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Alec skips his last class.
He shouldn’t, but he does, heading south to meet Jace at the shop instead of north to his marketing class, or whatever bullshit it was supposed to be today. He just can’t be bothered. Doesn’t see the point in sitting in a stuffy classroom and listening to his professor drone on for an hour only for it to go in one ear and straight out the other.
It’s stupid hot. Way hotter than anything Alec’s used to, and sweat drips down his temples as he walks the handful of blocks it is to the surf/skate/beach/whatever else shop where Jace works.
He’d stumbled upon it during his first week here. He got caught out in the rain because it never rains in LA, except it does, but only when Alec’s not prepared for it. Only when he’s dressed in running shorts and a thin white t-shirt which turns see-through the second it sees a drop of water - much to the amusement of Jace when Alec had ducked into the nearest shop to wait it out.
“Finally, some excitement,” Jace had said.
Jace was sat up on the counter back then, and he’s sat up on the counter today, cross-legged and scrolling through something on his phone. It’s the only position Alec’s ever seen him in in this store and Alec wonders if he ever does any actual work.
“Can’t do any work if we don’t have any customers,” Jace shrugs.
“Maybe you should be doing something to get more customers,” Alec suggests. His attendance may be far from perfect, but he’s shown up to enough of his classes to at least know that business equals profit.
“I mean, probably.” Jace uncrosses his legs and masterfully jumps down from the counter, choosing to lean against it instead. “But far be it from me to tell my boss how to run his own store. Sounds too much like hard work to me. Speaking of, how are your classes and all that?”
“Too much like hard work.”
“You should do like me,” Jace tells him.
“What, drop out and find a job in a store with ghosts for customers?”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll pass, thanks,” Alec says. “My parents didn’t send me off across the country for me to come back without my Master’s.”
“Well in that case, I’m pretty sure your parents also didn’t send you here to spend your Friday afternoons skipping class to hang out with me instead,” Jace points out.
“They can't win everything,” Alec shrugs. He's already getting his Master’s in a subject they picked out for him, he thinks he deserves a little slack. “What's going on?”
“Reached level 245 in Candy Crush,” Jace says, showing Alec his phone to prove it. Alec didn't realise people still played it, but he gives Jace an impressed nod anyway. “Took me for fucking ever. Oh and there's this party tonight if you're up for it. Someone Simon knows. Or thinks he knows. I dunno. But we’re going.”
“Wait, is Simon the one who’s in the band that changes their name every week?” Alec quizzes. Sometimes it feels like Jace knows half of LA, it's hard to keep track of who's who when Alec's never met any of them.
“Hopelessly indecisive,” Jace confirms. “So is that a yes?”
“Am I invited?”
“I mean, no. But so long as you bring your own drinks and don't bust out a guitar by the campfire I'm sure everyone’ll love you.”
“Campfire?”
Jace grins wickedly. “Get your best bikini out, Lightwood. We’re off to a beach party.”
*
Alec's never been to a beach party before.
All that sand and general outdoors-ness just never appealed to him. That and the fact that alcohol paired with the ocean is pretty much a disaster waiting to happen.
But he's in LA now, and he told himself that once he moved here he'd try new things. So this is him trying a new thing.
They get an uber; himself, Jace and Simon, but decide they can only afford it three quarters of the way there, so they get out early and walk the rest of the way.
It's approaching nine o’clock, but it's still warm out. That sticky kind of heat that makes you want to do nothing but strip naked and laze around. They're close enough to their destination now that Alec can already hear music playing. He's glad. The first thing he's going to do when they arrive is find a bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. What happens after that, he has no clue.
Jace and Alec each have a six pack tucked under their arm. Simon swigs a can of Red Bull, which Alec thinks is dangerous considering just how peppy Simon is without all the added caffeine.
“This sand is fucking everywhere,” Jace moans, kicking one of his feet in the air in an attempt to empty his shoe.
“You're on the beach, idiot,” Simon says. He dodges the elbow Jace sends his way easily, clearly well-practiced in the exercise.
Alec shakes his head. He can't believe he allowed them to convince him to come to this damn party.
It's a huge house. Floor to ceiling windows downstairs, an open set of double doors with people spilling out onto the deck that leads to the beach, and a huge balcony upstairs. The kind of home Alec’s only ever seen on tv and in movies.
They’ve already lost Simon by the time they make it indoors. Jace and Alec stand in the open-plan kitchen-diner and survey the party.
“Do you even know any of these guys?”
“Sure.” Jace cracks open one of his beers. He takes a swig and then gestures to the room. “Alec, everyone. Everyone, Alec.” He doesn’t particularly put any effort into his introduction though, so no one bats an eye. He turns back to Alec. “See, they love you already.”
