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After all tears were dried, a dozen or so kisses were shared and the breakfast got eaten, they cuddled together for a long time in silent contentment. Between this caress and the next Alec somehow fell asleep again, waking only a few hours later, painless at last, but also alone for the second time that day.
He pushed himself up and out of bed delightfully easily and stumbled into the bathroom to relieve himself. Looking into the mirror while washing his hands, he carded his wet fingers through the tangled mess he called hair and decided instantly that a shower was probably a good idea. His eyes caught on the complete disarray of different make-up accessories scattered around the sink but didn’t think much of it at first. Only after stepping out of the shower did the mess made him wonder again. Magnus was always frustratingly meticulous with every stuff in his home, not only in the bathroom or the lab, but in his large step-in closet as well. Even his socks were sorted by colour, which of course wasn’t at all time-consuming for someone who could make it happen with the snap of a finger. It wasn’t like him to leave his beloved eyeshadows, brushes, foundation bottles and eyeliners in such a disarray.
Alec made a note to himself to ask about this oddity as soon as he finds his traitor of a partner, who left him waking alone TWICE in a single day and went to put on the most comfortable garments he could find, hissing a little when the movement pulled on his injured side. He waited a few moments for the pain to fade, then padded barefoot out of the room in search of his boyfriend.
He found him in the kitchen standing in front of the counter, frowning at the Nespresso machine like it was a rare demon, clutching his mug with the big M painted on it in one hand, while trying to fish out a hopelessly stuck capsule from the inside of the machine with a knife held in the other.
„Damn it all to Edom!” he murmured under his nose, hitting the side of the coffee maker while slamming down his mug next to it with a bang.
Alec decided, it’s time to step in. Sneaking his arms slowly around the man’s waist, who relaxed instantly into his arms, he propped his chin on the other’s left shoulder and assessed the problem.
„Just move the arm up and down for a few times, that usually helps. But first check if the capsule-holder is full, cause the used capsule can’t fall, if there’s no place left for it down there,” he advised calmly.
Magnus craned his neck a little and looked at him with a blank expression. Alec smiled and reluctantly let go, pushing him aside gently to make himself room and made a quick work of fixing the problem (the holder was indeed full). He plucked an unused capsule from the box, then grabbed the M-mug to put it under the hole, where the coffee will come out, then pushed the button and turned around.
Magnus wore that new-found, lost expression again, although now at least he didn’t escape from Alec, just stood there like a child left alone in a world he knew nothing about.
“Come here,” beckoned Alec softly, reaching out a hand.
Magnus obeyed reluctantly and let the other embrace him from behind, so they were facing the coffee machine again, just as the steaming, black liquid started to come out accompanied by a loud, buzzing sound.
“There is a certain charm to it, don’t you think?” asked Alec in a melancholy voice, absent-mindedly stroking his fingers along his boyfriend’s arms. “I admit, being able to summon coffee from a secluded Italian village any time you want is pretty amazing, but this isn’t half bad either.”
“What do you mean?” Magnus sounded curious, so Alec continued in the same, almost sleepy tone.
“It’s like a ritual for me, that’s why I wanted this machine here in the first place. Getting up in the morning, stumbling into the kitchen, putting the mug under there and seeing how the coffee comes out, while smelling the aroma is a delight. Then there’s still the procedure of putting the milk and sugar in… By the time it’s done, I’m much more awake, and ready to take on the day. As I said, there is a charm to it.” He reached out to grab the now full mug, and put it into Magnus’ hands, sneaking a little kiss on his cheek in the process. “It’s not so difficult. I can teach you how to use this and any other monster-machine that causes problems to you.”
Magnus turned around and Alec was relieved to a see a sweet, loving smile on his formerly serious face. His eyes were glinting with gratitude and a little mischievousness as he planted a not so innocent kiss on the Shadowhunter’s lips.
“My knight in shining armour. Thank you,” he said, then sighed and looked up with a determined expression. “Sorry, I got carried away again. I decided to let you help me with this new situation I found myself in, and I meant it but…” For a moment he stared into the mug blankly, as if the swirling liquid were his own, personalized black hole, trying to suck him into a strange, dangerous place. “Sometimes there is this feeling that just comes to me and I’m helpless to do anything about it. It washes over me, making me feel… useless. Lost.”
