Work Text
"So, Magnus, what do you think? It's just uh...I know you represented a client in a similar case recently, and I know it's a lot to ask, but uh...I thought maybe you could, you know...?"Magnus sat back a little on his couch and regarded Alec Lightwood curiously, while he pretended to ponder the younger man's plea for assistance with his family's latest case. He could see the desperation in Alec's eyes; he could tell how important this case was to his family; he could guess at how much trouble they were going to be in if they lost.Although, in reality, he was a little too distracted by Alec's presence in his Brooklyn loft to give all of his focus to the Lightwoods' latest plight involving their law firm. Alec worked for one of Magnus's biggest professional rivals, but this didn't change the fact that shy, awkward Alec Lightwood was the most beautiful man-both inside and out-that Magnus had ever met.Deciding that Alec wasn't coping too well with the suspense of waiting for an answer (if his tense body language was anything to go by), Magnus finally started to speak. "Well, I suppose I'd be prepared to offer my services," he answered slowly, making sure to add a fake sigh, for dramatic effect, as though it would be such a burden, to have the opportunity to see more of Alec in the courtroom for a few hours while Magnus assisted with the case. "I'm pretty certain that I can win...for the right price," he teased with a flirty wink, deciding that he might as well have a little fun for the few brief moments that he had Alec's full attention.Alec had never really shown any signs of being interested in Magnus (or any other guy), but still, Magnus always enjoyed attempting to flirt with him; he enjoyed the way Alec got nervous and blushed and stumbled over his words as he tried to respond, as though he wasn't used to people flirting with him or finding him attractive.Surprisingly, Alec didn't blush this time. "Name it," Alec shrugged, his expression serious, professional, apparently still keeping things strictly-business and not yet realizing that Magnus was just teasing and trying to flirt with him.Magnus got up slowly from his seat and made a show of pacing around Alec, moving closer then moving away just as quickly, enjoying playing around for a little while before they had to return to more serious talk about the case. He was sure he only imagined that Alec's breathing got a little heavier when Magnus briefly stepped into his personal space."You," Magnus eventually replied in mock seriousness, deciding that he might as well go all out, now that Alec had basically paved the way for more suggestive comments, by asking Magnus outright to name his price. "I'd do you pro bono," he added, unable to resist the opportunity for even more blatant innuendo, and feeling kind of proud of himself for the play on words. He decided that he was going to try using that line on some hot guy, the next time he went out partying in the city, just to see if it worked.Alec's eyes widened in apparent shock for a few seconds (almost as though Magnus didn't make comments like that all the time-or whenever he had the opportunity to talk to Alec, anyway), then he really did blush this time. "Magnus…I…uh…I don't…I haven't…" he stuttered."Relax, Alexander," Magnus cut him off, deciding that he'd made Alec uncomfortable enough for one day and therefore trying to sound more reassuring this time.Alec took a few deep breaths and then nodded slowly a few times, an intense expression on his face as though he had just silently reached a conclusion about something or other.Magnus had no idea what he was thinking about (he generally found Alec Lightwood pretty difficult to read), but he wondered if Alec was perhaps reminding himself that this kind of behavior was simply to be expected from Magnus."I'll help your family with the case, represent your client on their behalf," Magnus continued to reassure him. "After all, as your sister always says, the law is the law," he quoted, to remind Alec of the typical line that Isabelle used at the parties she hosted for fellow lawyers in an attempt to remind them all that they should put aside their rivalries and help each other out more, because justice was still justice, no matter what. "Besides, I'm sure there'll be nothing stopping me from jumping through a few gaping loopholes and technicalities that your parents have clearly overlooked in order to win this case," he couldn't resist adding, taking the opportunity to throw in an insult aimed at Alec's parents.Of course he was going to help. Magnus always did everything he could to help his friends out, usually without expecting anything in return (sometimes to his own detriment, as his generosity had often been taken advantage of), but he always found Alec's requests for help particularly hard to resist. He knew that Alec had a good heart, and he'd often helped Magnus out with his own cases-for reasons completely unknown to Magnus, given that Alec didn't really seem to enjoy Magnus's company-staying late with Magnus at his office to go over paperwork or simply showing up with drinks and snacks when Magnus was tired.In fact, Magnus was already certain that his feelings for Alec ran far deeper than just lust or professional admiration...not that he could admit that out loud, not when Alec was very clearly not interested in him in that way and was probably straight anyway, given that there were several rumors (started by Alec's adopted brother, Jace) that Alec had a crush on Lydia Branwell, one of the top lawyers in the city.However, these not-so-platonic feelings on Magnus's part meant that he was even more inclined than usual to rush to this man's aid like a knight in shining armor whenever he needed help."I'm joking, Alexander," he said, attempting to sound apologetic as Alec frowned at him in response to Magnus's comment about his parents. "Let's not get too tense about it all; I'm sure it will all work out fine." He still couldn't help feeling slightly smug though, at the thought of how angry Alec's parents would be when they found out that Alec had chosen to go to Magnus for help, of all people. Of course, it would also be useful, having the Lightwoods owe him a favor in return for this at some point in the future.Alec nodded again. "Uh…okay, thanks, I guess," he shrugged.He turned to leave the apartment, but then he suddenly stopped, as though he had just thought of something else. He turned around and headed back towards Magnus. "I…uh…should we shake on it? This…uh…this deal, I mean?" he asked Magnus, sounding slightly breathless for some strange reason, looking both vulnerable and serious at the same time, if that was even possible. Magnus felt a rush of affection that he quickly tried to suppress."Ever the professional," Magnus smirked at him, holding out his hand. He wasn't really sure that a handshake was entirely necessary (he was certain that Alec must already know from past experience in the courtroom that Magnus was always happy to help him with cases, without the two of them having to shake on it), but he also knew that Alec liked everything to be official, sealed with handshakes and agreements and detailed contracts.More importantly, Magnus was happy for any opportunity to hold Alec's hand in his.As Alec left the apartment, Magnus couldn't help noticing that he looked even more nervous than usual, and he wondered what was bothering him.Magnus ended his closing statement with a dramatic flourish of his hands. He knew that a 'not guilty' verdict was pretty much a forgone conclusion at this point, and the case wasn't supposed to be particularly intense, anyway, but still, he always enjoyed having an audience, both at work and at play, and this moment in the courtroom was no exception.Throughout the afternoon, he'd enjoyed pacing up and down the courtroom, alternating between speaking softly and deliberately, and raising his voice at just the right time for dramatic effect. He'd even managed to throw a few 'profound' quotes into the proceedings, lines that he considered to be on a level with, 'You can't handle the truth!", although a part of him thought that he should perhaps stop watching A Few Good Men so often when he had his typical movie-and-cocktail-nights.All of the slow and deliberate statements and dramatic flourishes had been extra satisfying, knowing that the Lightwoods were watching the whole time; knowing that they would be forced to admit that Magnus had done a better job than they could have done, this time; and, well, if Alec got to see Magnus from a good angle when he was pacing the room, looking his best and doing what he loved, then it could only be considered as a bonus.Sure enough, as soon as the verdict was read out, the courtroom erupted into cheers. Even the Lightwoods and their associates looked happy for once, with a few of the male members of their team patting each other on the back and sharing 'manly hugs', while Isabelle Lightwood ran up to Magnus to hug him tightly.As the applause continued, Magnus had