DAMN IT I was going to ask for Magnus/Alec/Lucifer but then saw the "no smut" request. You’re no fun, Morgan ): Fine then, how about winged!Malec teaching their kid how to take care of his/her wings? (I just want something cute and I don’t trust you not to twist my prompt into angst if I’m even a tiny bit vague)
SDFJLSKDFDKFJ
Sorry to disappoint with the no smut request xD
Hope this fluff fills that void <3
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“This is so boring,” Tyler groans as he falls back, splaying on the ground.
“Tyler this is important,” Alec reminds the ten-year-old.
Magnus and Alec decided that today was going to be the day that they taught their son how to groom his wings on his own. Magnus cleared their living room of all the furniture, only leaving the rug and record player to play some soft music during the lesson. With the size of Alec’s and Magnus’ wings, it would have been difficult to have this lesson around furniture without something breaking.
“They’re not even fully grown yet!” The boy gestures his arms at the ceiling before flopping them on the ground. “Shouldn’t we wait until then?”
“That’s not important when it comes to wing grooming, Ty,” Magnus says, leaning over his son. “If you don’t learn now, then that means Dad and I will have to groom your wings until you’re eighteen.”
“Would that be so bad?” Tyler pouts before putting on his most charming smile. He pushes up on his elbows looking at his parents. “You guys are the best at it.”
Alec snorts at the suck-up. Magnus turns his head to glare at him while Tyler’s smile cracks just a bit. Alec shrugs at his husband not even trying to hide his smile.
“He definitely got that from you,” Alec points out.
“Please, Alexander,” Magnus scoffs. “I am the picture of innocence.”
Alec and Tyler share a look and a raised eyebrow before turning back to Magnus. Magnus huffs and crosses his arms.
“That he definitely gets from you, darling,” Magnus pouts while the two dissolve into giggles.
“Alright, alright,” Alec relents, reaching over to pull Tyler up into a sitting position again. “Papa is right, pipsqueak. This is important to learn at a young age. I was the same way and waited until I was sixteen to learn how to groom my wings and it was rough.”
That gets their son’s attention. He perks up at the words, his tiny blue wings shake behind him.
“What happened?” he asks.
“Well I had to get some feathers pulled out,” Alec winces at the memory. His wings shake behind him, some dark violet feathers fall to the ground. “It’s not a great feeling. I thought I could get by and be okay, but the pain of twisted feathers on your wings. It makes it difficult to fly when every time you flap your wings pain laces throughout it.”
“Oh,” Tyler trails off, his wings curling towards him. “I didn’t know it could get like that.”
Alec smiles at his son, scooting over to curl a wing and arm around him. Alec ruffles Tyler’s head and pulls his arm back before his son can swat it away.
“Dad!” he groans as he fixes his hair. Alec pulls his son in closer before he can protest.
“I get that it’s tiring work, but in the long run, it’s going to benefit you so much,” Alec explains. “Besides, once you learn, you can pass on these skills to people you love and you can help Papa and me groom ours.”
Tyler perks up a that. “You’d really let me groom your wings, Dad? Without Papa there?”
“Of course I would, pipsqueak. But you have to let Papa and I teach you first. Before you can groom someone else’s wings, you have to learn how to do it on yourself.”
Tyler nods rapidly, his floppy hair bouncing with the force of the nod. Alec looks over at his husband and sees Magnus’ eyes have a glow to them. Magnus once told him that he could watch Alec and Tyler interact for the rest of his life and be content. That he never imagined having a family of his own. A spouse and a child.
Alec sends Magnus a smile before beckoning him to come closer. Magnus scoots until he’s right next to Alec, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Tyler gags at the display of affection and mutters ‘gross cooties’ under his breath getting a laugh out of his parents.
“Just wait until you’re older,” Magnus notes. “I’m sure you’ll be singing a different tune.”
“Not in a million years,” Tyler declares.
Magnus whispers in Alec’s ear. “I give it 200 years.”
“I give it 50, only because I’ve seen the way he’s been looking at Madzie,” Alec whispers back.
“I can hear you!” Tyler exclaims with a faint blush on his cheeks, his hand cover his ears. “I would like to learn how to groom my wings now.”
Magnus reaches over and pulls Tyler’s hands away and presses a kiss to his head.
“Okay, down to business, my little bluejay. No more joking.” Magnus sits up straight stretching out his golden wings, Alec following suit. They watch as Tyler straightens as well, stretching out his wings, serious face on. Alec wishes he had a camera to capture the moment.
“Now we’re going to start with the furthest point of our wings…”
The grooming session takes all morning. Magnus and Alec carefully instruct their son through the process of combing feathers and how to untwist them. There were moments where Tyler got frustrated with his wings but Alec and Magnus had reassured him that it was normal for younger wings to be more difficult than adult wings.
By the time noon came around, there was a pile of dark violet, gold, and blue feathers in the middle of them. Tyler once again fell on his back with a cheer of accomplishment only to sit up with a hiss. He forgot that his wings would be sensitive right after grooming them. Magnus stifles a laugh while Alec shakes his head at their son.