“Clearly,” Alec says. He uses his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow. There’s air conditioning on inside but with all the bodies it barely makes a difference. “I’m gonna go find the bathroom,” he tells Jace.
“Already? You need to get yourself a new bladder.”
“Funny.” Alec rolls his eyes and hands over his beers, even though he's sure by the time he comes back they'll be half gone. He ventures through the crowd of bodies out into the hallway and spots the bathroom straight away. The door with the muddled queue of people outside, all in various stages of sobriety.
Alec knows he’s going to be there forever if he joins them. So he doubles back on himself and heads towards the staircase.
The lights are out on the second floor, obviously some sort of unspoken rule about not being allowed up there is in place. But Alec makes his way upstairs anyway. It’s not like he’s going up there to drunkenly trash the place, or have sex in some stranger’s bed. Just in and out. No one’ll notice. He’s good at being invisible.
One by one he opens door after door, revealing huge, lavishly decorated bedrooms and a closet and a study, until he finds the bathroom.
The door’s unlocked so Alec doesn’t think twice about entering, except maybe he should’ve, because he bursts right in on someone zipping his fly up.
“Shit, sorry, I-”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’d have locked it if I was truly that bothered about anyone barging in.”
Alec stays stood in the doorway, finally releasing his gaze from the ceiling to look at the other person. He’s seen enough shitty tv shows to know situations like this go one of two ways. Raking his eyes over the stranger, Alec realises he wants it the second way. The way that requires him to lock the door behind him and get down on his knees.
The stranger turns the tap on, waiting for the water to get up to temperature to wash his hands. He looks over at Alec.
“Well, since you’ve already seen far more of me than you bargained for, I think it’s only fair I know your name, don’t you?”
“It’s Alec.”
“Alec,” he repeats slowly, then smiles. “Short for Alexander, I assume?” He waits for Alec’s nod. “Magnus. I’d shake your hand but,” he nods at the sink where his hands are now lathered in soap.
“Sure,” Alec says. He leans against the doorjamb and lets himself just watch.
Magnus doesn’t look like he belongs at a beach party.
His face is expertly made up, pink eyeshadow to match the bright streaks in his hair. Alec doesn’t know much about makeup, but it has to be some sort of miracle that it’s still perfectly in place in this heat.
Magnus glances over at Alec, arching an eyebrow, clearly satisfied that he’s caught Alec staring red-handed. Alec refuses to let himself be embarrassed this time. Maybe it’s the alcohol he'd pre-gamed at Jace’s apartment. But he lets his eyes trail down Magnus’ body, taking in his ridiculously broad shoulders, sinfully hidden by the jacket he’s wearing despite the temperature.
That’s probably why his upper lip is shiny with sweat. Alec wants to kiss it away and taste it.
He rubs his neck and looks back out into the dark hallway behind him. Why is he being gross? He’s not normally this gross.
He looks back to Magnus. He’s not normally in small bathrooms with attractive strangers, either.
He’ll blame it on the heat. The heat and the fact that his dick hasn't come into contact with anything except his own right hand since he flew over here.
Magnus finishes washing his hands, Alec still watching from the doorway, drying his hands on the towel and then turning to the mirror to inspect himself. He dabs a finger underneath one eye, wiping away a smudge of eyeliner. When he meets Alec’s eyes in the reflection he smirks.
“All yours, Alexander,” he says, brushing against Alec probably more closely than is necessary as he leaves the bathroom.
Alec watches Magnus make his way back down the hallway towards the stairs. For some reason Alec hopes he'll look back at him, just once. Whatever that means.
He does.
Alec's stomach twists.
*
Jace is out on the deck, leaning against the fence with a bottle of someone else’s beer and a slice of pizza of questionable quality in his hand. He's watching some pretty redhead dancing across the way and when he spots Alec he pretends like he wasn't.
“Where the hell have you been?”
“Bathroom,” Alec shrugs. He swipes the bottle from Jace and takes a drink.
“You fall in or something?”
Alec makes a face and swaps the bottle for the pizza. He eats a couple of bites. It's not the best. Or the worst.
“Hey, do you know someone called Magnus?”
“No.” Jace grabs the pizza back. “Why?”
“I just… bumped into someone that's all. You seem to know a lot of people, I thought you might know him. But I guess not.”
“Guess not,” Jace echoes. He downs what remains of the beer and winces. “God, this is awful. Go grab me another, will you?”
Alec rolls his eyes but takes the empty bottle. “You should talk to her,” he says, pushing himself off the fence. “Might go down better than creepily watching her dance all night.”
Jace flips him off.
The kitchen’s practically cleared out when Alec returns, save for a few stragglers. He briefly wonders if this was supposed to just be pre-drinks that somehow got out of hand.