“Hey.” Alec leaned closer and waited until Magnus raised his head so their eyes could meet. “You don’t have to be ashamed of feeling like you feel. I can’t even begin to imagine how painful this is to you. I didn’t live through centuries, so no matter how much I want to relate, I can’t. The only thing I can do is to be here for you, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Even if it’s just the simple task of helping with coffee, you can come to me. I won’t laugh, I won’t judge. You helped me so much already, taught me so many things. Let me return the favour. Okay?”
Magnus nodded at him, looking with suspiciously shining eyes, but also with a sincere smile that seemed to lack any forced happiness.
“How about we start with making you coffee?” he asked, drinking a little from his mug, then taking another gulp with an astonished expression. “Wow. I never thought that anything coming out from that atrocious thing can taste this good. It’ll never top the deliciousness of the one I used to summon from that lovely village near Florence, but it will do. Come on, show me how to operate this monster of a machine.”
“Today the coffee machine, tomorrow the vacuum-cleaner, after that the whole wide world,” chuckled Alec, while taking his own A-mug out of the cupboard.
“I don’t want to disappoint you, Alexander, but I don’t own a vacuum-cleaner. Or an iron. Or…”
“All right, I get the picture,” Alec shook his head, then pointed out with a serious expression. “The capsule goes there… with a little more force so it’ll stay in place… now push the button. Voilà. Just wait for the result.”
“So bossy,” Magnus stole another kiss. “You’re not in the training hall instructing new shadowhunters, my dear. It’s just coffee.”
“I beg to differ, it’s MY coffee. You can’t mess with it, if you don’t want me to be…”
“Grumpy?”
“In a bad mood. I’m never grumpy.”
Magnus only smiled, then outright laughed when Alec made a sour face, and the playfulness lightened the mood so much, the former tense atmosphere disappeared completely by the time they made their way back to the living room and settled into the couch-cushions with coffee-filled mugs in hand, slowly sipping the black liquid.
Alec was surprised to find the rose he gotten from his lover just this morning in a small vase on the coffee table, its sweet fragrance sneaking into his nose, overpowering even the strong smell of coffee for a moment. He was grateful that Magnus had the presence of mind to save the fragile flower from the bedroom. If his siblings ever sniff out his hopeless romantic tendencies, he’ll never hear the end of it, but the rose was now a kind of a symbol and he wanted to preserve it if possible. It carried a memory of an important confession. The proof, that Magnus really trusted him with the most delicate things concerning his life, and despite the gruelling nature of his situation, it brought a sense of comfort to Alec’s mind. He even thought about asking Magnus to try and maintain the beauty of the rose with some kind of potion, but for now he didn’t want to sour the mood with any kind of talk about freezing youth, even if it was only about a flower.
The thought however brought something else to the forefront of his mind.
‘What happened in the bathroom?’ he asked, putting his now empty mug on the table. At Magnus’ questioning gaze, he elaborated. ‘Your make-up stuff next to the sink? I’ve never seen you throw down those things like that. Did something happen?’
‘Nothing in particular,’ sighed the other, a frustrated expression forming on his very much make-up free face. ‘I tried to apply foundation, but I looked like a clown. Almost used up the whole bottle before I gave up. It didn’t look half-bad, but I have a standard. It must be perfect! And the damn eyeliner turned out to be an even bigger challenge. I stabbed myself in the eyes a few times, which of course made me tear up, and that messed with everything I already did, so I got frustrated and left the whole chaos there,’ he explained making a wild gesture towards the general direction of the bathroom.
Alec plucked the mug from his hands before he could spill his remaining coffee, then leaned in close so their noses almost touched. Magnus’ eyes widened and he almost recoiled in surprise, confusedly blinking a few times, but after a minute sank back into the cushions, while Alec’s scrutinizing expression never stopped roaming around his face, taking in every single detail.
‘Did I give myself a coffee-moustache?’ he asked, a little trepidation seeking in to his voice.
Alec shook his head fiercely and leaned back a few inches, eyes still boring into his lover’s.
‘Nope,’ he answered opting for directness, because he wasn’t very good at anything else. ‘All I see is perfection.’
Magnus’ face softened and before any of them given conscious thought to it, they were already halfway in for a kiss, that smelled and tasted like coffee. The couple stayed like that for a while, their foreheads touching, exchanging sweet kisses, breathing each other in, just genuinely enjoying the other’s company.
It was Alec who spoke up first, voice a little raspy from emotions.
