#battletaught

[magnvs]

malec on instagram

ft. @skilledleader.

[magnvs]

@skilledleader  ||  birthday celebrations. ♡

        If Magnus Bane had learned one thing about Alec Lightwood over the past few weeks,  it was that he was the most  DIFFICULT  man in the world to buy gifts for---  and,  truly,  Ragnor Fell had already set quite a high bar in terms of  THAT  particular competition.  The only  NEW  things he’d ever seen his boyfriend with were weapons,  and he hardly thought that new  ARROWS  would be a romantic birthday present---  whether enchanted to  INCINERATE  its target upon impact or not  ( that idea had been scrapped rather quickly when he’d realised how  DANGEROUS  that could be,  particularly when in the wrong hands ).  He’d made desperate calls to Ragnor,  Catarina,  and had even debated  asking  RAPHAEL  for advice,  before finally deciding that,  no,  he  WASN’T  that desperate.  

        He has one day left until his deadline when he gets called into the Institute for a routine check of the  WARDS,  and he’d been led into the weapons area  &  told not to touch anything until Alec arrived  ( and in a rather  SCRUTINISING  fashion,  at that )  when,  upon turning to examine his surroundings,  Magnus’ gaze had dropped to a rather  FAMILIAR  bow that had been left out on one of the tables.  A sly glance to the side informs him that no one is in his vicinity,  and he deliberates for only a moment before finally reaching out and grasping the weapon.  An experimental tug of the nocking point tells him that the draw power required for a bow like this is  IMMENSE---  and is clearly far from  e a s y  on the Shadowhunter’s fingers,  even when he  ISN’T  trying to distract himself from an issue with tangible pain.  The thought sends a burst of pain rippling through his own chest,  and he continues to stare down at the weapon before the idea finally occurs to him.  Of course. 

        There’s an  EXTREMELY  expensive potion in his stores at home,  purchased centuries ago  &  kept for the right opportunity,  and he summons it into his hand with a  SNAP.  Quick work is made of uncorking the bottle  &  tipping the liquid onto the bow,  before he hastily sends the empty container back to his loft with another click.  It’ll take the same amount of effort to draw the bow as it had previously  ( Magnus is well aware that different bows  &  draw powers have the potential to throw archers off ),  but the altered string will most certainly be much kinder to his hands--- and Magnus’  HEART,  at that---  from now on.  

        It’s unlikely that this is a birthday present that Alec will ever know about,  but Magnus thinks it may be one of the most important gifts he’s ever given.  Besides,  he’s sure that his boyfriend will be just as pleased with the more  CORPOREAL  offerings of flowers  &  cologne that Magnus plans on presenting him with tomorrow. 

[magnvs]

alec  lightwood   &   magnus  bane   ( mafia  AU ).

❝      i don’t like games,    bane.    &    i don’t like   BEING    played.    but if you meant what you said about my offer,  then i’m willing to keep it on the table.     there’s something here..     &   there’s something about you.     ❞

[magnvs]

✧･ﾟ:* @leadertaint  ||  continued from here *:･ﾟ✧

     ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  it hink that;s relative      ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  iv’e only hadd      ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  six drinks.? seven?      ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  okay maybe eight      ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  but fuck      ( TEXT to  //  a. l. )  you’re the onlyd amn thign in my head

[magnvs]

✧･ﾟ:* @skilledleader ♡’d  ( not really )  for a lyric starter. *:･ﾟ✧

                   ❝ I  still  think  of  that  day  now   &   then. ❞  --- ( In  a  Crowd  of  Thousands. )

[magnvs]

@leadertaint  ||  mafia au drabble,  because i can. ♡

                  ❝ Do  you  have  to  go? ❞   Alec’s  question,   quiet   &   unsure,   shatters  the  blanket  of  silence  that  has  stretched  over  the  pair  since  they’d  both  blinked  their  eyes  open  for  the  first  time  that  morning.  

