Archive of Our Own ^beta

It started as an escape.

Alec didn’t like to say his childhood was hard. There were plenty of people out there who had it harder. Kids who’d lived through so much more than he’d ever had to. In comparison to some of them, the life Alec lived was easy. So what if he had to get up and spend most of his day training? At least he had a roof over his head and food in his stomach. He had siblings he loved, and who loved him, awkward bits and all. Maybe he wasn’t pretty and bold like Izzy or the golden child like Jace or clever like Max. However, he was strong and steady, and he could train himself to be useful even if he wasn’t as good as everyone else.

But, as much as those thoughts comforted him during the day, sometimes in the middle of the night his insecurities got the best of him. Sometimes he couldn’t help but lay there and dream about a different life, a different place. Somewhere that he didn’t have to learn the quickest ways to kill someone. Where he wasn’t up before the sun to get in some personal training before joining his siblings for group training after breakfast. Where the expectations to do more, be better weren’t always resting on his shoulders.

It was Alec’s secret little guilty pleasure. He’d lay in his bed some nights and stare up at his ceiling as he painted stories in the dark. Short little stories where the lost and lonely child was taken away from it all to somewhere good, somewhere happy. Longer, epic tales of friendship and family, dragons and magic that didn’t hurt, and people who stood with their hero and supported them when every evil in the world was trying to knock them down.

They were a little embarrassing to think about in the light of day. Alec was self-aware enough to know that he was trying to make himself more important than he actually was. But it didn’t really matter, did it? No one could hear the thoughts in his head. They didn’t have to know the petty jealousies he indulged in these fantasies that were for him and him alone.

Every time someone said he wasn’t good enough, every time he was pushed harder than his siblings, harder than everyone else, and rewarded so little for it, Alec internalized it all. Then he would lie awake in his room that night and make up a story for himself about a little boy who grew into a great man, who grew up to save the day and prove wrong everyone who’d ever doubted him.

As he grew older, and Max came along, Alec found another outlet for his storytelling. He’d sit in his little brother’s room at night when he’d go tuck him into bed, and he’d let Max curl up against his side while Alec would spin a bedtime story for him about a brave group of siblings who battled dragons, rescued others, and all-around saved the world.

He did it until Maryse caught him at it one night. She’d waited until he was done and had shut Max’s door before she called him out on it. “He’s too old for those kinds of fantasies, and so are you,” she’d told him bluntly. “You are going to be a warrior, Alec. A leader. You don’t have time for these frivolous things.”

That was the last time Alec told his stories out loud.

He never stopped creating them, though. They stayed in his head, a secret and guilty pleasure he didn’t dare let anyone know about.

When he was starting to reach the end of his teenage years was when he began to write them down. It happened on a whim – he’d happened to be walking back with his siblings after a hunt, and they’d stopped by a storefront to look at something that had captured Isabelle’s eye. While they were waiting, Alec had seen a black, leather-bound notebook, and the urge had hit him.

Two days later he went back and bought it.

Since then, Alec had had lots of different notebooks. He hid them under his mattress for a while, the same way most teenagers hid their porn magazines. But after a close call where Jace almost discovered them, Alec moved them to a box he kept in his closet, one that only his stele could open.

Those notebooks were Alec’s one pleasure that he kept solely for him. Something that no one could touch. They were an escape, a balm for his soul on the days where things were too much, but they were also a pleasure. Just a quiet thing that Alec truly enjoyed. Even after his life changed, after he met Magnus and some of those broken places in Alec began to heal, he continued to write in the quiet of his room. The stories started to become less of an escape and more a joy. A need, almost. Something that he had to get out.

It definitely wasn’t something that he’d ever intended on sharing with anyone. Not since Maryse had told him to stop had Alec told anyone about his stories.

He should’ve known better than to think he’d be able to keep it form Magnus, though. The man had already managed to get most of Alec’s secrets out of him. It only made sense that he’d discover this one, too.

