Hey everyone! This is a short, fluff story to celebrate 100 works on ao3!! Thanks so much for always being so wonderful and supportive and sweet and I hope you enjoy this happy little fic!!
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He doesn’t startle.
Everyone else jumps at the unexpected interruption but Magnus just smiles and relaxes in his seat. Alec is clumsy as he collapses next to him in the booth, rocking the table, and Magnus turns his head just to see Alec already staring at him, eyes unfocused but silly little grin on his face.
“Hey, baby,” he murmurs, voice low and approaching seductive without quite reaching its mark, and Magnus bites his lip to keep his laugh in. Alec only came out with that particular term of endearment when he’d been indulging or when Magnus had teased him so much that he was half out of his mind.
“Hello, darling. Did you get your refill?”
They’re at the Hunter’s Moon with most everyone and it’s a happy occasion. Things have settled lately and it’s a calm Friday evening. Neither Alec nor Magnus have plans for the weekend-- a rarity-- and Alec’s taken the opportunity to drink a little more than he normally would otherwise.
A lot more, Magnus privately acknowledges as Alec not-so-subtly nudges his arm. Magnus lets his frustration build for a few moments before raising his arm and Alec immediately slides over on the booth until he’s all but glued to Magnus’s side, wrapping around him like a damned octopus.
“I drank my refill and then I got another,” Alec says after a long pause, so long that Magnus didn’t think he’d get an answer. Magnus tightens the arm around Alec’s shoulders imperceptibly, bringing his boyfriend even closer, and he watches in amusement as Alec leans down to get a drink of his cocktail only for his mouth to completely miss the straw-- three times.
Laughing quietly, Magnus leaves him to it as he listens in on Jace and Izzy in an impassioned argument about which weapon eviscerates demons most effectively.
Not quiet conversation he’d have in polite company but Magnus has long since grown used to what shadowhunters consider acceptable conversation and he listens with half an ear as Simon’s eyes grow wider and more incredulous at their vivid descriptions of demon injuries.
Clary and Maia are seated at the edge of the booth, talking quietly, and Magnus studies Biscuit for a moment, seeing the way a subtle flush comes into her cheeks as her gaze falls down to Maia’s mouth a time or six.
Smiling a little, Magnus settles into the corner of the booth, Alec a comforting weight next to him. Usually, Magnus prefers to be in the middle of the hubbub-- the life of the party-- and it’s a reputation that he’s carefully cultivated.
Still. He feels perfectly content right now and wouldn’t change things for the world. Absently, he lifts a hand and plays with Alec’s hair, nails scratching softly at his scalp and Alec all but melts against him.
It’s a quiet Friday night and before Alec, Magnus never would have thought he’d find such peace and joy in such a scene. It’s nice, though. Reluctantly and without him quite noticing, the people at this table have become his family and it settles something in him, to watch as the Lightwoods bicker good naturedly and Simon is his usual awkwardly exuberant self. Luke is at the bar, drinking a beer and grabbing a moment of peace from everyone and it’s all so damned domestic that Magnus doesn’t know what to do with himself.
He’s startled out of his thoughts as Alec abruptly straightens, almost spilling his half-full drink, and stares at Magnus like he just sprouted wings.
Arching a brow, Magnus asks, “What is it, Alexander?”
Absolutely beaming, Alec reaches a hand out-- sticky with fruit juice and vodka-- and touches the corner of his eye. “You’re so beautiful, babe. I love you so much.”
Magnus feels equal parts disgusted and enamored as Alec seems to be oblivious to the fact that he’s rubbing his drink into his skin. The words are everything Magnus could wish for, however, and he tries to focus on those.
“Thank you, darling. I love you too, so much.” His words are quiet and just for the two of them. No one is paying them any mind, too involved in their own conversations, and it feels like he and Alec are in their own personal bubble.
Leaning forward, Alec noses along Magnus’s cheek and Magnus smells the alcohol on Alec’s breath. Really, his boyfriend’s tolerance was so low as to be non-existent.
Alec rarely indulges-- a glass of wine with dinner, a drink at the end of a hard day. That was the extent of Alec’s drinking habits and even that seldom happened. Magnus could count on one hand the number of times he’s seen Alec so tipsy and most of them had been in the privacy of the loft, both of them drunk on wine and each other during a quiet night in.
Alec’s a happy drunk, Magnus had been surprised to find out, and unbearably sappy. Magnus knew full well when he’d seen Alec order his second drink that his boyfriend would end the night clinging to his side and rambling compliments and he smiles a little as he sees they’ve reached that point in the evening.
He doesn’t mind, though. He likes it even. Alec so rarely lets go and Magnus never takes for granted the trust that his boyfriend has in him to let himself unwind a little in his presence.
He knows that Magnus will take care of him and truthfully, Magnus likes being that person for Alec.
“You’re so hot, babe.” Alec’s voice-- probably meant to be a low murmur-- is unforgivably loud and all conversation breaks off around them.
In the sudden silence, Magnus bites his tongue to keep from laughing himself stupid and Alec just glares at everyone, defensive.
“What,” he asks. “It’s true and I should say it.”
“Do you think you’ve had a little too much to drink, buddy,” Jace asks, eyeing Alec’s glass warily.
“No,” Alec replies sullenly. “Do you think you’ve had too much to drink?”
“Alec, I’ve had a few beers and my tolerance is way higher than yours. In fact, no one at this table is as drunk as you right now.”
Alec’s face takes on a mulish expression and Magnus just takes a sip of his martini as he waits to see what his boyfriend will do.
