Thank Yous should not be This Tiring (for magnus_bane)

[alexandra_lightwood]

 She wasn't supposed to be out of the Institute.  Technically, she wasn't supposed to be out of bed, but Alec was sure her family was being overprotective.  If she was careful and didn't overexert herself, she could make it to Brooklyn without aggravating her injuries.  Not that they were severe after Magnus had healed her.  

Which was the reason why she'd defied her family's orders to rest.  Magnus had spent the night healing her, keeping her company when she was terrified and sure that she was going to die.  He'd grounded her and made her feel safe despite the pain.  Then, when she was finally coherent enough to be able to think, he'd left her bedside, not saying a word before he leaving the Institute.

It's been frustrating since she'd wanted to thank him for what he'd done.  Magnus had shown her a kindness that she hadn't expected and he had no idea what it had meant to her.

The thought had worried at her until Alec had finally gotten out of bed, struggling to put on jeans and a sweater that was more black than gray, and slowly limped her way to Magnus' apartment building.  Leaning heavily on the wall near the buzzer, she pushed the button, impatiently waiting for Magnus to answer.

Comments

[magnus_bane]

"I'm sure my guests would have preferred it if I had. Fortunately you were with them... I have a soft spot for dark hair and blue eyes." He purposely let that hang in the air for a moment before adding in a low rich tone. "Softer still for one that defends the honor of a warlock."

Brushing past that fact, he figured that was enough in way of thanks for her words. He'd pretended it was of no consequence when it happened. Yet, with just the two of them, he wanted her to know it meant far more. "Your sister is formidable in personality but also chaotic. You are the anchor to her and the chaos that is Jace Way-whatever. I know it started with way."

He released the cat to wave it off and the Chairman hopped off his lap. His golden eyes watched the cat move from him to Alec. The ball of fur sniffed her a little then softly weaved through her legs. "The Chairman likes you..." It made him smile to see it.

But as soon as she said she wanted tea, he snapped his fingers and a cup appeared in her hands. As well as one in his own. "I am prone to laziness." Meaning he had no intention of getting up, even after his cat left him for her.

He looked up suddenly from his tea, however... at her question. Letting his eyes study her, he weighed all the pros and cons of the situation in his mind. Finally he breathed in slowly and decided it was worth the risk. "Well... How about I buy you dinner tonight and you can tell me as I drop you off if you want to see me again. Fair enough? Besides... if my cat likes you, I can date you."

[alexandra_lightwood]

Her eyes widened when Magnus said that he preferred her coloration, smiling shyly when he mentioned defending him. "I just spoke the truth, Magnus. At least what I believe is true." Others might not believe the same, but she did. Tentatively, she reached out to touch his hand. "And I'll always believe it."

Despite the seriousness of the topic, Alec couldn't help laughing softly at the descriptions of her siblings. "Chaotic is a good word for them. Usually 'overwhelming' comes to mind." There were others, but she didn't want to think of how bright Jace and Isabelle seemed compared to her. Not when Magnus seemed to want spend time with her.

Holding her hand out to the Chairman, she was about to pet the tiny cat when a cup of tea appeared in her hands, the cup warm against her palms. Stuttering a thank you, she took a sip, realizing he'd somehow guessed that chai was her favorite... or it was the easiest type to cause to appear. When she less nervous, she'd ask. Maybe.

As he watched her, doubt began to creep through her. Even if she had dark hair and blue eyes, why would someone like Magnus be interested in her? His kindness was probably just because he felt sorry for his patient, not because he actually liked her. It was going to be just like Jace all over again except...

Magnus wasn't leading her on. He really wanted to go out with her. "Okay. Dinner and then I'll tell you, but I think I already know the answer." Holding out her hand to the Chairman, she waited for him to decide pettings were acceptable before rubbing lightly between his ears. "I'm glad you like me." Whether she meant the cat or Magnus, she wasn't sure.

[magnus_bane]

"Then you are one of few amongst shadowhunters. It simply means you are like diamond in the rough. A rare and beautiful thing." He was musing now. More talking to himself as his mind argued with him for his decisions to bring her into his life. Someone like her... shouldn't be passed by due to old prejudice. He couldn't even fathom her changing.

