“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Slowly, Alec blinks his eyes open, his body still heavy with fatigue. It’s still dark. The first faint rays from the sun stretch through the cracks in the curtains, draping the corner of the room in a soft auburn hue. He waits, for a moment, wondering if he had only heard the echoes of a dream. But then he feels gentle fingers slide up from where they had been resting on his hips. The cool touch of metal sends goosebumps down his back as they dip over his shoulder and move to caress his hair from his ear.
“I am.” The voice is barely above a whisper. “I’m falling in love with you.”
Alec stays motionless as his mind juggles the options ahead of him. He could close his eyes and let the confession go unheard as it had been intended to be. He could fall back asleep, wake up, and act as though he hadn’t heard anything.
But he had heard it.
And the swell of emotion he feels in his heart is too much to ignore. The weight of the confession strong enough to set him in motion.
“It’s ok” he says, barely recognizing his own voice, still slick with slumber and hoarse from the evenings activities. The second he speaks, he feels the body underneath him tense.
He shifts, placing his chin on the chest where his head had laid and his eyes meet wide golden ones.
Beautiful he thinks.
“Alexander” Magnus breathes, as if he’d been holding one in since he’d heard Alec speak. Before he can say more, Alec is already moving. He props himself up on his elbow so that he hovers over Magnus, their noses just barely touching.
His right hand moves from where it had been wrapped around Magnus’ waist to cup his cheek.
Magnus’ mind is racing. His thoughts erratic and fractured as he stares up at the Shadowhunter. He hadn’t meant for Alec to hear those words when he’d spoken them into the darkness. Not yet. It was still too early. Magnus always fell in love too quickly. Never scared to make the leap. Always taking a running start. It was always his downfall. But while Magnus was used to plunging headfirst into love, this was Alecs first relationship and he wanted to be mindful. He’s patient, never pressing, always allowing Alec to set the pace. Being careful not to scare him off.
“It’s ok” Alec says again, pulling Magnus from his thoughts. His thumb gently gliding across Magnus’ cheekbone. And Magnus sucks in another breath, closing his eyes desperate to regain composure. Bracing himself.
Magnus has always been told that he’s a lot to handle. That he comes on too strong. That he’s too much. That—
“I’ll catch you” he hears Alec whisper, moving just enough so that their noses touch. And suddenly centuries of heartache evaporate and he has to clench his eyes tighter to stop the tears from spilling out.
He only opens his eyes again when he feels Alec press their foreheads together. “After all” Alec starts, the sides of his lips curving into smile that spreads warmth throughout Magnus’ body. “I fell a long time ago.”
Magnus stares back in disbelief.
He had accepted his fate. He was prepared to make the jump, to wait at the bottom for Alec with open arms. He wasn’t expecting Alec to already be there waiting for him.
He opens his mouth to speak, but quickly finds that no words will come out. Instead, he moves his hand to hold the back of Alecs neck as he surges up to kiss him. Alec puffs out a surprised breath, smiling against Magnus’ lips. His hand slides underneath Magnus to cradle the back of his head, fingers caressing the hairs on the nape of his neck.
And when Magnus feels Alec kiss him back, his apprehension melts into giddy relief. He’s never been more excited to fall.
