly annoyed that someone had disrupted his sulking. Jace was standing there, looking slightly surprised. "I should say the same for you; I thought you would stay the night with Clary."

"And I thought you would stay the night with Magnus," Jace shot right back at him, smirking.

"Well, I'm…not," Alec said, trying not to sound dejected and failing horribly. "Why aren't you with Clary?"

"She's downstairs with Isabelle. I was going to walk her back to Amatis' house, then Isabelle mentioned you were up here, moping, apparently." He explained this as he tugged off his jacket, replacing it with something lighter - it was pretty warm outside. "So poses the question: What the hell are you still doing here?"

"I don't know," Alec moaned, shoving his face back into the quilt, letting his hands hang limply over the side of the bed.

"Do you want to be over there?" Jace asked, making Alec blush slightly against the cool quilt.

"Yes," he replied in a muffled voice.

"Then go!" Jace nearly shouted. Alec jumped slightly at the sound of his voice, then rolled over.

"It's not that simple," he groaned, closing his eyes. "Magnus is staying here for a little while."

"You idiot," Jace said, kicking the side of the bed, making Alec sit up right. "We're leaving tomorrow and you're wasting time you could be spending with him! You have eight hours! You're just being ridiculous and insecure." He grabbed Alec by the collar and jerked him up off the bed. "Now go!"

"Maybe it's easy for you to just go running off to the one you care about, but it's not so easy for me, Jace, so don't pretend that using physical force is acceptable because it's for 'my own good'," Alec snapped, pushing Jace off him and shooting out of the room, bounding down the stairs, past a surprised Isabelle and Clary in the living room. He was out the door and stalking down the street in seconds, so angry that his legs nearly carried him at a run.

He couldn't help but be angry - he clearly couldn't control his emotions in this new relationship, or find someone normal that would feel the same and not leave him feeling so insecure. But perhaps he was even angrier because Jace had been right: he was wasting time him and Magnus could be together and he was being ridiculous and insecure.

So maybe it was these angry, brooding thoughts that had made his feet carry him to the house Magnus was staying in without his knowledge. He stopped, so surprised that he had already gotten there so quickly, and looked up at the second story's windows, seeing the bright white glow of Witchlight cast out of the open frames. But the light was flickering…as if someone were pacing diligently back and forth. Then he heard the quick footsteps, whisper-quiet, but in perfect sync with the flicker of light.

For some reason, the idea of Magnus pacing made him smile. And it was reassuring; Magnus had been just as bothered by their "argument" as he had been. So maybe Alec had been all wrong about how much the warlock cared.

Without really thinking, he raised his fist and knocked on the door, his only thought was on Magnus and how badly he wanted to be up there with him. He listened as the sounds of pacing stopped, there was a moment of silence, and then slow steps descended the stairs. Alec found that his heart was pounding in a barbaric fashion against his sternum, as the door opened and he was facing a not-quite-so glittery and surprised Magnus.

His hair was no longer spiked up and hung heavy and straight over his forehead and down his neck. And without all the glitter and makeup, Alec realized even more how attractive the warlock was…maybe even more without all the flashy garb. Even his clothes were plainer: black pants, dark grey short-sleeved shirt. Alec didn't even know Magnus owned anything so...ordinary.

But now wasn't the time to comment on his looks or his clothes. He needed to make up for his own stupidity. "I'm…I'm sorry. I was stupid."

"Not really," Magnus sighed, leaning against the doorframe, his slender form curving as he crossed his arms. "I wasn't too graceful about it either."

"That doesn't matter," Alec said, shaking his head. "I shouldn't have reacted that way and refused your offer like that."

"So you've come to refuse it more politely?" Magnus guessed, looking tired. "Let me tell you, that's not any more polite than just walking off."

"No," he replied quickly. "I didn't." He strode up to Magnus at the pace of someone walking carelessly through a mall and kissed him softly, then pulled away to say, "I came to accept it."

Magnus looked a little more shocked than surprised this time, his golden-green eyes wide, his mouth open slightly. And for the first time since meeting Magnus, Alec was surprised to see him speechless. It seemed to take him a moment to realize what just happened, then he smiled. "You really must love toying with me, Alexander."

Alec grinned back. This was something that only Magnus did, calling him by his full name. The warlock's hands pulled at the belt loops of his dark jeans, pulling the Shadowhunter back against him so he could really kiss him. Then they pulled apart, and Alec found his hand caught in Magnus' as the warlock led the way back into the house, shutting and locking the door with a flick of his wrist and a fit of blue sparks. They went up the stairs at a quick pace, as if heaven were waiting at the top. As they cleared the first half of the stairs, Alec glanced quickly back, taking in the wood paneling and off-white color of the walls, the ornate elegance of the house that just screamed Magnus.

