Merry Christmas! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please, please, please leave a comment telling me if you did! I appreciate all of you readers and I couldn't be thankful enough for all of you. 

The Perfect Present: Part Two

Magnus

I smiled as I tugged on my bowtie. I was extremely dressed down from what I usually wore. I was wearing regular black dress pants, glittery black dress shoes, a red suit jacket with a white button-up, and a shimmery green bowtie. My cat, Chairman Meow rubbed against my leg affectionately.

"Daddy's going to go on a date," I cooed as I bent down to scratch his head as he purred. I stood back up and looked in the mirror one last time. I still was in shock about Alec wanting to spend Christmas Eve with me. I was delighted, I just couldn't believe that I meant that much to him.

I had figured it would be a long shot, but I had invited him over for Christmas Eve and asked him to spend the night. Surprisingly, he had agreed.

It was 6:00, and Alec would be arriving at any second. I walked back into the kitchen and poured two glasses of champagne. I wanted to night to be as perfect as possible. I checked on the turkey in the oven one last time, and all things seemed to be going smoothly.

I moved into the living room and sat on the couch as I sipped the champagne. I checked my watch periodically as 6:30 rolled around. Now I was starting to get worried. I pulled up his contact in my phone, debating whether or not to call him. I didn't want to seem to clingy or attached, but I wanted to know why he was so late.

I shoved the phone back in my pocket and took a deep breath. I would wait until 7 to text him. Maybe the roads were bad? The thought of him standing me up made my insides go cold.

It was 6:55 when I finally heard a knock on the door. I had spent the past 25 minutes coming up with possible excuses for his tardiness, but it seemed that now I could find the answer.

"Alec," I smiled, relieved to see his face as I opened the door. "How-" I stopped as I finally got a good look at him. He looked like an absolute disaster. His hair was a wet and freezing, his coat and pants were splattered with mud and his face was bright red.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes wide. "I ran into some trouble, and I had to make a last minute stop to get something, and it ended up taking a lot more time than I anticipated. My car broke down and I had to walk the last few blocks and some guy ended up hitting a mud puddle and it got all over me," he said, exasperated. "I'm sorry," he shook his head as he handed over a small white jewelry box, which was also covered in mud.

"It's for you," he said, holding it out for me to take.

I frowned. "I'll open it in a second," I told him and set it on the coffee table nearby. "First, let's get you cleaned up. I have some clothes you can wear." Alec nodded as I gestured for him to come into the apartment. "Are you okay?"

Alec grinned as he shrugged his coat off. "I ended up getting what I wanted. So, yes." I took his coat from him and led him to my room, pointing to my closet.

"Take whatever you want," I told him. "I'll wash your clothes once you've changed."

He nodded. "Thank you," Alec said as he kicked off his boots, accidentally spraying mud all over the floor of my closet. I couldn't contain my laughter.

"Jesus," Alec muttered, his face pale and eyes wide. "I am so sorry, Magnus," he began to ramble on as I kept laughing. He gave me an odd look. "What's so funny?'

"Nothing," I shook my head, the laughter finally dying out. "It's just that, for a while, I thought you were going to stand me up. And now here you are, getting mud all over my house." We both looked at the muddy tracks and smiled. "I don't think I would want to spend my Christmas Eve any other way."

He blushed and kicked at the ground. "I wouldn't want it any other way, either."

I grinned and turned around, swiftly making my way into the kitchen and pulling the turkey out of the oven. Usually, I would be out partying with some strangers and then spend Christmas in my bed, too hungover to even move.

Alec made me want to be a different person, even though I knew the thought was cheesy, it was true. I poured myself another glass of champagne and leaned against the counter as I waited for Alec to come out.

After five minutes, I was beginning to wonder why he was taking so long. I was about to go and knock on the door when he emerged.

"Your clothes were a little small," Alec gestured to his torso, where a shimmery black shirt hung tightly to his skin. "Also, I couldn't find jeans," Alec spoke, a smirk on his face. "Then I figured you probably don't own any." He was wearing a pair of my skintight leather pants, which, might I say, made him look very good.

I rolled my eyes. "I prefer my own style, thank you very much," I joked. I looked him up and down one more time. "You look freezing," I noted. "Hot cocoa?"

"That sounds delicious," Alec's eyes twinkled as he walked closer to me in the kitchen. He took a deep breath and leaned against the counter as I opened a cupboard and rummaged around, trying to find the mix.

