Work Text:
Alec lies on the couch with Max tucked under his chin in the late afternoon sun while the TV plays. It’s on mute, some kids show that Alec decides in less than in a minute does not hold a candle to any of the programs he and Izzy used to watch, but it had seemed to amuse Max before he’d fallen asleep.
His hand cards gently through Max’s hair. Honestly, his arm is cramping and his ass went numb about ten minutes ago, but his son is sleeping against his chest, soft warm weight keeping Alec afloat on happiness, and he can’t find it in himself to care. Alec shifts the tiniest bit, trying to find the remote control - last time he saw, it was under his leg - careful not to disturb Max. The little boy shuffles, head burrowing further into Alec’s shoulder, and Alec’s heart swells.
Lying here, just the two of them, Max’s snuffled snores are the only sound in the room. It’s so nice. Peaceful.
So obviously someone chooses that moment to hammer on the door.
Well - okay. Maybe not hammer, but it’s still a loud enough knock that it bursts their little bubble of domestic tranquility. Alec sighs and gathers Max in his arms, then stands and deposits the little boy on the couch. Alec takes a step forward and finds the remote control - right under his foot, that’s great.
Hobbling a little and swearing under his breath, he opens the door.
Alec could have imagined a thousand things that might greet him on the other side of the threshold, but a man like the one in front of him was not one of them. Wearing a royal blue tunic and lightwash skinny jeans, the man is looking at Alec with a hopeful expression on his face. He lifts his hand to wave, and Alec is so distracted by the sparkly polish on the man’s fingernails and the various rings he wears that he forgets he’s probably supposed to wave back.
“Hi, new neighbour,” the man greets, smiling. “I realise that this is a bit of a long shot, but I just wondered if you’d seen my cat?”
Alec’s brain jars. God, the man’s voice is so melodious, even wrapped around such a mundane sentence.
“Um,” he manages, blinking a few times to clear his head. “Your cat?”
“Yeah,” the man says. “Tiny ball of fluff. ‘Bout this big.” His hands rise, settling a few inches apart from each other.
Alec shakes his head. “Uh, no, sorry.” The man’s face falls, and Alec’s heart stutters. “I’ll keep an eye out, though. Does it have a name tag or anything?”
“Glittery collar,” says the man. “His name is Chairman Meow.”
Alec’s eyebrow raises and the man’s smile comes back.
“Okay,” accepts Alec. He's dealt with weirder things than a punny name. “I - well. Um. Where do you live?” He hopes it’s not a rude question to ask. The second floor of the converted brownstone has been home for about a year now, but he’s not once seen the guy before. He’s not that great with names, but he would have remembered a man like the one talking to him.
“The floor above you,” the man tells him. “I only moved in a few days ago. I think Chairman is having trouble adjusting.”
Alec doesn’t know much about cats, but that seems like a sensible conclusion, so he nods. “Sure. Um. Well, I’ll let you know if I come across - um, Chairman.”
The man smiles brightly. “Brilliant,” he says emphatically. “Thank you…” he trails off, an eyebrow raised.
“Alec,” supplies Alec.
“Thank you, Alec. It was lovely to meet you.”
Alec feels himself smiling at the man and he nods. “Yeah - uh, you too. I - I hope you find your cat.”
The man gives Alec one last look and then turns. Alec watches as he walks down the stairs, presumably to the ground floor apartment to ask them to keep an eye out for the cat too. He closes the door and leans his head back against it.
Max sleeps soundly on. Alec’s heart is racing.
∞
Two days later, Max toddles into the kitchen with a piece of paper clutched in his chubby fist and he waves it at Alec.
“Daddy letter,” he says, accidentally splodging it into the maple syrup on the edge of his plate.
“Thanks, buddy,” says Alec, taking the sheet from his son and glancing over it.
Dear Alec,
Chairman Meow has returned home safely, so don’t go troubling yourself to look for him any longer. He appears to have enjoyed himself immensely, the little bugger. Anyway, thank you again for your help.