“You and Izzy keep talking about blades as if a triple dipped adamas infused arrow with a poisoned tip isn’t the most effective way to kill a demon. You haven’t even mentioned it. Maybe you’re drunker than you think,” he accuses. “It’s obviously superior and you’re over there arguing about blade length.”
Jace and Alec stare at each other impassively before Jace’s shoulders drop, muttering, “At least I’m not yelling about how attractive my boyfriend is.”
“Maybe that’s because you don’t have a boyfriend as hot as Magnus,” Alec returns matter of factly. “Magnus is beautiful and the love of my life and everyone should know it. It’s my duty as his boyfriend to make sure it’s common knowledge.”
“Oh, I’m sure everyone knows just how you feel about Magnus, Alec,” Clary giggles and Alec just blinks owlishly at her.
“Good,” he says and turns to look up at Magnus, completely ignoring everyone else.
Magnus, for his part, feels his heart squeeze in his chest at Alec’s calm words. It’s not the first time Magnus has heard them. There have been quiet mornings where the sun was just starting to peer over the horizon and Magnus opened unglamoured eyes just to see Alec already staring down at him, expression achingly open.
He’s heard Alec’s view of love, the old shadowhunter wive’s tale about there being one person and one person only for someone.
You’re mine, Alec would say, voice sleepy and eyes closed. And I’m yours.
Magnus smiles down at Alec, leaning close to kiss his forehead. He swears that he hears Alec make a little sound of happiness, almost a purr as he hums contentedly.
Conversation picks up and Magnus leans into the corner of the booth. He passes the time by nosing along Alec’s hair, smelling their shampoo, and kisses him absently behind an ear.
He feels Alec’s hand sweep low across his stomach before he burrows under his shirt to the warm skin of his back.
“Alexander,” he murmurs low, tone laughing. “Behave yourself, darling.”
“No,” Alec says petulantly. Magnus feels Alec starts mouthing along his neck, sucking a bruise over his pulse, and groans internally.
He hadn’t expected Alec to move to the next stage so quickly. Normally, Alec would rather cut off his hand than be so affectionately demonstrative but it looks like they’ve hit the point where Alec’s lost all sense of propriety.
With a sigh, Magnus reaches down and pries Alec’s hand away from his side. “We’re in public, Alexander,” he reminds him and laughs a little at his boyfriend's beleaguered expression.
“But I want you now,” Alec says, like it’s a perfectly sound argument.
“You’re drunk, darling, and we’re at the Hunter’s Moon. Nothing’s going to happen tonight.”
“What if I ask really nicely,” Alec asks and puts on his best pleading expression, hand inching back under Magnus’s shirt.
“No, Alec,” Magnus says firmly and tries to keep the laughter out of his voice as Alec sighs dramatically.
“Fine,” Alec grumbles and moves closer, curling against his side and resting his head on Magnus’s chest. “See if I have sex with you next time you want it.”
Magnus rolls his eyes at his boyfriend’s penchant for dramatics and laughs as he sees Simon’s scandalized expression. He takes Alec's wandering hand, interlacing their fingers, and runs a soothing thumb over his his palm.
The next little while passes by quietly and Magnus joins a conversation about popular travel destinations in South America. He thinks Alec’s fallen asleep and his boyfriend is a comforting weight against him, grounding Magnus in the moment.
Alec was ridiculous when he let down his guard and Magnus sweeps a hand over his shoulders, enjoying the quiet moment. There was a time-- not all that long ago-- when he never could have imagined that this would be how he would prefer to spend his Friday evening. He never could’ve predicted that he’d find such solace and contentment in such a quiet evening with these people but now that it’s here, he wouldn’t change it for the world.
He feels like he’s found his place and when he feels Alec nose along his chest, over his heart, and whisper, just the tiniest bit slurred, “Mr. Lightwood-Bane. Alexander Bane-Lightwood,” his heart lurches even as something else settles in him.
There is a moment that Magnus always waits with some trepidation. It’s a strange moment, when he feels the soft flexion of the wards around his house that welcome Alexander.
His magic is always there, to surround and protect his stronghold, to protect the only place that he can actually call home. It flows in the walls as it flows in his veins, slips under the floor as it passes through his fingertips, invades every corner of that apartment as if it was the same extension of his body.
And so, he waits, he waits for his wards to open the gates and let Alexander in.
And he’s waited a whole week for this moment, and now he starts to get impatient.
Impatient.
Magnus is someone that can have everything immediately. Everything. With the flick of his wrist, he can conjure a gargantuan dinner from the best restaurant in the world, as well as summon an ancient manuscript in this or that demonic language, or he can make the weather change just for the pleasure of doing it. And, yes, he may be a little spoiled by his enormous potential, by this immense power flowing in and around him, that seems to pulsate with life. But the only thing he wants, now, is to have Alexander back in his arms and to be able to kiss away all his tiredness.
A week is nothing but a blink of an eye in the life of an immortal. But it’s a lot of time compared to a mortal life, of one who kills demons for living and may or may not return home at night.
And so, Magnus is up, waiting and impatient.
And maybe Alexander isn’t as much impatient, thinking about it.
Alexander never asked for anything, he never asked anything, not even to Magnus, Magnus who, with a snap of his fingers could reasonably cover him with gold and silver. Alec never asked him anything, and perhaps in general he never asked for anything because he never wanted anything beyond what was already approachable to his grasp, already present in his life. His parabatai, his weapons, his books, his family. And Magnus likes to think he is the exception, something that no, wasn’t contemplated in the existence of Alexander, but that certainly was destined to him anyway, something that Alec wanted beyond any adversity, beyond every consequence.
