key to your heart (and phone)
It’d been a peaceful night before Jace opened his mouth. Which, to all the knowers, was a bad sign.
“So Magnus–” Jace shoved several potato chips into his mouth, chewing them as obnoxiously loud as possible. “Truth or dare?”
Magnus waved a nonchalant hand, the other combed through Alec’s hair, who was lying on his lap. “You seem awfully interested in my life recently. Have anything you want to share?”
“Don’t change the topic,” Jace said. “And I’m perfectly comfortable with my sexuality.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Simon said, just to be annoying.
“Everyone shut up. Magnus, I demand to know the reason behind your password,” Izzy stopped snickering into her drink enough to yell out.
“Leave my boyfriend alone, you punks,” Alec grumbled, not willing to leave Magnus’s comfortable lap yet. “His password’s none of your business.”
Jace shrugged.
“He can change after we get our answer.”
Magnus hummed. That was one of his best and most frustrating qualities, appearing as if others’ hurry and concern could never affect him at all.
Alec’d seen his boyfriend use this move on several entitled customers, and it’d never failed to put them in their places. If he could handle that, he surely had no trouble with four annoying shadowhunters.
“Biscuit, did you make a bet on my phone password’s meaning?”
Clary hid her face behind her mug, but the tips of her ears were already red. “No?”
“Oh, come on!” Izzy exclaimed. “I’ve been dying to know what that is, Alec won’t tell me shit.”
Izzy had immediately come back with her own tree of suspicion that day, pestering questions after questions on why, when Magnus forgot his phone password, all he had to do was find whenever Alec was, touch and showcase a “disgusting” amount of PDA, and his memory was unlocked magically.
Jace smirked. “His age, duh. He’s a senior citizen.”
“Ha ha, very entertaining.” Magnus rolled his eyes before shifting his focus back to Alec.
His touch was soothing and gentle, even without his signature magic.
“Sorry to disappoint you, I wasn’t there when the first atoms were born into existence. If it’d been that way, I would’ve used it to meet Alec faster.”
Months of dating, Alec truly was surprised by how much Magnus felt towards him. He blushed. “And I you.”
“—Anyway.” Izzy drew the attention back to herself. “382832. That’s gotta be his number of exes.”
Alec was annoyed. “No. Stop guessing.”
“Izzy, you forgot! We’re not supposed to use the “e” word in this place.” Clary nodded at Alec in solidarity. Alec found her slowly climbing up in his favorite redhead list. “Maybe it’s their anniversary date.”
“Earphones?”
“Eggplant?”
“Exclamation?”
“I found your misfits’ poor misinterpretation of me insulting.” Magnus winked at Alec. “This one kept me too busy to think of anyone else anyway— Alec, did you skip your meal again?” Magnus’s other hand was hovering over the permanent spot on Alec’s waist.
“—No..?”
“Don’t lie to me.” Magnus slightly tapped Alec on the side. “Do I have to force-feed you at work, Alexander?”
“Get a room!” Jace interrupted rather loudly.
Magnus was still fixated on Alec’s guilty face. “No wonder the last time it was 28, now it’s 25. I’m monitoring all your meals.”
“If you keep changing your password. You’re gonna forget it someday.”
“My memory’s more resistant than you think. And my reminder’s here with me, isn’t he?
The whole group seemed silent, as if something had dawned on them.
Simon was the one to break the ice.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, or is this just me…”
“I’m afraid it’s not just you.” In contrast to her boyfriend, Izzy looked thrilled with the new information. “Do you really have a 28-inch waist, Mr Alexander Lightwood?
“I’m removing myself from this conversation.” Alec's face turned, hiding in Magnus’s shirt. “Goodbye.”
“Does this mean Magnus knows about Alec’s other body parts?”
“It’s crucial information I’d like to have around for every day in my life.” Magnus interrupted.
“While it’s sweet and all, do you really have to make his body proportion as your phone’s password?” Clary was looking positively scandalous.
“Yes.” Somewhere hidden away from the group’s sight, Magnus had a firm hand on Alec’s chest, grazing and touching them. “He likes it.”
And despite the ridiculousness of the situation, Alec couldn’t help but smile.
(He’d act annoyed and bratty later.)