Magnus (third floor)
Alec can’t stop his smile as he reads. The man - Magnus, Magnus - seems overly grateful considering the sum total of Alec’s efforts to help find the cat consisted of answering the door to its owner, but the note was still very thoughtful. He sticks it up on the fridge with one of Max’s magnets before deciding that’s a little creepy, and drops it on the kitchen counter to be dealt with later.
∞
Alec doesn’t see anyone around the brownstone for another week or so, but that’s hardly unusual. The couple in the apartment below him both took early retirement, and Alec’s fairly sure only parents and city commuters are up and about at the godawful time he calls morning. The couple are sometimes around when he gets back from work in the evenings, more so in the summer months, but oftentimes he'll go days without seeing his neighbours. The third floor flat has been empty for a while, so it's sometimes strange to hear footsteps coming from above. Somewhat disappointingly, Magnus has yet to make another appearance, though Alec is fairly sure he's caught a glimpse of the infamous Chairman on their balcony once or twice.
It's Thursday afternoon when he finds someone at home to talk to who isn't two and a half years old, and she doesn't even live there. Clary's sitting in the foyer, and he manages to smile at her even though he's trying to wrestle a protesting Max through the door on their way home from nursery.
“Hiya, Alec,” says Clary, rising from her seat and crouching down in front of her nephew. “Hey, Max.” The little boy immediately stops trying to pull his hand away from his father’s and throws his arms around her, fingers stroking gingerly at the tendrils of hair that have escaped from her ponytail.
"Clary!"
She stands up, still holding Max, and looks at Alec. He nods up the stairs, gesturing for her to follow him.
“What’re you doing here?” he asks her, not unkindly. Once he would have been hostile towards her for any and all impositions Clary made on his life, but over the years he’s got to know his brother’s girlfriend, and now she’s almost like a sister to him. Never like Izzy, but then no-one will ever come close to beating Isabelle Lightwood in Alec’s heart.
“Visiting a friend, but he's not back yet,” she says, adjusting Max to her other hip. “He’s just moved in, so I wanted to check he got settled okay.”
“Uh, is that - Magnus?” Alec asks tentatively, and Clary’s face lights up.
“You guys met already?” she asks. They’ve reached Alec and Max’s front door and she puts Max down.
“Kind of,” Alec says, rubbing the back of his neck. He opens the door for them, then bends down and helps Max out of his coat and shoes. “He lost his cat.”
Clary laughs. Max takes her hand and pulls her over to the kitchen table, and Alec finds them their notepads and crayons.
“Chairman’s always going missing, but he always comes home. Magnus’ll probably be throwing a party to celebrate.” She wiggles her eyebrows at Max, who giggles, and Alec frowns.
“Does he have a lot of parties?”
Clary looks up, features schooled in reassurance. “Oh, no. Well, kind of. But he’s lovely, he really is, and if he ever disturbs you or Max you can just ask him to tone it down. It won’t be an issue.”
“Hm,” is all Alec says, wondering if an anonymous phone call would be less embarrassing than having to knock on a very attractive man's door and ask him to quit partying. “Hopefully it won’t be a problem.”
∞
Thankfully, Max is one of the heaviest sleepers Alec’s ever known. He’d dropped off before the music from Magnus’ apartment had started and is still snoring soundly in his cot. While Alec is loathe to go and be the killjoy neighbour that ruins Magnus' fun, he's been trying to sleep for the past hour and is just about sick of the noise.
He's going to have to say something. Hopefully Magnus won't hate him forever.
Alec throws back the covers and pulls a t-shirt on, then pads out into the hallway of his apartment. He really doesn’t want to leave Max alone, but what can you do as a single parent? He settles for taking one half of the baby monitor with him, so at least he can hear if Max wakes while he’s gone. He shoves his keys into the pocket of his sweatpants (he’s not risking getting locked out of his apartment while his son’s inside, alone) and leaves the apartment quietly. Alec jogs up the stairs and dear God, the music is even louder up here. Which shouldn’t really be a surprise, but it is, and Alec’s tired, goddamn it.