To be honest, it was Alec’s own fault. He’d been growing more and more comfortable in Magnus’ home. So much so that he’d begun to privately think of it as his home, too, something which Magnus seemed happy to encourage. He enjoyed seeing Alec get comfortable there. When he’d come home and find Alec there waiting for him, reading or having a drink or watching a movie, he always lit up like it was the greatest gift anyone ever gave him. So it made sense that Alec would slip at some point in time.

Alec hadn’t really planned on it happening. He’d been making a point to keep his notebooks still in their little chest in his room at the Institute. Despite the fact that he was there so little it was probably a good idea to give up his room for someone else to use.

But, an idea had come to him that night on their hunt, a little plot point that he’d been struggling with for what felt like weeks, and it was one of those ones that Alec felt he needed to get out as quickly as possible before he forgot. Sometimes they gripped him like that, and he had to write them down. He had to.

When he got back to Magnus’ and found nothing but a note – Quick emergency, nothing serious, be back before bed! – well, Alec figured he had time. Time enough to get down at least the general gist of the idea so that he’d be able to take it home and flesh it out properly at a better time.

Only, it didn’t end up happening like that. Alec stripped off his gear, showered and changed quickly, and then he snagged one of the notebooks that Magnus kept in his desk that didn’t look like it was currently being used for something. Then he sat down on the balcony with the notebook, a pen, and a glass of wine, and he lost himself in the flow of words. What was supposed to be just a quick bit of notes ended up as page after page of a small scene that was quickly heading in a direction he’d never planned, yet was entirely caught up in. So caught up, in fact, that he never heard the portal opening in the loft, nor the low footsteps of his lover coming toward him.

Alec didn’t hear anything, really, until Magnus’ voice was right there, low and relaxed. “Well now, whatever you’re working on must be interesting.”

The sound that Alec let out was something he would vehemently deny if Magnus ever tried to bring it up again. Which, judging by the amused light in the other man’s eyes when Alec jerked back and looked up at him, he was probably going to hear about it quite a bit.

Magnus’ smile grew so big it made those little lines around his eyes that Alec loved. The ones that said this smile was real. “Oh, it really must be interesting if you didn’t hear me coming in.”

“It’s nothing,” Alec said immediately. He’d already started to close the notebook as if shutting it would close the topic as well.

He should’ve known better. “Nothing?” Magnus repeated the word with a low hum, a clearly disbelieving sound. Pushing himself off the doorframe, he made his way over to the couch that Alec was on and sank down next to him, his body already turned to face Alec. “Some sort of boring report, then?”

That would’ve been an easy answer. Alec could’ve just agreed and that would’ve been that. But he’d promised himself and Magnus both that he wouldn’t lie to him. Not after everything with the Soul Sword. This might not be as important as that, but a promise was a promise, and it was one Alec was going to keep. “No.”

“A speech then, perhaps. Something to inspire the masses the next time you address the Institute. Or at our next Cabinet meeting, even.”

There was a little note of humor through Magnus’ words that made it clear he knew that wasn’t what this was.

“No.” Alec shifted the notebook a little, instinctively drawing it in toward his chest as if to protect it, even though he knew Magnus wasn’t like Jace or Isabelle. He wasn’t going to simply snatch it from him and try and read it. Still, habit had Alec holding the notebook close and doing his best to downplay it. “It’s nothing important.”

Whatever was on Alec’s face, or that Magnus picked up in his voice, must’ve told him just how important this was to Alec. Or how sensitive a subject. He immediately dropped all teasing. Though his smile stayed in place, he leaned back a little, out of Alec’s space. “Of course. My apologies, Alexander. I didn’t mean to pry.”

The words were right, and Magnus didn’t look upset by Alec’s clear need for secrecy. Yet Alec felt a small little twist of guilt down low in his stomach. He didn’t want to keep secrets from Magnus. Not that this was a bad secret or something that affected literally anyone another than him.

Alec shifted a little, eyes dropping down toward his lap. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just… it’s stupid.”