A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "Your sister is definitely a Lightwood. As for the blonde terror... Fabio comes to mind even though I know that means nothing to you. But I'm sure his mirror sees more action than he lets anyone else." Maybe a little cruel. He'd seen the way he looked at Clary but he didn't care. He felt an inkling of responsibility to the girl... but he knew little of her personality till the party. And he wasn't sure he liked her or not.

Sipping from his own cup, he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Turning the cup between his hands thoughtfully, he kept his eyes on her. It made him wonder why she would pull something like this. Why risk this? Obviously she couldn't be serious about him... not when they both knew that a serious relationship would end horribly her career as a shadowhunter.

"Dinner it is. Any preference? Where neither of us are dressed for fancy, it still might be amusing to go expensive to see the waiters and patrons flail." He grinned like a cheshire cat at the thought. Closing his eyes just a moment, he felt something flutter in his chest at the comment of already knowing the answer. Then they flicked back open at her last words. "Cat's are very picky about who they like."

Setting his tea aside, he rose to his feet and moved closer to her. Without a thought and in one fluid motion, a hand slipped under her chin as his knee settled on the sofa beside her. As he lifted her countenance to himself, he bent down and very softly kissed her lips. Chaste and sweet. Nothing overly drawn out and only tenderly lingering. As he pulled back, he smiled at her warmly. "Cats and I have a lot in common."

[alexandra_lightwood]

There was part of her that wanted to protest his words. She couldn't be that special or rare. There had to be others among the Nephilim who would have said the same things she had. But she couldn't ruin his compliment by denying that it was possible that she really could be like that, to Magnus at least. Not when she couldn't remember anyone complimenting her and it not being meaningless charm or praising her fighting skills.

It was charming, but it was also honest. There were dozens of other shallower things Magnus could have said about her instead of praising her virtue. Smiling at the compliment, her eyes brightened, almost glowing with a happiness she hadn't felt before. Magnus thought she was special, something she doubted anyone else had believed before.

The happiness reflected in her eyes turned to amusement as Magnus described her siblings. She didn't get the Fabio reference, but the comparison seemed accurate about Jace and mirrors. "The best way to deal with Jace is to shove him in a closet and leave him there for awhile." Alec only done it once, but that had been enough to keep him from being too obnoxious in her presence.

It was tempting to say yes to going somewhere expensive, but Alec wanted a chance to get to know Magnus and she doubted that would happen if she was nervous over people throwing them out for not being dressed properly. And, if the did go somewhere like that, she wanted a chance to look nice. Maybe not Izzy's level of nice, but at least not like she'd been beaten up by a demon recently. "Maybe Taki's tonight and somewhere expensive for the next date?"

Scritching under the Chairman's chin, she wondered if she was being too forward, assuming that there would be another date. She wanted one. She already knew that. Magnus might not be like anyone else she'd met, but she already knew she could care for him... if she didn't already.

Her eyes widened slightly when Magnus moved, leaning in to his touch instead of pulling away like she expected. Her breath caught and her eyes fluttered closed as he softly kissed her, smiling softly as Magnus pulled away. "I've always liked cats."

[magnus_bane]

"Sounds fortuitous to men that may want a shot at his majesty." Even as he joked, he wondered about Alec and Jace. Alec's eyes followed Jace. She seemed to turn to him often and he couldn't tell if it was because they were parabatai or because she was in love with him. Possibly both.

Which made this harder for him. It wouldn't be easy to date someone with the elephant in the room of a boy she was in love with. Gold eyes watched his cat melt under her fingertips and he sighed a little. Hopefully he was just over thinking it. Really... another guy would be the 'smaller' part of their possible problems.

"I think that is a good choice." A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips at her mentioning a second date. He would take it in stride for now. She may want it now, but there was a chance she wouldn't after. He didn't wish to 'count the chickens before they hatch' so to speak.