There's still a load of shit beer on the counter though, so Alec grabs a couple. He searches through the mess of empty cups and bottles and other litter strewn across the surface for a bottle opener. When he comes up short he starts rifling through drawers instead. It's a bit weird, helping himself to someone else's kitchen. He doesn't even notice another body joining him.
“I hope you’re looking for this, rather than pocketing the silverware.”
It's Magnus. Handing him a bottle opener. Giving him a smile.
“Um, yeah.” Alec takes the opener. “Thanks.” He flips the caps off both bottles and when he looks up Magnus is watching him closely.
Alec still wants to kiss him.
“Do you, uh. Where’d everyone go?” He asks instead.
“Impromptu skinny dipping session, I think,” Magnus says. He raises a suggestive eyebrow. “Perhaps we should join them.”
Alec considers it for a minute. Shedding his clothes right here in the kitchen and sprinting down to the sea, Magnus eager and hot on his heels until they tangle together amongst the waves. It's tempting.
So tempting.
“I better get back to my friend,” Alec says, remembering the reason he has two drinks in his hand instead of one. He shrugs, “It's not really my thing, anyway.”
Magnus smirks once, then makes his way out of the kitchen. “Shame,” he tosses over his shoulder.
Alec just about manages to pull himself together before he makes his way back outside to Jace.
*
As the evening cools down a bit, the atmosphere at the party does too. Jace takes it upon himself to help light the campfire, almost losing his eyebrows in the process.
“I really don’t think you needed that much lighter fluid,” Alec says, settling down onto the log beside him.
Jace holds his palms out in front of him, tilting his head back to soak up the heat. “Someone had to get the damn thing going,” he murmurs, eyes closed. Alec thinks it’s still too fucking warm for a bonfire but he keeps that to himself.
At some point, Simon comes and sits on the opposite side of Jace, the two of them getting into some sort of argument over one of the tv shows they watch, or something else Alec doesn't give a shit about. Instead he watches Magnus through the flames, sat across from him in an intense conversation with the redheaded girl Jace had his eye on earlier.
Magnus throws his head back in laughter, a glorious sight, and when he opens his eyes he's staring right at Alec. The laugh turns into that smirk Alec thinks he should be getting used to seeing by now but somehow isn't, and Magnus leans in to murmur something to the girl.
Alec shifts uncomfortably under two sets of eyes. He searches for his drink but Jace seems to have kicked it over, leaving nothing but a damp patch on the sand next to the cup. Great.
When he looks back up Magnus isn't there. Neither is the girl.
Fuck.
He fishes his phone out of his pocket, wondering how long it’ll be before Jace even entertains the idea of leaving. Or how long his battery would last if he were to get up and leave right now, google maps his only hope of finding his way back to his apartment. He should've paid more attention on the way here.
“You look thirsty,” comes that familiar voice, right in his ear. “We should fix that.”
Alec jumps. Magnus sits down beside him. He passes Alec a cup.
Alec downs half of whatever’s in it in one go, wincing at the strength, then taps it against Magnus' own red cup. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Magnus stretches his legs out in front of him. His jeans are rolled up to just above his ankles and his feet are bare, save for the black nail polish decorating his toes and a couple of anklets on one ankle. Alec wants to ask him where his shoes have gone. He's pretty sure Magnus was wearing shoes earlier. What comes out of his mouth is, “Your feet are naked.” Maybe he shouldn't have taken that drink from Magnus.
Magnus laughs. His eyes are positively sparkling in the flicker of the campfire and Alec forces himself to look away before he ends up doing something stupid like staring into them for the rest of eternity.
“So they are,” Magnus agrees, amusement heavy in his voice.
Alec scoots closer to Magnus, that fresh wave of alcohol buzzing through his system giving him an extra push of confidence. There are just millimetres between them now. Every time Magnus brings his drink up to his lips Alec can feel the soft fabric of his jacket brushing against his bare arm. It's nice.
His brain reminds him he should make conversation. He's at a party. That's what you do at parties. And everyone else around them is chatting away merrily. But Alec can't for the life of him focus his thoughts.
And then Magnus is leaning in impossibly closer, looking Alec in the eye and murmuring, “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Alec breathes out. “Yeah.”
His body feels like it's on fire. The heat from the fire and the heat from Magnus' body attacking him from all directions, burning him up in the best way possible.
Alec watches Magnus slowly trail a single finger up and down his forearm. He's far from cold but he still gets goosebumps.
Magnus uses the same finger to tilt Alec’s chin up, making it impossible for Alec to look anywhere other than Magnus’ eyes, pupils clearly dilated with want.
“Would you- do you want-?”
Alec stands abruptly. “Yes.”
Whatever Magnus' offering. He wants it. He wants that stupid, pretty mouth on his and those hands all over his skin. He wants it bad.