to resist the urge to take a bow, and he definitely had to cover up a smug smirk when Maryse begrudgingly thanked him for his help.As the noise died down a little and people started to sit down again, Magnus noticed that the only person in the room who didn't appear to be particularly thrilled was Alec Lightwood. In fact, the object of Magnus's affection looked strangely perplexed about something, if the expression on his face was anything to go by.It wasn't as though Alec was particularly expressive with his emotions most of the time (from what Magnus had seen of him, anyway), but Magnus had hoped that he might have joined in with the celebrations a little, or perhaps even just shared a smile with him, given that his family's professional reputation had yet again been saved, thanks to Magnus. And, given that Magnus was such a generous person (most of the time, anyway) and hadn't asked for anything in return, this meant that Alec had avoided getting the Lightwood family into any kind of debt by seeking Magnus's help, whereas another rival law firm might have demanded some sort of payment from them upfront. So really, he couldn't see what Alec had to worry about right now.Yet Alec hadn't moved from his seat at all when the verdict was first read out, and he was now staring into the distance, as though his thoughts were elsewhere. His cheeks even seemed to be a little flushed when Magnus walked past him on his way out of the courtroom. For a moment, he thought he saw a small smile on Alec's lips as he walked past, but then Alec's expression was serious again, and Magnus told himself that he'd only imagined that smile.Magnus couldn't help sighing to himself as he made his way out of the building. He'd thought that Alec would at least have thanked him for his help, but no such luck.Later that night, Magnus took a couple more sips of the cocktail he'd made for himself and sat back a little on his couch, getting more comfortable.This was his own personal way of celebrating a victory in the courtroom. Once, he would have headed to the coolest bars and clubs in the city, and he probably would have hooked up with some attractive man or woman before the end of the night, but now, he much preferred quiet evenings in, sipping cocktails or drinking tea and watching reruns of his favorite TV shows.He couldn't help sighing softly; as pleasant as the evening had been, deep down he wished he had someone to share it with. For the first time in his life, he finally felt ready to settle down, make a commitment, find a relationship that wouldn't inevitably lead to vengeful exes and custody battles over cats.He was just contemplating the idea of taking a long, hot bath when suddenly, he heard a knock at his front door. The knocking continued for several seconds, sounding loud, urgent, almost.Slowly and carefully, Magnus got up from his seat and headed to the door, cocktail still in hand.He unlocked the door, wondering who could be calling on him at this late hour.He opened the door cautiously, half-expecting his work colleagues to be waiting eagerly on the other side of it, asking him to go out for a few drinks to celebrate the end of a long working week, or maybe his friend Catarina, hoping to open a bottle of wine and spend the evening with him, watching old movies.However, when the door was fully open, Magnus stood face to face with the very last person that he had expected to see."A-Alexander," said Magnus, unable to hide his surprise at the identity of his late-night visitor. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"Alec looked as stunning as ever, still wearing his suit that he typically wore in the courtroom, and Magnus was just about to make some sort of joke about how it had to be a crime to still look that good after such a busy week, but he decided that Alec didn't seem to be in the mood for flirty comments right now (not that Alec ever seemed to be in the mood for flirty comments, but he looked even less inclined to be the subject of Magnus's innuendos at the moment)."Uh...is anybody here?" Alec asked him, ignoring Magnus's question as he shuffled from one foot to the other. He sounded like he was out of breath, and his eyes darted frantically from left to right.For a brief moment, Magnus wondered whether he should actually admit that he was alone and therefore vulnerable. He trusted Alec Lightwood, of course, but he wouldn't put it past certain other members of the Lightwood family to send one of the younger members of the family around to Magnus's apartment to deliver some kind of semi-threatening message, or a warning about what he could expect if he told too many people that he had done them a favor in the courtroom today. The Lightwoods had a reputation in Brooklyn for running their law firm with Mafia-like efficiency."There's nobody else here," Magnus told him after a few seconds of silence, allowing his trust of Alec to win out over his suspicion of Alec's parents.Alec took a few deep breaths, looking Magnus up and down for a few moments. Magnus briefly allowed himself to hope that Alec was actually checking him out, but then Alec seemed to stare at Magnus's clothes with a frown and an almost judgmental expression on his face, and Magnus started to wonder if it really had been such a good idea to wear what Alec probably considered to be a very strange combination of his most comfortable sweatpants, paired with a silk, floral robe that had been left in the apartment by Magnus's most recent ex, Camille, after their break up a few months ago. The robe was currently untied of course, leaving most of his torso on display.On the other hand, Magnus had endured so many bitter arguments with Camille over the division of their belongings, along with accusations over who had allegedly taken what from whom, that he therefore always considered the wearing of the robe to be some sort of small victory.After a moment or two, Alec seemed to snap out of whatever it was that he was thinking about, and his expression was all-business again. He let out a deep sigh and pushed past Magnus without waiting to be invited in, heading towards Magnus's living room. Magnus picked up on a faint smell of alcohol as Alec hurried past him, and he wondered if Alec had been drinking. He also wondered why innocent, cautious, alcohol-hating Alec would have been drinking in the first place.Alec walked right into the middle of Magnus's living room and stood still, continuing to take deep breaths.Magnus sat down slowly on his couch and observed him with a worried frown, trying to ignore the fact that Alec still looked beautiful, in spite of his current terrified-looking expression.He took a few more sips of his cocktail to calm his own growing nerves. He was starting to suspect that Alec was here to tell him that something had gone terribly wrong after today's verdict-maybe there was going to be an appeal, or a full re-trial…perhaps they had all overlooked some sort of loophole or technicality?"Why are you here, Alexander?" Magnus asked him with a raised eyebrow, trying to sound calming. As pleasurable as it was to sit and observe Alec Lightwood, standing right in front of him in his living room wearing an elegant suit, a part of him really needed to hear whatever bad news Alec had come to announce as soon as possible, so that he could process it and begin to think up possible solutions to any problems that had arisen."Magnus, come on," Alec sighed, looking exasperated, and also like he was blushing, although Magnus wasn't sure if he had said anything inappropriate to make Alec blush, yet. "You know why I'm here."Magnus stared at Alec in confused silence, wondering what was going on, and asking himself if he was maybe overlooking something important that he was supposed to know about.Then, out of nowhere, Alec took another deep breath and mumbled, "Let's do this," before he took his jacket off, threw it ungracefully on the floor and started to unbutton his shirt!Magnus practically choked on his drink as Alec hurriedly undid all of his shirt buttons, his hands looking a little shaky, until his torso was fully on display.Magnus wanted to say something, he really did, but the sight of that glorious torso rendered him temporarily speechless. He sat still, his drink frozen in his hand halfway to his mouth.He'd secretly fantasised about getting to see those abs many times, but his fantasies were nothing compared to the reality of the sight in front of him. Magnus was sure that he zoned out completely for a minute or two, and everything else in the room seemed to go hazy as his eyes and his thoughts focused entirely on that body, as though he hadn't already seen hot bodies many times before. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest, and his throat was dry, and certain parts of his body were definitely starting to wake up at the beautiful sight in front of him.He was only snapped back into some semblance of logical thinking when Alec kicked off his shoes, one of them narrowly missing Magnus as it sailed past him in the air, and then his shaking hands moved away from his shirt and towards his belt buckle…"Alexander, stop," Magnus insisted, putting his drink down on the coffee table. He held up both of his hands to reinforce the command that he had just given, feeling like he deserved some sort of award for self-control.Alec stopped what he was doing and stared at Magnus with a confused frown.Magnus almost couldn't believe his own words. He still felt kind of spaced out by the view of the glorious body on display in front of him, and he now wasn't sure why exactly he wanted Alec to stop.After all, what was there to complain about? Alexander Lightwood, his crush, the object of his affections, the subject of most of Magnus's dirty thoughts and fantasies, was standing in his living room on a Friday night, taking his clothes off, displaying that hot body for Magnus's eyes only, like this was Magnus's own private show. Almost everything about this situation was Magnus's dream come true, and his own body was very much on board with Alec continuing to strip off.But, on the other hand, Magnus felt like there was something very wrong about what was happening, especially with Alec still blushing, and his chest rising and falling rapidly, making it look like he was breathing way too fast, which suggested that he was scared about something, not to mention the fact that Alec had clearly had a drink or two. There was even a trickle of sweat running slowly down Alec's neck, which Magnus would have seductively offered to lick off Alec's skin, in other circumstances, if Alec hadn't looked so afraid. But not right now; not when he felt like he really needed to know what was happening; like he really needed to know why Alec looked so nervous about something before Magnus could even attempt to flirt or joke around."Did I do something wrong?" Alec asked, his voice soft, his expression looking so vulnerable."Nothing of the sort," Magnus replied automatically.After all, there was nothing particularly wrong with a handsome man taking his clothes off in front of Magnus; it was a sight that Magnus might have seen many times before with many of his past lovers, but it was also a sight that he would never tire of, and there was something about Alec that was so much better, so much more intriguing than any of the men that Magnus had been attracted to before; but Magnus needed to understand why Alec, who always kept his clothes very firmly in place when he spent any time with Magnus, was doing this right now, in the middle of his apartment, while looking absolutely terrified, before he could let Alec remove any more items of clothing. He knew that if Alec stripped off completely, any sense of rational thinking would probably fly right out of the apartment windows."Magnus…I…uh…I've never done this before," Alec mumbled, speaking in barely more than a whisper and blushing all over again. "I mean, the uh…the whole, the whole having s-sex thing. So, if you haven't changed your mind about this, you might have to tell me how I…""Woah, hold on there a second," Magnus gasped, jumping up from his seat at Alec's words. He didn't stand too close to Alec, though; that torso was distraction enough, even from a distance.Alec stared back at him, still looking confused and vulnerable. Magnus really wanted to talk in a lot more detail about the fact that Alec had just revealed that he had never had sex before, maybe even demand to know how that was even possible when he was sure that anyone who ever encountered Alec must find him stunningly handsome, and anyone who ended up with him would be lucky to have him, but he knew that now wasn't the moment for all of that. He was sure that comments like that would just make Alec blush even more than usual, anyway."You came here to have sex?" Magnus asked in a tone of disbelief. "With me?""I, uh…I thought we agreed?" Alec asked him slowly, his eyebrows furrowed. "I thought this was part of the deal?""Deal?" Magnus asked him, still feeling bewildered, but also feeling like his heart was starting to beat even faster, and a trickle of sweat was also starting to run down his own neck, as though some part of his body was vaguely recalling something-some earlier conversation, perhaps- before his rational mind could even recall it, and his fear response was already starting to kick in as a consequence. "W-what deal, Alexander?""T-that if you helped us, this is what you wanted in return," Alec mumbled, now back to shuffling from one foot to another."What?" Magnus asked him, his hands starting to shake."You said that you would help us, for the right price," Alec continued, now sounding a little unsure of himself, like he was going over a previous conversation extremely carefully, reminding himself that a particular event definitely did happen. "I said name your price, and you said 'you'. That's what you said, right, Magnus?" Alec pointed from Magnus to his own bare torso, the gesture looking more awkward than seductive.Magnus's eyes widened as realization finally hit him like a ton of bricks. It might have been hilarious, in other circumstances, with another man who had nothing to do with Magnus's professional life or his professional rivals: this misunderstanding, coupled with Alec's awkward 'seduction' techniques, might have been something to laugh about with his friends over drinks in the not so distant future; but right now, there was nothing funny about any of this. He suddenly felt sick with fear as he started to pace up and down the living room."No, no, no," Magnus repeated over and over as he paced, placing his hands on his head and then rubbing his temples, as though the action could somehow transport him away from this situation.It had been a joke. Just one of his flirty comments that he liked to throw into conversations with Alec Lightwood. When he'd said that he wanted Alec in exchange for doing the Lightwood family a favor, he'd said it as a joke. He hadn't meant that he was going to do Alec, as well as the favor. He hadn't meant any of it.Okay, maybe he had meant it, a little; maybe it had been a part of some kind of hot fantasy in Magnus's head, at times (okay, a lot of times); a fantasy of getting to sleep with Alec after a successful trial, and he definitely had wanted Alec from the moment he first met him, and of course, he would never have refused Alec, if Alec had ever genuinely offered to have sex with him, but he hadn't seriously expected Alec to take him up on the offer. He hadn't expected Alec to feel like he had to offer his body to Magnus in exchange for his help in the courtroom. Like he now owed him sex just because he'd won the case on the Lightwoods' behalf. Obviously, a terrible misunderstanding had occurred...Magnus made flirty and suggestive comments to everyone he found attractive, and everyone he had feelings for. Sometimes, he even made similar comments to his close friends who were able to laugh along with him about a few of his pick up lines. In fact, it was difficult for Magnus to have a conversation that didn't include some sort of innuendo. It didn't mean that he expected anything of anyone.How could Alec have thought that he'd meant it? How could he have thought that Magnus would seriously make deals like that?Magnus enjoyed sex, and he enjoyed flirting, but when it came to work...well, he took his job as a lawyer very seriously. He'd worked so hard to gain respect and recognition in his field, and he'd never wanted to do anything to compromise that. He very rarely mixed business with pleasure, and he definitely hadn't entered into any sordid deals or bribery in the workplace before. Aside from a few dramatic flourishes and clever quotes, he always tried to be the picture of professionalism in the courtroom.Surely Alec knew all of that from all the time he'd spent at Magnus's office, helping him with his paperwork and his research? How could he have taken Magnus's light-hearted comments about 'doing him pro bono' literally?But then, of course it was plausible that Alec would have taken it literally; Alec had a tendency to see everything black and white, especially when it came to the law. He also often struggled to understand Magnus's double-entendres, or the hidden meanings and suggestions in a lot of Magnus's comments, usually taking a lot of Magnus's words and expressions at face value. It looked like this misunderstanding had been no exception.This was bad. This was very bad. Maryse already hated him-if she started to hear any rumors that Magnus had solicited sex from her younger, virgin son in exchange for Magnus's services in the courtroom, then he might as well kiss his career goodbye. She'd probably be thrilled at any opportunity to take him down. Sure, Alec was in his twenties, and capable of making his own decisions, but his parents wouldn't see it that way. By the time they'd finished with him, Magnus would have been accused of bribery and corruption; his name would only be uttered in hushed tones in Brooklyn.He thought back to his earlier conversation with Alec, replaying his flirty