But it didn't seem to stop him from that one act of kissing those lips. Tipping his head, he kissed the corner of her lips before he pulled back. Letting his fingertips slip along her jaw, he let out a gentle laugh. "Do you? They can be a bit eccentric."

[alexandra_lightwood]

Her mother would have been annoyed by the quiet snort of laughter Alec let out at the thought of Jace being in the closet. The sound wasn't ladylike, but then few people expected Alec to act like a lady and she rarely did. At least in the ways that her parents thought were proper. At least Izzy liked all those 'girly' things that Alec had been too busy keeping an eye on her siblings to really pay attention to. "He might have considered it before Clary."

Clary who had picked up on Alec's past infatuation with Jace and tried to pick a fight with her to prove that she was more important to the blond than his parabatai. Some of the things Clary had said had been true, but those feelings had died down awhile ago after a few weeks of kind of dating before Jace had tried to kindly let her down.

It'd broken her heart, but she hadn't expected it to work out. She wasn't Jace's type, too steady and serious for him... and unwilling to put up with his manic ego without grounding him when it got out of hand.

"Taki's is okay?" After hearing everyone talk about Magnus in hushed tones, Alec had wondered if the High Warlock had ever been there. Most of the customers seemed to act like Magnus was a legend. "That's where we got the invitation to the party."

The first kiss was special, the first she'd ever been given. The second meant even more to her even if it was more a sign of affection than the first. He'd kissed her and he'd liked it enough to do it again. Butterflies swooped in her chest, bringing a feeling like being caught in warm sunshine at the thought. Leaning in, she caught his gaze, shivering at the feeling of his fingers against her skin, before giving him a sweet, shy kiss. "I like eccentric, immortal cats."

[magnus_bane]

"That relationship will be..." A train wreck? Hazardous to those around them? "Interesting to watch." Far too kind. But she liked the blonde, so he stayed tactful enough. The two individuals in question were wholly too selfish. People could say the same for him... but there was far more to Magnus than he let other people see.

Moving to sit on the sofa beside her, he fought that urge to draw her closer to him. Normally he didn't move that fast. Well, not with someone he wanted to last. But something about her fit. Something made him feel like she was the one he always seemed to look for but never found. "I think Taki's will be fine. A good easy atmosphere. As for the invitation, that doesn't surprise me."

When their eyes caught, he moved automatically to meet her lips. The soft touch ignited something inside he didn't expect. Licking his lips, he stayed close and breathed her in. "And I like strong, independent angels." Smiling at her, it was only half teasing. The real word was 'women', but she was an angel in so many ways.

And he couldn't resist... not when he was this close. Reaching up, he slipped his hand into her hair at the back of her neck. Drawing her in, he kissed her lips with slow precise movement. Licking and nibbling at her lips, he coaxed her lips apart before he took her mouth. No action was fast, rather it was slow and sweet even as he deepened the kiss causing that raging fire inside to flare in the most consumingly pleasant way.

[alexandra_lightwood]

"Jace's never been in a relationship, so I don't know what it'll be like." She'd thought he had but her impressions of them 'dating' had been different than his. Technically, he hadn't even thought of it as dating until Izzy had confronted him and Jace had told Alec the truth.

The Chairman made a faint sound of protest as Magnus stole her attention away from him. "I'm glad we got that invitation and that you let us in. I'm still surprised that I was the one you noticed." Her eyes were an unusual color, but that didn't mean she was the 'cute one.' Especially when compared to Isabelle or even Clary.

It wasn't until Magnus called her an angel that Alec realized what she'd said. She'd only half meant the comment to include Magnus, at first thinking of Church, then realized the description fit the warlock as well.

Moving with the gentle hand at her neck, her breath caught as she melted into the kiss. Moaning softly at the feeling of teeth against her lips, she let Magnus taste her, hand tangling in his shirt as she began to return the kiss.

Part of her needed that connection, needed to feel him solid against her fingers since kissing Magnus felt like falling except she wasn't afraid. Magnus would catch her... he wouldn't let her get hurt.

When she finally had to pull away to catch her breath, she slowly opened her eyes, fingers sliding from his shirt to brush his jaw. "You're the first person I've ever kissed."