“We’re done!” Ty exclaims. “Can we eat lunch now?”
“Moving on before we’re even done?” Magnus asks, getting off the ground and stepping out of the room. Tyler’s wings sag at the words and turns to Alec.
“There’s more?” he whines.
“Just one more step, pipsqueak,” Alec reassures.
They both watch as Magnus reenters the room with a small chest. He sits back down in his original spot and sets the chest in front of him. With a snap and wave of his hand, the chest expands and grows in size. Opening the lid reveals a plethora of gold and dark violet feathers.
“Would you like to do the honors, Ty?” Magnus asks.
Tyler looks between the feathers on the ground and the chest. He stares up at his fathers with wide eyes. It seems that their son had forgotten this detail of grooming. Gathering the discarded feathers and locking them away in a box, so no one would be able to use your feathers against you. Tyler hadn’t really started to shed until a few days ago which sparked this grooming session.
“I get to join mine with yours?” He whispers.
“Of course you do, Ty. You are our son.”
Tears gather in their son’s eyes as he starts to gather the feathers off the ground and gently place them in the chest. Magnus grasps Alec’s hand and squeezes tight, both of them trying to reign in their emotions watching their son delicately place their old feathers in the chest. Magnus’ wing reaches around Alec’s back and curls around him. Alec gladly leans into the touch and rests his head on Magnus’ shoulder.
His husband never had a good grip on his wings when he got emotional. It’s one of his favorite things about him. Alec got so many wing cuddles after Magnus had a long day at work, but he would never complain. The fact that Magnus’ wings reached out to him and Tyler when he was exhausted spoke a thousand words about his love for them.
Magnus stops Tyler just as he was about to put the last few feathers in the chest. The only ones left were a feather from each of them. With a wave of his hand, the three feathers became connected at the shaft by a small string, making a necklace. Tyler looked at the jewelry in awe and rushes to put it on. He looks down at the three feathers resting on his chest.
Alec and Magnus wait with bated breath when suddenly their son launches at them, wrapping his arms around their neck and ducking his head below theirs.
“I love you, Dad and Papa,” Tyler mutters into his fathers’ necks, his voice just a tinge wobbly.
Magnus presses a kiss to the top of his head as Alec wraps his arms around the both of them. Magnus’ wings come around all of them sheltering them from the outside world as Tyler’s sniffs fill the loft.
“And we love you, Tyler,” Alec whispers in the small space. “Forever and always.”
Prompt: Broken Wings
Summary: Alec takes Max to get ice cream and discovers that his past has caught up to him
Read on Ao3
“Come on Alec! We’re going to miss it!” Max said impatiently, tugging at Alec’s hand to move faster.
“Alright, alright,” Alec laughs as he picks up the pace. “The ice cream shop isn’t going to go anywhere. Why the rush?”
“Because they have new flavors!” Max rolls his eyes as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You know how fast their new flavors go and I will not miss them because you are a slowpoke!”
“Just because you turned seven last week doesn’t give you the right to be bossy,” Alec comments as he picks up Max. The child screams out in delight causing a few heads to turn their way as he hoists Max up onto his shoulders.
“I’m the tallest kid in Edom!” Max declares and he pumps two fists in the air.
“Hold on tight, Max,” Alec laughs looking up at him with a smile. Max’s bushy, curly hair bounces with every step he takes.
Max’s laughs echo along the sidewalk as Alec power walks to the ice cream shop. Above him, Max makes whooshing sounds with his black wings spread out behind him, pretending like he’s flying. Alec can’t wait to see Max’s first flight. His wings are not strong enough to carry him yet, but once he turns eight, Alec knows that Max is going to drag everyone out to see him fly. He has stated so, multiple times, to anyone who will listen.
They make it to the shop in record time. Alec almost drops Max as the boy tries to climb down his six-foot-tall body by himself. The second his feet touch the ground, Max makes a dash for the door and is inside before Alec can even blink. Alec chuckles at the boy’s excitement and heads in after him. He doesn’t understand why they need to rush, there’s barely a line to the counter.
“Alec!” Max waves a hand and flaps his wings to get Alec’s attention as if Alec couldn’t already easily spot him in a crowd.
Since living in Edom, he and Max are the only two that he knows of that have black wings. There was a merchant who came to town a few months ago that had black wings, but the woman was only in for the week before she moved onto the next town to sell her goods.
She had told Alec that he was the second person she had met with black wings, but warned him to be careful should he leave such a welcoming city. The words didn’t come as a surprise to Alec because of his upbringing. He’s well aware that there are places where he would not be welcome.
They approach the counter and Alec sees a plethora of flavors that he can’t decide which one to pick. Max, on the other hand, knows exactly which ones he wants to get. He points out to the confectioner which ones he wants and asks the man about their new flavors. Alec stands back and allows Max to get what he wants. He’ll have to send an apology message to his parents for the sugar rush Max is going to have for the next few hours. Maybe he can take the soon to be hyper kid to the park for a while before taking him back home.