"Did you open your present?" Alec asked, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side.

'Not yet," I responded, and began pouring milk into two purple mugs. I began to wonder what he got me. I hoped it was something heartfelt, but I braced myself for a pair of socks, or something equally as bland.

I mean, it's not like Alec and I were even in any relationship, we had only kissed. He wasn't out of the closet, except to his sister, and I couldn't really tell if his feelings were serious for me. I knew my feelings for him were the strongest I had ever felt.

The mugs were placed gently in the microwave and I set the timer for a minute. "So," I said, facing him as I leaned against the stove. "Would you like to do gifts now? It seems like you're excited for my present." He gave me a goofy half smile and I was certain that I hadn't seen anything more heartwarming.

"Yes," he agreed. He turned to grab it from the coffee table from the living room and I followed him, grabbing it from under my Christmas tree before sitting on the couch. He sat criss cross, facing me.

"Here," Alec said, handing me the box. It was small, white and had a red ribbon tied carefully around it. I took it, and he folded his hands into his lap and bit his lip. I gave him a skeptical look as I began to untie it.

I took off the lid of the box, Alec watching me intently as I removed the tissue paper to find a rusty antique locket. My heart stopped beating as I looked at him.

"No way," I breathed as I took the locket out of the box, resting it in my hands as I looked closer. It was bronze with a black tree engraved on the front. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I held it up and the chain unfurled. It was perfect.

"Do you like it?" Alec asked nervously, leaning forward and biting his thumb.

Everything that I had wondered about how I felt, or how Alec felt was immediately answered. "Alec... it's perfect." He began smiling. "I love it."

"Good," Alec said, biting his lip. "Wanna put it on?" I nodded and he took it from my hands and unclasped it. He leaned in closer and put it around my neck.

"Thank you," I said softly as he returned to his normal position, giving me the same goofy smile from earlier. I rubbed my thumb against it, the cool metal seeming to calm my nerves.

"I was hoping you'd like it," Alec said as his hands moved forward and found mine. "I found it in a store, but it was reserved. As soon as I saw it, I knew you would love it, so I went and found the person who bought it and convinced them to sell it to me. That's the reason I was late, if you were wondering," Alec told me. "Then, my car broke down, and the rest, well, I already told you."

"Alec," I remarked. "I can't believe you'd do this for me." His thumb traced circles around my palm. "Thank you."

We stared at each other, in a sort of trance. "Magnus-" Alec began, but I interrupted, fearing what he was going to say.

"Oops!" I exclaimed, pulling his gift from behind my back. "I almost forgot to give you your present."

Alec gave me a suspicious look as he took the present out of my hands and began to unwrap the silver paper.

"Oh my god," he gasped as he pulled the book through. "How did you find this?" He asked, looking up at me with wide eyes. "How did you know this was my favorite book?"

I shrugged, but couldn't keep the grin off my face. "I did some talking to Izzy."

"This is a first edition, isn't it?" He said as he flipped open the cover of Stephen King's Misery.

I nodded. "You like it, don't you?"

"Like it?" He replied, running his hands down the spine of the book. "I love it." He stopped for second, marveling at me. "I love you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, my heart seemed to lose all functions. Alec covered his mouth. "Shit," he said. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry."

"It's... it's alright," I responded. I almost said it back. Almost. There was something that told me I shouldn't, though. That this wasn't the right time and I listened to that voice.

"I'm stupid," Alec sighed.

"Don't worry about it," I told him, resting my hand on his knee. "I really like you, Alec. It's, well, it's just not the right time right now."

Alec shrugged and turned his face away to look at the shining Christmas tree.

"Alec?"

"Hm?"

"You're the cutest goddamn person I know."

Alec instantly turned back to face me, his mouth slightly open, his eyes questioning me. "I just thought I should let you know," I said, leaning back against the armrest.

In an instant, he had leaned forward and grabbed the collar of my suit jacket. "Magnus Bane," he said. "You never fail to surprise me."

Before I could come up with a witty reply, he was kissing me.

"Alec," I said, interrupting out make-out session.

"Yes?" he asked, his hair wild and eyes bright.

"Forget the locket," I told him, wrapping my arms around his waist as he combed his fingers through my hair.

"I think this is the perfect present."