comments and Alec's reactions over and over in his head. When he really thought about it, he could see how Alec might have taken things the wrong way...no, he could see how he might have gone a little too far, how he maybe should have been a little more careful about what he said, especially when talking to someone who was a few years younger than him; someone who wasn't really used to Magnus's jokes; someone who was more inexperienced and oh God, Maryse was going to kill him!But he would never sleep with Alec just as part of some pathetic deal. He already cared about Alec too much, secretly; so much so that he found himself thinking about him all the time, and he would only truly want to be with Alec if Alec wanted him in return."I didn't actually mean it, Alexander," Magnus whispered, panicking, "I never truly expected-""Do you not want to?" Alec interrupted him. "Have you really changed your mind?"Magnus blinked a couple of times in shock before he stared at Alec intently. He could have sworn that Alec looked hurt, disappointed almost. It was the look of someone who had been rejected. Someone who maybe didn't want to be rejected. Magnus almost couldn't believe what he was seeing as he fully took in that look on Alec's face."Alexander?" he asked, slowly and carefully, after thinking about Alec's reaction for a few moments and deliberately trying not to look Alec up and down, trying to turn the question back on Alec instead. "Do you want to? With me?" he added, in a tone of disbelief, unable to comprehend why someone as perfect as Alec would want him like that, but also unable to deny just how disappointed Alec looked at the prospect of the two of them not having sex."I….uh…" Alec started to mumble, staring at the floor and running a hand nervously through his hair, looking like there was a denial right on the tip of his tongue."Alexander?" Magnus prompted him gently but firmly, still deliberately trying to avoid looking at Alec's torso, for fear of getting distracted from this very important conversation."Look," Alec sighed, sounding defeated. "I've been thinking about it for a while…uh…you and me, that is. Izzy teases me all the time about how I have a crush on you. Even Izzy's boyfriend, Simon always talks about how I turn into a blushing idiot when I'm around you-and believe me, he'd know about the whole being-a-blushing-idiot-thing. But I never…I've never been with a guy before, okay? I don't know what I'm doing. I thought maybe this way, like this, we could…I could have what I wanted without having to explain anything, without messing things up. Because if I did anything wrong, if I wasn't good at it, it wouldn't matter so much, because it was what you'd wanted; you couldn't blame me, because it was what you'd asked for in the first place…"Magnus continued to stare, temporarily rendered speechless. He'd never even considered the possibility that Alec was always so awkward and uncomfortable around him because he had a crush on him. The idea that Alec was attracted to him had never really entered his mind. Although, when he thought about it now, Alec's constant blushing and stammering made a lot of sense. Perhaps he hadn't just imagined Alec's smirk in the courtroom after all; or how Alec's breathing seemed to get heavier whenever Magnus stood close to him; or the way that Alec had looked him up and down when Magnus first opened the door in his robe..."When the verdict was read out, at first, I was terrified," said Alec, his voice quiet, his cheeks flushed. "I felt like I couldn't breathe. But after a couple of minutes, I realized, I was uh…I was kind of excited, too. In a weird way, I was kind of looking forward to tonight-"Of course, as important as winning the case was to the Lightwoods, Magnus should have known that Alec wouldn't have been prepared to lose his virginity to just anybody. From the conversations that Magnus had overheard between Alec and his friends and his siblings at work parties (not that Magnus listened in to Alec's conversations, much), Alec took love and romance very seriously, and he often couldn't seem to understand why they didn't take relationships as seriously as he did. Alec had even confessed to his friend Clary at one particular party that he was waiting to find 'The One', with Clary nodding along and Jace rolling his eyes in the background. It therefore must have taken something important, some strong feelings on Alec's part, for Alec to agree to Magnus's fake deal in the first place.Magnus's heart and mind waged war as he silently debated whether he should tell Alec how happy it made him feel that Alec actually thought about him that way, or whether he should take the more responsible option and reiterate that at no point during the court case had he assumed that Alec would be having sex with him as part of a deal if he won the case.Magnus must have stayed silent for a little too long, because the silence seemed to give Alec a few seconds to process everything, if the slow widening of his eyes and the look of pure horror were anything to go by."Oh God, Magnus," Alec gasped, suddenly, "you were just kidding, weren't you? You were just playing around, like always. Dammit, I'm such an idiot! You make flirty jokes like that all the time! There was no deal, was there? I can't believe I actually thought you wanted…I can't believe I assumed…I should go, I have to go!" he babbled as he tried to fasten up his shirt, doing up the buttons all wrong, then he grabbed his jacket and his shoes from the floor."Oh, don't get dressed on my account!" Magnus sighed in disappointment, vocalising the first words that came into his head before his brain could kick into gear.Apparently, he'd said the wrong thing, because Alec started to move towards the door at an even quicker pace, looking mortified, his body language closed off as he folded his arms tightly. He even looked a little angry, like Magnus was mocking him.Like a flash, Magnus had moved across the room so that he was standing in front of Alec, practically blocking his way.Alec stopped, but still refused to look at him.Magnus grabbed hold of Alec's arm. "Alexander, please," Magnus muttered, quickly loosening his grip so that he could run his hand soothingly up and down that same arm. He just hoped that Alec wouldn't take it as an opportunity to run away. "How could anyone not want you?"There was a tense silence as Alec looked from Magnus to the door, as though still considering the possibility of just running away."You'd be surprised…" Alec finally mumbled with a sigh, apparently deciding to stick around, for now, and Magnus felt his own heart breaking as he took in the look of sorrow in Alec's eyes. He wondered if someone had rejected him before, and if this previous rejection had made him feel particularly vulnerable to Magnus's apparent refusal.For a moment, Magnus wondered how it was even possible that someone, anyone, wouldn't want to be with Alec, but then he had to remind himself that maybe he was just biased."How could I not want you?" Magnus asked instead, keeping his expression serious. "You're perfect, Alexander. In fact, right now," he sighed dramatically, running a hand over his ear as he sneaked in another quick glance at Alec's body, "I'm struggling to remember a time when I ever wanted anything else…"Alec chose that moment to look right down towards a certain part of Magnus's body, without any hint of subtlety, as though looking for confirmation that Magnus did in fact want him, which definitely wasn't helping Magnus to think straight.As though realizing what he had just done, Alec quickly looked away again, blushing even harder."But not like this," Magnus insisted. "Not as part of some sordid deal or some unfortunate misunderstanding…." He suddenly realized that as hot as it would be to take Alec to bed while Alec was still half-dressed in that elegant suit, he didn't just want Alec for a one-night stand. He couldn't bear the thought of waking up in the morning to find that Alec had left the apartment, like so many of Magnus's previous lovers had done. He wanted so much more than just sex with Alec, rivalries and professionalism be damned. In spite of the strained conversations, the awkward silences and Alec's constant blushing, he knew that he had already fallen a little in love with Alec Lightwood. He knew that he could potentially fall very deeply in love with him, given half a chance.He felt like Alec deserved so much more, too; like he needed to be shown how amazing he was, how much he was worth."If you really do want something to happen between us, let me wine and dine you first," Magnus continued, trying not to sound too desperate, but also knowing that he wouldn't be above begging if the situation called for it. "Let me take you out for drinks at that bar you love going to with your siblings; or let me take you to dinner at one of your favorite restaurants. Let me spend time with you, maybe here, in the apartment, away from interruptions," (or demanding parents, Magnus secretly wanted to add). "Let