But anyway, Alec doesn’t even let Magnus spoil him a little. Magnus who organizes bizarre and glittering birthdays for his cats since he has memory, who has always conjured for them the best milk in the world, has failed to do more than bring Alec around to eat something fancy. Not that Alexander asked, far from it.
And perhaps this is because Alec hasn’t been educated in a permissive or indulgent way, quite the contrary, incorrect behaviours are something more than far from him and it’s certainly not the type that always wants to be satisfied. Magnus is more than convinced that Alec has always had this extremely marked will power, a self-discipline greater than his peers, and perhaps even in his childhood, he’s never asked anything openly, he never sought anything beyond what was already available.
And maybe it’s an unhealthy habit, this, his being always available, his being so tremendously selfless, his denying himself continually what he wants most, even the smallest things, because certainly there’s something he wants. Magnus is something that Alexander wants. On the other hand, this is what makes it so fascinating. This purity contrasts sharply with Magnus, who is a little whimsical, a little capricious.
But it’s certainly a unhealthy habit, Alec’s. To throw all his energies into his job, in the Nephilims’ cause, so that he forgets to eat sometimes, to sleep. And Magnus is more than certain that even this unhealthy habit, like everyone else’s, originates from a sense of emptiness, it’s needed to fill the void. When you feel bored, sad or unmotivated, you start looking for something to be frantic and compulsive, often to the detriment of your long-term happiness. And Alec denied the evidence, his sexuality, his needs. As long as Magnus didn’t break into his life with a certain dose of arrogance.
And so, Alec has somehow broken this vicious circle. He made a decision, chose what he really wanted.
And, knowing him, there were obviously no sentences as generic as useless as “being happy”, “falling in love” or “opening up”. He, who was educated to be a warrior understood that he needed to define his goals with specific, measurable, ambitious targets with a well-defined deadline. And, yes, Magnus likes to think that Alec also happened to be happy, to fall in love, to open up; that Magnus himself made him happy, at least as much as Alec makes him happy.
But often, having a clear and defined objective, a specific and measurable aim isn’t enough. An aim is only a goal to reach, but without the right motivation you can’t get anywhere: and you stumble upon the first adversity. And Alexander is a stubborn one, motivated, and he understood, he understood what he really wanted, what his goal was, why he wanted to change, why his situation was so painful, after all, as he wanted to deny it. And it was a long road, a sort of obsession, but if he had never found the right motivation for change, he would never have found the strength to counteract the inertia of that status quo. And maybe Magnus would not have found a place in that life of his.
Unhealthy habits are there to fill a void: and if you try to eliminate them, without replacing them with more healthy behaviours, the void will have the upper hand on your willpower, and you’ll return to the starting point in a few weeks. And Magnus hopes that emptiness, Alec’s emptiness disappeared when he entered his life and took all the available space, and filled all his thoughts, his whole heart, his veins and lungs. And he hopes to have become necessary for his existence, just as Alec has supplanted his own enormous emptiness, his gargantuan solitude and has filled everything, with new life, with new happiness, and has clad him with a love more beautiful and radiant of any other dress.
And perhaps Alec understood it, at some point in their journey together, he understood that he has the right to desire something, that he has the right to ask. That he has the right to love, like everyone else.
And even Magnus has decided to abandon his unhealthy habits. Having a lot of time on his shoulders, the whole lot of relationships he encountered and left along the way, had closed his heart. And then Alexander’s physically stumbled in his life, with his clumsiness, with his bright overwhelming smile. And there was no need to close his heart to replace his unhealthy habit, because he immediately understood that there was no other way to make it disappear because there was Alexander. And often unhealthy habits are tied to specific moments of the day or to psychological triggers: it’s enough to anticipate these mechanisms, to eliminate that emptiness that was inside. And there are many things that could hurt him and force him back to close his heart, but somehow the two of them always find their way back to each other.
And sometimes he still feels lonely, of course, sometimes it happens, especially after a long day at work, when Alexander has been out for twenty-four hours looking for demons to kill and Magnus doesn’t know if he will return with all his limbs in place, and an impossible fear, which he doesn’t dare to name worn him out; and before Alec enters the house, the wards flexing to welcome him, there is the smell of ichor digging into his nostrils, and the blood freezes in his veins because maybe it’s already late. But usually, in fact, he just anticipates this fear, and review the rundown of photographs in his gallery, laughter, smiles, happiness. Everything he needs, everything he wants.
And maybe he isn’t so spoiled if this is enough for him.
But unhealthy habits are bitches, and therefore it takes very little, even a word out of place, a little quarrel and everything comes back like a hurricane. And Magnus turns back to his old self, and his loneliness weighs on his shoulders like a mountain.
But then there is Alexander who is so deeply entrenched in his life, so necessary for his existence, something that maybe not even Magnus has clear yet, Alexander who is there, who brings him those microscopic yet massive changes in life, who annihilate everything else. And maybe Magnus also managed to do the same.
Imagining now how much time available has had his unhealthy habit to form, he feels a little idiot.
And even now he feels like an idiot because he wants Alexander and he’s tired, so exhausted. And it’s been days that they couldn’t see each other, and it feels like there’s oceans between the two of them. An insurmountable ocean. And nothing, nothing in the world comes close to the way he needs him, and he just wants to feel his skin and feel inside, in the veins and in the heart, and in whatever other way, that warmth that Alexander seems to emanate every time, even with a small smile, with every caress, when the sparkling sensation of his magic that runs under Magnus skin seems to clash against the warmth of his gaze, of the affection of Alec’s every single touch.