“Alec!” Max calls, he already has his bowl of four flavors. “You still have to pick!”
“Right.” Alec turns to the confectioner. “I’ll just have the chocolate and vanilla twist.”
“Boring,” Max drawls, stomping his feet on the ground in protest at Alec’s choice. “Come on, Alec! Pick something fun!”
“Chocolate and vanilla are fun,” Alec defends with a huff, his feathers mock ruffling behind him.
“But there are so many flavors to try!” Max insists as Alec takes his cone from the worker.
“Guess we’ll have to come back another time then.”
Max perks up at that and begins to bounce on his heels. His black wings almost knock over a stanchion in his excitement. Alec finishes paying for their ice cream and they make their way outside. The weather is nice enough that it won’t melt their frozen treats too quickly. They sit down at an open bench right outside the shop.
Max’s legs are swinging back and forth underneath the table as he greedily eats his ice cream. Alec has to tell him a few times to slow down or he’s going to get a brain freeze. Which of course Max ignores and proceeds to get brain freeze. Alec feels bad for laughing at a seven year old’s pain, but he did warn him. He at least tries to hide the laugh by covering it with his hand and looking away from Max.
He makes eye contact with the two men sitting at the bench across from them. He remembers passing them on their way to the shop. Something is off about the way they’re looking at him and Max, but he doesn’t have time to decipher what it is when Max is shoving a spoon in his face to try one of the new flavors.
Once they are finished with their ice cream, he leads Max to a trash bin to toss out his spoon and bowl.
“What do you say we spend some time at the park before heading home?” Alec asks. “We got a few more hours before your parents are done with work.”
Max nods his head rapidly, jumping giddily in place. “I want to go on the monkey bars!”
“One set of monkey bars coming up,” Alec grunts as he once again lifts Max to his shoulders.
He thanks his job every day for allowing him to lift Max with such ease. The heavy sacks of goods that he’s had to carry these past two years is enough to give any man back problems. Having a boyfriend who not only grooms wings but gives the best back massages has its perks. Especially when the back massages are boyfriend exclusive only.
Max is singing some tune above him as they make their way to the park. They are a few blocks down the street when he feels eyes on them again. He uses the excuse that his back is starting to hurt to lower a dissatisfied Max to the ground and looks behind him.
He sees the two men from before and something in Alec’s stomach drops. He puts on a fake smile for Max so he doesn’t freak out and continues their walk to the park, every once in awhile looking behind them. They have four more blocks to go. He subtly glances around at anything that can be used to get away but with it being the weekday, most of the shops are closed. Alec curses under his breath and slowly picks up his pace.
Max doesn’t seem to notice the change of speed as he asks Alec how many bars he thinks he can skip this time going across. Alec tries to pay attention to Max’s words to make it seem like he hasn’t noticed the two men. They have two more blocks to go before they make it to the park and Alec sighs in relief that they’re almost there, but as he turns the corner there’s a man on the sidewalk front of him, wearing similar clothes to the two men behind them. Alec halts his steps, pulling Max into his side.
“Alec?” Max says uneasy, looking from Alec to the man.
“Hello Mr. Lightwood,” the man says. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“Well, you found me,” Alec grits, his wings bristle behind him in a threatening manner. His instinct to protect Max outweighs his own safety. “You can leave now.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the man chuckles, pulling out a knife from his holster. “You see, there is a nice price on your head and I intend to cash that in.” Max whimpers and Alec pulls him underneath his wing. The man laughs at the movement as he fiddles with the sharp object. “Apparently mommy and daddy aren’t too happy to find out their mistake is still alive.”
Dread washes over him like a bucket full of ice cold water at the words. The mention of his parents makes his skin crawl and alarms go off in his head. He should have known that Robert and Maryse would assume he was dead when they didn’t pay the ransom. That his captor would have killed him when he found him no longer useful. Guess they didn’t factor in Magnus being his captor.
“Well they’re going to have to stay unhappy,” Alec spits at the man. “Because I’m not going with you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to come with us. We just need evidence that the problem is taken care of,” the man cackles. “And your wings look like a pretty nice trophy. ”
“Max,” Alec says as calm as he can. He glances down and sees that the boy’s hands are shaking where they clutch at his shirt, his wings curled around himself and Alec’s thigh. “Max.” The boy looks up. “When I say run, I want you to head for the nearest open shop and call for help.” Max shakes his head and plasters himself to Alec’s side. “You have to, buddy.”
“But Alec-”
“Hey.” He gives Max his most reassuring smile, before looking back at the man. “It’s going to be okay, but I need you to go get help.”
He waits until he feels Max nod against his side. He looks behind him and sees that the two men have gotten closer. Just a few steps more and they’ll be within striking distance. It’s been a while since he’s been in a full out fight. He mainly settles small disputes between vendors, rarely do fists fly.
As soon as the two men are within range, Alec spreads his wings out and twists, hitting the men hard. One man flies into a wall and gets knocked out. The other falls on the sidewalk with a loud grunt.