Alec knocks on Magnus’ door to no answer, so after a couple of minutes he knocks again. This time it's yanked it open. A boy stands there, with dark brown eyes and an angelic-looking face, and he’s scowling before he’s even finished appraising Alec.
“Magnus,” he says over his shoulder, “it’s for you.”
Magnus appears behind the boy, looking more glamorous than the last - only - time Alec had seen him. His hair is tipped with silver and dark makeup lines his eyes. Alec is too tired to pretend his breath doesn’t hitch momentarily, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less annoyed.
“Alec!” cries Magnus. He opens his arms, brushing past the angelic boy, who disappears into the apartment without a backwards glance. “Don’t mind Raph, he’s always cranky. What brings you to my humble abode?”
Alec takes a long breath and hopes whatever falls out of his mouth won't irreparably damage his short relationship with Magnus.
“No offence, but your music is sending me insane.”
He winces. Not his finest moment. It’s too late to take it back, but to his relief, Magnus just grins.
“Some taken,” Magnus says playfully.
“Sorry - um, I didn't - mean to be rude." He lifts his gaze to the top of the doorframe, because even through heavy eyelids Magnus' collarbones are distractingly delicious. "I just wanted to ask if you could you turn it down? Please?” he asks, miraculously managing not to trip over his words.
Magnus looks over him for a moment, then nods. “Of course. My apologies, I didn’t realise it was disturbing you. Perhaps I could get your number, and then next time - though of course, there won’t be a next time, because I will endeavour to be a far more considerate neighbour - you won’t have to come all the way up here.”
Alec blinks, sleepily trying to follow Magnus’ rambling. “Okay.” Magnus’ cell appears from nowhere and he hands it to Alec. “Thanks. In advance.”
Magnus smiles. “No problem.”
∞
[From: clary]
15:03 omg alec don’t hate me
[To: clary]
15:03 ?????
[From: clary]
15:04 i may have accidentally invited magnus over to your apartment
[To: clary]
15:04 *eye roll*
15:04 how do u accidentally invite someone to an apartment that ISNT YOURS
[From: clary]
15:06 don’t eye roll me over text you do that enough irl
15:07 i just… mentioned that i was babysitting for someone in magnus’ block and he was like i didn’t realise anyone had kids in the brownstone and i was like oh yeah alec does and he was like aw that’s cute
[To: clary]
15:07 still doesn’t explain why hes in my apartment
[From: clary]
15:09 we were supposed to be meeting up after you got home cause i was like well i’ll be over near yours anyway magnus
15:10 and since we were in the same place at the same time…
[To: clary]
15:10 youre the literal worst
[From: clary]
15:13 <3 <3 <3 <3
[From: clary]
15:22 this might not make things better but max really likes him
[To: clary]
15:23 oh my god
∞
Alec takes a moment to remember how to breathe before he twists his key in the lock. It's fine, everything is fine. Max and Clary are on the other side, and he can deal with that.
He pushes the door open, catches the line of Magnus' throat, head tilted back as he laughs melodically, and Alec's insides turn to jelly. He can't deal with this.
"Daddy!" Max bullets himself towards Alec, who wraps him up in a hug.
"Hey, little guy," he says, then leans back and checks his son. "Let me guess -" he swipes his thumb gently across Max's cheek "- you've been painting?"
Max nods solemnly at his father. "I drawed a picture."
Alec smiles at him. "Can I see?"
Max squirms a little, signalling he wants to be put down, and Alec lowers him to the floor. Max wanders into the kitchen, where Clary and Magnus are sitting, and pulls a sheet off the table. Alec realises he can't put off greeting the two adults any longer, but still he lingers as he slips out of his jacket.