                    Rays  of  sunlight  stream  through  the  half-open  window  and  Magnus  watches  as  it   DANCES   across  Alec’s  skin  each  time  he  shifts,   colours  his  dark  hair  with  a  tinge  of  auburn.   When  their  gazes  meet,   it’s  practically   ELECTRIC.   The  bronze  trees  of  autumn  creep  inside  the  gap  between  the  glass  frames  to  the  best  of  their  abilities  and  sweep  across  the  casement  with  each   TICKLE   of  the  lazy  morning  breeze,   and  it’s  all  red  leaf  upon  red  leaf  upon  glass.   The  room  is  a   SAFE   space  for  the  both  of  them,   a  place  where  the  east   &   west  sides  have  no  meaning,   and  the  Lightwood   &   Bane  names  hold  no  power,   but …   all  illusions  must  shatter  eventually.

                    ❝ You  know  I  do, ❞   Magnus  whispers,   though  he  doesn’t  seem  particularly  inclined  to  make  any  move  to  sit  up  just  yet.   If  anything,   he  only  nuzzles  closer,   eyes  sliding  shut  as  his  forehead  collides  with  the  crook  of  the  other  man’s  shoulder.   ❝ Father  wants  me  in  Staten  Island  by  midday. ❞   They  rarely  discuss  details.   It’s  easier  that  way.                     As  he  trails  languid  fingertips  down  Magnus’  arm,   Alec  takes  his  turn  to  play  the  game,   to  pretend  that  they’re  both  something  they’re  not.   ❝ I  guess  I  have  a  few  things  to  check  off  the   TO-DO   list  today,   too. ❞ 

                    It’s  moments  like  this   ( quiet,   intimate  ones  in  which  they  are  able  to  revel  in  their  stolen  pocket  of  peace )   when  he  begins  to  notice  strange  stirrings  in  his  chest  that  almost  feel  like   LOVE,   but  neither  of  them  have  quite  made  the  verbal  jump  from   LUST   to  the  less  tangible  l-word  yet;   not  while  the  stakes  are  so  high.   If  he  says  it  out  loud,   it’ll  start  feeling …   REAL.

                    With  that  thought  in  mind,   he’s  soon  sitting  up  and  resting  the  majority  of  his  weight  on  his  forearm,   and  reaches  over  to  the  bedside  table  to  check  the  time.   Lips   TWITCH   downwards  as  he  reads  the  numbers  emblazoned  across  the  screen  of  his  phone,   before  he’s  reaching  over  the  edge  of  his  side  of  the  bed  to  swipe  at  his  boxer  briefs   &   tug  them  on.

                    A  soft   GRUMBLE   passes  through  Alec’s  lips  as  Magnus  leaves  the  warmth  of  the  sheets,   but  he  soon  moves  to  follow  after  shimmying  himself  into  his  own  boxers,   and  a  quick  glance  back  as  Magnus  languidly  stretches  his  arms  out  above  his  head  tells  him  that  the  man  is   STARING   ( which,   admittedly,   brings  the  slightest  of  smiles  to  his  lips----   it’s  a  nice   EGO   boost,   especially  when  coming  from  an  allegedly   ‘ sworn  enemy ’ ).   A  brow  lifts  as  his  gaze  finally  lands  on  his  crumpled  shirt,   which  had  been  tossed  onto  the  floor  by  the  other  man  as  soon  as  they’d  entered  his  room  the  night  before.   He  can’t  exactly  wear   THAT   to  leave  the  house,   so----

                    ❝ What’re  you—- ❞   Alec  starts,   brow  raised,   but  Magnus  is  already  waving  him  off  as  he  extracts  a  navy  button  down  shirt  from  the  nearby  chest  of  drawers.