“Max, run!” Alec shoves Max in the opposite direction and the boy takes off. Max looks behind him as he runs, fear prevalent in his eyes. Alec is going to make these bastards pay for that look.
Alec doesn’t watch to see if Max gets to safety when he hears the footsteps running towards him. He twists out of the way but not in fast enough as he feels the knife plunge into his left wing. He cries out at the pain but doesn’t let it stop him. The bastard has a sick grin on his face as he pulls the knife out. Alec quickly tests the wing, stretching it out to its full span. The knife didn’t hit anything critical so he’s still able to use it. It’s only then, does he start to feel a numbness spread throughout it.
He looks down at the knife coated in his blood and sees a strange substance on it. The numbness reaches the base of his wing and he sees more than feels his wing drop. Alec tries to move it but it stays fallen.
“Amazing, ain’t it?” The man boasts. “Made it myself to help with taking those nasty wings off people’s backs. Of course, I keep the person alive. After all, I am saving them from a life of pain.”
“You’re cutting off their wings!” Alec growls, his hand goes up to his numb wing to make sure that it’s still there. “How is that saving them?”
“Having black wings is a curse,” the man casually explains. “A bad omen. It’s surprising that this town hasn’t crumbled from your presence.”
“Black wings are a blessing,” Alec states. It had taken him a long time to accept that, but thanks to Magnus and the friends he’s made in this city he can proudly wear his wings out for everyone to see. He’s going to do anything to make sure Max never has to hear the vitriol this man is spewing.
“Seems you need to relearn some things,” the man barks.
Alec gets tackled from behind and falls to the ground. He tries to use his right wing to get the crook off his back, but the man takes the wing in his hands and presses his knee against it. Alec realizes what the man is going to do and doubles his efforts to shake the man off. He begs for his left wing to move but it lays motionless at his side.
He lets out a gut wrenching scream as he feels the bone snap.
“Should have let us do our job,” the leader tuts as he crouches down in front of Alec. The man behind him presses a knee to his back so he can’t move. Not like he could anyway. The pain from his right wing is overwhelming his body. “Maybe this wouldn’t hurt as much.” The man pulls Alec by his hair to make sure he’s looking at him. “Don’t worry though, we’ll make sure that little disease that was with you gets the luxury treatment.”
Alec spits at the man which gets him punched in the face. One particular hit to the temple makes his world tilt more than it already was. The man lets out a wicked laugh as his head hits the ground.
He should move, he has to move. He has to make sure these bastards don’t lay a single finger on Max. He won’t let them, he can’t. Alec tries to push himself up but the man on top of him slams his knee down on his back right between the base of his wings, jostling his broken one. He lets out a whimper.
“Not so tough now are we?” The goon above him cackles. “Why don’t we start with the right one, boss?”
Alec cries out as pain shoots up his wing when the men grab it. He doubles his effort to break free and get the man off his back. The two men laugh at his poor attempt and Alec receives a kick to the face.
“Now be a good boy and let us do our job,” one of them says. He can’t focus on anything anymore, the pain is too much and his head has been hit too many times. Alec closes his eyes and accepts his fate.
He feels the knife begin to slice through his wing when suddenly the weight on his back disappears and the knife is gone from his wing. He hears shouting and the sound of fists being thrown. He should help whoever is there but any movement hurts.
“Don’t move,” a voice soothes. They brush the hair out of his face and Alec sees long red hair fill his vision before he sees a young woman come into view. Alec wants to ask about Max, if he’s okay, if he got away. Whatever expression is on his face makes the woman curse. “I need some help!”
“Oh my god... is he gonna be okay?”
“You have the right to remain silent.”
“He’s a freak! You should be helping me get rid of monsters like him.”
“Get them out of here.”
“Alec! Alec!”
Alec lets out a sob as he hears Max’s voice although it’s tinged with fear and worry. He’s glad that one good thing came out of this and it was Max’s safety. He would have never forgiven himself if Max had gotten hurt or worse, gotten his wings cut off.
He wants to stay awake to see Max with his own eyes to be sure he is unharmed, but the pain is becoming too much. The woman must see it and pats his hair again.
“It’s alright,” she reassures. “You’re safe now.”
~~~~
Alec wakes up to the sound of sniffling. It takes him a moment to register his surroundings but he finds himself on his stomach on a bed. Judging by the familiar smells, it’s his and Magnus’ bed. There’s a hand in his, clutching so tightly that Alec is worried that his hand might break. He gives the hand a light squeeze.
The body attached to it freezes as gasps and sobs leave their mouth. The hand in his squeezes back even tighter than before. A chair crashes to the ground and a thump echoes through their room. There’s a dip in the bed next to him as Magnus moves closer to his body.
“Alexander?” Magnus says, voice hoarse. There’s a gentle hand brushing hair out of his face. “Darling, open your eyes for me? Please.”