[magnus_bane]

"I just know he's annoying and trouble." Shrugging his shoulders, he settled onto the couch and urged her to lean against him. Forward? Yes. But he didn't let his hands wander and simply held her close so she could rest and they could talk. That is... if she wanted to. He left it easy for her to get away.

"Red heads aren't my thing. I've been watching Clary grow up since she was an infant. Isabelle is a Lightwood. No offense. Bad history with your family. Nothing personal to Isabelle herself. Jace is trouble. You... you are truly a marvel." He said it all honestly and without reserve. He had no reason to lie to her and he wanted her to understand that she was special. Very much so.

And after a kiss like that... his world came to a halt. Everything inside seemed to come to life in ways it hadn't in years. And in ways that had never happened before. It was a stunning realization that he wasn't expecting at all. Sliding his hand up into her hair, he closed his eyes and tipped his head to nuzzle at the top of her head.

"Then I believe I am a very lucky man indeed and hope I did not disappoint." Smiling just a little, he looped the raven locks about his fingers and played with it softly. "I'm sorry if I'm being too forward."

[alexandra_lightwood]

Blushing slightly, Alec settled against Magnus, surprised that she didn't feel awkward at being so close to someone she barely knew. But then, in a way they did know each other. Magnus had seen her at her worst, terrified and in pain and he hadn't thought less of her for whatever she might had said and did while he stayed at her bedside.

For once, she thought of Jace and realized she didn't want to think of him or the trouble he'd probably get them into later. Clary was a subject she avoided. Alec would force herself to like the redhead, but she doubted that she'd ever be friends with her. The comment about her family should have annoyed her, but she knew that Magnus was right. Her family wasn't open-minded about Downworlders despite how often Izzy dated them.

"I think most of the older Downworlders have had bad experiences with my family." Which made her wonder what her ancestors had done to Magnus and why he was so willing to be close to her. Could standing up for him really be that special? "What I did... what I said... really is that rare? It seems like someone else should have seen what I see in you."

Realizing what she'd said her blush brightened, but she didn't pull away. "Someone should have defended you other than me."

But the thought that she was so special thrilled her, especially after she felt like she was floating from that kiss. It reminded her of all those poetic descriptions she'd read and wondered if they could be true. Like she'd finally found something vital that had been missing until she had been pulled into Magnus' life.

Letting out a happy sigh as Magnus nuzzled her hair, she rested her head against his shoulder. "It was everything I'd hoped for." Which probably made her sound foolish, but it was the truth. It was everything she could have hoped for, causing her to wish that there would be more kisses and maybe more than that if their dates went well. "You're not too forward, Magnus." Pausing, she smiled, wondering if she'd mind if he did become too forward. "I'll let you know if you cross the line."

[magnus_bane]

"I only observed most of their doing and their hypocritical claims. But those was over a century ago." Shrugging a little, he knew that Gabriel and Gideon at least tried to clean up the Lightwood name. Not that he stayed in too much contact with the Clave till Jocelyn drug him in. Pausing at her last question, he thought about it honestly. "It starts that way. One Nephilim tried. But in very very different context. I don't spend much time with shadowhunters. Where they've changed a bit as of the century... certain events in the past makes me very wary."

"As for my merit and worth... I've not had much contact with the stalwartly in my corner." There were different kinds of defense. Most that did hear his story about his parents would be the 'I'm sorry' for you crowd. Alec got defensive. That was a far cry different.

People didn't support him. Magnus supported other people. It was how it always went.

Wrapping his arms more firmly about her when she showed no desire to pull away, he let his chin rest on her shoulder. She was warm... solid but lithe with the perfect muscle tone. To him, Alexandra Lightwood was perfect.

"Good to know." Smiling a little smugly, he let his eyes fall closed. "How late may I keep you then? So I won't have the Clave breaking my door down for kidnapping you." Turning his head just a little, he nuzzled just behind her ear. Breathing in her scent, he felt a rush of warmth envelope him in response to her presence just filling his senses. "Just tell me when you're rested up enough to eat as well. I have a feeling I could fall asleep like this..." Another of the catlike features of his.