Making his way to the table, Alec avoids Magnus' eye and looks around. God, the apartment is a mess.
"Hey," Alec says, to no-one in particular. Clary has the decency to look at least a little guilty when he catches her gaze.
"Hey," she says, too bright. "How was work?"
Alec half-nods, ruffling Max's hair. "Okay. Has he been alright?"
"Fine," Clary smiles. "You're an angel, aren't you, Max?"
Max just blinks at her, streaks of colour painting his skin (and, Alec notices with a groan, his white t-shirt).
"He's delightful, Alec," Magnus comments, and Alec can't ignore him any longer, not now he's spoken to him directly. Not that he wants to ignore Magnus, exactly, but this definitely wasn't how he'd planned their next meeting going. And - okay. Max is Alec's world, but maybe he'd hoped to get to know Magnus a little more before dropping the single parent bomb on their relationship. "You should be proud."
Alec smiles at Magnus, then down at his son. "Yeah, he's a good kid."
Clary glances between the two of them and cocks an eyebrow at Alec, who stares back at her. If Magnus notices the exchange, he doesn't comment on it. Max tugs on Magnus' arm and whispers something to him, and Magnus begins mixing a colour in the palette for him. Clary jerks her head pointedly at Magnus, eyes on Alec, and splutters a laugh when Alec rolls his eyes at her. She excuses herself to go to the bathroom, and Alec is starting to regret the day they ever became friends.
Alec sighs, then takes Clary's recently vacated seat. He's trying to think of something interesting to say to Magnus when the other speaks.
"I wanted to apologise again," Magnus says softly, watching Max, who's painting happily with his new colour and singing to himself, "for the other night. I didn't think to ask before I invited people over - I should have been more considerate. Especially now I know about Max."
"It's fine," Alec says automatically, then breathes out. "It's fine, honestly. It wasn't even - he'd sleep through a hurricane. I was the one who couldn't sleep."
Magnus looks at him then, a little sheepish. Alec holds up a hand.
"If you're going to apologise again, I'll poke you in the eye with the paint brush."
Magnus cracks a smile, and looks at Alec for a moment. Alec feels his face heat up under the scrutiny. Magnus opens his mouth, about to say something, when Clary reappears, and he clearly changes his mind. Alec definitely isn't disappointed.
∞
It becomes a regular thing, after that.
Clary's round at Alec's every other Friday afternoon to take care of Max anyway, and now when Alec gets back from work he often opens the door to both Magnus and Clary. Ostensibly it's so Magnus doesn't have to fork out for coffee and cakes when he and Clary get together, instead munching their way through Alec's cupboards, but even the most dedicated liar would probably have given that up after being thrown up on by a sick child.
A few times Magnus stays late into the evening, after Clary's gone, after Max is in bed, and he and Alec share a bottle of wine and talk about nothing. The simplicity of it makes Alec want to combust from happiness. Magnus leaves his jacket behind once, so Alec texts him to let him know, and after that they seem to message almost every day. Max has even started checking Alec's phone when it pings to see if another picture of Chairman Meow has come through, and sometimes the texts are flirty enough that Alec is infinitely grateful Max can't read yet.
One day Alec gets home to find Max being read to by Magnus while curled into his side in the comfort of a blanket fort, and Alec's heart almost bursts out of his chest. He shuts the door as quietly as he can, trying not to disturb the pair, but Magnus looks up at the sound anyway.
He smiles when he catches sight of Alec.
"Look, Daddy's home," he tells Max, and Max waves at Alec but doesn't move from Magnus' side. If anything, he burrows in further. Alec feels like he should be offended, but he really, really isn't. Not when the view in front of him is so adorable. "Clary's making dinner," Magnus explains. "She hasn't left me alone with him."
Alec nods, smiling. "S'fine." He wanders to his bedroom to get changed out of his work clothes and returns a few minutes later, settling on the floor opposite Max and Magnus.