How could Alec ever say no to his boyfriend? Opening his eyes takes effort, his right eye is a bit swollen. His pupils adjust to the low light and directly in his line of sight is Magnus, bathed in a golden halo of the fireplace behind him. He looks beautiful, he thinks. A wide but wobbly smile is on his boyfriend’s face. His eyes are red and puffy and his makeup has left streaks down his cheeks.
“Hi,” Alec whispers. Magnus doesn’t even try to hold back a sob and he lifts their joined hands to his lips.
“Hello, darling,” Magnus says. “You gave me quite the scare.”
“I’m sorry to have worried you,” he mumbles into the pillow. The hand on the back of his head feels wonderful as it pets through his hair. He almost falls asleep again when he remembers the day’s events.
“Max,” Alec gasps. His body tenses at the memories, causing him to whimper as his right wing is jostled by the sudden movement.
“Hey hey, relax.” Magnus rushes onto the bed to stop his wings from moving too much. Magnus gently moves his hands across the top of his wings. “Max is okay. Terrified, but okay. He’s with his family right now. Let’s focus on you getting better, okay?”
He relaxes back into the pillows knowing that Max is okay. Magnus’ hands on his wings feel delicate like he’s afraid to break them more than they already are. It’s his turn to let out a shaky breath as he feels Magnus’ hand touch his left wing and Alec can feel it, relieved to have known that the paralyzing toxin was only temporary. Now that Alec has calmed down, he realizes that Magnus’ hands are shaking.
“Come here,” Alec says, bringing his arm around to tug at Magnus’ hands.
“Alexander, we shouldn’t,” Magnus advises.
“You won’t hurt me, come under my left wing. That one’s not broken,” he chuckles darkly. He probably shouldn’t be joking about it so soon, but it’s better than talking about it.
“That’s not funny,” Magnus scolds as he slides underneath the wing. “You could have- you almost-.”
“Hey,” Alec whispers as he pulls Magnus to his side. “I’m here.”
“But you almost weren’t,” Magnus sniffs, snuggling into Alec’s side. “God, when Max’s mother rushed into the shop with fear on her face, I thought the worst. Then I got to the house and saw the doctor tending to your wing and the broken angle it was at. The officer explained what happened and it was like all of my nightmares had come true.” Magnus’ wings are tucked tightly behind him as he and Alec try to get comfortable with as little movement as possible.
“After everything you told me about your childhood and of that hell town, to hear that hunters came after you,” Magnus’ breath shakes, “I couldn’t breathe properly until I saw you with my own two eyes. Then to see your wings…” Magnus reaches out to brush feathers on his left wing. “The wave of relief I felt to see them still on your back. I was so terrified that you had lost them to those monsters.”
“What happened?” Alec reaches for the hand on his wing and twines it with his own. He stares at their joined hands as he rubs the back of Magnus’. “Last thing I remember was someone with red hair leaning over me.”
“Those bastards got arrested,” Magnus growls. “Max was able to find a family walking down the street and luckily the father was an officer and the mother was a nurse. They were able to arrest the hunters and tend to your wings. Their daughter, Clary, was the one who stayed by your side until I could get here.”
Alec kisses the back of Magnus’ hands in silent apology. He can still see tension throughout his boyfriend’s body and shuffles the short distance to kiss him. His heart breaks as Magnus lets out a sob during the kiss.
He knew that this might happen one day, his parents threatened him with the idea of hunters enough times that he knew to hide his wings was the best option for him if he wanted to still have them. If he still wanted to live. It’s one of the many reasons he wore a harness all the time.
Alec will never go back to that life. He’s glad that it’s behind him and that he has the life he has now.
“I love you so much, Alexander,” Magnus whispers into his lips.
“I love you too, Magnus,” Alec whispers back.
Magnus tucks himself under Alec’s chin and settles in for the night. Alec feels a hand rest over his heart and the other wraps around his back.
~~~~
They’re taken out of their peaceful rest by an incessant knock on their door. Alec groans into Magnus’ hair, burrowing into it.
“It’s late,” he whines. “Who knocks at this time?”
“It might be the officers from earlier,” Magus says as he scoots from under Alec’s wing carefully. He leans down to press a kiss to Alec’s head. “I’ll only be a moment.”
“You better, or I will get up and kick them out myself,” Alec grumbles, already missing Magnus’ presence from the bed.
“You will not move from this bed or I will tie you to it,” Magnus warns, before leaving the room. Magnus hears a faint laugh from the bed before making his way to the front door.
He checks himself in the hallway mirror to fix up his face and get rid of any more noticeable makeup smudges. It’s not the best but he doesn’t look like he just dunked his face in water. Magnus hopes that this will be quick, he doesn’t want to spend one more second away from Alec’s side even if it’s to give another statement for the case. The knocking starts again, louder this time.
“Impatient much?” He complains as he unlocks the door. “Hello, officer, how can I-” His words stop in his throat as he takes in the couple in front of him. He leans against the doorframe, annoyance already leaking out. “You realize it’s nine o’clock at night. Normally the people who want to sell us things show up in the morning.”