‘You shouldn’t give up, you know? I’ve seen you in the lab countless times. The way you handle those delicate bottles and measure out every ingredient, brewing three complicated potions at the same time, all of them to perfection… That requires nimble hands and skill and precision. Just like applying make-up… I guess? Maybe I can help you with it somehow…’ His voice slowly dying away he ducked his head a little. ‘Not that I know anything at all about that stuff, but…’
‘Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, darling?’ teased Magnus in a sing-song voice, and that’s when Alec knew he just let the demon out from the bottle.
‘I’m suggesting HELPING you with it, NOT giving permission for you to practice on MY face!’ he said, drawing himself a few centimetres away, because the ear-splitting grin on his lover’s face promised great suffering on his part.
‘Oh, but sweetheart, if I could practice the basic skills on a willing participant, that would be a tremendous help!’
‘I’m going to wash these and the other dishes.’ Alec all but grabbed their used mugs as a lifeline and made a beeline for the kitchen, letting out a pained growl when he heard the other’s dancing steps clatter behind him on the floor.
‘Is the big, scary Shadowhunter afraid of a little foundation?’
‘It’s all about principles, Magnus!’ said Alec exasperatedly, almost breaking the A-mugs handle off, he scrubbed it so strongly with the sponge. ‘You have your standards to apply your make-up perfectly, and I have mine, namely, to not wear any at all.’
‘You don’t have to “wear it”, Alexander. I’ll just practice on you, and when I’m done, I’ll clean your face, so no trace will remain, I swear!’
Alec groaned and made the mistake of looking at him sideways. Those damn puppy-eyes! He looked so excited. Not sad or resigned or worried, but happy and hopeful and… by the Angel! That’s just not fair.
‘Fine! BUT!’ he shouted when Magnus started towards the bathroom almost at a run, ‘you must keep your promise and clean it right off after you finish, and I don’t want anything too noticeable, not even inside the loft, because I have principles and reputation. DO you even hear me?’
His only answer was some tuneless humming and the sound of probably a few hundred make-up accessories clattering together as Magnus gathered his torture devices. Alec buried his still blessedly clean face into his palms, then giving himself up to his fate, dragged his body back to the living room, just as Magnus hurried towards him with several small little pouches in his hands, all stuffed to the brim with Raziel-knows-what.
‘Please tell me, you don’t plan to use all of that,’ he all but whined.
‘Of course not, but it’s important to use the right one and that requires experimentation. Don’t worry, dearest, you’re in good hands.’ Magnus tried to sound reassuring, but Alec didn’t like the enthusiastic gleam in his eyes. Just what had he gotten himself into?
‘You just told me, you stabbed yourself in the eyes several times today,’ reminded him Alec weakly, but didn’t protest when his boyfriend told him to stay put, and then sat himself on the coffee table in front him.
‘Doing my own face is a whole different story than doing someone else’s. I’d rather stab myself with a knife, before I’m willing to cause you any pain, Alec,’ explained Magnus seriously. ‘Do you trust me?’
‘Always,’ he replied without hesitation and since Magnus was right there in front of him, kissed him gently on the lips. ‘All right. I’m ready. Just…’
‘Alexander.’
He felt fingers on his chin, so he looked up straight into the eyes of the man who convinced him to do this craziness.
‘Your face is a work of art, my love, it’s my absolute honour, that you let me do this, especially since I know how you despise every form of make-up.’
‘I don’t despise it on you,’ protested Alec.
‘Every person has their own style. Mine is a little more extreme than most, but it never even occurred to me to do your face with such strong colours that I usually choose for myself.’ Magnus smiled and lightly traced his index finger along the Shadowhunter’s jawline, his gaze full of love and wonder. ‘I won’t lie, it was a recurring dream of mine to see your gorgeous eyes contoured with eyeliner. But if you don’t want it, I understand that too. Just say the word and I’ll put this all away.’
‘N-no…’ Alec let out a big sigh, and somehow felt much lighter, the nervousness turning his stomach into a knot also disappearing. ‘No,’ he said with much more confidence. ‘Seeing you this happy and excited makes me feel all giddy inside. If this really brings such a great joy to you, I have no objections. I trust you. Just promise me, you won’t tell anyone.’
‘Don’t worry, darling. I promised to be discreet and I intend to keep it. Now relax, please. You’re as stiff as a board. It won’t hurt.’
And so, it began.