                    ❝ I  can’t  leave  with  the  clothes  I  was  wearing   YESTERDAY, ❞   he  hums,   easily  slipping  Alec’s  shirt  onto  his  shoulders  and  making  languid  movements  to  button  it  up,   starting  from  the  bottom  hemline.   He’s  only  halfway  finished  when  a  pair  of  arms  are  SNAKING   beneath  the  article  of  clothing   &   sliding  over  his  bare  skin,   effectively  winding  around  his  waist  from  behind,   and  a  light  hum   RUMBLES   through  his  chest  before  he  twists  in  Alec’s  grip  to  plant  a  soft  kiss  at  his  jaw.   ❝ People  might   TALK,   Lightwood.   We  just  can’t  have  that. ❞

                    Alec   CHUCKLES,   low   &   gentle,   and  the  sound  sends  something  in  Magnus’  chest   FLUTTERING.   ❝ People  do  little  else,   Bane. ❞

[magnvs]

✧･ﾟ:* @leadertaint *:･ﾟ✧

                                                   SOMETHING INSIDE OF HIM TWISTED AT MAGNUS’ WORDS,    &   HE TRIED not to think too much into them as he always did.    overthinking was his weakness    &    even though he was wrong about things more than half of the time,    he still hoped it would be different the next time.    instead of replying,    he rolled his neck until it   CRACKED    &   popped enough to relieve the tightness that had settled in his muscles    &  leaned his forearms against the bar counter.    he wouldn’t give himself away without knowing the other’s true intentions    —————    he wouldn’t make a fool of himself again as he has in the past;     desiring things he knew he couldn’t have,   though thinking enough he could to be bold    &   seek it out.    that time,      then fifteen year old alec,      had gotten a broken arm from robert    &   was sent away for the remainder of the summer.    when he returned,    the boy that he    PERSUADED    was nowhere to be found;   him   &   his family had disappeared into thin air   —   or so it seemed.

                     ❛    pleasure’s for fools who don’t have a family to carry on their backs,   ❜    he said simply,   turning the conversation somber before it   TURNED    into something else.    the corner of his eyes still took in magnus’ visage very carefully,    trying not to stare at the lips that he had imagined kissing on many different nights.   it was the allure that the enemy was this forbidden fruit;    or so alec believed.   he didn’t want to think of a world where he actually decided the other man    CONSIDERING    he hated everything him    &    his family stood for.

                    when his eye was mentioned,    alec looked away completely  pretending to let his gaze fall over the rest of the busy bar.    ❛    i didn’t come here for make up tips,   bane,   but thanks for the advice.   i’ll be fine,     though.    just a few friends   &    i    ROUGHHOUSING    the other day,   that’s it.    ❜    it was a lie he told often that probably no one believed.   it was known how heavy handed robert lightwood was,     even against his daughter     &   youngest child.    but with alec being the oldest,    he had no doubt everyone knew about the abuse that he had to endure,    especially if he    DISGRACED    the family name.      it was him,    after all,   that would be the leader of the new york mob family once robert either died,   or passed the torch.    his father called the beatings ‘lessons’,    to teach him how to be a manworthy of leading an empire as big    &   strong as theirs.  

                      he lifted his hand towards the   BARTENDER   then pointed back    &  forth between him   &   magnus’ cups for another refill,    reaching for his pocket to take out his wallet   &  placed a black card on the counter.     ❛     take care of the both of us,     darlin’,    &    take the necessary tip needed.   ❜     he muttered when the bartender returned with their drinks    &    he once again   DOWNED   the contents without so much of a thought    &   placed the cup upside down on the napkin resting on the counter.     ❛     between the two of us,   &    if you ever repeat this bane,   i’ll deny it like hell   —    but not shooting you was the best decision i’ve ever made.    ❜     he wouldn’t expand on that;   he wouldn’t tell the man that he was rarely in control of his life     &    the slice of freedom he got that came with    CHOOSING    not to kill magnus meant more than he could ever understand.

                  ❝ Business  can  be  just  as   ENJOYABLE   as  pleasure,   if  you  treat  it  right, ❞   Magnus  rebukes,   glancing  over  at  Alec  from  beneath  his  lashes   ( but  still,   something  in  his  chest  threatens  to  pang  with  something  that  feels  suspiciously  like   SYMPATHY—-   he’d  identify  it  as  his  heart  if  he  wasn’t   ALL  TOO   aware  that  the  offending  organ  was  something  that  he   KNEW   he  had  to   IGNORE   when  it  came  to  any  kind  of  dealings  with  the  Lightwoods,   no  matter  how  innocent  they  seemed  to  be ).  