The blonde-haired man shoots a glare at him, his golden wings bristling behind him. The dark-haired woman with him puts a hand on his arm, her light blue wings reaching out to relax the man.
“I’m sorry,” the woman says. “I know it’s late but we were wondering if Alec Lightwood lives here?”
Immediately his hackles rise, wings puffing out, ready to defend his home. He keeps his face neutral as he takes in the two who notice the change. The woman is smart enough to take a step back, but she has to pull the blonde man with her.
“What does it matter to you?” He asks, biting back the anger.
The duo share a hesitant glance before gathering strength to answer his question.
“I’m Isabelle Lightwood, this is my brother, Jace Lightwood,” Isabelle says. “We’re Alec’s younger siblings and we want to see him.”
Prompt: Wing Cuddles
Summary: It’s the one year anniversary of when Alec left his old life behind him.
Read it on Ao3
It’s the one year anniversary of when Alec left his old life behind him. He doesn’t regret leaving. He misses his siblings, but the fact that they did not try to pay the ransom doesn’t make him miss them as much as he wants to. Izzy and Jace always made sure to include him in anything they could until someone saw them all together. The number of times Alec had to walk home alone because he was unwanted was too many to count.
He sits in his room, leaning against the headboard of his bed. He thinks back to his old life and realizes it doesn’t make him as sad as it first did. The memories from a year ago don’t send an ache through his heart.
The life he has with Magnus, he wouldn’t trade it for the world. The amazing people he’s met in this city of Edom; Helen and Aline are now close friends of him and Magnus’. Friday’s just aren’t right if those two are not over for a night of food and drinks. His neighbors know his name and greet him with a smile when he leaves for work in the morning.
The kid with the black wings he saw the first few weeks he and Magnus moved to the city asks him to play all the time. And also to brag about how he and Aec are twins because they share the same color wings. Max is his name, Alec comes to learn.
The people of the market pull him left and right asking for his assistance. There’s never a dull day. People ask how he’s doing, offering him goods from their stalls without him having to ask or pay them.
He finally feels wanted.
Alec pulls out the feather he’s kept hidden in his nightstand for 5 months now. He’s made sure to keep it in pristine condition but even after being careful, the vanes of the feather have become a bit frayed. The burgundy and gold still shine in the light of his room. He knows it’s weird that he’s kept a feather of Magnus’ after their first grooming together, but it was the first time someone trusted him with their wings and vice versa. His heart still swells at the trust Magnus has for him.
He wants to cherish that first grooming for the rest of his life. Magnus and Alec have groomed each other’s wings plenty of times since that day, but Alec will never forget the intimacy of their first grooming for as long as he lives. They made it fun. The sounds that leave their mouths end with a laugh rather than awkward silence. Alec never feels like a bumbling fool because Magnus makes him feel comfortable.
If only he had the courage to tell Magnus how he feels about the man.
A knock on the door has him hiding the feather under his pillow. He grabs the book on his nightstand to make it look like he’d been reading and not fawning over a feather.
“Come in!” he says, playing it cool before Magnus enters.
“Hey,” Magnus smiles at him, opening the door. “I was just wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight.”
“Sure. What did you have in mind?”
“Well...” he trails off and plays with his ear cuff, a sign that Magnus is nervous. “You remember that restaurant that we went to the first month we came here?”
“Yeah, the Italian place?” Alec nods, moving so that his legs and hanging off the bed. “Didn’t they close down for maintenance?”
“They did, but they just reopened last week and I thought… Well, I thought we could see if their pasta is still as good as it was all those months ago.”
“That sounds great, Magnus.”
“Excellent,” Magnus cheers, clapping his hands together before turning to leave. As he gets to the door frame he turns around. “Oh, make sure to dress nice. Apparently this place is now deemed as fine dining and doesn’t allow people in street clothes to enter anymore. Guess our street look made them reevaluate.”
Alec laughs as Magnus closes the door behind him. He grabs the feather and puts it back in his nightstand before standing up from the bed and making his way to the closet. Alec only has a few nice dress outfits from the times that his neighbors have invited them over for their monthly cocktail parties. It should worry him how many times they have the parties but after the first few, Alec has found that he enjoys the small gatherings.
Alec picks out his outfit, a black suit with matching black shoes. He lays out the suit on his bed, eyeing it to decide what tie he should wear when he remembers the gift that Aline had given him for his birthday. He goes to his dresser, pulls open the top drawer, and grabs the small box that has kept the tie in pristine condition until he found the courage to wear it. Opening the box he looks at the tie and smiles.
Guess tonight is the night.
---
Alec makes his way downstairs to the living room. It had taken him longer than he had thought to get ready, but he wanted to make sure he looked his best. When he looked at himself in the mirror and the only color he had on him was the tie, he knew he made the right choice. He looks down at the burgundy tie and the gold swirls that twist around it and adjusts it for the twentieth time that night. He’s gelled up his hair so that it’s not the normal poofy mess he has to deal with.