And his unhealthy habit returns to bite his heart, the denial of that abandonment that is distant and unthinkable yet palpable. A cold solitude that digs in and this inability to move, mixed with fatigue, emptiness, paralyzes him.
Yet, a week is nothing, it’s nothing even in the life of a mortal, and he really should stop feeling lonely.
And then…
And then he feels it, the wards bending and finally welcoming him, and he seems to hear the cables of the elevator pulling up the platform, he already feels that warmth.
And so yes, he’s more than impatient.
Because Alexander has been in Idris for a week. And Magnus was forced to stay a week away from him, without even being able to speak except through fire messages that, however burning, certainly don’t leave any feeling on him, except that huge absence in his heart.
And Magnus waits, and waits for the elevator to make that sound, that slight ring when it comes to the floor, but nothing comes. The gates in front of his door are still motionless. And it seems almost impossible the fatigue that weighs on him now, maybe he got confused, maybe his wards reacted to something else, to someone else.
And Magnus snorts and covers his shoulders better with the thick blanket that he pulled out of a chest just to make the house more cosy, warmer, now that the wind outside begins to sting the cheeks and there are more leaves on the ground that on the trees, and tonight the sky is almost white and promises snow. And at one point he even lit the fire because Alicante sure is cold in winter, and he wants Alexander to feel at home after a whole week among people who judge him for his choices, for who he is, for who he loves.
And maybe Magnus broods, or maybe he feels too lonely even just to think. And he has a strange weariness on him, the one held in his heart, maybe it’s a tiredness he shouldn’t feel because Alec will come back tonight, and they’ll spend two whole days together, no demons, no work, just the two of them. And maybe Magnus will open up a portal and take him to dinner somewhere fancy, maybe in France, not for breakfast because maybe he wants to do some somersaults in bed, enough to recover the lost week.
But finally, he hears the light knock on the door, before the handle goes down and Alec pushes the sheet of fine wood and crosses the threshold staggering.
And Magnus is standing before realizing it and is approaching him already, forgetting everything he was thinking, in not even a blink of an eye. And he notices it only later, that there are also his siblings there with him. Not that he cares, really, Alec looks at him, looks at him with shining eyes and this dreamy expression on his face, as if Magnus had hung the moon and interwoven in the celestial cloak one by one, all the stars.
And if Magnus has looked at him like that even once, he can be satisfied.
It only takes a moment and Alec collapses in his arms and hums a long deep sigh, while Magnus tightens his grip on him and pulls him against his chest as if to wipe his skin all those days, those hours, those minutes without even have a way to feel and see each other. “You brought me to Magnus,” he hears him say, as Alec squeezes closer to him.
And Magnus now remembers that his siblings are still there, by the door, like they are waiting to enter, and he gestures them to sit down, out of politeness, because he would rather do anything else.
They’ve been apart for one hundred and ninety-two hours, eleven thousand five hundred and fifty-seven minutes and Magnus even counted the seconds, but stopped counting as soon as the door opened.
And yes, he just wants to kiss away all that time they spent apart, to undress the two of them and make sweet love to Alexander and forget this whole week.
Alec then snorts, by sheer lung power, that sigh that hung in his throat, as if he finally had a weight off his shoulders, and rubs his cheek against Magnus’ neck.
And Magnus thanks Heavens, the Angel and everyone else who’s blessing his Fate like that, and perhaps they were destined from the very beginning, and even if not, one can choose his fate. And he would always choose Alec, in any other life, in any other world, in any other situation.
He always wanted this.
Even before realizing it, he always wanted this.
And the void is gone to leave room for that sense of home, of warmth.
And Alec continues to cling to him and Magnus is at loss of words, and would like to tell him how much he missed him, how much that desire burned in his veins, how much he would now take him to bed, remove the gear, that thin layer of clothes that divides their skins and feel him in all possible ways. And maybe he mumbles something, something confused about going to the bedroom and undressing, while Alec continues to tighten his grip on him and sinks more in that embrace, snuggling his cheek under his neck, while he can’t keep up the hands that continue to rise and fall on his back.
And his siblings are still there, in silence, this sly air that hovers over their faces. Barbie looks more amused than he should be, and dear Isabelle seems to have shining eyes.
And maybe Magnus would like to ask them to leave, just so to have a little bit intimacy, but then his brain registers it, that smell a bit pungent as something alcoholic and sweet like elder flowers.
“Mags?” Alec calls him murmuring, and he seems to have said something else, pressing his lips on Magnus’ neck chaining a small series of kisses on his skin.
“What did you drink?” Magnus asks quietly, his brow furrowed as those impatient pecks on his neck are making his heart beat faster than he would admit.
“Liquid courage.” the blond Shadowhunter nods, winking at him.
And Alec grunts something that really resembles a “Shut up Jace”, as he slides his arms on Magnus’ hips to tighten his grip even more.
And Magnus reluctantly needs to move away because he must necessarily look at his face, in his eyes: there’s something weird, very weird in his behaviour. “Liquid courage?” he repeats.
“I had to... yes.” Alec nods and then leaves him, sighing. “We need to talk”.
And Magnus for a moment feels the earth tremble under his feet, his heart leaping into his stomach and his throat tightening. And maybe he curses this reaction a little because it’s stupid, he is stupid: Alec is affectionate, and therefore there should be no problems, not between them at least. Perhaps with the Clave.