me get to know you. Then, if you still want to, let me make love to you, when you're ready, when it's not part of some kind of agreement. Let me make your first time special."Alec still looked embarrassed, but Magnus could see something in his eyes, something that suggested that he was interested in what Magnus was offering. Eventually, he nodded, and Magnus felt both an intense rush of happiness and relief.Somehow, Magnus managed to persuade Alec to stay and watch TV with him for a little while. He'd been about to offer to make him a cocktail, but he'd quickly decided to make him tea instead, in the hope that it would help sober Alec up a little.Alec's embarassment about their misunderstanding seemed to decrease with each passing minute, and the two of them sat almost comfortably together on the couch. As an added bonus, Magnus got to throw in a few not-so-subtle glances at Alec, who was still wearing his suit, the shirt still half-open, while he pretended to focus on the TV show that he definitely wasn't interested in watching, not when there was a much more entertaining sight sitting right next to him. He knew that he could easily offer Alec something more comfortable to wear, something a lot less revealing, but he wasn't sure if he was quite that selfless, yet."You know," Magnus asked with a smirk after Alec had rolled his eyes at Magnus for the fifth time when he caught Magnus blatantly checking him out, "perhaps we could make some kind of deal after all?"Alec raised an eyebrow at him as he waited for Magnus to continue, looking kind of curious."Maybe, one time, you could wear that suit in the bedroom for me?" Magnus winked at him.To his surprise, Alec actually managed to smile at him (for the first time ever, Magnus was sure), his cheeks going bright red at the same time, of course."Uh...okay," Alec replied, sounding serious and professional for a moment, before he grinned and nodded. "You've got yourself a deal.""I look forward to it, Alexander," Magnus smiled back at him.Suddenly, the two of them looked at each other and laughed, like they were now both laughing at everything that had taken place over the past hour, with a whole evening's worth of tension starting to melt away as they both began to see the funny side of it. Perhaps this would be a funny story that they could both tell one day, after all.Magnus had never seen Alec really laugh at anything before, and he realized that he wanted to see Alec laugh and smile over and over again; he wanted to get Alec to open up more, be more relaxed, more confident."D-d you want to shake on it, or something?" Alec asked with another grin after they sat in silence for a little while longer.Magnus smiled and held his hand out for Alec to shake.With another blush, Alec shook Magnus's hand. To Magnus's delight, Alec didn't actually let go of his hand, and the two of them continued to hold hands as they watched TV together, with Alec still looking a little nervous, but happy.As Alec grinned at Magnus again, looking adorable, Magnus couldn't help feeling like he had just entered into the best deal ever.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Magnus Bane sighed dramatically as he sat down in a spare seat outside the nearest courtroom. Today's case had been particularly long and tiring, and he was glad of a few brief moments to take calming breaths and lean his head back against the nearest wall. He'd definitely had a busy few weeks, what with all of the preparation for the case, and meetings with his colleagues and other clients. Even now, there was still a pile of paperwork stacked up on a table at home in his apartment.He was already looking forward to celebrating his birthday tomorrow, when he would hopefully be able to dance his troubles away."You come here often?"At the sound of that familiar voice, Magnus opened his eyes to see the one person who could cheer him up walking towards him. The sight of Alec Lightwood never failed to make Magnus feel happier, especially since they had started dating a few months ago. His newly developing relationship with Alec had definitely been a light at the end of a long tunnel of hard work and stress in the run up to his latest case.Alec grinned and blushed a little as he got closer to Magnus, apparently embarrassed by his own flirty little line. Alec had definitely gained in confidence since their first few dates, but that didn't stop him from being nervous and awkward at times. He was still new to the whole relationship thing after all.Magnus still couldn't quite believe that the two of them were together now, after the not-so-conventional way that the relationship had got started, as well as issues such as their jobs and over-protective families also trying to stand in their way.In spite of all that, he couldn't help grinning back at Alec, fighting off a blush of his own. The smile that the two of them shared was secretive, almost shy, and Magnus couldn't help wondering if Alec was also thinking about how their relationship had progressed recently, how they had finally worked their way up to taking 'the sex step' after a few romantic dates, and after Alec had felt ready for it, and Magnus had finally gotten to see what was underneath the smart suits that Alec often wore.Magnus almost laughed in disbelief sometimes, when he thought about how this whole relationship had come about as a result of a major understanding over Magnus's agreement to help the Lightwoods with a court case, and Alec had misinterpreted Magnus's joke about wanting Alec in return for his help. Magnus wasn't complaining now however, now that Alec was actually a major part of his life."How did it go?" Alec asked in barely more than a whisper as he took a seat next to Magnus, his voice full of genuine concern."Don't ask," Magnus responded with a dramatic flourish of his hand.As though sensing Magnus's continued sense of agitation, Alec held out a hand to Magnus.Magnus took Alec's hand, feeling happy all over again at the public display of affection. Sure, Magnus knew that their behavior as a couple wasn't exactly as obvious as Izzy and Simon's, who Magnus had caught making out in another hallway after lunch earlier, but he also knew that not only was Alec shy and awkward, but he also took his profession very seriously, so even the hand-holding at work was a big deal for him.Of course, this was the moment when Alec's mother, Maryse Lightwood, chose to walk around the corner of the hallway, stopping in her high-heeled tracks when she caught sight of the two of them.She glared almost accusingly at Magnus before she rolled her eyes and continued to walk past them with a loud sigh, before she stopped further down the hall to talk to one of her colleagues.Alec looked a little guilty and bowed his head as his mother walked past the two of them, but Magnus couldn't help smirking at her as she passed, raising his eyebrow almost triumphantly, the way he had been doing over the past couple weeks since she found out about them.He knew that it was petty, but he couldn't help feeling a little smug after all her not-so-positive reactions regarding their relationship. Magnus knew that she only tolerated the relationship because she hadn't actually managed to find any concrete way to 'prove' that this relationship 'wasn't allowed' or was somehow illegal, given their shared profession. Although Magnus suspected that she'd probably tried her best to come up with something, given the way that she glared at him so menacingly every time their paths crossed at work.Both Alec and Izzy had reassured him that their mother would come around, eventually, and Magnus could only hope that they knew their mother best and would therefore be proved right."So…uh…" Alec started, speaking in a surprisingly loud voice, causing Magnus to frown at him in confusion. He wasn't sure that he wanted Maryse to overhear whatever it was that Alec was about to say to him. "It's a pity that I have so much work to do tonight, meaning I won't get to see you, Magnus…"Magnus continued to frown as Alec spoke, wondering why he was speaking so loud, why his words sounded a little unnatural, rehearsed almost, but then he fully processed what Alec was saying and he felt a wave of disappointment wash over him.He knew that he'd be seeing Alec tomorrow night anyway, on his birthday, as Alec was going be attending the celebration with a couple of his friends and siblings at one of Magnus's favorite local restaurants, along with Magnus's closest friends, but Magnus would have liked to have spent a quiet night in with Alec, just the two of them, winding down after a busy week, before the celebrations got started tomorrow night.He knew that once they all arrived at the restaurant tomorrow, and the drinks were ordered and the music started playing, there wouldn't be much time for any one-to-one intimacy.However, Magnus also knew that work had to come first sometimes, for both of them, and he didn't want to stand in the way of any preparation that Alec might have to do for his next big case."But