He looks around and doesn’t see Magnus yet, which means the man is probably still getting ready. He shakes his head. He thought he was running late, but he forgot that Magnus wears makeup and won’t settle for anything less than perfect.
Alec wanders around the living room, not wanting to sit so he doesn’t crinkle the suit. His mind drifts again to the past year and his time with Magnus. The house is now filled with memories of them. A small statue of a raven on the fireplace mantle that Magnus had brought home one day saying that it reminded him of Alec. Alec had been a sputtering fool only able to choke out a thanks before placing it in the spot it rests now.
There’s a guitar on the ground in the corner next to a record player that Alec had gifted Magnus after he witnessed Magnus help fix a street performer’s guitar on his lunch break. Watching Magnus strum a tune while making it sound right, Alec could tell that he could easily play a song. When he passed the music store one day and saw the acoustic guitar sitting in the window, he just knew he had to get it. He’s glad he stuck to his gut because the look on Magnus’ face when he saw the guitar sitting in the corner was everything to him.
His weekends were now filled with soft strums of guitar and a silky voice singing the sweetest of tunes.
Alec turns his gaze to the wall and all the framed photos that hang. He steps up to the wall and takes in each photo. The one of him and Max showing off their wings in the park. Max had insisted on a hero pose and how could Alec say no to the little guy. He could hear Magnus laughing with Max’s parents, but he couldn’t feel embarrassed when Max was looking at him like he was the coolest person on the planet.
The next photo was of Magnus and Aline both laying in chairs soaking up the sun’s rays in the back yard. Their wings spread out behind them, not caring that they were in the way of everyone else. What the photo doesn’t show is Helen sneaking up behind them with a bucket of water. Alec doesn’t think he’s laughed that hard before in his life, watching Aline chase her wife around the yard yelling profanities. He remembers looking over to where Magnus had sat up in the sun chair looking like a drowned rat and seeing the softest smile on his face instead of anger.
Alec goes to the next photo. This one is probably his favorite of them all. It was later in the evening with Aline and Helen that they decided to have a bonfire in the back yard. They had invited their neighbors and Max and his parents over for smores. Aline had Max sit between her and Helen as a way to punish her wife for her earlier antics. There’s a visible pout on her face as she watches Aline help Max get his marshmallow on his stick.
Their neighbors are chatting it up with Max’s parents. It was the first time they had met and they had hit it off immediately which meant they had added three more guests to their monthly get togethers. This also made Magnus sad because it meant less alcohol at the party, but Magnus got over it quickly once he saw how happy Max was to be hanging out with Alec more.
In the two-person wicker chair sat him and Magnus. He hadn’t even realized they had practically snuggled against each other until their neighbor had given them the photo a few days later. He may have drunk too many sangrias that day, but Magnus had felt so nice next to him. His wing decided to make the decision for him and curl around Magnus, pulling the man into his side.
He remembers Magnus relaxing into his side, his own wings pulled behind him so that Alec’s could curl around him. The photo shows them looking at each other with smiles on their faces. He forgets what was said to cause them to look at each other with such tenderness.
That was the moment he fell in love with Magnus.
Alec is taken out of his trip down memory lane when he hears footsteps coming down the stairs. Turning to ask Magnus what took so long, his words die before they even reach his lips.
Magnus was wearing a burgundy suit that matches his wings, gold seams around the edges of the blazer that shine. Golden cufflinks at the ends of the sleeves also glint in the light. His makeup flawless as always, eyeshadow the perfect match to the rest of his look. As Alec’s eyes look him over, they pause on the black tie around Magnus’ neck. When it hits the light just right, the colors of purple and blue shine through, just like his feathers. Alec’s throat dries up.
He finally looks at Magnus and sees the man is also checking him out. When his eyes reach his tie, there’s a glow to them that wasn’t there before.
“Alexander,” Magnus whispers, finally looking at his face. “You look stunning.”
“As do you,” he whispers back, voice a bit more hoarse than he wishes.
They stare at each other for a moment more. Snapping out of it with an awkward cough, they make their way to the front door. Alec locks up the house behind them before meeting Magnus on the sidewalk. The two begin the slow journey to the restaurant on the other side of town. Walking side by side, Alec has to put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from grabbing Magnus’. His wings, on the other hand, have no problem with showing his true emotions and his left wing is slightly extended behind Magnus. If the other man notices, he’s kind enough to not mention it.
“It’s a beautiful night out,” Magnus comments.
“Yeah,” he says. Not as beautiful as you, he thinks.
They walk in comfortable silence until they reach their destination. Nuovi Inizi is lit up in a soft glow. New Beginnings, Alec muses, how fitting. The owners really outdid themselves with the remodel as they step inside the restaurant. The ceiling lights are dim as candles fill the room in a soft glow that truly sets the mood. Magnus approaches the hostess, saying they have a reservation as Alec takes in the place.