[alexandra_lightwood]

"We haven't changed much in a century." The thought was depressing in so many ways. Alec hadn't thought of it, not seriously, until she'd met Magnus and the warlock had captured her attention. Then, she began to realize how the Nephilim treated others. It was something she'd felt guilty about and hoped that she could at least act better than she had in the past. "Whatever my ancestors did... I'm sorry."

Shifting closer, her heart ached as she thought of the pain he must have went through over the years because of what his parents had done. "If they haven't realized your worth then you haven't been hanging out with the right people."

People like her, maybe. It seemed possible since they were curled up together. It felt comfortable and safe in a way she didn't expect, waiting to be with him for as long as possible.

She wasn't sure if it was 'good to know' that the kiss had been what she'd hoped for or that she'd warn him if he got too friendly. Maybe it was both, though Alec hoped that it was the kiss he'd referred to since she wanted him to kiss her again.

"No one from the Clave will look." Her parents wouldn't check on her until morning, if then and the only other 'adult' that might care about her was gone. "Izzy might worry but I think she'd know where I was." Since Isabelle had almost shoved her at Magnus, it'd surprise Alec if her sister didn't assume that was where she was.

Cuddling into his side, she closed her eyes, ignoring how sad it must seem that no one would look for her. She couldn't think of that when Magnus was holding her. "I don't mind if we fall asleep." Her voice was soft, hazy with tiredness that Alec hadn't noticed until she realized how warm and happy she was with Magnus' arms around her. "I'm supposed to rest."

[magnus_bane]

"I don't recall any direct assault on me other than verbal from your ancestors. You look nothing like them. Well... One, if you're from her." He was rambling a little, but he rarely thought about Nephilim and bloodlines and what they looked like. After he ran from Will and the others, he did his best to not pay too much attention to them.

When she commented on the 'crowd' he ran with he wanted to snort. The first thought was that people probably shouldn't have bothered with him. If it continued to be an issue, obviously the problem pointed to himself. "If you continue to feel as you do, lovely angel, I will agree with that deduction." Smiling lightly, he moved his head to catch her eye. "Deal?"

He felt a warm pleased sensation in his chest... that disappeared the instant Alec said no one would look for her. The thought that her parents wouldn't even seek her out made him unbelievably upset. Wrapping her up tightly into his arms, he kissed the side of her head. "If it makes you feel better... Alec... I would look for you."

Lifting a hand, he threaded it through her hair gently and lovingly. His eyes were half closed as he watched the silky raven locks slide through his slender fingers. "Then sleep... you do need rest." Pressing his face into Alec's hair, he continued to play with her hair as he drifted off.

"I'll take care of you. I promise."

[alexandra_lightwood]

"I'm glad they didn't hurt you physically at least." It helped a bit to know that so she didn't wonder if they had tried to do the kind of things she'd read about to him. She wasn't sure what she would have said or done if they had. "I might be... everyone says that I don't have the Lightwood eyes, but neither does Izzy." Her parents eyes were blue, but neither one of them had the same shade as Alec's... maybe that was the resemblance Magnus noticed.

Smiling at the idea that Magnus might eventually agree with her, Alec snuggled closer, knowing that her thoughts about him wouldn't change. "Then you should agree now since my opinion is going to stay the same." No matter what things she might have read about warlocks being 'dangerous' she knew that Magnus was a good person.

Her parents disinterest was something she'd gotten used to. They were busy. They had more important things to do than keep an eye on a daughter that was a few weeks away from becoming an adult. It'd hurt, though, that they hadn't been there after the attack. Izzy had been waiting, of course. And Magnus had been the one to comfort her.

"It does make me feel better." She had to be special if Magnus would say that he'd look for her. He wouldn't do that for any patient that he healed. She hoped.

Humming softly as he played with her hair, her eyes drifted closed, sleep slowing her thoughts. "Don't want to ruin our date by falling asleep." But it felt good to be held and to have someone care about her... and to care about someone else. "And I promise to take care of you."