I'll see you tomorrow, at the party, remember?" Alec asked him, now sounding a little worried.Although he still couldn't help feeling disappointed, Magnus squeezed Alec's hand reassuringly, trying not to look too upset. He nodded and smiled at him before they both headed back to work.Later that evening, Magnus couldn't help sighing to himself as he sat back on his couch in his apartment. As he eyed the paperwork on his desk warily, he took another sip of his tea. He'd been drinking tea a lot more than cocktails lately, and he knew that this was no doubt due to Alec's influence, as his boyfriend wasn't exactly a fan of drinking alcohol, and he usually preferred to drink hot beverages instead when he stayed over at Magnus's Brooklyn loft.Magnus sighed again as he thought about Alec. He was missing him, even though he'd only seen him a few hours ago. He'd never really felt this way about any of his previous partners, and it scared him a little that he thought about Alec so much already. What had started out as a lust-filled attraction to the handsome lawyer who happened to work for a rival law firm had rapidly grown into something more.He knew that the relationship already went a lot deeper than physical attraction. It had been that way for Magnus since before they'd even started dating, and he definitely felt a strong emotional connection to Alec Lightwood, too: he liked sharing long conversations with him late into the night, liked the physical presence of Alec sleeping next to him in his bed. He even liked it when the two of them were just helping each other out with their paperwork, bringing each other coffee or snacks, or the times when they just watched TV together and relaxed.Yet Magnus was worried about appearing too needy, too clingy. His previous relationships had never worked out because he seemed to subconsciously pick lovers who weren't huge fans of intimacy or deep emotional connections, and they had often ended up hurting him or using him as a consequence. Even his ex, Camille had still managed to find ways to get to him after their break up, usually by implying that their relationship had never been that serious-from her point of view, anyway, and insisting that Magnus had wanted a lot more than she could give. While all of this had never stopped Magnus's enjoyment of flirting and having sex and going out on dates, it had served to make him feel a little wary now that he was really falling for someone.He only hoped that Alec hadn't decided not to see him tonight because he was also starting to find Magnus a little too clingy.Magnus was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of a soft knock on his front door. He blinked in surprise, wondering if his friends had maybe come over to get his birthday celebrations started a night early.He headed towards the door and opened it, still a little cautiously, just in case Maryse had decided to show up to deliver a few heavy-handed threats now that he was dating her son, or more accurately, asked one of her lackeys to do it on her behalf.However, as Magnus opened the door, he blinked in surprise all over again at the sight that greeted him.To his total amazement, Alec Lightwood was standing in the doorway, looking more handsome than ever (if that was even possible), wearing one of the suits that he typically wore to work, although this suit was different to the one that he'd been wearing outside the courtroom earlier. It looked crisp, fresh, newly-pressed, and the dark material looked like it had been delicately stitched together and was probably very expensive.Magnus felt relatively under-dressed in comparison. He had simply opted for a casual T-shirt and jeans combination tonight, as he hadn't been expecting visitors, although he was now glad that he was at least wearing a pair of jeans that he'd customized with various sequins and copious amounts of glitter, as it added a little bit of individuality to his look.His own look was nothing in comparison to Alec's choice of outfit though, and Magnus felt his heart beat faster as he looked Alec up and down. It was like getting a strange sense of deja vu as he was reminded of that night when Alec first showed up at his apartment dressed like this. Although this time, Alec looked a lot less terrified. In fact, he looked pretty confident, almost sure of himself."Uh…Magnus?" Alec's voice cut into Magnus's not-so-innocent thoughts. "Are you okay?"Magnus blinked, brought back to reality. He still had a tendency to zone out when Alec was around, especially when his very handsome boyfriend was dressed up so smart."Alexander," said Magnus, still not over his surprise at seeing Alec at his front door. "Is everything all right?" he asked as he moved aside to let Alec in. He thought it was best to check, just in case Alec had had a major argument with his parents, or something really bad had happened."Everything's fine," Alec shrugged. He leaned in to give Magnus a quick kiss before he walked past him and headed towards the living room."Nobody's here, right?" Alec asked as he walked towards the room and Magnus started to follow him."No…" Magnus replied, wondering why it was suddenly so important to Alec that they were alone. He still had no idea why Alec was here after he'd insisted earlier that he'd be busy tonight.Magnus expected Alec to take a seat on the couch, but he went to stand in the middle of the room instead.Magnus sat down slowly on the couch and watched Alec with a confused frown, still unable to stop thinking about how handsome Alec looked."I…uh, I got you an early birthday present," said Alec, now shuffling around a little on the spot."And what's that?" Magnus asked, still not exactly sure what was going on.Alec frowned and pointed from Magnus to himself, as though the answer should be obvious. "I, uh…I thought we could…" Alec sounded a little flustered. "I remember you asked, that night when we agreed to go on a date…" He blushed even harder and looked down at the floor, as though the memory of that night was still pretty embarrassing to him. "I remember you asked if I would wear a suit in the bedroom for you some time, and I thought, seeing as it's almost your birthday…"Magnus's eyes widened in shock, almost unable to believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe that Alec had actually remembered, couldn't believe that he actually wanted to do something like this for him. He felt an intense rush of desire run through his body."But, I thought you had to work tonight, Alexander?" Magnus asked, before he could stop himself. He cringed as the words left his lips, realizing that it was pretty stupid to ask questions like that, questions that could potentially put any kind of obstacle in the way of this.To his surprise, Alec laughed at him. "Magnus," he smirked, "I only said all that so my mother would hear and assume that I'd be busy tonight. I figured it was the best way to make sure that nobody would bother us," he shrugged.Magnus raised an eyebrow at him. He hadn't thought that Alec had it in him, to tell a lie like that in order to ensure that he could have uninterrupted sex. He was obviously teaching Alec well."Magnus, come on," Alec appealed to him with another blush, causing Magnus to realize that he'd been watching Alec again in silence. "Please don't make me use any lame innuendos about unwrapping your birthday present."Magnus couldn't help laughing, in spite of Alec's blush. Alec had never really been one for innuendos, or slow build-ups, or playing around for long periods of time before things got started. It was Magnus who was a fan of the slow-but-skilled art of seduction, the one who liked to put on a good show before the main event. Not Alec.Instead, Magnus took pity on him and got up slowly to head towards his boyfriend, still unable to comprehend the idea that this was really going to happen, especially when Alec had been so embarrassed about being in a similar situation last time.With shaking hands, he moved Alec's suit jacket aside so that he could start to unbutton Alec's shirt.He felt Alec's breathing getting heavier as he undid a couple more buttons, and Magnus suddenly stopped when he thought of something."Alexander," he said, "just so we're clear, I don't want you to feel like you have to do this out of any sense of obligation, or as a result of any kind of deal that you believe you've made, right?" He tried to sound firm as he looked Alec in the eye, trying to find any sense of uncertainty. "Don't do anything that you're not comfortable with.""Magnus, come on," said Alec, actually looking like he was trying not to smile. "I want this. I uh, I thought it might be kind of fun; I've never got to do this kind of thing with anyone…never got to dress up for someone before," he blushed.Still Magnus kept the distance between them, not wanting Alec to feel pressured to do anything that he wasn't happy with."You still want this, right?" Alec asked him, the fear of rejection so obvious in his eyes despite his apparently nonchalant body language. "You still want