He swallows twice, to make the strange sense of anguish that suddenly attacked him disappear. “Sure, let’s sit down. Maybe Isabelle dear, could bring you a glass of water?“
And while Isabelle heads to the kitchen, Alec does nothing to really get away from him. In fact, he slips his fingers through Magnus’ pants loops and pulls him back on his chest. “No water”.
“Right, that would make your liquid courage drop…” he whispers softly, smiling and letting a hand run across Alec’s face to guide it to his.
And the tall, dark and handsome Shadowhunter nods, with a slight pout curling his forehead. Eyes a bit glassy and slightly gruff, severe.
And Magnus must do his best to stop the smile that wants to stretch on his lips. “What happened?”.
Jace looks even more amused than before. “He had bad days, in Idris... he missed you... we took him out to get something to drink before he came back to you... and got him even more annoyed.”
“Oh, Alexander, but I missed you too, very very much.” he nods, letting his hand run to caress his lower back.
And Alec snorts, loudly. “I want to come and live here with you.” he blurts out.
And Magnus widens his eyes, his forehead furrowed in a questioning expression. Smell of alcohol and elderberry flowers. He clearly drank something that comes from the Kingdom under the hill. It’s fae honey. Stronger in association with alcohol, and with the nice side effect of disinhibiting those who drink it, created specifically to make fun of those who don’t want to be honest, or can’t be.
“Alexander...” he begins to say.
“Izzy, hurry up he’s starting!” Jace says, calling his sister and, in the meantime, he pulls out his phone and seems to start recording.
And Magnus frowns a little more, because he doesn’t want those two to make fun of his Alexander, but a little part of him mentally thanks Jace, because that surely will be a good material.
But Alec pouts again, even more. And he finally loosens his grip and leaves his embrace, backing towards the door. “It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? I knew it, I knew it...”.
“Alexander...” he calls him again, slowly. And maybe, again, there is that small smile trying to pull his lips.
“Truth is that I think I’m ready, you know? To... to take a step like... come and live with you. I─” he adds, shrugging. “I don’t think we’re running too fast... okay, maybe... maybe I need to go back to the Institute,” he mutters, gaining the door. And then he finally seems to realize that his siblings are still there, Isabelle trying not to giggle with the glass of water in her hand and Jace who is recording, doing nothing to mask his laughing. “Why are you two here? This is something we need to sort out”.
“We have accompanied you to give you strength, and cheer you up… this bad guy, your Magnus, doesn’t want to make you live with him...” Jace replies winking at his parabatai.
And Magnus begins to ponder the idea of filling his bedroom at the Institute with ducks. Alive ducks. But for now, better to postpone. “Alexander.” he calls again and moves a couple of steps to take his hand. “Look at me”.
“No, no... because you’ll tell me now that you aren’t ready, and that I am not ready as well... but Magnus I am ready, I want to live with you. I want... I want─” and gestures randomly with one hand between them and points to the apartment. “I want everything. I want to wake up with you in the morning, I want to come back here in the evening and sleep with you... I want the free afternoons to spend on the sofa... I want... I want” he mumbles. “This. I’m ready, I want this”.
“Alexander.” he breathes out for the umpteenth time, and this time he can’t restrain the light smile that stretches his lips. “How much fae honey did you drink?”.
“Liquid courage.” Alec remarks a bit of annoyance in his voice.
“Liquid courage.” Magnus repeats nodding. “How much did you drink?”
Alec sighs. “I don’t know? What do you care? I’m talking about something else, here? You don’t want me to live here with you! And I don’t understand why. We love each other… I want to live with you...” he mutters slowly. “Why don’t you want me to live with you?”.
And Magnus would like to prolong this for a little while more, just for the pure taste of seeing him sulky, but he doesn’t think he can hold out for so long. “Your things are already here...”.
Meanwhile, Isabelle placed the glass on the first available surface, and now she no longer tries to hold back the squeaks of tenderness that escape her lips. While the shots of Jace certainly won’t come focused due his laughing.
“Tell him, brother, tell him that you want to live here!” continues his parabatai.
“I’ll tell him.” Alec nods, and seems suddenly more confused. Red cheeks and even shinier eyes. And maybe it’s the cold, the thermal shock with the house so hot while outside is so chilly, or it’s the liquor, or it’s the emotion that clouds his heart. “Precisely... my things are already here, that’s why I say we should live together. I sleep here practically every night...“ he snorts. “Why don’t you want this?”.
Magnus huffs and finally gives in. “You already live here. Your things are already here...”.
“That’s what I mean, practically I live here.” he nods and finally seems satisfied with the fact that Magnus is following his pleading.
“Come, come with me,” he invites, holding out his hand to guide him to the couch. “We sit down for a moment and talk, okay? And I’ll change that water to my strongest hungover tonic, so let’s water down that liquid courage a little...“ he murmurs. “Who gave it to you?”
“What?” he grumbles, walking with small steps behind him, one hand rubbing his left eye, the other squeezing that of Magnus so tightly that he may need to put some ice on it later. “Why are we talking about that?”
“Where did you get it?” he asks and glances at the two Shadowhunters behind him.
Jace shrugs beckoning Isabelle with his head.
Magnus presses his lips and is about to start scolding those two when Alec huffs a frustrated sigh. “Why can’t I live here?”.
And his heart tightens a little, to tell the truth.
“I want to be always with you. Always and forever. Forever and ever.” he nods, sitting down with a loud poff on the couch. “Can I stay with you all the time? Forever?” he asks with kind, big, liquid, wide blue eyes. He seems to be about to cry.
And the world for a moment collapses on Magnus, and it’s just a second later that he’s finally able to call his magic to open the door and push the two Shadowhunters out, while his heart is tightened more in his chest. “Out. Come on, both of you”.