“I’m sure it’s not,” Magnus said immediately. He reached out to lay a warm hand on Alec’s arm, not pushing, not scolding, yet Alec tightened his grip around his notebook anyway. He felt Magnus falter for a second before he gave Alec’s arm a soft squeeze. “You don’t have to tell me, Alexander. You’re allowed to keep parts of yourself private.”

Of course he was. He knew that. Magnus had helped teach him that. He knew he was allowed to have wants, and needs, and things that were just for him. It was just, normally he didn’t want that. Alec wanted to share things with Magnus. The other man had never acted like any part of Alec wasn’t worth his time. If anything, he seemed to treasure those parts of Alec, treating them like they were something special.

Alec knew he’d do the same with this. That was just the type of person Magnus was. But… could he share this? Could he really share this secret little part of himself?

They didn’t talk about it any further that night. Magnus let Alec tuck the notebook away with his things, and he never brought it up again. Instead, they’d curled up together and enjoyed more of the wine that Alec had opened, and Magnus had made him laugh with stories about the old friend he’d gone to help who’d managed to explode a potion all over their apothecary that had turned everything, the warlock included, a rather bright shade of pink.

But the thought stayed in the back of Alec’s mind for days after that. When he took the new notebook to his others and started to put the two parts together, twining what he’d written into the rest of the story, he thought about what it might be like to share this with Magnus. To be able to talk to someone about the stories and characters and things that lived inside his head. Magnus wouldn’t make fun of him, he knew. He wouldn’t laugh. But he might pretend it was good just so he didn’t hurt Alec’s feelings. The idea of that was enough to make Alec cringe.

Or, maybe, if he didn’t want to read them, he might not mind Alec talking about them. Alec remembered what it was like to tell the stories to Max. To talk about them and work some things out with an avid listener. His ideas had always flowed so much better about that. Maybe Magnus would let him do that. Even if he didn’t want to read what came of it, he might not mind at least talking about it with Alec.

It took almost a week of debating back and forth before Alec finally came to a decision.

He had to wait for just the right time to do it. Carrying a wooden chest out of the Institute would be suspicious to just about everyone. If Isabelle or Jace saw him, or even Clary, there’d be plenty of questions and probably a lot of jokes to go with it. They already liked to tease him about when he was going to “move in already, Alec! You practically live there as it is!” He didn’t need to hear what they’d say if they saw him carrying the chest.

Alec planned it carefully, made sure his siblings were busy, and then he snuck out like he was just a teenager all over again and not the actual Head of the Institute.

Glamouring himself so mundanes couldn’t see him was easy. Alec got to Magnus’ pretty quickly. It wasn’t until he was there, however, that his nerves started to come back. Was he really going to do this? Was he going to open up this final part of himself for someone else to see? Not just anyone, either, but Magnus.

Alec spent way too long in the hallway outside Magnus’ door trying to gather up the courage to walk in. When he finally did, he found Magnus was inside, reading a book on the couch and sipping off of some drink. It made Alec love him a little bit more. He knew that Magnus had to have sensed him coming. Magnus knew whenever anyone came into the building. But he’d sat there and let Alec get the courage to come in by himself.

That, strangely enough, made it easier for Alec to go over to him. He stopped at the back of the couch, bending down to press a quick greeting kiss against Magnus’ lips, and then made his way around the couch. Magnus drew his legs in so that one of the cushions was free for Alec to sit down at. “What a pleasant surprise,” he said, smiling as he folded his book shut and set it aside. “I wasn’t expecting you until later. Is this a business call?”

He asked the last bit with a look toward the chest, and Alec shook his head. “No. I ah, this, this is mine. I wanted to…” Pausing, Alec took a deep breath. You can do this. “I wanted to show you something.”

Magnus set his drink down on the coffee table next to his book. Then he folded his legs so that he could sit up on the middle cushion, facing toward Alec. He didn’t grab at the chest or start asking questions. All he did was smile and lift an eyebrow in a silent go on.