"Have you had a good day?" he asks Max. The little boy nods.
"Magnus bringed cookies," he tells Alec excitedly, and Magnus gasps, mock-scandalised.
"That was supposed to be a secret!" he stage-whispers, and Max giggles. He looks at his father.
"Read please?"
Alec nods and gestures for Max to come and sit on his lap, but Max shakes his head resolutely.
"Here," says Max, pointing to the blanket fort. Alec eyes the space. The cushions comfortably seat one grown man and one almost-three-year-old, but trying to squeeze Magnus and Alec in there will be a bit of a tight fit. Magnus budges up and tilts his head towards the new space. Alec wonders if he's imagining the mischief in Magnus' eyes. He sighs and crawls into the fort.
"Okay?" he asks Max, who smiles blindingly at him and tucks his feet under Alec's leg. Alec puts his arm around Max to hold the book, and in doing so the back of his hand touches Magnus'. Their eyes meet, and he knows he's blushing, but Magnus just smiles at him. There's warmth in his gaze and Alec can't stop his eyes from dipping down to Magnus' lips. Magnus' head is tilting just the tiniest bit, and they're too close under the blankets but somehow not close enough, and -
"Daddy!" Max says, patting Alec on the arm. "Read me?"
Alec jerks back, face hot. He clears his throat. "Yeah, sorry, buddy. Right. Here we go."
∞
“Hey, neighbour,” Magnus says when Alec opens the door.
It’s too damn early for such a bright smile.
Alec’s still half-asleep, and by some stroke of luck Max hasn’t woken up yet, so he’s incredibly annoyed at being woken up so early. Especially since the little boy has been having nightmares recently, so they’re both getting broken sleep most nights.
“Magnus, it’s half six in the morning,” he grumbles, rubbing a hand over his face. Magnus doesn’t respond for a moment, so Alec pulls his hand away, and sees Magnus’ eyes flitting back to Alec’s face -
Right. Because Alec’s just got up. He’s not wearing a shirt.
He suddenly feels a lot more awake, and with that comes self-consciousness, so he tries to shuffle somewhat behind the door.
“Sorry, darling,” says Magnus, and Alec's stomach swoops pleasantly at the name. “I know it’s early, but I was just coming to say goodbye.”
Alec has to swallow a couple of times before he can speak, trying not to sound too devastated. “You’re leaving?”
Magnus nods. “Just for a week. The renovation, remember?" Alec wonders if he should be worried about how relieved he is. "Normally I love a dirty lair, but at the moment?” Magnus jerks his head upwards. “That one’s just sloppy.”
Alec tries to ignore the innuendo, but he doesn’t know what to say. For all the times Magnus has been to his, he’s never actually set foot inside Magnus’ apartment - never seen it, beyond a cursory glance that time he had to go and ask for the music to be turned down. He feels like it would be rude to agree with Magnus and inadvertently insult the apartment, but he doesn't want to disagree either.
“Um,” is what he settles on, and then briefly considers whacking his head against the door. He scrabbles for actual eloquence - or even words, at this point. “Where are you going to stay?”
Magnus fiddles with one of his rings absent-mindedly. “I’ve made a reservation at a hotel,” he says. At Alec’s frown, he smiles. “None of my friends would have me. To be fair, there would probably be at least one murder if Ragnor, Raphael and myself had to live under one roof for an extended period of time. Cat’s only got a one bedroom apartment, so I don’t want to burden her.”
Alec likes to think he’s a sensible, rational person who does sensible, rational things, and later when he tells Izzy about his offer he’ll blame it on bone-deep exhaustion, but now all he can say is,
“Stay with me.”
Magnus’ eyes go wide and he seems to shake himself. Alec swallows. “I mean," Alec continues, "because - um, then you won’t have to move your stuff very far. You’ll be close to the work that's going on, and - um. Yeah.”