This is something that he and Alexander have to face alone. Because forever it’s a lot of time, and not simply a word, and they have to find a way to have it, that eternity. And Jace slips the phone into his pocket and gains the door and Isabelle follows him walking like a shrimp, and waves Magnus to call her for explanations, later. And he hopes it well, that they give him explanations, because these spiteful things can’t be done to someone as good and kind as Alec.
“I also asked my parents... to be able to live here.” he continues to say, and his voice sounds like a whisper, and his words come out slurring on his tongue. “And they were puzzled. Do they know that I’m gay? That I love you?”.
“They know it, yes.” he nods, smiling and crouching before him. And tries not to get carried away by this information: did he talk to his parents about him? To go and live with him? Perhaps he must ponder the idea of sending a gift to anyone who has given him that fae honey.
“So why were they per-pler-pl-perplexed?” he asks stuttering, in a very muddled tone.
Magnus’ lips curl into an even more tender smile, while his heart beats fast, so fast. “Because you already live here, Alexander”.
And Alec’s pupils dilate like those of a cat in front of a Christmas tree, and he seems stunned for a moment. And then he opens his mouth and curls his lips in a perfect circle. “Oh?”.
“Yup.” Magnus nods, pursing his lips in a small winking smile. “You already live here, so I was wondering what and how much did you drink... Because you’ve been living here for six months”.
And Alec seems even more confused, even more puzzled and perhaps his eyes are full of tears while he nictitates twice. “Don’t joke”.
“I would never dare, Alexander... not on this very serious matter.” he replies softly, picking up his face in both hands and stroking his red cheeks with his thumbs. “Why should I make fun of you?” he asks quietly.
And then again, Alec is sulking. “Why don’t I have the key to your apartment, then?”
And this time it’s Magnus who is confused. “What?”.
“The key. When you live with someone else... you have the key, right? You can always come back... when you want... right?” he murmurs, and the words begin to roll up on his tongue and it sounds like a pleading. “You make fun of me, you’re lying… you don’t─you didn’t give me the keys... I don’t have the keys...” he mumbles, and his eyes are so sad for a moment, that Magnus’ heart seem to explode, but and then he’s suddenly frowning again. “You’re lying… And I love you so much, why are you─”.
Magnus reduces the distance between their faces and shoots a tiny kiss on his lips. And when Alec seems to groan, he does his best not to laugh. He tries in every way but he just can’t. And he collapses his head on the Shadowhunter’s knees as he hugs his hips and looks at him, a smirk on his face. And Alec seems even more confused, and he’s certainly pouting. “You don’t need a key to enter here... my wards welcome you and you enter by just lowering the handle. I’m magical, remember? You don’t need keys with me…”.
“But...” he begins to argue, and perhaps a part of him is still processing the information he had before. They’ve been living together for six months, and Magnus doesn’t believe he’s ever been happier in his long, long life. “But I want a key...” he says.
And finally, Magnus realizes how important this small thing is for Alexander. Such a small thing, a metal piece, nothing else.
“I want a key” he repeats whimpering a bit, his lips trembling. “I… I also brought this for you… for us.” He adds sticking his hand in his trouser pocket and beginning to rummage.
And Magnus raises his head, and returns to sit on his heels, on the ground, in front of Alec. “What are you looking for?”.
“Look! Look!“ he says, his eyes sparkling a bit while he opens his hand and shows him two small keychains. A little bow and a little arrow carved in the wood, the arrowhead is engraved with the letter “M”, and in the centre of the arch an A. “One is… is for you”.
And maybe Magnus melts there, sitting on the ground. Maybe they will have to pick up with a vacuum cleaner or a spoon, his melted heart. A warrior can’t be this tender, so lovely. He can’t be at all. “Did you buy this... matching keychains?”-
“No. I made them, I craved them... in Idris... I had a lot of time and… some urges so… craving, yup.” he nods confusedly. “Because there’s nothing that says home like a bunch of keys, right?”.
And Magnus stays there, speechless and looks at them and traces the small curves of the wood with the tip of his finger. Something that says home. That’s what Alec wants. Just a key.
“I messed up, eh?” the Shadowhunter murmurs softly, his shoulders flat as a sign of defeat, a little dejected expression. “It’s because I want something that can say that you’re mine...” he adds and then widens his eyes comically. “Oh my God, saying it like that… it may seem like you’re a... thing, an object ... you’re not an object, you’re Magnus...” he continues. “My Magnus”.
And Magnus can’t help but laugh wholeheartedly as he keeps looking at those two little wooden figures. And maybe something is stinging in the corner of his eyes.
“It’s just─” he resumes gesticulating with his other hand and swallows nervously. “It’s just that I want... I want something that...” and shushes, shaking his head.
“That says that we belong to each other?” Magnus guesses, stroking his thigh with one hand. “You’re far too sweet for mankind, Alexander, so precious…” he mumbles and leans forward to kiss the tip of his nose, his hands on his knees to give himself a push. “I have a surprise, eh?”
“Su’prise?” the young Shadowhunter repeats, and he’s finally sparkling, his eyes, his smile, his whole self.
“Yup. Close your eyes.” he nods, smiling widely.
Alec executes the order, like the good soldier he is. His eyes move under his eyelids, expecting, and Magnus enjoys his expression for a moment.
Then, he recalls his magic and summons two sets of keys, one for Alec and one for himself and puts them on his hand, near the keyrings. “You can open your eyes,” he says softly.