Now or never, Alec told himself. Then he slowly and carefully set the chest down on the open bit of coffee table in front of him. He pulled his stele from his pocket and traced the necessary unlock rune on the front. As it clicked open, he pocketed his stele once more. He reached out, resting one hand on the chest without opening it. Though he couldn’t quite bring himself to look over at Magnus, he did sneak a sideways glance at him. Magnus was still waiting, looking both curious and yet infinitely patient. As if he’d stay there for as long as it took for Alec to find his words.

“When I was a kid, I used to daydream a lot,” Alec said abruptly. He bit his bottom lip, chewing on it for just a second as he tried to think of the words to use here. It was always so much easier when he was writing words down. When they came out of his mouth like this, when it was something important, it was so much harder. For Magnus, he’d learned to try. “I uh, I know I don’t exactly seem the type, but I was the kid who got lost in daydreams anytime I was left alone long enough.”

Alec snuck another look over at Magnus and found that his smile had softened.

It was easier to focus on the chest for the next bit. Alec stared at it, tracing his thumb across the old wood. “When I started getting older and training more, there was no time for daydreaming. So I… I used to do it at night when I’d lay in bed. I’d stare up at the ceiling and just kind of, let my brain wander. I made all these stupid little stories about a little boy like me, only… different. Better.”

The soft touch of Magnus’ hand on his arm startled Alec. He looked over, watching as Magnus slid his hand down until it was on Alec’s, their fingers lacing together perfectly. “It sounds lovely to me,” Magnus said softly.

Alec flushed a little. He didn’t let go of Magnus’ hand, though. It felt good to hold on to it. To feel the steadiness of his grip, the cool contrast of his rings. That touch helped Alec keep going.

“When I got older, the stories started getting more, um, more complicated. So I… started writing them down.” Without letting go of Magnus, Alec used his other hand to open up the chest, showing the stacks and stacks of notebooks that were in there. He picked up the one on top, a thick green spiral notebook that he’d gotten mostly because it was large and cheap. With only a small hesitation, Alec brought it out. Then he turned and held it out toward Magnus. “This was what I was working on the other night when you showed up. Sometimes I get a little stuck on something, and the answer always seems to come to me in the stupidest places. On patrol, in the shower, cooking. Somewhere I don’t have a notebook. I finally figured out the piece I was missing, and I’d planned on just getting it down quickly, only it ended up kind of… spiraling.”

Magnus was looking at the notebook that Alec was still holding out his way like it was something precious and breakable. As if reaching out to it would shatter it. Then his eyes lifted, the glamour gone, and he looked right at Alec. “You don’t have to show it to me, darling. I wasn’t lying when I said you’re allowed to keep parts of yourself private.”

“I want you to see it,” Alec said softly.

The way that Magnus lit up was something that Alec was always going to treasure. “Then I’d love to read it.”

Alec pressed his lips together and nodded. This was what he wanted. It was. But he abruptly realized that he couldn’t be here while it happened. He couldn’t just sit and watch Magnus look into the part of his soul that Alec had never shared with anyone before. Slowly, Alec drew his hand back, allowing Magnus to use both hands to take the notebook from him. “I’m just… I’m gonna go, um, go take a shower.”

Then he escaped, as fast as he could, leaving pieces of himself behind with the only person he trusted to take care of them.

Alec took his shower first, just like he’d said he would, lingering under the water and working himself up. What if Magnus didn’t like it? What if he thought it was stupid? It wasn’t like the story was great or anything like that. It was just some ridiculous little thing. Magnus had probably read far better stories over the years. He was hundreds of years old, after all. He’d probably read countless books in that time. Alec had seen him reading around the loft often enough. Why would he want to waste time on one of Alec’s stories?

By the time Alec finally got out of the shower, he was even more wound up than he’d been when he’d gotten in.

It took him a few minutes longer than usual to put on his sweats and t-shirt that he liked to lounge in. Then a few minutes more that he stretched out as he hung up his towel and debated whether or not he should go back out there. Things had been quiet. Was Magnus still looking at it? Had he put it away already? Was he just waiting for Alec to come back?