me to wear a suit in the bedroom for you, don't you?"Feeling his heart break a little at Alec's blatant fear that Magnus wasn't enjoying this moment, he ran a hand softly over Alec's face. "More than anything, Alexander," he smiled at him. "In fact, I can't remember a time when I ever wanted anyone else…"Alec smiled a kind of shy smile, looking pleased with himself. Magnus had worked out since they'd started dating that Alec loved being wanted, being desired by him, being told by Magnus how attractive he was, even though he wasn't sure if Alec would ever admit this out loud."Magnus, I trust you, okay?" said Alec, and Magnus felt like his heart was melting at the words. There was something incredible about being trusted by someone he cared about so much.Magnus nodded, and he ended up kissing Alec the moment he stepped back into his personal space, and the kissing soon turned into a full on make-out session, while Magnus couldn't resist running his hands over the material covering Alec's arms, his shoulders. He then ran his hands over Alec's back, his hands going lower and lower with each caress, and he was unable to suppress another rush of lust.Almost reluctantly, he eventually stepped away from Alec a little so that he could continue to unbutton his shirt, trying his best to take his time and savour the moment. He really hoped that this wasn't just some incredible dream that he was having. If it was, then he really didn't want to wake up any time soon.Little by little, Alec's chest and abs came into view as each button was undone, and Magnus couldn't help running his hands over the bare skin. Even though they'd already had sex before now, he still almost couldn't fully process the fact that he got to do this with Alec, that Alec wanted him, too.As he ran his hands over Alec's torso, he moved his lips and tongue to Alec's neck, licking at an imaginary drop of sweat, the way he'd wanted to do when Alec had first started stripping off in his living room a few months ago, the gesture surprisingly erotic."Sorry," he grinned almost apologetically as he felt Alec turn his head to look at him. "I know it might seem a little strange…" he whispered, trying not to blush."Uh…after the past few months, I just kind of go with it now, Magnus," Alec shrugged, reminding Magnus that he'd never really questioned Magnus's fantasies and the bizarre situations and scenarios that Magnus often thought up in his head.Magnus simply laughed as he continued licking at Alec's neck and shoulder, before he returned to kissing Alec's lips, the kisses a lot more hurried, more desperate now, both of them turned on by what was happening.As their kissing continued, Magnus found himself being lifted off his feet.After Alec had taken a few steps, he kind of assumed that Alec was going to take him to the bedroom, but he suddenly realized that Alec was looking at the nearest table, the one where all the paperwork was still piled high."Magnus, can I, can we…?""You can do whatever you want, Alexander," Magnus panted, suddenly working out what Alec was thinking about doing and no longer caring about the paperwork, or even work in general, or anything else that was going on his life. His mind and body were too focused on the situation at hand, too consumed by lust to think straight.In what had to be one of the hottest gestures that Magnus had ever been a part of in real life, Alec used one arm to sweep away what he could of the paperwork on the table, although it wasn't exactly a smooth move, as it took Alec several tries before the table was anywhere close to being clear, and he almost dropped Magnus once or twice in the process, and then the two of them both groaned as Magnus's back hit the surface of the table, as Alec had been a little too eager in throwing him on top of it."That was graceful," said Magnus sarcastically as Alec climbed on top of him, but he was unable to resist smiling.Alec simply shrugged as he continued to kiss Magnus, although he did look a little embarrassed. "I guess I need a little more practice.""You can practice with me whenever you want, Alexander," Magnus winked flirtatiously at him, but then they were both kissing again, and Magnus was wrapping his legs around Alec, and there was no more time for flirty comments.The two of them were humping against each other on the table, and Magnus figured that this was their way of acting on the desire and the built up tension before things progressed to the bedroom.In Magnus's head, he'd just been thrown onto a desk in an expensively furnished office in the city by some hot lawyer who wanted to celebrate a victory in the courtroom. Magnus liked his little fantasies, after all.With the perfect blend of fantasy and reality, it wasn't long before they both came.Magnus was just catching his breath when-"Bedroom?" Alec asked him, looking just as eager as Magnus felt to progress to the next round.The two of them practically stumbled over the threshold of Magnus's bedroom, as they were still too focused on kissing each other's lips to really concentrate on where they were going, and Magnus was too busy running his hands all over Alec's clothes, delighting in the feel of the expensive material.Alec kicked off both of his shoes in between kisses, and Magnus somehow managed to do the same. He let Alec remove his T-shirt, enjoying this new, take-the-lead-in-the-bedroom side to Alec that seemed to be developing. Alec also removed the jacket of the suit he was wearing, along with his belt, but to Magnus's delight, he still kept the rest of the outfit intact, falling back onto Magnus's bed with his shirt and trousers on, the shirt still unbuttoned.Magnus ended up settling between Alec's legs on the bed, with Alec settling back into Magnus's fancy pillows as Magnus enthusiastically ran his hands over Alec's bare chest, then up and down Alec's torso, enjoying the feeling of those firm abs under his fingers again, feeling so happy that he was finally allowed to touch, to feel, after so many months of fantasizing about that torso before they started dating.Eventually, Magnus substituted his fingers for his tongue all over again, kissing and licking Alec's neck before moving further down towards his chest.He felt Alec's breathing get heavier as he moved to his nipples, then to his torso, going lower and lower, pausing every now and again to kiss Alec frantically and passionately on the lips.Alec wasn't the most vocal person in the bedroom, as he was still a little nervous and inhibited when it came to sex, but Magnus felt a rush of triumph every time Alec let out a soft moan or gasp as Magnus's lips brushed against a sensitive spot on his body, as he wanted Alec to enjoy this just as much as he was. He hoped that Alec would feel comfortable enough with him to be more and more expressive as time went on.Magnus undid the zipper of Alec's pants and ran his fingers teasingly over his underwear for a little while, until Alec frowned at him, clearly wanting him to get on with it. Alec had never really been one for teasing.With a smirk, Magnus took Alec's cock in his hand, wanting to reward him in some way for tonight. They stayed in that position for a little while, with Magnus using his hand to expert effect, enjoying his ability to make Alec moan all over again. However, before Alec could come, he gently removed Magnus's hand and flipped the two of them over on the bed, so that he was now on top of Magnus.Now taking a more active role again, Alec started to remove Magnus's jeans, getting him fully naked."Magnus, can I…?" Alec started to ask him as he pulled away from Magnus a little to look him in the eye."Of course, Alexander," Magnus managed to gasp out as he tried to catch his breath, hoping that he sounded calm and reassuring. Even without Alec finishing the sentence, Magnus knew that Alec was asking if he could be on top. Since they'd started having sex, Alec always needed to establish exactly what would be happening in the bedroom before they went all the way. Magnus wasn't sure if he did it as a way of asking permission, or if it was a way of handling his nerves by feeling more in control of the situation when he knew what was going to be happening, what position they were going to be in.Alec nodded, but then he suddenly caught sight of his belt, which must have been flung onto the bed at some point when they stumbled into the bedroom.He looked deep in thought for a couple of moments before he asked, "Magnus, can I, maybe, uh, you know, with the belt…?" He pointed from the belt to the bedpost, making some kind of hand gesture that Magnus assumed was supposed to represent the tying of Magnus's hand to the bedpost.Magnus stared, wide-eyed, from the belt to his boyfriend, feeling an intense rush of arousal just at the thought of what Alec was suggesting.It would definitely be hot, having Alec tie him up like that, almost like something out of one of Magnus's many fantasies that involved hot sex and kinky bondage with a handsome lawyer after a victory in the courtroom, but he hadn't used bondage