                   When  the  man  looks  away,   he  easily  downs  the  remainder  of  his  drink,   and  listens  on  with  somewhat  of  a  disbelieving  gaze  as  the  hasty  correction  is  put  forth.   If  he’s  being  fair,   however,   it’s  rather  clear  that  they’re   BOTH   dancing  around  the  ugly  truths  surrounding  their  families—-   so  he  lets  Alec  have  this,   lets  him  maintain  his  grasp  on  the   ILLUSION   of  power  that  they  both  seem  to  so desperately  maintain  while  out  of  the  reach  of  their  fathers.   ❝ If  you   DID   come  for   MAKEUP   tips,   I  think  you’re  in  the  wrong  place—-   but  arnica  will  still  work  wonders  on  the  aftermath  of  a  little   ‘ roughhousing. ‘ ❞   Regardless  of  whether  the  heavy  hand  had  belonged  to  a  friend  or  a  father.

                      A  brow  lifts  in  amusement  when  Alec  makes  movements  to  pay  for  another  round,   and  Magnus  is  already  preparing  to  inquire  if  he  treats   ALL   his  rivals  this  well   ( or  perhaps,   if  it’s  to  simply  lull  them  into  a  false  sense  of   EASE )   when  the  man  is  speaking  again.   ‘ Not  shooting  you  was  the  best  decision  I’ve  ever  made, ‘   he  says,   and  Magnus   BLINKS,   slow   &   catlike.   Usually,   he  prides  himself  on  his  ability  to  read  situations   &   the  people   INVOLVED   within  them,   but  Alec  is …   Well,   a  small  voice  at  the  back  of  his  mind  had  told  him  that  Alec  was   DIFFERENT   from  the  moment  they’d  laid  eyes  on  each  other.   ❝ Does  this  mean  I’m  exempt  from  having  to  show  you  any  gratitude?   Since,   really,   it  seems  as  if  it  was  a  favour  to   YOURSELF, ❞   he  comments,   though  with  an  apparent  lack  of   resentment----   a  small  smirk  quirks  his  lips  upwards  as  he  speaks,   and  he  doesn’t  quite  have  the  strength  to  neutralise  his  expression  once  more.

[magnvs]

       He’s thinking of her again. The way she’d looked that final night, raven hair j u x t a p o s i n g beautifully against white as it had fanned across the crisp sheets of her bed. Magnus had hardly wanted to disturb her serenity, even though he’d been but a child, recently awoken from a nightmare (these days, it seemed as if he could never quite wake up from such horrors). She’d always seemed so much HAPPIER while submerged in an unconsciousness state than she ever could while awake.

       The tenuous illusion of peace, however, had ended when Magnus had pushed the sheets away and discovered all of the BLOOD.

       Crimson had stained his hands long after he’d discovered her, and it was only after the the white-hot rage that had aided him in murdering his stepfather had finally ebbed away that he had thought to wash his hands. He’d spent HOURS rubbing furiously at his skin until it was raw, hoping to eliminate his GUILT as well as the stains.

       It is only when he reaches this thought that Magnus realises he’d been gripping the keris dagger-- the same weapon that he’d found embedded in his mother’s heart 400 years ago-- so tightly that he’d drawn blood from his palm. She is still at the back of his mind-- she never leaves, not really-- when he makes reverent movements to place the dagger back onto its pedestal and s n a p s a finger to erase all traces of the wound. He’d been suppressing such memories for hundreds of years, but now--

       Well, his life has never been that simple.

       It’s late-- Alec’s breathing had long since evened out into barely noticeable snores when Magnus had finally given up on all attempts to fall asleep (which, really, had been more of a case of him staring u n b l i n k i n g l y at the ceiling) and crept out of bed-- but he’s has been sitting in this position for what feels like hours, and when he finally moves, it is only to gravitate through the threshold of the open terrace doors. He knows-- deep down, he KNOWS that Alec had not played any part in the torture he’d endured at the hands of Imogen Herondale, and had brushed the entire incident off as water under the bridge, but-- still. A small part of his heart is ACHING with pain, with betrayal. 

『 starter for @skilledleader. 』