“We’re- I'm off for a walk,” he tells Jace, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the ocean.
Jace's eyes dart between Alec and Magnus. “Don't drown,” is all he says, but Alec knows that's his way of saying be careful.
*
Being honest, this is not how Alec imagined his night would go.
Receiving a blow job while half bundled in the back of a stranger's car, perched precariously on the edge of the seat, the car door open to block them from view of the party.
But it’s not a stranger’s car, his brain corrects. It’s Magnus' car.
Magnus' ridiculous, expensive car that Magnus drives himself around in every day while Alec can only afford half-journeys in ubers.
“Wait,” he says, surprising even himself.
Magnus pauses, but keeps his mouth wrapped around Alec’s dick. His expectant eyes peer up to meet Alec’s and, god, if that's not the hottest thing he's ever seen.
Forming words feels almost impossible.
“Wait,” Alec repeats. “You're not drinking and driving are you?”
It's a stupid thing to be thinking about in the middle of getting his dick sucked. But here he is. Thinking about it in the middle of getting his dick sucked.
Maybe that means he cares. Maybe it just means he really needs to shut his brain off. He’s a sucker for overthinking things.
Magnus pulls back. His lips are shiny and his cheeks are gloriously flushed. He’s a fucking masterpiece.
“I live here,” he says, nonchalant. And then he's taking Alec back into his mouth, and any further thoughts Alec had are quickly lost.
He comes embarrassingly quickly. Like he said, it's been a while. But Magnus didn't seem to mind, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before scrambling to his feet to press his mouth eagerly against Alec’s and let him taste himself.
“Oh, god,” Alec says, voice barely half-there.
For the first time tonight, Magnus looks a little shy. “Is that a good ‘oh god’ or a bad ‘oh god’?” He asks.
“The best oh god,” Alec assures him, reeling him in for another kiss. It's easy to let himself get lost in the taste of Magnus, the thumping bass and occasional squeals of the party goers in the background reminding Alec just how close they are, and just how much he's trying new things.
New York Alec would never.
Magnus breaks them apart, pressing one final kiss to Alec’s lips before he stands and leans against the side of the car. It takes a moment but Alec realises he's fiddling with the fastening on his pants.
“Oh! What about- I mean, do you need me to-?”
“All taken care of.”
Heat flares in Alec’s stomach. The thought of Magnus getting himself off purely from sucking Alec’s dick is impossibly hot. Even if he does feel a bit like he left Magnus high and dry.
“You should've said- I mean I could’ve-”
“You're an attractive guy, Alexander. I like to watch attractive people fall apart under my fingers,” Magnus says. Matter of fact. “Or mouth,” he adds with a wink.
Alec has to look away. Otherwise he’s about two seconds away from grabbing Magnus by the lapels and pulling him properly into the car.
As he’s looking around he catches a glance of his reflection in one of the wing mirrors. There's no way Alec can go back to the party looking like he does. He's wrecked.
It'd be less conspicuous for him to walk through the mix of partygoers wearing a neon sign around his neck telling everyone what he'd just done.
He gets out of the car and closes the door behind him, making a feeble attempt to make himself look more presentable. It’s pretty much useless though, so he gives up and rests against the car next to Magnus.
Neither of them say anything for a good five minutes.
“What happens now?” Alec finally asks. He’s calmed down a bit now.
“Well, before anything else, I need to go find a change of pants,” Magnus says. “And after that… the world is your oyster, Alexander.”
Alec turns to properly face Magnus. “I mean, like. With us.” He wonders if he’s overstepping a mark. “Is this just a one-time thing?”
“Would you like it to be?”
“No,” Alec says, certain of one thing, at least. He wants to see Magnus again and he tells him as much. “And maybe next time I can, you know. Reciprocate,” he adds shyly.
“Oh, he’s handsome and full of good ideas,” Magnus teases. He holds out his hand. “Give me your phone.” Alec does as he’s told, unlocking it and handing it to Magnus who quickly types his number in and hands it back. Except Magnus doesn’t let go of the phone.
Instead he uses it to tug Alec closer, closing the gap between them so he can kiss Alec.
It’s soft and gentle, a stark contrast to their kisses from earlier. Alec loves it.
Much too soon, Magnus pulls away, releasing Alec’s phone as he steps back.
“Now it’s not a one time thing,” he says, continuing to back away as he speaks. He tilts his head and eyes Alec up and down, that smirk back once again. “I’ll see you, Alexander.”
And then he gracefully spins around, and Alec gets to watch those broad shoulders retreat back towards the front of the house until Magnus is no longer in view.
Alec slumps back against Magnus’ car with a stupid grin on his face.
Maybe coming to this party wasn’t such a bad idea.