The Malec Chronicles

The Key

"What's this?"

It was a stupid question, and a few seconds drag by where neither of them state the obvious, even if the answer was lying on the table between them.  Magnus had pulled it out of one of his shirt pockets and slapped it down on the table, where it was staring up at them both, the silver metallic shining in a way that could either be a promise or an accusation.

"What do you think it is?"  Magnus leaned back into the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.  It was the picture of nonchalance, but it was also a posture that Alec had never seen him take before.  He'd known Magnus long enough now that he could tell when he was nervous, as far and few between those occasions were, and he knew that this was one of those times.  He tried to make eye contact, but Magnus was stubbornly staring at the wall instead.   "It's a key, Alexander."

And Alec knew that, thank you very much, but what he didn't really understand was why it was sitting in the middle of the table.  "What for?"

Magnus sat up straight, abandoning all pretense of trying to look like something very important wasn't happening in the apartment at the moment (Izzy would call this a relationship milestone, but Alec is trying very hard not to take relationship advice from his little sister).   Magnus waved his hand at the door with such force that blue sparks flew from his fingers, sending a wave of warmth rolling towards Alec's cheek.  A few weeks ago it might have scared him, but now he just rolled his eyes and grabbed onto Magnus' hand, pressing his fingers together so no more wayward scraps of power could escape.  "To open the door.  I told you I was getting a key for you darling.  I did mean it when I said I didn't want to bother with buzzing you in every day."

Despite everything, Alec took a moment to analyze the words and to worry if he had somehow become a nuisance without noticing it.  To wonder if he should stop coming over so much.  But then the true implication of that tiny scrap of metal caught up with him, and he looked over at Magnus with wide eyes.  There were responses circling around in his head (ranging from by the angel, I think I could love you if you'd let me to take it back, I don't want this yet and even but I could have used an opening rune for that if you didn't want to bother with it) but he didn't say any of them.  Words were more of Jace's area of expertise, and what came out of Alec's mouth was a lot more pathetic.  "You're giving me a key to the apartment?  I could just come over any time?"

Magnus snorted, cat eyes gleaming.  "That's sort of the point of giving you a key.  I don't even have to be here now."

"You want me to come over any time?" 

Magnus doesn't answer, even if the smirk on his face slips into a softer sort of smile.  He draws Alec close to him, and Alec's finally releases his grip on Magnus' wrist, certain that they were in no danger of any unintentional magic.  "Of course I do,"  He murmured, and even though Alec can't help but feel a knot of anxiety when he says it, there's also something else- a warmth, a peace, a sense of home. 

They don't mention the key again, but when Alec leaves, he slips it into his pocket.  He could feel it the whole way home, poking his thigh on the walk home.  He stares at it now in the dark, and even if he can't really see it's there, even if he can't bear to tell anyone what its truly for, he gets the feeling that what he thought back in the apartment was right- he does belong there.