Alec blinks twice and focuses the two sets of keys on his palm and looks at him, and smiles. He smiles as he may have smiled only a few other times. Not that he doesn’t smile often with his beautiful smile, when they are together. But it’s an impossible smile, this one here. Like what he did when Magnus told him, the very first time, he loved him, or the one he shot, bright and a little clumsy when they got back together. “Oh,” he huffs.
And Magnus stretches to kiss his curled lips and Alec hugs his shoulders and pulls him against his chest, a bit more.
“You are the arrow in my heart. That’s why I take the arrow.” he nods smiling.
“And I take the bow?” Magnus murmurs, his lips pressed together to kiss Alexander’s neck.
“So you can always have me with you.” he nods. “I am the bow”.
And Magnus maybe melts completely in his arms. And, yes, he must go to the bottom of who made him drink that fae honey, but definitely this isn’t the day.
“And… we are already living together, right?” he hears him, the voice vibrating in his chest.
“Yep. For six months.” Magnus nods, settling better on him, astride.
“Six months.” he repeats, a soft goofy smile on his lips. “How did I get this lucky?”.
“Ah, I ask that myself too, you know?” Magnus replies, giving him another small peck on the corner of his mouth, and finally manages to give him his glass of water. “You should drink a little, mh? Surely tomorrow you will have a beaming headache... fae honeys are very strong and... they have a lot of side effects, and this is to be expected...”.
Alec sips quietly from the glass until it’s empty. And then smiles, a strange satisfaction on his face. “We’re living together,” he repeats and seems to relax completely on the couch, below him. “Let’s be together forever, Magnus” Alec adds, dreamy voice and slurred words.
And in less than a minute he’s already out like a light.
And Magnus moves and scoops him in his arms and takes him to bed. For all those things that he wanted to do in bed, for all those words that he wanted to feel, there is time.
There is time.
It’s pitch dark outside when Alec begins to stir and move in bed to seek even more warmth, he snuggles better with his back against Magnus’ chest, and Magnus hugs his hips a little more, gripping him tightly. And suddenly Alec groans, and he is fast asleep again.
Evidently, the consequences of his hangover are already weighing on him.
Magnus smiles and kisses him in the crook of his neck, and begins to stroke his hair as he did all night, while Alec drooled over his arm, and snored and talked a bit in his sleep.
Forever together.
It sounds good, it sounds so good that Magnus can almost feel it in his hands, this possibility.
And maybe he’s ready to leave his unhealthy habits altogether, to give up the idea of staying alive and stay alone when Alec will walk out of this life. That’s not even something to contemplate, now.
And maybe he shouldn’t even think about it, not now, not now that Alec is there, in his arms snoring deeply and sometimes calls him in his sleep. And whenever he hears his name, Magnus tells him that he is there, that he is there, and Alec can sleep a little longer.
It’s when the sun begins to dye the sky pink, that Alec grunts louder and turns on his other side. He looks at Magnus with puffy eyes, marked by thick dark circles, but his pupils are wide and sparkly, once again as if Magnus had hung the moon and the stars in the sky.
And that makes him smile while he leans in to put a small kiss on the tip of his nose. “Headache?”.
And Alec nods, a light shiver seems to run down his back as he clings to Magnus. “What happened?”.
“Do I need to prepare you my strongest hangover tonic?” he whispers.
“Hangover? I drank one... one beer.“ he murmurs, raspy drowsy voice. “I knew I had to go home earlier, yesterday. I always get carried away by my siblings...” he snorts. “The tonic would be ideal, but we’ve been apart for so damn long... I don’t want you out of bed”.
“Eleven thousand five hundred and fifty-seven minutes.” Magnus nods, moving a bit to look better at Alec’s face.
“Uhm?” he mutters, leaning a bit closer with his head to snuggle under Magnus’ hands.
“I stopped counting when you got home,” he explains, starting to stroke his hair, and Alec snuggles his head to enjoy the touch. “And anyway, I know, that you drank only one beer... but apparently your sibling wanted you to open up a bit... Jace gave you fae honey...” he mumbles. “The elderberry flower one”.
“Uh?” He keeps saying and maybe he’s falling asleep again. “Did I do something weird?”.
A small smile is drawn on his lips. “Do we really want to talk about it now? You’re tired, and you could certainly use a bit more sleep”.
“What did I do?” he asks, moving his head so that he can look Magnus’ face.
“Nothing to be ashamed of,” he says. “You should rest a bit more. I’ll snap my fingers and give you the tonic, first”.
“Mags, please.” Alec pleads.
And Magnus moves to sit down, his back against the headboard of his bed, then he snaps his fingers to summon his tonic, waiting Alexander to settle near him as well.
“It’s awful” he mumbles grimacing, just sniffling the disgusting smell of the concoction. And Magnus could argue that that smell is one of the most important things that make this potion so strong against hangover, but just shrugs passing him the glass. Alec frowns before taking a sip, and then leans a bit closer, to rest his head on Magnus’ shoulder. “And you aren’t telling me a thing so, I may have been terrible…”.
“No. My darling, you were adorable.” Magnus says kissing the top of his head. “You always are”.
“And you’re clearly biased” he hums sipping slowly, not masking his disappointed look every single time the dense concoction reaches his taste buds.
Magnus smirks in agreement, lips pressed on Alec’s hair. “I surely am”.
And the Shadowhunter groans before swallowing reluctantly the final mouthful of the tonic. “This is awful, and you are avoiding the topic here. What have I done?”.
“Apparently,” Magnus begins to say. “Apparently, before leaving, you let yourself be influenced by Clary and this mundane custom of exchanging keys or whatever...”.
