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Four hours.
It should have been four hours ago that Alexander Lightwood should have stepped through the door of the High Warlock's flat in Brooklyn, prepared for their date.
But still, he wasn't there.
Magnus gave up sending his boyfriend text messages because he didn't got any answers from the other seven yet, so this would be a waste of his free texts. Sighing, he stood up from the pink couch where he waited most of the time, heading for the bedroom to change his clothes. They had planned to have a nice dinner at an Ifrit restaurant in Brooklyn, so Magnus was dressed in formal black trousers, a white shirt with an elegant golden bowtie and over all a blazer which was colored in a dark blur of red, green and violet. His hair was in his usual spikes glittering only a bit. While changing into his favourite sleeping clothes (toxic green silken boxers and a faded-black T-shirt from Alec) Magnus wondered what might have happened that Alec didn't showed up tonight without calling him. Usually, the warlock got a short message that his boyfriend had to go hunting, because some emergency case was happening. Magnus was always a little annoyed getting those messages but yet, he knew, that's what Alec was: a Shadowhunter.
Supposed to hunt, and track down demons, keeping downworld in it's ranges and making the world a better place.
But after four hours not hearing anything from the Nephilim gave Magnus an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Repeating to himself that Alec was ok, that no news is good news, Magnus washed the gel and glitter out of his hair. He had stopped counting the times Alec was called for an emergency, sometimes in the middle of the night, or worse, in the middle of a good make-out session that was leading to something he really didn't want to be interrupted at. Jace didn't allow Clary to come with them to the very dangerous happenings with only six months of being trained as a Shadowhunter and she was every time complaining about it, Magnus knew.
And he couldn't blame her.
He sometimes wished to go with Alec, too, but he always said he would destroy his concentration, not looking only after Jace and Izzy, but also after his boyfriend. Once Alec said (and the words are always swirling in the warlock's head when it comes to the topic of hunting):
'I know how Jace and Izzy fight, I know how they will move so I can plan how to watch their backs, how to shoot my arrows at the demons without fretting I'd hit my siblings. But I don't know these things about you. We only fought once together, as partners against Valentine and that is not comparable to ten years training and hunting together.
And honestly, I don't want to know these things about you. I don't want to know how you look, move and react in a fight that could be your last.
You are my boyfriend, and I love you, and I like it better to come home to you after a battle and rest in your arms, switch of from battle. If you'd come with me I wouldn't have those moments. Those wonderful moments you ran to the door, asking me if I was injured and dragging me into a shower before going to bed, where you already wait for me. I don't want to look at you and think how we just slaughtered demons. I want to look at you and think of something completely different. Shadowhunters are supposed to fight but that doesn't mean we are supposed to think about it all day long. Do you understand?'
And with the last sentence he looked at Magnus with his blue eyes which cause the warlock to accept everything the other man said.

Nevertheless, Magnus was worried.
Should he try to get him on the phone, again? Should he maybe try to get Izzy, Jace or Clary?
He went back to the pink couch, Chairman Meow climbing on his lap and requiring with loud, peeving sounds a massage. The man obeyed, softly stroking the cat's back which started to purr happily.
"What do you think, Chairman? What is my darling doing right now?"
In response, the cat rolled on its back, wanting to get its tummy caressed as well.
"I hope you don't try to intend he's lying somewhere like you do."
He sat there for a while, staring at the ceiling while he still massaged his pet hoping for every footstep he heard outside it would be Alec's.