Then they were up on the second floor, into the first room on the left. Witchlight was glowing from the lamp on the desk on the left side of the room, then from the street lamp's light coming from the window on the right. Beneath it was the head of a bed, neatly made with dark covers and a crease-less pillow - did he ever sleep?

But he didn't get time to ask, for he was pushed unceremoniously onto the bed, lying back on it sideways, thinking amusedly how he had been laying the same way only ten minutes ago but in a very different situation. Then a lean body was on top of his, a knee placed so close between his legs and elbows placed on either side of his head, a flawless face merely inches from his. Magnus looked utterly elegant in his position when a normal human would just look like an idiot. He almost looked like a dancer.

It wouldn't surprise Alec if he was.

"There was this look that crossed your face about two hours ago that I would like to ask about," he said very matter-of-factly. Alec watched him curiously, trying to think back to earlier when he was being ridiculous.

"Shoot," Alec said a little breathlessly.

"It was whenever you thought I didn't want you here. It was as if you were expecting me to feel that way. Why is that?" His voice was inquisitive, as if they weren't really lying in a very sexual position on a rather comfortable bed, Alec noted.

"Well, I just thought…I don't know. It doesn't matter." He shook his head, hair landing in his eyes. Magnus leaned down as though he were about to kiss him, but instead nudged the hair out of his eyes with his nose, like a dog or something; either way, it was adorable.

"Maybe it matters to me."

Alec grimaced. "Why?"

"Because I want to know what was bothering and still is bothering you now," he replied.

The boy beneath him growled in frustration. "Fine. I just thought that maybe I cared more for you than you cared for me."

Magnus pulled back from Alec, looking shocked once more. That was two times tonight. I'm on a role, Alec thought. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I don't want to leave you," he said rather pathetically, looking anywhere but Magnus.

The warlock descended back down, capturing Alec's lips, long fingers working into his dark hair. This kiss was so much different than the one in the Hall, with so many people watching, or the few back in Brooklyn or even the one in the doorway. Their tongues met and Alec slid his hands down the sides of Magnus' thin body, down to rest on his hipbones. Though the knee was still planted on the bed, Magnus managed, in an impressive display of flexibility, to push his chest to Alec's, feeling the mixture of frantic and steady heart beats, playing off each other like a percussive cadence.

When he finally pulled away, Alec gave an unhappy groan, hands tightening on hipbones. His eyes slid open and he saw Magnus shaking his head incredulously. "Alexander," he whispered, making Alec shiver a bit. "For the longest time, it was I who cared more. Now you think the relationship is unbalanced inversely. You seriously, seriously need to get that pretty little head of yours checked out."

"If mine needs checked out, then yours needs to be removed and autopsied," Alec joked, feeling those now childish worries in his head smoothed into silence. Of course Magnus cared about him just as much as Alec cared for him.

Magnus bent his head down so that his lips were touching his ear and whispered, "If it's reassurance you needed, all you had to do was ask."

The lips moved from his ear to his throat. Alec gulped. "I love you," he breathed, soft lips moving with feather-light touches against the sensitive skin there.

"Too bad I love you too," Alec smirked, sliding his hands under the dark grey shirt, warm, flawless skin meeting his fingers. Magnus actually shivered at this, biting gently at Alec's collarbone. "By the way, I forgot to mention something."

"Hm?" Magnus said, starting to bite his way back up to Alec's ear, blowing gently into it.

"You look gorgeous with your hair down," he smiled, shivering at the sudden hot air.

Magnus' knee slipped off the bed, their bodies coming into pleasurable contact, knocking the breath out of Alec along with a low moan.

"I'll keep that in mind," Magnus chuckled in his ear, tugging Alec's shirt off. And at first, Alec was sure this indicated that it was going to be a long night. Then, ironically, they accidentally fell asleep, Alec curled into the curve of Magnus' body. And when morning came, it was just understood that they would be communicating in numerous fire-messages.

Lots of fire-messages.

Before Alec left the house, ready to have to sneak back into the Penhallow's house, he shared one last, almost minute-long kiss with Magnus, making sure he committed the texture to memory.

When he got back to the Penhallow's house, he looked up at the window, already calculating the easiest path to get up to it silently. Then he heard a noise beside him and looked over to see Jace standing next to him, looking up at the window as well.

"We're such whores, huh?" he snickered.

Alec pushed him a few feet with a smirk and started climbing.

End.

Thank you for reading. This has been the fastest I've written in a while. This one only took three and a half hours. Joyous applause, please.

Here's some love and thanks to my laptop for being so warm in my lap, the music channel on my dish network for feeding my brain delicious inspiration, cereal for healing my sore throat, Cassandra Clare for not ruining the end of TMI, and Toby, once more, for egging me on.

Read, review, make my day.

*5/11/11 I love how we all really thought that City of Glass was the end. Cassie Clare is like, "Haha, jk. Here's three more books, lol."