At first, Alec willed his body to be as still as possible, but relaxed gradually as time progressed. Magnus treated his skin like it was the most precious canvas in the world, dabbing it with gentle, practiced motions so Alec barely felt anything. Sometimes he almost chuckled at the ticklish sensation and felt himself blush at the delighted happiness on his lover’s face. Magnus always patiently explained to him in great details what he was about to do, and waited for his approval every time before applying a new product. After a while Alec kind of lost track of time, his formerly stiff posture loosening up at hearing Magnus’ soothing voice.
Until he saw the black eyeliner pencil appearing in the other’s hand.
‘Close your eyes, Alexander,’ he said. ‘Not everyone likes this process, so if you feel uncomfortable or your eyes start to water, tell me, all right?’
‘Hmm,’ murmured Alec, his eyes already closing. His eyelashes fluttered a little at the first contact of the pencil so near his left eye, but it was only a little weird, not painful at all. Magnus clearly knew what he was doing, so he wasn’t afraid to end up looking laughable or anything. He just wasn’t sure the result is going to be… him. For Magnus’ sake he should be able to pretend, right? But should he? Wouldn’t that be just another set of lies? Or maybe he should just be honest and tell Magnus right away that he hated how he looked and ask him to never do this again? But…
‘I can hear you thinking.’ Magnus’ voice interrupted his thoughts. ‘Guess, you’ve worked yourself up over nothing again. By the way, you can open your eyes. I believe we are ready.’
‘Oh.’ Alec blinked a few times, adjusting his sight to the brightness of the room, before locking his gaze onto his self-appointed makeup-artist’s face. His breath almost hitched at what he saw in those dark, brown eyes. There was joy and adoration and wonder, but also a mix of proudness and gentleness and love; it felt almost like floating in the afterglow of gentle lovemaking, intimate and unique. His skin tingled in excitement, causing him to shudder from the intensity of a whole new experience.
‘Oh, Alec.’ Magnus caught his lips in a gentle, grounding kiss, mindful not to smear anything on his face. ‘Come and see, how breath-taking you are.’
Alec felt a grip on his fingers, and let himself be led to a large mirror, covering half of the wall in Magnus’ enormous closet.
He looked into it almost shy at first, then blinked in surprise and let his lover’s hand go, to be able to step closer. For a moment, he barely saw anything at all but after a through inspection he noticed the results of Magnus’ ministrations. The most noticeable touch was indeed the black line around both of his hazel eyes. It wasn’t very thick, in fact, compared to Magnus’s usual bold lines it was barely there, but still made his eyes somewhat more…pronounced. It drew the inspector’s gaze instantly toward his eyes, making the rest of his make-up very-very subtle. His skin was maybe a little smoother, all traces of the dark rings under his eyes totally gone, thanks to the expert use of foundation and powder. If he squinted, he might have noticed two brighter, pinkish spots near his cheekbones, making his usually white face a little rosy, but that was all.
He was still Alec.
This wasn’t so horrifying at all. Looking through the mirror he found Magnus’ proudly shining gaze.
‘It’s… not bad.’
Magnus’ smile never disappeared, but he shook his head a little, stepping beside him, like he couldn’t keep away.
‘You should work on your compliments, darling.’
‘Sorry, I meant it’s… Well I… expected something else. I’m surprised. I thought it’ll be more… well more.’
‘Oh, believe me, it is stunning. You’re stunning. Thank you for giving me this wonderful experience.’
Alec turned around and wrapped his arms around his lover.
‘I’m glad I could give you something special,’ he said, and meant it. ‘Did it help? You think you’ll be able to do yours, too?’
‘I think I’m on track,’ said Magnus, his eyes still roaming over Alec’s face, but then he sighed almost sadly, before inclining his head towards the room. ‘A promise is a promise. Come, I’ll clean it all off.’
He turned to stride back, but Alec caught his hand, making him look back surprised.
‘Maybe…’ Alec’s voice cracked and he knew he was blushing madly, but closed his eyes and when he opened them the shyness was replaced by boldness. ‘Maybe we can let it stay for a little while. Just a few more minutes.’ Or a few more hours if Magnus will continue to eye him like he is the most beautiful thing in the world.
‘No objections from me,’ whispered the warlock into his left ear. ‘Maybe tomorrow I’ll do your nails, too.’
‘Only if you want me to iron a nice big hole into your favourite silk gown.’
‘So grumpy.’