When he had decided to go to sleep, he finally heard a key in his front door. Relief flooding over him, he shot up from the couch, Chairman Meow fell surprised to the ground making a sound that said "Intolerable!" and stalked off. Staring at the door, Magnus knew it must be Alec for he is the only one with a key to the apartment besides himself. When the door opened it was indeed Alec looking exhausted and covered in mud and black and dark green demon blood but fortunately Magnus couldn't spot any red one.
"Alec." Magnus said happily and went to greet is boyfriend properly. The boy looked up at him and Magnus saw now the blue eyes, full of tiredness. His face showed more dirt than pale skin, as if he had fell face first in a bucket of mud.
"Hey." He smiled at the warlock while he slipped out of his jacket and boots. Magnus waited impatiently for him to be ready so he could finally hug and kiss him. He was happy that Alec was eventually here and he was sure as soon he sorted himself a bit from battle he would start to apologize for missing their date and he would promise to do it tomorrow.
Alec now, only in his dark T-shirt, that looked amazingly clean, and trousers, which were as dirty and blood covered as the rest of him, looked at Magnus as if he was waiting for something. Magnus smirked and swung his arms around the Shadowhunter's neck and was hugging him tightly, overhearing the sorely groaning sound Alec made while he let his hands rest on his boyfriend's back.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered in the crook of Magnus's neck.
Leaning back, the warlock met the blue eyes and was thinking how to reply. Originally he was about to tell him it was fine, that they could have dinner at some other day. Then he was thinking of something teasing like "You know, the reservation alone was really expensive and I don't think I can ever walk in the restaurant again." But when he looked into the deep blue of these eyes, these eyes he could read like an open book, he saw how very sorry Alec really was, that he was excited for this evening but instead he had to go out to stupid hunting. So Magnus changed his mind and kissed him lightly on the lips. He felt how Alec's arms on this back pushed him slowly closer and so did Magnus. The kiss deepened, Alec opening his mouth, letting out lowed sounds of pleasure. His tongue met Magnus's and the warlock could feel Alec's relief that he wasn't angry with him and that he was finally at home.
Alec broke of to breath. A little bit to heavy for Magnus's taste.
"Are you alright?" he asked, removing his hands from Alec's neck to place them on his face, instead, which felt surprisingly hot.
"Yeah, I'm fine." the Shadowhunter answered, moving his hands to his lover's chest. "I'm just very tired."
"Then I'd say we go to bed." Magnus purred. "But first we'll have a shower. I can't really see much of my Alec. Only demon blood and dirt." He kissed him mildly and let his hand wander to Alec's lower back, wanting to lead him to the bathroom, when Alec suddenly cried out:

"AHHH!"