“Oh yes. Strange mundies’ customs...“ he snorts, and again Magnus knows he’s trying to swallow what he really wants. Simply feeling at home, and something that says that the two of them belong to each other.
Magnus smiles softly, intertwining their fingers together, and starts caressing the back of his hand with the tip of his thumb. “I know you carved some keyrings...”.
And Alec moves his head to look at him he frowns for a moment and he seems a little puzzled. “What? How do you know it?”.
“Uhm, let’s say I didn’t know you liked to carve wood... but, you─you showed them to me, they’re nice.” he nods. “I really like them a lot...”.
“What did I tell you, Magnus?” Alec asks.
And Magnus kisses the tip of his nose again and picks up his face in one hand, letting his thumb slip onto his cheek. “Do you know you’re adorable, Alexander? In general, not only when you’re a little tipsy...”.
“What did I do?” he repeats.
“You were so frustrated...” Magnus comments, smiling softly. “You wanted to live with me”.
“We already live together,” he replies slowly, furrowing a brow in this comically pouting yet perplexed face.
“Yes, but you wanted something to make it official, let’s put it this way, I guess...” he replies nodding. “Something that we can share, something that says you and I live together, and are each other’s half”.
“You certainly are my better half.” Alec comments under his breath, and then something like realization hits him like a thunder. He sighs and holds his breath for a second. “Keys…”.
“Exactly. Isabelle said that after being at the Hunter’s Moon, you decided to go back to the Institute to talk with your parents... and ask them permission to live with me”.
“I don’t need their permission.” he grumbles. “Furthermore, they already know that I live here.”
“I think drunk Alexander wanted to do things done in the old-fashioned way...” he mumbles. “Isabelle said your parents were really puzzled, and maybe Robert blushed at some point while you talked about some of my skills...” he adds smiling at the idea.
And Alec moves quickly to cover his eyes with one hand while he covers Magnus’s lips with the other.
And Magnus kisses his fingers. “Your word,” he blows on his palm, “And I’ll make them forget that conversation...”
“It’s me the one who needs bleach for his memory…” comments Alec.
“You were adorable.” Magnus reiterates. “You are adorable and, please, you could have told tell me that you wanted these keys ... I don’t think about it, I never use them... having the wards... my magic. But it’s right, it’s right to have some keys, I like the idea”.
“Do you like it?” he asks, finally moving his hand from his eyes and looking at him, wide-eyed, as he did last night, dilated shining pupils and all.
“Alexander, you can ask me anything, you know, don’t you?” He smiles. “I can give you everything you want, you should allow me to do so... Let yourself be pampered a bit”.
And Alec is silent and looks at him, his eyes, still a bit tired, but sparkling. And Magnus approaches his face again to give him another little kiss on the corner of his mouth.
“I want to know whatever you want. I’ll make it true. Let me spoil you a bit…” he adds.
And Alec sighs softly. “You don’t understand”.
Magnus bows his head on the side, to look at him. A bit puzzled.
“I already have everything I want. I want you. This is enough for me. I don’t need anything else.” He murmurs.
And perhaps it’s at that moment that Magnus understands, understands that there is no need to spoil someone if that someone is already happy like that.
“I only want you.” Alec reiterates as he rubs his eye with the palm of hand and leans a bit closer to Magnus. “And all that comes with you is more then enough form me, I like everything you give me. I don’t need to ask ‘cause I already have everything“.
And Magnus feels his face flush, he feels his glamor drop and maybe his magic trembles between his fingers. “You said that I am the arrow in your heart”.
“You are. You hit the mark on the first shot…” he adds, smiling impossibly and goofy. “The arrow of my heart” repeats and the words begin to slur again in his mouth.
“You should sleep a bit more…” Magnus says, patting the back of Alexander’s head with the tip of his fingers.
“No. You need to know something.” he says moving a bit to face him. His eyes are stern yet somehow soft, kind.
And Magnus holds his breath expectantly.
“You make me feel loved. Like I’m always wanted, the way I am. Like… like I’m your first choice, like we were destined from the very start.” Alec murmurs, croaking a small cautious smile. “I know you may have loved a lot of people before me, and more have yet to come in your life after me. But I want to cherish every moment we have. And if it happens to grasp immortality in the process, I’m not willing to leave you ever again”.
And Magnus opens his mouth, and a whimpering hoarse sound scratches his throat and comes right from his heart, tightening in his chest.
But Alec continues. “You already have spoiled me rotten” and said that he leans in for a kiss, a soft one, that takes Magnus’ breath away.
And they stay there for a moment, in silence. Magnus is speechless, yet he has so much to say. He feels the same, not only about the immortality thing, but about being fated, destined from the very start. And Alec clearly would be his first choice, always.
“And now I need to scold my siblings, and call my parents to tell them that I’m not gone crazy yet. As much as I’m crazily in love with you… but that’s another story” he hears him say.
And Magnus looks at him and smiles dorkily. “I love you”.
“That’s what I wanted to hear” Alexander winks “I really need my phone now, I need to scold those two, damn it. Fae honey is dangerous…”.
“You love them anyway,” Magnus sing-songs tugging him a bit closer.
Alec grunts, smiling a bit and caressing his lips with his own. “Love you more”.
“That goes unsaid.” hums Magnus, moving a bit closer and kissing him more deeply.
Certainly that phone call can wait a little.
And Magnus doesn’t need other vices, other whims, he just needs Alexander Lightwood, here with him for as much time as they have.
That maybe it will be forever.
And they have a lot of time to talk about forever, they’ll certainly find a solution, a way to have it.