in a long time-he hadn't really trusted any of his more recent partners enough to be vulnerable with them like that."It's okay, if you don't want to…" Alec whispered in his ear, like he was trying to reassure him, before he started kissing behind Magnus's ear tenderly."I want to," Magnus assured him, not wanting to pass up on this opportunity.Alec frowned at him, still not looking convinced."I trust you, Alexander," Magnus told him firmly, echoing back what Alec had told him earlier. And he meant it, too. He'd always had this inherent sense of trust when it came to Alec, right from the moment he first met him, even though he couldn't really explain it or put it into words, and even though they were technically supposed to have been rivals from the start.Alec smiled, looking flattered at Magnus's answer, but also looking nervous.Magnus held his hands up over his head as Alec used the belt to bind his wrists to the bedpost, promising Magnus that they would stop at any time if Magnus wanted, and also looking like he couldn't quite believe that he was here, doing this. Magnus almost couldn't believe it either: a few months ago, Alec had never even had sex, and now he was acting out one of Magnus's hottest fantasies and taking control in the bedroom.The belt wasn't really that tight, and Magnus knew that he could untie it in a second if he really wanted to (and he suspected that Alec had left it loose like that on purpose), but it was enough for Magnus, enough for this to still be one of the sexiest things that had happened to him in the bedroom, especially when Alec was still half-dressed in that suit.Alec quickly removed his pants, his underwear, and then he returned his focus to Magnus, mimicking Magnus's actions from before, kissing Magnus's neck, his chest, all over his body as Magnus moaned and gasped, the very obvious fact that his arms were tied up-meaning he could do nothing to add to the sensations-was now both erotic and a little frustrating.After running his hands and tongue all over his skin, pausing a few times to check that Magnus was definitely okay, Alec found lube and a condom in the drawers in the nightstand by Magnus's bed.He prepared Magnus slowly, gently, his movements still a little hesitant. He followed a couple of Magnus's whispered instructions before he entered him slowly, fucking him gently at first before his movements became a little quicker, a little more certain.Sex with Alec always felt like 'making love', no matter what pace they were going at, and Magnus felt a wave of affection rush over him as he shared a quick kiss with Alec.Yet in Magnus's head, he imagined that he'd been taken to bed by a hot lawyer who was still wearing his designer shirt at the end of a successful case; a hot, strong-and-silent type lawyer who had tied him up with his belt like some kind of sexy millionaire with a dominance kink, and now the two of them were having sex to celebrate their success.Although, as Magnus shared another quick kiss with Alec, he thought about how this hot fantasy had been a dream of his for a few years now, how the typical anonymous guys in his thoughts had somehow turned into tall, shy guys with jet-black hair as soon as he met Alec at work, and he realized that this particular fantasy was no longer very far from the truth.With that thought in his mind, and the feeling of Alec inside him, the tug of Alec's belt around his wrists, and of course the view of Alec, still wearing his open shirt, Magnus came with a cry.Alec wasn't far behind him, and then he collapsed on top of Magnus for a few seconds, breathing heavily into his neck before he suddenly seemed to regain a little composure and he sat up to undo the belt around Magnus's wrists."Magnus, are you okay?" he asked Magnus in a whisper, frowning in apparent concern as he ran his hands soothingly over Magnus's wrists."I'm perfect, Alexander," Magnus told him with a smile, and he really meant it. Tonight had been the perfect distraction from a stressful day in court, a stressful few weeks at work. It had been a relief, to just let go like this and let Alec take care of him."You know," he suddenly smirked, running a hand over his ear, trying to look flirtatious, "it must be a crime to still look that good after what we've just done." It was a flirty line that Magnus had wanted to use for a while, ever since the time that Alec had first shown up at his apartment out of the blue wearing an expensive suit."Magnus, come on," Alec replied, blushing bright red at the compliment. But he smiled a little, looking kind of flattered at the praise.As their breathing evened out, Magnus looked at Alec and suddenly, the two of them started to laugh, like they both couldn't quite believe what they had just done, like the situation was suddenly hilarious.It took a couple minutes before they both calmed down again. Still grinning, Magnus snuggled into Alec. "That was the best birthday present ever," he whispered into Alec's neck as he held his boyfriend tight, hoping that Alec understood just how grateful he was for tonight's surprise. He would definitely do something in return to thank Alec properly for it, soon.An hour or so later (Magnus had long since lost track of time) Magnus sat next to Alec in bed, both of them sipping cups of tea that Magnus had not long made for the two of them. In other circumstances, Magnus might have brought extravagant cocktails to the bedroom, but he had a feeling that Alec preferred it like this, with a simple hot beverage.Alec had changed out of what was left of his suit just before Magnus offered to make the tea (and Magnus had tried not to pout while he did so) and he was now wearing a more casual T-shirt and sweatpants. Magnus had already noted that Alec preferred this more casual attire when he wasn't working and he was hanging around Magnus's apartment. He still wasn't fully comfortable with the idea of simply lounging around the bedroom or the apartment naked, much to Magnus's displeasure.Like Alec, Magnus was also wearing more comfortable sweatpants, but he had paired the sweatpants with his favorite silk robe that had once belonged to his ex, Camille (at Alec's insistence, as he seemed to like it when Magnus wore the robe, especially when they were chilling out in the apartment).As Alec ran his hands over Magnus's silk robe and then not-so-subtly over what was on show of Magnus's torso, Magnus looked over at Alec and smiled, still not over the fact that he and Alec had ended up together, that they were in a real relationship, especially after their unfortunate misunderstanding not so long ago. He also couldn't get over the fact that Alec had actually worn a suit like that in the bedroom for him, actually remembering that Magnus had joked about him doing this on the night they first agreed to date and thereby indulging in one of Magnus's hottest fantasies.Alec looked back over at him and smiled, looking relaxed and genuinely happy.The phrase, 'Thank you, Alexander,' had been right on the tip of his tongue, but somehow, as he took in the beauty of Alec's smile, he ended up saying, "I love you, Alexander," instead.At the look of shock that appeared on Alec's face, Magnus felt a rush of horror as he realized what he'd just said out loud. Of course he would have to go and say something like that and ruin a perfect night of sex.Surprisingly, Alec huffed out a laugh. "You're really choosing tonight to say that, Magnus?" he asked, as he gestured to his suit and belt and shoes that were still scattered all over the room, to prove his point.In other circumstances, Magnus might have laughed along with him as he thought about how it probably wasn't the best time to declare his eternal love, right after acting out a hot sexual fantasy that involved dressing up in expensive clothes and the use of bondage, but he was feeling too embarrassed, too mortified at what he'd just said, and too afraid that he'd said it way too soon, that he was now going to scare Alec off."Magnus, I love you, too," Alec suddenly cut into his thoughts as he said the words with a reassuring smile, apparently sensing Magnus's fear. "I guess I felt like that from the start, back when I kept offering to help you out with all your paperwork, so I could get to see you after work…" He blushed a deep shade of red as he said this, but he held Magnus's gaze. "I…uh…I was gonna wait until your birthday tomorrow to tell you, in a more romantic setting, but tonight works, too, I guess."Magnus had to blink away a few tears at Alec's words. He'd never thought that anyone would ever say those words to him and actually sound like they meant it.He let Alec take him in his arms as they finished their tea and settled into the bed. He was already looking forward to persuading Alec to wear a suit all over again in the bedroom in the not-to-distant future (he wouldn't even be above begging, either, for the right price)."Just so you know, Alexander," he said as Alec held him close, "getting to be with you has turned out to be one of the best deals I ever made."