In the end of the scream he bit his lips and let out just a loud hissing sound.
Shocked, Magnus stumbled a few steps back, his hand raised palm open to his head. He looked panicked at Alec whose face grimaced with pain; his body bend forward and clenching his T-shirt were Magnus had touched him.
"Alec?" Magnus said but when he didn't react he repeated it in a warningly way "Alec."
The boy looked up at him, forcing himself to smile, but failed miserably.
"What was that, Alec?" Magnus stepped back to his boyfriend. The shock made his heart still beat faster then usual but he was able to form full sentences again. He was worried, afraid even a little bit of what was under the T-shirt, however, when Alec didn't reply, he took the hem of the shirt and stripped it off him. The boy tried to complain but Magnus didn't let him. He tossed the cloth to the side and, looking over Alec's shoulder, examined his back.
There was a bandage around his lower back, neatly tied. With a fingernail, Magnus run over it, drawing a blue line on the bandage and a second later it was cut where the line was. Slowly the white fabric fell down and the cat eyes widened when he saw what was hidden under it:
A huge, red burning wound, shaped like a claw covering almost half of his lower back. He saw a black inked mark on it and knew it was the healing Rune. With a reproachful expression Magnus looked at Alec, who looked back with eyes full of pain and regret.
"It's fine…" he began but was firmly interrupted by Magnus.
"No, it's not."
"But…"
"Alec, you're injured and obviously it's very painful. So at which point is that good?!"
"Jace already put an iratze on it and…"
"I don't care what Jace did!" Magnus shouted, then his face changed. "You said you're fine when you're not. I was worried the whole evening where you are, and when you came through this door telling me you were ok, I was relieved. And now I have to see that you weren't honest with me about your health."
Yes, Magnus was annoyed when he got the call Alec couldn't come because he had to hunt, yes he didn't like it when he was injured because of said hunting, but he had accepted this fact, accepted that his mortal boyfriend put himself in danger all the time but what he really hated, was when Alec, his beloved Alec, lied to him about something that caused pain to him.
"Really Magnus, it's not that bad. I don't really feel it when it doesn't get touched."
"I wouldn't have touched it when you had told me about it."
There was a moment of silence, than Alec whispered: "I didn't want you to be worried unnecessarily."
"Ha!" Magnus laughed sarcastically "Is that why you wear a clean T-Shirt? So I wouldn't notice your injury? How long have you thought I wouldn't see it?"
Another silence started. Magnus locked his angry eyes at Alec, who looked uncomfortably at his feet, biting his lower lip. He didn't answer.
Magnus could see how he started to shiver, standing shirtless in the cool flat. With a snap of his fingers a tiger pattern woollen blanket appeared on the Shadowhunter's shoulders. Wordlessly, Alec wrapped it around himself, carefully not to touch the wound too much, but he still didn't want to look up.
Magnus hated it.
He knew he was torturing his boyfriend, letting him stand there in the cold and punishing him with his anger.
But he had to learn this lesson. He had to learn that he can't hide these things from Magnus. He had to learn that there was a new person caring about him. He had to learn that he hurt Magnus with his act.
The warlock finally broke the silence: "There is no point in making a secret out of your pain."
Eventually, Alec took a deep breath: "I'm sorry."
"You said that already."
"I know." now he was looking up, staring in the gleaming cat eyes in front of him.
"I'm just… I…"
"Spit it out." Magnus was being cruel, almost crossing the line but he couldn't sink his temper right now.
"I hate the look on your face when I come back injured." Alec admitted quietly.

For a short moment, Magnus lost control over his face. His jaw fell slightly, his eyes widened and he frowned. He felt his heart itching, the anger washed away in an instant.
Magnus was speechless.
His thoughts were blank, he just heard the words over and over again in his head: "I hate the look on your face when I come back injured."

Alec took a step forward so that only a thin line of air remained between them, his eyes heavy with sad honesty.
"You once said it was a wonderful moment when I ask you how you are after battle." Magnus said under his breath.
"Yeah, because I like the thought of you caring about me. But I don't like the thought of you worrying about me when there's nothing to worry about. I always have those injuries, Jace does always, Izzy does always and soon Clary will always have. It's something normal for me, usual, but it's not for you. You always get this look that says "hopefully it's not bad, hopefully it'll heal soon, hopefully it's not poisoned, hopefully it doesn't hurt so much". But I know that it's nothing like that. I wouldn't come here if I would be wounded like that. I'd call you, or let someone call you to come over and help. I would let you know."
Alec took Magnus's hands in his, which felt warm to the touch. "Do you understand?"
"I do." squeezing Alec's hands he sighed lightly "I just have to get used to it, huh?"
In answer Alec smiled at his boyfriend and Magnus read "If you love me." in his eyes but knew the Shadowhunter won't say them aloud because it would be no nice thing to say right now. Carefully, he put his arms around Alec's neck and closed his eyes. Alec laid his head on the warlock's shoulder, their chests touching, warming Alec's skin were the woollen blanket didn't cover him. On the one hand, it was nice for Alec to stand here, hearing the familiar, slow heartbeat that calmed him down every time, but on the other hand he was very tired and believed his legs will give up every minute. He was about to say it when Magnus began to whisper softly in his ear.
"May I heal you?"
Happily, Alec chuckled looking up into the caring cat eyes.
"Only if you promise me something."
"And what shall that be?"
"Promise me that you will always ask me how I am after battle. But please don't freak out every time it looks bad because it won't be, ok?"
"I promise." Magnus said and blue sparks lit up from his hands, making the wound on Alec's back go away.