Magnus appraises Alec for a moment, and Alec remembers his shirtlessness, but he can’t find it in himself to be embarrassed about that when there are far more pressing things to be embarrassed about, like the fact that he just asked Magnus to stay with him.
“I suppose that does make sense,” Magnus says, still fiddling with his ring.
Alec nods, then the words catch up with him. “What?” Neither of them mention that Alec’s reasoning is flimsy at best.
Magnus glances down. “I don’t want to be any trouble. But that is a very kind offer.” He seems to be waiting for Alec to respond, but all that Alec can do is stare incredulously at Magnus. “If you’re having second thoughts, that’s fine. I mean, I’ve already got the hotel room, and -”
“No,” Alec interrupts. “I mean, I'm not having second thoughts. It’s fine. You can - stay.”
Magnus smiles, and Alec thinks it might not have been such a bad decision to offer after all.
∞
It's a terrible decision.
Alec stands with his head resting against the bathroom door, mentally preparing to go into his bedroom. Where Magnus is in bed.
Magnus is in his bed.
Even though Magnus had told him outright that his friend Cat wasn't an option because she didn't have a spare room in her apartment, the thought did not cross Alec's mind. In their apartment, Max has one room (and Alec'll be damned if he gets Max out of his routine of sleeping in his own bed) and Alec the other, only leaving the couch for Magnus to sleep on. And that - that's not an option.
"Because reasons?" Izzy had said teasingly when Alec called her in a panic.
"Shut up," he'd told her half-heartedly.
So now Magnus is curled up in Alec's bed, forehead a little crinkled and lips pushed into a pout as he tries to decipher the latest foreign text he's reading - maybe. Alec's basing this mental image purely on what he'd walked in on the previous night, having just settled Max after yet another nightmare.
All he has to do is go into his room and act like a perfectly unaffected human being, and everything will be fine.
Taking a deep breath, Alec opens the bathroom door. He crosses the hallway to his room; the door is open a couple of inches and he can see Magnus standing at the mirror taking his make up off. It feels wrong to intrude, so Alec waits a moment or two before knocking.
"Come in," Magnus says immediately. When he turns Alec sees he's wearing a pair of loose sweatpants and a tank top reading bi, fly and ready to try that shows off his well-defined arms. This man is going to kill him. "Alec, it's your room. You don't have to knock."
Alec glances away. "I - yeah. You might have wanted privacy."
"Well, thank you, darling," Magnus says, and Alec swallows hard. It feels so intimate, Magnus taking off his make up and the terms of endearment, them sharing a bed, and it's only the second night of this. He's screwed.
Alec gets into bed for something to do, and Magnus turns off the light and settles beside him. Alec feels warmth radiating off Magnus and this close he can smell his shampoo. He might not actually last the night. Honestly, he doesn't know how he made it through the last one.
Magnus' arm brushes his and Alec tenses.
"Sorry," Magnus whispers, and Alec makes a small noise in the dark. "Goodnight, Alexander."
Oh God. Alec is going to die.
∞
Cold jerks Alec's open, and he bolts upright, searching for what had disturbed him. His hammering heart slows only when he sees it’s just Magnus; he’d obviously pulled back the covers as he got out of bed and the chill had hit Alec’s skin on doing so.
“Max,” Magnus slurs, voice still heavy with sleep. “I’ll go.”
Alec twists his head on hearing his son’s name, and sure enough, he can hear muffled crying coming from the room next door.
“Magnus, I -”
Magnus meanders across the bedroom on his way to the door. The early morning sunrays filtering through the blinds paint his face, a canvas of shadows and planes of light. His cheekbones are highlighted; his usually dark brown eyes glow more gold. To Alec's sleepy eyes, he's never looked more beautiful.
“S’fine. Sleep,” is all Magnus says before he’s gone, and Alec shifts guiltily back under the covers. He sighs into the pillow and cocoons himself with blankets, listening out for when Magnus’ soft footsteps return.