Eventually, Alec’s nerves got the best of him, and he couldn’t put it off any longer. He crept back out toward the living room. Only, what he found wasn’t exactly what he’d expected.

Magnus… hadn’t moved.

He was still sitting cross-legged in the middle of the couch. Still facing the cushion that Alec had been sitting on. Still holding Alec’s notebook. The only noticeable difference was that he seemed to have gotten through quite a few pages already.

For a moment, Alec just stood there watching as Magnus read through the pages with a speed that Alec often found enviable. When it became clear that Magnus wasn’t going to turn around, that he was just going to keep reading, Alec ventured another few steps into the room. “Magnus?”

Alec was stunned when Magnus flapped a hand his direction and called out a loud “Shhh!”

He blinked his eyes a few times like that would change what he’d just seen. “Uh… what?”

“Shhhh!” Magnus repeated, louder this time. Then he waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the kitchen. “Go eat something. I’m betting you haven’t.”

This wasn’t the first time that Magnus had booted Alec away if he made too much noise while the warlock was reading. However, Alec hadn’t expected that kind of response to something of his. In too much shock to protest, he found himself doing exactly what Magnus had suggested. He went to the kitchen to hunt himself up a snack and try to distract himself from wondering if this was a good sign or a bad one.

After a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Alec peeked back in the living room, only to find that Magnus was still sitting there, though he’d definitely gotten further in the notebook.

It was probably best to just leave him there. With that in mind, Alec settled for slipping into the room long enough to deposit a plate of sandwiches for Magnus – which got him a quick pat on his arm and an air kiss – and then Alec snagged the current rough draft notebook with the idea he’d been working on the last time he was here. He took it with him out to the balcony where he’d written last time.

Writing was probably the only thing that could’ve kept Alec distracted from worrying about what Magnus was thinking. Alec did his best to lose himself in his characters. He knew he wasn’t giving them his best focus; it was so hard to do when it felt like anxiety was a living, breathing creature gnawing away at his stomach. But he worked out a few little things that had been bugging him, and he nailed down the look of the new character he was introducing. Writing out clothes for people was hard. Now that Alec knew Magnus, he was a bit better about writing them. Seeing Magnus’ wardrobe helped him get ideas. But it still wasn’t easy.

He’d just managed to start to get down into the new character’s introduction when he heard a loud shout of his name. “Alexander Gideon Lightwood!”

Alec’s head snapped up, his body already braced for trouble, only for Magnus to come storming out onto the balcony and straight toward him. He doesn’t seem hurt; no injuries are showing anywhere on his body. Nor is he holding his magic. So, no threat then. Which meant that Alec must’ve done something wrong if Magnus was pulling out his full name like that. No one ever said Alec’s full name unless it was for something serious.

Then there was no time for Alec to think about it. Magnus came right up to him, and Alec had to move his notebook or risk it being sat on as Magnus climbed right into Alec’s lap. He settled there with a knee pressing down into the cushions on either side of Alec’s hips, and his hands going to grab the back of the couch by Alec’s shoulders. Usually, this was a position that would’ve had Alec blushing, yet quite happy. But at the moment he was too worried to do more than just grasp at Magnus’ hips and look up at his partner in open concern.

Magnus banished a little of that concern when he swooped down and stole a hard, fast kiss. When he pulled back, there was a faint pout to his lips, and his eyes were just a bit bigger than normal. Alec hadn’t yet figured out how the hell he managed to do that. But he did know that Magnus only pulled out that look when he wanted something.

Sliding his hands in, Magnus brought his fingers to play with the small hairs at the back of Alec’s head, twisting and tugging at them just like he knew Alec liked. Oh, he was pulling out all the stops, wasn’t he? “Alexander.”

“What do you want?” Alec couldn’t entirely stop the thread of suspicion that wove its way through his words.