“Follow me this way, Mr. Bane,” the hostess says. Magnus grabs his elbow and they follow the woman through the restaurant. They pass by a few couples that are also enjoying a night out, but they pass by them all and make their way through a set of french doors to the patio next to the ocean. Alec freezes at the sight causing Magnus to come to a halt as well. Magnus looks at him nervously and he understands why.
The patio has been cleared of all tables except for one in the middle. Fairy lights hang from the trees scattered around the area, illuminating the patio in a soft glow.
“Magnus…”
“Is it too much?” Magnus asks anxiously.
“I don’t,” he stutters finally looking at the man. “What is all of this?”
Magnus gets even more nervous if possible. He rubs his hands together, biting his lip before speaking.
“It’s the one year anniversary from when you decided to join me,” he says. “I wanted to celebrate the moment in a special way because it means a lot to me that you chose to come with me.” Magnus’ wings get smaller behind him and Alec realizes that whatever his face is doing is scaring Magnus. “We can go somewhere else if it’s too much-”
“No,” Alec blurts out. “It’s- You did all of this,” he gestures at the table, “for me?”
“Of course I did, Alexander,” Magnus admits, his wings losing their tension. “There’s no one else in the world who deserves this more than you.”
If Alec wasn’t sure he was in love with Magnus, he is now. He closes the small space between then and grabs Magnus’ hands, holding tight.
“Thank you,” he whispers. “It’s beautiful.”
Whatever tension Magnus had in his body leaves and he pulls Alec towards the setup. The hostess left their menus on the table before disappearing back inside. Alec pulls out Magnus’ chair before sitting down in his own. He grabs the menu and everything is new. None of the foods they had last time are on the menu.
“Wow,” Alec laughs, peering over his menu. “It’s like they completely threw out the old place.”
“That is for sure,” Magnus agrees with a laugh of his own. “You think they would at least keep the ravioli I had last time, don’t think I ever had it that good before in my life.”
The waitress comes back with a bottle of red wine and takes their orders. They fill the night with talk of work and life. Just like any night before this, words fall easily from their lips. Their laughter echoes on the empty patio and they have to stop themselves from getting too loud lest they annoy the patrons inside. When their dinner arrives, they’ve almost finished the whole bottle of wine and Alec feels warm inside. He’s pretty sure it’s mostly the wine but with Magnus sitting across from him, he can’t tell. Magnus always had a way of making him feel warm inside by just being in his presence.
Small talk continues during dinner and after. Alec’s pretty sure they’ve stayed past their welcome but their waitress has not said anything so Alec isn’t going to either. Alec sits back and closes his eyes. He lets the sound of the ocean wash over him and that’s when he hears it; music drifting from inside the restaurant and reaching the patio.
Decision made, Alec sits up from his chair and holds out his hand.
“Care to dance, Mr. Bane?” Magnus stares at the hand and back up at him. Alec raises an eyebrow. So he may be feeling a bit more confident due to the wine, sue him. It’s not like he’d have this courage if he was sober.
“Lead the way, Mr. Lightwood.” Magnus grabs his hand and Alec leads him to an open space.
He holds Magnus’s right hand in his left and wraps his other around Magnus’ waist. Magnus’ other hand wraps around his neck and brushes at the hairs on the back of it.
In this world of ordinary people
Extraordinary people
I'm glad there is you
They sway back and forth, barely moving as they stare into each other’s eye. Alec has never been happier for Helen, that she taught him how to dance one drunken night.
In this world of overrated pleasures
And underrated treasures
I'm glad there is you
Alec leans his head forward to rest against Magnus’ and it feels like he’s truly found his place in the world.
I live to love, I love to live
With you beside me
This role so new I'll muddle through
With you to guide me
Alec doesn’t know what he would do without Magnus. What he would be. Who he would be. He shivers just thinking about it. Magnus must feel the shiver because the grip tightens before the fingers start stroking the back of his neck.
In this world where many many play at love
But hardly any stay in love
I'm glad there is you
More than ever
I'm glad there is you
“I love you,” Alec whispers in the small space between them. Magnus’s eyes shimmer in the soft glow of lights at the confession, a soft smile on his face. He looks even more beautiful than he has all night.
“I love you, too,” Magnus whispers back. They stare at each other for a moment before he closes the space between them.
The kiss is everything he imagined it to be. It’s not rushed or hurried. It’s gentle and soft, like they’re something fragile that needs to be handled with care. He tightens the hand he has on Magnus’ waist and feels the hand on the back of his neck drift into his hair. It never becomes heated even if he wants nothing more. Right now is not about that. It’s about the man in his arms and the fact that he loves him back.
He pulls back, laughing as Magnus follows his lips. He gives a small peck and leans his head next to Magnus’. Magnus tucks his face into the crook of his neck. Alec hums the lyrics of the song as they sway back and forth on the patio. The arm Magnus has around his neck drops to his shoulders and holds on tight. Once again his wings have a mind of their own and curl around Magnus’ wings. Their own little cocoon, tucked away from the rest of the world. He knows the wait staff will come to kick them out eventually, but right now?
Right now, Alec wants nothing more than to dance with the man he loves.