Alec waits. The only thing he can hear is the murmur of Magnus’ voice through the wall, not clear enough to make out words. The realisation filters through to Alec that Magnus isn’t talking, he’s humming. Max’s cries have quietened now, and soon there’s silence. Eventually Magnus comes back into the bedroom.
“Thanks,” mumbles Alec, not moving from where he’s buried under the duvet.
“I said sleep,” Magnus chides gently, voice low. He slips into bed beside Alec, and Alec turns his face towards Magnus. Their eyes meet in the half-light and Alec’s fingers finds Magnus’ under the covers. He’s not sure if that’s okay, but after a moment Magnus squeezes his hand, and Alec drifts back to sleep with a smile.
He wakes again a few hours later, blinking sleepily into the muted colours of another bland work day. He shuffles, rearranging the covers on top of himself, and something jumps on him. Alec darts backwards and cracks his head on the headboard, then lets out a pained groan and a swearword or two.
“Alec?” Magnus mumbles beside him. Alec rubs at his head with one hand and swats away the monster that had attacked him with the other. Chairman Meow just knocks his head against Alec’s palm and treads up the covers until he’s sitting on Alec’s chest, then curls up.
“It’s your damned cat,” Alec says, already petting Chairman. “I should've realised the two of you were moving in.”
Magnus’ eyes stay closed but a small smile settles on his face, and Alec is so grateful he gets to see this side of Magnus, peaceful and soft. Magnus’ hand reaches out and taps along the mattress until it hits Alec’s arm, fingers trailing on skin.
“That’s not Chairman,” Alec says lowly after a moment, and Magnus opens one eye.
“Hm, my mistake,” he says and his hand moves further over Alec’s body to actually stroke the cat. Magnus’ lips are twitching and Alec can’t help but scoff.
“Such a tease,” he says playfully.
“Only if you want me to be,” comes Magnus' reply, and Alec suddenly feels warm all over. He clears his throat and reaches for his phone on the beside table, checking the time. He can have five more minutes.
“You don’t have to get up to Max in the night, you know,” he says quietly.
Magnus appears to be properly awake now and he stretches. “Did I overstep?” he asks, a little cautious, and Alec’s eyes widen.
“No, no! I -” Alec bites his lip, looks down at the cat cuddled on his chest. “It was nice, actually. I’m grateful. I just don’t want you to feel obliged - you don’t have to do it because you’re staying here.”
Magnus arranges the pillows and when he’s satisfied, slumps back on them, scratching Chairman’s head.
“I don’t feel obliged. Max was upset and I wanted to comfort him. That’s all.” He looks at Alec. “Plus I thought you could probably use a break.”
Alec huffs a laugh. “I don’t mind. It’s my job, you know? Not my job - it’s - I mean, it’s what I do. Look after Max.”
“Who looks after you, Alexander?”
If anyone else had asked it would have been a cliché, but there’s nothing but sincerity when Alec meets Magnus’ eye.
“I’m fine,” he says honestly.
Magnus’ smile returns. “Yes, you are,” he says, glancing appreciatively at Alec’s torso, exposed by the covers. The heavy moment from before is gone.
Alec rolls his eyes but smiles all the same, feeling a little pleased with himself.
“I should get Max ready,” he says, swinging his legs out of bed, and Magnus fixes him with a look.
“If you need any help getting dressed, darling, just let me know.”
Alec throws a pillow at him.
∞
By their fifth night, they’ve settled into quite a routine.
Magnus works from home most days, so he gives Max his tea, and then Alec gets home and reads to his son before bedtime. Max appears to be enjoying the extra attention immensely, and refuses to settle down for sleep without a kiss from Alec and a lullaby from Magnus.
Alec pulls Max’s bedroom door to once he’s said goodnight. He undoes his top button and loosens his tie on his way to the kitchen. Magnus is there, making dinner - Alec had refused to take any money from Magnus for the duration of his stay, so Magnus had insisted on cooking every night. He leans around Magnus to pluck the bottle opener from the counter, and his hand only brushes the small of Magnus’ back for a moment but Alec feels a rush anyway.