The little pout grew a bit more. Magnus even dipped his head a bit, going for that coy look that he loved so much, and that he knew Alec was pathetically weak for. Only, when Magnus finally spoke, what he said was enough to derail Alec’s brain entirely. “Please tell me you have another notebook after that one. I looked in the chest, but I didn’t see one.”

Surprise had Alec blinking a few times. Like maybe the image in front of him would change. “What?”

“Another notebook, darling. The continuation of the one you gave me. You see, I reached the last page, but there’s absolutely no way the story ends where it did. I refuse to believe that Rhys’ story ends with him giving himself over to Rothalo. There is absolutely no way that Gavin and their friends are just going to stand idly by and let that happen, and I can’t simply wait around to see what it is they do or what happens to Rhys.”

If Alec had been surprised before, it was nothing compared to what he felt then. He knew he was staring at Magnus, that his mouth was hanging open just the slightest bit. Wait a second – what? That was what Magnus was here about? That was why he was pouting at Alec? Because he wanted to find out what happened next in the story?

“Alexander.” The whine in Magnus’ voice brought Alec back to himself. When he cleared his gaze, he found Magnus still staring down at him, though his pout was mostly gone. In its place was one of those gentle looks that Magnus only ever got around Alec. The one that came out when Alec said or did something that Magnus seemed to find sweet. His fingers were still softly playing with Alec’s hair, a nice soothing touch that helped keep Alec’s tension from building too much.

Licking his lips and feeling far more nervous than he had around Magnus in what felt like a long time, Alec unconsciously tightened his hold on his partner’s hips. “You… you liked it?”

A blink chased the glamour away from Magnus’ eyes. Then they were crinkling at the corners with the smile that stretched his face. “Darling, I think like is a rather tame word. I devoured every single second of that story from the instant I started to read.” Magnus’ hands shifted at the same time that Alec tried to duck his head. He didn’t let Alec get away with it. With a careful touch, Magnus tilted Alec’s face up and held it there so that there was no running away, no hiding. “You have a skill with words that is rare for someone with as minimal training as you have. I know the Nephilim don’t exactly pride themselves on intense education that can’t be used towards being a Shadowhunter.”

“I uh…” A hint of color touched Alec’s cheeks. He couldn’t move away, but he shifted his eyes, focusing on Magnus’ cuff earring instead of his eyes. “Aline’s mom let her specialize in languages at the Academy. She shared her textbooks with me when we visited each other.”

That seemed to throw Magnus for just a moment. He tilted his head, and Alec could feel his curious gaze. Saw it in the narrowing of his eyes when he snuck a look. “I wasn’t aware you had something like specializations. What did you specialize in?”

“Diplomacy, war tactics, and law.”

Magnus let out a soft laugh that was more like a little huff. “Of course you did.”

“I was training to take over as Head of the Institute. I needed the appropriate skills to accomplish that. Studying with Aline only furthered my leadership skills by providing me with a further understanding of various languages as well as the ability to communicate properly with our allies without needing a translator.”

This times Magnus’ laugh was a little more open. Brighter. There was no way Alec could continue to avoid looking at him when he lit up like that. Love shone clearly on every inch of his face when he bent and stole a quick kiss. “I wasn’t questioning your reasoning, love.”

Because this was Magnus, and he wasn’t going to question why Alec wanted to learn something or what purpose he learned it for, Alec let himself soften a bit. He slid his hands up enough to be able to tease his fingers at the edge of Magnus’ shirt until he could get his thumbs in to stroke across the warm, smooth skin underneath. “I like to learn. And languages are easy. I’m not smart like Izzy in other things or good with numbers like Jace, but languages were just…I could always pick those up quickly.”

“You are far more intelligent than you give yourself credit for,” Magnus said immediately, furrowing his brows down in a reproving look. He hated when Alec insulted himself.  Then something seemed to come to him, and he blinked his eyes a few times before focusing them on Alec once more. “How many languages do you speak?”

“I’ve…never counted?” Alec thought about it for a minute and then shrugged. “I made a point to study the native language for each Institute out there. While I’m not fluent in all of them, I can carry on a conversation at least. Aline and I make a point to ah, to choose a different language each time we talk to each other and to try and see who ends up more proficient by the next time we speak.”

For a long moment, Magnus just stared down at Alec. The look in his eyes was something that Alec couldn’t quite place, and it made him want to squirm a little, yet it wasn’t bad. It put a warm feeling down low in his stomach that he wasn’t sure he wanted to chase away.

Magnus finally shook his head, smiling at Alec as he did. “I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. You continue to surprise me, Alexander.” Leaning in, he kissed Alec again, longer this time. When Alec tried to deepen it, he gave Alec’s bottom lip a quick nip and then pulled back. This time the look on his face was mischievous. “You’re also getting exceptionally better at distracting me, my dear. Which is entirely unfair. I came out here demanding answers, and I don’t plan on leaving until I get them.”

It took a minute for Alec to realize what he was talking about. To be fair, they’d gone a bit far from the original topic, and having Magnus in his lap and kissing him was always going to be a distraction for Alec. But eventually, his brain clicked over to what it was that Magnus was talking about, and just like that, the blush was back in his cheeks. “Oh. Right. I uh, I ran out of space in that notebook, so I put the last chapter in this one. Then I started the next book.”

Magnus sat up a little straighter, and his eyes lit up. “It’s going to be a series?”

“Well, yeah.”

“I knew it! There’s far too much for Rhys and Gavin to do to be able to pack any more of their story into this book. We still don’t know everything about Rhys’ past, or where he comes from, or what he even is, really. There’s clearly something more going on here. Gavin senses it too, even if he doesn’t have the words for it yet.”

A slow, shy smile was starting to curve Alec’s lips. Magnus sounded excited. Well and truly excited. Over something Alec wrote.

Listening to him talk about what he’d already read, and what he wanted to see happen, was a bigger compliment than anything else that Magnus could’ve done. They’d stand talked like this about stories once or twice before. But to have Magnus do it over one of Alec’s stories—it was more than Alec had hoped for when he’d brought these notebooks over. Yet, as he sat out on the balcony with Magnus in his lap, his hands waving animatedly through the air as he fell into an in-depth rant about one of the characters that Alec had created, it was everything that Alec could’ve dared dream about.

On impulse, he surged up and caught Magnus almost mid-word, stealing away his words and his breath with a kiss that had Magnus moaning into his mouth and melting down into him. When they broke apart, there was a dazed look in Magnus’ eyes that Alec was proud to have put there.

“Not that I’m complaining, at all, but what was that for?” Magnus asked him.

Alec smiled, stroking his thumbs over the soft skin of Magnus’ sides as he did. “I love you.”

Everything about Magnus went soft. The same way he always did whenever Alec said those words to him. “I love you too, Alexander.” Then the soft look gave way to one of sly humor, and he used his nose to bump Alec’s. “But don’t think that gets you out of giving me the last chapter. I refuse to go to sleep tonight until I know how Rhys gets out of this.”

What else could Alec do but laugh? He gave Magnus another quick kiss, feeling lighter than he had in longer than he could remember. “Would you like me to read it to you?”

That had Magnus lighting up. For some reason, he loved listening to Alec’s voice. “I can think of no better way to spend the night.”

The two of them ended up tucked into the corner of the couch. Alec’s body was curved so that his back was to the corner, one leg stretched out the length of the couch and one down on the ground. On the table beside him was a tray of food, and a glass of wine they were sharing. Magnus was stretched out between Alec and the back of the couch, his body pressed in close and his head pillowed on Alec’s shoulder.

They lay there together as held his notebook and read the words he’d created, spinning a story for his lover much as he once had for his brother. Only this time, there was no one to step and tell Alec that he shouldn’t be doing this. No one to say to him that he was too old for this kind of fantasy. There was just him and Magnus, wrapped up in the small bubble of a world Alec created, and the safety of the home that Magnus had given him.