These small, innocent touches have been happening more and more as the week has progressed, and Alec can’t say he minds at all.
“How was work?” Magnus asks as he plates up the food.
Alec shrugs, then realises Magnus can’t see him. “Fine, I guess. Stressful. I'm very happy it’s the weekend.”
He rolls his sleeves up to the elbow and catches Magnus eyeing his arms when the dishes are set down on the table. Something fizzes pleasantly in his tummy.
Magnus regales him with one of his travel tales while they eat. His ringed fingers dance in the air as he talks, and Alec can’t tear his eyes away, suddenly realising that it's the weekend, Magnus has been here for five days, and he's going to be leaving soon. This - whatever this is - will stop and everything will go back to normal. Alec’s still blinking at Magnus when the man stops talking and looks at him.
“Alexander?”
Alec starts, guilty, but Magnus is smiling.
“Sorry,” Alec says.
“Something on your mind?” Magnus enquires, taking a sip of wine.
Alec glances down at his plate. Fiddling with his fork, knowing his face is red, he says,
“I’m gonna miss this.”
Magnus is gazing tenderly at him when Alec finally meets his eye. He reaches across the table to take Alec’s hand.
“As am I,” Magnus says softly. Alec clutches Magnus’ hand.
“Max is gonna miss you,” he adds, though he doesn’t know why. It’s true - Max will miss Magnus being around, but he’s three years old, and in a few weeks that time Magnus stayed around will probably be forgotten.
It just... it just feels so nice. So right. The three of them.
Alec’s not quite sure when his thoughts started veering off that way, but he’s allowed to entertain perfect domestic fantasies in the safety of his own head, right?
Magnus’ thumb strokes a burning line down Alec’s hand.
“I'll only be just upstairs,” he reminds Alec. “You’re welcome any time.”
Alec smiles at Magnus. “Yeah. Yeah, I - okay.”
He’s not sure what he’s agreeing to - not sure that there’s even anything being offered that he can agree to, but Magnus doesn’t seem to mind. They finish eating in silence, the atmosphere a little more charged than it was before. Magnus gets up to clear the plates, but Alec stops him.
“Magnus, I -”
Magnus glances up at him. They’re both on the same side of the table, barely a step between them, and Alec closes the gap. His fingers brush Magnus’ forearm. Magnus looks at him, open, unguarded, and leans in towards Alec.
“Alexander?” he whispers, smiling, and at that all Alec can do is lean forward and press their lips together. Magnus is still for the barest moment before he grips Alec’s shirtfront and pulls him closer. He tilts his head and Alec follows, kissing Magnus like he never wants to stop. One of Magnus’ hands lifts to tangle in Alec’s hair, curling through the strands at the nape of his neck. Alec tugs Magnus flush against him and licks into his mouth, Magnus moaning at the touch of his tongue.
Slowly they come back to themselves, switching the hot, heavy kisses for slower, lazier ones. Magnus mouths his lips along the curve of Alec’s jaw; Alec’s fingers trail gently up Magnus’ arms. Magnus is the one to pull away first, and Alec chases him unthinkingly, kissing him again before he can say anything. When Magnus does speak, he’s breathless, and something in Alec surges at the realisation.
“Maybe I should renovate my apartment more often?” he teases, and Alec laughs. Magnus puts his arms around Alec’s waist and Alec buries his face in Magnus’ shoulder, breathing him in.
“Definitely,” Alec agrees, speaking into Magnus’ skin. He presses his lips against Magnus’ neck and feels Magnus shiver. “If you need somewhere to stay, I might know a place.”
Magnus leans back from Alec, eyes twinkling.
“Thank you, angel,” he says, and he kisses Alec once more. “But where I am right now is perfect.”